'Utterly, utterly brilliant. Fizzing with energy, wit and insight' - Tracy Borman, bestselling historian

Biggest books to look out for in 2024 - The Guardian

At eighteen, your life is full of of what-ifs and why-nots. You have everything to look forward to - unless you've got the plague . . .

From a young Elizabeth Tudor facing deadly intrigue at court to a teenage Richard Burton, the rugby-obsessed son of a Welsh miner, historian Alice Loxton explores Britain's past through the lives of eighteen figures at this crucial age.

How do you make a living in Georgian London with no arms or legs? What would you do if a world war interrupted your university studies? With plenty of wit and insight, Eighteen invites readers to join an eclectic cast of young Britons across the nation and throughout its history.

Filled with fascinating stories of royalty, explorers, writers and entertainers, Eighteen asks what lessons we can learn for modern Britain.

'A whirlwind of historical energy . . . one of the brightest new stars of popular history' - Dan Jones

'Brilliantly original, wonderfully perceptive and full of rich insights . . . Loxton has confirmed her place as one of our most exciting and talented young historians' - James Holland, bestselling author and historian

Sweeping and evocative, The Hidden Girl is a lost treasure from the global number one bestselling author Lucinda Riley.

You can't alter destiny . . .

Born and raised in a small village on the Yorkshire moors, Leah Thompson grows more beautiful with each passing day. When she catches the attention of the influential, troubled Delancey family, she knows her life will never be the same again.

Years later, Leah takes the modelling world by storm, travelling from Milan to London and New York and living life in the lap of luxury. But her past follows her like a dark shadow, mysteriously intertwined with the tragic tale of two young siblings in Poland during the Second World War.

As two generations of secrets threaten to explode, Leah is haunted by a fatal, forgotten prophecy from her past, and must fight to challenge the destiny that has been mapped out for her in the stars . . .

Long before she became the bestselling author of The Seven Sisters series, Lucinda Riley wrote Hidden Beauty as Lucinda Edmonds. This standalone novel has been reworked and given new life as The Hidden Girl by Harry Whittaker, Lucinda's son and co-author of Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt.

'I hadn't been very comfortable with fame, but I didn't know what to do with myself after I was famous. On the surface, I was just hugely relieved to be shot of the whole thing. I felt like I'd been let off the hook . . . But underneath that, I was pretty miserable.'

When 'Never Gonna Give You Up' propelled Rick Astley into the pop stratosphere, it changed his life forever. Nothing could have prepared the young, unassuming boy from Lancashire for what was in store for him. This is Rick's story - in his own words.

At just nineteen, Rick agreed to sign with legendary music producer Pete Waterman - under the wings of music powerhouse Stock Aitken Waterman. Unpredictable, outlandish adventures followed, giving him a peek into the mechanics of the music industry - all of which would eventually take Rick from the shadows of local bands to international stardom. From platinum-selling albums to worldwide tours, the world was at Rick's feet. And then, suddenly, at what seemed like the height of fame, it wasn't.

At twenty-seven, Rick retired himself from the industry that had brought him much success and financial stability. Behind the hits and the glitz and glamour was a young man coming to terms with his new-found fame, the realities of life in the pop-music machine and the pressures of life on the road, not to mention reconciling with his childhood spent between his divorced parents in a volatile family dynamic. Time out of the industry offered Rick room for much-needed reflection and therapy - and unknowingly helped to set the stage for his triumphant return to music.

Balancing nostalgia, fresh perspectives and introspection, with a good dose of northern humour, Never is an intimate look at the man behind the hits - and is a portrait of truth, artistic evolution and the astounding power of contentment.

The latest race-against-time instalment of the award-winning Grace series by Peter James, now a major BRITBOX show.

Hunting him would be murder . . .

When James Taylor arrives late for a funeral, he has to stand at the back of the small church. But as the service progresses, Taylor notices a man six rows in front of him. At first he thinks he must be mistaken, but the more he looks at him, the more convinced Taylor becomes that this is his old schoolfriend, Rufus Rorke.

Except it couldn't be him, could it? Because two years ago, Taylor attended Rufus Rorke's funeral. He even delivered Rufus's eulogy. . .

On the other side of Brighton at Police HQ, Detective Superintendent Roy Grace has been alerted to a number of suspicious deaths that he can't get out of his mind. But how are they linked? And how could they possibly be connected to Rufus Rorke?

Roy Grace is about to find out just how dangerous a dead man can be . . .

'Peter James is one of the best British crime writers, and therefore one of the best in the world' - Lee Child

'Peter James is one of the best crime writers in the business' - Karin Slaughter

'One of the world's most popular detective series' - The Guardian

Discover the transformative power of words and conversations in The Power of Words, the profound and inspiring international bestseller by renowned neuroscientist Mariano Sigman.

Gracefully translating complex science for lay readers, the author shares illuminating insights into how social interaction affects the formation of the self and makes a convincing case for the value of conversation and collaborative thinking in an increasingly individualistic culture. Readers will be captivated. - Publishers Weekly

We have hundreds of conversations every week, yet rarely think about the words we use. But the way we describe ourselves and the world around us profoundly shapes our decisions, emotions and action. The Power of Words delves into our minds, showing us how a simple shift in our language can lead to personal growth and positive change.

Drawing from his extensive research in neuroscience and his role as one of the directors of the Human Brain Project, Mariano Sigman reveals that our minds are much more malleable than we think. We retain the same ability to learn and change throughout our lives. By understanding this, we can rewrite our own narratives and break free from limiting beliefs.

Offering practical guidance for self-discovery, this witty and intelligent book urges us to be open to the possibility of being wrong and to gain a fresh perspective on our own lives. By embracing conversations as a tool for growth, we can learn to communicate better with others and most crucially, ourselves, resulting in a more rewarding and successful life.

'A comprehensive toolkit for anyone looking to elevate their communication and improve themselves' - Matt Abrahams, author of Think Faster, Talk Smarter

'Bursting with absorbing ideas and practical guidance. A must-read for anyone keen to understand the profound impact of language on ourselves and society' - Erica Dhawan, author of Digital Body Language

Peter James, the number one multimillion-copy bestselling author of the Grace series, returns with a thrilling new novel: a Roy Grace story told from a different perspective.

Some will know how it begins . . .

My name is Sandy.
My husband is Detective Superintendent Roy Grace.
But when I disappeared, even he couldn't find me.

This is my story.

There's more to Sandy than meets the eye. A woman with a dubious past, a complicated present and an uncertain future. Then she was gone.

Some will think they know how it ends . . .

Her disappearance caused a nationwide search. Even the best detective on the force couldn't find her. They thought she was dead.

But nobody knows this . . .

Where did she go? Why did she run? What would cause a woman to leave her whole life behind and
simply vanish?

For the first time, the truth behind Sandy Grace's dramatic disappearance is revealed. They Thought I Was Dead will thrill fans and new readers alike with its gripping account of a woman on the run. This is Sandy's story.

*************

'One of the best British crime writers and therefore one of the best in the world' - Lee Child

'One of the best crime writers in the business' - Karin Slaughter

Cult leaders, murderers, psychopaths - and you. Take a deep dive into the bizarre psychology of secrecy with Andrew Gold, award-winning investigative journalist and host of On the Edge With Andrew Gold.

We all keep secrets. 97 per cent of us are hiding a secret right now, and on average we each hold thirteen at any one time. There's a one-in-two chance that those secrets involve a breach of trust, a lie or a financial impropriety. They are the stuff of gossip, of novels and of classic dramas; secrets form a major part of our hidden inner lives.

Andrew Gold knows this better than anyone. As a public figure, he has found himself the unwitting recipient of hundreds of strangers' most private revelations. This set him on a journey to understand this critical part of our societies and lives. Why do we keep secrets? Why are we fascinated by those of others? What happens to our mind when we confess?

Drawing from psychology, history, social science, philosophy and personal interviews, The Psychology of Secrets is a rollicking journey through the history of secrecy.

The Cat Who Cracked a Cold Case by L T Shearer is a charming cosy crime read for fans of Richard Osman and S. J. Bennett.

A crime gone unsolved for five years . . .

The life of Lulu Lewis, a retired police detective, took an unforgettable turn when Conrad first
introduced himself to her. Unforgettable because:

a) Conrad is a special cat.
b) Special because he told her so. Yes, that's right, he can talk. (For obvious reasons, this ability
remains a closely guarded secret while they live together on her canal boat, The Lark.)

Visiting an old friend in Manchester, the pair stumble across a chilling news report about a trail of
bodies found across the city that echo a string of cold case murders from Lulu's past in London.

Joining forces with the local police, the pair must use every ounce of their intuition in order to find a
connection between the seemingly random killings and track down a ruthless murderer . . .

From the makers of the UK's best soccer magazine!

MATCH is the UK's bestselling soccer annual and is top of Christmas wish lists for fans everywhere.

Inside the MATCH Annual 2025, readers can build the ultimate player using superstars from the Premier League, check out the craziest football haircuts through the years, swot up on the 2025 Women's Euros, learn about the best academies on the planet, and look back on Jurgen Klopp and Emma Hayes' rocking reigns in England!

Plus, don't miss the best moments from Euro 2024, epic profiles of the world's top wonderkids, tons of brain-busting quizzes, cool cartoons, the chance to design your own boots, pick your MLS team, LOL at the funniest footy snaps, and loads more!

Don't miss it!

'The Manual For Good Wives, a fast-paced tale of courage and resilience is beautifully written and remarkably moving. An absolute masterpiece' - Mike Gayle, author of All the Lonely People

Everything about Adeline Copplefield is a lie . . .

To the world Mrs Copplefield is the epitome of Victorian propriety: an exemplary society lady who writes a weekly column advising young ladies on how to be better wives.

Only Adeline has never been a good wife or mother; she has no claim to the Copplefield name, nor is she an English lady . . .

Now a black woman, born in Africa, who dared to pretend to be something she was not, is on trial in the English courts with all of London society baying for her blood. And she is ready to tell her story . . .

From the author of The Attic Child, Lola Jaye, comes a powerful dual narrative historical novel. The Manual for Good Wives is about love, generational trauma, second chances and hope.

'An unforgettable voice within a breathtaking story about love, lineage, and the intergenerational effect of bravery in the face of misfortune' - Jessica George, author of Diverse Book Awards winning My Name is Maame

'Poignant, captivating and thoroughly enjoyable' - The Yorkshire Times

The Granite City is ready to burn, and all it takes is a single spark...

In the heat of a blistering summer, Aberdeen's police are struggling: half the force is off sick, all leave has been cancelled, someone's firebombed a hotel full of migrants, and there's a massive protest march happening this Saturday.

With officers dropping like flies, Detective Inspector Logan McRae is forced to juggle cases and run a major murder investigation with a skeleton staff of misfits, idiots and malingerers until the top brass can arrange back-up from other divisions.

It doesn't help that the Aberdeen Examiner has just been bought by Natasha Agapova, a tabloid media tycoon, hell-bent on blaming local police for everything. And she's more than happy to fan the flames.

But, as bad as everything seems, it's all about to get much, much worse . . .

* * *

Praise for Stuart MacBride:

'Dark and brilliantly written' - Linwood Barclay, author of I will Ruin You

'MacBride is a damned fine writer' - Peter James, author of Picture You Dead

'Crime fiction of the highest order' - Mark Billingham, author of The Last Dance

The ship was doomed before it ever left port. His fate was sealed before he ever stepped on board. From R. L. Graham, Death on the Lusitania is an immersive WW1 historical novel set aboard the ill-fated ocean liner.

Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie.

Welcome on board the Lusitania's final voyage . . .

New York, 1915. RMS Lusitania, one of the world's most luxurious ocean liners, departs for war-torn Europe. Among those on board is Patrick Gallagher, a civil servant in Her Majesty's government tasked with escorting a British diplomat back to England.

When a fellow passenger is believed to have shot himself in his cabin, Gallagher is asked by the captain to investigate the scene but one crucial detail doesn't fit. The man's body was discovered in a locked cabin with the key inside and no gun to be found. Was it really suicide? Or murder?

Gallagher believes one of the passengers is a deadly killer who could strike again to protect their true reasons for being on board. And all the while, the ship sails on towards Europe, where deadly submarines patrol dark waters . . .

The Cat Who Solved Three Murders by L T Shearer is a charming cosy crime read for fans of Richard Osman and S. J. Bennett.

Retired police detective Lulu Lewis's life changed forever when she met a street cat named Conrad. There's something very special about Conrad, but it's a secret she has to keep to herself.

When Lulu takes her narrowboat to Oxford, she is planning nothing more stressful than attending a friend's birthday party. And drinking a few glasses of Chardonnay.

But a brutal murder and a daring art theft means her plans are shattered - instead she and Conrad find themselves on the trail of a killer.

A killer who may well strike again.

'A captivating, charming and gentle tale' Peter James on The Cat Who Caught a Killer

Discover the transformative power of words and conversations in The Power of Words, the profound and inspiring international bestseller by renowned neuroscientist Mariano Sigman.

'A comprehensive toolkit for anyone looking to elevate their communication and improve themselves' - Matt Abrahams, author of Think Faster, Talk Smarter

We have hundreds of conversations every week, offline, online and even in our heads. But have you ever stopped to think about the words you use? The way we describe ourselves and the world around us shapes our decisions, emotions and actions.

Mariano Sigman, the world-leading neuroscientist and bestselling author, shows that conversation is one of the most important tools for positive change, better relationships and improved critical thinking. Drawing on extensive research, he demonstrates that our minds are much more malleable than we think, and even the smallest shifts in our language can transform our habits and our perceptions. By understanding this, we can break free from patterns of limiting beliefs and tackle the disinformation we all face daily.

Offering practical guidance based on the latest psychology and neuroscience, this witty and intelligent book urges us to be open to the possibility of our own fallibility. By embracing conversations as a tool for growth, we can learn to communicate better with others and, most crucially, ourselves, giving us a more rewarding and successful life.

'Bursting with absorbing ideas and practical guidance. A must-read for anyone keen to understand the profound impact of language on ourselves and society' - Erica Dhawan, author of Digital Body Language

The Crime Writers' Association Historical Dagger Winning Author

'Fast becoming a serious rival to C. J. Sansom and S. J. Parris' - Historical Novel Society

Florence. Autumn, 1539.

Cesare Aldo was once an officer for the city's most feared criminal court. Following a period of exile, he is back but demoted to night patrol when only the drunk and the dangerous roam the streets.

Chasing a suspect in the rain, Aldo discovers a horrifying scene beneath Michelangelo's statue of David. Lifeless eyes gaze from the face of a man whose body has been posed as if crucified. It's clear the killer had religious motives.

When more bodies appear, Aldo believes an unholy murderer is stalking the citizens of Florence. Watching. Hunting. Waiting for the perfect moment to strike again . . .

A religious serial killer is haunting Florence and only Cesare Aldo can stop them. A Divine Fury is an atmospheric historical thriller by D. V. Bishop, set in Renaissance Italy.

A Divine Fury is the fourth Cesare Aldo mystery, preceded by City of Vengeance, The Darkest Sin and Ritual of Fire.

'Forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod has become one of the most satisfying characters in modern crime fiction' Daily Mail

A gangland slaying. A missing movie star. When an actor goes missing in Glasgow, the clue to his whereabouts could be in the film script itself. Whispers of the Dead is a gripping thriller from Lin Anderson.

In the dead of night, a man's body is found strapped to a chair in Glasgow's Elder Park, his identity unknown. As forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod examines the scene, the violence on display suggests a gangland feud could be the cause. At the post-mortem, a bullet engraved with a snake's head is found in the man's stomach, lending weight to the theory.

Elsewhere in the city, a major Hollywood movie is being filmed. But shooting comes to a standstill when its lead actor is reported missing. As the news spreads, Police Scotland believe the two cases may be connected.

DS Michael McNab thinks the key to finding those responsible could be the film itself. A storyline playing out in real-life on the streets of Glasgow with a killer intent on revenge at any cost. A vendetta which must be paid in blood . . .

Though they can be enjoyed in any order, Whispers of the Dead is the eighteenth book in the Rhona MacLeod series.

Jayne Ferguson has always been a keeper of secrets, most especially her own . . .

If there's one thing Jayne Ferguson has learnt in her life, it's that every blessing comes with a curse. She married the most handsome man on the isle of St Kilda - but he's a bully. She inherited her mother's gift of second sight - but only ever forsees her fellow islanders' deaths. She has learnt to keep to herself, treading in the shadows and shirking the highs for fear of the lows.

When a needless death strikes at the heart of her home, Jayne's bad marriage becomes worse and she finds solace with an unlikely friend. Glimmers of happiness tantalise her, though there's no possibility for anything more, especially once word comes of St Kilda's evacuation.

But as the day draws near, tensions on the island rise. Secrets are being forced to the surface, passions and enmities erupting with equal violence. A man is killed, as Jayne knew he would be, and her closest friends Effie, Mhairi and Flora are each implicated.

On the mainland, the villagers scatter into new lives, hoping distance means refuge. But then Jayne has another of her dreams and she knows the past isn't done with them yet.

'A gripping new series . . . beautifully told by one of our most prolific and talented writers' - Santa Montefiore on The Last Summer

Young Flora MacQueen has always dreamed of more than a hard life on the small Scottish island of St Kilda. And when she catches the eye of visiting adventurer and wealthy businessman James Callaghan her future seems brighter.

Only, as the islanders prepare to leave their homes for the final time, Flora finds her dreams shattered. With her beauty her only currency she must step forward in ways that would have been unthinkable back home in order to support her family. Soon Flora is the toast of glamorous Paris. Fame and fortune are hers for the taking but she knows only too well by now that rich men make empty promises.

But then a secret comes to light that will change everything . . .

The Lost Lover is Book Three in Karen Swan's bestselling Wild Isle Series.

From the makers of MATCH!, the UK's most popular football magazine! MATCH! Annual 2024 is a must-have for footy fans.

Inside this year's edition, you'll find find the ultimate guide to the games ahead, from the UEFA Champions League Final to Euro 2024. Get all the insider info in epic interviews with the stars, and discover everything you need to know about Haaland, Messi, Ronaldo, Kane, Salah, Mbappé, Maguire, Hazard, Pogba and more top players.

Plus, it's packed with brain-twisting quizzes, bonkers pics, footy emojis, hilarious cartoons - and loads more! Don't miss it!

'Peter James is one of the best British crime writers, and therefore one of the best in the world.' - LEE CHILD, author of The Jack Reacher series

Discover the darkness that lurks around every corner in the latest instalment of the award-winning Grace series, now a major BRITBOX series.

A ruthless crime. A race against time.

When a young farmer confronts intruders in the middle of the night he has no idea that just minutes later he will be left dying in a pool of blood. What's more chilling is what the perpetrators were willing to kill for.

At the scene of the crime, Detective Superintendent Roy Grace soon realises this is no isolated robbery gone wrong but the tip of the iceberg of a nationwide crime wave, in which ruthless organised gangs are making more money from the illegal trade in dogs than drugs. A trade which pits him against some ruthless people who will kill anyone who gets in their way, because where there is greed, there is murder.

'The master of the craft' - DAILY EXPRESS