Sue Wilkes reveals the shadowy world of Britain's spies, rebels and secret societies from the late 1780s until 1820. Drawing on contemporary literature and official records, Wilkes unmasks the real conspirators and tells the tragic stories of the unwitting victims sent to the gallows. In this 'age of Revolutions', when the French fought for liberty, Britain's upper classes feared revolution was imminent. Thomas Paine's incendiary Rights of Man called men to overthrow governments which did not safeguard their rights. Were Jacobins and Radical reformers in England and Scotland secretly plotting rebellion? Ireland, too, was a seething cauldron of unrest, its impoverished people oppressed by their Protestant masters. Britain's governing elite could not rely on the armed services even Royal Navy crews mutinied over brutal conditions. To keep the nation safe, a 'war chest' of secret service money funded a network of spies to uncover potential rebels amongst the underprivileged masses. It had some famous successes: dashing Colonel Despard, friend of Lord Nelson, was executed for treason. Sometimes in the deadly game of cat-and-mouse between spies and their prey, suspicion fell on the wrong men, like poets Wordsworth and Coleridge. Even peaceful reformers risked arrest for sedition. Political meetings like Manchester's 'Peterloo' were ruthlessly suppressed, and innocent blood spilt. Repression bred resentment and a diabolical plot was born. The stakes were incredibly high: rebels suffered the horrors of a traitor's death when found guilty. Some conspirators' secrets died with them on the scaffold... The spy network had some famous successes, like the discoveries of the Despard plot, the Pentrich Rising and the Cato St conspiracy. It had some notable failures, too. However, sometimes the 'war on terror' descended into high farce, like the 'Spy Nozy' affair, in which poets Wordsworth and Coleridge were shadowed by a special agent.

Leorah Langdon has no patience for Regency society's shallow hypocrisy and unnecessary rules, especially for women. She's determined to defy convention by marrying for grand passion instead of settling for a loveless union like her parents--or wedding a stuffy, pompous gentleman like Edward, the Viscount Withinghall. But when a chance meeting in the countryside leads to Leorah and Withinghall being discovered in his overturned carriage--alone and after dark--the ensuing gossip may force them together. Withinghall has his reasons for clinging to propriety; his father perished in a duel with his mistress's husband, and Edward must avoid scandal himself if he wants to become prime minister. He certainly has no time for a reckless hoyden like Miss Langdon. But soon the two discover that Withinghall's coach "accident" was no such thing: the vehicle was sabotaged. Can the culprit be brought to justice? Strong-willed Leorah and duty-driven Withinghall will have to work together if they have any hope of saving her reputation, his political career--and his life.

Dear Friend, You were right: desperation is a dangerous state of mind. It was desperation that drove me to London to salvage my family's reputation and finances in the first place. And it is desperation—and perhaps a little desire—that has gotten me into the situation I find myself in now. You see, I've become ensnared in the investigation of a traitor by Lord Dewhurst—the most insufferable, sinfully handsome man I've ever met. I know it is shocking, but in order to catch this spy and clear my name, I've no choice but to play the agent's bride. Now I'm desperate again to avoid his seductive words and searing looks. I pray that I can resist him, but I can make no promises. Oh, my dear friend, I know he and I are merely pretending to be wed, but the blush he can send all the way to my petticoats feels far too real! Yours truly, Charlotte

From an exciting new voice in romantic fiction comes a fast-paced and emotional historical romance. Shana Galen is sure to dazzle readers with her undeniable talent and unique brand of wit and charm. This is an author to watch! Alex Scarston, Earl of Selbourne. Rake. Spy. With his efforts for England in the war against the French suspended, family obligations compel him to investigate the disappearance of Viscount Brigham's son. When the viscount's daughter becomes involved as well, Alex finds himself entangled in a venture that risks both heart and soul. It's not that Lucia Dashing, youngest daughter of Lord Brigham, wants Alex to go away. She just wishes he wasn't always so close—perhaps a few rooms, or streets, or continents between them would bank the heat of her attraction. But when her brother disappears, she's no choice but to engage the earl in a battle risking her brother, her country, and her love.

Just as merchant's daughter Felicity Mayson is spurned once again because of her meager dowry, she receives an unexpected invitation to Lady Blackstone's country home. Being introduced to the wealthy Oliver Ratley is an admitted delight, as is his rather heedless yet inviting proposal of marriage. Only when another of Lady Blackstone's handsome guests catches Felicity's attention does she realize that nothing is what it seems at Doverton Hall. Government agent Philip McDowell is infiltrating a group of cutthroat revolutionaries led by none other than Lady Blackstone and Ratley. Their devious plot is to overthrow the monarchy, and their unwitting pawn is Felicity. Now Philip needs Felicity's help in discovering the rebels' secrets--by asking her to maintain cover as Ratley's innocent bride-to-be. Philip is duty bound. Felicity is game. Together they're risking their lives--and gambling their hearts--to undo a traitorous conspiracy before their dangerous masquerade is exposed.

For years, Lady Julia Barrowby has acted the part of an old man's ornamental bride, never revealing that she has secretly helped the ailing Lord Barrowby in his work with the Royal Four. Now that her husband has died, Julia believes his place in the Four is hers by right. But convincing the remaining members will not be easy, especially with Marcus Ramsay, Lord Dryden, distracting her at every turn. Somehow, the mysterious Marcus seems to see into her very soul, effortlessly satisfying all her secret, forbidden longings... Marcus stood next in line to be chosen for the Four, and he is not willing to be displaced by a woman, no matter how intriguing or beautiful she may be. Under orders to investigate Julia, Marcus discovers her diary, overflowing with years of loneliness and yearning. Fulfilling Julia's fantasies is the perfect way to get closer to her, but seducing this fascinating creature is fast becoming more than a means to an end—it is his soul's deepest desire...

THE SPY WHO LOVES HER As the second son of the Earl of Spalding, Christopher Carlisle appears content to do nothing more than live out his life in gambling hells, wild parties, and widows’ beds. But Kit’s scapegrace existence hides his true calling—as a secret operative who has dedicated his life to crown and country. When his partner is murdered, nothing will distract him from his pursuit of justice…until he meets Diana Morgan. When he discovers the general’s lovely daughter disguised as a boy in a seedy tavern, he’s thrust into a tangled web of lies and deceit that leaves him wondering if anything is as it seems. Especially Diana. Diana Morgan will do anything to keep her family safe, including risking her own life. So when her missing brother is accused of treason and murder, she’s forced to make a deal with the devil himself—cooperate with Kit in order to find her brother before the French get to him first. Diana must race to prove her brother’s innocence before Kit can send him to the gallows, but as trust grows between them, so does desire. Soon, secrets are revealed that threaten everything Diana holds most dear, and when their lives are placed in peril, she finds herself desperately wanting the one thing she can never have…Kit’s heart.

Juliana Telford is not your average nineteenth-century young lady. She's much more interested in researching ladybugs than marriage, fashionable dresses, or dances. So when her father sends her to London for a season, she's determined not to form any attachments. Instead, she plans to secretly publish their research. Spencer Northam is not the average young gentleman of leisure he appears. He is actually a spy for the War Office, and is more focused on acing his first mission than meeting eligible ladies. Fortunately, Juliana feels the same, and they agree to pretend to fall for each other. Spencer can finally focus, until he is tasked with observing Juliana's traveling companions . . . and Juliana herself.

Part one in a Christian Regency Romantic Adventure epic serial novel with a supernatural twist Lady Wynwood's Spies series, volume 1 She met him again by shooting him. After four seasons and unmarried because she is taller than most of her dance partners, Miss Phoebe Sauber receives the shocking news that she is being callously banished from her father's estate because he is remarrying. Feeling betrayed by her father and by God, and wanting to escape her family's presence, she attends an archery tournament with her friends. But her perfect aim fails her, and her arrow hits a piece of paper held by Mr. Michael Coulton-Jones, whom she hasn't seen much in society in several years. But strangely, her arrow tears a section of the paper with a partial symbol that looks eerily familiar to her. He met her again while searching for a killer. Michael had quit his work as a spy for the Foreign Office when his brother was poisoned. His search for the murderer leads him to Apothecary Jack, a criminal underworld leader with a penchant for poisons, who is gathering a powerful army through an alchemical potion that can give men supernatural strength. But his path unexpectedly crosses again with Miss Sauber, who saves him from a trap laid by Jack. She and her Aunt Laura, Lady Wynwood, have found a vital connection to Apothecary Jack and the mysterious group he works for. Now Michael, who had vowed to never again allow civilians to come to harm, must work with a nobleman keeping dangerous secrets, a human lie detector, a chemist, a fellow former spy, and the one woman he's never allowed himself to get close to. And it is only this ragtag group that stands against a traitorous organization that could enable Napoleon to conquer the world. PLEASE NOTE: This is the first book in the Lady Wynwood's Spies series, an epic serial novel. Each volume has a completed story arc, but this is NOT a stand-alone novel and ends on a cliffhanger.

In the first in an adventurous series, USA Today Bestselling Author Erica Monroe introduces the Covert Heiresses: women who by day are the talk of the ton, and by night England's top spies. SHE WANTS REVENGE When bluestocking Vivian Loren becomes the governess for the wealthy Spencer family, she's hunting for clues about the murder of her brother, not romance. But Vivian didn't count on one thing: James Spencer, the intrepid Duke of Abermont, who has a tortured past of his own. HE NEEDS A WIFE As head of Britain's elite intelligence agency, James can't afford the scrutiny the Marriage Mart would bring to his family once the Season starts. After discovering Vivian's quest for vengeance has made her a pawn in a treacherous plot of one of Napoleon's most deadly spies, James realizes they can help each other. She'll become his duchess, and he'll keep her safe. What begins as a marriage of convenience quickly becomes anything but as the enemy spy closes in on them. When both husband and wife have dark secrets, love may be the most dangerous mission of all. ------ I Spy a Duke is a dark, sexy Regency romance with suspense elements. While it is book one of the Covert Heiresses series, it can be read as a standalone full-length historical romance.