Historical Fiction

'A vibrant page-turner with entrancing characters' Margaret Dickinson'Rosie writes such heartwarming sagas' Lyn AndrewsThursday's child has far to go . . . 1912, London.Eighteen-year-old Flora Butler is going up in the world. She has the prized position of lady's maid to young Constance Ogilvie, and is able to provide for her beloved parents and four younger siblings. She has even fallen in love, and though she does not feel quite ready to marry the charming Jamie Branning, her future seems clear.But Flora's life is turned upside down when her mistress's father dies in a tragic accident. Connie is forced to move to New York to live with her aunt until she comes of age, and begs Flora to go with her. Flora has never left the country before, and now faces a difficult decision - give up her position, or leave her family behind. But when her beau lets her down, her mind is made up.Soon Connie and Flora head for Southampton to board the RMS Titanic...

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A dramatic novel of passion, politics and betrayal from the author of The Other Boleyn Girl. They can fear me, and they can hate me. They can even deny me. But they cannot kill me. 1568. The Virgin Queen Elizabeth I has ruled England for ten years, but refuses to name a successor, despite the rival claims that threaten her kingdom. Bess of Hardwick, the new Countess of Shrewsbury, has secured her future with her fourth marriage to George Talbot. Ambitious and shrewd, Bess anticipates royal favour when she and the Earl are asked to give sanctuary to the fugitive Mary Queen of Scots. But the Scottish queen rails against house arrest in a desolate castle and plots to regain her throne. The castle becomes the epicentre of intrigue against Elizabeth, the Earl blinded by admiration for the other queen. Even Bess’s own loyalty is thrown into question. If Elizabeth's spymaster William Cecil links the Talbots to the growing conspiracy to free Mary, they will all face the Tower…

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One Perfect Family . . . can bring a whole village togetherLancashire, 1934. When Tam Crawford is unexpectedly bequeathed some money, he can finally realise his dream of settling down in the beautiful village of Ellindale.Tam knows he can be impulsive - his nickname isn't Crazy Tam for nothing! - but this time he is determined not to be ruled by his big heart and hot head. Yet somehow, within just one day, he has taken on a fiancée and two children to keep them out of the poorhouse - or worse. Despite their unconventional start, as Tam and his new family get to know and love each other, they come to realise that his act of charity is the best thing that could have happened to all of them. But there are still problems and they struggle to find somewhere to live.Tam and his makeshift family are not the only ones facing difficulties. Local benefactor Finn Carlisle's attempts to help the unemployed are being sabotaged by an unscrupulous local councillor, and Tam's cousin-by-marriage Hilda Kerkham has been widowed and is struggling even to feed her son. Will the people of Ellindale be able to help one another in these hard times?Praise for the Ellindale series'One of the most lovely and heartwarming books I have ever read! *****' - Between the Pages 'A book of family, love, friendship and loyalty. *****' - Stardust Book Reviews'I was gripped from the very first word on the very first page and I wasn't released until the last word on the last page . . . When I finished I felt like I had been through an emotional wringer. *****' - Ginger Book Geek

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Before George R. R. Martin there was Dorothy Dunnett . . . PERFECT for fans of A Game of Thrones. 'She is a brilliant story teller, The Lymond Chronicles will keep you reading late into the night, desperate to know the fate of the characters you have come to care deeply about.' The Times Literary SupplementThe Ringed Castle is the fifth book in the series -----------------------------'Not to every young girl is it given to enter the harem of the Sultan of Turkey and return to her homeland a virgin . . .'Sixteen-year-old Philippa Somerville has left Constantinople intact. Returning to England as wife in name only to Francis Crawford of Lymond, she wastes no time in seeking the truth about her new spouse, even as she finds herself navigating the paranoid court of Queen Mary.Lymond, meanwhile, arrives in Moscow to assist its young Tsar Ivan to create a fledgling Russian army. But when he is tasked to visit London as Ivan's envoy his path is bound to cross that of the wife he has sworn to divorce. Yet neither Lymond nor Philippa, caught up in their own scheming, can quite see the vast conspiracy enshrouding them . . . 'Lashings of excitement, colour and subtlety' The Times 'Melodrama of the most magnificent kind' The Guardian

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Before George R. R. Martin there was Dorothy Dunnett . . . THE PERFECT GIFT for fans of A Game of Thrones. 'She is a brilliant story teller, The Lymond Chronicles will keep you reading late into the night, desperate to know the fate of the characters you have come to care deeply about.' The Times Literary SupplementCheckmate is the sixth and final book in the series -----------------------------'If they place the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left and ask me to give up my mission, I will not give it up until the truth prevails or I myself perish in the attempt . . .'It is 1557 and legendary Scottish warrior Francis Crawford of Lymond is once more in France. There he is leading an army to rout the hated English from Calais. Yet while Lymond seeks victory on the battlefield he is haunted by his troubled past - chiefly the truth about his origins and his marriage (in name only) to young Englishwoman Philippa Somerville. As the French offer him a way out of his marriage and his wife appears in France on a mission of her own, the final moves are made in a great game that has been playing out over an extraordinary decade of war, love and struggle - bringing the Lymond Chronicles to a spellbinding close.'A masterpiece of historical fiction' Washington Post 'Melodrama of the most magnificent kind' The Guardian

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Before George R. R. Martin there was Dorothy Dunnett . . . PERFECT for fans of A Game of Thrones.'She is a brilliant story teller, The Lymond Chronicles will keep you reading late into the night, desperate to know the fate of the characters you have come to care deeply about.' The Times Literary SupplementQueen's Play is the second book in the series-----------------------------'The crossroads may not be of your own seeking, but at least the road you choose will be your own'It is 1548 and seven-year-old Mary Queen of Scots, betrothed to her cousin the Dauphin, heir to the French throne, has been dispatched to France. But far from home and vulnerable, surrounded by the double-dealing and debauchery of a dangerous and unpredictable court, she suffers a series of 'accidents'. Her mother, Scotland's Queen Dowager, orders Francis Crawford of Lymond to protect Mary, believing that at the very heart of Henri II's glittering, decadent court is an assassin hired to kill the infant monarch. Lymond must secretly hunt down this individual before he himself is exposed . . .'Vivid, engaging, densely plotted -- are almost certainly destined to be counted among the classics of popular fiction' New York Times'Melodrama of the most magnificent kind' The Guardian

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Before George R. R. Martin there was Dorothy Dunnett . . . PERFECT for fans of A Game of Thrones. 'She is a brilliant story teller, The Lymond Chronicles will keep you reading late into the night, desperate to know the fate of the characters you have come to care deeply about.' The Times Literary SupplementPawn in Frankincense is the fourth book in the series -----------------------------'It seems to me that on the whole we run more risks with Mr Crawford's protection than without it . . .'It is 1552 and the royal galley Dauphine, under the command of Francis Crawford of Lymond, sails the glittering but dangerous Mediterranean looking for a lost son. Yet as the search grows more urgent, Lymond knows he is being drawn deeper into the intricate web of his enemy Gabriel, Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St John, who is already weaving a subtle tapestry of revenge.It is a journey that will lead Lymond to Constantinople and the court of Suleiman the Magnificent where a terrible game will be played with deadly and incalculable consequences . . .'Marvellous, breathtaking' The Times 'Melodrama of the most magnificent kind' The Guardian

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Courage, passion, ambition and tragedy under the storm clouds of war from the top ten bestselling author. It is 1915 and Daisy Tallis, headstrong, impassioned and a talented young silversmith, is desperate to make her parents proud. The family business is at the very heart of Birmingham’s jewellery quarter community.Daisy, having studied at the city’s celebrated School of Jewellery and Silversmithing, is now skilled enough to be a teacher. It is at the school that she meets her father’s notorious rival, James Carson. Although he’s a married man, Daisy finds herself dangerously drawn to his flattery.As war tightens its grip on the country, the jewellery quarter is thrown into turmoil as the men are forced to decide who will enlist. When tragedy strikes, can Daisy and her mother find what it takes to hold both the business and the family together?‘Full of drama, love and compassion’ Take a Break‘A tale of passion and empathy that will keep you hooked’ Woman’s Own

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The compelling new bestseller from the author of The Mersey Daughter and Winter on the Mersey. Alice Lake and her friend Edith have had everything thrown at them in their first year as district nurses in London’s East End. From babies born out of wedlock to battered wives, they’ve had plenty to keep them occupied. As rationing takes hold and Hitler’s bombers train their sights on London, there is no escaping the reality of being at war. Edith is trying to battle on bravely while bearing her own heartache but there’s no escaping the new terror of the bombing raids. The girls find themselves caught up in the terrible aftermath, their nursing skills desperately needed by the shaken locals on their rounds. With the men away fighting for King and country, it’s up to the nurses to keep up the Spirit of the Blitz, and everyone is counting on them…

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Icelandic literary culture was one of the richest and most important in the medieval world. Texts that were written in Iceland during this period include Njal's Saga, Egil's Saga, The Vinland Sagas, as well as the Comic Sagas and Tales collected in this volume. Comic Sagas and Tales brings together the finest comic stories from medieval Iceland. With feuding families and moments of grotesque violence, the sagas see such classic mythological figures as murdered fathers, disguised beggars, corrupt chieftains and avenging sons do battle with axes, words and cunning. The tales, meanwhile, follow heroes and comical fools through dreams, voyages and religious conversions in Iceland and beyond. Shaped by Iceland's oral culture and their conversion to Christianity, these stories are works of ironic humour and stylistic innovation. In the introduction to these new translations, Viðar Hreinsson examines how the stories satirised old-style sagas while exploiting their classic themes of quests and revenge. This edition also includes a map, glossary, index of characters, suggested further reading and notes.

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**FROM THE AUTHOR OF INSIDE THE WAVE, THE COSTA BOOK OF THE YEAR 2017**Finland, 1902, and the Russian Empire enforces a brutal policy to destroy Finland's freedom and force its people into submission.Eeva, orphaned daughter of a failed revolutionary, also battles to find her independence and identity. Destitute when her father dies, she is sent away to a country orphanage, and then employed as servant to a widowed doctor, Thomas Eklund. Slowly, Thomas falls in love with Eeva . . . but she has committed herself long ago to a boy from her childhood, Lauri, who is now caught up in Helsinki's turmoil of resistance to Russian rule.Set in dangerous, unfamiliar times which strangely echo our own, the story reveals how terrorism lies hidden within ordinary life, as rulers struggle to hold on to power. House of Orphans is a rich, brilliant story of love, history and change.House of Orphans is bestselling author Helen Dunmore's ninth novel.'Vivid and exciting . . . Dunmore creates a beautiful sense of stillness . . . she conveys a passion for Finland's icy landscape' Observer'Part love story, part tragedy . . . Dunmore on dazzling form. Everyone should read her work' Independent on Sunday'Outstanding, a sheer pleasure to read. Dunmore is a remarkable storyteller' Daily MailHelen Dunmore is the author of twelve novels: Zennor in Darkness, which won the McKitterick Prize; Burning Bright; A Spell of Winter, which won the Orange Prize; Talking to the Dead; Your Blue-Eyed Boy; With Your Crooked Heart; The Siege, which was shortlisted for the 2001 Whitbread Novel of the Year Award and for the Orange Prize for Fiction 2002; Mourning Ruby; House of Orphans; Counting the Stars; The Betrayal, which was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2010, and The Greatcoat. She is also a poet, children's novelist and short-story writer.

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Desire, virtue, courtesans (also known as sing-song girls), and the denizens of Shanghai's pleasure quarters are just some of the elements that constitute Han Bangqing's extraordinary novel of late imperial China. Han's richly textured, panoramic view of late-nineteenth-century Shanghai follows a range of characters from beautiful sing-song girls to lower-class prostitutes and from men in positions of social authority to criminals and ambitious young men recently arrived from the country. Considered one of the greatest works of Chinese fiction, The Sing-song Girls of Shanghai is now available for the first time in English. Neither sentimental nor sensationalistic in its portrayal of courtesans and their male patrons, Han's work inquires into the moral and psychological consequences of desire. Han, himself a frequent habitue of Shanghai brothels, reveals a world populated by lonely souls who seek consolation amid the pleasures and decadence of Shanghai's demimonde. He describes the romantic games played by sing-song girls to lure men, as well as the tragic consequences faced by those who unexpectedly fall in love with their customers. Han also tells the stories of male patrons who find themselves emotionally trapped between desire and their sense of propriety. First published in 1892, and made into a film by Hou Hsiao-hsien in 1998, The Sing-song Girls of Shanghai is recognized as a pioneering work of Chinese fiction in its use of psychological realism and its infusion of modernist sensibilities into the traditional genre of courtesan fiction. The novel's stature has grown with the recent discovery of Eileen Chang's previously unknown translation, which was unearthed among her papers at the University of Southern California. Chang, who lived in Shanghai until 1956 when she moved to California and began to write in English, is one of the most acclaimed Chinese writers of the twentieth century.

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'An engrossing new spin on a well-known tale' Antonia Senior, The Times'Caligula as you've never seen him before! A powerfully moving read from one of the best ancient world authors in the business' Kate Quinn, author of The Alice Network Everyone knows his name. Everyone thinks they know his story.Rome 37AD. The emperor is dying. No-one knows how long he has left. The power struggle has begun.When the ailing Tiberius thrusts Caligula's family into the imperial succession in a bid to restore order, he will change the fate of the empire and create one of history's most infamous tyrants, Caligula. But was he really a monster?Forget everything you think you know. Let Livilla, Caligula's youngest sister and confidante, tell you what really happened. How her quiet, caring brother became the most powerful man on earth. And how, with lies, murder and betrayal, Rome was changed for ever . . .'A truly different take on one of history's villains . . . All through this I am seeing Al Pacino in The Godfather, slowly stained darker and darker by power and blood' Robert Low, author of The Oathsworn series'Enthralling and original, brutal and lyrical by turns. With powerful imagery and carefully considered history Simon Turney provides a credible alternative to the Caligula myth that will have the reader questioning everything they believe they know about the period' Anthony Riches, author of the Empire series

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In February 1887, Caitriona Wallace and Émile Nouguier meet in a hot air balloon, floating high above Paris - a moment of pure possibility. But back on firm ground, their vastly different social strata become clear. Cait is a widow who because of her precarious financial situation is forced to chaperone two wealthy Scottish charges. Émile is expected to take on the bourgeois stability of his family's business and choose a suitable wife. As the Eiffel Tower rises, a marvel of steel and air and light, the subject of extreme controversy and a symbol of the future, Cait and Émile must decide what their love is worth.Seamlessly weaving historical detail and vivid invention, Beatrice Colin evokes the revolutionary time in which Cait and Émile live - one of corsets and secret trysts, duels and Bohemian independence, strict tradition and Impressionist experimentation. To Capture What We Cannot Keep, stylish, provocative and shimmering, raises probing questions about a woman's place in that world, the overarching reach of class distinctions and the sacrifices love requires of us all.

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If you love The Island and Cartes Postales from Greece by Victoria Hislop, you will love this perfect summer read from the author of Island of Secrets.Rebecca Neumanner's marriage is on the brink of collapse, as her desire to be a mother becomes an obsession. Then she receives news from her estranged family in Rhodes. Called back to the beautiful Greek island of her birth, she realises how little she knows of the grandmother she has eluded for over a decade. Bubba has never spoken of the Nazi occupation during her youth, but there have always been whispers. What desperate measures did she take that terrible day in 1944 when her family was ripped apart? Can the rumour she had blood on her own hands really be true? But Bubba intends to take her secrets to the grave. However, as Rebecca arrives on Rhodes, bringing the promise of new life, this broken family must come together. The time has come to tell the truth about the darkest of days . . . What readers said about Island of Secrets:'Island of Secrets is a book full of raw emotions, family vendettas, hidden secrets and three very strong women. It's a book I enjoyed very much and one which fans of Victoria Hislop and Debbie Rix are sure to enjoy' (NetGalley Reviewer)'So well written and utterly heartbreaking . . . a story that needs to be told' (NetGalley Reviewer)'Page-turning, enthralling and heartbreaking by turns''Made me laugh and cry, just couldn't put this book down'Ready for your next incredible read from Patricia Wilson? Island of Secrets is available now. Search 9781785762789.

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Standing on London’s Victoria docks with the wind biting through her shawl, Rose Munday realises she’s been abandoned by her sweetheart. She had risked everything to get to London but, stumbling through the peasoup fog, she has nowhere to go, and no one to turn to. Scared and alone, Rose steps straight into danger, only to be rescued by two women with even less to their names – a woman of the night and her young sidekick, Sparrow. With only a cluster of love letters to her name and all hope of her sweetheart’s return fading, Rose finds herself forging a new life with her unlikely companions. But when a good deed turns sour, a dangerous enemy threatens to ruin them all. Will Rose be able to save her new friends and her future? If she can, a Christmas gift awaits that will change her life forever… The third book in the stunning ‘River Maid’ series from Sunday Times bestseller, Dilly Court!

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For fans of All the Light We Cannot See, Beneath a Scarlet Sky, and The Nightingale comes an emotionally gripping, beautifully written historical novel about extraordinary hope, redemption, and one man’s search for light during the darkest times of World War II. Germany, 1942. Franciscan friar Anton Starzmann is stripped of his place in the world when his school is seized by the Nazis. He relocates to a small German hamlet to wed Elisabeth Herter, a widow who seeks a marriage—in name only—to a man who can help raise her three children. Anton seeks something too—atonement for failing to protect his young students from the wrath of the Nazis. But neither he nor Elisabeth expects their lives to be shaken once again by the inescapable rumble of war. As Anton struggles to adapt to the roles of husband and father, he learns of the Red Orchestra, an underground network of resisters plotting to assassinate Hitler. Despite Elisabeth’s reservations, Anton joins this army of shadows. But when the SS discovers his schemes, Anton will embark on a final act of defiance that may cost him his life—even if it means saying goodbye to the family he has come to love more than he ever believed possible.

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The First World War is over, and in a quiet Hampshire village, artist Stanley Spencer is working on the commission of a lifetime, painting an entire chapel in memory of a life lost in the war to end all wars. Combining his own traumatic experiences with moments of everyday redemption, the chapel will become his masterpiece. When Elsie Munday arrives to take up position as housemaid to the Spencer family, her life quickly becomes entwined with the charming and irascible Stanley, his artist wife Hilda and their tiny daughter Shirin. As the years pass, Elsie does her best to keep the family together even when love, obsession and temptation seem set to tear them apart…

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Gosport, 1941. The Bluebird Girls - Rainey Bird, Bea Herron and Ivy Sparrow - are on their way to stardom. From working mens' clubs to the glamour of the Savoy Hotel, fame and fortune beckon as the south coast's favourite singing trio work to charm their way into the hearts of the nation.But the war rages on, and reaching the top of their game will not be easy. Blonde bombshell Bea is still dealing with the fallout of a traumatic encounter last winter. Rainey is determined to live up to her mother's belief in her, but finds herself struggling with the whirlwind of life in showbusiness. And Ivy, usually so self-possessed, is hopelessly in love...As bombs rain down and rationing bites harder, it will take all their grit, good humour and the support of friends and family to see them through. Can the girls keep their dream alive through Britain's darkest hour?'Rich in period detail and, as always, passion, drama, friendship and family take star billing. [A] warm and appealing story' Lancashire Evening Post on The Bluebird Girls

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From the bestselling author of The Little Angel; perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Katie Flynn.'Rosie writes such heart-warming sagas featuring believable characters and well-researched backgrounds and eras' Lyn Andrews'An absorbing story in the grand tradition of the best saga authors' Margaret Dickinson'The new Catherine Cookson' Coventry Evening TelegraphTuesday's child is full of grace . . .Warwickshire, 1910.Grace Kettle lives a happy life with her beloved mother and reliable old Mrs Batley - happy, at least, as long as Judge Kettle, her formidable and threatening father, is away from home. As she grows into a gentle and pious young woman the atmosphere at home darkens. Knowing that she cannot protect her mother, Grace eventually flees to rural Wales, following her heart's desire to train as a nun.But when she meets the dashing and devout Father Luke her world is turned upside down. She is driven to make a scandalous choice - one she may well spend the rest of her days seeking forgiveness for . . .A Mother's Grace is the third book in Rosie Goodwin's Days of the Week Collection. Why not try the rest, Mothering Sunday, The Little Angel, The Blessed Child, A Maiden's Voyage, A Precious Gift and Time to Say Goodbye?

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‘How long do I have?’ I force a laugh.‘Not long,’ he says very quietly. ‘They have confirmed your sentence of death. You are to be beheaded tomorrow. We don’t have long at all.’ Jane Grey was Queen of England for nine days. Using her position as cousin to the deceased king, her father and his conspirators put her on the throne ahead of the king’s half-sister Mary, who quickly mustered an army, claimed her crown and locked Jane in the Tower. When Jane refused to betray her Protestant faith, Mary sent her to the executioner’s block. There Jane turned her father’s greedy, failed grab for power into her own brave and tragic martyrdom. ‘Learn you to die’ is the advice that Jane gives in a letter to her younger sister Katherine, who has no intention of dying. She intends to enjoy her beauty and her youth and find love. But her lineage makes her a threat to the insecure and infertile Queen Mary and, when Mary dies, to her sister Queen Elizabeth, who will never allow Katherine to marry and produce a potential royal heir before she does. So when Katherine’s secret marriage is revealed by her pregnancy, she too must go to the Tower. ‘Farewell, my sister,’ writes Katherine to the youngest Grey sister, Mary. A beautiful dwarf, disregarded by the court, Mary finds it easy to keep secrets, especially her own, while avoiding Elizabeth’s suspicious glare. After watching her sisters defy the queen, Mary is aware of her own perilous position as a possible heir to the throne. But she is determined to command her own destiny and be the last Tudor to risk her life in matching wits with her ruthless and unforgiving cousin Elizabeth. Praise for Philippa Gregory: ‘Meticulously researched and deeply entertaining, this story of betrayal and divided loyalties is Gregory on top form’ Good Housekeeping ‘Gregory has popularised Tudor history perhaps more than any other living fiction writer…all of her books feature strong, complex women, doing their best to improve their lives in worlds dominated by men’ Sunday Times ‘Engrossing’ Sunday Express ‘Popular historical fiction at its finest, immaculately researched and superbly told’ The Times

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FROM THE WINNER OF THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE 2014In the winter of 1954, in a construction camp in the remote Tasmanian highlands, when Sonja Buloh was three years old and her father was drinking too much, her mother disappeared into a blizzard never to return.Thirty-five years later, Sonja returns to the place of her childhood to visit her drunkard father. The shadows of the past begin to intrude ever more forcefully into the present, changing forever his living death and her ordered life.

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The first in a brilliant series set during Hannibal's war against Rome, from the bestselling author of THE FORGOTTEN LEGION Chronicles________________________ENEMY OF ROMEThe great Carthaginian general, Hannibal, has never forgotten the defeat and humiliation of his father by Rome. Now he plans his revenge and the destruction of the old enemy.SOLDIER OF CARTHAGEWhile Hannibal prepares for war, the young son of one of his most trusted military commanders goes on an innocent adventure with his best friend - and disappears.ENSLAVEDCaptured by pirates, put up for sale in the slave market, one of the boys is sold as a gladiator, the other as a field slave. They believe they will never see home or family again.A WORLD AFLAMEBut their destiny - interwoven and linked with that of their Roman masters - is to be an extraordinary one. The devastating war unleashed upon Rome by Hannibal will last for nearly twenty years. It will change their lives - and history - forever.

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Ruby and Grace have grown up in the poorest slums of Hull. Friends since early childhood, they have supported each other in bad times and good. But their families are bound together by more than friendship, and secrets from the past threaten to make their lives even more difficult.The local cotton mill has provided work for Ruby and Grace since they were nine years old, and now years later both girls find themselves the object of attention from the mill owner's sons. As times grow harder, and money ever scarcer, Grace becomes involved in campaigns against poverty and injustice, while Ruby is tempted into prostitution.The two girls are searching for something that could take them far away . . . But what price will they pay to find it?If you like Katie Flynn and Dilly Court, you'll love this heartwarming story of triumph over adversity.---------------------------Praise for Val Wood:'A heart-warming story filled with compelling action' Rosie Goodwin'Hull's answer to Catherine Cookson' BBC Radio 4's Front Row'Wonderfully fully-fleshed characters are the mainstay of [Val Wood's] stories' Peterborough Telegraph

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A heartbreaking novel from the bestselling author of The Four Streets. Noleen Delaney is one of an army of night cleaners at St Angelus Hospital. Son Finn has done something unheard-of and passed his Eleven Plus exam. How on earth will they pay for his books, his grammar school uniform and shoes? Bronia Ryan has battled depression since her husband died and now one of her sons is in prison. Her youngest, Lorcan, wants no part of a life of crime, but how can he ever escape? Or protect his mother from her vicious eldest son? As usual, St Angelus is at the heart of things. Life and death, love and loss, jealousies, rivalries and betrayals are woven into a rich tapestry in Nadine's great series about poverty, sacrifice and community spirit in post-war Liverpool and the early days of the NHS. Can't wait for the next one? CHRISTMAS ANGELS is out now! What people are saying about THE MOTHERS OF LOVELY LANE: 'I have loved this series from the first book, and with each new book, I was never disappointed' 'So many powerful characters, especially the women' 'Good stories, believable characters that make you sad, happy and hopeful for them' 'Nadine Dorries has done it again - had me gripped from page one'

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The second book in a stunning new series from Sunday Times bestseller, Dilly Court 1873. When Carrie Manning’s father dies her mother, Esther, is heartbroken. Essie leaves London to convalesce with her good friend Lady Alice, and it is down to Carrie to look after her family and take charge of the shipping company that her father has left behind. But the company is in dire straits, forcing Carrie seek work as a companion to Maria Colville. When Carrie and Maria try to track down Maria’s mother, they have no idea of the secrets that they will discover. Secrets that link the Colvilles, the Mannings and figures from the past who return to England. Carrie’s journey is as unpredictable as the waters that link the rival shipping companies, but will her determination be enough to preserve the legacy of her family’s name?

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An Amazon Charts bestseller. In the shadows of World War II, trust becomes the greatest risk of all for two strangers. December 1943. In the years before the rise of Hitler, the Gerber family’s summer cottage was filled with laughter. Now, as deep drifts of snow blanket the Black Forest, German dissenter Franka Gerber is alone and hopeless. Fervor and brutality have swept through her homeland, taking away both her father and her brother and leaving her with no reason to live. That is, until she discovers an unconscious airman lying in the snow wearing a Luftwaffe uniform, his parachute flapping in the wind. Unwilling to let him die, Franka takes him to her family’s isolated cabin despite her hatred for the regime he represents. But when it turns out that he is not who he seems, Franka begins a race against time to unravel the mystery of the airman’s true identity. Their tenuous bond becomes as inseparable as it is dangerous. Hunted by the Gestapo, can they trust each other enough to join forces on a mission that could change the face of the war and their own lives forever?

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In the Roman Empire no one is safe from the sting of betrayal: man, woman - or child.As a boy, Nero's royal heritage becomes a threat to his very life, first when the mad emperor Caligula tries to drown him, then when his great aunt attempts to secure her own son's inheritance. Faced with shocking acts of treachery, young Nero is dealt a harsh lesson: it is better to be cruel than dead.While Nero idealizes the artistic and athletic principles of Greece, his very survival rests on his ability to navigate the sea of vipers that is Rome. Most lethal of all is his own mother, Agrippina, whose only goal is to control the empire. But as her machinations earn her son a title he is both tempted and terrified to assume, Nero's determination to escape her thrall will shape him into the man he was fated to become - an Emperor who became legendary.With impeccable research and captivating prose, The Confessions of Young Nero by Margaret George is the story of a boy's ruthless ascension to the throne. From innocent youth to infamous ruler, his is an epic tale of the lengths to which man will go in the ultimate quest for power and survival.

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*Don’t miss Lucy Foley’s Sunday Times bestselling crime debut, THE HUNTING PARTY, available to buy now.* ‘This will sweep you away for the summer. Lucy Foley blends a rich history, haunting secrets and a timeless love story’ Santa Montefiore, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Deverill series ISTANBUL, 1921 Before the Occupation, Nur’s city was a tapestry of treasures: the Grand Bazaar alive with colour, trinkets and spices; saffron sunsets melting into the black waters of the Bosphorus; the sweet fragrance of the fig trees dancing on the summer breeze . . . Now the shadow of war hangs over the city, and Nur lives for the protection of a young boy with a terrible secret. Stumbling through the streets, carrying the embroideries that have become her livelihood, she avoids the gazes of the Allied soldiers. Survival is everything. When Nur chances upon George Monroe, a medical officer in the British Army, it is easy to hate him. Yet the lines between enemy and friend grow fainter. She and the boy would both be at risk. Nur knows that she cannot afford to fall – impossibly and dangerously – in love . . .

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A heartbreaking story of love and loss, based on a true story OVER ONE MILLION COPIES SOLDTHE NO.1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERWINNER OF GOODREADS CHOICE AWARDS 2017 BEST HISTORICAL FICTION AWARD***************************Memphis, Tennessee, 1939Twelve-year-old Rill Foss and her four younger siblings live a magical life aboard their family's Mississippi River shantyboat. But when their father must rush their mother to the hospital one stormy night, Rill is left in charge, until strangers arrive in force. Wrenched from all that is familiar and thrown into a Tennessee Children's Home Society orphanage, the Foss children are assured that they will soon be returned to their parents - but they quickly realize the dark truth...Aiken, South Carolina, present dayBorn into wealth and privilege, Avery Stafford seems to have it all: a successful career, a handsome fiancé, and a lavish wedding on the horizon. But when Avery returns home to help her father weather a health crisis, a chance encounter leaves her with uncomfortable questions and compels her to take a journey through her family's long-hidden history, on a path that will ultimately lead either to devastation or to redemption.*********************Based on one of America's most notorious real-life scandals, in which Georgia Tann, director of a Memphis-based adoption organization, kidnapped and sold poor children to wealthy families all over the country, Before We Were Yours is a riveting, wrenching and ultimately uplifting global bestseller. 'A tale of enduring power' Paula McLain'It is impossible not to get swept up in this near-perfect novel' Huffington Post

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This major best-selling memoir of a poverty-stricken childhood in Liverpool is one of the most harrowing but uplifting books you will ever read. When Helen Forrester’s father went bankrupt in 1930 she and her six siblings were forced into utmost poverty and slum surroundings in Depression-ridden Liverpool. The running of the household and the care of the younger children all fell on twelve-year-old Helen. With very little food or help from her feckless parents, Helen led a life of unrelenting drudgery and hardship. Writing about her experiences later in life, Helen Forrester shed light on an almost forgotten part of life in Britain. , Forrester’s memoir of these grim days is as heart-warming as it is shocking.

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A HEARTWARMING WARTIME TALE FEATURING THE NURSES OF THE NIGHTINGALE HOSPITALBY SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR DONNA DOUGLAS________________________________________FOR THE NIGHTINGALE NURSES, THE WEDDING BELLS ARE RINGING...East London, 1917. Anna is over the moon when her sweetheart Edward returns from the front line. As he recovers from injuries sustained in war, they make plans to be married. But the horrors of the trenches cast a long shadow.Caring for shell-shocked soldiers brings untold challenges for Grace, and her parents have very different dreams for her future. Will she have the strength to forge her own path?Meanwhile Dulcie has her sights firmly set on her own happy ending. Yet sometimes we find love where we least expect to. Each nurse has her own battle to fight but they must pull together to find true happiness.

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From the bestselling author of Mothering Sunday; perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Katie Flynn.'An absorbing story in the grand tradition of the best saga authors' Margaret Dickinson'Rosie writes such heart-warming sagas' Lyn Andrews'The new Catherine Cookson' Coventry Evening Telegraph1896, Nuneaton.Left on the doorstep of Treetops Children's Home, young Kitty captures the heart of her guardian, Sunday Branning, who has never been blessed with a child of her own. Kitty brings sunshine and joy wherever she goes, and grows into a beguiling and favoured young girl. But then Kitty is summoned to live in London with her birth mother.At first London offers Kitty excitement and adventure. With her delicate beauty and the voice of an angel, she attracts a promising singing career and the attention of a number of dashing suitors. But those now close to Kitty are not what they seem, and her comforting old home at Treetops starts to feel very far away. If Kitty is to have any chance of happiness, this little angel must protect herself from devils in disguise . . . and before it's too late.This is what you've been saying about Rosie Goodwin:'What a brilliant book I enjoyedevery bit of it and I will recommend it to all my friends''What an excellent read, couldn't put book down . . . Rosie Goodwin never disappoints''Have read all Rosie Goodwin books and this is one of her best''What an amazing book, once you pick it up you cannot put it down''A truly great read''A really gripping story'The Little Angel is the second book in Rosie Goodwin's Days of the Week Collection. Why not try the rest, Mothering Sunday, A Mother's Grace, The Blessed Child, A Maiden's Voyage, A Precious Gift and Time to Say Goodbye?

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New York Times bestselling author Daisy Goodwin returns with a story of the scandalous love affair between the most celebrated opera singer of all time and one of the richest men in the world.''An extraordinary, vivid, and skilful re-imagining of a modern Greek legend'' - Victoria HislopIn the glittering and ruthlessly competitive world of opera, Maria Callas is known simply as la divina: the divine one. With her glorious voice, instinctive flair for the dramatic and striking beauty, she''s the toast of the grandest opera houses in the world. Yet her fame has been hard won: raised in Nazi-occupied Greece by a mother who mercilessly exploited her, Maria learned early in life how to protect herself.When she meets the fabulously rich shipping magnate, Aristotle Onassis, her isolation melts away. For the first time in her life, she believes she''s found a man who sees the woman rather than the legendary soprano. Desperately in love, Onassis introduces her to a life of

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'Suspenseful, atmospheric and full of twists and turns, I loved the brutal, backstabbing world that Isabelle Schuler conjures up where only the most ruthless can survive' - Jennifer Saint 'Dazzlingly clever and difficult to put down' i Power. History. Love. Hate. Vengeance. She will be Queen. Whatever it takes... Daughter of an ousted king. Descendant of powerful druids. Destined to take her place in history. As a child, Gruoch’s grandmother prophecies that she will one day be Queen of Alba and reclaim the lands of her Pictish kin. When, many years later, she is betrothed to Duncan, the heir-elect, the prophecy appears to come true. Determined to never to be as powerless as her parents, Gruoch leaves behind her home, her family and her friend MacBethad, and travels to the royal seat at Scone to seal her fate. But when a deadly turn of events forces Gruoch to flee Duncan and the capital, Gruoch finds herself at the mercy of an old enemy. Her hope of becoming Queen all but lost, Gruoch does what she must to survive, until she is given a choice: live a long, peaceful life but fall into obscurity, or seize her chance for vengeance and a path back to the throne. An unputdownable, sweeping historical epic, Lady MacBethad reimagines the life of Gruoch – the real life Scottish Queen who inspired one of Shakespeare's most famous characters. Readers Reviews: 'I adored this book' 'One of the most interesting, complex and captivating protagonists I've ever come across' 'I could not put this book down' 'So good that I'm almost sad I've finished it'

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'Heart-pounding action' THE TIMES. Winter, 1361. After two decades of conflict, Edward III has finally agreed a treaty with the captive French King, John II. In return for his freedom, John has ceded vast tracts of territory to the English. But for five long years mercenary bands and belligerent lords have fought over the carcass of his kingdom. They will not give up their hard-won spoils to honour a defeated king's promises. If the English want their prize, they'll have to fight for it... Thomas Blackstone will have to fight for it. As he battles to enforce Edward's claim, Thomas Blackstone will see his name blackened, his men slaughtered, his family hunted. He will be betrayed and, once again, he'll face the might of the French army on the field. But this time there will be no English army at his back. He'll face the French alone.

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A new emotional and gritty drama from the bestselling author of The Throwaway Children. After her mother's death, twenty-year-old Sophie Ross is left orphaned, with only her erstwhile nursemaid and faithful friend, Hannah for company. Penniless and little chance of an income, she looks for work as a governess in London to avoid destitution. But unbeknown to Sophie, her mother instructed Hannah to post a letter to Trescadinnick House in Cornwall upon her death. The letter will be the catalyst that changes Sophie's life forever as she learns of her mother's doomed romance and family she left behind in Cornwall. The Penvarrow family welcomes Sophie into their fold, but the new life she's built is threatened by secrets and lies that soon come to light... What readers are saying about Miss Mary's Daughter: 'Diney Costeloe's books are always first on my list, she writes such wonderful stories' 'I loved everything about this novel. It's an intriguing plot with a well-rounded group of characters and a beautifully written setting'.

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An inventive, spirited novel about a pioneering woman who was shamed for daring to challenge male dominance in the arts and sciences four centuries ago. Margaret Cavendish was the first woman to address the Royal Society and the first Englishwoman to write explicitly for publication. Wildly unconventional, she was championed by her forward-thinking husband and nicknamed ‘Mad Madge’ by her many detractors. Later, Virginia Woolf would write, ‘What a vision of loneliness and riot the thought of Margaret Cavendish brings to mind!’ Unjustly neglected by history, here Margaret is brought intimately and memorably to life, tumbling pell-mell across the pages of this exhilarating novel — a portrait of a woman whose ambitions were centuries ahead of her time.

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A CHRISTMAS RETURN is the 15th novella in the festive series by Anne Perry, the queen of Victorian crime.As the festive season approaches, Charlotte Pitt's grandmamma, Mariah Ellison, is facing Christmas alone. When she receives an unexpected gift, memories are sparked of a Christmas in Haslemere long ago, when her beloved friend Cullen Wesley died and a local villager was brutally murdered, with no killer brought to justice.The unsolved case has resurfaced and Cullen's grandson, Peter, begs for Mariah's help to solve the crime that led to his grandfather's death. Mariah can't resist a friend in need and she returns to Haslemere to investigate the murder and heal old wounds. But evil still lurks in the picturesque village and she'll need all her wits about her to see that justice is done.A Christmas Return is the enthralling new festive tale from the pen of Anne Perry, the master of Victorian crime.

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