King Ludwig II ruled Bavaria for twenty-two years, commissioning extravagant castles throughout his homeland and exhibiting such bizarre behavior that he was eventually declared insane. According to legend, Ludwig had stockpiled a massive cache of gold and jewels that would finance the construction of the largest castle of all time. But in the years since the king’s mysterious death, no one has found any evidence of such a trove. Until now. Jonathon Payne and David Jones are pulled into the mystery by a colleague, who asks them to investigate the legend. They agree, and quickly find themselves in a life-or-death struggle to uncover the truth about Ludwig’s death, his mythical treasure, and who would be willing to kill for it.
Award-winning journalist, author, and royal authority John Fraser explores the endurance and allure of the Crown in Canada. With his trademark wit and artful agility, Fraser looks at the Crown's evolution from the Age of Deference to the era of celebrity to the present popular revival. He examines the differences between tribal monarchy and constitutional monarchy, the key roles of the governor general and the lieutenant governor, and the media's insatiable appetite for the Royal Family. Finally, he speculates on the future reign of Charles, Prince of Wales, and pays homage to Queen Elizabeth II on her Diamond Jubilee. Erudite and highly entertaining, The Secret of the Crown offers a captivating appraisal of Canada's long-standing affair with royalty. This volume includes a lavish 32-page photo insert to create a spectacular visual history of the once and future crown.
A Daily Mail Book of the Year and a The Times and Sunday Times Best Book of 2021 'Monumental.. Authoritative and highly readable.' Ben Macintyre, The Times 'A fascinating history of royal espionage.' Sunday Times 'Excellent... Compelling' Guardian For the first time, Spying and the Crown uncovers the remarkable relationship between the Royal Family and the intelligence community, from the reign of Queen Victoria to the death of Princess Diana. In an enthralling narrative, Richard J. Aldrich and Rory Cormac show how the British secret services grew out of persistent attempts to assassinate Victoria and then operated on a private and informal basis, drawing on close personal relationships between senior spies, the aristocracy, and the monarchy. This reached its zenith after the murder of the Romanovs and the Russian revolution when, fearing a similar revolt in Britain, King George V considered using private networks to provide intelligence on the loyalty of the armed forces - and of the broader population. In 1936, the dramatic abdication of Edward VIII formed a turning point in this relationship. What originally started as family feuding over a romantic liaison with the American divorcee Wallis Simpson, escalated into a national security crisis. Fearing the couple's Nazi sympathies as well as domestic instability, British spies turned their attention to the King. During the Second World War, his successor, King George VI gradually restored trust between the secret world and House of Windsor. Thereafter, Queen Elizabeth II regularly enacted her constitutional right to advise and warn, raising her eyebrow knowingly at prime ministers and spymasters alike. Based on original research and new evidence, Spying and the Crown presents the British monarchy in an entirely new light and reveals how far their majesties still call the shots in a hidden world. Previously published as The Secret Royals.
When Aldwyn, a young alley cat on the run, ducks into a mysterious pet shop, he doesn’t expect his life to change. But that’s exactly what happens when Jack, a young wizard, picks Aldwyn to be his magical familiar. Finally off the tough streets, Aldwyn thinks he’s got it made. He just has to convince the other familiars—the know-it-all blue jay Skylar and the friendly tree frog Gilbert—that he’s the telekinetic cat he claims to be. But when Jack and two other wizards in training are captured by a terrible evil, it will take all of Aldwyn’s street smarts, a few good friends, and a nose for adventure to save the day!
Stori is in love with a boy who doesn't love her back. Her mother is sick and her father has gone missing. She tries to keep it all together by pursuing the mystery behind her father's disappearance---- in hopes that his return will set her life right. But the deeper she digs into her father's past, the closer she comes to life-threatening danger and, worst of all, heartbreaking disappointment. But nothing will stop her. Family is first. And she will die before she lets anything bad happen to her family. Emboldened by devotion she keeps searching and finds herself face to face with a mysterious woman who has the clues she has been looking for all along. Not only does Stori learn of her father's whereabouts she comes to discover a powerful book that was written by a philosopher of ancient times. And a secret brotherhood that is hiding this book in order to overtake her city and destroy all its families. With her newly gained knowledge and friend, Stori uncovers more secrets about herself, her father and her city. And about this holy, ancient text that has the power to change the very world and save many lives. Will she have the courage and the grace to accept the truth, will she have enough love in her heart to accept her destiny and see her quest to the end?
After Jonathon Payne and David Jones are pulled into a mystery surrounding documents found in a World War II bunker, they quickly find themselves in a struggle to uncover the truth about the mythical treasure of King Ludwig II.
An anonymous barrister offers a shocking, darkly comic and very moving journey through the legal system – and explains how it's failing all of us. The Sunday Times number one bestseller. Winner of the Books are My Bag Non-Fiction Award. Shortlisted for Waterstones Book of the Year. Shortlisted for Specsavers Non-Fiction Book of the Year. You may not wish to think about it, but one day you or someone you love will almost certainly appear in a criminal courtroom. You might be a juror, a victim, a witness or – perhaps through no fault of your own – a defendant. Whatever your role, you’d expect a fair trial. I’m a barrister. I work in the criminal justice system, and every day I see how fairness is not guaranteed. Too often the system fails those it is meant to protect. The innocent are wronged and the guilty allowed to walk free. In The Secret Barrister: Stories of the Law and How It's Broken I want to share some stories from my daily life to show you how the system is broken, who broke it and why we should start caring before it’s too late. A Sunday Times top ten bestseller for twenty-four weeks. ‘Eye-opening, funny and horrifying’ – Observer ‘Everyone who has any interest in public life should read it’ – Daily Mail
The Crown's Servants is a major new study of English central government and the royal court from the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660 to the death of Charles II in 1685. A sequel to the author's two earlier studies, of royal officials under Charles I (1625-1642) and office-holders under the Commonwealth and the Cromwellian Protectorate (1649-1660), it sets out to explore the extent to which the restoration of the monarchy undid the changes brought about under the Republic. The author looks at the institutions of government, its methods and procedures, the terms and conditions of service, and its personnel both collectively and individually. He considers the policies, tasks, successes, and failures of the regime, and relates these to the process of state formation and to the impact of the state on society. This is both the culmination of a lifetime's work and a crucial contribution in its own right to the history of seventeenth century England and the development of English government.
Amanda Carter is working as a bodyguard in her first real job, guarding the crown prince of the small European nation of Theron. When she’s asked to pretend to date the prince so she can guard him more closely, she immediately agrees. Prince James of Theron has never met a woman who he is as attracted to as Amanda. He thinks pretending to date her will be a great way to get to know her better. After surviving one assassination attempt, they realize that though they’re pretending, someone else isn’t. After the king has a heart attack, James fears he will soon be the ruler of Theron. As he and Amanda plan a wedding, the would-be assassins target Amanda. Will the two of them be able to go through with the wedding? Or will the assassins win in the end?
