Showing results by narrator "Luke Francis" in All Categories

Max Best is not living his—ahem—best life. His job's a drag, his home's a shooting gallery, his hopes are nil, and lately, even his beloved game of football has devolved from a chaotic, ecstatic delight into a cold, calculating equation complete with stats, tech terms, and mindless lingo. But then Max rescues a mysterious old man from a mugging. "Nick" seems friendly enough . . . until he innocently asks his savior, "Would you sell your soul to be a top football manager?" Naturally, Max says yes, and in that instant, everything changes.

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER SHORTLISTED FOR SPORTS AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR AT THE 2020 TELEGRAPH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS. BEN STOKES: WINNER OF THE 2019 BBC SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR AWARD In summer 2019 England won the Cricket World Cup for the very first time since the tournament's inception...

From world-renowned adventurer and bestselling author of The Art of Resilience and The World’s Fittest Book, comes the ultimate blueprint to building a bulletproof body. ‘He’s an animal’ CHRIS HEMSWORTH ‘The inner workings of a sports science genius’ EDDIE HALL, former World’s...

Liverpool's blistering brand of football (soccer) has revived a sleeping giant, energized its vast army of fans, entertained crowds at home and all over the world, and redefined coaching excellence. Now Pep tells the inside story of a season which, even by LFC standards, has been truly sensational. Week by week as the drama unfolds it's all here: from pre-season to unforgettable finale; great goals and grueling schedules; passionate team-talks and personal reflections; unsung heroes and Kop idols; the pride and the passion, the joy and the heartache… and the fun.

Recovered from a near-fatal assault and rearmed with his embedded football scouting skills, former nobody Max Best has led his Chester men's team up in the rankings and ratings both on the pitch and in the front office. But there's no rest to be had with what's ahead: the FA Cup. Now, they're playing against big-money teams with big talent and even bigger attitudes. And the elite aren't about to let some smart-aleck, fast-talking upstart and his underdog lads make the powerhouse clubs look like fools. Unfortunately for them, that's precisely what Max lives for.

Two series of the BBC Radio 4 sitcom about an alien invasion of a small village, starring Hattie Morahan and Julian Rhind-Tutt with Peter Davison and Jan Francis. When the small Buckinghamshire village of Cresdon Green is invaded by an alien race called the Geonin, the local residents come up against Uljabaan, the smooth-talking leader of the aliens.

Nestled amongst the comforting shelves of her beloved Bay Books, Lily Appleton finds the peace and quiet she needs. But with Christmas just around the corner, Lily has to find an extra pair of hands to help her share the bookish magic. After selling his business, Lars Jóhannsson is feeling lost. A job at Bay Books would give him the space he needs to contemplate his next move, but returning would mean confronting a painful past he's been avoiding. He’s also fairly sure he’s the one person Lily would never want to see again.

Max Best was on a roll. After climbing the ranks at Chester FC with his burning desire, innate talent, and the "curse" of a sentient heads-up display with knowledge of all things footie, he was named the club's electrifying new director of football. Seizing the opportunity, he saved the day and led the team out of relegation. But that's when someone tried to murder him . . .

Football is a game of steps: Quick steps. Trick steps. Even sneaky, slick steps. Whether you're on or off the pitch, you best know your footing. And for Max Best, that's no problem at all. He has the ability to read players to a T—thanks to the sentient stat-tracking display he received after saving an elderly man in the streets. Now, as director of football for Chester FC, everything's falling into place for Max. His team is climbing the ranks. He's executing great transfers and hired a literal old hand for his brand-new women's team. What could go wrong?

Single dad, Joel Grainger, is devoted to his little girl, Imogen, doing all he can to be a key part of her life. But with Imogen’s mum being ever more difficult and Joel’s job suddenly in doubt, he’s worried that everything is about to change. Joel has given everything to Imogen, and he doesn’t regret it, but maybe he’s lost himself along the way… Since her dad’s heart-breaking dementia diagnosis, Poppy Wells has been struggling and desperately needs a break. An opportunity to stay in gorgeous Whisperwood Farmhouse couldn’t be more perfect.

Her body is found on Wednesday morning. Hanging from a tree. Halfway between May Beck and Falling Foss. Brady’s got one clue. And only one clue. Five tarot cards. But are they a message for him? A warning for the dead woman? Or a reading for a client? Is the answer in her past? Or in someone else’s future?

When football fanatic and loveable loser Max Best saved an old codger from a mugging, he never expected to be rewarded with the ability to immediately pinpoint a player's specific skills—and use that knowledge to up his own levels. Ever since that fateful night, Max has devoted himself to the game far more than any mere fan, becoming not only a serious footballer in his own right but a leader both on and off the pitch.

Not too long ago, Max Best was stuck in a dead-end job, trudging from one day to the next and mourning the fact that his burning love of soccer was getting buried in a landslide of cold statistics and intangible tactics. Then, after saving an old man from a mugging, he was "cursed" with the ability to instantly ascertain a soccer player's attributes on sight and use that knowledge to upgrade his own skills. Now he's making a name for himself as an amateur team manager, but it's not enough for him to ditch his dud of a job.

When a giant sperm whale washes up on the local beach and tells Joe Gunner that death will follow him wherever he goes. Joe knows that the place he needs to go is home. Having stormed out two years ago, it won't be easy. Nor will returning to the river alongside the house where words ripple beneath the muddy black water washing up all sorts of memories and disturbing prophecies. Joe turns to his sister, Birdee, the only person who has ever listened and to Tim Fysh, a local fisherman and longtime lover - but reviving their bond leads to trouble.

In Robbie Fowler: My Life in Football, Robbie takes us on a journey through the games that have shaped his career and thinking about football, from Hillsborough to Istanbul, via the cup treble, that celebration, all those goals, Houllier, Benitiez, Klopp and the rest. Personal and revealing, Robbie's stories come from a life spent inside the game. He invites us inside the dressing room, sharing stories of legendary teammates like Rush, Owen and Gerrard, his love of the Kop, his greatest achievements and his regrets - as well as the money, fame and hoopla that surround the game.

Sunny, a working-class reporter at the trashy tabloid The Bulletin, dreams of writing hard-hitting stories that change the world. Ludo, a privileged musical theatre fanatic turned journalist at the prestigious Sentinel, can’t seem to enter a room without causing chaos. When an unexpected scoop lands in their laps at the same time, thrusting them into a web of political intrigue, these arch-nemeses find themselves reluctantly working together—and fighting an unexpected attraction.

Michael Brady is back. The Edge of Truth is the fifth book in the series. And there’s a ghost from Brady’s past....

This book is a study in high-performance sporting excellence and elite management. But more than that, it is a true insider's guide: to how Manchester City won an unprecedented and historic Treble in 2023, and how a near-perfect footballing machine was built from the ground up. Prepare for The Blueprint: a white-knuckle ride through a sporting dynasty the likes of which the game has never seen before.

The past will never let you go... When a four-year-old girl and her father are found dead in the Swedish city of Karlskrona, the police quickly rule it as a suicide. Believing it's a mistake, reformed criminal Luke Bergman is determined to uncover the truth. As the body count rises, Luke embarks on an investigation into his friend’s former involvement with a sinister cult, and dark secrets are exposed as Luke struggles to keep his own long-buried demons hidden.

Through the changing seasons, amidst a sprawling ducal country estate, ex-steelworker George Purse's role as a gamekeeper goes beyond mere employment. With determination, he safeguards the birds, nurturing them with care, even as they become targets for the wealthy elite. As the Glorious Twelfth approaches, George must orchestrate flawless hunts for the Duke and his esteemed guests, ensuring their satisfaction while fending off the persistent poachers who threaten the delicate balance of the land.