M.J. Trow

Before Britain had a prime minister – and before they invented America – the dictator Oliver Cromwell urged the artist Lely to paint him ‘warts and all’. This book deals with some of the ‘all’, but is mostly about the warts, the moral blemishes that have dogged the leaders of two of the greatest countries on earth for 300 years. Scandalously, there are still no qualifications necessary for the job of prime minister or president, two of the most important positions in the world. And that lack of ability shows itself in spades throughout these pages. Robert Walpole knew that ‘every man has his price’ and bought people accordingly. Viscount Goderich broke down in tears, begging the king to fire him. George Washington, the revered saint of American creation, blew with the wind and owned slaves. Abraham Lincoln was prepared to send African Americans back to Africa to save the Union. William Gladstone popped out from Downing street to ‘save’ prostitutes. David Lloyd George gave people titles for money. Warren Harding had a string of mistresses, as did John Kennedy. And all this happened before Donald Trump! Thank God the fourth estate was there, the free press watching every move of politicians. Who was watching them, of course, is another story. If you thought – and prayed – that the occupants of No. 10 and the White House were honourable, competent people, you’re in for a bit of a shock.

This is the story of a British icon: Boudicca - humiliated widow of Prasutagus - who led British tribes into rage-fuelled war with the Roman Empire. Boudicca is a legendary figure today, as the mother determined to avenge her ravaged children and the warrior who rose up to protect her land from the assault of a rampaging enemy. Many identify with her as an icon of womanly strength; she has even been described as a Margaret Thatcher without the handbag. Yet what of the true woman behind the legend? Did she really draw together a disparate tribal nation against a ruthless Roman occupier? And if so, how? In Boudicca: The Warrior Queen, MJ Trow strips away modern and ancient myths to reveal the flesh-and-blood woman who terrified Rome. In the summer of AD 60 Boudicca united several British tribes and led them in revenge attacks on the Roman towns of Colchester, London and St Albans, burning and destroying with a ferocity that has left a permanent scar on the archaeological landscape. Many people died in the flames of Roman settlements and, had the Iceni and their allies not been defeated, the entire course of British history would have been altered. This book takes us on a journey through the Roman archives, the archaeological record and Celtic mythology to a new understanding of Boudicca - the warrior queen who took on the might of the greatest power of the ancient world and very nearly won. it is required reading for all with an interest in British and/or ancient history. MJ Trow is a historian, biographer and crime novelist. His books include the well-known Lestrade and Maxwell series as well as non-fiction such as Who Killed Kit Marlowe? and Vlad the Impaler. His son, Taliesin Trow, who provided the archaeological focus for Boudicca: The Warrior Queen, is a graduate in history and archaeology whose other works include Sir Martin Frobisher: Seaman, Soldier, Explorer.

In the closing months of the Second World War, an old hedger was found bludgeoned and hacked to death in a Warwickshire field. His name was Charles Walton and the place was the little village of Lower Quinton, under the shadow of Meon Hill. They called in the local CID; they called in Scotland Yard; they interviewed hundreds of people; they asked thousands of questions. But somebody wasn't talking. The whole village was silent, as if someone had drawn down a blind. After the case was scaled down, the rumours remained. Was Meon Hill the centre of a witches' coven? And was old Charlie Walton, with his ability to talk to birds and toads and his magic watch, a witch himself? For eighty years, the supernatural has hovered over the murder of Charles Walton, with vague, haunted memories of secret rites and black dogs. Even the dead man's grave has vanished. Rumour has been piled on innuendo, adding to the excesses of writers determined to make a supernatural mystery out of a very local tragedy, until the dead man himself has disappeared into a morass of hocus pocus. This is the first book to get past the nonsense, accessing original police files that say precisely nothing about witchcraft. Analysing the facts from the time and removing the ever-more ludicrous layers of fiction, it gets as near to solving the mystery as we are ever likely to.

Introducing turn-of-the-century archaeologist-sleuth Margaret Murray in the first of a brilliant new historical mystery series. October, 1900. University College, London. When the spreadeagled body of one of her students is discovered in her rented room shortly after attending one of her lectures, Dr Margaret Murray is disinclined to accept the official verdict of suicide and determines to find out how and why the girl really died. As an archaeologist, Dr Murray is used to examining ancient remains, but she's never before had to investigate the circumstances surrounding a newly-dead corpse. However, of one thing Margaret is certain: if you want to know how and why a person died, you need to understand how they lived. And it soon becomes clear that the dead girl had been keeping a number of secrets. As Margaret uncovers evidence that Helen Richardson had knowledge of a truly extraordinary archaeological find, the body of a second young woman is discovered on a windswept Kent beach - and the case takes a disturbing new twist .

Dr Margaret Murray, accomplished archaeologist, and occasional sleuth, calls upon her police connections to investigate who may want to see the Edwardian mediums of London dead. Known for her sharp mind and quick wit, Margaret decides to infiltrate one of the spiritualists circles to narrow down the list of suspects. But soon the killer has Margaret in their sights! Can she capture the culprit and avoid passing beyond the veil?

In this humorous medieval mystery, Geoffrey Chaucer discovers a very un-poetic side to Oxford while tracking down a killer. The Clerk's Tale is the latest instalment in M. J. Trow's popular Geoffrey Chaucer series. As historically accurate and utterly human as its companion books, this story takes the reader on a no-holds-barred tour of medieval Oxford, as Chaucer immerses himself in the rivalries and obsessions of college life. Initially sent to investigate the death of a young student, Chaucer soon finds himself embroiled in matters of philosophy, religion, logic and death. Although he is entertainingly waylaid by tempting women, frightened cats, and even hallucinogens, as more men die Chaucer feels growing pressure to track down the killer and end the carnage. But in the city of dreaming spires and poignard-sharp minds, is he out of his depth? While it is the latest in a series, The Clerk's Tale is a hugely entertaining and fascinating book in its own right. Ideal for anyone who enjoys a top-quality murder-mystery, its historical accuracy also makes it perfect for history fans. Praise for the Geoffrey Chaucer series: 'Trow brings medieval England fully to life through well-chosen period detail, but the novel's main strength is its portrait of Chaucer. Readers will hope to see a lot more of him in his role as sleuth.' - Publishers Weekly Starred Review'A series kickoff that augurs well for more juicy Chaucer escapades.' - Kirkus Reviews'Trow creates in his hero/sleuth a larger-than-life character, spicing the stew with acerbic wit, suspense, and a gripping plot.' - Booklist

Introducing 14th century poet Geoffrey Chaucer as a memorable new amateur sleuth in the first of an ingeniously-conceived medieval mystery series. April, 1380. About to set off on his annual pilgrimage, Comptroller of the King's Woollens and court poet Geoffrey Chaucer is forced to abandon his plans following an appeal for help from an old friend. The Duke of Clarence, Chaucer's former guardian, has been found dead in his bed at his Suffolk castle, his bedroom door locked and bolted from the inside. The man who found him, Sir Richard Glanville, suspects foul play and has asked Chaucer to investigate. On arrival at Clare Castle, Chaucer finds his childhood home rife with bitter rivalries, ill-advised love affairs and dangerous secrets. As he questions the castle's inhabitants, it becomes clear that more than one member of the Duke's household had reason to wish him ill. But who among them is a cold-hearted killer? It's up to Chaucer, with his sharp wits and eye for detail, to root out the evil within.

Book seventeen in the Inspector Lestrade series. Everybody, they say, has a book in them. Retired Chief Inspector Walter Dew certainly did. And it took him back to the good old days, when coppers lived in station houses, that nice Mr Campbell-Bannerman was at Number Ten and Britain had the biggest empire in the world. But, under the streets of London, something stirred. More than that, there was a muttering that grew to a grumbling and the grumbling grew to a mighty rumbling. Then out of the houses, the bodies came tumbling Superintendent Sholto Lestrade, with Dew by his side and the rookies Bang and Olufsen in his wake, must go Below to face their demons, to find a murderer whose machinations will upset the infrastructure of the richest city on earth. Will any of them live to tell Dew's tale? The tale of a rat.

Book eighteen in the Inspector Lestrade series. Many readers of the Lestrade books wonder what is fact and what is fiction - and the author is delighted that they can't always tell So, for all the readers out there who have ever asked that question, here is the World of Inspector Lestrade. In this book, the lid is taken off the Victorian and Edwardian society in a way you've never seen before. Lestrade knew everybody, from Oscar Wilde in the Cadogan Hotel, to General Baden-Powell, cross-dressing on Brownsea Island, to the hero of Damascus, General Allenby - 'you can call me Al.' Have you ever wondered whether Howard Vincent, Director of the brand new CID really had a pet iguana? Find out inside. The Lestrade canon features the great and not so good of Britain when London stood at the heart of the Empire, the biggest in the world on which the sun never set. The novels on which this book is based are genuine whodunnits, with gallows humour and laugh-out-loud moments. Here you will find all the little peccadilloes that Lestrade took for granted. This is history as it really was - and I bet you wish you'd paid more attention at school now

Poet-sleuth Geoffrey Chaucer is caught up in the chaos of the Peasants' Revolt as he attempts to track down a brutal killer. June, 1381. Embarking on his annual pilgrimage to Canterbury, Geoffrey Chaucer and his fellow travellers are forced to turn back when confronted with a horde of armed and angry peasants, intent on marching to London. Returning to the city to warn the authorities of the approaching danger, the pilgrims hole up at the Tabard Inn and prepare for the coming invasion. That same night, a woman's body is fished out of the River Thames, her throat cut. When he discovers that the victim was the wife of one of his fellow pilgrims, Chaucer determines to investigate. Could the woman's henpecked husband be responsible for her death? A jealous business rival? Or was she murdered by one of the pilgrims? Does a cold-hearted killer lurk within the Tabard? As the army of rebellious peasants approaches, Chaucer finds himself in a race against time to uncover the truth before anarchy descends.

'In dreary, doubtful waiting hours Before the brazen frenzy starts, The horses show him nobler powers;- O patient eyes, courageous hearts.' Into Battle, Julian Grenfell, 1915 In the days of horsed cavalry, a soldier's mount was a living, breathing companion. It galloped into the jaws of death at the sound of the bugle and the nudge of spurs. It carried its rider over arid deserts, across swollen rivers, up near-sheer mountains. Whole societies functioned because of the warhorse - the Huns, the Mongols, and the tribes of the North American plains. Horses were worshipped as gods - the centaurs of ancient Greece, Tziminchak of the Aztecs, while the Roman emperor Caligula intended to make his horse a consul! Most of us have only ever seen warhorses at the movies - the Scots Greys at Waterloo, the Light Brigade at Balaclava, Taras Bulba's Cossacks on the Steppes and Custer's cavalry at the Little Big Horn. This book celebrates the colour and nostalgia of a fighting past, from eohippus the first horse to Sefton, the last warhorse injured in the line of duty. Not forgetting the stark reality of thousands of animals sacrificed for men's greed and ambition, those killed on campaign, the maimed cab-horses and fodder for the knacker's yard.

Private detectives Grand & Batchelor's latest case draws them into the arcane world of high art and high society in this compelling Victorian mystery. London. May, 1878. Private enquiry agents Matthew Grand and James Batchelor have been hired by the artist James Whistler to dig into the past of outspoken critic John Ruskin, with whom he has an ongoing feud. Not particularly optimistic of success, the two detectives are sidetracked from the investigation by the murder of a prostitute in nearby Cremorne Gardens. Her body posed on a park bench, a book on birth control sitting on her lap, Clara Jenkins is not the first young woman to have met a similarly grisly fate - and she won't be the last. Could there be a connection between the Cremorne killer and their art world case? With the investigation heading nowhere fast, Grand comes up with a decidedly unorthodox plan to ensnare the killer. But even the best-laid plans have a nasty habit of going catastrophically awry ...

Introducing turn-of-the-century archaeologist-sleuth Margaret Murray in the first of a brilliant new historical mystery series. October, 1900. University College, London. When the spreadeagled body of one of her students is discovered in her rented room shortly after attending one of her lectures, Dr Margaret Murray is disinclined to accept the official verdict of suicide and determines to find out how and why the girl really died. As an archaeologist, Dr Murray is used to examining ancient remains, but she's never before had to investigate the circumstances surrounding a newly-dead corpse. However, of one thing Margaret is certain: if you want to know how and why a person died, you need to understand how they lived. And it soon becomes clear that the dead girl had been keeping a number of secrets. As Margaret uncovers evidence that Helen Richardson had knowledge of a truly extraordinary archaeological find, the body of a second young woman is discovered on a windswept Kent beach - and the case takes a disturbing new twist .

Glory to each and to all, and the charge that they made! Glory to all three hundred, and all the Brigade!' Everyone has heard of the charge of the Light Brigade, a suicidal cavalry attack caused by confused orders which somehow sums up the Crimean War (1854-6). Far less well known is what happened an hour earlier, when General Scarlett's Heavy Brigade charged a Russian army at least three times its size. That fight of heroes', to use the phrase of William Russell, the world's first war correspondent, was a brilliant success, whereas the Light Brigade's action resulted in huge casualties and achieved nothing. This is the first book by a military historian to study the men of the Heavy Brigade, from James Scarlett, who led it, to the enlisted men who had joined for the queen's shilling' and a new life away from the hard grind of Victorian poverty. It charts the perils of travelling by sea, in cramped conditions with horses panicking in rough seas. It tells the story, through the men who were there, of the charge itself, where it was every man for himself and survival was down to the random luck of shot and shell. It looks, too, at the women of the Crimea, the wives who accompanied their menfolk. Best known were Florence Nightingale, the lady with the lamp' and Mary Seacole, the Creole woman who was doctress and mother' to the men. But there were others, like Fanny Duberly who wrote a graphic journal and Mrs Rogers, who dutifully cooked and cleaned for the men of her husband's regiment, the 4th Dragoon Guards.

Introducing 14th century poet Geoffrey Chaucer as a memorable new amateur sleuth in the first of an ingeniously-conceived medieval mystery series. April, 1380. About to set off on his annual pilgrimage, Comptroller of the King's Woollens and court poet Geoffrey Chaucer is forced to abandon his plans following an appeal for help from an old friend. The Duke of Clarence, Chaucer's former guardian, has been found dead in his bed at his Suffolk castle, his bedroom door locked and bolted from the inside. The man who found him, Sir Richard Glanville, suspects foul play and has asked Chaucer to investigate. On arrival at Clare Castle, Chaucer finds his childhood home rife with bitter rivalries, ill-advised love affairs and dangerous secrets. As he questions the castle's inhabitants, it becomes clear that more than one member of the Duke's household had reason to wish him ill. But who among them is a cold-hearted killer? It's up to Chaucer, with his sharp wits and eye for detail, to root out the evil within.