From the author of The Ashes of London, comes a new historical mystery set in the last days of WWII'Ten out of ten' The Times ‘A grand piece of work – a triumph and one of Taylor’s best’ MICK HERRON 'A wonderfully unique novel from the master of historical crime fiction. Beautiful, haunting, and quite brilliant' LAURA SHEPHERD-ROBINSON ‘As good as I’d expect from a master of the craft’ VAL MCDERMID 'A wonderful, subtle novel, set in a strange, enclosed world. Beautiful writing and a gloriously satisfying ending' ANN CLEEVES __________ England, May 1945 Monkshill Park School for Girls seems a world away from the violence that engulfed Europe during World War II. Yet its lonely, decaying grounds have witnessed a murder. Annabel Warnock, a teacher with a secretive past, left for the holidays and never came back. Both teachers and girls assume she simply walked out, but the truth is quite different. Her body tumbled from the Maiden’s Leap, a viewpoint on the clifftop Gothic Walk, and was washed out to sea. But Annabel herself is still trapped at Monkshill, unable to move on. As she haunts the grounds and school, she discovers a hidden world – students, staff and servants are riven with deadly rivalries and dangerous tensions. And one of them is her killer…

A Schooling in Murder

Beautiful Caroline Crale was convicted of poisoning her husband, yet there were five other suspects: Philip Blake (the stockbroker) who went to market; Meredith Blake (the amateur herbalist) who stayed at home; Elsa Greer (the three-time divorcee) who had roast beef; Cecilia Williams (the devoted governess) who had none; and Angela Warren (the disfigured sister) who cried ‘wee wee wee’ all the way home. It is sixteen years later, but Hercule Poirot just can’t get that nursery rhyme out of his mind…

Five Little Pigs

Part adventure tale and part-coming-of-age story, Treasure Island follows Jim Hawkins, an innkeeper's son, as he embarks on a sea adventure after obtaining a treasure map. In his quest to recover a share of the loot, he must negotiate relationships with a colorful cast of pirates, sea captains, noblemen, and castaways. Full of classic pirate language and imagery as well as the iconic fortune-seeking buccaneer Long John Silver, Treasure Island has been widely adapted for film, television, theatre, and radio. Originally serialized in the children's magazine Young Folks from 1881 to 1882, the novel was first published in 1883.

E-Bookarama Classics

Treasure Island

THE START OF AN INCREDIBLE NEW SERIES FROM NO.1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING S. J. PARRIS–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––'Sophia is a dazzling heroine, and the world of late Elizabethan England brimful of plot and conspiracy, is vividly and thrillingly brought to life' LAURA SHEPHERD-ROBINSON 'Right from the intriguing opening pages everything Parris layers into this Elizabethan crime drama screams bestselling series' OBSERVER 'A new historical crime from S. J. Parris is always cause for celebration but she really has excelled herself with Traitor's Legacy' ANDREW TAYLOR 'S. J. Parris begins what promises to be an equally entertaining new series with this novel set in late Elizabethan England' THE TIMES 'A writer who repeatedly proves that she is one of the most stylish of historical crime practitioners' FINANCIAL TIMES ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– England, 1598. Queen Elizabeth’s successor remains unnamed. The country teeters on a knife edge.When a young heiress is found murdered at the theatre, the Queen’s spymaster Robert Cecil calls upon former agent Sophia de Wolfe to investigate. A cryptic note found on the dead girl’s body connects to Sophia’s previous life as a spy, and her quest soon takes her into dangerous waters. Powerful enemies emerge, among them the Earl of Essex: the Queen’s favourite courtier and a man of ruthless ambition. This is a murder that reaches directly into the heart of the court. And Sophia is concealing a deep-buried secret of her own. She must uncover the truth before her past threatens to destroy her. S. J. Parris's book Alchemy was a Sunday Times bestseller w/c 2023-07-24. READERS LOVE TRAITOR’S LEGACY…‘Top class historical crime’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘Another fantastic historical thriller from master of the Elizabethan mystery’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘A straight 5* for me! A very compelling novel I highly recommend’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘I loved the characters. The only bad thing I have to say about this book is that it kept me reading way past midnight’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘Sophia De Wolfe is a truly epic character’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘I had very high expectations for this novel. It is excellent. And the even better news it is that this is the first of a new series’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘The richly detailed Elizabethan setting and clever twists kept me hooked from start to finish’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘The murder mystery is layered with political intrigue, keeping you second-guessing every revelation’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘Excellently researched, great plot, beautiful execution. I love the combination of historical menace and a thriller’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘SJ Parris does it again’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘I didn't know who to trust or who to believe the whole way along’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘Another glorious dive into the murky world of Elizabethan spies and lies’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘Loved every minute of this book. More please featuring Sophia!’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘I'm already looking forward to book two’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘You know what you’re getting with Parris; a stunning mix of fact and fiction with a clever plot woven around real people and the duplicitous Cecil, the court spymaster. It’s tense, well-paced, twists that feel real and it’s easy to become immersed in a different world’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Traitor’s Legacy

Low-life writer and unrepentant alcoholic Henry Chinaski was born to survive. After decades of slacking off at low-paying dead-end jobs, blowing his cash on booze and women, and scrimping by in flea-bitten apartments, Chinaski sees his poetic star rising at last. Now, at fifty, he is reveling in his sudden rock-star life, running three hundred hangovers a year, and maintaining a sex life that would cripple Casanova. With all of Bukowski's trademark humor and gritty, dark honesty, this 1978 follow-up to Post Office and Factotum is an uncompromising account of life on the edge.

Women

A shooting star seen in the skies over Victorian England heralds an alien invasion. The Martians, in need of resources, have been shot from Mars via a huge space gun and have landed in Southern England, where they quickly overwhelm its inhabitants. As the battle for Earth begins, our unnamed narrator struggles to return to his wife amidst the fighting and devastation. One of the most widely-read and influential science-fiction novels, War of the Worlds touches on interplanetary travel, evolutionary theory, British imperialism, and the fears and prejudices of Victorian times. First serialized in 1897, it has been adapted many times, most famously by Orson Welles and company in the form of a prank radio news alert in 1938 that caused panic among listeners.

War of the Worlds

War and Peace is a literary work by Russian author Leo Tolstoy. Set during the Napoleonic Wars, the work mixes fictional narrative with chapters discussing history and philosophy. First published serially beginning in 1865, the work was rewritten and published in its entirety in 1869. It is regarded as Tolstoy's finest literary achievement and remains an internationally praised classic of world literature. The work chronicles the Napoleonic era within Russia, notably detailing the French invasion of Russia and its aftermath. The book highlights the impact of Napoleon on Tsarist society through five interlocking narratives following different Russian aristocratic families. Portions of an earlier version, titled The Year 1805, were serialized in The Russian Messenger from 1865 to 1867 before the novel was published in its entirety in 1869. Tolstoy said that the best Russian literature does not conform to standards and hence hesitated to classify War and Peace, saying it is "not a novel, even less is it a poem, and still less a historical chronicle". Large sections, especially the later chapters, are philosophical discussions rather than narrative. He regarded Anna Karenina as his first true novel.

War and Peace

I have put my pen at the service of some of the most persecuted and misunderstood people in the world… So far as I know nothing of the kind has ever been attempted before in fiction. —Radclyffe Hall Originally published in 1928, The Well of Loneliness follows the life of Stephen Gordon, a girl born to parents who wished for a boy in late Victorian England. Through Stephen, Hall explores love, lonelieness, and the struggle for self-acceptance in the face of rejection. With its frank portrayal of lesbianism and queer identity, The Well of Loneliness was the subject of several obscenity trials and subjected to bans in multiple countries upon its publication. A watershed moment in LGBTQ+ literary history, its cultural impact endures to this day.

The Well of Loneliness

A strange houseA ghost from the pastAs soon as she moves into Hillside, Gwenda knows there’s something strange about this house. A sealed room. A hidden door. The apparition of a young woman being strangled. But strangest of all – this all seems quite familiar. As her friend Jane Marple investigates, the answer seems to lie in a crime committed nearly twenty years ago. The killer may have gotten away with murder. But Miss Marple is never far behind. Never underestimate Miss Marple ‘Reading a perfectly plotted Agatha Christie is like crunching into a perfect apple: that pure, crisp, absolute satisfaction.’ Tana French ‘Miss Marple is spry, shrewd and compassionate.’ Sunday Telegraph

Marple

Sleeping Murder

The second book in the Broken Empire series, Lawrence takes his young anti-hero one step closer to his grand ambition. To reach greatness you must step on bodies, and many brothers lie trodden in my wake. I’ve walked from pawn to player and I’ll win this game of ours, though the cost of it may drown the world in blood… The land burns with the fires of a hundred battles as lords and petty kings fight for the Broken Empire. The long road to avenge the slaughter of his mother and brother has shown Prince Honorous Jorg Ancrath the hidden hands behind this endless war. He saw the game and vowed to sweep the board. First though he must gather his own pieces, learn the rules of play, and discover how to break them. A six nation army, twenty thousand strong, marches toward Jorg's gates, led by a champion beloved of the people. Every decent man prays this shining hero will unite the empire and heal its wounds. Every omen says he will. Every good king knows to bend the knee in the face of overwhelming odds, if only to save their people and their lands. But King Jorg is not a good king. Faced by an enemy many times his strength Jorg knows that he cannot win a fair fight. But playing fair was never part of Jorg’s game plan.

The Broken Empire

King of Thorns

Juliet Stevenson reads Miss Marple’s Final Cases, Agatha Christie’s last collection of short stories to feature the woman who had become the world’s most popular female detective, Miss Jane Marple. Nine intriguing talesOne unequalled storytellerAn unknown wounded man in a church. A fatal riding accident. A corpse and a tape measure. Whether in St Mary Mead or further afield, there is always much wickedness lurking below the surface, should, like Jane Marple, you have the eyes to see it. Published posthumously, this collection of tales, seven of them featuring Agatha Christie’s much loved Miss Marple, plus two stand-alone stories, is a treasure trove. Never underestimate Miss Marple ‘She gives us an insight into human nature that few, if any, have surpassed.’ Susan Lewis ‘The acknowledged queen of detective fiction.’ Observer

Miss Marple’s Final Cases

Assembled from notes and jottings left unpublished at the time of the author’s death, The Book of Disquiet is a collection of aphoristic prose-poetry musings on dreams, solitude, time and memory. Credited to Pessoa’s alter ego, Bernardo Soares, who chronicles his contemplations in this so-called ‘factless’ autobiography, the work is a journey of one man’s soul and, by extension, of all human souls that allow their minds and hearts to roam far and free. Though his outward life as an assistant bookkeeper in downtown Lisbon is a humdrum affair, Soares lives a rich and varied existence within the contours of his own mind, where he can be and do anything. Soares has no ambition, nor has he any friends; he is plagued with disquiet, and only imagination and dreams can conquer it. Compiled by the translator Richard Zenith, Fernando Pessoa’s The Book of Disquiet is a fulgent tribute to the imagination of man.

The Book of Disquiet

A dark offering from the Queen of Crime. This represents the world-famous author’s most successful foray into the dark world of murder and black magic. To understand the strange goings on at The Pale Horse Inn, Mark Easterbrook knew he had to begin at the beginning. But where exactly was the beginning? Was it the savage blow to the back of Father Gorman’s head? Or was it when the priest’s assailant searched him so roughly he tore the clergyman’s cassock? Or could it have been the priest’s visit, just minutes before, to a woman on her death bed? Or was there a deeper significance to the violent squabble which Mark Easterbrook had himself witnessed earlier? Wherever the beginning lies, Mark and his sidekick, Ginger Corrigan, may soon have cause to wish they’d never found it…

The Pale Horse

Step into the chilling world of "Brave New World," Aldous Huxley's dystopian masterpiece that will leave you questioning the very fabric of society. In this gripping tale, Huxley paints a vivid and unsettling portrait of a future where individuality is eradicated, and humanity is ensnared in a web of control and manipulation. Immerse yourself in a world where science reigns supreme, and human lives are manufactured and conditioned from birth. In this tightly controlled society, citizens are assigned to specific social classes, their destinies predetermined. Happiness is mandatory, achieved through the mind-altering effects of the ubiquitous drug, "soma," which suppresses emotions and ensures docility. Join Bernard Marx, an outsider who dares to question the suffocating conformity and shallow contentment of this brave new world. Witness his fateful encounter with John the Savage, a man raised outside the confines of this controlled existence. As John grapples with the distorted reality surrounding him, he becomes a symbol of rebellion and the struggle for individuality in a world stripped of humanity. "Brave New World" delves into profound themes, exploring the perils of a totalitarian regime, the erosion of personal identity, the dehumanization of society, and the consequences of sacrificing truth for comfort. Huxley's evocative prose and visionary narrative will transport you to a future that is at once mesmerizing and terrifying, leaving an indelible mark on your consciousness. This timeless classic continues to captivate readers with its profound warnings about the dangers of sacrificing freedom for the illusion of happiness. It challenges us to ponder the true cost of progress and the fragile nature of our humanity in an increasingly complex world. Prepare to embark on a thought-provoking journey that will linger in your mind long after you turn the final page. "Brave New World" beckons you to question the very essence of what it means to be human and serves as a stark reminder of the importance of preserving our individuality, our freedom, and our truth. Open the book, and dare to confront the unsettling future that awaits within.

Brave New World

The first book in the Darkwar series, from world-wide bestselling author of Magician, Raymond E. Feist. The Conclave of Shadows, the undercover organisation charged with the protection of Midkemia, have problems: the evil magician Leso Varen is still at large and thousands of portals to a parallel dimension inhabited by the cruel and fiendish Dasati, have been discovered in Novindus. Leso Varen, a powerful and malign magician with the power to possess and transport himself from body to body, and his Nighthawk assassins are plotting chaos and annihilation in the royal house of Kesh. The Nameless One is awakening and needs Varen to help him re-emerge completely and tip the balance of good and evil in the world, plunging Midkemia into darkness and ruin. But when the Conclave attempt to warn the Emperor, it becomes clear that many of the truebloods – nobles related by birth to the Emperor – are already Varen's slaves, both willing and unwitting, and the Conclave are forced into a race against time to save Great Kesh before evil engulfs the land. Flight of the Night Hawks begins a brand new series from the master of fantasy, set on a grand scale; revisiting the exotic political-intrigue of Great Kesh (touched upon in the classic Riftwar books), and carrying the reader into a dark underworld of crime and black magic.

Darkwar

Flight of the Night Hawks

""American literature today begins and ends with the meaning of what Miller has done."" — Lawrence Durrell ""There is nothing like Miller when he gets rolling. . . . One has to take the language back to Marlowe and Shakespeare before encountering a wealth of imagery equal in intensity."" — Norman Mailer Banned in America for almost thirty years because of its explicit sexual content, this companion book to Miller's Tropic of Cancer is a semi-autobiographical novel that chronicles Miller’s life in 1920s New York City. Famous for its frank portrayal of life in Brooklyn's neighborhoods and Miller's outrageous sexual exploits—from his teenage affair with a piano teacher twice his age to his tumultuous marriages—Tropic of Capricorn is now considered a cornerstone of modern literature. The audiobook is narrated by acclaimed actor Campbell Scott.

Tropic of Capricorn

The unputdownable feel-good romance from Portia MacIntosh, perfect for fans of Rosie Blake, Sophie Kinsella and Lindsey Kelk.It was supposed to be the trip of a lifetime… In reality it was a business trip, prettied up as a romantic mini break, but the man behind the wheel was meant to be Candice Hart’s boss and (married but separated, I swear!) lover. Not Danny the new guy! Not only is Candice faced with a new driver, but the office’s far too handsome hipster expects her to share the cramped space inside his “fully” restored VW Beetle, aka The Love Bug, and put up with his constant opinions about her life… Before long she is tired of playing the ‘good girl’ and, with Danny’s help, is determined to finally show the world the real Candice Hart! Don't miss this hilarious new novel from bestselling author of Bad Bridesmaid

Drive Me Crazy

Still in the formative years of his career, Hercule Poirot faces a most taxing case: who killed Lord Cronshaw? Was Coco Courtenay’s death on the same night a mere coincidence? And did she deliberately take an overdose of cocaine? No sooner has Poirot revealed his astonishing powers of deduction than he is faced with seventeen other mysteries to test his soon-to-be-famous ‘little grey cells’. As a matter of courtesy to a group of young people, he endeavours to solve the gruesome murder of a woman whose body they have stumbled upon whilst locked out of their flat, and with his usual precision and elan he discovers exactly how ‘Mary, Mary quite contrary’ makes her garden grow…

Poirot’s Early Cases

George Orwell, was an English novelist, essayist, journalist, and critic. His work is characterized by lucid prose, biting social criticism, opposition to totalitarianism, and outspoken support of democratic socialism. Orwell's work remains influential in popular and political culture, and the adjective "Orwellian"—describing totalitarian and authoritarian social practices—is part of the English language, like many of his neologisms, such as "Big Brother", "Thought Police", "Two Minutes Hate", "Room 101", "memory hole", "Newspeak", "doublethink", "proles", "unperson", and "thoughtcrime", as well as providing direct inspiration for the neologism "groupthink". 1984 centers on the consequences of totalitarianism, mass surveillance, and repressive regimentation of persons and behaviors within society. Orwell modeled the totalitarian government in the novel after Stalinist Russia. More broadly, the novel examines the role of truth and facts within politics and the ways in which they are manipulated. The story takes place in an imagined future, the year 1984 when much of the world has fallen victim to perpetual war, omnipresent government surveillance, historical negationism, and propaganda. Great Britain, known as Airstrip One, has become a province of a totalitarian superstate named Oceania that is ruled by the Party who employs the Thought Police to persecute individuality and independent thinking. Big Brother, the leader of the Party, enjoys an intense cult of personality despite the fact that he may not even exist. The protagonist, Winston Smith, is a diligent and skillful rank-and-file worker and Outer Party member who secretly hates the Party and dreams of rebellion. He enters into a forbidden relationship with a colleague, Julia, and starts to remember what life was like before the Party came to power.

1984 Audiobook

A wealthy familyA fatal cup of teaRex Fortescue was enjoying his morning cup of tea when he met his untimely end. Suspicions naturally turn to his wife. He was filthy rich, after all. Then she too is found dead. Strange clues have Scotland Yard’s finest minds scratching their heads. Poisoned marmalade. Dead blackbirds. A victim found with a pocketful of rye. It’s up to Jane Marple to put the pieces of this strange puzzle together… Never underestimate Miss Marple ‘Captivating and addictive, Agatha Christie's work never fails to delight.’ Jean Kwok ‘This is the best of the novels starring Christie’s Miss Marple.’ New York Times

A Pocket Full of Rye

A young woman found murderedA scandal in the makingWhen Mrs Bantry wakes to find a body in her library, there’s only one woman to call: her good friend Jane Marple. But she hasn’t called her old friend for comfort. The body in her library has been murdered and Miss Marple is so very good at solving murders. Her investigations uncover a scandal far darker than either of them could have imagined, and this time she may be out of her depth. Never underestimate Miss Marple ‘Christie always defied expectations, not only in her legendary twists and reveals, but also in the underestimated detectives she created as her heroes. The villains never see these sleuths coming – and that’s half the fun.’ Leigh Bardugo ‘One of the most ingeniously contrived of all her murder stories.’ Birmingham Post

The Body in the Library

When the luxurious Blue Train arrives at Nice, a guard attempts to wake serene Ruth Kettering from her slumbers. But she will never wake again – for a heavy blow has killed her, disfiguring her features almost beyond recognition. What is more, her precious rubies are missing. The prime suspect is Ruth’s estranged husband, Derek. Yet Poirot is not convinced, so he stages an eerie re-enactment of the journey, complete with the murderer on board…

The Mystery of the Blue Train

Winner of the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction 2007, this is a heartbreaking, exquisitely written literary masterpiece. Now available as a digital download. This highly anticipated novel from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is set in Nigeria during the 1960s, at the time of a vicious civil war in which a million people died and thousands were massacred in cold blood. The three main characters in the novel are swept up in the violence during these turbulent years. One is a young boy from a poor village who is employed at a university lecturer's house. The other is a young middle-class woman, Olanna, who has to confront the reality of the massacre of her relatives. And the third is a white man, a writer who lives in Nigeria for no clear reason, and who falls in love with Olanna's twin sister, a remote and enigmatic character. As these people's lives intersect, they have to question their own responses to the unfolding political events. This extraordinary novel is about Africa in a wider sense: about moral responsibility, about the end of colonialism, about ethnic allegiances, about class and race; and about the ways in which love can complicate all of these things.

Half of a Yellow Sun

Selected for the QI Book of the Year Award, 2016 'Gripping and utterly believable' IAN RANKIN, Guardian Books of the Year ‘A story about the strength and fragility of human nature. Rob Ewing's writing is powerful, compassionate and brilliant. I absolutely loved it’ JOANNA CANNON, the author of THE TROUBLE WITH GOATS AND SHEEP The island is quiet now. On a remote Scottish island, five children are the only ones left. Since the Last Adult died, sensible Elizabeth has been the group leader, testing for a radio signal, playing teacher and keeping an eye on Alex, the littlest, whose insulin can only last so long. There is ‘shopping’ to do in the houses they haven’t yet searched and wrong smells to avoid. For eight-year-old Rona each day brings fresh hope that someone will come back for them, tempered by the reality of their dwindling supplies. With no adults to rebel against, squabbles threaten the fragile family they have formed. And when brothers Calum Ian and Duncan attempt to thwart Elizabeth’s leadership, it prompts a chain of events that will endanger Alex’s life and test them all in unimaginable ways. Reminiscent of The Lord of the Flies and The Cement Garden, The Last of Us is a powerful and heartbreaking novel of aftershock, courage and survival.

The Last of Us

A flawless collection of short stories that Christie herself referred to as ‘light-hearted thrillers’. Twelve ingenious, witty mysteries showing the author at her best, including: the curious disappearance of Lord Listerdale, the strange meeting on a train of a feckless man and a beautiful girl, Philomel Cottage and the extraordinary country house visit of Edward Robinson. Each four-story volume is expertly narrated by Hugh Fraser.

The Listerdale Mystery

Combined into one volume, this is the definitive collection of Tolkien’s five acclaimed modern classic ‘fairie’ tales in the vein of The Hobbit, read by Derek Jacobi. The five tales are written with the same skill, quality and charm that made The Hobbit a classic. Largely overlooked because of their short lengths, they are finally together in a volume which reaffirms Tolkien's place as a master storyteller for readers young and old. Roverandom is a toy dog who, enchanted by a sand sorcerer, gets to explore the world and encounter strange and fabulous creatures.Farmer Giles of Ham is fat and unheroic, but – having unwittingly managed to scare off a short-sighted giant – is called upon to do battle when a dragon comes to town;The Adventures of Tom Bombadil tells in verse of Tom's many adventures with hobbits, princesses, dwarves and trolls;Leaf by Niggle recounts the strange adventures of the painter Niggle who sets out to paint the perfect tree;Smith of Wootton Major journeys to the Land of Faery thanks to the magical ingredients of the Great Cake of the Feast of Good Children.Taken together, this rich collection of tales from the author of The Children of Húrin will provide the reader with a fascinating journey into lands as wild and strange as Middle-earth.

Tales from the Perilous Realm

Poirot had been present when Jane bragged of her plan to ‘get rid of’ her estranged husband. Now the monstrous man was dead. And yet the great Belgian detective couldn’t help feeling that he was being taken for a ride. After all, how could Jane have stabbed Lord Edgware to death in his library at exactly the same time she was seen dining with friends? And what could be her motive not that the aristocrat had finally granted her a divorce?

Lord Edgware Dies

A grand old London hotelA series of alarming coincidencesDanger lurking down every corridorImpeccable service. Luxurious rooms. Eccentric guests. There are worse places for Canon Pennyfather to find himself stranded than Bertram’s Hotel. But when he gets his dates in a muddle and attempts to travel to Lucerne a day too late, he unwittingly sets off a violent chain of events. And Miss Marple is convinced there is more going on than meets the eye. Never underestimate Miss Marple ‘Agatha Christie inspired me, aged eleven, to write my own murder mystery set in a country village. I can’t remember much of the plot (think the vicar did it) but Christie has been inspiring me ever since.’ Elly Griffiths ‘Brilliant.’ Guardian

At Bertram’s Hotel

Dr. Van Helsing and his accomplices begin the chase to track down the infamous vampire Count Dracula before he completes his quest of moving into England and further spreading the undead disease. Even with the garlic, the crosses, and the holy water, the Count manages to entrance a fellow lady vampire hunter and bring her to the undead side. An invincible foe Dracula may appear to be, but Van Helsing and his group will stop short not even to death itself until they have conquered the most notorious villain of all time. From Transylvania to England and then back again, this classic 19th century Gothic horror became the cornerstone for the horror genre that boomed in the century to follow.

Dracula

A shocking crimeA mansion filled with suspectsRuth Van Rydock can’t shake the feeling that something terrible is going to happen to her sister at Stonygates house. Her old school friend Jane Marple decides it’s time to pay a visit. But this grand Victorian mansion isn’t just a family home – it’s also a correctional facility for wayward young men. And when something terrible does indeed happen, Miss Marple must face her most eccentric cast of suspects yet. Never underestimate Miss Marple ‘If a genius is someone who leaves the field they work in totally different from how they found it, then we should certainly remember Agatha Christie as a genius.’ Stephen Fry ‘No one on either side of the Atlantic does it better.’ New York Times

They Do It With Mirrors

Published in 1867, Thérèse Raquin is the novel which established Zola’s reputation as a writer who forensically explored the darker side of human nature. Thérèse is a half Algerian orphan, brought up in provincial France by her aunt and married off to her sickly cousin Camille. His ambition takes the three of them to Paris, where they set up home in the dank and dingy backstreets that run down to the Seine. The relentless tedium of life for Thérèse is eventually broken by the presence of Camille’s unscrupulous friend Laurent, sparking a series of increasingly desperate acts. Thérèse Raquin is a gritty and thought-provoking novel of sexual compulsion and its consequences on the lives of four people and a tabby cat.

Thérèse Raquin

Sixteen years after being locked up, at the age of sixteen, for the bloody murders of her employer and his housekeeper, Grace Marks is examined by Dr Simon Jordan, an expert in amnesia. As the days and weeks pass Simon tries to prise open the memories Grace claims to have lost and reveals a life of love and betrayal, poverty and abuse, drawing the listener in to the rooms of Grace’s mind.

Alias Grace

When Cora is savagely murdered with a hatchet, the extraordinary remark she made the previous day at her brother Richard’s funeral suddenly takes on a chilling significance. At the reading of Richard’s will, Cora was clearly heard to say: ‘It’s been hushed up very nicely, hasn’t it…But he was murdered, wasn’t he?’ In desperation, the family solicitor turns to Hercule Poirot to unravel the mystery.

After the Funeral

Longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2023 ""Haynes is master of her trade . . . She succeeds in breathing warm life into some of our oldest stories.”—Telegraph (UK) The national bestselling author of A Thousand Ships and Pandora's Jar returns with a fresh and stunningly perceptive take on the story of Medusa, the original monstered woman. They will fear you and flee you and call you a monster. The only mortal in a family of gods, Medusa is the youngest of the Gorgon sisters. Unlike her siblings, Medusa grows older, experiences change, feels weakness. Her mortal lifespan gives her an urgency that her family will never know. When the sea god Poseidon assaults Medusa in Athene’s temple, the goddess is enraged. Furious by the violation of her sacred space, Athene takes revenge—on the young woman. Punished for Poseidon’s actions, Medusa is forever transformed. Writhing snakes replace her hair and her gaze will turn any living creature to stone. Cursed with the power to destroy all she loves with one look, Medusa condemns herself to a life of solitude. Until Perseus embarks upon a fateful quest to fetch the head of a Gorgon . . . In Stone Blind, classicist and comedian Natalie Haynes turns our understanding of this legendary myth on its head, bringing empathy and nuance to one of the earliest stories in which a woman—injured by a powerful man—is blamed, punished, and monstered for the assault. Delving into the origins of this mythic tale, Haynes revitalizes and reconstructs Medusa’s story with her passion and fierce wit, offering a timely retelling of this classic myth that speaks to us today.

Stone Blind

"Review of Adolph Hitler's 'Mein Kampf'" is an essay of George Orwell. "Mein Kampf" ("My Struggle" or "My Fight") is a 1925 autobiographical manifesto by Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler. The work describes the process by which Hitler became antisemitic and outlines his political ideology and future plans for Germany. Volume 1 of "Mein Kampf" was published in 1925 and Volume 2 in 1926. The book was edited first by Emil Maurice, then by Hitler's deputy Rudolf Hess.

Review of Adolph Hitler's "Mein Kampf"

The Bell Jar chronicles the crack-up of Esther Greenwood: brilliant, beautiful, enormously talented, and successful, but slowly going under—maybe for the last time. Sylvia Plath masterfully draws the reader into Esther's breakdown with such intensity that Esther's insanity becomes completely real and even rational, as probable and accessible an experience as going to the movies. Such deep penetration into the dark and harrowing corners of the psyche is an extraordinary accomplishment and has made The Bell Jar a haunting American classic.

The Bell Jar

Two trainsSide by side for a brief momentIn that moment, a murderElspeth McGillicuddy is positive she witnessed a man strangling a woman to death. But it was only the merest glimpse through a carriage window as the trains drew parallel. She is the only witness, there are no suspects, and, most importantly, there is no corpse. Who, apart from her friend Jane Marple, would take her seriously? Never underestimate Miss Marple ‘All crime writers around the globe owe Agatha Christie a massive debt.’ Peter James ‘Never a dull moment.’ The Times

4.50 from Paddington

Written by Mary Shelley (1797-1851), Frankenstein is the best-selling horror classic about an experiment that goes horribly wrong, and a monster who swears revenge on his creator. Swiss student Victor Frankenstein uncovers the secret to bringing life to what is lifeless, and in assembling body parts to create a monster, ultimately sets the stage for his own destruction and that of everything he loves when the monster is rejected by society. Penned as part of a competition between Mary Shelley, Lord Byron, and John Polidori to see who could write the best horror story, Frankenstein is resonant with themes of love, friendship, hubris, and fear. It presents the epic battle between man and monster, showing that man is not always capable of controlling that which he creates.

Frankenstein

"And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie is a riveting mystery novel that unfolds on a secluded island where ten strangers are lured under various pretexts. As the guests settle in, they are shocked to discover that their unseen host accuses each of them of a grave crime from their past. Stranded on the island with no means of escape, they soon realize that they are being systematically hunted and punished for their alleged sins. The tension escalates as the characters grapple with their guilt, paranoia, and the realization that the murderer is among them. With each passing moment, the body count rises, and trust erodes, leading to a gripping and unpredictable narrative. Agatha Christie skillfully weaves a tale of suspense, deception, and moral reckoning, keeping readers on the edge of their seats until the shocking and ingenious conclusion. "And Then There Were None" is a classic of the mystery genre, known for its clever plot twists and the psychological depth with which Christie explores the dark facets of human nature. The novel's intricate web of secrets, intricate characterizations, and the relentless pace of the narrative have solidified its place as one of the best-selling and most enduring mysteries in literary history.

And Then There Were None

The chilling classic that inspired the new Netflix horror drama, "The Fall of the House of Usher". Venture, if you dare, into the House of Usher... The narrator visits his friend, Roderick Usher in his decaying mansion, only to witness the harrowing unravellings of Usher's mind and the dark family secrets lurking beneath the crumbling ancestral home. A classic tale of gothic horror that has haunted readers for generations. This collection includes "The Raven", "The Tell-Tale Heart", "The Cask of Amontillado", "The Masque of the Red Death", "The Purloined Letter", "The Pit and the Pendulum", and "Berenice". Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849) was an American writer renowned for his macabre and horror-themed tales. His poetic and mysterious style explored themes of death, love, and madness, leaving a lasting impact on gothic literature. Poe's notable works include 'The Raven,' 'The Tell-Tale Heart,' and 'The Fall of the House of Usher.'

The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Stories

"Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again..." Ancient, beautiful Manderley, between the rose garden and the sea, is the county's showpiece. Rebecca made it so - even a year after her death, Rebecca's influence still rules there. How can Maxim de Winter's shy new bride ever fill her place or escape her vital shadow? A shadow that grows longer and darker as the brief summer fades, until, in a moment of climatic revelations, it threatens to eclipse Manderley and its inhabitants completely...

Rebecca

When four women leave their drab lives behind to go on holiday in Italy, their lives are changed forever by the Mediterranean. Mrs. Arbuthnot and Mrs. Wilkins, while part of the same ladies' club, have never spoken. Lady Caroline Dester and the elderly Mrs. Fisher join their holiday so as to mitigate expenses. As these women come together and learn more about themselves than they ever thought possible, they reveal their true personalities and the backdrops of their lives that tend to hinder them. Inspired by the author's own month-long trip to the Italian Riviera, this novel is noted as her most widely-read work.

The Enchanted April

The Brothers Karamazov (Russian: Бра́тья Карама́зовы, Brat'ya Karamazovy), also translated as The Karamazov Brothers, is the last novel by Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky. Dostoevsky spent nearly two years writing The Brothers Karamazov, which was published as a serial in The Russian Messenger from January 1879 to November 1880. Dostoevsky died less than four months after its publication. Set in 19th-century Russia, The Brothers Karamazov is a passionate philosophical novel that enters deeply into questions of God, free will, and morality. It is a theological drama dealing with problems of faith, doubt and reason in the context of a modernizing Russia, with a plot that revolves around the subject of patricide. Dostoevsky composed much of the novel in Staraya Russa, which inspired the main setting. It has been acclaimed as one of the supreme achievements in world literature.

Food For Thought

The Brothers Karamazov

A unique offering from the Queen of Crime. This Agatha Christie Signature Edition features the hero the world-famous author was most fond of – Mr Harley Quin, the enigmatic friend and counterpart of the rational Mr Satterthwaite. So far, it had been a typical New Year’s Eve house party. But Mr Satterthwaite – a keen observer of human nature – sensed that the real drama of the evening was yet to unfold. So it proved when a mysterious stranger arrived after midnight. Who was this Mr Quin? And why did his presence have such a pronounced effect on Eleanor Portal, the woman with the dyed-black hair?

The Mysterious Mr Quin

Designed to match the new look Hercule Poirot series. Read by Hugh Fraser who play Captain Hastings in the popular TV series. Lucy Angkatell invited Hercule Poirot to lunch. To tease the great detective, her guests stage a mock murder beside the swimming pool. Unfortunately, the victim plays the scene for real. As his blood drips into the water, John Christow gasps one final word: ‘Henrietta’. In the confusion, a gun sinks to the bottom of the pool. Poirot’s enquiries reveal a complex web of romantic attachments. It seems everyone in the drama is a suspect – and each a victim of love.

The Hollow

The first of a major Feist acquisition, returning to his best-loved series. FREEDOM AT ANY PRICE? Hartraft’s Marauders, a crack band of Kingdom raiders, are a special unit designed to infiltrate and fight behind enemy lines. They are currently heading for a frontier garrison, after a disastrous encounter with the Tsurani. Meanwhile, a Tsurani patrol is sent to support an assault on the same garrison. Both sides arrive at the same time and discover the garrison has been overrun by a migrating horde of moredhel (dark elves) and they are forced by circumstances to band together and fight as one to survive. The only problem is, who do they hate the most – their mutual enemy, or each other? As they make their way across the unknown Northlands to freedom, they have to struggle not only with the elements and their enemies, but also their conscience. For what is more important – one’s life or one’s honour?

Legends of the Riftwar

Honoured Enemy

A new Agatha Christie thriller, featuring the return of Superintendent Battle. In a quiet English village, a killer is about to strike. Again and again. Officer Luke Fitzwilliam is on a train to London when he meets a strange woman. She claims there is a serial killer in the quiet village of Wychwood. He has already taken the lives of three people and is about claim his fourth victim. Fitzwilliam dismisses this as the rambling of an old woman. But within hours she is found dead. Crushed by a passing car. And then the fourth victim is found. Each death looks like an accident. But in Wychwood nothing is as it appears…

Murder is Easy

Before its 1902 publication, Heart of Darkness appeared as a three-part series (1899) in Blackwood's Magazine. It was classified by the Modern Library website editors as one of the "100 best novels" and part of the Western canon.  The story centres on Charles Marlow, who narrates most of the book. He is an Englishman who takes a foreign assignment from a Belgian trading company as a river-boat captain in Africa. Heart of Darkness exposes the dark side of European colonization while exploring the three levels of darkness that the protagonist, Marlow, encounters: the darkness of the Congo wilderness, the darkness of the Europeans' cruel treatment of the African natives, and the unfathomable darkness within every human being for committing heinous acts of evil. Although Conrad does not give the name of the river, at the time of writing the Congo Free State, the location of the large and important Congo River, was a private colony of Belgium's King Leopold II. In the story, 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.

Svenska Ljud Classica

Heart of Darkness

From seat No.9, Hercule Poirot was ideally placed to observe his fellow air passengers. Over to his right sat a pretty young woman, clearly infatuated with the man opposite; ahead, in seat No.13, sat a Countess with a poorly-concealed cocaine habit; across the gangway in seat No.8, a detective writer was being troubled by an aggressive wasp. What Poirot did not yet realize was that behind him, in seat No.2, sat the slumped, lifeless body of a woman.

Death in the Clouds

Thomas Mann was the 1929 Nobel Prize laureate, known for his series of highly symbolic and ironic epic novels and novellas, noted for their insight into the psychology of the artist and the intellectual. Death in Venice, this tale of forbidden love which has long intrigued the reading public, was his early masterpiece. 

Death in Venice

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