Search results for ""HODDER STOUGHTON""

Anna and Ingrid have survived World War II. Now they must live through the Berlin Airlift.

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''A lyrical and penetrating examination of what happened to one family and the Ugandan Asians more broadly'' GILES FODEN''Fulford has put in the legwork ... The book is full of the sights, smells and tastes of what most remember as a lost utopia'' SPECTATOR----Uganda, August 1972. President Idi Amin makes a shocking pronouncement - the country''s South Asian population is being expelled. They have ninety days to leave.After packing scant possessions and countless memories, 50,000 Ugandan Asians vied for limited space in countries including Canada, India and the United Kingdom. More than 28,000 expellees from Britain''s former colony arrived in the UK and began building new lives - but their incredible stories have, until now, remained largely hidden.Fifty years on from the exodus, The Exiled draws on first-hand interviews and testimonies, including from the author''s family, to illumin

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Many of us dream of a renovation project, but few would be brave enough to take on a 8,200-square-foot, 30-room, 5-storey Georgian mansion on only a shoestring budget. But that''s exactly what Greg Penn did, buying the near-derelict Admiral''s House and embarking on an ambitious restoration plan.In this inspirational, informative book, Greg tells the story of his remarkable home, its journey to restoration and the deep history the house and surrounding area offer, alongside snippets of advice, budget-friendly tools and hacks and an exploration of each room as he''s unlocked history and restored the house bit-by-bit to its former glory.Man with a Hammer is a visual feast and a manifesto on ''having a go'' and tackling the undoable with understated elegance and optimism.

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THE UNFORGETTABLE NEW NOVEL FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE SIGHT OF YOUPeople kept telling me it was impossible that, aged eighteen, I''d found the person I wanted to spend my life with. And yet, here we were.Childhood sweethearts Neve and Jamie are inseparable from the moment they meet. Everyone knows they''ll be together forever - that is, until tragedy strikes, and Jamie is torn from Neve''s life.One street away, Ash is hit by lightning. As he recovers, family members notice a drastic change in Ash, almost as though he is a different person.My whole life, there''s only been one other person who''s looked at me like that.Years later, chance brings Neve and Ash together- and she is struck by his familiarity. He shares so many traits with Jamie, as if their souls are entwined.Neve must ask herself whether she can love for a second time in the face of her grief. Is she ready for what life has to of

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The epic sequel to THE CITY OF DUSK, a dark epic fantasy trilogy that follows the four heirs of four noble houses - each gifted with a divine power - as they form a tenuous alliance to keep their kingdom from descending into a realm-shattering war.

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How far would you go to protect your family?A read-in-one-sitting psychological suspense novel for fans of The Teacher and Behind Closed Doors'I didn't see it coming. No black cats crossed my path. No clear-eyed crows cawed alarm from the trees. There was nothing to warn me about what was up ahead. An invisible clock was ticking, each beat drawing my family closer to danger and I was oblivious. Busy with the normal, everyday things that make up a life, I didn't know about the threats or the blackmail, or about the brutal turn our lives were about to take. I didn't know that someone close to me was on course to devastate my family. I thought my home was a safe place, that danger kept its distance. I thought wrong.' Claire's husband has been keeping secrets. About the whereabouts of the witness to the murder trial he's prosecuting. And about the letters he's been getting, threatening to kill their four-year-old, unless he tells the blackmailer where the witness is hiding. With their daughter's life at stake, it is left to Claire to untangle the web of lies and half-truths and find out just who might be responsible. And to stop them. Before it's too late.Praise for WHERE THE TRUTH LIES'The pace never halts, not for a minute, and it is impossible to stop reading.' Book Reviews by Jackie'An exploration of the dark themes of blackmail, lies and loyalty.' Euro Crime

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Years ago V.I. Warshawski's Aunt Rosa treated the detective's beloved mother in an unforgiveable way. Now, after she's accused of stealing $3 million from the Dominican priory where she works, Rosa calls upon the ties of blood to clear her name.V.I. is not prepared to forgive so easily. Until suddenly no one else - the FBI, a threatening phone caller, and even Aunt Rosa herself - appears to want her on the case either. V.I. turns to an old friend for help. But the stakes are higher than she could have realised . . .

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For all fans of Thursdays in the Park, Quartet or Amour - or the perfect 50th birthday gift.Life begins at fifty . . . Well, it certainly does for Hope, though not at all as she had planned. She reluctantly hits her half-century on New Year's Day and six months later she has lost her job, her husband and her mother. But Hope has guts - and a sense of humour. By the time she reaches fifty-one, she has acquired a taste for designer underwear, a Labrador puppy - and the memory of one perfect night in Paris. Who says fifty is over the hill?

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Pearl Lowe has been a singer in a hugely successful pop group, a fashion model and a friend to some of the most famous people in the country. In the nineties when Britpop was in full swing and London was officially the coolest place on the planet, Pearl really did have it all. She was a beautiful woman with a glamorous career and a rock and roll husband she adored, as well as a growing family of gorgeous kids. Except, actually, the parties and the homelife were in terrible tension because Pearl was drinking and taking drugs to such excess that she wasn't sure she would survive. Pearl was a junkie before she discovered party drugs like ecstasy and cocaine. She managed to look after her kids in between enormous binges, but she knew she had a choice to make: confront the demons, get clean and have her life back, or give up and slip away further into addiction, illness, death. Pearl made her choice. These days she lives with her husband and children in the countryside and she has left the London lifestyle behind. But she isn't the kind of person who could ever give up on glamour - it's just that these days she designs her own line of beautiful lace dresses rather than killing herself slowly with booze and drugs. She is happy. Pearl's story is a fascinating insight into a world that appears scintillating but is relentless in its destructiveness. It's also inspiring in its message that recovery is possible and sustainable, for everyone.

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When Lena Fleet goes to college, she makes three promises to God: she will stop fornicating with every boy she meets; never tell another lie and never, ever go back to her hometown of Possett, Alabama. All she wants from God in return is that He makes sure the body is never found...But ten years later, it looks like God's going back on His deal. Lena's high school archenemy appears on her doorstep, looking for the golden haired football god who disappeared during their senior year. To make matters worse, her African American boyfriend has issued her with an ultimatum - introduce him to her lily-white family or he's gone...While she would rather burn in a fire than let him meet her steel magnolia Aunt Florence, her half-mad Mama, her sweet-as-pecan-pie cousin Clarice and the rest of her eccentric and racist family, Lena realises it is time to go home to Alabama and confront the past once and for all...

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Beau Brummell's life is a riveting story of unparalleled fame, fashion and admiration followed by a descent into poverty and madness. The man who put Saville Row on the map, who could win friends, political arguments or the favours of women with apparent effortlessness, and who was responsible for some of the wittiest put-downs in history, Brummell created the myth of the British gent typified by wit, style, sex, and the finest tailoring in the world. In this biography Ian Kelly brings the clothes, fashions and people of Regency England vividly to life.Brummell's life is a mirror to his own age and also to our own. Part Andy Warhol, part David Beckham, part Oscar Wilde - Brummell became famous by virtue of his image at a time when the modern concept of 'celebrity' was first termed. This is the man with cause to be considered the father of the cult of personality - to be considered, indeed, as the first true 'celebrity'.

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Nightfall, 6 June 1944. D-Day is over and the Allies have carved a tenuous foothold in 'Fortress Europe'. The future of Europe hangs in the balance as Hitler's formidable SS Panzer troops threaten to drive them back into the sea. D-DAY TO BERLIN is the remarkable story of the Allied struggle for survival - the battle from the beaches of Normandy to the heart of Hitler's Reich and ultimate victory just eleven months later. The campaign to free Europe from Nazi oppression through the collective operations from D-DAY TO BERLIN mark one of the greatest ever military offensives. The Allies overcame initial setbacks to inflict a devastating defeat on Hitler's crack divisions in France - a victory that was threatened just months later in the bitter winter fighting of the Battle of the Bulge. The final crossing of the Rhine and the advance into Germany changed the course of European history forever. In D-DAY TO BERLIN we meet men and women from both sides - British, American and German soldiers - whose bravery and endurance made the final push through Europe the defining drama of the Second World War.

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Hadrian's Wall is one of the world's best known legacies of the Roman Empire. It has stood for two thousand years as a moment to its creator, and yet he himself remains an enigmatic figure. Now bestselling author Danny Danziger and Nicholas Purcell reveal the details of the extraordinary life of this mysterious man, and the age in which he lived and ruled.Hadrian was Spanish, and a restless, inquiring intellectual. He travelled constantly and spent much time in cultural centres like Athens and Alexandria. Although he was not warlike, he was a good soldier, and was comfortable mingling amongst all ranks. And yet his personal life was a complicated one, rife with scandal and conflicted sexuality.This complex character was also responsible for some of the world's most enduring architectural treasures. He built the Pantheon in Rome, the largest dome built using pre-industrial methods and a sprawling 900-room villa at Tivoli with a towering 'pumpkin dome' - a fittingly idiosyncratic memorial to this most unusual of emperors.

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Evan Delaney, novelist and legal go-fer, is dressed as Diana Ross in order to crash a fancy-dress party and serve a summons, when she hears that Franklin Brand is back in town. Brand is the hit-and-run driver who sentenced Evan's lover Jesse to life in a wheelchair, and killed his best friend. Since the accident, Brand has been avoiding justice overseas; but if he's back, Evan and Jesse are determined to get him, helped by the dead boy's brother Adam. Brand had been a high-flier in Mako Technologies, a cyber-security firm, and this is where Evan starts looking. She quickly uncovers evidence that Brand was embezzling funds, and that Adam's brother knew all about it. So maybe that hit-and-run wasn't an accident at all?Then the policeman investigating is killed, and Adam and Jesse both come under suspicion. The plot has more twists, thrills and spills than a white-knuckle ride, and is complicated by the confused emotions of the main parties involved: Jesse feels a survivor's guilt; Adam resents the fact that Jesse is alive while his brother died. But there are more corpses - including a near miss for Evan herself - to come before the bad guys are finally brought to book.

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A young couple abandon the urban jungle of London's East End for a remote, mountainous corner of Washington State. Chosen by Mick, who is half-American, the place seems as alien as the moon to Rita. But she soon adjusts to raising their small daughter, Frances, in a broken-down cabin without electricity or water, and revels in the untamed beauty of their surroundings. She's scared, though, of the wild animals howling and screeching outside by night. What she cannot admit is her fear of Mick's violent temper. Worse, perhaps, are her own flashes of anger at Frances, frightening losses of control which leave her feeling shaken and guilty. Then she meets Ryan, a redneck poacher who plants in her mind the seed of rebellion.In this, her striking debut novel, Jill Dawson creates a subtle and compassionate portrait of a young mother struggling to protect her child and of a father destroyed by his own childhood.

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'With this novel, Melvyn Bragg has established his place in English letters to the extent that his Cumbria is as potent a literary region as Hardy's Wessex, Lawrence's Midlands and Housman's Shropshire' New StatesmanAt once a love story and a portrayal of innocence brutally curtailed, Josh Lawton charts the rites of passage of a young Cumbrian farm worker and keen fell runner - an exceptionally good man whose very integrity proves his undoing.'Every scene is clear, every character immediately recognisable . . . brilliant' Daily Telegraph'The book is exciting . . . a pleasure to be remembered' Financial Times

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There were times when Rachel Treherne fervently wished that her beloved father had left his fortune to somebody else, so overburdened did she feel with the administration of her estate. And never more so than now for, although she was surrounded by relatives who depended on her, whom she loved and who must surely love her, there was no doubt in her mind that somebody was trying to kill her.Threatening letters could be ignored, odd tasting chocolates can be rejected but when snakes are left in her bed, Rachel is convinced that someone means here terrible harm. Her only chance of a future life lay with Miss Silver, and Miss Silver was well on the way to unmasking the murderer when they struck again.

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Pregnancy: the naked truth is a refreshing alternative to the medical pregnancy tomes. It is down-to-earth, funny and honest, guiding women through each stage of pregnancy in a practical and reassuring way. It deals with issues other books may avoid, and answers questions you’d want to ask your best friend:  I got drunk before I knew – is my baby ok?  What’s an episiotomy?  Are piles inevitable?  Can I still have sex when I’m huge? And will I enjoy it?!  Aimed at ‘modern girls’ – women who may be concerned about the effect of a baby on their lifestyle, bodies and careers, as well as excited about the next step in their lives – the book supports you through your pregnancy journey. 

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Want to look stylish during pregnancy without spending a fortune? Feel uncertain about how many cups of coffee you can drink? Have you had a peculiar craving and want to know if it’s normal? Need some pointers on what to pack for the hospital? The Pregnancy Pocket Bible is brimming with answers and tips on everything that matters during your special nine months, including: • What happens at your first scan? • Which foods are best for your bump? • When’s safe to fly during pregnancy? • How do you prepare for the birth? • Which baby names are popular and which to avoid? This indispensible little guide will tell you what you need to know when you need to know it.This beautiful hardback edition has both dust-cover and gold embossing on the spine making it the perfect gift. Every Pocket Bible is lovingly crafted to give you a unique mix of useful references, handy tips and fascinating trivia that will enlighten and entertain you at every page. There is a Pocket Bible for everyone...Other titles in the series: The Wedding Pocket Bible, The Mum's Pocket Bible, The Dad's Pocket Bible, The Cat Lover's Pocket Bible and The London Pocket Bible.

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'Salah ad-Din, or Saladin as he is known to the Franks, was a Kurd, the son of despised people, and yet he became Sultan of Egypt and Syria. He united the peoples of Allah, recaptured Jerusalem, and drove the Crusaders to the very edge of the sea. He battled, and in the end tamed King Richard the Lionheart, who well deserved his savage name. He was a great man, the greatest man that I ever knew, but when I first met him, he was only a skinny child . . .' The Chronicle of Yahya al-DimashqBut alongside the legend of Saladin there is another story. When the Crusader army is routed beneath the walls of Damascus in 1148, a young Saxon named John is captured and enslaved. He is bought by Yusuf, a slight, bookish boy, for the price of a pair of sandals. And so begins the story of two enemies brought together by fate and of a friendship that will change the face of the Holy Land. Timid Yusuf will grow up to become the warrior Saladin, nicknamed 'the Eagle'; John will first teach his young master the art of war, before returning west to serve first the King of Jerusalem and then King Richard himself.From spectacular set-piece battles to the political manoeuvrings of the corrupt Crusader court, from the brutality of single combat to the sophistication of Islamic life, this is the first in a remarkable trilogy that will chart the story of the greatest leader the Middle East has ever known.

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You can run from your past, but you can''t hide forever... Rebecca Bray has moved on from a childhood she desperately wants to forget. She has everything she''s ever wanted - the perfect fiancé, a loving stepdaughter, a career she''s proud of, and now the house of her dreams. But when the family move to the Cornish village where Rebecca grew up, everything she wanted to bury from those years starts to claw at the surface. Then, when her stepdaughter goes missing at a New Year''s Eve party, Rebecca must finally face the ghosts of her past - or Ava might never come home safely...A haunting, atmospheric read full of twists, turns and bumps in the night - perfect for fans of Ruth Ware, Nuala Ellwood and Sophie Draper.''Atmospheric, haunting and superbly plotted. I still have goosebumps!'' Carissa Ann Lynch, USA Today bestselling author of The Secrets of Cedar Farm''Clau

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''Fluent and witty . . . confident . . . highly readable''Kathryn Hughes, GUARDIAN''Brilliant - so vivid and so sharp, fantastically clever and consistently fascinating''KATHERINE RUNDELL, author of Super-InfiniteWas Shakespeare gay? The answer is both simpler and more complex than you might think . . .Shakespeare''s work was profoundly influenced by the queer culture of his time - much of it totally integrated into mainstream society. From a relentless schooling in Latin and Greek homoeroticism, to a less formal education on the streets and in smoky taverns, from the gender-bending of the early comedies to the astonishingly queer literary scene that nurtured Shakespeare''s sonnets, this is a story of artistic development and of personal crisis.Straight Acting is a surprising portrait of Shakespeare''s queer lives - his own and those in his plays and poems. It is a journey back in time an

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The brand-new gripping thriller in Will Shindler's acclaimed DI Alex Finn series - available to pre-order now!Years ago someone got away with murder... But time's up. 2009 During a summer heatwave, teenagers are going missing. Junior officer Alex Finn takes the case and fears that the disappearances are linked. In a race against the clock to find and rescue the children alive, Finn and his team are only partially successful. Two of the children are saved, but they were too late for Oliver. And the killer got away. 2023 DI Alex Finn is still tormented by the cases of his youth - none more than so than the 2009 kidnappings. And it seems someone else has not forgotten either. They want answers after all this time, and with a gun in their pocket and their sights set on Alex, they'll do anything to get what they're after... Highly original and utterly compelling, THE COLD CASE is Will Shindler's biggest book yet and is perfect for fans of Mark Billingham and Mick Herron.

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A Country Life 'Best Book of the Year' 2023The Times Book of the Week * * * 'I could read Martin Williams all day. He is a staggeringly communicative historian; this book throws shafts of light on recent history almost repeating itself, giving vivid glimpses into monarchy and the way things were, and are. Compulsory reading.' --- Dame Joanna Lumley'A social historian and gifted storyteller, Williams is by turns moved and amused as he reflects on the poignancy and rituals of a nation united (pretty much) in grief...' --- The Times'adroitly-written...[told by Williams] so skilfully, and with such silken prose, that it's a pleasure to spend the time inside his head' --- The Oldie'delightful details...to rekindle this vanished epoch' --- Country Life'Vivid, panoramic, skilfully written, this gripping book is an insight into a time and an age'. --- Kate Williams'Martin Williams has written a fascinating and absorbing account of the Edwardian era, the demise and funeral of the King, and the iconic Black Ascot that followed it. He has brought a lost age grippingly to light'. --- Hugo Vickers'witty, informative and immensely readable... captures the spirit of the times'. --- Miranda Seymour'A tour de force'. --- Dr Kate Strasdin'We tend to think that Cecil Beaton single-handedly invented the Edwardian Age. Martin Williams shows us succinctly and elegantly that perhaps it was the King himself.' --- Nicky Haslam'... moves with unflagging wit and style. A fresh perspective on a brilliant life and a lost era beautifully evoked, it is impossible not to be swept away by this gem of a book. Pure pleasure.' --- Robin Muir'a must-have... a wonderful and thought-provoking read.' --- The Historian'...a book about a changed and changing world trying to cope with even more change...beautifully written [and] timely' --- The Catholic Herald'...resonates powerfully with our own recent experience of collective mourning...Williams describes the king's gradual demise in evocative detail.' --- Air MailUnforgettable as it was, the public response to the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022 was not without precedent. When her great-grandfather King Edward VII - glamorous, cosmopolitan and extraordinarily popular - died in May 1910, the political, social and cultural anxieties of a nation in turmoil were temporarily set aside during a summer of intense and ritualised mourning.In The King is Dead, Long Live the King! Martin Williams charts a period of tension and transition as one era slipped away and another took shape. Witnessed by a diverse but interconnected cast of characters - crowned heads and Cabinet ministers, debutantes and suffragettes, artists and murderers - here is the swansong of Edwardian Britain. Set against a backdrop of bereavement and parliamentary crisis overshadowed by the gathering clouds of war, we see a people caught between past and future, tradition and modernity, as they unite to bid farewell to a much-loved monarch who had personified his age. From Buckingham Palace to Bloomsbury, and from the lying-in-state in Westminster Hall to a now legendary Royal Ascot enveloped in black, this is a vivid evocation of a world on the brink of seismic upheaval.

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'A hugely informative and quietly furious call to arms.' IRISH TIMES'A ground-breaking new book.' EVENING STANDARD'A must read.' DAILY EXPRESS'She is balanced in her evidence analysis, forensic in her research.' TELEGRAPH'A vital subject that needs to be discussed -KATY HESSEL, AUTHOR OF THE STORY OF ART WITHOUT MEN'A valuable sociological perspective on women's bodies and health and an even more valuable (and optimistic) view of a better future for all.' GINA RIPPONThe idea that medicine is gender-neutral is a myth. This isn't inflammatory rhetoric; it's simply true. From the way pain is felt, to how heart attacks are diagnosed, to the very role society plays in the health of the body, the medical landscape in place today is one that was designed for, and by, men. This book is about all the ways medicine is not gender-neutral, from research to treatment to diagnosis. Throughout history, flawed mindsets have paved the way for sub-par treatment, and the prevailing attitudes that still exist today have had terrible repercussions for women and their bodies. Blending fascinating examples with historical and cultural context, and reflecting on her own personal experience with healthcare, Dr Marieke Bigg explores how women's bodies have been ignored, misunderstood and misdiagnosed, whilst keeping an eye to a better future. This is a sharp and honest must-read, and an empowering tool for anyone committed to making this world safer to navigate for all.

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**Winner of the Rugby Book of the Year at the Sports Book Awards 2022**Prince Alexander Sergeevich Obolensky made his name on a cold January day at Twickenham in 1936, his achievements captured for posterity by the newsreels of the time. On his England debut, having already scored one exhilarating try, the striking blond winger collected a pass on the right and, path blocked, veered left at such a pace that a line of opponents were left grasping at thin air. It was a historic try, unrivalled in skill and speed - and it inspired England's first ever victory over the All Blacks.Born to a noble family in St Petersburg in 1916, he had been due a life of wealth and privilege, until revolution forced the Obolenskys to flee Russia. Arriving in Britain with just a handful of possessions, they were reduced to relying on handouts, little Alex's very education resting on the charity of others. But as the young boy began his new life in a strange country, it was his natural sporting ability that would bring him lasting fame. The controversial selection for England of a Russian-born prince was a huge story in the press, stirring up xenophobia as well as excitement at the 19-year-old Oxford student's sheer pace. His later exploits on and off the field would keep his name in the papers, yet Alex was destined to win only four international caps, despite touring with the Lions and appearing for the Barbarians. After joining the RAF to serve his adopted king and country, he died at the controls of a Hurricane in March 1940.Bringing a fascinating era to life, The Flying Prince explores the mystery and mythology surrounding Alexander Obolensky, and for the first time tells the full story of the sporting hero who died too young.*****'Well-researched . . . a pleasure to read. There are plenty of colourful characters' - THE TIMES'The fascinating tale of the Russian-born aristocrat who helped England beat the All-Blacks for the first time' JOHN AIZLEWOOD, I NEWS'A first biography from Hugh Godwin, rugby correspondent of the i, and a fine fist he's made of it too' - BEST RUGBY BOOKS 2021'Expertly fills in the gaps . . . Now we have a biography his story deserves' - THE RUGBY PAPER

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'One of the funniest and most original writers at work today' The TimesA firecracker of a novel by the Booker-shortlisted author of A Fraction of the Whole - a scathingly funny and affecting tale of life, death, love and the questionable existence of God.Angus Mooney is not happy - he's been murdered, cut off in the prime of his life. He feels humiliated - he's never even believed in an afterlife. (How wrong he'd been). He's confused - death has provided more questions than answers. And he desperately misses his audacious and fiery wife, Gracie, who's expecting their first child. The only upside is that Angus has found a way to see what his murderer is up to, and how Gracie is faring. The downside: Gracie and his murderer are getting uncomfortably close, and a worldwide pandemic means the afterlife is about to get very crowded . . .'Toltz takes his time with each book and Here Goes Nothing is a funny, clever, entertaining argument in favour of cultivating the patience to get it right' Guardian

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'A heartbreaking and profoundly visionary book.' Emily Fridlund, author of History of Wolves'The poetic beauty of the writing and a certain swirling Gothic passion and drama bowl the reader along... An unusual, intense, experimental novel' Daily MailIt is the end of the Great Depression and Elle Ranier believes that by marrying her wealthy husband Simon she is saving her life. Young and impressionable, she is unable to foresee the true cost of her decision. Instead, she leaves everything she has known in New York City to live in a vine-covered mansion on the tangled shores of Lyra, an island off America's southeastern coast. There, amid the wild horses, oak woods and rumours of jewels hidden beneath the water, Elle harbours a secret. Her so-called 'cousin' Gabriel, who comes to stay, is really a boyfriend from back home and the love of her life.In subsequent years, when Elle and Simon raise a family and face a less than idyllic relationship, Elle can never forget her brief dalliance with Gabriel. Even fifty years later, when her memory recedes into the mists of Alzheimer's disease, she is haunted by his fate. With her mind a maze of questions about long-buried stories, the bewitching island of Lyra might eventually bring answers to light.'A prophetic fever dream sprung from a singular imagination. Hannah Lillith Assadi is an incomparable stylist and a fearless storyteller. This novel is a lush, addicting, daring wonder' Claire Vaye Watkins, author of I Love You But I've Chosen DarknessDarkly romantic and beautifully immersive, The Stars Are Not Yet Bells pulls us into a story about the limits of memory and people we can never forget.

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In a nation of rugby heroes, Jamie Roberts has become a legend.Jamie Roberts is your quintessential hard man: a 6 foot 4, 17 stone slab of rippling muscle, conditioned to run hard into other huge men in an arena where physical dominance is the prime currency. Yet away from rugby, he's a mild-mannered and thoughtful man - a qualified doctor with a thirst for knowledge and a curiosity about the world around him. It's an intriguing contradiction.In his first full season with the Cardiff Blues he was picked by new Wales coach Warren Gatland in the Grand Slam-winning side of 2008. He was still establishing his position in the national team when he toured with the 2009 Lions, emerging as Player of the Series. He went on to win 97 Test caps and play for clubs in Paris, London and Cape Town, yet his career has seldom been straightforward. A fractured skull was one of many injuries he had to overcome, and from the start he had to juggle the competing demands of university life and professional rugby. The joy of Six Nations success with Wales was balanced by heartbreak in the World Cup and disappointment against southern-hemisphere teams, while major trophies at club level proved frustratingly elusive.In this colourful and frank account of a sterling career, Jamie Roberts reveals all about life on tour, in boot camps and in dressing rooms filled with once-in-a-generation characters such as Mike Phillips, Andy Powell, Shaun Edwards, Martyn Williams, Brian O'Driscoll and Johnny Sexton. He also shares his views on concussion in rugby, the failings of the professional structure in Wales and the vital role of old-school team-bonding.

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An optimistic vision of the future after Covid-19 by a leading professor of globalisation at the University of Oxford.We are at a crossroads. The wrecking-ball of Covid-19 has destroyed global norms. Many think that after the devastation there will be a bounce back. To Ian Goldin, Professor of Development and Globalisation at the University of Oxford, this is a retrograde notion. He believes that this crisis can create opportunities for change, just as the Second World War forged the ideas behind the Beveridge Report. Published in 1942, it was revolutionary and laid the foundations for the welfare state alongside a host of other social and economic reforms, changing the world for the better. Ian Goldin tackles the challenges and opportunities posed by the pandemic, ranging from globalisation to the future of jobs, income inequality and geopolitics, the climate crisis and the modern city. It is a fresh, bold call for an optimistic future and one we all have the power to create.

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THE UPLIFTING AND HEART-WARMING NOVEL YOU WILL FALL IN LOVE WITH THIS SUMMERPearl Winter hasn't been outside in forty-three years.Since she arrived on Dartmoor as a girl, an isolated family cottage has been her whole world. A place of safety. But now fifty-nine-year-old Pearl is utterly alone - except for the postman, the local crows, and memories of the summer of 1976.Teenager Connor Matthews feels like a stranger in his own home.Since his mother's death he's been adrift from his remaining family, troubled by the reality of moving on, and unable to see a future ahead. But when Connor begins a summer job as Pearl's gardener, an unexpected friendship opens the door to a fresh start for them both. If only Pearl and Connor can take the first steps . . .*****Readers love Reasons to Go Outside!'A book that will stay with you long after you've finished it'Reader Review'With a few tears and lots of smiles, I loved this story from the very start'Reader Review'One of my top favourite heart-warming reads'Reader Review'A beautiful book inside and out'Reader Review'The message of hope is conveyed brilliantly'Reader Review

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Agatha Christie meets Mulholand Drive in this stylish exploration of power, manipulation and murder . . .

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The third novel in the brand new Backshaw Moss series by beloved million-copy bestselling author Anna JacobsLancashire, 1936. With her son Gabriel finally married, and her youngest following his dreams of becoming a doctor, Gwynneth Harte finds herself with an empty nest - until a fire forces her to move in with Gabriel and his wife Maisie at their home on Daisy Street. Arthur Chapman has been at a low ebb ever since the death of his wife. Turning to drink in his grief, he lost both his job and contact with his grandchild, Beatie - but now the inheritance of a house from a distant relative is the fresh start he needs. When Beatie runs away from her cruel grandmother and takes refuge with Gwynneth, she and Arthur are thrown together - and find themselves growing closer. But trouble is brewing in the valley, from the ambitions of the bullying local landlord to rumours of a Fascist spy. Can the residents of Backshaw Moss band together to keep each

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'Persuasive and timely reading' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH'They share the challenges and rewards they've faced along the way with humour and honesty' OK!WHAT A YEAR IT'S BEEN! HAS HOMESCHOOLING DRIVEN YOU (AND YOUR KIDS) CRAZY?? WE KNOW HOW IT IS, WE'VE BEEN THERE, WE ARE THERE STILL. AND WE ARE HERE TO HELP!A personal and practical guide to homeschooling by Loose Women's Nadia Sawalha and her husband Mark Adderley.TV presenter Nadia and her husband Mark took their two children out of mainstream school five years ago. Since then they have homeschooled them. At a time when so many of us are being forced to rethink our roles as parents and teachers, Mark and Nadia bring their experiences - the good and the bad - and offer a candid and practical guide to teaching at home.Statistics show that the number of homeschooled children in the UK has increased by 40% over the last three years, and the rate is steadily increasing. With humour and frankness Nadia and Mark share the challenges and rewards of their home school experiences, and ask what 'success' really means when it comes to our children's education.Bringing their energy, enthusiasm and openness to what is becoming an ever more relevant aspect of our lives, Honey, I Home Schooled the Kids will share obstacles, insights and resources that all parents can learn from, whether they're looking for help supporting their child at school or if they have decided to take the plunge and home school.This book is an honest and no holds barred guide for anyone interested in embarking on the homeschooling journey.

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'Full of surprises you truly don't see coming' HARLAN COBEN'Instantly gripping and compulsively readable' RILEY SAGERGuilty or innocent? The primary suspect in a murder case is her father ... FBI Agent Nell Flynn has come home for the first time in a decade following her father's death. But almost immediately she is drawn into one of his last murder investigations. Two women have been found dead, the second body showing up shortly after Nell's arrival. And Nell quickly realizes the evidence points to one clear suspect - her own father. His colleagues and friends are covering for him, and Nell has no idea who she can trust or what may have been hidden from her. Desperate for answers, she is drawn deeper into the case. But is she prepared for what she might find?What READERS are saying about GIRLS LIKE US'I devoured every page of this novel, and stayed up way past my bedtime, because walking away wasn't an option''GIRLS LIKE US is a solid 5 star read!''Wow! Extremely atmospheric, well thought out and with great attention to detail, this book is just brilliant''I really couldn't put the book down as I followed Nell searching for answers''An excellent thriller!''This was a great pager turner and I had a hard time putting in down''I particularly enjoyed all of the strong, smart female characters. I was sorry for it to end!'What REVIEWERS are saying about GIRLS LIKE US'Alger expertly ratchets up the suspense all the way to the explosive finale' PUBLISHERS WEEKLY'Tension becomes nearly unbearable as Nell realizes she truly can't trust anyone' KIRKUS REVIEWS'GIRLS LIKE US is a smart thriller that will keep you guessing' POPSUGAR

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'The finest writing in the land. Limitless, joyous and terrifying' - RUSSELL T. DAVIESSteve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith's darkly comedic creations are an endlessly dazzling masterclass in storytelling. Inside No. 9: The Scripts features every episode from Series 4-6 of the award-winning BBC2 anthology, including the live Halloween special and an original foreword for each series from the show's creators.'One of the best pieces of British television in years' - INDEPENDENT

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'Poignant and warm-hearted . . . a tonic for our times.' - Holly Miller, author of The Sight of YouAt nearly ninety, retired nature writer Hattie Bloom prefers the company of birds to people, but when a fall lands her in a nursing home she struggles to cope with the loss of independence and privacy. From the confines of her 'room with a view' - of the car park! - she dreams of escape.Fellow 'inmate', the gregarious, would-be comedian Walter Clements also plans on returning home as soon as he is fit and able to take charge of his mobility scooter.When Hattie and Walter officially meet at The Night Owls, a clandestine club run by Sister Bronwyn and her dog, Queenie, they seem at odds. But when Sister Bronwyn is dismissed over her unconventional approach to aged care, they must join forces - and very slowly, an unlikely, unexpected friendship begins to grow.Full of wisdom and warmth, The Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing Home is a gorgeously poignant, hilarious story showing that it is never too late to laugh - or to love.Praise for Joanna Nell:'Hugely entertaining . . . funny and heart-warming' Woman & Home'A gentle, warm-hearted book that had me rooting for all the characters and laughing out loud at points' LIBBY PAGE, author of The Lido'A warm and touching story with a cast of characters who became my friends' - KATIE MARSH, author of The Rest of Me'The perfect blend of funny and moving' - NATASHA LESTER, author of The Paris Seamstress'A funny and poignant exploration of growing old disgracefully and enjoying your twilight years.' - Culturefly

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'It is a Lord of the Flies parable with Bhagwan as lord. The book is a fascinating social history, with many celebrities, from Diana Ross to Prince Charles. - Helen Rumbelow, The TimesThis is the story of a Englishman who gave up a job in journalism to spend fourteen years with the controversial Indian mystic Osho, also known as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and frequently referred to as 'the sex guru'. His guru was always controversial with his teachings on sex and spirituality, rumours of orgies and because he owned ninety-three Rolls Royces.Early in 1976, Subhuti travelled to India to meet Rajneesh in his ashram in Pune, became initiated as his disciple and immediately began to have mystical experiences, which he attributed to the powerful energy field surrounding the guru. He stayed for six months, participating in the ashram's notorious Encounter Group and other therapies designed to release suppressed emotions and awaken sexual energySubhuti would stay to live and work on his master's ashrams for fourteen years, first as his press officer in Pune, India, then as editor of the community's weekly newspaper when Bhagwan and his followers shifted to Oregon, USA, and built a whole new town on the massive Big Muddy Ranch.There Subhuti was a first-hand witness to the scandals and hullabaloo that accompanied the guru, including tales of broken bones in no-holds-barred therapy groups and Tantra groups that encouraged total sexual freedom, and the increasing hostility with the locals which would lead to Bhagwan's attempt to flee America, his arrest and imprisonment. .He was on the Oregon Ranch when Rajneesh's secretary, Ma Anand Sheela, plotted against rival cliques within the ashram as well as a range of murderous crimes against state and federal officials which feature in hit Netflix series Wild Wild Country.Yet, amidst it all, Subhuti could see the profound revolution in spirituality that Bhagwan was creating, leaving a lasting impact on our ideas about society, religion, meditation and personal transformation.According to the author's understanding, it was the controversy itself, plus Bhagwan's refusal to tread the path of a spiritual saint, that became the stepping stone to a new vision of what it means to be a spiritual seeker.

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Mike Gayle: emotions you'll never forget, stories you'll want to shareHelen and Ben parted as heartbroken 18-year-olds and went their very separate ways.Twenty years later, mother-of-two-teenagers Helen is still in Manchester, a part-time primary teacher, stunned by the behaviour of her love-rat husband. In an old T shirt and scruffy jeans, she feels at the lowest point in her life.And suddenly, impossibly, Ben is standing on her doorstep. Tired maybe, lonely even, but clearly still the world-famous, LA-based multi-millionaire rockstar he has become.Can you ever go back?For Helen and Ben, so much has happened in the years between. But just to sit in the kitchen for a while and talk - that would be nice.Before the world comes crashing in.Friendship, love, heartache and hope collide in this unforgettable emotional journey, from the author of Half A World Away.'The escapist pageturner of the summer' The Sunday Times Your favourite writers are already falling in love with this story . . . 'Moving, uplifting, unforgettable. Mike always writes from the heart and creates stories we fall in love with' Lisa Jewell'Full of relatable characters and as Mike takes us on a journey through all their high and lows and we're with them every step of the way . . . A wonderful story' Ruth Hogan'Poignant. Powerful. Beautiful' Milly Johnson'Funny, real and unexpected, a story that will keep you hooked to the very last page' Alexandra Potter Fans love this new story . . . 'I've always been a fan of Mike's books BUT this one is my absolute favourite'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Mike writes so well and creates the best, most memorable characters'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Had me absolutely gripped'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Outstanding. Loved it and devoured every page'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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*Available now: a new model for understanding and optimising your decision making skills by a leading behavioural economist*__________Have you ever set yourself a goal but struggled to achieve it? In a world overflowing with choices and distractions, indecision can be paralysing. It can lead to missed opportunities, stress, even damaged relationships. In The Decisive Mind, decision making expert Professor Sheheryar Banuri provides a new framework to choose the life you want, one decision at a time. Using real-world examples and his own ground-breaking research, Professor Banuri shows how even the smallest decisions have a profound impact on our lives. By understanding and streamlining your own process of decision-making, you will be able to make simple, effective, and efficient choices to help you edge closer to your aspirations and achieve your goals. From big, life-altering choices to the everyday decisions that shape your routine, The Decisive Mind puts you in control of your decision-making and sets you on the path to a more decisive you. Whether you seek to make bold career moves, enhance your relationships, or simply improve your overall well-being, this book will help you harness the immense potential of you. __________

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Beauty. Wealth. Success.She's got it all.And it all should've been mine.'A stunning achievement! Beautifully plotted story with characters that left a mark' Samantha Downing, author of #1 bestseller, My Lovely WifeWhen Eleanor Hardwicke's beloved father dies, her world is further shattered by the discovery of a gut-wrenching secret: the man she's grieving isn't her biological dad.With her personal life spiraling, a desperate Eleanor seeks out the family she never knew she had, finding an infuriatingly enviable half-sister.Perfectly perfect Victoria has everything Eleanor could ever dream of. Loving childhood, luxury home, devoted husband. And this gets Eleanor thinking - aren't good sisters supposed to share?PRAISE FOR SISTER DEAR'Sister Dear drew me in, had me hooked and I was never really sure what to expect or who to trust. I thought it was dark, twisty, compelling and also heartbreaking. Unputdownable.Karen Hamilton, bestselling author of The Perfect Girlfriend'Loss, love, revenge, buried secrets and greed add up to make Sister Dear an electrifying read. If you think you know where this story is headed, watch out. Hannah Mary McKinnon has a few tricks up her sleeve. A must read!'Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author of The Good Girl and The Other Mrs'A grieving daughter, a jealous sister - nothing is as it seems in Hannah Mary McKinnon's latest slow-burn suspense, Sister Dear. This one creeps up the back of your neck then explodes into an ending that I guarantee you won't soon forget. Smart, addictive, and genuinely surprising'Kimberly Belle, bestselling author of The Marriage Lie and Dear Wife

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Nobody writes like Nell Dunn... always communally, with rare honesty, with love, and with calm and ground-breaking understanding... It's glorious. Ali Smith The Muse is all it could be; an act of sharing that goes beyond particular experience to take us to a happy realm of natural sisterhood. TLSNell Dunn has perfect pitch for the words we use and for the loves and mysteries of the human heart. Carmen Callil Defiant, funny and exhilarating. The Muse is so high-spirited and full of a sense of adventure. Margaret DrabbleThis slim volume is entertaining... You long to know more about Nell's lifeDaily MailThe Muse is the story of a life-changing friendship. It starts with Nell's account of a chance meeting with Josie at the age of 22.Josie teaches her how to live for moment, how to have adventures and find the sweetness of life even in hardship. This was the Sixties, a time of literary and sexual experimentation, of the breakdown of old barriers and inhibitions Even as she was hooking up with dodgy men, Josie always carried herself like a star, and as the inspiration for the ground-breaking novel of working class women Poor Cow and the play Steaming - both of which were made into movies - she became one, feted by producers on Broadway.Life is the thing, was Josie's motto. But where would her philosophy of taking no care for tomorrow lead her?In prose of unique clarity and simplicity that always gets straight to the heart of matter, The Muse follows this friendship over the decades.

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Curl up with the perfect festive saga read! Can they deliver hope and friendship this Christmas? 1915. After the recent dramatic events at the Home Depot, Milly Woods is looking forward to spending as much time as possible with her Post Office girls, Nora and Beth - known as Liza to her friends. With Christmas fast approaching, their job of getting millions of letters and parcels to the troops on the front line is more important than ever.But when Milly is moved to a different department, she and the girls struggle to find time to spend together. Feeling more and more lonely, Milly finds company and common ground at her local suffragette group - as well as catching the eye of a wounded ex-soldier at the Home Depot.But soon, Milly discovers that her new friends might not be what they seem. As she is drawn into a deadly plan that could affect the outcome of the war, can her Post Office girls help her get back on track, and scupper the plan in time for Christmas?READERS LOVE THE POST OFFICE GIRLS!'A superb debut novel' - 5 STARS'Entertaining, enlightening and thoroughly enjoyable' - 5 STARS'I absolutely loved this book and I am already eagerly awaiting book two in the series' - 5 STARS'The book gave a wonderful in sight into postal-service life during the war. Well done, Poppy' - 5 STARS'An excellent WW1 book' - 5 STARS

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One of Kirkus Reviews' Top 100 Books of 2019A compelling new thriller for fans of CJ Box and David Baldacci.Jess Winslow is a former US Marine struggling to adjust to civilian life after the horrors of Afghanistan. All she has in the world is her black and white pitbull mix, Lucy.Mason Burke trained Lucy for the service animal program while serving fifteen years in prison. Lucy helped keep him sane; now he'll stop at nothing to keep her safe.So when a corrupt deputy sheriff takes Lucy hostage over a package Jess's late husband allegedly stole, newly-released Mason promises to help.But saving Lucy and finding the package is only the start. Soon Mason and Jess are caught up in someone else's private war. Will they be able to trust each other and face their demons in time to save themselves?Deception Cove is a gripping story of survival and redemption set against the beautiful and dangerous coastline of the Pacific Northwest.

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'The lives of the characters get entangled in this powerful read' WOMAN'S OWN'A pacy, gripping tale of secrets, love and betrayal in 1950s Catalonia, written with skill and colour. It gave me enormous pleasure to read such a satisfying novel.' SANTA MONTEFIORE 'If you're in desperate need of a far-Flung getaway, indulge in this slice of escapist fiction' HEAT'Being transported to a Spanish summer in 1951... I feel the cool of the shadows under the trees and hear the sea as it glistens in the rippling heat. I think you might like it too!' FERN BRITTON'As colourful, rich and mesmerising as one of Dali's paintings, this absorbing, poignant rollercoaster of a read is utterly satisfying and will stay with you long after you've put it down.' PATRICIA SCANLAN 'a tale of intrigue, love, politics and scandal. Mixing fact and fiction The Diver and The Lover keeps up the pace and excitement to the very end.' JOAN BAKEWELL'This tale intrigued me and captured my imagination in equal measure. I loved being whisked back to the 1950s and felt the heat of the Spanish sun as I fell in love with the sisters' unique relationship. Be prepared to be taken on a dramatic journey confronting pain, tragedy and passion along the way ' SARA COX'We'll never look at one of the world's best known paintings in the same way again. [Jeremy Vine] has managed to weave truth and fiction together to bring us a most unexpected love story.' FIONA BRUCE'A touching love story set in General Franco's postwar Spain is hallmark Vine - fresh, well-researchedand packed with female protagonists.' - COUNTRYSIDE MAGSoaked in sunlight, love and the mysteries surrounding a famous artist The Diver and the Lover is a novel inspired by true events.It is 1951 and sisters Ginny and Meredith have travelled from England to Spain in search of distraction and respite. The two wars have wreaked loss and deprivation upon the family and the spectre of Meredith's troubled childhood continues to haunt them. Their journey to the rugged peninsula of Catalonia promises hope and renewal. While there they discover the artist Salvador Dali is staying in nearby Port Lligat. Meredith is fascinated by modern art and longs to meet the famous surrealist. Dali is embarking on an ambitious new work, but his headstrong male model has refused to pose. A replacement is found, a young American waiter with whom Ginny has struck up a tentative acquaintance. The lives of the characters become entangled as family secrets, ego and the dangerous politics of Franco's Spain threaten to undo the fragile bonds that have been forged. A powerful story of love, sacrifice and the lengths we will go to for who - or what - we love.

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'Outstanding. The best thriller in years' MARTINA COLE'One of the best thrillers I have read in years' THE OBSERVER'I couldn't put it down. A visceral nightmare of a book with one of the most evil villains I've come across in a long time. Powerful writing' STEVE CAVANAGH'Short, sharp shocker' THE TIMES'An early contender for one of the best books of the year' S MAGAZINEHe is her husband. She is his captive.Her husband calls her Jane. That is not her name.She lives in a small farm cottage, surrounded by vast, open fields. Everywhere she looks, there is space. But she is trapped. No one knows how she got to the UK: no one knows she is there. Visitors rarely come to the farm; if they do, she is never seen.Her husband records her every movement during the day. If he doesn't like what he sees, she is punished.For a long time, escape seemed impossible. But now, something has changed. She has a reason to live and a reason to fight. Now, she is watching him, and waiting . . .'A true nail-biter' THE GUARDIAN'Ratchets up the tension to the point where I had to check my pulse' LIZ NUGENT'Heart-stoppingly suspenseful, a masterclass in tension' ERIN KELLY'An unbearably tense read, with incredible writing' RAGNAR JONASSON'I could not stop reading this! Brilliantly done' DENISE MINA'Sensational. Claustrophobic, compulsive, and almost unbearably tense it's a heart-in-mouth read that's packed with suspense. Readers will be saying 'just one more page' all the way from the gripping beginning to the heart-stopping end' C.L. TAYLOR'Seriously nail-biting stuff! I raced through it, my heart in my mouth' EMMA CURTIS'Tremendously powerful and fantastically written, heart-stopping from page one. Expect to see it on all the award lists' SARAH HILARY

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'Balkan Glory is an epic chapter in the splendid Kydd canon, weaving knotty political gambits with stirring naval actions, expressively re-creating the often harsh reality Jack Tars witnessed within their wooden walls during the Napoleonic Wars' - Quarterdeck1811. The Adriatic, the 'French Lake', is now the most valuable territory Napoleon Bonaparte possesses. Captain Sir Thomas Kydd finds his glorious return to England cut short when the Admiralty summons him to lead a squadron of frigates into these waters to cause havoc and distress to the enemy. Kydd is dubbed 'The Sea Devil' by Bonaparte who personally appoints one of his favourites, Dubourdieu, along with a fleet that greatly outweighs the British, to rid him of this menace.At the same time, Nicholas Renzi is sent to Austria on a secret mission to sound out the devious arch-statesman, Count Metternich. His meeting reveals a deadly plan by Bonaparte that threatens the whole balance of power in Europe. The only thing that can stop it is a decisive move at sea and for this he must somehow cross the Alps to the Adriatic to contact Kydd directly. A climactic sea battle where the stakes could not be higher is inevitable. Kydd faces Dubourdieu with impossible odds stacked against him. Can he shatter Bonaparte's dreams of breaking out of Europe and marching to the gates of India and Asia?*************************************Readers LOVE Balkan Glory'I can say without a doubt Balkan Glory is Stockwin's best of the series. All these elements make it so. It's great, involving reading (I was surprised when I reached The End!). It's what makes for great historical fiction''By far the best of the Kydd series. Can the next one possibly be as riveting?''One of my must have books each year'

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Ian Robertson joined the BBC during the golden age of radio broadcasting and was given a crash course in the art of sports commentary from some of the greatest names ever to sit behind a microphone: Cliff Morgan and Peter Bromley, Bryon Butler and John Arlott. Almost half a century after being introduced to the rugby airwaves by his inspiring mentor Bill McLaren, the former Scotland fly-half looks back on the most eventful of careers, during which he covered nine British and Irish Lions tours and eight World Cups, including the 2003 tournament that saw England life the Webb Ellis Trophy and "Robbo" pick up awards for his spine-tingling description of Jonny Wilkinson's decisive drop goal.He reflects on his playing days, his role in guiding Cambridge University to a long spell of Varsity Match supremacy and his relationships with some of the union code's most celebrated figures, including Sir Clive Woodward and Jonah Lomu. He also writes vividly and hilariously of his experiences as a horse racing enthusiast, his meetings with some of the world's legendary golfers and his dealings with a stellar cast of sporting outsiders, from Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor to Nelson Mandela. It is a hugely entertaining story that begins in a bygone rugby age, yet has much to say about the game in the here and now.

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