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    The Boleyn Secret

    A Novel

    Author Alison Weir
    Hardcover
    $34.00 US
    Ballantine Group | Ballantine Books
    On sale May 26, 2026 | 560 Pages | 9780593974735
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    The New York Times bestselling author of the Six Tudor Queens series explores the dramatic, mysterious life of Katherine Carey, niece of Anne Boleyn, in this surprising novel that delves into one of the deepest secrets of Henry VIII’s court.

    “In this vivid and utterly addictive novel, Alison Weir brings to life a fascinating woman who lived at the heart of Henry VIII’s and Elizabeth I’s courts.”—Tracy Borman, author of The House of Boleyn

    At twelve years old, Katherine Carey attends her aunt, Queen Anne Boleyn, to the scaffold. Horrified by what she witnesses, Katherine is convinced that King Henry VIII is a murderer and has sent an innocent woman to a terrible death.

    Although the Boleyn family, once so influential at court, has now fallen from favor, Katherine still manages to secure a coveted role as companion to her now-motherless cousin, the young Lady Elizabeth. Bound by Boleyn blood, the two girls grow as close as sisters, though Katherine has trouble ignoring the sly looks thrown her way and continual whispers behind her back. Only when her mother lies dying does Katherine learn the life-shattering truth that the Boleyns have been hiding for years.

    It is a secret that follows Katherine throughout her life, as she flees religious persecution with her husband and lives abroad in fear, returning home only when Elizabeth becomes queen. But the bond between the Boleyn cousins will never be the same again.

    With her usual entertaining and authoritative style beloved by readers, renowned historian Alison Weir exposes a dramatic, little-known Tudor mystery in this fascinating, revelatory novel.
    Alison Weir is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous historical biographies, including The Lost Tudor Princess, Elizabeth of York, Mary Boleyn, The Lady in the Tower, Mistress of the Monarchy, Henry VIII, Eleanor of Aquitaine, The Life of Elizabeth I, and The Six Wives of Henry VIII, and the novels Anne Boleyn, A King’s Obsession; Katherine of Aragon, The True Queen; The Marriage Game; A Dangerous Inheritance; Captive Queen; The Lady Elizabeth; and Innocent Traitor. She lives in Surrey, England, with her husband. View titles by Alison Weir
    “In this vivid and utterly addictive novel, Alison Weir brings to life a fascinating woman who lived at the heart of Henry VIII’s and Elizabeth I’s courts but who has remained in the shadows for almost five-hundred years. In so doing, Weir gives us a compelling heroine and breathes new life into one of the most famous periods in English history. The immaculate period details and compelling drama transport the reader to the dazzling, often deadly world of the Tudors. . . . Simply unmissable.”—Tracy Borman, author of The House of Boleyn

    “It’s a rare gift for an author to be able to transport their readers to times past, but Alison Weir does so with ease. With each page I felt as though I were eavesdropping on the scandalous world of the Tudors and experiencing their world as they would have done. Full of tension, passion, jealousy, and heartbreak, The Boleyn Secret is an unputdownable tale of one who might’ve been closer to the heart of the Tudor court than was ever acknowledged. When it comes to historical fiction, Alison Weir is unbeatable.”—Nicola Tallis, author of Young Elizabeth

    “With her extraordinary breadth of knowledge and scrupulous attention to detail, Alison Weir has excavated from the Tudor records the unsung story of a remarkable woman who had a ringside seat to some of the most precarious and pivotal passages of history. Katherine Carey learned young how to negotiate the knife-edge of court, developing deep loyalties and cautious allegiances. She had fifteen pregnancies, had to flee England and live as a fugitive for a time, and carried a momentous and dangerous secret about her origins for her entire life. Her story is as fascinating as it is gripping.”—Elizabeth Fremantle, author of the Tudor Trilogy

    “Beautifully written and full of emotion . . . In telling the vivid, moving story of Katherine Carey, Alison Weir takes you to a front seat of the Tudor court, glittering, treacherous, terrifying. Katherine sees her aunt Anne Boleyn executed, serves her cousin, Elizabeth, and is drawn into the Tudor world of secrets. . . . Fascinating.”—Kate Williams, author of Becoming Queen

    About

    The New York Times bestselling author of the Six Tudor Queens series explores the dramatic, mysterious life of Katherine Carey, niece of Anne Boleyn, in this surprising novel that delves into one of the deepest secrets of Henry VIII’s court.

    “In this vivid and utterly addictive novel, Alison Weir brings to life a fascinating woman who lived at the heart of Henry VIII’s and Elizabeth I’s courts.”—Tracy Borman, author of The House of Boleyn

    At twelve years old, Katherine Carey attends her aunt, Queen Anne Boleyn, to the scaffold. Horrified by what she witnesses, Katherine is convinced that King Henry VIII is a murderer and has sent an innocent woman to a terrible death.

    Although the Boleyn family, once so influential at court, has now fallen from favor, Katherine still manages to secure a coveted role as companion to her now-motherless cousin, the young Lady Elizabeth. Bound by Boleyn blood, the two girls grow as close as sisters, though Katherine has trouble ignoring the sly looks thrown her way and continual whispers behind her back. Only when her mother lies dying does Katherine learn the life-shattering truth that the Boleyns have been hiding for years.

    It is a secret that follows Katherine throughout her life, as she flees religious persecution with her husband and lives abroad in fear, returning home only when Elizabeth becomes queen. But the bond between the Boleyn cousins will never be the same again.

    With her usual entertaining and authoritative style beloved by readers, renowned historian Alison Weir exposes a dramatic, little-known Tudor mystery in this fascinating, revelatory novel.

    Author

    Alison Weir is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous historical biographies, including The Lost Tudor Princess, Elizabeth of York, Mary Boleyn, The Lady in the Tower, Mistress of the Monarchy, Henry VIII, Eleanor of Aquitaine, The Life of Elizabeth I, and The Six Wives of Henry VIII, and the novels Anne Boleyn, A King’s Obsession; Katherine of Aragon, The True Queen; The Marriage Game; A Dangerous Inheritance; Captive Queen; The Lady Elizabeth; and Innocent Traitor. She lives in Surrey, England, with her husband. View titles by Alison Weir

    Praise

    “In this vivid and utterly addictive novel, Alison Weir brings to life a fascinating woman who lived at the heart of Henry VIII’s and Elizabeth I’s courts but who has remained in the shadows for almost five-hundred years. In so doing, Weir gives us a compelling heroine and breathes new life into one of the most famous periods in English history. The immaculate period details and compelling drama transport the reader to the dazzling, often deadly world of the Tudors. . . . Simply unmissable.”—Tracy Borman, author of The House of Boleyn

    “It’s a rare gift for an author to be able to transport their readers to times past, but Alison Weir does so with ease. With each page I felt as though I were eavesdropping on the scandalous world of the Tudors and experiencing their world as they would have done. Full of tension, passion, jealousy, and heartbreak, The Boleyn Secret is an unputdownable tale of one who might’ve been closer to the heart of the Tudor court than was ever acknowledged. When it comes to historical fiction, Alison Weir is unbeatable.”—Nicola Tallis, author of Young Elizabeth

    “With her extraordinary breadth of knowledge and scrupulous attention to detail, Alison Weir has excavated from the Tudor records the unsung story of a remarkable woman who had a ringside seat to some of the most precarious and pivotal passages of history. Katherine Carey learned young how to negotiate the knife-edge of court, developing deep loyalties and cautious allegiances. She had fifteen pregnancies, had to flee England and live as a fugitive for a time, and carried a momentous and dangerous secret about her origins for her entire life. Her story is as fascinating as it is gripping.”—Elizabeth Fremantle, author of the Tudor Trilogy

    “Beautifully written and full of emotion . . . In telling the vivid, moving story of Katherine Carey, Alison Weir takes you to a front seat of the Tudor court, glittering, treacherous, terrifying. Katherine sees her aunt Anne Boleyn executed, serves her cousin, Elizabeth, and is drawn into the Tudor world of secrets. . . . Fascinating.”—Kate Williams, author of Becoming Queen

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