Coroner Sir John gets mixed up in alchemy in this twisty instalment in the Crowner John medieval mystery series, set in twelfth-century England. 1195. Prince John plots to seize the throne from his brother, Richard the Lionheart – and he is supported in his wicked schemes by King Philip of France, who offers to help John financially by sending him a mysterious alchemist, a Mohammedan named Nizam, who claims to be able to transmute base metals into gold. But Nizam never makes it England alive. The ship transporting him and his retainers to the Devon tin mines is found wrecked off the south Devon coast, its crew savagely slaughtered. And shortly afterwards, Sir Peter le Calve, a Norman knight living near Exeter, is also found foully murdered, his head stuck on the rood screen of the cathedral. It's up to Sir John de Wolfe, the county coroner, to find a motive and connection between the killings – and it’s clear that his unscrupulous brother-in-law, the disgraced ex-sheriff and known Prince John-sympathiser, Richard de Revelle, has something to hide . . .

“Colorful alchemical lore and a vividly imagined 1543 London enrich Lawrence’s engaging . . . sequel to . . . The Alchemist’s Daughter.”—Publishers Weekly In the mid sixteenth century, Henry VIII sits on the throne, and Bianca Goddard tends to the sick and suffering in London’s slums, where disease can take a life as quickly as murder . . . For years, alchemist Ferris Stannum has devoted himself to developing the Elixir of Life, the reputed serum of immortality. Having tested his remedy successfully on an animal, Stannum intends to send his alchemy journal to a colleague in Cairo for confirmation. But the next day his body is found and the journal is gone. Bianca, the daughter of an alchemist, is well acquainted with the mystical healing arts. When her husband John falls ill with the sweating sickness, she dares to hope Stannum’s journal could contain the secret to his recovery. But first she must solve the alchemist’s murder. As she ventures into a world of treachery and deceit, Stannum’s death is only the first in a series of murders—and Bianca’s quest becomes a matter of life and death, not only for her husband, but for herself . . . Praise for The Alchemist’s Daughter “Unique characters, a twisty plot and a bold, bright heroine . . . Mystery and Tudor fans alike will raise a glass to this new series.”—Karen Harper, New York Times bestselling author “A realistic evocation of 16th century London’s underside. The various strands of the plot are so skillfully plaited together.”—Fiona Buckley, author of the Ursula Blanchard Mysteries

A modern-day quest that echoes the ancient alchemists’ work to discover the elixir of life • Provides an overview of alchemical practices in the ancient world--from Europe to China • Reveals the alchemical secrets for creating this elixir in clear scientific language In 1989, while attempting to extract precious minerals from his property, a wealthy Arizonan obtained a mysterious white material that initially defied scientific attempts to identify it. After several years of testing, this substance was revealed to consist of gold and platinum--but in a form unknown to modern science. Further research showed that this powder, which had also been discovered to possess marvelous healing powers, contained monatomic forms of precious metals whose electron units had been altered to no longer display the physical, chemical, or electrical properties of the original elements. This substance, Robert Cox shows, bears eerie resemblance to the ultimate quest of the alchemists: the elixir of immortality. The mysterious material-spiritual science of alchemy was once pervasive throughout the ancient world, spanning the globe from China and India to Egypt and medieval Europe. In The Elixir of Immortality, Robert Cox reviews the alchemical lore of these traditions and the procedures each used to produce this fabulous elixir. Using his own alchemical research, Cox then reveals secrets that have been kept hidden for millennia uncovered in his own modern-day quest to rediscover this long-sought elixir of life.

Clea Raymond has felt the glare of the spotlight her entire life. The daughter of a renowned surgeon and a prominent Washington DC politician, Clea has grown to be a talented photojournalist who takes refuge in a career that allows her to travel to the most exotic parts of the world. But following Clea's father's disappearance while on a humanitarian mission, Clea's photos begin to feature eerie, shadowy images of a strange and beautiful man - a man she has never seen before. When fate brings Clea and this man together, she is stunned by the immediate and powerful connection she feels with him. As they grow closer, they are drawn deep into the mystery behind her father's disappearance, and begin to discover the centuries old truth behind their intense bond. Torn by a dangerous love triangle and haunted by a powerful secret that holds their fates, together the pair find themselves in a race against time to unravel their pasts in order to save their futures…

10 Good Questions about Life and Death makes us think againabout some of the most important issues we ever have to face. Addresses the fundamental questions that many of us ask aboutlife and death. Written in an engaging and straightforward style, ideal forthose with no formal background in philosophy. Focuses on commonly pondered issues, such as: Is life sacred?Is it bad to die? Is there life after death? Does life havemeaning? And which life is best? Encourages readers to think about and respond to the humancondition. Features case studies, thought-experiments, and references toliterature, film, music, religion and myth.

At the height of the Great Depression, the mysterious deaths of children in Oklahoma sparked an unprecedented investigation of a new and powerful antibiotic elixir. In a "nationwide race with death," US government agents struggled to seize and destroy hundreds of bottles of the toxic drug before more children could be killed. Elixir tells the shocking true story of the deaths of more than 100 Americans who fell victim to this untested drug, the forces that led to the disaster, and the parallels to similar episodes of drug poisoning that continue to this day.Barbara J. Martin has compiled the most detailed historical account to date of this vast pharmaceutical tragedy and the myriad reactions to the fatal poisonings-from the manufacturer, the prescribing doctors, the dispensing pharmacists, and the organizations that had a significant stake in this tragedy, including the American Medical Association, the Food and Drug Administration, and Congress. Elixir follows this industrial catastrophe to its alarming conclusion with important insights for the 21st century.

When biologist Chris Bacon headed for the unspoiled rainforests of Papua New Guinea in search of medicinal plants, he had no idea that he would bring home a rare flower rumored by a tribal shaman to prevent human aging. Driven by fountain-of-youth dreams, he plans to turn the flower into an elixir of youth and health. But as Chris begins tampering with the ultimate secret of nature, he unleashes forces that not only threaten his own family, but expose the world to unimaginably horrific consequences. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Coroner Sir John is caught up in a seafaring conspiracy in this entertaining instalment in the Crowner John medieval mystery series, set in twelfth-century England. 1196. When an unidentified body is discovered in the harbour town of Axmouth, twenty miles from Exeter, Sir John de Wolfe, the county coroner, is summoned to investigate. The manner of the young man's death is a matter of some dispute – but, as Sir John soon discovers, it was no accident. The victim did not drown, as the manor reeve alleges, but was strangled to death. In the ensuing murder investigation, Sir John is frustrated by what appears to be a conspiracy of silence among the seamen and townsfolk. Just what is the local population trying to hide? It soon becomes clear that some of Axmouth’s inhabitants will go to any lengths to ensure the shocking truth behind the death remains hidden. Sir John will need to muster all his courage, cunning and determination if he is to escape from the town alive . . .

"A realistic evocation of 16th century London's underside. The various strands of the plot are so skillfully plaited together." --Fiona Buckley In the year 1543 of King Henry VIII's turbulent reign, the daughter of a notorious alchemist finds herself suspected of cold-blooded murder... Bianca Goddard employs her knowledge of herbs and medicinal plants to concoct remedies for the disease-riddled poor in London's squalid Southwark slum. But when her friend Jolyn comes to her complaining of severe stomach pains, Bianca's prescription seems to kill her on the spot. Recovering from her shock, Bianca suspects Jolyn may have been poisoned before coming to her--but the local constable is not so easily convinced. To clear her name and keep her neck free of the gallows, Bianca must apply her knowledge of the healing arts to deduce exactly how her friend was murdered and by whom--before she herself falls victim to a similar fate... "Unique characters, a twisty plot and a bold, bright heroine add up to a great debut for Mary Lawrence's The Alchemist's Daughter. Mystery and Tudor fans alike will raise a glass to this new series." --Karen Harper, author of The Poyson Garden