Aidan Potts

Aidan Smith

Aidan Storey

Aidan Trimble is the Chief Instructor to the Federation of Shotokan Karate and a former British, European and World Karate Champion, winning the world title in Tokyo - the home of Karate. Aidan has trained with some of the world's leading teachers of 'traditional' and 'sport' karate and is now an award-winning instructor and teacher who is in demand throughout the world. He can be contacted via www.fsk-karate.com.

Aidan Trimble

Aiden Aslin is a British-born resident of Ukraine. Living in Mykolaiv with his fiancé, he joined the Ukrainian marines in 2018 and was called to the frontline ahead of the Russian invasion in February 2022. He was one of over a thousand soldiers who surrendered after the month-long siege at the Mariupol steelworks, whereupon he was singled out for his British passport. His surrender, captivity, treatment and subsequent release received global media attention.

Aiden Aslin

Aiko Bethea is the founder of RARE Coaching &amp; Consulting, a leadership development company that helps aspiring leaders successfully navigate the workplace with more impactful approaches to leadership. She has worked with Fortune 100 companies, research &amp; academic institutes, and global non-profit organisations. Bethea is also Senior Leadership Consultant for the Brené Brown Education &amp; Research Group and was named by Forbes as a leading anti-racism educator. Bethea was a contributing writer in the New York Times bestselling anthology You Are Your Best Thing (2021). Anchored, Aligned, Accountable is her first book.

Aiko Bethea

Ailie Busby

Ailsa McFarlane was born in 1997 in Seattle, Washington, and grew up in Snowdonia in the United Kingdom. After leaving school, she studied veterinary science before dropping out to travel the United States and Europe by road. Highway Blue is her first novel.

Ailsa McFarlane

Aimee Bender is the author of the novels The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, a New York Times bestseller, and An Invisible Sign of My Own; and of the collections The Girl in the Flammable Skirt, Willful Creatures and The Color Master. Her work has been widely anthologised and has been translated into sixteen languages. She lives in Los Angeles.

Aimee Bender

Aimé Césaire (1913-2008) was a Martinican poet and politician who played a leading role in the struggle to liberate the French colonies of Africa and the Caribbean. Renowned for co-founding the Négritude movement, Césaire was a pioneer in surrealist poetry. His achievements as a writer were recognised worldwide with awards including the International Nâzim Hikmet Poetry Award, the Laporte Prize, the Viareggio-Versilia Prize for Literature, and the Grand Prix National de Poésie; in 2002, he was made Commander of the Order of Merit of Cote d'Ivoire. His works include the plays A Tempest (1969) and A Season in the Congo (1966), the searing political essay Discourse on Colonialism (1956), and the long poem Return to My Native Land (1950), dubbed "nothing less than the greatest lyrical monument of this time" (Andre Breton).

Aimé Césaire

Aingeala Flannery

Aingelda Ardizzone

Ainsley Harriott is nothing short of a cookery legend; a pioneer in quick and easy home cooking, he has hosted some of the UK's most popular culinary series. His love of food and people, together with his natural curiosity and accessible recipes, make him a much-loved British TV personality. Recent popular ITV shows include Ainsley's Caribbean Kitchen, Ainsley Mediterranean Cookbook, Ainsley's Food We Love and now Ainsley's Good Mood Food.

Ainsley Harriott

Air Fryer UK

Aishling Morgan

Aisling Bea

Aisling Fitzsimons

Aislinn Hunter is the author of a novel, Stay; a collection of stories, What's Left Us; and two collections of poetry, Into the Early Hours and The Possible Past. The World Before Us is her first book of fiction in twelve years. After travelling to London and Edinburgh over the past few years to study for a PhD, Aislinn Hunter now lives and teaches in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Aislinn Hunter

Aiste Gazdar

Ajahn Sumedho

Ajay Chowdhury, the inaugural winner of the Harvill Secker-Bloody Scotland prize, is a tech entrepreneur and theatre director. His children’s book – Ayesha and the Firefish, was published in 2016 and adapted into a musical which premiered in San Francisco. 
 
 
The Waiter (Sunday Times Crime Book of the Month), was published in 2021, and is the first in his critically-acclaimed crime series about Detective Kamil Rahman, an ex-policeman from Kolkata who has moved to Brick Lane in London. It is being adapted for television by Moonage Pictures.The Cook (Guardian Top Crime Books of the Year) was published in May 2022 to excellent reviews and deals with the issue of homelessness. The third book in the series – The Detective (Sunday Times Top Crime Books of the Year) – is about government surveillance and AI. The Spy (Longlisted Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing), the fourth book, sees Kamil infiltrate a terrorist cell. The Shadow (A Sunday Times Crime Book of the Month) is the latest book in the series.

Ajay Chowdhury

Ajaz Ahmed is the CEO of AKQA, the ideas and innovation company he founded aged 21. AKQA today employs over 1,500 people in 15 offices around the world. In 2014 AKQA won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise Innovation. Ajaz co-authored Velocity: The Seven New Laws for a World Gone Digital. For essays and thoughts visit http://www.akqa.com/ajaz.

Ajaz Ahmed

Akasha Moon is a professional Tarot reader, medium and vocational healer. Under her other pen name Kala Trobe, she has published Invoke the Goddess and Invoke the Gods with Llewellyn. She's passionate about her subject and believes that, although it can bring about some serious benefits, magic can be a lot of fun.

Akasha Moon

Akiyuki Nosaka (1930-2015) was a novelist, singer, lyricist and former member of the House of Councillors in Japan. Born in Kamakura, Kanagawa, his memories of living through the Second World War – including the loss of his adoptive father in the 1945 Kobe bombings – served as the inspiration for his most famous short stories. In 1967, he won the Naoki Prize for Grave of the Fireflies and American Hijiki, both based on the Japanese experience of the War. Nosaka also wrote erotic fiction, including The Pornographers (1963), and in later life he continued his career as a newspaper and TV journalist, as well as a politician and chanson singer.

Akiyuki Nosaka

Dr Akong Tulku Rinpoche was an experienced meditation master of the Karma Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. He was co-founder of the Samye Ling Tibetan Centre and supervised many other centres in Europe, Africa and Asia. He formed several humanitarian organisations for the aid of refugees, the distressed and the poor and was advisor to a large number of people, including therapists in the UK and Europe. He died in 2013.

Akong Tulku Rinpoche

Akshi Singh is an associate editor at Parapraxis and deputy editor at Critical Quarterly, and is the editor of a special collection of Critical Quarterly presenting new writing on Marion Milner. She collaborates regularly with the Derek Jarman lab, and writes for the London Review of Books. Singh moved to the UK from India to study for a PhD in psychoanalysis and literature with Jacqueline Rose. She is currently training to be a psychoanalyst at the Centre for Freudian Analysis and Research.

Akshi Singh

Al Ewing

Al Franken

Al Gore

Al Holloway

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Jean Plaidy

Witness the political struggles and tragedies of Queen Isabella, King Ferdinand and their children as ambitions take over in a time of civil war.

_____________________ 
The first book in the captivating Spanish Trilogy, focusing on the remarkable lives of Spain's most famous monarchs. 
 
In the 15th Century, Spain is full of intrigue and threatened by civil war. The independent young princess Isabella has become the pawn of her ambitious, half-crazed mother, kept as a virtual prisoner at the sordid court of her half-brother, France's Henry IV. 
 
Just sixteen years old, all seems lost: is Isabella fated to be the victim of the Queen's revenge, the Archbishop's ambition and the lust of Don Pedro Giron, one of the most notorious womanisers in Castile? 
 
Numbed with grief and fear, Isabella holds onto one cherished hope: that one day, she will escape her tormentors and marry Ferdinand, the handsome young Prince of Aragon - her only true betrothed. But the forces of Europe are ranged against them, and love's triumphs are rare...

Castile for Isabella

(Isabella & Ferdinand Trilogy)

With Spain now united, Ferdinand looked to his daughters to further his ambitions. All too often, Isabella found herself torn between his brilliant plans and her love for her children. During the last years of Isabella's reign it seemed there was a curse on the royal house which struck at the children of the sovereigns. 
 
Tragedy followed tragedy - the Infanta Isabella, a broken-hearted widow; Juana, driven to madness by her husband's philandering; and the sorrow of parting with young Catalina, destined to become Katharine of Aragon, wife to Henry VIII and Queen of England ...

Daughters of Spain

Married to Ferdinand after continual fears and disappointments, Isabella triumphed over every dangers, convinced of her true destiny. 
 
With the might of Portugal humbled, the Court of the Sovereigns saw the rise of Torquemada, the establishment of the dreaded Inquisition, and th ecoming of Columbus, who left the woman he loved to make a dream reality. 
 
Ambitious and unfaithful, Ferdinand longed to lead his troops against the Moorish strongholds. Isabella knew a united Spain and a glorious future could be theirs, but they must only share it together...

Spain for the Sovereigns

Peter Smalley

It is the eve of the French Revolution and England awaits with trepidation the news from the Continent that will propel her into war again after six years of peace. But Lieutenant James Hayter's orders from the Admiralty do not at first involve the sea. He must go inland to seek out his friend Captain William Rennie, who has disappeared into the wilds of Dartmoor. 
 
When he finds Rennie alone and broken down in an isolated farmhouse, Hayter fears the Captain will be unable to make the journey to London. Hayter has his own hopes of a command, but these are cruelly dashed when they reach the capital, where they find the sinister spymaster, Sir Robert Greer is once more behind their deployment. They are to sail in HMS Expedient to the Mediterranean, to assist Britain's ally Rashid Bey of Rabhet, with Hayter yet again Rennie's second in command. 
 
So, unprepared for what they will find on the dangerous Barbary Coast, Expedient and the ten gun cutter Curlew sail into treacherous waters. The odds are daunting. They must make a show of defiance against the mighty corsair fleet of Rabhet's enemy the Dey of Tunis. Murky politics, threatened mutiny, desperate sea actions and imprisonment follow on the sweltering North African Coast, where the rules of European warfare no longer apply and the victor will take everything.

Barbary Coast

Sam Barone

Three thousand years before the birth of Christ. An epic conflict is about to begin. The price of victory? Civilization. The price of defeat, a return to the dark ages. 
 
The hopes of civilization rest on one man's shoulders: Eskkar, once a barbarian, nowa warrior in charge of defending a small town which lies in the path of a vastbarbarian war party. The last time the invaders came to Orak, they spared no one and the tiny candle of trade and agriculture that had begun there, the first in all of human history, was extinguished. 
 
But Eskkar and Trella, the beautiful slave girl he has been given by the grateful townsfolk, and the raggle-taggle army he has inherited are not going to flee. They will fight against the overwhelming odds with foolhardy bravery, subtle ingenuity and the last drop of their blood. On this tiny band the lathe of history will turn: victory or darkness?

Dawn of Empire

Michael Redhill

It is 1856, Toronto. Unable to make a living in the New World from his trade, English apothecary J.G. Hallam takes up the new science of photography, and embarks on a grand project to document the bleak young city. But returning from an exhibition of these images in England, Hallam's ship is lost in a violent storm on Lake Ontario - and the strongbox holding the photographs is lost. 
 
A century and a half later, and the shoreline of the harbour has shifted dramatically. Professor David Hollis speculates that the sunken ship containing this important historical record lies in the landfill where the city's new Union Arena is to be built. But his findings are met only with howls of derision from his colleagues. 
 
Three months later, Hollis is dead - and his grieving widow, Marianne, embarks on a furtive, unsettling quest to vindicate her husband. From her hotel room overlooking the excavation site where the arena is to stand, she watches and waits for a piece of the past to reappear that might alleviate the anguish of these civic and private vanishings...

Consolation

Candace Robb

Many lies. But only one truth... 
 
Winter 1372, York: A man has drowned in the River Ouse. It soon becomes clear that his death was not an accident. But why would anyone want to kill a humble river pilot? 
 
As the crowds around the murdered man thicken, one-eyed spy Owen Archer is quickly brought to the scene by his adoptive son, Jasper. Renowned for solving many crimes, Owen is immediately drawn into the case. But right from the start he realises that it isn't a simple question of one victim, one suspect.And when a valuable cross goes missing and a woman is badly burnt in mysterious circumstances, the web of deceit widens. Then another body is found in the river. And as Owen and Jasper get closer to the truth, they find their own lives in danger...

The Guilt of Innocents

(The Owen Archer Mysteries: book IX): a captivating Medieval mystery guaranteed to have you hooked…

Chris Ryan

1917, Western Front, Ypres 
 
A soldier wakes up in a damp, dark basement. He can't get out. He is covered in mud.His skin is badly burned. And he can't remember anything. But his nightmare doesn't end there. 
 
He is tried and found guilty of cowardice, impersonating a fellow soldier and theft. He can barely speak, let alone defend himself. As the verdict is passed and he learns that the death sentence awaits him, he remembers two things: that he took something from a dead man in the trenches, and that the name his accusers have been calling him is not his. 
 
With time slipping away, Chris Ransom must try to remember the events that have led him to this moment, so that he can clear his name and save himself.

One Good Turn

In this historical fiction series, Jean Plaidy traces the private lives and political machinations of the Plantagenet family, from Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine to Edward IV and the Wars of the Roses.

Multi-million copy and international bestselling author Jean Plaidy brings the fascinating story of the hatred between two queens expertly to life. Readers of Philippa Gregory will not be disappointed. 
 
'Full - bloodied, dramatic, exciting' - THE OBSERVER 
'Plaidy, by the skilful blending of superb storytelling and meticulous attention to authenticity of detail and depth of characterization has become one of the country's most widely read novelists.' - THE SUNDAY TIMES 
'It is hard to better Jean Plaidy . . . both elegant and exciting' - DAILY MIRROR 
'Definitely a page turner!' -- ***** Reader review 
'I found it hard to put down' -- ***** Reader review 
'Gripping' -- ***** Reader review 
'I could not put this down' -- ***** Reader review 
 
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The first half of the thirteenth century is dominated by two women, as proud and ambitious as they are beautiful, yet different in all other qualities. 
 
Isabella, flamboyant and passionate, a medieval Helen of Troy - wife to King John and mother to Henry III... 
 
Blanche of Castile, serene and virtuous Queen of France, wife of Louis VIII and mother of Louis IX... 
 
The two women hated each other on sight. Isabella would stop at nothing, not even murder, in her passion to destroy the French Queen...

The Battle of the Queens

(The Plantagenets: book V): a wonderfully evocative and beautifully atmospheric novel from the Queen of English historical fiction

Passions run high and play out at court in this glorious depiction of Edward II's reign from multi-million copy and international bestselling author Jean Plaidy. Perfect for readers of Philippa Gregory. 
 
'Jean Plaidy conveys the texture of various patches of the past with such rich complexity' -- Guardian 
'Jean Plaidy's books are a celebration of women's spirit throughout history' -- 
Daily Express 
'Outstanding' -- Vanity Fair 
'I am thoroughly enjoying this Plantagenet series and am making my way through them all savouring each page' -- ***** Reader review 
'An excellent read - hard to put down' -- ***** Reader review 
'Brilliant as always' -- ***** Reader review 
'A book you cannot put down' -- ***** Reader review 
************************************************************************************** 
Edward the Second's first act on coming to the throne is to recall Piers Gaveston from exile, and the new king's devotion to the shrewd and avaricious young man soon becomes a scandal. 
It is assumed that when Edward marries one of the most beautiful princesses in Europe his inclinations will change, but nothing can make him swerve from his attachment to Gaveston, who is clearly making the most of royal favour. 
 
The new Queen Isabella, accustomed to adulation, is bitterly humiliated; and she is not a woman to forget or forgive. With the country in turmoil the king is making enemies throughout the land, and he fails to see that the most deadly of these is his queen.

The Follies of the King

(The Plantagenets: book VIII): an enthralling story of love, passion and intrigue set in the 1300s from the Queen of English historical fiction

Readers of Philippa Gregory will love this gripping account of Edward I and his private and political battles by multi-million copy and international bestselling author Jean Plaidy. 
 
'Outstanding' -- Vanity Fair 
'Full-blooded, dramatic, exciting' -- Observer 
'Jean Plaidy conveys the texture of various patches of the past with such rich complexity' - Guardian 
'An inspired blending of history and imagination' -- **** Reader review 
'A must read' -- **** Reader review 
'History at its best' -- **** Reader review 
'A pleasure to read' -- **** Reader review 
'Powerful stuff' -- **** Reader review 
******************************************************************************* 
The news of Henry III's death reached his son Edward on the long road home from the Holy Land. Now he was England's king and a man fit for his destiny. 
 
Through all the years of his reign, through stark personal tragedy and chill forebodings as his son grew into a weak, corrupted price, Edward I strove to weld a nation united from England, Scotland and Wales. 
 
When the mighty Wallace raised the Scots in arms and the Welsh Llewellyn strove for power, Edward stood firm to his resolve, still knowing in his heart how much would be lost when his crown passed down to his dissolute son ...

The Hammer of the Scots

(The Plantagenets: book VII): a stunning depiction of a key moment in British history by the Queen of English historical fiction

The public pay a price for personal excess in this captivating and dramatic historical novel by multi-million copy and international bestselling author Jean Plaidy. Perfect for fans of Philippa Gregory. 
 
'It's hard to better Jean Plaidy ... both elegant and exciting as she steers a stylish path through the feuding Plantaganets' -- Daily Mirror 
'Plaidy excels at blending history with romance and drama' -- New York Times 
'Full-blooded, dramatic, exciting' -- Observer 
'Fascinating' -- ***** Reader review 
'Couldn't put it down' -- ***** Reader review 
'Grabs you from the first page and doesn't let go' -- ***** Reader review 
'Another first class read from Ms. Plaidy!' -- ***** Reader review 
********************************************************************************************************** 
Marguerite, eldest daughter of the Count of Provence, had married a king of France - and now her sister Eleanor is determined to make just as grand a match. 
 
Good fortune and wily cunning bring her Henry of England. A good and generous husband but a weak king, he rules a nation that still remembers his cruel and foolish father, King John. As Henry showers gifts on his new bride, his extravagance forces him to levy ever greater taxation on the land, and the spectre of revolt soon looms against him. 
 
For Simon de Montfort, the adventurer who will give England its first true parliament, the house of destiny is at hand...

The Queen From Provence

(The Plantagenets: book VI): a wonderfully evocative and beautifully atmospheric novel bringing the Plantagenets to life from the Queen of English historical fiction

Gilda O'Neill

Perfect for fans of Dilly Court, Rosie Goodwin and Donna Douglas, Rough Justice is captivating, moving and enthralling novel about the lives, loves and losses, the fears, hopes and desires, the failures and triumphs of the families who live and work in a Victorian tenement in the East End. You won't be able to put it down... 
 
'If you enjoy a good saga, Rough Justice is a strong beginning to a promising series' -- First magazine 
'I was totally gripped with this book right through to the end' -- ***** Reader review 
'Brilliant story, good characters and a pleasure to read from beginning to end' -- ***** Reader review 
'An amazing read' -- ***** Reader review 
'Fabulous story. Tragic and humorous. Couldn't wait to find out what would happen next. Caused too many late nights trying to find out!' -- ***** Reader review 
***************************************************************************************** 
AS LIFE BECOMES UNSTABLE ACROSS EUROPE, THINGS ARE ALSO FAR FROM PERFECT AT HOME... 
 
The Flanagans, the Tanners and the Lovells all live on the top floor of the Turnbury Buildings - a crumbling Victorian tenement in the heart of London's East End. 
 
Nell Flanagan is a decent, hardworking woman, married to Stephen, a tough, heavy-drinking brute of a man. She has always hidden the abuse she has suffered at his hands from her young children, although most of the neighbours realise what's going on. 
 
The Tanners think she must be asking for it, but Martin Lovell has always admired Nell. When he sees Stephen actually attacking Nell, he can stand back no longer, but his actions have repercussions for all the families...

Rough Justice

a compelling saga about life in the East End during the Second World War from the bestselling author Gilda O’Neill

Alexander Kent

It is February 1818, and Adam Bolitho longs for marriage and a safe personal harbour. But with so much of Britain's fleet redundant, he knows he is fortunate to be offered H.M.S. Onward, a new 38-gun frigate whose first mission is not war but diplomacy, as consort to the French frigate Nautilus. 
 
Under the burning sun of North Africa, Bolitho is keenly aware of the envy and ambition among his officers, the troubled, restless spirits of his midshipmen, and the old enemy's proximity. It is only when Nautilus becomes a sacrificial offering on the altar of empire that every man discovers the brotherhood of the sea is more powerful than the bitter memories of an ocean of blood and decades of war.

Heart Of Oak

Richard Bolitho -- Midshipman 
 
October 1772, Portsmouth. And sixteen-year-old Richard Bolitho waits to join the Gorgon ordered to sail to the west coast of Africa and to destroy those who challenge the King's Navy. For Bolitho, and for many of the crew, it is a severe and testing initiation into the game of seamanship. 
 
Midshipman Bolitho and the 'Avenger' 
 
December 1773, Falmouth. The young Bolitho looks forward to a family Christmas in Cornwall while the Gorgon is refitted. But Cornwall is the treacherous stamping ground of smugglers and wreckers. After the murder of a revenue office, Bolitho is swept aboard his brother's cutter Avenger on a dangerous mission of hide and seek. 
 
Band of Brothers 
 
1774 - the new year seems to offer Richard Bolitho and his friend Martyn Dancer the culmination of a dream. Both have been recommended for promotion, although they have not yet gained the coveted lieutenant's commission. But a routine passage from Plymouth to Guernsey in an untried schooner becomes, for Bolitho, a passage from midshipman to King's officer, tempering the promise of the future with the bitter price of maturity.

Midshipman Bolitho: "Richard Bolitho – Midshipman", "Midshipman Bolitho and the Avenger" and "Band of Brothers"

Tom Harper

In the bestselling tradition of The Da Vinci Code, this is a breath-taking, all-action adventure from the pen of prizewinning author Tom Harper. This page-turner will take through the myths and legends of lost civilisations and into the heart of an ancient mystery...If you like Dan Brown, Clive Cussler and Scott Mariani, you'll love this! 
 
'Like Dan Brown, Tom Harper knows how to ratchet up the tension.' - Choice 
'Totally fascinating' -- ***** Reader review 
'Really good book, I find it hard to put down' -- ***** Reader review 
'So thrilling I was reading it whenever I could' -- ***** Reader review 
'This is an amazing book, well written. My only critisism is that I couldn't put it down' -- ***** Reader review 
********************************************************************** 
A DEAD MAN. A HIDDEN CODE. A DEVASTATING SECRET. 
 
For three thousand years, the world's most dangerous treasure has been lost. Now the code that reveals its hiding place is about to be broken ... 
 
 Sam Grant is a disgraced ex-SOE soldier and an adventurer by trade. But he has a secret: six years ago, a dying archaeologist entrusted him with his life's work - transcripts of mysterious writing found in a hidden cave on Crete. Deciphered, it could lead to one of the greatest prizes in history. 
 
 But the treasure is as dangerous as it is valuable. The CIA wants it; so does the KGB. Helped by a brilliant Oxford professor, and a beautiful Greek archaeologist with her own secrets to hide, Grant is plunged into a labyrinth of ancient cults, forgotten mysteries and lost civilisations. But time is running out. 
 
 The secrets of the distant past may hold the key to the newest threats of the modern world...

Lost Temple

an unmissable, action-packed and high-octane thriller that will take you deep into the past…

Jean Plaidy combines imagination with facts to bring the French Revolution alive in this dynamic historical fiction series. From Louis XV’s debauchery to Marie Antionette’s demise, it is clear there was only one way this was going to end.

At the age of fifteen, Marie Antoinette, beautiful and charming bride to the impotent Dauphin, is plunged into the intrigue of Versailles. Frivolous and reckless, she flouts the strict and demanding etiquette of the glittering court, and discovers the true nature of love, hate and jealousy. 
 
But the clouds of revolution are overhead, and Marie Antoinette, who only wishes to enjoy life, learns too late that the price of her enjoyment is very high... 
 
 
'One of our best historical novelists brings to life wayward, capricious Marie Antoinette' News Chronicle 
 
'Flaunting, Extravagant Queen has the colour, liveliness, and sensitivity with which one has come to associate this author's historical novels' Scotsman

Flaunting, Extravagant Queen

(French Revolution)

France eagerly awaits the day the young King, Louis XV, comes of age and breaks free from the rule of his ministers. The country hopes Louis will bring back glory and prosperity to France. However, he is too preoccupied with the thrills of hunting and gambling to notice the power struggle going on in his own court. Soon, the King is introduced to the pleasures of mistresses and a succession of lovers follows. From the gentle persuasions of Madame de Mailley to her overtly ambitious sister, Madame Vintimille, France stands by and watches a King ruled by his women...

Louis the Well-Beloved

No longer the well-beloved, Louis XV is becoming ever more unpopular - the huge expense of his court and decades of costly warfare having taken their toll. As the discontent grows, Louis seeks refuge in his extravagances and his mistress, the powerful Marquise de Pompadour. Suspicions, plots and rivalry are rife as Louis's daughters and lovers jostle for his attention and their own standing at Court. Ignoring the unrest in Paris, Louis continues to indulge in frivolities. But how long will Paris stay silent when the death of the Marquise de Pompadour leads to yet another mistress influencing the King?

The Road to Compiegne

G.S. Beard

Fans of Hornblower and Sharpe will love this captivating and compelling nautical adventure from much loved author G.S.Beard. Guaranteed to stir into life even the most sluggish of readers! 
 
'If you like sea stories, you will enjoy this, and even if you think you don't but enjoy things like Sharpe, it might just convert you' - HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW 
'Excellent gripping story gives you little time to put the book down' -- ***** Reader review 
'Read almost overnight, difficult to put down, a memorable yarn' -- ***** Reader review 
'A proper page turner' -- ***** Reader review 
'A brilliant read, I was hooked from the beginning to the end' -- ***** Reader review 
'I felt like I was on the high seas with them!' -- ***** Reader review 
 
************************************************************* 
1792: the start of the French Revolutionary Wars. 
 
A shadow hangs over John Thomas Fury in this his first voyage as a midshipman aboard the 32-gun frigate Amazon. The son of a violent and unstable brig commander who drove his crew to mutiny, Fury finds himself an outcast onboard and working doubly hard to prove that he isn't cursed like his father. 
 
Redemption arrives when Amazon reaches Bombay, only to discover that ships of the East India Company have disappeared, including the Company's warships. Somewhere in the Indian Ocean a very powerful privateer is at work and the Governor despatches Amazon to find and destroy her. 
 
Soon afterwards Amazon is in a desperate fight for her life against a much stronger foe. In such crucibles of fire are the officers in His Majesty's Service forged. 
 
Can Fury cover himself in glory and banish the shadows of the past are forever? 
 
Fury's adventures continue in Lieutenant Fury.

Mr Midshipman Fury

a rollicking, lively naval page-turner set during the French Revolutionary Wars which will capture you from the very first page

Douglas Reeman

After four years, the tide of war is turning in North Africa and Europe. The conflict in Southeast Asia, however, has reached new heights of savagery, and Operation Monsun poses a sinister threat to the hope of allied victory. 
 
The Special Operations mission off the Burmese coast requires volunteers. Men with nothing to live for, or men with everything to lose. Men like Lieutenant James Ross, awarded the Victoria Cross for his work in underwater sabotage, or the desperate amateur Charles villiers, heir to a fortune now controlled by the Japanese. 
 
The two-man torpedo - the chariot - is the ultimate weapon in a high-risk war. Cast loose into the shadows before an eastern dawn, the heroes or madmen who guide it will strike terror into the heart of an invaluable enemy, or pay the ultimate price for failure...

A Dawn Like Thunder

Alison Weir

_____________________________________ 
A wrenching novel about the life and death of Lady Jane Grey, one of the most complex and sympathetic figures in Tudor England, by popular historian Alison Weir: ideal for fans of Wolf Hall 
 
Lady Jane Grey was born into times of extreme danger. Child of a scheming father and a ruthless mother, for whom she was merely a pawn in a dynastic power game with the highest stakes, she lived a life in thrall to political machinations and lethal religious fervour. 
 
Jane's astonishing and essentially tragic story was played out during one of the most momentous periods of English history. As a great-niece of Henry VIII, and the cousin of Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I, she grew up to realize that she could never throw off the chains of her destiny. Her honesty, intelligence and strength of character carry the reader through all the vicious twists of Tudor power politics, to her nine-day reign and its unbearably poignant conclusion.

Innocent Traitor

Readers of Clive Cussler, Bernard Cornwell and Wilbur Smith will love this stirring tale of naval warfare, bravery and courage from multi-million copy bestselling author Douglas Reeman. With battle scenes so vivid and immediate, you'll feel in the midst of the action! 
 
'A stirring tale of the Atlantic war...one can almost smell the sea and the burning oil as Hitler's U-boats wreak havoc' -- Sunday Express 
'Vivid naval action at its most authentic' -- Sunday Times 
'Mr Reeman writes with great knowledge about the sea and those who sail on it' --The Times 
'Douglas Reeman at his best' -- ***** Reader review 
'Another first-class book from this author' -- ***** Reader review 
'Could not put it down' -- ***** Reader review 
'An excellent read' -- ***** Reader review 
'Gripping' -- ***** Reader review 
'Typical Douglas Reeman. MARVELLOUS' -- ***** Reader review 
 
************************************************************************************** 
The Western Ocean. 1942: from the bridge of HMS Gladiator, Lieutenant-Commander David Howard's orders were chillingly clear. There could be no mercy. 
 
To the men who fought to protect the vital, threatened Merchant Navy convoys in the Western Approaches, the Battle of the Atlantic was a full-scale war; a relentless, savage war against an ever-present enemy and a violent sea - in an arena known only to its embittered survivors as the killing ground. 
 
HMS Gladiator was part of that war. An ordinary, hard-worked destroyer and her company of men. Fighting for survival in a war with no rules...

Killing Ground

a no-holds-barred tale of naval warfare from Douglas Reeman, the all-time bestselling master of storyteller of the sea

Blending history with romance and drama, Jean Plaidy explores the Tudor dynasty and the political intrigue throughout their reign.

Perfect for fans of Philippa Gregory, this is the wonderfully atmospheric, enthralling and vivid depiction of Elizabeth I's ardent and emotional love affair with Robert Dudley from international multi-million copy bestseller Jean Plaidy. 
 
'Full-blooded, dramatic, exciting' -- Observer 
'Outstanding' -- Vanity Fair 
'It is hard to better Jean Plaidy when she is in form' -- Daily Mirror 
'I couldn't put it down' -- ***** Reader review 
'A compelling read' -- ***** Reader review 
'I was gripped from the first page' -- ***** Reader review 
 
************************************************************************************ 
In the grim recesses of the Tower of London, two captives begin a passionate love affair that will last years but is destined to destroy them; one is Robert Dudley, the other is the future Queen of England, Elizabeth I. 
 
 Pardoned by Queen Mary, Dudley and Elizabeth are freed, but their mutual longing must be from a distance: Dudley is married, and as the next heir to the throne, Elizabeth must tread carefully...

Lord Robert

(The Tudor Saga: 11): the passionate story of Elizabeth I's one great love affair magically brought to life by the Queen of British historical fiction

This is the captivating story of Princess Mary - royal treasure, royal pawn and royal rebel. Fans of Philippa Gregory will love this gripping page-turner from international multi-million copy bestseller Jean Plaidy. 
 
'Jean Plaidy doesn't just write the history, she makes it come alive.' -- RNA 
'I couldn't put it down' -- ***** Reader review 
'A compelling read' -- ***** Reader review 
'I was gripped from the first page' -- ***** Reader review 
 
**************************************************************************************************** 
 
 Princess Mary Rose is the youngest sister of King Henry VIII, and one of the few people whom he adores unconditionally. Known throughout Europe for her charm and beauty, Mary is the golden child of the Tudor family and is granted her every wish. Except when it comes to marriage. 
 
 Henry, locked in a political showdown with France, decides to offer up his pampered sister to secure peace between the two mighty kingdoms. 
 
Mary is unwillingly sent to France to marry the ailing King Louis, leaving behind her true love, Charles Brandon. 
 
But she will do anything to be reunited with Charles, even defy her brother, the most feared man in Europe...

Mary, Queen of France

the inspiring and moving story of a celebrated beauty and ultimate royal rebel from the queen of British historical fiction

Follow the incredible journey of Mary Queen of Scots from her coronoation at just six days old, through to her imprisonment by ruthless cousin Queen Elizabeth I.

From the pen of international multi-million copy bestseller Jean Plaidy comes a rare insight in to the complicated and passionate emotions of Mary Queen of Scots - hers is a tale of love, romance, politics, plotting and bloody murder... Perfect for fans of Philippa Gregory. 
 
'This must surely rank best, or near it, of the many novels about this sadly fascinating woman' -- Birmingham Mail 
'These books are page-turners; they offer a wonderful way to learn about history, their heroines are smart, strong and in control of their destinies and their stories will remain with you for ever...They are a celebration of women's spirit throughout history.' -- Daily Express 
 'Gripping and exciting' -- ***** Reader review 
'Captivating' -- ***** Reader review 
'Spellbinding' -- ***** Reader review 
'Jean Plaidy at her best!!!' -- ***** Reader review 
'I was gripped from the first page' -- ***** Reader review 
'A riveting read' -- ***** Reader review 
 
******************************************************* 
 
At just six days old, Mary Stuart became Queen of Scots. 
 
At just six years old she was betrothed to the Dauphin François, the future King of France. 
 
Reluctantly leaving Scotland, Mary is raised in the decadent French court in preparation to become the Queen of France. But her reign with François is short-lived. 
 
Widowed at just eighteen years old, Mary is once again forced to leave her home to return to Scotland. Now a Catholic queen of a Protestant country, Mary must rule with caution and choose her next husband prudently...

Royal Road to Fotheringay

(Mary Stuart: Book 1)

Fans of Philippa Gregory will love this beautifully evocative and atmospheric novel from international multi-million copy bestseller Jean Plaidy. Two powerful female cousins finally end their battle for England's crown...Who will be the victor? 
 
'Paints a fresh and vivid picture...truly impressive in its breadth of canvas' -- Sunday Times 
'These books are page-turners; they offer a wonderful way to learn about history, their heroines are smart, strong and in control of their destinies and their stories will remain with you for ever...They are a celebration of women's spirit throughout history.' -- Daily Express 
'An intriguing story, told in a 'can't-put-it-down' way...Go on, treat yourself!' -- ***** Reader review 
'Amazing' -- ***** Reader review 
'Historical fiction at its finest' -- ***** Reader review 
'Compelling' -- ***** Reader review 
 
******************************************************************* 
 
Scotland has been torn apart by civil war and the young and passionate Catholic Mary Queen of Scots is in the hands of her enemies. 
 
Under duress, Mary abdicates in favour of her son, James VI, and fleeing to England, she boldly seeks refuge from her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I. 
 
But Elizabeth has never trusted the ambitious Mary, and consequently has her imprisoned. So begins a treacherous battle between two of history's most powerful and ruthless women. Without once meeting her cousin, Mary is held captive for nineteen years, whilst Elizabeth rules in the shadow of countless Catholic plots against her life...

The Captive Queen of Scots

(Mary Stuart: Book 2): one woman’s intriguing history brought to life by the Queen of British historical fiction

There will be days when you wonder at and question some of the risks you had to take, the sacrifices you were forced to offer in the face of death.' 
 
Kiel Harbour, 1945 - the war in Europe is at an end. But for Lieutenant Vere Marriott and the men of MGB 801, moored amid a nightmare of devastation, it is an uneasy, unsettled peace. 
 
New assignments ashore and afloat mean fresh tensions and conflicting emotions. For some, glory now takes second place to profit. For others, revenge at last sems within their grasp. 
 
No one is shooting at Marriott now. But dangers come thick and fast - from confrontation with the Russians to his feelings for Fraulein Geghim. There is more to victory than survival ...

The White Guns

Karen Essex

Sisters. Rivals. And the love of one man. 
 
Isabella and Beatrice d'Este are as different as night and day. Wordly and ambitious, Isabella's beauty and intellect are legendary across the courts of Europe, while her younger sister, a tomboy, prefers horses and the hunt. When Isabella is betrothed to the Marquis of Mantua, all her ambitions seem to come true -- until Beatrice marries Ludovico, the powerful Duke of Milan. Suddenly, Isabella finds herself drawn to her sister's husband, a man as charismatic as he is dangerous. Once close, the sisters are now fierce rivals, for Ludovico's affections but also for the larger prize, to be immortalized by Milan's court painter, Leonardo da Vinci. Da Vinci's glittering genius is at its zenith, with such masterpieces as The Last Supper and the Mona Lisa, but he constantly struggles not to let his noble patrons' incessant demands compromise his own artistic vision. 
 
Meanwhile, the black clouds of war are looming on the horizon. As Ludovico's gamble for power in Western Europe begins to fall apart, the sisters must choose -- between passion and family, loyalty and survival.

Leonardo's Swans

Edward Rutherfurd

Following the critically acclaimed success of Dublin, this riveting sequel takes the story of Ireland from the seventeenth century onwards, picking up at the Reformation, and with it, the devastating arrival of Oliver Cromwell. Cromwell heralds the inauguration of two hundred years of Protestant dominance, throughout which many of the Irish people were impoverished and dispossessed. Dublin is made a Protestant capital, and Catholics become an underclass. 
 
Set against the dramatic backdrop of Irish political history, this powerful saga is brought to its conclusion. Journeying through the centuries right the way up to the twentieth century's Easter Rising and Independence, passing through turbulent milestones such as The Year of the French, the Famine and The Home Rule Movement of Parnell along the way.

Ireland: Awakening

Department Q

Detective D.D. Warren

Detective Elin Warner Series

Detective Harriet Blue Series

Detective Inspector Antonia Hawkins

Detective Inspector Helen Grace

Detective Kamil Rahman

Detective Konrad

Detective Luc Moncrief Series

Dexter Procter

Diary of a Submissive

The adventures of wise-cracking middle school student Greg Heffley who must somehow survive the scariest time of anyone's life: middle school. The hilarious and internationally bestselling Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Diddly Squat

Dino Dad

Dino Racers

Dinosaur Train

Discworld Graphic Novel Universe

The Discworld is undoubtedly Sir Terry Pratchett's most famous creation. A universe teeming with dwarves, trolls, witches, and social and cultural issues that parallel those in our own world, all wrapped up in Pratchett's inimitable comic delivery. This iconic series will make you laugh, then make you think.

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