Book 2 of the classic trilogy of humorous adventures An ebullient Mr Finchley is about to propose marriage to a lady he had rescued from mishap, when he is sent to Paris by his firm. There he manages to upset a boat, adopt a stray orphan and get himself kidnapped. The fine tangle he gets into takes some unravelling! Only when eventually back in London does he complete the proposal of marriage that was interrupted at the start. 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

"Tremendous and enjoyable" - La Libre Belgique "A great success" - La Croix April, 1940. Louise Belmont runs, naked, down the boulevard du Montparnasse. To understand the tragic scene she has just experienced, she will have to plunge into the madness of the 'Phoney War', when the whole of France, seized by the panic of a new World War, descends into chaos. Alongside bistro-owner Monsieur Jules, new recruit Gabriel and small-time crook Raoul, Louise navigates this period of enormous upheaval and extraordinary twists of fate, for as the Nazi's advance, the threat of German occupation will uncover long-buried secrets and make strange bedfellows. With his characteristic wit and verve, Pierre Lemaitre chronicles the greatness and decline of a people crushed by circumstance. In Mirror of Our Sorrows, the final novel in the Paris between-the-wars trilogy, is an incandescent tale that is both burlesque and tragic. Translated from the French by Frank Wynne

Ursula's visit to her Devon relatives leads to murder, mayhem and a possible plot to free Mary, Queen of Scots in the latest Ursula Blanchard Tudor mystery. February, 1586. When the queen's spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham, learns that Ursula is to visit her relatives in Devon, he asks her to find out what has happened to two of his local agents, who have been strangely silent recently. On arrival in the small Devon village of Zeal Aquatico, Ursula discovers that both spies in question have met with mysterious - and fatal - accidents. Or is there more to it than that? What did the two spies find out that got them killed? Is there any truth to the rumours that King Philip of Spain, in league with the queen's cousin, Mary Stuart, intends to launch an invasion from the south coast? As Ursula pursues her investigations, it becomes clear that someone in Zeal Aquatico is determined to stop her finding out the truth ... whatever it takes.

Can you leave the past behind and embrace the future? - A brand new series from Tracy Baines. 'A new saga author has arrived. The Women of Fisher's Wharf is a joy to read' - AnneMarie Brear Great Grimsby, 1912 Newlywed fisherman Alec Hardy decides to make a fresh start with his young wife Letty and move to the thriving fishing port of Grimsby in search of a brighter future. Letty is from farming stock and knows nothing of the hard life as a fishermen's wife but is willing to embrace the challenge with Alec. But where Alec goes, so does his widowed mother, Dorcas and she has trouble coming to terms with taking second place in her son's life. With Alec at sea for weeks on end, the two women clash and Letty seeks escape from her bitter mother-in-law amongst the streets of Fish Dock Wharf. Can Letty help them break free from the shadows of the past or will she be bound by Dorcas' insistence that they cling to the old ways? Praise for Tracy Baines: 'A saga about ambition, hard work, courage ...and spite'. Rosie Clarke I highly recommend this book.' Fenella Miller 'An emotional, entertaining read that had me gripped!' Sheila Riley 'An absorbing saga. I loved it from the very beginning and would highly recommend it...' Elaine Roberts 'Terrific - beautifully written. A well-crafted and satisfying story' Maisie Thomas 'A pleasure from start to finish.' Glenda Young 'an evocative, busy, entertaining read vying with angst, and of course, more than a dollop of tension.' Margaret Graham, Frost Magazine 'Characterisation is one of the book's strong points - the individual characters stay in your mind long after you finish the story.' Barbara Dynes, The Voice'I just loved this book! Molly Walton

Renowned through four award-winning books for his gritty and revelatory visions of the Caribbean, Bob Shacochis returns to occupied Haiti in The Woman Who Lost Her Soul before sweeping across time and continents to unravel tangled knots of romance, espionage, and vengeance.

In riveting prose, Shacochis builds a complex and disturbing story about the coming of age of America in a pre-9/11 world.

Set over fifty years and in four countries backdropped by different wars, The Woman Who Lost Her Soul is National Book Award winner Bob Shacochis' magnum opus that brings to life, through the mystique and allure of history, an intricate portrait of catastrophic events that led up to the war on terror and the America we are today

'Epic and tender, as thrilling as it is moving, Pillars of Light deftly spins a story of the crusader world that is rich, deep, complex and quite unlike anything I've read before. I couldn't put it down.' Dan Jones 'A masterpiece of historical fiction.' Anne Fortier Pillars of Light is a powerful and moving novel about the triumph of the human spirit against all the odds. It will delight fans of Philippa Gregory, Ken Follett and Diana Gabaldon. In the Syrian city of Akka, Nathanael, a young Jewish doctor, and a Muslim girl called Zohra are about to fall in love. But Saladin's army has just taken Jerusalem, and soon their own city will be engulfed by war. Meanwhile in England, John Savage, a foundling boy, runs away from his cruel life in a priory with the Moor, a mysterious man driven by a dream of perfection. They join a band of conmen travelling through the English countryside faking religious miracles for cash, until they are recruited in Richard the Lionheart's army and sent to regain the Latin Kingdom from the infidel. Akka awaits. It will be the site of the greatest - and cruellest - siege of its time. But even in the midst of war, lovers find ways to make transactions of beauty. Praise for Jane Johnson: 'Written with empathy and a flair for the dramatic' Daily Mail 'An engaging adventure story brimming with atmosphere and romance' Sunday Mirror 'Beautifully written' The Times 'A sweeping story... Powerful' Best

Carlisle, 1592.

Robert Carey abandoned the lace-collared finery of Queen Elizabeth I's court for the lawless badlands between the kingdoms of England and Scotland. He's found life among the border's cattle-rustlers, horse-thieves, arsonists, kidnappers and murderers curiously engaging. But now, alas, he's been summoned back to London. Before he can return to his new home in the North, Carey must find his missing brother, clear the family name, navigate a feud between playwrights, identify a badly decomposed body washed up on the Queen's privy steps, and investigate a murder some thirty years past...

Plunging readers straight into the racous world of late sixteenth-century border reivers and unfettered Elizabethan intrigue, Knives in the South is the second chronicle of Sir Robert Carey's adventures, collecting the novels A Plague of Angels, A Murder of Crows and An Air of Treason under one volume.

The Hundred Years' War is over and newly-knighted Sir John Hawkwood is headed for France to make his fortune as a freebooter. Violence and extortion are rife, and the freebooters will stop at nothing to capture the Papal City of Avignon. This is only the beginning: Italy beckons, and with it, yet more battles against rival mercenaries, powerful cities and the Papal State.

Discover the brand new instalment in Lizzie Lane's bestselling Tobacco Girls series! War is fleeting, but true love last forever...May 1944 Hope and excitement is in the air when news breaks of the allied forces landing in Normandy. D Day has arrived. However, the day-to-day struggles for the Tobacco Girls continue. Carole Thomas wants her old life back. She is burdened with the guilt of being a young single mother and considers having baby Paula adopted, but Maisie Miles will do anything to stop her. Phyllis Mason having found the love of her life is getting married in Malta to Mick Fairbrother, but will the dangerous legacies of war plague her happy day? Bridget O'Neill finds herself posted to one of the hospitals receiving the injured from the D-Day landing beaches. Her most fervent hope is that her husband, Lyndon, does not become one of them. Peace is on the horizon, but will their wishes and dreams win through and bring them a happy ever after? Praise for Lizzie Lane: 'A gripping saga and a storyline that will keep you hooked' Rosie Goodwin 'The Tobacco Girls is another heartwarming tale of love and friendship and a must-read for all saga fans.' Jean Fullerton 'Lizzie Lane opens the door to a past of factory girls, redolent with life-affirming friendship, drama, and choices that are as relevant today as they were then.' Catrin Collier 'If you want an exciting, authentic historical saga then look no further than Lizzie Lane.' Fenella J Miller

Warrior and combat medic of the Twenty Second Legion, Titus Cervianus, must fight the armies of the fabled Warrior Queen in this blistering new Roman adventure from Simon Turney. Egypt, 25 BC. Titus Cervianus is no ordinary soldier. And the Twenty Second is no ordinary legion. Formed from the personal guard of a conquered king, the Twenty Second's ways are strange to soldiers of the Empire - yet the legion has proved itself in the blistering heat of the desert. Cervianus and his comrades march into the unknown as he and the Twenty Second Legion contend with the armies of the Bellatrix: the Warrior Queen of Kush. The Kushites and the Egyptians are united against the Roman presence in their lands - but there are complex political and military forces at work. Deep in the deserts, Cervianus and his comrades must brace themselves for a furious onslaught as they take on the might of the Bellatrix. Reviews for Simon Turney's Legion XXII series 'If you want gritty and utterly authentic edge of the seat Roman action, you should be reading Simon Turney.' Anthony Riches 'Brings a whole new dimension to the genre... Recommended.' Historical Novel Society 'A blistering desert epic, brimming with tension, mystery and adventure!' Gordon Doherty Reviews for Simon Turney 'A page turner from beginning to end... A damn fine read.' Ben Kane 'First-rate Roman fiction.' Matthew Harffy

TRAITORS OF ROME: THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER An enthralling Cato and Macro adventure from bestselling author Simon Scarrow. Not to be missed by readers of Conn Iggulden and Bernard Cornwell. AD 56. Battle-hardened veterans of the Roman army Tribune Cato and Centurion Macro are garrisoned at the eastern border, aware that their movements are constantly monitored by spies from dangerous, mysterious Parthia. But the enemy within could be the deadliest threat to the Legion ... and the Empire. There's a traitor in the ranks. Rome shows no mercy to those who betray their comrades, and the Empire. But first the guilty man must be discovered. Cato and Macro are in a race against time to expose the truth, while the powerful enemy over the border waits to exploit any weaknesses in the Legion. The traitor must die ... Praise for Simon Scarrow's bestselling novels: 'Blood, gore, political intrigue...A historical fiction thriller that'll have you reaching for your gladius' Daily Sport 'Gripping... ferocious and compelling' Daily Express 'Brilliantly told adventures ... Roman soldiering at its very best - even by Scarrow's high standards' Sunday Sport

In the summer of 1877, Bridget is orphaned when her unreliable father succumbs to a snakebite as they're crossing the Kansas prairie. Arriving in Dodge City as a penniless orphan, she's quickly recruited for work at the Buffalo Queen brothel and befriends her bookish mentor Constance, securing her home and employment as the favourite of Sheriff's Deputy Jim Bonnie. As winter creeps in from the plains, female gunfighter Spartan Lee rides into town, and Bridget falls in love with her the moment their paths cross. Their affair threatens the balance of power at the Queen, but is interrupted when an old flame returns to the brothel, setting off a series of double-crosses that result in the destruction of the Buffalo Queen and a searing heartbreak for Bridget. Their lives in ruins, Bridget, Constance and Lila resolve to take revenge on those who wronged them - but will they succeed in their mission? In a misogynistic world of outlaws and gunfights, nothing is certain . . . A sharply realised, caustically witty and often moving revisionist depiction of frontier life that explores through its feminist heroine queer love, female friendships and the idea of a 'found' family in a page-turning romp of a female revenge thriller.

A rogue officer turns privateer in this thrilling historical adventure.1783: Officer Alan Lewrie becomes His Majesty's secret agent. Fresh from war in the Americas, Lewrie finds London a pure pleasure. Then, at Plymouth, he boards the trading ship Telesto to find out why merchantmen are disappearing in the East Indies. Between the pungent shores of Calcutta and teaming Canton, Lewrie discovers a young French captain, backed by an armada of pirates, on a plundering rampage. While treaties tie the navy's hands, a King's privateer is free to plunge into the fire and blood of a dirty war in the South China Sea. The King's Privateer is perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell and Patrick O'Brian.

From bestselling historian Adrian Goldsworthy, a profoundly authentic, action-packed adventure set on the northern frontier of the Roman Empire.

AD 100: VINDOLANDA.

A FORT ON THE EDGE OF THE ROMAN WORLD.

Flavius Ferox, Briton turned Roman centurion, is charged with keeping Rome's empire safe. But from his base at the northern frontier of Britannia, he feels enemies closing in from all sides.

Ambitious leaders await the chance to carve out empires of their own. While men nearer at hand speak in whispers of war and the destruction of Rome.

And now more sinister threats are reaching Ferox's ears. Stories about the sea-dwelling men of the night, who have cursed the land and only come ashore to feast on men's flesh.

These are just rumours for now. But Ferox knows that rumours stem from truth. And that no one on this isle is safe from the great, encircling sea...

In the year 1095, Pope Urban II declared war on the infidel. Kings, princes, and lords throughout Europe have joined the Crusade. To Murdo Ranulfson has fallen the duty of guarding his family's interests while his father and brothers fight to win Jerusalem. But when corrupt clergy prove enemies rather than protectors, Murdo must leave his native Scotland in search of his father. In the company of monks and warriors, he journeys far beyond the rolling fields of home, beyond the fabled Constantinople and the brooding walls of Antioch, to the Holy Land and the sword points of the Saracens. There, where blood, suffering, and human evil at its most horrifying are shot through with rays of the miraculous, he obtains the relic that will guide his life and the lives of his descendants for centuries. And there he grows from a callow youth to a man, trading cynicism for faith and selfishness for the heart of a leader. Steeped in heroism, treachery, and the clamor of battle, The Iron Lance begins a remarkable, masterfully woven epic trilogy of a Scottish noble family fighting for its existence and its faith during the age of the Great Crusades -- and of a secret society that will shape history for a thousand years.

THE 12 MILLION COPY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE LEWIS TRILOGY, THE ENZO FILES AND THE CHINA THRILLERS AWARD WINNING AUTHOR OF THE CWA DAGGER IN THE LIBRARY 2021 'Peter May is one of the most accomplished novelists writing today.' Undiscovered Scotland 'No one can create a more eloquently written suspense novel than Peter May.' New York Journal of Books The Noble Path is Peter May's explosive standalone thriller set in Cambodia and Thailand amid the bloody reign of the Khmer Rouge THE EVIL WRATH Cambodia, 1978. Amid the Khmer Rouge's crazed genocide, soldier-of-fortune Jack Elliott is given the impossible task of rescuing a family from the regime. THE PAINFUL TRUTH Eighteen-year-old orphan and budding journalist Lisa Robinson has received the impossible news that her father is, in fact, alive. His name - Jack Elliott. THE NOBLE PATH As Jack tracks the hostages and Lisa traces her heritage, each is intent on reuniting a family. Yet to succeed, so must run a dangerous gauntlet of bullets and betrayal. LOVED THE NOBLE PATH? Read Peter May's prescient standalone thriller, THE MAN WITH NO FACE LOVE PETER MAY? Order his new thriller, THE NIGHT GATE

A murder that defies logic-and a killer on the loose. England, 1176. Aelred Barling, esteemed clerk to the justices of King Henry II, is dispatched from the royal court with his young assistant, Hugo Stanton, to investigate a brutal murder in a village outside York. The case appears straightforward. A suspect is under lock and key in the local prison, and the angry villagers are demanding swift justice. But when more bodies are discovered, certainty turns to doubt-and amid the chaos it becomes clear that nobody is above suspicion. Facing growing unrest in the village and the fury of the lord of the manor, Stanton and Barling find themselves drawn into a mystery that defies logic, pursuing a killer who evades capture at every turn. Can they solve the riddle of who is preying upon the villagers? And can they do it without becoming prey themselves?

IF YOU DON'T KNOW SIMON SCARROW, YOU DON'T KNOW ROME! THE BLOOD CROWS is the unputdownable twelfth novel in Simon Scarrow's bestselling Eagles of the Empire series. A must read for fans of Bernard Cornwell. Praise for Simon Scarrow's gripping novels: 'Ferocious and compelling' Daily Express Britannia, AD 51. For nearly a decade, the Roman Empire has fought to assert its hold over Britannia. But relentless opposition from native tribes led by the fanatical King Caratacus threatens to destroy everything. Prefect Cato and Centurion Macro are dispatched from Rome to aid the campaign. Placed in command of an outpost in the remote western mountains, they face a challenge even more deadly than the unremitting attacks of barbarian forces. For they must wrench control of the fort from Centurion Quertus, a man who wages a savage personal war and inspires a loyalty in his men above their bond with Rome. With dangerous enemies on both sides, Cato and Macro face the fight of their lives to bring peace to the most perilous frontier in Europe.

'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'

The Second Horatio Hornblower Tale of the Sea The nineteenth century dawns and the Napoleonic Wars rage as Horatio Hornblower is ordered to the Caribbean and dangerous waters. New Lieutenant Hornblower's latest ship is HMS Renown, a sound vessel whose captain is unfortunately of rather unsound mind. When ordered to attack a Spanish anchorage, the chain of command breaks down and it requires all of Hornblower's seafaring cunning to avert disaster. As cannons pound and splinters fly aboard their beleaguered vessel, and the men are forced to engage at close quarters, the young lieutenant knows that to save his ship and crew he must prove himself a master of the high seas . . . This is the second of eleven books chronicling the adventures of C. S. Forester's inimitable nautical hero, Horatio Hornblower. Featuring an exclusive introduction by Bernard Cornwell, creator of Sharpe 'One of the best. Everyone interested in war, or in human nature, should read this fascinating tale' The Times Literary Supplement

'There is a fury in England that none shall suppress - and when it breaks forth it will shake the throne' 1264 Storm clouds are gathering as Simon de Montfort and the barons of the realm challenge the power of Henry III. The barons demand reform; the crown demands obedience. England is on the brink of civil war. Adam de Norton, a young squire devoted to the virtues of chivalry, longs only to be knighted, and to win back his father's lands. Then a bloody hunting accident leaves him with a new master: the devilish Sir Robert de Dunstanville, who does not hesitate to use the blackest stratagems in pursuit of victory. Following Robert overseas, Adam is introduced to the ruthless world of the tournament, where knights compete for glory and riches, and his new master's methods prove brutally effective. But as England plunges into violence, Robert and Adam must choose a side in a battle that will decide the fate of the kingdom. Will they fight for the king, for de Montfort - or for themselves? Searingly vivid and richly evocative, Battle Song is tale of friendship and chivalry, rivalry and rebellion, and the medieval world in all its colour and darkness.

ONE FINAL CLASH Reeling from his defeat at the hands of the Macedonians, Rome's furious General Flamininus gathers his legions for the final strike on King Philip's mighty phalanx. AN EMPIRE ON THE EDGE Both leaders know the victor will rule Greece, and both armies will do everything in their power to claim the ultimate prize. TWO HEROES PREPARED TO DIE Fighting on opposing sides, Felix and Demetrios think they have survived the worst of the campaign. But between vicious infighting, unruly locals, and intense battle, both will be tested as the final showdown between two great civilisations begins . . .

The dead are rising. The world hangs in the balance... A man holds a gun to Professor Alex Harker in a Cambridge University lecture room. He wants to know about the mysterious Codex Gigas. But before Harker can learn more the man shoots himself, threatening Harker's girlfriend Chloe as he does so. Soon Harker is deep in a life or death struggle that takes him to Berlin, Italy and France. It seems that, thanks to the Codex, the dead are rising. It can only mean one thing: Judgement Day. Or does it? In a game of crosses and double crosses, Harker doesn't know who or what to believe anymore. Behind the lies, behind the Vatican, behind the Codex, is the most terrible puppet master of all... A white-knuckle thriller perfect for fans of Dan Brown, Scott Mariani and Chris Kuzneski.

Some promises should never be broken.AD 1055. With the crisis of 1051 long behind them and finally coming to terms with the death of Sweyn, the Godwin family's influence across England is growing. Harold enjoys a position of trust with King Edward and the country is at peace, but Edward knows that he needs an heir before it is too late. In Hungary, there is one potential heir with royal blood running through his veins, but before he can be contacted another king, much closer to home, rises to power, and Harold finds himself torn between diplomacy and violence to maintain the peace. With King Edward relying on him more and more, Harold travels to Normandy to find the two hostages still missing after many years. But while there, he uncovers a situation far more dangerous than any threat from the Welsh king... With England now being torn apart by internal politics, can Harold forge unity amongst his fellow nobles before it is too late? The gripping next step along the road to Hastings, perfect for fans of Conn Iggulden.