Bøker av C J Archer

Gossip, scandal and murder collide on the express train to London. Did the journalist fall from the first-class carriage, or was she pushed?Cleo's holiday with her family to the seaside resort town of Brighton is everything she hoped it would be...until she receives a blackmail note. The blackmailer demands Cleo help her or a story revealing Cleo's investigating will appear in the newspaper. With her uncle warning her to keep her detecting activities private, Cleo agrees to meet the blackmailer when they return to London. But when the woman is seen getting on the train but not off, Cleo grows concerned.She enlists the help of the hotel staff to search for the body along the railway line. Finding it confirms her suspicions and leads her to discover that her blackmailer was a gossip columnist. What scandal had the victim uncovered that led to her death? And which fellow passenger had a secret worth killing for?With Harry Armitage's assistance, Cleo attempts to track down the murderer. Meanwhile, pressure is mounting on the hotel staff to host a society wedding that will be featured in the social pages for all the right reasons.

Als vom Friedhof Leichen verschwinden, stellen Lincoln und das Ministerium der Kuriositäten Nachforschungen an. Charlie jedoch nicht. Als Hausmädchen in Lichfield Towers mischt sie sich in die Geschäfte des Ministeriums nicht ein. Stattdessen ermittelt sie auf eigene Faust. Sie sucht nach Einzelheiten über ihre wahre Mutter und stellt Nachforschungen über Lincolns Hintergrund an. Was sie dabei herausfindet hat die Macht, das frisch aufgebaute, zerbrechliche Band des Vertrauens zwischen ihnen zu zerstören oder sie näher zusammenzubringen. Während Geheimnisse aufgedeckt werden, laufen die Ermittlungen nicht wie geplant und Charlies Nekromantie zieht sie in einen Strudel aus Betrug, Lügen und Gefahr, die ihre Freundschaften und ihr Heim aufs Spiel setzen könnten.

Charlotte (Charlie) Holloway hat fünf Jahre lang als Junge in den Slums gelebt. Doch als ein Diebstahl zu viel sie ins Gefängnis bringt, ist ihre einzige Fluchtmöglichkeit ein toter Mann. Charlie hat keinen Geist mehr beschworen, seit sie vor fünf Jahren herausfand, dass sie dazu in der Lage ist. Damals hat ihr Vater sie verbannt. Diesmal handelt sie sich noch mehr Ärger ein. Die Leute jagen Charlie jetzt in ganz London, doch nur ein Mann schafft es, sie zu fangen.Lincoln Fitzroy ist der mysteriöse Kopf einer Geheimorganisation auf der Spur eines Wahnsinnigen, der einen Nekromanten benötigt, um seine neu ¿erschaffenen" Kreaturen zu kontrollieren. Es gab nur eine Nekromantin auf der Welt, von der man wusste - Charlie - doch jetzt scheinen es zwei zu sein. Lincoln schnappt den widerspenstigen Charlie in der Hoffnung, dass der Junge ihn zu Charlotte führen wird. Aber was geschieht, wenn er herausfindet, dass der Junge in Wirklichkeit die junge Frau ist, nach der er die ganze Zeit schon sucht? Und wird sie sich bereit erklären, für einen Mann zu arbeiten, der sie gegen ihren Willen festgehalten hat, und für eine Organisation, der sie nicht traut? Denn Lincoln und sein Ministerium sind möglicherweise ebenso gefährlich wie der Wahnsinnige, den sie jagen.

Für Matt und India sollten glückliche Zeiten anbrechen, doch Kräfte, auf die sie nicht einwirken können, verschwören sich, um ihre Zukunft zu zerstören. Ein Mord lenkt die beiden von ihren Sorgen ab.Als der Herausgeber der Weekly Gazette getötet wird, will der umstrittene Reporter und Tintenmagier Oscar Barratt, dass India und Matt ermitteln. Da er auf magischem Papier verfasste Drohbriefe empfangen hat, hält er sich für das beabsichtigte Opfer. Die Verdächtigen reichen von Oscars Bruder über Gildemeister bis hin zu Londons Elite, und India und Matt haben viel zu tun.Doch je mehr sie forschen, desto mehr dunkle Geheimnisse kommen ans Licht. Geheimnisse, bei denen es um Erpressung und einen exklusiven Club von Magiesammlern geht, die den Wert ihrer Sammlungen erhalten möchten. Eines dieser Geheimnisse könnte India und Matt die Zukunft ermöglichen, die sie sich wünschen - werden sie sich auf Erpressung einlassen oder auf ihr Glück verzichten?Dieses Buch ist ein USA Today Bestseller.

With knowledge of magic becoming more widespread in London, magicians find themselves highly sought after. Consumers want to buy their wares and so seek out magicians among their acquaintance. India's rare magic is in demand from Matt's family, the Collector's Club, and other magicians who want her to extend their magic.But it's wise to be wary of the attention.When the wool magician who helped India create a flying carpet spell disappears, his wife is worried for his life. India and Matt are worried for the country. If the person who stole the spell also kidnapped the wool magician, they could use flying carpets as vehicles of war. The closer they get to finding him, the more they realize they can't trust anyone, not even the government. When it's revealed that England's spy master has plans for India's talents, she refuses to cooperate.But Matt knows it's not as simple as refusing. Every decision has a repercussion.And repercussions can be deadly.

From a multi-USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author comes this romantasy (romantic fantasy), the final in a 6-book series. "I loved every single page!!" "A terrific ending to a wonderful story." "I read the entire series in one week because the stories were so spellbinding." In this stunning conclusion to the AFTER THE RIFT series, Josie and her friends return home to find Glancia on the brink of war and their enemies in power. With political machinations and court intrigue bringing danger at every turn, they must be careful who they trust. But being careful won't bring resolutions. It won't bring back lost memories or stop the kingdom hurtling towards disaster. At the heart of it all is the magic that stole the memories of so many. The magic that everyone from kings to commoners will do anything to get their hands on. The sorcerer's remaining wishes have the power to give back what is lost or take away even more. Josie will do anything to protect her home and friends - but what if it means making the ultimate sacrifice?

From a multi-USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author comes this romantasy (romantic fantasy), the fifth in a 6-book series."Just when Dane chooses Josie everything changes!! Sigh... this was absolutely unputdownable!!" "Intense, full of twists and turns!" "Another page turner." The quest to learn more about their past lives takes Josie, the captain and their eclectic group of friends on an adventure across the Fist Peninsula. Their mood is one of optimism as relationships deepen and new alliances are forged. When some of the palace servants who lost their memories are recognized, they know they're drawing closer to answers.But being recognized in strange cities brings problems. It seems the pasts they can't remember weren't as simple as they hoped. The further south the eclectic band of friends travel, the clearer it becomes that the sorcerer uprooted them from their lives for a reason.With the truth within reach, Dane is suddenly arrested for a murder he didn't commit. In a desperate attempt to free him, Josie promises to give a king the magic he desires in exchange for Dane's freedom. Magic she doesn't possess. Meanwhile, in Josie's homeland of Glancia, war is brewing.

Glancia is plunged into perilous times, but it's the events in her village that worry Josie more. A terrible fire puts the lives of those she loves at risk and threatens to shatter the uneasy peace. Josie and the captain investigate the cause of the blaze, but powerful enemies try to stop them. As the dangers grow more intense, so do the feelings between Josie and the captain. With nobles circling and plotting, new arrivals in the village cause a stir, for they recognize one of the servants. Those who've lost their memories are suddenly more hopeful of learning about their pasts, but this new discovery only throws up more questions than answers. Answers the captain will do anything to discover.

India's study into the language of spells is interrupted by the arrest of her teacher for an unpaid debt. Before Matt can repay it for him, the powerful magician escapes from his prison cell. To make matters worse, the moneylender is murdered and the magician is implicated.Convinced of his innocence, India and Matt must discover who really killed the moneylender before the police find the magician. Their investigation leads them down a path littered with lies, betrayal, scandal, and interference from people they don't trust.Meanwhile, Matt's relatives accuse Cyclops of ruining their daughter, and plan to marry off their manipulative youngest to someone even more manipulative and far more powerful. Should Matt and India support the union, or try to stop it? And how will they stop Cyclops from being deported back to America?

The arrival of Buffalo Bill's Wild West show in London brings trouble. When the sharpshooter who beats Willie at poker is murdered, Matt and India investigate. Willie is convinced the victim cheated, but no one knows how until India discovers his secret - he was a paper magician. When their list of suspects grows to include a member of the mysterious magic Collector's Club, they uncover a spy. But who is he working for? And what does his employer want? As danger circles, secrets are revealed, and India struggles to keep her own secret hidden from Matt. But when her grandfather introduces her to a man who can change her life, India must decide if she wants her life to change at all.

From a multi-USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author comes this romantasy (romantic fantasy), the second in a 6-book series."I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this series! Beautiful words have created a stunning world and rich, engrossing characters." "Regal. Moody. Soulful. Beautiful." "I'm deeply sucked into this series."When a palace maid is attacked, Josie and the captain of the guards investigate together. Since one of the suspects is a foreign diplomat and magic expert, they use the opportunity to learn more about sorcery. But it soon becomes clear that he has his own agenda. With unrest in the village, and nobles vying for the king's attention, an undercurrent of danger pervades the air. But the most dangerous man of all may be the king himself, because every clue points to him knowing more than he lets on. As tensions both in and out of the glittering Glancian palace rise, the tension between the captain and Josie is a distraction - because how can a man with no past make promises for the future?

From the author of the USA Today bestselling GLASS AND STEELE series comes this captivating new fantasy.The king's magnificent palace was built in a matter of weeks. No one saw the builders, no villagers are allowed beyond the gilded gate, and only one servant has ever left. The haunted look in her eyes as she was recaptured by the palace guards is something Josie, daughter of the village doctor, has never forgotten.For Josie, the palace is a mystery that grows more intriguing after she meets the captain of the guards, a man known only as Hammer, as mysterious and captivating as the palace itself. Whispers of magic fuel Josie's desire to uncover the truth, but an ordinary girl like her can only dream of ever being invited inside.When the king decides to take a wife from among the eligible daughters of the noble families, the palace gates are finally thrown open and the kingdom's elite pour in. In a court where old rivalries and new jealousies collide, the king's favorite is poisoned and the doctor is summoned. As her father's assistant, Josie finally sees inside the lavish walls, but she soon learns the palace won't surrender its secrets easily, for not a single resident, from the lowest servant to the king himself, has a memory from before the palace existed.In the search for the truth, Josie is drawn deeper into danger, and the answers she seeks might shake the very foundations of the kingdom.

To find the one man who can fix the magic in Matt's watch, he and India are led to a convent where the nuns will do anything to keep their secrets private. Including murder? Matt and India must uncover the truth behind the disappearance of the mother superior and two babies given to her care many years ago. But sometimes, the truth is painful and its exposure can have deadly consequences. With his magic watch slowing down, Matt needs all the help India and his friends can offer before time runs out. But his nemesis will do anything to bring about his downfall, including rock Matt's family with a scandal that can ruin them, and Matt and India's chance of happiness.

It should be a happy time for India and Matt, but forces beyond their control conspire to ruin their future. A distraction from their troubles comes in the form of murder.When the editor of The Weekly Gazette is killed, controversial journalist and ink magician Oscar Barratt asks India and Matt to investigate. As the recipient of threatening letters written on magic paper, he believes he was the intended target. With suspects ranging from Oscar's brother to guild masters and London's elite, India and Matt have a lot of investigating to do. But the more they dig, the more dark secrets they uncover. Secrets that involve blackmail and an exclusive club of magic collectors who want to preserve the value of their collections. When one of the secrets can give India and Matt the future they desire, will they give in to blackmail or sacrifice their happiness?

With Alice determined to discover the truth about her past, and Seth determined to help her, the couple find themselves sucked into a world where nothing is as it seems and no one can be trusted. On the run to escape a mad queen's wrath, and with an entire realm looking for them, tensions fray and friendships are tested.Even worse for Seth, shocking secrets he'd rather leave buried are brought to the surface.Joined on their adventure by an irritable Gus and a mysterious Eva, the four friends must learn the truth of Alice's past so she can forge her future.But a future with whom? And where?THE WISDOM OF MADNESS is the final book in the Ministry of Curiosities series.