Christopher Skidmore takes a fresh look at the familiar story of a queen with the stomach of a man, steadfastly refusing to marry for the sake of her realm.

“Collates the most shocking killings and puzzling murder mysteries from the sixteenth century in fascinating detail” —Gazette & Herald In the Tudor age the murder rate was five times higher than it is today. Now, this unique true crime guide, The Tudor Murder Files, reveals just how bloody and brutal this fascinating era really was. From the dark days of Henry VIII to the turbulent times of Shakespeare, James Moore’s new book is the first to chart the period’s most gripping murder cases in all their grizzly detail. Featuring tales of domestic slaughter, sexual intrigue, and cunning assassinations, as well as murder mysteries worthy of Agatha Christie, the book vividly brings to life the violent crime wave that gripped the sixteenth century both at home and abroad. Enter a world in which stabbings were rife, guns were used to kill victims for the first time, and in which culprits frequently escaped justice. The book also reveals just how severe some of the penalties could be, with grisly punishments for those who dared to commit the gravest of crimes. Discover how one murderer was gruesomely pressed to death, another boiled alive for poisoning his victims, and meet some of history’s most notorious serial killers, including one considered so barbaric she was labelled a vampire. “Contains more than seventy real life murders, profiling over thirty cases in detail. And not only does James chart how killers were caught and dealt with by the justice system, he also discusses how murders were reported to the new, news hungry nation.” —Luton Today

After his hair-raising adventures in London, Sir Robert Carey has finally tracked down Queen Elizabeth, who is about to make a state visit to Oxford. But instead of giving the Courtier his much-needed warrant and fee for being Deputy Warden of the West March with Scotland, Her Majesty orders him to investigate the most dangerous cold case of her reign – the mysterious 1560 death of Amy Dudley(née Robsart), unloved wife of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. Some thirty years back, the late Dudley was Elizabeth's favorite suitor and potential husband. Amy died at Cumnor Place, close at hand. The Queen has since been one of the most obvious suspects in arranging Amy's murder. This makes Carey deeply uneasy with his sleuthing role. He's further uneasy that his father, Elizabeth's cousin from the wrong side of the blanket, is clearly involved. Then someone manages to poison Carey with belladonna, which temporarily blinds him. Worse still, Sergeant Dodd, the man most often guarding Carey's back, has disappeared on the road from London. As the Queen's scandalous past collides with her magnificent State entrance into Oxford, can Carey rally in time to find both Dodd and the true murderer of Amy Robsart?

A modern-day woman investigates two suspicious deaths, centuries apart, in this paranormal tale based on a real-life Tudor mystery. 1560: Amy Robsart is trapped in a loveless marriage to Robert Dudley, a member of the court of Queen Elizabeth I. Surrounded by enemies and with nowhere left to turn, Amy hatches a desperate scheme to escape—one with devastating consequences that will echo through the centuries . . . Present Day: When Lizzie Kingdom is forced to withdraw from the public eye in a blaze of scandal, it seems her life is over. But she’s about to encounter a young man, Johnny Robsart, whose fate will interlace with hers in the most unexpected of ways. For Johnny is certain that Lizzie is linked to a terrible secret dating back to Tudor times. If Lizzie is brave enough to go in search of the truth, then what she discovers will change the course of their lives forever. Perfect for fans of Philippa Gregory and Kate Morton. “What a brilliant story, resonating as it does over time and space. Brava Nicola Cornick.” —Criminal Element “Cornick incorporates elements of romance and paranormal genres into a fascinating . . . historical that centers on the 16th-century death of Amy Robsart, wife of Robert Dudley, earl of Leicester. . . . The author does a good job with pacing and plot detail. Cornick’s rich mystery will serve readers well on a rainy day.” —Publishers Weekly