Written in 1819 but set in 12th-century England, Ivanhoe is a tale of love struggling to survive against a violent backdrop of politics and war. Wilfred of Ivanhoe has been thrown out of his father’s home after falling in love with his father Cedric’s ward, Lady Rowena. Ivanhoe later returns from fighting in the Crusades and is wounded in a jousting tournament. A series of events follows, including the return of King Richard to England, resulting in Ivanhoe’s reconciliation with Cedric and his marriage to Rowena.

Ivanhoe

‘Were it not for shadows there would be no beauty.’ In Praise of Shadows is an eloquent tribute to the austere beauty of traditional Japanese aesthetics. Through architecture, ceramics, theatre, food, women and even toilets, Tanizaki explains the essence of shadows and darkness, and how they are able to augment beauty. He laments the heavy electric lighting of the West and its introduction to Japan, and shows how the artificial, bright and polished aesthetic of the West contrasts unfavourably with the moody and natural light of the East. Dreamy, melancholic and mysterious, In Praise of Shadows is a haunting insight into a forgotten world.

In Praise of Shadows

A mysterious homicide case leads to Constable Karl Guber to seek out psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud for the first time. The daughter of the director of the Wiener Burgtheater has been murdered under gruesome circumstances: the corpse has been drained of all its blood. Detective Gruber suspects that a vampire is on the loose in Vienna. Sigmund Freud feels compelled to put an end to the superstition and to track down the real killer...

A Historical Psycho Thriller Series

A Historical Psycho Thriller Series - The Sigmund Freud Files, Episode 1: The Second Face

A celebration of love from the author of Ottoline, Poems to Fall in Love With sees Chris Riddell select his very favourite classic and modern poems about love. This beautiful collection explores love in all its guises, from silent admiration through passion to tearful resignation. These poems speak of the universal experiences of the heart. Poems to Fall in Love With features famous poems, old and new, and a few surprises. Classic verses sit alongside the modern to create the ultimate collection. Includes poems from Neil Gaiman, Nikita Gill, Carol Ann Duffy, E. E. Cummings, Shakespeare, Leonard Cohen, Derek Walcott, Hollie McNish, Kae Tempest, John Betjeman and Roger McGough and many more. Enjoy more poetry with Chris's Poems to Live Your Life By, one of the Bookseller's best poetry books of the last twenty-five years.

Poems to Fall in Love With

The Cemetery of the Nameless in Vienna is where those who take their own lives are buried - suicide victims who jumped into the Danube to kill themselves. But when the obvious victim of a murder washes up on the banks of the Danube, Karl initiates a homicide investigation. Supported by Anna and Sigmund, Constable Gruber heads into the world of prostitutes and pimps in Vienna's red-light district.

A Historical Psycho Thriller Series - The Sigmund Freud Files

A Historical Psycho Thriller Series - The Sigmund Freud Files, Episode 5: Cemetery of the Nameless

A bank is robbed in Vienna. The constables quickly arrive on the scene - one of the bank robbers is arrested while the others flee with the loot. Karl involves Sigmund in the questioning of the arrested man - the mentally unstable man is the only chance they have to find the other robbers and their spoils.

A Historical Psycho Thriller Series - The Sigmund Freud Files, Episode 6: To Be and To Have

When an old prison is renovated, the fragile diary of one of the inmates is found. The entries contained detailed information about a series of unsolved murders from a long time ago. With Anna's support, Karl starts to interview former inmates of the prison while Sigmund tries to identify the killer on the basis of the diary entries. Who is the killer? And has he really shed his diseased ambitions?

A Historical Psycho Thriller Series - The Sigmund Freud Files, Episode 8: Disease and Symptom

When two little children are murdered and the suspect - the children's mother as well as one of Freud's patients - is arrested, the Professor is compelled into action: he is sure the suspect is innocent. Instead he suspects the children's father committed the murder. He is able to persuade Karl Gruber of his suspicions. Together, they explore the family background behind the case... but will they be able to prevent an impending disaster in time?

A Historical Psycho Thriller Series - The Sigmund Freud Files, Episode 7: Hatelove

Late one summer evening, Wilberforce - rich, young, and work-obsessed - makes a detour on his way home to the vast undercroft of Caerlyon Hall, and the domain of Francis Black, a place where wine, hospitality and affection flow freely. Through Francis, Wilberforce is initiated into a life rich in the promise of friendship and adventure, where, through his new set of friends, the possibility of finding acceptance, and even falling in love, seems finally to be within his reach. Wilberforce becomes a willing pupil to Francis, and in the cellars of Caerlyon he nurtures a new-found passion for wine. But even the finest wine can leave a bitter aftertaste, and Wilberforce will learn the undercroft's unpalatable secrets, and that passion comes at a price ... Read by David Rintoul (p) 2008 Orion Publishing Group

The Irresistible Inheritance Of Wilberforce

Written in 1791 as a response to Edmund Burke’s Reflections on the Revolution in France, Thomas Paine’s Rights of Man is a seminal work on human freedom and equality. Using the French Revolution and its ideals as an example, he demonstrates his belief that any government must put the inherent rights of its citizens above all else, especially politics. After its publication, Paine left England for France and was tried in his absence for libel against the crown. Authoritatively read by David Rintoul.

Rights of Man

It was a strong face, certainly - the eyes pale grey and very cold, the mouth was hard, the dark hair-grey-streaked now - still fell in the authentic comma over the forehead. This is how John Pearson reacted to his first encounter with the real James Bond, an encounter probably unique in the annals of thriller writing. He went on to write the bestselling authorised biography of Ian Fleming. At the time, like most of the world he assumed that James Bond was nothing more than a character in Fleming's highly charged imagination. Then he began to have his doubts. Doubts which were reaching such a pitch that the British secret service were trying to warn him off the scent. Despite this, he finally became convinced that James Bond was not only real, but actually alive. Thanks to a change in policy within the secret service he was invited to embark upon a companion volume to his life of Fleming. This resulting book must be one of the most extraordinary biographies of our times - the authorised life of a myth, the official biography of James Bond.

James Bond: The Authorised Biography

In To the Island of Tides, Alistair Moffat travels to – and through the history of – the fated island of Lindisfarne. Walking from his home in the Borders, through the historical landscape of Scotland and northern England, he takes us on a pilgrimage in the footsteps of saints and scholars, before arriving for a secular retreat on the Holy Isle. Lindisfarne, famous for its monastery, has long been a place of sanctuary. It is an island rich in history: the Romans knew it as Insula Medicata; it reached the height of its fame in the dark ages, even survived Viking raids, before ultimately being abandoned after Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries. Today the isle maintains its position as a space for retreat and spiritual renewal. To the Island of Tides is a meditation on the power of place, but also a more personal journey; a chance for a personal stocktaking and a reflection on where life leads us.

To the Island of Tides

Brought to you by Penguin. 'To tell the story of a country or a continent is surely a great and complex undertaking; but the story of a quiet, unnoticed place where there are few people, fewer memories and almost no reliable records - a place such as Glen Conach - may actually be harder to piece together. The hazier everything becomes, the more whatever facts there are become entangled with myth and legend. . .' Deep in the mountains of north-east Scotland lies Glen Conach, a place of secrets and memories, fable and history. In particular, it holds the stories of three different eras, separated by centuries yet linked by location, by an ancient manuscript and by echoes that travel across time. In ancient Pictland, the Christian hermit Conach contemplates God and nature, performs miracles and prepares himself for sacrifice. Long after his death, legends about him are set down by an unknown hand in the Book of Conach. Generations later, in the early nineteenth century, self-promoting antiquarian Charles Kirkliston Gibb is drawn to the Glen, and into the big house at the heart of its fragile community. In the present day, young Lachie whispers to Maja of a ghost he thinks he has seen. Reflecting on her long life, Maja believes him, for she is haunted by ghosts of her own. News of the Dead is a captivating exploration of refuge, retreat and the reception of strangers. It measures the space between the stories people tell of themselves - what they forget and what they invent - and the stories through which they may, or may not, be remembered. © James Robertson 2021 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

News of the Dead

Brought to you by Penguin. THE TOP RICHARD AND JUDY BOOK CLUB PICK FOR SUMMER 2021 ___________________________ 'Immersive' Guardian 'Stunning' Daily Express 'Riveting' Telegraph ___________________________ Victory is close. Vengeance is closer. Rudi Graf used to dream of sending a rocket to the moon. Instead, he has helped to create the world's most sophisticated weapon: the V2 ballistic missile, capable of delivering a one-ton warhead at three times the speed of sound. In a desperate gamble to avoid defeat in the winter of 1944, Hitler orders ten thousand to be built. Graf is tasked with firing these lethal 'vengeance weapons' at London. Kay Caton-Walsh is an officer in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force who joins a unit of WAAFs on a mission to newly liberated Belgium. Armed with little more than a slide rule and a few equations, Kay and her colleagues will attempt to locate and destroy the launch sites. As the death toll soars, Graf and Kay fight their grim, invisible war - until one final explosion of violence causes their destinies to collide... ___________________________ 'A riveting read with a corker of a twist' Daily Telegraph 'Supremely readable' Observer 'Delivers one hell of a punch' Express 'Captures the real nature of war. Gripping' Ben MacIntyre © Robert Harris 2020 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

Lewis Romayne returns to the family home, Vange Abbey, after a fatal duel in France – the memory of which still haunts him. In an attempt to put the experience behind him, he visits London where he meets Stella Eynecourt, who will become his wife. However, Romayne also comes across the cunning Father Benwell, who is determined to convert him to Catholicism and to regain Vange Abbey for the Church. Father Benwell stops at nothing to achieve his end, including the revelation of a dark secret from the past. His scheming and malevolence recalls the better-known villain Count Fosco, from Collins’s The Woman in White. Published in 1881, The Black Robe is one of Collins’s later novels and is here presented in a multi-voice production featuring a host of popular audiobook actors.

The Black Robe

A leading industrialist of the 19th and 20th centuries, Andrew Carnegie was one of America’s most successful and generous businessmen. The Autobiography tells of his rise to power, from humble beginnings in Scotland to controlling the biggest steel empire in the history of the United States. Carnegie lays down the blueprint for success, with an abundance of inspiring life lessons, while also giving unique first-hand impressions of burgeoning 19th-century America and some of the most prominent people of the age, including Abraham Lincoln and Mark Twain. In The Gospel of Wealth he writes about his philanthropy and urges the rich to use their wealth responsibly, revealing the reasons that famously led him to donate over 350 million dollars during his lifetime.

The Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie and The Gospel of Wealth

Told by servant Ephraim Mackellar, The Master of Ballantrae is set at the time of the Jacobite rebellion of 1745 and portrays the Durie family. James abandons his ancestral home to support the Jacobites while his younger brother, Henry, loyal to the English King, remains. However, years later James, who had been supposed dead, returns to claim his inheritance, resulting in a feud between the brothers that shifts from the Scottish Highlands to the Wild West of America.

The Master of Ballantrae

Jonathan Oldbuck, the antiquary of the title, has a passion for the past – and delights in trying to convey it. He meets the mysteriously taciturn young Lovel and the two strike up a friendship, bonding over Roman ruins. When Lovel falls for Isabella, daughter of a local landowner, it looks like an impossible situation. Sharp, funny, gothic, romantic, and full of action, this is a thoroughly entertaining window on Scottish life in the summer of 1794: it was Scott’s intention to show the spirit of the times, and how the past affects the present – and it was his own favourite of all his novels.

The Antiquary

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of Thomas Cromwell by Diarmaid MacCulloch, read by David Rintoul. Thomas Cromwell is one of the most famous - or notorious - figures in English history. Born in obscurity in Putney, he became a fixer for Cardinal Wolsey in the 1520s. After Wolsey's fall, Henry VIII promoted him to a series of ever greater offices, and by the end of the 1530s he was effectively running the country for the King. That decade was one of the most momentous in English history: it saw a religious break with the Pope, unprecedented use of parliament, the dissolution of all monasteries. Cromwell was central to all this, but establishing his role with precision, at a distance of nearly five centuries and after the destruction of many of his papers at his own fall, has been notoriously difficult. Diarmaid MacCulloch's biography is much the most complete and persuasive life ever written of this elusive figure, a masterclass in historical detective work, making connections not previously seen. It overturns many received interpretations, for example that Cromwell was a cynical, 'secular' politician without deep-felt religious commitment, or that he and Anne Boleyn were allies because of their common religious sympathies - in fact he destroyed her. It introduces the many different personalities of these foundational years, all conscious of the 'terrifyingly unpredictable' Henry VIII. MacCulloch allows readers to feel that they are immersed in all this, that it is going on around them. For a time, the self-made 'ruffian' (as he described himself) - ruthless, adept in the exercise of power, quietly determined in religious revolution - was master of events. MacCulloch's biography for the first time reveals his true place in the making of modern England and Ireland, for good and ill. 'This is the biography we have been awaiting for 400 years' Hilary Mantel

Thomas Cromwell

In a Nutshell’, the new 1-CD audiobook series from Naxos AudioBooks, continues with a fascinating history of Tibet. Part of China for many years, yet with a clearly distinctive culture (with the central devotion of its people being to Buddhism and the Dalai Lama), Tibet has a unique character in the panoply of world nations. Here we have an independent view of its history and the customs and beliefs of its people – and a commentary on the current situation.

Tibet – In a Nutshell

"Underground Manager," he said. There was a long silence and he could hear the man breathing on the other end. "Speak, man, what is it?" "The whole bloody thing has come down," said the voice. It was husky, rough with fear and dust. "Where are you speaking from?" Rod asked. "They're still in there," said the voice. "They're screaming in there. Under the rock. They're screaming." Nothing drives men to danger like gold . . . Rod Ironsides is an honest man and expert manager of the successful Sonder Ditch gold mine and its hard-worked miners. But honesty and expertise count for little, when faced with desperate bosses and a crew who'll break every rule to get their own illegal share of the precious metal. Under the command of the obsessive, meticulous Dr Steyner, Rod is forced into greater and greater risks. For if the mine goes down and takes the lives of the men with it, someone stands to make millions - but Rod will be the one who pays. A riveting thriller packed full of violence, disaster and the irresistible magnetism of gold, from global bestseller Wilbur Smith

Gold Mine

When the naïve David Balfour sets out on his quest for a long-lost relative, a terrifying chain of events is set in motion. He is plunged into a world of infamy and violence from which there seems no escape, until, that is, he meets the enigmatic and valiant Highlander, Alan Breck… Kidnapped is a captivating novel set around Scottish events of the 18th century, most notably the ‘Appin Murder’, the case of a highlander who was wrongly implicated in the shooting of a government official.

Svenska Ljud Classica

Kidnapped

Full-cast BBC adaptations of five of Sir Walter Scott’s ‘Waverley’ novels, plus a play adapted from his journal starring Alec Guinness, and a documentary about Scott and his legacy Poet, novelist, critic and campaigner Walter Scott invented the historical novel and shaped the world’s image of Scotland. His tales of heroism, romance and adventure were hugely successful, outselling Jane Austen and Lord Byron, and are still popular today. Included here are adaptations of five of the best-loved books in his ‘Waverley’ series, as well as two bonus programmes. Waverley – Sent to Scotland with his regiment, young English soldier Edward Waverley becomes embroiled in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745. Torn between love and duty, he falls in with Bonnie Prince Charlie’s rebel army – and finds himself accused of treason… Richard Greenwood stars in this adaptation of Scott’s groundbreaking debut novel. Rob Roy – Francis Osbaldistone, the son of a rich London merchant, is banished to his family seat in the North. There, he meets the beautiful, high-spirited Diana Vernon and his villainous cousin Rashleigh, and befriends the enigmatic Scot, Robert Campbell – hero, chieftain of the clan MacGregor and wanted outlaw… Starring Liam Brennan, this thrilling drama is set during the Jacobite rising of 1715. The Heart of Midlothian – Edinburgh, 1737, and young Effie Deans is arrested for child murder and sentenced to death. Convinced of her innocence, her sister Jeanie decides to walk to London to plead for her sister’s life. Gerda Stevenson and Irene Allen star in this adaptation of Scott’s gripping novel, widely considered to be the finest of the ‘Waverley’ books. The Bride of Lammermoor – Edgar Ravenswood has sworn vengeance on the Ashton family who have destroyed his honour and ruined his fortune – but Lucy Ashton will come to mean more to him than honour, fortune and life Itself… This tragic tale of a doomed love affair stars David Rintoul and Gerda Stevenson. Woodstock – England, 1651. Charles Stuart’s army has been defeated at Worcester, and he is on the run. Suspecting that he will take refuge at Woodstock Manor, Oliver Cromwell sets a trap for him there – but he has reckoned without the wily King and his loyal Cavalier supporters… John Rowe and Brian Hewlett star in this epic Civil War tale. My Own Right Hand Shall Do It – Suffering a terrible reversal of fortune late in life, Sir Walter Scott determines to recover from financial ruin. Sir Alec Guinness stars in this moving portrait of tragedy and ultimate triumph. The Man Who Made Scotland – James Naughtie makes the case for a reappraisal of Sir Walter Scott, arguing that his branding of Scotland is the mark of a thoroughly modern thinker. NB: Due to the age of the recordings, the sound quality may vary First published 1814 (Waverley), 1817 (Rob Roy), 1818 (The Heart of Midlothian), 1819 (The Bride of Lammermoor), 1826 (Woodstock) © 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Sir Walter Scott: A BBC Radio Drama Collection

Third volume in the Starbuck Chronicles. The battle for control of Richmond, the Confederate capital, continues through the hot summer of 1862. Available for the first time as a downloadable audio file. Captain Nate Starbuck, yankee fighting for the Southern cause, has to survive and win with his ragged Company in the bitter struggle not only against the formidable Northern army but equally in opposition to his own superiors who would like nothing better than to see Nate Starbuck dead and dishonoured. Starbuck’s courage is tested to the limit in his desperate manoeuvres to retrieve his own and the Legion’s honour in this the thrid narrative of Bernard Cornwell’s sweeping epic of the American Civil War.

The Starbuck Chronicles

Battle Flag

The first book in Bernard Cornwell’s bestselling series on the American Civil War. It is summer 1861. The armies of North and South stand on the brink of America’s civil war. Nathanial Starbuck, jilted by his girl and estranged from his family, arrives in the capital of the Confederate South, where he enlists in an elite regiment being raised by rich, eccentric Washington Faulconer. Pledged to the Faulconer Legion, Starbuck becomes a northern boy fighting for the southern cause. But nothing can prepare him for the shocking violence to follow in the war which broke America in two.

Rebel

A superbly exciting novel which vividly captures the horror of the battlefield, The Bloody Ground is the fourth volume in the Starbuck Chronicles. It is late summer 1862 and the Confederacy is invading the United States of America. Nate Starbuck, a northern preacher’s son fighting for the rebel South, is given command of a punishment battalion – a despised unit of shirkers and cowards. His enemies expect it to be his downfall, as Starbuck must lead this ramshackle unit into a battle that will prove to be the bloodiest of the Civil War.

The Bloody Ground

A classic BBC Radio adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's famous novels of adventure and romance First published in 1886, Robert Louis Stevenson's rollicking historical novel Kidnapped was an instant bestseller. It was followed by an 1893 sequel, Catriona, which Stevenson regarded as his 'high water mark', declaring that he would 'never do a better book'. Included here is the epic 10-part BBC radio dramatisation of both action-packed tales. Narrated by the central character, David Balfour, this riveting retelling sees him looking back over his eventful life and recalling his escapades as a young man. It begins in 1751, with Scotland in turmoil in the aftermath of the Jacobite rebellion. Newly orphaned, 17-year-old David sets out for Edinburgh and the House of Shaws, to meet his rich Uncle Ebenezer. Betrayed by his scheming relative and kidnapped, he finds himself aboard the brig Covenant, to be sold into slavery in America - but the ship has a castaway on board, a certain Alan Breck... Though David is a Lowlander and Alan a Highland Jacobite, the two become fast friends. Together they face danger on the high seas and in the Scottish wilderness, as they head south to confront the treacherous Ebenezer and claim David's fortune. But even with his inheritance secured, our hero's adventures are not over. He must find safe passage to France for Alan, endeavour to prove a man's innocence - and win the heart of Catriona, the feisty granddaughter of infamous outlaw Rob Roy McGregor. David Rintoul stars as David Balfour, with Paul Young as Alan Breck and Gerda Stevenson as Catriona. Among the distinguished cast are Rikki Fulton, Sandy Neilson, Rose McBain, Iain Cuthbertson and Siobhan Redmond. First published 1886 (Kidnapped) and 1893 (Catriona) Production credits Written by Robert Louis Stevenson Dramatised by Catherine L. Czerkawska Directed by Marilyn Imrie Cast David Balfour - David Rintoul Alan Breck - Paul Young Ebenezer Balfour - Rikki Fulton Hoseason - Jonathan Battersby Campbell - John Shedden Ransome/Seaman - Ray Dunsire Jennet - Marilyn Gray Landlord/Seaman - Tam Dean Burn Riach - Billy Riddoch Shuan/Seaman - Stuart Bishop Gaelic fisherman/Highland gillie/Gaelic servant/Neil - John Carmichael Mr Henderland - Henry Stamper Crofter - Ian Stewart Neil Roy - Iain Agnew Mungo - Brown Derby Colin Campbell - Sandy Neilson James of the Glens - Bob Docherty Mistress Stewart - Rose McBain Cluny Macpherson - David McKail John Breck MacColl - Finlay McLean Mistress McLaren - Ann Louise Ross Alison Hastie - Terry Cavers Mistress Rankeillor - Harriet Buchan Rankeillor - Gerard Slevin Torrance - Iain Wotherspoon Stewart the Writer - Iain Cuthbertson Catriona - Gerda Stevenson The Lord Advocate Prestongrange - Russell Hunter James More - Alec Heggie Balfour of Pilrig - Michael Elder Simon Fraser - John McGlynn Barbara Grant - Siobhan Redmond Isabella Grant - Ann Lannan Jean Grant - Hilary Lyon Woman/Goodwife - Ann Scott Jones Porter/Robin Oig - John Buick Servant - Simon Donald Mistress Ogilvy - Edith MacArthur Duncansby - Ian Briggs Robert Macintosh - Leon Sinden Andy Dale - Tony Roper Sheriff - Paul Kermack Duke of Argyle - Charles Kearney Duncan Dhu McLaren - Simon Donald Doig - John Shedden Capt Sang - Don Gallagher Sprott - Finlay Welsh First broadcast BBC Radio 4 16th June - 25th August 1985 © 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Kidnapped and Catriona

From 'the rising star of historical fiction' (Wilbur Smith) a new Eagles of Rome novel, by the Sunday Times bestselling author of Eagles at War. AN ARMY DEFEATED AD 14: Five long years have passed since the annihilation of three legions in the wilds of Germania. Although the bones of 15,000 soldiers now moulder in the Teutoburg Forest, not all the Romans were slain in the bloody ambush. A CENTURION OUT FOR VENGEANCE Demoted, battle-scarred and hell-bent on revenge, Centurion Tullus and his legionaries begin their fightback. Ranged against them is the charismatic chieftan Arminius, who is gathering thousands of hostile tribesmen, and determined to crush the Romans for a second time. AN EAGLE RECOVERED The eagle belonging to Tullus' old legion is still in enemy hands, but as the Romans' reprisals take their army deep into German tribal lands, he remains convinced that it is within reach. But Arminius and his warriors are perilously close. As battle begins, Tullus and his comrades know they must fight as never before - just to stay alive...

Eagles of Rome

Hunting the Eagles

The Complete Short Stories is the most comprehensive collection of O’Brian’s short fiction ever published. An essential volume, certain to enchant O’Brian admirers as well as readers who are fortunate enough to be journeying with him for the very first time. Patrick O’Brian is acclaimed as one of the greatest historical novelists of the twentieth century, celebrated throughout the world for his masterful roman fleuve, the Aubrey‒Maturin series. But he was also a prolific writer of short stories, and it is in this form that he first made his mark. Encompassing stories written in his unvarnished youth to tales told by a seasoned traveller, this is the most comprehensive collection of O’Brian’s short fiction ever published. It is a treasure chest, overflowing with riches, containing more than sixty tales, including rarities, uncollected works, and forgotten jewels that have been out of print for decades. These are stories of friendship, travel, adventure and the wonders of the natural world. Some are enchantingly funny, others exciting, terrifying, passionate. All of them prove Patrick O’Brian to be a true master of the form.

The Complete Short Stories

Full-cast radio adaptations of three of Rumer Godden's bestselling novels, plus a bonus interview with the author Rumer Godden is well known for her acclaimed novels for adults and children. She wrote over 60 works in her lifetime, nine of which were made into films. Included here are dramatisations of three of her classic tales, as well as a fascinating interview with the renowned author. Black Narcissus - A group of nuns establishing a remote mission in an old palace in the Himalayas is warned that it is no place for a nunnery. And as the Sisters' tragic destiny unfolds, those prophetic words are soon proved right. Sinead Cusack and Lesley Sharp star in this atmospheric dramatisation of Godden's 1939 novel, famously adapted as an Oscar-winning film by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. The Greengage Summer - When their mother falls ill during a holiday to France, the Grey children are left to entertain themselves. Over the course of the long, hot summer, they are caught up in an adult world of deception and lies... Starring Ellie Beaven, Abigail Docherty and Michael Maloney. The Dark Horse - Set in Calcutta in 1933, this is the story of a thoroughbred racehorse, a jockey seeking a second chance, a shrewd Mother Superior and a miracle - all based on true events. Geoffrey Whitehead, Indira Varma, Dearbhla Molloy and Ioan Meredith star in this heartwarming drama. Third Ear - Recorded in 1992, this illuminating Radio 3 interview sees the octogenarian Rumer Godden talking to Geoffrey Baskerville about how her life and beliefs are reflected in her writing. Text copyright © The Rumer Godden Literary Trust 1939 (Black Narcissus), 1958 (The Greengage Summer), 1981 (The Dark Horse) Black Narcissus Sister Clodagh - Sinead Cusack Sister Ruth - Lesley Sharp Mr Dean - David Rintoul Dilip Rai - Ronny Jhutti Sister Briony - Susan Engel Sister Philippa - Jenny Lee Sister Honey - Rachel Atkins The General/Father Roberts - Sam Dastor Ayah - Indira Joshi Mother Dorothea/Sister Adela - Carolyn Jones Con - Alastair Danson Kanchi - Sumitra Bhagat Joseph Anthony - Dhiraj Prasai Dramatised by April de Angelis Music by Elizabeth Parker Directed by Sally Avens First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 13 December 1997 The Greengage Summer Cecile - Ellie Beaven Joss - Abigail Docherty Hester - Ciara Janson Eliot - Michael Maloney With Luke Newbury, Claire Marchionne, Rachel Atkins, Theo Fraser Steele, Sean Baker, Jenny Lee, Brian Parr and Chris Wright Dramatised by Dawn Lowe Watson Directed by Sally Avens First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 25 May 1988 The Dark Horse Sister Morag - Dearbhla Molloy Levantine - Nickolas Grace Ted - Ioan Meredith John Quillan - Gareth Armstrong With Geoffrey Whitehead, Indira Varma, Siobhan Stamp, Frances Jeater, Nitin Chandra Ganatra, Richard Rees and David Antrobus Dramatised by Liane Aukin Directed by David Hunter First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 5 September 1988 Third Ear Presented by Geoffrey Baskerville With Rumer Godden Produced by Vivien Devlin First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 12 May 1992 © 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Rumer Godden: Black Narcissus, The Greengage Summer & The Dark Horse

Brought to you by Penguin. Charmer, fabulist and tailor to Panama's rich and powerful, Harry Pendel loves to tell stories. But when the British spy Andrew Osnard - a man of large appetites, for women, information and above all money - walks into his shop, Harry's fantastical inventions take on a life of their own. Soon he finds himself out of his depth in an international game he can never hope to win. Le Carré's savage satire on the espionage trade is set in a corrupt universe without heroes or honour, where the innocent are collateral damage and treachery plays out as tragic farce. 'A work of rare brilliance' The Times 'A tour de force in which almost every convention of the classic spy novel is violated' The New York Times Book Review © John le Carré 2024 (P) Penguin Audio 2024

The Tailor of Panama

Another sweeping novel from the No. 1 Sunday Times bestselling author…Pre-order BOLEYN TRAITOR now – Philippa Gregory’s landmark return to the Tudor court, coming Autumn 2025 … A brand-new recording available as an unabridged digital audio edition for the first time. A traveller in a time of discovery, the greatest gardening pioneer of his day, yet a man of humble birth: John Tradescant's story is a mirror to the extraordinary age in which he lives. As gardener and confidant to Sir Robert Cecil, Tradescant is well placed to observe the social and political changes that are about to sweep through the kingdom. While his master conjures intrigues at Court, Tradescant designs for him the magnificent garden at Hatfield, scouring the known world for ever more wonderful plants: new varieties of fruit and flower, the first horse chestnuts to be cultivated in England, even larches from Russia. Moving to the household of the flamboyant Duke of Buckingham, Tradescant witnesses at first hand the growing division between Parliament and the people, and the most loyal of servants must find a way to become an independent squire.

Tradescant Novels

Earthly Joys

The second book in Bernard Cornwell’s bestselling series on the American Civil War. Nathanial Starbuck is a Copperhead: a northerner fighting for the rebel South in America’s Civil War. Expelled from the Faulconer Legion, Starbuck must travel a hard road before he can rejoin his comrades. He must join the shadowy war of betrayal and espionage, where nothing is certain and no one can be trusted. Starbuck’s journey will take him through the savage prisons of Richmond, across the blood-sodden battlefields of Virginia, and into the deadly high command of the northern army.

Copperhead

Random House presents the audiobook edition of Selling Hitler by Robert Harris, read by David Rintoul. Spring 1983: it seemed that one of the most startling discoveries of the century had been made, and that one of the world's most sought after documents had finally come to light - the private diaries of Adolf Hitler.What followed was a fiasco of fakery, greed, the duping of experts, and the exchange of extraordinary sums of money for world-wide publishing rights. But that was just the beginning of the story. . .

Selling Hitler

Random House presents the unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of Hame by Annalena McAfee, read by Cathleen McCarron and David Rintoul. Hame, n. Scottish form of ‘home’: a valued place regarded as a refuge or place of origin In the wake of the breakdown of her relationship, Mhairi McPhail dismantles her life in New York and moves with her 9-year-old daughter, Agnes, to the remote Scottish island of Fascaray. Mhairi has been commissioned to write a biography of the late Bard of Fascaray, Grigor McWatt, a cantankerous poet with an international reputation. But who was Grigor McWatt? Details of his past – his tough childhood and his war years as a commando – are elusive, and there is evidence of a mysterious love affair which Mhairi is determined to investigate. As she struggles to adapt to her new life, and put her own troubled past behind her, Mhairi begins to unearth the astonishing secret history of the poet regarded by many as the custodian of Fascaray’s – and Scotland’s – soul. A dazzling, kaleidoscope of a novel, Hame layers extracts from Mhairi’s journal, Grigor’s letters and poems and his evocative writing about the island into a compelling narrative that explores identity, love and the universal quest for home.

Hame

Book #2 in Dickens' Christmas Books series. The Chimes is Charles Dickens 1844 novella that concerns the disillusionment of Toby "Trotty" Veck, a poor working-class man. When Trotty has lost his faith in Humanity and believes that his poverty is the result of his unworthiness he is visited on New Year's Eve by spirits who collectively help restore his faith and show him that nobody is born evil, but rather that crime and poverty are man-made creations.

The Chimes

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast production of one of the earliest plays by Alan Bennett The 1970s are a time of change, but Labour MP George Oliver feels stuck in one place: distrusting the ‘mawkish mentality’ of the young and fearing the encroaching life of the middle-aged, with little to look forward to but the imminent end of a not-very-interesting road. Ten years into his second marriage, he is world-weary and dissatisfied with his social position and the public he deals with on a regular basis (‘He’s a socialist, but he doesn’t like people’ observes his wife Polly). In his self-absorption, he cannot see that his wife is having an affair, his mother-in-law is dying and his friends and neighbours regard him as a joke. With his trademark wry observational humour, Alan Bennett renders his plight at once poignant and comic. This bittersweet drama won the Evening Standard Award for Best Comedy of 1971, and was described by the Sunday Times as ‘a small jewel of bewilderment and regret’. Keith Barron stars as George in this radio adaptation, with a supporting cast including David Rintoul, Emily Richard and Margaret Courtenay.

Getting On

Riktor doesn’t like the way the policeman comes straight into the house without knocking. He doesn’t like the arrogant way he observes his home.The policeman doesn’t tell him why he’s there, and Riktor doesn’t ask. Because he knows he’s guilty of a terrible crime. But it turns out that the policeman isn’t looking for a missing person. He is accusing Riktor of something totally unexpected. Riktor doesn’t have a clear conscience, but this is a crime he certainly didn’t commit.

I Can See in the Dark

Brought to you by Penguin This celebration of the English countryside does not only focus on the rolling green landscapes and magnificent monuments that set England apart from the rest of the world. Many of the contributors bring their own special touch, presenting a refreshingly eclectic variety of personal icons, from pub signs to seaside piers, from cattle grids to canal boats, and from village cricket to nimbies. First published as a lavish colour coffeetable book, this new expanded edition has double the original number of contributions from many celebrities including Bill Bryson, Michael Palin, Eric Clapton, Bryan Ferry, Sebastian Faulks, Kate Adie, Kevin Spacey, Gavin Pretor-Pinney, Richard Mabey , Simon Jenkins, John Sergeant, Benjamin Zephaniah, Joan Bakewell, Antony Beevor, Libby Purves, Jonathan Dimbleby, and many more: and a new preface by HRH Prince Charles. © Bill Bryson 2011 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

Icons of England

The first in a brand new series charting the adventures of the Oathsworn, a band of Vikings on the chase for the secret hoard of Attila the Hun. Life is savage aboard a Viking raider. When young Orm Rurikson is plucked from the snows of Norway to join his estranged father on the Fjord Elk, he becomes an unlikely member of a notorious crew. They are the Oathsworn – so named after the spoken bond that ties them in brotherhood – and they ply a casual trade on the ocean wave, selling their swords to the highest bidder. But times are changing. Loyalty to the old Norse Gods is fading, and the followers of the mysterious 'White Christ' are gaining power across Europe. Hired as relic-hunters by the merchant rulers of a bustling city, the Oathsworn are sent in search of a legendary sword of untold value to the new religion. With only a young girl as guide, their quest will lead them onto the deep and treacherous waters of the 'whale road', toward the cursed treasure of Attila the Hun. And to a challenge that will test the very bond that holds them together. A significant new voice in historical fiction, Robert Low has created a startlingly modern tale in the style of the great Viking sagas. A heady mix of powerful suspense, blockbuster battles and religious intrigue, THE WHALE ROAD is a must for fans of Bernard Cornwell and Tim Severin. It heralds a major new series sure to hook old and new readers alike.

The Oathsworn Series

The Whale Road

Hear the best stories ever written with Puffin Classics Audiobooks Walk amongst the gods and men with this abridged, downloadable audiobook edition of Roger Lancelyn Green's Tales of the Greek Gods, read by Alex Jennings , Rula Lenska and David Rintoul. The beautiful land of Greece is haunted by more than three thousand years of legend and history. In this gripping retelling of the Heroic Age, you'll meet the mighty POSEIDON, God of the Sea; ZEUS, the King of Heaven; HADES, Lord of the Dead; ARTEMIS the Huntress; APHRODITE, Immortal Lady of Beauty and Love; and many more mortals and gods. Their adventures are some of the oldest and most famous stories in the world.

Puffin Classics

Tales of the Greek Heroes

A timeless classic story, J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan is brought to life by Vivian Heilbron and David Rintoul in this abridged, downloadable audiobook edition. Peter Pan and Tinkerbell lead the three Darling children over the rooftops of London and away to Neverland - the island where the lost boys play. Magic and mischief is in the air but if villainous Captain Hook has his way, before long someone will be swimming with the crocodiles . . .

Peter Pan

Brought to you by Penguin. The Pedant's ambition is simple. He wants to cook tasty, nutritious food; he wants not to poison his friends; and he wants to expand, slowly and with pleasure, his culinary repertoire. A stern critic of himself and others, he knows he is never going to invent his own recipes (although he might, in a burst of enthusiasm, increase the quantity of a favourite ingredient). Rather, he is a recipe-bound follower of the instructions of others. It is in his interrogations of these recipes, and of those who create them, that the Pedant's true pedantry emerges. How big, exactly, is a 'lump'? Is a 'slug' larger than a 'gout'? When does a 'drizzle' become a downpour? And what is the difference between slicing and chopping?This book is a witty and practical account of Julian Barnes' search for gastronomic precision. It is a quest that leaves him seduced by Jane Grigson, infuriated by Nigel Slater, and reassured by Mrs Beeton's Victorian virtues. The Pedant in the Kitchen is perfect comfort for anyone who has ever been defeated by a cookbook and is something that none of Julian Barnes' legion of admirers will want to miss. © Julian Barnes 2003 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

The Pedant in the Kitchen

A woman wakes one night to find that a strange man has walked into her bedroom. She lies there in terrified silence unable to move. The woman is an author and the man one of her prospective characters. So desperate is he to have his story told that he has resorted to breaking in to her house to make her tell it. She creates Alvar Eide, forty-two years old, single, who works in an art gallery. He lives a quiet, dutiful life, carefully designed to avoid surprise. One winter's day all this begins to change, when an emaciated young heroin addict walks into the gallery. A kind man, Alvar gives her a cup of coffee to warm her up. She returns some weeks later to his place of work, and then one day appears on his doorstep demanding to be let in. Interspersed with the chapters of Alvar's story are his encounters with its author - the frantic attempts of a fictional man trying to control his own destiny. Broken is a gripping novel about the boundary between fact and fiction from the renowned author of the Inspector Sejer mysteries.

Broken

'Confirms Harris's undisputed place as our leading master of both the historical and contemporary thriller' Daily Mail LAWS ARE SILENT IN TIMES OF WAR. There was a time when Cicero held Caesar's life in the palm of his hand. But now Caesar is the dominant figure and Cicero's life is in ruins. Cicero's comeback requires wit, skill and courage. And for a brief and glorious period, the legendary orator is once more the supreme senator in Rome. But politics is never static. And no statesman, however cunning, can safeguard against the ambition and corruption of others. 'The finest fictional treatment of Ancient Rome in the English language' - The Scotsman Riveting and tumultuous, DICTATOR encompasses some of the most epic events in human history yet is also an intimate portrait of a brilliant, flawed, frequently fearful yet ultimately brave man - a hero for his time and for ours. This is an unforgettable tour de force from a master storyteller.

Cicero Trilogy

Dictator

Random House presents the unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of Eagles in the Storm by Ben Kane, read by David Rintoul. AD 15. The German chieftain Arminius has been defeated, one of the lost Roman eagles recovered, and thousands of German tribesmen slain. Yet these successes aren’t nearly enough for senior centurion Lucius Tullus. Not until Arminius is dead, his old legion’s eagle found and the enemy tribes completely vanquished will he rest. But Arminius – devious, fearless – is burning for revenge of his own. Charismatic as ever, he raises another large tribal army, which will harry the Romans the length and breadth of the land. Soon Tullus finds himself in a cauldron of bloodshed, treachery and danger. His mission to retrieve his legion’s eagle will be his most perilous yet…

Eagles in the Storm

Random House presents the audiobook edition of A Moment of Grace by Patrick Dillon, read by David Rintoul. How do you learn to live in the wake of death? Patrick Dillon and Nicola Thorold were together for twenty-eight years. Patrick was an award-winning architect and writer and Nicola a leading figure in theatre, awarded an OBE for her contribution to the arts at London’s Roundhouse. Their two children were almost grown-up. Life was good. And then, in May 2015, Nicola was diagnosed with leukaemia. After several rounds of treatment, a bone marrow transplant and many waves of recovery and decline, she died thirteen months after her diagnosis. Six months later, at Christmas, Patrick started to write. A Moment of Grace is the searing, tender account of Patrick’s life with Nicola and her illness, and his life after her loss. But it is more than a story of illness and unbearable grief: it is a book of memory, of home, of family. It is a tale of the transfiguring power of love. Heartbreaking, life-affirming and truly unforgettable, A Moment of Grace is one man’s journey to find life after his wife’s death.

A Moment of Grace

Brought to you by Penguin. The Number One bestselling author of The Order of Time is back with a stunning book about the enigma of quantum physics In June 1925, twenty-three-year-old Werner Heisenberg, suffering from hay fever, retreated to a small, treeless island in the North Sea called Helgoland. It was there that he came up with one of the most transformative scientific concepts: quantum theory. Almost a century later, quantum physics has given us many startling ideas: ghost waves, distant objects that seem magically connected to each other, cats that are both dead and alive. Countless experiments have led to practical applications that shape our daily lives. Today our understanding of the world around us is based on this theory. And yet it is still profoundly mysterious. In this enchanting book, Carlo Rovelli, one of our most celebrated scientists, tells the extraordinary story of quantum physics and reveals its deep meaning: a world made of substances is replaced by a world made of relations, each particle responding to another in a never ending game of mirrors. Shifting our perspective once again, Rovelli takes us on a riveting journey through the universe so we can better understand our place in it. © Carlo Rovelli 2021 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

Helgoland

Sigmund Freud is suspected of having raped one of his patients. The young woman is in a vegetative state and unable to communicate. The Public Prosecutor investigates Freud, and there is no shortage of witnesses willing to testify against the Professor. Anna starts to suspect that her father is the victim of a conspiracy. While Sigmund tries to defend against the allegations against him, Anna and Karl have to try to solve the case...

A Historical Psycho Thriller Series - The Sigmund Freud Files, Episode 4: Stimulus

A mother and child are found brutally murdered in an old caravan on a remote piece of land. A bloody footprint is discovered at the scene, and Chief Inspector Sejer is called to investigate. Meanwhile, another mother, dying of cancer, confesses to her 21-year-old son that he is adopted. The man who abandoned them, whom the boy has become obsessed by, is not his real father. Why do we lie to those closest to us? Hellfire delves deep into the dark heart of family, and what drives people to commit the most horrific of crimes.

Inspector Sejer

Hellfire

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