Chess fans saw a red queen brought to life in Harry Potter & the Philosopher&s Stone She came from what is perhaps the world&s most mysterious & imaginatively-crafted chess set -- 73 carved pieces probably dating to the 1200&s The famous Chess men (and women) comprise the world&s oldest complete chess set (or parts of several sets) The treasure trove was discovered 15 feet deep in the sand in Lewis in Scotland&s northern Outer Hebrides in the late 19th century Scandinavian outposts were known to be there as early as the 1200&s when the pieces were probably crafted That chess was played in the Middle Ages with such extraordinary works of art tantalizes the imagination Who were these people whose likenesses have been so whimsically & realistically depicted that they come alive for us today? Who played the game? These kings & queens bishops with miters on their heads knights mounted on rather small horses & holding spears & shields rooks with shields & a wild expression & pawns in the shape of obelisks -- all so very human Some of the pieces contain red stains suggesting perhaps that the sets had some colorings unlike modern black & white pieces " This is the first forensic account of modern research into the Chessmen" according to Ancientchesscom The "unmasked" in the book&s title refers to new controversies about their origin & about who might have owned
- & lost
- them
- & about the trade & state of society where they were crafted


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LOVED THE BLACKHOUSE? THE TRILOGY CONTINUES WITH THE LEWIS MAN AS FIN MACLEOD RETURNS IN AN INGENIOUS CRIME THRILLER ABOUT MEMORY & MURDERA MAN WITH NO NAMEAn unidentified corpse is recovered from a Lewis peat bog; the only clue to its identity being a DNA sibling match to a local farmer A MAN WITH NO MEMORYBut this islander Tormod Macdonald
- now an elderly man suffering from dementia
- has always claimed to be an only child A MAN WITH NO CHOICEWhen Tormod's family approach Fin Macleod for help Fin feels duty-bound to solve the mystery

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Finding himself suspended from work the Li&l Depressed Boy spends the week getting closer to his girlfriend Spike However several stressors appear threatening to ruin this unplanned vacation Collects The Li&l Depressed Boy Supposed To Be There Too 1-5 ...

A MISSING GIRL A DESPERATE FATHERA CASE WHICH WILL TEAR THEM APART' Plotting that takes the breath away' Ian Rankin'A fantastic thriller writer' Mark Billingham WHO IS DEADLIER Leonard Howell's worst nightmare has come true his daughter Caroline has been kidnapped He can't rely on the cops so Howell calls the only man he trusts to get her back THE MAN WHO KNOWS THE TRUTH Eddie Flynn knows what it's like to lose a daughter & vows to bring Caroline home safe Once a con artist now a hotshot criminal attorney Flynn is no stranger to the shady New York underworld OR THE ONE WHO BELIEVES A LIE? However as he steps back into his old life Flynn realizes that the rules of the game have changed
- & that he is being played But who is pulling the strings? & is anyone in this twisted case telling the truth? An ingenious plot gripping action & characters who leap off the page discover why readers love Steve Cavanagh' Cavanagh stands head & shoulders above the competition with his skilfully plotted action-packed & big-hearted Eddie Flynn novels highly intelligent twist-laden & absolutely unputdownable' Eva Dolan author of the critically acclaimed Tell No Tales' What a thriller! Breathlessly brilliant & fiendishly clever' Miranda Dickinson'A cleverly constructed legal thriller combined with a classic locked-room mystery Eddie Flynn is fast becoming one of my favourite fictional heroes & Cavanagh one of my favourite thriller writers' SJI Holliday author of Black Wood' Raymond Chandler could have created Eddie Flynn THE PLEA is Phillip Marlowe & Michael Connolly's Mickey Haller combined with a bit of Jim Thompson's THE GRIFTERS thrown in A superb read with a main character destined to be one of the most talked about in crime fiction' Howard Linskey author of The Search If you like John Grisham Lee Child & Michael Connelly you will LOVE the gripping & twisty Eddie Flynn series 1 The Defence 2 The Plea 3 The Liar Each Eddie Flynn thriller can be read as a standalone or in series order
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River's life is blown apart when his mum invites her new boyfriend into their home & their lives River is instantly suspicious of Jason
- he seems fake too good to be true At school River's routine fibs are escalating into something more serious & his teacher gives him a notebook in the hope he can channel his fantasies into creative writing instead & so River begins The Liar's Handbook & an investigation into Jason But what he uncovers is a terrible deception involving his biological father the police force & his mum's environmental campaign groupbut will anyone take his findings seriously? Particularly suitable for struggling reluctant & dyslexic readers aged 12
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' Fabulous' Lesley Pearse The Liberation is set in Italy in 1945 as British & American troops attempt to bring order to the devastated country & Italy's population fights to survive Caterina Lombardi is desperate
- her father is dead her mother has disappeared & her brother is being drawn towards danger One morning among the ruins of the bombed Naples streets Caterina is forced to go to extreme lengths to protect her own life & in doing so forges a future in which she must clear her father's name An Allied Army officer accuses him of treason & Caterina discovers a plot against her family Who can she trust & who is the real enemy now? & will the secrets of the past be her downfall? This epic novel is an unforgettably powerful story of love loss & the long shadow of war
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Drama following the adventures of John Wilmot (Johnny Depp) the second Earl of Rochester Known for his scandalous ways he lives life in pursuit of vice with little recourse Married but not satisfied he has a passionate romance with a young actress Elizabeth Barry (Samantha Morton) & writes a scurrilous play that lampoons its commissioner King Charles II (John Malkovich) ...

Tracklist Barbarians Gunga Din Fame & Fortune Anthem For Doomed Youth You're My Waterloo Belly Of The Beast Iceman Heart Of The Matter Fury Of Chonburi The Milkman's Horse Glasgow Coma Scale Blues Dead For Love ...

Track Listings 1 Barbarians 2 Gunga Din 3 Fame & Fortune 4 Anthem for Doomed Youth 5 Heart of the Matter 6 Belly of the Beast 7 Iceman 8 You&re My Waterloo 9 Fury of Chonburi 10 The Milkman&s Horse 11 Glasgow Coma Scale Blues 12 Dead For Love ...

Track Listings Disc 11 Barbarians 2 Gunga Din 3 Fame & Fortune 4 Anthem for Doomed Youth 5 Heart of the Matter 6 Belly of the Beast 7 Iceman 8 You&re My Waterloo 9 Fury of Chonburi 10 The Milkman&s Horse 11 Glasgow Coma Scale Blues 12 Dead For Love 13 Love On The Dole 14 Bucket Shop 15 Lust Of The Libertines 16 7 Deadly Sins ...