Friar-sleuth Brother Athelstan is caught in a politically charged race against time! He must uncover the truth behind numerous gruesome murders in this tense historical mystery set in medieval London.Normandy, 1358: The Free Company of the 'Via Crucis - the Way of the Cross' sweeps into the peaceful village of Avranches, like the riders from the Apocalypse, leaving nothing but death and hellish destruction in their wake.London, 1382: Brother Athelstan is summoned to unpick the ugly truth behind a number of killings afflicting the great city. Some carried out like clean, efficient assassinations, all bearing the message 'Justitia Fiat - let there be justice', others inflicting torture and humiliation upon the bodies. But the victims all have one thing in common - they were all once members of Via Crucis.With every new gruesome discovery, Brother Athelstan, with the help of Coroner Cranston, uncovers more clues which make up a most...

With an imposter prince claiming he is Henry Tudor, Margaret Beaufort must play the game of kings very carefully in this richly-imagined medieval mystery."Uneasy lies the head which wears the crown"1472. Edward IV reigns triumphant over England and his rivals, the Lancastrians. But he is uneasy, for one true claimant remains: the young Henry Tudor, son of Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond. Henry's continued existence worries Edward, so he hatches a plan to bring a cuckoo into the nest – an imposter prince is presented to Margaret Beaufort as her son.Margaret is no fool and knows she must play this game of kings carefully . . . When she is invited to George Neville's beautiful home 'The Moor' to help investigate some mysterious and gruesome murders she knows dark forces are at play. Whispers of a shadowy figure called Achitophel hang over the house's occupants, like the impenetrable mist that descended on the...

Christopher Urswicke must unmask the traitor lurking amongst Margaret Beaufort's supposedly loyal followers in this gripping medieval mystery. October, 1471. Edward IV sits on the English throne; the House of York reigns supreme. With her young son, Henry Tudor, in exile in France, Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond, shelters deep in the shadows, secretly plotting for the day when Henry can be crowned the rightful king. But as her supporters are picked off one by one, it becomes clear that a traitor lurks within Margaret's household. When one of her most loyal henchmen, Jacob Cromart, is murdered in St Michael's Church, where he had claimed sanctuary, Margaret orders her sharp-witted clerk, Christopher Urswicke, to find out who has betrayed her. How could a man be killed inside a church where the doors are all locked, with no sign of an intruder or weapon? If he is to protect Margaret's remaining supporters from suffering a similar fate, Urswicke...

Can he crack the code before the Great Revolt begins?May, 1381. As the Great Revolt draws ever nearer, rebels openly roam the streets of London, waiting for the violence to begin. Their mysterious envoy, the Herald of Hell, appears at night all over the city, striking terror into the hearts of those who oppose them. But who is he?When his chancery clerk is found hanged in a notorious Southwark brothel, the ruthless Thibault, John of Gaunt's Master of Secrets, summons Brother Athelstan to investigate. Did Amaury Whitfield really kill himself following a visit from the terrifying Herald of Hell? Athelstan is unconvinced.In the dead man's possession was a manuscript containing a great secret which he had been striving to decipher. If he could only unlock the cipher and interpret the messages being carried to the so-called Herald of Hell, Athelstan would be one step closer to catching the killer. But time is running out...An...

A series of grisly deaths are linked to the sacred Stone of Scone in this compelling medieval mystery featuring friar-sleuth Brother Athelstan. "This abbey is a strange place, Brother Athelstan. A hall of ghosts, a place of flitting shadows. The dead throng here. I can hear them whispering as they ride the air." During the harsh winter of 1381 murder stalks the streets of London in all its grisly forms. The city's prostitutes are falling prey to a silent, deadly assassin known as The Flayer who carefully peels his victims' skins for his collection. At the same time, Westminster Abbey, which houses the sacred Stone of Scone, is plagued by a series of hideous poisonings. Could there be a connection between these brutally violent deaths and the stone, which the English crown cherishes as a symbol of its rule over Scotland? Then there are the two former Upright Men, leaders of the Great Revolt, who are found mysteriously hanged in the Piebald Tavern, close to...

om her birthright as a child, Brianna's only crime was to be born a necromancer in a world that mandates their execution. Rather than see his innocent child killed, her father, the King of Belm

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...

Ralph Croft, an English rogue, is plucked from the dungeon of the Bastille to head an investigation to find the real identity of the infamous 'Masked Man'. But before he can discover the truth, he must face brutal imprisonment, threats and countless dangers... Will he live to complete the task?

Brother Athelstan must solve a theft from the royal treasure chamber and the murders of six executioners in this gripping medieval mystery. London. January, 1382. The Crown's treasury has been robbed. Tens of thousands of silver and gold coin mysteriously lifted from the most secure chamber in the kingdom; the five Clerks of the Dark who guarded the king's treasure brutally garrotted. Sir John Cranston and Brother Athelstan are appointed to investigate - but Athelstan has problems of his own. Clement the Key Master, who helped fashion the complex locks to the royal treasure chamber, has been found strangled in the nave of Athelstan's parish, St Erconwald's church. At the same time, six of the city's hangmen have been savagely murdered, their bodies stripped. Pinned to each corpse is a scrawled note: "Vengeance! The Upright Men never forget!" The Guild of Hangmen who frequent the majestic tavern, The Hanging Tree, on the River Thames, have...

The arrival of a band of Spanish mercenaries brings new danger for Margaret Beaufort and the House of Lancaster in this richly-imagined medieval mystery. November, 1471. With Edward of York on the English throne and her son, Henry Tudor, in exile in Brittany, the newly-widowed Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond, is alone, without protectors. All she can do is wait and watch, planning for a time when she's in a position to make her move. But new dangers are emerging. En route to England is a band of Spanish mercenaries known as the Garduna. With no allegiance to prince, prelate or people, they are a lethal fighting force, utterly ruthless and implacable killers. But who has hired them . . . and why? The discovery of the body of an unexpected visitor, found murdered in a locked room in her London townhouse, heralds the start of a series of increasingly menacing incidents which threaten Margaret and her household. Is there an enemy within? It's...

What happens when a man turns into a monster? The Lord Count Drakulya is Paul Doherty's second novel exploring the life of the man behind the legend. Perfect for fans of C.J Sansom and Ellis Peters. Prince Dracula, or more accurately, Drakulya, was a real person who struggled to control the small Balkan kingdom of Wallachia amidst the cruelty and corruption of I5th-century Europe. Through the eyes of his Greek friend, Rhodros, we see Drakulya, a Renaissance prince, become a despot and wreak a horrifying revenge on his opponents. When Drakulya launches all-out war against his hated enemy, the Ottoman Turks, Rhodros is drawn deeper into the nightmare. His attempts at escape are overtaken by events which sweep Drakulya to a chilling climax and the birth of one of Europe's most terrifying legends... What readers are saying about Paul Doherty:'Paul Doherty's books are a joy to read '' The sounds and smells of the period seem to waft from the pages of [Paul Doherty's] books''Mr. Doherty's research is only topped by his imagination '

Who was the man behind the legend? In Prince Drakulya , Paul Doherty traces the life of the infamous figure in a thrilling mystery. Perfect for fans of C.J Sansom and Ellis Peters. Dracula has always been a fascinating yet terrifying figure. But the legend of the human vampire is based on horrifying reality: Dracula (or more properly Drakulya) was a real person, a Prince of Wallachia (now part of Romania) who struggled for personal and political survival during the sinister intrigues of I5th century Europe. Discover him through Rhodros - the friend who knew him best. Rhodros accurately describes Drakulya's influences: his harsh imprisonment by the Ottoman Turks, his manipulation by the subtle and brilliant Ottoman court, and his lust for vengeance against the nobles responsible for the deaths of his father and brother. When Drakulya finally breaks free from his captors' influence he returns as ruler of his own country to wreak horrifying revenge... Don't miss the gripping sequel: The Lord Count Drakulya. What readers are saying about Paul Doherty:'Paul Doherty's books are a joy to read '' The sounds and smells of the period seem to waft from the pages of [Paul Doherty's] books''Mr. Doherty's research is only topped by his imagination '

om her birthright as a child, Brianna's only crime was to be born a necromancer in a world that mandates their execution. Rather than see his innocent child killed, her father, the King of Belm