Historical Fiction Books

Book SynopsisFrom the international bestselling novelist Penny Vincenzi comes SOMETHING DANGEROUS, the second novel in her highly acclaimed SPOILS OF TIME trilogy. ''Reading her is an addictive experience'' Elizabeth BuchanThe dazzling Lytton twins, Adele and Venetia, are born into the great Lytton publishing empire. In 1928, on their eighteenth birthday, they are rich and admired, with a confidence verging on arrogance. But the spectre of Nazi Germany is growing...Gradually their privileged world darkens in unimaginable ways - but it is not just the twins whose lives have been irrevocably changed. Barty Miller, rescued from the London slums in babyhood by Celia Lytton, is clever, ambitious, and a complete contrast to the twins - and she faces temptation of the most unexpected kind...Trade ReviewPenny Vincenzi dazzlingly combines the old-fashioned virtues of gripping storytelling with the up-to-the-minute contemporary feel for emotional depth and insight into the lives of the characters. She is a supreme stylist and clever writer. -- Elizabeth BuchanHighly addictive * Daily Telegraph *Every Penny Vincenzi is a guaranteed bestseller * Grazia *Seductively readable * The Times *

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Book SynopsisIF YOU DON''T KNOW SIMON SCARROW, YOU DON''T KNOW ROME!THE EAGLE''S PROPHECY is the powerful sixth novel in Simon Scarrow''s bestselling Eagles of the Empire seires. Perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell. Praise for Simon Scarrow''s gripping novels: ''Ferocious and compelling'' Daily Express The Adriatic Sea, AD 45. Cato and Macro, centurions of the Roman army, are horrified to learn that they face possible execution after the death of their commanding officer. Fortunately, the Emperor''s secretary is willing to offer them an alternative: to join the marines and hunt down a band of brutal pirates who are decimating not only Rome''s reputation, but also a critical supply chain.As they discover the true horror of battle at sea, Macro and Cato must also remember their real mission: to recover from those pirates a set of scrolls that hold secrets vital to the future of the Roman Empire. Rome will do anything to get them back...Trade ReviewPraise for Simon Scarrow's novels: 'I really don't need this kind of competition... It's a great read' -- Bernard CornwellScarrow's [novels] rank with the best * Independent *Gripping and moving * The Times *A satisfyingly bloodthirsty, bawdy romp...perfect for Bernard Cornwell addicts who will relish its historical detail and fast-paced action. Storming stuff * Good Book Guide *Ferocious and compelling * Daily Express *A Rome full of HOUSE OF CARDS treachery... Roman soldiering at its very best - even by Scarrow's high standards - in this winning chunk of historical fiction * Sunday Sport *Rollicking good fun * Mail on Sunday *A fast-moving and exceptionally well-paced historical thriller * BBC History Magazine *

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Book SynopsisIF YOU DON''T KNOW SIMON SCARROW, YOU DON''T KNOW ROME!THE LEGION is the action-packed tenth novel in Simon Scarrow''s bestselling Eagles of the Empire series. Perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell and Conn Iggulden.''Scarrow''s [novels] rank with the best'' IndependentEgypt, AD 49. Cato, one of the youngest Prefects of the Roman army, and Centurion Macro have a tough posting: to track down and destroy a gang of former gladiators who have turned to piracy. Driven by vengeance, these hardened brutes have been defiling temples, sinking Roman ships, and slaughtering men, women and children.What''s worse is that they are doing it all under the name of Macro and Cato, in an attempt to stir up a rebellion against the occupying forces. And it''s working. If Macro and Cato don''t stop the pirates in time, it could be the beginning of the end for the Roman Empire...Trade ReviewPraise for Simon Scarrow: 'I really don't need this kind of competition... It's a great read' -- Bernard CornwellGripping... ferocious and compelling, it is a story of blood, romance and sacrifice * Daily Express *A new book in Simon Scarrow's series about the Roman army is always a joy * The Times *Rollicking good fun * Mail on Sunday *A satisfyingly bloodthirsty, bawdy romp...perfect for Bernard Cornwell addicts who will relish its historical detail and fast-paced action. Storming stuff * Good Book Guide *Scarrow's [novels] rank with the best * Independent *[Simon Scarrow] blends together historical facts and characters to create a book that simply cannot be put down... Highly recommended * Historical Novels Review *

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Book SynopsisDelivered from slavery, Shira now lives in freedom at the foot of Mount Sinai. When the people disobey Yahweh and build a golden idol--and chaos erupts--Shira helps a woman in labor and discovers her calling in life. But after a delivery goes wrong, she finds herself in an impossible situation. Can she let go of the pain in her past and embrace love?

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Romantic, old-time Rajasthan leaps to life in the skilled hands of Alka Joshi. The Henna Artist brims over with richly drawn customs, locations, and characters. I can hardly wait for Alka Joshi’s next masterpiece.” --Sujata Massey, internationally bestselling author of The Satapur Moonstone and The Widows of Malabar Hill “Rich in detail and bright with tastes and textures, The Henna Artist is a fabulous glimpse into Indian culture of the 1950s.”—Bookpage, Starred Review“Eloquent debut…moving… Joshi masterfully balances a yearning for self-discovery with the need for familial love.” –Publishers Weekly"Vibrant characters, evocative imagery, and sumptuous prose create an unforgetable tale."--Christian Science Monitor “Joshi has constructed a bewitching glimpse into the past with a tough heroine well worth cheering on.”--Booklist"The Henna Artist is a bold, ambitious, beautifully written novel about India in the decade after independence, and about class, identity, love and deceit. The broad cast of characters will etchthemselves into your psyche." --Tom Barbash, author of Stay Up With Me"Fantastic, so evocative and beautiful and full of life and light.... The Henna Artist is detailed and sumptuous, vivid in its characters and deeply satisfying in its storytelling."--Leah Franqui, author of America for Beginners"Alka Joshi's superb first novel is unforgettable.... Read this book slowly and savor it: Every page is rich with intricate pleasures for both the mind and the heart."--Anita Amirrezvani, author of The Blood of Flowers"Like a brilliant, magical kaleidoscope, bursting with color, The Henna Artist kept me riveted from start to finish."--Lauren Belfer, NYT bestselling author of After the Fire and City of Light"Everything a great novel needs is here: The protagonist balancing impossible burdens with her bountiful talents; the many other characters, each so colorful and complex, each necessary to the intricate and delicate plot, Such a satisfying novel!"--Sandra Scofield, author of The Last Draft"Alka Joshi's debut novel is a richly drawn design of love and the many hungers that drive human beings...a lush, gorgeous journey that any reader will be sorry to see end."--Erin McGraw, author of The Good Life and The Seamstress of Hollywood"The Henna Artist is a delicious, old-fashioned tale about timeless heartaches. There's something elemental and mythic about Lakshmi and her knowledge of spices, roots, oils, and barks that drew me into the kind of world I gladly lived in when reading fairy tales as a child, a place inhabited by powerful queens, talking birds, magical drinks, orphans, sad princesses, clever servants, and dangerous poisons. I'm in awe of Joshi's storytelling and a little jealous of the character who winds up with the talking bird. “Namaste!” as he says. “Bonjour! Welcome!”---Laura McNeal, author of The Practice House

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Book SynopsisA Horatio Hornblower Tale of the SeaIn the final instalment of the Horatio Hornblower series we visit some lesser known adventures across our hero''s long career, including Napoleon''s plans to invade England . . .1805 and Horatio Hornblower is in possession of confidential dispatches from Bonaparte after a vicious hand-to-hand encounter with a French brig. The admiralty rewards Hornblower by sending him on a dangerous espionage mission that will light the powder trail leading to the battle of Trafalgar . . .Hornblower and the Crisis was unfinished at the time of Forester''s death, but the author left notes - included here - telling us how the tale would end. Also included are two further stories - Hornblower and the Widow McCool and The Last Encounter - that tell of Hornblower as a very young and very old man, respectively.This is the eleventh and final book chronicling the adventures of C. S. Forester''s inimitable

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Book SynopsisThe spellbinding story of Merlin''s rise to power.Vivid, enthralling, absolutely first-class - Daily MailSo begins the story of Merlin, born the illegitimate son of a Welsh princess in fifth century Britain, a world ravaged by war. Small and neglected, with his mother unwilling to reveal his father''s identity, Merlin must disguise his intelligence - and hide his occasional ability to know things before they happen - in order to keep himself safe.While exploring the countryside near his home, Merlin stumbles across a cave filled with books and papers and hiding a room lined with crystals. It is the home of Galapas, who becomes Merlin''s tutor and friend, and who teaches Merlin to understand the world around him... and to harness the power of the crystal cave to see the future.Merlin will rise to power and enter history - and legend - as advisor to King Arthur. But all stories must begin somewhere. And this is his. The CrystTrade ReviewA deft colourful . . . re-creation of Merlin's early life * Sunday Times *Vivid, enthralling, absolutely first-class * Daily Mail *Her style is simple yet vivid, displaying a love of words and the sounds they make, and her story is poetically imaginative * Daily Telegraph *Mary Stewart brilliantly recreates the Britain of the fifth century * Books And Bookmen *A fascinating story which lays a firm hold on the imagination * The Scotsman *Mary Stewart lightens the Dark Ages with legend, pure invention and a lively sense of history. * New York Times *

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Book Synopsis''A formidable, necessary voice in fiction'' Taylor Jenkins Reid, author of Malibu Rising''Dazzling, cinematic, intimate, lyrical'' Roxane Gay, author of Bad Feminist ''A feat of old-school storytelling'' The ObserverWINNER OF THE READING THE WEST BOOK AWARD FOR FICTION. LONGLISTED FOR THE JOYCE CAROL OATES PRIZE. LONGLISTED FOR THE CAROL SHIELDS PRIZE FOR FICTION.There is one every generation, a seer who keeps the stories.Luz Little Light Lopez, a tea leaf reader and laundress, is left to fend for herself after her older brother, Diego, a snake charmer and factory worker, is run out of town by a violent white mob. As Luz navigates 1930s Denver, she begins to have visions that transport her to her Indigenous homeland in the nearby Lost Territory. Luz recollects her ancestors'' origins, how her family flourished, and how they were threatened. She bears witness to the sinisteTrade ReviewSometimes you just step into a book and let it wash over you, like you're swimming under a big, sparkling night sky * Celeste Ng, author of Little Fires Everywhere and Everything I Never Told You *An intimate and intensely moving story of a Latinx and Indigenous family in the American West. Kali Fajardo-Anstine's lyrical, unpretentious prose renders the generations of women of this story in all of their complexity, offering a nuanced perspective on how the past can inform the future . . . A formidable, necessary voice in fiction * Taylor Jenkins Reid, author of Malibu Rising *A fascinatingly rich setting . . . Fajardo-Anstine is brilliant at evoking the everyday resilience of people carrying centuries of history in their souls . . . Woman of Light achieves something very satisfying as a soapy, immersive saga - a feat of old-school storytelling * The Observer *With a single phrase, line of dialogue, description, Fajardo-Anstine has the power to accurately express the joy and sadness in a person's life, their history, how the world comes into contact with us, and how we come into contact with the world. . . . Captivating * Mieko Kawakami, author of Breasts and Eggs *[A] bewitching debut novel * BBC's History magazine *This novel is indelible, and shines its big light on the Lopez family so brightly that I could draw a map of their breath. . . . An absolutely glorious novel * Emma Straub, author of All Adults Here *A rare and wondrous kind of novel that assembles the universe from mere words, whose unforgettable characters haunt like long shadows in the southwestern light * Gary Shteyngart, author of Lake Success *Pure, simple, and luminescent . . . There are no other words to describe Kali Fajardo-Anstine's Woman of Light; a brilliant conflagration of a story that opens the eyes and inflames the heart * Craig Johnson, author of the Longmire series *A cinematic, epic story. Kali Fajardo-Anstine brings her keen understanding of desire, vulnerability, and destiny to this gorgeous reclaiming of lost history * Mira Jacob, author of Good Talk *Fajardo-Anstine's storytelling is absolutely engrossing * Shondaland *A transporting story of the importance of family history told in a luminescent style * Good Housekeeping *A lush, immersive historical novel * Kirkus Reviews *An entrancing book about the stories we carry, the ones we need to keep telling. Fajardo-Anstine has given us another stunning cast of characters to root for * Lithub *A novel with vast reach * Electric Literature *An unparalleled generational saga . . . one of the most potent voices in contemporary Latino and Native American literature * BeLatina *Woman of Light is a sweeping family saga, as the Lopez family makes their way back to their generational home. Farjado-Anstine incorporates the culturally significant elements of magical realism and nonlinear storytelling in her work. * Bookriot *There is so much to love about this saga . . . this novel is wholly engrossing. Loved it. * Roxane Gay, via Goodreads *

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Book SynopsisA magical tale of Christmas and cats, perfect for everyone who loves A Street Cat Named Bob and Alfie the Doorstep Cat.It''s nearly Christmas, and Jessamine Pike needs a serious life overhaul.Jess moves into Enysyule, a centuries-old cottage in Cornwall, and begins the process of renovating the rundown house by day and finishing her novel by night, planning to have both finished in time for the holidays. She''s got good company: a beautiful, arrogant tomcat stalks around like he owns the place, and seems very skeptical of Jess'' tenancy. But there''s magic in the air... Local legends tell of a spirit that inhabits the area, and an ancient standing stone that keeps watch over the valley. As Christmas comes closer and closer, Jess uncovers treasures from Enysyule''s past, and becomes involved in a fight for its future. For Jess has stumbled into a story that''s been going on for five hundred years. A story about land, love, friendshTrade ReviewLili Hayward is a beguiling new voice. Her prose is stunning and effortless; I devoured every word. Breath-taking and beautiful, evocative and richly described, The Cat of Yule Cottage has magic sewn into every page. * Tilly Tennant, author of Christmas at the Little Village Bakery *A dreamy, atmospheric Christmas story about legends and love, Cornwall and cats, that races along to its warming and satisfying ending. * Sheila Norton, author of Charlie, the Kitten Who Saved a Life *

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Book SynopsisA rich and beautiful story, set in a quiet cathedral city.When cathedral dean Adam Ayscough encounters clockmaker Isaac Peabody, their unlikely friendship touches the lives of the entire community. Behind the dean''s fearsome reputation lies a humble man crippled by shyness. Desperate to leave behind a lasting legacy of goodness, his only wishes are to serve God and his parishioners, and to be loved by his young and dissatisfied wife.Haunted by the memories of a miserable childhood, gifted clockmaker Isaac Peabody has spent a lifetime perfecting his craft and rejecting all belief in God.Despite their fundamental differences, both men find a common understanding, and discover that faith can come in many different guises.What readers are saying about THE DEAN''S WATCH''Goudge in the class of Victor Hugo, or Dickens'' - 5 STARS''Beautifully written, simply couldn''t put iTrade ReviewAbout the novels of Elizabeth Goudge there is always something of the fairy-tale, and THE DEAN'S WATCH is full of the enchantment of goodness - it has that timelessness which marks the author's best work. - The Scotsman

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Book SynopsisNow a major film directed by Martin Bourboulon.It is 1625 and France is under threat. D’Artagnan, a young nobleman, sets off to Paris to seek his fortune as a member of the King's Guard and befriends three musketeers - the mysterious Athos, ambitious and romantic Aramis, and bumbling Porthos. Together the friends must use all their guile and ingenuity to outwit the dastardly schemes of Cardinal Richelieu and the glamorous spy, Milady.As fresh and entertaining today as when it was first written, Alexandre Dumas's The Three Musketeers is a gripping adventure story of daring sword fights, romances, espionage and murder.This sensitively abridged Macmillan Collector’s Library edition of The Three Musketeers features an afterword by playwright, screenwriter and actor, Peter Harness.Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure.

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Book SynopsisSpellbinding and suspenseful, Jeffrey Archer delivers thrills like no other author in The Prodigal Daughter. A magnificent story of love and politics, a No. 1 worldwide bestseller and the enthralling sequel to the multimillion-selling global phenomenon Kane and Abel.With a will of steel, Florentyna Rosnovski is indeed Abel’s daughter.Inheriting all of her father’s drive but none of his wealth, she is in pursuit of an ambition that far exceeds either her father or his great rival William Kane – to be the first female president.Born into a life of luxury, Richard Kane is determined to carve his own path in the world whilst building a future with Florentyna, the woman he loves.With Florentyna’s ultimate goal only a heartbeat away, both are about to discover the shattering price of power as a titanic battle of betrayal and deception reaches out from the past – a blood feud between two generations that threatens to destroy everything they have fought to achieve.‘If there were a Nobel Prize for storytelling, Archer would win’ - The Daily TelegraphTrade ReviewA master entertainer * Evening Standard *If there was a Nobel Prize for storytelling, Archer would win * Daily Telegraph *Witty, action-filled . . . Archer's masterful narrative produces thrills and surprises * Publisher's Weekly *

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Book SynopsisAn emotional, rousing novel inspired by the incredible true story of two giraffes who made headlines and won the hearts of Depression-era America. “Few true friends have I known and two were giraffes…” Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his life ebbing away. But when he learns giraffes are going extinct, he finds himself recalling the unforgettable experience he cannot take to his grave. It’s 1938. The Great Depression lingers. Hitler is threatening Europe, and world-weary Americans long for wonder. They find it in two giraffes who miraculously survive a hurricane while crossing the Atlantic. What follows is a twelve-day road trip in a custom truck to deliver Southern California’s first giraffes to the San Diego Zoo. Behind the wheel is the young Dust Bowl rowdy Woodrow. Inspired by true events, the tale weaves real-life figures with fictional ones, including the world’s first female zoo director, a crusty old man with a past, a young female photographer with a secret, and assorted reprobates as spotty as the giraffes. Part adventure, part historical saga, and part coming-of-age love story, West with Giraffes explores what it means to be changed by the grace of animals, the kindness of strangers, the passing of time, and a story told before it’s too late.Trade ReviewA Texas Center for the Book Great Read Selection “A delightful read.” —The New York Times Book Review “West with Giraffes is truly a fun read…I [can’t] imagine a reading list that would not contain Lynda Rutledge’s astonishing novel.” —Old Naples News “Every year I find at least one book that soars above all the others. This year West With Giraffes is that book.” —Florida Times Union “A flawless novel.” —Austin American-Statesman “A perfect balance between history and fiction.” —POPSUGAR “[A] larger-than-life story about the power of both animal magnetism and human connection…witty, charming, and heartwarming.” —Booklist

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Book SynopsisIan McEwan's celebrated novel, now an unmissable film starring Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan (Atonement, Brooklyn) It is July 1962. Edward and Florence, young innocents married that morning, arrive at a hotel on the Dorset coast. At dinner in their rooms they struggle to suppress their private fears of the wedding night to come and, unbeknownst to them both, the events of the evening will haunt them for the rest of their lives.Trade ReviewWonderful...exquisite...devastating * Independent on Sunday *On Chesil Beach is more than an event. It is a masterpiece * Times Literary Supplement *Superb... The protagonists have everything to lose, and their faltering journey towards a point of no return is conjured into life my McEwan with irresistible subtlety, tact and force * Financial Times *Exquisitely crafted * Evening Standard *Written with a fierce pursuit of the truth and an utterly modern self-awareness, what a confidant tour de force this turns out to be * Sunday Express *

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Book SynopsisLonglisted for the CWA Historical Dagger Award in 2020, the second book from the author of The Angel's Mark, a CWA Dagger shortlisted novel and a Walter Scott Prize Academy Recommended Read 2019'S.W. Perry's ingeniously plotted novels have become my favourite historical crime series.' S. G. MacLean, author of The Seeker series____________________Treason sleeps for no man...London, 1591. Nicholas Shelby, physician and reluctant spy, returns to his old haunts on London's lawless Bankside. But, when spymaster Robert Cecil asks him to investigate the dubious practices of a mysterious doctor from Switzerland, Nicholas is soon embroiled in a conspiracy that threatens not just the life of an innocent young patient, but the overthrow of Queen Elizabeth herself.With fellow healer and mistress of the Jackdaw tavern, Bianca Merton, again at his side, Nicholas is drawn into a sinister world of zealots, charlatans and dangerous fanatics...Trade ReviewThe second in [Perry's] series about the Elizabethan doctor-cum-sleuth Nicholas Shelby... is as elegantly written as the first * The Times *An excellent romp through an exciting era. * Jon Wise, the Sunday Sport *No-one is better than S. W. Perry at leading us through the squalid streets of London in the sixteenth century. * Andrew Swanston, author of the Thomas Hill Novels *A satisfyingly convoluted plot. * Sunday Times *The writing is of such a quality, the characters so engaging and the setting so persuasive that, only two books in, S.W. Perry's ingeniously plotted novels have become my favourite historical crime series. * S. G. MacLean, author of The Seeker series *The Serpent's Mark is an excellent evocation of Elizabethan England, with espionage, intricate conspiracies, strange medical practises and a gripping story. A rattling good read. * William Ryan, bestselling author of The Constant Soldier *A gorgeous book - rich, intelligent and dark in equal measure. It immerses you in the late 16th century and leaves you wrung out with terror. This is historical fiction at its most sumptuous... * Rory Clements, author of the the John Shakespeare series, on The Angel's Mark *Wonderful! Beautiful writing, and Perry's Elizabethan London is so skilfully evoked, so real that one can almost smell it. * Giles Kristian, author of Lancelot, on The Angel's Mark *An impressively dramatic and gripping debut novel. Elegantly written, thoroughly researched, The Angel's Mark draws us into the murky world of Elizabethan London where life is a game of chance, and savage death a close neighbour, quick to pounce on the unsuspecting. I predict that we will be seeing much more of Nicholas Shelby, physician and reluctant spy. * Anne O'Brien, author of The Scandalous Duchess, on The Angel's Mark *I knew before I got to the bottom of the first page that The Angel's Mark was the real thing. In an increasingly crowded field, this one is going to stand out. * S. G. MacLean, author of The Seeker series, on The Angel's Mark *

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Book SynopsisThe Assassin's Creed Escape Room Puzzle Book is an exciting journey through history in which you must solve a series of puzzles and mysteries to save humanity. You are Joey, a museum worker who comes across a mysterious blade that sets in motion a chain of events that completely upends your life. Drawn into the world of the Assassins, you must tour through time and space – from 5th century BCE Greece to the catacombs of medieval Venice – in order to foil a malevolent Isu plot.Featuring characters and locations familiar to fans of the Assassin's Creed franchise and written by an experienced real-life escape-room creator, this immersive escape-room experience is both visually exciting and a difficult puzzle quest.Can you solve the conundrums and reveal the Isu plan in time to save the world?

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Book SynopsisYona has used her knowledge of the wilderness to help hundreds of Jews escape the Nazis. But what happens when a secret from her past emerges and threatens everything? After being stolen from her wealthy German parents and raised in the unforgiving wilderness of eastern Europe, a young woman finds herself alone in 1941 after her kidnapper dies.Her solitary existence is interrupted, however, when she happens upon a group of Jews fleeing the Nazi terror. Stunned to learn what's happening in the outside world, she vows to teach the group all she can about surviving in the forest – and in turn, they teach her some surprising lessons about opening her heart after years of isolation.But when she is betrayed and escapes into a German-occupied village, her past and present come together in a shocking collision that could change everything.Praise for Kristin Harmel: 'A powerful story of survival and resilience. I couldn't put it down' - Heather Morris'A cracking story and characters that zing from the page. Totally immersive' - Liz TrenowTrade Review'A cracking story and characters that zing from the page. Totally immersive' -- Liz Trenow

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Book SynopsisMeasuring the World recreates the parallel but contrasting lives of two geniuses of the German Enlightenment - the naturalist and explorer Alexander von Humboldt and the mathematician and physicist Carl Friedrich Gauss. Towards the end of the 18th century, these two brilliant young Germans set out to measure the world. Humboldt, a Prussian aristocrat schooled for greatness, negotiates savannah and jungle, climbs the highest mountain then known to man, counts head lice on the heads of the natives, and explores every hole in the ground. Gauss, a man born in poverty who will be recognised as the greatest mathematician since Newton, does not even need to leave his home in Göttingen to know that space is curved. He can run prime numbers in his head, cannot imagine a life without women and yet jumps out of bed on his wedding night to jot down a mathematical formula. Measuring the World is a novel of rare charm and readability, distinguished by its sly humour and unforgettable characterization. It brings the two eccentric geniuses to life, their longings and their weaknesses, their balancing act between loneliness and love, absurdity and greatness, failure and success.Trade Review'A dazzling success ... Fantastically imagined' * Daily Telegraph *'Pulsing with fictional energy ... Here for once is a popular hit as sophisticated as it is engaging' * Sunday Times *'Nothing less than a literary sensation' * Guardian *'This is a masterpiece' * Independent on Sunday *'Kehlmann is one of the brightest, most pleasure-giving writers at work today, and he manages all this while exploring matters of deep philosophical and intellectual import. He deserves to have more readers' * Jeffrey Eugenides *

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Book SynopsisThe mighty slave army, led by Spartacus, has crushed all before it, scattering the legions of Rome. Now invincible, he marches towards the Alps and freedom.But storm clouds are growing on the horizon. Crassus, the richest man in Rome, has raised an army to rival Spartacus, and there are murmurings of rebellion in Spartacus’ own army.Spartacus, on the brink of glory, must make a crucial decision - to go forward over the Alps to freedom, or back to face the might of Rome and try to break its power forever.'Compulsive, relentless ... vividly recounted in muscular prose' Daily Telegraph'A brutal, blood-spattered novel' BBC History MagazineTrade ReviewBen Kane’s superb Spartacus ‘mini series’ takes historical Roman novel writing to heady new heights in the final, pulsating instalment of the slave rebellion that shook the mighty Roman empire... [a] bold and brutal trip to the heat and heart of an ancient legend... tough, uncompromising prose, allied to a refreshingly human and humane portrayal of the principal protagonists... an epic story conveyed with power, passion, gut-wrenching realism and enough emotion to fill the long and gruesomely historic Appian Way from Rome to Capua... Kane approaches the legendary warrior with a fresh eye, a raw and convincing realism... * Press Association *

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Book SynopsisRejected by fifteenth-century Parisian society, the hideously deformed bell-ringer Quasimodo believes he is safe under the watchful eye of his master, the Archdeacon Claude Frollo. But after Quasimodo saves the beautiful Romani girl Esmeralda from the gallows and brings her to sanctuary in the cathedral, he and Frollo's mutual desire for her puts them increasingly at odds, before compassion and cruelty clash with tragic results.An emotionally stirring story, Victor Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre-Dame is rightfully considered to be one of the finest novels ever written, and this beautiful edition, featuring an afterword by John Grant, is the perfect way to experience this unforgettable tale.Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure.

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Book SynopsisGogmagog tells the story of an epic journey through the sixty-mile long ghost of a dragon. We travel by boat, a rickety steam launch captained by Cady Meade, a veteran taxi pilot on the river Nysis. In her heyday she carried people and goods from the thriving seaports of the estuary into Ludwich, the capital city. But that was years ago. Now she’s drunk, holed up in a rundown seaside resort, telling her bawdy tales for shots of rum. All that’s about to change, when two strangers seek her out, asking for transport, one of whom – a young girl – is very ill, and in great danger. The other, an artificial being of singular character, has secrets hidden inside his crystal skull. And so begins the voyage of the Juniper. The Nysis is unlike any other river. Mysteries unfold with each port of call. Not many can navigate these channels, not many know of its whirlpools and sandbanks, and of the ravenous creatures that lurk beneath the surface. Cady used to have the necessary knowledge, and the powers of spectral navigation. But her glory days are well behind her now. This might well be her final journey.Trade Review"Marvellous stuff: a great flowing river of a novel, endlessly inventive, gorgeously written, pungent and haunting and gripping. This is the kind of world that, in all its strangeness, feels very real: you inhabit it rather than read about it. The dragon Faynr: chef's kiss! Can't wait for the next volume." – Adam Roberts, BSFA award-winning author of Jack Glass

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF TWO GOLDEN GLOBES, STARRING EMMA STONE, FROM THE DIRECTOR OF THE FAVOURITEWinner of the Whitbread Novel Award and the Guardian Fiction PrizeA life without freedom to choose is not worth having.Godwin Baxter''s scientific ambition to create the perfect companion is realised when he finds the drowned body of the beautiful Bella, who he brings back to life in a Frankenstein-esque feat. But his dream is thwarted by Dr. Archibald McCandless''s jealous love for his creation . . .But what does Bella think?This story of true love and scientific daring whirls the reader from the private operating-theatres of late-Victorian Glasgow through aristocratic casinos, low-life Alexandria and a Parisian bordello, reaching an interrupted climax in a Scottish church.________________________''A magnificently brisk, funny, dirty, brainy book'' London Review of Books''Visionary, ornate and outrageous'' The Independent''Witty and delightfully w

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Book SynopsisOn dry land, having been drawn into the half-worlds of London's criminal underground and of government espionage, Jack Aubrey faces perhaps the greatest challenge of his life.With rumours of peace running rampant, Captain Jack Aubrey chances his luck on the stock exchange. However, when his plans go awry, Marshalsea prison awaits. Can Stephen Maturin rescue his friend from a politically motivated trial and the enormity of being stricken from the Navy Lists?When the world has turned its back against you, friendship is all.The most brilliant historical novelist of modern times.'MAX HASTINGS[Patrick O'Brian has] the power of bringing near to the reader . . . savagery and tenderness, beauty and mystery and boldness and dignity.'EUDORA WELTYTrade Review‘If O’Brian’s novels have become a cult, this is because they are truly addictive. . . They are, quite magnificently, adventure yarns whose superb authenticity never distracts from the sheer thrill of the action.’Caroline Moore, Sunday Telegraph ‘The Aubrey–Maturin novels, by Patrick O’Brian, are so addictive that after I finish one I have to hide the next from myself for a little while in order to do anything else but read.’Louise Erdrich ‘In Aubrey and Maturin, Patrick O’Brian has created two of the most enjoyable characters in twentieth-century fiction. Their relationship sustains an absorbing and thrilling sequence of naval stories, unrivalled in their complexity, full of impeccable detail and psychological insight. O’Brian switches from the intimate to the epic with equal assurance. One of the greatest authors to sail with.’Michael Palin ‘My hero is Patrick O’Brian. It’s basically impossible to write that well.’David Mamet ‘One of the most compelling and brilliant novelists of his time . . . Beyond his superbly elegant writing, wit and originality, Patrick O’Brian showed an understanding of the nature of a floating world at the mercy of the wind and the sea which has never been surpassed.’Max Hastings, Evening Standard ‘I devoured Patrick O’Brian’s twenty-volume masterpiece as if it had been so many tots of Jamaica grog.’Christopher Hitchens ‘Written with most engaging enthusiasm that can’t fail to give pleasure to anybody who enjoys historical adventure flavoured with more than a dash of realism.’The Sunday Times ‘One of the most brilliantly sustained pieces of historical fictional writing this century.’James Teacher, Spectator ‘Patrick O’Brian brings depth to his sea-stories with outstanding dialogue, characterisation, humour and a golden thread of romance. You don’t have to love books about naval battles to become entranced.’Katie Fforde

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Book SynopsisThere is a fine line between privateer and pirate, between friend and foe.With a beleaguered Britain already facing war on two fronts against Napoleon's armies in Europe but also against the young and vigorous United States the objective of ship's surgeon and spy Stephen Maturin is to light the touch paper of Peruvian revolutionary fervour, all while Captain Jack Aubrey engages with their many and varied enemies at sea.Will revolution in South America tip the balance Britain's way?The truth is that we aficionados scarcely feel them to be novels at all. They are a world of their own, a world full of excitement, mystery, charm and good manners of which we have ourselves become participating citizens.'JAN MORRIS, Observer[O'Brian] goes on that very small shelf reserved for authors who, disregarding aptitudes, spin a story out of the heart and soul of their experience and the joy of living.'Times Literary SupplementTrade Review‘If O’Brian’s novels have become a cult, this is because they are truly addictive. . . They are, quite magnificently, adventure yarns whose superb authenticity never distracts from the sheer thrill of the action.’Caroline Moore, Sunday Telegraph ‘The Aubrey–Maturin novels, by Patrick O’Brian, are so addictive that after I finish one I have to hide the next from myself for a little while in order to do anything else but read.’Louise Erdrich ‘In Aubrey and Maturin, Patrick O’Brian has created two of the most enjoyable characters in twentieth-century fiction. Their relationship sustains an absorbing and thrilling sequence of naval stories, unrivalled in their complexity, full of impeccable detail and psychological insight. O’Brian switches from the intimate to the epic with equal assurance. One of the greatest authors to sail with.’Michael Palin ‘My hero is Patrick O’Brian. It’s basically impossible to write that well.’David Mamet ‘One of the most compelling and brilliant novelists of his time . . . Beyond his superbly elegant writing, wit and originality, Patrick O’Brian showed an understanding of the nature of a floating world at the mercy of the wind and the sea which has never been surpassed.’Max Hastings, Evening Standard ‘I devoured Patrick O’Brian’s twenty-volume masterpiece as if it had been so many tots of Jamaica grog.’Christopher Hitchens ‘Written with most engaging enthusiasm that can’t fail to give pleasure to anybody who enjoys historical adventure flavoured with more than a dash of realism.’The Sunday Times ‘One of the most brilliantly sustained pieces of historical fictional writing this century.’James Teacher, Spectator ‘Patrick O’Brian brings depth to his sea-stories with outstanding dialogue, characterisation, humour and a golden thread of romance. You don’t have to love books about naval battles to become entranced.’Katie Fforde

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Book SynopsisCoward, scoundrel, lover and cheat, but there is no better man to go into the jungle with. Join Flashman in his adventures as he survives fearful ordeals and outlandish perils across the four corners of the world.A mission calls for a master of disguise, deceit and treachery: there's only one man for the job. When a legendary femme fatale delivers him into the clutches of the dastardly Otto von Bismarck, Flashman will need all the cunning and seductive charm he can muster to escape this plot.Trade Review'Flashman is a wonderful creation, by a master storyteller. We'll forever delight in his evil antics' JEFFREY ARCHER ‘Politically incorrect, lascivious and fiendishly handsome, Flashman is the greatest ’ BORIS JOHNSON ‘Flashman is one of the great characters of modern fiction; a rogue, a lover, and always an irresistible read’ BERNARD CORNWELL ‘Flashman, Sherlock Holmes, Toad of Toad Hall, Bertie Wooster. Any writer would give his eye-teeth to have created a character as good as those. GMF was one of the greats’ CONN IGGULDEN ‘The perfect fictional creation’ TONY PARSONS ‘A first-rate historical novelist’ KINGSLEY AMIS

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Book SynopsisThe third volume in the bestselling Wideacre Trilogy of novels. Set in the eighteenth century, they launched the career of Philippa Gregory, the bestselling author of The Other Boleyn Girl and Three Sisters, Three Queens.Meridon, a desolate Romany girl, is determined to escape the hard poverty of her childhood. Riding bareback in a travelling show, while her sister Dandy risks her life on the trapeze, Meridon dedicates herself to freeing them both from danger and want.But Dandy, beautiful, impatient, thieving Dandy, grabs too much, too quickly. And Meridon finds herself alone, riding in bitter grief through the rich Sussex farmlands towards a house called Wideacre which awaits the return of the last of the Laceys.Sweeping, passionate, unique: ''Meridon'' completes Philippa Gregory''s bestselling trilogy which began with ''Wideacre'' and continued with ''The Favoured Child''.Trade ReviewPraise for ‘Meridon’: ‘Compelling… Philippa Gregory reigns supreme as the mistress of historical drama.’Today ‘Subtle and exciting.’Daily Express Praise for ‘The Favoured Child’: ‘For sheer pace and percussive drama it will take a lot of beating.’Sunday Times

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Book SynopsisShortlisted for the Booker Prize.It is March 1913, and the grand old city of Moscow is stirring herself to meet the beginning of spring. Change is in the air, and nowhere more so than at 22 Lipka Street, the home of English printer Frank Reid.One day Frank's wife Nellie takes the train back to England, with no explanation, leaving him with their three young children. Into his life comes Lisa Ivanovna, a country girl, untroubled to the point of seeming simple. But is she? And why has Frank's accountant Selwyn, gone to such lengths to bring them together? And who is the passionate Volodya, who breaks into the press at night?Frank sees, but only dimly, that he is a rational man in Moscow, a city where love, and friendship, power and politics, are at their most unfathomable.Trade Review‘Reading a Penelope Fitzgerald novel is like being taken for a ride in a peculiar kind of car. Everything is of top quality – the engine, the coachwork and the interior all fill you with confidence. Then, after a mile or so, someone throws the steering-wheel out of the window.’ Sebastian Faulks ‘Wise and ironic, funny and humane, Fitzgerald is a wonderful, wonderful writer.’ David Nicholls ‘For the life of me I can’t decide how properly to respond to this book. Whether it contains a latent moral or allegorical message, or whether it is simply a tour de force of craft and imagination I have not the faintest idea. I only know that it is one of the most skilful and utterly fascinating novels I have read for years. I cannot imagine any kind of reader who would not get a thrill from this gloriously peculiar book.’ Jan Morris, Independent ‘Penelope Fitzgerald has produced a real Russian comedy, at once crafty and scatty. She has mastered a city, a landscape and a vanished time. She has written something remarkable, part novel, part evocation, and done so in prose that never puts a foot wrong. She is so unostentatious a writer that she needs to be read several times. What is impressive is the calm confidence behind the apparent simplicity of utterance. “The Beginning of Spring” is her best novel to date.’ Anita Arookner, Spectator

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Book SynopsisPre-order BOLEYN TRAITOR now Philippa Gregory's landmark return to the Tudor court, coming Autumn 2025 A stunning novel set in the Tudor court, from the Sunday Times No.1 bestseller Philippa Gregory.I would have been a fool indeed to tell the truth in this court of liars1553. King Edward is on his deathbed, and the future of the Tudor dynasty swings perilously.Forced out of Spain by the Inquisition, Hannah Green arrives in a volatile kingdom. She is identified as a seer and sworn into the service of Robert Dudley, the son of King Edward's protector and a key player at court. Her task: to keep watch on Princess Mary, the forgotten heir.Mary's grip on the Crown is fragile. Elizabeth, Mary's half-sister, is ready to take England's throne. Caught in the rivalry between the daughters of Henry VIII, Hannah must navigate her way through a treacherous court if she is to survive.Trade ReviewPraise for Philppa Gregory: ‘Gregory's research is impeccable which makes her imaginative fiction all the more convincing’ Daily Mail ‘Gregory is great at conjuring a Tudor film-set of gorgeous gowns and golden-lattered dining. She invokes some swoonsome images…while the politics are personal enough to remain pertinent’ Daily Telegraph ‘Subtle and exciting’ Daily Express ‘Written from instinct, not out of calculation, and it shows’Peter Ackroyd, The Times ‘For sheer pace and percussive drama it will take a lot of beating’ Sunday Times

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Book SynopsisCoward, scoundrel, lover and cheat, but there is no better man to go into the jungle with. Join Flashman in his adventures as he survives fearful ordeals and outlandish perils across the four corners of the world.In his raunchiest romp yet, Flashman mines new depths of roguish behaviour as a secret agent extraordinaire and is thrust headfirst into the middle of the Indian Mutiny.Trade Review'Flashman is a wonderful creation, by a master storyteller. We'll forever delight in his evil antics' JEFFREY ARCHER ‘Politically incorrect, lascivious and fiendishly handsome, Flashman is the greatest ’ BORIS JOHNSON ‘Flashman is one of the great characters of modern fiction; a rogue, a lover, and always an irresistible read’ BERNARD CORNWELL ‘Flashman, Sherlock Holmes, Toad of Toad Hall, Bertie Wooster. Any writer would give his eye-teeth to have created a character as good as those. GMF was one of the greats’ CONN IGGULDEN ‘The perfect fictional creation’ TONY PARSONS ‘A first-rate historical novelist’ KINGSLEY AMIS

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Book SynopsisCoward, scoundrel, lover and cheat, but there is no better man to go into the jungle with. Join Flashman in his adventures as he survives fearful ordeals and outlandish perils across the four corners of the world.As the Light Brigade prepare to charge the Russian guns at Balaclava, Flashman assumes his characteristic battle position: sabre rattling, teeth chattering, bowels rumbling in terror and about to bolt.Trade Review'Flashman is a wonderful creation, by a master storyteller. We'll forever delight in his evil antics' JEFFREY ARCHER ‘Politically incorrect, lascivious and fiendishly handsome, Flashman is the greatest ’ BORIS JOHNSON ‘Flashman is one of the great characters of modern fiction; a rogue, a lover, and always an irresistible read’ BERNARD CORNWELL ‘Flashman, Sherlock Holmes, Toad of Toad Hall, Bertie Wooster. Any writer would give his eye-teeth to have created a character as good as those. GMF was one of the greats’ CONN IGGULDEN ‘The perfect fictional creation’ TONY PARSONS ‘A first-rate historical novelist’ KINGSLEY AMIS

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Book SynopsisCoward, scoundrel, lover and cheat, but there is no better man to go into the jungle with. Join Flashman in his adventures as he survives fearful ordeals and outlandish perils across the four corners of the world.An international mission calls for unflinching bravery in the bedroom . . .Caught between an opium-selling vicar's wife, an Amazonian bandit queen looking for her next husband and the Chinese Emperor's ravishing concubine, Harry Flashman is busier than ever.Trade Review'Flashman is a wonderful creation, by a master storyteller. We'll forever delight in his evil antics' JEFFREY ARCHER ‘Politically incorrect, lascivious and fiendishly handsome, Flashman is the greatest ’ BORIS JOHNSON ‘Flashman is one of the great characters of modern fiction; a rogue, a lover, and always an irresistible read’ BERNARD CORNWELL ‘Flashman, Sherlock Holmes, Toad of Toad Hall, Bertie Wooster. Any writer would give his eye-teeth to have created a character as good as those. GMF was one of the greats’ CONN IGGULDEN ‘The perfect fictional creation’ TONY PARSONS ‘A first-rate historical novelist’ KINGSLEY AMIS

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Book SynopsisBeautiful repackage of this Barbara Erskine classic, the story of a remarkable mediaeval noblewoman whose life shaped the history of three crownsThe child whose hands would hold three crowns is born in fire.In 1218 an extraordinary princess is born. Her mystical powers and unquenchable spirit will alter the course of history.Raised by her fiercely Welsh nurse to support the Celtic cause against the predatory English king, Princess Eleyne is taught to worship the old gods and to look into the future and the past. However, unable to identify time and place in her terrifying visions, she is powerless to avert forthcoming tragedyDespite impassioned resistance, Eleyne's world is shaped by powerful men but her tempestuous life and loves tie her to the destinies of England, Scotland and WalesReaders LOVE Barbara Erskine:Atmospheric' ?????Enthralling' ?????Spellbinding' ?????Another fabulous read from the mistress of the genre' ?????Immensely and deeply immersive fiction' ?????I loved every mTrade Review'Her forte is mood, atmosphere and the toe-curling frisson.' Sunday Times ‘Readers of Barbara Erskine are held in thrall’Woman’s Realm ‘Stephen King meeting Ruth Rendell’Frank Delaney 'Barbara Erskine's storytelling talent is undeniable' The Times

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Book SynopsisA gripping tale of witchcraft and romance, past and present, from the Sunday Times bestselling authorThe parish of Manningtree and Mistley has a dark history. In 1644, Cromwell''s Witchfinder General tortured scores of women there, including Liza the herbalist, whose cottage still stands. Some say the spirits of his victims still haunt the old shop on the High StreetEmma Dickson gave up her high-flying career to live in Liza's cottage, but as Halloween approaches, visions of a terrible past are driving her to madness. In despair, Emma turns to the local rector for help, but he, too, is in the grip of something inexplicably dangerousPerfect for fans of Christina Courtenay, Nicola Cornick and Elizabeth Chadwick!Readers LOVE Barbara Erskine:Atmospheric' ?????Enthralling' ?????Spellbinding' ?????Another fabulous read from the mistress of the genre' ?????Immensely and deeply immersive fiction' ?????I loved every minute' ?????An exceptional writer of great books' ?????You can rely on this auTrade ReviewPraise for Barbara Erskine The Warrior’s Princess: ‘An engrossing race against time’ Woman and Home ‘This is one of the most gripping page-turners I’ve read’ Sun Barbara’s many bestsellers: ‘Her forte is mood, atmosphere and the toe-curling frisson’ Elizabeth Buchan, Sunday Times

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Book SynopsisThe breathtaking sequel to the all-time classic, THE EAGLE HAS LANDED, reissued for a new generationThe greatest World War Two story of all time is not overBy the end of 1943, all evidence of the abortive German attempt to assassinate Winston Churchill has been carefully buried in an unmarked grave in the Norfolk village of Studley Constable.But two of the most wanted ringleaders are still aliveIn the fourth hard winter of war, British Intelligence pick up disturbing reports from Heinrich Himmler's power base in Wewelsburg Castle. The mission is not yet accomplished. For the Fatherland, the Reichsfuhrer is demanding the Eagle's returnTrade Review‘A triumphant return to the settings and characters from Jack Higgins’ most famous novel, The Eagle Has Landed. The master of the WWII thriller is at the top of his form’ Publishers Weekly ‘Higgins is a master of his craft.’ Daily Telegraph ‘The master craftsman of good, clean adventure.’ Daily Mail

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Book SynopsisThe new novel from Susan Fletcher, author of the bestselling ‘Eve Green’ and ‘Oystercatchers’.Trade Review‘Corrag's descriptions combine the oblique originality of a child with the precision and control of a poet…the novel is crowded with images stunning in their freshness and simplicity…there are moments when the sheer beauty of the prose takes one's breath away…it is a novel of extraordinary beauty and quiet power that is impossible, having read it, not to look at the world anew' Guardian 'Corrag is a beguiling and sensitive heroine and Fletcher's powers of description are as strong as ever in her third novel' Financial Times 'Fletcher gives Corrag a lyrical narrative voice…a fascinating aspect of history' Daily Mail 'Susan Fletcher's lyrical, poetic style is burnished to a rare shine in her third book…her descriptions of the Scottish landscape are breathtaking, as is her depiction of the lonesome girl who is enraptured by the beauty of the Highlands…Incredibly moving' Marie Claire 'As compelling as it is heartbreaking…Fletcher's powerful prose will stay with you long after you finish the last page. Highly recommended' Image Magazine

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Book SynopsisCaptivate, kill or destroy the whole force of the enemy' was the order given to the American soldiers.THE FORT is the blistering new novel from worldwide bestseller Bernard Cornwell.Summer 1779.Seven hundred and fifty British soldiers and three small ships of the Royal Navy. Their orders: to build a fort above a harbour to create a base from which to control the New England seaboard.Forty-one American ships and over nine hundred men. Their orders: to expel the British.The battle that followed was a classic example of how the best-laid plans can be disrupted by personality and politics, and of how warfare can bring out both the best and worst in men. It is a timeless tale of men at war, written by a master storyteller.Trade Review‘Nobody in the world does this stuff better than Cornwell’ Lee Child ‘Bernard Cornwell is a literary miracle. Year after year, hail, rain, snow, war and political upheavals fail to prevent him from producing the most entertaining and readable historical novels of his generation.' Daily Mail

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Book Synopsis''A wonderful book; rich, evocative, original. I loved it'' Joanne HarrisOne in ten trees comes up sweetIn the inhospitable Black Swamp of Ohio, the Goodenough family are barely scratching out a living. Life there is harsh, tempered only by the apples they grow for eating and for the cider that dulls their pain. Hot-headed Sadie and buttoned-up James are a poor match, and Robert and his sister Martha can only watch helplessly as their parents tear each other apart. One particularly vicious fight sends Robert out alone across America, far from his sister, to seek his fortune among the mighty redwoods and sequoias of Gold Rush California. But even across a continent, he can feel the pull of family loyaltiesTrade ReviewPraise for At the Edge of the Orchard: ‘Chevalier’s prose is by turns muscular, raw and sumptuous… a delight’ INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY ‘Chevalier has carved out a middle-point between writing literary fiction and its page-turning, commercial counterpart and this book will serve both those audiences’ INDEPENDENT ‘A rollicking yarn of 19-century America’ THE TIMES ‘A densely packed tale of fruit, roots, family and hardship’ FINANCIAL TIMES ‘A wonderful book; rich, evocative, original. I loved it’ Joanne Harris ‘A stunning read’ GOOD HOUSEKEEPING ‘A kind of arboreal love song … an absorbing depiction of the harshness of pioneer life and the impossibility of escaping familial ties’ MAIL ON SUNDAY ‘Dark, brutal, moving, powerful’ Jane Harris ‘Powerfully realised … [A] fine novel’ DAILY MAIL ‘It’s her best since Girl with a Pearl Earring, telling the story both of America and a pioneer family with acuity, freshness and zest. I was captivated by it’ Amanda Craig ‘Tracy Chevalier serves up a rollicking yarn of 19th-century America. What Deborah Moggach did for tulips, Chevalier may well do for apples’ THE TIMES ‘This novel of raw beauty touches themes Chevalier explored in her novel, The Last Runaway. It’s a richly rewarding read’ EXPRESS ‘With Chevalier’s excellent storytelling ability and gift for creating memorable characters, this novel paints a vivid picture of the hard and rough-hewn life of American pioneers on their Westward journey’ STARRED LIBRARY JOURNAL REVIEW ‘Wonderful descriptions of apple grafting and plant-hunting in a 19th century New World America. Chevalier weaves an enthralling, feverish narrative through a backdrop of exploratory horticulture’ TOAST

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Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.''Out of the dark we came, into the dark we go. Like a storm-driven bird at night we fly out of the Nowhere; for a moment our wings are seen in the light of the fire, and, lo! we are gone again into the Nowhere.''An amazing adventure set in Africa, against the backdrop of endless deserts and snowy mountains, Kings Solomon''s Mines follows Allan Quartermain, in his quest to find his missing brother and unearth the fabled treasure of the biblical King''s mines. Along the way, Allan and his companions are caught up in a tribal war and face fearful hardships, culminating in a final confrontation with the evil witch Gagool.

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Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.''I cannot but conclude the bulk of your natives to be the most pernicious race of little odious vermin that nature ever suffered to crawl upon the surface of the earth.''Shipwrecked on the high seas, Lemuel Gulliver finds himself washed up on the strange island of Lilliput, a land inhabited by quarrelsome miniature people. On his travels he continues to meet others who force him to reflect on human behaviour the giants of Brobdingnag, the Houyhnhnms and the Yahoos. In this scathing satire on the politics and morals of the 18th Century, Swift''s condemnation of society and its institutions still resonates today.

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Book SynopsisThe third novel in the No. 1 bestselling Conqueror series, following the life and adventures of the mighty Genghis Khan and his descendantsGenghis Khan has fulfilled his dream of uniting the many warring tribes of his lands into one great nation. He has taken his armies against the mighty cities of their oldest enemies. Now he finds trouble rising west of the Mongolian plains. His emissaries are being mutilated or killed and his trading gestures rebuffed. He decides to divide his armies to conquer, using his sons as generals and sending them out simultaneously in many directions.As well as discovering new territories and laying waste the cities which resist, Genghis knows that the actions of his generals will help him decide who, from his rival sons and heirs, should succeed him as khan.Trade Review‘Iggulden is in a class of his own when it comes to epic, historical fiction’ Daily Mirror ‘Iggulden…tells an absolutely cracking story…the pace is nail-biting and the set dressing magnificent’ The Times ‘Iggulden weaves an entertaining tale of this world of men, swords, bows and the call of war and the plains’ Daily Express ‘I felt as if a blockbuster movie was unfolding before me…read the book before Hollywood takes it over’ Daily Express

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Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.When I am king, they shall not have bread and shelter only, but also teachings out of books; for a full belly is little worth where the mind is starved, and the heart.'Set in 16th-Century England and following the lives of two young boys, The Prince and the Pauper is a classic and timeless tale. Tom Canty, the lowly pauper is almost identical in appearance to Edward Tudor, a prince. Unbeknownst to those around them, the boys strike up an unlikely friendship and soon realise that with their similar looks they could easily pass for one another.When the Prince's father dies, some of the more underhand court officials persuade the pauper to act as the Prince in order to reap the benefits of the mistake' and there follows a tale of friendship and growing up in one of Mark Twain's most infamous works.

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Book SynopsisThe ultimate Rome storyFresh from triumph in Britain and Gaul, Caesar is marching on Rome with his legions of hardened veterans. To unseat Pompey, now dictator of the empire, he must make the terrible decision to wage war on his own people.The glory that Julius, Brutus, Mark Antony and Octavian enjoy is short lived. There are lands to conquer and choices to make that may yet tear them apart. What cost will Caesar suffer for the path he has walked? Who will make him pay?The final instalment in the bestselling Emperor series.Trade Review‘Iggulden is in a class of his own when it comes to epic, historical fiction’ Daily Mirror ‘Iggulden…tells an absolutely cracking story…the pace is nail-biting and the set dressing magnificent’ The Times ‘Iggulden weaves an entertaining tale of this world of men, swords, bows and the call of war and the plains’ Daily Express ‘I felt as if a blockbuster movie was unfolding before me…read the book before Hollywood takes it over’ Daily Express

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Book SynopsisThe epic new novel in Conn Iggulden's bestselling EMPEROR series, featuring a new short story by the author.Julius Caesar has been assassinated. A nation is in mourning. Revenge will be bloody.Rome's great hero Julius Caesar has been brutally murdered by his most trusted allies. While these self-appointed Liberatores seek refuge in the senate, they have underestimated one man: Caesar's adopted son Octavian, a man whose name will echo through history as Augustus Caesar.Uniting with his great rival Mark Antony, Octavian will stop at nothing to seek retribution from the traitors and avenge his father's death. His greatest hatred is reserved for Brutus, Caesar's childhood friend and greatest ally, now leader of the conspirators.As the people take to the streets of Rome, the Liberatores must face their fate. Some flee the city; others will not escape mob justice. Not a single one will die a natural death. And the reckoning will come for Brutus on the sweeping battlefield at Philippi.Trade Review‘A clever and convincing narrative … the best book in the series’ SUNDAY TIMES ‘Iggulden brings his five volume series about Julius Caesar to a close with this clever and convincing narrative… with a compelling grasp of Roman realpolitik’ SUNDAY TIMES CULTURE Praise for the EMPEROR series: ‘If you liked Gladiator, you’ll love Emperor’ THE TIMES ‘A brilliant story – I wish I’d written it. A novel of vivid characters, stunning action and unrelenting pace. It really is a terrific read’Bernard Cornwell ‘The great events and breathtaking brutality of the times are brought lavishly to life’ GUARDIAN Praise for the CONQUEROR series: ‘Iggulden is in a class of his own when it comes to epic, historical fiction’ DAILY MIRROR ‘This is energetic, competent stuff; Iggulden knows his material and his audience’ INDEPENDENT ‘Iggulden…tells an absolutely cracking story…the pace is nail-biting and the set dressing magnificent’ THE TIMES ‘I felt as if a blockbuster movie was unfolding before me…read the book before Hollywood takes it over’ DAILY EXPRESS

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Book SynopsisThird volume in the bestselling Starbuck Chronicles. The battle for control of Richmond, the Confederate capital, continues through the hot summer of 1862.Captain Nate Starbuck, yankee fighting for the Southern cause, has to survive and win in the bitter struggle not only against the formidable Northern army but equally in opposition to his own superiors who would like nothing better than to see Nate Starbuck dead and dishonoured.Starbuck's courage is tested to the limit in his desperate manoeuvres to retrieve his own and the Legion's honour in this the thrid narrative of Bernard Cornwell's sweeping epic of the American Civil War.Trade ReviewPraise for BATTLE FLAG: ‘A humdinger of a blood-and-guts battle’ Daily Mail ‘Admirably catches the chaotic and bloody nature of the action . . . it’s a state-of-the-art swashbuckler’ Sunday Times Cornwell unerringly hits his form . . . battle-scenes of exceptional grandeur pictured in brisk, pungent prose’ Mail on Sunday Praise for Bernard Cornwell: ‘The best battle scenes of any writer I’ve ever read, past or present. Cornwell really makes history come alive.’ George R.R. Martin

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Book SynopsisThe second book in Bernard Cornwell's bestselling series on the American Civil War.Nathanial Starbuck is a Copperhead: a northerner fighting for the rebel South in America's Civil War.Expelled from the Faulconer Legion, Starbuck must travel a hard road before he can rejoin his comrades. He must join the shadowy war of betrayal and espionage, where nothing is certain and no one can be trusted. Starbuck's journey will take him through the savage prisons of Richmond, across the blood-sodden battlefields of Virginia, and into the deadly high command of the northern army.Trade ReviewPraise for COPPERHEAD: ‘A rollicking treat for Cornwell fans’ Publishers Weekly Praise for The Starbuck Chronicles: ‘A sure-fire bestseller’ Financial Times ‘His series of Sharpe novels earned him almost every accolade possible from British newspapers. This is even better’ Daily Mail ‘What Cornwell really likes is battles . . . you will be duly rewarded with the smell of quality cordite rising from the pages’ Daily Telegraph Praise for Bernard Cornwell: ‘The best battle scenes of any writer I’ve ever read, past or present. Cornwell really makes history come alive.’ George R.R. Martin

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Book SynopsisThe first book in Bernard Cornwell's bestselling series on the American Civil War.It is summer 1861. The armies of North and South stand on the brink of America's civil war.Nathanial Starbuck, jilted by his girl and estranged from his family, arrives in the capital of the Confederate South, where he enlists in an elite regiment being raised by rich, eccentric Washington Faulconer.Pledged to the Faulconer Legion, Starbuck becomes a northern boy fighting for the southern cause. But nothing can prepare him for the shocking violence to follow in the war which broke America in two.Trade ReviewPraise for REBEL: ‘A sure-fire bestseller’ Financial Times ‘His series of Sharpe novels earned him almost every accolade possible from British newspapers. This is even better’ Daily Mail ‘What Cornwell really likes is battles . . . you will be duly rewarded with the smell of quality cordite rising from the pages’ Daily Telegraph

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Book SynopsisThe perfect summer read Gorgeously compelling' Good HousekeepingFull of mystery and long-reaching shadows of the past . . . richly drawn and compelling' Rosanna LeyIt's 1951. In Europe's post-war wreckage, the glittering Italian Riviera draws an eclectic cast of characters; lured by the glamour but seeking an escape.Amongst them, two outcasts: Hal, an English journalist who's living on his charm; and Stella, an enigmatic society beauty, bound to a profiteering husband. When Hal receives a mysterious invitation from a wealthy Contessa, he finds himself aboard a yacht headed for Cannes film festival.Scratch the beautiful surface, and the post-war scars of his new companions are quick to show. Then there's Stella, whose secrets run deeper than anyone's stretching back into the violence of Franco's Spain. And as Hal gets drawn closer, a love affair begins that will endanger everyoneThe Invitation is an epic love story that will transport you from the glamour of the Italian Riviera, to theTrade Review‘A seductive love tale’ Sunday Times Style ‘Such a tense, intriguing, beautiful, heart-rending story . . . The characters are so real, the research flawless, the setting sublime. Read it!’ Clare Mackintosh ‘Glamour, secrets and danger makes this a gorgeous summer read’ Woman & Home ‘Sultry escapist fiction at its best – 5*’ HEAT ‘The perfect summer read… Gorgeously compelling’ Good Housekeeping ‘Oozes glamour… Lush, romantic and cleverly crafted – a brainy beach read to relish’ Sunday Mirror ‘I loved THE INVITATION . . . I could dive into this book. A beautifully complex and vivid story, full of repressed longing and secrets. An absolutely enchanting tale’ Lucinda Riley ‘A seductive love tale’ Sunday Times Style ‘So powerfully evoked . . . with dark, sensuous undercurrents that lingered on in my mind, long after I'd reluctantly left Stella and Hal behind’ Kate Riordan ‘Film crew, Italian Riviera, 1950s. What part of that does not appeal?’ Red ‘Full of mystery and long-reaching shadows of the past . . . richly drawn and compelling’ Rosanna Ley ‘This epic love story is an unputdownable summer read’ Essentials ‘If you like Victoria Hislop you’ll love the seductive and heady The Invitation’ Lovereading ‘An utterly seductive story depicting forbidden love and loss in 1950s Italy. The perfect beach read this summer' Louise O’Neill ‘I loved every page – it's vividly written and utterly absorbing’ Iona Grey ‘Foley weaves a very satisfying love story . . . readers will be taken by the luxurious Mediterranean setting’ Publishers Weekly ‘Glamorous and romantic and bittersweet all at once . . . a fabulous story’ Beatriz Williams, New York Times bestselling author of A Hundred Summers ‘It's a beautiful, compulsive and glamorous read – perfect for long summer days’ Lucy Clarke, author of the Richard & Judy bestseller, The Sea Sisters

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Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.The wolf thought to himself, What a tender young creature! what a nice plump mouthful she will be better to eat than the old woman. I must act craftily, so as to catch both.'Collected by the German Grimm brothers, these folk tales have captured the imaginations of children and adults alike since they were first published in 1812. The best-known stories such as The Golden Goose, Hansel and Gretel, The Frog Prince, and Snow-White and Rose-Red remain as popular today as when first told, although there is an underlying darkness and violence to the original stories that has softened over time.

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