The Grail Murders Tudor Mysteries Book 3

The search for hidden treasure brings Rodger Shallot face to face with murder... In Paul Doherty's The Grail Murder, Richard Shallot's third journal, he must pit his wits against the terrifying and mysterious Templars. Perfect for fans of Ellis Peters and C.J. Sansom. In 1522 the rogue Roger Shallot and his sober-sided master Benjamin Daunbey are sent for by Cardinal Wolsey. Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, has been arrested for treason and Benjamin and Roger are made to witness his bloody execution. The true reason for Buckingham's downfall soon becomes apparent: he was searching at Templecombe Manor and Glastonbury Abbey in Somerset for two precious relics - the Holy Grail and Excalibur, the sword of King Arthur. Benjamin and Shallot are ordered to Templecombe, accompanied by the leaders of King Henry VIII's dreaded secret service, the Agentes in Rebus, to find these relics for the King. They must pit their wits against the Templars, a secret organisation plotting against the Tudors, of which Buckingham may have been a part and who may still have a member of their society close to the crown. The difficulties that wily Shallot - running true to his boast of possessing the fastest legs and quickest wits in Christendom - has to face soon make their presence felt: a duel, blackmail, the curses of a witch, the grisly hand of glory, decapitated heads, mysterious fires - and silent murder in the eerie Templar chapel. What readers are saying about The Grail Murders: 'This book had it all, locked room murders, a mysterious country manor house, an abbey, Templar conspiracy and Arthurian folklore - excellent!' 'Fascinating... historical mysteries brought to life with lots of accurate historical facts' 'Excellent story. Always enjoyed the Shallot stories, he is a lovable rogue'

In 1517 the English armies have defeated and killed James IV of Scotland at Flodden. James's widow, Queen Margaret--sister to Henry VIII--has fled to England, leaving her children behind and her crown under a council of regency. When Sir Roger Shallot and his friend Benjamin Daunbey are ordered to restore her to her throne, they are met by a series of gruesome murders.

Rodger and Benjamin delve into the underworld of Tudor Britain... Conspiracy and murder combine to threaten Roger Shallot's own life in his fifth journal, The Gallows Murders, from acclaimed author Paul Doherty. Perfect for fans of Ellis Peters and Susannah Gregory. In the summer of 1523, the hot weather and the sweating sickness provide a fertile breeding ground for terrible murders and the most treasonable conspiracies. King Henry VIII has moved the court to Windsor where he slakes his lusts whilst the kingdom is governed by his first minister, Cardinal Wolsey. Someone is sending the King threatening letters from the Tower, under the name and seal of Edward, one of the princes supposedly murdered there, demanding that great amounts of gold be left in different parts of London. If the orders are not carried out, proclamations will be published throughout the capital which, coinciding with the outbreak of plague, may make it look as though the hand of God has turned against the Tudors for usurping the throne. Wolsey has only two people to turn to: his beloved nephew, Benjamin Daunbey, and Daunbey's faithful servant, Roger Shallot. Benjamin and Roger become embroiled in the murky Tudor underworld and the pressure to solve the mysteries mounts when King Henry threatens that Roger Shallot's life depends on it. What readers are saying about Paul Doherty: 'Light, light, light, but clever, clever, clever. And amusing. A relaxing afternoon's read!' 'Excellent book, kept me guessing 'til the end' 'Paul Doherty weaves a tangled web of murder and intrigue'

In 1522 the rogue Roger Shallot and his sober-sided master Benjamin Daunbey are sent for by Cardinal Wolsey. Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, has been arrested for treason and Benjamin and Roger are made to witness his bloody execution. The true reason for Buckingham's downfall soon becomes apparent: he was searching at Templecombe Manor and Glastonbury Abbey in Somerset for two precious relics - the Holy Grail and Excalibur, the sword of King Arthur. Benjamin and Shallot are ordered to Templecombe, accompanied by the leaders of King Henry VIII's dreaded secret service, the Agentes in Rebus, to find these relics for the King. They must pit their wits against the Templars, a secret organisation plotting against the Tudors of which Buckingham may have been a part and who may still have a member of their society close to the crown. The difficulties that wily Shallot - running true to his boast of possessing the fastest legs and quickest wits in Christendom - has to face soon make their presence felt: a duel, blackmail, the curses of a witch, the grisly hand of glory, decapitated heads, mysterious fires - and silent murder in the eerie Templar chapel. This novel was previously published under the pseudonym Michael Clynes.

*Nominated for the 2014 Agatha Award* Agatha Award-winning author G. M. Malliet has charmed mystery lovers, cozy fans, and Agatha Christie devotees everywhere with Wicked Autumn, A Fatal Winter, and Pagan Spring, the critically acclaimed mysteries featuring handsome former-spy-turned-cleric Father Max Tudor. In A Demon Summer, someone has been trying to poison the 15th Earl of Lislelivet. Since Lord Lislelivet has a gift for making enemies, no one—particularly his wife—finds this too surprising. What is surprising is that the poison was discovered in a fruitcake made and sold by the Handmaids of St. Lucy of Monkbury Abbey. Max Tudor, vicar of Nether Monkslip and former MI5 agent, is asked to investigate. But just as Max comes to believe the poisoning was accidental, a body is discovered in the cloister well. G.M. Malliet continues to delight readers in this standout mystery, the fourth book in her clever and engaging Max Tudor series.

Crispin Guest has solved many mysteries since losing his knighthood and becoming “The Tracker”, an investigator for hire in fourteenth century London. Yet when he witnesses a body fall from London bridge into the frigid waters of the Thames, he finds himself in the middle of a dangerous and complicated puzzle. The deceased was an armorer whose death officials rule to be a suicide, but Guest immediately sees evidence of foul play. During his investigation he runs into Sir Thomas Saunfayl, an old acquaintance from his knighthood days, frantically searching for the armorer. It seems the dead man was bargaining with Sir Thomas for the Spear of Longinus, the weapon used to pierce the side of Christ on the Cross, which grants invincibility to its owner. After his friend Geoffrey Chaucer arrives in London, all too eager to help find the spear and conduct clandestine meetings with powerful figures, Guest soon finds himself trying to solve a conundrum of many parts, all centered around the same dangerous and potent holy relic. With the spear now missing and more murders occurring, Guest, together with his loyal apprentice Jack, must use his sharp wiles to find it and piece together the truth in a world of political intrigue, treachery, and murder. With evocative period detail and an unforgettable cast of characters, Blood Lance is the exhilarating fifth volume in the Crispin Guest medieval noir mystery series. It was one of the “Top 10 Hot Crime Novels” for Fall 2012 selection at Kirkus Reviews.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • For the first time in decades comes a fresh look at the fabled Tudor dynasty, comprising some of the most enigmatic figures ever to rule a country. “A thoroughly readable and often compelling narrative . . . Five centuries have not diminished the appetite for all things Tudor.”—Associated Press In 1485, young Henry Tudor, whose claim to the throne was so weak as to be almost laughable, crossed the English Channel from France at the head of a ragtag little army and took the crown from the family that had ruled England for almost four hundred years. Half a century later his son, Henry VIII, desperate to rid himself of his first wife in order to marry a second, launched a reign of terror aimed at taking powers no previous monarch had even dreamed of possessing. In the process he plunged his kingdom into generations of division and disorder, creating a legacy of blood and betrayal that would blight the lives of his children and the destiny of his country. The boy king Edward VI, a fervent believer in reforming the English church, died before bringing to fruition his dream of a second English Reformation. Mary I, the disgraced daughter of Catherine of Aragon, tried and failed to reestablish the Catholic Church and produce an heir. And finally came Elizabeth I, who devoted her life to creating an image of herself as Gloriana the Virgin Queen but, behind that mask, sacrificed all chance of personal happiness in order to survive. The Tudors weaves together all the sinners and saints, the tragedies and triumphs, the high dreams and dark crimes, that reveal the Tudor era to be, in its enthralling, notorious truth, as momentous and as fascinating as the fictions audiences have come to love. Praise for The Tudors “A rich and vibrant tapestry.”—The Star-Ledger “A thoroughly readable and often compelling narrative . . . Five centuries have not diminished the appetite for all things Tudor.”—Associated Press “Energetic and comprehensive . . . [a] sweeping history of the gloriously infamous Tudor era . . . Unlike the somewhat ponderous British biographies of the Henrys, Elizabeths, and Boleyns that seem to pop up perennially, The Tudors displays flashy, fresh irreverence [and cuts] to the quick of the action.”—Kirkus Reviews “[A] cheeky, nuanced, and authoritative perspective . . . brims with enriching background discussions.”—Publishers Weekly “[A] lively new history.”—Bloomberg

Geoffrey Chaucer was a spy, a diplomat, and England's finest poet, and yet nothing is known of his death; after 1400, his name simply disappears from the record. Was he the victim of a political murder? In this book, Terry Jones reassesses Chaucer's work and the turbulent times in which he lived.