The Emperor is dead. Long live the Empire. General Bordan has a lifetime of duty and sacrifice behind him in the service of the Empire. But with rebellion brewing in the countryside, and assassins, thieves and politicians vying for power in the city, it is all Bordan can do to protect the heir to the throne. Apprentice Magician Kyron was assigned to the late Emperor's honour guard escorting his body on the long road back to the capital. But even a magician's power may fail when enemies emerge from the forests intent on seizing their precious cargo. Whoever controls the Emperor's body, controls the Empire...

AD265 - In the shadow of Mount Etna, slaves are rising up. As the rebel leader declares Sicily the new land of the free, men and women are slaughtered, and cities across the island are sacked and burned. When a ship is wrecked off the island's west coast, all but two survivors are cut down in the surf by the rebel slaves. Ballista, an experienced Roman soldier, has always found a way to survive against the odds - but his son Marcus is still just a boy. With the burning road stretching out ahead of them, father and son must cross the war-ravaged island in a race against time to save the rest of his family, and somehow find a way to extinguish the brutal rebellion, before it all goes up in flames.

In the sixth title in the successful Woods Cop Mystery series, another suspenseful who-done-it finds Grady Service with an unexpectedly complex, truly rotten, and important case on his hands. This time tainted eggs are showing up in caviar and Service must expose a ring of corruption in state government and perhaps within his own beloved DNR, one that could lead him all the way to the top. Making enemies at every level of the state, Service rousts out the people on the take. Can he get to the source of the contaminated eggs and prove it? Pitting corporate greed against the health of the general public isn't something Service takes lightly. He doesn't rest until there has been full exposure in a case that takes him from the wilds of the Upper Peninsula to the jungles of the state capital, into the maw of the Ukrainian mafia in New York City and onto distant beaches of Central America. For more on Joseph Heywood and the Woods Cop Mysteries, visit the author's website, www.josephheywood.com.

Jules Verne is the author of many classic, world-famous novels such as Around the World in 80 Days and Journey to the Centre of the Earth. In this brand-new translation of The Blockade Runners, Verne moves seamlessly between Scotland and the southern states of the US during the American Civil War. With the southern harbours effectively sealed by the North, Scottish industrialist James Playfair must run a daring Federalist blockade of a Charleston harbour in an effort to trade supplies for cotton and to rescue a young girl's father, held prisoner by the Confederates. As the blockade grows tighter, will Playfair risk all to save the man, or will he head back to Scotland in safety with his hold full of precious cotton? The Blockade Runners is a translation of Les Forceurs de Blocus (1871). As a novella, it was originally included along with A Floating City in the first English and French editions.

Only fools think war is simple. Or glorious. Some are warriors, some captains; others tend to the fallen or feed the living. But on the magic-drenched battlefield, information is the lifeblood of victory, and Aranthur is about to discover that carrying messages, scouting the enemy, keeping his nerve, and passing on orders is more dangerous, and more essential, then an inexperienced soldier could imagine . . . especially when everything starts to go wrong. Battle has been joined - on the field, in the magical sphere, and in the ever-shifting political arena . . . Praise for Miles Cameron 'A masterclass in how to write modern fantasy - world building, characters, plot and pacing, all perfectly blended. Miles Cameron is at the top of his game. To say I loved it is an understatement' John Gwynne 'Miles Cameron is back with a brand new series and you're going to be hooked from the very beginning. A fresh take on the typical farm boy turned hero fantasy, this is everything you could possibly want in a fantasy series' The Bibliophile Chronicles 'A stirring, gritty and at times quite brutal epic fantasy' Tor.com 'This series promises to be the standout epic fantasy for the ages' Fantasy Book Critic

Styrkar the warrior sails to dangerous lands in this thrilling new historical adventure from Richard Cullen. The sequel to Oath Bound, longlisted for the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize 2022. England, 1068: a land gripped in the iron fist of Frankish invaders. But the Conqueror does not sit easily on his fledgling throne. Rebellion is rife, and the flames of uprising have been ignited in every corner of the kingdom. Thrown back into this crucible is Styrkar the Dane, former housecarl of the slain King Harold. Forced to travel to Ireland by his deadliest enemy, he must risk the fates of his brothers-in-arms in order to protect the one thing he loves. So begins a journey that will take Styrkar to the royal court of Dublin, and the frigid climes of the north of England, for loyalty, love and vengeance. He will be tested, beaten and broken, but can any man keep the Red Wolf chained for long? Reviews for Richard Cullen: 'Richard Cullen's writing is as sharp as the blade wielded by Styrkar, the series' protagonist, who cuts a bloody swathe through his Norman enemies on his quest for vengeance. Styrkar is a great heroic creation, and the Wolf of Kings series places Cullen in the top tier of historical action and adventure authors' Matthew Harffy 'Fast-paced and enthralling, the tale of Styrkar the Dane, the Red Wolf, [is] a brutal yet compelling tale, and one that gripped me from the first page to the last' Paul Fraser Collard 'A perfect example of tight, gritty, character-driven storytelling' Luke Scull, on Herald of the Storm

'Like all the best vintages Jack Lark has aged to perfection. Scarred, battered and bloody, his story continues to enthral' ANTHONY RICHES Historical military fiction at its finest, for fans of Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe series, Matthew Harffy and Patrick O'Brian. South Africa, 1871. Jack Lark no longer walks alone. With the worldly Anna Baker by his side, he travels to the Cape Colony diamond fields determined to seek their fortune - and an adventurous new life together. The journey north soon turns violent as tensions erupt between other hopeful diggers and a gang of Boer men. Everyone has their eye on the same elusive prize - and some will stop at nothing to get it. For Jack and Anna, unearthing a diamond is only half the battle. Getting out of the mines alive will prove far more difficult - and dangerous. And when the worst happens, Jack finds himself tested as no enemy, no man and no war has ever before. Praise for the Jack Lark series: 'Brilliant' Bernard Cornwell 'Enthralling' The Times 'Bullets fly, emotions run high and treachery abounds... exceptionally entertaining historical action adventure' Matthew Harffy 'Expect ferocious, bloody action from the first page' Ben Kane 'You feel and experience all the emotions and the blood, sweat and tears that Jack does... I devoured it in one sitting' Parmenion Books

Another Fabulous Art History Thriller by the Bestselling Author of Oil and Marble, Featuring the Master of Renaissance Perfection: Raphael! Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling is one of the most iconic masterpieces of the Renaissance. Here, in Raphael, Painter in Rome, Storey tells of its creation as never before: through the eyes of Michelangelo's fiercest rival-the young, beautiful, brilliant painter of perfection, Raphael. Orphaned at age eleven, Raphael is determined to keep the deathbed promise he made to his father: become the greatest artist in history. But to be the best, he must beat the best, the legendary sculptor of the David, Michelangelo Buonarroti. When Pope Julius II calls both artists down to Rome, they are pitted against each other: Michelangelo painting the Sistine Ceiling, while Raphael decorates the pope's private apartments. As Raphael strives toward perfection in paint, he battles internal demons: his desperate ambition, crippling fear of imperfection, and unshakable loneliness. Along the way, he conspires with cardinals, scrambles through the ruins of ancient Rome, and falls in love with a baker's-daughter-turned-prostitute who becomes his muse. With its gorgeous writing, rich settings, endearing characters, and riveting plot, Raphael, Painter in Rome brings to vivid life these two Renaissance masters going head to head in the deadly halls of the Vatican.

'Balkan Glory is an epic chapter in the splendid Kydd canon, weaving knotty political gambits with stirring naval actions, expressively re-creating the often harsh reality Jack Tars witnessed within their wooden walls during the Napoleonic Wars' - Quarterdeck 1811. The Adriatic, the 'French Lake', is now the most valuable territory Napoleon Bonaparte possesses. Captain Sir Thomas Kydd finds his glorious return to England cut short when the Admiralty summons him to lead a squadron of frigates into these waters to cause havoc and distress to the enemy. Kydd is dubbed 'The Sea Devil' by Bonaparte who personally appoints one of his favourites, Dubourdieu, along with a fleet that greatly outweighs the British, to rid him of this menace. At the same time, Nicholas Renzi is sent to Austria on a secret mission to sound out the devious arch-statesman, Count Metternich. His meeting reveals a deadly plan by Bonaparte that threatens the whole balance of power in Europe. The only thing that can stop it is a decisive move at sea and for this he must somehow cross the Alps to the Adriatic to contact Kydd directly. A climactic sea battle where the stakes could not be higher is inevitable. Kydd faces Dubourdieu with impossible odds stacked against him. Can he shatter Bonaparte's dreams of breaking out of Europe and marching to the gates of India and Asia? ************************************* Readers LOVE Balkan Glory 'I can say without a doubt Balkan Glory is Stockwin's best of the series. All these elements make it so. It's great, involving reading (I was surprised when I reached The End!). It's what makes for great historical fiction' 'By far the best of the Kydd series. Can the next one possibly be as riveting?' 'One of my must have books each year'

'Historical fiction at its finest.' @MargaretAtwood It is 1535 and Agnes Peppin, daughter of a West-country butcher, has been banished, leaving her family home in disgrace to live out the rest of her life cloistered behind the walls of Shaftesbury Abbey. While Agnes grapples with the complex rules and hierarchies of the sisterhood, King Henry VIII has proclaimed himself Head of the Church of England. Religious houses are being formally subjugated, monasteries dissolved, and the great Abbey is no exception to the purge. Cast out with her sisters, Agnes is at last free to be the master of her own fate. But freedom comes at a price as she descends into a world she knows little about, using her wits and testing her moral convictions against her need to survive - by any means necessary...

Mr Edgar Finchley, unmarried clerk, aged 45, is told to take a holiday for the first time in his life. He decides to go to the seaside. But Fate has other plans in store... From his abduction by a cheerful crook, to his smuggling escapade off the south coast, the timid but plucky Mr Finchley is plunged into a series of the most astonishing and extraordinary adventures. His rural adventure takes him gradually westward through the English countryside and back, via a smuggling yacht, to London. This gentle comedy trilogy was a runaway bestseller on first publication in the 1930s and retains a timeless appeal today. It has been dramatized twice for BBC Radio, with the 1990 series regularly repeated. What people are saying about the Mr Finchley series: 'Wonderful character from a kinder slower England between the wars.' 'An overlooked gem. An innocent picaresque novel set in an arcadian version of mid 20th century England. The literary equivalent of naive painting, it narrates the adventures of a respectable upper middle-aged man who takes retirement.' 'An antidote to the rush of the early 21st century.' 'A thoroughly enjoyable stroll through a vanished England with some lovable characters. Don't expect modern, fashionable agonisings, here there is good, evil, and understanding. A lovely reminiscent wallow of a read.' 'Gentle well told simple story, full of pleasant surprises, and a mild mannered believable hero. Loved it to bits.' 'So gentle, it hurts.' 'There is a freshness about the writing which is charming and that disarms criticism. Don't expect any great profundities, a gripping plot or inter-character tensions - these books are of the world of Billy Bunter and William Brown - but do expect a very well-written and enjoyable romp through early twentieth-century England in the company of an engaging protagonist.' 'A delightful story of a man who finds himself jolted out of his comfort zone and taken on a journey beyond his wildest imaginings.' 'Another lovely book detailing the adventures of Mr Finchley in altogether far too short a series. Full of humour and a book I was sorry to finish as I wanted it to go on and on.' 'Highly recommended for anyone seeking an entertaining amusing read.' 'A delight to be transported to an England I never knew despite growing up in the 1950s and to experience the countryside through the sharp eyes of the author who obviously had a great love of all things rural.' Editorial reviews: 'Quite delightful, with an atmosphere of quiet contentment and humour that cannot fail to charm ... The longer we travel with Mr Finchley, the better we come to love him. He makes us share his bread and cheese, and beer and pipe. His delight at the beauties of the countryside and his mild astonishment at the strange ways of men are infectious.' Daily Telegraph 'His gift of story-telling is obviously innate. Rarely does one come on so satisfying an amalgam of plot, characterisation and good writing.' Punch 'A paean to the beauties of the English countryside and the lovable oddities of the English character... [Mr Finchley] runs into one astonishing situation after another, sticking gamely to his resolve that he must take things as they come and accept them.' New York Times 'What counts for most in the story, as it did for Mr Finchley, is his mounting pleasure in vagabondage and the English scene.' The Times 'There is such a gentle humour in the book ... Mr Finchley is the ideal Englishman.' Daily Sketch

Irish immigrant brothers Michael and Thomas O'Driscoll have returned from the brutal front lines of the Civil War. Unable to adapt to life as farm labourers, they re-enlist in the army and are thrown into ferocious combat with Red Cloud's coalition of Indian tribes in the heart of Montana's Powder River Valley. Thomas finds love amidst the daily carnage-which leads to a moment of violence that will change the brothers' lives forever. Meanwhile, following a double murder in a brothel, Lieutenant Martin Molloy sets off to track down the killers. As he journeys to a remote outpost, he meets Irish nationalist rebels and anti-immigrant nativists who prove to be opposed to his investigations. Wolves of Eden blends intimate historical detail and emotional acuity in a haunting narrative that explores themes of morality, the resilience of the human spirit and the injustice implicit in warfare.

*Brand new tie in book to the new Assassin's Creed: Syndicate* A disgraced Assassin. A deep-cover agent. A quest for redemption. 1862, and with London in the grip of the Industrial Revolution, the world's first underground railway is under construction. When a body is discovered at the dig, it sparks the beginning of the latest deadly chapter in the centuries-old battle between the Assassins and Templars. Deep undercover is an Assassin with dark secrets and a mission to defeat the Templar stranglehold on the nation's capital. Soon the Brotherhood will know him as Henry Green, mentor to Jacob and Evie Frye. For now, he is simply The Ghost. Assassin's Creed: Underworld is the eighth gripping novel from Oliver Bowden set in the immersive world of Assassin's Creed.

From the author of the existential thriller 'The Execution' comes 'Colony', a novel set in French Guiana as the age of Empire draws to a close and anarchy beckons. The year is 1928. Sabir - petty criminal, drifter, war veteran - is on a prison ship bound for a notorious penal colony in the French tropics. Soon after his arrival in the bagne, as it's known, Sabir is shipped out to a work camp deep in the South American jungle but quickly comes to the realisation that his old life is dead, and return to France an impossibility. Yet, if he's to survive at all, he must escape the brutality of the bagne. Posing as a professional gardener, Sabir wins the confidence and protection of the camp's naive, idealistic Commandant. With a group of like-minded convicts - including the secretive, enigmatic Edouard, a comrade from the trenches of WW1 - he soon launches his escape bid, across the seas in a stolen boat. Bad weather forces the men ashore, condemning them to a dismal, hallucinatory tramp through the jungle. As hunger and rivalry tear the group apart, Sabir understands he has scant chance of escaping into another life. In Part Two, Manne - deserter, itinerant exile - comes to the Colony in search of his deported friend, the same Edouard from Part One. With a false identity and cover story, Manne installs himself as a guest at the Commandant's house. There, he falls into an affair with his host's wife. Meanwhile, the Commandant is slowly unravelling, growing ever more suspicious of who Manne is and what he's doing in the Colony. Manne ends up trapped like everyone else in the bagne, and realises that he too must escape. The novel's two plot threads begin to merge - boundaries between dream and reality blur, bringing a surreal tinge to the dramatic climax. Both a page-turning adventure story, and a bold novel of ideas, Colony takes an historical background familiar to readers of Henri Charriere's 'Papillon', and twists it into a metaphysical journey. Brilliantly evoking an atmosphere of colonial decline in the tropics, the novel explores the shifting natures of identity, memory and reality.

AD 60. Britannia. The Boudica Revolt begins . . . Macro and Cato - heroes of the Roman Empire - face a ruthless enemy set on revenge The Roman Empire's hold on the province of Britannia is fragile. The tribes implacably opposed to Rome have grown cunning in their attacks on the legions. Even amongst those who have sworn loyalty, dissent simmers. In distant Rome, Nero is blind to the danger. As hostilities create mayhem in the west, Governor Gaius Suetonius Paulinus gathers a vast army, with Prefect Cato in command. A hero of countless battles, Cato wants his loyal comrade Centurion Macro by his side. But the Governor leaves Macro behind, in charge of the veteran reserves in Camulodunum. Suetonius dismisses concerns that the poorly fortified colony will be vulnerable to attack when only a skeleton force remains. With the military distracted, slow-burning anger amongst the tribespeople bursts into flames. The king of the Iceni is dead and a proud kingdom is set for plundering and annexation. But the widow is Queen Boudica, a woman with a warrior's heart. If Boudica calls for death to the emperor, a bloodbath will follow. Macro and Cato each face deadly battles against enemies who would rather die than succumb to Roman rule. The future of Britannia hangs in the balance. 'An outstanding book with the vivid battle scenes proving a highlight' 'This is action packed and unputdownable . . . from the first page, you are transported back in time. A captivating book full of heroism and sacrifice' 'Vigorous plot with unexpected twists' 'Scarrow . . . has the gift of combining wide knowledge of the period with a page-turning narrative' Sunday Times SIMON SCARROW: 5 MILLION BOOKS SOLD WORLDWIDE!

A thrilling epic fantasy adventure in the astonishing realm of Legend of the Five Rings, as two rival clans join forces to investigate a lethal supernatural mystery Chaos has broken out in the isolated Dragon Clan settlement of Seibo Mura. During the full moon, horrifying creatures rampage through the village, unleashing havoc and death. When the Dragon samurai Agasha no Isao Ryotora is sent to investigate, he faces even greater danger than expected. To save the village, he must confront his buried past - not to mention an unexpected Phoenix Clan visitor, Asako Sekken, who has his own secrets to hide. The quest to save Sebo Mura will take the two samurai into the depths of forgotten history and the shifting terrain of the Spirit Realms... and bring them face to face with an ancient, terrifying evil.

LONGLISTED FOR THE WILBUR SMITH ADVENTURE WRITING PRIZE 2022. An action-packed historical novel featuring Danish warrior Styrkar, and his journey through the violent Norman Conquest as he fights for vengeance. The champion of a dead king has nothing left to lose... And nothing more to fear. Hastings, 1066. Styrkar the Dane stumbles wounded and delirious from the corpse-strewn battlefield of Senlac Hill. He has watched his king butchered at the hands of foreign knights, seen his countrymen defeated in battle, and he will not stop until there is a reckoning. Styrkar embarks on a bloody quest to avenge his dead master, becoming an outlaw in the wilds and earning a fearsome reputation. When a Breton knight seeks to track down this fugitive and make his own name, he can little envisage the task he has set himself. For Styrkar, the Red Wolf, last surviving housecarl to King Harold Godwinson, will carve the story of his vengeance in Frankish flesh... or die in the attempt. Praise for Richard Cullen: 'Richard Cullen's writing is as sharp as the blade wielded by Styrkar, the series' protagonist, who cuts a bloody swathe through his Norman enemies on his quest for vengeance. Styrkar is a great heroic creation, and the Wolf of Kings series places Cullen in the top tier of historical action and adventure authors' Matthew Harffy 'Oath Bound is a terrific novel... It's a brutal yet compelling tale, and one that gripped me from the first page to the last' Paul Fraser Collard, author of FugItive 'A perfect example of tight, gritty, character-driven storytelling' Luke Scull, author of The Grim Company (on Herald of the Storm)

The second in an adventure-filled historical series featuring Irish Knight Templar, Richard Savage, whose nemesis has abducted his daughter... 1316 AD. Ireland has been drawn into the bitter war between Scotland and England. Richard Savage thought he had left the war behind, but arch enemy Edward Bruce won't let him just walk away. Savage stole something from him, and there are no depths to which he will not descend to get it back. To force Savage's return, Bruce takes what is most dear to him: his daughter Galiene. To rescue her, Savage must voyage back to an Ireland devastated by war and decimated by famine, where Scottish invaders ravage the countryside. Soon, Savage's personal mission becomes entangled with the battles tearing Ireland apart, and he finds himself on a final, desperate raid. This is his only chance to save his daughter and turn the tide of war in Ireland's favour - and he's not going to waste it... PRAISE FOR TIM HODKINSON: 'Intrigues, jousts, pitched battles, lepers, witches, religious dissent, Saracen Assassins, besieged castles and even a dangerous shipwreck. Readers will be fascinated by the detailed descriptions of medieval life in all its filth and glory' HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW 'A brilliantly written historical adventure which will appeal to fans of Bernard Cornwell, George R.R. Martin, and especially Theodore Brun' HISTORICAL NOVEL ASSOCIATION 'A gripping action adventure like the sagas of old; and once finished, you just want to go back and read it all over again' MELISENDE'S LIBRARY 'An excellently written page-turner, with a feel for the period which invites you into the era and keeps you there' HISTORICAL WRITERS ASSOCIATION READERS LOVE LIONS OF THE GRAIL: 'LOVED IT' Dennis, AMAZON REVIEWER 'Totally brilliant... Can't wait for the next book' Ecobeech, AMAZON REVIEWER 'Fast paced lots of action. Recommended' Andrew, AMAZON REVIEWER

The brand new release from bestselling author Rosie Clarke. Friendship, tears, laughter and enduring love help the Harpers girls survive...LONDON 1917 As the Americans enter the War, there is renewed energy in the war effort. With husbands and sons fighting for freedom, the women of Harpers are left to tackle the day-to-day affairs at home and work. With Ben Harper away, Sally fears she is being followed by a mysterious woman. Who is she and what does she want? Maggie Gibbs collapses seriously ill in the frontline hospitals and is brought back to England close to death. Can she be saved and what does the future hold for her and her broken heart? Marion Jackson's father is on the run from the Police already wanted for murder. She fears he will return to threaten his family once more. And Beth Burrows is pregnant with her second child, worried and anxious for her husband Jack, who has been many months at sea. As Christmas 1917 approaches what will the future hold for Harpers, its girls and their men at War?

From the No. 1 Sunday Times bestselling author comes a World War Two tale of one boy's fight for survival in Nazi Europe A secret mission... 1939. As Europe teeters on the brink of war, Alfred Kendall is tasked with carrying out a minor mission for the British Intelligence Service. Travelling to Prague, he takes his troubled young son, Hugh, as cover. A terrible choice... When Hitler invades Czechoslovakia, Alfred is given an ultimatum by the Czech Resistance. They will arrange for him to return to England, but only if he leaves his son Hugh behind as collateral. A young boy stranded in Nazi terrain... Hugh is soon taken under the wing of a Nazi colonel - Helmuth Scholl. But even though Scholl treats Hugh well, his son, Heinz, is suspicious of this foreigner. And as the war across the continent intensifies, they are set on a path that will ultimately lead towards destruction...

'FAST-PACED, DETAILED AND BRILLIANTLY WRITTEN [FOR] FANS OF BERNARD CORNWELL, GEORGE R.R. MARTIN AND THEODORE BRUN' HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY. Not everyone will survive, but who will conquer all in Odin's game? AD 916. In the Orkney Isles, a young woman flees her home to save the life of her unborn child. Eighteen years later, a witch foretells that evil from her past is reaching out again to threaten her son. Outlawed from his home in Iceland, Einar Unnsson is thrown on the mercy of his Uncle, the infamous Jarl Thorfinn 'Skull Cleaver' of Orkney. He joins forces with a Norse-Irish princess and a company of wolfskin-clad warriors to become a player in a deadly game for control of the Irish sea, where warriors are the pawns of kings and Jarls and the powerful are themselves mere game pieces on the tafl board of the Gods. Together they embark on a quest where Einar must fight unimaginable foes, forge new friendships, and discover what it truly means to be a warrior. As the clouds of war gather, betrayal follows betrayal and Einar realises the only person he can really trust is himself. Praise for Tim Hodkinson: 'An excellently written page-turner, with a feel for the period which invites you into the era and keeps you there' Historical Writers Association. 'A gripping action adventure like the sagas of old; and once finished, you just want to go back and read it all over again' Melisende's Library.