Digging for Richard III: The Search for the Lost King - Couverture souple

An entertaining, knowledgeable and forensic examination of one of the most extraordinary archaeological digs ever! --Sir Tony Robinson

Pitts has created an utterly compelling read. --The Independent on Sunday, Will Gore

Mike Pitts tells a compelling story: the resurrection of one of England's most controversial monarchs. Not so much a who-dunnit, as a what- why- and how-dunnit: history's most remarkable cold case, and a fascinating glimpse into the 21st-century world of faith, science and publicity. Compulsively readable. --David Miles, former Chief Archaeologist at English Heritage

Cuts through the hype and hysteria about Richard III. It gives a balanced view of all the historical and archaeological evidence, but at the same time it's a real page-turner. I couldn't put it down. A must for anyone interested in English history. --Francis Pryor, author of 'Britain BC' and 'Britain in the Middle Ages'

Well-crafted, fine-grained ... spellbinding ... Pitts's narrative gives us changing moods, exact dialogue, expressions on faces - and mounting amazement as the uncovering of the skeleton proceeded. --British Archaeology

An utterly compelling book ... This is a book which tells us as much about modern archaeology and the personalities of those who found Richard, as it does about a long dead king. By the end you might be dusting down your trowel and setting out for the nearest dig. --The Independent on Sunday

Mike Pitts [deploys] a battery of techniques for building drama and tension ... a potential bestseller. --Society of Antiquaries Newsletter

A terrific slice of archaeological investigation. --Books Monthly

A fascinating account of history, science and collaboration. --Your Family Tree

[A] wonderfully entertaining exploration of the incredible story, including insights from all the main characters ... Beautifully and knowledgeably written, moving and funny, it's a real page-turner I wasn't able to put down. --Family Tree Magazine

Vividly describes the 2012 excavation. As Pitts stresses in the prologue, it was not a typical dig, and he describes it blow-by-blow; for me it was as good as being there. Excellent stuff. --BBC History Magazine

The vivid tale of a king, his demise, and the thrilling rediscovery of his remains ... an insider's account of how modern archaeology really works, and how it was used to piece together the mystery of Richard's resting place. --Military History

Take a cast of archaeologists and historians who inhabit different worlds. Add a medieval king who died in battle, and was restored by Shakespeare as the ultimate anti-hero. Throw in a forensic quest with almost unbelievable twists, and a theatrical modern burial with no parallel, and you have the material for an irresistible story for our times. In the hands of a leading archaeologist and award-winning journalist, the search for a king's grave becomes the page-turning, entertaining, informed narrative that makes Digging for Richard III the must-read title on the most sensational archaeological find for generations.

This new edition has been updated throughout with the latest archaeology and DNA research, and comes with a substantial new chapter. In 2013 it seemed matters had ended with the identification of a skeleton as that of Richard III. That was, however, the start of a new saga, as the country debated the status and future of the king's remains. The conclusion that no one had foreseen opened unexpected divisions across Britain, whose ripples touched the highest leaders in crown, church and parliament.