Promo: Fool by Mary Lawrence
Today, I'm delighted to welcome author Mary Lawrence to Ruins & Reading. We're sharing an intriguing snippet from her fascinating tale, Fool. It sounds just like my kind of story, and I hope to read it later in the spring.
Fool is currently on blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club. Check out more enticing snippets HERE!
fool
“He was not reprimanded for murder?”
“The priory keeps its secrets.”
Brother Trelli merrily took up a pitcher and added water to the pot. How could these reticent and peace-loving brothers commit debauchery and murder? Such misdeeds are the transgressions of commoners and men outside the fold—not the doings of Benedictine monks. I picked up the hammer and brought it down on a walnut, sending shell fragments scattering. What other confidences were buried at Thetford Priory?
“We take the vow, but we are just men,” said Brother Trelli. “And, as men, we struggle with mortal desires. We are not immune to the pull of sin, but we strive to reject those impulses and live in God’s grace. Every one of us has lied, we have all coveted. We, as mortals…sin.”
Are we, as monks and servants of God, whose life work is to think first of Him, given more allowance than others? Are we held namely to His standard rather than the institutional laws of man? To me, it appeared so. Our bevy of transgressions are our own free will. In the end, He will hold us accountable. But if we love Him and ask His forgiveness, what transgressions are we capable of in this life that we will not be held accountable for, in the next?
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
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