Imogen Robertson – författare

The landmark, headline-making debut novel from Tom Watson, former Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, and bestselling novelist Imogen Robertson is the must-read political thriller of the 21st century.

'A prescient page-turner about secrets, lies, ruthless ambition and betrayal' SARAH VAUGHANIn their remarkable debut political thriller, Tom Watson, former Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, and Imogen Robertson open the doors to The House, a place of ambition, hope, friendship . . . and betrayal.Once allies, Labour MP Owen McKenna and Conservative Minister Philip Bickford now face each other across the House of Commons as bitter enemies. Then the reappearance of a figure from their past forces them to confront the choices that led to the tragic downfall of their former housemate, Jay.Late one night, Owen receives a visit from a lobbyist who promises to protect him from the consequences of his actions in exchange for one, small favour - or to have his reputation and career utterly destroyed if he refuses. But that favour will sell out everything Owen believes in.As rivals gather and whispers of wrongdoing fill the corridors of Westminster, it's clear that someone knows the truth about Jay's Icarus-like fall from grace. Now, the former friends must face one terrible truth...Someone is responsible, and a reckoning is overdue.__________'A rare view from the inside of the Machiavellian machinations for power . . . Fascinating' HARRIET TYCE'Politics red in tooth and claw. Watson and Robertson capture, with scalpel precision, the neurotic allure of the Westminster power game' LUKE JENNINGS 'Few people know more about what goes on behind the political scenes than Watson, and it is all unveiled here, in a snappy, twisty page-turner' HOLLY WATT

'A prescient page-turner about secrets, lies, ruthless ambition and betrayal' SARAH VAUGHAN'A rare view from the inside of the Machiavellian machinations for power . . . Fascinating' HARRIET TYCE__________In their remarkable debut political thriller, Tom Watson, former Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, and Imogen Robertson open the doors to The House, a place of ambition, hope, friendship . . . and betrayal.Once allies, Labour MP Owen McKenna and Conservative Minister Philip Bickford now face each other across the House of Commons as bitter enemies. Then the reappearance of a figure from their past forces them to confront the choices that led to the tragic downfall of their former housemate, Jay.Late one night, Owen receives a visit from a lobbyist who promises to protect him from the consequences of his actions in exchange for one, small favour - or to have his reputation and career utterly destroyed if he refuses. But that favour will sell out everything Owen believes in.As rivals gather and whispers of wrongdoing fill the corridors of Westminster, it's clear that someone knows the truth about Jay's Icarus-like fall from grace. Now, the former friends must face one terrible truth...Someone is responsible, and a reckoning is overdue.__________'Politics red in tooth and claw. Watson and Robertson capture, with scalpel precision, the neurotic allure of the Westminster power game' LUKE JENNINGS 'Few people know more about what goes on behind the political scenes than Watson, and it is all unveiled here, in a snappy, twisty page-turner' HOLLY WATT

'Makes you want to read every word...serpentine and satisfying' TelegraphThornleigh Hall, seat of the Earl of Sussex, dominates its surroundings. Its heir is missing, and the once vigorous family is reduced to a cripple, his whore and his alcoholic second son, but its power endures. Impulsive Harriet Westerman has felt the Hall's menace long before she happens upon a dead man bearing the Thornleigh arms. The grim discovery cries out for justice, and she persuades reclusive anatomist Gabriel Crowther to her cause, much against his better judgement; he knows a dark path lies before those who stray from society's expectations. That same day, Alexander Adams is killed in a London music shop, leaving his young children orphaned. His death will lead back to Sussex, and an explosive secret that has already destroyed one family and threatens many others.

'Makes you want to read every word...the plot is serpentine and satisfying, with enough false trails and distractions to create a genuine mystery' Telegraph The streets of London seethe with rumour and conspiracy as the King's navy battles the French at sea. And while the banks of the Thames swarm with life, a body is dragged from its murky waters. In another part of town, where the air seems sweeter, the privileged enjoy a brighter world of complacent wealth and intoxicating celebrity. But as society revels in its pleasures, a darker plot is played out.Yet some are willing to look below the surface to the unsavoury depths. Mrs Harriet Westerman believes passionately in justice. Reclusive anatomist Gabriel Crowther is fascinated by the bones beneath the skin. Invited to seek the true nature of the dead man, they risk censure for an unnatural interest in murder. But when the safety of a nation is at stake, personal reputation must give way to the pursuit of reason and truth.

Cumbria, 1783. A broken heritage; a secret history...The tomb of the first Earl of Greta should have lain undisturbed on its island of bones for three hundred years. When idle curiosity opens the stone lid, however, inside is one body too many. Gabriel Crowther's family bought the Gretas' land long ago, and has suffered its own bloody history. His brother was hanged for murdering their father, the Baron of Keswick, and Crowther has chosen comfortable seclusion and anonymity over estate and title for thirty years. But the call of the mystery brings him home at last.Travelling with forthright Mrs Harriet Westerman, who is escaping her own tragedy, Crowther finds a little town caught between new horrors and old, where ancient ways challenge modern justice. And against the wild and beautiful backdrop of fells and water, Crowther discovers that his past will not stay buried.

Death at the Carnival: riddle, ritual and murderShrove Tuesday, 1783. While the nobility dance at a masked ball, beautiful Lady Martesen is murdered. Daniel Clode is found by her body, his wrists slit and his memories nightmarish. What has he done? Harriet Westerman and Gabriel Crowther race to the Duchy of Maulberg to save Daniel from the executioner's axe. There they find a capricious Duke on the point of marriage, a court consumed by luxury and intrigue, and a bitter enemy from the past. After another cruel death, they must discover the truth, no matter how horrific it is. Does the answer lie with the alchemist seeking the elixir of life? With the automata makers in the Duke's fake rural idyll? Or in the poisonous lies oozing around the court as the elite strive for power?

Extra material includes a deleted scene and a Q&A with Imogen Robertson Maud Heighton came to Lafond's famous Academy to paint, and to flee the constraints of her small English town. It took all her courage to escape, but Paris eats money. While her fellow students enjoy the dazzling joys of the Belle Époque, Maud slips into poverty. Quietly starving, and dreading another cold Paris winter, Maud takes a job as companion to young, beautiful Sylvie Morel. But Sylvie has a secret: an addiction to opium. As Maud is drawn into the Morels' world of elegant luxury, their secrets become hers. Before the New Year arrives, a greater deception will plunge her into the darkness that waits beneath this glittering city of light.

London, 1785. When the body of a former West Indies planter is found outside St Paul's Cathedral, suspicion abounds. But talk is not only of the man's death. His past brings a tide of fear directly to Harriet Westerman's door where William Geddings, senior footman, knows more than he is prepared to confess.In search of answers, Harriet and her friend, anatomist Gabriel Crowther, reluctantly explore the dark and destructive world of Britain's slave trade. And as Harriet must confront an ugly truth close to home, London's hidden network of slave traders are forced to face the light. Francis Glass, a former slave, holds the key to their anonymity and no one can be sure what he plans to do with it.When some people will risk everything for their reputation, some acts can never be forgiven.

BOOK 6 IN THE BALLANTYNE SERIES, BY INTERNATIONAL SENSATION WILBUR SMITH'Best historical novelist' - Stephen King'A master storyteller' - Sunday Times'Wilbur Smith is one of those benchmarks against whom others are compared' - The Times'No one does adventure quite like Smith' - Daily MirrorDIVIDED BY WAR. UNITED BY LOVE.On a beautiful September day, General Penrod Ballantyne and his fiancée, the successful travel writer, Amber Benbrook, stroll hand in hand through the busy streets of Cairo. The future is theirs for the taking. But when Penrod's jealous former lover, Lady Agatha, plants doubt about his character, Amber leaves him and travels to the wilds of Abyssinia with her twin sister, Saffron, and her adventurer husband, Ryder Courtney. On a mission to establish a silver mine, they make the dangerous journey to the new capital of Addis Ababa, where they are welcomed by King Menelik II, the King of Kings. He knows of a plot to invade his beloved Abyssinia, and he needs the Courtneys to help him win.Back in Cairo, a heartbroken Penrod seeks oblivion in Lady Agatha and the city's opium dens, descending into ruin. He is rescued from himself by an old friend, who is now in the Italian army, and offered the chance restore his honour and to join the military efforts. Italy has designs on Abyssinia, and there are rumours of a plan to invade . . . With storm clouds gathering, and on opposing sides of the conflict, can Penrod and Amber find their way back to one another - against all the odds?An epic historical adventure of love, betrayal, courage and war. King of Kings brings together two of Wilbur Smith's greatest families, the Courtneys and the Ballantynes in this sequel to his worldwide bestseller, The Triumph of the Sun (Sunday Times, Jul 2018).The sixth book in the epic Ballantyne Series and the second title in an exciting crossover sequence between Wilbur Smith's two iconic family sagas, the Ballantynes and the Courtneys.The adventures of the Ballantynes and Courtney's continue in Book 7 of the Ballantyne series, Fire on the Horizon, coming soon. Available to pre-order now.

South Africa, 1899 - the smouldering hostility between the Boers of the Transvaal and Orange Free State and the British colonies of the Cape and Natal is about to burst into flame. War is coming and no one can prevent it. Colonel Penrod Ballantyne, hero of Abu Klea and Omdurman, is sent to Mafeking to recruit and train men for the fighting ahead. Amber, his wife, the successful novelist, accompanies him - eager to see more of the country her husband is about to risk his life for. But when war is declared, Amber must flee with their baby son and pray for her husband's survival against impossible odds. Eight hundred miles to the south, in Cape Town, Ryder Courtney is using his wealth and connections to bankroll the British war effort. His artist wife Saffron, frustrated by stuffy Cairo society, has joined him with their three children. There is peace in the Courtney household until their eldest son, Leon, stows away on a train to the front line, determined to join his distinguished uncle, Penrod Ballantyne, in changing the course of history. Saffron and Ryder have no choice but to leave the safety of the Cape Colony and follow. Leon is convinced that his parents are without honour and courage. Little does he realise that he has no chance of escaping the people they used to be. Two families torn apart, caught up in a battle for the heart of a country at war with itself.

A BATTLE FOR THE HEART OF A COUNTRY AT WAR WITH ITSELFPraise for Wilbur Smith'A master storyteller' Sunday Times'No one does adventure quite like Smith' Daily Mirror'Best historical novelist' Stephen King South Africa, 1899 - the smouldering hostility between the Boers of the Transvaal and Orange Free State and the British colonies of the Cape and Natal is about to burst into flame. War is coming and no one can prevent it. Colonel Penrod Ballantyne, hero of Abu Klea and Omdurman, is sent to Mafeking, 'the place of stones', to recruit and train men for the fighting ahead. Amber, his wife, the successful novelist, accompanies him - eager to see more of the country her husband is about to risk his life for. But when war is declared, Amber must flee with their baby son and pray for her husband's survival against impossible odds.Eight hundred miles to the south, in Cape Town, Ryder Courtney - adventurer, maverick, industrialist - is using his wealth and connections to bankroll the British war effort. His artist wife Saffron, frustrated by stuffy Cairo society, has joined him with their three children. There is peace in the Courtney household, or so Saffron believes, until their eldest son, Leon, stows away on a train to the front line, determined to join his distinguished uncle, Penrod Ballantyne, in changing the course of history. Saffron and Ryder have no choice but to leave the safety of the Cape Colony and follow. Leon is convinced that his parents are without honour and courage. Little does he realise that he has no chance of escaping the people they used to be. Two families torn apart, caught up in a battle for the heart of a country at war with itself.A NEW BOOK IN THE LONG-RUNNING EPIC HISTORICAL SAGA OF THE COURTNEY FAMILY FROM WILBUR SMITH IN WHICH THE COURTNEYS AND THE BALLANTYNES COME TOGETHER ONCE AGAIN IN THE SEQUEL TO WORLDWIDE BESTSELLERS THE TRIUMPH OF THE SUN AND KING OF KINGS. Readers are loving FIRE ON THE HORIZON:'Gripping, thrilling and heartwarming' ***** Reader review'Great book, hard to put down' ***** Reader review'Nobody knew the history of Africa like Wilbur did' ***** Reader review'Absolutely brilliant from beginning to end with a nice twist' ***** Reader review DON'T MISS THE BRAND-NEW NOVEL FROM WILBUR SMITH, CROSSFIRE. AVAILABLE NOW.

A BATTLE FOR THE HEART OF A COUNTRY AT WAR WITH ITSELFPraise for Wilbur Smith'A master storyteller' Sunday Times'No one does adventure quite like Smith' Daily Mirror'Best historical novelist' Stephen King South Africa, 1899 - the smouldering hostility between the Boers of the Transvaal and Orange Free State and the British colonies of the Cape and Natal is about to burst into flame. War is coming and no one can prevent it. Colonel Penrod Ballantyne, hero of Abu Klea and Omdurman, is sent to Mafeking, 'the place of stones', to recruit and train men for the fighting ahead. Amber, his wife, the successful novelist, accompanies him - eager to see more of the country her husband is about to risk his life for. But when war is declared, Amber must flee with their baby son and pray for her husband's survival against impossible odds.Eight hundred miles to the south, in Cape Town, Ryder Courtney - adventurer, maverick, industrialist - is using his wealth and connections to bankroll the British war effort. His artist wife Saffron, frustrated by stuffy Cairo society, has joined him with their three children. There is peace in the Courtney household, or so Saffron believes, until their eldest son, Leon, stows away on a train to the front line, determined to join his distinguished uncle, Penrod Ballantyne, in changing the course of history. Saffron and Ryder have no choice but to leave the safety of the Cape Colony and follow. Leon is convinced that his parents are without honour and courage. Little does he realise that he has no chance of escaping the people they used to be. Two families torn apart, caught up in a battle for the heart of a country at war with itself.A NEW BOOK IN THE LONG-RUNNING EPIC HISTORICAL SAGA OF THE COURTNEY FAMILY FROM WILBUR SMITH IN WHICH THE COURTNEYS AND THE BALLANTYNES COME TOGETHER ONCE AGAIN IN THE SEQUEL TO WORLDWIDE BESTSELLERS THE TRIUMPH OF THE SUN AND KING OF KINGS.Readers are loving FIRE ON THE HORIZON:'Gripping, thrilling and heartwarming' ***** Reader review'Great book, hard to put down' ***** Reader review'Nobody knew the history of Africa like Wilbur did' ***** Reader review'Absolutely brilliant from beginning to end with a nice twist' ***** Reader review DON'T MISS THE BRAND-NEW NOVEL FROM WILBUR SMITH, CROSSFIRE. AVAILABLE NOW.