The Cardinal

from the Sunday Times bestseller, the gripping new novel about the man behind the Tudor crown

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The Cardinal

By: Alison Weir

Narrated by: Nick Biadon

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About this listen

'Alison Weir has this astonishing ability to make history come alive and jump right off the pages' ⭐ ⭐⭐ ⭐⭐
'Thomas's story is incredible' ⭐ ⭐⭐ ⭐⭐
'A gripping tale of power and downfall, passion and principle, it is Alison Weir at her best' ⭐ ⭐⭐ ⭐⭐
'Accessible and human' ⭐ ⭐⭐ ⭐⭐
'Captivating and emotive...a must read for all lovers of Tudor history' ⭐ ⭐⭐ ⭐⭐

Step into the thrill and intrigue of Tudor England and discover the secret life of Cardinal Wolsey in the rich, compelling new novel from Sunday Times bestseller Alison Weir.

'A rich and textured portrait of Cardinal Wolsey' THE TIMES
'Nobody brings historical characters to life like Alison Weir' TRACY BORMAN

AN EXTRAORDINARY RISE TO POWER. A TRAGIC FALL FROM GRACE.

It begins with young Tom Wolsey, the bright and brilliant son of a Suffolk tradesman, sent to study at Oxford at just eleven years old.

It ends with a disgraced cardinal, cast from the King's side and estranged from the woman he loves.

The years in between tell the story of a scholar and a lover, a father and a priest. From the court of Henry VIII, Tom builds a powerful empire of church and state. At home in London, away from prying eyes, he finds joy in a secret second life.

But when King Henry, his cherished friend, demands the ultimate sacrifice, what will Wolsey choose?

Alison Weir's riveting new Tudor novel reveals the two lives of Cardinal Wolsey, a tale of power, passion and ambition.

PRAISE FOR ALISON WEIR'S TUDOR FICTION

'Alison Weir gives us her most compelling heroine yet... This is where the story of the Tudors begins' TRACY BORMAN

'History has the best stories and they should all be told like this' CONN IGGULDEN

'As always, Alison Weir is ahead of the curve - and at the top of her game' SARAH GRISTWOOD

'Weir is excellent on the little details that bring a world to life' GUARDIAN

'Profoundly moving... lingers long after the last page' ELIZABETH FREMANTLE©2025 Alison Weir

Biographical Fiction

Genre Fiction

Historical

Historical Fiction

Political

Renaissance

World Literature

England

Tudor

Royalty

Biographical Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Political Renaissance World Literature England Tudor Royalty

Critic Reviews

Wolsey leaps from the page in all his brilliance, complexity and humanity . . . Nobody brings historical characters to life like Alison Weir (Tracy Borman)

A rich and textured portrait

Illuminating, emotional, fascinating you right there with Wolsey until the end (Kate Williams)

Through Weir's evocative prose we are taken into Wolsey's world, with his inevitable fall as heartbreaking as his rise was exhilarating (Elizabeth Norton)

Vibrant and informative . . . The Cardinal at last turns the spotlight on the great figure lurking behind the Cromwell of Wolf Hall (Sarah Gristwood)

In this pacy narrative, Cardinal Thomas Wolsey becomes more than just a historical figure - his personality and the twists and turns of his rise and fall leap from every page (Nicola Tallis)

Most relevant

Very enjoyable and I loved the narrator very easy listening! Story of sacrifice and devotion maybe Ms Boleyn deserved what she got in the end when you realise how narcissistic and determined she was to ruin a person.