Fact-Checking The Spanish Princess: Episode 6

Much to my joy (note the sarcasm), Starz has renewed this for another 8 episodes next year. Please note a moment of silence in mourning. Ha, ha. Once again, the choices made by the writers in these episodes puzzle me. The Tudors continue to be ridiculous in pubic, with Harry bickering openly and mocking his...

Fact-Checking The Spanish Princess: Episode Five

I have mixed feelings about this show. It has good moments when it is historically accurate, then it abruptly veers into “Wait, what?!?!?” territory. As a Tudor novelist, I know how hard it is to keep to the facts without becoming predictable. You must create drama. Unless you want to invent fictional characters and have...

Fact-Checking The Spanish Princess: Episode Four

Episode four features some semi-truths repackaged into plot points.

Fact-Checking The Spanish Princess: Episode 3

What's true and what's not in the third episode of Starz' The Spanish Princess?

Fact Checking The Spanish Princess: Episode One

I was surprised not to hate the first episode, but I know stuff I won’t like is coming. So, I’ll focus on “in general” and “historical inaccuracies.” I’ll leave off “inaccuracies from the book” since I barely remember it. (The only thing I remember is Catherine being surprisingly tolerant and open-minded toward Moorish customs, which…...

A Modern Mary Queen of Scots? Puhleeze.

Hollywood served me up a slice of fresh hell with this remake.

A Touch of Blood: The Unsolved Crimes of Jack the Ripper

One of the most fascinating cases in the history of crime is the unsolved murders of Jack the Ripper. The “Ripper” has featured in many movies and television series, in serial novels and literature. His identity has changed dozens of times, as has the reason for the murders. He has been confronted by Sherlock Holmes,...

Fact & Fiction: The White Princess, Episode 1

Since Starz announced this production, I have waffled between anticipation and dread. The former because I appreciate new costume dramas centered on the lesser-known Tudors; and the latter, because I’ve read Philippa Gregory’s book series. She’s a talented enough writer that her “historical slander” passes for the truth – and she maligns reputations, turning decent...

221 B Baker Street Correspondence

Dear Readers, It is with utmost regret that I inform you that Charity is currently buried under a mountain of volumes, which she insisted upon piling in an enormous stack to “prove” how much research she is doing on her novels. I warned her of the high probability the pile would collapse on top of...