Jodi Taylor

Patience is not a virtue known to the Time Police. And Commander Hay is facing the longest day of her life... After their heroic efforts to safeguard the Acropolis and prevent the Paris Time-Stop, the Time Police have gone from zero to hero. Then one fateful mission to apprehend a minor criminal selling dodgy historical artefacts blows up in all their faces. An officer is attacked within TPHQ. A prisoner is murdered. And investigations are about to lead to the one place where no officer can legally tread. Worst of all, trouble is brewing for Luke, Jane and Matthew as a shocking revelation threatens to tear Team Weird apart for good.

When all is lost. When everything is ending. When there's no hope. When you can't win. That's when you attack. Punching well above their weight, Max and Markham set out to bring down a sinister organisation whose roots might be firmly embedded in the future but whose focus is the past. Max's focus is staying alive long enough to reunite with Leon and Matthew - alternately helped and hindered by St Mary's. Who aren't always the blessing they like to think they are. And that's not all. Are the effects of constantly leaping around the timeline beginning to make themselves felt? Is Max going mad? Or are the ghosts of the past finally catching up with her?

Behind the seemingly innocuous facade of St. Mary’s Institute of Historical Research, a different kind of academic work is taking place. Just don’t call it “time travel”―these historians “investigate major historical events in contemporary time.” And they aren’t your harmless eccentrics either; a more accurate description, as they ricochet around history, might be unintentional disaster-magnets. From Tudor England to the burning city of Persepolis, from a medieval St. Mary’s under siege to Victorian Rushford and a very nasty case of gaol fever, Max is struggling to keep her private life intact. There’s an ambitious programme hindered by giant teapots, plus Mrs. Midgely’s objection to dead hamsters in her airing cupboard, and Mr. Markham’s stubborn refusal to reveal his exact marital status. And as if that’s not enough―the unfortunately not leprosy-laden Malcolm Halcombe is back. Admittedly, none of this is the most secure platform from which to launch an initiative to bring down the renegade Clive Ronan, but hey―what’s the worst that could happen?

Here's a question for you. What's the most exciting thing ever found in a fire bucket? And don't say 'fire' because you'll be wrong. Suppose - just suppose - it was the technology to take a pod to Mars? Yeah, now we're talking! Every Christmas, for reasons which seem good at the time - especially after an eggnog or two - Max and the others leap into the nearest pod and indulge in their illegal Christmas jump. It's a tradition. This year, however, just to be different, they find themselves part of someone else's illegal Christmas jump. It's time to don a spacesuit and bring your own urine!

No one knows quite how, but Max and her baby are safe at last. No one knows quite how, but Peterson has persuaded Dr Foster to marry him. No one knows quite how, but Markham’s marital status remains unknown. Certainly no one knows quite how a twelve-foot-high teapot could mysteriously materialise on the South Lawn, but it does. But they do know that Clive Ronan is back. They do know that he hates them and that this time he has good cause. And they do know that he will bring death and destruction in his wake. Follow the disaster magnets of St Mary’s from the Egyptian desert to the Battle of Stamford Bridge, from Hastings to the Sack of Constantinople, and from tragedy to triumph and back again, in this, the eighth book in The Chronicles of St Mary’s.

'It's time, Max.' And so, a whole new chapter opens up...It's long been known that if a thing can go wrong, it will. With knobs on, usually. Disasters start to pile up. A new colleague with no respect for the past and a great deal to prove. Historians lost in time. And - worst of all - Rosie Lee on her very first jump. Then there's the small matter of Max's dishonourable discharge.From Tudor England to the Tower of Babel - it's all going horribly wrong.Jobless and homeless, Max receives an offer she can't refuse. Another time, another place. A refuge, perhaps.She's got that wrong, too.

You don’t have to travel through time to experience catastrophe on an epic scale, as the disaster-magnets from St Mary’s are about to find out… For Max, what starts off as a perfectly normal week is about to degenerate into a quagmire of egotistical film producers, monumental pub crawls, unsigned contracts, exploding rocks, Professor Rapson and his megaphone, the world’s biggest bacon butty – and Angus – the third component of the most notorious love triangle since Menelaus, Paris and Whatshername – the one with the face they launched ships off. A Perfect Storm of calamity, devastation and misfortune only ever encountered at St Mary’s.

St Mary’s is back and nothing is going right for Max. Once again, it’s just one damned thing after another. The action jumps from an encounter with a mirror-stealing Isaac Newton to the bloody battlefield at Agincourt. Discover how a simple fact-finding assignment to witness the ancient and murderous cheese- rolling ceremony in Gloucester can result in CBC – concussion by cheese. The long awaited jump to Bronze Age Troy ends in personal catastrophe for Max and just when it seems things couldn’t get any worse – it’s back to the Cretaceous Period again to confront an old enemy who has nothing to lose. So, make the tea, grab the chocolate biscuits, settle back and discover exactly why the entire history department has painted itself blue …

Book Two in the madcap time-travel series based at the St Mary's Institute of Historical Research that seems to be everyone's cup of tea. In the second book in the Chronicles of St Mary's series, Max and the team visit Victorian London in search of Jack the Ripper, witness the murder of Archbishop Thomas a Becket in Canterbury Cathedral, and discover that dodos make a grockling noise when eating cucumber sandwiches. But they must also confront an enemy intent on destroying St Mary's - an enemy willing, if necessary, to destroy History itself to do it.

St Mary’s is back and is facing a battle to survive in this, the fourth instalment of the Chronicles. Max and Leon are re-united and looking forward to a peaceful lifetime together. But, sadly, they don’t even make it to lunchtime. The action races from 17th century London to Ancient Egypt and from Pompeii to 14th century Southwark as they’re pursued up and down the timeline, playing a perilous game of hide and seek until they’re finally forced to take refuge at St Mary’s – where new dangers await them. As usual, there are plenty of moments of humour, but the final, desperate, Battle of St Mary’s is in grim earnest. Overwhelmed and outnumbered and with the building crashing down around them, how can St Mary’s possibly survive? So, make sure the tea’s good and strong…

The First Farrell Family Christmas Max, Leon and Matthew - together at last for Christmas at St Mary's - a time of conspicuous consumption, riotous misbehaviour and the traditional illegal Christmas jump. And this time, it's inter-generational. Donning her unfamiliar mother hat, Max takes Matthew back to 19th century London, where they plan to deliver a parcel of Christmas cheer to his former friends, but find themselves confronting the terrifying Old Ma Scrope in the process. 'Tis the season to be jolly. It's also the season of goodwill towards all mankind. Pity no one told Max.

Merry Christmas from Jodi Taylor. It's time for St Mary's traditional Christmas jump - even though it's only September... St Mary's has never lacked for enemies, but danger has never been closer to home. A state of war has broken out between St Mary's and the Women's Institute - the Raffia Mafia. Markham, Max, Peterson and Miss Sykes must jump to Restoration London in search of real Christmas pie - the honour of St Mary's is at stake. At least that how it all begins, but this is St Mary's after all...

Also available in The Long and Short of It. It's Christmas Eve at St Mary's, And all through the house, Nothing is stirring ... Except for Max, Peterson, and Markham, sneaking out at midnight for an assignment that is very definitely off the books. It's ten years ago tonight that Senior Historians Bashford and Grey went missing in twelfth-century Jerusalem. So how did they end up in AD60 Roman Colchester? Max has a theory. Peterson has a plan. Markham has bacon sandwiches. Colchester has Boudicca and her bloodthirsty Iceni hordes. And then there's the giant pig ... the enraged giant pig ...

Les visites dans le passé reprennent à l'institut de recherche historique de St Mary. Maxwell et ses excentriques confrères historiens partent pour de nouvelles aventures à travers le temps. Promue directrice du département d'Histoire, Maxwell va contrer, à l'aide de son équipe, les plans de leurs ennemis qu'ils croyaient neutralisés. C'est l'Histoire tout entière qui est menacée par ces fantômes du passé. Au bord du burn out, l'historienne utilise ses dernières forces pour maintenir l'équilibre dans l'Histoire et dans sa vie privée. Non sans rudesse, elle doit faire face à l'attaque de Jack l'Éventreur, à un St Mary du futur quelque peu différent, un séjour improvisé à Ninive, ou encore à la mort étrange d'Élizabeth Ière d'Angleterre.

Desiccated Water I was on my way to Peterson’s office for our Friday afternoon meeting. The one where he opens out a bottle of wine, I get out the glasses, and we both put our feet up and have a huge moan about the previous week. Sometimes the meetings are quite long. Anyway, I was making my way around the gallery, juggling the half dozen or so files I’d brought with me as camouflage – because it doesn’t do the other ranks any good at all to see a couple of senior officers setting a bad example – although, to be fair, most people were outside watching the Security and Technical Sections eviscerate each other in the name of sport – when Professor Rapson erupted – literally – from his lab shouting, ‘Eureka!’ He was fully clothed. Trust me – it was the first thing I checked. I said, ‘Good afternoon professor,’ because that’s how Markham would do it. Apparently now he’s Head of Security, standards must be maintained. What sort of standards of course, he never says. ‘Ah Max. Good news. I’ve done it.’ ‘So I gathered, professor. Jolly well done.’ ‘Thank you,’ he said. ‘I know it’s been a while but we got there in the end.’ ‘Excellent news, professor’ I said, trying to ignore the glass of wine shaped hole in my life and failing dismally. ‘I look forward to reading your report.’ ‘No, no, you don’t understand, Max. I’ve really done it.’ I stopped thinking about wine and concentrated. This was Professor Rapson after all. I asked the question I should have led with. ‘Exactly what have you done professor?’ ‘Well, as you know Max, water is very heavy.’ I stared at him. He looked comparatively normal. His hair was standing on end. He had a huge acid burn on one sleeve of his lab coat of which he appeared completely oblivious and was wearing one brown and one black shoe, so as I said – normal. He was, however, waving around a beaker of clear fluid. I stepped back because it could be anything. The Elixir of Life. Cerebral brain fluid – although if it was his it would probably be a little murkier. An untraceable deadly poison that would kill us all in seconds. Anything, really. He raised the beaker to his lips and drank deeply. I braced myself but nothing dreadful seemed to happen to him. ‘Water, Max. Water. I’ve done it.’ He raised the empty beaker. I half expected a flash of lightning and shouts of ‘It’s alive! It’s alive!’ but that usually relates to Markham. ‘What were you expecting, professor?’ ‘Well, water, obviously, Max.’ Never had a glass of wine seemed so far away. ‘Professor, please tell me – what is the project you’ve been working on?’ ‘Oh yes, of course. Well, as I said, Max, water is heavy. Leon’s always complaining about the weight of the tanks and how that messes up his calculations and he’s right so I thought I’d have a go.’ ‘At what, professor?’ ‘Desiccated water.’ Oh God ... ‘What?’ ‘Desiccated water, Max. Powdered water. The answer to all our problems. We reduce water down to a fine powder, bag it up in plastic and hey presto, portable water. No more tanks, no more heavy water bottles – just stick a couple of packs in your supplies and away you go. Small packs for your pocket. Something larger if you want a bath. Simple. Quick. Easy. Convenient.’ ‘Wow,’ I said. ‘That’s brilliant professor. Well done.’ ‘Thank you,’ he said modestly. ’I’m just off to show Chief Farrell.’ ‘He’ll be thrilled,’ I said, happily sacrificing Leon’s Friday afternoon, but wine deprivation can do that to a girl. ‘You must give him a complete demonstration. Several, in fact.’ ‘I will,’ he said, hair standing even more on end as he prepared to depart at top speed. ‘Just one question, professor.’ ‘Mm?’ ‘How do you reconstitute the powder?’ ‘What?’ ‘The powder. How exactly do you reconstitute desiccated water?’ ‘Oh, that’s easy.’ ‘’Yes? He regarded me as an idiot. ‘You just add water.’

A long time ago in the future, the secret of time travel became known to all. Unsurprisingly, the world nearly ended. There will always be idiots who want to change history. Enter the Time Police. An all-powerful, international organisation tasked with keeping the timeline straight. At all costs. Their success is legendary. The Time Wars are over. But now they must fight to save a very different future - their own. This is the story of Jane, Luke and Matthew - the worst recruits in Time Police history. Or, very possibly, three young people who might change everything.

Nicht einmal die Möglichkeit, durch die Zeit zu reisen, bewahrt Madeleine »Max« Maxwell vor Déjà-vus. Und so rennt sie schon wieder um ihr Leben – diesmal verfolgt von Jack the Ripper. Es wird nicht das letzte Mal sein. Ihre Mission führt sie über die hängenden Gärten von Ninive und den Mord an Thomas Becket bis zu einer außerplanmäßigen Dodo-Rettungsmission. Diesmal geht es nicht nur um den Schutz der ganzen Menschheit, sondern um das Bewahren der Zeit selbst – und dabei wird Max vom Chaos verfolgt, wann sie sich auch befindet. (Verlagstext)

Max is back! New husband, new job, and a training regime that cannot fail - to go wrong! Take one interim chief training officer, add five recruits, mix with Joan of Arc, a baby mammoth, a duplicitous father of history, a bombed rat, Stone Age hunters, a couple of passing policemen who should have better things to do, and Dick the Turd. Stir well, bring to the boil and wait for the bang! Join Max in the sixth instalment in the off-the-wall Chronicles of St Mary's series.

Team Weird are back causing havoc in the Time Police in this irresistible spin-off series by international bestseller Jodi Taylor, author of The Chronicles of St Mary's. If you love Doctor Who, Ben Aaronovitch and Jasper Fforde, you'll love the Time Police. A time slip in Versailles, problems in the Ice Age and illegal time travellers in need of rescue. Must be a job for the Time Police. Luke, Jane and Matthew are back and ready to cause havoc - inadvertently or otherwise - in their latest adventures.

Derrière la façade très académique de l’institut St Mary, les équipes d’historiens, de techniciens, de chercheurs ont découvert le secret du voyage dans le temps. Ici, on n’étudie pas seulement le passé, on le visite... Rattachée à la Police du Temps pour traquer le maléfique Clive Ronan, Madeleine Maxwell est loin de St Mary. La vie dans le futur a ses avantages, mais ça ne dure pas longtemps. Un dysfonctionnement de la Carte temporelle révèle le chaos au XVIe siècle où la mauvaise reine Tudor monte sur le trône. L’Histoire s’emballe, une équipe de St Mary est dans la ligne de tir et Max doit intervenir. Vous savez ce qu’on dit, « haut les cœurs ! », mais prévoyez le pire.

Dans ce cinquième tome, la jeune historienne Max et son équipe ont finalement récupéré de leurs blessures et la vie reprend tranquillement son cours à l'institut... jusqu'aux prochaines catastrophes. Prise au piège dans le grand incendie de Londres, puis piégée aux Thermopyles, Max doit lutter pour remettre l'Histoire sur les rails. Et éviter de voir le monde occidental bouleversé. Mais il va d'abord falloir passer la Journée portes ouvertes de St Mary, qui promet de très mal finir pour tout le monde. Une seule chose est certaine, rien n'est jamais tranquille à St Mary !

The tenth book in the bestselling Chronicles of St Mary's series which follows a group of tea-soaked disaster magnets as they hurtle their way around History. If you love Jasper Fforde or Ben Aaronovitch, you won't be able to resist Jodi Taylor. You can't change History. History doesn't like it. There are always consequences. Max is no stranger to taking matters into her own hands. Especially when she's had A Brilliant Idea. Yes, it will mean breaking a few rules, but - as Max always says - they're not her rules. Seconded to the Time Police to join in the hunt for the renegade Clive Ronan, Max is a long way from St Mary's. But life in the future does have its plus points - although not for long. A problem with the Time Map reveals chaos in the 16th century and the wrong Tudor queen on the throne. History has gone rogue, there's a St Mary's team right in the firing line and Max must step up. You know what they say. Hope for the best. But plan for the worst.

A Frogmorton Farm short story from the bestselling author of the Chronicles of St Mary's. It's Christmas time again and all is not well at Frogmorton Farm. Jenny and Russell's daughter, Joy, is growing up. Not quickly enough as far as she's concerned but far too quickly according to Russell. Father and daughter are at odds and suddenly the outlook is very dark indeed. That is until Thomas comes to the rescue. Everyone should have their own giant invisible golden horse . . .

Derrière la façade très académique de l’institut St Mary, les équipes d’historiens, de techniciens, de chercheurs ont découvert le secret du voyage dans le temps. Ici, on n’étudie pas seulement le passé, on le visite... De tasses de thé en histoires d’amour, St Mary pourrait presque oublier l’ombre maléfique de Clive Ronan. C’est sans compter sur Madeleine Maxwell qui est bien décidée à en finir avec celui qui menace l’équilibre de l’institut et celui qu’elle tente de retrouver avec Leon. Le plan qu’elle met au point avec ses amis historiens doit les transporter à Persépolis juste avant le grand incendie. Max ne se doute alors pas qu’avant de rentrer, elle va devoir faire un long détour par le St Mary du Moyen Âge. Un St Mary qu’elle n’imaginait pas pouvoir aimer autant…

A story of history, time travel, love, friendship and tea. Meet the disaster-magnets at the St Mary's Institute of Historical Research as they ricochet around history, observing, documenting, drinking tea and, if possible, not dying. Follow the catastrophe-curve from eleventh-century London to World War I, and from the Cretaceous Period to the destruction of the Great Library at Alexandria. Discover History – The New Sex

A ghost train, lost in Time, hurtles through the night... Two members of Team 236 are trapped on board. Not ideal under any circumstances but catastrophic when they're at each other's throats. Hot on their heels, but never quite able to catch up, can Lt Grint and his team overcome all obstacles in their way and save their fellow officers before the train disappears for good? Nor is TPHQ without its own problems as Matthew risks his sanity to track them through the Time Map. And a Mikey-experiment goes horribly wrong, exposing something better left concealed for all Time. What are the Time Police hiding? And what will they do to keep their secret?

Dietro la facciata apparentemente innocua dell’Istituto di ricerche storiche Saint Mary, si nasconde ben altro genere di lavoro accademico. Guai, però, a parlare di «viaggio nel tempo»: gli storici che lo compiono preferiscono dire che «studiano i maggiori accadimenti nell’epoca in cui sono avvenuti». E, quanto a loro, non pensate che siano solo dei tipi un po' eccentrici: a ben vedere, se li si osserva mentre rimbalzano da un’epoca all’altra, li si potrebbe considerare involontarie calamite-attira-disastri. La prima cosa che imparerete sul lavoro che si svolge al Saint Mary è che al minimo passo falso la Storia vi si rivolterà contro, a volte in modo assai sgradevole. Con una vena di irresistibile ironia, la giovane e intraprendente storica Madeleine Maxwell racconta le caotiche avventure del Saint Mary e dei suoi protagonisti: il direttore Bairstow, il capo Leon Farrell, Markham e tanti altri ancora, che viaggiano nel tempo, salvano il Saint Mary (spesso - anzi sempre - per il rotto della cuffia) e affrontano una banda di pericolosi terroristi della Storia, il tutto senza trascurare mai l’ora del tè. Dalla Londra dell’Undicesimo secolo alla Prima guerra mondiale, dal Cretaceo alla distruzione della Biblioteca di Alessandria, una cosa è certa: ovunque vadano quelli del Saint Mary, scoppierà il finimondo.

Le dernier tome de la série !Derrière la façade très académique de l'institut St Mary, les équipes d'historiens, de techniciens, de chercheurs ont découvert le secret du voyage dans le temps. Ici, on n'étudie pas seulement le passé, on le visite...Madeleine Maxwell est suspectée d'avoir abattu le directeur de St Mary. Elle doit s'enfuir et échafaude un plan qui l'emmène dans la Chine du XXe siècle. Là-bas, elle est confrontée à Insight, la sinistre organisation qui détourne l'Histoire. Ayant réussi à infiltrer leurs rangs, Max est parfaitement placée pour les arrêter, mais elle sait que sa couverture sera rapidement dévoilée. Pourra-t-elle éliminer Insight avant qu'ils ne s'en prennent à elle ? La boucle se resserre et il n'y aura qu'un seul survivant.Prix ActuSF 2021 pour l'ensemble de la série.

Madeleine Maxwell, Max per gli amici, ha scoperto di recente che la sua laurea in storia non l’avrebbe portata necessariamente a condurre una vita sedentaria, al limite della noia. Da quando è stata reclutata dall’Istituto di ricerche storiche Saint Mary, anzi, le ricerche sul campo la catapultano, insieme ai suoi colleghi, da un’epoca a un’altra senza troppe garanzie di far ritorno nel presente. Inviati in missione nella Londra vittoriana per cercare Jack lo Squartatore, gli storici del St. Mary's se la vedono veramente brutta quando è Jack lo Squartatore a trovare loro. Inseguita nelle strade nebbiose di Whitechapel, Max rischia veramente di fare una brutta fine. Di nuovo. E non è che l’inizio: l’inizio di una corsa contro il tempo per salvare il St. Mary's da un nemico pericolosissimo che ne vuole l'annientamento. Un nemico disposto a distruggere la Storia stessa. Dai giardini pensili di Ninive all’isola Mauritius per evitare l’estinzione dei dodo, all’Inghilterra dei Tudor, dove scoprirà una tragedia inedita di Shakespeare con un finale sconvolgente, il gruppo di storici più sgangherati e divertenti della letteratura continuerà le sue scorribande nella Storia, fra scoperte incredibili.

Derrière la façade très académique de l’institut St Mary, les équipes d’historiens, de techniciens, de chercheurs ont découvert le secret du voyage dans le temps. Ici, on n’étudie pas seulement le passé, on le visite... Tout va pour le mieux dans le meilleur des mondes pour Madeleine Maxwell et sa petite famille, installée à St Mary. Mais lorsque le plus grand ennemi de l’institut refait surface, le paradis de Max vire à l’enfer. De l’Égypte ancienne à la bataille d’Hastings en passant par la plus violente croisade de Constantinople, l’historienne va devoir garder son sang-froid et mobiliser toutes ses équipes pour tenter de sauver ceux qu’elle aime.

St Mary’s is back and is facing a battle to survive in this, the fourth instalment of the Chronicles. Max and Leon are re-united and looking forward to a peaceful lifetime together. But, sadly, they don’t even make it to lunchtime. The action races from 17th century London to Ancient Egypt and from Pompeii to 14th century Southwark as they’re pursued up and down the timeline, playing a perilous game of hide and seek until they’re finally forced to take refuge at St Mary’s – where new dangers await them. As usual, there are plenty of moments of humour, but the final, desperate, Battle of St Mary’s is in grim earnest. Overwhelmed and outnumbered and with the building crashing down around them, how can St Mary’s possibly survive? So, make sure the tea’s good and strong…

Derrière la façade très académique de l'institut St Mary, les équipes d'historiens, de techniciens, de chercheurs ont découvert le secret du voyage dans le temps. Ici, on n'étudie pas seulement le passé, on le visite... " Il est temps, Max. " C'est ainsi que s'ouvre un tout nouveau chapitre... Mais c'est bien connu, si une situation doit mal tourner, elle tournera mal. Et les catastrophes commencent à s'accumuler : un nouveau collègue qui n'a aucun respect pour le passé et beaucoup à prouver, des historiens perdus dans le temps, et – pire que tout – Rosie Lee qui va effectuer son tout premier saut. Sans compter la petite affaire du renvoi de Max. De l'Angleterre Tudor à la tour de Babel, tout va de travers. Sans emploi et sans abri, Max reçoit une offre qu'elle ne peut refuser. Autre temps, Autre lieu... Prix Spécial du Prix ActuSF de l'Uchronie 2021 pour l'ensemble de la série.

When all is lost. When everything is ending. When there's no hope. When you can't win. That's when you attack. Punching well above their weight, Max and Markham set out to bring down a sinister organisation whose roots might be firmly embedded in the future but whose focus is the past. Max's focus is staying alive long enough to reunite with Leon and Matthew - alternately helped and hindered by St Mary's. Who aren't always the blessing they like to think they are. And that's not all. Are the effects of constantly leaping around the timeline beginning to make themselves felt? Is Max going mad? Or are the ghosts of the past finally catching up with her?

'I've done some stupid things in my time. I've been reckless. I've broken a few rules. But never before have I ruined so many lives or left such a trail of destruction behind me.' As Max would be the first to admit, she's never been one for rules. They tend to happen to other people. But this time she's gone too far and everyone is paying the price. Grounded until the end of time, how can she ever put things right?

It’s Christmas and Jenny Checkland is beset with problems. The Vicar, who really should know better, has asked to borrow Marilyn the donkey for the Nativity Play thereby unleashing chaos on the already chaos-laden Frogmorton Farm. Will Marilyn survive her bath? Will anyone survive Marilyn’s bath? Robbed of her role as the Virgin Mary, what revenge is the Angel Gabriel plotting? Why is that sheep so fat? Will Charlie ever get to say his one line? Can Marilyn be prevented from eating the Baby Jesus? Where is Thomas, who promised he would be there? And worst of all – will Russell, lost on the moor in a blizzard, make it back in time for the birth of his first child? Or even at all? Another chance to meet the characters from the best-selling novel, The Nothing Girl, as they navigate the complexities of the local Nativity Play in their own, unique fashion.

Now in print for the very first time, this unmissable collection brings together seven short stories from the internationally bestselling Chronicles of St Mary's series, and one special guest tale from somewhere completely different. **Includes brand-new St Mary's short story When Did You Last See Your Father? and original introductions from the author**From riotous misbehaviour in Victorian London to ingenious feats of scientific invention (powdered water - just add water!), and from a chaotic Nativity play starring a vengeful Angel Gabriel to an illegal expedition to Mars, Jodi Taylor knows how to spin a good yarn. ---Christmas Past The Farrells are together at last for their first St Mary's Christmas, a time of riotous misbehaviour and the traditional illegal Christmas jump - this time to Victorian London.Battersea Barricades A glimpse into the past of some of your St Mary's favourites characters in the throes of Civil Uprisings.The Steam-Pump Jump St Mary's Max is injured and tied to Sick Bay but obviously a good historian would never let that get in her way. Step forward, Mr Markham...And Now For Something Completely Different Who would the St Mary's team be to turn down a little Christmas expedition to Mars? An illegal Christmas jump is traditional, after all.When Did You Last See Your Father? Have you ever wondered how things would go if Max's husband met Max's father? This is the story of what can happen if St Mary's doesn't like someone...Desiccated Water Professor Rapson breaks astonishing new ground with his latest feat of scientific invention. Markham and the Anal Probing When Markham disappears in the middle of nowhere, Max jumps to the logical conclusion - alien abduction. Little Donkey A chaotic Nativity play like no other, starring a donkey intent on eating the baby Jesus and a vengeful Angel Gabriel.

Markham and the Anal Probing And then there was the day when Markham managed to get himself snatched by aliens – or so we thought at the time. I was summoned to Dr Bairstow’s office to find Markham and Peterson already present. We looked at each other. ‘Any clues?’ I asked. They shrugged. ‘You can go in now,’ said Mrs Partridge, so in we went. He looked up from his desk. ‘There you are.’ We agreed that yes, here we were. He gestured at his briefing table on which reposed several archive boxes and a fat folder. ‘The County Archivist has been good enough to make available various documents requested by Dr Dowson. A condition was that we do not expose them to the hazards of a random delivery service.’ It was not clear whether it was the company or its delivery that was random, but we nodded anyway. ‘And so, I would like you, personally, to return these valuable documents with my compliments and thanks.’ He handed Peterson an envelope. ‘Of course, sir.’ ‘This afternoon, if you please.’ Peterson glanced at his watch. ‘It’s already afternoon, sir.’ ‘How quickly you grasp my meaning.’ ‘I do my best, sir.’ ‘I have assured the County Archivist that my best people are on the job. They being unavailable, however, I have therefore designated my Chief Operations Officer, my Head of Security and my Deputy Director to fulfil this simple task.’ His Deputy Directory, Head of Security and Chief Operations Officer assembled their best air of cool professionalism – which in our case consisted of standing a little straighter and not picking our noses. I don’t think he was impressed, staring at us bleakly for a few seconds and then demanding to know why we were still here. Since Peterson was burdened with the envelope, Markham and I seized the boxes and we left with all speed. ‘Right,’ said Peterson, ‘I shall assume full control of this mission.’ Markham made a rude noise. ‘Get changed and meet in the car park in ten minutes. That’s ten minutes, Max. No wafting around in front of mirrors trying on dresses.’ Now I made a rude noise. We met in the car park, shoving Markham and the boxes in the back, and departed. ‘A nice afternoon out,’ said a voice from behind the boxes, and we agreed. Now I know what you’re thinking. I can hear exactly what you’re thinking, so I will say now that the boxes were delivered on time and to the correct destination. The County Archivist herself took delivery so God knows what was in them. Peterson, after a series of nudges from me, remembered to hand over Dr Bairstow’s letter of thanks and they gave us a cup of tea. They were lovely people. I wish I worked there. We set off for the return trip, hoping to be back in time for tea, and things started to go wrong almost immediately. Peterson caught my eye. I always think that sounds as if you’ve been indulging in a quick game of eyeball tossing, but I knew what he meant ‘So,’ he said, almost casually, negotiating the last roundabout out of town and accelerating away, ‘how are things with you and Hunter?’ ‘OK,’ said Markham vaguely. ‘I think.’ ‘Don’t you know?’ ‘Well, it’s hard to tell sometimes, but I always think if she’s not coming at me with a kidney bowl then, you know, things aren’t too bad.’ ‘Why would she come at you with a kidney bowl?’ ‘Because she can’t find a bedpan.’ Peterson tried again. ‘So – got any celebrations planned then?’ ‘What for?’ ‘Well, you have an anniversary coming up.’ ‘What anniversary?’ ‘Wedding. You know. You and Hunter.’ There was a long silence from the back. ‘Don’t know what you mean.’ ‘I worked it out,’ said Peterson in his best I’m Peterson and I’m brilliant voice. ‘I’m looking at Hunter these days and she’s looking very well, isn’t she? Blooming, almost. And she’s a very moral girl is our Hunter. Well, she has to be since you don’t have a single moral to your name, so I reckon you had the ceremony just before or just after the Battle of St Mary’s which means there’s an anniversary coming up.’ There was a lot more silence from the back. ‘Oh come on,’ said Peterson. ‘Admit I’m right and the then the two of us can buy you a celebratory drink in the bar.’ More silence. ‘I’m right, aren’t I? Go on – say I’m right.’ Even more silence. ‘I don’t know why you won’t admit it,’ he said, slightly exasperated. ‘Are you ashamed of something? Wait until I tell Hunter you’re ashamed of her.’ He paused, hopefully. Nothing but silence. I pulled down the passenger’s sun flap and looked at the mirror. Markham was sitting with his arms folded and a stupid grin on his face. ‘I reckon,’ said Peterson, ‘the two of you snuck into the Register Office without telling anyone but I’m going to make you tell me just the same.’ Silence. ‘Right,’ he said. ‘You asked for it. Hold on tight, Max.’ We swerved off the road into a field, skidding to a halt in a shower of dust, stones and indignant birds. ‘What are we doing here?’ said Markham, picking himself up off the back seat and peering out ...

Er ist verschollen in einer anderen Zeit, und nur sie kann ihn retten.Madeleine „Max“ Maxwell wollte Archäologin werden, um Abenteuer zu erleben, unfassbare Entdeckungen zu machen und gelegentlich die Welt zu retten. Doch die Wirklichkeit holt sie ein: Archäologen verbringen ihre Zeit in Museen zwischen staubigen Büchern und noch staubigeren Fundstücken, die niemanden interessieren. Da erhält sie ein besonderes Jobangebot. Wenn sie die Zusatzausbildung übersteht – und die wenigsten tun das – wird sie Abenteuer erleben, die jene von Indiana Jones wie einen Sonntagsspaziergang aussehen lassen. Und wenn sie überlebt, wird sie wenigstens ein paar Mal die Welt retten …

Also available in The Long and Short of It. Like a smaller and much scruffier Greta Garbo – finally – Markham speaks!It’s Christmas and time for the first (and almost certainly last) St Mary’s Annual Children’s Christmas Party – attendance compulsory, by order of Dr Bairstow. Discovered practising his illegal reindeer dance and poo-dropping routine, our hero, along with fellow disaster-magnets Peterson and Maxwell, is despatched to Anglo-Saxon England to discover the truth about Alfred and the cakes.In his own words, our hero reveals Major Guthrie’s six-point guide to a successful assignment and the Security Section’s true opinion of the History Department. And of historians in general. And of one historian in particular.And, just to be clear, it is time travel, for God’s sake. Forget all that pretentious ‘investigating major historical events in contemporary time’ rubbish.This is history without the capital ‘H’. Because this is the way the Security Section rolls!

Jodi Taylor’s best-selling series The Chronicles of St Mary is back with a bang… St Mary’s has been rebuilt and it’s business as usual for the History department. But first, there’s the little matter of a seventeenth-century ghost that only Mr Markham can see. Not to mention the minor inconvenience of being trapped in the Great Fire of London…and an unfortunately-timed comfort break at Thermopylae leaving the fate of the western world hanging in the balance. Re-join Max’s madcap journey through time in Jodi Taylor’s fifth inter-dimensional instalment No Time Like the Past.

Derrière la façade très académique de l'institut St Mary, les équipes d'historiens, de techniciens, de chercheurs ont découvert le secret du voyage dans le temps. Ici, on n'étudie pas seulement le passé, on le visite... " J'ai fait des choses stupides dans ma vie. J'ai souvent été imprudente et j'ai enfreint beaucoup de règles. Mais jamais auparavant je n'avais ruiné autant de vies ni laissé un tel désastre derrière moi. " Max n'a effectivement jamais aimé suivre les règles, pensant qu'elles étaient faites pour les autres. Mais cette fois, elle est allée trop loin et tout le monde va devoir en payer le prix. Comment pourra-t-elle arranger les choses ?

The eleventh book in the bestselling Chronicles of St Mary's series. I would have trusted this man with my life. Until a couple of days ago, anyway.You know what they say - hope for the best, but plan for the worst.Max is quite accustomed to everything going wrong. She's St Mary's, after all. Disaster is her default state. But with her family reunited and a jump to Bronze Age Crete in the works, life is getting back to normal. Well, normal for St Mary's. And then, following one fateful night at the Tower of London, everything Max thought she knew comes crashing down around her.Too late for plans. The worst has happened. And who can Max trust now?

Derrière la façade très académique de l'institut St Mary, les équipes d'historiens, de techniciens, de chercheurs ont découvert le secret du voyage dans le temps. Ici, on n'étudie pas seulement le passé, on le visite ... " J'aurais confié ma vie à cet homme. Jusqu'à il y a quelques jours, en tout cas. " Madeleine Maxwell est habituée à ce que ça tourne mal. Elle travaille à St Mary, après tout, le désastre est son quotidien. Pourtant, lors d'un saut vers la Crète de l'âge du bronze avec sa famille, la vie semble presque normale. Enfin, normale selon St Mary ! Mais après une nuit fatidique à la Tour de Londres, tout s'effondre autour d'elle. Trop tard pour les plans. Il faut se préparer au pire. À qui Max peut-elle faire confiance maintenant ?

Also available in The Long and Short of It. Another rollicking short story from the Chronicles of St Mary's. Question: What sort of idiot installs his mistress in his wife's house? Especially when that mistress is Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator, Queen of Egypt and the most notorious woman of her time? Answer: Julius Caesar - poised to become King of Rome. Or as good as. Question: At this potentially sensitive point in your political manoeuvrings, who are the last people you'd want crashing through the door, observing, recording, documenting ...? I think we all know the answer to that one. Roman Holiday - an epic, stand alone tale set in Ancient Rome, 44 BC, featuring, in no particular order: an attempted murder, stampeding bullocks, Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile, a bowl of poisonous snakes, a smallish riot, Julius Caesar, and Mr Markham's wayward bosoms.

Pre-order a brand new TIME POLICE short story from million-copy bestselling author of THE CHRONICLES OF ST MARY'S. It all begins when the Time Police hold their first Children's Christmas Party. Their most dangerous mission yet . . . No good deed ever goes unpunished. Lt Grint succumbs to his softer side and soon lives to regret it. The combination of bubble universes, candy floss, a small boy, a toad named Mr Fluffy, Mount Fanboten, £6.5 million, and a love-struck Officer Lockland are all hard enough to believe, but imagine a situation so dire that only Officer Parrish can save the aforementioned Grint from a lengthy stay in prison. At least, he can - but will he? And, most unlikely of all, has Commander Hay's long-suffering adjutant finally experienced the first faint stirrings of romance? Is such a thing even possible?

Life is good for Team Weird, now heroes and fully fledged Time Police officers. Luke can't wait to bear arms. Jane has a date. And Matthew still hasn't had his hair cut. But Time waits for no one and neither do criminal masterminds. A major threat to the Timeline is looming, one far deadlier than mere idiots who want to change history. And when a familiar face becomes a Very Important Lead, will conflicting family loyalties spell trouble for Team Weird? One missing. One guilt-ridden. And one facing the end of their Time Police career before it's even begun. Not so good then, after all.

It’s Christmas again at St Mary's and time for Max’s obligatory illegal jump. On this occasion, however, they’re right up against it. A loaded gun has been left behind in Ancient Egypt and it’s up to them to retrieve it before anyone accidentally blows their own head off, thus affecting the timeline for centuries to come. And as if that’s not enough, someone (Max) has inadvertently poisoned Mr Markham. It’s hot, they’re running out of supplies, they can’t find the gun, and it’s all going horribly wrong. Again.

From the globally bestselling author of the Chronicles of St Mary's and Time Police series - the origin story of bounty hunters Smallhope and Pennyroyal.Meet Lady Amelia Smallhope, for whom there is no problem that can't be solved by a drink and a think.And Pennyroyal, for whom there is no problem. Ever.Everyone's favourite bounty hunters. Sorry - recovery agents. No bad guy they can't handle. No expense account too flexible. No adventure too outrageous.Join them as they settle scores, break every rule in the book and take the world by storm.Fasten your seatbelts. The timeline doesn't know what's hit it.

It's not easy being a rebel. So many new skills to assimilate. Never mind strategic planning, weapons expertise and the like - there's bicycle-stealing, oil-stain removal and boat steering to be mastered first. And quickly. It's the time of the Civil Uprisings and two young women set out to make a difference. Their only problem? They don't know where they are. Or where they're going. Or what to do when they get there. Other than that ... Fans of St Mary's will enjoy this glimpse into the past of some of their favourite characters.

St Mary's is under investigation. Their director has been shot and Max is Number One Suspect. Can things get any worse? We all know the answer to that one. Max needs to get away - fast - and a Brilliant Idea soon leads her to a full-scale uprising in twentieth-century China. If she can come by a historical treasure or two in the process, even better. That is, if she makes it out alive. Then there's the small matter of Insight - the sinister organisation from the future hell bent on changing History for their own dark ends. Having successfully infiltrated their ranks, Max is perfectly placed to stop them. But she knows her cover will soon be blown - because it's already happened. Can Max take down Insight before they come after her? The circle is closing, and only one can survive...

Also available in The Long and Short of It. Everyone deserves to get away for a bit. Even the miscreants at St Mary's. Astonishingly, Dr Bairstow has declared a holiday. Even more astonishingly - he's paying for it. Needless to say, there are strings attached. They have to record the 1601 performance of Hamlet, with Shakespeare himself in the role of the Ghost. It doesn't go well, of course.

Follow the disaster magnets of St Mary's as they hurtle around history! The ninth book in The Chronicles of St Mary's Series collects the bestselling short stories in print for the first time. When a Child Is Born A jump back to 1066 to witness the coronation of William the Conqueror goes slightly astray. Roman Holiday Max and her team become spectacularly involved with Julius Caesar, Cleopatra and a basket of confused asps. Christmas Present An attempt to rescue lost historians involving an enraged pig and Boudicca herself. The Very First Damned Thing Discover the truth about the very beginning of St Mary's. Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings A gun left behind in Ancient Egypt and a race against time to prevent a catastrophe. The Great St Mary's Day out Hooray! It's a happy holiday. For everyone except Max - the only one with her mind on the job. My Name is Markham Alfred, the cakes and Mr Markham. The Great British Bake Off it's not! And a bonus - a new and previously unpublished short story.

In the always eventful worlds of Jodi Taylor, it's never Christmas without illegal expeditions, riotous misbehaviour and stories you just can't put down . . .This festive collection takes readers from Frogmorton Farm to Time Police HQ via the Institute of Historical Research at St Mary's in five (and a bit) short stories. A Bumper Bundle of Christmas tales all in print for the very first time.Includes a Christmas message from the author herself and an exclusive new St Mary's scene, 'A Storm in a Teacup' --- Why is Nothing Ever Simple? For once, this Christmas jump is perfectly legal - though that doesn't make it any less dangerous. It's Major Guthrie's last, and to the Battle of Bannockburn, no less.The Ordeal of the Haunted Room Who wouldn't jump at the chance to experience an authentic Victorian Christmas? Complete with a murderous ghost and one terrifying night in a terrible storm.The Toast of Time Max and Markham prepare for their very first Christmas away from St Mary's, sure to be full of Peace and Goodwill to all men . . . plus Fabergé eggs, legendary swords and a belligerent ram.Santa Grint It all begins when the Time Police hold their first Christmas Party. Their most dangerous mission yet.Joy to the World When things take a unseasonably tricky turn on Frogmorton Farm, only Thomas can step in to save Christmas day . . .---'A Christmas treat that didn't disappoint' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a short story from The Chronicles of St Mary's' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'What more could you want in your stocking on Christmas morning' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'A highlight of my Christmas' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'As much a part of my Christmas as the pantomime, mince pies and the King's speech' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Jodi Taylor brings all her comic writing skills to this heart-warming tale of self-discovery. Getting a life isn't always easy. And hanging on to it is even harder... Known as “The Nothing Girl” because of her severe stutter and chronically low self-confidence, Jenny Dove is only just prevented from ending it all by the sudden appearance of Thomas, a mystical golden horse only she can see. Under his guidance, Jenny unexpectedly acquires a husband – the charming and chaotic Russell Checkland – and for her, nothing will ever be the same again. With over-protective relatives on one hand and the world's most erratic spouse on the other, Jenny needs to become Someone. And fast! Fans of Jodi Taylor's best-selling Chronicles of St Mary's series will adore the quirky humour in this new, contemporary novel.

A Christmas ghost story - Chronicles of St Mary's style! For fans of Doctor Who and Jasper Fforde...and A Christmas Carol. Where better for the annual festive jump than the chance to experience a real Victorian Christmas? On the longest night of 1895, a terrible storm rages above Harewood Hall. Max, Markham and an injured Peterson are welcomed in by the Harewood family, but quickly realise that the gathering is far from celebratory. For tonight marks the Ordeal of the Haunted Room. Every Harewood heir must endure one terrifying night alone in the Haunted Room before he can inherit the family seat. Legend says that ghosts will murder anyone who isn't the true heir. Francis Harewood's ordeal will begin at midnight and end at dawn, but it isn't long before everything goes horribly wrong....

From the bestselling author of The Chronicles of St Mary's. The Nothing Girl has grown up… It’s life as usual at Frogmorton Farm – which is to say that events have passed the merely eccentric and are now galloping headlong towards the completely bizarre. Once again Jenny struggles to stay afloat in the stormy seas of matrimony with her husband, Russell Checkland, together with an unlikely mix of Patagonian Attack Chickens, Jack the Sad Donkey, and Mrs Crisp’s mysterious boyfriend. The old favourites are still around, of course. There’s Marilyn the Omnivorous Donkey, Russell’s ex-girlfriend Don’t Call Me Franny, and the neurotic Boxer, currently failing to deal with butterfly trauma. So nothing much is new … except for the mysterious figure dogging Jenny’s steps and who, if she didn’t know better, she would swear was her sinister cousin Christopher, last seen being hurled from the house by her wayward husband. He couldn’t possibly be stupid enough to come back and try again … Could he?

Not one to let being banged up in Sick Bay stop her, Max has had a brilliant idea. But she needs Markham to execute it on her behalf. The subject of this cunning plan is Peterson, struggling with another bereavement and not doing very well. What’s needed to get him through it is sympathy, sensitivity, tact and understanding. Step forward Mr Markham, for whom sympathy, sensitivity, etc., are things that happen to other people. Combine a fanatic from R&D, a head of Security with his own problems, a steam-pump, two historians who can’t even be in the same room as each other, some fractious Protestants and a large body of very dirty water. Told in Markham’s own words, this is the story of an intervention – St Mary’s style.

Once again, the Toast of Time falls butter side down. Dr 'Max' Maxwell prepares for her very first Christmas away from St Mary's... It's that most wonderful time of the year once more. But Max and Markham are a long way from St Mary's. What sort of Christmas will it be without their loved ones? Settle down with a mince pie and a small sherry and prepare for an unlikely combination of Flying Auctions, Fabergé eggs, duped Time Police officers, the Parish Council, a TWOCed Bentley (no, not that one), legendary swords and a belligerent ram. Will it be Peace and Goodwill to all men? Well, we all know the answer to that...

Also available in The Long and Short of It. Ever wondered how it all began? It’s two years since the final victory at the Battersea Barricades. The fighting might be finished, but for Dr Bairstow, just now setting up St Mary's, the struggle is only beginning. How will he assemble his team? From where will his funding come? How can he overcome the massed ranks of the Society for the Protection of Historical Buildings? How do stolen furniture, a practical demonstration at the Stirrup Charge at Waterloo, students’ alcohol-ridden urine, a widowed urban guerrilla, a young man wearing exciting knitwear, and four naked security guards all combine to become the St Mary’s of the future?

Derrière la façade très académique de l'institut St Mary, les équipes d'historiens, de techniciens, de chercheurs ont découvert le secret du voyage dans le temps. Ici on n'étudie pas seulement le passé, on le visite. Dans ce troisième tome, la jeune historienne Madeleine Maxwell et son équipe sont de retour et rien ne va plus. De la rencontre avec Isaac Newton au champ de bataille sanglant d'Azincourt, les historiens volent d'une catastrophe à une autre. Mais c'est surtout à Troie, alors qu'Achille et Hector s'apprêtent à s'affronter sous ses yeux, que le destin de Max va se jouer. Car si elle espère pouvoir percer le mystère du cheval de Troie, expliquer la destruction de cette cité mythique et toucher du doigt le destin tragique de Cassandre, elle va aussi devoir faire des choix irréversibles.

À l'institut St Mary de recherche historique, les historiens n'étudient pas seulement le passé, ils le visitent.Derrière l'innocente façade de St Mary, le secret du voyage dans le temps a été découvert et reste bien gardé. Les chercheurs en Histoire ont ainsi une méthode de travail tout à fait particulière : ils " étudient 'en temps réel' les événements majeurs de l'Histoire ". En se faisant passer pour d'inoffensifs excentriques, ils tentent de répondre à certaines questions qui n'ont jamais été résolues, sans jamais toucher au cours de l'Histoire... au risque d'en mourir. Madeleine Maxwell, une jeune et brillante historienne est contactée par son ancien professeur afin de rejoindre l'équipe de l'Institut St Mary. Au cours de son étrange entretien d'embauche, Maxwell comprend vite les possibilités qui s'offrent à elle... De la disparition de Pompéi aux tranchées de la Première Guerre mondiale, du grand incendie de Londres à la destruction de la bibliothèque d'Alexandrie, la jeune historienne va revivre d'extraordinaires événements. Alors qu'au sein de l'institut naissent des enjeux de pouvoir...

Join Max in the sixth instalment in the off-the-wall bestselling Chronicles of St Mary’s series by Jodi Taylor. Max is back! New husband, new job, and a training regime that cannot fail – to go wrong! Take one interim Chief Training Officer, add five recruits, mix with Joan of Arc, a baby mammoth, a duplicitous Father of History, a bombed rat, Stone Age hunters, a couple of passing policemen who should have better things to do, and Dick the Turd. Stir well, bring to the boil – and wait for the bang!

It's Christmas Day 1066 and a team from St Mary's is going to witness the coronation of William the Conqueror.Or so they think.However, History seems to have different plans for them and when Max finds herself delivering a child in a peasant's hut, she can't help wondering what History is up to.

'Max, your father is here. He's come to take Matthew away' Have you ever wondered what would happen if Max's husband met Max's father? What would Leon do? They're normally a fairly amiable bunch, but this is the story of what to expect if St Mary's doesn't like someone. As in, really doesn't like someone. Warning: contains a unit-wide criminal enterprise, a great deal of illegal activity and a sad misuse of public resources. All the things a father will do to protect his family. It is also a story of revenge. Because this is payback - St Mary's style.

A special Chronicles of St Mary's Christmas short story that is sure to entertain. If you love Jasper Fforde or Ben Aaronovitch, you won't be able to resist Jodi Taylor. Bannockburn. Major Guthrie. The traditional St Mary's illegal Christmas jump. All terribly straightforward, surely...