Mathilde of Westminster Trilogy

by Paul Doherty 3 books in this series

The Mathilde of Westminster Trilogy is narrated by a physician who once served Isabella of France before and after her marriage to Edward II. Looking back from later life, Mathilde records the murders, poisonings and acts of espionage that surrounded the young queen’s household. Her medical skill and position as a lady-in-waiting give her access to both intimate royal spaces and the wider contest between England and France.

The trilogy moves through the opening years of Edward II’s reign, when Peter Gaveston’s influence provokes baronial resistance and Isabella’s father, Philip IV, seeks leverage over the English court. Mathilde must protect her mistress while recognising that every faction uses information and personal loyalty as weapons. The books combine female-centred court history with investigations rooted in dynastic marriage, succession and the approaching civil conflict.

Reading order

Books in this series (3 books)

1. The Cup of Ghosts

Paul Doherty

First published 2005

4.3(1,072)

By 1322, Mathilde of Westminster was considered the finest physician in London. But in her years as lady-in-waiting to Princess Isabella, she was drawn into the murky politics of the English court, where sudden, mysterious death was part of the tapestry of life. Many years later,…

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2. The Poison Maiden

Paul Doherty

First published 2007

4.3(878)

England, 1308. Edward II and Queen Isabella are under intense pressure from the magnates and from Philip IV of France over the king’s favourite, Piers Gaveston. Forced into a precarious position, Edward also learns that a dangerous spy known as the Poison Maiden may be operating…

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3. The Darkening Glass

Paul Doherty

First published 2009

4.4(1,027)

March 1312. England is divided by Edward II’s refusal to abandon his favourite, Piers Gaveston, while the great earls intensify their campaign against the king. Queen Isabella is pregnant with the first child to unite Plantagenet and Capetian blood, making the safety of the royal household…

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