In the final chapter of their saga, the Musketeers must reckon with France’s most famous mystery—"The Man in the Iron Mask". As the story begins, D’Artagnan is in the service of the corrupt King Louis XIV. Meanwhile, his old friends Aramis and Porthos are hatching a coup. They’ve learned that the king’s identical twin is locked away in prison. If they can somehow swap the places of the two men, France will be saved. It’s a plan that sets the Musketeers on a collision course with each other. Inspired by a real story, "The Man in the Iron Mask" is a rip-roaring historical adventure. And a fitting send-off to literature’s greatest swashbucklers. Recommended for anyone who loved the movie with Leonardo DiCaprio and Jeremy Irons. Alexandre Dumas (1802 - 1870) was a hugely popular 19th century French writer. Born of mixed French and Haitian heritage, Dumas first rose to prominence in Paris as a playwright, but later gained international fame with his historical fiction. Often co-authored with other writers, these stories wove together swashbuckling adventure, romance, and real events from France’s past. Among the best known are "The Three Musketeers", and its sequels "Twenty Years After", and "Le Vicomte de Bragelonne: Ten Years Later". Set across four decades, this trilogy follows the rise of the dashing D’Artagnan—from hot-headed soldier to trusted captain under Louis XIV. Dumas’ other novels include "The Count of Monte Cristo" and "The Black Tulip". His works have been adapted into more than 200 movies, including "The Man in the Iron Mask" starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

The Three Musketeers

The Man in the Iron Mask

'Jesus the Troublemaker' is an immersive account of the dramatic last week of the life of Jesus of Nazareth, or rather Yeshua Ish-Natzaret. He was a Galilean Jew who spoke Aramaic with a northern accent. Full of dramatic incidents and confrontational dialogues, the book uncovers many events behind the bare record of the Gospels of Mark, Luke and John. For example, why did Yeshua arrive late at the Temple for his triumphal entry? Because he had just walked 18 miles uphill from Jericho! Why were the chief priests so hostile to Yeshua? Because his clearing the traders out of the Temple was not a one-off demonstration, it was a four day occupation! Why are there different accounts of the first Easter Day? This is solved by the simple question, Where was Simon Peter? Sister Hilda Mary wrote, "Well! Holy Week has come alive in a new way and will never be the same again. The book has finally removed set images and confusions stuck in my mind from so many years and something much more vibrant and alive has replaced them." Premier Christianity wrote: "The main section of the book is a narrative account of Jesus’ last eight days, written as fiction but still faithful to the Gospel accounts …. If Andy Roland’s desire is to bring the story of Jesus alive to a new audience and answer questions about the cultural context, the book succeeds."

Jesus the Troublemaker

A HISTORICAL NOVEL OF THE PERILS OF NEWLYWED LIFE AND ALL THAT COMES TO DIVIDE LOVERS In 1897 newly married Beryl and Edward Massart travel more than one thousand miles from Quebec to farm a plot of land in Wisconsin that they bought sight-unseen. An almost magical grove of maples on their property inspires them to dream of a real home built within the grove, not the tiny log cabin they’ve come to live in. Misunderstandings and tempers get the better of them when difficulties and troubles arise. Just months after they wed, Edward leaves pregnant Beryl in the midst of the coming winter to tend the farm and animals while he goes to be a teamster at a northern Wisconsin logging camp. Will Beryl and Edward walk into the future together to build their house of dreams in the grove of maples, or will their plans topple like a house of sticks when the winds of misunderstanding and disaster strike? Readers of Christian historical fiction, Historical fiction, Women’s fiction, and Christian historical romance will be endeared to this slice of late 19th century farm life.

Sheltering Trees

In a Grove of Maples

Featuring an exclusive message from the author, listen to the escapist Sunday Times bestselling debut from the nation’s best loved TV presenter, Carol Kirkwood.‘Loved it! It sizzles with secrets and passion. A real page turner!’ Jo ThomasOne woman returns to the island that changed her life forever A-list actress Shauna Jackson has the perfect life. Fame, fortune, marriage. Or so it seems. Running from a scandal, Shauna flees to the place that changed her life twenty years ago, the idyllic Greek island of Ithos. Captivated once more by the azure seas and scented olive groves, bittersweet memories resurface of one summer, one unforgettable man, and a long-hidden secret. Shauna can escape Hollywood, but can she escape her past? ‘Utterly engaging, deliciously escapist, with a heart as warm as its author's’ Cathy Kelly, bestselling author of The Family Gift ‘An absolute cracking read – it’s brilliant!’ Steph McGovern presenter of Packed Lunch ‘Sun-soaked, glamorous escapism.’ Cressida McLaughlin ‘A sizzling summer read. I couldn’t put it down.’ Alex Brown, bestselling author of The Secret of Orchard Cottage ‘An exquisite tale of love lost and found that’s full of intriguing characters and romantic locations. A Perfect summer read.’ Judy Murray Five Star reviews from NetGalley: Excellent debut novel ***** You had me hooked from the very first page, right through to the very last word! I was riveted. I’m in awe. ***** 100% recommend sitting and relaxing with your favourite cocktail and getting lost in this truly wonderful romance. I loved it. ***** A great summer read! ***** Full of wonderful descriptions of sun-drenched Greek islands, Hollywood and its screen icons; I didn't want to put it down. ***** This book makes for a perfect summer read and one I definitely recommend reading. ***** Absolutely adored this book. I'm pretty sure I didn't move the whole time I was reading it! *****

Under a Greek Moon

The brand-new emotional and heart-breaking novel from Amelia Henley ‘An ode to finding the meaning in grief, in our life’s purpose, and in deciding to live and love fully, The Art of Loving You broke my heart and then rebuilt it again. Just gorgeous’ Laura Jane Williams, bestselling author of Our Stop ‘A heart achingly beautiful story of love, grief and hope that reflects on the power of love, family and friendship’ Jules Wake, bestselling author of The Spark 'Wistfully uplifting, with a sprinkling of the extraordinary – Libby and Jack’s story is a testament to the power of love and the comfort of hope. I loved it!' Holly Hepburn, author of Coming Home to Brightwater Bay * * * They were so in love . . . And then life changed forever . . . Will they find happiness again? Libby and Jack are the happiest they’ve ever been. Thanks to their dear friend, eighty-year-old Sid, they’ve just bought their first house together, and it's the beginning of the life they've always dreamed of. But the universe has other plans for Libby and Jack and a devastating twist of fate shatters their world. All of a sudden life is looking very different, and unlikely though it seems, might Sid be the one person who can help Libby and Jack move forward when what they loved the most has been lost? The Art of Loving You is a beautiful love story for our times. Romantic and uplifting, it will break your heart and then put it back together again. Perfect for fans of Rebecca Serle,Josie Silver and Sophie Cousens. * * * Readers have fallen in love with The Art of Loving You ‘Wow this book is amazing and 5 stars in my eyes, I absolutely loved this book and would recommend everyone reads this’ NetGalley reviewer, 5* ‘The Art of Loving You is a love story but not as you know it! A story that packs an emotional punch and will leave you breathless’ NetGalley reviewer, 5* ‘A heartbreaking and emotional read. This book will stay with me for a long time’ NetGalley reviewer, 5* ‘A five-star read that will break you, but I promise it will put you back together again. This one blew me away … [and] should come with a packet or two of tissues’ NetGalley reviewer, 5*

The Art of Loving You

The Ramsey family, with house guests, visit the Isle of Skye at least twice. The plot is not at all the point though, as this is a book about how people think and feel and relate. There’s insight into the world of childhood thought and emotion, and a variety of views of adult cares and perceptions. I hope this doesn’t make it sound ‘difficult’, it doesn’t need to be – just let the sentences flow and make your own sense of the words. It’s perhaps as close as a novel can come to the highly individual experience of looking at a painting Produced by Macc Kay Production executive Avalon Giuliano ICON Intern Eden Garret Giuliano ©2021 Eden Garret Giuliano (P) 2021 Eden Garret Giuliano Geoffrey Giuliano is the author of over thirty internationally bestselling biographies, including the London Sunday Times bestseller 'Blackbird: The Life and Times of Paul McCartney' and 'Dark Horse: The Private Life of George Harrison'. He can be heard on the Westwood One Radio Network and has written and produced over seven hundred original spoken word albums and video documentaries on various aspects of popular culture. In addition, Giuliano is an occasional lecturer at Northwestern University. He is also a well-known movie actor in such films as 'Mechanic Resurrection and the 'Scorpion King' series, among many. Geoffrey is a near lifelong student of Bhakti (Devotional) Yoga and an ardent animal rights advocate. He makes his home with his son Eden in Bangkok and Vrndavana, and Jaipur India.

To The Lighthouse

Shortly before Bel's marriage to Ellis Brownlee, her friend, Louise Armstrong, goes house hunting for them and discovers a charming but neglected old stone cottage in the Cotswolds. Bel adores the house, called Fletchers End. Ellis buys the place from the absentee-owner, Lieutenant Commander Lestrange, and, after a picture-book wedding, the happy couple move in. As she embarks on her new life as a devoted wife, Bel loyally guides Louise through her own romantic tribulations. She also enjoys sharing with Ellis the excitement and satisfaction of decorating their first real home, as well as unravelling the mysteries of the old stone cottage. But with the unexpected arrival of Lieutenant Commander Lestrange, the peace of Fletchers End is suddenly threatened…

Fletchers End

It's Christmas in the small town of Silver Springs, which is bursting with holiday spirit. The downtown shops boast twinkling lights, and the town square features an enormous Christmas tree. Every Christmas Eve for the past fifty years, Ruby Harris, the owner of the historic B&B, The Christmas House, has opened her doors to strangers in need, showing them the compassion once denied to her. When Ruby invites her family home for the holidays, including her two adult grandchildren, Charlotte and Olivia, she hopes they will be able to put the past behind them. However, her plans for reconciliation implode as the women unravel secrets from the past that force them to confront the impact they've had on their dysfunctional family. As Charlotte grows closer to Wyatt, the neighbor next door and a friend from the past, old memories resurface that the women would rather forget. They're reminded of a man they want to forget. As the clock inches closer to the New Year, can the magic of the season bring the family closer? Or will a surprise guest threaten their tentative truce and test newly formed bonds? This light-hearted Christmas tale draws inspiration from Victoria James's own historical fixer-upper, offering plenty of warmth and holiday cheer.

The Christmas House

An authentic description of an expedition across the heart of the Rocky Mountains that turned out to be an elaborate hoax. "The Journal of Julius Rodman" is Edgar Allen Poe’s second attempt at producing a lengthier work and until recently even hardcore fans have missed out on this adventurous gem. It tells the story of the first expedition over the Rocky Mountains conducted by "civilized man" and is packed with wild and vivid nature descriptions, encounters with Native American tribes and supreme emotions bringing Leonardo DiCaprio’s "The Revenant" to mind. Intended as a serialized novel, it was published anonymously in six instalments in Burton’s Gentleman Magazine in 1839-40 while Poe was working as a contributing editor. This novel, though unfinished, is extremely enjoyable and even prominent Senators initially believed the expedition to be a true story. A must-read for bona fide Poe fans. Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) was an American poet, author, and literary critic. Most famous for his poetry, short stories, and tales of the supernatural, mysterious, and macabre, he is also regarded as the inventor of the detective genre and a contributor to the emergence of science fiction, dark romanticism, and weird fiction. His most famous works include "The Raven" (1945), "The Black Cat" (1943), and "The Gold-Bug" (1843).

Horror Classics

The Journal of Julius Rodman

November 1800, Maine. After helping their long-time friend Tobias escort his wife, along with a liberated slave and her child, from the Great Dismal back to Durham, Will and Lydia Rees’s lives are interrupted when a dead body is found near their home. The body is that of Mr. Gilbert, a slaveholder from the Great Dismal. Was he murdered in pursuit of the former slaves? When it’s discovered Gilbert was infected with smallpox, and Gilbert’s sister arrives demanding justice and the return of her absconded slaves, Will is torn. Finding the killer could lead to the recapture of the former slaves. Letting them go free could result in a false arrest and endanger the Durham community. But Will must make a choice…

A Will Rees Mystery

Murder on Principle

Evans Pemberton has always had a problem saying no—to her overbearing Mississippi Delta family, to her business mentor’s push to expand her thriving pie shop, and to her lifelong crush, Jake Champagne. But Jake chose her beauty-queen cousin three years ago and ghosted on their close friendship. When he comes to her small town in Alabama with a new pro-hockey franchise, Evie fears she’ll lose her heart all over again. Of course, she'll forgive him like the good Southern woman she is, but anything more than that is off the table. So why can’t she stop baking for him? Jake is looking forward to a new team, a new town, and a clean slate in Laurel Springs. After a disastrous year, the hockey hotshot is leaving his past behind—even betting his best friend that he can stay away from women. But he’s happy to reconnect with a piece of home when he visits Evie. Between slices of Mississippi mud pie and chicken potpie, he’s starting to remember all the good times they had and the man he always intended to be… not to mention what a fool he was to let Evie get away. How will they find a future together when she can’t say no and he can’t say yes? The path to true love isn’t quite easy as pie, but it sure is sweet in the end.

Good Southern Women

Sweet as Pie

Mariam is pregnant and fleeing an abusive marriage as the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait begins. Leaving her husband Tareq for dead, she crosses the border and is evacuated with the help of Raj, who she meets at a refugee camp and who suggests she assume the identity of his dead wife so she can be issued Indian papers. Twenty-five years later, Mariam is still living under the identity of Raj’s Indian wife in the US. In an attempt to put her past to rest, she attends an event commemorating the anniversary of the invasion at the Kuwaiti embassy. Also in attendance is Tareq, miraculously still alive, who had assumed his wife was killed in the invasion decades before. Angry and obsessed, he begins planning his revenge. The confrontation that follows forces Mariam to confront her past as a victim and decide who she really is, once and for all.

Sirens of Memory

Henry V is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written near 1599. It tells the story of King Henry V of England, focusing on events immediately before and after the Battle of Agincourt (1415) during the Hundred Years' War. In the First Quarto text, it was titled The Cronicle History of Henry the fift, and The Life of Henry the Fifth in the First Folio text. The play is the final part of a tetralogy, preceded by Richard II, Henry IV, Part 1, and Henry IV, Part 2. The original audiences would thus have already been familiar with the title character, who was depicted in the Henry IV plays as a wild, undisciplined young man. In Henry V, the young prince has matured. He embarks on an expedition to France and, his army badly outnumbered, defeats the French at Agincourt. William Shakespeare (bapt. 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's greatest dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon" (or simply "the Bard"). His extant works, including collaborations, consist of some 39 plays, 154 sonnets, three long narrative poems, and a few other verses, some of uncertain authorship. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. They also continue to be studied and reinterpreted.

The Life of King Henry V

Jessica is grieving for her beloved father, Jacob Kingdom, a trawler owner fondly remembered by his crew. But a confrontation with her mother leads to Jessica being cast out from the family home and the reveal of a shameful secret. It isn't long before she meets a charismatic trawlerman who is proud to walk out with Kingdom's daughter on his arm, in spite of the discontent among the fisherman now her cold-hearted brother is running the business. With Jessica desperate to prove herself worthy of a place in her tight-knit community, does she have what it takes to weather the storm of her life to come, or will her secret hold her back from embracing who she is?

Daughter of the Sea

Long nights, empty stomachs, and impulsive cravings haunt these stories. A college grad reunites with a high-school crush when invited to his bachelor party, a lonely cat-sitter wreaks havoc on his friends' apartment, happy-hour french fries leave more than grease on lips and fingers, and, squeezed into a diner booth, one man eats past his limit for the sake of friendship. Exploring the lives of bisexual and gay Puerto Rican men, these fifteen stories show a vulnerable, intimate world of yearning and desire. The stars of these narratives linger between living their truest selves and remaining in the wings, embarking on a journey of self-discovery to satisfy their hunger for companionship and belonging.

I'm Not Hungry But I Could Eat

Single father Chance Adams will do anything to get back his share of the family ranch—even if it means charming his uncle’s ornery stepdaughter, schoolteacher Jenny Adams. But is he prepared to fall in love? Jenny has always dreamed of finding the perfect man, but Chance, with his hellion, if lovable, son and his unbending grudge against her family, doesn't exactly fit the picture. She knows he has a one-track mind—but is it just her imagination, or is he starting to feel something more?

Adams Dynasty

Unexpected Mommy

In this well-known classic, a school inspector travelling to the village of Pit End wonders whether the things he's seeing are products of his imagination or something supernatural. There's a rational answer, but is it the right one? Was It an Illusion is taken from the Victorian Anthologies series featuring short stories by classic writers of the spooky, the scary and the supernatural. Guaranteed to give you the shivers, each collection includes familiar and loved creepy tales as well as those less well-known. With music by Benedict Edwards.

Victorian Ghosts

Was It an Illusion

When Sherlock Holmes began his practice as a consulting detective, his ideas of scientific criminal investigations caused the London police to look upon him as a mere ‘theorist’. And yet, through his work, the science behind catching criminals became so important that it's hard now to imagine the world without them. Many famous Great Detectives followed in Holmes's footsteps - Nero Wolfe and Ellery Queen, Hercule Poirot and Solar Pons - but before they began their careers - and while Holmes was still in practice in Baker Street - another London consultant, Dr. John Thorndyke, opened his doors using the scientific methods developed and perfected by Holmes, even taking them to a whole new level of brilliance. Between 1905, with his first appearance in a nearly forgotten novella, to 1942 and through the course of twenty-one novels and over forty short stories, Dr. Thorndyke (often with the assistance of his friend Dr. Christopher Jervis) unravelled some incredibly complex puzzles. Besides providing very satisfying mysteries - some of which turned the literary form inside out - these adventures present vivid pictures of England in the late Victorian and early Edwardian eras, ranging from the doctor's own vividly drawn chambers at 5A Kings Bench Walk in the Temple to the surrounding London streets and beyond. In this first book of the series, Dr. Jervis encounters his old friend Dr. Thorndyke; soon after they are drawn into a mystery in which a man is accused of murder and his own bloody thumbprint - evidence that cannot be denied - places him absolutely at the scene of the crime. But for Thorndyke, things may not be quite as straightforward as they seem. Can one forge a thumb print? As Thorndyke investigates, it becomes apparent that he is too much of a threat, and must be removed…

The Complete Dr. Thorndyke

The Red Thumb Mark

Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra was born 29 September 1547 was a Spanish writer widely regarded as the greatest writer in the Spanish language and one of the world's pre-eminent novelists. He is best known for his novel Don Quixote, a work often cited as both the first modern novel and one of the pinnacles of world literature. Much of his life was spent in poverty and obscurity, many of its details are disputed or unknown, and the bulk of his surviving work was produced in the three years preceding his death. Despite this, his influence and literary contribution are reflected by the fact that Spanish is often referred to as "the language of Cervantes".[12] An incident in the story of Don Quixote (1870), by English painter Robert Hillingford, depicts a scene from Cervantes' magnum opus. In 1569, Cervantes was forced to leave Spain and moved to Rome, where he worked in the household of a cardinal. In 1570, he enlisted in a Spanish Navy infantry regiment and was badly wounded at the Battle of Lepanto in October 1571. He served as a soldier until 1575, when he was captured by Barbary pirates; after five years in captivity, he was ransomed and returned to Madrid. His first significant novel, titled La Galatea, was published in 1585, but he continued to work as a purchasing agent, then later a government tax collector. Part One of Don Quixote was published in 1605, Part Two in 1615. Other works include the 12 Exemplary Novels a long poem, Journey to Parnassus); and Eight Plays and Eight Entr'actes. The Travails of Persiles and Sigismunda, was published posthumously in 1616. He died on 22 April 1616. Produced by Macc Kay Production executive Avalon Giuliano ICON Intern Eden Garret Giuliano ©2021 Eden Garret Giuliano (P) 2021 Eden Garret Giuliano Geoffrey Giuliano is the author of over thirty internationally bestselling biographies, including the London Sunday Times bestseller 'Blackbird: The Life and Times of Paul McCartney' and 'Dark Horse:

Don Quixote

“Jungle Tales of Tarzan“ is a collection of short stories by Edgar Rice Burroughs, an American fiction writer, who created such great characters as Tarzan and John Carter of Mars. This is a collection of twelve loosely connected short stories comprising the sixth book in a series of twenty-four books about the title character Tarzan. The story follows Tarzan's adventures, from his childhood being raised by apes in the jungle to his eventual encounters with other humans and Western society.

Jungle Tales of Tarzan

Milady is finally behind bars. During the day, she patiently plots her escape. And at night, she dreams of reaping revenge on D'Artagnan. In this final part of "The Three Musketeers", our heroes’ story looks to be drawing to a close. But the Cardinal and Milady have other ideas. Athos, Aramis, Porthos and D’Artagnan will have to use all their wits in this final struggle. It’s a fitting end to Dumas’ epic, which takes his famous blend of action and romance into some unexpected directions. And if you’re left wanting more Musketeers, don’t despair! Their adventures continue in the sequel "Twenty Years After". Alexandre Dumas (1802 - 1870) was a hugely popular 19th century French writer. Born of mixed French and Haitian heritage, Dumas first rose to prominence in Paris as a playwright, but later gained international fame with his historical fiction. Often co-authored with other writers, these stories wove together swashbuckling adventure, romance, and real events from France’s past. Among the best known are "The Three Musketeers", and its sequels "Twenty Years After", and "Le Vicomte de Bragelonne: Ten Years Later". Set across four decades, this trilogy follows the rise of the dashing D’Artagnan—from hot-headed soldier to trusted captain under Louis XIV. Dumas’ other novels include "The Count of Monte Cristo" and "The Black Tulip". His works have been adapted into more than 200 movies, including The Man in the Iron Mask starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

The Three Musketeers IV

Russia was by no means paradise at the turn of the twentieth century, but it was decidedly worse for the poor and homeless community. This play centres around a motley crew of drunkards, vagabonds, and petty criminals whose lives are forever changed by the arrival of mysterious pilgrim Luka. A pillar of Maxim Gorky’s social realism, ‘The Lower Depths’ oozes pessimism, social criticism, and alcoholism. An essential read for fans of both modern and classical Russian literature, from Leo Tolstoy to Boris Akunin. As a five-time Nobel Prize nominee, Maxim Gorky (1868-1936) rightfully holds a spot at the table of the most talented Russian writers. He led a turbulent life as an exile, a dissenter, and a Bolshevik associate. His most notable works include "The Lower Depths", "My Childhood,", "Mother", and "Children of the Sun" all of which are characterised by his realism.

World Classics

The Lower Depths

As You Like It is a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 and first published in the First Folio in 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance at Wilton House in 1603 has been suggested as a possibility. William Shakespeare (bapt. 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's greatest dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon" (or simply "the Bard"). His extant works, including collaborations, consist of some 39 plays,154 sonnets, three long narrative poems, and a few other verses, some of uncertain authorship. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. They also continue to be studied and reinterpreted.

As You Like It

A TIME PORTRAYAL FROM A EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE    This collection includes stories from different societal environments, their drama, and problems. At the same time as the book also is moving on another level in an underlying story. It is a time portrayal of a crumbling industrial society. Where dark clouds are covering the sky as it is no longer in line with the development.    The first story starts on a peaceful day on the beach. With an approaching mystery and ends in the eye of a storm in "Breaths" on the edge of destruction. A new society, the digital, is showing its youthful energy as the story is leaving the lighthouse behind. Like in all times of similar transformations the engines always have been a combination of new technologies and people that have shown the way.    It is these people that are the Bordertravellers. They, who with a humanistic spirit show the injustices in the old society but also works as the architects for the new,  in both small and bigger contexts.    In this dynamic environment, we are meeting Emmy that during her teenage-years was affected by a brutal injustice and the current norms forced her to a suffering silence. Then one day she comes back to the place everything started. Or Zoe that despite unique top competence and talent is forced in accordance with the welfare state's norms to clean floors due to her ethnic background. But she breaks out from this imprisonment. Or the timeless struggle between humanism and religious dogmas where the latter all too often develops into a monster. Or how men with power, because it is often men, stand defenseless when the wind of change blows, but they continue like Don Quijote to fight under bloodshed against windmill after a windmill. These are just some of the perspectives that are hiding in this collection of short stories.    In general, it is empowered by the dynamism of European philosophy and history, where Erasmus, Aristotle, Sir Francis Bacon, Martin Luther among others gives fuel to the stories.

Bordertraveller Stories

The Christmas Collection will accompany you throughout this magical Christmas period. more than 400+ illustrated novels, stories, poems, songs and Christmas legends that will delight both children and adult

Christmas reading collection (Illustrated Edition)

M.R. James (1862–1936) was a medievalist scholar; Provost of King's College, Cambridge. He wrote many of his ghost stories to be read aloud in the long tradition of spooky Christmas Eve tales. His stories often use rural settings, with a quiet, scholarly protagonist getting caught up in the activities of supernatural forces. The details of horror are almost never explicit, the stories relying on a gentle, bucolic background to emphasise the awfulness of the otherworldly intrusions.

M. R. James Collection

A Warning to the Curious and Other Ghost Stories

Hyacinth Dawson’s life runs like clockwork—and she likes it that way. Spreadsheets, lists, and plans have never failed her, and now they’re going to help her get her bridal shop on the popular reality TV show All Dressed in White. But it won’t happen unless she can land a celebrity client… maybe one of those new NHL players in town. Enter Robbie McTavish, a fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants Scottish defenseman who can’t help but meddle when he spies a bride in Hyacinth’s shop wearing a completely wrong dress for her figure. Robbie’s family just happens to own the Scottish Highlands’ premier wedding venue, and he knows his way around bustled trains and buttercream frosting—even if his help seems to be less than welcome. When a video of his infuriating interference goes viral, the TV producers decide to film at Hyacinth’s shop—as long as her “associate” Robbie is part of the package. Opposites might attract, but as far as Hyacinth’s concerned, no amount of chemistry is worth the way this particular plus-one threatens to blow up her carefully laid plans…

Smooth as Silk

This collection includes two of the most notable titles from author Thomas Hardy, Tess of the d'Urbervilles and Far from the Madding Crowd. Tess Durbeyfield, the daughter of an impoverished family, must navigate a world of desire and romance once she meets Alec d'Urberville. The son of a rich widow, he takes a fancy to her and gets her a position as the poultry keeper on his family's estate. However, her good fortune is soon complicated by Alec's libertine ways, and Tess returns home shamed. Once recovered, she separates herself from the gossip by finding work at a dairy farm outside the village. There, she meets and falls for Angel Clare, the eligible youngest son of the local reverend. But as her life begins to change for the better, she is troubled by a moral dilemma: whether or not to tell Angel about her past. Gabriel Oak is a shepherd struggling to get ahead when Bathsheba Everdene moves next door. Although he loves her, she sees him as a friend and rejects him for two other suitors. After she leaves town, she and Gabriel are reunited years later, once everything has changed. In this classic novel, Thomas Hardy depicts the English countryside as idyllic but also hard and unforgiving, much like the Victorian mindsets of the day.

The Best of Thomas Hardy

Contents The Seagrave family are on a stout ship en route for Australia. In a storm the ship is struck by lightning, set on fire, and dismasted. The crew make off in the ship's boats and the family are abandoned on board the sinking ship, along with an elderly seaman, Masterman Ready. But she doesn't sink, instead drifting to the shelter of an uninhabited island, where they scramble ashore, and set up a habitation. How they get on, what ordeals they have to endure, and how they are eventually rescued, is the substance of the book.

The shipwreck of the PACIFIC

An epic portrait of crime, punishment, exile, justice, redemption, love, despair and high idealism, Les Misérables is justifiably regarded as one of the greatest novels of all time. At its heart are the reverberations rippling from the life of one man. Jean Valjean. Imprisoned in the Bagne of Toulon for 19 years for the original crime of stealing a loaf of bread, Valjean emerges embittered; fuelled by rage at a broken system of justice. When the course of his life is changed by a single, unexpected act of faith and generosity he begins a life of escape and reparation. Yet as he attempts to forge a place in society Valjean is forever dogged by the pursuit of tenacious policeman Javert, who sees in the law only an immoveable and undeniable force to be obeyed at all costs.

Victor Hugo Collection

Les Miserables

One of Wharton’s earliest works, ‘The Marne’ offers a fascinating insight into the shadow cast by the First World War. When 15 year-old American, Troy Belknap, is on his annual holiday in France, war breaks out. While Troy would love to fight for the French but is too young for service. Will he be able to live with himself or will frustration swallow him up? ‘The Marne’ is a culturally-significant story and one that allows us to see and experience France as the author herself did. A thrilling and thought-provoking story from one of America’s greatest novelists. Edith Wharton (1862 – 1937) was an American designer and novelist. Born in an era when the highest ambition a woman could aspire to was a good marriage, Wharton went on to become one of America’s most celebrated authors. During her career, she wrote over 40 books, using her wealthy upbringing to bring authenticity and detail to stories about the upper classes. She moved to France in 1923, where she continued to write until her death.

The Marne

In "Schalken the Painter," Sheridan Le Fanu weaves a compelling tale that blends gothic horror with psychological intrigue, exploring themes of art, obsession, and the supernatural. Set in the 17th century, the novella follows the young artist Godfried Schalken, whose life becomes intertwined with a haunting love story marked by a mysterious figure and a dire bargain. Le Fanu's rich, atmospheric prose evokes an eerie sense of dread, while his intricate narrative structure reflects the influence of Gothic literature prevalent during his time, drawing readers into a world where the boundaries between reality and the supernatural blur unsettlingly. Le Fanu, an Irish author renowned for his contributions to the gothic genre, lived during the Victorian era, a period rife with fascination for the macabre and the unseen. His understanding of the psychological complexities of his characters, alongside his deep appreciation for art, is evident throughout the novella. This duality between the corporeal world and a chilling supernatural dimension mirrors his own existential inquiries and societal observations at the time. "Schalken the Painter" is a must-read for enthusiasts of gothic fiction and those interested in the intersection of art and horror. Le Fanu's masterful storytelling and vivid characterizations invite readers to ponder the darker aspects of creativity, making this novella not only engaging but philosophically resonant.

Schalken the Painter

'Once' was written by D H Lawrence in 1912. The story is largely autobiographical, written when Lawrence and Frieda (Anita in the Story) had fled England together to live in Austria and Italy. Frieda had had an affair while they were in Austria and she told Lawrence about it. 'Once' explores Lawrence's reactions to being betrayed while still being in love and desiring the betrayer.

Once

'The Undying Man' is a slight unfinished piece, drawing its inspiration from Shelley's 'Frankenstein' about the creation of life and the fear of death. It is interesting to speculate where Lawrence would have gone with the story but the sound of broken glass is the most likely ending.

The Undying Man

'The Lovely Lady' is a fine observation of a life - the lovely lady of the title - which thrives by sucking the life out of others. The two victims escape by a somewhat melodramatic and comical means but in the process destroy the lovely lady and form what will probably be a dull and passionless union.

The Lovely Lady

'The Mortal Coil' is one of Lawrence's darker stories. From adversity the lovers find a kind of happiness in each other only for death to snatch it away.

The Mortal Coil

'Wintry Peacock' is, on the surface, a tale of misdirected love or even irresponsible love, the relationship between the wife and the peacock being the most strange but it is the conspiracy of the two men in the story to prevent the truth coming out about the husband's love child that is most disturbing. The innocent are punished and the guilty get away with their sins and the author goes laughing down the hill at the end of the story.

Wintry Peacock

‘The Wilful Woman’ was written by D H Lawrence in 1922. 'The Wilful Woman' remained unfinished and so the tough, spoiled, rich American woman, used to having her own way, does not get the nemesis Lawrence may have had in mind for her. Whether it was the Wordsworthian lessons of nature as she battles her way through the American wilderness or the harder lessons of a waiting husband who may or may not want her, we will never know.

The Wilful Woman

Love, Lies and Lemon Cake is a hilarious, bittersweet comedy about taking your life back before it’s too late. Faye Dobson has lost her sparkle. Living on film star fantasies and vague memories of a marriage that once was, she can’t help feeling that life is passing her by. She dreams of being whisked to Paris for dinner, making three wishes at the Trevi fountain and having sex under the stars. But the wrinkles are multiplying, her husband’s passion is for plumbing, and the nearest she’ll get to Rome is a take-away pizza. So when Faye meets Dan the gorgeous Australian surfer guy working in the local deli she can’t help but wonder what it would be like to see the world. He is blonde, tanned, ten years younger and bakes the most amazing lemon cake. Unlike her husband Dan actually listens to Faye, his smile makes her feel fizzy inside, and when he smiles... Oh. My. God. But is Faye being silly? What would Dan see in someone like her? Even if he did have feelings for her, could she give up everything to be with him? What people are saying about Sue Watson... ‘Laugh-out-loud funny, this book is exceptionally good.’ Chick Lit Club ‘a talented chick lit author with fresh and unique voice and going on my list of all time faves.’ This Chick Reads ‘Love, Lies and Lemon Cake is a deliciously hilarious book that will have you laughing out loud and rooting for the new Faye! From vajazzled lady parts to fake bake, orange self-tanners, Sue Watson’s humour is brilliant and spot on! This is the perfect book for summer! Don’t walk, but run out and get this book. You will be glad that you did!’ Book Mama blog 'Sue’s writing is witty and heartfelt in just the right amounts.' One More Page ‘Sue has an absolutely amazing way of making you feel the emotions of her characters, and making you step into their shoes.’ Kim the Bookworm Sue Watson was a journalist on women’s magazines and national newspapers before leaving it all behind for a career in TV. As a producer with the BBC she worked on garden makeovers, kitchen takeovers and daytime sofas – all the time making copious notes so that one day she might escape to the country and turn it all into a book. After much deliberation and copious consumption of cake, Sue eventually left her life in TV to write. After a very successful debut novel, Fat Girls and Fairy Cakes Sue signed a deal with Bookouture.

Love, Lies and Lemon Cake

The Vanderhaven family of Manhattan has it all: wealth, prestige, good looks, and a thriving business empire. But their seemingly perfect world is ripped apart when their younger daughter, eight-year-old Brenna, runs off after overhearing her parents arguing. Out on the streets, she quickly realizes she’s lost. Even more frightening, Brenna soon realizes that a man is following her. Meanwhile, in a townhouse in Brooklyn, Callie Griffin is throwing a birthday party for her one-year-old son, Oliver. The joy of the day is ruined by her sister Lauren’s too short, drive-by appearance. Once close, the two sisters haven’t been able to move past a falling out that took place three years before. When Brenna notices the strange man getting closer, she panics and takes refuge in the Griffin home, befriending their four-year-old daughter, Summer, who is waiting out the party upstairs. As family and friends search for Brenna, her absence helps her father realize the importance of family, even as her presence in the Griffin home unwittingly sets in motion healing for a mother’s heart.

Missing Her More

When former pro-football quarterback Aidan Mitchell comes to Chesapeake Shores to take a high-school coaching job, he's embraced by the town—especially the O'Briens. But Aidan has a secret that could alter all their lives. For wounded Liz March, who's trying for a fresh start after a devastating betrayal, taking a chance on Aidan may be more than she can handle. Her heart, however, refuses to listen to her head. But just when forever seems within reach, Aidan's secret threatens to change everything. Does this tempting stranger who's made her feel alive have the power to convince her to look beyond the past and reach for the future? Don't miss The Sweet Magnolias, another great series from Sherryl Woods and a Netflix Original Series!

Chesapeake Shores

Dogwood Hill

No nine-to-five cubicle career will suit Stacie Calder—the naturalist much prefers working in the great outdoors. Specifically, the spacious and spectacular Alaskan wilderness, whose rugged charms she shares with sightseers on the top deck of the tour boat where she works. But one May afternoon, Stacie’s passengers see more than glittering glaciers, frolicking harbor seals, climbing bears, and soaring seabirds…they also witness a man lying dead in the frigid Alaskan waters. And it seems likely that someone gave him a fatal push. Stacie didn’t know the unfortunate victim, but he sure wanted to know a lot about her. He spent most of his final afternoon bombarding her with questions quite awkward to answer. And when he wasn’t in her hair, he was arguing incessantly with the boat’s beleaguered crew—which makes for a suspect list about as long as the passenger manifest. Furthermore, as police helicopters relentlessly circle her boat in search of any clues, Stacie is shaken to find herself on that suspect list. Before the tour boat reaches shore, Stacie—accompanied by her beautiful blue-eyed husky, Sasha—must deduce just who sent the testy tourist tumbling into the turgid waters and have the authorities take custody. Because if she can’t, the killer might aim a fatal ice-cold stare at her.

An Alaska Untamed Mystery

Bear Witness

Noted as one of the most popular series in American literature, the works of L. Frank Baum have been brought together in this singular collection that ensures the fun never stops! Embark on the journey that has capitated audiences for over a century. This collection contains the following: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz The Marvelous Land of Oz Ozma of Oz Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz The Road to Oz The Emerald City of Oz The Patchwork Girl of Oz Tik-Tok of Oz The Scarecrow of Oz Rinkitink of Oz The Lost Princess of Oz The Tin Woodman of Oz The Magic of Oz Glinda of Oz

The Complete Oz Collection

'Lessford's Rabbits' was written by D H Lawrence in 1908. It was the second of his sixty-seven short stories, all of which will be published individually in audio format by the Blackthorn Press. The story is set in a local school and gives an insight into the poverty and spirit of working class children as well as a glimpse of Lawrence's time as a teacher.

Lessford's Rabbits

The Norse thought they could conquer Scotland. They were wrong. Melcorka is an ordinary young woman from the Isles. But when her homeland of Alba is attacked by the Viking horde, Melcorka abandons her life of luxury and chooses the path of a warrior. With a ragtag band of companions, she heads south to unite the clans and free the land from the Norsemen's scourge - and claim her destiny.

The Swordswoman

A richly-detailed and compelling historical saga for fans of Dilly Court, Sheila Newberry and Rosie Goodwin!Una Kelly has grown up to be a rough-and-tumble grifter, able to filch a pocketbook in five seconds flat. But when another con-woman pins her for a murder she didn’t commit, Una is forced to flee. Running from the police, Una lies her way into an unlikely refuge: the nursing school at Bellevue Hospital. Based on Florence Nightingale’s nursing principles, Bellevue is the first school of its kind in the country. Where once nurses were assumed to be ignorant and unskilled, Bellevue prizes discipline, intellect, and moral character, and only young women of good breeding need apply. At first, Una balks at her prim classmates and the doctors’ endless commands. Yet life on the streets has prepared her for the horrors of injury and disease found on the wards, and she slowly gains friendship and self-respect. Just as she finds her footing, Una’s suspicions about a patient’s death put her at risk of exposure, and will force her to choose between her instinct for self-preservation, and exposing her identity in order to save others… Readers love this book:‘Definitely a book worth reading…I loved the plot and got caught up in it’ Mary ‘Different to anything I've read recently…Great characters and a gripping story, this book had it all’ Wendy ‘So much more than your usual historical saga…Great storyline and I really enjoyed the character of Una and her fight to better herself from humble beginnings’ Angela ‘The cover says that lovers of Dilly Court would enjoy this book…I for one did…as well as enjoyable I also found myself learning a lot too!!!’ Liza

The Nurse’s Secret

Heart of Darkness is a novella written by Polish-born writer Joseph Conrad (born Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski). Before its 1902 publication, it appeared as a three-part series (1899) in Blackwood's Magazine. It is widely regarded as a significant work of English literature and part of the Western canon. This highly symbolic story is actually a story within a story, or frame narrative. It follows Marlow as he recounts, from dusk through to late night, his adventure into the Congo to a group of men aboard a ship anchored in the Thames Estuary. The story details an incident when Marlow, an Englishman, took a foreign assignment as a ferry-boat captain, employed by a Belgian trading company. Although the river is never specifically named, readers may assume it is the Congo River, in the Congo Free State, a private colony of King Leopold II. Marlow is employed to transport ivory downriver; however, his more pressing assignment is to return Kurtz, another ivory trader, to civilization in a cover up. Kurtz has a reputation throughout the region.

Heart of Darkness

It's August 1917 and WW1 continues to take a toll. The villagers of Dorcalon try to keep hope alive; but every day brings fresh tragedy as more are killed on foreign battlefields. Elizabeth Meredith, daughter of mine manager Herbert, enjoys a privileged position in the village, but she longs to break free of society's expectations. Falling in love with miner, Gwilym Owen, brings more joy to her life than she's ever known. . .until she's forced to choose between her love and her disapproving family. Seeking an escape, Elizabeth signs up as a VAD nurse and is swiftly sent to help the troops in France, even as her heart breaks at leaving Gwilym behind. Separated by society and the Great War, can Elizabeth and Gwilym find their way back together again? Or will their love become another casualty of war?

Wartime in the Valleys

Hope in the Valleys

The Iron Mask was an individual whose identity has never really been ascertained and which of the historical records say he was a prisoner during the reign of Louis XIV of France. Among the authors who took an interest in his case were Voltaire above all and Alexandre Dumas father, who made him a character in the novel The Viscount of Bragelonne. Numerous films were inspired by that episode of Dumas' novel, with varying degrees of fidelity. Casanova also mentions the Iron Mask in his biographical work History of my life, in Chapter XXIV, where he affirms that his French teacher, Crébillion, the old man who had been Royal Censor, received from King Louis XIV the confidence that he was not no iron mask ever existed and that it was a legend. It is also said that it was a minister of the Duke of Mantua, named Mattioli, who was simultaneously in the service of Louis XIV and would have betrayed him.

The-Man-in-the-Iron-Mask

Jessica Russo knows nothing about her mother's family or her Cuban culture. Every time she's asked about it, her mother has shut down. But when the Cuban grandmother she's never met sends her right-hand man, Luis, to offer Jessica the chance to come to Miami and meet her estranged family, she can't help but say yes, even as she knows it will pain her mother. The woman that Jessica meets is nothing like what she expected. Her grandmother is successful, intelligent, determined, and all too willing to take blame for what has happened to cause the estrangement—and, more importantly, to try and set things right. As Jessica spends time with her grandmother in her beautiful island home, she learns about her family's history and what caused the schism between her mother and grandmother. As days with her grandmother turn to weeks, Jessica is determined to find a way to heal her fractured family. And in the end, Jessica might just learn something about herself and what it means to embrace the many facets of her identity.

The Family She Never Met

rank|desc

publishdate|desc

publishdate|asc

rating|desc

title|asc

audioduration|desc

audioduration|asc

Novels

BookBeat lets you enjoy over 1 million audiobooks and e-books on your mobile or tablet. Try for free!

BookBeat - Audiobooks and e-books directly in the mobile. Try for free!

Unless you're out on an adventure, it's better to sign up at the website of {country}.

Novels

About us

Follow us

Help and contact

Information

BookBeat

Download BookBeat