Queen's Musician: A Novel

For fans of Philippa Gregor, Alison Weir, and Elizabeth Fremantle, an untold story about how the plot against Anne Boleyn entrapped a gifted young musician.

“Johnson brings the Tudor court to life with lavish feasts, chivalric traditions, resplendent music, and exquisite royal fashion, making the world feel both authentic and immersive. But behind the glamour is an unsettling truth: even the most beautiful melodies could not drown out the sound of the executioner’s blade.”—BookLife Reviews

A glamorous queen, a volatile king, a gifted musician concealing a forbidden romance. Everyone knows Anne Boleyn’s story. No one knows Mark Smeaton’s.

On May 17, 1536, a young court musician was executed, accused of adultery and treason with the queen. Most historians believe both he and Anne Boleyn were innocent—victims of Henry VIII’s rage.

Mark Smeaton was a talented performer who rose from poverty to become a royal favorite. He played for the king in private and entertained at sumptuous feasts. He witnessed Anne Boleyn’s astonishing rise and fall—her reign of a thousand days. History tells us little about him, other than noting his confession and execution. The Queen’s Musician imagines his story, as seen from his perspective and that of the young woman who loves him. It all takes place amid the spectacle and danger of the Tudor court.