James Leasor: 28 books

‘Highly absorbing account of the corruption of an individual during a particularly sordid era of British imperial history,’ The Sunday Times ‘James Leasor switches to the China Sea more than a century ago, and with pace and ingenuity tells, in novel form, how the China coast was forced...

James Leasor cleverly reconstructs events surrounding a brutal and unusual murder. It is 1943 and Sir Harry Oakes lies horrifically murdered at his Bahamian mansion. Although a self-made multi-millionaire, Sir Harry is an unlikely victim there are no suggestions of jealousy or passion. Why does the Duke...

New York Times 'Could hardly be a more timely parable for our day' Evening Standard 'An engrossing and vivid impression of those terrible days' Sunday Express 'Absorbing. . .an excellent account of the two most fantastic years in London's history' This book chronicles the horror and human...

"Superbly authentic atmosphere, taut narration" - The Observer"Mr. Leasor brings to 'Nothing to Report' a journalist's straightforwardness, and an on-the-spot sureness about how frightened men behave, that are both refreshing and effective." - SpectatorIn the early spring of 1944,...

James Leasor's two preceding books in his chronicle of the Far East a century and half ago - FOLLOW THE DRUM and MANDARIN-GOLD were acclaimed by critics on both sides of the Atlantic. THE CHINESE WIDOW is their equal. It combines the ferocious force of the Dutch mercenaries who seek to destroy Gunn's...

The R101 airship was thought to be the model for the future, an amazing design that was as safe as houses. . .except for the millionth chance. On the night of 4 October 1930 that chance in a million came up however. James Leasor brilliantly reconstructs the conception and crash of this huge ship of the...

‘This is a battle piece of the finest kind, detailed, authentic and largely written from original documents. Mr. Leasor has a formidable gift of narrative. Never has this story of hate, violence, courage and cowardice been better told.’ Cecil Woodham-Smith in the New York Times A year...

William Richard Morris, later Viscount Nuffield, set up business as a cycle agent and manufacturer in Oxford, in 1893, at the age of sixteen. He was, through sheer hard work, to go on to make the Morris-Oxford car and set up the famous car works at Cowley, where many other Morris designs were manufactured,...

Rudolf Hess, Hitlers Deputy Führer, Leader of the Nazi Party, flew alone in an unarmed aeroplane, through a night of fire and ruin, on the most dangerous flight of his life. This is an amazing true story of his secret peace mission in 1941, with plans to end the war but on Germanys terms. Leasor...

In the sequel to “They Dont Make Them Like That Any More” our vintage car dealer gets involved in a scheme to import some vintage cars from Nassers Egypt. From the run of the mill trades of London our hero finds himself in Cairo and trying to export a Bugatti Royale, probably the rarest car on the...

Franz von Werra was the only German prisoner of war to escape and return to Germany after being captured by the Allies. An incredibly charismatic, inventive and self-confident man, he was a Luftwaffe ace shot down in the Battle of Britain. The One that Got Away tells the full and exciting story of his...

When Singapore fell to the Japanese on 15 February 1942, it was a devastating blow to the Allies, the British Empire and signalled a significant turning point in history. James Leasors story begins as far back as the early nineteenth century, with imperialism and the settlement founded by Sir Stamford...

Cecil Rhodes and Barney Barnato were born within a year of each other, one the son of a Hertfordshire clergyman, the other in the East End of London.  They separately emigrated to South Africa and, despite all the odds, both became multi-millionaires due to their success at diamond mining....

They dont make them like that any more. Cars, that is. They dont, and they never will again. Which accounts for the enormous world-wide interest in old motors of every description, and the fantastic prices that they fetch. Behind this latest manifestation of the international antique trade, lies a strange...