A bleak Christmas turns into a murder investigation for Superintendent Runcorn...
The fifth in Anne Perry's series of charming Christmas novellas, A Christmas Beginning is a touching story of lost love, wrapped up in a thrilling murder mystery. Perfect for fans of C. J. Sansom and Ann Granger.
'Delightful ... The perfect gift for a whodunit addict who likes to curl up with a good book after Christmas lunch' - Oxford Times
For Superintendent Runcorn, Christmas has rarely looked so bleak. Believing that a change of scenery may help him finally forget Melisande Ewart, Runcorn heads for the beautiful, desolate Isle of Anglesey. Any hopes of Christmas passing quietly are dashed, however, when he discovers Melisande is also in Anglesey and, moreover, that she is engaged to another man.
Then the local vicar's sister is found murdered and Melisande's brother is implicated in the crime. Determined to assist Melisande in her time of need, Runcorn resolves to find the killer. Is it possible in doing so, that he will also win the heart of his one true love?
What readers are saying about A Christmas Beginning:
'Christmas would not be Christmas without a Perry novella'
'A great read, good to curl up with by the fire on a snowy day'
'A real page turner
A young girl is searching for the truth behind her uncle's death. Can she solve the mystery before the Christmas bells toll?
Set in the Victorian world where Anne Perry reigns supreme, A Christmas Promise culminates in a radiant finale that will remain with you long after the final page is turned. Perfect for fans of C. J Sansom and Harriet Smart.
'[Perry] writes with detail that invades the senses' - Lincoln Journal Star
Three days before Christmas, in the freezing slums of London's East End, thirteen-year-old Gracie Phipps encounters Minnie Maude Mudway, who is only eight, alone, and determined to find her friend Charlie. However Charlie is no ordinary companion: He is a donkey who belonged to Minnie Maude's Uncle Alf. Gracie is shocked to learn that only the day before, someone brutally murdered Uncle Alf and made off with his rag-and-bones cart and the beloved beast who pulled it. Now, come hell or high water, Minnie Maude means to rescue Charlie-and Gracie decides to help. But the path that Uncle Alf had taken to his death was not his regular route, and in his cart were not just the usual bits of worn silver and china but also, the children are told, a dazzling golden box. What its contents may have been no one can say, for, like Charlie and the cart, it too has vanished.
Uncertain where their four-legged friend may be, the children are drawn into an adult world far beyond their innocent imaginings. And in a shop gleaming with beautiful objects, they recruit an unexpected ally: Mr. Balthasar, who warns them that the shining prize may be just a Pandora's box of evil...
What readers are saying about A Christmas Promise:
'You feel you are there in Victorian England with all the smells, sights and sounds that accompany the story-telling'
'Very atmospheric, entertaining, well written and just that bit different'
'Five stars
What really happened on the night Sarah Dixon died? Elizabeth Silver's THE EXECUTION OF NOA P. SINGLETON is 'smart, cool, articulate, funny and savvy. Noa P. Singleton dares you to put her story down' Rosamunde Lupton. Don't miss if you loved THE WIDOW or THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN.
At just twenty-five, Noa P. Singleton was confined to death row for the murder of Sarah Dixon. For nearly ten years she has languished there, and in six months she will be executed. It's a fate she has long resigned herself to. But the victim's mother, Marlene, has other plans. With little time remaining, she visits Noa, intent upon invoking a clemency appeal.
What can have prompted this change of heart? And how and why did Noa kill Sarah Dixon? As Noa tells her story, an unapologetic tale of love, anguish and deception emerges that is as unpredictable as its narrator. And two women, linked by murder but with very different goals, wait with growing tension for the final decision on Noa's fate.
Koko's strange behaviour is not the only sign of trouble in Pickax...
Qwill and his feline companions must unravel a puzzling tangle of mystery in The Cat Who Dropped a Bombshell, an enchanting crime novel from acclaimed author Lilian Jackson Braun. Perfect for cat lovers and fans of cosy crime.
'The tale is as cosy as an hour spent with your favourite cat' - Publishers Weekly
While the town of Pickax is swept up in its sesquicentennial celebrations, Koko has developed a strange new hobby: he drops himself from balconies, occasionally landing in the oddest of places. When a young man comes to visit his wealthy relatives, Koko plummets straight on to his head! Meanwhile, a hurricane is brewing, and the visitor's family members soon fall deathly ill. Qwill has his work cut out for him because Pickax - as foreshadowed by Koko - is about to be hit by a bombshell...
What readers are saying about The Cat Who... series:
'These [books] make lovely, light-hearted reading with a good mix of humour and adventure'
'The entire 'Cat Who...' series are a delight for cat and mystery lovers'
'A purrfect read
A gripping, remarkable thriller in the vein of Harlan Coben and Linwood Barclay.
Elias Hawks' world changed for ever when, as a teenager, he crashed his car and woke, six weeks later, to find he had lost the girl of his dreams and very nearly his life.
Seventeen years later, all Elias has left is his career as an accident investigator and a ticking time bomb in his head from the traumatic brain injury he suffered.
But then the girl reappears out of the blue to tell him that her daughter is missing and Elias finds himself caught up in an increasingly deadly search for answers.
With his health already hanging in the balance, Elias will have one last chance to make amends for the past and one last chance to find the truth, even if this time it means paying for it with his life...
A young orphan's desperate search for somewhere she can call home.
The heart-breaking tale of a foundling's search for belonging, from ebook No.1 bestselling author of No One's Girl, Mothering Sunday and The Little Angel, Rosie Goodwin. Perfect for fans of Katie Flynn and Cathy Sharp.
'Rosie shines a light on those who can find the determination to face down fate itself' - Northern Echo
Abandoned outside a hospital, baby Rebecca didn't have a good start. She's adopted, but her new father can't warm to her, and her mother can't succeed in turning the plain, unresponsive child into the little princess she longs for. When her adoptive mother dies, her greedy aunt takes her in, but hers is not a happy home, and soon Rebecca's life is worse than ever. She longs to escape to the circus that visits her town, with its carefree life and freedom from her past - but will she ever find happiness?
What readers are saying about The Misfit:
'This book is the best ever and would certainly recommend it if you like to keep turning the pages. I was quite choked towards the end'
'One of the best books I have ever read. Moving and terribly sad in places... Could not stop reading this; had to find out what happened. Buy this, you will not be disappointed
Egypt is in danger. The barbarous Hittites are rumoured to be massing their armies. Pharaoh Tutankhamen is seriously ill and the country appears powerless against its enemies. Scheming minister Lord Ay sends Mahu, Overseer of the House of Scribes, to uncover the Hittites' plan. But what Mahu discovers could be more devastating than any attack... When the Masked messengers emerge to guide Mahu many unanswered questions reveal themselves; the truth about Pharaoh Akenhaten's disappearance; the identity of the 'Watchers' and secret knowledge about the Aten; the one God and the coming of the Messiah. Mahu knows that Egypt's future rests on this knowledge, but he also knows that knowledge is power...
Matthias Fitzosbert is the illegitimate son of the parish priest of the village of Sutton Courteny. Despite the recent spate of murders, each day he braves the dark woods to visit his friend, a mysterious hermit who shows him many strange and beautiful things. Though enthralled, the boy is always puzzled by his lessons with the hermit - never more so than the night the villagers hunt the hermit down, and burn him, believing him to be responsible for the many deaths. THE ROSE DEMON explores Matthias's unique relationship with a spirit he strives to placate but ultimately flees from. His story is played out against the vivid panorama of medieval life; the fall and sack of Constantinople, the turbulent Wars of the Roses, the terror of witchcraft, the battlefields of Spain and finally the lush jungles of the Caribbean where the Rose Demon and Matthias have one final, dramatic confrontation.
Eighteen-year-old Rebecca Lennox, the daughter of a former priest, is neglected and feared by the villagers of Dunmow in Essex. They regard her as cursed, by both her hare lip and her gift of second sight. Rebecca finds solace in the statue of St Michael the Archangel, to whom she prays devotedly within the sanctity of her old parish church. But when a young Catholic priest arrives in the village it seems that she has finally found a mortal confidant. Michael is not repelled by her infirmity and his charm and gentleness remind her of her beloved statue. Then in the late summer changes come to Dunmow. A new parson is appointed - more interested in the black arts than the teachings of religion. For Henry Frogmore holy orders are merely a convenient cover for his nefarious activities, but in Rebecca and Michael he finds powerful opponents. And in the ensuing struggle the price for each of them is all too heavy.
Thirteenth-century China. In the streets of Cambaluc, seat of the great Mongol Lord, Kublai Khan, sinister events are unfolding. Members of the Guild of Pourers, the city cleaners, are being picked off one by one in a series of gut-wrenching murders. What is the link between these deaths and the reappearance of the Water Lily sect, a secret society dedicated to service of the Plague Lord, Wen Yi Kwei? With rumours of demonic forces at work, Kublai Khan summons his trusted advisor and friend, the Venetian Marco Polo, to discover the truth. But will he able to stem the tide of evil before it's too late? And will the Water Lily sect succeed in unleashing the full fury of Wen Yi Kwei, the great baron of Hell...?
'I'm fascinated by Africa and now I really want to visit Botswana. Through this book, I've come to love the people there, and fall totally for the main character' Louise Penny, New York Times bestselling author of the Chief Inspector Gamache novels
A stunning crime novel set against a backdrop of poachers, witch doctors, diamond smugglers and corruption.
They find the first body near a waterhole considered magical by the local bush people. A string of clues suggests that the victim was murdered and his identity hidden.
For Assistant Superintendent David Kubu Bengu, it's obvious from the start that sinister forces are at work. A convivial figure on the surface, Kubu is a clever and resourceful lawman, well-versed in Botswana's deadliest secrets.
As he follows a blood-soaked trail he uncovers a chain of crimes linked to the most powerful figures in the country -influential enemies who will stop at nothing to remove those who stand in their way...
'A Carrion Death is that perfect combination of "I don't want it to end" and "I can't put it down". Great African crime fiction' Deon Meyer
Readers LOVE the Detective Kubu series:
'Inspector Kubu should become well established among the ranks of world class fictional sleuths *****' Amazon reviewer
'A Carrion Death is a rip-roaring read *****' Amazon reviewer
'I thoroughly enjoyed A Carrion Death and was up all night in full "just another chapter" mode until the end *****' Amazon reviewer
'Highly recommended and the others in the series are equally good *****' Amazon reviewer
Roger: A code word for a gas cylinder and a nickname for rum. Sausage: An observation balloon. Whippet: A small, light type of tank with a top sped of eight m.p.h. The First World War raged for four years, taking with it hundreds of thousands of young soldiers who lived and died together, bonded by the horror of the war. Now, all the way from the trenches and through the letters of Christopher Moore's Captain Cartwright, comes an extraordinary lexicon of the phrases and lingo of life at the front. Whether born from the desperation of gallows humour ('If it keeps on like this, someone's going to get hurt'), borrowed from Cockney rhyming slang, Latin, French and other languages ('Cushy: Comfortable, safe, pleasant. From the Hindustani: khush, pleasure') or even taken from the name of the Huntley and Palmer biscuit company, Tommy had a new word for almost everything. From Ammo to Zig-Zag, this is a fascinating glimpse into the world of our First World War heroes. So fetch the dooly and the other makings, brew up some char, and read on safe in the knowledge that you won't be going over the top today...
'Fenton... FENTON! Oh, Jesus Christ!' Meet Fenton, the world's most famous dog. Not content with the deer-chasing rampage that propelled him into the limelight, the world's naughtiest Labrador is off on a whirlwind tour of destruction across London. Starting where it all began in Richmond Park, this hilarious book challenges you to find Fenton in a variety of famous locations, from the Royal Albert Hall to the House of Commons, from the Tate Modern to St Pancras Station. Wherever he goes, Fenton leaves a trail of chaos; wrecking a garden party at Buckingham Palace, pestering the players at Wimbledon and upstaging the celebrities at a Leicester Square film premiere. With clues to help you on your way, follow the leads and collar Fenton before he escapes for good...
A young woman will stop at nothing to achieve her dreams...
The White Empress, by bestselling author Lyn Andrews, is a moving saga of a young woman who is determined to make her own way in life - and see the world whilst doing so. Perfect for fans of Anne Baker, Dilly Court and Maureen Lee.
Cat Cleary is a sixteen-year-old Irish 'slummy' arriving in Liverpool to seek her fortune. Joe Calligan, a young steam-packet deckhand, think she's the loveliest girl he's ever seen, and hasn't the heart to tell her that Liverpool is full of people tramping the streets looking for work.
And then Cat sees the White Empress, a huge luxury liner. In that moment her ambition is born - to be chief stewardess. In spite of her poverty, her lack of education, her family background, Cat Cleary sets about realising her incredible dream. And while doing so she discovers that having a good man by her side will bring her more happiness than she could ever have imagined.
What readers are saying about The White Empress:
'Five stars is not enough for this Lyn Andrews epic tale, I was glued from start to finish. The accuracy and story itself is phenomenally detailed, it was like I was in Liverpool - I could almost hear the wartime sirens and bombs'
'Lyn Andrews is a fantastic author. Her descriptions of everything in this book were breath-taking to read. The story was heartrending in places and warm and happy in others'
'The story tells of struggles, loves, traumas, hopes and ambitions. As always Lyn Andrews draws you into her stories
A series of poisoned pilgrims requires the services of Canterbury's most intrepid sleuth..
.
Paul Doherty introduces his medieval sleuth Kathryn Swinbrooke for the first time in A Shrine of Murders, the first in a gripping mystery series from the acclaimed historical novelist. Perfect for fans of Ellis Peters and Susanna Gregory.
A serial killer haunts 15th-century Canterbury. Kathryn Swinbrooke is an independent practitioner of medicine, discovering the benefits of an apple-rich diet for teeth, and prescribing herbs and vinegar for almost every known malady. Canterbury's tourist trade, already jeopardized by the War of the Roses, is further imperilled by a spate of poisoned pilgrims, each corpse accompanied by the appearance of a line or two of rough verse, in style remarkably similar to Geoffrey Chaucer's soon-to-be famous work. Suspecting the murderer is a doctor, the Archbishop asks for Kathryn's help. In a fascinating hunt that pits her against the august town physicians, Kathryn is aided only by her wits, her foul-mouthed, warm-hearted servant Thomasina, and Colum Murtagh, a powerful Irish mercenary.
What readers are saying about A Shrine of Murders:
'This is well researched, well written and a good story to curl up with on a dark winter's evening'
'Paul Doherty is a superb writer'
'Superb plot and characters. Kathryn is so interesting and insight into the history of the time is so well documented. You feel as if you were there and can even smell it!
An insightful and gripping account of the largest airborne operation in history.
In September 1944, the river Rhine was a serious barrier to the advancing Allied armies in the West who were intent on charging Berlin and ending the war. Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery decided to utilise the First Allied Airborne Army consisting of British, American and Polish troops. Codenamed Operation Market Garden, 40,000 paratroopers were dropped behind enemy lines while ground forces linked to relieve them. But, due to bad weather and German resistance, the operation failed. In March 1945, asecond attempt was planned: Operation Varsity Plunder. This time the plan worked. Despite extremely heavy fighting, they cracked the German line.
Digging for gold throws up some unlikely results...
Qwill, Koko and Yum Yum's holiday is disturbed by the discovery of a body in Lilian Jackson Braun's delightful mystery The Cat Who Went Up the Creek. Perfect for fans of Simon Brett and Shirley Rousseau Murphy.
'Irresistible' - Booklist
Pickax's favourite columnist, James Qwilleran, is enjoying a brief holiday in the nearby town of Black Creek - but his two Siamese, who prefer the spaciousness of their home, beg to differ. The blissful tranquillity is soon interrupted by the discovery of a body floating down the creek. And a possible motive for his murder is suggested when several gold nuggets are found in his possession. Might he have been illegally prospecting for gold? If so, it seems he wasn't the only one in search of an easy fortune. And his competitor is far more determined to strike it rich...
What readers are saying about The Cat Who Went Up the Creek:
'Ms Braun weaves her usual spell around Qwill et al'
'Entertaining and comical...keeps you guessing till the end!'
'A purrfect read
A new neighbour makes for new adventures...
Koko takes to the stage in The Cat Who Brought Down the House, the twenty-fifth instalment in Lilian Jackson Braun's enchanting feline crime series. Perfect for fans of cosy crime and cunning cats.
'Can best be compared to that cosiest of feelings - having a purring cat on your lap' - Booklist
There's a lot going on in Pickax these days - a new film club has been founded, showing old films from the early days of cinema; Koko the Siamese cat is making his stage debut in a musical revue to benefit animal rescue; and five Amazon parrots have been abducted. To say nothing of a suspicious compulsive gambler lurking in the background...
What readers are saying about The Cat Who Brought Down the House:
'[Lilian Jackson Braun's] style of storytelling is as captivating as ever'
'The pages are brimming with believable characters and the small-town atmosphere of Pickax is captured perfectly and is refreshingly unclichéd'
'Five stars
Undercover... or under threat?
High Country is the twelfth novel in Nevada Barr's thrilling crime series. Perfect for fans of Paul Doiron and Janet Evanovich.
'Eye-popping' - Washington Post Book World
It's fall in the Sierra Mountains, and Anna Pigeon is slinging hash in Yosemite National Park's historic Ahwahnee Hotel. Four young people, all seasonal park employees, have disappeared, and two weeks of work by crack search-and-rescue teams have failed to turn up a single clue; investigators are unsure as to whether the four went AWOL for reasons of their own - or died in the park. Needing an out-of-park ranger to work undercover, Anna is detailed to dining room duty; but after a week of waiting tables, she knows the missing employees are only the first indication of a sickness threatening the park.
Her twenty-something roommates give up their party-girl ways and panic; her new restaurant colleagues regard her with suspicion and fear. Yet when Anna's life is threatened and her temporary supervisor turns a deaf ear, she follows the scent of evil, taking a solo hike up a snowy trail to the high country, seeking answers. What awaits her is a nightmare of death and greed - and perhaps her final adventure...
What readers are saying about High Country:
'Hands down, the best author out there for adventure!'
'Thrilling and suspenseful'
'Interesting and well plotted, keeps you on the edge of your seat until the end
A missing royal relic and a shocking murder draw Kathryn into dangerous climes...
Kathryn Swinbrooke pits her wits against enemies of the crown in, The Eye of God, the second of Paul Doherty's gripping mysteries featuring the medieval sleuth. Perfect for fans of Michael Jecks and Robin Hobb.
As the bloody confusion of the War of the Roses rages through 15th-century Canterbury, Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, gives the precious royal relic the Eye of God to his trusted soldier Brandon, just before being killed. Ordered to take the priceless Eye of God to the monks at Canterbury, Brandon is captured and held prisoner in the city. When Brandon dies under mysterious circumstances and the Eye of God is nowhere to be found, soldier Colum Murtagh is summoned by King Edward IV to find the relic and physician Kathryn Swinbrooke to assess the death.
Resuming their unlikely partnership, the two find themselves in an increasingly dangerous situation. A corpse is pulled from a river and another murder takes place in Canterbury, while Colum is tracked by threatening pursuers. As all signs point to an intrigue involving enemies of Edward IV, Colum and Katherine must rely on each other's wits for protection...
What readers are saying about The Eye of God:
'Enjoyable romp through murderous times'
'Eminently readable, extremely enjoyable'
'The twists and turns of the plot that kept me reading late into the night
What happens when a man turns into a monster?
The Lord Count Drakulya is Paul Doherty's second novel exploring the life of the man behind the legend. Perfect for fans of C.J Sansom and Ellis Peters.
Prince Dracula, or more accurately, Drakulya, was a real person who struggled to control the small Balkan kingdom of Wallachia amidst the cruelty and corruption of I5th-century Europe. Through the eyes of his Greek friend, Rhodros, we see Drakulya, a Renaissance prince, become a despot and wreak a horrifying revenge on his opponents. When Drakulya launches all-out war against his hated enemy, the Ottoman Turks, Rhodros is drawn deeper into the nightmare. His attempts at escape are overtaken by events which sweep Drakulya to a chilling climax and the birth of one of Europe's most terrifying legends...
What readers are saying about Paul Doherty:
'Paul Doherty's books are a joy to read'
'The sounds and smells of the period seem to waft from the pages of [Paul Doherty's] books'
'Mr. Doherty's research is only topped by his imagination
If you adore Jennifer E. Smith's The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight and Jessica Park's Flat-Out Love, you'll love this book.
Courtesy of watching his mom's relationships, Sebastian Hawkins knows what girls need to do to get a guy. He has what he considers a PHD in hooking up. When he needs extra cash for a car, Sebastian starts up an online venture as The Hook-up Doctor, to anonymously help girls land the guy of their dreams. Of course, his services don't offer a happily-ever-after guarantee. He's seen firsthand getting together never means staying together.
And then he falls in love...
With the last girl he would expect...
Totally not in his game plan.
Suddenly, Sebastian finds himself muddled in the game he's always prided himself on. He can't even pick up girls at parties anymore! Why would anyone want to be in love when it turns you into a stuttering, screwed-up, mess with really lame stalker tendencies? Stalking? Totally not his gig.
But the Hook-up Doctor won't let himself go down easily. He's always known how to give a girl what she wants and now it's time to figure out what a boy wants... and he definitely plans on getting it.
A companion novel to What a Boy Needs.
The second in the New York Times bestselling mystery series. For fans of Louise Penny and Elizabeth George.
Nestled in the heart of the Adirondacks, Miller's Kill, New York is about as safe as it gets. That's why Episcopal minister Clare Fergusson is shocked when the July Fourth weekend brings a rash of vicious assaults to the scenic town. Even Clare's good friend, police chief Russ Van Alstyne, is shaken by the brutality of the crimes-especially when it appears that the victims were chosen because they are gay. But when a third assault of an out-of-town developer ends in murder, Clare and Russ wonder if the recent crime wave is connected to the victim's controversial plan to open an upscale spa in Miller's Kill. But not all things in the tiny town are what they seem-and soon, Clare and Russ are left to fight their unspoken attraction to one another even as they uncover a labyrinthine conspiracy that threatens to turn deadly for them both...
The fifth in the New York Times bestselling mystery series for fans of Louise Penny and Elizabeth George.
Police Chief Russ Van Alstyne's first encounter with Clare Fergusson was in an emergency room on a freezing December night. A newborn had been left on the steps of the town's Episcopal church, where Clare just happened to be its new priest. That night in the hospital was the beginning of an attraction so fierce, so forbidden, that both Russ and Clare risked compromising all of their ethics and beliefs...
In the small community of Millers Kill, gossip spreads like wildfire. So when Russ's wife kicks him out of the house, he figures it's nobody's business but his own--until a neighbor stops by and finds Mrs. Van Alstyne's butchered corpse on the kitchen floor. To the townspeople and church folk, the murder is proof that the whispered rumors about the police chief and the priest were true. But nothing is as it seems in Millers Kill, where betrayal twists old friendships--and evil waits inside quaint white clapboard farmhouses...
