Strange Ways to Die in the Tudor Ages

Out now!

Our very first book, Strange Ways to Die in the Tudor Ages, is now available to order online or at your local bookstore. Click here to order it now directly from the publisher and save 20% off the cover price! ~~RRP £25~~ Now £20

Join us in stepping back to a time when death could come along in the most unexpected of ways. Strange Ways to Die in the Tudor Ages pushes aside the mists of time to uncover the odd, unsettling and even amusing ways that people met their end in a century rife with superstition, violence and the constant threat of farmyard animals.

From the streets of Europe to the courts of Asia and reaching across to the New World, this book is an interesting exploration of mortality, taking examples of real-life accounts of bizarre deaths from different continents and cultures. Whether it was those who fell prey to the ravages of disease or the ill-conceived attempts to cure them, cruel punishments or the ever-swinging pendulum of religion, this book delves into them all and proves that as harsh and unpredictable as nature could be, humanity could often be much worse.

Strange Ways to Die in the Tudor Ages is an intriguing, morbidly fascinating and at times mildly irreverent look at the way our ancestors shuffled off this mortal coil. Perfect for history lovers and those with a penchant for the macabre alike, this book offers a safe glimpse at mortality that is sure to have readers questioning how on earth humanity has lasted this long.

Review: 5 out of 5 stars

Is it wrong to find a book about death so funny? Maybe, but the authors have really got a knack for the hilarious and the ridiculous, writing with such dry humour that you forget that the facts they are sharing are about actual people who suffered dreadful fates. It’s a very interesting book, as well as being entertaining, including enough historical context to really assist understanding of the times in which the often ingenious methods of causing death were developed and carried out. There is also information on the legal basis for some of the more ridiculous situations, including those involving the trial of rats. The Tudor period has been written about so much but this book has tapped new veins of rich information and done so in a way which is both amusing and informative.

Louise Gray Netgalley

Review: 5 out of 5 stars

This was such an interesting book. To slightly bend the quote from Beetlejuice the Musical (if you’re familiar), ‘Though full disclosure this is a book about death’. Slightly macabre in its topic, the writers managed a perfect balance between being respective, light hearted and with hints of humour whilst being informative. You learn a lot about the Tudor period whilst venturing into the myriad of ways one could loose a life as a Tudor - from death by animal, crime and punishment, religion, plagues, cures (or at least the attempts at cures) and more, the book covers plenty. It starts with a well summarised ‘catch up with the Tudor era’ from start to finish - the king who started it and the queen who ended it. Throughout you learn the flavour of the times and what you could experience if you were to be unlucky (or lucky enough depending on your outlook) to find yourself there. It was an effortless book to read and the final few chapters too were the perfect way to close the book (miraculous survivals as a palate cleanser to all the deaths that have so far been covered). Also ‘suddenly cow’ has become one of my new favourite expressions in life.

Nicola Wilton Netgalley

Review: 5 out of 5 stars

This book was a brilliantly informative read. It is both interesting and entertaining. I like the fact the authors threw in a few humorous anecdotes along the way it worked for the flow.

Sarah Higginbottom Netgalley