Cody Cassidy

Paul Doherty

A gleefully gruesome look at the actual science behind the most outlandish, cartoonish, and impossible deaths you can imagine What would happen if you took a swim outside a deep-sea submarine wearing only a swimsuit? How long could you last if you stood on the surface of the sun? How far could you actually get in digging a hole to China? Paul Doherty, senior staff scientist at San Francisco's famed Exploratorium Museum, and writer Cody Cassidy explore the real science behind these and other fantastical scenarios, offering insights into physics, astronomy, anatomy, and more along the way. Is slipping on a banana peel really as hazardous to your health as the cartoons imply? Answer: Yes. Banana peels ooze a gel that turns out to be extremely slippery. Your foot and body weight provide the pressure. The gel provides the humor (and resulting head trauma). Can you die by shaking someone's hand? Answer: Yes. That's because, due to atomic repulsion, you've never actually touched another person's hand. If you could, the results would be as disastrous as a medium-sized hydrogen bomb. If you were Cookie Monster, just how many cookies could you actually eat in one sitting? Answer: Most stomachs can hold up to sixty cookies, or around four liters. If you eat or drink more than that, you're approaching the point at which the cookies would break through the lesser curvature of your stomach, and then you'd better call an ambulance to Sesame Street.

What Really Happens If You Get Swallowed by a Whale, Are Shot from a Cannon, Or Go Barreling Over Niagara

And Then You're Dead

Paul T. Harding

It is 1376, and the famed Black Prince has died of a terrible rotting sickness, closely followed by his father, King Edward III. The crown of England is now left in the hands of a mere boy—the future Richard II—and the great nobles have gathered like hungry wolves around the empty throne. A terrible power struggle threatens the country, and one of London's powerful merchant princes is foully murdered within a few days of Edward’s death. Coroner Sir John Cranston and Dominican monk Brother Athelstan are ordered to investigate, and the body count begins to rise, Cranston and Athelstan are drawn ever deeper into a dark web of intrigue.

Being the First of the Sorrowful Mysteries of Brother Athelstan

The Nightingale Gallery

England, 1455: a kingdom on the brink of civil war. The Red Rose: King Henry of Lancaster's days are numbered. Deemed unfit for rule, even by his own mother, he surely cannot last on the throne for long. Simon Roseblood - London lord, taverner and alderman - is one of few loyal servants left to fight his cause. The White Rose: Ruthless Richard of York has his eye firmly set on the crown - and plenty of powerful allies who will do anything to help him win it. Henchman Amadeus Sevigny makes no bones about enforcing his own authority and asserting law and order at York's command. When Roseblood is summoned by Sevigny to stand trial for a crime he knows he didn't commit, their paths cross in ways that alter them both for ever. And as the Wars of the Roses looms, an even greater foe is poised to rock the foundations of England, and wreak horror in a hotbed of political unrest.

Roseblood

The Norfolk coast is besieged by a series of murders - can Hugh Corbett find the killer? The Song of a Dark Angel is the eighth mystery in Paul Doherty's medieval series featuring intrepid sleuth Hugh Corbett. Perfect for fans of Robin Hobb and Michael Jecks. November 1302, and Sir Hugh Corbett, Edward I's Keeper of the Secret Seal, together with his manservant, Ranulf, and messenger, Maltote, are sent to Mortlake Manor on the Norfolk coast to confront an evil rarely seen before. A man's headless corpse, its head impaled on a pole, has been found on a beach and the pretty young wife of a local baker has been found hanging from a gallows. The scene is set for more gruesome deaths and Corbett soon realises that the icy wastes of Norfolk, where the eerie song of the Dark Angel wind chills those that live in the small villages along the coast, are just as treacherous as the silken intrigue at the royal court or the violence of London's fetid alleyways... What readers are saying about The Song of a Dark Angel: 'Paul Doherty's understanding of [the period's] political, social and religious history brings this medieval masterpiece alive' 'Paul's flair for the atmospheric and his skill with the mysterious combine to produce a page turning medieval mystery that I thoroughly enjoyed' 'Well written, good mystery that keeps you guessing until the end'

Murder and treachery abound in this gripping medieval mystery

The Song of a Dark Angel (Hugh Corbett Mysteries, Book 8)

Robin Hood and French spies prompt fresh dangers for Hugh Corbett to face... In The Assassin in the Greenwood, the seventh action-packed novel of Paul Doherty's mystery series, medieval sleuth Hugh Corbett is despatched to investigate murder and mystery in Nottingham. Perfect for fans of Ellis Peters and Susanna Gregory. In the summer of 1302 the famous Robin of Locksley, popularly known as Robin Hood, has gone back to his outlaw ways in Sherwood Forest where he battles against royal authority, culminating in the barbarous massacre of royal tax collectors and the mysterious murder of Sir Eustace Vechey, one of the sheriffs of Nottingham. Corbett and his two faithful servants Ranulf and Maltote are sent to Nottingham where they find fresh mysteries: why are three arrows shot into the air above Nottingham Castle on the 13th of every month? Who is the traitor in Nottingham Castle? And why have the French despatched an agent to assassinate Corbett? What readers are saying about The Assassin in the Greenwood: 'A joy to read' 'Another good tale in the series - more twists and turns than in Sherwood itself' 'The prodigious Paul Doherty has a knack of producing snappy, readable medieval murder mysteries, and Assassin in the Greenwood is no exception'

A medieval mystery of intrigue, murder and treachery

The Assassin in the Greenwood (Hugh Corbett Mysteries, Book 7)

Hugh Corbett is on the trail of a deadly killer in the fetid streets of medieval London... Paul Doherty writes an unputdownable mystery in Murder Wears a Cowl, the sixth novel to feature medieval sleuth Hugh Corbett. Perfect for fans of Susanna Gregory and Michael Jecks. In early 1302 a violent serial killer lurks in the city of London, slitting the throats of prostitutes. And when Lady Somerville, one of the Sisters of St Martha, is murdered in the same barbaric fashion, her death is closely followed by that of Father Benedict in suspicious circumstances. Edward of England turns to his trusted master clerk, Hugh Corbett, to reveal the identity of the bloodthirsty assassin. Joining Corbett on his mission are his devious manservant Ranulf and his faithful horseman Maltote. In the dark, fetid streets of the city and in the desolate abbey grounds, they encounter danger and deceit at every turn. Only Ragwort, the mad beggar, has seen the killer strike, and the one clue that Corbett has to help him is Lady Somerville's cryptic message: 'Calcullus non facit monachum ' - the cowl does not make the monk. What readers are saying about Murder Wears a Cowl: 'Doherty's books are an absolute delight. The pages just seem to race by and the sights and sounds of medieval England leap out of the pages' 'Murder Wears a Cowl makes medieval London appear vivid and alive... while meanwhile enthralling you with a gripping mystery' 'The twists and turns of the plot are well-thought out and the identity of the killer comes as a complete surprise'

A gripping medieval mystery of murder and religion

Murder Wears a Cowl (Hugh Corbett Mysteries, Book 6)

An attempt on the King's life draws Hugh Corbett into a deadly investigation... In Satan's Fire, the ninth Hugh Corbett mystery from Paul Doherty, strange fires and gruesome murders test the sleuth's investigative ingenuity to the full. Perfect for fans of Ellis Peters and Robin Hobb. 1303 and the Old Man of the Mountain remembers back to when he nearly killed Edward I thirty years before. He now decides to release an imprisoned leper knight to avenge old grievances and take the King's life. A few months later, two nuns are returning to their monastery in York, where they are confronted by the horrific sight of a man hungrily being consumed by fire, the sickly smell of burning flesh lingering in the air. News of the grisly death greets Edward as he arrives in York for secret negotiations with the leaders of the military Templar Order. His unease deepens when an attempt is made on his life. When the assassin, wearing Templar livery, is found dead - having been engulfed by a mysterious fire - Edward immediately turns to his Keeper of the Secret Seal, Hugh Corbett, to investigate. What readers are saying 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'

A deadly assassin stalks the pages of this medieval mystery

Satan's Fire (Hugh Corbett Mysteries, Book 9)

The mysterious 'Bell Man' stalks the streets of Oxford... Hugh Corbett finds himself investigating amongst the dreaming spires of Oxford in the tenth novel in Paul Doherty's medieval mystery series, The Devil's Hunt. Perfect for fans of Ellis Peters and Robin Hobb. The golden summer of 1303 and Oxford is plunged into chaos. The severed heads of beggars have been tied by their hair to the trees in woods outside the city. John Copsale, the Regent of Sparrow Hall, has been found dead in his bed and it is being whispered that he was murdered by the mysterious 'Bell Man'. Then the college librarian and activist, Robert Ascham is discovered with a crossbow bolt in his chest. King Edward, hearing of the seething unrest in Oxford, arrives unannounced at Sir Hugh Corbett's country manor, and insists that Corbett go to the city to solve the murderous mysteries. And when the King commands, few can resist even if it means knowingly entering a dangerous and violent world... What readers are saying about Paul Doherty: 'One of the best in the series so far' 'As with all Doherty books, historical accuracy and superb plots are of the highest standard, as are the characters' 'Paul Doherty's depictions of medieval England are truly outstanding'

A spellbinding medieval mystery of murder and intrigue

The Devil's Hunt (Hugh Corbett Mysteries, Book 10)

Can Hugh Corbett discover the identity of a killer determined to remain unknown? The Treason of the Ghosts is Paul Doherty's twelfth mystery featuring medieval sleuth Hugh Corbett is a thrilling mystery of revenge and murder. Perfect for fans of Susanna Gregory and Robin Hobb. 'The book is a pleasure to read and written in an uncompromising prose, the plot developed with intriguing twists and turns. Doherty's deep understanding of the period and the nitty-gritty of historical detail are to the fore without intruding on the rhythm of the plot. Superb entertainment' - Historical Novels Review Five years ago in the village of Melford, a local lord, Sir Roger Chapeley, was executed for a spate of vicious murders. But now other young girls have been violated and garrotted, and the dead lord's son, Maurice, insists that a miscarriage of justice has taken place. As if in support of his assertion, someone is exacting their own kind of justice as, one by one, the leaders of the jury which sent the lord to the gibbet are brutally murdered. Edward of England sends his chief clerk, Sir Hugh Corbett, to Melford to discover the truth. Seeking connections between the deaths, Corbett faces the difficult task of unveiling the secrets of a distrustful community who it seems increasingly likely are the victims of a serial murderer. But who then is killing the jurors? One thing is certain, whoever the killer, or killers, may be, they will do anything to stop their identity being revealed... What readers are saying about Paul Doherty: 'This story captured me from the moment I started until the very last sentence' 'Another great book from a great author. All his books transport you to another time and place' 'Paul Doherty's depictions of medieval England are truly outstanding'

A serial killer stalks the pages of this spellbinding medieval mystery

The Treason of the Ghosts (Hugh Corbett Mysteries, Book 12)

The Pharaoh is murdered... who can the city of Thebes trust to uncover the truth? The Mask of Ra, the first mystery in Paul Doherty's intriguing series set in Ancient Egypt, introduces readers to his enigmatic sleuth, Amerotke, for the first time. Perfect for fans of Brad Geagley and Wilbur Smith. 'The historical mystery genre is still thriving and Paul Doherty's The Mask of Ra is the best of its kind since the death of Ellis Peters. As ever, Doherty dazzles with his knowledge and intimate feel for ancient Egypt' - Time Out His great battles against the sea raiders in the Nile Delta have left Pharaoh Tuthmosis II frail, but he finds solace in victory and in the welcome he is sure to receive on his return to Thebes. Across the river from Thebes, however, there are those who do not relish his homecoming, and a group of assassins has taken a witch to pollute the Pharaoh's unfinished tomb. Reunited with his wife, Hatusu, and his people, Tuthmosis stands before the statue of Amun-Ra with the roar of the crowd and the fanfare of trumpets ringing in his ears. But within an hour he is dead and the people of Thebes cannot forget the omen of wounded doves flying overhead. Rumours run rife, speculation sweeps the royal city and Hatusu vows to uncover the truth. With the aid of Amerotke, a respected judge of Thebes, she embarks on a path destined to reveal the great secrets of Egypt. What readers are saying about The Mask of Ra: 'This is the best book I have ever read' 'A classic whodunit, it nevertheless manages to spring a few surprises on the way, and I certainly didn't manage to guess who the culprit was' 'Mr. Doherty takes time to establish the site and atmospheric setting of his story...I barged through the book in one night'

A novel of intrigue and murder set in Ancient Egypt

The Mask of Ra (Amerotke Mysteries, Book 1)

An exclusive digital novella featuring Sir Hugh Corbett, lead of acclaimed historian Paul Doherty's most popular series. Includes an exclusive extract from the eighteenth Corbett novel DARK SERPENT, the follow up to THE MYSTERIUM. If you love historical mysteries from Robin Hobb, Susanna Gregory or Bernard Knight you will love this.It is 1311 and England seethes with unrest. Sir Hugh Corbett, former keeper of the Secret Seal, has been absent from royal service for over six years. Content to live a life more relaxed with his wife and children in the country Corbett has enjoyed his time away from the machinations of court and the secrets men will kill to keep. But a visit from his new King, Edward II, brings about change. His former prot�g�, Ranulf Atte-Newgate, now Senior Clerk in the Chancery, has been implicated in the death of a young novice, and Edward has made it clear that Corbett must resume his post and solve the case if Ranulf is not to hang for the murder...Corbett knows that resuming his post will bring him to the fore of Edward's political machinations but with Ranulf's life at stake, does Corbett have any choice but to accept the Seal once more?

The Peacock's Cry

With the stakes so high, can Sir Hugh prevent a jousting tournament turning deadly? An exclusive digital novella featuring Sir Hugh Corbett, the medieval sleuth of acclaimed historian Paul Doherty's most popular series. Includes an exclusive extract from his next novel in the series, the follow up to Dark Serpent. Perfect for fans of Robin Hobb and Michael Jecks. In the summer of 1311, a jousting tournament is about to commence in the Tower of London, supervised by Sir Hugh Corbett, Keeper of the Secret Seal. Two powerful lords have come forward with writs from the late king, promising them both the inheritance of a lucrative estate. To settle the dispute, they are submitting their quarrel to the judicium Dei: the Judgement of God. But when a third claimant comes forward, Corbett suspects that something is awry. Corbett launches an investigation to uphold the reputation of the late king as treachery looks set to spread. But it soon becomes clear that more than one person in the Tower has secrets to keep... What readers are saying about Paul Doherty: 'A magical author' 'Paul Doherty has the rare talent of making you feel as though you are there, be it medieval England, or battling with Alexander. The sounds and smells of the period seem to waft from the pages of his books' 'Doherty has a gift for bringing distant ages alive and for populating his books with endearing, believable characters'

Treachery and intrigue amidst a medieval jousting tournament

The King's Writ (Hugh Corbett Novella)

In December 1377 a great frost has the city in its icy grip; even the Thames is frozen from bank to bank. Murder, revenge and treachery also make their presence felt. The Constable of the Tower of London, Sir Ralph Whitton, 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 and climb the sheer wall to commit such a dreadful crime? Athelstan and Sir John Cranston, the wine-loving coroner of the city of London, are appointed to investigate these mysteries. They soon discover 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.

The House of the Red Slayer

In 1380, the King's parliament debates whether to grant money supplies to the Regent John of Gaunt for his war against the French. John orders Cranston to investigate the murders of the Shrewsbury representatives; the assassin must be caught before parliament suspects the Regent. Both Cranston and Brother Athelstan have their own problems: the coroner is puzzled by a thief stealing cats from Cheapside; Athelstan is concerned by claims that a devil is prowling his parish. Against the colourful pageantry of medieval court life and the dark slums of London, Cranston and Brother Athelstan pit their wits against a bloody murderer and the assassin in the House of Crows.

The House of Crows

In 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. In London, Gaunt's plans are plunged into chaos by a series of bloody murders. In desperation, Gaunt turns to Sir John Cranston to catch the assassin and recover a vanished king's ransom in gold. Cranston naturally calls on his ally, Brother Athelstan. They face threats and attack from the powerful as well as from the seedy underworld of medieval London, not to mention a chilling exorcism, as they try to bring order to their own lives and a subtle murderer to justice.

The Anger of God

England, 1311. In the dark of the North the devil lies in wait... Paul Doherty's most popular series character returns in the gripping nineteenth mystery in the Hugh Corbett series. If you love the historical mysteries of C. J. Sansom, E. M. Powell and Bernard Cornwell you will love this. 1296: King Edward I has led his army to Scotland, determined to take the country under his crown. But the fierce Scots have no intention of submitting to their oppressor and violent and bloody war breaks out. 1311: Sir Hugh Corbett, Keeper of the Secret Seal, finds himself back in Scotland and is revisited by the horrors he witnessed there fifteen years ago. An anonymous letter was delivered to the new king. It promised information about a fatal incident that could allow England to finally bow out of the war with the Scots. Tasked with finding out the truth about the murder, Corbett is forced to take risks he would rather avoid and put his faith in the words of strangers. But with an unknown traitor lurking in the shadows and danger around every corner, will Corbett be able to unravel the complex web of plots in time? What readers are saying about DEVIL'S WOLF: 'Doherty evokes the Medieval world brilliantly...tense and suspenseful, the mystery keeps you guessing until near the end...an excellent and enjoyable read' Amazon reader, 5 stars '[A] well written rendition of our historical past...A joy to read' Amazon reader, 5 stars 'Another well told story from a master storyteller...If you like historical adventures you will enjoy this vivid, well paced tale!' Amazon reader, 5 stars 'Vivid and lively. Another Hugh Corbett, please!' Amazon reader, 5 stars

Devil's Wolf (Hugh Corbett Mysteries, Book 19)

It's the summer of 1380 and the corpse of Edwin Chapler, clerk of the Office of the Green Wax of the Chancery, has been pulled from the Thames: Chapler has drowned, but not before he received a vicious blow to the back of the head. Then Bartholomew Drayton, a usurer and money-lender, is found dead in his strongroom, a crossbow firmly embedded in his chest: a real mystery because the windowless strongroom was locked and barred from the inside. So who killed him? And how? And are the two deaths connected? Sir John Cranston, the Coroner of the City of London, comes to survey the scene. When other clerks are murdered, each with a riddle pinned to his corpse, Cranston enlists the help of his secretarius, Brother Athelstan – and together they must pit their wits against a deadly adversary bent on murder and mayhem.

The Assassin's Riddle

In October 1866, Father Oliver Grafield is brought from his parish work for an interview with Archbishop Manning of Westminster. Oliver is a hard-working, committed priest, and he has one gift - that of the exorcism of 'divining spirits'. The Archbishop tells Oliver that Lady Seaton, owner of Candleton Hall in Norfolk, has appealed to the Church for assistance in allaying the terrifying and haunting experiences taking place at the Hall. Father Oliver goes to Candleton and within hours, he and his sister Emma have first-hand experience of the phenomena: pools of blood form on the floor, a woman dressed in black walks the Long Gallery, the sound of knocking, cries in the night and hurried footsteps and, above all, a sense of malevolence which seeps through the house. Painstakingly, Oliver, a natural scholar, delves into the family secrets of the Seatons and finds chilling truths which span four centuries.

The Haunting

The search for a coded book of secrets leads to dramatic repercussions... In Paul Doherty's The Magician's Death, Hugh Corbett's must decipher a book of secrets and keep in check rivalries, passions and brutal murders. Perfect for fans of Ellis Peters and Susanna Gregory. The monk and scholar Roger Bacon claimed to have seen many marvels of nature and science and concealed these in a book written in an unbreakable code. Sir Hugh Corbett has been instructed to organise agents in Paris to steal this Book of Secrets. They do so but pay a violent price and the French King Philip IV now wishes a meeting between the scholars of England and France to discuss breaking the code. Edward I has no choice but to allow the meeting to take place at Corfe Castle, which becomes a place of murder and mayhem. Young women from the castle are being slain whilst horrific things are witnessed in the nearby forest. The situation becomes more serious when two of the French scholars die in sinister circumstances. Corbett and Ranulf-atte-Newgate have to thread this maze of malevolent murder whilst trying to decipher the great secrets of one of England's most outstanding scholars. What readers are saying about The Magician's Death: 'Doherty's novel is written with a great flow, action and description and creates a vivid picture of the time and people' 'This is one of the best books so far...exciting and unputdownable' 'Murder, intrigue, treachery, a little romance, and lots of action combine to give the reader an excellent read'

A twisting medieval mystery of intrigue and suspense

The Magician's Death (Hugh Corbett Mysteries, Book 14)

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'

Paul Doherty

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