‘A gorgeous story full of emotion and a very special library.’ – Evie Woods, bestselling author of The Lost BookshopSome stories stay with us forever…For forty-two years, Sally Harrison has been building a library. Each year, on her daughter’s birthday, she adds a new book to her shelves – with a note in the front dedicated to her own greatest work. But Ella – Sally’s only child – fled to Australia twenty-one years ago after a heated exchange, and never looked back. And though Sally still dutifully adds a new paperback to the shelves every time the clock strikes midnight on July 11th, her hopes of her daughter ever thumbing through the pages are starting to dwindle. Then disaster strikes and Ella is forced to return to the home she once knew. She is soon to discover that when one chapter ends, another will soon follow. All you have to do is turn the page… Journey through the pages of this heartwarming novel, where hope, friendship and second chances are written in the margins. Perfect for book lovers everywhere and fans of Sally Page’s The Keeper of Stories. Praise for The Memory Library:'An absolute joy to read. Uplifting, beautiful, and perfect for any book lovers!' Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'The Memory Library delivers on its promise of hope, friendship and second chances. It's a love letter to the written word.' Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A powerful and poignant story. There were tears shed.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I laughed out loud and had more than one glassy eye!’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A real treasure for booklovers everywhere who completely appreciate the joy, knowledge and healing that books can bring.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘There’s page after page of wonderful wisdom in this novel.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Filled with tender moments of sharing, tears, forgiveness, revelation and healing.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘What a beautiful, moving story this was! It really had me sobbing my eyes out.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Memory Library

'An enthralling, layered triumph' SUNDAY TIMES, Thriller of the Month 'A richly enjoyable thriller' THE TIMES, Thriller of the Year 'An elegant, provocative, twisting thriller… hugely entertaining and beautifully written' CHRIS WHITAKER 'So brilliant I stayed up into the early hours to finish it' PRIMA, Book of the Month Your mother is not who you think she is… When the phone rings in Judy McVee’s Languedoc farmhouse, she knows her past has finally caught up with her. It’s her daughter, frantically asking why there are journalists on her London doorstep making terrible accusations. Decades earlier, Judy was a girl with big plans – to ensnare a rich husband, to make something of herself, to rise above her upbringing and leave behind past tragedies. Wealthy young widower Rory Harrington seemed the perfect target – but Judy hadn’t reckoned on actually falling in love with him. Now her daughter Francesca, who has secrets of her own, must come to terms with the realisation that the mother she thought she knew wasn’t real. Where has Judy gone – and was anything she told her family true? Moving from Cape Cod to London, New York to the South of France, THE END OF SUMMER is a gripping, nuanced literary thriller from a writer at the top of her game.

The End of Summer

Sunset Hall is a house share for the old and unruly, led by Agnes Sharp. It's an eventful day when this group of idiosyncratic seniors gets a visit from the police to inform them of some shocking news. A body has been discovered next door. Everyone puts on a long face, but they are secretly relieved the body in question is not the one they're currently hiding in the shed (sorry, Lillith). It seems the answer to their little problem with Lillith may have fallen right into their lap. All they have to do is find out who murdered their neighbour, so they can pin Lillith's death on them, thus killing two old birds with one stone. To investigate, the group will venture into the not-so-idyllic village of Duck End and tangle with sinister bakers, broken stair lifts, inept criminals - and their own dark secrets . . .

The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp

The first book of Jenny Colgan’s delightful new four-part series, set at a charming English boarding school on the sea. Maggie went to the window and opened it wide, inhaling the lovely salt air off the sea. Why had she never lived by the sea before? Why had she always looked out on housing estates and not the little white hulls of trawlers bobbing off in the distance? It’s gloriously sunny in Cornwall as the school year starts at the little boarding school by the sea. Maggie, the newest teacher at Downey House, is determined to make her mark. She’s delighted by her new teaching job, but will it come at the expense of her relationship with her safe, dependable boyfriend Stan? Simone is excited and nervous: she’s won a scholarship to the prestigious boarding school and wants to make her parents proud. Forced to share a room with the glossy, posh girls of Downey House, she needs to find a friend, fast. Fliss is furious. She’s never wanted to go to boarding school and hates being sent away from her home. As Simone tries desperately to fit in, Fliss tries desperately to get out. Over the course of one year, friendships will bloom and lives will be changed forever. Life at the Little School by the Sea is never dull…

School by the Sea

Welcome to the School by the Sea

For Victoria, image is everything, and on the surface, she has it all: a big house, a successful husband, and two beautiful children. But behind the scenes, things are very different. Victoria and her husband have a dark secret, and she lives in terror of it being discovered—of her perfect façade being shattered forever. Under massive stress, but still desperately trying to keep up appearances, her family is falling apart: her husband Kit is unable to work, her teenage daughter Anna grows ever more rebellious, and her nine-year-old, Joey, seems increasingly different from other kids. Victoria realizes she has to act now or she will lose everything. And that’s when she has to ask herself how far she's willing to go and how much she's willing to do to preserve her perfect family. The answer is beyond shocking, and it will plunge them all into a nightmare from which they may never wake....

The Perfect Family

In 20 meals The Hungry Empire tells the story of how the British created a global network of trade in foodstuffs that moved people and plants from one continent to another, re-shaping landscapes and culinary tastes. To be British was to eat the world. The Empire allowed Britain to harness the globe's edible resources from salt beef to sugar. By the twentieth century the wheat to make the working man's loaf of bread was supplied by Canada and his Sunday leg of lamb had been fattened on New Zealand's grasslands. Lizzie Collingham takes us on a wide-ranging culinary journey, revealing how virtually every meal we eat still contains a taste of empire.

The Hungry Empire

It’s summer, but school is in session in the delightful second book of New York Times bestselling author Jenny Colgan’s utterly charming School by the Sea series, set at a girls’ boarding school in Cornwall. For the second year at Downey House, it's getting harder and harder to stick to the rules . . . Maggie Adair’s first year as a teacher at Downey House was a surprising success. After making the leap from an inner-city school in Glasgow, she’s learned to appreciate the mellower pace of the girls’ boarding school by the sea. Now engaged to her longtime boyfriend, sweet and steady Stan, Maggie’s just got to stop thinking about David McDonald, her colleague at the boys’ school down the road. Well, hasn’t she? Can Maggie take a leaf out of the Well Behaved Teacher’s exercise book and stick to her plan for a small but elegant wedding and settled life of matrimony? Even as Maggie tries to stay within the lines, rules are being broken all around her. Maggie’s boss, headmistress Veronica Deveral, has more to lose than anyone. When Daniel Stapleton joins the faculty, Veronica finds herself forced to confront a scandalous secret she thought she’d carefully buried forever. How long will she be able to keep her past under wraps? What does a new year of classes, rules, and camaraderie hold for the students and faculty at Downey House?

Rules at the School by the Sea

One of the earliest works of feminist philosophy, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman advocates for the education of women in a time where the opposite belief was predominately held. Written during the French Revolution, Wollstonecraft's work had a significant impact on those advocating for women's rights during the nineteenth century.

A Vindication of the Rights of Woman

Grace is living through every mother’s worst nightmare. Her student daughter Abi went away on a dream vacation—and was murdered. Overwhelmed by grief and fighting off old demons that have resurfaced, Grace tries to make sense of it—who would want to kill her beautiful girl? But as she learns more about Abi’s life, she realizes she didn’t know her own daughter very well. How did Abi acquire all those designer clothes? And what was she doing on those mysterious trips to the city? Grace desperately needs to find answers. But soon it becomes clear that someone doesn’t want her digging into Abi’s secret past—someone who knows how to use Grace’s own weaknesses against her, sending her on a journey to the darkest hell…

The Arrangement

In the first book of The Duke's Daughters series, the Duke of Marymount's eldest daughter, Lady Eleanor, knows the burden of restoring her family's good name is hers to bear. So a good but loveless match is made, and her fate is set. But then Eleanor meets her intended's rakish younger brother. With his tawny hair, green eyes, and scandalous behavior, Lord Alexander Raybourn makes her want to be very bad indeed. And since his very honorable sibling is too busy saving the world to woo Eleanor, Alexander is tasked with finding out her likes and dislikes on his behalf. But the more time Alexander spends with the secretly naughty Eleanor, the more he knows that what they both want and need is each other.

Duke's Daughters

Lady Be Bad

The BRAND NEW instalment in the Morwenna Mutton Mystery series from MILLION COPY BESTSELLER Judy Leigh perfect for all fans of Richard Osman. Morwenna Mutton should be living the quiet life of a librarian and grandmother in Cornwall's beautiful Seal Bay - if only dead bodies would stop turning up... After the excitement of her last investigation, amateur sleuth Morwenna is looking forward to things getting back to normal. When local DJ Irina asks to meet however, desperate to share information she has discovered regarding nefarious goings-on, Morwenna can't resist.But Irina never arrives for their drink - instead her body is washed up on the beach, an apparent victim of an accidental drowning. At once keen wild bather Morwenna knows something is amiss as Irina was a strong swimmer who knew the local conditions well. What had Irina uncovered and who would want her dead? When the local news dubs Irina's murderer The Cream Tea Killer in honour of Cornwall's famous delicacy, the clock starts ticking. Now the murderer knows Morwenna is on their trail, no one in her family is safe. She must get to the truth before the killer gets to her... If you love The Thursday Murder Club, Agatha Christie and Richard Coles then you'll love The Morwenna Mutton mysteries. Readers love Judy Leigh and Morwenna Mutton: 'This is a cosy crime story with some gentle sleuthing, full of twists and turns, and even a little romance, although things do turn pretty hair-raising at times for Morwenna. The inhabitants of Seal Bay are charming, vibrant and humorous and there is plenty to love in this thoroughly engrossing story. Morwenna makes a great lead character and I am keen to read more in this lovely series.' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'I adore all Judy Leigh's books. They are warm, witty, welcoming and extremely well executed. I always know I will be in for a treat when I pick up one of her books.' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'It's a cozy type mystery with family, drama and even a little romance thrown in, showing that you are never too old- for anything if you put your mind to it. A brilliantly entertaining read, I look forward to more in the series.' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'Morwenna is truly unique. At a time when most women would be happy to take it easy, she is intent on taking on more. Her work and family are important to her, but it is her determination to solve a mystery that makes her stand out. She is feisty and unrelenting. She puts herself in peril again and again, never stopping to consider the danger. A great mystery with a fantastic leading lady.' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'Well written with an enjoyable mystery. I really like the fact Judy Leigh peoples her books with more mature characters and Morwenna is one of my favourites.' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'As well as the humour and wit in her novels and the fabulous characters and stories, her settings are excellent too. In the Morwenna Mutton series, Seal Bay comes to life with its coast, all the little shops around and the people who live and work in the area. It's all so easy to picture and you feel like you are there, right in with all the action.' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Cream Tea Killer

Five well-bred sisters, one sensational scandal. Now the Duke of Marymount’s daughter Ida is about to find love in the most unconventional way . . . It was easy for society to overlook Lady Ida Howlett; they found her bookish, opinionated, and off the marriage mart. But little did they know that behind a calm exterior beats the heart of an adventuress, one who, determined to discover her runaway sister’s whereabouts, steals a carriage and sets off on a daring mission. Then she discovers she’s not alone! Bennett, Lord Carson, is inside, and he refuses to leave. Lord Carson’s plans had always been to find a soft, gentle wife who would run his home and raise his children. Still, he makes a bargain with Ida—he won’t desert her during her mad adventure. He’ll make sure she’s safe, and then find a suitable lady to fall in love with. But when rules (and garments) become discarded during this long, intimate journey, it’s soon clear that this surprisingly daring lady is the woman he’s needed all along.

The Duke's Daughters

The Lady Is Daring

A gripping new crime novel from the global bestseller Cathy Glass writing as Lisa Stone ‘The Darkness Within hooked me from the start. Once you start you won't be able to stop!’ Katerina Diamond, No.1 bestselling author of The Teacher You know your son better than anyone. Don’t you? No-one is born evil…are they? A lorry crashes on a dark wet road. In the wake of the tragedy, a dying man receives another chance at life – but does he really deserve it? And if he lives, will those around him wish he hadn’t? When critically ill Jacob Wilson has a heart transplant, his behaviour becomes very strange. His worried parents and girlfriend try their best to understand his sudden mood swings, but as things worsen, they begin to live in terror of what they might find in their son’s bedroom next – and as Jacob’s personality morphs, so too do the lives of those around him… This is a spellbinding crime novel with a dark heart from the worldwide bestseller Cathy Glass.

The Darkness Within

‘Amazing, heartbreaking and inspiring’ Jenny Colgan‘A love letter to the power of friendship, honest and uplifting’ Jill Mansell‘A fiercely positive story, about the power of hope’ Mike Gayle****** Sometimes we need our friends to help us find our feet… When Keira first receives her breast cancer diagnosis, she doesn’t want to have to tell her family, or step back from work. She doesn’t want to sit in a hospital, or be part of a group of fellow cancer patients. Cancer is not her club. But as she accepts that her health is no longer something she can rely on, Keira finds herself embracing running. And running in the company of a group of brilliant, funny women each going through treatment unexpectedly gives Keira the hope she needs. Because the C-word is not going to define Keira’s identity. And with the Cancer Ladies’ Running Club cheering her on, she’s going to reclaim her life. One step at a time. Life isn’t always the race we expected to run but this moving and uplifting novel is full of hope and about love, family, friendship and the power of finding your tribe. ****** ‘A wise, warm and wonderful novel … an incredibly moving, uplifting and hopeful story that looks at the power of finding your tribe. It will make you smile and love life just a little bit more’ Adele Parks, Platinum ‘Uplifting and positive, you will be cheering them along’ Prima ‘You’ll fall in love with Keira and her running buddies’ The Sun, Pick of the Week ‘Made me believe in life and in love. Hopeful and life-changing’ Katie Marsh, author of The Rest of Me ‘A beautiful story of friendship. I loved it’ Celia Anderson ‘An amazing story that shows us all the strength of the human spirit and the power of friendship. An inspiration!’ Magic Radio **Josie Lloyd’s heart-warming new novel, Lifesaving for Beginners, is available for pre-order now**

The Cancer Ladies’ Running Club

From the USA Today bestselling author of The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett comes a heartwarming story of found family, love, and making connections through books set against the bombing of London during WWII. London, 1938: The bookstore just doesn’t feel the same to Gertie Bingham ever since the death of her beloved husband Harry. Bingham Books was a dream they shared together, and without Harry, Gertie wonders if it’s time to take her faithful old lab, Hemingway, and retire to the seaside. But fate has other plans for Gertie. In Germany, Hitler is on the rise, and Jewish families are making the heart-wrenching decision to send their children away from the growing turmoil. After a nudge from her dear friend Charles, Gertie decides to take in one of these refugees, a headstrong teenage girl named Hedy. Willful and fearless, Hedy reminds Gertie of herself at the same age, and shows her that she can’t give up just yet. With the terrible threat of war on the horizon, the world needs people like Gertie Bingham and her bookshop. When the Blitz begins and bombs whistle overhead, Gertie and Hedy come up with the idea to start an air raid book club. Together with neighbors and bookstore customers, they hold lively discussions of everything from Winnie the Pooh to Wuthering Heights. After all, a good book can do wonders to bolster people’s spirits, even in the most trying times. But even the best book can only provide a temporary escape, and as the tragic reality of the war hits home, the book club faces unimaginable losses. They will need all the strength of their stories and the bonds they’ve formed to see them through to brighter days. Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

The Air Raid Book Club

Thomas Hardy's Tess of the d'Urbervilles received mixed reviews upon its publication in 1891-1892 for its frank discussion of female sexuality and the hypocrisy of Victorian morality. Set in Wessex (a fictional part of southwestern England that is the setting for many of Hardy's novels), Tess Durbeyfield is the impoverished eldest daughter of uneducated peasants. Throughout the story she navigates a world of desire and romance made complicated by her social status. Considered by some to be his Masterpiece, Hardy's themes and imagery describe the corrosive effect of industrialization on the natural world and especially poor country folk.

Tess of the d'Urbervilles

After playing a TV sleuth for years, Rita Martin retires to the sleepy town of Frantham-on-Sea. Here on the Dorset coast, she runs her own immaculate guest house, and life is blissfully quiet. But then a few doors down, harmless old Mrs Freer is bludgeoned to death, and Rina can’t help but be drawn into the mystery. Mrs Freer’s home was ransacked, but this was no ordinary burglary. Who knew the old lady kept a gun stashed under her pillow? And who wanted it badly enough to kill? Detective Sebastian McGregor is called in to solve this baffling case. But with her neighbors’ safety at stake, Rina knows she needs to give him a helping hand. This enchanting character-driven mystery was originally published as A Reason to Kill.

Rina Martin Mysteries

Murder on Sea

‘I ended up reading until the wee small hours of the morning... Certainly took me on an emotional rollercoaster ride with all the ups and downs, the happiness and sadness, the laughs and the sobs.’ Tess and Simon Sparrow may have a few more grey hairs than they used to, but that doesn’t stop them from being swept up in a whirlwind romance and starting over. Swapping their city lives for an escape to the Cornish countryside, they fall in love with a crumbling hotel and impulsively buy it to renovate as their forever home. But soon the newlyweds have had their first fight (and their second and third...) and building costs are spiralling out of control. Their families think they’re mad and Tess is starting to agree – she just wants to escape back to civilisation. Doing up the glorious, wisteria-clad property was meant to be a delightful retirement project. But the electrics are faulty, there’s no central heating, and the kitchen ceiling’s fallen in: the dream has become reality and things only get more chaotic when the first guests arrive... Mysterious Celia, hapless romantic Dominic and tarnished, lovelorn actress Titania are all looking for a fresh start. Everyone in this eclectic group has their own reasons for being in Cornwall, but the summer is full of secrets and surprises. As plans go awry and truths are revealed, Tess and Simon realise that they’ve taken on a bigger challenge than they intended to: can their happily-ever-after survive the chaos or will this end up being the biggest mistake of their lives? From the bestselling author of The Runaway Wife and The Silver Ladies of Penny Lane, this is a completely uplifting page-turner about embracing new friendships, finding love and making each day count. Perfect for fans of The Kicking the Bucket List and The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. Why readers are loving The Golden Oldies Guesthouse: ‘Five golden stars for Dee McDonald’s latest... charming... The Golden Oldies Guesthouse features humour with a deft touch, charm, fun, love and romance.’ Jena Books ‘Utterly charming!... It’s gentle, humorous, heart-warming and packed full of characters that you will remember long after the book is finished. I adored every word and my only complaint is that the story ended!’ NetGalley Reviewer ‘A hilarious romp... larger than life characters...Told as only Dee Macdonald can tell these stories of ‘older folk’ having another swipe at life and all that follows this book is funny, heart-warming, makes you feel good... a joy to read... 10/10.’ Goodreads Reviewer. Top 50 Amazon UK author Aged 18, Dee arrived in London from Scotland and typed her way round the West End for a couple of years before joining BOAC (forerunner of British Airways) in Passenger Services for 2 years and then as a stewardess for 8 years. She has worked in Market Research, Sales and at the Thames TV Studios when they had the franchise. Dee has since relocated to Cornwall, where she spent 10 years running B&Bs, and only began writing when she was over 70! Married twice, she has one son and two grandsons.

The Golden Oldies Guesthouse

*** THE NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER *** In a beautiful southern Spanish town, where the sea sparkles and orange blossoms scent the air, the gates of a brand new apartment complex, La Joya de Andalucía, glide open to welcome the new owners. Anna and Austen MacDonald, an Irish couple, are preparing to enjoy their retirement to the full. But the demands of family cause problems they have never foreseen and shake their marriage to the core. Sally-Ann Connolly Cooper, a feisty Texan mother of two young teenagers, is reeling from her husband's infidelity. La Joya becomes a place of solace for Sally-Ann, in more ways than one. Eduardo Sanchez, a haughty Madrileño, has set out with single-minded determination to become El Presidente of the complex's management committee. But pride comes before a fall. Jutta Sauer Perez, a sophisticated German who aspires to own her very own apartment in La Joya, works hard to reach her goal. Then the unthinkable happens. As their lives entwine and friendships and enmities develop, it becomes apparent that La Joya is not quite the haven they all expect it to be.... Warmth, wisdom and love on every page - if you treasured Maeve Binchy, read Patricia Scanlan. Number 1 bestselling author Patricia Scanlan is set to capture the hearts and enchant the minds of a whole new generation of readers who will fall in love with her sublime storytelling. A trailblazing women’s fiction author, all of her novels have been #1 international bestsellers, most recently With All My Love, A Time for Friends, and A Family Reunion. She writes multi-generational family dramas with compassion and authenticity, and a hint of comforting escapism. ‘If you love Maeve Binchy, you MUST try Patricia Scanlan' Woman & Home 'Utterly magical and wonderful... warmth and compassion shine through' MARIAN KEYES 'Like being enfolded in a hug from the great writer herself: warm, comforting and full of love' CATHY KELLY 'There can be little doubt that Patricia Scanlan is the prolific queen of contemporary Irish popular fiction' Sunday Times 'There is a heartbreaking authenticity in her observations' Irish Times 'The ultimate comfort read' Glamour ‘If you love Maeve Binchy, you will love Patricia Scanlan’ Mirror

Orange Blossom Days

How can we achieve more than happiness? In More than Happiness, Antonia Macaro delves into both philosophies, focusing on the elements that fit with our sceptical age, and those which have the potential to make the biggest impact on how we live. From accepting that some things are beyond our control, to monitoring our emotions for unhealthy reactions, to shedding attachment to material things, there is much, she argues, that we can take and much that we’d do better to leave behind. In this synthesis of ancient wisdom, Macaro reframes the ‘good life’, and gets us to see the world as it really is and to question the value of the things we desire. The goal is more than happiness: living ethically and placing value on the right things in life. “This groundbreaking study provides a much-needed philosophical framework for those practising mindfulness as well as a call to recover the pragmatic and therapeutic dimensions of philosophy.” - STEPHEN BATCHELOR

More Than Happiness

The last of Mary Stewart's beloved romantic mystery novels, Rose Cottage bears all the romance and intrigue she is known for. Summer, 1947. Kate Herrick, a war widow, returns to her childhood home for a final visit before the house is sold. But Rose Cottage is not the idyllic paradise she remembers from her youth and someone has been there before her. As Kate uncovers an old secret that haunts the home she thought she knew, she is forced to confront a dark truth from her own past . . . Beyond the weedy garden with its riot of rose bushes, nothing had changed. And someone was crossing the bridge to approach the garden gate. Someone I knew well . . . 'A comfortable chair and a Mary Stewart: total heaven. I'd rather read her than most other authors.' Harriet Evans (P)2019 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

Rose Cottage

The brand-new, gripping historical novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Lady of Hay!‘Warmth, depth, mystery, magic and the supernatural … such a beautiful book!’ bestselling author Santa Montefiore ‘A dazzling roller-coaster of a book that will thrill, enchant and intrigue those who love history and the supernatural’ bestselling author Alison Weir Mercia, 788 ADIn the grand Saxon halls of Mercia, King Offa rules with cold ambition. His youngest daughter Eadburh is destined for an arranged marriage, but with reckless spirit her heart is taken by a Welsh prince, a man she can never be matched with and who is quickly and cruelly taken from her. Eadburh inherited her father’s ruthless ways but it’s the gifts passed down from her mother that are far more dangerous. She is determined to carve her own place in the world, yet her path could cause war. Offa’s Dyke, 2021 In a cottage hidden amongst the misty Welsh hills of Offa’s Dyke, Bea Dalloway is called to help Simon Armstrong, who is searching for peace. Instead he finds himself disturbed by unsettling noises and visions. It isn’t long before Bea is also swept up by haunting dreams. The past is whispering to them, calling out for the truth to be told at last. And as dreams and reality weave closer together, Bea and Simon must be strong to resist the pull of the past – and its desire for revenge… The Sunday Times bestselling author returns with a thrilling tale of lost love, betrayal and secrets that have lain buried over a thousand years… ‘So atmospheric and suspenseful, full of myth and magic and hauntings’ bestselling author Rachel Hore ‘Mysterious and haunting – a richly woven tapestry of history and intrigue’ bestselling author Fiona Valpy ‘If you like brilliantly written history tinged with magic and ghosts, you'll love this’ bestselling author Peter James

The Dream Weavers

The Duke’s five daughters have beauty, breeding, and impeccable reputations. Or at least, they did. Now that two have chosen to follow their hearts, can the others be far behind? Lady Olivia refuses to repeat her siblings’ scandalous mistakes. Instead, she will marry the lord rejected by her sister and help with his good works. When he resists, Olivia forms another plan: win his lordship’s admiration by helping his illegitimate best friend find a bride. How difficult can it be to transform the rakish Edward Wolcott into a gentleman? To ignore his virile good looks? To not kiss him in a moment of impulsive madness? Apparently, very difficult indeed. Edward Wolcott promised his ailing father he would marry well, and it appears Lady Olivia wishes to assist him. The sparkling firebrand intends to smooth his way through London’s ballrooms, parlors, and eligible ladies, while all Edward’s thoughts suddenly revolve around bedrooms . . . and Lady Olivia herself. Only a scoundrel would seduce the duke’s most dutiful daughter. And only a truly reckless lady would risk everything to be in his arms . . .

The Duke’s Daughters

The Duke's Daughters: Lady Be Reckless

Meet Rina Martin, a retired actress with a taste for tea, gardening, and crime solving. She played a TV sleuth for years, but now she has to do it for real. One glorious morning, Rina heads out for a stroll along Frampton promenade, where all is picture-perfect...until she spots something that stops her in her tracks: a luxury yacht sailing round in circles. Rina knows that can’t be right. As for the captain, he is nowhere to be seen...until coastguards board the yacht and find him shot dead—execution-style. The captain's name is Paul de Freitas: a high-powered software designer from out of town. What was he doing in Frampton, and who is the mystery man who shared his fate? Rina’s determined to get to the bottom of it all, but has she finally bitten off more than she can chew?

Murder on the Boat

The debut novel by a British writer with nearly two decades of African experience – a compelling courtroom drama and a gritty, aromatic evocation of place, inspired by recent events. British lawyer Paula Shackleton is mourning a lost love when a small man in a lemon-coloured suit accosts her over breakfast in a Boston hotel. Winston Peabody represents the African state of North Darrar, embroiled in a border arbitration case with its giant neighbour. He needs help with the hearings in The Hague, Paula needs to forget the past. She flies to the state’s capital determined to lose herself in work, but soon discovers that even jobs taken with the purest intentions can involve moral compromise. Taking testimony in scorching refugee camps, delving into the colonial past, she becomes increasingly uneasy about her role. Budding friendships with a scarred former rebel and an idealistic young doctor whittle away at her pose of sardonic indifference, until Paula finds herself taking a step no decent lawyer should ever contemplate. Michela Wrong has been writing about Africa for two decades. In this taut legal thriller, rich with the Horn of Africa’s colours and aromas, she probes the motives underlying Western engagement with the continent, questioning the value of universal justice and exploring how history itself is forged. Above all her first novel is the story of a young woman’s anguished quest for redemption.

Borderlines

IN WARTIME, THE RULES OF LOVE CHANGE … 1854. Britain is fighting a gruesome war. There has been no news of Lucy Gray since she eloped with handsome and impetuous Captain Charlie Harvington and embarked with him to the Crimea. Dorothea Gray will risk anything to heal the rift with her little sister and bring her home safe. She determines to join Florence Nightingale and the other courageous women travelling to the battlefield hospitals as nurses. She will not rest until she finds her sister. Lucy, however, is on a very different journey, a journey through tragedy, trauma and true love. But neither sister is prepared for the challenges they will face, the passion they will each taste and the simple fact that they might never see one another again … A spellbinding and exquisite tale of courage, adventure and love. Prepare to be swept of your feet!

No Place For A Lady

The latest novel from bestselling author Jean Ure – perfect for fans of Jacqueline Wilson and Cathy Cassidy A warm-hearted story of friendship, school life and drama – and the perils of sharing a secret… After all, even best friends don’t tell each other everything…

Secrets and Dreams

1435, England. Eleanor Cobham has married into the highest ranks of the aristocracy; she is now the Duchess of Gloucester. She and her husband, the Duke Humphrey, set up a court of their own to rival the royal court in London, surrounding themselves with fascinating and influential people. But Eleanor craves the one thing she lacks: a son and heir - and through him a possible route to the throne of England. Desperate, Eleanor turns to the one person she believes can help her: Margery Jourdemayne, a woman now remembered as the infamous Witch of Eye. But such help comes at a high price.

The Witch of Eye

‘Fresh, funny and wise’ Katie Fforde‘I love Jane’s writing!’ Jill Mansell‘Feel-good’ Woman and HomeTess has downsized to a lively new town and is ready for “me” time. But her Zen-like calm is tested by her boomerang offspring, who keep fluttering back to the nest (usually with a full bag of dirty washing) and by her elderly mother’s struggle to hold on to her independence. Tess is also surprised to discover that there are dark resentments simmering beneath the vintage charm of her new hometown and a spate of vandalism has exposed the rift between the townsfolk and new arrivals like Tess. Tess enlists the help of gruff newspaper editor Malcolm to get to the bottom of the mystery but when her ex-husband pays an unexpected visit and her mother stages a disappearance, Tess starts to feel her new-found freedom wearing just a little thin…

Mum in the Middle

Each month best friends Claudia, Sal, Ella and Laura meet for drinks, celebrating 45 years of friendship. Sal had spent a lifetime building her career but she hadn't banked on the one thing over which she had no control. Claudia loved her urban existence. But, as many women will know, other people's needs always seem to come first; Ella is ready to try something different. But she hadn't bargained on quite such a radical change; and Laura succumbed to the oldest cliché in the book. But it didn't make it any easier to accept. Outside of the supportive world of their friendships, they find their lives are far from what they expected – they didn't bargain on getting old.

The Time of Their Lives

A powerful, posthumous novel from bestselling author Mario Reading. Relegated to an isolated provincial town in France after years spent fighting on the Eastern Front, German commander Maximilian von Aschau finds unexpected distraction in the form of beautiful and reserved Lucie Léré. He’s seen every horror of the human experience. She’s never left her village. Opposites in every way, Max and Lucie manage to find common ground. But love is the most dangerous element of war. It makes you vulnerable... and careless. With the Allied invasion imminent and tensions high, Max and Lucie will have to turn their backs on everything they’ve known and anyone they once trusted in order to protect their secret – and their lives. A poignant, spellbinding historical novel of love and war, set against the backdrop of World War 2 Germany, that will appeal to fans of Anthony Doerr, Otto B Kraus, and Heather Morris. A multi-talented writer of both fiction and non-fiction, Mario's life included spells of selling rare books, teaching riding in Africa, studying dressage in Vienna, running a polo stable in Gloucestershire and maintaining a coffee plantation in Mexico. An expert on the prophecies of Nostradamus. The Nostradamus Prophecies, his debut thriller was sold in 38 countries. The Templar Prophecy, the first in the John Hart series was published in 2013 followed by the Templar Inheritance and the Templar Succession.

The Occupation Secret

Emily Soldene's life spanned the entire Victorian era. As both leading lady and a formidable impresario with her own opera company, she was a darling of London's music halls and theatre land, later reinventing herself as a journalist and writer. From humble working-class beginnings, Emily's fiery ambition would see her counting the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and Charles Dickens as friends and mingling with the Rothschilds, Oscar Wilde and aristocrats. She even alleged that she had a close encounter with Jack the Ripper. From taking Broadway by storm and touring the Australian outback, Batten vividly recreates the era and a riotous life that has faded from the limelight.

The Improbable Adventures of Miss Emily Soldene

This collection includes two of the most notable titles from author Thomas Hardy, Tess of the d'Urbervilles and Far from the Madding Crowd. Tess Durbeyfield, the daughter of an impoverished family, must navigate a world of desire and romance once she meets Alec d'Urberville. The son of a rich widow, he takes a fancy to her and gets her a position as the poultry keeper on his family's estate. However, her good fortune is soon complicated by Alec's libertine ways, and Tess returns home shamed. Once recovered, she separates herself from the gossip by finding work at a dairy farm outside the village. There, she meets and falls for Angel Clare, the eligible youngest son of the local reverend. But as her life begins to change for the better, she is troubled by a moral dilemma: whether or not to tell Angel about her past. Gabriel Oak is a shepherd struggling to get ahead when Bathsheba Everdene moves next door. Although he loves her, she sees him as a friend and rejects him for two other suitors. After she leaves town, she and Gabriel are reunited years later, once everything has changed. In this classic novel, Thomas Hardy depicts the English countryside as idyllic but also hard and unforgiving, much like the Victorian mindsets of the day.

The Best of Thomas Hardy

Ivy's parents, the King and Queen of the Sand Witches, have prepared her a show-stopping birthday present - a magic act where they disappear! But hold on, they really have disappeared! Foul work is at play, and to rescue Ivy's parents, she and her friend Tom must travel all over Miracula on broomsticks and flying carpets, making friends along the way, and pulling together to defeat Clawdelia Thorn, evil Queen of Grotland.

Ivy Newt

Ivy Newt and the Storm Witch

A moving Second World War story of three lives forever changed by one fatal choice. England, 1943. Lost in fog, pilot Vee Katchatourian is forced to make an emergency landing where she meets enigmatic RAF airman Stefan Bergel, and then can't get him out of her mind. In occupied Poland, Ewa Hartman hosts German officers in her father's guest house, while secretly gathering intelligence for the Polish resistance. Mourning her lover, Stefan, who was captured by the Soviets at the start of the war, Ewa is shocked to see him on the street one day. Haunted by a terrible choice he made in captivity, Stefan asks Vee and Ewa to help him expose one of the darkest secrets of the war. But it is not clear where everyone's loyalties lie until they are tested... “Historical fiction at its finest.” HOWARD LINSKEY

When We Fall

This family secret means the end of everything they've ever known. But could it also be the chance for a new beginning? Verity seems to have it all. A beautiful home, two grown-up sons and a husband who has always been her rock. But one day, the doorbell rings. And it changes Verity's life forever. Saskia has nowhere else to go. Before she died, her mother left her with her father's name and nothing else. The only way for Saskia to take care of herself – and her unborn baby – is to find the father she never knew. And the family that didn't know she existed. Minna has had an exciting career in fashion journalism and now writes full time, whilst enjoying time with her grandsons and working as an occasional film and TV extra. She lives in London.

A Mother's Secret

In the faraway land of Miracula, the early dawn mist drifts around Newt Castle: home of a young Sand Witch called Ivy Newt, her familiar Tom Wolf, and her parents King Lucius and Queen Fenella. Every Halloween at sunrise, a spooky haunted house appears, only to disappear again at the stroke of midnight. Ivy and Tom set out to solve the mystery, stumbling upon an imprisoned witch, a powerful sorcerer and a curse they must break before time runs out . . .

Ivy Newt in Miracula

Ivy Newt and the Time Thief

Abbie loses her cool during an argument with her daughter’s teacher, unaware the conversation is being recorded. Soon, her tirade is shared on social media, and she is fired. Even her children suffer from the fallout. To make matters worse, the public scandal has attracted an old enemy intent on ruining Abbie’s life. As the shaming and outrage intensifies, her children are forced to face some terrible truths. And when lives are threatened, Abbie must ask herself... Will anyone come out of this unharmed?

Ruin Her Life

A jar of festival mud, a photo album of family memories, a child's teddy bear, a book of bell ringing methods, an old cassette tape, a pair of slippers . . . These are the items that fill the exhibit shelves in Vanessa Jones' museum. At first glance, they appear to have nothing in common, but that's before you find out the stories behind them . . . Because Vanessa's Little Museum of Hope is no ordinary museum - its aim is to help people heal by donating items associated with shattered lives and failed relationships, and in doing so, find a way to move on, perhaps even start again. The museum soon becomes a sanctuary for the broken hearts in Vanessa's city, and she's always on hand to offer a cup of tea, a slice of cake and a listening ear. But could the bringer of Hope need a little help moving on herself?

Little Museum of Hope

There is excitement in the air as the travelling theatre arrives in Seal Bay.When The Spriggan Travelling Theatre Company arrives in Seal Bay to perform a Cornish version of King Arthur the locals flock to be entertained. But for Morwenna Mutton, sexagenarian librarian, wild swimming enthusiast and amateur sleuth, the theatre brings intrigue too. Actor and director Daniel Kitto is not the most popular member of the cast and unbeknownst to him, his role of Uther Pendragon on the opening night is to be his swansong.In front of a horrified audience, he collapses during the dying moments of the performance in a pool of fake blood, and although the police are content that the causes of his death are natural, Morwenna isn't so sure. And once it becomes clear that there are a number of people who stand to gain from Daniel's death, Morwenna's investigation takes a dangerous turn.If you love Miss Marple and The Thursday Murder Club, then you'll love The Morwenna Mutton mysteries.

Bloodshed on the Boards (Unabridged)

Brand new from the bestselling author of Under One Roof. One lost suitcase. Two strangers. And a notebook that will change lives. For almost fifty years, sisters Dolly and Greta have lived together - getting each other through the good times and the bad.Except this year, Greta isn't there and Dolly is feeling lost and alone. In memory of her sister, Dolly heads to the lost luggage auction where she and Greta go each Christmas. But her bid reveals a gift she never imagined. Amongst the clothes is the notebook of a reclusive woman who has hardly been outside for an entire year, but who isn't ready to give up on life. The notebook's contents resonate with Dolly. With the support of her neighbours, retired Leroy and eleven year old Flo, Dolly decides to take on the year of firsts Phoebe had planned.But, can you have a year of firsts when you're seventy-two? And is Dolly ready to discover the notebook's secrets, or are some secrets better left lost at the airport?

Lost Luggage - The BRAND NEW perfect uplifting, feel-good read for 2022 from Samantha Tonge, author of Under One Roof (Unabridged)

Love, duty and true-life adventure in the shadow of the Second World War "A WW2 heroine." - Dan Snow Christian Lamb is one of the last surviving Wren Officers to have served throughout the Second World War, from Blitz ravaged London, to the important Radar and Operations rooms and undertaking a vital role in D Day. Escaping both the Spanish Flu pandemic when she was born and the pandemic we are emerging from today, she has reached the impressive age of 101. Now she leads us through the story of her extraordinary life and the wartime experiences of her fellow Wrens.

Beyond The Sea - A Wren at War (Unabridged)

Will he choose inheritance – or freedom . . . 1918: Freddie was destined for a different life, determined to make his fortune in the plantations of Ceylon. But just as the great war comes to an end, the eldest brother and heir to Coombe Hall, Edward, doesn’t return. Torn between duty and freedom, Freddie must now sacrifice his own dreams to keep the estate – and the future of Coombe – alive. And now he must now marry for an heir, not for love. But the turmoil of war didn’t end on the battlefield; the country faces upheavals like never before. And when an unexpected legacy blows in from Edward’s secret past, Freddie’s grip on the estate – and his future – looks more uncertain than ever . . . Sweeping from the smoking battlefields of France to the rich estates of Devon, from Suffragettes to political extremists, this is a story of legacy and scars, of the price of change, the price of family…

A Time to Live

As children, siblings Gareth and Helen went ignored and utterly unsupervised in their isolated English farmhouse while their mother obsessively tended to her beloved, exquisite garden. When they were little, Gareth would occupy himself by trapping insects under glass and Helen would find ways to entertain herself - but the older they grew, the more sinister their lives became, with no attentive parent to shield them from the predators of the world. Decades later, Helen is in the same crumbling house, unhappily married and looking after their bedridden mother, and Gareth finally returns home. Evidence of a long-ago crime has recently emerged, and in its wake will come a series of shattering truths . . .

The Insect House

The brilliant new work from the bestselling author of ‘Miss Garnet’s Angel’ and ‘The Other Side of You’. Violet Hetherington has taken the rash step of joining a transatlantic cruise ship to New York to visit Edwin, an old friend. As she makes the six day crossing, she relives the traumatic events that led to her losing Edwin's friendship, and abandoning her career as a poet, for the safety of marriage and domesticity. Despite her natural reserve, she meets a rich variety of passengers travelling with her, who affect her understanding of her own past. Most significantly, she meets Dino, the dance host, whose motives in befriending Vi are shady, but who teaches her to ballroom dance – and inadvertently helps her to recover from her past. Moving between the late sixties and the present day, Dancing Backwards is written with the lightness of touch and psychological insight which characterise Salley Vickers' acclaimed work. This bittersweet novel is subtle, poignant and wonderfully entertaining.

Dancing Backwards

Mary Stewart's storytelling is as spell-binding as ever in her twelfth novel, a gothic romance featuring sparkling prose, delightful characterisation and classic intrigue. The rambling house called Thornyhold is like something out of a fairy tale. Left to Gilly Ramsey by the cousin whose occasional visits brightened her childhood, the cottage, set deep in a wild wood, has come just in time to save her from a bleak future. With its reputation for magic and its resident black cat, Thornyhold offers Gilly more than just a new home. It offers her a chance to start over. The old house, with it tufts of rosy houseleek and the spreading gilt of the lichens, was beautiful. Even the prisoning hedges were beautiful, protective with their rusty thorns, their bastions of holly and juniper, and at the corners, like towers, their thick columns of yews. 'A comfortable chair and a Mary Stewart: total heaven. I'd rather read her than most other authors.' Harriet Evans (P)2019 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

Thornyhold

WW1 is over. As a nurse at the front, Clementine has found and lost love, but has settled for middle-class marriage. Vincent had half his face blown off, and wants more than life offers now. Drawn together by their shared experiences at the Front, they have a compulsive relationship, magnetic and parasitic, played out with blackmail and ending in disaster for one of them.

Health of Strangers

Blasted Things

The poignant, heart warming and beautifully written new standalone novel from the best-loved and original Queen of Tween, whose books are described by Jacqueline Wilson as “funny, funky, feisty – and fantastic reads!”. Ruby, Tizz and Sam are sisters. At 12, Ruby is the oldest but with all the stuff she has to worry about right now, sometimes she feels more like the mum of the family. And speaking of mums, the sisters do have one, and she loves her three girls to the moon and back, but she suffers from something called bipolar disorder which can sometimes make life very difficult… A poignant, moving and uplifting story about family and friendship by the original Queen of Tween, Jean Ure.

Lemonade Sky

A brand new story of crushes, first love and friendship from the original Queen of Tween – Jean Ure! When Maya falls off her bike and into the arms of Jake Harper, her cousin Mattie thinks the crush that follows will be as short-lived as the rest – especially as Maya is a Year 8 nobody and Jake is a Year 12 god. Mattie’s pretty sure that Jake's taken, anyway. But if Jake’s got a girlfriend then why does he keep offering Maya lifts around town? And why does Maya accuse Mattie of being jealous of her? Perhaps there’s more to this crush than meets the eye…

Strawberry Crush

A coming of age story about self-discovery and independence from the Queen of Tween, Jean Ure. ‘I’ve always been the quiet one in my dramatic family. Not a drama queen, or a genius composer, or a twin, but Just Peachy. Mum says I’ve got my own thing going on… I just wish I knew what that was! When I decide I want to attend Sacred Heart school rather than Summerville where my family have always gone everyone finally stops to listen! Stepping out on my own is scary, but I need space to find out who I am and what I’m good at.’ A new novel from Jean Ure, about a girl trying to find who she really is – and maybe a friend along the way…

Just Peachy

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