A classic World War II novel from the bestselling thriller writer Derek Lambert. For the beleaguered German and Russian armies there is no war beyond the carnage in the city’s grim skeleton, and the terrible winter at their heels. Desperate men need heroes to boost their morale: orders come from the very top for a duel between champion snipers Antonov the Russian, and Meister the German – a contest each must win. For the two marksmen there is now no war but the race to pin the other in their sights. And no other companion, either, than the stranger whose mind each must read. Dead heroes or living legends? Only time will tell. ‘The book is perfect. The horror of war is captured by the spare prose; the tension mounts, and the inevitable confrontation is uplifting in its outcome’ Daily Telegraph ‘Told me more than all the military historians ever could about the greatest battle of World War Two’ Daily Mail ‘Tense and gripping … a most effective chiller’ British Book News ‘One is reminded of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness … For those who like to be in the thick of it, this book is a must’ Surrey and South Middlesex Times ‘A good war story’ Kirkus Reviews ‘A unique tour de force … poignant, cogent, a strong novel, suspenseful and fascinating, a novel not easily forgotten’ Florida Sun News

The third instalment in the Shadow of the Storm series Jeniche and Alltud have been on an adventure for nearly three years. Now, the time has come for them to go home. But as they leave their hostel in the dead of the night, these plans are thwarted. The Qasireu of Alboran awaits the two travellers with a quest: they must move an item of great value, whose identity is to remain unknown. Carrying this item across the dusty moutains, they make a chance encounter: a woman from her past, who seems to know a great deal about the amulet around Jeniche’s neck and the power it possesses. Yet, the amulet isn’t the only secret the travellers carry with them. For little do they know, the item they are moving could pose a threat to the entire world.

The hilarious and touching novel from Laurie Graham – the fictional diary of the Queen’s best friend in pre-war London. Laurie Graham's brilliant novel is the fictional diary of Maybell Brumby, a wealthy American widow who arrives in London in 1932 and discovers that an old school friend is in town: Bessie Wallis Warfield, now Mrs Ernest Simpson. Maybell and Wally are made for one another. One has money and a foothold in high society, courtesy of a sister who married well. The other has ruthless ambition and enough energy to power the National Grid. Before the year is out, Wally has begun her seduction of the Prince of Wales, and as she clambers towards the throne she makes sure Maybell and her cheque book are always close at hand. So Maybell becomes an eye-witness to the Abdication Crisis. From her perch in Carlton Gardens, home of her influential brother-in-law Lord Melhuish, she has the perfect vantage point for observing the anxious, changing allegiances for and against Queen Wally, and the political contours of pre-war London. When the crisis comes and Wally flees to the south of France, she insists on Maybell going with her. 'Are you sure that's advisable, darling?' asks the King. 'Of course it is,' snaps Wally. 'She's the Paymaster General.' Maybell's diary records the marriage, the Windsors' exile, and the changing complexion of the Greatest Love Story. It takes the sound of German jackboots at the gate and personal tragedy to make her close its pages for the last time.

Lydia Ackland was nearly blind when she fell downstairs and was killed. Her grandchildren have always accepted the official verdict – accident. Besides, they have their own problems: beautiful Kate is ending a love-affair; her brother Daniel is painfully crippled. But then that letter comes to light. Only days before her death, somebody wrote and warned their grandmother that she was ‘opening a disastrous Pandora’s Box’ and should ‘let sleeping, and perhaps dangerous, dogs lie’. The letter goads Kate and Daniel into asking lots of questions. First, who wrote it? And why does the answer, once discovered, point to their arrogant Uncle Mark, who, with his ambitious wife Helen, has inherited Longwater, the vast family estate, and the vast fortune that goes with it. Why were Mark and Helen banished from England in their youth and what are the secrets behind their long European exile? Kate follows their footsteps through Italy and Corsica, while Daniel continues to ask questions in England. Within days, both their lives have been threatened, confirming their suspicions that all is not a it seems – and perhaps never has been…

Compiled by a team of scientists,and edited by Jill Bailey in consultation with Sir John Burnett, Chairman of the Trustees,National Biodiversity Network and Dr Andrew Lack,Senior Lecturer in Environmental Biology,Oxford Brookes University

Cats are now the most popular pets, and it is not surprising that they have overtaken dogs in the popularity stakes. They are small, relatively silent, economical to keep, exercise themselves, easy to feed, and are ideal companions for a wide range of people, from the elderly to those who are out at work all day.Whether you want an ordinary moggie or an expensive pedigree cat, the principles of ownership and looking after them are the same. As an increasing number of owners live in big cities and small, high-rise apartment blocks, house cats are becoming more widespread. Although they may not be allowed outside like their free-roaming, predatory cousins, they share a common ancestry and owning a cat of any description is like having a relatively wild creature living with you in your home. Domestication is anathema to many cats who prefer to think that they are independent animals, under the control of nobody but themselves.

Stella Smyth and co-author Sally Bergh-Roose have been training dogs since 1978 and have been involved in competition work with a variety of dogs. Together they have been running a successful dog training course for many years.

Danger is never far off… When forensic psychologist Claire Britten started working with lawyer Nick Markwood on his South Shores project, she had no idea it would endanger her life—and the life of her daughter. But when the little girl goes missing from her South Florida home and Nick insists his long time nemesis is to blame, Claire frantically follows the trail to the Cayman Islands, desperate to save her daughter before it's too late. Nick always knew the man who staged his father's "suicide" was out to get him, but kidnapping the child of someone he cares about is despicable. Finding the billionaire criminal is one thing—meeting his demands in order to save Claire's daughter is quite another. What he wants threatens their professional and personal interests beyond imagination…but what choice do they have when a child's life is on the line?

Seventeen-year-old Violet has always been expected to sit back and let the boys do all the saving. It's the code her father, a member of the Reign of Terror motorcycle club, raised her to live by. Yet when her dad is killed carrying out Terror business, Violet knows it's up to her to do the saving. To protect herself, and her vulnerable younger brother, she needs to cut all ties with the club—including Chevy, the boy she's known and loved her whole life. But when a rival club comes after Violet, exposing old secrets and making new threats, she's forced to question what she thought she knew about her father, the Reign of Terror and what she thinks she wants. Which means re-evaluating everything: love, family, friends…and forgiveness. Caught in the cross hairs between loyalty and freedom, Violet must decide whether old friends can be trusted—and if she's strong enough to be the one person to save them all.

I dangle my legs over the edge of the cliff, tapping my heels against the smooth dirt that crumbles down the side of the continent. I don't fear falling. The world below looks unreal and distant, like it's only been painted on. Falling is something I can't even imagine. As heir to a kingdom of floating continents, Kali has spent her life bound by limits: by her duties as a member of the royal family, by a forced betrothal to the son of a nobleman and by the edge of the only world she's ever known – a small island hovering above a monster-ridden earth, long since uninhabited by humans. When Kali falls off the edge of her kingdom and miraculously survives, she is shocked to discover there are still humans on the earth. Determined to get home, Kali entrusts a rugged monster-hunter named Griffin to guide her across a world overrun by chimera, storm dragons, basilisks and other terrifying creatures. But the more time she spends on earth, the more dark truths she begins to uncover about her home in the sky, and the more resolute she is to start living for herself.

Amanda Sun weaves together two tales of love, ink and magic in this companion novella to the Paper Gods series! A long, long time ago, before the world was as we know it, Izanami and Izanagi came into being. Two of the first of the ancient gods of Japan, they crafted the world from ink and their own imaginations. Izanagi wants, more than anything, to be with Izanami—but one moment of pride could tear them apart forever. Yuki and Tanaka have been friends for as long as they can remember, but lately deeper feelings have been bubbling beneath the surface. How do they navigate the transition from friendship to true love without destroying the powerful bond between them? Set a millennia apart, can these two couples, living parallel love stories, find their happily-ever-afters?

‘A chilling, unnerving, and timely debut’ Katharine McGee, New York Times bestselling author of The Thousandth Floor In a world where every word is copyrighted, one girl would rather remain silent than pay to speak Speth has been raised to know the consequences of falling into debt, and can't begin to imagine the pain of having her eyes shocked for speaking words that she's unable to afford. But when Speth's friend Beecher commits suicide rather than work off his family's crippling debt, she can't express her shock and dismay. Backed into a corner, Speth finds a loophole: she closes her mouth and vows never to speak again in protest at the unjust rules of the land. Speth's unexpected defiance of tradition sparks a media frenzy, inspiring others to follow in her footsteps, and threatens to destroy her, her family and the entire city around them. Praise for All Rights Reserved: ‘I adored this book… The final speech in the book made me cry.’ Amber Green, on Amazon ‘I loved this fresh new approach to a potential future dilemma.’ Amazon Reviewer ‘I love the author’s quick wit, and his characters are much more than one dimensional sci-fy heroes!’ Amazon Reviewer ‘This book is an absolutely amazing piece of satiric literature’ Sandra Vattimo, on Amazon. ‘The author creates an amazing and frightening world of corporate interests run amok.’ Amazon Reviewer

‘IT’S THE NIGHTS that are the worst. I don’t know where he is, but my imagination tells me he is close at hand. In daylight I can keep the fears down; at night I am alone with the terror that he has created. If he rings me every ten minutes I think I will go mad with it; if he does not ring I worry that he is outside, watching me.’

The question seems unnecessary. After all, argument is a universal human activity in which we all engage as regularly and naturally as breathing. Even if we have never given much thought to the theory behind it, we have enough practical experience to recognize an argument the moment we become embroiled in one or hear others engaged in verbal conflict.

Oliver Cromwell McCoy, God’s man in Ulster, has stumbled into the radio age. With a crumbling transmitter left over from the Titanic he has taken to blasting the countryside with his inimitable brand of mendacious evangelism. His old adversary across the Shambles, Cardinal Schnozzle O’Shea, is determined to go one better. He needs a good-looking priest to anchor the great TV chat show he believes will get Ireland back on its knees. When his eye lights on young Frank Feely, authoritarianism and bigotry duly lock horns. But more elemental forces are at work too. Emboldened by a dimly recalled vision they once shared, the vision of an enigmatic Madonna who danced for them and for them alone, three young people began a movement to challenge the straitjacket of their destinies. But is theirs a dream of hope? Or are they about to unleash a nightmare of new and as yet unimagined terror? By turns deeply thought-provoking and wildly funny, Dancing in Limbo plunges the reader into the modern-medieval world created by the author in his hugely acclaimed first novel, Shambles Corner.

Star Trek. These two simple words bring forth a vast web of mental associations to millions of people. For more than twenty-five years, a remarkable and widely varied group of characters has seemingly taken over a sizable portion of our collective consciousness and made it its own. Perhaps the late science fiction visionary Philip K. Dick saw this when he had a character in his novel A Scanner Darkly refer to the latest entertainment extravaganza as a “captainkirk.”

Claimed by the Tycoon… Safe in the Tycoon’s Arms by Jennifer Faye When billionaire Lucas Carrington returns to New York he is surprised to find Kate Whitely making herself at home. A woman in need, Lucas agrees to let her stay – temporarily! But, can this tycoon forgo his bachelor ways and give in to his heart? The Tycoon and the Wedding Planner by Kandy Shepherd Kate Parker has always been content watching others get married but when tall, dark and handsome tycoon Sam Lancaster arrives, her heart skips a beat. Sam doesn’t anticipate that a romantic wedding planner will arouse his desire… Swept Away by the Tycoon by Barbara Wallace Ian Black once ruled Manhattan, but now this former soldier is suffering through PTSD and Chloe Abrams is the one person who can save him. Chloe’s had enough rejection for one lifetime and needs Ian to woo her, to prove that there is such a thing as true love.

The Heir’s Proposal by Raye Morgan Torie grew up as the butler's daughter on the Huntington estate and she's back to clear her family name – not to fall for billionaire Marc Huntington again! But she can’t deny the sparks flying between them. A Pregnancy, a Party & a Proposal by Teresa Carpenter Lauren Randall always has a plan. And falling pregnant after a fling with infamous Ray Donovan is not part of it – and neither is their fake engagement! But what happens if she falls for her baby’s father…? His Proposal, Their Forever by Melissa McClone When property mogul Justin McMillian tells artist Bailey Cole he’ll be demolishing her studio, she’s determined to stand her ground and resist the millionaire’s charms. But is Justin staking his claim on more than just her gallery?

A new-look picture book featuring the irrepressible little Twirlywoos and their elusive sidekick, Peekaboo.Join the Twirlywoos on their latest adventure as they explore the concept of ‘collecting’. First the Twirlywoos visit a hen yard where they see some children collecting eggs, and help them finish the job. Then they find lots of other examples of collecting in the outside world, before coming back to the Big Red Boat to discover a collection of brightly-coloured pebbles belonging to Peekaboo, which they have fun dividing into different colours.

Build applications and infrastructures that leverage Function-as-a-Service and Docker About This Book ? Implement containerization in Serverless/FaaS environments ? Utilize Docker as a functional unit of work for Serverless/FaaS platforms ? Use Docker as a portable infrastructure for Serverless Applications Who This Book Is For If you are a Developer, a Docker Engineer, a DevOps Engineer, or any stakeholder interested in learning the use of Docker on Serverless environments then this book is for you. What You Will Learn ? Learn what Serverless and FaaS applications are ? Get acquainted with the architectures of three major serverless systems ? Explore how Docker technologies can help develop Serverless applications ? Create and maintain FaaS infrastructures ? Set up Docker infrastructures to serve as on-premises FaaS infrastructures ? Define functions for Serverless applications with Docker containers In Detail Serverless applications have gained a lot of popularity among developers and are currently the buzzwords in the tech market. Docker and serverless are two terms that go hand-in-hand. This book will start by explaining serverless and Function-as-a-Service (FaaS) concepts, and why they are important. Then, it will introduce the concepts of containerization and how Docker fits into the Serverless ideology. It will explore the architectures and components of three major Docker-based FaaS platforms, how to deploy and how to use their CLI. Then, this book will discuss how to set up and operate a production-grade Docker cluster. We will cover all concepts of FaaS frameworks with practical use cases, followed by deploying and orchestrating these serverless systems using Docker. Finally, we will also explore advanced topics and prototypes for FaaS architectures in the last chapter. By the end of this book, you will be in a position to build and deploy your own FaaS platform using Docker. Style and approach A practical guide that offers a simple way to easily understand Serverless Applications utilizing Docker as the development environment.

Get certified as an Azure architect by acing the 70-535 Architecting Microsoft Solutions (70-535) exam using this comprehensive guide with full coverage of the exam objectives About This Book ? Learn to successfully design and architect powerful solutions on the Azure Cloud platform ? Enhance your skills with mock tests and practice questions ? A detailed certification guide that will help you ace the 70-535 exam with confidence Who This Book Is For This book is for architects and experienced developers, who are gearing up for the 70-535 exam. Technical architects interested in learning more about designing Cloud solutions will also find this book useful. What You Will Learn ? Use Azure Virtual Machines to design effective VM deployments ? Implement architecture styles, like serverless computing and microservices ? Secure your data using different security features and design effective security strategies ? Design Azure storage solutions using various storage features ? Create identity management solutions for your applications and resources ? Architect state-of-the-art solutions using Artificial Intelligence, IoT, and Azure Media Services ? Use different automation solutions that are incorporated in the Azure platform In Detail Architecting Microsoft Azure Solutions: Exam Guide 70-535 will get Azure architects and developers up-to-date with the latest updates on Azure from an architecture and design perspective. The book includes all the topics that are still relevant from the previous 70-534 exam, and is updated with latest topics covered, including Artificial Intelligence, IoT, and architecture styles. This exam guide is divided into six parts, where the first part will give you a good understanding of how to design a compute infrastructure. It also dives into designing networking and data implementations. You will learn about designing solutions for Platform Service and operations. Next, you will be able to secure your resources and data, as well as design a mechanism for governance and policies. You will also understand the objective of designing solutions for Platform Services, by covering Artificial Intelligence, IoT, media services, and messaging solution concepts. Finally, you will cover the designing for operations objective. This objective covers application and platform monitoring, as well as designing alerting strategies and operations automation strategies. By the end of the book, you'll have met all of the exam objectives, and will have all the information you need to ace the 70-535 exam. You will also have become an expert in designing solutions on Microsoft Azure. Style and approach This book offers clear and crisp explanations of the exam objectives that will help you with all the information needed to pass the 70-535 exam. The detail oriented approach will make you an expert on designing solutions on Microsoft Azure.