If you have any liking for Richard III, look away now. Just the very first pages of this has him as physically impaired, lording it over all so that nobody is allowed to dare look at him when he's out and about, and boss of an army full of uncouth, thieving, drunkard rabble-rousers. He loves hanging, drawing and quartering – oh, and pears. But still, our main focus is Jack, a hard-done-to creature who wants to grow up to become a medical man, and is now a whipping-post for his apothecary-running aunt. To that end he wants to run away to the top surgeon, who operates for the key soldiers and officers of Richard's court, from the Tower of London. Jack would like desperately to break in and meet the man, but little is he to know his destiny is going to force him through those walls, for reasons he could never imagine...

The thing with this book is that the beginning chapters are filled with one contrivance after another, and it makes you unsure of how safe the ground here is. But happily it is still readable, and when the narrative has finished with the set-up and is allowed to march on to its ending, it does so very entertainingly. Yes, there is a beat of the end that is very easy to predict, certainly for the adults reading this, but the target audience is almost forced to be swept up in the machinations of the day, and Jack proves throughout worthwhile company on this speculative historical lesson. Ultimately even Richard III comes off as slightly less of a wrong'un than the opening suggested, meaning that despite one ridiculous twist proving someone turns from nasty to saintly overnight this is a well-judged drama. Four stars, then, although that is from the point of view of the target audience. Older readers will see issues here which makes that a touch too generous.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sweet Cherry Publishing for an eARC of The Secret in the Tower by Andrew Beattie in exchange for an honest review.

CW: imprisonment, medical content, blood, violence, murder, see full list on StoryGraph

The Secret in the Tower is a middle grade alternate history retelling of the real life mystery of the boys in the tower. In 18th century England, a war is waging for the throne. Main character Jack Broom is living with the old apothecary on the Thames, and one day makes a friend who introduces him to the dark secrets of the ruling royals. Deep within the Tower of London lives a sick boy named Dickon, and aspiring doctor Jack treats this boy as his first patient. Strangely, Dickon bears a nearly identical resemblance to Jack. When Jack learns that his own life might be in danger, he and his new friend Alice endeavor to break Dickon out of the tower and change the course of history.

This is an excellent introduction to English history for young readers. The author's note at the end explains which parts of this story were inspired by true events and which were complete fabrications. The storyline was engaging and will hold the attention of young readers and serve as a springboard for further investigation into the true history and mystery of the boys in the tower.

1485. Richard III is King of England. Henry Tudor’s invasion looms.

I love the historical education in this one, perfect for middle grade and really fast paced so the reader never gets bored. The history on King Richard are accurate as far as i know and really well done. This one would do well in a school setting so children can learn and have fun while reading. With an open ended mystery that will leave alot of speculation and discussion on the writings.
Jack Broom thinks that war and politics have nothing to do with him. He is a simple apothecary’s boy dreaming of becoming a surgeon – until soldiers mistake him for a boy of noble birth.
Hands up to the Author who must have done his research to pull off such a great book. This is definatly for people with an interest in historical fiction.

Another historical middle grade that I read recently was The Secret in the Tower by Andrew Beattie. I've always been interested in the mystery of The Princes in the Tower AKA the disappearance of Edward and Richard, and the author takes this part of history and creates an exhilarating adventure.

Jack Broom is a simple apothecary's assistant but through a case of mistaken identity, he finds himself embroiled in a war between kings and by teaming up with a new friend, he sets out to discover his true identity.

Beattie does a terrific job of transporting the reader back to medieval London, the descriptions are vivid and the real life history is well developed. Jack is an extremely courageous and capable character for someone so young, he really has that hero energy. I also loved Alice, her quick thinking and resourcefulness really came in handy. I love when middle grades delve deeper into parts of history that younger readers might not have been introduced to yet and this is an excellent story to prompt further research into this area of English history. Overall, an exciting, high-stakes mystery full of twists and action that I thoroughly enjoyed.

3.5 Rounded to 4

The Secret in the Tower is a retelling of sorts about the real history of the Plantagenet brothers. No one really knows the truth behind the rumors of what happened to them so this was an interesting twist on what could have been.

The author's historical note at the end is worth reading as it gives background into the characters in the book that are based on real people.

While this was slower in some spots, overall it is a well-paced and easy read. This would be a good one for a Middle Grade English class to read and discuss together. For those who enjoy this time period and historical fiction in general, this is a good one for between other reads.

I sincerely appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

I will never be too old for middle-grade fiction books!

The Secret in the Tower is Beattie’s own take on what happened to the real life sons of King Edward the IV when the King died and rule was taken over by his brother Richard Duke of Gloucester in the late 1400’s.

Jack is a 12 year old boy living with his cruel Aunt in an apothecary when he gets mistaken for someone of nobility. Now all he knows is that he’s in great danger but no idea why. With a new found friend, Alice, and a War on the verge, Jack sets off to discover the truth.

I know this isn’t fantasy but it gave the vibes and I really enjoyed this book. It reminded me a lot of The Horse and His Boy but more modernly written. The end had a full explanation of everything that happened and I love when books do that. Beattie also told us the History of what the story is based on and what elements were kept accurate!

Thank you NetGalley and Sweet Cherry Publishing for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Rating:
3 out of 5 stars

Summary:
In the novel, we follow Jack’s life in late medieval London. Jack lives with his aunt – or so he thinks… - and they both work in her apothecary. Jack also goes to school, which is an exception for a middle-class boy like him, but he wants to be a surgeon so he needs his education. Jack meets Alice when he’s swimming and they become friends. Alice has a friend in need of medical help, so Jack joins in, but the person is not just any person… One day, the great battle of the war of the roses arrives and the whole of London is tense. When Henry wins the battle and becomes king, the special person might be in grave danger and only Jack can save him… will he succeed?

Review:
This is a nice book to read in-between other books to just have a quick read while deciding what your next read is going to be. It’s written in a quite easy manner and the story is medium paced, which makes it easy to understand.
The author has done research in order to write this novel, which means the historical facts are correct (this is also stated in an author’s note at the end of the book). It’s not only amusing, but also makes the novel a bit educational.
However, the storyline was sometimes a bit boring. In some places in the story nothing really happened or Jack didn’t understand at all what was happening around him – even when it was explained to him, this annoyed me the most – and the story was just unnecessarily long.
The characters were also a bit flat, but still very enjoyable.

Conclusion:
I would recommend this book to people looking for a quick read and people interested in historical fiction. It’s not difficult, but quite fun.

This was a really interesting read. I felt it had a good balance of history, without being too in detail or overwhelming for children. It could introduce kids to a period of history that might really resonate with them.
I liked that although it was a fictional version of the events surrounding the boys in the tower, it was completely plausible. You could imagine it having actually happened the way the author has described in the book. Nothing too fantastical or crazy, just a really interesting and realistic story.
The characters were good too. I liked Jack as a main character. He wasn't too out of the box or 'different' he was really just an average kid who got dragged into something much bigger than himself. And Alice was good too. She is different for the time period (she likes to run around, shoot her slingshot etc), which was not very girly for the time, but there's not a huge deal made out of it. Her father even knows that she likes to do this, and lets her, on the basis that she never lets on that she's actually someone important.
overall, this was a really enjoyable read. it was quite a quick read, and it kept me hooked. I was rather impressed.

The children do enjoy a historical novel (and the youngest 2 like to stay in character for a while). This book was enjoyable to read and the older ones then went out to do some research around the real history of the tale. A riveting history wrapped up in an enjoyable fantasy. Looking forward to more tales.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sweet Cherry Publishing for the opportunity to read an advanced reader's copy of this book for an honest review. (Publish Date: September 8, 2022)

“The Secret in the Tower” by Andrew Beattie was full of surprises, fast paced, and well written with plenty of cliff hangers to keep young readers engaged until the end of the book.

Jack Broom is a typical 12-year-old boy who lives with his aunt as an apothecary’s apprentice and dreams of becoming a surgeon. His seemingly ordinary and uneventful life suddenly turns upside down when some soldiers mistake him for nobility. Jack realizes that he can’t trust anyone except a mysterious girl who offers to help him. Without giving any spoilers away, I will say that Jack is a remarkable character who is far more capable than he ever thought he was!

I also really liked the map featured at the beginning of the book and thought it was a helpful tool for readers to use while reading the story to see the locations Jacks visits around London.

Overall, I very much enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone wanting to read an exciting and well written historical fiction story!

I really this book. I really enjoyed the plot and the likeable characters. A fun, mystery along the way. Five stars from me!

This is the fictionalized story of Prince Edward and Richard. Jack Broom lives with his aunt at the apothecary, and he wants to be a physician. His world is thrown upside down when he meet a girl who seems to know more about him than he does. A man that tries to kidnap him and he soon learns that there is a lot he doesn’t know about his past..

This book is well written and I read it in one evening (and night), as I had to know what was happening next and every time I found out that thing something else came up and I had more questions, just like Jack did.. so the only option was to keep on reading!

Very much enjoyed it and also learned some things about that time period, even though fictional, as explained towards the end of the book, some characters did in deed exist and what we know if them now. (or should I say don’t know?…

This book should be right up the alley of kids who have read and enjoyed Avi's Crispin: The Cross of Lead, Cushman's The Midwife's Apprentice, or Nielsen's The False Prince. It describes the backstabbing that happened in British royal families as one lineage tried to usurp the throne from another. King Richard is the current king, having imprisoned his nephews in the Tower of London when the previous king, their father, died. The mystery of what happened to those boys is the subject behind this historical fiction middle grade novel.

It begins with a boy scrabbling around in the streets of medieval London. Jack is an apothecary's apprentice who gets caught up in a mystery and royal takedown. He could care less who's on the throne, but for some reason, people on both King Richard's side and Henry Tudor's side are interested in Jack. He doesn't know why or who to trust. All he wants is to stay out of trouble, become a surgeon's apprentice, and keep hanging out with his new friend Alice. Not long into their friendship he finds out that she's much more important than he realized and she's helping to care for a boy in the infamous Tower of London. The fact that he looks like that boy is going to cause a big problem for him. Finding out who he can trust is going to be critical or he's going to end up dead. He's sure of it.

It's a fast paced story. Outcomes are always unexpected, so the reader is always on his toes. I love the historical context. The facts that led to King Richard gaining the throne and his eventual overthrow are historically accurate and well-presented. The mystery of the brothers in the Tower is still a mystery, and therefore all speculation, but the author's theory is interesting.

Since the book cover says "Tales of Medieval England," I hope this is going to be a series.

This book was very interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed the historical references to real people and the fact that it refers to the real life mystery of what happened to the princes in the tower. It must have been a very frightening time knowing that an army of soldiers is marching towards your city and that you have no control over who is going to be in charge of the country or knowing how their decisions might affect your day to day life and I think this book will help children understand that. For someone like me who loves anything history, it would probably have been one of my favorite books younger. I will definitely be recommending this towards that audience.

This is the fictionalized story of the brothers in the tower, Prince Edward and Richard . Jack Broom lives with his aunt the apothecary, and wants to be a physician. His world is thrown in turmoil when he meet a girl who seems to know more about him than he does. He soon learns that he has a lot of questions about himself and those he thought he knew.

I recommend this book to those interested in what happened to the princes in the tower and/or history during the time of Richard and Henry VII and the Battle of the Cousins.

I was given the opportunity to read this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Interesting story, especially if the reader is familiar with the historical events involved. The author does give the reader some information about the time period through conversations, but this book may be better suited to people who are truly interested in the mystery surrounding the disappearances of Princes Edward and Richard or young readers interested in historical fiction.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC.

As someone who loves learning about the Plantagenets and Tudors, I jumped at the chance to read The Secret in the Tower. I’m fascinated by Richard III and Henry Tudor (Henry VII) so I was so pleased to see someone had written about this period rather than the popular Henry VIII, who, in my opinion, is far less interesting than his ancestors!

The Secret in the Tower is a fictionalised account of the princes Edward and Richard, whose fate is a mystery and not known. Beattie’s story blends together fact and fiction to tell an adventure story of what could’ve happened.

As a historical adventure story, The Secret in the Tower is full of mild peril and twists and turns, perfect for its intended middle grade audience. I enjoyed a host of characters whose intentions were not always clear, keeping the momentum and engagement of the story throughout. The main character, Jack Broom, is interesting although maybe lacks agency.

There were minor historical inaccuracies within the book that threw me out of the story. The people closest to me know me to be a purist (I have a strong dislike of film adaptations of books that are not true to the book) but I can’t seem to let it go that Richard and Edward are portrayed as twins. They were not twins, but brothers, and I feel that the story could’ve been rounded off differently without this historical inaccuracy and it perhaps it could’ve stayed closer to the facts where they were available.

I feel that the book would hugely benefit from a family tree depicting the relationships between the kings and princes to give it clarity in addition to the brief summary of the real story (or at least what we do know) which is provided by the author at the end of the story.

Overall, I did enjoy the book. There was enough to keep me engaged and I kept coming back to it. I’m very aware I am not the book’s intended audience and I’ll freely admit that I struggled to suspend reality at some points where the author had deviated from historical fact given that we do not know what actually happened to the princes in the tower. I would absolutely recommend it for getting young, budding historians engaged with history.

This book was very interesting. I enjoyed the historical references to real people and the fact that it refers to the real life mystery of what happened to the princes in the tower. It must have been a very frightening time knowing that an army of soldiers is marching towards your city and that you have no control over who is going to be in charge of the country or knowing how their decisions might affect your day to day life and I think this book will help children understand that. Without giving away spoilers, the ending was very intriguing and all in all this book has made me want to do my own research into the story of the princes in the tower.

A middle grades story set in medieval England. Jack wants to be a surgeon but goes on a quest to find out who he really is. I was hoping to like this one a lot but I didn’t connect with it like I thought I would!

Having always been interested in the story of The Princes in the Tower, this is a fascinating perspective. I read it in one sitting as I was desperate to find out more about Jack.