THE QUEEN’S SPADE, by Sarah Raughley, HarperCollins, Jan. 14, 2025, Hardcover, $19.99 (young adult, ages 14 and up)
A kidnapped African princess and goddaughter to Queen Victoria, plots to take down the monarchy in The Queen’s Spade, by Sarah Raughley.
A young lady can take only so many injuries before humiliation and insult forge a vow of revenge. . . .
The year is 1862 and murderous desires are simmering in England. Nineteen-year-old Sarah Bonetta Forbes (Sally), once a princess of the Egbado Clan, desires one thing above all else: revenge against the British Crown and its system of colonial “humanitarianism,” which stole her dignity and transformed her into royal property. From military men to political leaders, she’s vowed to ruin all who’ve had a hand in her afflictions. The top of her list? Her godmother, Britain’s mighty monarch, Queen Victoria herself.
Taking down the Crown means entering into a twisted game of court politics and manipulating the Queen’s inner circle—even if that means aligning with a dangerous yet alluring crime lord in London’s underworld and exploiting the affections of Queen Victoria’s own son, Prince Albert, as a means to an end. But when Queen Victoria begins to suspect Sally’s true intentions, she plays the only card in Victorian society that could possibly cage Sally once again: marriage. Because if there’s one thing Sally desires more than revenge, it’s her freedom. With time running out and her wedding day looming, Sally’s vengeful game of cat and mouse turns deadly as she’s faced with the striking revelation that the price for vengeance isn’t just paid in blood. It means sacrificing your heart. —Synopsis provided by HarperCollins
The Queen’s Spade is a historical thriller inspired by the true story of Sarah Forbes Bonetta (aka Sally), Queen Victoria’s African goddaughter. In the book, author Sarah Raughley imagines a Sally out for revenge — a Sally who will stop at nothing to make a number of high-ranking British men and women pay for the wrongs they committed. It’s an idea that’s plausible and plays out with all the tension and intrigue you’d expect from a thriller.
In Raughley’s world, Sally is a morally gray character that makes sense. Sally is a favorite of the queen and walks a strange line of being both on the inside and outside of court. She is and isn’t accepted, and that brings her a certain amount of access and power. And it’s not hard to understand her motives, even if some of the outcomes are less than desirable.
Of particular note is the interplay between a grieving Queen Victoria and Sally. Both are sharp and have multiple cards to play.
The book is superbly written. It’s a gripping tale that’s part character study, part suspense, and somehow Raughley is able to fit it all into a real timeline of events and people. The Queen’s Spade will appeal to older YA readers as well as adults.
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