The first book in the triology, The Fifth Queen recounts Katharines arrival at court and the early stages of her relationship with England king Henry VIII. Growning up far from court, she is wholly unused to the corruption and intrigue that now surround her. Soon Katharine is locked in a vicious battle with Thomas Cromwell, the Lord Privy Seal, as she fights for political and religious change. The book details a battle for power between Katharine, Throckmorton, and Cromwell.