The Kit Scarlett Tudor Mysteries are a new series for me. I so enjoyed this title that I went on to read volumes 4 and 5, then backtracked to read volumes 1 and 2. One can definitely read this series out of order. There's sufficient backstory—non-irritating backstory—to keep things clear, and the characters are presented with a blend of clarity and amity that allows readers to easily feel connected to them.

I did find volumes 3, 4, and 5 the best among the lot. I enjoyed volumes 1 and 2 because I'd already read the others. If I'd begun with volume 1 itself, I might have been less excited about moving on to volume 2.

Kit Scarlett, the book's central character, began as an orphan taken in by Elizabeth I's spymaster Franscis Walsingham. She's not really raised as a daughter, but rather as a protege. She's been taught combat, cryptography, and a host of espionage skills. As one of Walsingham's operatives, she prefers to dress in male attire, a choice that many coworkers and others find inappropriate, but the cross-dressing serves Kit well. The plots each focus in their own way on the Elizabeth I/Mary Queen of Scots conflict and the endless, and often religious, plotting that goes on among their supporters.

Like many series mysteries, the volumes have short-term and long-term story arcs. In terms of short-term arcs, the mysteries are all solid—though definitely stronger as the series moves along. The long-term arcs include the mystery of Kit's origins and an ongoing attraction between Kit and the spy she's paired with in these titles. The series does have an end: readers aren't left hanging.

If you're looking to spend a bit of time in Tudor England with smart, engaging characters engaged in interesting work, you'll definitely enjoy the Kit Scarlett series.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

A Spy at Hampton Court is the third Kit Scarlett Tudor mystery by Adele Jordan. Released 23rd Dec. 2022 by Sapere Books, it's 254 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free. The other books in the series (now up to 4 books, with a fifth due out in June 2023), are also currently available on KU.

This is a spy/espionage thriller set in the late Elizabethan period. Political machinations and currying favor in the court of the queen can cause dangerous, even deadly, fallout. One of the more valuable and competent operatives in the employ of potentially untrustworthy spymaster Sir Francis Walsingham is an intelligent and capable female protege called Kit Scarlett. She and her Scottish colleague (and more?) Iomhar again are set to foil an assassination attempt against the aged and unwell Queen Elizabeth. They're sent on a mission to uncover and retrieve details of a treasonous plot to destroy Hampton Court palace, the main residence of Queen Elizabeth. It's another well written installment to this excellent historical series.

The author is quite capable, and the characters are three dimensional and believable. Although part of a series, necessary backstory is written into the story, so it works well enough as a standalone. The dialogue (of necessity) is written to be entirely accessible to modern readers, and happily the author has managed to avoid glaring modern anachronisms. The adventure is engagingly well written around a framework of actual people and events from the period. It's skillfully interwoven and not always easy to see where real history shades into fiction.

Four stars. With 4 books extant currently and a fifth due out soon, this would be a great choice for a series binge/buddy read. Fans of Ariana Franklin, Andrew Swanston, and SJ Parris will find a lot to enjoy here.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I really enjoyed this book! This is the first book I have read by this author and I believe there are 2 books before it that i need to read. But it didn't make me confused reading this book.
I was pulled in immediately. I loved the characters, plot and the writing.
Kit and Iomhar are 2 of Walsinghams spies. Kit has a mysterious past of how she came to be a part of Walsingham's household.
The Queen is under threat,can Kit and Iomhar find the threat and protect the Queen??

When I received an arc of this book I hadn't realised it was part of a series , but that being said it can be read as a standalone in my opinion

Francis Walsingham , Queen Elizabeth's spymaster , has received news of a plot to assassinate her and he calls upon protégé , Kit Scarlet and Scottish agent Iomhar Blackwood to investigate.
They soon discover a plot to blow up Hampton Court Palace , where the Queen is residing - she is too ill to be moved .
Foiling this plot is only the start for Kit and Iomhar as they soon suspect the Queen's illness might be due
to poisoning .............. is the threat closer to home than they realise ? Just who can they trust ?

This is a fast paced historical mystery with twists an turns at every corner - thoroughly enjoyable

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

I zoomed through this book!

The plot is so engrossing, I couldn't stop reading.

Don't expect this to be full with historical accuracy and facts, you need to remember this is fiction...but it is excellent fiction!

The characters are fantastic, the pacing is intense, lots of action, mystery, and even a little romance...wonderful!

As soon as I finished reading I went to pre-order the next in the series, and expect I shall go back and read books one and two as well!

A very highly recommended, fun read!

I typically enjoy historical mysteries, which is why I was interested in this.

I thought this was an intriguing mystery. I hadn't read any of the previous books in the series, but I took a liking to the protagonist, Kit, and there were moments when her behaviour made me chuckle. I also found this easy reading, light enough to read in one sitting.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

Another excellent Kit Scarlett story that I just couldn’t put down. The story starts with a typical Kit adventure then just keeps a great pace all the way to the end. I really like stories from this period and having a female intelligencer is both interesting but also puts a different view forward about life in this period. I hope we keep getting more Kit Scarlett stories of this quality.

Absolutely loved Kit and Iomhar. I didn't realise this was part of a series when I picked this up. It does work well enough as a standalone story. The 'mystery' part is good, but I was mostly captivated by Kit. Loved her characterisation, and I can't wait to go back and read the other books to get to know more about her. Kit's interactions with the Queen had me laughing out loud at some points. Love, love, love the slow buildup of intimacy between Kit and Iomhar as well.

A Spy at Hampton Court was a fun read. This one was my first experience with the series. It made me want to go and find the first two books. I love a good mystery and this one was definitely up to par. Looking forward to the next installment.

Thank you NetGalley, Adele Jordan, and Sapere Books for allowing me to read an advanced copy.

When I requested this book I didn’t realise it was part of a series and I hadn’t read the previous books. This did not detract from my enjoyment of the book one bit. I love the Tudor period and thoroughly enjoyed all the intrigue of the Elizabethan court. I will now go back and read the others!

I have read excellent historical fiction that informs you about the period and tries to capture the culture of the day. This book is not one of them. It is a light-weight adventure making little attempt to imagine what the period would have been like. That said, it was fun and raced along. I enjoyed the growing relationship between Kit and Iomhar and there is a suitably sneaky villain. Fun so long as you accept what you are getting. Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC.

The third book in the Kit Scarlett mystery series, I missed the second one, but the story is easily followed , thanks to updates about previous events woven into this tale. Kit is out to save the Queen again in this book. We start to see Kit start to become her own person and notice she has feelings for Iomhar. This is a very very slow burn romance.
The author did a great job of re-introducing any important concepts to the reader. Overall, the storyline was fast-paced and enjoyable. I had wished for a little more romance; it was the definition of a slow-burn. But I'm hopeful that this picks up in subsequent books.

A wonderfully written story. I now must go read the rest of the Kit Scarrlet books. What a wonderful take on the history of Queen Elizabeth I! I loved every second of it. I love a strong female detective lead. Coupled with the rich history of the 16th century and arguably one of the most underdog queens in history, it is a recipe for success. I will recommend this book to every lover of the Tudor family that I know.

A Spy at Hampton Court is the third installment of the Kit Scarlett series. Kit is out to save the Queen again in this book. We start to see Kit start to become her own person and notice she has feelings for Iomhar. This is a very very slow burn romance. Mary Stuart still has supporters that want to see her on the throne and a new threat against the Queen has Kit guarding the queen and trying to find out who is out to harm her. I enjoyed the story and Kit questioning things more makes it all more intriguing on where the author will take us in the next story.

It's 1585 and someone is surreptitiously trying to poison the Queen at Hampton Court and her Majesty's spymaster, Francis Walsingham charges his faithful spies Kit Scarlett and Lohmar to try unmasking the potential perpetrator(s) responsible for this callous act. But very soon they will stumble upon a much more sinister and deadlier plot that will involve blowing up the entire castle and time is running out...

Poison, traitors, torture, murder and lots of explosive devices are some of the ingredients that the reader will encounter in this marvellous romp full of swashbuckling action, an adrenaline-fueled whodunit full of malicious twists and turns, sparkling dialogues and a cast of exquisitely drawn characters.

A captivating piece of historical fiction that really deserves to be enjoyed without any moderation whatsoever!

Many thanks to Sapere Books and Netgalley for this terrific ARC

The third book in the Kit Scarlett mystery series, I missed the second one, but the story is easily followed , thanks to updates about previous events woven into this tale.
1585, Kit and Iomhar Blackwood have been sent on a mission by Sir Francis Walsingham. They are to speak to a prisoner in Nottingham Castle, who has important information about the health of Queen Elizabeth. Miss Georgiana Meadows wants her freedom in return for what she knows, so Kit manages to break her out of the dungeons. She tells them that there is a plot to blow up Hampton Court Palace which is the main residence of the Queen, and she also informs them that the guards know that the Queen is sick.
Kit and Iomhar return to London. They have to arrange for a thorough search to be made for gunpowder, and also find out not only who is administering poison but how. Is this the work of Scottish agents in the service of Mary, Queen of Scots, or a foreign power?
There is a marvellous sense of friendship, a good working relationship and possibly affection between Kit and Iomhar, who seem to have cast aside any resentments they may have previously expressed. There is also a feeling of great murderous intent against the Queen, that shows Her Majesty to be old, sick and vulnerable, with flashes of her once great fighting spirit . There is kindness towards her staff members, a wish to be remembered kindly, and heartache when she remembers her dead mother, she only has a small miniature of her face hidden within a ring.
These books are entertaining to read and full of historical detail, but not stuffy. Revenge is being sought for past misdeeds, and an overwhelming sense of justice that has been delayed too long.
This story went too quickly, a very engrossing read. Looking forward to the next one ( fingers crossed!)
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Sapere books, for my advance digital copy. This is my honest unbiased review, freely given. I have rated this as a five star read. I will post to Goodreads and Amazon.

another great entry in the Kit Scarlett Tudor Mysteries series, it was a great third entry and still as strong as the previous two books. I was invested in the plot of this entry and the characters in this world. Adele Jordan has a great writing style that worked with the time-period. I hope this series continues but I will continue reading more from Adele Jordan.

"Where are you going?” Kit called, following him. They rounded the outer walls, where Iomhar jumped up on a low boundary, standing astride it as he stared down at the Thames nearby. The river curved alongside the lawn that sat beside the palace. Kit leapt up behind him, remembering what he had said the night before about a chamber beneath the palace, accessible at low tide."

I just love the books in this series. they have been so entertaining to read and they honestly get better and better with each book. There is danger and intrigue, a hint of romance and danger lurking around every corner and the chemistry between Kit and Iomar gets better and better with each book. Can't wait for the next book in the series. Highly recommended. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

4/5 stars. This was my first book by this author. I hadn't realized that it was the third book in a series prior to beginning the book. Fortunately, this didn't keep the story from making sense. The author did a great job of re-introducing any important concepts to the reader. Overall, the storyline was fast-paced and enjoyable. I had wished for a little more romance; it was the definition of a slow-burn. But I'm hopeful that this picks up in subsequent books.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

I am addicted to these stories! I eagerly await each new one that comes out and they never disappoint. Back with Kit and Iomar and their never ending adventures as intelligencers to Walsingham himself.

The plot of the third book was great!! A constant feel of impending doom and a threat to the life of the queen. We have a gunpowder plot, we have life and death, a hint of romance and danger lurking around every corner. The continuation of the story throughout these books has been amazing and they’ve honestly held a part of my brain constantly throughout whilst waiting for the next instalment.

They’ve been so entertaining to read and they honestly get better and better. The book flew by and now I’m sad it’s finished. But also so happy that there’s more to come! Because seriously I will always need more and I don’t think I can ever get enough of the Kit Iomar banter.

And Oof, after a few of the events that happened in this one (no spoilers), the next one is a must read. I need to know what happens and my time in the Tudor period is most definitely not over. I’m such a fan of this whole series and is become a favourite of the year. Roll on the next one!