Richard Sharpe, abandoned in enemy territory, has to trust in assistance from a hostile American privateer.

The invasion of France is under way, and the British Navy has called upon the services of Major Richard Sharpe. He and a small force of Riflemen are to capture a fortress and secure a landing on the French coast. It is to be one of the most dangerous missions of his career.

Through the reckless incompetence of a naval commander, Sharpe finds himself abandoned in the heart of enemy territory, facing overwhelming forces and the very real prospect of defeat. He has no alternative but to trust his fortunes to an American privateer – a man who has no love for the British invaders.

Soldier, hero, rogue – Sharpe is the man you always want on your side. Born in poverty, he joined the army to escape jail and climbed the ranks by sheer brutal courage. He knows no other family than the regiment of the 95th Rifles whose green jacket he proudly wears.

'The Thirteen Gun Salute' opens with Jack Aubrey reinstated to his command and sailing on a secret mission with a hand-picked crew, most of them shipmates from the adventures and lucrative voyages of earlier years. Patrick O'Brian's resourcefulness is a sure warrant that things will not turn out as his readers or his characters expect. Twists and turns, sub-plots, echoes from the past, these are the only certainties in this astonishing 'roman fleuve'. Distant waters, exotic scenes, flora and fauna to satisfy Aubrey's old friend Stephen Maturin's innocent curiosity, as well as the scope for his cloak and dagger work, enrich its flow. The ending of the book leaves the reader more than usually impatient for its successor.

'Patrick O'Brian is one of the most compelling and brilliant novelists of his time with a huge band of admirers in all manner of places. Beyond his superbly elegant writing, wit and originality, he showed an understanding of the nature of a floating world at the mercy of the wind and the sea which has never been surpassed.

'Jane Austen, 'sur mer''
Bob Doe, 'Times Educational Supplement'

Present day Paris: Maggie Parker receives a call. The new owners of her family’s old Notting Hill home are digging up the basement. They’ve no idea what might lie beneath . . .

London, twenty-one years earlier: teenaged Maggie, babysitting her little brother, waits in vain for her mother to come home after a night out. Seeking clues to her mother’s mysterious disappearance, she's drawn away from the neighbourhood’s grand terraces and into its hustling backstreets - and the arms of someone else living on their wits.

Over two decades later, the clock is ticking on a secret set to shatter Maggie’s grown-up life. But the draw of the past is irresistible . . .

Spain, August 1810

The English army faces ruin in Spain – and the Duke of Wellington is desperate for money to fund the war. Only a cache of hidden Spanish gold can save them. And only Captain Richard Sharpe has the cunning to capture it.

In the treacherous terrain of the Portuguese hills, with rain sweeping the peninsula, a powerful guerrilla leader holds possession of the gold. And risking everything for the ultimate prize – for his honour, for his army’s fate – is Sharpe . . .

The next thrilling adventure, all NEW from MJ Porter Icel is a lone wolf no more... Oath sworn to Wiglaf, King of Mercia and acknowledged as a member of Ealdorman AElfstan's warrior band, Icel continues to forge his own destiny on the path to becoming the Warrior of Mercia. With King Ecgberht of Wessex defeated and Londonium back under Mercian control, the Wessex invasion of Mercia is over. But the Wessex king was never Mercia's only enemy. An unknown danger lurks in the form of merciless Viking raiders, who set their sights on infiltrating the waterways of the traitorous breakaway kingdom of the East Angles, within touching distance of Mercia's eastern borders. Icel must journey to the kingdom of the East Angles and unite against a common enemy to ensure Mercia's hard-won freedom prevails. Praise for MJ Porter 'Immediate and personal' Bestselling author Matthew Harffy 'No lover of Dark Age warfare is going to be disappointed. Personal, real, fascinating and satisfying.' S.J.A. Turney 'If you love history, fiction, adventure and great stories - You won't regret it!" Eric Schumacher 'MJ Porter recounts a sensitive, reluctant hero's coming-of-age within a Dark Age realm riven by chaos and conflict' Bestselling author Matthew Harffy 'Refreshing... I was reluctant to put the book down' Historical Novel Society Readers are spell-bound 'So real I felt I was there!... A page-turner' Reader review 'Wonderful to read and hard to put down' Reader review 'I found the pages flying by... A great book' Reader review

'Mesmerising from beginning to end.' Lizzie LaneYorkshire 1860 With the heat of their beloved India far behind them, Evie Davenport and her widowed British Army officer father, are starting a new life in England. But Evie is struggling. With her dearest mother gone, Yorkshire with its cold, damp countryside and strict societal rules makes Evie feel suffocated and alone. Her friendship with Sophie Bellingham, the gently reared daughter of a wealthy rail baron, is Evie's only comfort. Until the arrival of local cotton mill owner, Alexander Lucas. Newly returned from America, it is expected Alexander will marry and finally make England his home. And Sophie with her family connections and polite manners is the obvious choice. But when Alexander meets Evie, a simmering passion ignites between them. Evie, with her rebellious spirit is like no other woman Alex has ever met, but to reject Sophie for Evie would cause a scandal and devastate everyone Evie loves. Evie knows she must do her duty. But in doing so faces the unbearable future of being without the man she loves. Praise for AnneMarie Brear: 'AnneMarie Brear writes gritty, compelling sagas that grip from the first page.' Fenella J Miller 'Poignant, powerful and searingly emotional, AnneMarie Brear stands shoulder to shoulder with the finest works by some of the genre's greatest writers such as Catherine Cookson, Audrey Howard and Rosamunde Pilcher.'

Spain, January 1812

Lieutenant Richard Sharpe faces threats from all sides when an old adversary joins the ranks. Yet, despite the risks, he must embark on a deadly mission – to capture the impenetrable fortress of Badajoz.

It’s a long, cold winter for war as the French force onwards – but Sharpe’s battle-rage burns. Only a Forlorn Hope, a near-suicidal move into the breach, will give the army hope of capturing the fortress. And boldly leading the attack is Sharpe . . .