New to Jean Plaidy...where should I start?

LoriKate · Post by **LoriKate** » Tue July 10th, 2012, 2:16 pm

Im 24 years old, love historical romance but have somehow managed to never read any Jean Plaidy books yet.
Any suggestions for her best books and/or best ones to start with?
Is it nessecary to read them in chronological order?
Thanks

boswellbaxter · Post by **boswellbaxter** » Tue July 10th, 2012, 3:50 pm

Welcome, Lori! I'd start with her Tudor books, maybe The Lady in the Tower or The Rose without a Thorn.

With some of her series books, it is better to read them in chronological order. Here's a list here (some of the books have been republished under new titles):

http://jeanplaidy.tripod.com/id18.htm

If you like romance, do bear in mind that Plaidy's novels aren't particularly romance-y--more just straight historical fiction.

sweetpotatoboy · Post by **sweetpotatoboy** » Tue July 10th, 2012, 4:16 pm

If you want a good old historical romance that's a standalone as a good place to start, I suggest "Beyond the Blue Mountains".
If you enjoy that, you can move on to the straight historical fiction series, such as the Tudors series or the Isabella and Ferdinand series etc.

princess garnet · Post by **princess garnet** » Tue July 10th, 2012, 8:00 pm

I've bought all the Plaidy reissues out, some before the covers were redesigned. Some of her novels are better written than others. Nevertheless I've reveled in each one.

Nefret · Post by **Nefret** » Tue July 10th, 2012, 10:50 pm

'Queen of This Realm' is my favourite.

Mythica · Post by **Mythica** » Wed July 11th, 2012, 8:16 am

I started with "Flaunting, Extravagant Queen" - I didn't like it at first but by the end, I was very impressed.

LoriKate · Post by **LoriKate** » Wed July 11th, 2012, 7:38 pm

Thanks everyone for all your suggestions so far!

Alisha Marie Klapheke · Post by **Alisha Marie Klapheke** » Sun July 29th, 2012, 2:47 am

You can read them in any order you like. I don't believe it matters much. I personally loved Courts of Love--the one on Eleanor of Aquitaine .

SCW · Post by **SCW** » Wed September 19th, 2012, 12:00 pm

The series on Catherine De Medici are probably amongst her best novels. They are Madame Serpent, The Italian Woman and Queen Jezebel. Or maybe the Charles II Trilogy

Helen_Davis · Post by **Helen_Davis** » Sat February 2nd, 2013, 3:11 am

I second the Tudor Recommendations! The Rose Without a Thorn is very haunting-- I think it was her last novel. It made me see Catherine Howard as a flesh and blood woman and not just the little girl who messed around on Henry.