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1940.Born in the impoverished Gorbals, Beryl Allen enters a world of hardship, shaped by hunger, violence, and seismic social upheaval.Amid the soot-stained streets and crumbling tenements, she finds companionship in the bold and charismatic Rhea. Their bond, forged in childhood, deepens into something more—something Beryl is too afraid to name.Terrified of scandal and rejection, Beryl lashes out, shunning Rhea in anger—a decision with devastating, far-reaching consequences. Years later, Beryl must confront the truth she buried for decades…

Join Stikki and his mate Rella on their second exciting adventure—full of mystery, danger, and the wonders of magic found in the most unexpected places.Winter has arrived in Hazy Hills Wood, covering everything in a blanket of snow.Food is hard to find, and the animals are getting hungry. To make things worse, there is a scary food thief on the prowl.Stikki heads out into the cold to find his secret stash, but when he doesn’t come home, Rella goes searching for him. A frightening journey looms ahead as Stikki and Rella are forced to confront their enemies and the dreaded longlegs.Deep in the heart of the ancient wood stands the animals sacred ash tree. When Brodboar the badger spots something strange high in the tree’s branches, he is shocked by the discovery and begins to worry. Is it a warning?With Stikki and Rella still missing—can the woodland animals work together to find their friends before it’s too late

“…when a beautiful flower smells so sweet, sometimes you forget to look out for the thorns."1484, Leicester. Lady Katherine Turner never expected to inherit power, but after the sudden loss of her beloved brother, she steps into the role of Countess of Leicester, only to find herself ensnared in a world of ambition, secrets and betrayal. Her newfound wealth soon attracts attention from suitors eager to claim both her hand and her fortune. None is more relentless than the notorious Lord Henry Tyrell, Earl of Dornton, who is as charming as he is treacherous. But as love blossoms between Katherine and the handsome Yorkshireman Lord James Stanford, Lord Tyrell refuses to accept defeat. Fuelled by obsession and greed, he will stop at nothing to possess what he believes is rightfully his. In a world where power is a perilous game, Katherine must find her voice among the thorns – before it is silenced forever. A tale of romance, resilience and one woman’s fight to forge her own destiny, The Rose Amongst the Thorns reimagines the struggles of a woman who dared to defy expectations in a world ruled by men.

He was a thorn without a rose.Scorned for his unusual appearance and nature, young Josiah’s expulsion from school leads him to the grim world of rat-catching at the local orphanage. Amid newfound bonds and a simmering animosity, a longing for independence draws him towards the quiet life of a nearby village.Welcomed by kind souls, Josiah earns his keep as a skilled vermin remover and helpful stable hand. But when a rat-borne illness strikes the town, Josiah’s unique abilities bring him to the attention of the imposing Duke.Within the castle walls, caught in the strange dynamic between the Duke’s son, Bergen, and the formidable Helga—children and ogres in one—Josiah’s life takes an unexpected turn with the arrival of the spirited Nadia. Their shared love of poetry ignites a passionate connection, but joy is fragile, and loss leaves an indelible mark.Unbeknownst to Josiah, Helga’s deep-seated hatred of children is taking root within the Duke’s domain, setting in motion a chain of events that will irrevocably alter his destiny…

A young human rights lawyer, Rose Black, is dead. Her killer is on the run.As the police fail to apprehend a dangerous murderer, tension rises and fear grips the city.While Detective Simone Millar is on the trail of a gang destroying properties across Glasgow, far-right agitators are stirring up hatred and division ahead of the upcoming national elections.Cal Jackson is just trying to keep his head down and stay out of trouble, but when the violence hits too close to home, he can no longer avoid confronting his past – and being dragged back into a world of trouble and pain.As events conspire to bring them together, Cal and Millar face a stark choice if they want to catch a killer and clean up the corrupt streets of the city – it’s kill or be killed.

She’s chasing a dream haunted by loss. He’s built a life where feelings don’t get in the way.Sabrina always dreamed of becoming a professional musician alongside her twin brother, Alex—until his sudden death shattered everything. Overwhelmed by guilt and grief, she seizes her last chance to attend the prestigious Boston Music College, even if it means severing ties with her parents and charting her own path in life.Struggling to move forward without Alex, Sabrina navigates her first semester, where she meets River, a famous singer-songwriter teaching one of her courses as a visiting artist. What begins as an unlikely friendship quickly deepens into something more—but Sabrina isn’t the only one carrying the weight of the past.River knows all too well that love is not to be trusted. He already has everything he thought he needed: recognition, wealth, and the power to have any woman he desires. But is that really enough?As ambition and old wounds collide, Sabrina and River must confront their pasts and decide whether love is worth the risk—or if some scars run too deep.

Ever since her son disappeared, Julia has lived as a reclusive shadow of her former self, paralysed by anxiety and grief. One night, she is viciously attacked and left for dead—only to be saved by a mysterious stranger known only as ‘Sam’, who claims to have no memory of his life before rescuing her.But when Julia discovers her missing son’s name carved into Sam’s skin, a fragile alliance forms between them. Together, they begin a perilous search for answers—about Sam’s identity, and his haunting connection to her son.As powerful forces rise to stop them, Julia and Sam must confront impossible choices. How far are they willing to go—and what are they prepared to sacrifice—to uncover the truth?

Consumed with grief after the loss of her mother, Esme begins to see and hear things that others can’t.Diagnosed with depression and anxiety, she hides her experiences, afraid she’s losing her mind. But everything changes after a session with her psychiatrist leads her to Perkin, a Canadian expat, and his mother, Toni, a reality researcher with unorthodox ideas.As Esme and Perkin grow closer, she starts to believe her visions might be more than just symptoms—they could be glimpses into hidden layers of reality. Together, they test the boundaries of perception and are drawn into a world as dangerous as it is beautiful, where nothing is quite what it seems.

A unique celebration of David Wood’s creative collaborations and cherished friendships with three legendary children’s writers —two of whom are also fondly remembered for their remarkable talent for illustration.This book brings together correspondence and personal recollections that chronicle the development of Wood’s acclaimed stage adaptations of Judith Kerr’s The Tiger Who Came to Tea and Philippa Pearce’s Tom’s Midnight Garden, as well as his endeavours to create a television animation series based on Kathleen Hale’s Orlando the Marmalade Cat.Revealed in fascinating detail are the working practices of these three grandes dames of children’s literature as they join forces with Wood—hailed as ‘the national children’s dramatist’—to bring their beloved stories to stage or screen. Their witty, insightful letters and thoughtful annotations sparkle with humour and enthusiasm, offering a rare glimpse into the creative process. Wood’s sensitive and respectful approach to adapting their work lays the foundation for enduring friendships.

In this richly woven tapestry of family, social, and local history, the lives of ordinary people unfold in extraordinary ways.The Jaques brothers were part of the infamous Long Company—a criminal gang that brought fear to the streets of Prescot in the mid-nineteenth century. A silk winder rose to fame as a blackfaced performer on the variety theatre circuit across northern England. In a bold leap of faith, a pawnbroker from Bolton emigrated to Canada with his family in the 1870s, going on to build a new life as a successful prairie farmer. And in a true rags-to-riches story, the illegitimate son of impoverished weavers in Victorian England rose through the ranks to manage a thriving cotton-spinning mill in Bolton.These compelling stories—drawn from the author’s own ancestors—reveal how individuals shaped and were shaped by the communities around them. From watchmakers and millers to miners and a possible link to landed gentry, this book explores the shifting landscapes of industrial Britain through deeply personal lenses.Meticulously researched and richly documented with archival material and contemporary press reports, it offers fresh insight into the lives that formed the backbone of a changing society.

The new King of the Elves has disappeared while searching for stolen gold and missing Leprechaun children. As a last resort, the elves turn to humans for help. Once again, Henry, along with Tom and Flora, must step into a parallel world to find the lost king and the missing children. Their epic journey is steeped in ancient folklore, ghostly encounters, and a battle against the evil Goblin Empire. The dangers they face are many: bloodthirsty werewolves, a deadly maze, and a ritual human sacrifice. A magical coronation at Ludlow Castle hangs in the balance. The odds of success are slim — but with the help of a brave beaver family, talking nettles, and a magical longbow, is there still hope?

When Cougar Bill, lead guitarist and founder of the iconic pop group The Cougars, is found hanging from the rafters of his sprawling country home by a curious schoolboy, Detective Chief Inspector Max Bellamy is called in to investigate.Was it suicide—or something far more sinister? What links Bill’s death to a string of mysterious drownings from years past? And how much does Josie, Bill’s wife and the band’s manager, Eric Irwin, really know?As Bellamy digs deeper, he finds himself navigating a tangle of suspects, secrets, and those eager to dismiss the death as a suicide. But when threats are made against his wife, MP Louise Bellamy, the case becomes personal—and the stakes turn deadly.Will Bellamy uncover the truth before it''s too late?

In a partly-fictionalised account, this book recounts the dramatic story of the 1945 General Election—an event that, to the surprise of many, saw the decisive defeat of wartime hero Winston Churchill and the election of Britain’s first majority Labour government.Drawing on a rich array of diaries, biographies, and autobiographies, it vividly brings to life the gripping personal and political dramas of key figures such as Churchill, Attlee, Morrison, Wilkinson, and Bevin—stories as compelling as any work of melodramatic fiction.Innovatively, the book also makes extensive use of the Mass-Observation archive—including diaries, directives, and field reports—to capture the voices of ordinary people who watched the unfolding events with a mixture of awe, anticipation, and apprehension.

Sixteen-year-old Erica Brooks longs for adventure, acceptance, and answers—especially about the mysterious power she keeps hidden, even from herself.When she is suddenly transported to the enthralling world of Aqouril, Erica discovers an extraordinary ability to control water—an ancient power that marks her for something far greater than she ever imagined.To master her gift and uncover the secrets of Aqouril, Erica must face a series of harrowing trials that test her courage, strain her friendships, and push her to her limits.Gripping, heartfelt, and brimming with magic, The Trials of Aqouril is a spellbinding journey of bravery, transformation, and self-discovery.

Munich & Vienna, 1932Aspiring opera singer Angelika Eder thought she had it all—a cultured life in Vienna, along with the guidance of her glamorous mother, a world-famous soprano. But when tragedy strikes and her mother dies amidst a swirling family scandal, eighteen-year-old Angelika finds herself uprooted to Munich, where civil unrest is rife and leaders of the increasingly powerful Nazi Party seek to use her voice as propaganda.When a figure from her mother’s past offers Angelika the chance to study and sing at an elite Viennese university, she decides to fight for her dream while evading the vile Nazis she despises. But the Nazis aren’t relenting in their demand that Angelika support their party and sing for Hitler himself. Can Angelika find her voice and stand against evil, even if it means risking not only her dreams of fame, but also the safety of herself and everyone she loves?

Families at War is a sweeping tale of love, loyalty, and the brutal legacy of war.In 1930s Friedrichshafen, a shared passion for art binds English-Jewish Judith, idealistic Matthias, and zealous Hinrich—until Nazi ideology tears them apart. As WWII ignites, Judith returns to England to serve as a wartime nurse.Matthias, haunted by his love for Judith, fights on the Eastern Front, battling not just enemies but his own conscience. Meanwhile, Hinrich descends into darkness as a sadistic SS officer. Their families, too, are drawn into the maelstrom—some resisting, others complicit. Years later, an art exhibition reunites the trio, each scarred by the past.Now artists, Judith and Matthias must confront the memories that shaped them, while Hinrich reappears in a guise both familiar and changed. Moving and unflinching, this is a story of shattered innocence, the enduring power of memory, and art’s ability to redeem or destroy.