RASPUTIN'S RELATIONSHIP with Russia's last Tsarina, Alexandra, notorious from the famous Boney M song, has never been adequately addressed; biographies are always for one or the other, or simply Alexandra and her husband Nicholas. In this new work, Mickey Mayhew reimagines Alexandra for the #MeToo generation; 'neurotic'; 'hysterical'; 'credulous' and 'fanatical' are shunted aside in favour of a sympathetic reimagining of a reserved and pious woman tossed into the heart of Russian aristocracy, with the sole purpose of providing their patriarchal monarchy with an heir. When her longed-for son then developed haemophilia, she turned to the one man capable of curing the child's agonising pain - Grigory Rasputin. Some say that between them, Grigory and Alexandra brought down 300 years of Romanov rule and ushered in the Russian Revolution, but theirs was simply the story of a mother fighting for the health of her son against a backdrop of bigotry, sexism and increasing secularism. She liked to pray and he liked to party, but when they found themselves steering Russia through the First World War, her gender and his class gave society no option but to destroy them. Bubbling with his trademark bon mots, Mickey Mayhew's latest book breathes fresh life into two of history's most fascinating - and polarising - figures. This is the real story of Rasputin and his Russian Queen.

Mary Queen of Scots is perhaps one of the most controversial and divisive monarchs in regal history. Her story reads like a particularly spicy novel, with murder, kidnap, adultery, assassination and execution. To some she is one of the most wronged women in history, a pawn used and abused by her family in the great monarchical marriage game; to others, a murderous adulteress who committed regicide to marry her lover and then spent years in captivity for the crime, endlessly plotting the demise of her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I of England. This book covers the breathtaking scope of her amazing life and examines the immense cultural legacy she left behind, from the Schiller play of the 1800s to The CW teen drama Reign. Temptress, terrorist, or tragic queen, this book will give you the lowdown on one of history's most misunderstood monarchs.

Imprisoning Mary Queen of Scots covers the lives and careers of the men and women who 'kept' Mary Queen of Scots whilst she was a political prisoner in England, circa 1568 -1587. Mary's troubled claim to the English throne - much to the consternation of her 'dear cousin' Elizabeth I - made her a mortal enemy of the aforementioned Virgin Queen and set them on a collision course from which only one would survive. Mary's calamitous personal life, encompassing assassinations, kidnaps and abdications, sent her careering into England and right into the lap of Henry VIII's shrewd but insecure daughter. Having no choice but to keep Mary under lock and key, Elizabeth trusted this onerous task to some of the most capable - not to mention the richest - men and women in England; Sir Francis Knollys, Rafe Sadler (of Wolf Hall fame), the Earl of Shrewsbury and his wife, Bess of Hardwick, and finally, the puritanical nit-picker Sir Amyas Paulet. Until now, these nobles have been mere bit-players in Mary's story; now, their own lives, loves and fortunes are laid bare for all to see. From Carlisle Castle to Fotheringhay, these loyal subjects all but bankrupted themselves in keeping the deposed Scots queen in the style to which she was accustomed, whilst fending off countless escape plots of which Mary herself was often the author. With the sort of twist that history excels at, it was actually a honeytrap escape plot set up by Elizabeth's ministers that finally saw Mary brought to the executioner's block, but what of the lives of the gaolers who acted as her guardian? This book explains how Shrewsbury and Bess saw their marriage wrecked by Mary's legendary charms, and how Paulet ended up making a guest appearance on 'Most Haunted', some several hundred years after his death. In that theme, the book also covers the appearances of these men and women on film and TV, in novels and also the various other Mary-related media that keeps the legend of this most misunderstood of monarchs so perfectly simmering.

Anne Boleyn sells, but she sells in segments; a biography here, a study over there on her guilt and something else yonder concerned with where she lived or what she liked to wear. This book, covering not just her life but her life onscreen, in theatre, on TV and also the impact of the first black actress to play her, is the definitive, all-encompassing story of Anne Boleyn from 1501 (or thereabouts) to 2023. Having examined the ardent fandom of Anne Boleyn for his doctorate, Dr Mickey Mayhew is in a unique position to offer something new to say on this much-discussed ‘tragic’ Tudor queen and is not afraid to tackle some of the less palatable aspects of her life. Also, this book is the first to examine with authenticity the reality of Anne’s relationship with the most important man in her life, the man whose name she repeated in comfort whilst facing the Swordsman of Calais on the scaffold, having spent her life promulgating his doctrine; Jesus Christ himself. As for the aforementioned executioner, Dr Mayhew’s research in Calais and Saint-Omer can now lift a lid on a few of the particulars of this elusive and yet essential figure of Anne Boleyn mythos; and yes, now he even has a name as well. The Anne Boleyn Bible also offers a straightforward retelling of Anne’s actual historical life, albeit one that outlines an entirely fresh and empowering perspective on her rise to prominence; this is followed by a series of considered arguments on the ‘for’ and ‘against’ in regard to her guilt & execution; then her entry into popular culture, firstly in plays and masques, before she went on to headline movies, TV series, cosplay, and now, with the first black woman to portray her, model and actress Jodie Turner-Smith. This book is simply what it says on the cover - The Anne Boleyn Bible - leaving no depiction, no religious aspect, no appearance in popular culture, from The Simpsons to the West End musical ‘Six’, overlooked; likewise, Dr Mayhew also turns his trademark brand of rather wry commentary toward the vast plethora of Anne Boleyn merchandising, tourist spots, rubber ducks, beanies and the wrangling question of who was the ultimate onscreen Anne; Geneviève Bujold or Natalie Dormer?!

*Henry VII's father died in prison before he was born. *Henry VIII was too fat to walk down the stairs. *Mary Queen of Scots was almost killed by an earthquake at Sheffield Castle. *Elizabeth I wore poisonous makeup.This fun little book, containing 400 fantastic facts about the Tudor era and more than 100 illustrations, will delight Tudor fans everywhere!

Back in Barking something has taken Tiffany Grieve, Jamie's girlfriend, and taken her in the worst possible way, flinging her headlong into Jacks' arms. Jamie has fled, betrayed by both his brother and his girlfriend, seeking out solace in the company of soft touch cousin Nick, Hayden's own tortured twin. And it seems that Jack himself is indeed doomed to spend the rest of his days bogged down in cheap bling and flexing his biceps on demand, the brainless, swaggering slave of that saucy, bawdy spook the paranormal messageboards call 'Minty Hardcore'. Even their Aunt Amanda, former tarot reader to Ronnie Kray, and perhaps the best bet for foiling that naughty nun, has been removed from the board, her Bethnal Green home boarded up and empty.

Jack Woodfield, Barking barrow boy turned bourgeois beefcake, is desperate to ditch West Ham United, larking around Barking market, and mostly his belligerent baby brother Jamie. It's time for Jack to move on and take his savvy to the City. He's the pole star around which his family revolves. Sat at his desk in the City he's a modern man with a lad's legacy that he'd rather leave behind, especially his fellow carouser, hell-raising cousin Hayden 'the lad' Woodfield. But over Jack's shoulder lurks the frisky phantom who has Hayden in her clutches, and whose preternatural passion for burly barrow boys might well screw up Jack's prospects for promotion and a cosmopolitan, carefree existence rather royally.