Peter Ackroyd

The Beginning brings an incredible story to life: the most astonishing history of the Universe. It is the story of who we are, where we are, and how we came to be here. It is the story of life itself. Beautifully illustrated throughout, and containing a wealth of factual information to complement extraordinary narrative, The Beginning will take you on a journey of wonder: from alien landscapes to "upside-down" continents, violent collisions, and mass...

In Thames: the Biography, Ackroyd writes about connections between the Thames and such historical figures as Julius Caesar and Henry VIII, and offers memorable portraits of the ordinary men and women who depend on the river for their livelihoods. He visits all the towns and villages along the river, from Oxfordshire to London, and describes the magnificent royal residences, as well as the bridges and docks, locks and weirs, found along its 215-mile...

Moving from a sedate cathedral town to London's sordid opium dens, the mystery of who killed the missing Edwin Drood, or if he was actually killed at all, is finally resolved.

A series of murders has shaken the community to the point where people believe that only a legendary creature from dark times - the mythical so-called Golem - must be responsible.