The era of Henry VIII’s rule and his relationship with his six wives/ Elizabethan era has always been somewhat of a Roman Empire for me, and I have never read a book that was entirely focused on Elizabeth Barton before.

This story utterly captivated me from the start and I was desperate to figure out the mystery of the supposed treasure. I loved the usage of the dual POV narrative; I’d reach the end of a chapter and would be so wrapped up in the story line that I’d forget we’d switch characters and plot lines, and it would be yet another chapter before I would find out what was happening with either Elizabeth or Alison. The twists were clever and I loved how well little puzzle pieces sprinkled throughout the novel all came together at the end. I felt that the ending seemed a bit rushed and would've loved a resolution concerning Alison's relationship with a few of the other consortium members, but it is also incredibly fitting the way that her story ends

Diving into The Lost Book of Elizabeth Barton felt like stepping into a dusty English manor filled with hidden prayers, academic tension, and echoes of Tudor era danger. The dual timelines, one weaving Elizabeth Barton’s prophetic life in the 16th century, the other following historian Alison Sage in the present day, pulled me between intrigue and reckoning. Initially, the scholarly quiet of Alison’s world allowed me to settle into her ambition and curiosity. When the murder struck in that old manor, the tension shifted sharply, and I was hooked.

The writing balances academic depth with emotional stakes quite effectively. Elizabeth’s voice is filled with intensity and conviction, while Alison’s narrative reflects the pressure of discovery and rivalry in the archives. I loved the layers, from religious upheaval to academic backstabbing, echoing across centuries. If anything held me back, it was how the modern timeline sometimes slowed while building up. Adding a bit more stirring intrigue or relational tension early on might keep the momentum straighter before the murder mystery fully kicks in.

I expected this novel to be historical, set in the time of the Tudors. I was not, therefore, surprised that it was written in two timelines, the present and the the 1500s. What did surprise me was that it did not become a murder mystery until I was 60% into it. After that, it climaxed rather quickly and not believably. It was a bit of a shock to go from the two timelines to the gruesome killings by serious historians.
really?

The rating reflects; points for the research on the Holy Maid of Kent. Interesting, ieven though this period has been well covered by Phillipa Gregory.

Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC copy to read and review.

I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This was so much fun to unspool! The dual timelines shined most for me when they leaned a bit into the doubling of character tropes around the central narrators, which is good because the mismatch in speeds (Elizabeth's timeline over a decade and Alison's primarily over a single week) can be a bit head-spinning at times.

Best for readers who enjoy unraveling mysteries (possible to solve this one a few steps ahead!), duplicitous characters, and a heaping dose of English history.

This book is a dual timeline of historical fiction, although it is based on a real person. Elizabeth Barton is a sixteenth century prophetess, who was eventually hanged for treason. Alison Sage is a historian, who finds the book Barton wrote. Because of this, she is invited to a week-long conference in England. A murder takes place, and then another academic is stabbed. What is happening?
I enjoyed this book very much. I had heard of Elizabeth Barton, but didn't know much about her. This book kept me interested from the first page to the last. Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

I had no idea what to expect from this book, I liked the title and so included on my TBR. I'm so glad that I did. It is wonderful piece of historical fiction and modern fiction that intertwine perfectly. The protagonist is bit naive but so many academics are squirreled away in their own worlds that the naivety is believable and not irritating. The mystery sneaks up on you and the author does an excellent job of building the suspense.

I was rather sadly disappointed in this book. I have never been a fan of the dual timeline style of storytelling in the genre of historical fiction. It has been used far too often and I tend to stay away from books that use it. But I admit I was drawn in by the cover and synopsis of this book and was anxious to read it. Unfortunately I still found the style irritating, bouncing back and forth through timelines and characters from chapter to chapter. The book really dragged along without a lot of action until well into the pages. While Barton's life and eventual fate was an interesting read, and certainly a great backdrop for a really good book, the modern day mystery layered over the top of Barton's story frankly missed the mark with me. And it left me with a very unpleasant and confused feeling at the ending. I went back to see if I'd missed something, and it just wasn't there. The ending was too simplistic for the story, It was abrupt and disappointing. To be honest, both women got screwed, one way or another, in both timelines and it was impossible to miss the uncomfortable parable of how easily women can be manipulated and deceived. Be they simple country girls in the Tudor era, or well educated professional women in the field of education in the modern era, are we really that shallow? I wanted to give this book another star, to bring it up to the level of an average read, but I just couldn't.

The Lost Book of Elizabeth Barton is a dual timeline historical mystery about a prophetess and an academic as they navigate female agency in a man's world.

Elizabeth Barton is a 16th century prophetess who predicts King Henry VIII's downfall but has her visions manipulated for political reasons. In the present day, Alison is an academic researching Barton and a mysterious book of prophecies she secretly wrote that have been missing for centuries. Each woman must navigate the treachery and manipulation of men with nefarious intentions, putting the lives of both Elizabeth and Alison at risk.

The topic of Elizabeth Barton wasn't the most interesting for me, but I still engaged with the story as I felt empathy for her as a woman. I liked how the present day story about Alison mimicked Elizabeth's experiences with censorship and betrayal, bringing attention to the issues of freedom of information and revisionism across centuries. Fans of historical fiction would like this story, and no prior knowledge of British history is necessary to enjoy this book.

3.8
The mystery was a bit crummy, and there were aspects of the scholars' behavior that didn't feel completely authentic, but, overall, its a fun little read in a dark little world.

Tudor-era historical fiction and mysteries set in academic settings are two of my favorites, so I was excited for this dual-timeline novel! Although it didn't reach the lyrical heights of A.S. Byatt's Possession, the book is still an entertaining and informative read. Brown's scholarship really shone through in the Elizabeth Barton timeline, giving a wonderful, textured depiction of the era and, especially, of Barton. The modern timeline, by contrast, felt sloppier, both in style and substance. I pieced together almost the entire of the mystery several chapters before the protagonist had even thought to be curious, and found a lot of the dialogue verged on unbelievable (often punctured with em dashes and parentheticals). Generally, I found the modern protagonist to be rather a naif; perhaps this intentionally echoes Barton's experience of being directed and used by the more powerful around her, but I admit I was a little irked. Overall, I think this is a solid debut novel!

Told from two perspectives in different parts of time, this book is about Elizabeth Barton - Holy Maid of Kent, and a professor learning about her in the present day, Alison Sage. After Alison discovers a long lost manuscript of Elizabeth's proclamations and prophecies, she starts to work on a paper and study of the life of the ill-fated woman from the Tudor Era. At the same time, we see the life Elizabeth leads, from the first vision she has at the height of a fever to the end, swinging from the end of a rope. For Alison, everything goes awry when she is invited to a writer's consortium in the countryside where Elizabeth once lived and things turn into a fear-inducing murder mystery.

The perspectives of both women in this book are told so incredibly well. Each has their own voice and way of thinking, and life experiences that shape how they react to things around them. I have always loved any books, fiction or non-fiction, that focus on the Tudor period and the happenings of the Reformation. The author of this book has a clear and precise flow to her writing and it makes you want to continue reading to find out each and every detail of both stories. I greatly enjoyed reading this book, and hope to see more from this author. It is such a joy to have a book that twists together fact and history with a mystery and the lives of people in the different periods of time.

Much thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.

4.5 rounded to 5.

The Lost Book of Elizabeth Barton is a captivating dual-timeline historical mystery perfect for fans of Deborah Harkness and historical fiction

The novel weaves together two timelines: one set during the time of Henry VIII, the other in the present day. In the past, we follow Elizabeth Barton, a forgotten nun who dared to prophesy against King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. Her story unfolds as she navigates the perilous consequences of defying the crown, surrounded by powerful men whose influence threatens her autonomy and safety.

In the present, Alison Sage, a Tudor historian, is invited to an elite academic consortium to discuss her groundbreaking discovery of Elizabeth’s long-lost book of prophecies. But what begins as a scholarly opportunity quickly spirals into a dangerous game. As the consortium progresses, she learns that all is not what it seems. She finds herself an unwilling participant in a potential treasure hunt that turns deadly.

I really enjoyed discovering Elizabeth along with Alison, and trying to figure out the mysteries. Who can Alison trust? Are the decisions Elizabeth making hers, or influenced by those meant to protect her?

A compelling blend of historical intrigue and modern suspense, this book kept me guessing until the very end.

Thank you to Netgalley, Jennifer N Brown, and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy. My review is voluntary and honest.

Alison Sage has made a career-defining discovery in a musty old European archive: a book long thought lost. During the time of Henry VIII, an uneducated domestic servant had a vision of hell during a bout with a fever. When her prophesy of a death among the household appears to be correct, she gains notoriety for her visions. She's quickly moved to a convent and encouraged to have more visions, especially ones that predict dire consequences if Henry is able to fulfil his plan to divorce Queen Catherine to marry Anne Boleyn. A monk is only too happy to transcribe the visions for the illiterate Elizabeth, and if he makes a few changes here and there, well, it's all in the service of the church. Of course, King Henry and his men aren't too happy with her dire warnings, so she is soon brought to court to answer for them. Her predictions, printed in a book, are distributed throughout the country, but eventually the books are banned and destroyed. This book of her visions is the one that Alison has found in modern times. Her discovery has caused a sensation in the medieval scholar world, so much so that Alison is invited to participate in a small but prestigious invitation only seminar among historians. The few scholars are invited to a crumbling old manner in England, near to where Elizabeth lived in a convent, to discuss their current projects, with the view to publishing their work at the conclusion of the gathering. It soon transpires that some of the other participants have a particular interest in Alison's discovery, since there is a persistent rumor that the convent and local Catholic noble family hid their most important treasures due to the impending religious upheaval. Nothing has even been reported to have been discovered, so is it just a rumor, or does Alison's discovery have some hints as to what might have happened to the treasure? As creepy and unsettling things begin to happen, Alison wonders if her discovery might have put her own life in danger.

I enjoyed the dual timelines covering the events of the life of Elizabeth Barton and the current mystery of Alison's discovery. The setting in the gloomy old house and the gathering of academics with their own agendas helped to make the story suspenseful and interesting. This would make a very interesting film and I hope Alison will make more discoveries in the future!

I was fortunate to get this as an ARC and I loved it! This book had all the things I love: religious and political intrigue, a murder mystery, a manor house in the English countryside, and a little treasure hunt.

Elizabeth Barton, The Holy Maid, is someone I knew a bit about but I enjoyed the author’s take on how she might have easily been manipulated into faking some of her visions to “save” England from the Lutherans. The modern story follows an historian, Allison Sage, who has discovered the lost book of visions of Barton and becomes drawn into a hunt for some hidden treasures from the Tudor era.

I found the dual timeline past/present easy to follow and I enjoyed how it tied the story together. I felt it was a tad slow at first but picked up steadily. After about the 50% point, I couldn’t put it down!

Thank you, Net Galley, St. Martin’s Press, and author Jennifer L Brown!

Dual-timeline historical novels can be difficult to pull off, but Brown does a great job of interweaving plot points from each timeline at just the right moments. I was drawn to this one because of the academic setting of the contemporary timeline and the Tudor setting of the historical one. Brown's thorough research keeps us engaged throughout. The mystery aspect is indeed well plotted in ways that keep us wanting to know what happens next. Some of the planted clues felt a bit obvious, but they served to keep us going to check if our guesses would be, in the end, correct.

I think often in a dual timeline, the reader can have one timeline that becomes so much their preference that they race through the other timeline to get back to the one that they like. Brown did a good job of making sure that each section was compelling enough to keep you engaged, but the book never felt unbalanced between the timelines. The history was beautifully drawn, and the plot was well-put together.

This upcoming dual timeline story is one that will surely be an enjoyable one for everyone who reads it. The modern timeline follows the story of a historian who comes across some information that was thought to be lost from a nun who lived in the sixteenth century. I was very impressed because the historical time period took place during the Tudor era which happens to be one of my favorite era's. I admired the work ethic of the modern day historian as she worked hard to uncover the truth of the sixteenth century.

In the sixteenth century we are introduced to Elizabeth Barton who starts out her days working on her Uncle's farm. After a bout with illness she decides to become a nun. However, she keeps having these visions regarding the crumbling marriage of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. However, she speaks out against the relationship of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn predicting that no good will come from it.

The Lost Book of Elizabeth Barton is absolutely perfect. Two of my favorite genres meshed together in one, the perfect combination of murder mystery and historical fiction revolving around 16th century English royalty.

I enjoyed every bit of this novel. The plot and the characters captivated me.

Perfect for fans of Phillipa Gregory and Allison Weir and everything mysterious and tragic and dark about old English royalty, specifically Elizabeth 1, Mary Queen of Scots and Henry viii.

Jennifer N. Brown hit the spot with this one and completely wowed me. I can't wait to discover more from this author.
Highly recommend!

This book has an interesting premise and I enjoyed learning about Elizabeth Barton. Some of the plot points felt like they were being spoon fed to the reader, which is my only real complaint.

Did you love AP European history? This is the book for you! It combined a lot of genres that I love: thriller, dark academia, mystery, historical fiction. I really enjoyed the mystery element to the story and how it lined up with both timelines. I would highly recommend this book!