Historical adventure fiction

Book SynopsisThe next bloody and thrilling instalment in MJ Porter's The Brunanburh Series.Can the Norse and the Scots exact their revenge over the mighty King Athelstan of the English?AD937After the slaughter field of Brunanburh, a defeated Olaf Gothfrithson of the Dublin Norse and Constantin of the Scots narrowly escaped with their lives. In their kingdoms, failure has left them demoralised and weak.Olaf licks his wounds in Dublin, whilst Constantin and the Welsh kingdoms who defied King Athelstan, are once more forced to bend the knee. As Athelstan’s reputation grows stronger day by day, their need to exact revenge on the overmighty and triumphant Athelstan has never been greater. Olaf sets his sights on reclaiming the lost kingdom of Jorvik only for tragedy to strike at the heart of England and a reluctant new King, Edmund steps in the fray.While England mourns the death of their warrior King, her enemies gather on her borders and England stands alone against the might of the Norse, Welsh and Scots. Can the new King be victorious and banish her enemies once and for all or will England, and its king lose all that’s been gained and succumb to a new pretender? An epic tale of kinsmanship, greed and power, perfect for the fans of Bernard Cornwell's The Last Kingdom series.Praise for The Brunanburh Series.'An epic tale of the birth of a nation. Truly mesmerising. Game of Thrones meets The Last Kingdom' - Gordon Doherty'MJ effortlessly draws you into early Medieval England with this fascinating tale.' - Donovan Cook'A very good read and MJ Porter is at her best bringing flesh to the facts and giving the main players personalities. Great way to read about the history of this time. Enjoy.' - Goodreads'Another of this author’s brilliant books. A good read and excellent characterisation of the men involved.now onto the next book.' - Reader Review'Completely compelling read set out to combine all the main characters stories in an free flowing style. Interesting how the character of each character is developed through the novel.' - Reader Review'Another brilliant tale of old England. M.J.Porter tells an intreguing tale of kings and warriors, when age old rivalries are temporarily settled. I presume that the tale of old England will continue.I hope so' - Reader Review

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Book SynopsisFinding Endurance is beautiful, thrilling, heroic and kind, a ripping yarn and a generous and humane reflection on this business of being human. Since the discovery of the wreck of Ernest Shackleton's ship Endurance on the bed of the Antarctic ocean, the world has been enthralled anew by one of the greatest stories of all time. Acclaimed South African writer Darrel Bristow-Bovey, himself a Shackleton aficionado, revisits this dramatic event, which managed to sweep the tide of anger and rancour off the timelines and front pages of the world. He asks how so many ordinary people, who don't know a nunatak from a barquentine, were so moved at the finding of a small wooden ship once sailed by a half-forgotten Irishman? In re-examining the story and its players, he presents new details and a new understanding of the courage and hardship of the Endurance voyage, and reminds us of how extraordinary humans can be. Not all is lost, and what has been lost can be regained: the ocean has given us something back. What's more, we are reminded that miracles still happen: human miracles, performed by flawed people in helpless situations. AUTHOR: Darrel Bristow-Bovey is a prize-winning screenwriter and travel writer and a newspaper and magazine columnist. He's the author of six books which have been translated into seven languages, including Spanish, Estonian and Portuguese. He was born in South Africa, studied under JM Coetzee and Andre Brink, and currently divides his time between Cape Town, the UK and a hillside on the Greek Peloponnese.Trade ReviewFinding Endurance is beautiful, thrilling, heroic and kind, a ripping yarn and a generous and humane reflection on this business of being human. -- Claire Robertson, author of The Spiral House, winner of the 2014 Sunday Times Fiction PrizeTender, heartfelt and lyrical. -- Petina Gappah, author of Out of Darkness, Shining LightEngaging, absorbing and crammed with marvellous stories, Finding Endurance is a tale about exploring the cold, told with much warmth * Mick Herron *I was held spellbound by this recounting of one of the world's great adventure stories. But beyond the gripping polar ordeal, I was moved to the core by tender insights - into love, home, fathers and sons, and the long game of life - that emerge like veins of bright and dark water through the ice. Bristow-Bovey shares a deep knowledge of his subject with great style - and more than a touch of Shackleton's own verve and heart. An exhilarating read. * Henrietta Rose-Innes, author of Green Lion *A wonderful, thoughtful account of the Endurance expedition and its fabled boss: as Darrel Bristow-Bovey points out in these pages, "We should indeed all be such failures as Shackleton." In weaving in a personal story - his father claimed to have sailed south on Endurance - Bristow-Bovey reveals ways in which "the human heart has space for opposite things". I thoroughly enjoyed this book. -- Sara Wheeler, travel writer and biographerWith elegiac considerations of subjects including time, hope, and ice, Finding Endurance is a grace-filled memoir about a father and a resilient Antarctic legend ... complemented by beautiful elements of nature writing, biography, and the heroics of polar exploration ... a tender tribute to family. -- Karen Rigby * Foreword *

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Book SynopsisValour and Petrichor are esteemed members of the Order of Axsten, an assassin’s guild tasked with keeping order in the rough city of Vinterstock. Plucked from the streets as children and raised to compete for their guild’s approval, Valour uses her brawn to survive, while Petrichor strives to be a gentleman assassin. When they’re given their biggest job yet—to kill Brandquist, the mysterious leader of the city''s illegal magic trade—it’s a recipe for disaster. If they can quell their rivalry long enough, the reward will be enough to settle their debts with the Order and start new lives. If this job wasn’t dangerous enough, Valour is saddled with protecting the aristocrat, Ingrid Rytterdahl. Valour finds her dangerously attractive, but Petrichor can’t wait to be rid of them both. He begrudgingly accepts Ingrid’s knowledge and connections as they navigate the city’s criminal underbelly in pursuit of Brandquist. As secrets bubble to the surface, the duo must outwit the thugs on their tail, keep Ingrid alive, and—hardest of all—work together without murdering each other.

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Book SynopsisValour and Petrichor are esteemed members of the Order of Axsten, an assassin’s guild tasked with keeping order in the rough city of Vinterstock. Plucked from the streets as children and raised to compete for their guild’s approval, Valour uses her brawn to survive, while Petrichor strives to be a gentleman assassin. When they’re given their biggest job yet—to kill Brandquist, the mysterious leader of the city''s illegal magic trade—it’s a recipe for disaster. If they can quell their rivalry long enough, the reward will be enough to settle their debts with the Order and start new lives. If this job wasn’t dangerous enough, Valour is saddled with protecting the aristocrat, Ingrid Rytterdahl. Valour finds her dangerously attractive, but Petrichor can’t wait to be rid of them both. He begrudgingly accepts Ingrid’s knowledge and connections as they navigate the city’s criminal underbelly in pursuit of Brandquist. As secrets bubble to the surface, the duo must outwit the thugs on their tail, keep Ingrid alive, and—hardest of all—work together without murdering each other.

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Book SynopsisThe captivating Sunday Times bestseller from the author of The Familiars.Don't miss Stacey Halls' incredible new novel THE HOUSEHOLD - available to pre-order now!Two women, bound by a child, and a secret that will change everything . . .London, 1754. Six years after leaving her illegitimate daughter Clara at London's Foundling Hospital, Bess Bright returns to reclaim the child she has never known. Dreading the worst, that Clara has died in care, Bess is astonished to be told she has already claimed her. Her life is turned upside down as she tries to find out who has taken her little girl - and why.Less than a mile from Bess's lodgings in the city, in a quiet, gloomy townhouse on the edge of London, a young widow has not left the house in a decade. When her close friend - an ambitious young doctor at the Foundling Hospital - persuades her to hire a nursemaid for her daughter, she is hesitant to welcome someone new into her home and her life. But her past is threatening to catch up with her and tear her carefully constructed world apart.From the bestselling author of The Familiars comes this captivating story of mothers and daughters, class and power, and love against the greatest of odds . . .'The new Hilary Mantel' COSMOPOLITAN'Stacey Halls is a writer of great originality, great imagination and great sense of place. Atmospheric, intelligent, accessible, every novel is worth reading, then reading again and again' KATE MOSSEAnother gripping, immersive, intelligent work of historical fiction from the bestselling author of The Familiars' KIRAN MILLWOOD HARGRAVE, author of THE MERCIESA moving, atmospheric chiller' INDEPENDENT'A breathtaking achievement' SUNDAY EXPRESS'Enjoyable and atmospheric' THE TIMES'Historical drama at its very best' MY WEEKLY **THE HOUSEHOLD, the brand new novel from Stacey Halls, is available to pre-order now***Sunday Times bestseller February and September 2020**Winner of Women's Prize for Fiction x Good Housekeeping Futures award - Good Housekeeping 14 Oct 2022*Trade ReviewIf you loved The Familiars, then you won't be disappointed by The Foundling. A gripping and moving read * Libby Page, bestselling author of The Lido *Pacy, highly atmospheric and tantalisingly gripping from the very first page. The strands of tense and devastating maternal conflict are acutely observed and beautifully sustained throughout the book. Stacey really has created warm and memorable characters, drawn with great sympathy and understanding, who deliver a taut and riveting read. With rich storytelling and a compelling narrative, The Foundling is subtle, satisfying and intensely moving; a fabulous example of great historical fiction * Laura Carlin, author of The Wicked Cometh *The Foundling dragged me along in its narrative wake. Another gripping, immersive, intelligent work of historical fiction from the bestselling author of The Familiars * Kiran Millwood Hargrave, author of The Mercies *It was a privilege to read The Foundling. I really couldn't stop turning the pages as Stacey's beautiful writing drew a compelling tale of love and hope from the vivid streets of Georgian London * Sonia Velton, author of Blackberry & Wild Rose *A masterpiece of storytelling - a perfect, captivating mystery that expands to ask big questions about love and motherhood, all while maintaining the breathless pace of a thriller, and the stunningly vivid and well-researched detail of the very best historical fiction. I can't recommend it highly enough * Katie Lowe, author of The Furies *I was completely swept up in this novel. It's crammed with vivid and engaging characters, there's a beautiful sense of place, revealing hidden aspects of Georgian life. And the central mystery of a missing child gradually plays out as a tenderly observed study of grief and loss, while offering the possibility that love will indeed find a way * Amanda Mason, author of The Wayward Girls *Beautiful and captivating * Candis *If you enjoy Mindhunter levels of suspense, you'll love it * Cosmopolitan.co.uk *The Foundling is a ripping yarn with real heart and depth * Sun Business Post *Stacey Halls is back with another mesmerising story * Yahoo Lifestyle *

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Book SynopsisThe brand new novel from Britain's best-loved saga authorWhitby, 1845Amber Ainsley works as a laundry maid for the wealthy Greenwood family, but when she falls pregnant with her employer's illegitimate child, she is cast out, left homeless and destitute. She flees to Whitby, but Barnaby Greenwood follows, offering to find a family to raise their daughter, to save her being sent to the workhouse. Broken-hearted but wanting the best for her child, Amber hands her daughter over. Meanwhile, Barnaby's wife, Louisa, is overjoyed when she gives birth to twins - but the babies are weak, and she is terrified they won't survive. Poverty-stricken, Amber soon has no choice but to return to work for the Greenwoods. There, one twin is flourishing while the other sickens. And when Amber notices a familiar birth mark on the infant girl's leg, her world is turned upside-down . . .Will Amber ever be able to have the family life she hopes for?

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Book SynopsisA moving and powerful novel of love, secrets and redemption in a country torn apart by war. For readers of Kate Furnivall and Dinah Jefferies.It's 1941 and Kate is living in Rangoon, Burma, a world away from her traditional English upbringing. When she meets Edwin, a young teacher from London, she senses that he too is looking for a place to call home, and soon a friendship develops between them. As their bond grows, Kate begins to learn of the secrets in Edwin's past and the tragic events that brought them both to Burma. But war is coming and, when the Japanese forces invade, Kate and Edwin are forced to flee, along with thousands of others. They begin a perilous journey to India but soon become separated. As Kate continues on alone, she can't get this troubled young man out of her head. With the fallout of war all around them, in a place far from home, will Kate and Edwin survive their journey and find the new beginning they both seek? 'A sweeping historical fiction masterpiece' My Weekly'Evocative and atmospheric. Blench captures the wild and perilous journeys made by so many at the arrival of the war' Wilbur SmithThe Long Journey Home is a Wilbur Smith adventure writing prize winner.Don't miss Cecily's next novel, Secrets of Malta. Coming February 2024. Pre-order now. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Readers are loving The Long Journey Home:'Wow . . . The characters are beautifully alive, the locations so craftily described that I felt like I was there . . . a magnificent, well-researched novel.' Netgalley reviewer'Written with compassion and thought . . . you really feel the emotions of the characters.' Netgalley reviewer 'The ending is delightful yet sad but at the same time life affirming. A soaring saga that will touch the reader and leave footprints on your heart.' Netgalley reviewer 'Well written with great detail . . . What a great writer Cecily Blench is.' Netgalley reviewer 'A real page turner from the very beginning . . . Cecily Blench is an excellent writer.' Netgalley reviewer 'Rich in emotion and description this book is just amazing . . . highly recommended.' Netgalley reviewerTrade ReviewEvocative and atmospheric. Blench captures the wild and perilous journeys made by so many at the arrival of the war. * Wilbur Smith *A sweeping historical fiction masterpiece * My Weekly *

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Book Synopsis'RESISTANCE WOULD BE FUTILE' THE TIMES'I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN!' CLAIRE GRADIDGEPerfect for fans of Code Name Hélène and The Alice Network.THREE WOMEN. ONE MISSION. ENEMIES EVERYWHERE.May 1944. When spy Elisabeth de Mornay, code name Cécile, notices a coded transmission from an agent in the field does not bear his usual signature, she suspects his cover has been blown - something that is happening with increasing frequency. With the situation in Occupied France worsening and growing fears that the Resistance has been compromised, Cécile is ordered behind enemy lines.Having rendezvoused with her fellow agents, Léonie and Dominique, together they have one mission: help the Resistance destabilise German operations to pave the way for the Normandy landings.But the life of a spy is never straightforward, and the in-fighting within the Resistance makes knowing who to trust ever more difficult. With their lives on the line, all three women will have to make decisions that could cost them everything - for not all their enemies are German.'HEART-STOPPING...RESISTANCE IS A GIFT TO ALL FANS OF ESPIONAGE THRILLERS' IMOGEN ROBERTSON'TENSE, VIVID AND UTTERLY ADDICTIVE' LOUISE BEECHTrade ReviewAn engrossing read - I couldn't put it down! The plot is full of unexpected twists and turns that kept me guessing. A perfect summertime read * Claire Gradidge, author of The Unexpected Return of Josephine Fox, winner of the Richard and Judy Search for a Bestseller Competition *Timon's perky spirit of romance is hard to dislike. Resistance would be futile * The Times *A heart-stopping read - fantastic writing with a compelling cast and sinuous plotting, Resistance is a gift to all fans of espionage thrillers and high quality, immersive historical fiction * Imogen Robertson, author of the Crowther and Westerman series *Tense, vivid and utterly addictive. I can't recommend it enough * Louise Beech *With Resistance Mara Timon cements her position as a talented new voice on the espionage thriller scene. Cécile is a wonderfully drawn and intriguing protagonist and her second wartime mission makes for a thrilling tale in which her enemies are not always obvious. Intelligent and elegant storytelling * A. K. Turner, author of Body Language *Timon's done it again! Resistance is the perfect espionage thriller. In Elisabeth de Mornay, Timon has created a stylish heroine - gutsy, daring and focused. Set against the terror of WW2, packed with spies, danger and glamour, Resistance is an exciting and clever read, proving that Timon is an author to watch * Kate Bradley, author of To Keep You Safe *This book will please any reader who enjoys a thriller about espionage, war or just adventure. Recommended. * Historical Novel Society *

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Book SynopsisBOOK 19 IN THE EPIC HISTORICAL SAGA OF THE COURTNEY FAMILY, FROM GLOBAL SENSATION WILBUR SMITH. BOOK 3 IN THE TIGER'S PREY SEQUENCE.The Courtney family is torn apart as three generations fight on opposing sides of a terrible war that will change the face of the world forever, set against the backdrop of the American revolution. 'Best historical novelist' Stephen King 'Wilbur Smith is one of those benchmarks against whom others are compared' The TimesTHREE GENERATIONS. A DEVASTATING WAR.1774. Rob Courtney has spent his whole life in a quiet trading outpost on the east coast of Africa, dreaming of a life of adventure at sea. When his grandfather Jim Courtney dies, and the mysterious Captain Cornish calls into the fort, Rob takes his chance and stows away on Marston's ship as it sails to England. Arriving in London, Rob is seduced by the charms of the big city and soon finds himself desperate and penniless. That is until the navy comes calling. Rob enlists and is sent across the Atlantic on a ship to join the war against the rebellious American colonists. But on the other side of the Atlantic, unbeknownst to Rob, his distant cousins Cal and Aidan Courtney are leading a campaign against the British in a quest for American Independence. When Aidan is killed in a fierce battle with British troops, Cal vows he will not rest until he has avenged his brother's death, by driving the British out of America - by whatever means necessary . . . A powerful new historical thriller by the master of adventure fiction, Wilbur Smith, of families divided and a country on the brink of revolution. Book 20 in the Courtney family series, Nemesis, is available April 2023. Pre-order now.'Storm Tide' was a Sunday Times bestseller w/e 17-04-2022.

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Book SynopsisAn epic new novel of Ancient Egypt, from the Master of Historical Adventure, Wilbur Smith.FROM THE RUINS OF BATTLEA HERO MUST RISEFOR THE GLORY OF EGYPTYears of Hyksos rule have seen the plunder of once-mighty Egypt. Though the two kingdoms have now been reunited by the armies of the true Pharaoh, his position is perilous, his rule under threat from those who seek to take advantage of the turmoil created by the overthrow of the Hyksos. Desperate to keep Egypt united, Taita the Magus summons his protégé, Piay, to solve a millennia-old riddle which has the power to secure Egypt's future forever.But in the tumult of war, an evil has thrived. Malevolent followers of Seth, the god of chaos, are determined to claim this power and usher in a new age of darkness.The fate of Egypt is at stake. Can Piay prevent their land falling into the hands of those who would see its ruin?Trade ReviewBest historical novelist - I say Wilbur Smith * Stephen King *A master storyteller * Sunday Times *Wilbur Smith is one of those benchmarks against whom others are compared * The Times *No one does adventure quite like Smith * Daily Mirror *

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Book SynopsisAn epic new novel of Ancient Egypt, from the Master of Historical Adventure, Wilbur Smith.FROM THE RUINS OF BATTLEA HERO MUST RISEFOR THE GLORY OF EGYPTYears of Hyksos rule have seen the plunder of once-mighty Egypt. Though the two kingdoms have now been reunited by the armies of the true Pharaoh, his position is perilous, his rule under threat from those who seek to take advantage of the turmoil created by the overthrow of the Hyksos. Desperate to keep Egypt united, Taita the Magus summons his protégé, Piay, to solve a millennia-old riddle which has the power to secure Egypt's future forever.But in the tumult of war, an evil has thrived. Malevolent followers of Seth, the god of chaos, are determined to claim this power and usher in a new age of darkness.The fate of Egypt is at stake. Can Piay prevent their land falling into the hands of those who would see its ruin?Don't miss Warrior

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Book SynopsisFOR A KING TO RISE, ALEXANDER THE GREAT MUST FALL . . .The new historical fiction epic from one of Britain's best-loved authors shines new light on the greatest hero of the Ancient World, Alexander The Great._____________________334 BC. Alexander the Great is just twenty-one years old when he sets out with a small army to challenge Persia, the largest and most powerful empire in the world. Together, his Macedonian army marches East into the unknown - winning battles against overwhelming odds, storming impregnable fortresses from the Aegean through to India. But there is another Alexander. Prince of the Macedonian royal house of Lyncestis, he becomes Alexander the Great's general and most trusted friend. Alexander of Lyncestis is torn: between this friendship and the duty to avenge his murdered brothers. And he is under threat, too. Others - Persians, Greeks, Macedonians - see him as a rival for the throne. For six years of conspiracy and battle, his life hangs by a thread. For Alexander of Lyncestis is the Shadow King._____________________Praise for Harry Sidebottom's historical novels:'An extraordinarily vivid take on the ancient world' - EVENING STANDARD'The best sort of red-blooded historical fiction' - ANDREW TAYLOR'More twists and turns than the Tiber itself' - RORY CLEMENTS'Explosive action and knuckle-whitening drama' - GUARDIAN'Blazes with searing scholarship' - THE TIMES'A storming triumph' - DAILY TELEGRAPH'Epic' - MARY BEARD'Brilliant' - BEN KANE

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Book SynopsisThe thrilling new historical adventure in the Warrior of Rome series from Sunday Times bestseller Harry Sidebottom.*** 'What Bernard Cornwell is to the Napoleonic Wars, Harry Sidebottom is to Roman legions: unassailable' - THE TIMES ***_________________________________AD 265, Gaul - The Roman Empire is on the brink.Emperor Gallienus has amassed a huge army across the Alps to seize back the mountains from the usurper Postumus.War has come.Ballista and his cavalry are on the frontline, battling in the most brutal of conditions. But if he is to survive the campaign and finally retire to his beloved Sicily, it's not just the battlefield he needs to navigate.As he and Praetorian Prefect Volusianus lay siege to Postumus' armies, it becomes clear the greatest threat to Ballista's life might just come from within his ranks. After all, Volusianus has shown he will go to any distance for his own ends. Is Ballista just another pawn in his game? _________________________________ Praise for Harry Sidebottom's historical novels:'An extraordinarily vivid take on the ancient world' - EVENING STANDARD'Explosive action and knuckle-whitening drama' - GUARDIAN'The best sort of red-blooded historical fiction' - ANDREW TAYLOR'More twists and turns than the Tiber itself' - RORY CLEMENTS'Sidebottom's prose blazes with searing scholarship' - THE TIMES'Relentless, brutal, brilliant' - BEN KANE'A storming triumph' - DAILY TELEGRAPH'Epic' - MARY BEARDTrade ReviewIt's nailbiting! Harry conjures up the Roman Empire so vividly, and I love his characters, they're so believable * HISTORIA MAGAZINE *

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Book SynopsisThe new Courtney Series epic A BATTLE FOR HONOUR AGAINST A POWERFUL NEW ENEMYSouth Africa, 1820When Ann Waite discovers a battered longboat washed ashore in Algoa Bay, she is stunned to find two survivors: a badly scarred sailor and a little boy. As the man walks away into the morning mist alone, refusing to take the child - Harry - with him, Ann is left with no choice but to raise the boy as her own.After two years of disaster and hardship in the African interior, desperation drives Ann and Harry back into the path of the mysterious shipwrecked man. Ralph Courtney has recently escaped from Robben Island and is determined to seek his fortune in Nativity Bay, the hidden harbour that his father told him about when he was a boy.But it isn't long before Ralph, Ann and their fellow settlers learn that Nativity Bay now lies on the borders of a mighty kingdom, where the warrior king Shaka rules. With no means of making their way back to Al

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Book SynopsisThe BBC History 2022 Book of the Year and Richard & Judy Book Club Pick from Sunday Times bestselling author Dan Jones. July 1346. The Hundred Years' War has begun, and King Edward and his lords are on the march through France. But this war belongs to the men on the ground. Swept up in the bloody chaos, a tight-knit company from Essex must stay alive long enough to see their home again. With sword, axe and longbow, the Essex Dogs will fight, from the landing beaches of Normandy to the bloodsoaked field of Crécy. There's Pismire, small enough to infiltrate enemy camps. Scotsman, strong enough to tear down a wall. Millstone, a stonemason who'll do anything to protect his men. Father, a priest turned devilish by the horrors of war. Romford, a talented young archer on the run from his past. And Loveday FitzTalbot, their battle-scarred captain, who just wants to get his boys home safe. Some men fight for glory. Others fight for coin. The Essex Dogs? They fight for each other. Praise for Essex Dogs: 'A book that draws you in page by page. The way Dan Jones writes enemies reminds me of Cornwell at his best, turning up tension click by click.' Conn Iggulden 'A new champion has entered the front line of historical fiction to stand shoulder to shoulder with Bernard Cornwell.' Jane Johnson 'Battle-bloody, brutal and perfectly pitched.' Daily Mail 'Vital, earthy, and heart-stopping.' Suzannah Lipscomb 'The soldiers' lives are rather brilliantly recreated – the kit, the fighting, the boredom and discomfort.' The Times 'Only Dan Jones can carry you through blood, piss and vomit and leave you wanting more.' Daisy Dunn 'A cast of unforgettable characters.' Simon Sebag Montefiore 'Simply stunning.' Duff McKagan, New York Times No1 bestselling author of It’s So Easy, and founder member of Guns N' RosesTrade Review'Oddly joyous – rolling action, fast-paced, a book that draws you in page by page. The way Dan Jones writes enemies reminds me of Cornwell at his best, turning up tension click by click.' * Conn Iggulden *Battle-bloody, brutal and perfectly pitched... Jones captures the fear and frenzy of the fight and the loyalty and kinship of the Dogs in this slaughterous, sweary, swaggering debut * Daily Mail *With a cast of unforgettable characters, written with irrepressible verve and historical accuracy, Dan Jones delivers a compelling novel that thrums with swordswinging energy -- Simon Sebag MontefioreA new champion has entered the front line of historical fiction to stand shoulder to shoulder with Bernard Cornwell... A full-throated charge onto the mediaeval battlefield, a rip-roaring adventure full of blood and guts, camaraderie and inventive curses -- Jane JohnsonHorribly compelling... Only Dan Jones can carry you through blood, piss and vomit and leave you wanting more -- Daisy DunnVital, earthy, and heart-stopping... So deft and funny that you'd never guess this is Dan Jones' debut work of fiction -- Suzannah LipscombFew books manage to be as compelling on every level as Essex Dogs: it's adventure, history, and heart -- Dana SchwartzThe battles that shaped Europe from the point of view of the soldiers... Searing -- Kate WilliamsA busy, urgent little masterpiece -- Graham HurleyFascinating. Brutal. Real... Impossible to put down -- Simon TurneyWar. Looting. Junkies. Pintle-tugging. The English abroad. Dan Jones takes you to the year of Our Lord 1346 -- Tibor FischerEssex Dogs is the first in a planned trilogy by the bestselling medieval historian Dan Jones. His mastery of his subject matter is obvious. The soldiers' lives are rather brilliantly recreated – the kit, the fighting, the boredom and discomfort. Jones is excellent on the battles, too, focusing on the violence and the panic * The Times *[Essex Dogs] is the first instalment of what promises to be an epic trilogy * History Revealed Magazine *The historical detail is totally authentic... Essex Dogs shows the total brutalilty of medieval warfare, but also the camaraderie of a troop of men who fight for each other and for England * Bishop's Stortford Independent *Visceral and powerful, the reality of medieval warfare leaping from every page, it's gripping storytelling at its best... With a cast of unforgettable characters, this is historian Dan Jones's first foray into fiction and it's terrific * Choice *With its unflinching emphasis on the blood and guts of 14th-century battle, Jones's debut is not for the squeamish, but it's an enthralling, character-filled read * Sunday Times *Historian Dan Jones plunges the reader right into the medieval battlefield in this riotous retelling of the epic Hundred Years War between England and France * Metro *Packed with historical insight, bringing alive not only the war, but the lives of the common soldiers... I can hardly wait for the next instalment * Historical Novel Society *'Superb... The plot races along and there’s huge insight into a band of brothers. Humour, archery, violence – and a fundamental decency underpinning all the rest.' * Conn Iggulden *Rooted in historical accuracy, and told through an earthy cast of archers, men-at-arms and misfits, Essex Dogs delivers the stark reality of medieval war in the round – and shines a light on ordinary people caught in the storm. * Mortimer Historical Society *'Vivid characterizations and a strain of black humor add to the pointed drama... Brutal, graphic, and gory, the battle scenes viscerally hurl the reader into the heat of 14th-century combat. It’s good to know these Dogs will howl again.' * Publishers Weekly *starred review* *'On the whole a violent and bloody affair . . . [Reconceives] medieval military history as a swashbuckling Hollywood movie.' * New York Times Book Review *'An impeccably researched "you are there" novel with a real-time approach, Jones’ entertaining fiction debut moves episodically from encounter to life-threatening encounter... the book hums with black humor... An enjoyable romp through the darkest of ages.' * Kirkus Reviews *starred review* *'A high-stakes, immersive war story... Highly recommended for fans of Bernard Cornwell or Ken Follett.' * Library Journal *starred review* *Historian Dan Jones knows his stuff. You'll smell the sour wine and grin at the soldiers' rude humour... This razor-sharp motley crew... leap off the page and charge straight at you * The Sun *The Hundred Years' War with an amazingly contemporary feel... A cracking read * Richard Madeley, The Spectator *

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Book SynopsisDon't miss LION HEARTS, the final heart-stopping novel in the Essex Dogs trilogy from bestselling historian Dan Jones - available to pre-order now. 'Superb historical fiction as fresh, vivid and vital as this morning's headlines.' LEE CHILD'Dan Jones' fiction rings with the authority of his scholarly history.' PHILIPPA GREGORYAN ENDLESS WAR. A BLOOD-SOAKED BATTLEFIELD. A BAND OF BROTHERS. 1347. After a bloody battle at Crécy, the Essex Dogs pick through the wreckage of the fighting and their own lives. Now the Dogs are sent to attack the soaring walls of Calais where a new siege is beginning. To get home, they must survive in a lawless camp that is deadlier than any battlefield. Obsessed with finding the Captain, Loveday is losing control of his men. Romford is haunted by a horrific figure from his past. And Scotsman is spiralling into a pit of drink, violence and self-pity. The Dogs are being torn apart but this war is far from over. It won't be long before they lose m

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Book SynopsisThe unmissable conclusion to the Essex Dogs trilogy from Sunday Times bestseller, Dan Jones.

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Book SynopsisJ. C. Harvey is the fiction pen-name for Jacky Colliss Harvey. After studying English at Cambridge, and History of Art at the Courtauld Institute of Art, Jacky worked in museum publishing for twenty years, first at the National Portrait Gallery and then at the Royal Collection Trust, where she set up the Trust's first commercial publishing programme. Her other novels include The Silver Wolf and The Dead Men.

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Book SynopsisLittle treasures, the FLAME TREE COLLECTABLE CLASSICS are chosen to create a delightful and timeless home library. Each stunning, gift edition features deluxe cover treatments, ribbon markers, luxury endpapers and gilded edges. The unabridged text is accompanied by a Glossary of Victorian and Literary terms produced for the modern reader. During the height of the Reign of Terror in the French Revolution, the Scarlet Pimpernel leads a secret league to rescue many of those destined for the guillotine. An enigma lurking in the shadows, known only to his close friends, he faces his most deadly enemy, the sinister Chauvelin, in a series of intriguing adventures.

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Book SynopsisTHE FINAL BATTLE - THE ULTIMATE PRICE The once beautiful land of Hightspall is being carved up by warring armies led by figures from out of legend. One army is headed by the charismatic brute, Axil Grandys, and the other by Lyf, resurrected sorcerer-king and Axil's ancient nemesis. Only the escaped slave Tali and her unreliable magic stand in their way - but Tali's gift grows more painful every time she uses it. As the armies converge on the fateful peak of Touchstone, Tali and her ally Rix must find a way to overcome Lyf and prevent Axil from using the Three Spells that will destroy Hightspall for ever.

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Book SynopsisOn the day of his wedding, Edmond Dantes, master mariner, is arrested in Marseille on trumped-up charges and spirited away to the cellars of the Chateau d'If, an impregnable sea fortress in which he is imprisoned indefinitely. Escaping from the chateau by a series of daring manoeuvres, he unearths a great treasure on the island of Monte Cristo, buried there by a former fellow prisoner who bequeaths to him the secret of its whereabouts. Thus armed with unimaginable wealth and embittered by his long imprisonment, he resolves to devote his life to tracking down and punishing those responsible. This classic nineteenth-century translation has been revised and updated by Peter Washington, with an introduction by award-winning novelist Umberto Eco.

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Book SynopsisFor George MacDonald Fraser the bully Flashman was easily the most interesting character in Tom Brown's Schooldays, and imaginative speculation as to what might have happened to him after his expulsion from Rugby School for drunkenness ended in 12 volumes of memoirs in which Sir Harry Paget Flashman - self-confessed scoundrel, liar, cheat, thief, coward -'and, oh yes, a toady' - romps his way through decades of nineteenth-century history in a swashbuckling and often hilarious series of military and amorous adventures. In Flashman the youthful hero, armed with a commission in the 11th Dragoons, is shipped to India, woos and wins the beautiful Elspeth, and reluctantly takes part in the first Anglo-Afghan War, honing a remarkable talent for self-preservation.Flash for Freedom! finds him crewing on an African slave ship, hiding in a New Orleans whorehouse and fortuitously running into rising young American politician Abraham Lincoln...

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Book SynopsisIn two remarkable historical novels, Mary Renault fashions from the myth of Theseus a convincingly flawed hero and weaves a thrillingly plausible account of the Labyrinth and the infamous Minotaur. The King Must Die follows the young Theseus as he discovers that his true father is the King of Athens, and volunteers to join the annual tribute of Athenian girls and youths sacrificed to a bull-worshipping cult on the island of Crete. Trapped in the labyrinthine palace of King Minos, Theseus enlists the help of high priestess Ariadne in a daring plan to free his people. The Bull From the Sea begins after Theseus's triumphal return to Athens. He is now king, but his confidence will be shaken by a life-changing encounter with the queen of the Amazons, the birth of a son who will insist on choosing his own path, and the tragic results of his wife's treachery. Renault's deep knowledge of the Greek world, her sure grasp of psychology and genius for inspired speculation bring the distant world of the legendary past enthrallingly to life.

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Book SynopsisThe Jacobite army marches into England and Alistair Maclean, close confident of Charles Edward Stewart embarks on a secret mission to raise support for the cause in the west. He soon begins to suspect someone close to the Prince is passing information to the Government, but just as he closes in on the traitor his own life is put in danger. Who is the turncoat and can Maclean save his own life and his Prince? Regarded by many critics as one of the finest historical novels ever written, Midwinter is a classic tale of intrigue, treachery and suspense. With an introduction by Stuart Kelly. This edition is authorised by the John Buchan Society.Trade Review'Buchan knew that you can't buck the consequences of your actions, and that your life is what you make of it. Perhaps his peculiarly Scottish combination of Romanticism and Calvinism - daring living and high thinking - is due to return to fashion' * The Independent Magazine *

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Book Synopsis'a tour de force work of art' – The Wall Street Journal, Best Books of the Year Longlisted for the 2022 CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award It's Saturday evening, 9 March 1566, and Mary, Queen of Scots, is six months pregnant. She's hosting a supper party, secure in her private chambers. She doesn't know that her Palace is surrounded – that, right now, an army of men is creeping upstairs to her chamber. They're coming to murder David Rizzio, her friend and secretary, the handsome Italian man who is smiling across the table at her. Mary's husband, Lord Darnley, wants it done in front of her and he wants her to watch it done ... Denise Mina brilliantly portrays the sexual dynamics and politics of power – between men and women, monarch and subjects, master and servants. The period is masterfully researched yet lightly drawn, the characterisation quick, subtle and utterly convincing. This breathtakingly tense work is a tale of sex, secrets and lies, one that explores the lengths that men – and women – will go to in the search for love and power.Trade Review'Guaranteed to keep you invested by incorporating fact, myth and legend' * The Radio Times *'This series has already produced two works of note and distinction. It raises the question – if a country cannot re-tell its history, will it be stuck forever in aspic and condemned to be nothing more than a shortbread tin illustration? Hex and Rizzio are showing the way towards a reckoning, and about time too' -- Stuart Kelly * Scotland on Sunday *'Denise Mina is a name to be taken very seriously when it comes to crime fiction. …. Mary is a heroine tailor-made for [her] expert literary investigation' * New York Times, Best Historical Novels of 2021 *'May be Britain's finest living crime novelist' * Daily Telegraph *'contains more suspense and action than many a doorstopper of a historical thriller ... Written in a style allowing access to multiple characters’ thoughts, rich with cinema-sharp imagery, "Rizzio" is a tour de force work of art' * The Wall Street Journal, Best Books of the Year 2021 *'[Rizzio] is retold in Mina’s characteristically compelling style which brings the intrigue and machinations of a key moment in Scottish history vibrantly to life' * Waterstones Best Books of 2021: Crime and Thriller *'a writer of huge skill and inventiveness who blends tense, well-crafted crime fiction with social conscience and historical weight' * The Bookseller *'Bestseller Mina vividly recreates a gruesome episode from the Tudor era in this searing novella set mostly over the course of a single day, Mar. 9, 1566. Mina interjects well-wrought characterizations; this superior historical thriller reads like a real-life episode of Game of Thrones' * Publishers Weekly (starred) *'This is an edgy, provocative and thrilling classic in the making' * Scottish Books International *'it's apt that Mina should embrace the short form novella, encapsulating the darkness and drama yet somehow managing to keep it light and at times funny' -- Janet Christie * The Scotsman Magazine *'it is refreshing to be presented with a very readable, if embellished, account of Rizzio's murder and some of its implications for Scotland' -- Graham Drew * Press and Journal, Book of the Week *'Denise Mina applies a true crime lens to revisit 24 hours that transformed the monarchy and it’s absolutely riveting' -- Sam Baker * Noon.org.uk *'Riveting ... darkly clever' * Popsugar *'Stabby and pithy ... an intriguing sketch in blood' * Guardian, Book of the Day *'an electric and utterly absorbing battle of wills' -- Roger Cox * The Scotsman *'An omniscient narrative voice, which delivers historical exposition in quick ironic bursts...Mina’s vivid style and the swift-moving plot are a pleasure. More historical fiction, please Ms Mina' -- Antonia Senior * The Times, Best New Historical Fiction *'This riveting novella retells the intrigue behind [Rizzio's] death' * i Paper *'I gobbled up Denise Mina’s short and immersive Rizzio – a fictionalised account of the murder of Mary Queen of Scots’s private secretary in 16th-century Holyrood – as an audiobook on a single long car journey' -- Cal Flyn * The Times *'In Rizzio she has created a plus-sized novella with the passion of an opera, a tour de force of imaginative reconstruction' * Wall Street Journal Europe *'The tragic episode is retold in Mina’s characteristically compelling style, which brings the intrigue and machinations of a key moment in Scottish history to life' * Daily Record *'I had an absolute thrill-ride reading your book ... … what you manage to do with this is quite dazzling… you manage to present a feminist, female perspective on her [Mary Queen of Scot’s] dilmena and her intelligence and a couple of the other women there too…absolutely incredible… your prose is beautiful, the dialogue drawn from historical record. Another brilliant book. Congratulations' -- Janice Forsyth * BBC Radio Scotland *'Mina, a contemporary crime novelist, retells this famous tale with great panache and gives it both a touch of noir and a blackly comic edge... gripping' * Sunday Times *'Mina's real genius is to draw out the private feelings of [her] protagonists with such economy, in a short, pacey but incredibly tender account…Making her tale all the more vivid is Edinburgh itself…[the tale] seems fresh in her retelling' -- Mike Wade * Times Online *'The writing is spellbinding and simply draws one in ... Outstanding' * Journal of the Law Society of Scotland *'Set in one day it really is a fabulously, engaging and moving read. Anybody with an interest in history, crime – anything Scottish – would love it' -- Susie Troup, Director of Hexham Festival * Broadcasting House BBC Radio 4 *'Mina does an excellent job of grabbing the reader’s attention and transporting them to that horrible night ... If you love reading about Mary, Queen of Scots, and Stuart Scotland during the 16th century, you will find “Rizzio” by Denise Mina thrilling' * Adventures of a Tudor Nerd blog (US) *'Denise Mina brilliantly manages to be funny, heart-wrenching, gut-punching and addictive all at once' -- Nicci French'a novella designed to be devoured in one sitting' -- Nora McElhone * Press and Journal *'Written in tight, present-tense prose, Rizzio peers over the shoulders and into the minds of conspirators, loyalists, pawns, and victims as the titular assassination of Rizzio and the attempted overthrow of the queen unfolds… a gut-punch of a novella' * Rose Amber blog *'This is a book to rival many an acknowledged masterpiece.' -- Frank Parker'Denise Mina is at the helm of a pithier, pocket-sized revolution: the historical novella' -- Rosie Morton * Scottish Field *'Mina explores this bloody incident with forensic and gripping detail ... written in a taut detective-story style, with flashes of modern wit' -- Kate Pettigrew * Historical Novel Society *'I love the idea — drinking in historical fiction as a series of shots' -- Katherine Faulkner, author of Greenwich Park'Rizzio is a fiery account of an ancient tale, a snapshot of the 16th century brought vividly to a 21st century audience' -- Louise Fairbairn

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Book Synopsis'a tour de force work of art' – The Wall Street Journal, Best Books of the Year Longlisted for the 2022 CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award It's Saturday evening, 9 March 1566, and Mary, Queen of Scots, is six months pregnant. She's hosting a supper party, secure in her private chambers. She doesn't know that her Palace is surrounded – that, right now, an army of men is creeping upstairs to her chamber. They're coming to murder David Rizzio, her friend and secretary, the handsome Italian man who is smiling across the table at her. Mary's husband, Lord Darnley, wants it done in front of her and he wants her to watch it done ... Denise Mina brilliantly portrays the sexual dynamics and politics of power – between men and women, monarch and subjects, master and servants. The period is masterfully researched yet lightly drawn, the characterisation quick, subtle and utterly convincing. This breathtakingly tense work is a tale of sex, secrets and lies, one that explores the lengths that men – and women – will go to in the search for love and power.Trade Review'Guaranteed to keep you invested by incorporating fact, myth and legend' * The Radio Times *'This series has already produced two works of note and distinction. It raises the question – if a country cannot re-tell its history, will it be stuck forever in aspic and condemned to be nothing more than a shortbread tin illustration? Hex and Rizzio are showing the way towards a reckoning, and about time too' -- Stuart Kelly * Scotland on Sunday *'Denise Mina is a name to be taken very seriously when it comes to crime fiction. …. Mary is a heroine tailor-made for [her] expert literary investigation' * New York Times, Best Historical Novels of 2021 *'May be Britain's finest living crime novelist' * Daily Telegraph *'contains more suspense and action than many a doorstopper of a historical thriller ... Written in a style allowing access to multiple characters’ thoughts, rich with cinema-sharp imagery, "Rizzio" is a tour de force work of art' * The Wall Street Journal, Best Books of the Year 2021 *'[Rizzio] is retold in Mina’s characteristically compelling style which brings the intrigue and machinations of a key moment in Scottish history vibrantly to life' * Waterstones Best Books of 2021: Crime and Thriller *'a writer of huge skill and inventiveness who blends tense, well-crafted crime fiction with social conscience and historical weight' * The Bookseller *'Bestseller Mina vividly recreates a gruesome episode from the Tudor era in this searing novella set mostly over the course of a single day, Mar. 9, 1566. Mina interjects well-wrought characterizations; this superior historical thriller reads like a real-life episode of Game of Thrones' * Publishers Weekly (starred) *'This is an edgy, provocative and thrilling classic in the making' * Scottish Books International *'it's apt that Mina should embrace the short form novella, encapsulating the darkness and drama yet somehow managing to keep it light and at times funny' -- Janet Christie * The Scotsman Magazine *'it is refreshing to be presented with a very readable, if embellished, account of Rizzio's murder and some of its implications for Scotland' -- Graham Drew * Press and Journal, Book of the Week *'Denise Mina applies a true crime lens to revisit 24 hours that transformed the monarchy and it’s absolutely riveting' -- Sam Baker * Noon.org.uk *'Riveting ... darkly clever' * Popsugar *'Stabby and pithy ... an intriguing sketch in blood' * Guardian, Book of the Day *'an electric and utterly absorbing battle of wills' -- Roger Cox * The Scotsman *'An omniscient narrative voice, which delivers historical exposition in quick ironic bursts...Mina’s vivid style and the swift-moving plot are a pleasure. More historical fiction, please Ms Mina' -- Antonia Senior * The Times, Best New Historical Fiction *'This riveting novella retells the intrigue behind [Rizzio's] death' * i Paper *'I gobbled up Denise Mina’s short and immersive Rizzio – a fictionalised account of the murder of Mary Queen of Scots’s private secretary in 16th-century Holyrood – as an audiobook on a single long car journey' -- Cal Flyn * The Times *'In Rizzio she has created a plus-sized novella with the passion of an opera, a tour de force of imaginative reconstruction' * Wall Street Journal Europe *'The tragic episode is retold in Mina’s characteristically compelling style, which brings the intrigue and machinations of a key moment in Scottish history to life' * Daily Record *'I had an absolute thrill-ride reading your book ... … what you manage to do with this is quite dazzling… you manage to present a feminist, female perspective on her [Mary Queen of Scot’s] dilmena and her intelligence and a couple of the other women there too…absolutely incredible… your prose is beautiful, the dialogue drawn from historical record. Another brilliant book. Congratulations' -- Janice Forsyth * BBC Radio Scotland *'Mina, a contemporary crime novelist, retells this famous tale with great panache and gives it both a touch of noir and a blackly comic edge... gripping' * Sunday Times *'Mina's real genius is to draw out the private feelings of [her] protagonists with such economy, in a short, pacey but incredibly tender account…Making her tale all the more vivid is Edinburgh itself…[the tale] seems fresh in her retelling' -- Mike Wade * Times Online *'The writing is spellbinding and simply draws one in ... Outstanding' * Journal of the Law Society of Scotland *'Set in one day it really is a fabulously, engaging and moving read. Anybody with an interest in history, crime – anything Scottish – would love it' -- Susie Troup, Director of Hexham Festival * Broadcasting House BBC Radio 4 *'Mina does an excellent job of grabbing the reader’s attention and transporting them to that horrible night ... If you love reading about Mary, Queen of Scots, and Stuart Scotland during the 16th century, you will find “Rizzio” by Denise Mina thrilling' * Adventures of a Tudor Nerd blog (US) *'Denise Mina brilliantly manages to be funny, heart-wrenching, gut-punching and addictive all at once' -- Nicci French'a novella designed to be devoured in one sitting' -- Nora McElhone * Press and Journal *'Written in tight, present-tense prose, Rizzio peers over the shoulders and into the minds of conspirators, loyalists, pawns, and victims as the titular assassination of Rizzio and the attempted overthrow of the queen unfolds… a gut-punch of a novella' * Rose Amber blog *'This is a book to rival many an acknowledged masterpiece.' -- Frank Parker'Denise Mina is at the helm of a pithier, pocket-sized revolution: the historical novella' -- Rosie Morton * Scottish Field *'Mina explores this bloody incident with forensic and gripping detail ... written in a taut detective-story style, with flashes of modern wit' -- Kate Pettigrew * Historical Novel Society *'I love the idea — drinking in historical fiction as a series of shots' -- Katherine Faulkner, author of Greenwich Park'Rizzio is a fiery account of an ancient tale, a snapshot of the 16th century brought vividly to a 21st century audience' -- Louise Fairbairn

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Book SynopsisThe Isle of Iona, 825. In a bloody, brutal raid, Abbot Blathmac is slain on the steps of his monastery for refusing to give away the location of the sacred relics of St Columba, the missionary who first brought Christianity to Scotland. Following a night of rampage and mayhem, one Viking wakes up the next morning to find himself alone, hungover, and abandoned by his crew mates. He can't swim, there are no boats, and the only surviving monk on the island has taken his sword. With only his wits, he must survive long enough not only to rejoin his Viking comrades, but also to find the location of the elusive relics that brought him here in the first place. Rooted in the real history of Iona and its early monks, Columba's Bones is an utterly unique and thrilling read, exploring the clash of early Christianity and paganism, and expanding into a sharp, witty meditation on philosophy, redemption, shame, violence, love, transcendence and reality. 'Stupendously earthy, laugh out loud funny in places, visceral writing' - Sally Magnusson Shortlisted for the Bookmark Book Festival Book of the Year 2024Trade Review'As violent as a Tarantino movie… echoes of the Norse Sagas in all their ferocious and poetic intensity while at the same time, he captures the spirit of Celtic Christianity and the beauties of the Celtic Church. The narrative is both light and rapid... evokes memories of that great Orcadian writer George Mackay Brown' -- Allan Massie, * The Scotsman *'[Greig] has succeeded brilliantly. What an amazing first novel' * Ullapool News *'One of the most interesting and adventurous British dramatists of his generation' * Daily Telegraph * 'transforms the events surrounding early Christianity's encounter with paganism into a witty thriller' * The Bookseller *'Stupendously earthy, laugh out loud funny in places, visceral writing' -- Sally Magnusson'Was it enjoyable? Was it funny? Did it make me feel stuff? Absolutely, riotously, and with ease. I laughed, I cried, I pondered... I also wanted to learn' -- Alex Woolston-Rudolph * Scottish Literature Society of the University of Glasgow *'This is a jewel of a book, sparkling like the seas around the island. Each word vivifies the island, its natural life, and the inner lives of its inhabitants. Greig’s writing is fashionably free of speech marks, speech and thought merging, as the physical and spiritual merge on this Holy Island' * Historical Novel Society *'With books by Denise Mina, Alan Warner and Jenni Fagan already published, Polygon’s Darkland Tales series is already enjoying a reputation for excellence that Columba’s Bones will only enhance' -- David Robinson * Books from Scotland *'The best novel I've read in some considerable time. They say that good things come in small packages and if you want a perfect demonstration of that, then look no further... a highly accomplished and polished novel that displays a real sureness of touch on the part of its author... This really is a remarkable book' * Undiscovered Scotland *'Thrilling events in an authentic setting with visually stunning scenes make Greig’s debut novel – based on his own 2022 walking adventure – unlikely to be his last' * Inverness Courier, Star Book *'Read Columba's Bones by David Greig in 1 sitting and hope he writes more novels and turns this into a play, great characters and story re an old Viking, middle age woman and young monk that crafts bawdy humour with clash of beliefs in 9th century Scotland. Have always wanted to visit Iona, now I must' -- Angela Constance, Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home affairs'a well-researched, engaging fiction which contemplates a fascinating culture clash between Nordic paganism and Christianity, both of which boast devout adherents' -- Mark Brown * The National *'a surprisingly humorous take on a Viking massacre on the island [of Iona], the birthplace of Christianity in Scotland... spans themes of love, death and faith while unpacking the brutality of the mythologised Norsemen with comedy and romance' -- Alison Campsie * Scotland on Sunday *'Beautifully written and drawn, its characters are credible and its plot is clever' -- Roger Hutchinson * West Highland Free Press *'A brilliantly funny and visceral first novel... David Greig is, of course, widely acknowledged as a long term major player in the world of Scottish drama. In this, his first book, his dramatic ear for dialogue and characterisation is quite clear, but he also writes beautiful descriptive prose' -- Cameron Wylie, author of Is There a Pigeon in the Room?'A rollicking read that afficianados of Nigel Tranter will gobble up... Highly recommended' * Scottish Field *'there are echoes of the Norse sagas in the juxtaposition of humour and extreme violence, and, in the best saga tradition. the baddies meet a satisfying end' -- Fiona Hook * Church Times *'Columba’s Bones is written with a vividness that reduces the distance between AD825 and our time to what feels like a thin curtain - a curtain not unlike the one David Greig’s characters are tugging at, hoping to get a glimpse of the mysteries' * Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisSpring, 1523. Henry VIII readies England for war with France. The King’s chief minister, Cardinal Wolsey, prepares to open Parliament at Blackfriars. The eyes of the country turn towards London. But all is not well in Wolsey’s household. A visiting critic of the Cardinal is found brutally slain whilst awaiting an audience at Richmond Palace. He will not be the last to die. Anthony Blanke, trumpeter and groom, is once again called upon to unmask a murderer. Joining forces with Sir Thomas More, he is forced to confront the unpopularity of his master’s rule. As the bodies of the Cardinal’s enemies mount up around him, Anthony finds himself under suspicion. Journeying through the opulence of More’s home, the magnificence of Wolsey’s York Place, and the dank dungeons of London’s gaols, he must discover whether the murderer of the Cardinal’s critics is friend or foe. With time running out before Parliament sits, Anthony must clear his name and catch the killer before the King’s justice falls blindly upon him.Trade Review'A convincing portrait of the deadly realities of life in Henry VIII's court' -- David Robinson * The Scotsman *'Skilfully drawn and powerfully evocative, the second novel in the Anthony Blanke series leaves little to the imagination... Steven Veerapen draws upon his extensive knowledge of the period to create a narrative that always rings true' * LoveReading *'A cracking good read because it gives you an insight into life in those times' -- Breege Smyth * Oban Times *'Steven Veerapen does an excellent job of bringing the Tudor era to life... Highly recommended' -- Tony Riches'If you enjoy an historical mystery that demonstrates a deep understanding of its period, then this is for you.' -- Michael Lynes * Historical Novel Society *'[Veerapen's] depiction of the world of the English court in the 1520s is rich, detailed and satisfying and everything feels just right...an engaging and enthralling story that keep you guessing right to the end' -- Ken Lussey * Undiscovered Scotland *

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Book SynopsisIn Three Fires,award-winning author Denise Mina re-imagines the ''Bonfire of the Vanities'', a series of fires lit throughout Florence at the end of the fifteenth century - inspired by the fanatical Girolamo Savonarola.Girolamo Savonarola was a Dominican friar living in Florence at the tail end of the fifteenth century. An anti-corruption campaigner his hellfire preaching increasingly spilled over into tirades against all luxuries that tempted people towards sin. These sermons led to the infamous Bonfire of the Vanities' - a series of fires lit throughout Florence for the incineration of everything from books, extravagant clothing, playing cards, musical instruments, make-up and mirrors, to paintings, tapestries and sculptures.Railing against the vice and avarice of the ruling Medici family, he was instrumental in their removal from power, and for a time became the puritanical leader of the city. After turning his attention to corruption in the entire Catholic Church, he was first exco

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Book Synopsis10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY EDITION - FEATURES READING GROUP QUESTIONS AND NEW MATERIAL FROM STEF'S UPCOMING EPIC NOVEL, UNDER A POLE STARCOSTA AWARD WINNER and WORLDWIDE BESTSELLER. A breathtaking tale of mystery, buried secrets and romance, set in nineteenth century frontier Canada - for fans of THE SNOW CHILD and A PLACE CALLED WINTER.'Unquestionably atmospheric, evocative and rewarding' Independent on Sunday'A tense and delicately written thriller' ObserverCanada, 1867. A young murder suspect flees across the snowy wilderness. Tracking him is what passes for the law in this frontier land: trappers, sheriffs, traders and the suspect's own mother, desperate to clear his name. As the party pushes further from civilisation, hidden purposes and old obsessions are revealed. One is seeking long-lost daughters; another a fortune in stolen furs; yet another is chasing rumours of a lost Native American culture. But where survival depends on cooperation, their fragile truce cannot afford to be broken, nor their overriding purpose - to find justice for a murdered man - forgotten.The Tenderness of Wolves is a must-read historical epic, weaving adventure, suspense and humour into an exhilarating thriller, a panoramic romance and ultimately, one of the books of the last ten years.Trade Reviewa tense and delicately written thriller - The Observer * Observer *… a quite remarkable debut novel.' Birmingham Post * Birmingham Post *“This subtle and superb novel brings the freezing landscape of the Canadian woods to such vivid life that the landscape itself becomes a strong character within the story. Once you have dived into the tiny, closeted world of Caulfield and its forbidding surroundings, you will certainly not wish to leave.” Crimesquad.com * Crimesquad.com *… a highly-assured debut….Stef Penney has written an absorbing and stylish mystery. The Glasgow Herald * Glasgow Herald *“…Stef Penney's hefty first novel The Tenderness of Wolves, mines her setting and period for all it's got and then some, injecting plenty of invented intrigue and Da Vinci Code like revelations of Huge Cultural Importance whenever she can. The result is an entertaining, well-constructed mystery that jazzes up the “real” history in a way that's more Ron Howard than Pierre Berton. It's…sexy, suspenseful, densely plotted storytelling…The Tenderness of Wolves remains a first-rate gripper with a notably sensual as well as psychological understanding of its main characters. More than this, it is a novel with far greater ambitions than your average thriller, combining as it does the themes of Conrad's Heart of Darkness with Atwood's Survival, and lashing them to a story that morphs Ian Rankin…” Andrew Pyper, The Globe and Mail * Globe and Mail *unquestionably atmospheric, evocative and eventually rewarding - Independent On Sunday * Independent On Sunday *

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Book Synopsis[Published as The September Queen in the US] Set against the volatile backdrop of the English Civil War, dive into this enthralling tale of danger, bravery, and a woman who would do anything for the man she loved. It’s 1651 and Jane Lane leads a privileged life inside the walls of her family’s home. At 25 years old, her parents are keen to see her settled, but Jane dreams of a union that goes beyond the advantageous match her father desires. Her quiet world is shattered when Royalists, fighting to restore the crown to King Charles II, arrive at their door, imploring Jane and her family for help. They have been hiding the king, but Cromwell’s forces are close behind them, baying for Charles’ blood – and the blood of anyone who seeks to help him. Putting herself in mortal danger, Jane must help the king escape to safety by disguising him as her manservant. With the shadow of the gallows dogging their every step, Jane finds herself falling in love with the gallant young Charles. But will Jane surrender to a passion that could change her life – and the course of history – forever? The unforgettable true story of Charles II’s escape, and the love and bravery of the woman who made it possible. Perfect for fans of Philippa Gregory and Elizabeth Chadwick.Trade Review“The King’s Mistress is that spellbinding combination of history, adventure, suspense and a fast-beating pulse of pure eroticism…a real romantic treat.” Lancashire Evening Post

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Book SynopsisApril 1914. Former US President Theodore Roosevelt and his son Kermit have embarked on a dangerous expedition down an uncharted river in the Brazilian Amazon. Threatened as they are by disease, drowning and starvation, an even greater peril awaits them when they are captured by a local Indian tribe, the mysterious Cinta Larga, and forced to hunt for a savage creature laying waste to the jungle's inhabitants. In their search for the elusive beast, they find unexpected allies in a young mother and her half-caste child. But with hopes, dreams and lives at stake, father and son must confront the fissures in their own relationship and the dark secrets from their shared past. This exciting psychological thriller, inspired by actual historical events and figures, charts an audacious journey through the Amazonian heart of darkness and explores the demons that live within and without.Trade ReviewPart mystery, part warts-and-all exploration diary, part mediation on the debilitating effects of depression, it's beautifully written and, despite its heart of darkness, great fun * Irish Times *A mystery in the Arthur Conan Doyle tradition, had Sherlock and Watson been masochistic enough to volunteer for this dreadful trek . . . Bayard gives us a compassionate, unsentimental portrait of a son who would forever live in the shadow of a colossal father * Washington Post *Bayard's heart-of-darkness saga is impressive-blood and sacrifice, primitive peoples and Roosevelt courage . . . [He] exactingly chronicles the hardships of charting the river, right down to the damp, dangers and drudgery of the Amazonian jungle . . . A suspense-filled reimagining of history deepened by a confrontation with evil's supernatural presence * Kirkus Reviews *Bayard has written a riveting thriller and psychological study wrapped around historical events and people and gives the reader a real existential puzzle to put together * Booklist *An edge-of-your-seat thriller with all the twists and turns of an unexplored river * Kermit Roosevelt III, great-great grandson of Theodore Roosevelt, and author of In the Shadow of the Law *

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Book SynopsisRecently graduated from Oxford University, idealistic and headstrong Jeremy Ashland obtains a job teaching English at a language school in the Casablanca of the 1960s. Determined to be accepted as an enlightened foreigner at a time when Moroccan society is emerging from the trauma of colonialism, he plunges dangerously into local and expatriate circles. 'Mauresque' is also the story of Jeremy’s forbidden love for an upper-class Moroccan girl with revolutionary aspirations – a relationship that mirrors the tensions between Moroccans themselves in their search for a new nationhood. Evocative, stylistic and wide-ranging, Mauresque immerses the reader in a world of clandestine relationships, political intrigue, drug smuggling, murder and sorcery.

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Book SynopsisIn these three sea stories, based on his own experience, Conrad invests his portraits of mundane steamers and their crews with epic qualities of fortitude and courage in the face of overwhelming natural odds. At the same time, he probes the psychological condition of men together and under pressure with the greatest delicacy, raising the adventure story to the level of high art. The supreme poet of the sailor's life, Conrad here establishes his reputation as a master storyteller.

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Book SynopsisIn the year of 1306, Scotland is in turmoil. Robert the Bruce and the fighting Bishop Wishart's plans for rebellion put the Scottish kingdom at risk, whilst the hostile kingdom of England seems more invincible than ever. But Bishop Wishart has got a final card left to play: four brave Scottish knights set off in search of a mysterious ancient treasure that will bring Scotland to the centre of an international plot, changing both the kingdoms of Europe and the course of history once and for all. In the first of eight novels, L.A. Kristiansen skillfully narrates an epic past filled with historical figures as you've never seen them before. Only History can reveal the fate of those whom the Dragon banner was Raised against.

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisIt has long been rumoured that a sixteenth-century monk called Eisenreich out-Machiavellied Machiavelli, writing a masterplan for the Church to achieve world domination. So dangerous was the text that the Pope had to kill Eisenreich to suppress it. But when the bullet-riddled body of a young girl is found in the mid-West and "Eisenreich" is her dying word, it becomes terrifyingly clear that not only is the document real, but someone is planning to use it.Sarah Trent, a US agent, and Xander Jaspers, a Columbia University professor, race to find this manuscript, but neither fully understand the danger they're confronting as it has fallen into the hands of a cabal who intend to use it to rip society apart, and create a new world order.Trent and Jaspers make a quirky, entertaining team and the brilliant story line turns The Overseer into one of the best political thrillers of the decade.'Dazzling plot twists, highly sophisticated and diverting thriller, superior entertainment.' Washington Post Book WorldTrade Review'The Book of Q and The Overseer by New York novelist Jonathan Rabb easily out-manoeuvre Brown in grand and dark ecclesiastical designs.' Boyd Tonkin -- The Independent

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