Paul C. Doherty is an award-winning British author, educator, lecturer and historian. He is also the Headmaster of Trinity Catholic High School, Woodford Green, Essex, in the United Kingdom.
Paul C. Doherty was born in 1946 and spent his early years in Middlesbrough in the United Kingdom. He went to Liverpool University where he gained a First Class Honours Degree in History and won a state scholarship to Exeter College, Oxford. He then proceeded to the University of Oxford where he received a doctorate for his thesis on Edward II and Queen Isabella. Dr. Doherty is a medieval historian who lectures for a number of organisations, particularly on historical mysteries, many of which feature in his writings.
Dr Doherty was awarded an OBE for services to education in 2011. [1]
His other career is that of Headmaster at Trinity Catholic High School, Woodford Green, Essex for 30 years. In 1999, the school was given Beacon status. A February 2006 Ofsted report declared the school Grade 1, "outstanding".[2] A February 2009 Ofsted report again rated the overall effectiveness of the school as Grade 1, "outstanding".[3][4]
Paul C. Doherty has published a series of historical mysteries set in the Middle Ages, Classical, Greek, Ancient Egypt and elsewhere. He writes both fiction and non-fiction under his own name, both as P.C. Doherty and Paul C. Doherty, as well as the pennames: Anna Apostolou, Michael Clynes, Ann Dukthas, C. L. Grace, Paul Harding, and Vanessa Alexander. Doherty is the author of several mystery series, including The Sorrowful Mysteries of Brother Athelstan, the Hugh Corbett medieval mysteries, the Canterbury Tales of mystery and murder which are listed below.
Dr. Doherty has written over 80 books which have been printed in several languages and distributed in several different countries including the UK, United States, Spain, Germany, Holland, Belgium, France, Italy, Romania, Estonia, Czechoslovakia, Russia, Bulgaria, Portugal and China, as well as Argentina and Mexico.
The UK Channel Five documentary , "The Secret Life of Elizabeth I" (2006), was based on his book of the same title.[5] It explored Doherty's theory that Elizabeth I may have had a secret love child. The documentary received mixed reviews. The Daily Mail summarised the evidence, concluding "the truth about Elizabeth's romantic life and possible parenthood will continue to fascinate generations to come."[6]
He has also recently appeared in a National Geographic Channel documentary entitled: "Secrets of the Virgin Queen". The documentary examines some controversial theories as to why Elizabeth never married.(2011).[7]
In an interview with Michael Shankland, Shankland states of Doherty: "I admire how this writer can use the medium of a novel to demonstrate a deep knowledge of the complex working of early 14th-century diplomacy and espionage. Paul C. Doherty seems to be one of the few writers focusing on the Hundred Years’ War who understands the importance of the relationship between England and Gascony during this era". [1].
A review of his book "The Horus Killings" at reviewingtheevidence.com states that Doherty maintains a balance between historical description and the action of the plot on perfect pitch. "The mix is near perfect. The descriptive passages enhance the story, allowing the reader to vividly visualize an unfamiliar setting without detracting from the page-turning pace desirable in a light mystery." [2]. Harriet Klausner states in her review of this same book that "Ancient historical fiction/mystery readers, especially Egyptologists, will cherish this novel."[8]
A 2009 review by Mike Ripley, himself an acclaimed author and regular contributor of SHOTS Crime and Mystery magazine, states of Doherty's book "The Spies of Sobeck": "A very wise literary agent (and there are some) once told me that the trick with historical mysteries was to hook the reader early on with the mystery and then give them the history lesson. They know the lesson is coming but they want to be lured, almost fooled, into listening to it. Paul Doherty goes out of his way to break this rule. His latest novel and the seventh in his 'Ancient Egyptian Mysteries' series, "The Spies of Sobeck" starts (and ends) with historical notes by the author; there's also a map and a list of characters and their position in the hierarchy of Egypt in 1477BC. So the reader is left in no doubt that they are in for a history lesson and they get one; and it is the positive master class we have come to expect from Paul Doherty. This is history red in tooth and claw and Doherty has proved, in more than fifty novels over a variety of historical settings, that when he gives a history lesson, readers sit up straight and pay attention." [3].
In 1998 Paul Doherty was included in the Times "Murder They Write: 100 masters of crime" list published as a supplement to the Times on 18 April 1998. The list, compiled by book critics and authors, included Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie and Raymond Chandler [4] [5].
He was also awarded the Herodotus, for lifelong achievement for excellence in the writing of historical mysteries by the Historical Mystery Appreciation Society [6] [7]).
Treason of the Ghosts was one of The Times' "Best of this year's crime novels", 2000[9]
"Resurrectionist magic"--The Templar[10]
Dr. Doherty will be the International Guest of Honor at the Bouchercon International Mystery Festival in Albany, New York, 2013 [11]
Amerokte is the chief judge of the temple of Ma'at, he becomes the investigator of conspiracies against the reign of Queen Hatusu
The ancient Egpytian noble Mahu recounts the events of the age of Akhenaten and his part in them and his relationships with other personages of the Amarna period.
set during the time of Constantine the Great