<p><strong>'Vance has masterfully captured an exciting moment in English history, filled with dark political intrigue and radiantly salacious liaisons.' &ndash;Michael Hartnett, author of&nbsp;<em>The Blue Rat</em></strong></p><p><em>The King&#39;s Favorite</em> is a mystery thriller set during one of the most spirited, scandalous, and memorable periods in English history&mdash;the Restoration&mdash;when the son of an executed king brought monarchy back to England after the repressive years of the Commonwealth. Following the coronation of Charles II came a reopening of the theaters, with the first women performing on the English public stage. What follows is a devastating London plague and fire, a monarch who openly indulged his sexual proclivities, a series of plots against the crown, and the first true collection of female celebrities&mdash;as actresses, mistresses, and even orange girls.</p>