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Jodi Taylor

    January 1, 2000

    Jodi Taylor's writing is deeply informed by her lifelong fascination with history, particularly periods before 1485. She crafts narratives that blend humor, suspense, and a profound engagement with the past, offering readers captivating and often unexpected journeys. Taylor skillfully weaves elements of adventure and mystery, frequently set against historical backdrops, exploring how past events shape the present. Her stories are recognized for their brisk pacing and original take on genre conventions.

    Jodi Taylor
    Another Time, Another Place
    Hope for the Best
    Saving Time
    The Ballad of Smallhope and Pennyroyal
    Plan for the Worst
    The Good, The Bad and The History
    • The Good, The Bad and The History

      • 509 pages
      • 18 hours of reading

      In this thrilling installment of the Chronicles of St Mary's series, the stakes are higher than ever as St Mary's faces a dire investigation following the shooting of their director, with Max as the prime suspect. Desperate to escape her predicament, Max devises a daring plan that leads her to a full-scale uprising in twentieth-century China, hoping to acquire some historical treasures along the way—if she can survive the chaos. Meanwhile, the shadowy organization Insight, intent on manipulating history for their nefarious purposes, has infiltrated her world. Max finds herself in a precarious position, knowing her cover is at risk of being blown. As the threat from Insight looms larger, she must race against time to thwart their plans before they come for her. With tension building and danger closing in, only one can emerge victorious. This captivating narrative is perfect for fans of Terry Pratchett, Jasper Fforde, Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club series, and Doctor Who. Readers rave about Jodi Taylor's unique storytelling, praising her imaginative plots and the irresistible charm of Max Maxwell, making this series a highlight for many.

      The Good, The Bad and The History
      4.6
    • Plan for the Worst

      • 512 pages
      • 18 hours of reading

      The eleventh book in the bestselling Chronicles of St Mary's series. If you love Jasper Fforde, Ben Aaronovitch or Doctor Who, you won't be able to resist Jodi Taylor. 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? Readers love Jodi Taylor: 'Once in a while, I discover an author who changes everything... Jodi Taylor and her protagonista Madeleine "Max" Maxwell have seduced me' 'A great mix of British proper-ness and humour with a large dollop of historical fun' 'Addictive. I wish St Mary's was real and I was a part of it' 'Jodi Taylor has an imagination that gets me completely hooked' 'A tour de force'

      Plan for the Worst
      4.6
    • The Ballad of Smallhope and Pennyroyal

      Meet your favourite new partners-in-crime in 2024's most hilarious time-travel caper

      Exploring the origins of the renowned bounty hunters Smallhope and Pennyroyal, this tale delves into their adventures and the unique dynamics of their partnership. Set against a backdrop of thrilling escapades, the story highlights their skills, challenges, and the world they navigate as they establish their legendary reputations. Fans of the author will enjoy the blend of humor, action, and character development that brings these intriguing figures to life.

      The Ballad of Smallhope and Pennyroyal
      4.6
    • Time waits for no one and neither do criminal masterminds in this irresistible spin-off from the bestselling CHRONICLES OF ST MARY'S.

      Saving Time
      4.5
    • Hope for the Best

      • 320 pages
      • 12 hours of reading

      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. Readers love Jodi Taylor: 'Once in a while, I discover an author who changes everything... Jodi Taylor and her protagonista Madeleine "Max" Maxwell have seduced me' 'A great mix of British proper-ness and humour with a large dollop of historical fun' 'Addictive. I wish St Mary's was real and I was a part of it' 'Jodi Taylor has an imagination that gets me completely hooked' 'A tour de force'

      Hope for the Best
      4.5
    • The twelfth book in the bestselling Chronicles of St Mary's series. If you love Jasper Fforde, Ben Aaronovitch or Doctor Who, you won't be able to resist Jodi Taylor. At long last it's all over. Job done. Max has her life back and everything is set for the traditional happy ending. Except, this is St Mary's and if something can go wrong it will. Disaster is piled upon catastrophe. A new Head of Security. A new Director of St Mary's. Historians lost in time. And Max dishonourably discharged. Jobless and homeless, she receives an offer she cannot refuse and suddenly finds herself in another time and another place. Just a way to pass the weeks until she can reunite with Leon - or so she thinks. Because events are on the move and, as usual, St Mary's is at the centre of the storm.

      Another Time, Another Place
      4.5
    • 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?

      An Argumentation of Historians
      4.5
    • 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. The Time Police do not have problems. They have challenges. Idiots who want to change history have always proved 'challenging'. But now temporal tourism is on the rise - highly illegal but highly lucrative. If you're prepared to take the risk. To face down this threat the Time Police will despatch their toughest undercover agents. Which is fine until the unthinkable happens. Replacements are needed fast and who better than three young officers who don't even look the part? Step forward Jane, Luke and Matthew. They may be about to graduate, but there's still plenty of time for everything to go wrong. Throw in the Versailles time slip, a covert jump to Ancient Egypt and a race against Time itself and you've got yourself an assignment worthy of Team Weird. Readers loved DOING TIME: 'This got five stars only because I couldn't give it six!' 'I don't think I've ever laughed out loud so much reading a book' 'Joyous, breakneck-speed adventures' 'Lots more in this series please' 'This book is BRILLIANT'

      Hard Time
      4.5
    • "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."--Publisher

      About Time
      4.5
    • 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?

      A Catalogue of Catastrophe
      4.4
    • The Long and the Short of It

      • 480 pages
      • 17 hours of reading

      In print for the very first time, The Long and Short of It collects eight unmissable short stories from the international bestselling Chronicles of St Mary's series. With introductions plus the brand new short story, A Perfect Storm. 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 From the very beginning of St Mary's. Discover the truth behind Markham s stolen furniture and Professor Rapson s flies. 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! 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!

      The Long and the Short of It
      4.4
    • Lies, Damned Lies, and History

      • 416 pages
      • 15 hours of reading

      The seventh 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. Rules are meant to be broken, aren't they? '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.' Max has never been one for rules. They tend to happen to other people. But this time she's gone too far. And everyone at St Mary's is paying the price. With the History Department disintegrating around her and grounded until the end of time, how can she ever put things right? Readers love Jodi Taylor: 'Once in a while, I discover an author who changes everything... Jodi Taylor and her protagonista Madeleine "Max" Maxwell have seduced me' 'A great mix of British proper-ness and humour with a large dollop of historical fun' 'Addictive. I wish St Mary's was real and I was a part of it' 'Jodi Taylor has an imagination that gets me completely hooked' 'A tour de force'

      Lies, Damned Lies, and History
      4.4
    • The sixth book in the bestselling British madcap time-travelling series, served with a dash of wit that seems to be everyone’s cup of tea. 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. The Chronicles of St. Mary’s tells the madcap adventures of Madeleine Maxwell and her compatriots—Director Bairstow, Leon “Chief” Farrell, Mr. Markham, and many more—as they travel through time, saving the St. Mary’s Institute (too often by the very seat of their pants) and thwarting time-travelling terrorists, all the while leaving plenty of time for tea. In What Could Possibly Go Wrong? Max is back, with a new husband, a new job, and a training regime that cannot fail . . . to go wrong. Take one interim chief training officer, add five recruits, and 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 a boil—and wait for the bang!

      The Chronicles of St. Mary's - 6: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
      4.4
    • Long Story Short

      • 432 pages
      • 16 hours of reading

      "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."--Provided by publisher.

      Long Story Short
      4.4
    • The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

      A Christmas Short-Story Collection

      • 448 pages
      • 16 hours of reading

      Featuring five festive short stories, this collection showcases the charm and wit of Jodi Taylor, an international bestseller. Each tale captures the spirit of the holiday season, blending humor and heartwarming moments, making it a delightful read for anyone looking to embrace the joy of this special time of year. Perfect for fans of Taylor's work and newcomers alike, this collection is a celebration of Christmas and the magic it brings.

      The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
      4.3
    • No Time Like the Past

      • 400 pages
      • 14 hours of reading

      The St Mary's Institute of Historical Research has finally recovered from its wounds and it's business as usual for those rascals in the History Department. From being trapped in the Great Fire of London to an unfortunately timed comfort break at Thermopylae, which leaves the fate of the western world hanging in the balance, Max must struggle to get History back on track. But first, they must get through the St Mary's Fete - which is sure to end badly for everyone. Only one thing is certain, life at St Mary's is never dull!

      No Time Like the Past
      4.3
    • And the rest is history

      • 448 pages
      • 16 hours of reading

      The eighth 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. Because, my dear Max, you dance on the edge of darkness ... and I don't think it would take very much for you to dance my way. When an old enemy appears out of nowhere with an astonishing proposition for Max - a proposition that could change everything Max is tempted. Very tempted. With an end to an old conflict finally in sight, it looks as if St Mary's problems are over with. Can they all now live happily ever after? As everything hangs in the balance, Max and St Mary's find themselves engulfed in tragedies worse than they could ever imagine. Is this the end? Readers love Jodi Taylor: 'Once in a while, I discover an author who changes everything... Jodi Taylor and her protagonista Madeleine "Max" Maxwell have seduced me' 'A great mix of British proper-ness and humour with a large dollop of historical fun' 'Addictive. I wish St Mary's was real and I was a part of it' 'Jodi Taylor has an imagination that gets me completely hooked' 'A tour de force'

      And the rest is history
      4.3
    • Long Shadows

      • 416 pages
      • 15 hours of reading

      The third novel in the gripping supernatural thriller series from international bestselling author Jodi Taylor, perfect for fans of Sarah Painter and Genevieve Cogman. 'I don't know who I am. I don't know what I am.' The identity of Elizabeth Cage has always been a mystery. Even she doesn't know who she is. But someone has suspicions. Someone has played the long game. Someone is about to find out. And it's not Elizabeth herself. Readers love Jodi Taylor: 'Jodi Taylor does brilliant, strong female heroes, and Elizabeth follows on from Max in the St Mary's series' 'I look forward to another adventure with this quirky and perfectly matched pair' 'Hold on to your seat and close your eyes if you dare!' 'Gripping and full of curious plot turns' 'An on-the-edge-of-your-seat thriller where no assumptions can be made'

      Long Shadows
      4.3
    • The Nothing Girl

      • 320 pages
      • 12 hours of reading

      Jodi Taylor, author of the internationally bestselling Chronicles of St Mary's series, brings all her comic writing skills to this heart-warming tale of self-discovery.

      The Nothing Girl
      4.3
    • A Trail Through Time

      • 400 pages
      • 14 hours of reading

      The fourth 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. Sometimes, surviving is all you have left. Max and Leon are safe at last. Or so they think. Snatched from her own world and dumped into a new one, Max is soon running for her life. Again. From a 17th century Frost Fair to Ancient Egypt; from Pompeii to 8th century Scandinavia; Max and Leon are pursued up and down the timeline, playing a dangerous game of hide-and-seek, until finally they're forced to take refuge at St Mary's where a new danger awaits them. Max's happily ever after is going to have to wait a while... Readers love Jodi Taylor: 'Once in a while, I discover an author who changes everything... Jodi Taylor and her protagonista Madeleine "Max" Maxwell have seduced me' 'A great mix of British proper-ness and humour with a large dollop of historical fun' 'Addictive. I wish St Mary's was real and I was a part of it' 'Jodi Taylor has an imagination that gets me completely hooked' 'A tour de force'

      A Trail Through Time
      4.3
    • Doing Time

      • 480 pages
      • 17 hours of reading

      Introducing The Time Police, the brand-new series from international bestseller Jodi Taylor - an irresistible spinoff from The Chronicles of St Mary's series.

      Doing Time
      4.2
    • A Second Chance

      • 400 pages
      • 14 hours of reading

      The third 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. History happens all around you. And, occasionally, to you. I could have been a bomb-disposal expert, or a volunteer for the Mars mission, or a firefighter, something safe and sensible. But, no, I had to be an historian. It began well. A successful assignment to 17th century Cambridge to meet Isaac Newton, and another to witness the historic events at The Gates of Grief. So far so good. But then came the long-awaited jump to the Trojan War that changed everything. And for Max, nothing will ever be the same again. With the bloody Battle of Agincourt playing out around her, Max risks everything on one last desperate gamble to save a life and learns the true meaning of a second chance. Readers love Jodi Taylor: 'Once in a while, I discover an author who changes everything... Jodi Taylor and her protagonista Madeleine "Max" Maxwell have seduced me' 'A great mix of British proper-ness and humour with a large dollop of historical fun' 'Addictive. I wish St Mary's was real and I was a part of it' 'Jodi Taylor has an imagination that gets me completely hooked' 'A tour de force'

      A Second Chance
      4.2
    • The Something Girl

      • 320 pages
      • 12 hours of reading

      From the author of the internationally bestselling Chronicles of St Mary's series...

      The Something Girl
      4.1
    • Orwell

      • 500 pages
      • 18 hours of reading

      Orwell has become one of the most potent and symbolic figures in western political thought. Even the adjective 'Orwellian' is now a byword for a particular way of thinking about life, literature and language yet, despite this iconic status, the man who was born Eric Blair in 1903 remains an enigma.

      Orwell
      4.1
    • Dark Light

      • 352 pages
      • 13 hours of reading

      A twisty supernatural thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat, from bestselling author Jodi Taylor.

      Dark Light
      4.1
    • White Silence

      • 384 pages
      • 14 hours of reading

      A twisty supernatural thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat, from bestselling author Jodi Taylor.

      White Silence
      4.0
    • Doing time The time police 1

      • 480 pages
      • 17 hours of reading

      "A long time ago in the future, the secret of time travel became known to all. Everyone seized the opportunity -- and the world nearly ended. There will always be idiots who want to change history. And so, the Time Police were formed. An all-powerful, intenational organisation tasked with keeping the timeline straight. At all costs Their success is legendary, and the Time Wars are over. But now the Time Police must fight to save a very different future -- their own.."--Provided by publisher.

      Doing time The time police 1
      4.1
    • A Symphony of Echoes

      • 384 pages
      • 14 hours of reading

      The second 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. Wherever the historians go, chaos is sure to follow... Dispatched to Victorian London to seek out Jack the Ripper, things go badly wrong when he finds the St Mary's historians first. Stalked through the fog-shrouded streets of Whitechapel, Max is soon running for her life. Again. And that's just the start. Max finds herself in a race against time when an old enemy is intent on destroying St Mary's. An enemy willing, if necessary, to destroy History itself. From the Hanging Gardens of Nineveh to the murder of Thomas a Becket, via an unscheduled dodo rescue mission, join the historians of St Mary's as they hurtle around History on more hilarious, hair-raising escapades Readers love Jodi Taylor: 'Once in a while, I discover an author who changes everything... Jodi Taylor and her protagonista Madeleine "Max" Maxwell have seduced me' 'A great mix of British proper-ness and humour with a large dollop of historical fun' 'Addictive. I wish St Mary's was real and I was a part of it' 'Jodi Taylor has an imagination that gets me completely hooked' 'A tour de force'

      A Symphony of Echoes
      4.1
    • Bright Young People

      • 352 pages
      • 13 hours of reading

      For many, their progress through the 'serious' Thirties, when the age of parties was over and another war hung over the horizon, led only to drink, drugs and disappointment, and in the case of Elizabeth Ponsonby - whose story forms a central strand of this book - to a family torn apart by tragedy.

      Bright Young People
      3.6
    • Just One Damned Thing After Another

      • 336 pages
      • 12 hours of reading

      Time Travel meets History in this explosive bestselling adventure series. 'So tell me, Dr Maxwell, if the whole of History lay before you ...where would you go? What would you like to witness?' When Madeleine Maxwell is recruited by the St Mary's Institute of Historical Research, she discovers the historians there don't just study the past - they revisit it. But one wrong move and History will fight back - to the death. And she soon discovers it's not just History she's fighting...Follow the tea-soaked disaster magnets of St Mary's as they rattle around History. Because wherever the historians go, chaos is sure to follow.

      Just One Damned Thing After Another
      3.3
    • Miss Maxwells chaotischer Zeitkompass

      • 480 pages
      • 17 hours of reading

      Die etwas andere Zeitreiseserie – »Viel Humor, viel Action und sogar ein Hauch von Romantik.« Library Journal Madeleine »Max« Maxwell erlebt trotz der Möglichkeit, durch die Zeit zu reisen, immer wieder Déjà-vus. Diesmal wird sie von Jack the Ripper verfolgt und muss um ihr Leben rennen. Ihre Mission führt sie durch die hängenden Gärten von Ninive, zum Mord an Thomas Becket und sogar zu einer unerwarteten Dodo-Rettungsmission. Es geht nicht nur um den Schutz der Menschheit, sondern auch um das Bewahren der Zeit selbst – und das Chaos verfolgt Max in jeder Epoche, in der sie sich befindet. Die chaotischen und unabhängig voneinander lesbaren Abenteuer der zeitreisenden Madeleine »Max« Maxwell bei Blanvalet umfassen mehrere Bände, darunter Miss Maxwells kurioses Zeitarchiv, Doktor Maxwells chaotischer Zeitkompass und Doktor Maxwells skurriles Zeitexperiment. Weitere Titel sind Doktor Maxwells wunderliches Zeitversteck, Doktor Maxwells spektakuläre Zeitrettung und Doktor Maxwells paradoxer Zeitunfall. Zusätzlich gibt es E-Book Short-Storys wie Doktor Maxwells weihnachtliche Zeitpanne, Doktor Maxwells römischer Zeiturlaub und Doktor Maxwells winterliches Zeitgeschenk. Weitere Bände sind bereits in Vorbereitung.

      Miss Maxwells chaotischer Zeitkompass
      3.6