Search results for ""Mirror Books""

'A beautifully written book with a charming, young narrator, combined with a surprisingly dark and unusual whodunnit. It's a touching, powerful and twisty read, packed with intrigue. Will appeal to fans of Joanna Cannon's The Trouble With Goats and Sheep.' S.J. Harris, author of The Colour of Bee Larkham's Murder'Powerful writing...' Woman's Way Magazine'With devastating purity and clarity, nine year old Frankie Appleton is likely to enter your hearts in this poignant and emotional read.' Love Reading Nine-year-old Frankie Appleton likes to count gates.One day she hopes to design the perfect gate - a gate to keep the bad things out.Little does she know that the bad things have already got in.Now her mother is dead, and the only other person with a house key has disappeared.Frankie thinks she knows who it is. But first she has to prove it.A delicately brutal exploration of what lies behind closed doors, and of the secrets and lies that form the fabric of every family, The Weight of Small Things is as charming as it is chilling.

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“When they heard the allies were coming, we were given extra rice to have the strength and energy to dig our own graves.“ In February 1942, ten-year old Olga Morris and her family were living in Singapore when the city fell to the Japanese Imperial Army in the biggest defeat in history of the British Forces. Turned back at an evacuation ship’s gangway as the bombs fell, Olga and her parents and siblings were forced to take their chances and hide out until, captured by Japanese soldiers, they were sent on a forced march to the notorious Changi Prison. There’s a certain stereotype of the British in Singapore in the ‘30s and early ‘40s, which Olga Morris – Henderson as she is now – definitely did not fit. Her family was not part of the privileged Raffles Hotel set, with their big houses and servants. Her father worked in construction, building roads, the city’s hospital and a mosque. Olga and her siblings grew up in Johor Bahru, a diverse part of Malaya just across the causeway from Singapore, amongst children of all faiths and cultures, who played together without a thought to race or class. It was a very happy upbringing. All that changed in 1942. Olga was playing with her guinea pigs when a British Army officer arrived to tell her mother that the family had just 20 minutes to pack what they could and get out. The Japanese were ten miles away. Olga’s mother grabbed the family photograph album and they ran... Three years of captivity followed. Three years of disease, malnutrition, deprivation and oppression. Olga and her friends bravely raided the vegetable plot; “dodging the searchlights” and sometimes enduring severe punishments. She stood alongside the other women and children through the ordeal of Tenko in the blazing sun. They were used as slave labour. Halfway through their captivity, Olga’s ten-year-old brother William was put into the men’s camp, where he suffered terribly cruelty that scarred him for life. February 2022 marked 80 years since the Fall of Singapore and at last Olga is ready to tell the story of her years as a child prisoner of war. It’s a story of great fear and deprivation; of a childhood utterly lost to conflict. It’s also a story of class prejudice and unkindness that didn’t end when Olga was freed from the camp and returned to England as an unwanted refugee. Yet moments of humour and camaraderie also live on in Olga’s memory. The camp’s girl guide group held clandestine meetings, where they worked on sewing a quilt. The ‘Changi Quilt’ is now held at the Imperial War Museum in London, as an emblem of the guides’ courage and faith. As Olga says, “We always felt the end of the war would come, we lived for it, from month to month and tried never to lose hope.”

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Maike Mullenders was just twenty-one when police broke the devastating news her father had taken his own life. Not only that, but he also left behind a handwritten confession suggesting that he had been ‘physically inappropriate with my daughter’. Maike was painfully aware of her father’s troubled life, but this came as a complete shock – she loved him and had no conscious memory of any sexual abuse. Thrown into personal turmoil, and questioning her identity and place in the world, she spent the next twenty years trying to uncover the truth. Had he broken her trust in the worst way imaginable? Was it a symptom of his mental anguish? Or had he constructed a story to make her hate him so her loss might be more manageable? Through deeply personal counselling sessions, extensive research, yoga and meditation she explored the darkest reaches of her subconscious and unearthed ‘memories’ long buried, yet emerged with an ‘answer’ that enabled her to live again, free from the agonising burden of The Confession. This is Maike’s remarkable journey to hope and peace after her father’s chilling final message pushed her to the brink of insanity.

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Kelsey Parker's world was turned upside down in the summer of 2020 when her husband Tom, singer in boyband The Wanted, was cruelly diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour. Heavily pregnant with their second child and coping with her own heartache at losing her partner of 13 years, Kelsey remained a tower of strength and positivity for Tom during his darkest days. When traditional treatments stopped working, she spent hours researching alternative therapies to give her husband extra time with his young children Aurelia and Bodhi. Hope came late in 2021 when Tom's tumour became stable, but sadly his condition quickly deteriorated and on March 30, 2022, aged just 33, he died surrounded by his loyal wife, family and friends. With And Without You is her moving, deeply personal story of the first 12 months since Tom's tragic passing. An intimate diary of how she coped with a year of unwanted firsts - first birthdays, first Christmas, first Valentine's Day - all without the love of her life. It is the story of how she rebuilt her life, and bravely found a way to face the future. Since Tom's death, Kelsey has been an inspiration to many and a rock to the couple's children. She has sought to raise awareness of glioblastoma and has bravely campaigned for vital funds for more research into the disease. She has also found spirituality - following Tom's long held belief there is something greater than just one life. With And Without You is not only a story of coping with unimaginable heartbreak and grief, but how your love for someone you've lost can be turned into something positive and bring hope and light into your life as you carry on your journey without them.

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Joanne Phillips’ ordeal began aged 13 when she was gang-raped in her bedroom by local boys. Following the trauma, she dropped out of school, was befriended by an older man and was forced into prostitution aged 16. Over the next six years, she was raped by over 500 men, starved, beaten, and transported around the country to brothels. Forced to have sex with men from all walks of life including lawyers, stockbrokers, doctors, a parish councillor, Joanne was even made to have sex with her former school headteacher – who didn’t recognise her. Every attempt to flee failed. Police warned her mother and stepdad she had chosen the lifestyle and even threatened to charge her parents with living off immoral earnings if they allowed her to move back. Escape seemed impossible, until one day she couldn’t take any more. Just before her 21st birthday, Joanne eventually escaped her enslavement. After being left alone briefly in a London flat, where she was expected to work, she took a chance after finding a bag of money and a handgun. Fearing for her life, she fled into the night with nothing but a plastic bag of cash. After catching a train to Northern Ireland, she found her real dad and hid at his home from her pimp. Desperate to readjust to normal life, she found a job and went on to study at university. But when she tried to explain to a new boyfriend about her past, he didn’t believe any of it was true, so she vowed to keep the abuse a secret – until years later, a conversation with one of her own teenage daughters changed her life...

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On March 2nd, 2019, Yousef Makki, a scholarship pupil at Manchester Grammar school, was stabbed in the heart by one of his friends on a quiet, leafy street in the wealthy Manchester suburb of Hale Barns. The two boys who were with him as the 17-year-old lay dying from a 12cm deep knife wound were brought up in the affluent surrounding areas and like Yousef had attended expensive public schools. But unlike them, Yousef was not from a wealthy family. He grew up seven miles and a world away on a council estate in Burnage and won a life changing bursary to a prestigious grammar school. Just four months after Yousef was killed, a jury found his friend not guilty of murder or manslaughter. The outcome has been widely questioned, raising issues of class, wealth, and privilege in the justice system. Yousef died from a single stab wound to the chest. When his sister, Jade, collected his blood-stained clothes and personal possessions, he had a single pound coin in his pocket. This is Jade's personal story of her brother and how the fight for justice has transformed her life.

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Award-winning Jay Flynn, MBE, the nation's favourite quiz master is back with a new follow-up to his best-selling quiz book. Hailed by Stephen Fry as the 'quizmaster's quizmaster', Jay's online quiz entertained the nation during lockdown and became a viral phenomenon, reaching thousands of households and raising 1 million pounds for charity. It earned him a Queen's honour, a Guinness World Record, countless media appearances and even a thank-you letter from Prime Minister Boris Johnson. This brand new quiz book is bigger and even better than before - ideal for family, friends, colleagues and contains everything you need to be the best quizmaster. More than 30 set quizzes centre around everything from general knowledge, science and nature, sports, history and even some specialist Harry Potter and Marvel Movies questions. If you're one of the many thousands of Jay fans out there, or just someone who loves a pub quiz, this is a must-have book for you.

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In Cops and Horrors: Uncut Tales from the Frontline, Matt Calveley offers an up close and personal view into the life of a dedicated officer serving in one of the biggest police forces in the world. Highly decorated, Matt lived a varied career, meaning he is able to give readers an eye-opening insight into the job from all angles. On the Met's frontline, he fought violent criminals, arrested hundreds, dealt with horrific death scenes every day- and got bitten by a squirrel monkey called Clive. Matt served as custody Sergeant, provided jury protection during a huge corruption trial, and qualified as a mass fatality specialist. In Cops and Horrors, he reveals how he: * Discovered sickening photographs at a crash scene that led to a child rapist being jailed * Worked undercover in the Met's massive surveillance operation to catch Mardi Gras bomber Edgar Pearce * Expertly broke into Paul Daniel's car after the late magician locked his keys inside it * Nicked a bent 'Santa' driving a stolen limo after a high-speed Christmas morning road chase * Fought a machete-wielding maniac * Was mistaken as a stripper after hitching a lift to an emergency in a limo packed with tipsy hen party revellers Matt also gives an unprecedented, detailed account of law enforcement on London's roads. From dealing with arrogant motorists, catching drink drivers and facing catastrophic road deaths, to white-knuckle car chases and painstakingly reconstructing crash scenes, Matt has seen - and survived - it all.

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We all know the fairy-tale. An everyday girl meets her Prince Charming, they get married, have children and ride off into the sunset. Sadly, this isn't always the case and Christine McGuinness is keen to change the stereotype that marriage, fame and fortune brings an easy and blissful life... This is Christine's first book, where she tells the world her life story for the very first time. As well as outlining the difficulties and joys of being a mother to three autistic children, the autobiography delves into her anorexia battle, fertility troubles, her marriage, modelling career and tough childhood, subjects which are sensitive and many of which she hasn't spoken about before. She is a mum of three to eight-year-old twins Leo and Penelope and four-year-old Felicity, all of whom have been diagnosed with autism. In this frank and candid read, Christine reveals the struggles she's overcome in her life and still battles with today, but at the heart of it, she's on a mission to learn more about autism and to educate others and change the stigma around the condition. Christine wants to campaign to improve rights for those with invisible disabilities. She wants her children to be able to get a job, have relationships and live independent lives. Alongside writing her book, Christine and her husband Paddy are filming a BBC documentary about autism. It will air this Autumn. In the book, Christine will give readers a detailed insight into what being a full-time mum with three autistic children is like.

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'A superb book... Joey's story is extraordinary and its authenticity and relevance to the times we're living in is stunning' Eamon Dunphy'Gritty, terrifying and the most incredible true gangland story you will ever read. The Witness is hard to put down but will be harder to forget.' Donal MacIntyreJoey O'Callaghan was just 18 years old when he became a ghost - the youngest ever person to be signed up to the Witness Protection Programme.Groomed into a drug gang from the age of 10, a cold-blooded assassination sickened him to his core, and he broke the golden bond of gangland silence. His evidence won murder convictions against two of the most violent drug bosses in Ireland.Relocated to England with a new identity, Joey had to face the world alone, and soon realised it was he who had received the life sentence.15 years on, the ripple effects of the gunshots that rang out that night continue to leave a devastating legacy for everyone. None more so than Joey 'The Lips'.This is his story.

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THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER Two sisters, one war and an extraordinary family secret1939. In the nation's hour of need, brave sisters Patricia and Jean Owtram answered the call of duty.With their fierce intelligence and steely determination, these remarkable young women would stop at nothing to help crack the Enigma code, support Allied troops, and defeat the Nazis.Their top-secret mission would finally see the tide of war turn in Britain's favour...This is their incredible true story.

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Think you know everything about the Krays?Think again.Britain's most infamous criminals: the Kray twins. The extent of their activities has always been uncertain. But now, it is time for the conclusive account of their story, from their East End beginnings, to becoming the kingpins of London's underworld.This objective account, compiled by best-selling crime author and criminal lawyer James Morton, cuts through the conflicting versions of their stories and answers burning questions still being asked, 50 years after their infamous conviction. How was the clergy involved in evading police action? What was Charlie Kray's true position with his brothers? Just how many did they kill?Featuring an in-depth discussion at the supposed claims they killed up to 30, and a deep dive into the death of champion boxer Freddie Mills, Krays: The Final Word compiles all previous accounts and then some to find the truth behind their legendary status.This is the Krays - all fact, no fiction.

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'In my darkest hour, I reached for a hand and found your paw'When Nicola found Buddy, abandoned and broken, she vowed to do all she could to help save him. What she didn't know at the time was that this little dog would in turn save her.This is the story of Buddy and me: a remarkable true story of survival, hope, and never giving up, no matter how hard life gets.

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Featuring two exclusive bonus chapters on the trial of Basil, the last Hatton Garden gang member to be caught.ONE LAST JOB was the only book on the Hatton Garden Heist to correctly predict the identity of Basil.This new edition reveals the full story of Michael Seed, Reader's mysterious protégé, by the only writers to cover his recent trial in full. The son of a Cambridge DNA pioneer, he inherited his father's brilliant mind, but used it for a career in crime after meeting Reader.Branded The Master - and a Gentleman Thief - Brian Reader is a true character from the old school of British crime.This book marks the end of the era of big set-piece raids that captured the public imagination.At the age of 71, Reader masterminded a break-in at Mayfair jewellers Chatila, containing safes holding more than £40 million worth of jewellery.Charting his criminal career from his first arrest at the age of 11, ONE LAST JOB recounts Reader's dry run for the Hatton Garden job in unprecedented detail.EXCLUSIVE interviews with the friends and associates of Brian Reader - Britain's most prolific and enigmatic thief, linked to crimes worth £150m.

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'Explosive' Belfast TelegraphChilling. Candid. Controversial.This is the voice of one man from within a dark scandal that nestled in the heart of London's Soho in the 1970s.Travelling to the big city to escape The Troubles in his native Northern Ireland, Anthony Daly accepted a job in Foyles Bookshop and began a new life in England. However, his naivety saw him quickly fall foul of predators, looking for young men to blackmail and sexually exploit.After years of hiding the secret of his abuse at the hands of some of the most influential men in the country, Anthony's trauma became harder to contain, as he witnessed revelations of historic abuse coming to light on TV and in newspapers.Then, finally, his lost voice ripped through the safe family life he had built over 40 years.With parallels to Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, this is stylishly written and politically explosive. It is the haunting true story of a young man's decent into a hell designed to satisfy the powerful. A world that destroyed the lives of everyone involved.***Previously published as Playland (2018)***'Tony Daly's story goes to the very heart of a corrupt and perverted establishment.' Derry Journal'An extremely powerful and honest read that I just couldn't put down.' Waterstones staff review'A shattering memoir' Robin Jarossi, author of The Hunt for the 60s Ripper

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THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER'What an extraordinary story... very moving indeed' Vanessa Feltz, Radio 2The astonishing true story of a daughter's search for her own past and the desperate mother who gave her up.Phyllis Whitsell began the search for her birth mother as a young woman, and although it was many years before she finally met her, their lives had crossed on the journey without their knowledge.This is a daughter's personal account of the remarkable relationship that grew from abandonment into love, understanding and selfless care.'I lit the candle and prayed for my birth mother, asking God to take care of her. Even at such a young age, I found it difficult to understand, but I always feared that she was in danger and needed my prayers.'It was the only thing at the time that I could do for her. I feared that she might be coming to some harm and that she was not happy, but I was helpless and had nobody to talk to about my feelings.'Phyllis' story continues with A Song for Bridget - also available now.

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Ashley is a young single mum raising her daughter, Eden, and working hard to do the very best job she can – until one night she can't find a babysitter and makes the decision to leave Eden home alone for a couple of hours, asleep inside a wardrobe. It is an action that begins a terrible downward spiral for both of them. When Eden arrives at experienced foster carer Louise Allen's home, she has entered the care system because her mother is in prison. Eden is five years old and will not speak to any human. She begins exhibiting some other disturbing behaviours alongside the mutism, too, including torturing the family pets she loves. This eventually leads Louise to discover the pain and tragic reality behind Eden's Story.

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"My Hidden Race" is the story of Olympic medallist Anyika Onuora, who stood on the podium at every major championship in athletics. This book won't go into detail about the technicalities of her sport or the beauty of the Olympic spirit however. In the era of the Black Lives Matter and Me Too, this is an unflinching testimony of what it takes to pursue your dreams as a Black British woman against all odds. This three-time Olympian will lift the lid on the reality of life as a black female athlete in Britain in a way that nobody else has done before her. Nothing is off the record. She is revealing her life for the first time in this book with complete fearlessness. There have been far too many years of silence caught in a system. Now Anyika is determined to make up for lost time and use her story to inspire and heal others. "My Hidden Race" will take you into a world that often takes place far from the spotlight of the Olympic torch and shines an intense light on the brutal reality of professional sport for many black females.

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As seen on the BBC Victoria Derbyshire ShowAs heard on The Jeremy Vine ShowThink you've got a dysfunctional family?Meet mine.For 18 years, my family lived a normal life in a respectable suburb…Until one day, my dad gave up his successful career, and unexpectedly became Britain's most wanted crystal meth dealer.This is our story. At times shocking, often unbelievable, and all 100% true.

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Louise gets a frantic call to take in a damaged and destructive young girl. Separated from her siblings, Sparkle is hostile and angry. A short while after settling in, Sparkle begins to identify as pansexual. A revolution is underway in the Allen household, with Sparkle’s transition motivating all of the young people to explore what becoming an adult means for them. But it’s Sparkle’s escalating behaviour that causes concern. Discovering a dark fact about Sparkle’s birth and the shocking events that the children in her house were part of, Louise is desperate for more help – and not just for the child in her care. As Sparkle’s erratic and violent behaviour increases, Louise finds herself and her homelife under serious threat.

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The redoubtable Owtram sisters, best-selling authors of Codebreaking Sisters, take us back in time once again with recently rediscovered diaries and letters from the '20s and 30s that paint a vivid picture of their childhood at Newland Hall in Lancashire's Lune Valley. Here they lived with their parents Bunty and Cary Owtram and younger brother Bob, supported by a fascinating cast of cooks, maids and groundsmen, all presided over by 'Grandboffin', the sisters' indomitable grandfather. The Owtram sisters' childhood was one of nannies and governesses, balls and tennis parties, theatricals and ponies. But their hilarious stories of British eccentricity and etiquette and the trials and tribulations of boarding school, are set against the backdrop of a world in the throes of great change; the Spanish Civil War, the Great Depression, hunger marches, the abdication of Edward VIII and his wedding to "that American", Mrs Simpson... Closer to home, the sisters witnessed a shocking murder- suicide, in a scenario straight out of Romeo and Juliet. In 1938, the arrival at Newland Hall of the first Austrian Jewish refugees fleeing the Nazis, became the catalyst for the Owtram sisters' decision to join the women's forces, where they serve with such distinction in World War Two. The war changed their lives forever. The work of post war recovery opened to the sisters a world that hitherto inconceivable. Jean immersed herself in travel, working with refugees. Later, she became a social worker and one of the founding members of the team that set up Lancaster University. Pat became one of the first female journalists on the Daily Mail before pursuing a career in television at Granada and the BBC, producing such great family favourites as University Challenge and the Sky At Night. With Jean soon to turn 98 and Pat approaching her 100th birthday in June 2023, this is a unique opportunity to hear more first-hand stories from a soon-to-be-forgotten world. Using the sisters' contemporaneous correspondence, diary entries (including Pat's 1940/41 Blitz diary) and their 21st century reflection, Century Sisters will tell those stories with the inimitable Owtram style and flair.

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Harry Redknapp is a well known and highly respected face in the world of football. But it wasn't until his stint in the I'm A Celebrity Jungle in 2018 that he was propelled into a whole new audience along with his loyal wife of 55 years, Sandra. Viewers instantly fell in love with the couple after Harry regaled tales of their meeting in the Two Puddings pub in Barking, London in 1963. And there was even a new found love for the classic jam roly-poly as Harry fondly revealed it was the dessert she always cooks for him! Now, Sandra is joining Harry in the spotlight as they share their entire love story for the very first time. From their low key wedding, to the births of their two sons Mark and Jamie, Harry and Sandra will reveal the highs and lows of their marriage in their first ever joint autobiography, When Harry Met Sandra. Sandra will open up for the first time about the devastating death of her beloved sister, Pat, mum to former Chelsea star Frank, and the horror car crash that left Harry feared dead in Italy in 1990. The couple will also candidly discuss the deep depression Harry felt as a footballer manager, his arrest for alleged tax evasion in 2006 and the moment Harry accidentally ran his wife over in his car, crushing her foot - with Sandra being his rock throughout. In happier times, Harry and Sandra will recall their time spent living in America with the late, great Bobby Moore, as well as the births of their much loved grandchildren, including former footballer Jamie's son, Raphael, who was born last November. The couple will also look ahead to next year, which marks 60 years since they first met. When Harry Met Sandra is an incredible tale of love, loss and loyalty.

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Jaco van Gass was 23 when he was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade in Afghanistan in 2009. Losing his left arm to the blast, he sustained life-threatening injuries that stopped his heart twice; yet by a miracle - and the skill of the medics treating him - he survived. Against all the odds, Jaco has fought to build a post- injury life as an adventurer and professional athlete, a journey that has taken him from the slopes of the world's highest mountains to the North Pole, from the Carretera Austral to international cycling competitions in an Olympic velodrome. In his inspirational autobiography, Jaco tells his compelling and inspiring story, starting with his childhood in South Africa and ending on the podium in Tokyo. Shedding light on the potholes and pitfalls encountered along the way, he paints a vivid picture of the harshness of Basic Training, the cruel realities of war, the struggle to rebuild his life after losing a limb, the energy-sapping cold experienced at 6,000 metres above sea level, and the complexities of navigating the world of British Cycling. From the dust of the Afghan desert to the blinding whiteness of the North Pole, Jaco's story is one of horror and of great hope, of near-death escapes and of fierce resolve, and, above all, his unequivocal determination to succeed. Jaco has overcome extraordinary odds, not only in refusing to let injury define his life, but in going on to tackle challenges of which few people would even dream. Not just for adventure and military enthusiasts, Unequivocal is for any reader looking for an honest, inspiring voice that will encourage them to live life to the full.

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"If you think you're too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito." - Dalai Lama In 2009, one nightshift spent on duty at his emergency vet clinic changed everything for Marc Abraham. Eight very sick puppies came in needing Marc's help. He subsequently discovered they'd all been purchased from a pet shop and had been born in the same cruel puppy farm. Since that fateful night, no one could have ever predicted the impact those poorly pups would have on the world of animal welfare, or indeed the future of grassroots campaigning in the UK, and beyond. Fast forward to June 2019 and over 10 years since Marc treated those eight sick puppies and 'Lucy's Law', named after a rescued puppy farm breeding dog whose pups were also sold through pet shops, passed into law by the UK Government. It bans the selling of puppies (and kittens) by pet shops and dealers, making all breeders accountable. Now, in his new book, #BeMoreMosquito, Marc has put together the ultimate guide for individuals to campaign for what they believe in - no matter what their cause or belief. It shows how YOU have the power to create change - and that YOUR voice matters. He shares in detail his personal campaigning tips, toolkit, and experiences from his own extraordinary journey, which included over 300 visits to Westminster. From meeting MPs and engaging with A-list celebrities, to the role of e-government petitions and developing your own campaign brand, Marc helps guide you through how to raise awareness, dispel myths, change public and even corporate behaviour, and importantly, how to make that all-important progress and influence legislation that can make our world a better place, and all for free.

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Stephen Port was jailed in November 2016 after luring four young, gay men through dating apps so he could drug them to death and rape them. Easy Kills tracks Port's life and crimes and questions the role of Barking and Dagenham Police, who were investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) as a result. Officers neglected to check Port's electronic devices when the first overdosed body turned up outside his flat in June 2014. They found Port had called 999 trying to pose as a bystander after hiring the young man as an escort. He was not charged with murder, but perverting the course of justice. In August 2014, a second body turned up 400 yards from Port's front door. The young immigrant's corpse showed signs of being dragged. No investigation was opened. Less than one month later, another body turned up in the same churchyard. Port was jailed in March 2015 after being given eight months for perverting the course of justice. He served just under three. Had he served the full sentence, he wouldn't have been free to murder his fourth victim, Jack Taylor. The case has garnered massive national media attention, resulting in a TV drama airing January 2022.

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For 46 years, Carol Minto has quietly gone about her life, carrying with her the most extraordinary and heartbreaking secrets. Born into poverty and with mostly absent parents, Carol helped to raise her nine siblings. But when she was just 11 years old, her older brother began to sexually abuse her. After four years, Carol managed to escape - and ran away from home. Picked up by social services they place her at Aston Hall in Derby; a psychiatric hospital now infamous for the ghoulish 'truth serum' experiments it carried out on children. Over three years, Carol was stripped, sedated, assaulted and raped by Kenneth Milner, the doctor in charge. Eventually she is released back into the community, aged 18, and has a daughter. But the baby is taken away for adoption and Carol's trauma intensifies.In 2010 Carol finally plucked up the courage to speak out about the abuse she suffered - and received justice, at last. In The Asylum, Carol tells the full story of how she overcame unimaginable suffering, to find the happiness and solace she has today as a mother and grandmother.

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She doesn't want this baby.She can't look after this baby.She will never be able to love this baby.Little Abby's life begins badly, then just gets worse.Now foster mum Louise and her family must help her deal with the truth of her past to give her the chance of a future.Abby's Story is the latest book in the series THROWN AWAY CHILDREN by author and foster mum Louise Allen.

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Over his 30-year police and forensic psychology career, Dr Kris Mohandie has come face-to-face with kidnappers, serial killers, stalkers, and terrorists.With his expertise and insight, Dr Mohandie analyses and evaluates the thought processes that motivate the most dangerous people who have ever walked among us.This is the first-hand account of his work, covering shocking cases like the 'Angel of Death' serial killer, racist serial assassin Joseph Paul Franklin, and even the O.J. Simpson case.Learn shocking new revelations about hostage takers, serial killers, mass murderers, violent 'true-believers', terrorists, and some of the worst predators on the planet.***Previously published in the US as Evil Thoughts, Wicked Deeds.

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A heartwarming love letter to the places, people and creatures of Yorkshire by the county's beloved vet, Channel 5's Peter Wright.The Yorkshire Vet takes us on an enchanting journey through the hidden gems of the most beautiful county in the world, sharing charming tales of his life in Thirsk as well as fascinating nuggets of local history.Packed with engaging tales of the animals, people and places around him, Peter Wright looks back on the bygone ways of his childhood, while also exploring the fusion of tradition and modernity that characterises the Yorkshire countryside today.Peter's passion for nature shines through on every page, as he explains why our environment is so important - and what we can do to protect it for future generations.

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The astonishing, gripping and long-awaited inside story of an ordinary man who became an extraordinary spy.After years of living in semi-isolation, David Rupert speaks for the first time about how a trucker from New York ended up being recruited to the FBI and MI5 at one of the most crucial moments in British political history.Including shock revelations about Rupert's discoveries working within the Real IRA - such as sending plastic explosives and detonators, hidden inside toys, to a primary school in Donegal. Author Sean O'Driscoll tells the incredible story of David, 'The Big Yank', a 6ft7 American tourist who found himself at the centre of a chilling campaign of terror that targeted civilians, the forces and Prime Minister Tony Blair.Countless lives have been saved by David Rupert's decision to risk his neck working for years within one of the most brutal and ruthless terrorist organisations in the world - an organisation whose language of violence left women and children amongst the dead in the Omagh atrocity.An unprecedented bombing campaign was planned to destroy any hopes of a peace agreement. In a trial that rested entirely on the evidence of the 'Big Yank', those plans for ongoing bloodshed and an end to the Good Friday Agreement were brought to a halt.

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The book behind the sensational Netflix series The Ted Bundy Tapes.Now the subject of a major motion picture, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, starring Zac Efron.He was a sadistic monster.A master manipulator.His grisly killing spree left at least 30 innocent young women dead.This is Ted Bundy in his own words.Readers can't get enough of Ted Bundy: Conversations with a Killer:'Truly terrifying.''Absolutely chilling. This book really opened my eyes.''I enjoyed this short time inside the devil's mind.'

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Deryn Blackwell is a walking, talking miracle.At the age of 10, he was diagnosed with Leukaemia.Then, 18 months later, he developed another rare form of cancer called Langerhan's cell sarcoma. Only five other people in the world have it. He is the youngest of them all, and the only person in the world known to be fighting it alongside another cancer......making him one in seven billion.He and his parents were told that there was no hope of survival. And so, at the age of 14, after four years of intensive treatment, exhausted by the fight and with just days to live, Deryn planned his own funeral.But on the point of death, Deryn's condition suddenly and dramatically changed. His medical team had deemed this an impossibility. His recovery was nothing short of a miracle. Unexplainable.However, Deryn's desperate mother, Callie was hiding a secret...An inspirational story that will grip you from the very first pages.

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'Stella is just like a tiny bird. This is my first impression of her. A quiet little sparrow of a girl.'In her brand-new series 'Thrown Away Children', Louise Allen shares the harrowing stories she is exposed to as a foster mother.The first in the series, Stella's Story, tells the astonishing true story of a young girl scarred by an abusive past.Named after the lager that christened her at birth, Stella's life is characterised instability and neglect. Her teenage mother abandons her in the first few weeks of her life, and left in the 'care' of her father, she ends up lying deserted in a house with no food, no water, no clothes, and no warmth.She eventually lands in the care of foster carer Louise, who is determined to change her life for the better. Things seem to be going well - but when Stella has a startling response to having her photo taken, it becomes clear the scars of her abuse run deeper than anyone could have ever guessed.

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I was a good girl who was just 'helping Daddy' in the hell that I called home.Scarlett is just 8 years old when the horrific abuse at the hands of her father begins.It creates a world of shocking normality, one that she can only escape in her mind.Little Scarlett dreams of a time when she can be free . . . and then she meets Ed.Groomed and trafficked by her boyfriend, Scarlett realises she has been primed for abuse ever since she was a child.This is her harrowing story.

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As one of the most recognisable faces in showbiz today, Kerry Katona has seen more than her fair share of ups and downs played out in public. Once labelled 'the nation's sweetheart,' the Atomic Kitten singer rose from foster care to international stardom, but soon found herself judged and ridiculed as mental health problems and bad decisions derailed her life. From a picture perfect yet fractured marriage to one of the biggest pop stars in the world, to her fall from grace in a haze of drink and drugs while wed to her taxi driving second husband, Kerry has been loved and derided in equal measure. But since her bestselling autobiography was released in 2012, which documented her troubled childhood and subsequent life in the limelight, Kerry has faced her most devastating challenges yet. In this riveting read, Kerry documents how, in the decade since, she's welcomed her fifth child, suffered a debilitating injury, a cancer scare, several tragic losses and a career slump she thought she'd never recover from. Yet the most significant event in that time was her marriage to third husband, George Kay. Stuck in an abusive relationship she felt powerless to leave, Kerry opens up about her struggles living with a violent man, whose mental health problems and drug use would see her and her family trapped in a cycle of helplessness and despair that only ended when George died in 2019, having eaten a sock filled with cocaine while staying in a local Travel Inn. Kerry bravely reveals her hell at the hands of a man who would unleash physical and emotional torture on her, in an all too familiar situation so many women face every day. But this is also a story of hope, strength and survival. Of how Kerry, with the support of her now -fiance Ryan and her children, built herself up from the lowest point imaginable, with sheer grit and determination, to get her life and career back on track in the wake of such devastation. It's a story of survival and peace and how, after years of desperately trying to find her way, she has finally started to feel - in the words of her most famous song -Whole Again.

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In national treasure Dame Kelly Holmes' most personal book yet, she tells the true story behind her extraordinary life from army recruit to Olympic hero and much- loved TV personality. Last year, Dame Kelly came out publicly as being gay and revealed that for the first 52 years of her life she'd been living a LIFE OF FEAR. Now in a heart-rending and inspirational new memoir she tells of her journey from hiding her sexuality as a young soldier at a time when being gay in the military was illegal, to her fears of being outed as she stood on the podium at the Athens Olympics, the games which catapulted her to fame as a double-gold medallist. Dame Kelly tells how she has managed to find happiness and inner peace as she has opened herself to a world where she's finally free to be herself, and proud. In the last year she has become an unofficial ambassador for the LGBT community and has become one of the best- loved faces of daytime TV, joining the regular panel of ITV's Loose Women. This honest memoir is a tale of self-discovery, overcoming struggles and learning to be true to yourself. This honest memoir is a tale of self-discovery, overcoming struggles and learning to be true to yourself. Dame Kelly says: "80,000 people were chanting my name as I stood on top of a double-decker bus and did a victory lap of my hometown. I'd won two Olympic gold medals, the first woman the UK to ever do that, and I should have been on top of the world at my homecoming parade but even in that magical moment I had this deep fear that someone was going to go to the media and out me for being gay. "All my life I lived with that fear and anxiety of not being accepted if I lived publicly as my true self. But 18 years later I was standing on stage in Trafalgar Square at London Pride, and people were chanting for me again, this time for the person I have become and I was finally free to be me. Nothing is perfect, the journey continues and I'm learning every day about the community I'm now proud to be part of. But I'm being true to myself and that means everything."

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Capital DJ Roman Kemp has achieved much success but he hasn't had an easy ride. He's battled depression since the age of 15, once contemplated suicide, and has bravely fought to smash the stigma still surrounding medication and mental health. The lifelong Arsenal supporter grafted his way to Capital's highly coveted Breakfast slot - and pulled in record-beating listeners with his cheeky sense of humour. Who else could convince Ed Sheeran to tattoo Roman's leg on air, drive around London playing cab-roulette with James Corden, get Craig David to freestyle rap, or rope Lewis Capaldi into a life-drawing class? Then, in 2019, Roman won over yet more fans coming third in I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, with his uncanny impressions of everyone from Ant and Dec to his mate Harry Styles. Here, for the first time, Roman's ready to reveal the things that weren't captured on camera, and how his time in the jungle changed his whole outlook on life. During the pandemic Roman's life changed when his best friend - the producer who'd nurtured his career every step of the way - tragically took his own life. Amidst the shock, loss and confusion, Roman bravely made a moving BBC3 documentary about the alarming rates of suicide amongst young males. He's well aware he too, could have been a statistic. In this page-turning book - peppered with hilarious and surprising anecdotes from his youth - Roman also unflinchingly tackles the taboo of suicide, in the hope that by talking about his own struggles and sharing advice, he can help others. Roman shares all the experiences that have shaped him, and why love, marriage and having his own family one day are so important to his future dreams.

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"It was like going through a door which had been locked all my life. I had walked past it every single day, afraid to even rattle the handle. Now I was smashing the locks, I was wrenching it from the hinges, and I was marching through. Here I am!" A woman whose mother twice tried to kill her as a child has won a ground-breaking battle in the supreme courts for the right to claim compensation. Monica Allan’s legal victory set a precedent and has opened the floodgates for others to claim in her wake. Thanks to her 12-year legal fight, other victims now have hope. Other victims now have a voice. In her memoir, Monica, 54, tells the story of her childhood, when her mother, Betty Mount, forced her head under running bathroom taps and tried to strangle her. She had previously tried to kill Monica as a baby. Monica was taken into foster care, where her new parents ran a brutal regime. To the outside world, the family was devoutly religious and respectable, but behind closed doors, Monica was physically and sexually abused. Failed by a second mother figure, she moved into her own home aged 18 and went on to have four children. Monica loved her children but battled constantly with the demons from her past. She carried her dark secrets around with her for 40 years until in 2010, haunted by her trauma, she finally decided to seek justice. She was told she could not seek compensation because of the ‘same roof’ rule, meaning victims who lived with their attackers up to 1979 were ineligible for pay-outs. For the past 12 years Monica has been fighting her case through the Supreme Courts and was recently awarded compensation from CICA in respect of the sexual abuse she suffered in foster care. She is awaiting a second settlement for the attacks by her mother.

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The Doomsday Mother is the astonishing and twisted tale of Lori Vallow, accused of having her two children murdered to start a new life with her new husband, doomsday prepper Chad Daybell. At first, the residents of Kauai Beach Resort took little notice of their new neighbours. The glamorous blonde and her tall husband fit the image of the ritzy gated community. The couple seemed to keep to themselves until the police knocked on their door with a search warrant. Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell had fled to Hawaii in the midst of being investigated for the disappearance of Lori’s children back in Idaho, Tylee and JJ, who hadn’t been seen alive in five months. For years, Lori Vallow had lived a life of devotion to her children and her Mormon faith. But when her path crossed with Chad Daybell, a religious zealot who taught his followers how to prepare for the end-times, the tumultuous relationship transformed her into someone unrecognizable. As authorities searched for Lori’s children, they uncovered more suspicious deaths with links to both Lori and Chad, including the death of Lori’s third and fourth husbands, her brother, and Chad’s wife. In June 2020, the gruesome remains of JJ and Tylee were discovered on Chad’s property. In a shocking development, horrifying statements revealed that the couple’s fanatical beliefs had convinced them the children had become zombies. John Glatt takes readers deeper into the devastating crimes of Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell in an attempt to unravel the lethal relationship of this doomsday couple.

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Amsterdam, 2001. A shoot-out in the city's docklands leaves one man grievously injured and a rival drug dealer killed outright. The injured man is Tony Spencer from Coventry. Aka The Old Man. Once a prolific businessman, he is now considered Public Enemy No. 1 by the National Crime Squad and the head of several smuggling rings operating between the UK, Holland, Morocco, and Spain. At the age of 50, with bank robberies, counterfeiting, and several fortunes gained and lost behind him, he is on the run and living abroad. As Spencer's life hangs in the balance, his son Jason arrives in Amsterdam. While he prays for a miraculous recovery, he ponders who his father really is. He has raced anxiously to be by his bedside and yet he is somebody he doesn't know well at all. Jason begins digging in earnest. He begins to piece together the story of The Old Man's life. It's a story that is riddled with contradictions: a man who makes millions but saves nothing, prizes freedom but spends years inside, works in a violent world but who - seemingly - avoids violence. Spencer was absent, often in prison, for much of his upbringing but now, as his father recovers from the shooting, Jason begins to wonder. Maybe, if he can come to understand his father's life, he can begin to understand his own...

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25 years after her passing, Audrey Hepburn remains the most beloved of all Hollywood stars. Several biographies have chronicled her stardom, but none has covered her intense experiences through five years of Nazi occupation in the Netherlands. According to her son, 'The war made my mother who she was.' Audrey Hepburn's war included participation in the Dutch Resistance, working as a doctor's assistant during the 'Bridge Too Far' battle of Arnhem, the brutal execution of her uncle, and the ordeal of the Hunger Winter of 1944. She also had to contend with the fact that her father was a Nazi agent and her mother was pro-Nazi for the first two years of the occupation. Audrey's own reminiscences, new interviews with people who knew her in the war, wartime diaries, and research in classified Dutch archives shed light on the riveting, untold story of Audrey Hepburn under fire in World War II.

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In the 60 years that Yorkshire farmer Roger Nicholson has lived at Cannon Hall Farm near Barnsley, he has turned what was once a humble small family farm into an inspiring success story. This book covers the history of the Nicholsons and their farming dynasty, which dates back to the 1600s. From tales of Roger's father, Charlie, and his prize-winning beer-drinking bull, to how Roger had to take over the farm at just 16 years old. Decades of financial struggle followed for Roger, his wife and their three children, but through love and sheer determination, the family turned their lives around. This is a story of dedication, optimism and heart

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On Valentine’s Day in 1981, a fire in the Stardust nightclub in Dublin killed 48 young people, and left behind one orphan, Lisa Lawlor. Now, on the 40th anniversary, Lisa tells her story of the tragic events of that evening and how they have shaped her life.She was just seventeen months old when the Stardust nightclub went up in flames. Her parents, Francis and Maureen Lawlor, were a young couple very much in love. Since Lisa’s birth, they rarely went out at night, but this time they allowed a friend to persuade them to go for a few drinks at the Stardust. They never came home. In the wake of the disaster, Lisa’s paternal grandparents stepped in and took care of her. Throughout her childhood, they tried to fill the gaping hole in her life with gifts, but nothing really helped — and inevitably resentment started to simmer in the extended family. As several members of her family succumbed to addiction and crime, she suffered abuse and struggled to find her own path. Stardust Baby is the heart-breaking story of a woman whose every waking moment has taken place in the shadow of those awful flames and of an extended family that toppled into dysfunction in the overwhelming face of tragedy. It is also an uplifting story of resilience, hope, love and determination — as, despite it all, Lisa found the strength to carry on, for herself and her children. A percentage of the royalties from sales of the book will be donated to the Stardust campaign.

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'[It] manages to be funny, moving, activist, and challenging.' Harriet Minter, TalkRadio'I loved this book - I thought it was really interesting' Jane Garvey, BBC Radio 4 Woman's HourHealth Visiting is one of those professions that most people think is a bit of a non-job. 'You just sit on sofas and drink tea, don't you? It's not like you're a real nurse, in hospital.'Well, Health Visitors are real nurses, with at least three years' training, and they are out there, on their own. No back-up team or support structures to call for help if they're in a dicey situation. No warm lights, tea breaks spent chatting in the canteen, nobody else to ask, 'is this okay, what do you think?'Over 40 years working in the NHS, Rachael Hearson has been chased down an isolated stairwell by crack-fuelled drug-addicted pimps, threatened by a knife-wielding wife-beater in a hostel, unwittingly visited a brothel...And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

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'This is the most complete self-portrait ever painted by a serial killer... as unique a document as Bundy was a killer. There are lessons in this book for everyone' ROY HAZELWOOD, FORMER FBI PROFILERCharismatic. Articulate. Evil. Killer.Two journalists with unprecedented direct access speak to Ted Bundy and those closest to him - friends and family.What follows is a candid and chilling full account of the life and crimes of the most notorious serial killer in history.What Bundy had to say in over 150 hours of face-to-face interviews is as relevant today as it was at the time.

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A deadly secret. A horrifying discovery.A daughter tells the devastating true story her mother tried to hide…Growing up in a chaotic home on Merseyside, young Joanne raised herself and her brother and sister, while her mother lapsed into a downward spiral of drinking and casual sex.But the consequences of her mother's messy lifestyle turned out to be far worse than Joanne could ever have imagined.In Silent Sisters, the daughter who was falsely accused of murdering her own baby sister tells the full story for the first time since exposing her mother's crimes.

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'Truly remarkable' DAMIEN LEWISTrapped in a living nightmare, former-para Nick Dunn, one of the 'Chennai Six', was wrongly imprisoned in an Indian jail.While battling to be heard both at home and abroad, Nick summoned the resilience and endurance of his elite training to survive inhumane conditions, keep himself alive and fight for his right to return home.Now, he tells his full story of struggle and survival for the very first time.

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'What a fantastic read, but not for the faint-hearted!' MARTINA COLE'True crime has never been more female - or more deadly.' KIMBERLEY CHAMBERS'Admired and respected by the men who worked with her, she is the real deal.' FREDDIE FOREMANIf you think you know everything about the East End's toughest gangsters, think again.Meet Linda Calvey, aka the Black Widow.Growing up after the war in the East End of London, Linda falls in with local gangsters including the Krays, Freddie Foreman and Ronnie Cook. When the love of her life, Mickey Calvey, is gunned down on a job gone wrong, Linda resolves to carry on his work.But in 1990, after years of living in fear of her lover Ronnie Cook, Linda finds herself accused of his murder alongside Danny Reece, in a trial that shocks the nation. Still, Linda sticks to her code of honour, refusing to confess. Until now...After 18 years behind bars alongside notorious names including Rose West and Myra Hindley, she is released.This is the final truth about her life and what happened the day Ronnie Cook was murdered.

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