Karen Harper's The Queene's Cure, set in Queen Elizabeth I's court, is an engaging and entertaining read. The mystery begins when a mysterious effigy, made to look like the queen, shows up in her coach. If that weren't bad enough, it is made to look as if it is scarred by smallpox--Elizabeth's greatest fear. Meg Milligrew, the court's former apothecary, has been banished from the court for hiding her marriage, and much of the action revolves around her new life and her wish to be back in the queen's good graces. Harper's novel, though it jumps between the two narratives, is relatively easy to follow, and readers will be entranced until the end.