Conspiracies of Rome (Death of Rome Saga Book One)

Fasten your seatbelts for an anthology of turbulent tales curated by Stephen King and Bev Vincent.This exciting new collection, perfect for airport or aeroplane reading, includes an original introduction and story notes for each story by Stephen King, and brand new stories from Stephen King and Joe Hill.Stephen King hates to fly.Now he and co-editor Bev Vincent would like to share this fear of flying with you.Welcome to Flight or Fright, an anthology about all the things that can go horribly wrong when you're suspended six miles in the air, hurtling through space at more than 500 mph and sealed up in a metal tube (like - gulp! - a coffin) with hundreds of strangers. All the ways your trip into the friendly skies can turn into a nightmare, including some we'll bet you've never thought of before... but now you will the next time you walk down the jetway and place your fate in the hands of a total stranger.Featuring brand new stories by Joe Hill and Stephen King, as well as fourteen classic tales and one poem from the likes of Richard Matheson, Ray Bradbury, Roald Dahl, Dan Simmons, and many others, Flight or Fright is, as King says, "ideal airplane reading, especially on stormy descents... Even if you are safe on the ground, you might want to buckle up nice and tight."Book a flight for this terrifying new anthology that will have you thinking twice about how you want to reach your final destination.Contents:Introduction by Stephen KingCargo by E. Michael LewisThe Horror of the Heights by Sir Arthur Conan DoyleNightmare at 20,000 Feet by Richard MathesonThe Flying Machine by Ambrose BierceLucifer! by E.C. TubbThe Fifth Category by Tom BissellTwo Minutes Forty-Five Seconds by Dan SimmonsDiablitos by Cody GoodfellowAir Raid by John VarleyYou Are Released by Joe HillWarbirds by David J. SchowThe Flying Machine by Ray BradburyZombies on a Plane by Bev VincentThey Shall Not Grow Old by Roald DahlMurder in the Air by Peter TremayneThe Turbulence Expert by Stephen KingFalling by James L. DickeyAfterword by Bev Vincent(P)2018 Simon & Schuster Audio

'A spectacular rollercoaster ride through the labyrinthine secrets and lies of the Tudor court . . . A must read' Kate WilliamsIt is the dawn of a new world. Henry Tudor has vanquished Richard III and claimed the throne of England, taking possession of a secret map. At the glittering court of the Medici in Florence, Lorenzo the Magnificent, ruler of the republic and head of the mysterious Academy, is engaged in a dangerous game of power with the Vatican. In Spain, the Catholic Monarchs, Isabella and Ferdinand, have declared a crusade against Islam, forcing the Moors from Granada. Europe stands upon the brink of war, at the edge of a discovery that will change everything.Jack Wynter is clinging to the wreckage of the life he dreamed of living, his father's execution by Richard III destroying his hope of overcoming his status as an illegitimate son. The map entrusted to him by his father is gone, stolen by his hated half-brother, Harry Vaughan. Outlawed by Tudor, all Jack can do is follow his father's last words - and seek out the man who has answers to his past that will determine his future, Lorenzo de' Medici. But in the serpentine politics and renaissance splendour of Florence, he finds only danger. Lorenzo may have trusted Jack's father, but he is now surrounded by threats and conspiracies on all sides - not least from the rising power in the city known as the Court of Wolves. Harry, meanwhile, heads to the Spanish court on a covert mission for Tudor, who intends to deflect Queen Isabella's interest in developing a trade route west with a sailor named Columbus.Once again, Jack must risk all to prove himself, while his sworn enemy, Harry, finds himself fighting through Spain, seeking all the time to ingratiate himself with Tudor, and bring his brother down.

'An entertaining tale takes us deep into the seamy side of Victorian London' The TimesLondon 1888: George 'Zulu' Hart is the mixed-race illegitimate son of a Dublin actress and (he suspects) the Duke of Cambridge, commander-in-chief of the army. George has fought his way through wars in Africa and Afghanistan, won the VC and married his sweetheart, but he's also a gambler, short of money and in no position to turn down the job of 'minder' to Prince Albert Victor, second in line to the throne. George is to befriend the charming young cavalry officer and keep him out of trouble - no easy task, given that the Prince is a known target for Irish nationalist assassins, while his secret sexual orientation leaves him open to blackmail and scandal. To make matters worse, the Prince is also in the habit of heading out late at night to sample the dubious pleasures of the East End. Both outsiders in their different ways, perhaps the two men have more in common than they know, but when a series of horrible murders begins in Whitechapel, on just the nights the Prince has been there, George is drawn into an investigation which forces him to confront the unthinkable...A brilliant standalone adventure based on detailed research, this is a thrilling novel of suspense and a fascinating new twist on the Jack the Ripper story.

The nail-biting historical mystery with a heady romance at its heart 'Beguiling' Stylist*********Hester White once had a comfortable home and a loving family, but after the untimely death of her parents, her life was turned upside down, leading her to live with her aunt and uncle in the slums of London. As the years turn, people begin to disappear from these murky streets in mysterious circumstances . . . with nobody to investigate their absences.When a life-threatening accident crosses Hester's path with Calder Brock's, it appears Hester's fortune has changed. Handsome, charming and wealthy, Calder is quick to invite her into his home, introducing Hester to his mysterious sister Rebecca, who takes Hester under her wing. In the opulence of her new home, Hester believes she has now escaped the darkness of the slums for good.But, Hester is about to find out, appearances can hide the ugliest of truths. When she is lured back onto the streets to investigate the mystery, the clues seem to lead her back far closer to her new friends than she could ever have imagined. . .*********'Carlin can tell a good story' Observer'Contains lovely, lyrical writing . . . and a heady romance at its heart' Sunday Express

Winner of the Icelandic Literary Prize'An extraordinary and original writer' A.S. Byatt on Sjón The year is 1918 and in Iceland the erupting volcano Katla can be seen colouring the sky night and day from the streets of Reykjavik. Yet life in the small capital carries on as usual, despite the natural disaster, a shortage of coal and, in the outside world, the Great War grinding on. There, sixteen-year-old Máni Steinn lives for the new fashion - the movies. Asleep he dreams altered versions of them, their tapestry of events threaded with strands from his own life. Awake he hovers on the fringes of society. But then the Spanish flu epidemic comes ashore, killing hundreds and driving thousands into their sick beds. The shadows of existence deepen and for Máni everything changes. Capturing Iceland at a moment of profound transformation, this is the story of a misfit in a place where life and death, reality and imagination, secrets and revelations jostle for dominance. With not a word wasted, this mesmerising and original novel is the work of a major international writer.