Mary Queen of Scots, once a queen of France by marriage, arrived back in Scotland in August

1561 and married again four years later. It was a catastrophic mistake. Her new husband,

Henry Lord Darnley, was stunningly handsome, tall and svelte, but he was also spoiled,

narcissistic, vain and violent. He was bisexual, he was described as a great cock chick, and he

was promiscuous, but evidently also with his wife as by late 1565 Mary was pregnant. One

of Darnley's lovers, or at least someone we know he would lie in bed with, draw what

conclusions our willed, was David Ritzio, an Italian musician who had become Mary's

private secretary and friend. On the 9th of March 1566, in Mary's chambers, where she was

eating with her friends, 80 men arrived to murder David, each taking their turn to stab him.

This blood-drenched moment of history is the subject of Denise Miner's new novel, Ritzio.

It's Saturday afternoon 9th March 1566, indoor tennis court, Palace of Hollywood, Edinburgh.

Lord Ruth and wanted him killed during this tennis match, but Darnley said no. Lord Darnley

wants it done tonight. He wants his wife to witness the murder, because David Ritzio is

her closest friend, her personal secretary, and she's very pregnant, so Darnley hopes

that if she sees him being horribly brutalized, she might miscarry and die in the process.

She's the queen, they've been battling over Darnley's demand for equal status since

their wedding night, and if she dies and the baby dies, then Darnley's own claim to the

throne will be undeniable. The arrivals for the crown, she knew that from the off, he wants

it done in front of her.

Denise Miner will need no introduction for lovers of true crime, but for the rest of

you, let me tell you about this extraordinary writer. She has written 16 novels, several

graphic novels, four plays, two radio plays, and numerous short stories. Her novel, The Long

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