Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel
Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel This is the second in the Thomas Cromwell trilogy. Cromwell is well-positioned with the king, but he finds that he is gaining enemies. Some of the nobles have become more irritated that someone as low born as Cromwell should have such wealth and influence. Anne has no more use for him now that Katherine is dead, and he finds that King Henry has been having meetings without him. Then Jane Seymour, one of Anne's ladies, catches Henry's eye and, when Anne miscarries again, Henry wonders if his marriage is not legitimate in the eyes of God and he is being punished to continually not be given a male heir. Cromwell encourages the King's doubts and moves to gather the Boleyn enemies together to bring charges of adultery and treason against Anne and the many men that surround her. Though most of the men, as well as Anne herself, deny the charges, Cromwell is a master of word play and manipulation. He has a long memory and a knack for making e...