A 2,000-year-old conspiracy is about to unravel in a tense mystery thriller that shifts between ancient Rome and contemporary London. Librarian and historical researcher India Sommers is used to questions about antique curiosities. So when a stranger asks for her opinion about an ancient but obviously fake coin, she thinks little of it. Until the man is murdered outside her library. Suddenly India finds herself involved in a perplexing investigation. The man’s coin is revealed to be an artefact linked to the ancient Roman cult of the Vestal Virgins, and it may help reveal the whereabouts of a missing young girl. Now India, accompanied by special forces investigator Brandon Walker, must race against time to resolve the mystery and discover the intent of a shadowy organization before innocent lives are lost.

Entering the world of conspiracy theories and secret societies is like stepping into a distant, parallel universe where the laws of physics have completely changed: black means white, up is down, and if you want to understand what’s really going on, you need a good reference book. That’s where Conspiracy Theories & Secret Societies For Dummies comes in. Whether you’re a skeptic or a true believer, this fascinating guide, packed with the latest information, walks you through some of the most infamous conspiracy theories — such as Area 51 and the assassination of JFK — and introduces you to such mysterious organizations as the Freemasons, the Ninjas, the Mafia, and Rosicrucians. This behind-the-curtain guide helps you separate fact from fiction and helps you the global impact of these mysterious events and groups on our modern world. Discover how to: Test a conspiracy theory Spot a sinister secret society Assess the Internet’s role in fueling conspiracy theories Explore world domination schemes Evaluate 9/11 conspiracy theories Figure out who “they” are Grasp the model on which conspiracy theories are built Figure out whether what “everybody knows” is true Distinguish on assassination brotherhood from another Understand why there’s no such thing as a “lone assassin” Why do hot dogs come in packages of ten, while buns come in eight-packs? Everybody knows its a conspiracy, right? Find out in Conspiracy Theories & Secret Societies For Dummies.

"In 63 BC the corrupt aristocrat Lucius Sergius Catilina (Catiline in English) aimed to topple the Roman Republic. Catiline attracted a wide array of supporters: debt-ridden men and women from prominent families, youths looking for adventure, the less well-off tried of a political class that seemed only to look out for its own interests. Frustrated in his efforts to be elected consul, Catiline fled Rome while several of his associates stayed behind with secret plans to torch the city and murder its leading politicians. The story of Catiline and his conspiracy is recounted by the Roman historian Sallust in his short book, The War with Catiline Sallust's account culminates with the unmasking of these urban conspirators at a meeting of the Senate, followed by a stormy debate that led to their execution, and then the ultimate defeat of Catiline and his legions in battle. While Catiline is at the heart of the story, some of the most important figures of Roman history play key roles in the story: Cicero, the ambitious young senator who calculated how best to protect Rome; Julius Caesar, who delivers a memorable speech defending the conspirators against execution; and Cato, an ardent defender of the Republic. Catiline himself is a fascinating figure - a bitter and haunted man, determined to destroy Rome, yet sympathetic to the plight of struggling Romans. This book offers a new translation of Sallust's account of the thwarted conspiracy framed for a contemporary audience. As the translator Josiah Osgood notes in his introduction, Sallust's work is not limited to just recounting the conspiracy but engages with broader questions, still relevant today, about how republics flourish and how they break down. Sallust also poignantly describes how the corruption of Rome's leaders, worried less about the common good and more about their own advancement, spread like a disease through Roman society. Claims of conspiracy, across the political spectrum, have abounded in our time much as they did in Ancient Rome. While Catiline's plot was real and the charges of conspiracy well-founded, Osgood aims to show how Sallust's short work can help us to think about the allure of explaining the world through conspiracies, both real and imagined. This makes it a still useful source of wisdom for reflecting on a very real problem for contemporary republics"--

Conspiracy theory as a theoretical framework has emerged only in the last twenty years; commentators are finding it a productive way to explain the actions and thoughts of individuals and societies. In this compelling exploration of Latin literature, Pagán uses conspiracy theory to illuminate the ways that elite Romans invoked conspiracy as they navigated the hierarchies, divisions, and inequalities in their society. By seeming to uncover conspiracy everywhere, Romans could find the need to crush slave revolts, punish rivals with death or exile, dismiss women, denigrate foreigners, or view their emperors with deep suspicion. Expanding on her earlier Conspiracy Narratives in Roman History, Pagán here interprets the works of poets, satirists, historians, and orators—Juvenal, Tacitus, Suetonius, Terence, and Cicero, among others—to reveal how each writer gave voice to fictional or real actors who were engaged in intrigue and motivated by a calculating worldview. Delving into multiple genres, Pagán offers a powerful critique of how conspiracy and conspiracy theory can take hold and thrive when rumor, fear, and secrecy become routine methods of interpreting (and often distorting) past and current events. In Roman society, where knowledge about others was often lacking and stereotypes dominated, conspiracy theory explained how the world worked. The persistence of conspiracy theory, from antiquity to the present day, attests to its potency as a mechanism for confronting the frailties of the human condition.

Travel back in time to a world ruled by battle, blood and destiny. Includes all four books in The Medieval Sagas series; Blood of the Cross, In Shadows of Kings, Sword of Liberty and Ring of Steel. Blood of the Cross: As the Crusader knights desperately await the arrival of Edward Longshanks and his army, Sultan Baibaars targets his Mamluk hordes against their greatest stronghold in Syria, the Krak des Chevaliers. A thousand miles away in Wales, fourteen-year-old Garyn learns a disturbing secret. It will drive him on a crusade of his own: a quest to avenge his family, save his brother and recover the holiest relic in Christendom. As the Crusades ignite around him, Garyn learns this is a time of brutality and chivalry; an era with no place for the weak... In Shadows of Kings: 1274. War is brewing between Wales and England. Henry III is dead. His son, Edward Longshanks, is on his way back from the Crusades to claim the crown and impose his iron will on a weakened country. In South Wales, two brothers, Garyn and Geraint, attempt to rebuild their lives after a terrifying ordeal in Acre. Desperate to heal old wounds and provide for their futures, the appearance of an old enemy tears them apart once more and forces them onto different paths. Meanwhile, the nobles of North Wales, nervous and frustrated at the inaction of their leader, make a daring pact to replace him with a figurehead to unite the warring factions against the English prince. Sword of Liberty: 1294. After decades of fighting, Edward Longshanks of England has cemented his rule over Wales following the death of Prince Llewellyn, undertaking a vast castle-building programme across the land. A new resistance is rising but its factions squabble and bicker, dashing any serious hopes of rebellion. Rumour reaches Garyn, now leader of a mercenary band called the Blaidd, of the fabled Sword of Macsen. With it, he could finally unite the Welsh. But finding it will not be easy... Ring of Steel: 1294. The Welsh rebellion spreads like wildfire. Caernarfon Castle, a fortress in Edward Longshanks’ chain of fortifications around Wales known as the Ring of Steel, has fallen to Madog and the rebellion. In the south, Garyn languishes in a dungeon with only days left to live. It seems his fate is sealed. As the four main warlords of Wales join forces to wreak havoc amongst the English settlers, rampaging across the country, Edward’s castles fall one by one before their onslaught. But across the border in England, Longshanks readies his armies to re-take his Ring of Steel – and there will be no mercy. A searing and unforgettable series of medieval warfare perfect for fans of Christian Cameron, Angus Donald and David Gilman. Praise for K.M. Ashman ‘An ingenious and exciting adventure... well-written.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review ‘Fantastic. Talented author, superb plots and believable characters. You don't just read a K.M. Ashman book...you live it!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review ‘This series gripped me from the first chapter and carried me on a thrilling journey filled with adventure. This author is a master storyteller and a name to look out for.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review ‘Another great saga from K. M. Ashman. His books have never failed to keep me gripped from the first page to the last.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review

The king is dead. The fight to replace him begins... 1066 dawns on a fractious England. The death of Edward the Confessor has set in motion a chain of events that can no longer be stopped. In London, Harold Godwinson, anointed king by Edward on his deathbed, girds the nation for war. Across the channel in Normandy, Duke William prepares his invasion fleet to sail, supported by Harald’s treacherous brother, Tostig, who has promised to help William strike at the very heart of England. Battle shall be joined in Hastings, and the future of the country decided with sword, lance and bow. K. M. Ashman delivers the epic showpiece finale to the Road to Hastings trilogy, perfect for fans of Conn Iggulden and David Gilman.

This Companion provides an authoritative and up-to-date overview of Roman Republican history as it is currently practiced. Highlights recent developments, including archaeological discoveries, fresh approaches to textual sources, and the opening up of new areas of historical study Retains the drama of the Republic’s rise and fall Emphasizes not just the evidence of texts and physical remains, but also the models and assumptions that scholars bring to these artefacts Looks at the role played by the physical geography and environment of Italy Offers a compact but detailed narrative of military and political developments from the birth of the Roman Republic through to the death of Julius Caesar Discusses current controversies in the field