Like a thousand suns...: Book Excerpt!!! Fool (A Tudor Novel) by Mary Lawrence

Fool

(A Tudor Novel)

By Mary Lawrence

Publication Date: April 14th, 2026

Publisher: Red Puddle Print

Pages: 322

Genre: Historical Fiction / Historical Mystery

Betrayal. Power. Perception. The most dangerous mind at court belongs to a fool.

From the author of The Alchemist's Daughter comes a dark tale of ambition and survival.

"One of the most vibrant characters I've encountered in years."--Goodreads Ecostell

Kronos is a fool--mocked for his dwarfism, prized for his juggling, and underestimated by everyone who matters. But in a court ruled by paranoia and whispers, invisibility is its own kind of power.

When Kronos overhears a secret that could destroy Queen Katherine Howard, he becomes a liability the crown cannot afford. Silenced, mutilated, and left for dead, he survives--barely.

Rescued by an ambitious apothecary, Kronos soon realizes he has not escaped danger--he has merely changed masters. His secret is worth a fortune...and powerful men are willing to kill to control it.

But Kronos has spent his life being overlooked and he's ready to use that to his advantage.

As rival factions circle and scheme, Kronos sets a plan in motion--one that could topple the mighty, rewrite his fate, and force his foes to reconsider which of them is truly...the fool.

Perfect for fans of C.J. Sansom and Philippa Gregory.

Praise for Fool:

'Fool is a masterclass in immersive storytelling'
~ Tony Riches, bestselling author of The Tudor Trilogy

'Fool brings the Tudor world to life through an exciting narrative voice, placing real historical figures--Henry VIII, Katherine Howard, and Archbishop Cranmer--at the heart of the drama. Its unforgettable narrator, Kronos, the king's sharp-witted court fool, survives on intelligence and observations rather than power, moving invisibly through corridors of influence. Vividly written and grounded in scrupulous research, the novel captures both the dark comedy and lethal danger of Henry VIII's court.'

~ Nancy Bilyeau, author of The Crown, The Chalice, and The Tapestry

'A thoughtful and unsparing Tudor novel that reframes the court jester not as comic ornament but as a precarious witness to power.'
~ Megan Parker, for IndieReader

Excerpt

All stories have a beginning—as do all lives. Once upon a time begins with a mother’s final push thrusting a child into the world. A world indifferent to yet another mewling mouth seeking to find its place among a multitude of others just as needy and just as expectant. There with its scowling face, clenched eyes and fists, the necessity to breathe air instead of fluid. Live—and a story unfolds.

Stories build incrementally, then become full with the passage of time. Is it not true of lives? Threads of days become months, become years, which are woven into a tapestry. Mayhap the tale might be pleasing. The tale might be simple, an ease of prediction satisfying, but hardly revolutionary. Then, there are tapestries and lives that dazzle. Their threads shimmer and are appreciated by those who know how to see.

Which tale is this? That is for you to decide.

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Mary Lawrence

Mary Lawrence is the author of the Bianca Goddard mysteries, a 5-book series that takes place in the slums of Tudor London featuring the daughter of an infamous alchemist.

Suspense Magazine named The Alchemist’s Daughter and The Alchemist of Lost Souls best historical mysteries of 2015 and 2017. Her writing has been published in several journals, including The Daily Beast.

When she is not writing, she tends a small berry farm in Maine with her husband and creates artisanal jams for sale at market.

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