Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A Triptych of Poisoners | 1958 | Victoria Holt | Buy |
| 2 | The Rise of the Spanish Inquisition | 1959 | Victoria Holt | Buy |
| 3 | The Growth of the Spanish Inquisition | 1960 | Victoria Holt | Buy |
| 4 | The End of the Spanish Inquisition | 1961 | Victoria Holt | Buy |
| 5 | The Spanish Inquisition | 1961 | Victoria Holt | Buy |
| 6 | Mary Queen of Scots: The Fair Devil of Scotland | 1975 | Victoria Holt | Buy |
Victoria Holt’s non-fiction output is small compared to her fiction, but it covers subjects she also explored in her novels. The Spanish Inquisition trilogy, published between 1959 and 1961, was a serious historical work that traced the institution from its origins through its abolition. A Triptych of Poisoners (1958) explored famous historical poisoning cases.
Mary Queen of Scots: The Fair Devil of Scotland (1975) brought her biographical approach to the Scottish queen, a figure she also covered in her fiction series. These non-fiction works show the research foundation underlying her historical novels and reveal a writer who was as interested in getting the history right as in making it readable.