A HISTORIAN who has sold more than 2.7 million books worldwide is coming to Reading to her latest book on the wives of Henry VIII.

Alison Weir will be signing copies of Jane Seymour: The Haunted Queen at the Waterstones store on Broad Street on June 12 from 7.30pm.

As well as being the fifth bestselling historian in the world, Weir is also a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and Sciences and an honorary life patron of Historic Royal Palaces.

The Haunted Queen is the third book in the Six Tudor Queens series and gives new insight into the monarch's life and Seymour's desire to do good in a dark world.

Weir said: "We know that Jane held the old Roman faith dear and that she had a mind of her own.

"Yet many see her in a more sinister light, as the ‘other woman’ who helped bring Anne Boleyn to ruin.

"I hope that this novel offers a rounded, convincing portrayal of Henry VIII’s third wife, who is so often dismissed as a nonentity or a sly, scheming operator, yet was almost certainly neither."

Tickets for the event are priced at £5 and one lucky Chronicle reader will have the chance to win a signed copy of The Haunted Queen, as well as the opportunity to meet the author, subject to the event running to schedule.

Cheryl Dibden, events co-ordinator at Waterstones, added: "We look forward to Alison casting fresh light on our perceptions of Jane Seymour as she explores Jane's life in the face of plague, rebellion and the ever present shadow of the past."

To win a signed copy, please answer the following question. 'What is the title of Alison's new book?'

Send the answer along with your name, address, telephone number and email address to events.reading@waterstones.com or send to Alison Weir Competition, Waterstones Reading Broad Street, 89a Broad Street, Reading RG1 2AP.

Reading Chronicle:

Full terms and conditions:

  • This competition is open to all readers of Reading Chronicle
  • Entry to the competition is free, no purchase is necessary
  • Simply send in your answer to the competition question to Waterstones Reading Broad Street (events.reading@waterstones.com)
  • All entries must include the entrant's name, address, email address and contact telephone number
  • Neither the Promoter nor Waterstones Booksellers will be liable for any entry which is lost, damaged or delayed
  • The closing date for the competition is midnight Wednesday 23 May 2018
  • The winner will receive 1 x signed copy of 'Jane Seymour The Haunted Queen'
  • In the event of a tie, all tied correct entries will be entered into a draw which will be independently supervised. The winner will be the first name drawn out of the hat
  • There is no cash alternative
  • The judge's decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into
  • The winner will be notified by telephone or email on Thursday 24 May 2018
  • If Waterstones is unable to make contact with the winner by 12 pm on Friday 25 May 2018 a further draw will be made and a different winner selected
  • The winner agrees to the use of their name and photograph for publicity purposes
  • The promoters will publish first name, surname, age and town of residence of the winner in their publicity material
  • The competition is not open to employees of the Promoter or Waterstones Booksellers not their respective families or anyone directly connected to the competition
  • In the event of unforeseen circumstances, Waterstones reserves the right to offer an alternative prize of equal or greater value