Sifting myth from history Piers Paul Read reveals the Templars the multinational force of warrior monks in their white tunics with red crosses over chainmail. They were not only unique among Christian institutions but constituted the first uniformed standing army in the western world & became pioneers of international banking. Expropriated by Philip IV of France in 1307 & confessing under torture to blasphemy heresy & sodomy the Order was finally suppressed by Pope Clement V in 1312. In a narrative that incorporates the story of the crusades & the many colourful characters who had links with the Templars Piers Paul Read examines the question of their guilt & identifies their relevance to our own times. A highly readable & nicely paced book that draws on the lessons of modern historical scholarship while also communicating a sense of narrative excitement & drive Evocative measured & engaging Evening Standard Magnificent in every way Mail on Sunday ...

Deep in the jungles of Peru the contest of the century is underway. Its a race to locate a legendary Incan idol
- one carved out
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In this enthralling historical detective story the authors of The Holy Blood & the Holy Grail trace the flight after 1309 of the Knights Templar from Europe to Scotland where the Templar heritage was to take root & would be perpetuated by a network of noble families. That heritage & the Freemasonry that arose from it became inseparable from the Stuart cause. The Temple & the Lodge charts the birth of Freemasonry through the survival of Templar traditions through currents of European thought through the mystery surrounding Rosslyn chapel & through an elite cadre of aristocrats attached as personal bodyguards to the French king. Pursuing Freemasonry through the 17th & 18th Centuries Michael Baigent & Richard Leigh reveal its contribution to the fostering of tolerance progressive values & cohesion in English society which helped to pre-empt a French-style revolution. Even more dramatically the influence of Freemasonry emerges as key facto in the formation of the United States of America as an embodiment of the ideal ' Masonic Republic'. ...

One of the world's holiest sites hides a secret worth killing for.. . Thomas Lourds the world's foremost scholar of ancient languages is contacted by an old friend Dr Lev Strauss. A long-lost ancient scripture has been discovered which holds the key to one of the world's greatest treasures hidden under the legendary Temple Mount. Lourds rushes to Jerusalem to inspect Strauss' find. But on arrival he learns his friend has been murdered. The book has vanished. Lourds knows he must uncover the murderer & track down the missing manuscript. Because this ancient artefact contains a hidden code. A code that will give its solver access to a formidable & frightening power. The fate of humankind rests in Lourds's hands. But time is not on his side.. . ...

Another brilliant Wilde/ Chase thriller from one of the best in the business
- Andy Mc Dermott. Archaeologist Nina Wilde's life
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The enduring legacy of a legendary investor Called the greatest stock picker of the century" by Money magazine legendary fund manager Sir John Templeton is remembered as one of the worlds foremost investors known for his pioneering insights & phenomenal investment performance over a professional career which spanned more than half a century. Templetons Way with Money provides a unique professional 21st century appraisal of what made this formidable investor the success he was-and why his methods remain as valid today as they were during his long & successful lifetime. Written by two investment experts one of whom worked closely with Sir John for ten years & drawing on previously unpublished documents the book explains in detail how John Templetons simple but highly effective investment philosophy of riding out the ups & downs of the market cycle continues to be as relevant as ever for professional & private investors alike. Key features include: A fresh & detailed reappraisal drawing on a number of previously unpublished documents of the philosophy which Templeton applied to the two phase of his investment career-first as an investment counsel & latterly as the most successful global fund manager of his generation A detailed & original study of the performance of the Templeton Growth Fund demonstrating in detail how Templeton achieved the Holy Grail of investment-above average returns with below average risk First hand accounts from former colleagues of their experience in working with Templeton-including those of author Alasdair Nairns ten-year career working with & for the investment management organization that was Templetons life work Proprietary & original research which explains why Templetons seemingly simple investment philosophy is sure to produce exceptional returns if implemented effectively Current market conditions make Templetons contrarian investment method of profiting from pessimism particularly relevant today & this book a must-read for anyone working with investments." ...

The Commonwealth is in turmoil as the Living Dream cult prepares to pilgrimage into the Void. Breaching this sealed micro-verse could cause an irreparable rift in space. But the cults fanatics wont be halted as the Void projects dreams of a paradise. An enemy invasion fleet also approaches as the Oscien Empire takes advantage of the Commonwealths confusion. Yet unity is impossible as post-human factions enter an internecine war over humanitys destiny. Investigator Paula Myo is determined to find the Voids latest prophet believing this could unlock the crisis but even she will need help. This Second Dreamer is even now channelling the Voids latest visions to a rapt humanity. At the heart of events is Edeard the Waterwalker who lived long ago within the Void. Hes Living Dreams messiah visions of his crusade against injustice inspiring billions & Edeards glorious story has also incited the Pilgrimage. & as his ultimate triumph approaches the Voids true nature will be revealed. This is thrilling stuff.. .compulsively readable The Times ...

David Armitage
- husband father & failure
- has lived the life of an unsuccessful screenwriter for eleven years. When one of

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Trouble & secrets When Emily Beauregard applies for the position of innkeeper on Jonas Tallents Devonshire estate nothing can prepare him for the trouble that follows. Little does he realise that Em has an agenda of her own: to discover her familys treasure guided by a cryptic rhyme. Orphaned near penniless the treasure is her & her siblings future but solving the rhyme is no easy task. Passion & danger Only once she accepts Jonas as her lover & enlists his aid do they start to unravel the clues. But someone else has the Colyton treasure in their sights & the closer Em & Jonas draw to her familys legacy the greater the danger
- & the passion between them
- grows...

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WELCOME TO PARADISE Only the rich are invited...only the strongest survive Fame. Money. Success. Lori wants them Aurora is being destroyed by them & Stevie's got them at her best friend's expense. These three women are drawn unwittingly to the shores of Temptation Island all looking for their own truth. But they discover a secret so shocking there's no turning back. It's wicked it's sensational. Are you ready to be told? But the glittering waters drown dark secrets. The island promises the one thing money can't buy
- & the price is devastating...
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