On a sultry afternoon in July, a man stumbles through thick foliage, making for the coast. He wears prisoner's garb and guards are hot on his heels. Happening upon a bather's clothes, the escapee leaves the scene looking the part of the average beachcomber. But it can be hard to stay hidden forever. When a blackmailer intrudes upon the promising life of the man who now calls himself Mr. Pottermack, a violent fate befalls him, and the stakes are set: Pottermack must avoid discovery at all costs to escape the hangman's noose. When Pottermack's attempts to tamper with the evidence arouse the suspicions of the fiercely forensic Dr. Thorndyke, the cat and mouse game is afoot as we follow both detective and suspect in their battle to root out - or bury - the damning truth in this inverted-mystery classic first published in 1930.

British Library Crime Classics

Mr. Pottermack's Oversight

Tense and twisting, The Sleeping and the Dead is an expertly-drawn detective story from Ann Cleeves, creator of the Shetland and Vera Stanhope series. 'Cleeves again excels in her sense of place in this cleverly plotted psychological thriller' – The Times Northumberland detective Peter Porteous is called to Cranwell Lake, where a diving instructor has made a gruesome discovery. In the water lies a corpse – the body of a teenager who has clearly been dead for many years. After trawling through the missing persons files, Porteous comes to the conclusion that the corpse is Michael Grey, an enigmatic and secretive young man who was reported missing by his foster parents in 1972. The news report leaves prison officer Hannah Morton in shock. Michael had been her boyfriend, and she had been with him the night he disappeared. And now the discovery is bringing back dreaded, long-buried memories from her past . . . Ann Cleeves Classic Crime - engaging mysteries to savour, beloved characters to meet again.

The Sleeping and the Dead

Why does an international footballer with the World at his feet decide to take his own life? On 10 November 2009 the German national goalkeeper, Robert Enke, stepped in front of a passing train. He was thirty two years old. Viewed from the outside, Enke had it all. Here was a professional goalkeeper who had played for a string of Europe's top clubs including Jose Mourinho's Benfica and Louis Van Gaal's Barcelona. Enke was destined to be his country's first choice for years to come. But beneath the bright veneer of success lay a darker story. In A Life Too Short, award-winning writer Ronald Reng pieces together the puzzle of his lost friend's life. Reng brings into sharp relief the specific demands and fears faced by those who play top-level sport. Heartfelt, but never sentimental he tells the universal tragedy of a talented man's struggles against his own demons.

A Life Too Short

Jack Harness is in need of a holiday. He wants to get away from Torchwood, away from the human race - and where better to get completely away from it all than Cotter Paluni's World, a planet surrounded by deadly scarlet lightning and cut off from the entire universe?   But there are some shocks in store for Jack: the 'Devil's World' might be completely isolated and inaccessible, but its inhabitants worship Torchwood. And before he can find out why, or how this is even possible, he finds himself arrested for murder.   It looks as if someone on the planet knows who Jack is - and they're out to get him... .

Torchwood Red Skies

In one of the first novels in the English language, we follow the picaresque adventures of Joseph Andrews, a virtuous young man who is keen to maintain his innocence, despite being coerced into bed by nearly every woman he encounters. The episodic journey sees him head home to London with his tutor, Parson Adams, with the aim of finding his sweetheart, Fanny. Much mayhem ensues along the way as they become embroiled in a series of escapades and slapstick brawls. Fielding is an expert satirist and through the many twists and turns of narration, he combines high and low literature with high and low humour to create a witty novel that he aptly named a ‘comic epic poem in prose’.

Epic Story

Joseph Andrews

A grisly spirit turns travelling companion for the unwitting passenger of a London bus; a repulsive neighbour returns from the grave, rejected by the very earth; an innocuous back garden becomes the stage for a nightmare encounter with druidic sacrifice. From deep in the British Library vaults emerges a new selection of E.F. Benson's most innovative, spine-tingling and satisfyingly dark 'spook stories'. Complete with an introduction exploring the fascinating story of Benson's life, and including the never-before-republished story 'Billy Comes Through', this volume hails the chilling return of an experimental master to whom writers of supernatural fiction have long been indebted.

British Library Tales of the Weird

The Outcast and Other Dark Tales by E.F. Benson

October 1604. Plague has hit London, and the theatres are closed. But the capital's loss is Plymouth's gain, when a London theatre troupe, the Company, arrive on their 'Plague Tour'. Country physician Gabriel Taverner is bewitched and unnerved by the Company's sexually charged staging of OTHELLO. But when Gabriel's friend tells him of a dangerous, whispered conversation overheard during a brief break, he is relieved the Company will soon be on their way. Then one of the actors collapses, and Gabriel finds himself caught in a waking nightmare, where nothing is as it appears. Death is stalking the Company - but how can Gabriel hope to catch a cold-blooded killer, if he can't even trust the evidence of his own eyes?

Gabriel Taverner

Magic in the Weave

During her lifetime Violet Paget, who wrote as Vernon Lee, was referred to as 'the greatest of modern exponents of the supernatural in fiction', and yet today she remains on the periphery of the genre. This collection of her uniquely weird short stories and dark fantasies proves why she was once considered among the best of the genre, and why she deserves to return to those ranks today. From modernised folk tales such as 'Marsyas in Flanders' and 'The Legend of Madame Krasinska' to ingenious psychological hauntings such as the titular 'A Phantom Lover' and 'A Wicked Voice', Lee's own voice is just as distinctive and captivating - her weird imaginings just as freshly unsettling - as in her fin-de-siècle heyday.

A Phantom Lover and Other Dark Tales by Vernon Lee

In 1933, Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany. A year later, all parties but the Nazis had been outlawed, freedom of the press was but a memory, and Hitler's dominance seemed complete. Yet over the next few years, an unlikely clutch of conspirators emerged - soldiers, schoolteachers, politicians, diplomats, theologians, even a carpenter - who would try repeatedly to end the Fuhrer's genocidal reign. This dramatic and deeply researched book tells the full story of those noble, ingenious, and doomed efforts. This is history at its most suspenseful, as we witness secret midnight meetings, crises of conscience, fierce debates among old friends about whether and how to dismantle Nazism, and the various plots themselves being devised and executed.

The Plots Against Hitler

A figure emerges from a painting to pursue a bitter vengeance; the last transmission of a dying man haunts the airwaves, seeking to reveal his murderer; a treasure hunt disturbs an ancient presence in the silence of a lost tomb. From the vaults of the British Library comes a new anthology celebrating the best works of forgotten, never since republished, supernatural fiction from the early 20th century. Waiting within are malevolent spirits eager to possess the living and mysterious spectral guardians a diverse host of phantoms exhumed from the rare pages of literary magazines and newspaper serials to thrill once more.

Glimpses of the Unknown

John Pearce discovers that Madrid plans to desert the British-led coalition and join the enemy. In company with Lord Langholm, he has taken a Spanish treasure ship but is forced into a deep bay overlooked by Spaniards who have a cannon aimed at the entrance. Pearce must take the lead and find a way to get Langholm's frigate and the damaged Santa Leocadia through the bottleneck. His orders take him via Gibraltar, then to Admiral Jervis to warn of Spanish duplicity. Jervis sends him to Bastia in Corsica, where the Viceroy is seeking to hold the island for Britannia in the face of Napoleon's successes in Italy. At night he must fight the Francophile Corsicans, who are arming themselves for an insurrection. Will he succeed, or will John Pearce, HMS Hazard, and the Pelicans pay the ultimate price of failure?

John Pearce

A Troubled Course

James Bennett, nephew of Sir Henry Merrivale (the cantankerous yet genius sleuth), has been invited to stay at White Priory for Christmas, among the retinue of the glamorous Hollywood actress Marcia Tait. Her producer, her lover, her playwright and her agent are all here along with the haughty master of the estate, Canifes and his daughter. So many suspects they become when Marcia Tait is found dead on Christmas morning in the lakeside pavilion, having been left there alone the night before and with a distinct lack of footprints in the snow to reveal any possible killer. When Henry Merrivale arrives to piece together what appears to be an impossible crime, John Dickson Carr, writing under the pseudonym Carter Dickson, treats the reader to sensational twists, febrile tension between the closed circle of suspects and one of the most perfect solutions in the history of the genre.

The White Priory Murders

From the author of Legacy, now a major BBC Film, comes a brilliant new historical crime novella for fans of Antonia Hodgson and CJ Sansom. ‘To Mr Thomas Combe my sword.’ These six words in Shakespeare’s will tell us that Shakespeare had a sword. Did he wear it? Did he use it? What sort was it? When and why did he get it? What happened to it? Might it – does it – still exist? These questions plague Simon Gold, an antiques dealer. He believes he has identified the sword as belonging to a customer, an unworthy owner indifferent to cultural icons and uninterested in history. Simon is desperate to acquire the sword, but how? How far is he prepared to go to get it? In alliance with Charlotte, his customer’s attractive and disaffected wife, Simon finds himself going farther than he had intended - and finds, too, that Charlotte is rather more than she appears. Praise for Alan Judd: 'Judd has an infallible grasp of intelligence' Spectator 'Wonderful. One of the best spy novels ever' Peter Hennessey on Legacy 'Plotting in the best le Carré tradition' Mail on Sunday 'Belongs to the classic tradition of spy writing' Guardian

Shakespeare's Sword

*SUNDAY TIMES HISTORICAL FICTION BOOK OF THE MONTH, MARCH 2021* ‘Absolutely spellbinding. I gobbled it up in two days and could not stop' Miranda Seymour A remarkable and meticulously researched novel from award-winning writer Alan Judd, exploring the life of literary genius Kit Marlowe, whose violent death compose one of the most fascinating unresolved mysteries of all time. In Elizabethan England, the Queen’s chief spymaster, Francis Walsingham, and his team of agents must maintain the highest levels of vigilance to ward off Catholic plots and the ever-present threat of invasion. One agent in particular - a young Cambridge undergraduate of humble origins, controversial beliefs and literary genius who goes by the name of Kit Marlowe - is relentless in his pursuit of intelligence for the Crown. When he is killed outside an inn in Deptford, his mysterious death becomes the subject of rumours and suspicion that are never satisfactorily resolved. Years later, when Thomas Phelippes, a former colleague of Marlowe’s, finds himself imprisoned in the Tower, there is one thing that could give him his freedom back. He must give the king every detail he is able to recall about his murdered friend’s life and death. But why is King James so fascinated about Kit Marlowe – and does Phelippes know enough to secure his own redemption? Praise for A Fine Madness 'A masterful storyteller with an intricate knowledge of his subject' The Daily Telegraph 'Alan Judd knows more about the secret world than any other writer living. To have him turn his expert eye on the world of Christopher Marlowe – and on Francis Walsingham, the Elizabethan George Smiley – is a special kind of literary treat.' Mick Herron 'Well-researched splice of fiction and historical fact... A vivid tale of espionage, dissent and intellectual discourse, with the past brought to teeming, pungent life'' GUARDIAN 'Judd skilfully evokes the atmosphere of suspicion and fear...convincing portrait of the mercurial dramatist while still allowing Marlowe to remain something of the enigma he has always been' Sunday Times 'At the heart of this spy novel stands the mercurial, enigmatic figure of Christopher Marlowe, whose premature death is a tavern brawl has proven an enduring mystery... drawing on the real records of Marlowe’s death and the secret service to craft a gripping story' BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE

A Fine Madness

What happens when an estranged father and son unwittingly fall in love with the same woman? 'If ever a book was a mood-lifter, it’s this one. Full of caustic wit, I cried laughing!' MILLY JOHNSON, Sunday Times bestselling author 'Smart, clever and engaging - the perfect ‘what-if’ novel' PENNY PARKES 'What a treat this novel is! Compulsively readable, and with surprising twists and turns right to the end. And who knew that such a nightmarish situation could be so funny?' DEBORAH MOGGACH 'Fun, fresh and endlessly entertaining!' HEIDI SWAIN, Sunday Times bestselling author 'A witty twisty romp that leaps from the page. Perfect for lifting the spirits' FANNY BLAKE 'Funny, sad, uplifting and clever - pure escapism!' SUSI HOLLIDAY ’What an incredible read - tender, engrossing and extremely funny. I was laughing from the first page!' LISA CUTTS ‘A beautifully executed, laugh-out-loud ride through the complex fluctuations of a father/son relationship and an unwittingly shared love interest’ OLIVIA LICHTENSTEIN ‘I can’t begin to tell you how much I loved this funny, clever and surprisingly touching novel. Pitch perfect, it had me howling with laughter from beginning to end’ HOLLY MARTIN 'Punchy and pacey, witty and engaging with entertainment by the bucketload. I absolutely LOVED it' KIM NASH 'A fresh funny and modern take on the romcom' CLAIRE McGOWAN A hilariously laugh out loud, romantic comedy, perfect for fans of Something to Live For (Richard Roper), Love, Unscripted (Owen Nicholls), The Love Square (Laura Jane Williams), and Us (David Nicholls). Out-of-work actor Harriet is recuperating from a crash-and-burn affair with Damian – aka ‘Cockweasel’ – and making ends meet as a barista when she meets two rather lovely men. Tom is a regular at the café, and seems like such a nice guy. Smooth-talking DJ Richard is older, but in great shape – a real silver fox. Deciding to take a chance on both of them, Harriet doesn’t realise at first that she is actually dating father and son. Tom and Richard aren’t on speaking terms, and don’t share a last name – so how was she to know? By the time everyone finds out, both Tom and Richard are truly madly deeply in love with Harriet, and she’s faced with an impossible choice. But as the battle for her affections intensifies, ‘Cockweasel’ makes an unexpected reappearance and begs her to give him another chance…

Three's A Crowd

'An immense feat of endurance, a remarkable achievement, and a truly inspirational adventure filled with courage and hope' - Sir Ranulph FiennesAt the age of sixty, and having lived with Parkinson's disease for over ten years, Guy Deacon CBE set out on one last adventure: to drive solo from his home in the UK 18,000 miles and through twenty-five countries to Cape Town on the southern tip of Africa. This incredible journey, across Europe and down the full length of Africa, took the former British Army officer over twelve months. Along the way, he broke down five times, underwent one emergency evacuation, and took 3,650 prescription pills.There are only a handful of vehicles each year which attempt this difficult journey; many never complete it. Ongoing conflicts in Libya, South Sudan, Mozambique and many other countries make any journey exceptionally dangerous. In central Africa, road conditions, particularly in the rainy season, often make the going treacherous. Further hazards include illegal checkpoints, extortion, contaminated fuel and a lack of services.Guy drove, lived and slept in his VW Transporter, often in remote spots, hundreds of miles from the nearest village or town. Reliant on patchy GPS, he often got lost. His journey was, quite simply, an incredible feat by a man travelling alone with Stage 3 Parkinson's disease, when simply putting on a pair of shoes can take half an hour.But not only did Guy's journey fulfil a childhood dream to drive the length of Africa, his mission was also to raise global awareness of Parkinson's disease, for which there is currently still no cure.

Running on Empty - 18,000 Miles down Africa with Parkinson's (Unabridged)

'The most original stalker novel I've ever read!' Lesley KaraRun for your life...This year's London Marathon is my last chance to win the final place on the Olympic team. The months of rehabilitation after my injury will feel worth it to cross that line.But I wasn't expecting the man who's been making my life a living hell to be there. Last I knew, my stalker was behind bars, but he says he's going to be at the race watching.I have 26 miles to figure out whether it's him, and what he wants, or I could lose more than just the race.A taut psychological thriller, perfect for fans of Teresa Driscoll, TM Logan and Daniel Hirst.'This book had me on edge! ... I did not want to put it down!!'

Every Step You Take (Unabridged)

Pre-order the first book in the stunning Vintaine series by Michael Jecks. Perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell and Conn Iggulden.'His best book yet. A cracking read in the best style of Conn Iggulden and Bernard Cornwell, this will delight existing fans and bring many more to the fold' - Manda scott1346. France. King Edward III is restless. Despite earlier victories the French crown remains intact. Determined to bring France under his own rule, Edward has devised a new plan of attack - one which he believes will finally bring the French army to its knees: a final, cataclysmic battle ...Berenger Fripper, Vintener of a pox-ridden mob of sixteen who make up the Vintaine of Sir John de Sully, storms the beaches of Normandy to bring victory to their king. But the French are nowhere to be seen...And so Berenger leads his Vintaine through France and onward to battle - the Battle of Crécy - one which will both bond and break his men and be a decisive turning point in the Hundred Years' War.Praise for Michael Jecks:'Marvellously portrayed' C. J. Sansom'Michael Jecks is the master of the medieval whodunnit' Robert Low'The most wickedly plotted medieval mystery novels' The Times'Classic Jecks - and that's as good as it gets' Susanna Gregory'Vivid imagination and gripping prose' Anthony Riches'Another fantastic series from Michael Jecks' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reader review'All I can say is roll on the next one. I could not put this book down!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reader review'A brilliant read whatever your normal genre.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reader review'Another masterpiece by Michael Jecks. Whatever you do, do not miss reading this novel it is amazing!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reader review'All action!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reader review'Outstanding! A terriific read.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reader review

Fields of Glory - The Vintaine - The First in the action-packed historical Vintaine Series (Unabridged)

A teenage boy falls in love with his friend's sister and must finagle a trip to a bazaar at nearby Araby to win her heart. But will it be that easy? 

Araby

October, 1604. Former ship's surgeon turned country physician Gabriel Taverner is surprised to receive an urgent summons from his old naval captain. Now docked in Plymouth harbour, having recently returned from the Caribbean, Captain Colt believes his ship is haunted by an evil spirit, and has asked Gabriel to investigate. Dismissive of the crew's wild talk of mysterious blue-skinned ghosts, Gabriel is convinced there must be a rational explanation behind the mass hallucinations. But matters take a disturbing turn when he and the captain discover a body hidden behind one of the bulkheads. Calling on the help of his old friend, Coroner Theophilus Davey, piece by piece Gabriel uncovers a terrifying tale of treachery, dark magic and unimaginable cruelty.

Gabriel Taverner Mystery

The Indigo Ghosts

Russian defectors are dying and only Charles Thoroughgood can make it stop ‘He saw Cleaner Bob arrive that morning, the morning of his death.’ In the peaceful towns and villages of England, Cleaner Bob is washing windows, and people are dying in sudden and unexpected circumstances. When it becomes clear that the victims have a common history as Russian defectors, foul play is suspected and a hunt begins to locate their assailant, the lethal poison that killed them, and the mole who is leaking their locations. In a race against time, only one man has the connections and experience to crack the case before more people perish. Charles Thoroughgood, former head of MI6, is enjoying retirement in the Oxfordshire hamlet he calls home when the call comes in. A man of duty, he agrees to take part in a mission that will lead him into the heart of enemy territory and threaten to undermine the very values he holds most dear. Tense, engrossing and terrifyingly believable, the latest Charles Thoroughgood novel is a timely and brilliant reminder that Alan Judd is a master of the spy thriller and a writer of the very highest quality.

Queen & Country

From atop the choppy waves to the choking darkness of the abyss, the seas are full of mystery and rife with tales of inexplicable events and encounters with the unknown. In this anthology we see a thrilling spread of narratives; sailors are pitched against a nightmare from the depths, invisible to the naked eye; a German U-boat commander is tormented by an impossible transmission via Morse Code; a ship ensnares itself in the kelp of the Sargasso Sea and dooms a crew of mutineers, seemingly out of revenge for her lost captain. The supernatural is set alongside the grim affairs of sailors scorned in these salt-soaked tales, recovered from obscurity for the 21st century.

From the Depths

LISTEN TO THE THRILLER EVERYONE'S TALKING ABOUT: 'Beautifully written, frightening and absorbing' THE TIMES 'You'll never see your neighbours in the same light again' OBSERVER 'As intellectually stimulating as it is gripping' DAILY TELEGRAPH '[An] uncomfortably close-to-home thriller' - SUNDAY TIMES 'Something we've not see before in contemporary crime fiction' GUARDIAN 'A must have new read' DAILY EXPRESS 'If you liked WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN, try FEAR' - BBC NEWS You'd die for your family. But would you kill for them? Family is everything. So what if yours was being terrorised by a neighbour - a man who doesn't listen to reason, whose actions become more erratic and sinister with each passing day? And those you thought would help - the police, your lawyer - can't help you. You become afraid to leave your family at home alone. But there's nothing more you can do to protect them. Is there? ************ What critics are saying about FEAR: 'I'm intrigued by Dirk Kurbjuweit's novel FEAR, about a stalker living downstairs' - LIONEL SHRIVER, THE OBSERVER 'Remarkable' - THE OBSERVER 'Addictive... There's a twist at the end that is worth waiting for' - INDEPENDENT 'A terrifying study of a family threatened by the tenant living downstairs' - WOMAN&HOME 'Brilliantly done to play on every parents' deepest fears' - FIONA BARTON, bestselling author of THE WIDOW What readers are saying about FEAR: 'Thought-provoking, intelligent and genuinely chilling. It's quite possible that we are all just a few provocations away from cold-blooded murder' - ELIZABETH HAYNES, author of INTO THE DARKEST CORNER 'A terrific, original thriller - I loved it' JOANNE HARRIS 'FEAR makes us sympathetic to violent revenge, accessories to murder' - HERMAN KOCH, author of THE DINNER 'I loved it. So rich and claustrophobic' - RENEE KNIGHT, author of DISCLAIMER 'The most original thriller of the year' - NETGALLEY 'Expertly constructed, highly entertaining and thought-provoking' - Cloggie, Amazon reviewer 'If you're looking for a thriller with psychological insight, I highly recommend this one' - Marjorie, Amazon reviewer 'Not your usual thriller' - Fiona, Amazon reviewer ------------------------- FEAR is translated from the German by Imogen Taylor

Fear

John Telfer reads this exciting Torchwood adventure - a prequel to Torchwood: Miracle Day. When Oscar Lupe appears 20,000 feet up in the air, his body is frozen solid and free-falling to earth. It shatters on impact. Soon after, a CIA Special Activities Division squad goes rogue with a cargo marked ‘Torchwood’ that they’ve been escorting from somewhere called Cardiff. The Agency puts Rex Matheson on the case. As the strange deaths pile up, Rex realises there must be experimental tech out there, but someone is obstructing him at every turn. Rex is the CIA’s golden boy - but has he met his match in the evasive Mr Wynter…? Based on the hit series created by Russell T. Davies, The Men who Sold the World is a prequel to Torchwood: Miracle Day, starring John Barrowman and Eve Myles as Jack Harkness and Gwen Cooper, with Mekhi Phifer as Rex Matheson. NB: Contain strong language, sexual references and graphic scenes of violence

Torchwood The Men Who Sold The World

Robert Glenister stars in this time-hopping supernatural thriller set in (and under) Bath 1999, and aspiring poet Saul Judd is living quietly in Bath with his wife Elise and son Thomas. But when he wins a competition he never intended to enter, he is drawn into a web of dark forces and mysterious events. What is the link between leprous Prince Bladud, founder of Bath; a Dark Ages scribe's prophetic chronicle; a geriatric nursing home resident's warnings and a toddler's terror of 'the Gibson room'? Why is someone sending Saul threatening messages attached to assegais? And who are the Guardians - and what do they want? As Saul struggles to put the pieces together, he unwittingly puts himself and his family in great danger. For unbeknownst to him, an ancient power source is buried under a hill outside Bath, and two rival factions have been battling for millennia to control it. As the city gears up to celebrate the opening of the Bath Festival, Saul must prepare for the endgame - and for the fight of his life... Created by award-winning scriptwriter Bruce Bedford, this gripping science fiction series stars Robert Glenister as Saul, with Sharon Duce, Freddie Jones, John Telfer and Timothy West. Directed by Andy Jordan Original music composed by Thomas Johnson Music realised by Robin Lever Special effects: Dick Mills (BBC Radiophonic Workshop) Cast Saul Judd - Robert Glenister Elise Judd - Sharon Duce Scribe - Freddie Jones Scribe's Wife/Thomas - Kate Binchy Haensel Sethria - Constance Chapman Prince Bladud - John Telfer Rough Peasant - Trevor Cooper Karim el Hatel - Sam Dastor Chairwoman - June Barrie Northern Man - Geoff Serle Guardian/Optician/Narrator - Jonathan Adams Selwyn Fist - Timothy West Rita - Liz Goulding Priscus - Gordon Reid Roman Stranger - Michael Stroud Landlord/Alan- Jonathan Tafler Roman Officer - John Abineri Miss Dewhurst - Zoe Hicks Martin - Steve Woodward Tracey - Katy Carmichael Newsreader/Writer - Cornelius Garrett Leaflet Man/Guardian - Bill Bellamy Patricia Gwent/Brownie - Melanie Hudson Control/Link Man - Geoffrey Collins Punch/CBS Reporter - Philip Manikum John/Foil Leader - Paul Cresswell First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 2 July-6 August 1992

The Gibson

Sent to France with the Royal Flying Corps at just 17, and later a member of the famous 56 Squadron, Cecil Lewis was an illustrious and passionate fighter pilot of the First World War, described by Bernard Shaw in 1935 as 'a thinker, a master of words, and a bit of a poet'. In this vivid and spirited account the author evocatively sets his love of the skies and flying against his bitter experience of the horrors of war. We then follow his progress from France and the battlefields of the Somme to his pioneering defence of London against deadly nighttime raids.

Sagittarius Rising

Sydney, Australia: The body of a young woman is found in Chinatown. She's been beaten, tortured - and tattooed with the image of a sun. Called to the scene, Sergeant Jackie Rose asks herself whether this was a drug murder, or something else. But before her investigation can get underway, she is ordered to hand the case over to the Australian Federal Police. Cape Town, South Africa: A local girl recruited to study in Australia has fallen off the radar. Veteran detective Schalk Lourens - recently suspended from duty - has already made plans to visit his daughter in Sydney, with emigration in mind. He decides to search for the missing girl while he is there. Jackie and Schalk join forces, exposing a trail of corruption and crime stretching from the foreshore of the city's iconic harbour, back to South Africa, and across the world.

Shadow City

John Pearce faces a court martial, but will a cowardly chief witness stand up to questioning? With the matter unresolved, HMS Hazard is put under the command of Horatio Nelson. In London, the government denies prize money for the cargo of silver Pearce took off the Santa Leocadia, claiming it as property of the Crown. Pearce's prize agent seeks to fight this, only to be outmanoeuvred by devious Henry Dundas. From Elba, Pearce is sent on a mission to collect fleeing members of the Corsican government. Seeking a solution which will not risk his ship, he seeks the aid of a local clan chief, inadvertently putting himself, his crew, and his rescued charges in jeopardy. Pearce finds himself trapped in a deep Corsican bay where he will be forced to make a decision: to follow his instincts or to obey his orders.

Droits of the Crown

February 1605. A series of killings shake the quiet life of Devon's Tavy valley. Country doctor Gabriel Taverner, summoned to examine the bodies, believes the murders are somehow connected to a mysterious woman recently discovered in shocking circumstances. Gabriel is determined to solve the mystery, and soon uncovers clues that link his unexpected patient to the brutal killings. One is the strange and recurring theme of nutmegs. A precious spice from far-flung islands and already in demand, its high cost is increasing daily since the rumour has spread that it is a cure for the plague . . . Gabriel finds himself caught in a deadly rivalry involving a greater prize and more ruthless players than he could have imagined. Fighting to protect his family and friends from dangerous involvement in this savage race, will he be able to emerge alive?

The Cargo From Neira

1796. John Pearce is stuck with a difficult mission, a crew of Quota Men forced to enlist in the Royal Navy, four new midshipmen as well as Samuel Oliphant, companion-cum-spy, whom he finds a constant irritant. In his favour he commands HMS Hazard, a speedy warship, a pair of competent officers and, of course, his trusty friends the Pelicans. Their mission is to head for the Mediterranean Fleet and warn Admiral Sir John Jervis of impending danger he will face, fighting a combined French/Spanish fleet. But there is a serious distraction, the imminent arrival of a Spanish vessel from South America carrying silver, for which the Spaniards are waiting before declaring war. Can John Pearce resist the lure of such a valuable capture and risk his ship in a dangerous battle to gain it, or will his duty come first?

HMS Hazard

With Europe temporarily at peace, Napoleon Bonaparte has dispatched his victorious army with a vast fleet to the Caribbean. Its aim is to re-impose French authority in the region but first they must reconquer Saint-Domingue. Captain Nathan Peake is sent from England with a small squadron, tasked with disrupting French supply lines at sea and running guns to the rebel forces. But if the men are caught, they will be disowned by the British and US governments and very likely hanged by the French as pirates. This adventure will lead Nathan into a running battle with the French Navy in the troubled waters off Saint-Domingue, an increasingly desperate involvement in one of the most brutal colonial conflicts in history, a dangerous liaison with Pauline Bonaparte, and a battle of ideas and ideologies that persists to the present day.

Nathan Peake

The Sea of Silence

1937: Hitler sent an expedition to Tibet in search of the lost land of Thule. 1941: Himmler spent a huge fortune, and sacrificed the lives of hundreds to turn Wewelsburg Castle in Germany into a shrine to the SS. 2008: Art recovery expert Jamie Saintclair is astonished to discover that the gentle grandfather he thought he knew was a decorated war hero, serving in the Special Air Service in World War Two. And his grandfather has one more surprise. Sewn into the endpaper of his journal is a strange piece of Nazi symbolism. With this discovery, Jamie is launched on a breathless chase across Europe and deep into Germany's dark past. . .

Jamie Saintclaire

The Doomsday Testament

Detective Peter Porteous is called to Cranwell Lake where the body of a teenager has been discovered. After trawling through the missing persons files, he deduces that the corpse is Michael Grey, an enigmatic and secretive young man who was reported missing by his foster parents in 1972. For country prison officer Hannah Morton it is the shock of her life. Michael had been her boyfriend, and she had been with him the night he disappeared. The news report that a body has been found brings back dreaded and long-buried memories from her past . . .

The streets of London have been home to many great detectives since the days of Sherlock Holmes and Watson, with some of the best authors in the genre taking to the short story form to pit their sleuths against crimes ranging from murders on the Tube to heists from the capital's finest jewellers. Featuring a roster of Scotland Yard's meticulous best, a cohort of daring doctors and a cadre of characterful private investigators, this new selection by Martin Edwards includes 18 vintage mystery stories which showcase the city's most compelling classic cases. With contributions by Margery Allingham, John Dickson Carr and Dorothy L. Sayers along with rare finds by Raymond Postgate, J. Jefferson Farjeon and many more, this anthology invites you to join some of the greatest detectives ever written on their perilous trail through London's darker underside.

Metropolitan Mysteries

George Best is considered the greatest footballer of our time. No other imposed himself so completely on to the romantic imagination. No other was so emblematic of the era during which he flourished. And no other will ever be as memorable as George Best. On the field Best's skills were sublime and almost other-worldly. Off it, he had a magnetic appeal. He was treated like a pop icon and a pin-up; a fashion-model and a sex-symbol. Every man envied him and every woman adored him. To mark the 50th anniversary of his debut for Manchester United, Duncan Hamilton examines Best's crowded life and premature death. But most importantly, Hamilton presents Best at his glorious peak - the precocious goals, the labyrinthine runs, the poise and balletic balance and the body swerves. This is George Best: footballing immortal.

Immortal

A “riotously readable…tender and affectionate” (Daily Mail, London) exploration of five hundred years of British history—from King Henry VIII to Queen Elizabeth II—as seen through the doorways of the exquisite Hampton Court Palace. Architecturally breathtaking and rich in splendid art and décor, Hampton Court Palace has been the stage of some of the most important events in British history, such as the commissioning of King James’s version of the Bible, the staging of many of Shakespeare’s plays, and Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation ball. The Palace takes us on “an entertaining journey into the past” (Kirkus Reviews) as it reveals the ups and downs of royal history and illustrates what was at play politically, socially, and economically at the time. An engaging and charming history book that is perfect for fans of Alison Weir, Philippa Gregory, and Andrew Lownie, The Palace makes you feel as if you were in the room as history was made.

The Palace

A dark shadow looms over the Rhineland where Inspector Henri Bencolin and his accomplice Jeff Marle have arrived from Paris. Entreated by the Belgian financier D'Aunay to investigate the gruesome and grimly theatrical death of actor Myron Alison, the pair find themselves at the imposing hilltop fortress Schloss Schädel, in which a small group of suspects are still assembled. As thunder rolls in the distance, Bencolin and Marle enter a world steeped in macabre legends of murder and magic to catch the killer still walking the maze-like passages and towers of the keep.

Castle Skull

Behind the stage lights and word-perfect soliloquies, sinister secrets are lurking in the wings. The mysteries in this collection reveal the dark side to theatre and performing arts: a world of backstage dealings, where unscrupulous actors risk everything to land a starring role, costumed figures lead to mistaken identities, and on-stage deaths begin to look a little too convincing . . . This expertly curated thespian anthology features 14 stories from giants of the classic crime genre such as Dorothy L. Sayers, Julian Symons and Ngaio Marsh, as well as firm favourites from the British Library Crime Classics series: Anthony Wynne, Christianna Brand, Bernard J. Farmer and many more. Mysteries abound when a player's fate hangs on a single performance, and opening night may very well be their last.

Final Acts

Last night Mademoiselle Duchêne was seen heading into the Gallery of Horrors at the Musée Augustin waxworks, alive. Today she was found in the Seine, murdered. The museum's proprietor, long perturbed by the unnatural vitality of his figures, claims that he saw one of them following the victim into the dark; a lead that Henri Bencolin, head of the Paris police and expert of impossible crimes, cannot resist. Surrounded by the eerie noises of the night, Bencolin prepares to enter the ill-fated waxworks. Waiting within, beneath the glass-eyed gaze of a leering waxen satyr, is a gruesome discovery and the first clues of a twisted and ingenious mystery. First published in 1932 at the height of crime fiction's Golden Age, this macabre and atmospheric dive into the murky underground of Parisian society presents a puzzle delivered at a stunning pace.

The Corpse in the Waxworks

Hugh Everton was intent on nothing more than quietly drinking in the second-rate hotel he found himself in on England's south coast - and then in walked his old flame Lucy and her new husband and ex-Judge, Gregory Bath. Entreated by Lucy to join her party for an evening back at the Bath residence, Hugh is powerless to resist, but when the night ends with the judge's inexplicable murder he is pitched back into a world of chaos and crime - a world he had tried to escape for good. First published in 1952, The Widow of Bath offers intricate puzzles, international intrigue, and a richly evoked portrait of post-war Britain, all delivered with Bennett's signature brand of witty and elegant prose.

The Widow of Bath

As the thick, autumnal fog chokes the capital, within the fire-lit lounge of London's notorious Brimstone Club a bizarre tale is being spun for Inspector Bencolin and his friend Jeff Marle. A member of the club has been sent a model of a tiny gallows, and the word is that the folkloric hangman Jack Ketch has been stalking the streets for victims by night. The threat of this supposed bogeyman becomes thrillingly real when that same night Bencolin and Marle are almost run down by a limousine with a corpse behind the wheel. When an ominous message claims the car's passenger has been taken to the gallows at Ruination Street for  hanging, the detective and his associate venture into the night to discover the truth behind the terrifying Ketch and a street which cannot be found on any map.

The Lost Gallows

A bookish puzzle threatens an eagerly awaited inheritance; a submission to a publisher recounts a murder that seems increasingly to be a work of non-fiction; an irate novelist puts a grisly end to the source of his writer's block. There is no better hiding place for clues - or red herrings - than inside the pages of a book. With Martin Edwards as librarian and guide, delve into an irresistible stack of tales perfect for every book lover and armchair sleuth, featuring much-loved Golden Age detectives such as Nigel Strangeways, Philip Trent and Detective Chief Inspector Roderick Alleyn. But readers should be warned that the most riveting tales often conceal the deadliest of secrets. . .

British Library Crime Classic

Murder by the Book

AD 64: Roman centurion Marcus Domitus leads an expedition to find the mythical treasure hidden deep inside Queen Dido's temple. 1945: Two Nazis disappear amidst the chaos of a burning Berlin - and so does a precious object. 2009: Two brutal murders in London and Boston linked by a single name and a shared history. When art recovery expert Jamie Saintclair is asked to help investigate, he finds himself delving deep into the occult and uncovering dark secrets, tales of lust and greed and a curse linked to ancient Egypt. . . Can he discover the truth before the curse claims more victims and catches up with him?

Jamie Saintclair

The Isis Covenant

Jack Steel, first met in Man of Honour, is a splendid hero on a new and dangerous mission. Perfect for all fans of Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe. MEET JACK STEEL – GENTLEMAN, SOLDIER, HERO. In the early eighteenth century, the British army led by John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, were the leaders of a wide-ranging and very successful alliance. Jack Steel, maverick gentleman, superb soldier, was in the middle of any fight. Ramilles 1706. One of the great victories of the British army, a signal battle honour for the regiments who were there. But for Captain Steel, standing at the head of his Grenadiers, sinking into the swampy ground, at odds with his Allied partners and receiving contradictory orders, it was hard to see the General, Lord Marlborough's grand stratagem. Even after victory, Steel finds himself mired in further difficulties. The Allies had thought that they were liberating the Low Countries but some preferred their previous masters, the French, who at least were Catholic, and some wanted independence from all powers, while others of his fellow officers wanted out of the war altogether. Far from the battle lines he enjoys, Jack Steel is sent undercover to discover and deal with the traitors. He needs to identify the loyal locals who would help a few British advance troops into the besieged city – a dangerous mission made deadly by his identification by an old enemy of his and the brilliant malevolence of the renegade French pirate who is in charge of Ostende.

Rules Of War

In the aftermath of the mysterious death of their lead singer, the young members of a now-legendary British acid folk band hole up at Wylding Hall, an ancient English country house with its own dark secrets. There they record Wylding Hall, the album that makes their reputation—but at a terrifying cost, when Julian Blake, their new lead singer, disappears within the mansion and is never seen again. Now, years later, each of the surviving musicians, their friends and lovers—including a psychic, a photographer, and the band's manager—meets with a young documentary filmmaker to tell their own version of what happened during that summer. But whose story is the true one? And what really happened to Julian Blake?

Wylding Hall

London, 1921. The Great War has recently ended and tensions in England are high. Now, prominent Cabinet minister Lord Amersham has been shot dead outside his Regent's Park home and the signs point to a professional hit. Charged with solving one of the most sensitive and high-profile cases Scotland Yard has ever faced, DCI Paul Stark is under pressure to get the job done quickly. Winston Churchill, Secretary of State for the Colonies, is convinced the Bolsheviks are responsible. Stark's contemporaries at Special Branch suspect a connection to Government talks about Irish Home Rule. And others believe the motive could be connected to Lord Amersham's rather scandalous private life . . . When a second crime occurs - another murder committed by an expert marksman at close range - the case takes a terrifying turn and puts Stark right in the middle of an international crisis.

DCI Paul Stark

Assassins

For countless generations the sword had been kept hidden, ready for a time of need. But not hidden well enough, because in 1937 it vanished... 1941 - twelve SS generals gather to call on the spirits of Europe's mightiest warriors to aid them in the coming battle in the East. At the heart of the ritual is Excalibur, the mythical weapon pulled from a stone by King Arthur. 2010 - Art recovery expert Jamie Saintclair laughs when he reads the codex to a German war veteran's will, the strange ritual it describes and the mention of a sword named Excalibur. But collector Adam Steele is convinced - and if Jamie can find the legendary sword, he will pay a small fortune for it. With a team of international assassins on his trail, the hunt for Excalibur takes Jamie from Germany to eastern Poland and a deadly encounter in Hitler's Wolf's Lair...

The Excalibur Codex

The second book in the action-packed Vintaine series by Michael Jecks. Perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell and Conn Iggulden.'Classic Jecks - and that's as good as it gets!' - SUSANNA GREGORY 1346. Calais. Berenger Fripper and the men of his Vintaine are stationed near the ancient port, a French city under English siege. They are here to capture the city and use it as a staging-post for future incursions into France. But with the French army and Genoese mercenaries all about them, and trouble brewing among the unit, Berenger must keep a calm head. Someone in the Vintaine is leaking vital information to the French, jeopardizing not only the safety of his men but also the future of the war, and Berenger must find out who before it's too late. When the Vintaine is attacked at sea and captured by the Genoese it looks as though their luck has run out. Can Berenger defeat the enemies that surround him and keep the English victorious? Praise for Michael Jecks: 'Vivid imagination and gripping prose' Anthony Riches 'The most wickedly plotted medieval mystery novels' The Times 'Marvellously portrayed' C. J. Sansom 'Michael Jecks is the master of the medieval whodunnit' Robert Low 'Mr Jecks is a sublime story teller and is a match for the Cornwells, Scarrows and Igguldons of the literary world!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reader review 'Excellent! Could not put this book down.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reader review 'Magical writing! The depth of feeling injected into his battle scenes is frighteningly lifelike.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reader review 'Yet another masterpiece!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reader review ' An Outstanding Epic!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reader review 'Jecks is a master of the period .' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reader review

The Vintaine

Blood on the Sand - The Vintaine, Book 2 (Unabridged)

The discovery of Sir Robert Boniface's body on the floor of his limousine was made quite accidentally on a sultry Friday evening towards the end of June. The industrial and financial tycoon, and former stalwart of the British Cabinet, was shot in the head and left in the quiet Vale of Health. Nearby, a rejected portrait of Sir Robert is found riddled with bullets in the studio of the now missing artist Matt Caldwell. As it hurtles towards its feverish denouement under the bells of the capital's famous clock, this closely observed and stylish study of character and motive transports the reader from the Stock Exchange to Scotland Yard. It asks the question of what it means to be crooked and how immense power corrupts. First published in 1934, this novel is now extremely rare, and is long overdue its rediscovery.

Big Ben Strikes Eleven

London, 1921. Lord Johnny Fairfax has been found dead in his study, along with a second victim, a mysterious American who arrived unannounced the previous evening. For DCI Paul Stark, the case is personal: he's in a relationship with Lord Fairfax's former wife, Lady Amelia. The dead man had no shortage of enemies. Winston Churchill, his former colleague at the War Office, is convinced the murder is revenge for the disaster at Gallipoli. Lady Amelia herself is accused of the crime. And who was the American visitor? What was his connection with Lord Fairfax - and could he have been the real target? As Stark digs deeper, he uncovers evidence of a shocking conspiracy that strikes at the heart of the British Establishment.

Shadows of the Dead

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