The Palace Spy

Author: Tessa Afshar
Genre: Biblical Fiction
Series: Queen Esther's Court #3
Pages: 400
Release Date: November 17, 2026
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers

An unlikely spy. A queen in peril. A race to save her life.

Even with the queen's safety hanging by a thread, keeping her alive may prove less dangerous for Danna than guarding her own heart.

Seeking work, horse trainer Danna is heading to the palace to try to secure a job in its renowned stables when a runaway horse takes off with its royal rider. After bringing the wild mare under control, she discovers that the woman she has saved is none other than Queen Esther. When they realize this was no simple accident, Esther employs Danna to find out who is behind the attempt on her life.

Allon tends his expansive apple orchards, determined to spend the rest of his days far from palace intrigues. But when Esther summons him for an urgent task, he cannot refuse the queen he once served, even if this new assignment threatens to resurrect the ghosts of his past. As Danna and Allon are charged with establishing Esther's safety, they learn that working together is enough to tie even the steadiest of hearts into knots. With more at stake in the kingdom than either suspected, they find themselves in a race against time to save the life of their queen.

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Reviewer: Lori Parrish

I loved this story from page one! It was an absolute pleasure to read this one. I love stories about Queen Esther. She’s a lovely person. I really hated to see this story end. This author does some amazing writing, and I loved how she brings these characters to life

This book kept me on the edge of my seat, turning the pages to see what happens next. Lots of twists and turns that I never saw coming.

Who would want to harm Esther? I was surprised when I found out who it was. Wow!

I enjoyed this story so much. It’s always a joy to read this author’s books.

As always, Esther is my favorite character in this book. I love her determination, her personality, and the love of her people and fairness to others.

I didn’t want this story to end because I know it will be awhile before she has another one.

I found myself rooting for Danna too. I really enjoyed meeting her and getting to know her. She’s my second favorite person. I loved her determination to help solving who would want to hurt Esther.

One scene in this story kind of made me upset because it involved a horse. I wasn’t happy, and that’s why I rooted for Danna and the other others to find the culprit.

5 stars for a job well done! Thank you for a fantastic story. And for keeping my interest.

I received this book from Bethany House Publishers through Interviews & Reviews via NetGalley for my honest opinion.

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