Everyone knows the legend of Christopher Sim. An interstellar hero with a rare talent for war, he changed mankind's history forever when he forged a rag-tag group of misfits into the weapon that broke the alien Ashiyyur. But now, in a forgotten file, Alex Benedict has found a startling piece of information. If it is true, then Christopher Sim was a fraud. If he is to see it through, Alex Benedict will have to follow the dark track of a legend, into the heart of an alien galaxy, where he will confront a truth far stranger than anything he could have imagined...

Three of these stories were previously published in Victoria Hislop's ebook collection, One Cretan Evening. In ten powerful stories, Victoria Hislop takes us through the streets of Athens and into the tree-lined squares of Greek villages. As she evokes their distinct atmosphere, she brings vividly to life a host of unforgettable characters, from a lonesome priest to battling brothers, and from an unwanted stranger to a groom troubled by music and memory. These bittersweet tales of love and loyalty, of separation and reconciliation, captured in Victoria Hislop's unique voice, will stay with you long after you reach the end.

The luxury space yacht Polaris carried an elite group of the wealthy and curious thousands of light-years from Earth to witness a spectacular stellar phenomenon. It never returned. The search party sent to investigate found the Polaris empty and adrift in space, the fate of its pilot and passengers a mystery. Sixty years later, Alex Benedict is determined to find the truth about Polaris - no matter how far he must travel across the stars, no matter the risk.

Defence attorney Dismas Hardy takes on his most personal case yetWhen Moses McGuire's daughter is raped by her ex-boyfriend, Rick Jessup, he vows to get his revenge. So when Rick is found dead the next day, Moses is arrested for murder.Dismas Hardy has no hesitation in defending his old friend but as the evidence against him starts piling up Hardy can't help wondering, what if he's actually guilty? And to make matters even more complicated, the case threatens to bring to light an old secret that could destroy Hardy's career.With the trial going against him, Hardy must draw on all his legal ingenuity until he sees a new way forward that might just save them all. But at what price?The Ophelia Cut pits lifelong friends against one another, where truth does not always lead to justice and where long buried secrets still have the power to redeem or destroy.

An absorbing, evocative and rich period drama of buried secrets and lost love.When a mysterious countess arrives late in life to live at a large, deserted house on the edge of a sleepy Hampshire village, the local tongues start wagging. No one is more intrigued than Cecily Chadwick, idling away the long, hot summer of 1911 with nothing much to do. Cecily is fascinated by the exotic elderly lady and, as she gets to know her, is riveted by her tales of expatriate life on the continent, and of whom she once knew. But the countess is troubled: by her memories, her name, and by anonymous threats to reveal a ruinous secret... It is, she has decided, up to her close friend, a successful novelist who has come to stay for the summer, to put the record straight. For aspiring writer Cecily, the novelist's presence only adds to the intrigue and pull of the house. But it is the countess's grandson, Jack, his unanswered questions about his grandmother's past and his desire to know the truth, that draw Cecily further into the tangled web of the countess's life, and the place known as Temple Hill.

When Kay Lockwood is left a small inheritance by her mother's old friend, actress Lana Fontaine, she travels to London, leaving behind her Northern hometown and the boyfriend she doesn't quite trust. She falls in love with Lana's ramshackle house, and the excitement of post-war London, but soon discovers a deeper mystery - who was Lana, and why was Kay so important to her? As she unravels the past, her handsome new neighbour Tom seems to offer her a bright future, but when his own dark secret is revealed, Kay feels hurt and betrayed. Can she ever forgive him?

Ben Hatch is on the road again. Commissioned to write a guidebook about France (despite not speaking any French) he sets off with visions of relaxing chateaux and refined dining. Ten thousand miles later his family's been attacked by a donkey, had a run-in with a death-cult and, after a near drowning and a calamitous wedding experience involving a British spy, his own marriage is in jeopardy. A combination of obsessions about mosquitoes, French gravel and vegetable theme parks mean it's a bumpy ride as Ben takes a stand against tyrannical French pool attendants, finds himself running with the bulls in Pamplona and almost starring in a snuff movie after a near fatal decision to climb into a millionaire's Chevrolet Blazer. Funny and poignant, Road to Rouen asks important questions about life, marriage and whether it's ever acceptable to tape baguette to your children's legs to smuggle lunch into Disneyland Paris.

The earth-shattering conclusion to the legend of Merlin.Returning from his epic journey to Constantinople, Myrddion Merlinus finds Briton in the grip of Uther Pendragon's bloodthirsty war against the Saxons. Coerced into obedience, Myrddion must serve Uther's brother Ambrosius, the High King, in order to spare the lives of his beloved fellow travellers. Ambrosius is an honest and wise ruler and Myrddion's skills are put to good use setting up a spy network while training healers across the land. But when Ambrosius is poisoned, his untimely death propels Myrddion back into the callous hands of Uther Pendragon. The new High King will stop at nothing to force Myrddion to accede to his unthinkable wishes. Myrddion's only solace is the prophecy that his suffering is not in vain. But will he survive the taint of Uther's madness and enable good to come from evil?

Fans of Dan Brown and Clive Cussler will love the thrilling new Jack Howard action adventure from Sunday Times bestseller David Gibbins. 1351 BC: Akhenaten the Sun-Pharaoh rules supreme in Egypt...until the day he casts off his crown and mysteriously disappears into the desert, his legacy seemingly swallowed up by the remote sands beneath the Great Pyramids of Giza. AD 1884: A British soldier serving in the Sudan stumbles upon an incredible discovery - a submerged temple containing evidence of a terrifying religion whose god was fed by human sacrifice. The soldier is on a mission to reach General Gordon before Khartoum falls. But he hides a secret of his own. Present day: Jack Howard and his team are excavating one of the most amazing underwater sites they have ever encountered, but dark forces are watching to see what they will find. Diving into the Nile, they enter a world three thousand years back in history, inhabited by a people who have sworn to guard the greatest secret of all time...

From Chile to Germany, a heart-wrenching tale of love, loyalty and new beginnings.Santiago, 1973: Rosa is a happy girl, living a privileged life amongst the ruling elite. But when violence erupts with the Pinochet coup, her socialist parents are the first to be taken. Forced to flee across the Andes, she finds herself rescued by a Stasi spy, and escapes behind the Iron Curtain to Germany. East Berlin, 1989: Englishman Patrick Miller has crossed over and is working at the Secretariat for Socialist Correctness in Publishing. Dragged into a dangerous, cynical world of shady dealings on both sides of the Wall, Patrick doesn't know what he believes in anymore. Until he meets Rosa...Separate currents of the twentieth century have washed Patrick and Rosa up in a divided city that despite everything they've both come to love. As the Soviet Union starts to break up around them, the tide of change is too strong for even the much feared Stasi to hold back. But once the barriers are down and the rubble cleared, what kind of country will they be left with?

Selected for the Waterstones Eleven list for 2013.We first meet Michel eleven days after the death of his son Lion. Lion was lost, suddenly, to a virulent strain of meningitis and it's left his father and entire family reeling. We join Michel on his personal journey through grief, but the twist that makes the journey truly remarkable, and tips this true story into fiction, is the fact that we see it all through Lion's eyes.In a stunningly original blurring of memoir and fiction, THE SON tackles the very hardest of subjects in the most readable of ways. Michel Rostain resolutely ducks away from sentimentality and pathos, and tells his story instead with wit, wisdom and vitality. For this is not a book about death; it's a book about life.

A deliciously eccentric series of anecdotes, Tuffers' Cricket Tales was a Sunday Times bestseller in hardback. Phil Tufnell, aka 'Tuffers', is the much-loved English cricketer from the 1990s who has now become one of this country's favourite broadcasters. Not cast from the same mould as other players of his generation, Tufnell became a cult figure for his unorthodox approach to the game ... and to life in general. 'Tuffers' Cricket Tales' is a collection of the great man's favourite cricket stories that will amuse and inform in equal measure. Tufnell's unmistakably distinctive voice, as heard to such good effect on 'Test Match Special', steers fans through dozens and dozens of terrifically entertaining and insightful anecdotes, garnered from his 25-year playing and broadcasting career. He introduces a cast of genuinely colourful characters found in dressing-rooms and commentary boxes from around the world, and in the process offers a uniquely warm and quirky homage to his sport. A perfect Father's Day gift for all cricket fans.

Breathlessly exciting, gloriously glamorous, PERFECT STRANGERS is Sunday Times bestseller Tasmina Perry's most thrilling novel to date.Just an innocent invitation...When Sophie Ellis is asked to house-sit at a luxurious Knightsbridge townhouse, it appears to be the offer of a lifetime. Drawn into the glittering circle of the home's owner, she meets wealthy American businessman Nick Cooper and is swept up into a thrilling and passionate affair. But when Nick is found dead in his hotel suite, Sophie is suddenly the prime suspect for his murder, and soon realises Nick was not the man he seemed. Racing to find the truth and clear her name, Sophie must elude not only the authorities but also a group of dangerous players who believe Sophie has something that they want. And who won't stop until she's caught...Escape with Tasmina Perry from London to New York to the exotic Cote D'Azur, and into a world where a simple case of mistaken identity unravels a web of lies and international conspiracy.

In this hilarious follow-up to the Sunday Times bestseller Tuffers' Cricket Tales, ex-England cricketer, TV personality and Test Match Special commentator Phil Tufnell offers his unique take on the whole Ashes experience.Drawing on incidents from his own colourful career and the reminiscences of great English and Aussie cricket characters, both past and present, Tuffers highlights all the elements that make for a truly memorable Ashes series, on and off the pitch.Heroic performances, personal 'Cat-astrophes', bonkers selections, cultural clashes between Poms and Ockers, slanderous sledges, dubious tactics, odd superstitions, touring high-jinx and nail-biting finishes are all on the agenda as he delves into the 131-year history of a unique sporting institution. Along the way, Tuffers, who played in five Ashes series without ever getting close to getting his hands on the famous urn, aims to discover the key to winning what is the ultimate prize for any English or Australian cricketer Shot through with his love and knowledge of cricket, Tuffers' Alternative Guide to the Ashes is written with the characteristic cheeky charm which made Phil Tufnell a firm favourite of England's Barmy Army (and a target for good-natured abuse from fans Down Under).Reviews for Tuffers' Cricket Tales:'Hilarious' (Daily Star Sunday)'Amusing' (All Out Cricket)

Hugh Dennis has secretly been worrying about what being "British" meant for nearly a decade, ever since his friend Ardal O'Hanlon had told him in passing that he was the most British person he had ever met. Hugh was unclear whether he was being praised, teased, vaguely insulted or possibly all three - because it has always been very difficult to know how to feel about being British. And then the London Olympics came along. We gave the world a gleaming new vision of Britain; a smiling Britain of achievement, a Britain responsible for leading the world into the modern era through the Agrarian and Industrial revolutions, a nation proud to embrace multi-culturalism, individuality, and eccentricity. A country where a major politician can dangle helplessly from a zip wire like a discarded straw dolly and gain in popularity, and whose Queen can send herself up and then descend by parachute. The unexpected legacy of the Games has been a Britain with a new found self-confidence in which we all know how to be British. A Britain which should be embarrassed by nothing and proud of everything, from sheep to chimneys to the Spice Girls to industrial action and what had always previously been described as our "ailing transport network". A Britain which having been pinned firmly in its own half, has dribbled the length of the field, nutmegged the defenders, unleashed a curling dipping shot into the top right hand corner, scored a wonder goal and is now kissing the badge. This is Hugh Dennis' exploration of the changing image of Britain and Britishness.

The fourth ebook-exclusive novella in Simon Scarrow's Roman Arena series, in which gladiator Pavo faces a bloody beast hunt...The opening day of the Games in Rome is a time for celebration in honour of the new Emperor. But for Marcus Valerius Pavo, a young military tribune fallen from grace, only despair awaits. Along with former mentor, Optio Macro, Pavo must fight for his life in a ferocious beast hunt. Battling against lions and bears, he'll have to use all his wits to survive, as well as the help of a hated former rival. But when Pavo achieves a stunning victory, his reward is to be condemned to death in a chaotic free-for-all. Now the young gladiator faces a race against time to triumph over the odds, save his son - and exact the ultimate revenge over the Emperor...Simon Scarrow supports the Bansang Hospital Appeal - learn more at www.bansanghospitalappeal.org. He will be donating his earnings from the sale of this book to the Appeal.

A must for any fan of the storytelling genius that is Neil Gaiman, author of the acclaimed novel AMERICAN GODS and the highly anticipated new novel for adults, THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE.In May 2012, Neil Gaiman delivered the commencement address at Philadelphia's University of the Arts, in which he shared his thoughts about creativity, bravery, and strength. He encouraged the fledgling painters, musicians, writers, and dreamers to break rules and think outside the box. Most of all, he urged them to make good art.The book MAKE GOOD ART, designed by renowned graphic artist Chip Kidd, contains the full text of Gaiman's inspiring speech.Praise for Neil Gaiman:'A very fine and imaginative writer' The Sunday Times'Exhilarating and terrifying' Independent 'Urbane and sophisticated' Time Out'A jaw-droppingly good, scary epic positively drenched in metaphors and symbols... As Gaiman is to literature, so Antoni Gaudi was to architecture' Midweek 'Neil Gaiman is a very good writer indeed' Daily Telegraph

The superb follow-up to Eoin Colfer's highly acclaimed PLUGGED, written with the warmth and wit of his Artemis Fowl series.Dan McEvoy doesn't set out to get into violent confrontations with New Jersey's gangster overlords but he's long since found that once you're on their radar, there's only one way to slip off it. So he's learned his own way to fight back, aiming to outwit rather than kill unless he really has no choice. But when Dan's glam step-gran Edit shows up on the hunt for his dishevelled aunt Evelyn, it quickly becomes clear that family can provide the deadliest threat of all. In a city of gun-happy criminals, bent cops and a tough-talking woman detective whose inspires terror and lust in equal measure, Dan may just have reached the point where sharp wit won't cut the mustard. But can he play the heavies at their own game?

The most authentic novel of gangster family life ever written, from the No. 1 bestselling author.The Bailey brothers are gangsters determined to make their mark in the world. Peter and Daniel are chalk and cheese in many ways - Peter's calm exterior belies his ruthless nature, while Daniel's penchant for spectacular violence is legendary - but together they are unstoppable. From the late seventies they rule London's East End and, when their sons join the business, it seems that no one can touch the powerful Baileys. Although it's never easy at the top; there is always someone waiting to take you down - sometimes even those closest to you... Lena Bailey is determined to shield her youngest child Tania from the Life. But when a terrible tragedy occurs, Tania's eyes are opened to their world in a way that forces her to make an irrevocable choice that will determine her future.Martina Cole's gritty and gripping new novel is an unflinching portrait of a family torn apart by violence and betrayal, but ultimately bound by loyalty, by blood, and by a burning desire for revenge... It is a story of the Life, told as only Martina Cole can.