Death and the Virgin Queen Elizabeth I and the Dark Scandal That Rocked the Throne

On the afternoon of September 8, 1560, at the isolated manor of Cunmor place, the body of a young woman was found at the bottom of a staircase, her neck broken. Amy Robsart was the wife of Elizabeth I's great favorite, Robert Dudley. Immediately people suspected foul play and Elizabeth's own reputation was in danger of serious damage. Many felt she might even lose her throne. An inquest was begun, witnesses called, and ultimately a verdict of death by accident was reached. But the mystery refused to die and cast a long shadow over Elizabeth's reign. Using recently discovered forensic evidence from the original investigation, Skidmore is able to put an end to centuries of speculation as to the true causes of Robsart's death. This is the story of a treacherous period in Elizabeth's life: a tale of love, death, and tragedy, exploring the dramatic early life of England's Virgin Queen.

Chris Skidmore was born in Bristol, England in 1981. His first book was Edward VI: The Lost King of England. He is an Honorary Research Fellow at Bristol University, and is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. In 2010 he was elected as a British Member of Parliament.