Susanna Horenbout trilogy

This trilogy by Michelle Diner is set in the court of Henry 8:

Henry VIII’s most lethal courtier and his newly appointed artist become the only thing keeping him on the throne—and if they survive, neither will ever be the same.

John Parker is one of Henry VIII most useful courtiers—utterly merciless and completely loyal. But one small favor for his king will pull Parker into a deadly plot against the throne, one that will test his courage, his resolve, and most especially, his heart.

A commission from Henry VIII should have been the crowning achievement of Susanna Horenbout’s career, but before the beautiful and talented artist even sets foot in England, she finds herself in possession of a secret that could change its history.

With Parker as her only protection against killers who will stop at nothing to silence her, Susanna has to trust the dangerous, enigmatic courtier.

She’s used to fighting in a man’s world, but she never expected to be fighting for her life.

Artist Susanna Horenbout is commissioned by King Henry VIII to paint a picture of the ceremony in St. Paul’s Cathedral to commemorate the capture of the French king Francis I in battle. While working on a sketch before the ceremony begins, Susanna overhears a bitter nobleman hinting at violence to the King, and she realizes she might be the only one who can stop an attack on Henry. As the King makes his way to the cathedral though the cheering crowds, Susanna desperately tries to find a way to save his life—while saving the nobleman from the certain death his anger will bring down upon him. (This is a short story)

A priceless jewel. A royal court rife with intrigue. A secret deal, where the price of truth could come too high...

The personal artist to King Henry Tudor, Susanna Horenbout is sought by the queen and ladies of the court for her skilled portraits. But a chance meeting of someone from her past pulls her into a duplicitous game, where the consequence of failure is war. Soon, Susanna and her betrothed, the king’s most dangerous courtier, are unraveling a plot that could shatter Europe. And at the heart of it is a magnificent missing diamond...

With John Parker at her side, Susanna searches for the diamond and those responsible for its theft, their every step dogged by a lethal assassin. Finding the truth means plunging into the heart of the court’s most bitter infighting, surviving the harrowing labyrinth of Fleet Prison—and then coming face-to-face with the most dangerous enemy of all.

An artist never betrays her patron...especially one of the world’s most powerful kings.

Susanna Horenbout has learned this lesson from the cradle. But when she receives a letter from her father telling her to do just that, she faces a dilemma. Betray Henry VIII, or carry out the request of her father’s employer, Margaret of Austria, and pass secret information to Henry’s queen, Katherine of Aragon.

Caught between the machinations of her husband and her nephew, the Emperor Charles, Queen Katherine needs all the allies she can get. But what can Susanna really do to help her, and even if she does, will it be enough?

Susanna and her betrothed, Parker—one of Henry’s most trusted courtiers—balance on the knife’s edge of treason as they try to make sense of both international and domestic conspiracies.

Sometimes, it’s better the enemy you know...