Born Queen of Scotland, married as a young girl to the King of France, Mary took the reins of the unruly kingdome of Scotland as a young widow and fought to keep her throne. Many believed that she, and not her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I, was the rightful Queen of England, but this only fuelled their bitter rivalry, ending in Mary's execuation at the age of 44. From her pampered childhood to the legendary scandals that surrounded her adult life, this vividly detailed and elegantly written fictional account brings readers straight into the heart and mind of one of history's most famous women. As she did so brilliantly in The Last Wife of Henry VIII author Carolly Erickson lets the spirited, beautiful Mary Queen of Scots tell her own story in this dramatic fictional memoir - and the result is a great historical text that readers will long remember. Also available from JR Books: The Last Wife of Henry VIII The Hidden Diary of Marie Antoinette The Tsarina's Daughter The Secret Life of Josephine Carolly Erickson holds a Ph.D. in medieval history from Colombia University and was a college professor before becoming a writer. She has written many acclaimed historical biographies, including The First Elizabeth, Her Little Majesty, and Alexandra.