Penguin Group

The court of Henry VIII is rife with intrigue, rivalries and romance — and none are better placed to understand this than the women at its heart. The story of Katherine Parr, Henry VIII's final wife.

Packed with heart-pounding action and boundless invention, The Tombs is an exceptional thriller. Husband-and-wife team Sam and Remi Fargo are intrigued when an archaeologist friend requests their help excavating a top secret historical site. What they find will set them on a hunt for a prize greater than they could ever imagine.

The Top Gear Years brings together Jeremy Clarkson's collected magazine columns for the first time. Clarkson at his pithy, provocative, hilarious best. We now know all about the world according to Clarkson. In a series of bestselling books Jeremy has revealed it to be a puzzling, frustrating place where all too often the lunatics seem to be running the asylum. But in The Top Gear Years, we get something rather different. Because ten years ago, at an ex-RAF aerodrome in Surrey, Jeremy and his friends built a world that was rather more to his liking: they called it Top Gear HQ. And Top Gear is for Jeremy what the jungle is for Tarzan: the perfect place to work and play. But they didn't stop there... With this corner of Surrey sorted out, Jeremy and the boys decided to have a crack at the rest of the world. With Top Gear Live charging through with the subtlety of a touring heavy rock band and far flung outposts across the globe from North America to China — an empire of petrol-headed upon which the sun never set. And all along Jeremy was writing about it in Top Gear magazine. Here, collected for the first time, are the fruits of his labours: the cars, the hijinx, the pleasure and the pain. Brilliantly written and laugh out loud funny. The Top Gear Years follows Jeremy Clarkson's many bestselling titles including Round the Bend and The World according to Clarkson series. Praise for Jeremy Clarkson: Jeremy Clarkson is very funny and his well-honed political incorrectness is a joy. (Daily Telegraph). Jeremy Clarkson began his writing career on the Rotherham Advertiser. Since then he has written for the Sun, the Sunday Times, the Rochdale Observer, the Wolverhampton Express & Star, all of the Associated Kent Newspapers and Lincolnshire Life. Today he is the tallest person working in British television.

The acclaimed and enthralling story of the dark side of Elizabethan rule, from Stephen Alford Elizabeth I's reign is known as a golden age, yet to much of Europe she was a 'Jezebel' and heretic who had to be destroyed. The Watchers is a thrilling portrayal of the secret state that sought to protect the Queen; a shadow world of spies, codebreakers, agent provocateurs and confidence-men who would stop at nothing to defend the realm. Reviews: Forget Le Carre, Deighton and the rest — this is more enthralling than any modern spy fiction. (Daily Telegraph). Absorbing and closely documented... Alford vividly evokes this murky world of codes, ciphers, invisible ink, intercepted letters, aliases, disguises, forgeries and instructions to burn after reading... flowing narrative and crisp judments... engrossing. (Guardian). Alford has brought a dash of le Carre to the 16th century. (The Times (Book of the Week)). A vivid and staggeringly well-researched portrait of the sinister side of Elizabethan England... This is a spectacular book. It sheds new light on plots that most historians have ceased to explore and brings less famous conspiracies to the attention of the general reading public. (Herald). Fascinating... If you want to know the inside story of this struggle, the dark heart of calculation and the fight for survival, then this is the book to read. I know no better. (Spectator). About the author: Stephen Alford is the author of the acclaimed biography Burghley: William Cecil at the Court of Elizabeth I and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He taught for fifteen years at Cambridge University, where he was a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of History and a Fellow of King's College. He is now Professor of Early Modern British History in the University of Leeds.

In The Launch Pad, Randall Stross, author of eBoys and Planet Google, takes a behind-the-scenes look at how tomorrow's hottest startups are being primed for greatness. Twice a year, in the heart of Silicon Valley, a small investment firm called Y Combinator selects an elite group of young entrepreneurs, from around the world, for three months of intense work and instruction. Their brand new, two- or three-person startups are given a seemingly impossible challenge: to turn a raw idea into a viable business, FAST. Each YC session culminates in Demo Day, when investors and venture capitalists flock to hear pitches from the new graduates. Any one of them might turn out to be the next Dropbox (class of 2007, now valued at $5 billion), or Airbnb (2009, $1.3 billion). Randall Stross is the first journalist to have fly-on- the wall access to Y Combinator. He tells the full story of how Paul Graham started this ultra-exclusive institution, how it chooses among hundreds of aspiring Mark Zuckerbergs, and how it teaches them to go from concept to profitability in record time. The Launch Pad is both a gripping narrative and a gold mine of useful insights. A must-read for anyone interested in the realities of modern entrepreneurship' — Eric Ries, author of The Lean Startup 'Stross' account of the best new entrepreneurs and the exciting companies they're building at startup schools is a great read for founders and would-be founders alike . (Marc Andreessen, cofounder, Andreessen Horowitz). Randall Stross writes the Digital Domain column for The New York Times and is a professor of business at San Jose State University. He is the author of several acclaimed books, including eBoys, Planet Google, and The Wizard of Menlo Park. He has a Ph.D. in history from Stanford University.

Forget the 1 per cent — it's time to get to grips with the 0.1 per cent... There has always been some gap between rich and poor, but it has never been wider — and now the rich are getting wealthier at such breakneck speed that the middle classes are being squeezed out. While the wealthiest 10 per cent of Americans, for example, receive half the nation's income, the real money flows even higher up, in the top 0.1 per cent. As a transglobal class of highly successful professionals, these self-made oligarchs often have more in common with one another than with their own countrymen. But how is this happening, and who are the people making it happen? Chrystia Freeland, acclaimed business journalist and Global Editor-at-Large of Reuters, has unprecedented access to the richest and most successful people on the planet, from Davos to Dubai, and dissects their lives with intelligence, empathy and objectivity. Pacily written and powerfully researched, Plutocrats could not provide a more timely insight into the current state of Capitalism and its most wealthy players. A superb piece of reportage... a tremendous illumination.

Angry Birds meets Star Wars'! There are over 1,000 reusable stickers in this bumper collection full of your favourite characters. In a land far, far away all of your favourite parts of the Star Wars' films and the very best of the popular Angry Birds game, came together in one amazing sticker collection. Star Wars' Angry Birds Ultimate Sticker Collection contains over 1,000 colourful and reusable stickers of all your favourite Star Wars' characters, in Angry Birds form! See Luke Skywalker, C-3PO, R2-D2, Han Solo and Chewbacca as you have never seen them before. Plus there's Darth Vader, storm troopers, lightsabers and the Force to contend with. Star Wars' Angry Birds Ultimate Sticker Collection is full of games, activities and puzzles — there's a galaxy of fun to be had.

The boy who would be King has gained the throne... Prince Honorious Jorg Ancrath vowed when he was nine to avenge his slaughtered mother and brother--and punish his father for not doing so. When he was fifteen, he began to fulfill that vow. Now he is eighteen — and he must hold on by strength of arms to what he took by torture and treachery. King Jorg is a man haunted: by the ghost of a young boy, by a mysterious copper box, by his desire for the woman who rides with his enemy. Plagued by nightmares of the atrocities he committed, and of the atrocities committed against him when he was a child, he is filled with rage. And even as his need for revenge continues to consume him, twenty thousand men march toward the gates of his castle. His enemy is far stronger than him. Jorg knows that he cannot win a fair fight. But he has found, in a chamber hidden beneath the castle, ancient and long-lost artifacts. Some might call them magic. Jorg is not certain — all he knows is that the secrets they hold can be put to terrible use in the coming battle...

On Manhattan's Upper East Side a woman lies dead at the bottom of the stairs, stripped of all her valuables. Most cops might call it a mugging gone wrong, but Lieutenant Eve Dallas knows better. A well-off accountant and a beloved wife and mother, Marta Dickenson doesn't seem the type to be on anyone's hit list. But when Eve and her partner, Peabody, find blood inside the building, the lieutenant knows Marta's murder was the work of a killer who's trained, but not professional or smart enough to remove all the evidence. But when someone steals the files out of Marta's office, Eve must immerse herself in her billionaire husband Roarke's world of big business to figure out who's cruel and callous enough to hire a hit on an innocent woman. And as the killer's violent streak begins to escalate, Eve knows she has to draw him out, even if it means using herself as bait.

Berlin in 1933 is in upheaval. Eleven-year-old Carla von Ulrich struggles to understand the tensions disrupting her family as Hitler strengthens his grip on Germany. Into this turmoil steps her mother's formidable friend and former British MP, Ethel Leckwith, and her student son, Lloyd, who soon learns for himself the brutal reality of Nazism.

It`s snowing and Peppa and George can`t wait to get outside and play. Suitable for fans of Peppa Pig, this board book lets you find out what happens when they build a great big snow man in this delightful little winter`s tale.

Hello Kitty introduces Christmas in this delightful first words book. The bright pictures and simple words make it perfect for babies and toddlers to enjoy.

Throughout history, maps have been fundamental in shaping our view of the world, and our place in it. But far from being purely scientific objects, maps of the world are unavoidably ideological and subjective, intimately bound up with the systems of power and authority of particular times and places. Mapmakers do not simply represent the world, they construct it out of the ideas of their age. In this scintillating book, Jerry Brotton examines the significance of 12 maps — from the almost mystical representations of ancient history to the satellite-derived imagery of today. He vividly recreates the environments and circumstances in which each of the maps was made, showing how each conveys a highly individual view of the world. Brotton shows how each of his maps both influenced and reflected contemporary events and how, by reading it, we can better understand the worlds that produced it. Although the way we map our surroundings is changing, Brotton argues that maps today are no more definitive or objective than they have ever been, but that they continue to define, shape and recreate the world. Readers of this book will never look at a map in quite the same way again.

The Moomin Family are relaxing on holiday; with the exception of Moomin. Every night he is being visited by a little ghost and Moomin is getting more and more scared by him. His friends and family don't know what to do to help him. Then one night, Moomin's beloved friend — Snorkmaiden, goes missing and Moomin bravely sets off to find her.

It's hard to be patient when you're only a very little bear, and Little Pip cannot wait until Christmas! Every day he wakes up and thinks the day has finally come — it's driving Daddy Grizzle nuts! Poor Daddy Grizzle... and poor Pip! How will he be able to carry on waiting — there are still so many sleeps to go.

Both beautiful and profoundly menacing, the Kremlin has dominated Moscow for many centuries. Behind its great red walls and towers many of the most startling events in Russia's history have been acted out.

Charlie and Lola: I Completely Love Winter — by Lauren Child. This really very good Charlie and Lola book includes two wintery stories: Snow is My Favourite and My Best and I Really Need Actual Ice Skates. This wonderful book is perfect for fans of Charlie and Lola, and for cold winter bedtimes. Based on the award-winning books by Lauren Child, Charlie and Lola is now a top-rated BBC children's television show and a huge international hit. Lauren is also the multi-talented prize-winning creator of Clarice Bean. Charlie and Lola is produced by Tiger Aspect Productions, one of the UK's most successful and prolific independent television producers.

The Christmas Tale of Peter Rabbit is a brand new tale from Emma Thompson. In her second Further Tale of Peter Rabbit, Emma Thompson returns Peter to his home in the Lake District. Peter and his silly cousin Benjamin are helping their friend William — he's a turkey — who is in danger of becoming Mr and Mrs McGregor's Christmas dinner. Will Peter and Benjamin be able to save him? Emma Thompson is an Oscar-winning screenwriter and actress who lives in London and Argyll. Emma's Further Tale of Peter Rabbit was published in 2012. Emma said, I've always loved Beatrix Potter, as a child and then as a mother and all the years in-between as well. When Mr Rabbit invited me to write a further tale, I was more honoured than I can say. I hope I don't let him or his extraordinary creator down. Don't miss The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit by Emma Thompson.

With shades of both The Book Thief and The Lovely Bones, James Kimmel Jr.'s first novel, The Trial of Fallen Angels, is a story about what happens when we can't — or won't — let go. I remembered telling my husband I loved him and knowing I did. I remembered picking up my daughter at the end of the day and her squeals of delight when she saw me... And then my memories vanished, as if a plug had been pulled. When young lawyer Brek Cutler finds herself covered in blood and standing on a deserted railway platform, she has no memory of how she got there... For one very good reason: she's dead. But she's not allowed to grieve for her lost life, her widowed husband, or her beautiful but now motherless baby daughter — because she has a job to do. She's been chosen to join the elite lawyers who prosecute and defend souls at the Final Judgement. In a seemingly deliberate coincidence, her first client seems to hold the key to unlock the chain of events that led to Brek's death... A chain that stretches far back into the past and an array of shocking, secret crimes. And so Brek embarks on a quest that sees her traverse Heaven and Earth to bring her killer to justice. If she's ever to learn the whole truth about her death, though, she must also place her own soul on trial — and make a choice that will potentially echo throughout eternity. Telling a story of life, death and ever after, James Kimmel Jr.'s The Trial of Fallen Angels is unique, haunting and utterly unforgettable. James Kimmel Jr. received a doctorate in jurisprudence from the University of Pennsylvania and now works as a lawyer. This is his first novel. He lives in the United States.

Jackie Bouvier's privileged upbringing instilled rigid self-control, while her expedient marriage into the Kennedy clan consolidated her determination. This book deals with private Jackie — neglected wife, vigilant mother, obsessive shopper and working widow.

Takes us deep into the life of a young woman, Fatou, domestic servant to the Derawals and escapee from one set of hardships to another. Beginning and ending outside the Embassy of Cambodia, which happens to be located in Willesden, NW London, absorbing, this title suggests how the apparently small things in an ordinary life always raise larger.

Stuff I've Been Reading by Nick Hornby — the bestselling novelist's rich, witty and inspiring reading diary. 'Read what you enjoy, not what bores you,' Nick Hornby tells us. And in this new collection of his columns from the Believer magazine (taking off where The Complete Polysyllabic Spree finished), he shows us how it's done. Or at least, how he does it: whether plunging into a biography of Dickens whilst his children are destroying something in the room next door or devouring a whole series of children's books whilst on holiday. Hornby is the intelligent, committed but sceptical reader we'd all like to be. Admiring Ian McEwen's On Chesil Beach, he points out a surprising anachronism. Reading Cormac McCarthy's The Road, he wonders why 'unflinching' is a term of praise among critics. And who but Nick Hornby could successfully juxtapose a discussion of a book on the Band with one on the Stasi? These accounts of one reader's experience of buying and reading, and sometimes not reading, books differ from all other reviews or critical appreciations — they take into account the role that books actually play in the lives of readers. This book, which is classic Hornby, confirms the novelist's status as one of the world's most exciting curators of culture. It will be loved by fans of About a Boy and High Fidelity, as well as readers of Will Self, Zadie Smith, Stewart Lee and Charlie Brooker. Nick Hornby has captivated readers and achieved widespread critical acclaim for his comic, well-observed novels About a Boy, High Fidelity, How to be Good, A Long Way Down (shortlisted for the Whitbread Award), Slam and Juliet, Naked. His four additional works of non-fiction, Fever Pitch, 31 Songs (shortlisted for the National Book Critics Circle Award), The Complete Polysyllabic Spree and Pray are also available from Penguin.

This is updated edition of the authoritative single-volume biography of John F. Kennedy. Drawing upon first-hand sources and never-before-opened archives, prize-winning historian Robert Dallek reveals more than we ever knew about Jack Kennedy, forever changing the way we think about his life, his presidency and his legacy. Dallek also discloses that, while labouring to present an image of robust good health, Kennedy was secretly in and out of hospitals throughout his life, soill that he was administered last rites on several occasions. He never shies away from Kennedy's weaknesses, but also brilliantly explores his strengths. The result is a full portrait of a bold, brave and truly human John F. Kennedy.

The history of the feast! After their first harvest in 1621, the Pilgrims at Plymouth shared a three-day feast with their Native American neighbors. Of course, the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag didn't know it at the time, but they were making history, celebrating what would become a national holiday.