Despite differences in rank and background, King Henry II and Thomas Becket are lifelong friends. The King is in constant conflict with the Church, which refuses to contribute financing to his wars in France, and jealously guards the tax-free status granted it by previous monarchs. When the Archbishop of Canterbury dies, Henry has a brilliant idea: rather than another pious cleric loyal to Rome, he will appoint his old friend, Thomas Becket--technically...

Nineteen authors share mystery stories set in New York City’s largest borough in this anthology. Akashic Books continues its award-winning series of original noir anthologies, launched in 2004 with Brooklyn Noir . Each book is comprised of all-new stories, each one set in a distinct neighborhood or location within the city of the book. Queens becomes the fourth New York City borough to enter the arena in this riveting collection edited by defense...

Following World War II, an unnamed Cardinal is arrested as a traitor to an unspecified Eastern European country. While imprisoned, the Cardinal is put through a series of trials by a state interrogator charged with convincing the Cardinal to issue a phony statement that would effectively end Catholicism in the country. Purportedly based on the real-life travails of Hungarian Cardinal József Mindszenty.