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Books > Fiction > Genre fiction > Historical fiction
Two unwanted heirs of large 19th century English estates are led to
their deaths by the guile and leadership of an elder sister and
acquaintance. She meticulously plans the final solution whilst
flaunting her sexual prowess and subsequently silencing all who
stand in her way. Everything is finally laid bare on 'the field of
honour', her motive? REVENGE! The novel is set along the Coln river
valley amongst the picturesque Cotswold hills and villages. The
river is well known by keen anglers who practise their skills
trying to catch the elusive grayling, also known as 'The Ladies of
the Stream'.
1890s Sudan. When Akuany and her brother are orphaned in a village
raid, they are taken in by a young merchant, Yaseen, who promises
to care for them - a vow that tethers him to Akuany through their
adulthood. As revolution begins to brew, led by the self-proclaimed
Mahdi, Sudan begins to prise itself from Ottoman rule, and everyone
must choose a side. Yaseen feels beholden to stand against this
false Mahdi, a decision that threatens to splinter his family.
Meanwhile, Akuany moves through her young adulthood and across the
country alone, sold and traded from house to house, with only
Yaseen as her intermittent lifeline. Their struggle mirrors the
increasingly bloody struggle for Sudan itself - for freedom, safety
and the possibility of love. River Spirit is the unforgettable
story of a people who, against the odds and for a brief time,
gained independence from foreign rule through their willpower,
subterfuge and sacrifice.
THE COMPELLING NEW NOVEL FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR
OF TIDELANDS. Number One bestselling author Philippa Gregory's new
historical novel tracks the rise of the Tidelands family in London,
Venice and New England. Midsummer Eve, 1670. A turbulent time to
seek the truth . . . A wealthy man waits outside a poor London
warehouse to meet with Alinor, the woman he failed twenty-one years
before. He has everything to offer: money, land, status. He
believes she has the only thing he cannot buy: his son and heir.
Meanwhile in New England, Alinor's brother Ned cannot find justice
in the New World, as the King's revenge stretches across the
Atlantic and turns the pioneers against each other and against the
American Indians. Then, a beautiful widow, Livia, arrives from
Venice. She claims Alinor as her mother-in-law and has come with
the news that Alinor's son Rob has drowned in the dark tides of the
lagoon. But is this true or could this woman be an imposter . . . ?
From London to New England and Venice, the dark tides always rise,
and with them come secrets and enemies . . . 'A gripping read
spanning London, Venice and New England, all beautifully observed
by Gregory' Woman & Home Praise for Tidelands, the first in the
Fairmile series: 'A gripping and intelligent portrait of a woman
fighting to survive in a hostile world' The Times 'The first in a
planned series . . . The author crafts her material with effortless
ease. Her grasp of social mores is brilliant, the love story rings
true and the research is, as ever, of the highest calibre'
Elizabeth Buchan, Daily Mail 'Vivid and beguiling - Philippa
Gregory at her best' Woman & Home 'A compelling novel that
shines a light on the struggles of 17th century women' Daily Mirror
'The novel's power lies in Gregory's evocative portrayal of the
tidelands and the everyday lives of those who are bound to them'
Sunday Express 'Philippa Gregory returns with an English Civil War
novel that excels in everything she does best. Historical events
are written with breathless immediacy, keeping the reader
enthralled even if they know the outcome' Alys Key, The i 'If this
novel is the first sign of what's to come then readers are in for a
treat' Emma Lee-Potter, Daily Express
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"There is only one bond that I trust: between a woman and her
sisters. We never take our eyes off each other. In love and in
rivalry, we always think of each other." When Katherine of Aragon
is brought to the Tudor court as a young bride, the oldest
princess, Margaret, takes her measure. With one look, each knows
the other for a rival, an ally, a pawn, destined - with Margaret's
younger sister Mary - to a sisterhood unique in all the world. The
three sisters will become the queens of England, Scotland and
France. United by family loyalties and affections, the three queens
find themselves set against each other. Katherine commands an army
against Margaret and kills her husband James IV of Scotland. But
Margaret's boy becomes heir to the Tudor throne when Katherine
loses her son. Mary steals the widowed Margaret's proposed husband,
but when Mary is widowed it is her secret marriage for love that is
the envy of the others. As they experience betrayals, dangers, loss
and passion, the three sisters find that the only constant in their
perilous lives is their special bond, more powerful than any man,
even a king.
Oppressed and trodden on by her aunt and uncle, the Duke and
Duchess of Bruntwick, who despise her because her father died in
debt and her mother was French, Rocana Brunt yearns to escape the
confines of their Bruntwick Castle. Yet when her dear cousin Lady
Caroline is ordered much against her will to marry the imperious
Marquis of Quorn, simply to extricate him from a potential scandal
over one of his many liaisons, loyal Rocana agrees to take her
cousin's place at the altar so that Lady Caroline may elope with
her beloved Patrick. At least she believes that this deception and
the loveless marriage that would undoubtedly follow, might free
then her from her virtual slavery. Her deceit is not revealed until
long after the wedding, when she and the Marquis reach Paris and
her cousin and Patrick are safely and ecstatically wed. And soon,
through her own magic and some dangerous escapades, Rocana herself
feels a glimmer of hope that she too is about to find eternal
happiness in a true love of her own.
HarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of
best-loved, essential classics. "For a time I believed that mankind
had been swept out of existence, and that I stood there alone, the
last man left alive." When a strange, meteor-like object lands in
the heart of England, the inhabitants of Earth find themselves
victims of a terrible attack. A ruthless race of Martians, armed
with heat rays and poisonous smoke, is intent on destroying
everything that stands in its way. As the unnamed hero struggles to
find his way across decimated wastelands, the fate of the planet
hangs in the balance . . . H. G. Wells was a pioneer of modern
science fiction. First serialised in the UK in 1897, The War of the
Worlds is one of the earliest stories to depict conflict with an
extraterrestrial race, and has influenced countless adaptations and
sequels.
A TOP TEN NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER AN OPRAH BOOK CLUB PICK ONE OF
BARACK OBAMA'S FAVOURITE BOOKS OF THE YEAR 'Astonishing... A great
work infused with love and honesty' Alice Walker, author of The
Color Purple 'Deeply moving... it is magnificent' Sarah Winman,
author of Still Life 'A remarkable work' Afua Hirsch, author of
Brit(ish) 'Epic... It just consumed me' Oprah Winfrey, Oprah Book
Club 'The kind of book that comes around only once a decade'
Washington Post A breath-taking debut novel that chronicles the
journey of generations of one American family, from the centuries
of the colonial slave trade to our own tumultuous era The great
scholar, W.E.B. Du Bois, once wrote about the Problem of race in
America, and what he called 'Double Consciousness,' a sensitivity
that every African American possesses in order to survive. Since
childhood, Ailey Pearl Garfield has understood Du Bois's words all
too well. From an early age, Ailey fights a battle to feel like she
belongs, made all the more difficult by a hovering trauma, as well
as the whispers of women - her mother, her sister and a maternal
line reaching back two centuries - that urge her to succeed in
their stead. Ailey decides to embark on a journey through her
family's past, uncovering the shocking tales of generations of
ancestors - Indigenous, Black, and white - in the deep South. In
doing so she must learn to embrace her full heritage, a legacy of
oppression and resistance, bondage and independence, cruelty and
resilience that is the story - and the song - of America itself.
Sweeping, compulsive and deeply moving, The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du
Bois by Honoree Fanonne Jeffers is set to be one of the most talked
about books of the year. LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR
FICTION * SHORTLISTED FOR THE CENTER FOR FICTION FIRST NOVEL PRIZE
* LONGLISTED FOR THE ASPEN LITERARY PRIZE New York Times 10 Best
Books of the Year * Time 10 Best Books of the Year * Washington
Post 10 Best Books of the Year * People 10 Best Books of the Year *
Booklist 10 Best First Novels of the Year
In 1236 AD when King Henry III had ruled for 47 years, William, the
son of a Knight Bachelor, had his 12th birthday, the age when a boy
became a man in medieval times. With no knowledge of what lay ahead
he commenced the dangerous journey to the Knight's school at
Litchfield. He was escorted by a Knight and three soldiers and
during the journey he proved his manhood killing his first man.
Bishop Grosseteste was interested in the boy and William stayed in
the palace to commence a gruelling four-year course in military
combat and academic studies. The four years were far from
uneventful! He emerged a Knight skilled in horsemanship, fighting
on foot and on horseback. Unbeknown to the Bishop he also excelled
in the bedroom. He completed his training and was summoned to join
the King's ill-fated attempt to wrest territory back from the
French, William's secret mission was behind the French lines and
was of supreme importance and was exciting. The journey home was a
nightmare. Returning home he found that a lifelong enemy had
attempted to deprive him of his birth-right. This required a trial
by combat to the death with judgement given to the 'last man
standing'.
Two very different lives…
It is 2019 and Lily Jones is living her dream in LA. Sort of. It hasn’t quite turned out as she planned and instead of working as a movie producer, she is cleaning at the prestigious Beverly Hills Hotel. At least she gets to work in the renowned Paul Williams suite, site of the brutal murder of Honey Black 70 years ago and shrouded in rumour and dark glamour.
It is 1949 and Honey Black is about to hit the big time. She may have started out a country girl from Hicksville but now she is a star. And Hollywood had better watch out – nothing can stop her now!
After an accidental bump to the head, Lily finds herself in Hollywood, 1949. She cannot believe it. Like a dream come true, she is rubbing shoulders with the great and good of Tinseltown. Including Honey Black... Horrified, Lily realises that the actress has only two weeks left to live before she will be murdered.
Could this be why she has found herself in 1949? To find the killer and stop them in their tracks?
In the small hours of January 1st, 1919, the cruellest twist of
fate changed at a stroke the lives of an entire community. Tormod
Morrison was there that terrible night. He was on board HMY Iolaire
when it smashed into rocks and sank, killing some 200 servicemen on
the very last leg of their long journey home from war. For Tormod -
a man unlike others, with artistry in his fingertips - the disaster
would mark him indelibly. Two decades later, Alasdair and Rachel
are sent to the windswept Isle of Lewis to live with Tormod in his
traditional blackhouse home, a world away from the Glasgow of their
earliest years. Their grandfather is kind, compassionate, but still
deeply affected by the remarkable true story of the Iolaire
shipwreck - by the selfless heroism and desperate tragedy he
witnessed. A deeply moving novel about passion constrained, coping
with loss and a changing world, As the Women Lay Dreaming explores
how a single event can so dramatically impact communities,
individuals and, indeed, our very souls.
Gambling everything--including the family farm--Cullen McNamara
travels to the 1893 Chicago World's Fair with his most recent
invention. But the noise in the fair's Machinery Hall makes it
impossible to communicate with potential buyers. In an act of
desperation, he hires Della Wentworth, a teacher of the deaf, to
tutor him in the art of lip-reading.
The young teacher is reluctant to participate, and Cullen has
trouble keeping his mind on his lessons while intently watching her
lips. Like the newly invented Ferris wheel, he is caught in a whirl
between his girl back home, his dreams as an inventor, and his
unexpected attraction to his new tutor. Can he keep his feet on the
ground, or will he be carried away?
THE COMPELLING NOVEL FROM SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER PHILIPPA GREGORY
'This is a man's world, Jacquetta, and some women cannot march to
the beat of a man's drum. Do you understand?' 1435. Rouen.
Jacquetta of Luxembourg is left a wealthy young widow when her
husband, the Duke of Bedford, dies. Her only friend in the great
household is Richard Woodville, the Duke's squire, and it is not
long before the two become lovers and marry in secret. The
Woodvilles return to the Lancaster court, where Jacquetta becomes
close friends with young King Henry VI's new queen. But she can
sense a growing threat from the people of England, and the danger
of royal rivals. The king slides into a mysterious sleep; Margaret,
his queen, turns to untrustworthy favourites for help; and Richard,
Duke of York, threatens to overturn the whole kingdom for his rival
dynasty, the House of York. Jacquetta fights for her king, her
queen and her daughter Elizabeth Woodville, for whom she senses an
extraordinary future. A sweeping, powerful novel rich in passion
and legend, The Lady of the Rivers tells the story of the real-life
mother to the White Queen. Praise for Philippa Gregory:
'Meticulously researched and deeply entertaining, this story of
betrayal and divided loyalties is Gregory on top form' Good
Housekeeping 'Gregory has popularised Tudor history perhaps more
than any other living fiction writer...all of her books feature
strong, complex women, doing their best to improve their lives in
worlds dominated by men' Sunday Times 'Engrossing' Sunday Express
'Popular historical fiction at its finest, immaculately researched
and superbly told' The Times
Intriguing mysteries and fast-paced action combine with humour and
emotion...To combat treason, sedition and rebellion in the Empire's
most northerly state, the prosperous Britain of Roman year 891 (AD
139), chief investigator Felix is charged by the Governor with
rooting out traitors in the 25 large and 80 small towns that
catered for a population of two and a half million people. Forced
to live on his wits amongst a heady mix of cult sacrifice, lust,
crime and warfare, his own dark secret is finally revealed.
TIKTOK MADE ME BUY IT! The swoon-worthy second book in TikTok's
favourite Victorian fantasy romance series 'Incredible!
Sensational! Fantastic! So charming your inner Lizzie Bennet will
swoon' 5***** Reader Review 'OBSESSED. If you love playful dialogue
and language, fun characters, and interesting worlds, I recommend'
5**** Reader Review! _______ Charlotte Pettifer belongs to a secret
society skilled in witchcraft. When rumours of the Amulet of Black
Beryl start to circulate, Charlotte is determined to find the jewel
before it falls into the wrong hands. Which is what happens when
the evil Lady Armitage reaches it first. Demanding the help of
rakish pirate, Alex O'Riley, Charlotte sets off to find the jewel.
There's just one problem: pirates and witches are sworn enemies.
But little do they know, sparks are about to fly . . . _______
'Witty and entertaining. A literary delight! . . . Think Jane
Austen meets Jack Sparrow' 5***** Reader Review 'Wondrous,
whimsical, wiccan follow-up to its flying house pirate predecessor,
building upon this magical, Victorian-soaked world deftly and
capably' 5***** Reader Review
In 1936, classical pianist Thomas Greene is recruited to Shanghai
to lead a jazz orchestra of fellow African-American expats. From
being flat broke in segregated Baltimore to living in a mansion
with servants of his own, he becomes the toast of a city obsessed
with music, money, pleasure and power, even as it ignores the
rising winds of war. Song Yuhua is refined and educated, and has
been bonded since age eighteen to Shanghai's most powerful crime
boss in payment for her father's gambling debts. Outwardly
submissive, she burns with rage and risks her life spying on her
master for the Communist Party. Only when Shanghai is shattered by
the Japanese invasion do Song and Thomas find their way to each
other. Though their union is forbidden, neither can back down from
it in the turbulent years of occupation and resistance that follow.
Torn between music and survival, freedom and commitment, love and
world war, they are borne on an irresistible riff of melody and
improvisation to "Night in Shanghai"'s final, impossible choice. In
this stunningly researched novel, Nicole Mones not only tells the
forgotten story of black musicians in the Chinese jazz age, but
also weaves in a startling true tale of Holocaust heroism
little-known in the West. View the Trailer: www.nicolemones.com
"Nicole Mones conjures up the jazz-filled, complex, turbulent world
of Shanghai just before World War II. A rich and thoroughly
captivating read."--Gail Tsukiyama, author of "The Samurai's
Garden"
Sailing to Shanghai in 1936 to lead a black jazz orchestra,
Thomas Greene goes from being flat broke in segregated Baltimore to
living in a mansion with servants of his own, and from the
classical piano pieces he was trained to play to the toe-tapping
swing of the big band era.
Song Yuhua is refined, educated, and bonded since age eighteen
to Shanghai's most powerful crime boss in payment for her father's
gambling debts. Outwardly submissive, she burns with rage, longs
for escape, and risks her life spying on her master for the
Communist Party.
With Shanghai shattered by the Japanese invasion, Thomas and
Song find their way to each other and forge a bond from which
neither can back down in the turbulent years that follow. Torn
between music and survival, freedom and commitment, love and war,
they navigate the dangers leading to world war until the moment
when they must cast their lots in "Night in Shanghai"'s final,
impossible choice.
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