It is 1596. "Affection is false. Love is an illusion” - says the elderly Queen of England. But who is deceiving whom?

In the aftermath of her sister’s elopement, sober, scholarly Frances Randolph becomes entangled with the sons of Lord Cobham, one of the queen's most powerful councillors: Henry, the indecisive heir; William, the adventurer and risk-taker; and George, the youngest and cleverest. In a whirl of parties and evening entertainments she is drawn into a new circle of acquaintances whose lives at court seem incredibly glamorous. But when overwhelming grief leads to a reckless decision, Frances embarks on a future course which leads her to question the queen’s words.

In My Francesca we follow Frances as she embraces this world of pretence and deceit, where nothing is quite what it seems, where courtiers fear for their futures, and evil lurks in the darkest corners of men's souls.

Caroline Newark was born in Northern Ireland and now lives in Somerset. She qualified as a teacher and later completed a Law degree at Southampton University. She is a keen amateur historian and writes and gives talks about the women in her family tree.