I’m delighted to be hosting the first day of the social media tour for The Bohemian Queen by Jean Findlay which will be published by Scotland Street Press on 15th November 2026. My thanks to Kelly at Folk PR for inviting me to take part in the tour and to Scotland Street Press for my proof copy.
About the Book
The sequel to the award-winning The Queen’s Lender, The Bohemian Queen tells the remarkable story of Elizabeth Stuart, daughter of James I of England and VI of Scotland, whose brief reign as Queen of Bohemia helped ignite the catastrophic Thirty Years’ War and reshape Europe forever.
Set against the backdrop of political intrigue, religious conflict and exile, the novel sees Elizabeth, heavily pregnant with her fifth child, flee Prague following the Battle of White Mountain. Married to Frederick, Elector Palatine, Elizabeth had accepted the crown of Bohemia in a move that would plunge Europe into decades of war. But exile does not diminish her influence.
Through court politics, diplomacy and dynastic ambition, Elizabeth continues to shape the future of Europe while giving birth to eight more children, ensuring her descendants become woven into the ruling houses of an emerging continent.
Format: Hardback (320 pages) Publisher: Scotland Street Press
Publication date: 15th November 2026 Genre: Historical Fiction
Preorder/Purchase The Bohemian Queen from Scotland Street Press or Bookshop.org [Disclosure: If you buy books linked to our site, we may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops]
My Review
In The Bohemian Queen the author brings to life the story of a remarkable woman: Elizabeth Stuart, daughter of James I of England and VI of Scotland, brother of Charles I, and who – for a short time – was Queen of Bohemia, therefore becoming known as ‘The Winter Queen’.
The book is full of historical detail but wears it lightly because Elizabeth is always front and centre of the story and is such an engaging narrator.
Elizabeth goes on quite a journey from spoilt young woman obsessed with her place in the hierarchy and demanding strict adherence to the rules of precedence, bringing her into conflict with her mother-in-law (a mere Duchess), to a woman of wisdom and strategic nous.
Initially she is profligate. She possesses a vast wardrobe, chests full of precious jewels and hosts lavish feasts. She demands the construction of a vast garden in the grounds of Heidelberg Castle, heedless of the cost and manpower involved. ‘I’m a princess, and so I need more than arch. Palace gardens for walking in. Several acres.’
Later she comes to regret many of her actions, realising that they contributed to the discontent of her husband’s subjects once they become King and Queen of Bohemia. In fact, she becomes the voice of reason, advising against the removal of Catholic religious items from St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague believing it a betrayal of the promise of freedom of worship. Sadly, her husband listens to his advisors rather than his wife with far-reaching consequences.
Like many royal unions, although driven by a desire to form strategic alliances, Elizabeth’s marriage to Frederick, the Elector of Palatine and later the ill-fated King of Bohemia, is depicted as a happy one.
The author immerses us in the life of a woman of indomitable spirit. A woman who survived the birth of thirteen children, often one a year, and who insisted on continuing to ride – and hunt – into the final months of pregnancy. A woman who spent years in exile and experienced tragic loss but who never gave up. She was a patron of the arts with an interest in philosophy, fluent in several languages and, most exciting for me, a keen gardener.
The final years of Elizabeth’s life are spent in The Hague, the Netherlands being the country to which the family flee following Frederick’s forced abdication. It marks a downturn in the family’s fortunes but Elizabeth, always one to make the best of things, comes to love the city, the trading hub of the Dutch Republic.
‘Every street hums with motion. Merchants in fur-trimmed coats stride beside apprentices carrying baskets of pepper and nutmeg. Women in linen caps barter for silk at the quays, and boys chase after carts laden with sugar loaves. The air sings of trade; sweet, foreign, irresistable.’
The Elizabeth of The Bohemian Queen is a woman of wisdom and insight. Asked about the prospects of success in one of the many campaigns that make up what is often referred to as The Thirty Years’ War, Elizabeth responds, ‘No one wins… They survive. And if they endure long enough, history calls it victory.’
The painting she commissioned from Dutch artist Gerard van Honthorst, The Triumph of the Winter Queen: Allegory of the Just, in which she is pictured in a chariot alongside members of her family, perhaps sums up her attitude to life. Although, as the author has her reflect, ‘a portrait is never just a likeness. It is a piece of artful propaganda.’
I really enjoyed The Bohemian Queen. It’s an absorbing insight into the life of a woman who was determined not to be consigned to the sidelines but to be an active participant in events.
November is Reading Scotland Month, an event hosted by Joanne at Portobello Book Blog. You may think there’s no connection between that and a book about a Queen of Bohemia but its author Jean Findlay was born in Scotland and, what’s more, the independent publisher she founded is located in Edinburgh.
In three words: Vibrant, immersive, illuminating
Try something similar: The Marchesa by Sarah Dunant
About the Author
Jean Findlay (the pen name of Jean Fraser) is the award-winning author of Chasing Lost Time: The Life of C.K. Scott Moncrieff – Soldier, Spy, Translator (Chatto and Windus). Her work has been shortlisted for the Lambda Literary Award and longlisted for the Historical Writers’ Association Debut Crown Award.
A playwright, journalist and independent publisher, she has appeared at literary festivals and institutions worldwide including the Edinburgh International Book Festival, Jaipur Literature Festival, New York University Graduate Center and the Boston Athenaeum. Jean founded Scotland Street Press in 2014.
Connect with Jean
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