Born in Kincardine in 1767, James Wylie became one of the most celebrated doctors in Europe and the centre of two of the most fascinating and enduring conspiracy theories in Russian history. Having performed the first tracheotomy operation to be carried out in Russia on Count Kutaisof, one of the Tsar Paul I's favourites, Wylie was made the Tsar's personal doctor. When the Tsar was assassinated in March 1801, Wylie made his first steps into infamy when he signed the death certificate, mysteriously giving apoplexy, in place of strangulation, as the cause. Wylie went on to serve the Tsar's son, Alexander I, devotedly for twenty-four years; he was with him at Tilsit, when he concluded a treaty with Napoleon and was as a field surgeon at the battles of Austerlitz, Jenna and at Borodino where he reputedly carried out 200 operations on the field. Tolstoy is thought to have made him the doctor who features in "War and Peace". Following Napoleon's defeat, Wylie accompanied Alexander on...

Margaret Douglas: The Other Tudor Princess brings to life the story of Margaret Douglas, a shadowy and mysterious character in Tudor history - but who now takes centre stage in this tale of the bitter struggle for power during the reign of Henry VIII. Margaret is Henry's beloved niece, but defies the King by indulging in two scandalous affairs. Yet when the King turns against his second wife Anne Boleyn and declares his daughters Mary and Elizabeth bastards, it is Margaret he appoints as his heir to the throne. Imprisoned in the Tower on two occasions, it is the arrangement of the marriage of Margaret's son, Lord Darnely, to his cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots, that unites their claims to the throne and angers her uncle King Henry yet again. Yet this match brings tragedy, as her son is brutally murdered. As Margaret reaches old age, her place in the dynasty is still not safe, and she dies in mysterious circumstances. But was Margaret poisoned on the orders of Queen Elizabeth? This...