Ladies In Waiting
A rich alchemy of fact and fiction, the Ladies in Waiting series chronicles the glittering court lives of three Tudor Queens and the women chosen to be their closest friends and companions. Each book envelopes the reader in sweeping romance, heartwarming and heartbreaking circumstances, and heroines who choose lives worth risking all for.
"Byrd crafts a well-researched historical novel that engrosses readers in Juliana's world and the juicy details of the Tudor court ... Anglophiles and history buffs alike will surely enjoy this bird's-eye view into royal politics, love, and scandal."
Publishers Weekly, for
The Secret Keeper
"...this stunning novel ...reexamines Boleyn's life from her beginnings to her rise and eventual fall in the Tudor court. Byrd's novel adds a depth to the character of Anne Boleyn that is often missing in other novels, and she brings the history to life in exquisite detail. Readers might indeed find themselves sympathizing with the young queen. Highly recommended for fans of Philippa Gregory. "
Library Journal,
Starred Review
"... offers a fresh look at the court of King Henry VIII."
Romantic Times,
Four Stars
"In TO DIE FOR, Sandra Byrd gifts the reader with a fresh look at Anne Boleyn through the eyes of her lifelong friend Meg Wyatt. But Meg commands her own interest and respect in the Tudor world of triumph and tragedy. Readers will be drawn to the events, beautifully depicted, but also to the emotions, skillfully conveyed. A new Tudor historical to treasure."
Karen Harper, Author of
The Queen's Governess
"Sandra Byrd's first venture into historical fiction is nothing short of brilliant. All the Tudor details are perfectly placed, like gemstones in a royal crown, yet there is far more to this compelling novel... Simply put, To Die For is the best historical novel I've read in many a season, a masterpiece of history and heart."
Liz Curtis Higgs, best-selling author of Here Burns My Candle
"Most readers of Tudor historicals think they know Queen Anne Boleyn. They'll meet a very different Anne in Sandra Byrd's wonderfully told To Die For. Meg, who rises and falls with Anne, seeks her own lost love and faith. Anne's influence during the English Reformation is an integral and refreshing part of this story, one that Byrd tells with authority... A novel to savor and return to."
Jeane Westin, author of His Last Letter: Elizabeth I and the Earl of Leicester
"In this moving story of a friendship that survives a queen's rise and fall, Sandra Byrd reaches beyond the familiar stereotypes to give us the story of two remarkable women: Anne Boleyn and Meg Wyatt. A refreshingly three-dimensional Anne, and a Meg of courage and integrity, make this novel a must for your Tudor library."
Susan Higginbotham, Author of The Queen of Last Hopes
"If you love Philippa Gregory, you'll adore Sandra Byrd! Through the eyes of Anne Boleyn's most trusted friend, Meg Wyatt, Ms. Byrd seamlessly weaves sacred threads of history with those of captivating imagination to take us on an unforgettable journey of the heart. I've no doubt that if Anne and Meg could somehow read To Die For, they would thank Ms. Byrd for telling their stories with such grace and beauty."
Tamera Alexander, bestselling author of
Within My Heart and The Inheritance
"Ms. Byrd shows a wonderful sense of time and place in her novel, To Die For. Her characters and her story are drawn with precision. The new life she breathed into well-worn notables like Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII, as seen through her character, Meg, is simply captivating."
Diane Haeger, Author of
The Queen's Rival
"Rich in historical detail, full of intrigue, and starring a memorable heroine—Juliana St. John—who grows in both character and faith, Sandra Byrd's The Secret Keeper kept me completely engrossed in the tumultuous court of Henry VIII. I felt a part of the times, thanks to the author's skillful storytelling, vivid descriptions, and inspiring characters. Readers are in for a special treat with this remarkable novel."
Francine Rivers,
New York Times bestselling author
"Sandra Byrd's remarkable book, The Secret Keeper, provides exquisite attention to detail of time, language, and place. A deft creation of character voice that invites the reader in and never lets her go. A delicate suspense that keeps pages turning. And throughout, the evidence of a remarkable storyteller who moves emotions in ways that both inspire and satisfy. I fell in love with Juliana St. John and with her heart, and hope she and her secrets find the widest possible audience."
Jane Kirkpatrick,
New York Times bestselling author of Where Lilacs Still Bloom
To Die For is a...
To Die For is a 2012 Christy Award Finalist
To Die For
A Novel of Anne Boleyn
Ladies in Waiting, Book 1
There are many ways to arrive at the Tower of London though there are few ways out. Kings and Queens ride in before a coronation, retinue trailing like a train of ermine. Prisoners, however, arrive on foot, shoved through one cavernous gate or another by the wardens who live, as all do, at the mercy of a merciless king. Some unfortunate few are delivered to the Tower by water.
—
The Thames lapped against our boat as it stopped to allow for the entry to be raised.
The Secret Keeper
A Novel of Kateryn Parr
Ladies in Waiting, Book 2
Pieces of her black gown fell to the ground, one by one, like the locks of a condemned woman shorn before execution, though he stayed himself from touching her bright red hair before sheathing his dagger again. Her woeful face betrayed that she knew this would be her utter undoing. The gown was ruined and the black clumps, which had plummeted to the ground, received the breath of life of a sudden and became a flock of beady-eyed ravens which took wing toward the Tower of London, whilst we watched in horror and dread.
To be released June 5, 2012.
Roses Have Thorns
A Novel of Elizabeth I
Ladies in Waiting, Book 3
To be released in 2013.
Historical research assistance provided by Lauren Mackay.
Scroll through the Tudor Hall to learn more about some of the principle, historic characters in the series.
King Henry (Tudor) the Eighth
Born 1491
To Die For
Allington Castle
Hever Castle
Hampton Court Palace
Tower of London



