Whether your passion is The Ancient Greeks, The Wars of The Roses or The Russian Revolution, you'll find stories of life during these eras and every other, often using factual accounts to build a fictional narrative.
Historical Fiction Books
Transworld Publishers Ltd Four Sisters
Book SynopsisA powerful story about the bond of sisterhood and how it can triumph against any adversity, from the Sunday Times bestselling author Val Wood.Hull, 1852. Matty has had to care for her three younger sisters ever since their mother's death ten years ago.
£9.49
Transworld Publishers Ltd The Lonely Wife
Book SynopsisA powerful story about a woman's struggle to claim what is rightfully hers, from the Sunday Times bestselling author Val Wood.1850: Beatrix Fawcett is just eighteen when her father tells her she is to marry a stranger.Trade ReviewWonderfully fully-fleshed characters are the mainstay of [Val Wood's] stories, and fans will love Beatrix Fawcett. * Peterborough Telegraph *A gripping saga. * The People’s Friend *
£9.49
Transworld Publishers Ltd Celebrations at the Chateau
Book SynopsisJo Thomas worked for many years as a reporter and producer, including time at Radio 4's Woman's Hour and Radio 2's The Steve Wright Show.Jo's debut novel, The Oyster Catcher, was a runaway bestseller and won both the RNA Joan Hessayon Award and the Festival of Romance Best eBook Award. Her book Escape to the French Farmhouse was a #1 bestselling eBook. Jo loves to explore new countries and discover the food produced there, both of which she thoroughly enjoys researching. Jo lives in Pembrokeshire with her husband and three children, where cooking and gathering around the kitchen table are a hugely important and fun part of their family life.Trade ReviewAn absolute treat . . . fabulous setting, gorgeous food and wonderful characters * Jill Mansell *Another gem from Jo Thomas. Fun, food, love and France, what more can anyone want? * Katie Fforde *So good I could almost taste it. Magnifique! * Milly Johnson *If you want to get away from it all this festive season, this is just the novel to transport you * Heat *A gorgeous winter read * My Weekly *[A] joyous romcom ... This has everything you want from an escapist read: romance, food and beautiful descriptions of the French countryside * Good Housekeeping *An utterly delightful Christmas read! * My Creative Notebook *A feel-good festive romp * Best *Atmospheric and romantic * The People's Friend *Feel-good fiction at its best... the perfect read' * NB *
£7.59
Transworld Publishers Ltd The Lodger
Book SynopsisA moving family drama set against the backdrop of one of London''s poorest areas from multi-million copy seller Mary Jane Staples. Perfect for fans of Maggie Ford, Kitty Neale and Katie Flynn.READERS ARE LOVING THE LODGER!This was such a great read....... priceless I loved it - 5 STARSLeave[s] you with a smile on your face... - 5 STARSOnce you start, you can''t put it down... - 5 STARSI absolutely loved this book - 5 STARSGreat for lifting your spirits - 5 STARSA good book, keeps you in suspense until the end - 5 STARS************************************************IN TIMES OF TROUBLE, CAN SHE KEEP HER FAMILY SAFE FROM HARM?London, 1908: For years now, Maggie Wilson has had to bring up her four daughters alone with barely enough money to get by. Local Constable Harry Bradshaw looks out for them as best he can but there isn''t much
£8.49
Transworld Publishers Ltd Back to School
Book SynopsisThe year is 1969 and Jack Sheffield is a young teacher in need of a job. In a room full of twenty-nine other newly qualified teachers, he''s overjoyed when he''s appointed to Heather View Primary. Jack is excited to start his first year there and to begin shaping young minds in a beautiful new location on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales.But Heather View isn''t as idyllic as it first sounds. In fact, it looks more like a prison than a primary school. With less than adequate funding and a head teacher who doesn''t seem to care, it''s no easy task to give the kids the education they deserve. But Jack''s determined to do just that.Full of warmth and good humour, Back to School is like taking a nostalgic walk through the past to a simpler time..._____________________What readers are saying: ***** ''I felt I was transported back in time. This was a joy to read.''***** ''By chapter 3 I loved this book so much that I orderTrade ReviewWith his customary warmth and good humour Jack tells of the many challenges that faced this idealistic young teacher * Choice magazine *This book makes for a perfect escape to a simpler time * Living North *Wry observation and heartwarming humour in equal measure * Alan Titchmarsh *Overflowing with amusing anecdotes * Daily Express *Amusing adventures at the North Yorkshire village school * Choice *
£10.44
Transworld Publishers Ltd School Days
Book SynopsisThe year is 1976 and Jack Sheffield never wants to leave his job.Jack has been the deputy head teacher at Newbridge Primary School for six years now, and he''s happy exactly where he is - even if it sometimes feels like there are a few things missing from his life. After all, the kids keep him busy and there''s always a game of rugby to play.But it''s a time of change, and Jack''s world is no exception. New and old faces appear in his life and a romance blossoms, bringing with it a buried secret and hidden threat. Soon, Jack must make a decision as to where his future is heading, and prepare to face whatever change is yet to come . . .A classic Jack Sheffield tale, ready to transport you back to a simpler time._____________________Praise for Jack Sheffield:''Wry observation and heartwarming humour in equal measure.'' Alan Titchmarsh''Overflowing with amusing anecdotes.'' Daily ExpressTrade ReviewWith his customary warmth and good humour Jack tells of the many challenges that faced this idealistic young teacher * Choice magazine *This book makes for a perfect escape to a simpler time * Living North *
£9.49
Transworld Publishers Ltd Christmas with the Spitfire Girls
Book SynopsisJenny Holmes lives in Ilkley, the gateway to the beautiful Yorkshire Dales, and sets her sagas in her beloved home county and in neighbouring Lancashire. She enjoys playing tennis, being around horses and walking her dog by the river. She also writes children's books as Jenny Oldfield.Find her on Facebook at Facebook.com/JennyHolmesAuthorTrade ReviewPraise for Jenny Holmes * : *Vibrant and heart-warming, Jenny Holmes makes Chapel Street come alive. * Sunday Express on The Shop Girls of Chapel Street *Gritty and uplifting, it's a tale of triumph over adversity * Choice on The Mill Girls of Albion Lane *
£6.99
Transworld Publishers Ltd The Air Raid Girls
Book SynopsisMay, 1941. Meet the Air Raid Girls: three young women keen to do their bit during the Yorkshire blitz.Connie''s life has taken an unexpected turn since her husband died - she''s living at home and working in the family bakery - but night shifts as an ARP Warden give her a firm sense of purpose.Her younger sister Lizzie is eager to play her part too, perhaps as an ambulance driver. Her fiance refuses to support her decision... but does he really know what''s best for her?Twenty-year-old Pamela has led a sheltered life, but when her family''s home is destroyed in a raid she must learn to stand on her own two feet - helped by new friends.As bombs fall and fires rage, the young women face the destruction of everything they''ve ever known. Can their fighting spirit prevail? And what of their families and the men they love?A thrilling and heartwarming new story of friendship, love and duty in wartime by the author of <Trade ReviewA story vibrant with the atmosphere of the time and fuelled by the power of duty and friendship. * Peterborough Telegraph *Gritty and uplifting, it's a tale of triumph over adversity. * Choice on The Mill Girls of Albion Lane *Praise for Jenny Holmes * : *Vibrant and heart-warming, Jenny Holmes makes Chapel Street come alive. * Sunday Express on The Shop Girls of Chapel Street *Gritty and uplifting, it's a tale of triumph over adversity * Choice on The Mill Girls of Albion Lane *
£6.99
Transworld Publishers Ltd The Air Raid Girls at Christmas
Book SynopsisJenny Holmes lives in Ilkley, the gateway to the beautiful Yorkshire Dales, and sets her sagas in her beloved home county and in neighbouring Lancashire. She enjoys playing tennis, being around horses and walking her dog by the river. She also writes children's books as Jenny Oldfield.Find her on Facebook at Facebook.com/JennyHolmesAuthorTrade ReviewPraise for The Air Raid Girls at Christmas * : *'An ideal stocking filler for those who enjoy a well-written novel depicting wartime life' * Holderness Gazette *'A festive tonic!' * Peterborough Telegraph *'An evocative and nostalgic book about love, family, friendship and fortitude' * Culturefly, 6 Uplifting Books to Read over the Festive Season *
£6.99
Transworld Publishers Ltd The Voice of an Angel
Book Synopsis'Humour, toughness, resolution and generosity are Cookson virtues . In the specialised world of women's popular fiction, Cookson has created her own territory.' - Helen Dunmore, The TimesEveryone, including her family, thought Ward Gibson would marry Daisy Mason.Trade ReviewQueen of raw family romances * Telegraph *Humour, toughness, resolution and generosity are Cookson virtues . . . In the specialised world of women's popular fiction, Cookson has created her own territory * Helen Dunmore, The Times *Catherine Cookson soars above her rivals * Mail on Sunday *
£6.99
Transworld Publishers Ltd The Innkeepers Daughter
Book SynopsisA young girl struggles to realise her dreams when her life is derailed - from the Sunday Times bestselling author Val Wood.---------------------Holderness, 1846.For reliable, thirteen-year-old Bella, life isn''t turning out quite as she''d hoped. She lives at the Woodman Inn - an ancient hostelry run by her family in the Yorkshire countryside - with her parents and siblings, but when she learns not only that her father is seriously ill, but that her mother is expecting a fifth child, her dreams of leaving home to become a schoolteacher are quickly dashed.Times are hard, and when their father dies Bella also has to take on the role of mother to her baby brother. Her days are brightened by the occasional visit from Jamie Lucan - the eighteen-year-old son of a wealthy landowning neighbour. Also grieving the loss of a parent, Jamie has more in common with Bella than she thinks.When her mother announces out of the blue that she wants to move the family to Hull, Bella is forced to leave the only home she has ever known. They arrive to find that the public house they are now committed to buying is run-down and dilapidated. Could things get any worse? Or could this move turn out to be a blessing in disguise for Bella?If you''ve liked books by Dilly Court and Katie Flynn, you''ll love Val Wood''s heartwarming stories 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
£7.59
Transworld Publishers Ltd Her Wartime Secret
Book Synopsis**Shortlisted for the RNA Romantic Saga Award 2022!** The first book in Emma Hornby''s page-turning Worktown Girls at War series - don''t miss the newest book in the series, A SISTER''S FIGHT---------------------Bolton, Lancashire: 1940A family torn apart by war, held together by a secret . . .Janie and her husband James have a strong, loving marriage. A move from an inner-city slum to a peaceful new estate outside of Bolton should have been a fresh start for them and their three children. But when war is declared and James announces he has signed up, Janie fears it''s the beginning of the end.Waving goodbye to their menfolk is a sacrifice that families are making all over the country and Janie does her best to make do, forging friendships in her new community.But when James comes home on leave a traumatised and desperate man, then goes AWOL, Janie''s heart goes out to him. Determined t
£6.99
Transworld Publishers Ltd A Mothers Betrayal
Book Synopsis**Don''t miss Emma Hornby''s gripping new wartime saga, A SISTER''S FIGHT**__________________Manchester, 1867Mara longs for a peaceful life free of violence and poverty. But she has married into the O''Hara family, who have a reputation for drunkenness and quick tempers. Her eldest stepson Conrad is the worst of them all - a brute and a criminal who makes Mara''s life a misery.But when Conrad is accused of a crime he didn''t commit, Mara is the only one who can prove his innocence. Perhaps this is her chance to finally free her family from his toxic influence . . .Will Mara clear Conrad''s name, or will she have the courage to break away from her stepson''s villainy?_______________________Readers love Emma Hornby:''Similar to Rosie Goodwin and Dilly Court, Emma Hornby tells a brilliant story''''Emma Hornby''s books just keep getting better and better''''Keep writing Emma, you are vTrade Review'Emma Hornby writes strong, working-class women with heart and humour. The book is an absolute joy' * Glenda Young, author of The Miner's Lass *'Compelling. A gripping and powerful tale of vengeance and reprisal' * Val Wood, author of Children of Fortune *'I loved the twists and turns. The emotional pull on my heartstrings was exquisite. Emma Hornby is a natural storyteller who always delivers and, from the first words to the last, my attention was captured. Read this story at your leisure, read it on the bus or on the train, in your lounge or in your bed - but you must read it. Storytelling at its best' * Sheila Riley, author of The Mersey Mistress *'Edge of your seat drama, a book not to be missed!' * Lindsey Hutchinson, author of The Hat Girl from Silver Street *'A moving picture of an abused mother's love for her family, beautifully written and enthralling from the very first word' * Gracie Hart, author of The Baker's Girl *
£6.99
Transworld Publishers Ltd A Daughters War
Book SynopsisEmma Hornby lives on a tight-knit working-class estate in Bolton and has read sagas all her life. Before pursuing a career as a novelist, she had a variety of jobs, from care assistant for the elderly, to working in a Blackpool rock factory. She was inspired to write after researching her family history; like the characters in her books, many generations of her family eked out life amidst the squalor and poverty of Lancashire's slums.Trade ReviewAuthentic, compelling . . . another winner for a northern author who has her home county written right across her heart. * Lancashire Evening Post on A Daughter's War *Emma brings earthy authenticity to her ever-popular sagas * Peterborough Telegraph *Praise for Emma Hornby: * - *'Compelling. A gripping and powerful tale of vengeance and reprisal' * Val Wood, author of Children of Fortune *'Emma Hornby writes strong, working-class women with heart and humour. The book is an absolute joy' * Glenda Young, author of The Miner's Lass *'I loved the twists and turns. The emotional pull on my heartstrings was exquisite. Emma Hornby is a natural storyteller who always delivers and, from the first words to the last, my attention was captured. Read this story at your leisure, read it on the bus or on the train, in your lounge or in your bed - but you must read it. Storytelling at its best' * Sheila Riley, author of The Mersey Mistress *
£7.59
Transworld Publishers Ltd The Chimney Sweeps Sister
Book Synopsis**Don''t miss Emma Hornby''s new, gripping wartime saga, A SISTER''S FIGHT**''If you enjoy Dilly Court''s stories, you''ll love the latest heart-warming romance from Emma Hornby.'' Yours_________________A page-turning Victorian saga from the bestselling and RNA shortlisted author.Jenny and her little brother Noah are orphans, living hand to mouth in a cellar dwelling in the heart of the Manchester slums.At the tender age of nine, Noah is a chimney sweep''s boy: a dangerous job, where he''s wickedly mistreated. But they survive on his earnings, for which his older sister Jenny feels terrible guilt. It''s only her fiery temper that''s prevented her keeping down a job herself. With her brother''s safety - his life - on the line, Jenny resolves to try and control herself, and put her talent for singing to good use. Can she earn a crust by entertaining the punters at the taverns and inns around town?It seems likeTrade ReviewIf you enjoy Dilly Court's stories, you'll love the latest heart-warming romance from Emma Hornby. * Yours *Authentic, compelling . . . another winner for a northern author who has her home county written right across her heart. * Lancashire Evening Post on A Daughter's War *Praise for Emma Hornby: * - *'Compelling. A gripping and powerful tale of vengeance and reprisal' * Val Wood, author of Children of Fortune *'Emma Hornby writes strong, working-class women with heart and humour. The book is an absolute joy' * Glenda Young, author of The Miner's Lass *
£7.59
Transworld Publishers Ltd Sea Of Dreams
Book SynopsisBy the Sunday Times bestselling author and multi-million copy seller Susan Sallis, this is a beautiful and moving novel perfect for fans of Maeve Binchy, Lucinda Riley and Rosamunde Pilcher.READERS ARE LOVING SEA OF DREAMS!A wonderful story. Highly recommend. - 5 STARSA story that kept me wanting to turn the pages...I was hooked... - 5 STARSThe story has great pace and I couldn''t put it down. - 5 STARS**********************AS ONE MILLENNIUM ENDS, CAN THEY LOOK FORWARD TO A NEW AND BETTER WORLD? Somerset, Christmas 1999. Holly and Mark Jepson find themselves looking after an assortment of guests at Mark''s uncle''s holiday chalets.Each guest is fascinating in their own way - from the eccentric artist and his pretty daughter to the young married couple expecting their first baby and the wife escaping from a violent past.Each will have
£6.99
Transworld Publishers Ltd Red Traitor
Book SynopsisRussian expert OWEN MATTHEWS is the author of two highly praised works of non-fiction, Stalin's Children and An Impeccable Spy, and two acclaimed historical thrillers, Black Sun and Red Traitor. As a war correspondent, he covered conflicts in Bosnia, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Chechnya, Iraq and Ukraine, and for ten years he was was Newsweek's Moscow bureau chief. He divides his time between Rome and Moscow.Trade ReviewThis is Robert Harris storytelling territory and is told with equal panache and authenticity. There could be no higher praise. * DAILY MAIL *Tense, exciting and authentic. Every bit as good as Black Sun. -- CHARLES CUMMING, author of Box 88His feel for the period is a great pleasure to read. Russet October. * THE TIMES *A superlative follow-up to Black Sun . . . With some particularly tense scenes set inside submarines that put Tom Clancy to shame in their claustrophobic realism, you have a humdinger of a Cold War thriller . . . Gripping and unmistakably authentic. -- Maxim Jakubowski * CRIME TIME *This dynamic thriller skilfully weaves its story around one of the 20th-century's most tense moments, the Cuban missile crisis. * BBC HISTORY *
£10.44
Transworld Publishers Ltd A Sisters Secret
Book Synopsis
£6.99
Transworld Publishers Ltd Last Day of School
Book SynopsisChange is in the air for Jack Sheffield and the Ragley village school.It''s 1987, and after a decade as head teacher at Ragley-on-the-Forest School, Jack Sheffield is looking to the future. He and his wife are expecting a new baby, the school is preparing for the introduction of the new National Curriculum, and the coming year promises a whole host of other surprises. Whether it''s combing the church for an escaped pet mouse or dealing with the obnoxious new school governor, life in the village is always entertaining.So when Jack is offered an opportunity that could change everything, he knows he has a difficult decision to make. Endings are never easy, but perhaps the thrill of a new beginning is exactly what Jack needs...Hilarious, nostalgic and heart-warming in equal measure, Last Day of School is the final novel in the much-loved Teacher series.''Reliably entertaining'' Choice ''Jack Sheffield iTrade ReviewJack Sheffield is certainly top of the class with this heart-warming and feel-good series. -- David Hill * Western Morning News *Reliably entertaining. * Choice *
£9.49
Transworld Publishers Ltd Children of Fortune
Book SynopsisThe stunning follow-up to The Lonely Wife from bestselling author Val Wood.''With fully developed characters and a compelling story, it''s no wonder the author won the Catherine Cookson Prize for Fiction for her debut... A great choice for a book club'' Belfast Telegraph--------------------------------1864: Following the untimely death of her cold-hearted husband, Beatrix and her three children are finally free. While Ambrose has already determined his path in life, eldest son Laurie''s future is less certain. With the responsibility of the family estate on his shoulders, Laurie must decide between staying in Yorkshire to farm the family land and following his dreams.Meanwhile, headstrong and independent Alicia is defying expectation and excelling at school. There she befriends the enigmatic Olivia Snowdon and they quickly become inseparable. But Olivia''s past is shrouded in mystery and as theTrade ReviewWith fully developed characters and a compelling story... A great choice for a book club * Belfast Telegraph *Hull's answer to Catherine Cookson * BBC Radio 4's Front Row *A heart-warming story filled with compelling action * Rosie Goodwin *Wonderfully fully-fleshed characters are the mainstay of [Val Wood's] stories * Peterborough Telegraph *A gripping saga * The People's Friend *
£7.59
Transworld Publishers Ltd Darkest Hour
Book SynopsisJames Holland is an internationally acclaimed and award-winning historian, writer, and broadcaster. The author of a number of best-selling histories including most recently Brothers In Arms and Normandy '44, he is also the author of ten works of fiction and a dozen Ladybird Experts.He is the co-founder of the annual Chalke Valley History Festival which is now in its twelfth year, and he has presented - and written - many television programmes and series for the BBC, Channel 4, National Geographic and the History and Discovery channels. With Al Murray, he has a successful Second World War podcast, We Have Ways of Making You Talk, which also has its own festival, and is a research fellow at St Andrew's University and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He can be found on Twitter as @James1940 and on Instagram as @jamesholland1940.Trade ReviewOld-fashioned, testosterone-fuelled escapism and Tanner is a chiselled protagonist straight out of the pages of the old Commando comics * Mail on Sunday *Sharpe for the Blitz years...a meaty, all action yarn! * Sunday Telegraph *Holland is a superb historian who knows his stuff, and his descriptions of the action are terrific * Daily Telegraph *Has the sure touch of someone who knows their subject and enjoys it * Daily Mail *This is a well-researched page-turner that keeps you hungry for more. An exciting tale full of historical details and action * Soldier magazine *
£10.44
Transworld Publishers Ltd Hellfire
Book Synopsis''Has all the pace of the previous three, and is bang on form'' Daily Mail''Tanner is a chiselled protagonist straight out of the pages of the old Commando comics...Destined to be a series that will run and run'' Mail On Sunday_________________________________North Africa, 1942: THE DESERT FOX IS SET TO CRUSH THE ALLIES...The desert war hangs in the balance. When the commander of the Eighth Army, General Gott, is killed, it''s clear that foul play is at work. An impenetrable Axis spy circuit is compromising any hope the Allies have of stemming the Nazi tide.After a period recovering from wounds in a Cairo hospital, Jack Tanner and his trusty sidekick Sykes are recruited to work behind the Axis lines in a desperate attempt to fight back. But the murky world of deceit and murder they find themselves in is a million miles away from the certainties of the battlefield.Somehow they must discover who they can
£11.69
Transworld Publishers Ltd Their Finest Hour and a Half
Book SynopsisThis distinct group find themselves thrown together in the wilds of Norfolk to 'do their bit' on the latest propaganda film - a heart-warming tale of derring do, of two sisters who set out in a leaking old wooden boat to rescue the brave men trapped at Dunkirk.Trade Review"[Lissa Evans] displays a fine eye for detail and for the absurdities involved in filming. She also brilliantly evokes the disruption and dangers of wartime London. This funny, heart-warming and beautifully crafted novel is a must-read" Daily Mail "Beautifully written, minutely observed and researched, evocative and very funny tale" -- Michele Hanson Guardian "Comic, poignant and altogether delightful, raised spirits are guaranteed" Easy Living "This is a comic novel, but far warmer in tone and broader in scope than that label would suggest...Gloriously observed...Hilliard is a wonderful creation - and Evans's recreated propaganda scripts are a total joy. Delicious" The Times "Pitch-perfect in tone and populated by some unforgettable characters, Lissa Evans's blackly comic new novel is a delight" The Gloss Magazine
£10.44
Transworld Publishers Ltd The Winter Palace
Book SynopsisWhen Vavara, a young Polish orphan, arrives at the glittering, dangerous court of the Empress Elizabeth in St Petersburg, she is schooled in skills ranging from lock-picking to love-making, learning above all else to stay silent - and listen. Then Sophie, a vulnerable young princess, arrives from Prussia as a prospective bride for the Empress''s heir. Set to spy on her, Vavara soon becomes her friend and confidante, and helps her navigate the illicit liaisons and the treacherous shifting allegiances of the court. But Sophie''s destiny is to become the notorious Catherine the Great. Are her ambitions more lofty and far-reaching than anyone suspected, and will she stop at nothing to achieve absolute power?Trade ReviewRiveting... Stachniak has uncovered a treasure trove of rich material... The real core of Stachniak's tale is that [Catherine and Elizabeth] are women... Casts light over recent Russian history too, which is exactly what historical fiction should do -- Jane Smiley * Globe and Mail *A wonderful novel, riven with intrigue and startling details, the sort to savour on a long winter evening * Daily Telegraph *The kind of big busty read that sends you back to the history books * The Sunday Times *Extraordinarily absorbing... will have you on the edge of your seat * Daily Mail *A wonderful tale of the Imperial Russia court in all its glittering glory. Eva Stachniak vividly brings to life the early years of the meek young bride who would become the terrifying, fascinating Catherine the Great -- Kate Williams, author of England's Mistress and Becoming Queen
£11.69
Transworld Publishers Ltd The Ballroom
Book SynopsisThe unputdownable historical novel by the acclaimed and bestselling author of WAKE and EXPECTATION: a devastating story of love and madness at the brink of the Great War. ''Absolutely heart-breaking. One of the best books I've ever read'' DINAH JEFFERIES, author of The Tea-Planter''s Wife''Compelling, elegant, insightful'' OBSERVER1911: Inside an asylum at the edge of the Yorkshire moors, where men and women are kept apart by high walls and barred windows, there is a ballroom vast and beautiful. For one bright evening every week they come together and dance. When John and Ella meet it is a dance that will change two lives forever.Set over the heatwave summer of 1911, the end of the Edwardian era, THE BALLROOM tells a rivetting tale of dangerous obsession, of madness and sanity, and of who gets to decide which is which. It is a love story like no other.************************************Trade ReviewAbsolutely heart-breaking. One of the best books I’ve ever read * Dinah Jefferies, author of THE TEA-PLANTER'S WIFE *A British version of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Moving. Fascinating * Times *An unsentimental and affecting story * Sunday Times *Compelling, elegant and insightful. * Observer *In this deeply moving book, Hope reminds us that behind everyone’s facade lies something waiting to be rent free * Irish Times *An original, brilliant, evocative novel * Chris Cleave *A heartbreaking story of how love can flourish in the darkest of times * Cathy Rentzenbrink, The Bookseller *Part social commentary, part mystery and part dangerous liaison, this poignant story casts an unflinching gaze at the historic treatment of mental health disorders. * Financial Times *Such a magnificent setting definitely demands a story that delivers, all guns blazing. It does, and then some . . . Fiction at it’s finest. * Irish Independent *Beautiful * Stylist *An exquisite love story * Good Housekeeping *A terrifying, moving and uplifting story -- February Hot Read * Woman and Home *A poignant against-the-odds love story * Glamour *Tender . . . Hope is the emotion that unspools the delicate connections between these brilliantly drawn characters * Psychologies Magazine *The Ballroom is a beautifully wrought novel, a tender, heartbreaking and insightful exploration of the longings that survive in the most inhospitable environments. * Sunday Express 5/5 stars *Magnificent…a luminary of historical fiction…writing history from the margins, the personal stories behind the era, she delivers profound, poignant stories that stir the emotions. * Press Association *All the intensity and lyricism of Hope’s debut, Wake * Daily Mail *The Ballroom confirms her as a novelist of immense power...Exquisitely good. Sensitive, engrossing and highly recommended * Metro *The Ballroom is a beautiful, gripping, heart-wrenching, thought-provoking book. I was so enthralled, I read it in an evening, unwilling to put it down. * thewritesofwoman.wordpress.com *An atmospheric and thought provoking love story * bookslifeandeverything.blogspot.co.uk *
£9.49
Transworld Publishers Ltd The Book Thief
Book SynopsisMARKUS ZUSAK is the bestselling author of six novels, including THE BOOK THIEF. His books have been translated into more than forty languages, to both popular and critical acclaim. He lives in Sydney with his wife and two children.Find Markus on his blog www.zusakbooks.comFacebook /markuszusakInstagram @markuszusak.Trade ReviewExtraordinary, resonant and relevant, beautiful and angry. * Sunday Telegraph *...a beautifully balanced piece of storytelling...Unsettling, thought-provoking, life affirming, triumphant and tragic, this is a novel of breathtaking scope, masterfully told. It is an important piece of work, but also a wonderful page-turner. * Guardian *A moving work which will make many eyes brim. * Independent on Sunday *This is a weighty novel worthy of universal acclaim. A sense of dread prevades this beautifully written novel. As The Book Thief draws to a close, Death says: "There's a multitude of stories that i allow to distract me as I work." The story of the Book Thief, who tried to change the world in her own small way, proves one formidable and inspiring distraction. * The Daily Express *Brilliant and hugely ambitious ... the kind of book that could be life-changing * New York Times Book Review *
£9.49
Transworld Publishers Ltd Behind the Scenes at the Museum
Book SynopsisKate Atkinson''s brilliant and unforgettable first novel, which won the Whitbread (now Costa) Book of the Year Prize.''Delivers its jokes and its tragedies as efficiently as Dickens...outrageously funny...will dazzle readers for years to come'' - HILARY MANTEL, author of The Mirror and the LightRuby Lennox was conceived grudgingly by Bunty and born while her father, George, was in the Dog and Hare in Doncaster telling a woman in an emerald dress and a D-cup that he wasn''t married. Bunty had never wanted to marry George, but here she was, stuck in a flat above the pet shop in an ancient street beneath York Minster, with sensible and sardonic Patricia aged five, greedy cross-patch Gillian who refused to be ignored, and Ruby...Ruby tells the story of The Family, from the day at the end of the nineteenth century when a travelling French photographer catches frail beautiful Alice and her children, like flowers in amber, to the startling, witty, and Trade ReviewDelivers its jokes and its tragedies as efficiently as Dickens...outrageously funny on almost every page...will dazzle readers for years to come. -- Hilary Mantel * London Review of Books *A debut novel of astonishing confidence and skill...Acutely observant, overflowing with good jokes, it is the work of an author who loves her characters and sets them playing with gleeful energy * Spectator *An astounding book...without doubt one of the finest novels I have read for years * The Times *Little short of a masterpiece...Fizzing with wit and energy, Kate Atkinson's hilarious novel made me laugh and cry * Daily Mail *A blinding debut from a Yorkshire mother-of-two who could be Alan Bennett's baby sister...straight-up simplicity veils the depth, poignancy and poetry of her story * Time Out *A first novel written so fluently and wittily that I sailed through it as though blown by an exhilarating wind; a first novel with a touch so light I only felt its truth and sadness after I'd finished it. It lifted my spirits enormously. I loved it. -- Margaret ForsterEnchanting. It hops with sprightly omniscence from past to future and back again * The Sunday Times *A really gripping, emotionally satisfying family saga written with warmth and wit. I've re-read it countless times. * Red *
£9.49
Transworld Publishers Ltd Boudica Dreaming The Hound
Book SynopsisManda Scott is a veterinary surgeon, writer and climber. Born and educated in Scotland, she now lives in Suffolk with two horses, two lurchers and too many cats.Manda Scott first made her name as a crime writer. Her début novel, Hen's Teeth, was shortlisted for the Orange Prize. Her subsequent novels are Night Mares, Stronger than Death and No Good Deed, for which she was hailed as 'one of Britain's most important crime writers'.Dreaming the Eagle and Dreaming the Bull, the first and second books in the Boudica series, are also published by Bantam Books and the fourth book, Dreaming the Serpent Spear, by Bantam Press.For more information on Manda Scott and her books, visit her website at wwww.mandascott.co.ukTrade ReviewBreathtaking work that's likely to be remembered for years to come * Focus *This mesmerising story creates a living past of battle feats, betrayals, heartbreaking loyalties and cruelties * Norfolk Journal *A meticulously detailed book with a fascinating plot * The Good Book Guide *Full of imaginative invention, adventure and compelling descriptive prose, reminiscent of Dorothy Dunnett's writing. The best book I have read in a long time * Woman’s Weekly *Manda Scott writes with rich imagination and brilliantly reconstructs history before your eyes * Cambridge Journal *
£11.69
Transworld The Afghan Campaign. Steven Pressfield
Book SynopsisFrom the pen of Steven Pressfield, author of The Sunday Times Bestseller Gates of Fire comes a captivating, gripping and atmospheric novel of military might and war.Awesome...this is an extraordinary work - an instant classic. -- DAVID GEMMELLGripping, moving and literate...rarely does an author manage to recreate a moment in history with such mastery, authority and psychological insight. -- NELSON DEMILLENo one writes better historical fiction than Steven Pressfield -- VINCE FLYNNThis book doesn''t ''grab you from the first page''; it slowly envelops you in silken claws until you realise that this story owns you -- ***** Reader reviewPowerful and insightful -- ***** Reader reviewAbsolutely brilliant -- ***** Reader review********************************************************WHAT LENGTHS WILL THEY GO TO TO ACHIEVE VICTORY? 330 BC: ATrade ReviewPressfield's talent is awesome...The Afghan Campaign is an extraordinary work, an instant classic -- DAVID GEMMELLAn impressive scholar and gifted storyteller...the finest military writer alive -- STEPHEN COONTSNo one writes better historical fiction than Steven Pressfield -- VINCE FLYNN
£15.29
Transworld Publishers Ltd The Death Maze
Book Synopsis''Wonderfully atmospheric, fast-paced and intelligent'' GUARDIANTwelfth-century anatomist Adelia Aguilar must once again examine the dead as gruesome events are beginning to unfold...Henry II''s favourite mistress, Rosamund Clifford, has been poisoned - and, rumour says, by his jealous wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine. If Henry believes the stories, England will be torn apart as King battles Queen.In a race against time to prove Eleanor''s innocence, and with a dangerous assassin on the loose, Adelia has never faced greater danger. The armies that might cause civil war lie behind her. The icy winds of a dreadful winter blow around her. And ahead she must brave the thorns of the impenetrable labyrinth that surrounds Fair Rosamund''s tower, and decipher the mystery of the dead woman who lies frozen within.''Highly entertaining . . . Franklin is an adept storyteller who disseminates her research into the period with clarity and lightnesTrade ReviewHighly entertaining... Franklin is an adept storyteller who disseminates her research into the period with clarity and lightness of touch. * The Times *Franklin is one of the very best creators of medieval whodunits writing today. The snow falls, the death toll mounts... and the Thames freezes over in this wonderfully atmospheric, fast-paced and intelligent recreation of a vanished world. * Guardian *Captivating... this excellent adventure delivers high drama. * The New York Times *It's as original as its prize-winning predecessor: a real treat. * Literary Review *Mesmerizing... A colourful cast of characters, both good and evil, enhance a tale that will keep readers on edge until the final page. * Publishers Weekly *
£10.44
Transworld Publishers Ltd Relics of the Dead
Book Synopsis''An exhilarating whodunit and my favourite book of the year.'' TESS GERRITSEN1176- The monks of Glastonbury have discovered two skeletons buried in their graveyard - one is tall, like that of a warrior, the other small and delicate. Are these the remains of King Arthur and Guinevere?On hearing of the discovery, King Henry II demands evidence that the legendary Arthur is dead - he needs to stop his belligerent Welsh subjects believing that their Once and Future King will return to lead them against him.So, he calls upon his Mistress of the Art of Death, the anatomist Adelia Aguilar, to examine the bones. But someone doesn''t want the skeletons identified - and is prepared to kill in order to prevent it...''Franklin is one of the very best creators of medieval whodunits.'' GUARDIAN________Readers are captivated by Relics of the Dead:''Brilliantly executed and with Trade ReviewFranklin is one of the very best creators of medieval whodunits writing today. * Guardian *Almost indecently thrilling. * The New York Times *Feisty and delightful series heroine... easy, enjoyable summer reading. * Literary Review *An exhilarating whodunit and my favourite book of the year. I'd like to crown Ariana Franklin Queen of the Historical Mystery. * Tess Gerritsen *Thrilling and vividly told, this is definitely one to keep you up all night. * Good Book Guide *
£10.44
Transworld Publishers Ltd The Assassins Prayer
Book SynopsisAriana Franklin (Diana Norman) was born in Devon and at twenty became the youngest reporter then on Fleet Street. She was also the author of the critically acclaimed Mistress of the Art of Death, The Death Maze and Relics of the Dead, all featuring anatomist Adelia Aguilar. She passed away in 2011.Trade ReviewFranklin is one of the very best creators of medieval whodunits writing today * Guardian *Few historical novelists make their oddly clad characters, from monarchs to wattle-and-daubers, seem so much like real people * Daily Telegraph *I'd like to crown Ariana Franklin Queen of the Historical Mystery! -- TESS GERRITSENAn excellent medieval mystery, full of colour and tension * Choice magazine *
£10.79
Transworld Publishers Ltd Wilde J Hereward
Book SynopsisOne of England''s forgotten heroes is brought back to life in this epic and thrilling high-octane adventure, perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell and Conn Iggulden. The story moves at a wonderful pace...great swathes of bloodletting and a kickass arc...Great stuff. -- FALCATATIMES.COMExciting and enthralling... fast paced action, strong believable characters; this is an excellent exemplar of the historical novel. Recommended. -- HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEWI thoroughly enjoyed this book from the start...- ***** Reader review. I''m off to read the next instalment now... - ***** Reader review.*******************************************************************THE LAST ENGLISHMAN. THE FIRST FREEDOM FIGHTER. THE FORGOTTEN HERO.1062. King Edward has no heirs and, across the sea in Normandy, William the Bastard is preparing to seize the throne.As the King''s cTrade ReviewA novel about brutal and bloody times and not for for the squeamish but Wilde has succeeded in giving new and convincing life to a half-forgotten English hero * BBC HISTORY magazine *Moves at a wonderful pace... great swathes of blood-letting and an overall kickass arc... great stuff * FALCATATIMES.COM *Fantastically realised... strong, believable characters, lashings of fast-paced action * ELOQUENTPAGE.COM *
£11.69
Transworld Publishers Ltd Wilde J Hereward The Devils Army The Hereward
Book SynopsisThe story of Hereward continues in this action-packed, brutal and bloody novel - a must read for fans of Bernard Cornwell and Conn Iggulden.An author who really does deliver the goods...I''ve relished every page so far and I am left hungry for more. If you''re a fan of historical fiction... you need to be reading James Wilde. -- THE ELOQUENT PAGEUnforgettable...James Wilde has succeeded in turning Hereward into a vital, living, breathing, death-dealing, honest, fallible, believable human being. A worthy adversary for William and the Normans. -- SPEESHI couldn''t put it down! - ***** Reader review. A real page-turner and I read the Devil''s Army in two days... -- ***** Reader review.******************************************************NOW THE REAL BATTLE FOR ENGLAND BEGINS...1067: The Battle of Hastings is lost and England is in the grips of William The
£10.44
Faber & Faber The Snake Stone
Book SynopsisIt is Istanbul, 1838, and Lefèvre, a French archaeologist, has arrived in Istanbul determined to uncover a lost Byzantine treasure. Yashim is hired to investigate him, but when the man turns up dead, there is only one suspect: Yashim himself. Once again, the investigator finds himself in a race against time to uncover the startling truth behind a shadowy secret society dedicated to the revival of the Byzantine Empire, caught in a deadly game deep beneath the city streets, a place where the stakes are high - and betrayal is death.
£9.49
Faber & Faber The Wilding
Book SynopsisA novel of secrets and revenge within a seventeenth-century English family. Longlisted for the Orange Prize1672. A generation after the Civil War, Jonathan Dymond, a cider maker, has so far enjoyed a quiet life. But when he discovers a letter from his dying uncle, hinting an inheritance and revenge, he is determined to unravel the mystery in his family. Under the pretence of his cider business, Jonathan visits his newly widowed aunt and there meets her unruly servant girl, Tamar, who soon reveals that she has secrets of her own...
£9.25
Faber & Faber Night Train to Jamalpur Jim Stringer
Book SynopsisNorth East India, 1923. On the broiling Night Mail from Calcutta to Jamalpur, a man is shot dead in a first class compartment. Detective Inspector Jim Stringer was sleeping in the next compartment along. Was he the intended target? Jim should have known that his secondment to the East Indian Railway, with a roving brief to inspect security arrangements, would not be the working holiday he had hoped for. The country seethes with political and racial tension. Aside from the Jamalpur shooting, someone is placing venomous snakes - including giant king cobras - in the first class compartments of the railway. Jim also has worries on the home front: his daughter has formed a connection with a Maharajah''s son, who may in turn have a connection to Jim''s incredibly rude colleague, the bristling Major Fisher. Jim must do everything he can to keep his family safe from harm, as he unravels the intrigues that surround him...
£10.44
Faber & Faber Kitty Peck and the Music Hall Murders
Book SynopsisLimehouse, 1880: Dancing girls are going missing from ''Paradise'' - the criminal manor with ruthless efficiency by the ferocious Lady Ginger. Seventeen-year-old music hall seamstress Kitty Peck finds herself reluctantly drawn into a web of blackmail, depravity and murder when The Lady devises a singular scheme to discover the truth. But as Kitty''s scandalous and terrifying act becomes the talk of London, she finds herself facing someone even more deadly and horrifying than The Lady.Bold, impetuous and blessed with more brains than she cares to admit, it soon becomes apparent that it''s up to the unlikely team of Kitty and her stagehand friend, Lucca, to unravel the truth and ensure that more girls do not meet with a similar fate. But are Kitty''s courage and common sense and Lucca''s book learning a match for the monster in the shadows? Their investigations take them from the gin-fuelled halls and doss houses of the East End to the champagne-fuelled galleries Trade ReviewTerrific debut novel ... Victorian London has never been better illustrated ... if this standard keeps up, we have a major new talent on our hands. -- Virginia Blackburn Sunday Express Occasionally a new writer bursts onto the scene with almost explosive force ... if [Griffin] maintains this superbly high standard we have a major new talent on our hands. Her hugely entertaining debut, set in the squalor, filth and depravity of Victorian Limehouse is all things to all readers - almost gothic in its intensity, but full of shades of dark and light, combining the macabre and wit of the music halls with a rattling action yarn which will appeal to historical readers, crime readers and people who just like a really well written adventure story ... the book is an absolutely first class read and I shall be surprised if there's a better debut this year. Crime Review Kitty's narrative voice ... is sharply memorable and deserves to be heard in a further adventure. -- Nick Rennison Sunday Times A top whodunnit. Essentials magazine
£9.49
Faber & Faber The White Castle Faber Firsts
Book SynopsisWinner of the Nobel Prize for LiteratureWinner of the Independent Award for Foreign FictionTurkey's foremost novelist . . . A first-rate storyteller.' Times Literary SupplementComparisons with Kafka and Calvino do not exaggerate.' IndependentOne of those are novels that call into being a complete and self-contained world shot through with a peculiar brilliance.' New York Times*Orhan Pamuk's first novel published in English*A young Italian scholar is captured by pirates between Venice and Naples. After being put up for auction at the Istanbul slave market, he is bought by a Turkish savant eager to learn about scientific and intellectual advances in the West.But as master and slave bond over each other's sins and secrets, their relationship grows increasingly complex. They soon find themselves part of the Sultan's army, and on a journey that will lead them to the mythical White Castle.
£9.49
Faber & Faber The Anchoress
Book SynopsisEngland, 1255: Sarah is only seventeen when she chooses to become an anchoress, a holy woman shut away in a small cell, measuring seven paces by nine, at the side of the village church. Fleeing the grief of losing a much-loved sister in childbirth and the pressure to marry, she decides to renounce the world, with all its dangers, desires and temptations, and to commit herself to a life of prayer and service to God. But as she slowly begins to understand, even the thick, unforgiving walls of her cell cannot keep the outside world away, and it is soon clear that Sarah''s body and soul are still in great danger...Robyn Cadwallader''s powerful debut novel tells an absorbing story of faith, desire, shame, fear and the very human need for connection and touch. With a poetic intelligence, Cadwallader explores the relationship between the mind, body and spirit in Medieval England in a story that will hold the reader in a spell until the very last page.
£9.49
Faber & Faber Light Perpetual
Book Synopsis**Longlisted for the Booker Prize 2021****Winner of the RSL Encore Award**** From the author of Golden Hill **'My god he can write.' Richard Osman'Glorious.' Evening Standard'Exhilarating.' TLS'Brilliant.' Observer'Dazzling.' The Times'Extraordinary.' Financial Times'Superb.' GuardianNovember 1944. A German rocket strikes London and five young children are atomised in an instant. Here are the futures they might have known, had they experienced the unimaginable changes of the twentieth century - futures that illuminate the miraculous in the everyday, and the preciousness of life itself.
£9.49
Faber & Faber Cahokia Jazz
Book SynopsisUtterly immersive' SpectatorThrilling' Financial TimesUnlike anything else you will read this year' Daily Express A classic of alternative history' Observer A delight' Sunday TelegraphA Guardian, Financial Times, New Statesman and Times Literary Supplement Book of the Year A thrilling tale of murder and mystery in a city where history has run a little differently -- from the bestselling author of Golden Hill.In a city that never was, in an America that never was, on a snowy night at the end of winter, two detectives find a body on the roof of a skyscraper.It's 1922, and Americans are drinking in speakeasies, dancing to jazz, stepping quickly to the tempo of modern times. But in this 1922, things are a little different. Beside the Mississippi, the ancient city of Cahokia lives on a teeming industrial metropolis, conta
£17.00
Faber & Faber Nights of Plague
Book Synopsis
£10.44
Faber & Faber Mine Boy
Book Synopsis''One of my all-time favourite novels.'' Tsitsi Dangarembga''The first African novel in English to draw international attention.'' New York Times''The forerunner of an entire school of African literary art.' Sunday TimesAnd the black man and the white were like two men alone in the world .Xuma will never forget the day he arrived in the Johannesburg slums: the charismatic woman who takes him in, the brutal police raids, the fights, friendships, dancing, drinking and romances - yet it soon feels like home. But when he becomes a leader in the city''s gold mines, he is shocked by the racist treatment of the labourers. And as he begins to question whether man could be without colour', Xuma stages an act of defiance that changes his life forever . . .In 1946, Peter Abrahams' classic novel Mine Boy exposed South Africa's fledgling racial apartheid system and townships to the world and its wisdom, vividness and political power endures to this day.What readers are saying:''Beautiful, memorable characters [I''ve] remembered since my childhood. These are the kind of stories that make the world better for having been written.''''A seminal work of African fiction ... Prose as unadorned as Solzhenitsyn or Hemingway.''''I can still recall Xuma almost 20 years later ... A beautiful book.''''An unsung gem, amazing ... Its simplicity makes the story such a dramatic tale.''
£9.49
Faber & Faber Fanatic Heart
Book SynopsisBooker Prize winner Thomas Keneally transports us into the life of John Mitchel, one of the most controversial figures of the fight for Irish independence.Bringing us on a vivid, page-turning odyssey from Mitchel's revolutionary origins in the depths of the Great Famine, through exile and a troubling political evolution, the master of historical fiction wrestles with the conflicts at the centre of a complicated legacy.''One of the world's greatest writers.'' SpectatorEnlightening . . . Keneally's descriptive gift comes into exquisite play.' TLSA gripping and resonant story.' Financial Times
£9.49
Kristin Bone Tales of the Black Rose Guard
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£34.19
Helen's Sons Publishing The Light at Midnight A Historical Thriller Set
Book Synopsis
£12.38
Penguin Putnam Inc Ralph Compton the Trails End
Book Synopsis
£7.59
