Annotation An in-depth examination of the event that precipitated the complete domination of Restoration politics by the Royalists and ultimately convinced millions of French citizens to support Louis XVIII and the Bourbon monarchy. On 13 February 1820 the Duke of Berry, the only Bourbon prince capable of siring an heir, was assassinated. Seven months later the Duchess of Berry gave birth to a boy, the Duke of Bordeaux, and the Bourbon lineage was saved. The boy was immediately nicknamed "the miracle child." The Duke's assassination and the birth of his son gave rise to the Royalist Reaction of 1820, a ten-month period that forever altered France's political landscape. This remarkable story provides the backdrop for David Skuy's analysis of the Royalist Reaction and its place in the history of the French Restoration. Skuy argues that the Royalist Reaction was the product of two divergent forces: historical echoes of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Empire and the psychological consequences of the assassination, and the miracle child. Skuy discusses Restoration political theory and the development of modern political parties. He follows the strategems of anti-royalist extremists plotting to overthrow the Bourbon regime, and details the complexities and intrigues that characterized the royal court and parliament. Skuy reveals how the assassination and the birth of the miracle child triggered a popular Royalist Reaction that changed millions of French citizens from passive observers into ardent royalists.

In 1856 William Dove, a young tenant farmer, was tried and executed for the poisoning of his wife Harriet. The trial might have been a straightforward case of homicide, but because Dove became involved with Henry Harrison, a Leeds wizard, and demonstrated through his actions and words a strong belief in magic and the powers of the devil, considerable effort was made to establish whether these beliefs were symptomatic of insanity. It seems that Dove murdered his wife to hasten a prediction made by Harrison that he would remarry a more attractive and wealthy woman. Dove employed Harrison to perform various acts of magic, and also made his own written pact with the devil to improve his personal circumstances. The book will study Dove’s beliefs and Harrison’s activities within the rural and urban communities in which they lived, and examine how modern cultures attempted to explain this largely hidden mental world, which was so sensationally exposed. The Victorian period is often portrayed as an age of great social and educational progress. This book shows how beliefs dismissed by some Victorians as ‘medieval superstitions’ continued to influence the thoughts and actions of many people, viz most famously Conan `table tapper' Doyle.

Martyrdom, Murder, and Magic: Child Saints and Their Cults in Medieval Europe is a comprehensive history of child saints and their cults from late Antiquity to the end of the fifteenth century. The child martyrs of the persecutions, including the Holy Innocents, were the first child saints recognized by the Church and their cults spread throughout Europe in the early Middle Ages. Alongside these cults, medieval society also venerated child «martyrs», victims of political or domestic violence. The increasing role of the papacy in the canonization process after the tenth century resulted in the veneration of saintly child confessors in the high Middle Ages, but from the end of the twelfth century, most children worshipped as saints were the alleged victims of ritual murder by Jews. This book considers the formation and transformation of child saints and their cults in the context of popular belief and the history of childhood.

FROM AWARD-WINNING ROMANCE AUTHOR JANUARY BAIN Charm McCall, armed with a library full of Agatha Christie stories and her unique witchy gifts, knows how to solve a small-town murder... Charm McCall, the oldest of the McCall triplets by a whole day—or one minute before midnight if one's being picky—is the designated driver for her whole town. Why, if it wasn't for her Snowy Lake would incinerate or fall into Hudson's Bay. Now add her Salem Witch heritage that's gifted her with some unique abilities and she's all set to keep her family and town safe and on its proper course. That is, until a hot Mountie moves into town, a busload of strippers breaks down on Main Street and Mrs. Hurst goes and gets herself murdered with poisoned jam. Jam crafted by Charm's family at the Tea & Tarot cafÉ. Now it's up to her to solve the murders—yes, plural, when another local business owner ends up dead. Charm knows just what to do. What's breaking a few laws if she can sleuth out the culprit? She knows the people of Snowy Lake better than any new lawman possibly could. So why can't he just leave her be to get on with things? And why does he have to be so darn hot?

'With fascinating characters and an intriguing plot, this is a real page turner' KATIE FFORDE praise for the series An addictive and unputdownable crime mystery novel perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Faith Martin, J.R. Ellis, LJ Ross, Miss Marple and Midsummer Murders! Lesley Cookman's bestselling series featuring amateur sleuth Libby Sarjeant is back for its tenth instalment! 'Whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.' Surely? Libby Sarjeant and her friend Fran Wolfe are asked to look into the sudden and unexplained death of a devoted churchgoer. The police appear to have lost interest, but the villagers are certain that their new lady vicar has something to do with it! But if it is murder, how on earth was it done? There doesn't seem to be any rational explanation... But could it really be magic? ______________________________________________________ Praise for the bestselling series: 'Another delightful Libby Sarjeant murder mystery... An entertaining read' ***** Amazon review 'As usual, another good light hearted murder mystery' ***** Amazon review 'Excellent book full of intrigue. Lovely descriptions of the areas. You get involved with the characters and feel you are friends with them' ***** Amazon review 'Red-herrings and a truly British flavour make this a good read... I am happy to recommend and will be reading more of books written by this author' ***** Amazon review

The Sidewise Award–winning series. “If you are looking for something different in the way of mysteries a few hours with Lord Darcy is a fun way to go” (Daily Kos). This alternate history series starring detective Lord Darcy and his sorcerer sidekick, Sean O Lochlainn, takes us into a reality where Richard the Lionheart’s descendants rule the Anglo-French Empire and the laws of magic have developed in place of the laws of physics. Murder and Magic, comprised of the first four stories of the acclaimed Lord Darcy series, finds Lord Darcy solving murders using his wits, a keen eye for observation, and a few choice magic tricks. In “The Eyes Have It,” Lord Darcy must figure out who killed the taciturn playboy, the Count D’Evreux. In the political thriller “A Case of Identity,” Lord Darcy picks apart the disappearance of the Marquis of Cherbourg, especially mysterious considering the escalating cold war with Poland. Lord Darcy and Master Sean investigate a body coated in blue paint already occupying a coffin built for the late Duke of Kent in “The Muddle of the Woad.” Literary humor is at the heart of “In a Stretch of the Imagination,” where the head of an important publishing house commits suicide under suspicious circumstances. Praise for the Lord Darcy series “Some of the finest fantasy ever written . . . Will certainly guarantee him a lasting place in the genre.” —SF Chronicle “He has combined the best of the fantasy and detective genres—and made them work as science fiction.” —Marion Zimmer Bradley “I cannot count the number of times I have read ‘Too Many Magicians’—each time with the same pleasure.” —Andre Norton

Falsely accused of plotting to overthrow King Claudio, scholarly Mangus the magician, along with his street-smart servant boy, Fabrizio, face deadly consequences unless they can track down the real traitor by the stroke of midnight.

A trip to the Lake District proves to be anything but idyllic when Dorothy and Alan investigate a mysterious death. Dorothy Martin and her husband, retired chief constable Alan Nesbitt, jump at the chance to holiday in the beautiful Lake District when Alan's old friend, Christopher Prideaux, invites them to visit him in Grasmere. A party at Christopher's cottage is the perfect way to meet the locals, but one stands out - accountant Donald Atkinson, an egoist hoping to become a politician, clearly isn't popular among his fellow villagers. When he's found mysteriously dead during the Fell Race, could his demise be due to a sudden, fatal medical emergency, or was it murder? Dorothy and Alan find themselves catapulted into a disturbing case that will lead them back in time, and to a terrible, scandalous secret that someone is determined to keep hidden.

In 1144, the mutilated body of William of Norwich, a young apprentice leatherworker, was found abandoned outside the city's walls. The boy bore disturbing signs of torture, and a story spread that it was a ritual murder, performed by Jews in imitation of the Crucifixion as a mockery of Christianity. The outline of William's tale eventually gained currency far beyond Norwich, and the idea that Jews engaged in ritual murder became firmly rooted in the European imagination. E.M. Rose's engaging book delves into the story of William's murder and the notorious trial that followed to uncover the origin of the ritual murder accusation - known as the "blood libel" - in western Europe in the Middle Ages. Focusing on the specific historical context - 12th-century ecclesiastical politics, the position of Jews in England, the Second Crusade, and the cult of saints - and suspensefully unraveling the facts of the case, Rose makes a powerful argument for why the Norwich Jews (and particularly one Jewish banker) were accused of killing the youth, and how the malevolent blood libel accusation managed to take hold. She also considers four "copycat" cases, in which Jews were similarly blamed for the death of young Christians, and traces the adaptations of the story over time. In the centuries after its appearance, the ritual murder accusation provoked instances of torture, death and expulsion of thousands of Jews and the extermination of hundreds of communities. Although no charge of ritual murder has withstood historical scrutiny, the concept of the blood libel is so emotionally charged and deeply rooted in cultural memory that it endures even today. Rose's groundbreaking work, driven by fascinating characters, a gripping narrative, and impressive scholarship, provides clear answers as to why the blood libel emerged when it did and how it was able to gain such widespread acceptance, laying the foundations for enduring antisemitic myths that continue to present.