Books published by Hodder & Stoughton

Here, the criminal is king. The streets are filled with the screeching of fish hags, the cries of swindled merchants, the inviting murmurs of working girls. Here, people can disappear, and the lacklustre efforts of the guard ensure they are never found. Warden is an ex-soldier who has seen the worst men have to offer; now a narcotics dealer with a rich, bloody past and a way of inviting danger. You'd struggle to find someone with a soul as dark and troubled as his. But then a missing child, murdered and horribly mutilated, is discovered in an alley. And then another. With a mind as sharp as a blade and an old but powerful friend in the city, he's the only man with a hope of finding the killer. If the killer doesn't find him first.

Bristling with treachery, death and intrigue, THE TUDOR CONSPIRACY is as fast-paced and thrilling as THE TUDOR SECRET, its predecessor in the ELIZABETH'S SPYMASTER series. 1553: Harsh winter falls across the realm. Mary Tudor has become queen and her enemies are imprisoned in the Tower, but rumours of a plot to depose her swirl around the one person many consider to be England's heir and only hope-- her half-sister, Princess Elizabeth. Brendan Prescott's foe and mentor, the spymaster Cecil, brings news that sends Brendan back to London on a dangerous mission. Intent upon trying to save Elizabeth, he soon finds himself working as a double-agent for Mary herself. Plunged into a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with a shadowy opponent who hides a terrifying secret, Brendan races against time to retrieve a cache of the princess's private letters, even as he begins to realize that in this dark world of betrayal and deceit - where power is supreme and sister can turn against sister - nobody can be trusted. 'Gortner has again produced a richly detailed book that is hard to put down.' Historical Novels Review on THE QUEEN'S VOW.

Summer 1553: A time of danger and deceit. Brendan Prescott, an orphan, is reared in the household of the powerful Dudley family. Brought to court, Brendan finds himself sent on an illicit mission to the King s brilliant but enigmatic sister, Princess Elizabeth. But Brendan is soon compelled to work as a double agent by Elizabeth s protector, William Cecil who promises in exchange to help him unravel the secret of his own mysterious past. A dark plot swirls around Elizabeth's quest to unravel the truth about the ominous disappearance of her seriously ill brother, King Edward VI. With only a stable boy and Elizabeth's lady-in-waiting at his side, Brendan plunges into a ruthless gambit of half-truths, lies, and murder. Filled with the intrigue and pageantry of Tudor England, THE TUDOR SECRET is the first book in the Elizabeth's Spymaster series.

In Broken Harbour, a ghost estate outside Dublin - half-built, half-inhabited, half-abandoned - two children and their father are dead. The mother is on her way to intensive care. Scorcher Kennedy is given the case because he is the Murder squad's star detective. At first he and his rookie partner, Richie, think this is a simple one: Pat Spain was a casualty of the recession, so he killed his children, tried to kill his wife Jenny, and finished off with himself. But there are too many inexplicable details and the evidence is pointing in two directions at once. Scorcher's personal life is tugging for his attention. Seeing the case on the news has sent his sister Dina off the rails again, and she's resurrecting something that Scorcher thought he had tightly under control: what happened to their family, one summer at Broken Harbour, back when they were children. The neat compartments of his life are breaking down, and the sudden tangle of work and family is putting both at risk . . .

How to turn forty:1. Set yourself a personal challenge.2. Clear wardrobe of all age inappropriate clothing.3. Relax.How not to turn forty:1. Have a complete meltdown . . .High flier Matt Beckford's sole ambition is to turn forty with his life sorted. And with a Porsche on the drive and a job that requires him to spend more time in BA's club lounge than his own lounge, it looks like things are going in the right direction. But when Matt's wife unexpectedly calls time on their marriage, a chain of events is set in motion that very quickly sees him facing forty broke, homeless and completely alone.But all is not lost because Matt has a plan . . .Wise, witty and wonderful . . . a triumph! Jenny Colgan Look out for Mike's new novel, Half a World Away, available to pre-order now!

The pioneer of romantic suspense Mary Stewart transports her readers to the idyllic hills of mid-century Crete in this tale of peril and intrigue that will keep fans of Agatha Christie and Barbara Pym on the edge of their seats. 'Mary Stewart is magic' New York Times'One of the great British storytellers of the 20th century' IndependentWhile on a walking holiday through the beautiful, deserted hills of Crete, Nicola Ferris stumbles across a critically injured Englishman, guarded by a fierce Greek. Nicola cannot abandon them and so sets off on a perilous search for their lost companion - all the while being pursued by someone who wants to make sure none of them leave the island . . . When the big white bird flew suddenly up among the glossy leaves and the lemon flowers, and wheeled into the mountain, I followed it.'A comfortable chair and a Mary Stewart: total heaven. I'd rather read her than most other authors.' Harriet Evans'She built the bridge between classic literature and modern popular fiction. She did it first and she did it best.' Herald

Prince William has emerged as the people's prince, surfacing from a lifetime of scrutiny and speculation as a discerning and charming young man, determined to serve the nation he loves.His wedding to long-term sweetheart Kate Middleton last year was watched by over two billion people around the world. Protective of his new bride, William has emphasised that he's keen to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past. William has inherited her instinctive empathy for others and in both his professional and personal life he has demonstrated a rare ability to get on with people from all walks of life.In BORN TO BE KING acclaimed royal writer Penny Junor tells his fascinating story - from growing up in the spotlight; the tragic death of his mother; his career serving in the RAF; the love story with Kate and their fairytale wedding.This is the definitive portrait of a remarkable young man.

This is the incredible story of a boy who escaped from a secret world.Mikey is a Romany Gypsy and grew up living in a caravan on sites across the UK. He adored his family and the rich and vibrant Romany culture he'd inherited. Eventually though he was forced to make a heartbreaking decision - to stay and keep secrets, or escape and find somewhere to finally belong.But Mikey quickly discovers that life in the outside world isn't all he expected. After learning his father had put a contract out on him and that he was being hunted down by gangs of thugs determined to claim their reward, Mikey realises that life will never be the same again.Brimming with unforgettable characters, this extraordinary coming-of-age story will remind you that sometimes it takes courage (and the odd Disney song) to be the person you were meant to be.

Tristan Gooley, author of THE NATURAL NAVIGATOR demonstrates how it is possible to connect profoundly with the lands we travel through. In THE NATURAL EXPLORER he combines the work of the some of the most insightful travellers of the past two thousand years with his own experience.From the author of How To Read Water, The Sunday Times Book Of The Year. The most rewarding travel experiences do not depend on our destination or the length of our journey, but on our levels of awareness. A short walk can compare with an epic journey, when we take the time to focus on the things that dramatically enrich each journey.Exploration is no longer about hardship or long distances, it is about celebrating the sense of connection and discovery that is possible in all our travels.

Becca's ability to hear the broken thoughts of others has not turned out to be a fabulous gift after all. It has got in the way of her being able to function in the world normally. More seriously, it makes her think she knows things that she doesn't know at all. Becca's friends are also dealing with stressful situations and coming to terms with troubling discoveries about themselves. Seth Darrow's learning disability makes him vulnerable. The girl he loves is not what she appears to be. His grandfather might lose his property and be thrust into care. Jenn has to come to terms with her sexuality, while Derric finds out that the cover-up he has engaged in for the last ten years was never necessary in the first place. Acclaimed author Elizabeth George brings her extraordinary talents to this intriguing story that blends mystery and myth. In this final book in the Edge of Nowhere series, Becca and her friends do their best to navigate a difficult world and come to a resolution - and acceptance - of their futures.

Whidbey Island is ablaze.Late summer on Whidbey Island after nine weeks of no rain and fire season has arrived . . . along with a fire starter who soon begins tormenting the residents of this peaceful Pacific Northwest idyll with fires that escalate in intensity. Becca King and her friends Jenn and Derric are with her at the county fair when the third fire starts in a shed housing animals. The shed is destroyed, some of the animals are killed, and Becca hears from the nearby forest the 'whispers' of the fire starter who has remained to watch the havoc. More fires ensue and the situation escalates until someone dies. Becca thinks she knows who's behind it all, but only with the help of her friends and the development of her own incipient psychic talents can the perpetrator be brought to justice.

On Whidbey Island, secrets never stay buried.A mysterious girl who won't speak; a coal-black seal named Nera that returns to the same place every year; a bitter feud of unknown origin - strange things are happening on Whidbey Island and Becca King is drawn into the maelstrom of events.But Becca, first met in The Edge of Nowhere, has her own secrets to hide. Still on the run from her criminal stepfather, Becca is living in a secret location. Even Derric, the Ugandan orphan with whom Becca shares a close, romantic relationship, can't be allowed to know her whereabouts.As secrets of past and present are revealed, Becca becomes aware of her growing paranormal powers and events build to a shocking climax anticipated by no one.Acclaimed author Elizabeth George brings her extraordinary talents to this intriguing story that blends mystery and myth.

Becca King and her mother are on the run from her stepfather who has used Becca's talent for hearing 'whispers' to make a large and illegal sum of money. Now their options for safety are running out. In the town of Langley on Whidbey Island, Becca finds refuge in the home of her mother's childhood friend while her mother continues on to Canada in search of safety.But on her first day in town Becca meets sixteen years old Derric Nyombe Matheson a Ugandan orphan who was adopted as a ten-year-old by the town's Deputy Sheriff. Derric has a secret that no one on Whidbey Island knows. Derric and Becca form an un-severable bond. Becca is convinced that she's the only person who can truly help him, and just maybe Derric can convince Becca that life is too short to live on the run.

This is the story of an international group of drug smugglers, their criminal success and the hunt to bring them to justice. There were sixteen of them, from America, Britain, Australia and Thailand, and together they were called 'The Ring'. They first began exporting marijuana in the aftermath of the Vietnam war, and over the years they smuggled vast shipments into the USA and Europe, becoming multi-millionaires in the process. In 1988, they decided to carry out one final heist that would ensure they could retire forever. However, they were intercepted by the police, and the key Ring members all had to flee to avoid being arrested. With unlimited money at their disposal and contacts in all parts of the globe, they were the ultimate fugitives. Tracking them down would call for a fifteen-year international manhunt. Tony Thompson, bestselling author of Gangland Britain and Gangs, describes their rise, fall and eventual capture in a thrilling, fast-paced true crime adventure.

Missing persons, mystery suicides, haunted houses and murder...Tony Stockwell is regularly asked by victims of crime and their families, to use his psychic powers to help investigate cases, often criminal, that have not yielded to conventional methods. In this fascinating collection, he opens his case files, including: "e;Suicide or Murder?"e; in which, at the request of a family, Tony investigates the death of a young boy who was killed in an apparent suicide, which Tony believes involved foul play. In "e;Missing Children"e;, two children mysteriously disappear while their mother's back is turned. Years later, Tony reads for her and finds a clue to their whereabouts...And many more...This is a treasure trove for anyone who is interested in the realm beyond our own.

Top TV psychic Tony Stockwell brings us more incredible stories of life after death, as well as inspirational advice on how to channel the power of the spirit realm.Tony's work brings him into contact with people from all over the world who look to him for insight into the continuing existence of their departed loved ones. His awesome abilities to connect with the spirits are truly inspirational and in Embracing Eternity, the follow up to his hugely successful memoir Spirited, he shares those stories of connection and comfort. There are also fascinating case studies showcasing Tony's techniques and advice on how we can all embrace our latent powers to explore the spirit realms. Moving and awe-inspiring, this is a fascinating glimpse of the world beyond the grave.

Jessie Burton is lively and intelligent - she wants more than the respectable life in service her mother has planned for her. Times are changing, railways are being built across the land bringing new freedom and possibilities. Jessie tastes that freedom when she meets an ambitious young navvy, newly arrived in Yorkshire. The attraction between them is overwhelming. And Jared Wilde is determined to make Jessie his wife. The primitive, colourful shanty towns that spring up around the railway works are nothing like the safe world Jessie once knew. But in spite of the hardness of life there, she finds happiness with Jared. Until another navvy becomes determined to destroy their future together...

Two hundred years ago, Napoleon Bonaparte dominated Europe and threatened Britain with invasion. Against him stood the Royal Navy and the already legendary Admiral Horatio Nelson. On 21 October 1805, a massive naval battle off the coast of Spain decided mastery of the seas. Then, over the following days and nights, the battleships and their exhausted crews endured a gale of awesome fury. As Captain Charles Tyler wrote to his wife Margaret, 'the wind blew a perfect storm'. The authors of the bestselling FINEST HOUR tell this story not only through the diaries, letters and memoirs of the men who wrestled with the enemy and the elements, but also through the eyes of their wives and children. Whether you are already familiar with this period of history or are coming to it for the first time, TRAFALGAR is a book that will enthral as it illuminates an event whose repercussions still echo today.

Ireland played the central role in maintaining European culture when the dark ages settled on Europe in the fifth century: as Rome was sacked by Visigoths and its empire collapsed, Ireland became 'the isle of saints and scholars' that enabled the classical and religious heritage to be saved.In his compelling and entertaining narrative, Thomas Cahill tells the story of how Irish monks and scrines copied the mauscripts of both pagan and Christian writers, including Homer and Aristotle, while libraries on the continent were lost forever. Bringing the past and its characters to life, Cahill captures the sensibility of the unsung Irish who relaunched civilisation.

By the 1700s, the Aborigine people have lived in harmony with the land in Australia for sixty thousand years. But now, ghost-ships are arriving, their very existence is threatened by a terrifying white invasion.When Jonathan Cadwallader leaves Cornwall to sail on the Endeavour, he leaves behind his sweetheart, Susan Penhalligan . . . That is, until an act of brutality reunites them in the raw and unforgiving penal colony of New South Wales.Billy Penhalligan has survived transportation and clings to the promise of a new beginning. But there will be more suffering before he or his fellow convicts can regard Australia as home . . . .A sweeping tale of discovery, love and hardship in the sixteenth century which will bring emergent Australia and all its inhabitants - new and old - to life.

Lily Dahl is a heroine of the old school: tough, beautiful and brave. A nineteen-year-old waitress and aspiring actress living in Webster, Minnesota, she becomes enchanted by an exotic outsider - an artist from New York. Drawn into a world of erotic adventure, she finds herself the target of mysterious acts of madness as she strains against the confines of small town life.

On days out to the beach, always be the first in the family to get out of the car, onto the beach and into the sea. Always be the last in the family to get out of the sea, onto the beach and into the car. Remember to shake excess sea water from your fur once you are inside the car. Humans may refrain from passing you food to test. To them, a piece of salmon, followed by Liquorice Allsorts, a chocolate cake, and a selection of vegetables is a foul combination. Humans believe meals should be categorised into three sections. A starter, a main course and a sweet. Disavow them of this. Food is food is food. Always make sure you have more energy at the end of a walk, than you did at the beginning. Believe me, humans love the futility of taking you for a walk to tire you out.

He loved her, but she knew too much . . .On a rain-slick road, a car crash leaves only three survivors: an infant, a man clinging to his life, and Kendall Deaton. But she doesn't dare reveal any of their true identities to the authorities. Instead, she plans her escape. Her perilous flight begins.The best public defender in Prosper, South Carolina, Kendall had stumbled upon the town's chilling secret, making her marriage into a powerful family a living hell. Now Kendall, a terrified mother trying to protect her child and a reluctant witness to evil, is surrounded by forces that will stop at nothing to protect what is 'theirs'.***********Praise for Sandra Brown'An edge-of-the-seat thriller that's full of twists . . . Top stuff!' Star 'Virtuoso plot twists . . . Brown's thriller engages the primal senses'Kirkus Reviews'Lust, jealousy, and murder suffuse Brown's crisp thriller'Publishers Weekly

A cold-blooded psychopath. And a woman whose world is about to explode.Carl Herbold enjoys being bad. And he is terrifyingly good at it. He graduated easily from juvenile delinquent to full-blown killer. Now he has carried out a daring escape from jail and is headed back to where it all began.Anna Corbett was widowed right before her son was born. Beset by debt and personal tragedy, she faces the toughest challenge of her life - holding on to the ranch that is her son's birthright - unaware that she is at the centre of Carl Herbold's vengeful plan.Drifter Jack Sawyer is a seemingly easygoing cowboy whose past is shrouded in mystery. Stalked by secrets he can no longer outrun, he is hoping to protect Anna and her son from Herbold's rage.All must grapple with their own demons before the final tumultuous confrontation.*************Praise for Sandra Brown'An edge-of-the-seat thriller that's full of twists . . . Top stuff!' Star'Lust, jealousy, and murder suffuse Brown's crisp thriller' Publishers Weekly 'Perfectly plotted . . . sin-tillating suspense'People magazine

An enthralling romantic saga and a vibrant tale of illicit love, firm friendships and the indomitable character of the East Enders.It is 1959 and the Armstrong family - Jack, Laura and their daughter, Kay - are setting off on their annual hop-picking holiday. Far from the bustle of Stepney, the Kent hop fields offer hard work but fresh clean air and lively social gatherings around the campfires. But picking by hand is becoming a thing of the past as mechanisation takes over.While Jack leads the protest against the machines, Laura is otherwise preoccupied: will this mean the end of her seasonal love affair with the farm owner? And what of Kay who, on the brink of womanhood, craves adventure and creates turmoil when she and the handsome gypsy lad, Zacchi, meet in secret?As tensions grow between the cockneys and the local Romanies, it becomes clear that this summer will change lives for ever . . .

An authentic and moving romantic saga set against the backdrop of the docks, streets, markets and pubs of Whitechapel, from the author of Wild Hops and The Dinner Lady.Young Kay Armstrong wants to break away from her tough East End background, where her friends are turning to crime. A job in the City seems like the perfect answer - but when she plans a holiday to Spain that involves forging her passport, she takes a step too far...Meanwhile her dad, Jack, is spearheading the great dock strike. He and his wife Laura worry about their headstrong daughter, especially the new set of friends introducing her to fashionable restaurants and the pleasures of drinking.And when Zacchi, the handsome gypsy boyfriend of her past reappears, Kay has some hard choices to make...

Sweet Mediterranean escapism by the much-loved Rosamunde Pilcher.Selina Bruce has impulsively left behind her lawyer fianc in London and flown alone to a tiny island off the Spanish coast. She is searching for the father she has never known, but what she finds is an unexpected truth about herself and the man she plans to marry. For exotic San Antonio offers Selina more than the penetrating brilliance of the noonday sun. It offers the mysterious George Dyer, who holds the key not only to her past . . . but to her heart.

We left Robert a long way from home, a sixteen-year-old recruit in the RAF. Now, we follow his escape from the Forces (until National Service a few years later!), his return to Glasgow and life down the pit. Once more, Robert's fantastic memory for people, places and anecdotes, combined with an ear for individual voices and the brilliant ability to evoke a bygone sense of community, will enchant his readers and sometimes appal them with the brutality of conditions he experienced.

This is a wonderfully colourful and deeply poignant memoir of growing up in a 'single end' - one room in a Glasgow tenement - during and immediately after the Second World War. Although young Robert Douglas's life was blighted by the cruel if sporadic presence of his father, it was equally blessed by the love of his mother, Janet. While the story of their life together is in some ways very sad, it is also filled with humorous and happy memories. "e;Night Song of The Last Tram"e; is a superb evocation of childhood and of a Glasgow of trams and tenements that has long since disappeared.

In the final instalment in his autobiographical trilogy, Robert Douglas takes us through the sixties and into the eighties with his memories of life as a prison officer, and, at the end of his career, as an electricity chargehand driving around the Yorkshire Dales. He tells us of his prison experiences, with anecdotes about many of the most famous criminals in British history -- the Krays, the Richardsons, the Great Train Robbers, Soviet spies and many more. Told in the same endearing and fascinating voice that readers of LAST SONG OF THE NIGHT TRAM and SOMEWHERE TO LAY MY HEAD first fell in love with, this volume continues the story of Robert's remarkable journey of self-education, introducing us to larger-than-life characters on both sides of the bars, and evoking a strong sense of social change as Britain emerged from the post-War gloom into the bright lights of the Beatles years.