What did Osgood do the morning of the Day of the Doctor? What happened to Tegan before Arc of Infinity, and why does it involve strange sentient lights in the Australia outback? What was the Tenth Doctor doing in a hall of mirrors, right before Planet of the Dead? Answers to all these questions lie in an incredible collection of Doctor Who short stories that give a glimpse into the moments just before we saw the Doctor step on screen.

Fifteen wonderful tales of adventure, science, magic, monsters and time travel – featuring all fifteen Doctors – are waiting for you in this very special Doctor Who volume. Includes a bonus story starring the Fourteenth Doctor (and a very familiar foe), and a brand-new, very exciting and very exclusive, new tale that will feature the Fifteenth Doctor.

When young Mel’s business partner, Sabalom Glitz embarks on yet another “get rich quick” scheme, it marks the start of an epic, death-defying murder-mystery in space. After barely escaping the snares of a murderous galactic cult, Mel searches for fellow survivors in a nearby spaceship graveyard – while Glitz looks to fill his pockets. But the discovery of a spaceship with its crew in suspended animation, and incredible secrets on board, leaves the duo stranded with no way off. Mel revives the crew – and then the murders start.

The hugely powerful Key to Time has been split into six segments, all of which have been disguised and hidden throughout time and space. Now the even more powerful White Guardian wants the Doctor to find the pieces. With the first segment successfully retrieved, the Doctor, Romana and K9 trace the second segment of the Key to the planet Calufrax. But when they arrive at exactly the right point in space, they find themselves on exactly the wrong planet - Zanak.

From Andrew Lane comes an original adventure for the Eighth Doctor, as played on TV by Paul McGann, and Victorian journalist James MacFarlane.

In space, something can hear you scream. And that something is coming. On her first adventure in outer space, Ruby learns that the universe is bigger, more colourful, and crazier than she could ever have imagined. She also learns that even the Doctor can feel afraid – and that certain nightmares are all too real…

On the serene planet Deva Loka, an expeditionary force from Earth is dangerously out of control. It's not only the peaceful race of the Kinda who are at risk. A gentle stroll in the lush jungle leads the Doctor and Adric to an unexpected confrontation - and puts them at the mercy of a maniac. But it is Tegan, lulled to sleep by mysterious wind-chimes, who comes closest to a danger than threatens not only her sanity but the existence of the whole planet.

Four original stories featuring the Eleventh Doctor, Amy and Rory: In Hunter's Moon, the travellers visit Leisure Platform 9, where gamblers and villains mix with socialites and celebrities. In Touched By An Angel, the Weeping Angels are using history itself as a weapon - and the Doctor, Amy and Rory must stop them. In Paradox Lost, an ancient android is dredged from the Thames, with a message that can only be delivered to the Doctor. In Borrowed Time, by Naomi Alderman, the three friends go undercover at a bank where time is the commodity on offer for loan.

Christopher Naylor reads the inside story of how the BBC created and launched Doctor Who. In early 1963, a chain of events led to the creation of what would become one of the best-loved, and most successful, of all British television programmes. This is the tale of how Doctor Who embarked upon its epic journey - one which still continues today. It is also the story of the people involved, from Sydney Newman and Donald Wilson to Verity Lambert, Waris Hussein and William Hartnell.

What links a diamond raid in 20th Century London, a secret base in the heart of the city's sewer system, a cold and desolate planet light years from Earth, and a daring plan to alter the entire course of interplanetary history? The Doctor's old enemy, Lytton, has allied himself with the Cybermen. Their scheme, if successful, could bring the human race to its knees. For the Cybermen have journeyed back in time to prevent the destruction of their home world. And for Mondas to survive, the Earth must die.

Chance. Misfortune. Coincidence. These are the weapons of choice for the Doctor’s latest enemies. And those enemies are very, very hungry. For Ruby Sunday, this Christmas Eve is a birthday she’ll never forget. It’s the day she joins the Doctor on board a Goblin ship. The day she learns of dangers from beyond the universe. The day her life really begins...or, perhaps, the day it ends.

The TARDIS arrives on the planet Manussa, about to commemorate its ancient banishment of the evil entity known as the Mara. Unbeknownst to the Manussans, the Doctor's companion, Tegan, has become an unsuspecting medium for the Mara. Now she has helped it to return home. The Doctor realises that this could mark the spectacular revival of the Mara's reign of terror - but it seems that no-one will heed his warning.

Freema Agyeman, Reggie Yates, Adjoah Andoh and Will Thorp are the readers of these eight original novels featuring the 10th Doctor and Martha, as played on TV by David Tennant and Freema Agyeman. The titles are 'Sting of the Zygons' by Stephen Cole; 'The Last Dodo' by Jacqueline Rayner; 'Wooden Heart' by Martin Day; 'Forever Autumn' by Mark Morris; 'Wetworld' by Mark Michalowski; 'Sick Building' by Paul Magrs; 'The Pirate Loop' by Simon Guerrier; and 'Peacemaker' by James Swallow.

The Doctor and Donna are trapped on board a mysterious spacecraft. Fate of the crew: unknown. Fate of the universe if what’s on board gets out: terminal.

An Escape Room with a sting in its tail is the setting for the Doctor and Jo's latest encounter with a familiar enemy. Three young graduates and their tutor race against time to crack the codes, open the exit door, and obtain 'A New Life' - at least, that's what the publicity said. As the Doctor observes proceedings, he forms a growing suspicion that something far more sinister lurks on the other side of the door. What's worse, the room appears set to eliminate anyone who doesn't make the grade.

Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission - and if he fails, humanity and the Earth itself will perish. Except that right now, he doesn't know that. He can't even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it. All he knows is that he's been asleep for a very, very long time. And he's just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.

It’s 1984, and life has changed beyond recognition. Airstrip One, formerly known as Great Britain, is a place where Big Brother is always watching, and nobody can hide. Except, perhaps, for Winston Smith. Whilst working at the Ministry of Truth, rewriting history, he secretly dreams of freedom. And in a world where love and sex are forbidden, where it’s hard to distinguish between friend and foe, he meets Julia and O’Brien and vows to rebel.

Inheriting your uncle's supervillain business is more complicated than you might think. Particularly when you discover who's running the place. Charlie's life is going nowhere fast. A divorced substitute teacher living with his cat in a house his siblings want to sell, all he wants is to open a pub downtown, if only the bank will approve his loan. Then his long-lost uncle Jake dies and leaves his supervillain business (complete with island volcano lair) to Charlie. But becoming a supervillain isn't all giant laser death rays and lava pits.

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive - and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. But Mark isn't ready to give up yet.

Jazz Bashara is a criminal. Well, sort of. Life on Artemis, the first and only city on the moon, is tough if you're not a rich tourist or an eccentric billionaire. So smuggling in the occasional harmless bit of contraband barely counts, right? Not when you've got debts to pay and your job as a porter barely covers the rent. Everything changes when Jazz sees the chance to commit the perfect crime, with a reward too lucrative to turn down.