Alison Weir’s The Boleyn Secret is hot off the presses — and fresh out of the recording studios. This latest installment of Tudor historical fiction was released in May 2026. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Rosalyn Landor, who has been an exceptional performer of Weir’s Six Queens series, The King’s Pleasure, and The Cardinal. Can you tell I’m a fan of Weir’s fiction? I also enjoy her nonfiction, but I’ll save that for another post.
The Boleyn Secret follows Katherine Carey, Mary Boleyn’s daughter and Anne Boleyn’s niece, as she endures the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I. While Kate Carey isn’t a Tudor queen like Weir’s other famous protagonists, her proximity to Court gives readers a unique perspective on historical events. The story opens with the heartbreaking days of Anne Boleyn’s arrest and fall: Kate, age 12, has been summoned to the Tower of London to attend her imprisoned aunt before Anne’s trial and execution. These events at the Tower will follow Kate through her entire life as she grapples with the King’s “justice” and her own family ties to power.
Early on, Kate is assigned to her cousin Elizabeth’s household, where she witnesses the toddler’s demotion from royal princess to “the Lady Elizabeth,” as Henry VIII begins his marriage to Jane Seymour. Kate becomes a maid-of-honor to Anne of Cleves, finds a husband, and retires to the country to learn how to manage a large estate.
As a young wife and mother, Kate struggles with her intense animosity toward King Henry and her wariness about her husband‘s radical religious leanings. We see firsthand how much Kate misses her husband Francis, whose Court duties frequently take him away from his growing family. The Court is not a glittering place for Kate, and she resents beijing asked to attend. At home, she grows in confidence, takes an active interest in her children, enjoys her husband’s visits, and learns to manage her estate and tenants. She is quite content living away from Court drama.
While Edward VI’s reign allows Francis and Kate to explore the Protestant faith, Mary I’s reign witnesses their need to flee England. Though exile in Europe poses great challenges, they pale in comparison to what Kate will experience during the reign of Elizabeth, who claims to love her above anyone else. The last third of the book is the most heartrending as Kate repeats her cries for kindness, mercy, and a release from Court life.
In this book, Weir paints a sympathetic portrait of Kate’s mother, Mary Boleyn. While many novels draw Mary as weak and weepy, Weir’s Mary Boleyn is spirited, resourceful, and willing to grow. In contrast, Weir writes Henry VIII, Mary I, and Elizabeth I without much sympathy — giving full exposure to their entitlement, demands, and selfish singlemindedness. Perhaps the lack of sympathy with the book’s royal characters is thrown into sharp relief by the warmth and love of Kate’s husband, stepfather, and children.
Overall, Weir’s Kate Carey is a dynamic, warmhearted, and capable woman who runs toward love with alacrity. She has a rich emotional vocabulary and is unwilling to subordinate her needs to earn royal favor. It’s wonderful to think that this woman really did exist, that she navigated her domestic sphere, the Tudor Court, and the country’s religious changes with courage and kindness.
Every queen needs a Kate Carey. I hope Weir’s portrayal will incline readers to appreciate the bright and industrious ladies in their lives.
On the Blink 