Boleyn Traitor by Philippa Gregory
Philippa Gregory, author of The Other Boleyn Girl, among many other historical fiction successes, returns to the Tudor court with her newest novel, Boleyn Traitor. Twenty-five years after the release of The Other Boleyn Girl, Gregory dives back into the minds of those sneaky Boleyn women who are so often remembered for their treachery and plotting.
Boleyn Traitor tells the story of Jane Boleyn, sister-in-law to Anne Boleyn and infamous lady-in-waiting who miraculously survived long enough to serve five of Henry VIII’s six wives.
The Tempestuous Tudor Court
With Boleyn Traitor, Gregory provides a nuanced version of life at the court of King Henry VIII. She brings to life the stress, strain and constant confusion in a court that is ruled by adhering to the whims of a single man. Political upheaval is the norm as courtiers simultaneously fight to outwit the king while vying for his favor.
The Tudor court is like a ticking time bomb, and no one is safe from the tyranny of King Henry VIII. It is both unstable and unsustainable. Appearances are everything, and nothing is true except what’s made true through lies. The real truth can only be found in what remains unsaid, which is where the brilliant, well-educated Jane Boleyn comes in.
Traitor, Survivor, Spy
With Boleyn Traitor, Gregory once again gives a voice to the women of this time whose stories are often overlooked, but vital to understanding the politics at court. Gregory breathes new life into Jane’s story, which, to many historians, is the story of a traitor rather than a survivor.
Gregory finds a new title to define Jane — spy.
In Boleyn Traitor, Gregory uses historical context to create a spy network where Jane reports the happenings of the queen’s rooms to her senior patron, Thomas Cromwell, who works tirelessly behind the scenes to understand and predict the erratic behaviors and decisions of King Henry VIII.
Through the lens of a master spy, readers are in on the politics constantly at play and given a poignant warning of what power can do to even the best of people.
A Lady Machiavelli
Gregory brings a complexity to her female characters that historical accounts tend to leave out. Like all of the best courtiers, Jane is a morally gray character. She knows how to play the game, when to speak and when to stay quiet. She is tactful.
As a woman who was raised at court and who grew into womanhood surrounded by false smiles, Jane quickly learns who she can and cannot trust, and that makes all the difference for her.
Jane is an ambitious and dutiful woman who has eyes like a hawk. She views each and every move of her fellow courtiers like the move of a chess piece. She refuses to get caught up in the messy affairs of courtly love. She works two steps ahead of everyone around her and always knows what must be done.
One can see how, as a woman, she would come across as cold on the pages of history books. She is able to keep her loyalties even as she serves queen after queen. But what Gregory brings to Jane’s story, as well as the story of each of the young queens Jane serves, is sympathy.
The Fate of Queens
Gregory understands the true woman behind this traitorous historical figure. Jane knows the dangers of tyranny, and she sympathizes with each queen who is subject to the role.
Gregory not only gives a new story to Jane, but also to the queens — Katherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves and Katheryn Howard — humanizing them and preserving their memory each as her own woman, not just a number in a series of wives.
Gregory knows how to give a distinct narrative voice to history like no other. Above all, Gregory delivers a tragic yet powerful reimagining of Jane Boleyn’s story, proving she is so much more than a traitor to the king.
About Philippa Gregory:
Philippa Gregory is one of the world’s leading historical novelists, celebrated for her compelling blend of history and imagination. She wrote her debut novel, Wideacre, while completing her PhD in eighteenth-century literature, launching a career that includes bestselling novels such as The Other Boleyn Girl and The White Queen. A recognized authority on women’s history, Philippa studied at the University of Sussex and earned her PhD from the University of Edinburgh, where she is a Regent and was named Alumna of the Year in 2009. She holds honorary degrees from Teesside University and the University of Sussex and is a fellow of the Universities of Sussex and Cardiff.
Philippa was appointed CBE in 2021 for services to literature and charity and has received numerous awards for her writing. She also founded Gardens for The Gambia, a charity that provides wells and supports school and women’s gardens, empowering communities through education and sustainable agriculture.
Publish Date: October 14, 2025
Genre: Historical Fiction
Author: Philippa Gregory
Page Count: 496 pages
Publisher: William Morrow
ISBN: 978-0063439689