In a city seething with discontent, an ancient grudge is about to be settled. December, 1377. As London prepares for Christmas, a great frost has the city in its icy grip; even the Thames is frozen from bank to bank. The Constable of the Tower of London, Sir Ralph Whitton, is found murdered in a cold bleak chamber. The door is still locked from the inside and guarded by trusted retainers. So how did the assassin get in? Brother Athelstan and Sir John Cranston are ordered to investigate. They soon discover that the murder is only the first in a series of macabre killings, which have their roots in a terrible act of betrayal... A vivid, blood-curdling portrayal of medieval London, this is historical mystery writing at its best, perfect for fans of C. J. Sansom and S. J. Parris. Praise for Paul Doherty 'A vivid, intricately crafted whodunnit' Publishers Weekly 'Paul Doherty has a lively sense of history' New Statesman
December, 1377. A great frost has London in its icy grip; even the Thames is frozen bank to bank. The Constable of the Tower of London, Sir Ralph Witton, is found murdered in a cold, bleak chamber in the North Bastion. The door is still locked from the inside and guarded by trusted retainers. So how did the assassins slip across a frozen moat to climb the sheer wall to commit such a dreadful crime? Appointed to investigate, Brother Athelstan and Sir John Cranston soon discover that Sir Ralph’s murder is only the first in a series of macabre killings which have their roots in a terrible act of betrayal committed many years previously.
An unscrupulous manor lord has reneged on his promise to hand over a priceless ornate cross stolen from the Templars during the Crusades. Furthermore, he has massacred as heretics fourteen members of a religious order. The King sends Hugh Corbett, devoted emissary of King Edward I to Mistleham in his stead... "Another fine historical mystery steeped in medieval atmosphere." - Kirkus Reviews
In The Mysterium, a new installment in the "deliciously suspenseful" Hugh Corbett Medieval Mystery series by P.C. Doherty, Sir Hugh Corbett is ordered to investigate the murder of a Chief Justice in the King's Court. February 1304—London is in crisis. A succession of brutal murders shocks the city as it comes to terms with the fall from power of Walter Evesham, Chief Justice in the Court of the King's Bench. Accused of bribery and corruption, Evesham has sought sanctuary to atone for his sins. When Evesham is discovered dead in his cell at the Abbey of Sion though, it appears that the Mysterium, a cunning killer brought to justice by Evesham, has returned to wreak havoc. Sir Hugh Corbett is ordered to investigate the murder. Has the Mysterium returned or is another killer imitating his brutal methods? As Corbett traces the ancient sins that hold the key to discovering the murderer's identity he must face his most cunning foe yet.
The mysterious Sebaus--a sect taking its name from demons--has stolen a powerful secret, and the wrath of the fiery Hatusu knows no bounds. But when the empire's great military hero, General Suten, is bitten to death by vipers, it appears events have spiraled out of her control. Meanwhile, a dark shadow lies across the Temple of Isis. The peace of this holy place, renowned as an oasis of calm and healing, has been disturbed. Four of the Hesets, the temple handmaids, have vanished without a trace. Will Lord Amerotke, Pharaoh's Chief Judge, unravel the mysteries before further violence erupts? Or will he find the perpetrators in league with forced beyond his jurisdiction?
An elegant, intricate mystery, which is seldom what it seems to be. During the 1960's, the young Humboldt S. Prior, nominally a computer specialist, but actually an involuntary agent of a little-known US intelligence service, is projected into Latin America to contact a long-concealed war criminal, who is a needed expert on neurological warfare. There Prior becomes entangled in a web of vengeance, treachery, and repeated murders. Fearful enemies and weapons, each more deadly then the last, menace Prior as he strives to accomplish his mission and live to tell of it. North and South Americans, Nazis, Israelis, and German aristocrats surround Prior in deceit and savage conflict. To survive and succeed he must select from the best of these competing forces, and align himself with them, and in doing so find success and the potential of great happiness and a new future. The story ends with a final jolt of uncertainty and mystery.
Combining elements of medievalism, the historical novel and the detective narrative, medieval crime fiction capitalizes upon the appeal of all three--the most famous examples being Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose (one of the best-selling books ever published) and Ellis Peters' endearing Brother Cadfael series. Hundreds of other novels and series fill out the genre, in settings ranging from the so-called Celtic Enlightenment in seventh-century Ireland to the ruthless Inquisition in fourteenth-century France to the mean streets of medieval London. The detectives are an eclectic group, including weary ex-crusaders, former Knights Templar, enterprising monks and nuns, and historical poets such as Geoffrey Chaucer. This book investigates the enduring popularity of the largely unexamined genre and explores its social, cultural and political contexts.
Dragonfire Quest is the first digital bundle in The Dragonfire Novels: The Complete Series and includes the three books that launch the Dragon's Tail Wars between the Pyr, dragon shifters pledged to defend the treasures of the earth, and the evil Slayers, dragon shifters bent on destroying both the Pyr and the humans they protect. In Kiss of Fire, dragon shifter Quinn Tyrrell is caught between the firestorm with his destined mate, Sara Keenan, and his hereditary responsibilities as the Smith of the Pyr. But Quinn has learned to be skeptical of his fellow dragon shifters and it's only when the evil Slayers target Sara that he realizes he needs the help of his own kind. Can pragmatic Sara be persuaded to believe that she's his destined mate and the foretold Seer of the Pyr? Can Quinn win Sara's heart before it's too late for them, their firestorm, and the Pyr? In Kiss of Fury, Donovan Shea, the dragon shifter assigned to defend scientist Alex Madison from the Slayers who have killed her partner, is surprised by the spark of his own firestorm. Donovan has no interest in commitment, especially one who has nightmares about dragons. All the same, there's something special about Alex, something that feeds a heat in Donovan beyond that of the firestorm. Can they work together to save her invention, the Green Machine, without surrendering to the firestorm's demand? If they embrace the promise of a future together, will the Slayers attack Alex again? In Kiss of Fate, Erik Sorensson, leader of the Pyr, has to confront past failures when he has a second chance at true love. Outspoken and independent Eileen Grosvenor isn't what Erik expects in a mate, but he admires her creativity and her resilience. Eileen has her doubts about trusting a dragon shifter, but when she's targeted by Slayers for the treasure she's claimed, having a good dragon on her side sounds like a plan. Can Erik and Eileen learn to work together to triumph in timeÑover Slayers, the wounds of the past, and even their own assumptions? *** The Dragonfire Series of Paranormal Romances Each Dragonfire Novel is a complete romance, but you would probably prefer to read them in order to follow the story of the Dragon's Tail Wars, the final battle for supremacy between the Pyr and the evil Slayers. The series is complete with fourteen stories. 1. Kiss of Fire (Quinn and Sara) 2. Kiss of Fury (Donovan and Alex) 3. Kiss of Fate (Erik and Eileen) 4. Winter Kiss (Delaney and Ginger) 5. Harmonia's Kiss (a short story about the Dragon's Tooth Warriors) 6. Whisper Kiss (Niall and Rox) 7. Darkfire Kiss (Rafferty and Melissa) 8. Flashfire (Lorenzo and Cassie) 9. Ember's Kiss (Brandon and Liz) 10. Kiss of Danger (a Dragon Legion novella featuring Alexander and Katina) 11. Kiss of Darkness (a Dragon Legion novella featuring Damien and Petra) 12. Kiss of Destiny (a Dragon Legion novella featuring Thad and Aura) 13. Serpent's Kiss (Thorolf and Chandra) 14. Firestorm Forever (Sloane and Sam, plus Drake and Veronica, and Marcus and Jac. Yes, this book has THREE firestorms and is the big finish.) The three Dragon Legion novellas are also available in a bundle called The Dragon Legion Collection. There is a world guide in the works called Here Be Dragons: A Dragonfire Companion. *** The stories of the Pyr continue in the DragonFate novels, a paranormal romance series featuring dragon shifter heroes and heroines who have their own powers. This series is in progress: 1. the prequel, Maeve's Book of Beasts 2. Dragon's Kiss 3. Dragon's Heart 4. Dragon's Mate 5. Dragon's Wolf (May 2022) *** Keywords: dragon, dragon shifter romance, destined mate, protector, guardian, enemies to lovers, fated mate, action adventure, urban fantasy romance, dragonfire, romantic comedy, outsider, opposites attract, blacksmith. For fans of: Sherrilyn Kenyon, Donna Grant, Thea Harrison, Jennifer Ashley, Christine Feehan, Lara Adrian, G. A. Aiken, Genevieve Jack, Jesse Donovan, Eve Langlais, Michele M. Pillow, Kresley Cole, Ilona Andrews, JR Ward, Coreene Callahan, S. E. Smith, Kim Harrison
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 utterly enthralling medieval mystery, perfect for fans of D. V. Bishop, D. L. Valentine and Antonia Hodgson.
The sins of the father shall be visited upon the son. June, 1381. The rebel armies are massed outside London, determined to overturn both Crown and Church. The Regent, John of Gaunt, has headed north, leaving his nephew, the boy-king Richard II, unprotected. Brother Athelstan would prefer to be protecting his parishioners at St Erconwald’s. Instead, he finds himself investigating a royal murder that took place fifty-four years earlier whilst the rebel leaders plot the present king’s destruction. What does the fate of the king’s great-grandfather, Edward II, have to do with the murder of Brother Alberic, a priest stabbed at the monastery in Blackfriars, more than fifty years later? When he finds his own life under threat, Athelstan discovers that exposing past secrets can lead to present danger. A gripping medieval mystery of rebellion and murder, perfect for fans of Edward Marston, Kate Sedley and David Penny.
