Peter O'Donnell began his career working on several major pre-war comics, Tiget Tim, Chips and Captain Moonlight. During the 1950's he became involved in strip cartoons and eventually created his revolutionary Modesty Blaise, syndicated in more than 42 countries. The strip led to a series of bestselling novels about Modesty and her faithful lieutenant, Willie Garvin, all published by Souvenir Press: Modesty Blaise, Sabre Tooth, I, Lucifer, The Impossible Virgin, Pieces of Modesty, A Taste for Death, The Silver Mistress, Dragon's Claw, The Xanadu Talisman, The Night of the Morningstar, Dead Man's Handle and his most recent collection Cobra Trap. Modesty Blaise's close friend Tarrant of British Intelligence, thought to be dead, has instead been captured by Colonel Jim, a criminal tycoon. Can Modesty and Willie Garvin find him before he breaks under interrogation? They hunt for Tarrant through Macao and the Pyrenees but their plans go awry, for the rescuers become captives. Can they find an escape, to do so Modesty must defeat the invincible Mr Sexton, the greatest combat-man in the world?

Peter O'Donnell began his career working on several major pre-war comics, Tiger Tim, Chips and Captain Moonlight. During the 1950's he became involved in strip cartoons and eventually created his revolutionary Modesty Blaise, syndicated in more than 42 countries. The strip led to a series of bestselling novels about Modesty and her faithful lieutenant, Willie Garvin, all published by Souvenir Press: Modesty Blaise, Sabre Tooth, I, Lucifer, The Impossible Virgin, Pieces of Modesty, A Taste for Death, The Silver Mistress, Dragon's Claw, The Xanadu Talisman, The Night of the Morningstar, Dead Man's Handle, and his most recent collection Cobra Trap. El Mico is behind every crime along the Mediterranean coast and he is watching Modesty Blaise, who aims to fulfil the wishes of a dying man. Aided as always by Willie Garvin and the bumbling Dr Giles Pennyfeather Modesty sets out to solve the mystery of the Xanadu Talisman. The story moves from Tangier around Europe until the final gladiatorial duel of wits against guns in the Atlas Mountains when Modesty learns the secret of El Mico and discovers the talisman's real power. This is another vintage treat for all Modesty's fans.

* THE THIRD NOVEL IN THE BESTSELLING MODESTY BLAISE SERIES * 'The finest escapist thrillers ever written' THE TIMES 'Before Buffy, before Charlie's Angels, before Purdy and Emma Peel, there was Modesty Blaise' OBSERVER Modesty Blaise and Willie Garvin are in Paris. Modesty is being wined and dined by Rene Vaubois, head of the French Intelligence Service, on a floating restaurant on the Seine. Rene asks Modesty for advice regarding a new protection racket. High-level people worldwide are receiving death threats, and those who don't pay end up dead. By what means are the victims being killed? How is the ransom money being collected without trace? Then Modesty's friend, Steve Collier, the renowned psychic researcher, is kidnapped. Modesty and her faithful lieutenant, Willie Garvin, must travel to a remote island stronghold to solve the mystery and save their friend.

* THE FOURTH NOVEL IN THE BESTSELLING MODESTY BLAISE SERIES * 'The finest escapist thrillers ever written' THE TIMES 'Before Buffy, before Charlie's Angels, before Purdy and Emma Peel, there was Modesty Blaise' - OBSERVER Dinah Pilgrim and her sister Judy are vacationing in Panama when they're attacked on a lonely beach by a pair of gunmen. Judy is killed and Dinah is almost taken prisoner, and only the intervention of Willie Garvin - loyal lieutenant to Modesty Blaise - saves her. But with the entire Panamanian underworld searching for them, Willie and Dinah must go into hiding. It's not enough - Dinah is brutally kidnapped. Modesty and Willie must travel to Algeria and The Sahara to rescue her. But they're up against the most formidable opponents they've ever crossed swords with, quite literally. In the high reaches of an abandoned Foreign Legion fort, Modesty will find herself in a duel to the death with a swordmaster who has no mercy...

Continuing the only complete collection of Modesty Blaise adventures! The return of the 'ass-kicking femme fatale'. Full of classic action and adventure and dripping with '60's chic.

It has been noted several times previously that the Rare Earths (RE), a sequence of elements with atomic numbers in the range from 58 (Ce) to 71 (Lu), are neither earths nor particularly rare. They are metals, whose ores are often found together with oxides of the "alkaline earths" (Ca, Mg), staples of the building industry, th while Cerium, for example, is the 25 most abundant element in the Earth's crust. However, the chemical similarity of all REs to each other and to Lanthanum, reflected in their alternative descriptor, Lanthanoids, made extraction of the separate elements difficult until technical advances in the 1960s kick-started the modern era of RE science. The most widespread commercial use of RE metals at present is in the prod- tion of super-strong permanent magnets, containing Neodymium: check your refrigerator door for an example. RE ferromagnetism arises from the angular momentum of electrons in partially filled 4f atomic shells. In chemical compounds of RE with non-metals, the 4f shell is surrounded by filled 5s and 5p orbitals, 1 2 while bonding involves the outerlying 5d and 6s electrons, resulting (usually) in 3+ 3+ a RE ion that is chemically similar to La . (RE may also be found in a divalent charge state, with an 'extra' electron in the 5d shell. ) Hence the sequence of 3+ 3+ trivalent ions from Ce to Yb is characterised by a 4f shell occupation that rises from 1 to 13 electrons.

Wedding bells are sounding for Guido the Jinx, but as always he's in over his head and Modesty and Willie must fight to save him, and the world, from bio-terrorists in'The Last Aristocrat'. Modesty and Willie are forced to become quarry in a big game hunt, playing for keeps in 'The Killing Game'. In their final tale 'The Zombie' the pair must rescue an old Network friend from a super-computer building cult.

* THE ELEVENTH NOVEL IN THE BESTSELLING MODESTY BLAISE SERIES * 'The finest escapist thrillers ever written' THE TIMES 'Before Buffy, before Charlie's Angels, before Purdy and Emma Peel, there was Modesty Blaise' OBSERVER Modesty Blaise is about to retire from her criminal empire, the Network, a crime syndicate specialising in art theft and industrial espionage. But there is one final, astounding mission before she can leave and the Network is disbanded. Years later, she faces the consequences of this final mission when she and her faithful lieutenant Willie Garvin find themselves drawn into conflict with the mysterious group known as The Watchmen. The Watchmen have big plans, not least to destroy the Golden Gate Bridge. Modesty and Willie will need all their cunning to foil a fiendish plot to bring down western civilisation and save their own lives.

* THE UNMISSABLE MODESTY BLAISE SHORT STORY COLLECTION * 'The finest escapist thrillers ever written' THE TIMES 'Before Buffy, before Charlie's Angels, before Purdy and Emma Peel, there was Modesty Blaise' OBSERVER In this classic collection of short stories, Modesty Blaise and her trusty lieutenant Willie Garvin find themselves fighting foes around the world. From South America to Berlin and Finland to London, they use everything that comes to hand, from a circus cannon to human kite-flying, to survive against the odds. Including 'A Better Day to Die', 'The Giggle-Wrecker', 'I Had a Date with Lady Janet', 'A Perfect Night to Break Your Neck', 'Salamander Four', and 'The Soo Girl Charity', this is an essential addition to any Modesty Blaise fan's library.

* THE FIRST NOVEL IN THE BESTSELLING MODESTY BLAISE SERIES * 'The finest escapist thrillers ever written' THE TIMES 'Before Buffy, before Charlie's Angels, before Purdy and Emma Peel, there was Modesty Blaise' OBSERVER In her first adventure for British Intelligence, Modesty Blaise with her loyal lieutenant, Willie Garvin, must foil a multi-million pound diamond heist. Bored and restive, Modesty is looking for a mission when she is approached by the head of the British Intelligence. Britain is shipping ten million pounds worth of diamonds from South Africa to Beirut as partial payment for an oil concession to a Middle Eastern sheikh and the rumour is that the secrecy of this mission has been uncovered and someone may try to steal it. Modesty's knowledge and contacts within the international underworld make her the perfect person to solve the case. Knowing the difficulty of the mission, she first has to save Willie from captivity in South America. Then they travel from London to the South of France, across the Mediterranean to Cairo before battling, against impossible odds, a private army of professional killers.

* THE NINTH NOVEL IN THE BESTSELLING MODESTY BLAISE SERIES * 'The finest escapist thrillers ever written' THE TIMES 'Before Buffy, before Charlie's Angels, before Purdy and Emma Peel, there was Modesty Blaise' - OBSERVER While sailing a small yacht single-handedly from Australia to New Zealand, Modesty Blaise rescues Luke Fletcher, the world-renowned painter, from drowning. But how in the world did Luke Fletcher end up adrift in the Tasman Sea, after having disappeared in the Mediterranean two months earlier? Luke Fletcher is not the only person from the world of the arts who has disappeared recently, but he is the only one who has turned up alive. But then Luke Fletcher is killed, and Modesty and her loyal lieutenant Willie Garvin vow to find the killer. The trail leads back to the Tasman Sea, to Dragon's Claw Island, but Modesty and Willie make a mistake and find themselves in captivity. They've solved the puzzle of the murders, but will they live long enough to bring the killers to justice?

It has been noted several times previously that the Rare Earths (RE), a sequence of elements with atomic numbers in the range from 58 (Ce) to 71 (Lu), are neither earths nor particularly rare. They are metals, whose ores are often found together with oxides of the "alkaline earths" (Ca, Mg), staples of the building industry, th while Cerium, for example, is the 25 most abundant element in the Earth's crust. However, the chemical similarity of all REs to each other and to Lanthanum, reflected in their alternative descriptor, Lanthanoids, made extraction of the separate elements difficult until technical advances in the 1960s kick-started the modern era of RE science. The most widespread commercial use of RE metals at present is in the prod- tion of super-strong permanent magnets, containing Neodymium: check your refrigerator door for an example. RE ferromagnetism arises from the angular momentum of electrons in partially filled 4f atomic shells. In chemical compounds of RE with non-metals, the 4f shell is surrounded by filled 5s and 5p orbitals, 1 2 while bonding involves the outerlying 5d and 6s electrons, resulting (usually) in 3+ 3+ a RE ion that is chemically similar to La . (RE may also be found in a divalent charge state, with an 'extra' electron in the 5d shell. ) Hence the sequence of 3+ 3+ trivalent ions from Ce to Yb is characterised by a 4f shell occupation that rises from 1 to 13 electrons.

As dangerous as she is desirable, Modesty Blaise, the cult creation of best-selling writer Peter O'Donnell, returns for four more thrilling adventures! Features the stories The Murder Frame, Fraser's Story, Tribute to the Pharaoh and The Special Orders.

* THE UNMISSABLE SHORT STORY COLLECTION FEATURING MODESTY BLAISE * 'The finest escapist thrillers ever written' THE TIMES 'Before Buffy, before Charlie's Angels, before Purdy and Emma Peel, there was Modesty Blaise' OBSERVER Discover new Modesty Blaise stories in the final collection from legend Peter O'Donnell, spanning his heroine's career from running her criminal empire, the Network, to working for British Intelligence. Including 'Bellman', 'The Dark Angels', 'Old Alex', The Girl With the Black Balloon' and 'Cobra Trap', this collection reveals the untold tales of the world's most famous agent. From her youth in the criminal underworld, to fighting rebels in the jungles of central America and pitched battles on board a moving train, this collection featuring the classic duo of Modesty Blaise and her loyal lieutenant Willie Garvin is an essential part of any Modesty fan's library.

* THE EIGHTH NOVEL IN THE BESTSELLING MODESTY BLAISE SERIES * 'The finest escapist thrillers ever written' THE TIMES 'Before Buffy, before Charlie's Angels, before Purdy and Emma Peel, there was Modesty Blaise' OBSERVER When Modesty Blaise and her loyal lieutenant Willie Garvin try to take revenge on a man who mistreated their close friend, Maude Tiller, they never imagined what events would unfold. They discover that another companion, Danny, has not been dead for two years, as they had thought, but instead has been taken to Limbo, a plantation in the jungles of Guatemala. There slaves are tormented by the despotic Mistress of Limbo, aided by her ferocious armed guards. Modesty allows herself to be captured in order to infiltrate Limbo, but places herself in great danger. For the plantation is to be shut down, and the slaves destroyed. Modesty must incite revolt to save both herself, and the captives, and hope that Willie brings help in time...

* THE ELEVENTH NOVEL IN THE BESTSELLING MODESTY BLAISE SERIES * 'The finest escapist thrillers ever written' THE TIMES 'Before Buffy, before Charlie's Angels, before Purdy and Emma Peel, there was Modesty Blaise' OBSERVER The headquarters of 'The Hostel of Righteousness' is an old monastery on the small Greek island Kalivari. But there is nothing holy about the organisation. On the contrary, Dr. Thaddeus Pilgrim and his followers are among the most unholy people you could have the misfortune of meeting. Willie Garvin and Modesty Blaise are targeted by Dr. Pilgrim, who has an obsession for creating 'interesting scenarios'. Willie is kidnapped and brought to Kalivari under heavy sedation, then brainwashed to believe that Modesty has been murdered by a woman called Delilah. The twist? Willie is convinced that 'Delilah' is a woman who looks exactly like Modesty herself. Now the two comrades are pitted against one another, and Dr. Pilgrim's diabolical plan may well lead to their deaths.

* THE SECOND NOVEL IN THE BESTSELLING MODESTY BLAISE SERIES * 'The finest escapist thrillers ever written' THE TIMES 'Before Buffy, before Charlie's Angels, before Purdy and Emma Peel, there was Modesty Blaise' OBSERVER Karz, a modern-day Genghis Khan, is assembling an army of mercenaries in a hidden valley in the Hindu Kush Mountains. His objective: the invasion and occupation of oil-rich Kuwait. But he lacks a couple of top lieutenants, and his gaze falls on Modesty Blaise and her loyal companion Willie Garvin, even though he knows they are not for hire. Meanwhile, Sir Gerald Tarrant, who runs a secret service organisation under the British government, has noticed that many mercenaries are being recruited by some unknown employer and disappearing. This worries Sir Gerald, and he asks Modesty and Willie to investigate. When Karz kidnaps Lucille (a child dear to Modesty and Willie), and commands them to report for duty, the adventurers have no choice. They must travel to the isolated valley and find a way to prevent an invasion that will change the world.

The rugged team of Modesty Blaise and Willie Garvin take on impossible odds, pitted against Simon Delicta, the man with a taste for death, and Swordmaster Wenczel in a duel to the death. As the adventure unfolds, travelling from London to Panama before reaching the depths of the Sahara desert, the pair will need all their killing skills to survive.

El Mico controls every major crime along the Mediterranean, yet does he exist? Modesty Blaise sets out to fulfil the wishes of a dying friend, watched by El Mico who believes that she will lead him to a prize of immeasurable value. Travelling from Tangier to Paris, from Corsica into the Atlas mountains where Modesty must enter Xanadu, El Mico's palace, and defeat his soldiers in gladiatorial duels to the death.

In her first adventure for British Intelligence Modesty Blaise with her loyal lieutenant, Willie Garvin, must foil a multi - million pound diamond heist. They travel from London to the South of France, across the Mediterranean to Cairo before battling, against impossible odds, a private army of professional killers.

Modesty Blaise and Willie Garvin are legendary names and in the 6 stories in this collection it is non - stop adventure as they travel and fight their way around the world. From South America to Berlin, Finland to London they use everything that comes to hand, from a circus cannon to human kite - flying, to survive against the odds.

A thrilling selection of stories following Modesty Blaise, aided as always by Willie Garvin, from her early days running The Network to working with Sir Gerald Tarrant of British Intelligence. In the title story Modesty faces the toughest assignment of her life, an attempt to rescue friends held by rebels in the jungle of Central America.