From 1906 to 1925 Quail Island, in Lyttelton Harbour, was the site of New Zealand’s leprosy colony. The colony began by accident, as it were, after the discovery of a leprosy sufferer in Christchurch. As further patients arrived from across the country, it grew into a controversial and troubled institution – an embarrassment to the Health Department, an object of pity to a few, a source of fear to many. This remarkable narrative reveals a little-known aspect of New Zealand’s past, shedding light on the treatment of some of society’s most marginal, unfortunate and isolated people. Written in lucid, compelling prose, The Dark Island heralds the arrival of a significant historical voice.

Battle, intrigue and Druidism followed to their brutal conclusions in the dark pre-Christian world of the Celts... Henry Treece explores a period in British history when magic and murder were matter-of-fact and the 'civilising' influence of Rome had yet to make headway against the dark and powerful undertow of the Celtic spirit. Something of a cult classic author.

In this thrilling sixth installment of Scott Chantler's popular Three Thieves graphic novel series, the separate adventures of twins Dessa and Jared play out simultaneously and seem poised to intersect as the book ends. Dessa, along with Topper and Fisk, has managed a daring landing onto the flying island of Astaroth, where she hopes to find her long-lost brother. Instead, they discover a bizarre world where three children are being held by a mysterious and rarely seen man they call the Toymaker. Certain the Toymaker is Greyfalcon, Jared's kidnapper, Dessa is determined to track him down and confront him about her brother's location. Meanwhile, Captain Drake has unintentionally stumbled upon Jared himself and decides to hold the boy as bait to lure Dessa to him. But as he learns from Jared the particulars about the boy's abduction nine years ago, Drake is troubled. Why would such powerful people want to abduct a small peasant boy? The answer to that question is about to shock Drake --- and Jared! Readers of this award-winning fantasy-adventure series will be excited to find some of the pieces of the puzzle beginning to fall into place here. These fast-paced books, with loads of brilliantly depicted action scenes and just enough humor, are hugely appealing to both boys and girls. However, even as readers are getting pulled along by the high drama and exciting visuals, the complex storylines and intersecting character relationships will engage their critical thinking skills. As always, the cliffhanger ending will leave readers hungry for more.

This is a collection of unpredictable stories about love and cruelty, crimes, desperation, and hope from the man Irvine Welsh has described as 'the most arresting and original writer to emerge from these islands in years'.

Like the "Dark Continent" of Africa, the dark island of Madagascar holds many chilling secrets. One of them is a long thought extinct species of dinosaurs living at the country's core.A massive earthquake rocks the mountain range within the Andringitra National Park. The splitting earth reveals a network of tunnels, hidden away for millennia. Responding to the series of violent upheavals, a pack of hypersensitive predators flee their subterranean home, frenzied and hungry they head for the surface. Former Navy SEAL Ian Hunt begrudgingly accepts an offer to lead an exploratory team. What they uncover is the find of a lifetime...if they survive long enough to tell anyone. Dinosaurs are alive and well at the heart of the DARK ISLAND.