Random House, Inc.

This is the story of four of the greatest thespian boozers who ever walked — or staggered — off a film set into a pub. It’s a story of drunken binges of near biblical proportions, parties and orgies, broken marriages, drugs, riots and wanton sexual conquests. They got away with it because of their extraordinary acting talent and because the public loved them. They were truly the last of a breed, the last of the movie hellraisers.

In this powerful and groundbreaking book, Misha Glenny takes us on a journey through the new world of international organised crime. For three years, he has been recording the stories of gun runners in Ukraine, money launderers in Dubai, drug syndicates in Canada, cyber criminals in Brazil, racketeers in Japan and many more.During his investigation of the dark side, he has spoken to countless gangsters, policemen and victims of organised crime while also exploring the ferocious consumer demand for drugs, trafficked women, illegal labour and arms across five continents. The journey begins with an appalling and inexplicable murder in England’s stockbroker belt and continues with stories that are often horrifying, sometimes inspiring, usually bizarre and occasionally funny. But together they build a breathtaking picture of the shadow economy that has grown so fast that it may now account for about 20% of the world's GDP. Usually the preserve of sensationalist reporting in the tabloid press, organised crime has seeped into our lives in so many ways and often without our knowledge. This consistently riveting account unveils the nature of crime in today's world but it also offers profound insights into the pitfalls of a globalisation where the rules dividing the legal from the illegal are often far from clear. McMafia unpicks the nexus of crime, politics and money worldwide which have become entangled and interdependent in entirely novel forms since the 1980s. It argues that conventional policing methods are no longer appropriate to deal with a problem whose roots lie in global poverty and the ever widening divisions between rich and poor.

When Atlanta housewife Abigail Campano comes home unexpectedly one afternoon, she walks into a nightmare. A broken window, a bloody footprint on the stairs and, most devastating of all, the horrifying sight of her teenage daughter lying dead on the landing, a man standing over her with a bloody knife. The struggle which follows changes Abigail's life forever. When the local police make a misjudgement which not only threatens the investigation but places a young girl's life in danger, the case is handed over to Special Agent Will Trent of the Criminal Apprehension Team — paired with detective Faith Mitchell, a woman who resents him from their first meeting. But in the relentless heat of a Georgia summer, Will and Faith realise that they must work together to find the brutal killer who has targeted one of Atlanta's wealthiest, most privileged communities — before it's too late...

October 27, 1962, a day dubbed Black Saturday in the Kennedy White House. The Cuban missile crisis is at its height, and the world is drawing ever closer to nuclear apocalypse. As the opposing Cold War leaders, John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev, mobilize their forces to fight a nuclear war on land, sea and air, the world watches in terror. In Bobby Kennedy’s words, ‘There was a feeling that the noose was tightening on all of us, on Americans, on mankind, and that the bridges to escape were crumbling.' In One Minute to Midnight Michael Dobbs brings a fresh perspective to this crucial moment in twentieth-century history. Using a wealth of untapped archival material, he tells both the human and the political story of Black Saturday, taking the reader into the White House, the Kremlin and along the entire Cold War battlefront. Dobbs's thrilling narrative features a cast of characters – including Soviet veterans never before interviewed by a western writer – with unique stories to tell, witnesses to one of the greatest mobilizations of men and equipment since the Second World War.

England, 1536. Home to the greatest, most glittering court in English history. But beneath the dazzling façade lies treachery… Elizabeth Tudor is daughter to Henry VIII, the most powerful king England has ever known. She is destined to ascend the throne, and deferred to as the King`s heiress, but that all changes when her mother Anne Boleyn – Henry`s great passion and folly – is executed for treason. Elizabeth ’s life alters in a heartbeat. A pawn in the savage game of Tudor power politics, she is disinherited, declared a bastard, and left with only her quick wits to rely on for her very existence. But Elizabeth is determined to survive, to foil those who want to destroy her, or who are determined to use her as a puppet for their own lethal ambition, and to reclaim her birthright...

Angel Summer looks as if she has found her happy ever after. She’s married to the love of her life, sexy footballer Cal, they have a beautiful baby girl and Angel is Britain’s top glamour model. But all is not as it seems and there is heartache in store. When Cal is transferred to AC Milan, Angel feels isolated being so far away from her family and friends instead of embracing the WAG lifestyle of designer shopping and pampering. Surrounded by beautiful people, will Angel and Cal pull together or will they turn elsewhere to seek comfort? Angel's worst nightmares come to life when an old flame of Cal's comes back on the scene and suddenly Angel is fighting to save her marriage, and herself...

Sarajevo, 2003. Best friends Frito and Bannerman roll into town, still in search of the fortune they missed out on in the dot-com years. For a while it seems that soaking up reconstruction money isn’t the worst plan ever. But then they both meet Clare, a prosecutor with the international war crimes tribunal, and they both realise she is the best person they've has ever met, and that they can’t both have her as much as they would, ideally, like. Meanwhile the city is awash with black marketeers, poker hustlers, intelligence officers, and expat hedonist, and by the time Frito and Bannerman have started bounty hunting men accused of war crimes, their lives have taken on all the risk — but very little of the money — that they’d bargained for...

As Peter Carlyle waves his wife, children and brother-in-law off on a sailing holiday, all they have in mind is lying back and relaxing. But as a violent storm breaks out, an explosion causes the boat to vanish without a trace and the family are lost, presumed dead. Until now. When a message in a bottle is washed up on a shore, it becomes apparent that there must have been at least one survivor. Peter is a broken man, he appears to struggle to contain his grief as he holds a heartfelt TV interview about his loss.But all is not as it seems, beneath the grief lies a more sinister side, Peter is involved with a beautiful — and dangerous — younger woman and it soon transpires that he knows more about his family's disappearance than he is letting on. He seeks to find whatever remains of his family, but is he really looking for a happy reunion? And could it be that it isn't just Peter who is hot on the Dunne family's trail? The race is on to rescue any survivors and discover what happened aboard the luxury yacht.

Chelsea Handler is a woman on a mission. She’s smart, sassy and not afraid to speak her mind. From an early age Chelsea knew exactly what she wanted and even in the trickiest of situations, she’s never one to pass up an opportunity. Like the time she convinced her third-grade class she was shooting movies with Goldie Hawn on location in the Galapagos just to get them to like her, or when she spent the night in a women’s prison, contemplating an affair with the inmate who killed her own sister. Chelsea it seems, has done it all, and a whole lot more ... Any mishaps along the way just spur Chelsea on further. Whether she is being dry-humped by a sumo masseur, dumped by her Big Red experiment or kicked out of a London restaurant with her pants down, Chelsea is always armed with an unshakeable disregard for rules and is incapable of leading a quiet life. «Are You There Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea» is an entertaining memoir-in-stories that will have you rolling around with laughter.

Doctor Jonathan Ransom thought he knew everything about his wife Emma until she was killed in a tragic skiing accident in the Swiss Alps. They had been married for eight years, eight blissful years in which they had travelled the world together. But the day after her death a mysterious letter addressed to her arrives at their hotel. When he opens it, his beliefs begin to unravel — fast. In the envelope is a railway baggage check to a suitcase that reveals an Emma far removed from the down-to-earth nurse who has been his constant and loyal companion all those years. In it he discovers the clues to a double life. Was she having an affair? When is your wife not your wife? And when she is not your wife, who is she? The answers begin right outside the train station where two policeman are waiting – to kill him. There are more answers as Jonathan escapes and the action sweeps him through Switzerland on a quest to discover the truth abut Emma. He is pursued by ruthless killers, entangled in an international conspiracy that touches all the world's Security Services and which will end in a denouement which is as breathtaking as it is totally unexpected.

On 4 July 1918, a new commandant took control of a closely guarded house in the Russian town of Ekaterinburg. His name was Yakov Yurovsky, and his prisoners were the Imperial family: the former Tsar Nicholas, his wife Alexandra, and their children, Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia and Alexey. Thirteen days later, at Yurovsky's command, and on direct orders from Moscow, the family was gunned down in a blaze of bullets in a basement room. This is the story of those murders, which ended 300 years of Romanov rule and began an era of state-orchestrated terror and brutal repression.

You have been had. A risk-prone, privatised profit-driven economic model overseen by a largely unaccountable, greedy and arrogant elite has resulted in one of the worst financial crises in history. The over-paid heroes of Wall Street and the City worshipped the gods of globalisation, financialisation and speculation, and during the years of economic growth we, and our governments, worshipped them too. But high in the boardrooms of Mount Olympus, the reckless lust of banks for big bonuses and bigger profits led to excesses that have proved unsupportable. The warning signs were ignored — now the Masters of the Universe are toppling and we’re footing the bill. Find out how an unregulated elite were able to run riot with your cash, and find out how to stop it happening again. MARKETS ARE NOT MAGIC. DEBT IS NOT FREEDOM. THE GODS HAVE FAILED. IT'S TIME TO LIVE WITHOUT THEM.

First published on the anniversary of Kurt Vonnegut’s death, «Armageddon in Retrospect» is a collection of twelve new and unpublished writings on war and peace. Imbued with Vonnegut’s trademark rueful humour, the pieces range from a visceral nonfiction recollection of the destruction of Dresden during World War II—a piece that is as timely today as it was then—to a painfully funny short story about three privates and their fantasies of the perfect first meal upon returning home from war, to a darker, more poignant story about the impossibility of shielding our children from the temptations of violence. Also included are Vonnegut’s last speech as well as an assortment of his artwork, with an introduction by the author’s son, Mark Vonnegut. «Armageddon in Retrospect» says as much about the times in which we live as it does about the genius of the writer.

'When you grow up, you won't remember me' Jane Margaux was never supposed to remember her imaginary friend when he vanished from her life but he was the best friend she'd ever had and she could never let his memory fade. Jane was a sweet, funny, chubby seven-year-old, Desperately seeking love from her self-obsessed mother, Vivienne and a father who was wrapped up in a new life with his beautiful young girlfriend. Jane's only friend was handsome, funny, thirty-something Michael. Michael was different; no one else could see him, nor did they believe he existed beyond the realms of Jane's very creative imagination. They would talk from morning until night. As Jane grew older though, the time came for Michael to leave Jane's side his work was done. Jane couldn't forget him though, isolated and lonely, she is living in the shadows of her dramatic and over-powering mother. Over twenty years since Michael said goodbye, Jane catches a glimpse of that unforgotten face, her heart pounding, she can't believe it could be true — could it really be Michael? This time though Michael isn't just a figment of her imagination. But will the path of true love be a smooth one? And will Jane get her happy ever after? Sundays at Tiffany's is a heart-warming romance about a girl who until now has lived her life on the sidelines, about what it feels like to fall in love, a tale of soulmates.

In 1982, having sold his jazz bar to devote himself to writing, Murakami began running to keep fit. A year later, he'd completed a solo course from Athens to Marathon, and now, after dozens of such races, not to mention triathlons and a slew of critically acclaimed books, he reflects upon the influence the sport has had on his life and on his writing. Equal parts travelogue, training log, and reminiscence, this revealing memoir covers his four-month preparation for the 2005 New York City Marathon and settings ranging from Tokyo's Jingu Gaien gardens, where he once shared the course with an Olympian, to the Charles River in Boston among young women who outpace him. Through this marvellous lens of sport emerges a cornucopia of memories and insights: the eureka moment when he decided to become a writer, his greatest triumphs and disappointments, his passion for vintage LPs, and the experience, after fifty, of seeing his race times improve and then fall back. By turns funny and sobering, playful and philosophical.

Chris is bored, lonely, trapped in a loveless, sexless marriage. In his forties, he's a stranger to the 1970s youth culture of London, a stranger to himself on the night when he invites a hooker into his car. Roza is Yugoslavian, recently moved to London, the daughter of one of Tito's partisans. She's in her twenties, but has already lived a life filled with danger, misadventure, romance, and tragedy. And though she's not a hooker, when she's propositioned by Chris, she gets into his car anyway. Over the next few months Roza tells Chris the stories of her past. She's a fast-talking Scheherazade, saving her own life by telling it to Chris. And he takes in her tales as if they were oxygen in an otherwise airless world. But is Roza telling the truth? Does Chris hear the stories through the filter of his own need? Does it even matter?

When Kurt Wallander first appeared in Faceless Killers back in 1990, he was a senior police officer, just turned forty, with his life in a mess. His wife had left him, his father barely acknowledged him; he ate badly and drank alone at night. The Pyramid chronicles the events that led him to such a place. We see him in the early years, doing hours on the beat whilst trying to solve a murder off-duty; witness the beginnings of his fragile relationship with Mona, the woman he has his heart set on marrying; and learn the reason behind his difficulties with his father. These thrilling tales provide a fascinating insight into Wallander's character, and demand to be read in one sitting. From the stabbing of a neighbour in 1969 to a light aircraft accident in 1989, every story is a vital piece of the Wallander series, showing Mankell at the top of his game. Featuring an introduction from the author, The Pyramid is an essential read for all fans of Kurt Wallander.

An underground chamber is exposed in a seedy, dilapidated house with sagging trim and peeling paint… In the dark cellar, a ritualistic display is revealed. A human skull rests on a cauldron, surrounded by slain chickens and bizarre figurines. Beads and antlers dangle overhead. Called to the scene is forensic anthropologist Dr Temperance Brennan. Bony architecture suggests that the skull is that of a young, black female. But how did she die? And when? Then, just as Tempe is working to determine post-mortem interval, another body is discovered: a headless corpse carved with Satanic symbols. As citizen vigilantes, blaming Devil-worshippers, begin a witch-hunt, intent on revenge, Tempe struggles to keep her emotions in check. But the truth she eventually uncovers proves more shocking than even she could have imagined…

Pearl and Jodie are sisters. Pearl is the quiet, cautious, studious one. Jodie is bold and brash and bad — but Pearl adores her anyway. When their parents get new jobs as the cook and caretaker at a fusty old boarding school, the girls have to move there and spend their summer holidays in the school with just a few children and staff for company. And when they arrive, things start to change. Jodie has always been the leader — but now it's Pearl who's making new friends, like the amazingly tall, badger-watching Harley and Mrs Wilberforce, the wife of the Head who's confined to a wheelchair but introduces Pearl to wonderful new books. Jodie just seems to be getting into more and more trouble — arguing with Mum, scaring the little children, flirting with the gardener... When term begins, their strange summer is over. But things keep on changing. Jodie really doesn't fit in with the posh teenagers at the school. But Pearl is doing well in lessons and has even more friends. Maybe she doesn't need Jodie as much as she used to. But Jodie needs her. And when the school celebrations of Firework Night come around and a tragic event occurs, Pearl realises quite how much she does need her big sister...

Beauty Cookson is no beauty. She’s a plain, timid girl surrounded by super-confident, snooty girls at school. Worse than the teasing in the playground, though, is the unpredictable criticism from her father. Frequently berated for breaking any of Dad’s hyper-fussy house rules, as well as for her lack of looks, confidence and friends, Beauty lives in uneasy fear whenever Dad’s at home. Her pretty, sweet mum is equally subject to Dad’s tirades. Eventually, after an unbearable birthday party and a very real fear that Dad’s temper is out of control, Mum and Beauty run away. Very soon Mum and Beauty find themselves in an idyllic seaside resort where their new-found freedom and a moment of culinary inspiration give them a hobby, an income and even a new nickname for Beauty. Soon all Beauty’s dreams come true – and she deserves it! A charming, page-turning and heart-warming story from this beloved author.

Now readers can sing along with this hilarious book and CD read by Lenny Henry. You can never have enough pants, as this exuberant celebration of lots and lots more pants proves! Giles Andreae's brilliant rhyming text and Nick Sharratt's hilarious, vibrant illustrations will delight children and adults alike. Featuring amongst others, a hippo, a limousine and a dinosaur in pants, plus a rather embarrassed farty pants, this lively picture book is guaranteed to make you giggle!

Why are we more likely to fall in love when we feel in danger? Why would an experienced pilot disregard his training and the rules of the aviation industry, leading to the deadliest airline crash in history? Why do we find it near-impossible to re-evaluate our first impressions of a person or situation, even when the evidence shows we were wrong? Discover the answers in «Sway». We all believe we are rational beings, yet the truth is that we’re much more prone to irrational behaviour than we realise or like to admit. In this compelling book, Ori and Rom Brafman reveal why. Looking at irrational behaviour in fields as diverse as medicine, archaeology and the legal system, they chart the psychological undercurrents that influence even our most basic decisions. In doing so they draw on the latest research in social psychology and behavioural economics to reveal the irresistible forces that sway us all. «Sway» is a fascinating insight into the way we all behave and will change the way you view the world.

Most anti-smoking campaigns inadvertently encourage people to smoke. The scent of melons helps sell electronic products. Subliminal advertising may have been banned, but it's being used all the time. Product placement in films rarely works. Many multi-million pound advertising campaigns are a complete waste of time. These are just a few of the findings of Martin Lindstrom's groundbreaking study of what really makes consumers tick. Convinced that there is a gulf between what we believe influences us and what actually does, he set up a highly ambitious research project that employed the very latest in brain-scanning technology and called on the services of some 2000 volunteers. Buyology shares the fruits of this research, revealing for the first time what actually goes on inside our heads when we see an advertisement, hear a marketing slogan, taste two rival brands of drink, or watch a programme sponsored by a major company. The conclusions are both startling and groundbreaking, showing the extent to which we deceive ourselves when we think we are making considered decisions, and revealing factors as varied as childhood memories and religious belief that come together to influence our decisions and shape our tastes.

»Conspirator» is the compelling story of Lenin in exile. It tells how, for seventeen years, he lived a hand-to-mouth existence outside Russia, working towards the upheaval that in 1917 transformed the political landscape of Europe: the Russian Revolution. Constantly watched by the secret police, the arch conspirator and his cohorts were dependent on the protection of a shadowy network of like-minded friends and supporters. Obsessive, penniless and driven, they took huge risks to publish and smuggle back into Russia the samizdat literature that spread their message. Lenin was always on the move, between the great cities of Europe — Paris, London, Geneva, Brussels and Munich — and the rural backwaters of Finland and Poland. He led an uncertain life, often under assumed names, fleeing lodgings at a moment's notice and frequently short of food. Helen Rappaport's lively account describes Lenin's triumphs and the conflicts, personal and political, with those who shared his exile. She builds up a vivid picture of Russian emigre life and of how Lenin and the Bolsheviks worked to achieve his vision of a Soviet social democracy. She also explores the toll that their extraordinary existence took not just on Lenin but on the loyal group that surrounded him, and particularly on the women in his life: his long-suffering wife, Nadezhda Krupskaya, his mother-in-law, and his mistress, Inessa Armand, as well as his mother and sisters back home. This is a book alive with fascinating detail, from Lenin's 1908 visit to the celebrated writer Maxim Gorky in Capri for a restorative holiday, to his trips to the working-men's music halls of Montmartre in Belle Epoque Paris, and the story of the London detective who kept Lenin under surveillance, hiding in a cupboard in a room above a pub in Islington as the fledgling party congress fomented revolution. With much new material from rare and previously overlooked sources, «Conspirator» puts Lenin's pre-revolutionary struggle for change in Russia into the wider context of the international socialist movement, revealing the human side of this revolutionary figure. It is an unrivalled portrait of Lenin in the making.