The Serpent Amongst The Lilies

An investigation into the mysterious woman known as Jeanne of Arc... The turbulent times of the 15th century are perfectly captured in Paul Doherty's gripping mystery, The Serpent Amongst the Lilies. Perfect for fans of Ellis Peters and Susanna Gregory. At the behest of his master, Bishop Henry Beaufort, former criminal Matthew Jankyn is set among the followers of Jeanne d'Arc (the lilies). Charged with discovering whether Jeanne is really a saint, Jankyn must work out how best to ensure that the French war against the British can be foiled. But in spite of his lawless background, Jankyn comes to like Jeanne and to resent being pitted against her. But does Jeanne somehow know more about Jankyn's intentions than she is letting on, and what secrets is she keeping from him? What readers are saying about Paul Doherty: 'The plot and mystery slowly unfolds with unexpected twists and turns before finally being unravelled. An enthralling tale by Doherty at his best' '[You] lose yourself in the story' 'Five stars'

Unscrupulous Matthew Jankyn is sent by Henry VI's guardian to war-torn France to determine the truth about Joan of Arc.

Secrets, lies and espionage abound in Hugh Corbett's medieval England... The Prince of Darkness is the fifth dazzling novel in the richly authentic Hugh Corbett series from Paul Doherty. Perfect for fans of Susanna Gregory and Robin Hobb. It is 1301 and a fragile peace exists between Edward of England and Philip IV of France. In the fetid alleys and slums of London and Paris it is a different matter. Here the secret agents of both countries still fight their own, silent, deadly battles. The Prince of Wales wallows in luxury under the sinister influence of his favourite, Gaveston, who has secret political ambitions to dominate the young prince and the English crown. These scandals are threatened with exposure when Lady Belmont, the prince's former mistress, is found dead, her neck broken, at the foot of a nunnery's steps. Was it suicide? An accident? Or malicious murder? Edward turns to his master spy, Hugh Corbett, to solve the mystery. In doing so, Corbett must face the deadly rivalry of his French counterpart, the murderous rage of Gaveston and the silent threats of assassins. He must also contend with the lies and silken deceits of his own master. What readers are saying about The Prince of Darkness: 'Paul Doherty gives a full flavour of life in the medieval era, interweaving historical fact and fiction with knowledgeable expertise. A thoroughly enjoyable intrigue' '250 pages of unputdownable storytelling. Excellent' 'Another gem from Paul Doherty'

What - or who - really killed the young conqueror of the known world? Master historian Paul Doherty investigates an outstanding figure who achieved so much before his premature end in this remarkable non-fiction work, Alexander the Great: The Death of a God. Perfect for fans of Philip Freeman and Robin Lane Fox. 'Riveting... compelling... an important contribution to the literature on the period' - Sunday Times Alexander the Great was an enigma, a man who wanted to be a god, a Greek who wanted to be Persian, a defender of liberties who spent most of his life taking away the liberties of others, and a king who could be compassionate yet also had the capacity to ruthlessly wipe out an ancient city. The Death of Alexander scrutinizes the circumstances surrounding the young king's death in the summer palace of the Persian kings. Did Alexander die of alcohol poisoning? Or where there other, more sinister factors involved? The great general had surrounded himself with outstanding captains of war. Was it they who ultimately made a decision to bring this young god's life to a violent, untimely end? What readers are saying about Paul Doherty: 'Doherty proves that he is a scholar as well as a writer of novels' 'I could not stop reading this book by Paul Doherty as it is very well written, immensely readable and fascinating. For me an absolute MUST' 'Pure brilliance'

“Poems of Adoration” is a 1912 collection of poems by Michael Field. Michael Field served as the joint pen name for Edith Emma Cooper (1862–1913) and her aunt Katharine Harris Bradley (1846–1914). Together, they produced around 40 works under the secret pseudonym until they were exposed, possibly as a result of revealing their identity to their friend Robert Browning. A fantastic collection of classic poetry not to be missed by fans and collectors of the secretive duo's wonderful work. The poems include: “Desolation”, “Entbehren Sollst Du”, “Fregit”, “Sicut Parvuli”, “Aurum, Thus, et Myrrha—Alleluia”, “Holy Communion”, “Of Silence”, “Real Presence, “From the Highway”, “'That He Should Taste Death for Every Man'”, “Nimis Honorati Sunt”, “Blessed are the Beggars Matt. V. 3”, “The Blessed Sacrament”, etc. Other notable works by Field include: “The Father's Tragedy” (1885), “Bellerophon” (1881), and “The Tragic Mary” (1890). As part of our poetry imprint "Ragged Hand" Read & Co. is republishing this classic collection of poetry now in a new edition complete with a biography from “The New Universal Encyclopaedia, Vol IV” (1922).

"Murdering Ministers" integrates everything worth knowing about Shakespeare’s "Macbeth" from four centuries of criticism and performances, stage as well as film, in a scene-by-scene close reading that provides the reader with an exhaustive knowledge of the play and answers questions that have captivated us for centuries. Did Burbage, the first Macbeth, enter on horseback? When does the idea of regicide first occur to the Macbeths? Why does Macbeth withhold part of the witches’ prophecy from his wife? Is Banquo honest? Did Shakespeare believe in witchcraft? Why is the play cursed? What has happened to the baby that Lady Macbeth has given suck? Answers to this and much more come from actors, critics, and directors of countless productions since 1606. Moreover, "Murdering Ministers" is an expedition into the historical context of "Macbeth": the politico-religious turmoil of Jacobean England. It is hardly a coincidence that Shakespeare’s play of regicide and witchcraft followed hard upon an assassination attempt on James I, author of a manual on black magic and how to detect it – but did the playwright mean to praise or to provoke his king with the Scottish Play? Finally, the book questions the tradition of the play as an exclusively sombre tragedy with all humour confined to the brief appearance of the porter in Act II. Macbeth is, in fact, full of hilarious dramatic irony rarely explored or exploited since the early 19th century. Although it may be a stretch to call it a comedy, there is plenty to laugh at. It wouldn’t be Shakespeare otherwise.