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Dozy Bear and the Secret of Food (The World of Dozy Bear #2)
by Katie BlackburnGrumble grumble went Dozy's tummy. He was hungry! 'I'll go and find some FOOD,' Dozy decided, and off he trotted into the woods. And that's how his adventure began!The curious little Dozy Bear learns the secret of food in this innovative, thoughtful picture book which encourages youngsters to try something new . . . Dozy is hungry, but he doesn't like the food that Mama and Papa bear like. He only wants fish! But can a food adventure with the other animals in the forest change his mind? This charming story gently introduces the idea that trying new foods can be fun - perfect for any parent who has ever struggled at dinnertime.
The Beauty Room
by Regi ClaireAfter the death of her mother, Celia Roth begins life anew by redecorating the house where they lived together -the house containing her mothers beauty room. But as the new paint covers their shared history, layer upon layer of dark truths begin to surface. Celias attempts to wrestle free from her mothers shadow falter when she receives a bouquet of black tulips, and realizes she is being watched. The revelation of long-held family secrets and a passionate new affair combine to shatter Celias secure life in the Swiss gem trade. Forced to confront her own grief and guilt, finally she must find the strength and courage to lay her familys past to rest. "The Beauty Room" is a compelling story of intense family relations. With a beautifully compassionate voice, Regi Claire talks of the pain of coping with the loss of those you loved and those you secretly grew to hate.
Kingdom Swann: The Story of a Photographer
by Miles Gibson'Woman will be the death of me,' mutters Kingdom Swann, peering up at the nude woman hung by her wrists from a pillar. An impressive old man with a wonderful wealth of beard, he appears the very picture of Victorian respectability. Yet behind the walls of his Piccadilly studio the erotic fantasies of a generation are being acted out for the eye of his camera. For this master of the epic nude painting has turned his hand to pornography: art has come to life and all hell is breaking loose . . .'With enormous relish Gibson presents a memorable and hugely enjoyable portrait of both the man and the world he inhabited.' Today'As in Daniel Defoe's Roxanna, a voyeuristic fascination plays games with high morality.' Times'Wonderful fun to read.' Daily Mail
Dead Heading (Sloan and Crosby #24)
by Catherine AirdWhen Jack Haines reports a break-in at his greenhouse, the motive of the intruder is unclear. Other than the destruction of some expensive orchids, no damage has been done and nothing seems to be missing. But Detectives Sloan and Crosby sense something sinister, and soon their suspicions are confirmed. Similar reports are multiplying and sabotage is the word on everyone's lips.The pair are drawn into an equally perplexing case when the mysterious Miss Enid Maude Osgathorp goes missing. Investigations begin at her deserted abode, Canonry Cottage, where the detectives soon discover that the house has been raided. Shattered glass is found in the larder and traces of blood bespatter the floor – a disturbing event has taken place, but the identity of the perpetrator is unknown.It soon becomes clear that the cases are linked, but will this provide the clues necessary to solve the mystery? Detectives Sloan and Crosby aim to find out . . .
Jellicle Cats (Old Possum's Cats)
by T. S. EliotJellicle Cats come one and all.Jellicles come to the Jellicle Ball.Join the Jellicle Cats under the Jellicle Moon in the forth picture-book pairing from Arthur Robins and T. S. Eliot's Old Possum's cats, as they dance the night away.To sit alongside other classics such as The Gruffalo, The Tiger Who Came to Tea, and Spot.
Tudor Folk Tales
by Dave TongeIn Tudor times the ‘common sort’ were no different from us, laughing together, mocking each other and sharing bawdy tales in tavern yards, marketplaces and anywhere else that people came together. These stories were later collected in the cheap print of the period, and professional storyteller Dave Tonge has sought them out to assemble here. Within these pages hide smooth-talking tricksters, lusty knaves, wayward youths and stories of the eternal struggle to wear the breeches in the family, for a sometimes coarse but often comic telling of the everyday ups and downs in Tudor life.
The Girls of Ennismore: A heart-rending Irish saga
by Patricia FalveyIreland, 1900. Two girls meet. They are from vastly different worlds, but will be united in friendship through loves, losses and wars. A sweeping, heartrending saga for fans of Diney Costeloe and Rosie Clarke. It's the early years of the twentieth century, and Victoria Bell and Rosie Killeen are best friends. Growing up in rural Ireland's County Mayo, their friendship is forged against the glorious backdrop of Ennismore House. However, Victoria, born of the aristocracy, and Rosie, daughter of a local farmer, both find that the disparity of their class and the simmering social tension in Ireland will push their friendship to the brink...
Dead End: A Detective Geraldine Steel Mystery (A DI Geraldine Steel Thriller #3)
by Leigh Russell‘BRILLIANT’ – JEFFERY DEAVER * ‘UNMISSABLE’ – LEE CHILD * ‘COMPELLING’ – PETER JAMESHeadmistress Abigail Kirby is dead. A potential witness has been murdered. And for DI Geraldine Steel, the stakes have been raised yet higher. Abigail’s teenage daughter, Lucy, is missing, believed to have run away with a girl she met online. Time is quickly running out for Geraldine before her naivety costs Lucy her life.But with a serial killer on the loose, Geraldine’s own life is in danger, and though her Sergeant Ian Peterson makes a shocking discovery, could it be too late to save her from a dreadful fate?'Good, old-fashioned, heart-hammering police thriller...a no-frills delivery of pure excitement’ - SAGA MagazineFor fans of Peter James, Angela Marsons and Robert BryndzaLook out for more DI Geraldine Steel investigations in Cut Short, Road Closed, Dead End, Death Bed, Stop Dead, Fatal Act, Killer Plan, Murder Ring, Deadly Alibi, Class Murder and Death RopeDon't miss the DI Ian Peterson series: Cold Sacrifice, Race to Death and Blood Axe
Choose Life. Choose Leith.: Trainspotting on Location
by Tim BellBy examining the book, the play and the film, Choose Life. Choose Leith. both critically analyses the Trainspotting phenomenon in its various forms, and contextualises the importance of the location of Leith and the culture of 1980s Britain. Looking in detail at the history of Leith, the drug culture, the spread of HIV/AIDs, and how Trainspotting affected drug policy, Leith and the Scottish identity, the book highlights the importance of Trainspotting. Choose Life. Choose Leith. acts as a reference book, a record of the times and a background as to the history that led to the real-life situation and the publication of the book.
Bachelors
by Adalbert StifterVictor leaves his foster mother's home to begin his working life. His journey takes him to a remote island, where he visits his only relative, an uncle whom he has not met before. The old man, who has never known love, resides in a barricaded mansion, surrounded by an atmosphere of death and decay. Victor finds himself a virtual prisoner on this mysterious island - and is forced to confront his own past, if he is ever to regain control of his life.
The Betrayal of the Living: Blood Ninja; Lord Oda's Revenge; The Betrayal Of The Living (Blood Ninja #Bks. 1-3)
by Nick LakeTaro is at a crossroads: He has vanquished Lord Oda for good, but with no land and no title, he has no hope of marrying Hana, the daughter of a daimyo. So when Taro receives news of a murderous dragon and the large reward for killing it, he and his friends find themselves on a dangerous quest to slay the beast.Their mission has the potential to save the people of Japan - but failure will result in the deaths of thousands. And dragons are not the only monsters they will encounter: The dead, led by the odious Kenji Kira, have begun to rise, and they have Taro in their sights.In this heart-stopping conclusion to the Blood Ninja trilogy, the future of all feudal Japan is in danger, and everything Taro holds dear will be threatened. But it is the betrayal of flesh and blood - his own flesh and blood - that may be his ultimate undoing.
The First Day of the Rest of My Life
by Cathy LambIt’s time to start living againMadeline O'Shea tells people what to do with their lives. A renowned life coach, she inspires thousands of women through her thriving practice-exuding enviable confidence along with her stylish suits and sleek hair. But her confidence, just like her fashionable demeanor, is all a front.For decades, Madeline has lived in fear of her traumatic past becoming public. Now a reporter is reinvestigating the notorious crime that put Madeline's mother behind bars, threatening to destroy her elaborate façade. Only Madeline's sister, Annie, and their frail grandparents know about her childhood – but lately Madeline has reason to wonder if her grandparents also have a history they've been keeping from her.The First Day of the Rest of My Life is an eloquent and triumphant tale of a fierce act of love, a family's legacy, and one woman's awakening to her own power – with no secrets . . .
The Imaginary Lives of James Poneke
by Tina MakeretiJames Pōneke is a young Māori orphan, raised by missionaries, with a burning desire to travel and explore the world. When an English artist on a tour of New Zealand invites James to return home with him, the boy eagerly accepts and agrees to become a living exhibit at the artist’s London show.Gainsborough loathes pandering to grand sitters, but he changes his tune when he is commissioned to paint King George III and his large family. In their final, most bitter competition, who will be chosen as court painter, Tom or Sir Joshua?By day, James dresses in full tribal outfit, being stared at, prodded and examined by paying visitors. By night, he is free to explore the city, but anything can happen to a young New Zealander on the savage streets of Victorian London and James is unprepared for the wonders, dangers and unearthed secrets that await.The Imaginary Lives of James Pōneke is an unforgettable work of historical fiction in the spirit of Sarah Waters and Sarah Perry.'A historical love letter to London, a coming-of-age story, a love story’ – Stella Duffy‘A riveting vision of the world seen from the inside out. The Imaginary Lives of James Pōneke is a gutsy, searing and totally absorbing read. I loved it all the way’ – Fiona Kidman‘Made streets I’ve walked a thousand times seem new and strange’ – Damian Barr
My Cleaner
by Maggie GeeUgandan Mary Tendo worked for many years in the white middle-class Henman household in London, cleaning for Vanessa and looking after her only child, Justin. More than ten years after Mary has left, Justin - now twenty-two - is too depressed to get out of bed. To his mother's surprise, he asks for Mary. When Mary responds to Vanessa's cry for help and returns from Uganda to look after Justin, the balance of power in the house shifts dramatically. Both women's lives change irrevocably as tensions build towards a climax on a snowbound motorway. 'Beautifully observed, intelligent and moving … a carefully wrapped surprise that gets better and better with the unravelling.' The Scotsman 'A moving, funny, engrossing book.' The Observer 'Gee satirises the liberal conscience of the chattering classes with uncomfortable perception in this hugely enjoyable novel … her portrayal of Britain's new underclass of immigrant workers is presented with her trademark stinging clarity.' Metro 'Maggie Gee is a superb and pitiless analyser of middleclass angst. Elegant, humorous and surprising, this is a classy performance.' The Times 'It's amazing how many details, characters, stories within stories, Maggie Gee's unquenchable exuberance crams into this comparatively short book.' The Spectator An intelligent and satisfying read.' The Sunday Times 'A masterful study in Africa/UK relations which manages to be supremely uncomfortable without being cynical, and clever without being calculating.' Big Issue 'The Flood was chillingly predictive. My Cleaner is a calmer, happier novel. Yet a gnawing tragedy lies in the shadows, all the more poignant for the deftness with which it's brushed aside.' The Independent
The Ghost of Christmas Paws (The No 2 Feline Detective Agency Series)
by Mandy Morton‘WITTY AND SMART. PREPARE TO BE BESOTTED’ M. K. GRAFFIt’s a week before Christmas and Hettie and Tilly set out on a very dangerous case for The No. 2 Feline Detective Agency. Lady Eloise Crabstock-Singe has summoned them to the Cornish coast to solve the mystery of Christmas Paws: a servant cat who haunts the family manor intent on killing off all of the Crabstocks.Should they put their trust in Absalom and Lamorna Tweek? Will Saffron Bunn’s cooking get any better? And will Hettie and Tilly get home safely in time for Christmas dinner?‘ORIGINAL AND INTRIGUING . . . A WORLD WITHOUT PEOPLE WHICH CAT LOVERS WILL ENTER AND ENJOY’ P. D. JAMES
A Lost Lady of Old Years: A Romance
by John BuchanFrancis Birkenshaw cares nothing for the Jacobite cause until a chance encounter with Bonnie Prince Charlie's beautiful secretary leads to dangerous consequences. A tale of adventure and betrayal on the long bloody road to Culloden Moor.
The Harder They Fall: A Novel (Allison & Busby Classics)
by Budd SchulbergHe may be a giant but giants have been licked before. Don’t forget Goliath. The bigger they are, the harder they fall.Eddie Lewis, former student of Princeton and would-be playwright, never expected to make his living writing lies. But that’s precisely what he does to pay his rent: Eddie is a manipulator of headlines, an inventor of hyperbole, all on behalf of his boss Nick Latka and his dealings in the boxing business. Nick’s latest project is the massive Toro Molina, discovered in the Argentine and now being primed for the fight – or at least, for a few elaborate performances. For in the world of 1940s boxing, fixing the game is all too easy. Latka and his team of promoters, punch-drunk ex-fighters and professional gamblers play the unwitting Molina for all they can get. As ‘the Giant of the Andes’ is bled on the ropes by the rapacious criminals of the fighting game, Eddie is forced to examine himself, his principles, and the decline and fall of the ‘manly art’ of boxing.
Deadly Legacy: A sinister and dangerous Scottish mystery (Rose McQuinn #7)
by Alanna KnightRose McQuinn has agreed to help her neighbour, Mrs Lawers, by delivering a family legacy to her only living relative. But Rose’s philanthropic journey takes a turn towards the dangerous when she is attacked on board a train. On returning to Edinburgh she finds that further sinister events have occurred in her absence, sparking off a murder investigation.In her efforts to solve the case, Rose uncovers links with royal history, London’s theatre community, and her own home in Solomon’s Tower. Precariously balancing the murder inquiry alongside her obligations to family and friends, Rose discovers a web of connections which reveal that the past has not completely left the present . . .
Friend or Foe: 1916: Which side are you on?
by Brian GallagherIt’s time to choose: friendship, family or loyalty to the cause. When Emer Davey saves her neighbour Jack Madigan from drowning, it seems that they will be friends forever. But eight months later, they find themselves on opposite sides in a life-or-death struggle, as Dublin is torn apart by the Easter Rising. Emer’s father is an officer in the Irish Volunteers who believes that armed rebellion is the only way to gain independence from Britain. His daughter has inherited his passion and is determined to help the rebels in any way she can. Jack’s dad is a sergeant in the Dublin Metropolitan Police. They share a deep respect for the law and are sure that Home Rule can be achieved through peaceful politics and helping with the war effort. These two young friends find their loyalties challenged as the terrifying reality of war sets in – and the Rising hits closer to home than either could have imagined. 'Beautiful writing' Sunday Independent on Stormclouds
The House of Lyall
by Doris DavidsonMarion Cheyne is young, poor and ambitious. Her humble village roots and poorly paid job offer few opportunities and Marion feels trapped in a dead-end existence. So when an unexpected chance to escape presents itself, Marion grabs it, ignoring the moral implications of her actions, and sets out on a new life far away in Aberdeen. Years later and the struggling servant girl Marion has been transformed into Marianne, wife of the heir to Castle Lyall, and every inch the lady of the glen. More a business arrangement than a love match, Marianne's commitment to her role and to the name of Lyall is total, and as family, friends and world wars come and go, she will stop at nothing to protect her hard-won position. But the many secrets of her past refuse to stay safely buried. Nothing in the small community of the glen can remain hidden forever...
Porridge the Tartan Cat Books 1 to 3: Brawsome Bagpipes, Bash-crash-ding And Kittycat Kidnap (Porridge the Tartan Cat #0)
by Alan DapréAn ebook-exclusive omnibus of books 1, 2 and 3 in the hilarious Porridge the Tartan Cat series. When Porridge was a wee kitten he toppled into a tin of tartan paint -- which is easy to do and not so easy to say. Now he lives with the quirky McFun family
Crater Lake
by Jennifer KillickThe Times Children's Book of the WeekIt could be the mysterious bloodstained man who tries to stop their coach, or the fact no one seems to be around at the brand-new activity centre when Lance and the rest of his class arrive for the Year 6 school trip, but something is definitely not right at Crater Lake! What follows is a fight for survival that sees five pupils band together to save their classmates from an alien fate far worse than death. But whatever happens, they must Never, Ever fall asleep!
Record of a Night Too Brief
by Hiromi KawakamiThe Akutagawa Prize-winning stories from one of the most highly regarded and provocative contemporary Japanese writers'The nightingale sang again. The plates on the table gleamed, and the food, in all its ceaseless variety, breathed, glossy and bright. The night had only just begun.'In these three haunting and lyrical stories, three young women experience unsettling loss and romance.In a dreamlike adventure, one woman travels through an apparently unending night with a porcelain girlfriend, mist-monsters and villainous monkeys; a sister mourns her invisible brother whom only she can still see, while the rest of her family welcome his would-be wife into their home; and an accident with a snake leads a shop girl to discover the snake-families everyone else seems to be concealing.Sensual, yearning, and filled with the tricks of memory and grief, Record of a Night Too Brief is an atmospheric trio of unforgettable tales.Hiromi Kawakami was born in Tokyo in 1958. Since the publication of God in 1994, she has written numerous novels and collections of short stories, including Strange Weather in Tokyo and The Nakano Thrift Shop. Her most recent novel, Running Water, was published in Japan in 2014 and won the Yomiuri Prize for Literature. Hiromi Kawakami has previously been awarded the Akutagawa Prize and the Tanizaki Prize, and was shortlisted for the 2013 Man Asian Literary Prize and the 2014 Independent Foreign Fiction Prize. Her work has been published in more than twenty languages.
The Abbey Court Murder: An Inspector Furnival Mystery (Inspector Furnival Mysteries Ser. #Vol. 1)
by Annie Haynes“A crime of a peculiarly mysterious nature was perpetrated some time last night in a block of flats called Abbey Court.”Lady Judith Carew acted furtively on the night of the Denboroughs’ party. Her secret assignation at 9:30pm was a meeting to which she took a loaded revolver. The Abbey Court apartment building would play host to violent death that very night, under cover of darkness. The killer’s identity remained a mystery, though Lady Carew had a most compelling motive - and her revolver was left in the dead man’s flat…Enter the tenacious Inspector Furnival in the first of his golden age mysteries, first published in 1923. Though there are many clues, there are just as many red herrings and the case takes numerous Christie-esque twists before the murderer can be revealed. This new edition, the first printed in over 80 years, features an introduction from crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.“Annie Haynes does, in The Abbey Court Murder, what all writers of mystery stories aspire to do, and so few carry off successfully… It is a first-rate story… the plot thickens with every page, leading us on to the final climax in a state of unfluctuating interest.” Bookman