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Stories told on Pilgrimage from London to Canterbury #6
A Haunt of Murder
As night sets in, Chaucer’s weary pilgrims find themselves in a Kent copse, rumored to be haunted. Huddling around the fire, they persuade the Clerk of Oxford to tell a ghostly tale of love and death that will further chill their blood...
192 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2002
About the author
Paul Doherty
250 books623 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
He has been published under several pseudonyms: P.C. Doherty, Celia L. Grace, Paul Harding, Ann Dukthas, Vanessa Alexander, Michael Clynes and Anna Apostolou but now writes only under his own name.
Paul Doherty was born in Middlesbrough (North-Eastern England) in 1946. He had the usual education before studying at Durham for three years for the Catholic priesthood but decided not to proceed. He went to Liverpool University where he gained a First Class Honours Degree in History and won a state scholarship to Exeter College, Oxford, whilst there he met his wife Carla Lynn Corbitt. He continued his studies but decided that the academic world was not for him and became a secondary school teacher.
Paul worked in Ascot, Nottingham and Crawley West Sussex before being appointed as Headmaster to Trinity Catholic School in September 1981. Trinity is a large comprehensive [1700 on roll] which teaches the full ability range, ages 11-18. The school has been described as one of the leading comprehensives in the U.K. In April, 2000 H. M. Inspectorate describe it as an 'Outstanding School', and it was given Beacon status as a Centre of Excellence whilst, in the Chief Inspector’s Report to the Secretary of State for January 2001, Trinity Catholic High School was singled out for praise and received a public accolade.
Paul’s other incarnation is as a novelist. He finished his doctorate on the reign of Edward II of England and, in 1987, began to publish a series of outstanding historical mysteries set in the Middle Age, Classical, Greek, Ancient Egypt and elsewhere. These have been published in the United States by St. Martin’s Press of New York, Edhasa in Spain, and Eichborn, Heyne, Knaur and others in Germany. They have also been published in Holland, Belgium, France, Italy, Romania, Estonia, Czechoslovakia, Russia, Bulgaria, Portugal and China, as well as Argentina and Mexico.
He has been published under several pseudonyms (see the bibliography): C. L. Grace, Paul Harding, Ann Dukthas and Anna Apostolou but now writes only under his own name. He recently launched a very successful series based around the life of Alexander the Great, published by Constable & Robinson in the U.K., and Carroll and Graf in the U.S.A., whilst his novels set in Ancient Egypt have won critical acclaim. Paul has also written several non-fiction titles; A Life of Isabella the She-wolf of France, Wife of Edward II of England, as well as study of the possible murder of Tutankhamun, the boy Pharaoh of Egypt’s 18th Dynasty, and a study on the true fate of Alexander the Great.
Paul and Carla live on the borders of London and Essex, not far from Epping Forest and six of their children have been through his own school. His wife Carla currently owns two horses and is training, for showing and dressage, a beautiful Arab filly named Polly.
Paul lectures for a number of organisations, particularly on historical mysteries, many of which later feature in his writings. A born speaker and trained lecturer Paul Doherty can hold and entertain audiences.
His one great ambition is to petition the Privy Council of England to open the Purbeck marble tomb of Edward II in Gloucester Cathedral. Paul believes the tomb does not house the body
He has been published under several pseudonyms: P.C. Doherty, Celia L. Grace, Paul Harding, Ann Dukthas, Vanessa Alexander, Michael Clynes and Anna Apostolou but now writes only under his own name.
Paul Doherty was born in Middlesbrough (North-Eastern England) in 1946. He had the usual education before studying at Durham for three years for the Catholic priesthood but decided not to proceed. He went to Liverpool University where he gained a First Class Honours Degree in History and won a state scholarship to Exeter College, Oxford, whilst there he met his wife Carla Lynn Corbitt. He continued his studies but decided that the academic world was not for him and became a secondary school teacher.
Paul worked in Ascot, Nottingham and Crawley West Sussex before being appointed as Headmaster to Trinity Catholic School in September 1981. Trinity is a large comprehensive [1700 on roll] which teaches the full ability range, ages 11-18. The school has been described as one of the leading comprehensives in the U.K. In April, 2000 H. M. Inspectorate describe it as an 'Outstanding School', and it was given Beacon status as a Centre of Excellence whilst, in the Chief Inspector’s Report to the Secretary of State for January 2001, Trinity Catholic High School was singled out for praise and received a public accolade.
Paul’s other incarnation is as a novelist. He finished his doctorate on the reign of Edward II of England and, in 1987, began to publish a series of outstanding historical mysteries set in the Middle Age, Classical, Greek, Ancient Egypt and elsewhere. These have been published in the United States by St. Martin’s Press of New York, Edhasa in Spain, and Eichborn, Heyne, Knaur and others in Germany. They have also been published in Holland, Belgium, France, Italy, Romania, Estonia, Czechoslovakia, Russia, Bulgaria, Portugal and China, as well as Argentina and Mexico.
He has been published under several pseudonyms (see the bibliography): C. L. Grace, Paul Harding, Ann Dukthas and Anna Apostolou but now writes only under his own name. He recently launched a very successful series based around the life of Alexander the Great, published by Constable & Robinson in the U.K., and Carroll and Graf in the U.S.A., whilst his novels set in Ancient Egypt have won critical acclaim. Paul has also written several non-fiction titles; A Life of Isabella the She-wolf of France, Wife of Edward II of England, as well as study of the possible murder of Tutankhamun, the boy Pharaoh of Egypt’s 18th Dynasty, and a study on the true fate of Alexander the Great.
Paul and Carla live on the borders of London and Essex, not far from Epping Forest and six of their children have been through his own school. His wife Carla currently owns two horses and is training, for showing and dressage, a beautiful Arab filly named Polly.
Paul lectures for a number of organisations, particularly on historical mysteries, many of which later feature in his writings. A born speaker and trained lecturer Paul Doherty can hold and entertain audiences.
His one great ambition is to petition the Privy Council of England to open the Purbeck marble tomb of Edward II in Gloucester Cathedral. Paul believes the tomb does not house the body
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
October 27, 2021
Read this book in 2012, and its the 6th volume of the excellent "Canterbury Tales" series, featuring Geoffrey Chaucer and his pilgrims on their way from London to Canterbury.
This time its the Clerk of Oxford's turn to tell his tale of love and death.
In a Kent forest he will his tale about love and death in a most chilling fashion, so much so that every sound in the forest will play on their nerves.
What will follow is an ghostly and thrilling mystery, in which the Clerk of Oxford brings forth in a most enthralling way the cruelty and deviousness in medieval England, that will definitely chill your blood.
Highly recommended, for this is another splendid addition of this superb series, and that's why I like to call this episode: "A Marvellous Haunting Mystery"!
This time its the Clerk of Oxford's turn to tell his tale of love and death.
In a Kent forest he will his tale about love and death in a most chilling fashion, so much so that every sound in the forest will play on their nerves.
What will follow is an ghostly and thrilling mystery, in which the Clerk of Oxford brings forth in a most enthralling way the cruelty and deviousness in medieval England, that will definitely chill your blood.
Highly recommended, for this is another splendid addition of this superb series, and that's why I like to call this episode: "A Marvellous Haunting Mystery"!
November 22, 2010
Probably one of the best books I have ever read! The first time I ever read this author, who is consistently good - and extremely knowledgeable.
January 25, 2022
Boohoooooo !!!!!!??😳😵
This mystery story is at a good pace. The tail is good mostly told by an women that has just been murdered, an won't move on cause she has unfinished business.. She wants to help the love of her heart find out who bashed in her head an pushed her of the wall. So if you like a good old fashion English mystery well this is for you. Well slip an dipped I got the killer wrong!! I must say this was one hell of mystery.
This mystery story is at a good pace. The tail is good mostly told by an women that has just been murdered, an won't move on cause she has unfinished business.. She wants to help the love of her heart find out who bashed in her head an pushed her of the wall. So if you like a good old fashion English mystery well this is for you. Well slip an dipped I got the killer wrong!! I must say this was one hell of mystery.
June 8, 2011
Another short,but very well written novel. Doherty has been declared king of the medieval thriller rightfully.
June 26, 2014
Quite different from the other tales of the Pilgrims traveling to Canterbury.
April 5, 2020
An odd and very entertaining book. Ostensibly, it's a tale told by a pilgrim on the way to Canterbury. It's part murder mystery and part quasi-religious horror story. Very fast-moving, very entertaining.
May 7, 2022
Oh so sad.
This wasn't so scary but just really sad. I really wanted Beatrice's reward to be another chance at life, though of course that isn't possible. Having read this I can now see why some people believe in ghosts.
This wasn't so scary but just really sad. I really wanted Beatrice's reward to be another chance at life, though of course that isn't possible. Having read this I can now see why some people believe in ghosts.
November 15, 2017
Too much
Keep to the story line and less ritual from your church. It adds nothing to the tale to use the words or practices as you have done in this story.
Keep to the story line and less ritual from your church. It adds nothing to the tale to use the words or practices as you have done in this story.
April 11, 2018
Haunting
I love these Canterbury tales, and am grateful for Paul Doherty for writing them,a wonderful writer ,a gifted one too.
I love these Canterbury tales, and am grateful for Paul Doherty for writing them,a wonderful writer ,a gifted one too.
April 12, 2018
Great story, moved quickly Well written mystery story with lots of twists and turns. Medieval tale rich with description, haunted with every manner of ghosts.
April 16, 2019
enjoyed this second to last installment in this series.
March 22, 2020
Very well written making it easy to read. Interesting plot. No spoilers :)
April 26, 2020
Ghostly Romance
A wonderful ghostly romance with murder and betrayal thrown in. I actually figured out who the villian were before I made it to the end.
A wonderful ghostly romance with murder and betrayal thrown in. I actually figured out who the villian were before I made it to the end.
May 29, 2020
Good
Quite different but clever imaginative writing. Not sure l found it as good as some of the early tales,probably because it seemed very real?
Quite different but clever imaginative writing. Not sure l found it as good as some of the early tales,probably because it seemed very real?
August 24, 2020
Very scary tale. Loved the spirits, both good and bad ones. Plus, The who-done-it mystery kept me guessing for quite a while.
November 14, 2022
Chilling
Doherty has lifted the veil between life and death brilliantly.. A spine tingling mystery in life and a great struggle after death intermingled.
Doherty has lifted the veil between life and death brilliantly.. A spine tingling mystery in life and a great struggle after death intermingled.
March 26, 2018
3.5
Short but captivating. The story continues to weave the lives of the pilgrims together and I cannot wait to reach a conclusion in the next and last book! Another great job by the King of historical murder-mystery’s.
Short but captivating. The story continues to weave the lives of the pilgrims together and I cannot wait to reach a conclusion in the next and last book! Another great job by the King of historical murder-mystery’s.
May 6, 2016
This is the second of the "Canterbury Tales" mysteries of PC Doherty that I've read. Like the first, it is more of a fantasy than a historical tale, with supernatural elements even more strongly present in Midnight Man. The story weaves a treasure hunt, the peasant's Revolt, and May Day celebration with religion, ghosts, and murder.
Again, Doherty managed to surprise me with the identity of the perpetrators, but the mystery takes back stage to a morality play involving ghosts and demons and angels, a supernatural battle behind the scenes told with appropriately spooky descriptions.
A fair story, but this series seems Doherty's weakest of all the different ones I've read.
Again, Doherty managed to surprise me with the identity of the perpetrators, but the mystery takes back stage to a morality play involving ghosts and demons and angels, a supernatural battle behind the scenes told with appropriately spooky descriptions.
A fair story, but this series seems Doherty's weakest of all the different ones I've read.
September 25, 2009
It's okay. A very hard to read book.
March 7, 2012
A really good read
July 16, 2012
Pretty good.
August 1, 2012
The last in the series so far. He needs to hurry and write the next one. It's been 10 years since this one came out.
November 11, 2012
He's breaking the rules! He's breaking the rules! You can't do a whodunit and a ghost story at the same time!
October 30, 2014
It has been a very long time since I have read a book within 24hrs.....Great Great story.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews