The road ahead of us winds through the valley, along a river that snakes away to the sea. And then I see it. The former monastery with the big church in the middle, surrounded by a dark wall. The jumble of rooftops and pointed spires, reaching up in to the blue sky . . . Falling in love wasn't on Emma's agenda for her year abroad at Dunbridge Academy, the boarding school where her parents once met. Here she wants to find out where her father disappeared to when he left their family all those years ago. She has no time for distractions. But when she meets fellow student Henry, Emma knows she's in trouble. During secret midnight parties and moonlit walks through the old school buildings, feelings grow between them, and Emma feels powerless to resist. But Henry has a girlfriend and Emma doesn't want her heart broken . . . 'An amazing book about love and dark academia' 5* reader review 'I laughed and I cried' 5* reader review 'Incredible, I couldn't put it down' 5* reader review

A masterpiece of medieval Arab metalwork revealed, shedding light on courtly life in northern Iraq under the Mongol governorship. Accompanying a major scholarly exhibition at The Courtauld Gallery, this book explores one of the most beautiful and enigmatic objects in The Courtauld's collection: the so-called 'Courtauld wallet', a brass container richly inlaid with gold and silver, imitating a lady's textile or leather bag, and probably made in Mosul in northern Iraq around 1300. No other object of this kind is known. Decorated all round with courtly figures and on the top with an elaborate banqueting scene featuring an enthroned couple, it has long been recognised as a masterpiece of Arab metalwork. Yet, despite the superb quality of its design and craftsmanship and its status as a unique object, this exceptional metalwork bag has never been properly published. Thus it remains little known outside a small circle of specialists, and little understood even within that circle. Encompassing a variety of multidisciplinary essays by distinguished historians and art historians- on subjects ranging from music at the Mongol court, Mosul under Mongol governorship and Mongol marriage customs to the role of women under the Ilkhanids-this publication aims to explore the origins, function and iconography of this splendid luxury object as well as the cultural context in which it was made and used. It will bring together other images of enthroned Mongols with female consorts, as well as scenes of hunters, revellers and musicians in a variety of media, including illustrated manuscripts, ceramics, textile, and metalwork. By presenting the bag alongside carefully selected contemporary material, it will provide an insight into courtly life under the Mongols in the newly conquered areas of their empire, and will also provide an unrivalled opportunity to investigate the inlaid brass tradition in Mosul after the Mongol Conquest. Objects made before and after this seismic event will be reproduced side by side to demonstrate how the Mosul metalworkers adapted their work for their new patrons.

The entire mini-series (based on the best-selling novel by Colleen McCullough) following the fortunes of the Cleary family, whose lives are touched by a seemingly unalterable destiny. The story spans generations and continents and deals with the relationship between an ambitious priest (Richard Chamberlain) and a young woman (Rachel Ward).

'I'm scared of anyone with a knife and a grudge' New Year dawns and something is rotten in Kingsleigh. With a body on the bypass and pet cats going missing, supermarket sleuths Ant and Bea have a new case. But juggling problems at work and home takes its toll - and as they near the truth, more than one secret is going to come out.

When sixteen-year-old Daniel befriends Josef Gerlach, he feels the old man is haunted by a secret from his past. Sure enough when Josef gives him his teenage diary to read, Daniel discovers a shocking story of rebellion and struggle. The diary tells how Josef left the Hitler Youth for a gang called The Edelweiss Pirates. Their uniform: long hair and cool clothes. Their motto: freedom! At first the Pirates are only interested in hanging out and having a good time, but as the situation in Nazi Germany gets worse, they start to plan dangerous missions against Hitler's regime-soon they are fighting for their lives.

Chastity Riley and her new sidekick Ivo investigate the case of newspaper executives who have been caged and tortured outside their offices ... on a trail that leads them to the hothouse world of boarding schools and some harrowing secrets... You loved Dark ... now meet Chastity Riley 'Caustic, incisive prose. A street-smart, gutsy heroine. A timely and staggeringly stylish thriller' Will Carver 'With plenty of dry humour and a good old dash of despair, Simone Buchholz is an unconventional, refreshing new voice' Crime Fiction Lover 'Lyrical and pithy' Sunday Times _______________ On a warm September morning, an unconscious man is found in a cage at the entrance to the offices of one of Germany's biggest magazines. He's soon identified as a manager of the company, and he's been tortured. Three days later, another manager appears in a similar way. Chastity Riley and her new colleague Ivo Stepanovic are tasked with uncovering the truth behind the attacks, an investigation that goes far beyond the revenge they first suspect ... to the dubious past shared by both victims. Travelling to the south of Germany, they step into the hothouse world of boarding schools, where secrets are currency, and monsters are bred ... monsters who will stop at nothing to protect themselves. A smart, dark, probing thriller, full of all the hard-boiled poetry and acerbic wit of the very best noir, Beton Rouge is both a classic whodunit and a scintillating expose of society, by one of the most exciting names in crime fiction. _______________ 'Stripped back in style and deadpan in voice, this is a scintillating romp' Doug Johnstone, Big Issue 'With brief, pacy chapters and fizzling dialogue, this almost feels like American procedural noir and not a translation' Maxim Jakubowski, Crime Time 'There is a fantastic pace to the story which keeps you hooked from the first sentence all the way to the end. Once again Simone Buchholz holds no punches, with a unique voice that delivers a stylish story' New Books Magazine 'The follow-up to Blue Night is a smart and witty book that shines a probing spotlight on society' CultureFly 'Fans of Brookmyre could do worse than checking out Simone Buchholz, a star of the German crime lit scene who has been deftly translated into English by Rachel Ward' Goethe Institute 'Beton Rouge is a killer read, original, unusual and yet I felt that a part of it, in fact a part of Chastity, lodged itself deeply within my soul, it's quite simply fabulous' LoveReading 'Great sparkling energy, humour and stylistic verve' Rosie Goldsmith 'Short chapters, snappy sentences, witty dialogue and succinct writing have created a fast-paced, "just one more chapter" read ... much more than a crime novel' Off-the-Shelf Books 'A fantastic story in a unique voice' Mumbling about... 'A stunning novel that ends up exploding in your face' The Last Word Book Review 'The story and writing slowly seep into your soul' Books Are My Cwtches 'An excellent slice of atmospheric crime' Blue Book Balloon

Since her mother's death, fifteen-year-old Jem has kept a secret. When her eyes meet someone else's, a number pops into her head - the date on which they will die. Knowing that nothing lasts forever, Jem avoids relationships, but when she meets a boy called Spider, and they plan a day out together, her life takes a new twist and turn. Waiting for the London Eye, she sees everyone in the queue has the same number - something terrible is going to happen.

Hamburg state prosecutor Chastity Riley investigates a series of arson attacks on cars across the city, which leads her to a startling and life-threatening discovery involving criminal gangs and a very illicit love story... 'Another brilliant adventure in the company of Chastity Riley, the coolest character in crime fiction. Darkly funny and written with a huge heart' Doug Johnstone 'Reading Buchholz is like walking on firecrackers ... a truly unique voice in crime fiction' Graeme Macrae Burnet 'Caustic, incisive prose. A street-smart, gutsy heroine. A timely and staggeringly stylish thriller' Will Carver ________________ Night after night, cars are set alight across the German city of Hamburg, with no obvious pattern, no explanation and no suspect. Until, one night, on Mexico Street, a ghetto of high-rise blocks in the north of the city, a Fiat is torched. Only this car isn't empty. The body of Nouri Saroukhan - prodigal son of the Bremen clan - is soon discovered, and the case becomes a homicide. Public prosecutor Chastity Riley is handed the investigation, which takes her deep into a criminal underground that snakes beneath the whole of Germany. And as details of Nouri's background, including an illicit relationship with the mysterious Aliza, emerge, it becomes clear that these are not random attacks, and there are more on the cards... ________________ 'A stylish, whip-smart thriller' Russel McLean 'Lyrical and pithy' Sunday Times 'Fierce enough to stab the heart' Spectator 'A real blast of adrenaline' Big Issue 'Sharp and unrelenting' CultureFly 'Simone Buchholz writes with real authority and a pungent, noir-ish sense of time and space' Financial Times 'Deeply moody, atmospheric and evocative' Blue Book Balloon 'An unconventional, refreshing new voice' Crime Fiction Lover

Bea's favourite customer, Julie, hasn't been seen for weeks. Her abusive husband, Dave, claims she's left him but Bea can't shake the feeling something worse has happened. When a body is found, it seems to confirm her fears - until it comes out that the corpse is fifteen years old. Where is Julie? Who is the dead girl? And what was her connection to Bea's late father? Ant and Bea are back with their most personal case yet.

During the Second World War, all contact between German soldiers and Polish women - considered an 'inferior race' - was officially banned. Sexual encounters frequently took place, however. Some were consensual, while others were characterised by brutal violence, and women often sold their bodies as a means of survival. The army and SS constructed purpose-built brothels for their soldiers, but also banned and frequently punished loving relationships. In Wartime Relations, Historian Maren Roeger gives a powerful account of these encounters and describes the actions of the army and the SS in regulating relations between soldiers and civilian women. Roeger provides new and important insights into everyday life during the occupation, Nazi racial policy, and the fates of the women involved.

Hamburg State Prosecutor Chastity Riley travels to Scotland to face the demons of her past, as Hamburg is hit by a major arson attack. Queen of Krimi, Simone Buchholz, returns with the emotive fifth instalment in the electrifying Chastity Riley series …    ‘A modern classic’ Paul Burke, CrimeTime   ‘Written in crackling prose and with searing insight, this is a deeply heartfelt slice of existential noir – utterly unique’ Doug Johnstone   ‘Deftly captures the beating heart of Glasgow’ Herald Scotland   ‘A beautifully crafted exploration of grief and redemption, wrapped in a love letter to Glasgow … Glorious writing’ Will Carver   ‘Reading Buchholz is like walking on firecrackers … a truly unique voice in crime fiction’ Graeme Macrae Burnet    ––––––––––––   Mired in grief after tragic recent events, state prosecutor Chastity Riley escapes to Scotland, lured to the birthplace of her great-great-grandfather by a mysterious letter suggesting she has inherited a house.   In Glasgow, she meets Tom, the ex-lover of Chastity’s great aunt, who holds the keys to her own family secrets – painful stories of unexpected cruelty and loss that she’s never dared to confront.   In Hamburg, Stepanovic and Calabretta investigate a major arson attack, while a group of property investors kicks off an explosion of violence that threatens everyone.   As events in these two countries collide, Chastity prepares to face the inevitable, battling the ghosts of her past and the lost souls that could be her future and, perhaps, finally finding redemption for them all.   Breathtakingly emotive, River Clyde is an electrifying, poignant and powerful story of damage and hope, and one woman’s fight for survival.   ––––––––––––—   ‘Every word is a heartbeat, loaded with pain and anguish and self-discovery. This is Harbour Noir. This is a bravura literary performance, and a fitting swan song’ Paul Burke, CrimeTime FM   ‘In just a few words – a light brushstroke – Simone paints such a vivid picture. Unlike any crime novel I’ve read. I loved it’ Michael J. Malone   ‘Simone Buchholz writes with real authority and a pungent, noir-ish sense of time and space’ Independent   Praise for the Chastity Riley series   ‘[A] nerve-racking narrative … [with] a cunning climax that is shocking and deeply romantic’ The Times   'Combines nail-biting tension with off-beat humor ... Elmore Leonard fans will be enthralled' Publishers Weekly 'Buchholz doles out delicious black humor ... interwoven in a manner that ramps up the intrigue and tension' Foreword Reviews ‘Modern noir, with taut storytelling, a hard-bitten heroine, and underlying melancholy peppered with wry humour’ New Zealand Listener   ‘The coolest character in crime fiction … darkly funny and written with a huge heart’ Big Issue   ‘Fierce enough to stab the heart’ Spectator   ‘A stylish, whip-smart thriller’ Herald Scotland   ‘Combines slick storytelling with substance … like a straight shot of top-shelf liquor: smooth yet fiery, packing a punch with no extraneous ingredients watering things down’ Mystery Scene   ‘With brief, pacy chapters and fizzling dialogue, this almost feels like American procedural noir and not a translation’ Maxim Jakubowski   ‘A smart and witty book that shines a probing spotlight on society’ CultureFly   ‘Fans of Brookmyre could do worse than checking out Simone Buchholz, a star of the German crime lit scene who has been deftly translated into English by Rachel Ward’ Goethe Institute   ‘Lyrical and pithy’ Sunday Times

Paul returns home from school one day to discover a tiny ghost is living in the keyhole of his front door. He names him Zippel, and the little ghost is curious about everything, from food and clothes to how the toilet flushes! But Paul's parents want to change the locks - can Paul find Zippel a new home in time? Filled with colourful pictures from best-loved illustrator Axel Scheffler, Zippel is a charming story about finding friends in the most unexpected of places. Translated by Rachel Ward.

Hamburg State Prosecutor Chastity Riley becomes involved in the horrifying, chilling search for a violent serial killer targeting dancers from a club … the first book in an award-winning, wildly original, addictive series…   ‘Such a revelation’ Laura Lippman   ‘Gruesome and assured, Buchholz’s work remains as persuasive as ever’ Barry Forshaw, Financial Times ‘Reading Buchholz is like walking on firecrackers … a truly unique voice in crime fiction’ Graeme Macrae Burnet   ‘Unpredictable, shocking and funny … Simone Buchholz is my favourite German crime writer’ Mark Sanderson,The Times   **WINNER of the CWA Crime in Translation Dagger** ––––––––––––––––––––––––––– A serial killer is on the loose in Hamburg, targeting dancers from The Acapulco, a club in the city’s red-light district, taking their scalps as gruesome trophies and replacing them with plastic wigs. Chastity Riley is the state prosecutor responsible for crimes in the district, and she’s working alongside the police as they investigate. Can she get inside the mind of the killer? Her strength is thinking like a criminal; her weaknesses are pubs, bars and destructive relationships, but as Chastity searches for love and a flamboyant killer – battling her demons and the dark, foggy Hamburg weather – she hits dead end after dead end. As panic sets in and the death toll rises, it becomes increasingly clear that it may already be too late. For everyone… –––––––––––––––––––––––––––   ‘Caustic, incisive prose. A street-smart, gutsy heroine. A timely and staggeringly stylish thriller’ Will Carver   ‘The coolest character in crime fiction … Darkly funny and written with a huge heart’ Doug Johnstone, Big Issue   ‘Modern noir, with taut storytelling, a hard-bitten heroine, and underlying melancholy peppered with wry humour’ New Zealand Listener ‘Dark, atmospheric, and complex, with often surprisingly emotional … a classy piece of fiction from an author who never disappoints’ Jen Med’s Book Reviews Praise for the Chastity Riley series: 'Combines nail-biting tension with off-beat humor ... Elmore Leonard fans will be enthralled' Publishers Weekly 'Buchholz doles out delicious black humor ... interwoven in a manner that ramps up the intrigue and tension' Foreword Reviews ’Lyrical and pithy' Sunday Times 'Fierce enough to stab the heart' Spectator 'A real blast of adrenaline' Big Issue 'Simone Buchholz writes with real authority and a pungent, noir-ish sense of time and space' Financial Times 'A stylish, whip-smart thriller' Russel McLean

Angus Macfadyen portrays the infamous pirate known as Blackbeard in this drama directed by Kevin Connor. It's 1717 and as the British Navy clears the sea of pirates and rogues Blackbeard is preparing to set sail in search of Captain Kidd's lost treasure, capturing Lieutenant Maynard (Mark Umbers)'s friend Charlotte Ormond (Jessica Chastain) along the way. Making an enemy of the Navy from the outset, Blackbeard vows to destroy anyone who gets in between him and his loot.