Philippa Gregory The Other Queen Read By Richard Armitage, Alex Kingston, Madeleine Leslay

1568. Mary Queen of Scots, fleeing rebellion in her kingdom, is offered a safe haven by Elizabeth I with George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, and his indomitable wife, Bess of Hardwick. The arrival of an extravagant queen turns the household upside down, as it becomes clear that the visit is a house arrest. Queen Mary makes Bess’ hard-won house a centre for unrest and treason, and – perhaps worst of all – Mary Queen of Scots’ fabled beauty starts to work on the Tudor loyalist, Bess’ own husband, George. The two women fight for their own rights: Mary to regain the crown and the kingdom of Scotland; Bess to win back her husband and houses. A third woman can decide: Elizabeth the First, and nobody knows how far she will go to protect her own safety.