Robin Maxwell, To the Tower Born – A Novel of the Lost Princes.  Harper Collins, New York, 2006.  ISBN 0-06-058052-6

A fascinating novel of Ricardian times, the main character being Nell Caxton, the authenticated daughter of the first English printer.  Her love for Anthony Woodville, Lord Rivers, and her friendship with the young princess Elizabeth of York are keys to a thrilling and romantic story where the people come to life with their characters drawn honestly.

There is, of course, a well-plotted explanation of the disappearance of Elizabeth’s two brothers, and nail-biting intrigue as Nell becomes involved with the most ambitious and murderous character of the period who will stop at nothing to ensure the control of the English throne.

First published in 2006, it confirms the author’s eye for historical detail as in her previous novels such as “The Queen’s Bastard” and “The Wild Irish”.  While fiction is not a priority in Ricardian reading, if it leads readers to want to know more about the period and in particular the maligned King Richard, then let’s enjoy it.