Murder Most Treasonable

Murder Most Treasonable
Author: Paul Doherty
Publisher: Severn House Publishers Ltd
Total Pages: 225
Release: 2023-11-07
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1448310733

Spies, secrets and suspicious circumstances: Friar-sleuth Brother Athelstan races against time to solve impossible crimes and uncover a traitor in this gripping historical mystery set in medieval London. London. March, 1382. Deep in the shadows, a clandestine organization known as the Secret Chancery operates under the sinister leadership of John of Gaunt's Master of Secrets. When two clerks from this covert group meet their demise in suspicious circumstances, friar-sleuth Brother Athelstan is urgently summoned to unravel the truth behind their deaths. A puzzling question lies at the heart of the investigation: how did the killer manage to navigate a labyrinth of locked doors, leaving no trace behind? As Brother Athelstan delves deeper into the mystery, a terrifying threat also emerges: the possibility of treason. King Richard's spies in France are also dying, almost as if someone's discovered exactly who they are . . . Brother Athelstan must race against the clock to uncover the truth before he and his companions get tangled up in the hunt for the traitor, with fatal consequences for them all.

Anger of God

Anger of God
Author: Paul Doherty
Publisher: Severn House Publishers Ltd
Total Pages: 140
Release: 2011-12-12
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1448300363

Autumn, 1379. The power of the crown is invested in John of Gaunt, and the kingdom is seething with discontent. The French are attacking the southern ports and peasants are planning a revolt organised by a mysterious leader who proclaims himself ‘Ira Dei’, the Anger of God. His plans plunged into chaos by a series of bloody murders, Gaunt turns to Sr John Cranston to catch the assassin and recover a vanished king’s ransom in gold. Together, Cranston and his ally, Brother Athelstan, face threats and attack from the powerful as well as the seedy underworld of medieval London as they attempt to bring a cunning murderer to justice.

Mother Midnight (Hugh Corbett 22)

Mother Midnight (Hugh Corbett 22)
Author: Paul Doherty
Publisher: Headline
Total Pages: 352
Release: 2021-07-22
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1472284763

Paul Doherty's twenty-second medieval mystery featuring Sir Hugh Corbett is a gripping and gruesome tale of murder and mayhem sure to appeal to fans of C. J. Sansom and Bernard Cornwell. 1312. Sir Hugh Corbett, Keeper of the Secret Seal, has returned from the West Country to find Westminster in chaos. Edward II has fled in an attempt to protect his favourite from the wrath of his noblemen; and a royal clerk has been found dead, poisoned in a locked chamber. Drawn into a maze of murder both at Westminster and at the Convent of Saint Sulpice, where young novices have started to disappear, Corbett quickly establishes a connection between the two mysteries. As other killings follow, Corbett's investigation leads him to a high-class brothel and its sinister owner, Mother Midnight. Challenged to a duel and hunted by a guild of ruthless assassins, Corbett and his loyal henchmen, Ranulf and Chanson, face a sea of troubles. And Corbett must call upon his wit and ingenuity to halt the tide of disaster that threatens to engulf him... What readers say about Paul Doherty: 'Good plots, clever twists and mostly impossible to work out' 'Paul Doherty's depictions of medieval England are truly outstanding' 'Another brilliant story in the excellent Hugh Corbett series by a superb historical author'

Treason By The Book

Treason By The Book
Author: Jonathan Spence
Publisher: Penguin UK
Total Pages: 406
Release: 2012-04-05
Genre: History
ISBN: 0241959144

In 1728 a stranger handed a letter to Governor Yue calling on him to lead a rebellion against the Manchu rulers of China. Feigning agreement, he learnt the details of the plot and immediately informed the Emperor, Yongzheng. The ringleaders were captured with ease, forced to recant and, to the confusion and outrage of the public, spared. Drawing on an enormous wealth of documentary evidence - over a hundred and fifty secret documents between the Emperor and his agents are stored in Chinese archives - Jonathan Spence has recreated this revolt of the scholars in fascinating and chilling detail. It is a story of unwordly dreams of a better world and the facts of bureaucratic power, of the mind of an Emperor and of the uses of his mercy.

Blackstone and the Great War

Blackstone and the Great War
Author: Sally Spencer
Publisher: Severn House Publishers Ltd
Total Pages: 170
Release: 2012-11-01
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1780102062

The new Inspector Sam Blackstone mystery . . . France, World War One. Inspector Blackstone thought he was done with army, but when a general he served with requests he investigate the brutal murder of his grandson, a young British officer in the trenches, Blackstone feels he can't say no. Surrounded by young men over half his age, Blackstone must face the horror of modern warfare, and the prejudices of the officer class, if he is to gain justice for the murdered man.

Dark Queen Rising

Dark Queen Rising
Author: Paul Doherty
Publisher: Canongate Books
Total Pages: 226
Release: 2019-08-01
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1786895072

London, 1471. The War of the Roses rages on. Edward of York has claimed the English throne and his Yorkist supporters gleefully slaughter their adversaries; there's no mercy for anyone who supported the Lancastrian cause. Margaret Beaufort - mother of Henry Tudor, the only hope for the House of Lancaster - knows her enemies are closing in. Desperate for help she turns to Christopher Urswicke for protection. But when ruthless scheming and pitiless killings are the only routes to survival, Urswicke will have to choose where his loyalties truly lie.

The Last of Days

The Last of Days
Author: Paul Doherty
Publisher: Hachette UK
Total Pages: 237
Release: 2013-06-06
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 075539786X

In the final days of Henry VIII, one man is there to witness the demise of a legend... Master historian Paul Doherty weaves his magic in The Last of Days - an epic tale of murderous schemes and a blood-smattered political order. Perfect for fans of Susanna Gregory and C.J. Sansom. The last days of Henry VIII's reign were taut with tension as the Council factions, ruthless and power-hungry, manoeuvred and fought. Not to mention the tension within the despot himself, his fears and phobias, the obsession he'd developed with the sexually-dominating Howard women. The Last of Days chronicles the fascinating disintegration of this King, the murderous schemes that encircled him, and the emergence of the ruthless, blood-smattered political order that followed his death. What readers are saying about Paul Doherty: 'Highly enjoyable, well written [and] atmospheric' 'Well researched and well written; a compelling story' 'The sounds and smells of the period seem to waft from the pages of [Paul Doherty's] books'

Murder Most Royal

Murder Most Royal
Author: Jean Plaidy
Publisher: Crown
Total Pages: 458
Release: 2006-01-24
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0307345394

One powerful king. Two tragic queens. In the court of Henry VIII, it was dangerous for a woman to catch the king’s eye. Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard were cousins. Both were beautiful women, though very different in temperament. They each learned that Henry’s passion was all-consuming–and fickle. Sophisticated Anne Boleyn, raised in the decadent court of France, was in love with another man when King Henry claimed her as his own. Being his mistress gave her a position of power; being his queen put her life in jeopardy. Her younger cousin, Catherine Howard, was only fifteen when she was swept into the circle of King Henry. Her innocence attracted him, but a past mistake was destined to haunt her. Painted in the rich colors of Tudor England, Murder Most Royal is a page-turning journey into the lives of two of the wives of the tempestuous Henry VIII. Look for the Reading Group Guide at the back of this book. Also available as an ebook.

An Assassin's Guide to Love and Treason

An Assassin's Guide to Love and Treason
Author: Virginia Boecker
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Total Pages: 314
Release: 2018-10-23
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 031632728X

Shakespeare in Love meets Mr. and Mrs. Smith in this witty and thrilling story of star-crossed assassins in Elizabeth England, perfect for fans of My Lady Jane and TheGentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue! When Lady Katherine's father is killed for being an illegally practicing Catholic, she discovers treason wasn't the only secret he's been hiding: he was also involved in a murder plot against the reigning Queen Elizabeth I. With nothing left to lose, Katherine disguises herself as a boy and travels to London to fulfill her father's mission, and to take it one step further -- kill the queen herself. Katherine's opportunity comes in the form of William Shakespeare's newest play, which is to be performed in front of Her Majesty. But what she doesn't know is that the play is not just a play. It's a plot to root out insurrectionists and destroy the rebellion once and for all. The mastermind behind this ruse is Toby Ellis, a young spy for the queen with secrets of his own. When Toby and Katherine are cast opposite each other as the play's leads, they find themselves inexplicably drawn to one another. But the closer they grow, the more precarious their positions become. And soon they learn that star-crossed love, mistaken identity, and betrayal are far more dangerous off the stage than on.

Pride and Premeditation

Pride and Premeditation
Author: Tirzah Price
Publisher: HarperCollins
Total Pages: 384
Release: 2021-04-06
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 0062889826

One of BuzzFeed's best YA books of 2021! Perfect for fans of the Lady Janies and Stalking Jack the Ripper, the first book in the Jane Austen Murder Mysteries trilogy is a clever retelling of Pride and Prejudice that reimagines the iconic settings, characters, and romances in a thrilling and high-stakes whodunit. When a scandalous murder shocks London high society, seventeen-year-old aspiring lawyer Lizzie Bennet seizes the opportunity to prove herself, despite the interference of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, the stern young heir to the prestigious firm Pemberley Associates. Convinced the authorities have imprisoned the wrong person, Lizzie vows to solve the murder on her own. But as the case—and her feelings for Darcy—become more complicated, Lizzie discovers that her dream job could make her happy, but it might also get her killed. Three of Jane Austen’s classic novels receive a murder mystery makeover in this romantic and thrilling three-book series that’s perfect for fans of The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy. Pride and Premeditation is followed by Sense and Second-Degree Murder, in which aspiring scientist Elinor Dashwood and her sister Marianne, a budding detective, work together to solve the mystery of their father’s murder.