Tom Harper – författare

A FIGHT FOR HONOUR. A QUEST FOR REVENGE.Paris, 1794. Revolutionary fervour has erupted into the Reign of Terror. A young man, Paul Courtney, hides in a crowd watching as the condemned are brought to the guillotine. Among them is Constance Courtney, Paul's mother. As he watches her brutal execution, he knows he must avoid the same fate and fulfil his promise to her - to survive, no matter what. He joins Napoleon's army and is taken to Egypt, but with the world at war and traitors in every corner, just how far will Paul go to ensure his own survival?Cape Town, 1806. Adam Courtney has spent his life in service to the navy and in the shadow of his father, the illustrious Admiral Robert Courtney. But when he returns home to Nativity Bay to find the homestead destroyed and the Courtney family murdered, Adam must accept his destiny and seek vengeance. Robert gives Adam the prized family heirloom, the Neptune sword, and makes his son swear on its blade that he will not rest until he has delivered justice. From Cape Town to Calcutta, on a quest for his family's honour, Adam discovers that the enemy he seeks may be closer to him than he realises . . .Book 6 in the Birds of Prey sequence in the long-running Courtney series. Don't miss the next book, Warrior King. Available now.

ENEMIES BY BIRTH. BROTHERS IN BLOOD. VENGEANCE WILL BE HAD.Praise for Wilbur Smith'A master storyteller' Sunday Times'No one does adventure quite like Smith' Daily Mirror'Best historical novelist' Stephen King 1820. The coast of Madagascar.A ship on fire in the night. Ralph Courtney would have sold his soul for revenge. At last, fate has given him what he craves. The man he believes murdered his father stands defenceless as his ship burns around them. His only plea, that Ralph spare his wife and infant son . . .1829. Mahikeng Mission Station. Highveld, southern Africa.The warrior king is dead. Ralph Courtney and Ann Waite have escaped. From the chaos and bloodshed that consumed the Zulu nation after the murder of King Shaka. From Ralph's enemies. From the man who would have enslaved Ann and sold her to the highest bidder. Now Ralph and Ann, and their son Harry, are safe. Rescued by the missionaries at Mahikeng, they can finally dream of a new life. Or can they . . . ?For what awaits them is a journey of unimaginable horrors, that will take Ralph from the bandit outposts on the border of Cape Colony, across oceans, and into the dark heart of the brutal system by which the British Crown imposes obedience on its subjects, while Ann is drawn inexorably back into her old life in Zululand.Can Ralph finally lay to rest the ghosts that haunt him? Can Ann overcome the enemy she believed they'd escaped forever? Can Harry make his peace with the secrets and lies that have shaped his life? On a blood-soaked battlefield, as a new nation is forged in violence and slaughter, all three will be given a choice - to succumb to the past, or to stand and fight for their family's future.Blood, vengeance and destiny collide in the latest thrilling adventure from the bestselling master of adventure, Wilbur Smith.

From the publication in 1595 of the first 'atlas' by the Flemish cartographer Gerhard Mercator, the term has become a universally adopted title for books containing accurate, uniform and evenly spread maps of all or some of the world. This is an atlas with a difference. Few of the maps in this book could reasonably be called 'accurate' in the modern sense and could almost certainly not be used to plan a journey. Yet this atlas can help us to travel in a way that regular atlases do not, because by looking at old maps and getting to know their stories we can be transported back to the times in which they were made.The generous, full-colour illustrations of each map in this large-format book range from the Klencke Atlas (1660) to Hokusai's map of China (1840-41), from a 1682 pirate map of Guatemala to twentieth-century cartographic postcards featuring maps of Australia. Atlas is the definitive printed showcase of the British Library's extensive and unparalleled map collection.Originally published in hardback, Atlas: A World of Maps from the British Library is now available in paperback.

Secrets and maps are a match made in heaven. A Second World War military plan of a cave system covered with red stamps, a tatty hand-drawn treasure map marked with an 'X', or even your personal phone screen showing a precise 'blue dot' location. These maps contain confidential, coded, precious or private locational information and have, as a result, been hidden away or even falsified to preserve the advantage of ownership. This beautifully illustrated and deeply original book tells the story of how maps, secrets and the data they betray, have come together in western culture over the past six centuries. It uncovers the key clandestine workings of imperial secrets, state secrecy, wider secrets within societies and more recent concepts of personal privacy. Combining the intrigue, excitement and danger that drives human fascination with secrets and the peculiar revelatory thrill that maps give us, it is an essential story with an unsettling edge.

I have never written down the answers to the deepest mysteries, nor will I ever...The philosopher Plato wrote these words more than two thousand years ago, following a perilous voyage to Italy -- an experience about which he never spoke again, but from which he emerged the greatest thinker in all of human history.Today, twelve golden tablets sit in museums around the world, each created by unknown hands and buried in ancient times, and each providing the dead with the route to the afterlife. Archaeologist Lily Barnes, working on a dig in southern Italy, has just found another.But the thirteenth tablet is different. This tablet names the location to the mouth of hell itself.And then Lily vanishes.Has she walked out on her job, her marriage, and her life -- or has something more sinister happened? Her husband, Jonah, is desperate to find her. But no one can help him: not the police; not the secretive foundation that sponsored her dig; not even a circle of university friends who seem to know more than they're saying. All Jonah has is belief, and a determination to do whatever it takes to get Lily back.But like Plato before him, Jonah will discover the journey ahead is mysterious and dark and fraught with danger.And not everyone who travels to the hidden place where Lily has gone can return.

An extraordinary thriller set at the frozen edge of the world, perfect for fans of Dan Simmons, Michael Crichton and Dan Brown.In the Arctic Ocean, the US Coast Guard icebreaker Terra Nova batters its way through the pack ice. There shouldn't be anyone near them for hundreds of miles. But then a lone skier, half-dead with cold, emerges out of the snow. His name is Tom Anderson, and he is the only survivor of a disaster at Zodiac Station, a scientific research base deep in the Arctic Circle. He tells an incredible story of scientists and spies, of lust and greed, of jealousy, mayhem and murder. But his tale simply doesn't add up. Whose blood is smeared across his clothes? Why is there a bullet hole through the jacket he's wearing, and why is that jacket labelled with someone else's name? It's clear that more was going on at Zodiac Station than Anderson is telling. And someone else may have survived the disaster, as well... someone who has killed before, and who is willing to kill again.

This unputdownable Amazonian adventure is perfect for fans of The Lost City of Z. 'The thinking person's Dan Brown' Tom Harper has taken you to the underworld. He's taken you to the Arctic. Now he's taking you to the deadliest jungle on earth.When Kel MacDonald joins an expedition looking for a legendary lost city in the Peruvian Amazon, he's expecting the adventure of a lifetime. But things are not what they seem. Paramilitaries, drug cartels, and wildcat prospectors all want what the jungle has to offer - while untamed local tribes will fight desperately to protect their way of life. Maps of the region have been doctored. And what exactly happened to the previous expedition, a government vaccination program that went upriver and never returned?Soon finding the lost city is the least of their troubles. The jungle hides deadly secrets that must be hidden at all costs. And someone in the group wants to make sure they never get out.

ENEMIES BY BIRTH. BROTHERS IN BLOOD. VENGEANCE WILL BE HAD.Give him the gift of adventure this Father's Day. Praise for Wilbur Smith'I don't believe I have ever read an author whose work I loved as much' Conn Iggulden'A master storyteller' Sunday Times'No one does adventure quite like Smith' Daily Mirror'Best historical novelist' Stephen King 1829. Mahikeng Mission Station. Highveld, southern Africa.The warrior king is dead. Ralph Courtney and Ann Waite have escaped. From the chaos and bloodshed that consumed the Zulu nation after the murder of King Shaka. From Ralph's enemies. From the man who would have enslaved Ann and sold her to the highest bidder. Now Ralph and Ann, and their son Harry, are safe. Rescued by the missionaries at Mahikeng, they can finally dream of a new life. Or can they . . . ?Can Ralph finally lay to rest the ghosts that haunt him? Can Ann overcome the enemy she believed they'd escaped forever? Can Harry make his peace with the secrets and lies that have shaped his life? On a blood-soaked battlefield, as a new nation is forged in violence and slaughter, all three will be given a choice - to succumb to the past, or to stand and fight for their family's future.Blood, vengeance and destiny collide in book 7 of the Birds of Prey sequence and the latest thrilling installment in the Courtney series from the bestselling master of adventure, 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 MirrorBETRAYED BY BLOOD. BOUND BY FATE. Inseparable since birth, Theo and Connie Courtney are torn apart by the tragic death of their parents.Theo, wracked with guilt, seeks salvation in combat, joining the British in the war against the French and Indian army. On a personal mission he meets the beautiful, innocent Abigail, with whom he falls madly in love. But when their tryst is discovered, Theo is left outcast in the wilderness, desperately fighting for his life. Determined to reclaim his honour and save Abigail, Theo does whatever it takes to survive.Connie, believing herself abandoned by her brother, and abused and brutalised by a series of corrupt guardians, makes her way to France, where she is welcomed into high society. Here, she once again finds herself at the mercy of vicious men, whose appetite for war and glory lead her to the frontlines of the French battlefield in North America.As the siblings find their destinies converging once more, they realise that the vengeance and redemption they both desperately seek could cost them their lives . . .A Courtney Series adventure - Book 4 in the Birds of Prey sequence. Ghost Fire is an epic historical fiction adventure of tragedy, loss, betrayal and courage that brings the reader deep into the seething heart of war, from Wilbur Smith, one of the best and most beloved authors of the century. Don't miss the next thrilling chapter in the sequence, Storm Tide.'Ghost Fire' was a Sunday Times bestseller w/e 08-09-2019.

A searing account of corruption, racism and mismanagement inside Britain's most famous police force Barely a week goes by without the Metropolitan Police Service being plunged into a new crisis. Demoralised and depleted in numbers, Scotland Yard is a shadow of its former self. Spanning the three decades from the infamous Stephen Lawrence case to the shocking murder of Sarah Everard, Broken Yard charts the Met's fall from a position of unparalleled power to the troubled and discredited organisation we see today, barely trusted by its Westminster masters and struggling to perform its most basic function: the protection of the public. The result is a devastating picture of a world-famous police force riven with corruption, misogyny and rank incompetence. As a top investigative reporter at the Sunday Times and The Independent, Tom Harper covered Scotland Yard for fifteen years, beginning not long after the fatal shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes, an innocent Brazilian killed by Met Police officers after being mistaken for a terror suspect in 2005. Since then, reporting on Scotland Yard has been akin to witnessing a slow-motion car crash. Using thousands of intelligence files, witness statements and court transcripts provided by police sources, as well as first-hand testimony, Harper explains how London's world-famous police force got itself into this sorry mess - and how it might get itself out of it.

Barely a week goes by without the Metropolitan Police being plunged into a new crisis. Demoralised, Scotland Yard is a shadow of its former self.Spanning the three decades from the infamous Stephen Lawrence case to the shocking murder of Sarah Everard, Broken Yard charts the Met's fall from a position of unparalleled power to the troubled and discredited organisation we see today. The result is a devastating picture of a police force riven with corruption, misogyny and incompetence.Throughout this fully updated edition, which includes an assessment of Mark Rowley's first year as commissioner and the Met's failure to adequately vet the likes of Wayne Couzens and David Carrick, Tom Harper makes use of intelligence files, witness statements and first-hand accounts to explain how London's world-famous police force got itself into this sorry mess - and how it might get itself out of it.

A FIGHT FOR HONOUR. A QUEST FOR REVENGE.Paris, 1794. Revolutionary fervour has erupted into the Reign of Terror. A young man, Paul Courtney, hides in a crowd watching as the condemned are brought to the guillotine. Among them is Constance Courtney, Paul's mother. As he watches her brutal execution, he knows he must avoid the same fate and fulfil his promise to her - to survive, no matter what. He joins Napoleon's army and is taken to Egypt, but with the world at war and traitors in every corner, just how far will Paul go to ensure his own survival?Cape Town, 1806. Adam Courtney has spent his life in service to the navy and in the shadow of his father, the illustrious Admiral Robert Courtney. But when he returns home to Nativity Bay to find the homestead destroyed and the Courtney family murdered, Adam must accept his destiny and seek vengeance. Robert gives Adam the prized family heirloom, the Neptune sword, and makes his son swear on its blade that he will not rest until he has delivered justice. From Cape Town to Calcutta, on a quest for his family's honour, Adam discovers that the enemy he seeks may be closer to him than he realises . . .BOOK 20 IN THE LONG-RUNNING EPIC HISTORICAL SAGA OF THE COURTNEY FAMILY FROM WILBUR SMITH

ENEMIES BY BIRTH. BROTHERS IN BLOOD. VENGEANCE WILL BE HAD.Give him the gift of adventure this Father's Day.Praise for Wilbur Smith'I don't believe I have ever read an author whose work I loved as much' Conn Iggulden'A master storyteller' Sunday Times'No one does adventure quite like Smith' Daily Mirror'Best historical novelist' Stephen King 1829. Mahikeng Mission Station. Highveld, southern Africa.The warrior king is dead.Ralph Courtney and Ann Waite have escaped. From the chaos and bloodshed that consumed the Zulu nation after the murder of King Shaka. From Ralph's enemies. From the man who would have enslaved Ann and sold her to the highest bidder. Now Ralph and Ann, and their son Harry, are safe. Rescued by the missionaries at Mahikeng, they can finally dream of a new life. Or can they . . . ?Can Ralph finally lay to rest the ghosts that haunt him? Can Ann overcome the enemy she believed they'd escaped forever? Can Harry make his peace with the secrets and lies that have shaped his life? On a blood-soaked battlefield, as a new nation is forged in violence and slaughter, all three will be given a choice - to succumb to the past, or to stand and fight for their family's future.Blood, vengeance and destiny collide in book 7 of the Birds of Prey sequence and the latest thrilling installment in the Courtney series from the bestselling master of adventure, Wilbur Smith.

BOOK 19 IN THE EPIC HISTORICAL SAGA OF THE COURTNEY FAMILY, FROM GLOBAL SENSATION WILBUR SMITH. BOOK 3 IN THE TIGER'S PREY SEQUENCE.The Courtney family is torn apart as three generations fight on opposing sides of a terrible war that will change the face of the world forever, set against the backdrop of the American revolution. 'Best historical novelist' Stephen King'Wilbur Smith is one of those benchmarks against whom others are compared' The TimesTHREE GENERATIONS. A DEVASTATING WAR.1774. Rob Courtney has spent his whole life in a quiet trading outpost on the east coast of Africa, dreaming of a life of adventure at sea. When his grandfather Jim Courtney dies, and the mysterious Captain Cornish calls into the fort, Rob takes his chance and stows away on Marston's ship as it sails to England. Arriving in London, Rob is seduced by the charms of the big city and soon finds himself desperate and penniless. That is until the navy comes calling. Rob enlists and is sent across the Atlantic on a ship to join the war against the rebellious American colonists. But on the other side of the Atlantic, unbeknownst to Rob, his distant cousins Cal and Aidan Courtney are leading a campaign against the British in a quest for American Independence. When Aidan is killed in a fierce battle with British troops, Cal vows he will not rest until he has avenged his brother's death, by driving the British out of America - by whatever means necessary . . .A powerful new historical thriller by the master of adventure fiction, Wilbur Smith, of families divided and a country on the brink of revolution. Book 20 in the Courtney family series, Nemesis, is available April 2023. Pre-order now.'Storm Tide' was a Sunday Times bestseller w/e 17-04-2022.

The new Courtney Series epic A BATTLE FOR HONOUR AGAINST A POWERFUL NEW ENEMYSouth Africa, 1820When Ann Waite discovers a battered longboat washed ashore in Algoa Bay, she is stunned to find two survivors: a badly scarred sailor and a little boy. As the man walks away into the morning mist alone, refusing to take the child - Harry - with him, Ann is left with no choice but to raise the boy as her own.After two years of disaster and hardship in the African interior, desperation drives Ann and Harry back into the path of the mysterious shipwrecked man. Ralph Courtney has recently escaped from Robben Island and is determined to seek his fortune in Nativity Bay, the hidden harbour that his father told him about when he was a boy.But it isn't long before Ralph, Ann and their fellow settlers learn that Nativity Bay now lies on the borders of a mighty kingdom, where the warrior king Shaka rules. With no means of making their way back to Algoa Bay, Ralph is forced into a bargain with the Zulu king which will lead him to confront the past that he has been running from for his entire life.BOOK 23 IN THE LONG-RUNNING EPIC HISTORICAL SAGA OF THE COURTNEY FAMILY FROM WILBUR SMITH. BOOK 24, FIRE ON THE HORIZON, IS AVAILABLE NOW. Praise for Wilbur Smith'A master storyteller' Sunday Times'No one does adventure quite like Smith' Daily Mirror'Best historical novelist' Stephen King

A BATTLE FOR HONOUR AGAINST A POWERFUL NEW ENEMYSouth Africa, 1820When Ann Waite discovers a battered longboat washed ashore in Algoa Bay, she is stunned to find two survivors: a badly scarred sailor and a little boy. As the man walks away into the morning mist alone, refusing to take the child - Harry - with him, Ann is left with no choice but to raise the boy as her own.After two years of disaster and hardship in the African interior, desperation drives Ann and Harry back into the path of the mysterious shipwrecked man. Ralph Courtney has recently escaped from Robben Island and is determined to seek his fortune in Nativity Bay, the hidden harbour that his father told him about when he was a boy.But it isn't long before Ralph, Ann and their fellow settlers learn that Nativity Bay now lies on the borders of a mighty kingdom, where the warrior king Shaka rules. With no means of making their way back to Algoa Bay, Ralph is forced into a bargain with the Zulu king which will lead him to confront the past that he has been running from for his entire life.Book 7 in the Birds of Prey sequence in the long-running Courtney series. Don't miss the next book, Vengeance. Available now. Praise for Wilbur Smith'A master storyteller' Sunday Times'No one does adventure quite like Smith' Daily Mirror'Best historical novelist' Stephen King