All characters are forced to battle against the bureaucracy and paperwork of Vichy-France and the spectre of the Germans closing in on the Free Zone. The self-serving sadistic gendarme, the grabbing, avaricious curé, the farmers trying to improve their lot with black-market dealings, the chaotic country kitchens filled with chickens and surplus children and rubbish - all are painted with a vivid and dark humour of this humorous and moving tale of a community and its families in turmoil during the Second World War. A lightly fictionalised tale based on the true story of Jewish refugees, the authors echo their experience of attempting to lie low in Nazi dominated France with two young children and take on the role of the Verès family in the novel. It is 1942 and a sleepy village in the Ardèche has become stuffed with refugees from all over France and indeed Europe - expats, exiles and migrant Jews all mingled together and daily life is shambolic. Several separate Jewish families have been lodged in guest houses and rented farmhouses, attempting to carve out a new life for themselves. Bemusing the locals and confused in return, they face the standard privations of food, and the challenging primitive conditions - non-existent toilets and lack of electricity are just the beginning. The crash of intellectual urban life meeting the practicalities of rural survival reverberates throughout the novel. 351pp, paperback.

A captivating historical crime thriller from the true master of the genre and perfect for fans of Ellis Peters, this is one of the popular Brother Athelstan mysteries. The only way to win this murderer's deadly game is to play along. It is 1380. Brutal and sudden death is not uncommon in the foul alleys of London. First the corpse of a clerk is pulled from the Thames. Then a money-lender is found dead in his strongroom, a crossbow bolt firmly embedded in his chest - a real mystery because the windowless chamber was locked and barred from the inside. Sir John Cranston comes to survey the scene. When other clerks are murdered, each with a riddle pinned on the corpse, he enlists the help of Brother Athelstan and together they must pit their wits against a deadly adversary hell-bent on murder and mayhem. 288pp, paperback.

A searing, gritty and blood-soaked historical adventure, book one in the Brothers of the Sands series. The fate of Rome hangs on a mad mission to the edge of the world. Drust and Kag, two ring-hardened fighters who won their freedom with blood, are met with an unusual request. The mysterious and powerful Servilius Structus sends them deep into Scotland, land of the Caledonii, to find and secure a woman and her young son. Accompanied by Ugo, Quintus, Manius and Sibanus, this crew of ex gladiator rogues, tricksters and bar-room philosophers will risk everything on an insane quest and a daring escape. In the dog days of Rome, with decadence and corruption in the air, the consequences of their failure are far greater than they could ever dream. Not only their lives but the Empire itself is at stake. Set in the year AD208, the 10th year of the reign of Emperor Septimus Severus and packed with historical detail and a new cast of characters. 370pp and useful glossary. Paperback.

Ex-gladiators Drust and Kag are in the Alps, battered, bruised and fighting for their lives. On the hunt for a rogue Roman officer, something goes terribly wrong and they are left stranded in the mountains, their escape route cut off. Only then does the true danger of their mission reveal itself. Caught in the crossfire of the mountain tribes, and the vicious power politics of Rome, they must use all their cunning to save themselves from death's icy clutches. Set in the year AD225 during the reign of the boy Emperor Severus Alexander, the story starts off in the Province of Rhaetia where the former gladiators including Drust's wife Praeclarum find themselves ambushed and have to travel through the 'Dark' populated with thick forests and wild tribes before they are captured by the renegade General. They escape for more action-packed and intriguing adventure in what is in fact the final book of a trilogy, the most exciting and can be read as a stand-alone. With useful glossary and historical note. 359pp, paperback.

By the author of The Nursemaid's Secret and previously published as The Summer Season. Set in Wales 1883, young Ruth Owen, a talented musician with a scholarship to a prestigious music school, has a sparkling career ahead of her. But after a run-in with her mysterious tutor, she flees to London, leaving everything and everyone behind. 14 years later Ruth, now married with two children, finds herself struggling for money and a place to live. Left with no other option, they decide to return to Wales and live on a canal boat. Life on the canals may seem idyllic, but what troubles await her return, and can the past ever truly be forgotten? Enjoy a happy and comfortable atmosphere on board a narrow boat in the company of such lovely characters in a novel full of wonderful warmth and charm. 360pp with a charming recipe for lamb chops and potatoes. Paperback.

A Times Historical Fiction Book of the Month which has been highly rated by Elly Griffiths. London 1855 and in the grey mist of the early dawn, a body is dumped on the Thames shore by a boatman in a metal canoe. Talk soon spreads of the killer and his striking accomplice, a young widow in mourning dress. Birdie Quinn's sleeplessness led her to the river that morning. She has always been wilful, haughty, different, but is she a murderess? To clear her name she must retrace the dead man's footsteps to Orkney and the far north, a dangerous journey for a woman alone, but one she must make to save her life. This gripping, richly layered thriller has a mesmerising setting and fantastic characters and gives superb insight into a ruthless trade. The story is full of gaslit menace. 398pp, paperback.

Embroiled in revolutionary war, Alan Lewrie is in for the fight of his life. After being shipped off to the navy in disgrace, he has finally found his sea legs. Although a stark contrast to the relentless whirl of London, his rise in status to naval officer suits him beyond his wildest dreams. But the crew of the Desperate could never have imagined the perils lying in wait within the storms of 1781. Ensnared in the siege of Yorktown, Lewrie must fight not only for his country but for his future and in rescuing a loyalist family from amidst the chaos, he knows he will face his greatest trial yet. The second instalment and a companion to code 94307 H.M.S. Cockerel. 391pp, paperback.

It is 1793, and Alan Lewrie, swashbuckling naval hero, longs for battle. Oppressed by life as a gentleman farmer, he is only too pleased to answer the navy's call when Revolutionary France draws Britain into war. But life aboard the HMS Cockerel is marred by a malaria-stricken tyrant of a captain, and a restless crew. When the war escalates, Lewrie finds himself at the Battle of Toulon, where he meets a dashing young Napoleon Bonaparte. Outnumbered three to one, he must take on the French in a desperate bid to help the Royalists escape. With superbly drawn supporting characters and a hugely likeable hero from this popular series. Very popular on Bibliophile's Search Service, we welcome the reprint of this popular series, perfect for fans of Patrick O'Brian and George MacDonald Fraser. 380pp, paperback.

1274AD and war is brewing between Wales and England. Henry III is dead and his son Edward Longshanks is on his way back from the Crusades to claim the crown and impose his iron will on a weakened country. In South Wales, two young brothers Garyn and Geraint, attempt to rebuild their lives after a terrifying ordeal in Acre. Desperate to heal old wounds and provide for their futures, the appearance of an old enemy tears them apart once more and forces them onto different paths. The nobles of North Wales, nervous and frustrated at the inaction of their leader, make a daring pact to replace him with a figurehead to unite the warring factions against the English prince. A stand-alone novel for fans of Ben Kane, 350pp in paperback with author's note on the historical research the author made about the True Cross, the discovery of America and Prince Madoc, evidence of medieval occupation in America and the capability of medieval sailors.

50AD. The Roman invasion is over and legions spread throughout Britannia, a blood red stain on the land. Caratacus, king of the Catuvellauni, has fled south to rebuild his army and warriors flock to his banner. In the north, a disgraced Legionary grasps the chance to regain his honour and joins the Exploratores, the elite Roman unit operating behind enemy lines. He nurtures a deeper desire however - to fill an oath made six years earlier. As the armies of Caratacus and Roman general Scapula prepare for their final clash, the soldier draws closer to his ultimate prize - the chance to kill the man he once called brother. Written with incredible scope and depth and a companion to code 94321 The Wrath of Boudicca. 345pp, paperback.