Checkmate by Dorothy Dunnett — book slip

Set in 1557, "Checkmate" is the sixth and final book in Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond Chronicles. The novel follows the complex and charismatic Francis Crawford of Lymond as he returns to France to lead an army against England. While achieving success on the battlefield, Lymond must confront his troubled past, including the truth about his origins and his marriage to Englishwoman Philippa Somerville. The narrative is rich with political intrigue and personal redemption, bringing the series to a spellbinding close.

For fans of Game of Thrones and Outlander.