The Cardinal

A Novel of Love and Power

By: Alison Weir

Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor

In this “immersive tale of Tudor intrigue” (Publishers Weekly), the New York Times bestselling author of The Last White Rose explores the rise of Thomas Wolsey, who was Henry VIII’s chief adviser—until the king accused him of treason.

“Henry VIII’s beloved cardinal leaps from the page in all his brilliance, complexity, and humanity. Fans of Wolf Hall have a treat in store.”—Tracy Borman, author of Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth I

Cardinal Thomas Wolsey enjoyed one of the most meteoric careers in history. His rise from humble beginnings coincided with young Henry VIII’s ascension to the throne in 1509. The two grew to be cherished friends, and by 1515 Wolsey, now a cardinal, had become the controlling figure in all matters of church and state.

Wolsey operated on an international stage and worked hard to broker universal peace. All was going dazzlingly well until Henry fell in love with Anne Boleyn—the woman whom Wolsey would one day call “the night crow”—and sought to end his marriage to his first wife, Katherine of Aragon. Swept up in the maelstrom of “the Divorce,” Wolsey, who had successfully given his master everything he wanted, found himself in an impossible situation. As he drew the ire of the future queen, the cardinal found his privileged life and his relationship with Henry crumbling around him.

Alison Weir’s poignant novel tells the story of Wolsey the man—his incredible rise to power and his tragic fall. She delves beyond the splendor and political machinations of the Tudor court to reveal the secrets of Wolsey’s private life, the mistress and children he was devoted to, and the tragedy that overtook them. It is a tale of two women, one who loved him and one who hated him—and also a tale of two men, king and commoner, the special, deep-rooted bonds that brought them together and the forces that drove them apart.

©2025 Alison Weir (P)2025 Recorded Books

Another amazing book

The author brought her subject to life , making him real and a sympathetic person. She peels back the hundreds of years and makes them current and her subjects so current and sympathetic,

Perfect

Incredibly well done portrait of a Tudor power-player and what it required to live on the knifes-edge of palace politics.

Amazing!

I loved the fact that it was the Cardinals story and it suck to his true story line. I wasnt sure at first if a bunch of things were going to be change, but his life events stayed true to facts.

Another Triumph

I love everything she has written and though a fiction Alison Weir is able to mix truth and fiction and make the story feel alive.

We are not in Kindergarten

I could not tolerate this narrator one second longer
Worse yet, Alison Wier has used her for many of her audio books. The narration is so overly affected. Not recommended for adults