Historical Fiction Books

Book SynopsisChristopher Isherwood was born at High lane, Cheshire, in 1904. He left Cambridge without graduationg, tried briefly to study medicine and in 1928 published All the Conspirators, followed by a second novel, The Memorial in 1932. From 1928 onwards he lived mostly out of England: four years in Berlin, five in various European countries including Portugal, Holland, Belgium and Denmark. In 1939 he went to California, which became his home for the rest of his life. His Berlin experiences produced two novels, Mr Norris Changes Trains (1935) and Goodbye to Berlin (1939).Isherwood worked with the American Friends Service Committee during part of the war. In 1946 he became a US citizen. Following his move to America he wrote five novels - Prater Violet, The World in the Evening, Down There on a Visit, A Single Man and A Meeting by the River; a travel book about South America, The Condor and the Cows; and Ramakrishna anTrade ReviewA supreme example of a radiant prose rhythm married to the most delicious dialogue – a portrait of the subtly ruinous Mr Norris. -- Sebastian Barry * Week *Isherwood sketches with the lightest of touches the last gasp of the decaying demi-monde and the vigorous world of Communists and Nazis, grappling with each other on the edge of the abyss * Sunday Telegraph *What the Berlin stories retain, to a unique degree, is the ability to tell us what it really felt like then - to feel involved with the Germans and still to find that they retained their mystery; to be in the mode, yes, of a camera, and yet to be furiously, hopelessly involved -- James FentonThe first literary novel that really switched me on was Christopher Isherwood's Mr Norris Changes Trains -- Chris Pattern * Daily Mail *He immortalised Berlin in two short, brilliant novels both published in the Thirties, Mr Norris Changes Trains and Goodbye To Berlin, inventing a new form for future generations - intimate, stylised reportage in loosely connected episodes * Daily Express *

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Book SynopsisBernard MacLaverty lives in Glasgow. He has written five previous collections of stories and five novels, including Grace Notes, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, and Midwinter Break, the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Novel of the Year. He has written versions of his fiction for other media - radio and television plays, screenplays and libretti.

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Book SynopsisThe exquisitely-researched standalone prequel series to Dorothy Dunnett''s revered Lymond Chronicles, following the ancestors of Francis Crawford of Lymond in Continental Europe.Spring of the Ram is Book Two in The House of Niccolo series.----------------------------- ''Catherine de Charetty, having chosen a lover just after the Feast of Exaltation of the Holy Cross, was much put out to learn that, at nearly thirteen, she did not possess all the required qualifications . . .''Yet her secret suitor, Pagano Doria, claims he will wait and spirits her away from Bruges, first to Florence and then eastwards. On their trail is Nicholas vander Poele, her step-father, conducting his own journey to the fabled city of Trebizond, a Byzantine outpost on the Black Sea.Known as the treasure-house of the East, Trebizond in 1461 is the ideal location for Nicholas to open the House of Niccolo''s new trading post. However, the Trade ReviewPraise for Dorothy Dunnett -- - * - *A storyteller who could teach Scheherazade a thing or two about pace, suspense and imaginative invention -- - * New York Times *Marvellous, breathtaking -- - * The Times *A masterpiece of historical fiction -- - * Washington Post *One of the greatest tale-spinners since Dumas -- - * Cleveland Plain Dealer *Lashings of excitement, colour and subtlety -- - * The Times *Vivid, engaging, densely plotted - are almost certainly destined to be counted among the classics of popular fiction -- - * New York Times *

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Book SynopsisThe seventeen year old Hornblower became infamous as soon as he stepped on board ship as the midshipman who was seasick in the Spithead, but things were soon to change. Amid battle, action and adventure he proves himself time and time again - courageous in danger, resourceful in moments of difficulty and decisive in times of trouble.

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Book SynopsisOne of the most iconic fictional debuts of all time turns 25 this year!What's past is prologue'First published in the year 2000, Zadie Smith's White Teeth was one of the most celebrated novels of the new millennium. Adored by critics and readers alike, it remains a perennial bestseller, which still delights with the audacity of its scope and vision, its fresh-minted style, and the wit and warmth of its voice.Funny, generous and big-hearted, it deals among many other things with friendship, love, war, three cultures and three families over three generations, one brown mouse, and the tricky way the past has of coming back and biting you on the ankle.A life affirming, riotous must-read of a book, it won the Guardian First Book Award, the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Fiction and the Whitbread First Novel Award.Curl up with it, savour every sentence, then turn around and reread' The TimesThe outstanding debut of the new millennium' ObserveTrade ReviewFunny, clever ... and a rollicking good read * Independent *Do believe the hype, buy into it, curl up with it, savour every sentence, then turn around and re-read * The Times *An impressive début, not only for its vitality and verve, but mainly for the sheer audacity of its scope and vision ... an epic tale ... swooping, funny ... it has ambition, wit and is unafraid -- Meera Syal * Express *Announces the debut of a preternaturally gifted new writer ... street-smart and learned, sassy and philosophical all at the same time * The New York Times *Relentlessly funny ... idiosyncratic, and deeply felt * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisBefore 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 Trade ReviewPraise for Dorothy Dunnett * - *A storyteller who could teach Scheherazade a thing or two about pace, suspense and imaginative invention * New York Times *Marvellous, breathtaking * The Times *A masterpiece of historical fiction * Washington Post *One of the greatest tale-spinners since Dumas * Cleveland Plain Dealer *Lashings of excitement, colour and subtlety * The Times *Vivid, engaging, densely plotted - are almost certainly destined to be counted among the classics of popular fiction * New York Times *

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Book SynopsisElizabeth Gaskell''s only historical novel, Sylvia''s Lovers, is set in 1790 in the seaside town of Monkshaven (Whitby) where press-gangs wreak havoc by seizing young men for service in the Napoleonic wars. One of their victims is whaling harpooner, Charley Kinraid, whose charm and vivacity have captured the heart of Sylvia Robson. But Sylvia''s devoted cousin, Philip Hepburn, hopes to marry her himself and, in order to win her, deliberately withholds crucial information - with devastating consequences. With its themes of suffering, unrequited love, and the clash between desire and duty, Sylvia''s Lovers is one of the most powerfully moving of all Gaskell''s novels, reputedly described by its author as ''the saddest story I ever wrote''.

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Book SynopsisWhen Reverend Josiah Crawley, the impoverished curate of Hogglestock, is accused of theft it causes a public scandal, sending shockwaves through the world of Barsetshire. The Crawleys desperately try to remain dignified while they are shunned by society, but the scandal threatens to tear them, and the community, apart.Drawing on his own childhood experience of genteel poverty, Trollope gives a painstakingly realistic depiction of the trials of a family striving to maintain its standards at all costs. With its sensitive portrayal of the proud and self-destructive figure of Crawley, this final volume is the darkest and most complex of all the Barsetshire novels.

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Book Synopsis“The surprise ‘must-read’ for people facing the Covid-19 epidemic.” —The TelegraphIn 1665 the plague swept through London, claiming over 97,000 lives. Daniel Defoe was just five at the time of the plague, but he later called on his own memories, as well as his writing experience, to create this vivid chronicle of the epidemic and its victims. A Journal (1722) follows Defoe's fictional narrator as he traces the devastating progress of the plague through the streets of London. Here we see a city transformed: some of its streets suspiciously empty, some—with crosses on their doors—overwhelmingly full of the sounds and smells of human suffering. And every living citizen he meets has a horrifying story that demands to be heard.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics reprTrade Review“One of the most original and harrowing accounts of living through a virulent pandemic . . . as full of meaning about human suffering today as it was when it was written.” —The Daily Beast“A brilliant account of the last major outbreak of bubonic plague in Britain—and it can still educate readers three centuries later.” —BBC News“[A] classic of plague literature . . . Camus was inspired by this book in writing The Plague.” —The Jerusalem Post “So grimly immediate . . . you can practically smell the death and decay.” —The Guardian “A realistic account of the plague’s effects on [London]. Defoe’s novel still has the power to unsettle—like when he writes about families forced into quarantine due to an infected family member.” —Vulture"Within the texture of Defoe's prose, London becomes a living and suffering being." —Peter AckroydTable of ContentsA Journal of the Plague YearChronology Introduction Notes Further Reading A Note on the TextA Journal of the Plague Year Appendix I: The Plague Appendix II: Topographical Index Appendix III: London Maps Appendix IV: Introduction by Anthony Burgess to the 1966 Penguin English Library Edition Glossary Notes

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Book SynopsisWritten around the thirteenth century AD by Icelandic monks, the seven tales collected here offer a combination of pagan elements tightly woven into the pattern of Christian ethics. They take as their subjects figures who are heroic, but do not fit into the mould of traditional heroes. Some stories concern characters in Iceland - among them Hrafknel's Saga, in which a poor man's son is murdered by his powerful neighbour, and Thorstein the Staff-Struck, which describes an ageing warrior's struggle to settle into a peaceful rural community. Others focus on the adventures of Icelanders abroad, including the compelling Audun's Story, which depicts a farmhand's pilgrimage to Rome. These fascinating tales deal with powerful human emotions, suffering and dignity at a time of profound transition, when traditional ideals were gradually yielding to a more peaceful pastoral lifestyle.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literaTable of ContentsHrafnkel's SagaIntroductionNote on the Translation1. Hrafnkel's Saga2. Thorstein the Staff-Struck3. Ale-Hood4. Hreidar the Fool5. Halldor Snorrason6. Audun's Story7. Ivar's StoryList of Personal NamesMaps

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Book SynopsisWritten around AD 1200 by an unnamed Icelandic author, the Orkneyinga Saga is an intriguing fusion of myth, legend and history. The only medieval chronicle to have Orkney as the central place of action, it tells of an era when the islands were still part of the Viking world, beginning with their conquest by the kings of Norway in the ninth century. The saga describes the subsequent history of the Earldom of Orkney and the adventures of great Norsemen such as Sigurd the Powerful, St Magnus the Martyr and Hrolf, the conqueror of Normandy. Savagely powerful and poetic, this is a fascinating depiction of an age of brutal battles, murder, sorcery and bitter family feuds.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to prov

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Book SynopsisThese sagas recount fierce feuds in which honour is fought for, sacrifice is demanded, and blood is shed. The fate of the characters at the centre of each saga, however, is very different. Gisli is a traditional Viking-age hero who is determined to exact revenge at any cost and whose death is tragic when it comes. In contrast his nephew, Snorri, represents a new generation and acts to strengthen the new social order. Taken together these sagas reveal the richness and variety of the saga tradition.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

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Book SynopsisA major new translation of the classic work interweaves the stories of an idealist, a cynical intellectual, and a count''s daughter against a backdrop of Napoleon''s invasion of Russia, in a volume that attempts to resolve ambiguities of other modern translations and is complemented by character listings, battle descriptions, and chapter summaries. Reprint.Trade Review“There remains the greatest of all novelists—for what else can we call the author of War and Peace?” —Virginia Woolf

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Book SynopsisSet at the height of the tulipomania that gripped Holland in 17th century, this is the story of Cornelius van Baerle, a humble grower whose sole desire is to grow the perfect specimen of the tulip negra. When his godfather is murdered, Cornelius finds himself caught up in the deadly politics of the time, imprisoned and facing a death sentence. His jailor''s daughter Rosa, holds both the key to his survival and his chance to produce the ultimate tulip.

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Book SynopsisPreviously published as L''assommoir (The Dram Shop), Emile Zola''s The Drinking Den is an unflinching study of a desperate young woman struggling against the ravages of vice. This Penguin Classics edition is translated from the French with an introduction by Robin Buss.Abandoned by her lover and left to bring up their two children alone, Gervaise Macquart has to fight to earn an honest living. When she accepts the marriage proposal of Monsieur Coupeau, it seems as though she is on the path to a decent, respectable life at last. But with her husband''s drinking and the unexpected appearance of a figure from her past, Gervaise''s plans begin to unravel tragically. The Drinking Den caused a sensation when it was first published, with its gritty depiction of the poverty and squalor, slums and drinking houses of the Parisian underclass. The seventh novel in Zola''s great Rougon-Macquart cycle, it was the work that made his reputation. And, in his movi

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Book SynopsisOkonowo is the greatest warrior alive and he is one of the powerful men of his clan. But he also has a fiery temper. Determined not to be like his father, he refuses to show his weakness. When outsiders threaten the traditions of his clan, he takes violent action. Will the great man's pride eventually destroy him?

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Book SynopsisAnd the Land Lay Still is the sweeping Scottish epic by James RobertsonAnd the Land Lay Still is nothing less than the story of a nation. James Robertson''s breathtaking novel is a portrait of modern Scotland as seen through the eyes of natives and immigrants, journalists and politicians, drop-outs and spooks, all trying to make their way through a country in the throes of great and rapid change. It is a moving, sweeping story of family, friendship, struggle and hope - epic in every sense.The winner of the Saltire Society Scottish Book of the Year Award 2010, And the Land Lay Still is a masterful insight into Scotland''s history in the twentieth century and a moving, beautifully written novel of intertwined stories.''Toweringly ambitious, virtually flawlessly realized, a masterpiece and, without a doubt, my book of the year'' Daily Mail''A jam-packed, dizzying piece of fiction'' Scotland on Sunday''GTrade ReviewWonderful, brilliant, panoramic, illuminating. A joy to read -- Irvine Welsh * Guardian *Gripping, vivid, beautifully realized * The Times *Powerful and moving. A brilliant and multifaceted saga of Scottish life in the second half of the twentieth century * Sunday Times *Toweringly ambitious, virtually flawlessly realized, a masterpiece and, without a doubt, my book of the year * Daily Mail *Big, ambitious, intricately organised . . . it's some achievement * New Statesman *Dizzying . . . subtle and profound . . . And The Land Lay Still reads like an alternative history of Scotland told by its everyday people instead of its movers and shakers . . . eminently readable * Independent on Sunday *Both epic and domestic, it delivers a wonderful lifelikeness * Scotsman *A hugely ambitious and compassionate novel . . . a jam-packed, dizzying piece of fiction . . . already it's being spoken of as the most important novel about Scotland since Lanark * Scotland on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisThe year is 1348 and the first plague victim has reached English shores. Panic erupts around the country and a small band of travellers comes together to outrun the deadly disease, unaware that something far more deadly is - in fact - travelling with them. The ill-assorted company - a scarred trader in holy relics, a conjurer, two musicians, a healer and a deformed storyteller - are all concealing secrets and lies. And at their heart is the strange, cold child - Narigorm - who reads the runes. But as law and order breaks down across the country and the battle for survival becomes ever more fierce, Narigorm mercilessly compels each of her fellow travellers to reveal the truth ... and each in turn is driven to a cruel and unnatural death.Trade Review'Irresistible' Sunday Telegraph 'An engrossing fireside read ... a compelling mystery' Daily Mail 'Combines the storytelling traditions of The Canterbury Tales with the supernatural suspense of Mosse's Sepulchre in this atmospheric tale of treachery and magic' Marie Claire 'Captivating, unforgettable, truly compelling' InStyle

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Book SynopsisAn erotic masterpiece of twentieth century fiction - a tale of sensual obsession and bloodlust in eighteenth century Paris''An astonishing tour de force both in concept and execution'' GuardianIn eighteenth-century France there lived a man who was one of the most gifted and abominable personages in an era that knew no lack of gifted and abominable personages. His name was Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, and if his name has been forgotten today.It is certainly not because Grenouille fell short of those more famous blackguards when it came to arrogance, misanthropy, immorality, or, more succinctly, wickedness, but because his gifts and his sole ambition were restricted to a domain that leaves no traces in history: to the fleeting realm of scent . . .''A fantastic tale of murder and twisted eroticism controlled by a disgusted loathing of humanity . .. Clever, stylish, absorbing and well worth reading'' Literary Review''A meditation on the nature of death, desire and decay . . . A remarkable début'' Peter Ackroyd, The New York Times Book Review''Unlike anything else one has read. A phenomenon . . . [It] will remain unique in contemporary literature'' Figaro''An ingenious and totally absorbing fantasy'' Daily Telegraph''Witty, stylish and ferociously absorbing'' Observer

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Book SynopsisDon DeLillo was born and raised in New York City. He has written fifteen novels and three stage plays and has won many honours including the National Book Award for White Noise, the International Fiction Prize for Libra, the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction for Mao II, the Jerusalem Prize, the Howells Medal for Underworld and the PEN/Saul Bellow Award for Achievement in American Fiction.Trade ReviewAn unparalleled trip into the heart of America * Observer *Wonderful * Guardian *Even with all the swirling contradictory data, this you feel is America, and the news starts here * Sunday Times *Monumental, DeLillo at his chilling best. Concentrates on the inner life of the people who shaped the Kennedy assassination. He constructs the very human faces behind a monstrous event, creating fiction which trespasses on reality * Time Out *An audacious blend of fiction and fact * The Times *

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Book SynopsisDiscover the seriously funny, stunningly written novel about one woman''s attempts to put her past behind her, from the author of 2023 No. 1 bestseller AGAIN RACHEL''A brilliant, unusual, brave book . Confirms Keyes''s place as one of our finest writers'' JOJO MOYES_________Meet Helen Walsh.Wasp-tongued private investigator Helen doesn''t believe in love, fear or hot drinks.But when a missing persons case takes her into the dark, glamorous world of her dodgy ex, Jay Parker, she is drawn away from Artie Devlin, her distinctly unglamorous detective boyfriend.This isn''t good news for Helen.For Jay''s fame-hungry world is one of smoke and mirrors, and Helen is no longer sure what she''s doing, or quite why she''s doing it...To save herself from the brink, she''ll have to start believing in something - and fast.But will it be fear? Or love?Love the Walsh sisters? Don''t miss out on the eagerly awaited sequel to Rachel''s Holiday: AGAIN, RACHEL . . ._________''Zips along with engaging characters, fabulous plotting and spot-on dialogue. Marian Keyes: what a genius'' Daily Mail''Gut-bustingly funny'' Independent on SundayFAMOUS FANS AND WHY THEY LOVE MARIAN KEYES''Marian''s writing is the truth. With big laughs'' Dawn French''A giant of Irish writing'' Naoise Dolan''Will make you laugh and make you cry, but will also reveal the truth of who you really are'' Louise O''Neill''Keyes weaves the joy and pain of life in a unique and magical way'' Cathy Rentzenbrink''One of the most honest writers writing today'' Pandora Sykes''Compassionate, tender, incisive writing'' Lucy Foley''Her talent for tackling serious issues with such humanity and wit is balm for the soul'' Nigella Lawson''Marian Keyes is a brilliant writer. No one is better at making terrifically funny jokes while telling such important, perceptive and agonizing stories of the heart. She is a genius'' Sali Hughes''Irresistible, profound. Keyes''s comic gift is always evident'' Independent''Joyful. Keyes'' clever way with words and extraordinary wit. People stared at me as I laughed to myself'' C.L. Taylor''A born storyteller'' Independent on SundayTrade ReviewThe Mystery of Mercy Close is the tale of strong and sassy but vulnerable, private detective Helen Walsh who is looking for a missing person - but can she find him before she loses herself? 'I have a habit of taking instant dislikes to people. Simply because it saves time . . .' * from the publisher's description *When it comes to writing page-turners that put a smile on your face and make you think, Keyes is in a class of her own * Daily Express *Zips along with engaging characters, fabulous plotting and spot-on dialogue. Marian Keyes: what a genius * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisTake a journey across America with a poor Victorian flower girl in her epic journey to a better life, from the internationally bestselling author Lesley PearseAs voted by readers as their favourite Lesley Pearse novel___________One good deed takes her into another world . . .Sixteen-year-old Matilda is a poor Covent Garden flower girl until the day she saves the life of Tabitha, a minister''s daughter. Welcomed into Tabitha''s family, Matilda is offered the chance of a lifetime.She leaves behind London''s slums and enters the darkest corners of New York. Traveling across the vast plains to the Wild West, she finds herself in San Francisco, a city in the grip of the gold rush.Streetwise and strong-willed, Matilda forges a new life for herself and Tabitha among pioneers like Captain James Russell - a man to whom she is deeply attracted.Yet a civil war will soon rip apart this new nation . . .Can MatTrade ReviewThe courageous tale of a poor Victorian flower girl, who makes an epic journey from London across a vast and wild America . . .As voted by readers as their favourite Lesley Pearse novel, Never Look Back is by the international NO.1 BESTSELLING author. * from the publisher's description *With characters it is impossible not to care about . . . this is storytelling at its very best * Daily Mail *An emotional and moving epic you won't forget in a hurry * Woman's Weekly *

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Book SynopsisLose yourself in this powerful historical novel based on a real life tragedy from the internationally bestselling author Lesley PearseFor one girl, betrayal goes hand in hand with trust . . .When their father tragically kills their mother, Dulcie and her sister are sent to an orphanage. Told that a ''better life'' awaits them in another country, they are shipped off to Australia.But the promises made turn out to be lies.And it seems to Dulcie that everyone who ever said ''trust me'' somehow betrayed that trust. So when she finds a kindred spirit in Ross, another orphanage survivor, hope swells in her heart.But can she ever get over the past betrayals and learn to trust again?And can she fight not only for herself, but also for her sister?Praise for Lesley Pearse:''With characters it is impossible not to care about . . . this is storytelling at its very best'' Daily MailTrade ReviewTrust Me is a powerful historical novel based on a real life tragedy. For one girl betrayal goes hand in hand with trust . . . This is just one of many captivating novels from the international NO.1 BESTSELLING author Lesley Pearse. * from the publisher's description *With characters it is impossible not to care about, this is storytelling at its very best * Daily Mail *An emotional and moving epic you won't forget in a hurry * Woman’s Weekly *

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Book SynopsisDiscover the moving novel based on a true story about a woman triumphing against overwhelming odds, from the international bestseller Lesley PearseShe made one mistake, and now she''ll never see home again . . .Mary, a Cornish mariner''s daughter, makes the biggest mistake of her short life when she steals a silk hat. Convicted and sentenced to be transported to Australia, she endures horrific conditions aboard ship before landing in a brutal and barbaric country.It will take all her courage just to survive.But Mary is also determined to make something of herself in this rugged man''s world.And she dreams that one day she will find a way of crossing the cruel seas that lie between her and home . . ._________''With characters it is impossible not to care about . . . this is storytelling at its very best'' Daily Mail''An emotional and moving epic you won''t forget in a hurry'' WomaTrade ReviewBased on a true story, Remember Me brings Mary Broad vividly to life in this moving story of a woman triumphing against overwhelming odds. She made one mistake, and now she'll never see home again . . . * from the publisher's description *With characters it is impossible not to care about . . . this is storytelling at its very best * Daily Mail *An emotional and moving epic you won't forget in a hurry * Woman's Weekly *

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Book SynopsisDiscover this thrilling exploration of love, life and morality from the internationally bestselling author Lesley PearseShe defied her parents and married for love . . .Following her heart, Fifi moves with Dan to London where they rent a seedy flat in Dale Street, Kennington.Though Fifi must now become acquainted with squalor, she is soon drawn into the goings on behind the shabby front doors of her new neighbours.But it is the Muckles, at number 11, who are the street''s focus. Rumours of criminal depravity and shocking behaviour are rife.So when Fifi steps in to help their youngest child, she risks the wrath of this frightening family.Suddenly, not only her marriage and her family, but the lives of all the inhabitants of Dale Street are at the mercy of the immoral Muckles . . .Praise for Lesley Pearse:''With characters it is impossible not to care about . . . this is storytelling at its Trade ReviewA gripping unputdownable story, A Lesser Evil follows one courageous young woman as she risks her family to save another's . . . This is just one of many captivating novels from the international NO.1 BESTSELLING author Lesley Pearse.She defied her parents to marry for love . . . * from the publisher's description *

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Book SynopsisHer existence would be the ruin of her mother... Baby Hope, the unfortunate proof of Lady Harvey's adultery, is smuggled out of a privileged aristocratic household to a nearby village. There, her true identity a secret, she grows up in the arms of the poor, but loving, Renton family. But the day comes when Hope must pay her way.Trade ReviewHope is a gripping historical novel from the acclaimed Lesley Pearse.Her existence would be the ruin of her mother . . . Baby Hope, the unfortunate proof of Lady Harvey's adultery, is smuggled out of a privileged aristocratic household to a nearby village. There, her true identity a secret, she grows up in the arms of the poor, but loving, Renton family. * from the publisher's description *With characters it is impossible not to care about ... this is storytelling at its very best * Daily Mail *An emotional and moving epic you won't forget in a hurry * Woman's Weekly *

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Book SynopsisAlec and Jerry shouldn''t have been friends: Alec''s life was one of privilege, while Jerry''s was one of toil. But this hardly mattered to two young men whose shared love of horses brought them together and whose whole lives lay ahead of them.When war breaks out in 1914, both Jerry and Alec sign up - yet for quite different reasons. On the fields of Flanders they find themselves standing together, but once again divided: as officer and enlisted man. And it is there, surrounded by mud and chaos and death, that one of them makes a fateful decision whose consequences will test their friendship and loyalty to breaking point.

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Book SynopsisThe thirteenth-century is just begun and King John has fallen out with the Pope, leaving babies to lie unbaptized in their cradles and corpses in unconsecrated ground. Across a fear-ravaged England, the people are dying in sin.In the village of Gastmere, this has shocking consequences for servant girl Elena. Unwittingly drawn into a macabre scheme to absolve dying Lord Gerard of his crimes, death and betrayal haunt her dreams like a curse.And when Elena is threatened with hanging for a murder she did not commit, it is certain that unnatural conspiracy lies behind these dark deeds. But where can she turn? For in every face lies wickedness and in every shadow lurks treachery . . .Trade ReviewA ripping tale set in the year of 1210. Full of colour and detail * Daily Telegraph *Maitland's richest yet: a breathless romp through an England rendered spiritually desolate. Bubbles over with the exploits of desperate priests, scheming herbalists, torturous conspirators, a dwarf-sized madam and a plot of treason against the King * Metro *Bawdy and brutal * Simon Mayo *A gem of a story. Meticulously researched and told with blood-curdling relish, this is a tale that will keep you awake at night * News of the World *A richly evocative page-turner which brings to life a lost and terrible period of British history, with a disturbing final twist worthy of a master of the spine-tingler, such as Henry James * Daily Express *Karen Maitland neatly catches the spirit of primitive superstition * Daily Express *

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Book Synopsis''Downright hilarious... Like watching a slow-motion car crash. Theroux possesses a fabulously nasty sense of humour'' Stephen KingA riotously dysfunctional portrait of one all-American family and its diabolical matriarch - by one of America''s most acclaimed writersEveryone in Cape Cod thinks that Mother is a wonderful woman: pious, hard-working, frugal. Everyone except her husband and seven children. To them she is a selfish and petty tyrant -- endlessly comparing her many living children to the one who died in childbirth, keeping a vice-like hold on her offspring even as they try to escape into adulthood. Welcome to Mother Land: a suffocating kingdom of parental narcissism. This is an engrossing, hilarious and heartbreaking portrait of a modern family -- the bickering, the conspiracies, and the drive to overcome the painful ties that bind.''Brilliantly depicts characters in pinpoint prickly prose'' Guardian''Funny and wTrade ReviewBrilliantly depicts characters in pinpoint prickly prose * Guardian *Funny and wonderfully mean spirited * Saturday Review *The family dynamic has been rendered exceptionally well * Herald *Phenomenally strange * Observer *

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Book SynopsisFrom the No. 1 internationally bestselling author of THE MURDERS AT FLEAT HOUSE & The Seven Sisters series comes a romantic and moving page-turner which sweeps from war-torn Europe to Thailand and back again . . .''Heavenly . . . This will stay with me'' 5***** Reader Review''Atmospheric, heart-rending and multi-layered'' Grazia''The settings are described so vividly. Totally captivating'' 5***** Reader Review________ Julia Forrester has many happy memories of a childhood spent at Wharton Park, playing amongst the exotic flowers her grandad cared for. Now, recovering from a family tragedy, she seeks comfort once more at Wharton Park, newly inherited by the charismatic Kit Crawford, with a sad story of his own. But when an old diary is found during renovation work, the pair turn to Julia''s grandmother to hear the truth about the love affair that changed Wharton Park''s fortunes all those years ago . . .Taking you on a captivating journey through time and place, Hothouse Flower is a moving story of love, heartbreak and hope.________ Praise for Lucinda Riley: ''Thoroughly addictive storytelling with a moving, emotional heart'' Dinah Jeffries ''Brilliant escapism'' Red Outside the UK, this book is published under the title The Orchid HouseTrade ReviewAtmospheric, heart-rending and multi-layered * Grazia *Romantic, revealing and rich in heart-rending emotion and atmospheric detail . . . could well be the pick of Richard and Judy's spring bunch * Lancashire Post *This romance novel conjures up the past in an imaginative way * Star Magazine *A great story, full of atmosphere * Bookbag *Praise for Lucinda Riley * - *Thoroughly addictive storytelling with a moving, emotional heart Delicious reading * Daily Mail *Absolutely impossible to put down A brilliant page-turner just soaked in glamour and romance * Daily Mail *An absolutely fantastic storytellerBrilliant escapism * Red *One of the strongest authors in this genre . . . excellent historical detail, heart-wrenching romance, and an engaging mystery

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