The King’s Mother
Four mothers fight for their sons as the Wars of the Roses rage
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Penguin Books Ltd
Published:12th Jun '25
Should be back in stock very soon
This paperback is available in another edition too:
- Hardback£16.99(9780241631270)

JULY 24 TIMES BOOK OF THE MONTH
From the critically acclaimed author of CECILY comes an intimate and gripping novel perfect for fans of Hilary Mantel, Madeline Miller and Maggie O’Farrell.
'A triumph'The Times
'Electrifying'Daily Mail
'History at its most powerful' Jennifer Saint
1461. Through blood and battle Edward has gained England’s throne – king by right and conquest – eighteen years old and unstoppable. Cecily has piloted his rise to power and stands at his shoulder now, first to claim the title King’s Mother.
But to win a throne is not to keep it and war is come again. As brother betrays brother, and trusted cousins turn treacherous, other mothers rise up to fight for other sons. Cecily must focus her will to defeat every challenge. Wherever they come from. Whatever the cost.
For there can be only one King, and only one King’s Mother.
From the Wars of the Roses to the dawn of the Tudor age, this is a story of mothers and sons; of maternal ferocity and female ambition - of all they can build and all they can destroy.
PRAISE FOR ANNIE GARTHWAITE:
'Elegant and propulsive . . . I had to fight myself to put it down' A.K. Blakemore
'Family dynamics at their most fierce - timeless and brilliant!' Kate Sawyer
'Has the new Hilary Mantel arrived?' Sunday Telegraph
'A vividly female perspective on the Wars of the Roses' Imogen Hermes Gowar
Elegant and propulsive . . . I had to fight myself to put it down -- A.K. Blakemore, author of THE GLUTTON
Bold, unique and gripping -- Ferdia Lennon, author of GLORIOUS EXPLOITS
History at its most powerful: intimate and personal, visceral and devastating -- Jennifer Saint, author of HERA
Family dynamics at their most fierce - timeless and brilliant! -- Kate Sawyer, author of THIS FAMILY
Intense and personal, with stakes as great as kingdoms and a mother’s love -- Conn Iggulden, author of NERO
It is impossible not to root for Cecily: fierce mother and ambitious power player -- Constanza Casati, author of BABYLONIA
Utterly gripping, beautifully judged and deeply feminist -- Elizabeth Buchan, author of TWO WOMEN IN ROME
Breathes life into these women, wives, daughters and mothers. It is rare that historical fiction is so immersive and transporting. -- Liz Fremantle, author of QUEEN'S GAMBIT
Utterly compelling storytelling in crisp prose that is by turns witty, lyrical, moving and brutal. -- Victoria Mackenzie, author of FOR THY GREAT PAIN HAVE MERCY ON MY LITTLE PAIN
A totally propulsive read, which plunges us into the 15th century and shifts our understanding of the roles mothers in history have played. -- Harriet Constable, author of THE INSTRUMENTALIST
Brings the women of the Wars of the Roses dazzlingly to life and puts them where they belong: at the heart of events that shaped England. -- Tracy Borman, author and historian
Garthwaite is a beautiful writer with an incisive pen; the kinship she feels with her characters—heroes and villains both—is evident on every page. -- Katherine J. Chen, author of JOAN: A NOVEL OF JOAN OF ARC
An utterly compelling protagonist – Brilliant, determined and ruthless. -- Tim Leach, author of THE HOLLOW THRONE
A vivid and gripping powerhouse of a novel * Joanne Burn, author of THE BONE HUNTERS *
Moving and majestic. I honestly don’t think there’s another writer like Annie Garthwaite in British literature. * A.J. West, author of THE SPIRIT ENGINEER *
Explores the lives and loves of noble women in the 15th century in unflinching, terrifying detail. -- Sara Sheridan, author of THE FAIR BOTANISTS
Garthwaite’s dialogue marries political intrigue with emotional heft in a way I haven’t seen on the page since Hilary Mantel. -- Naomi Kelsey, author of THE BURNINGS
ISBN: 9780241998687
Dimensions: 198mm x 129mm x 25mm
Weight: 277g
400 pages