When Jerusalem is captured by the Muslims in A.D. 1187, Elfreda, a young Saxon orphan, is sent back to England to her mother's sister. Her proud aunt, Lady de Valery, is not at all pleased to see her, and her uncle, Sir Valence, fears that she may have brought the family curse back to England. This hundred-year-old curse is said to have been placed on an ancestor named Leofwine, and more than one family member has tried in vain to remove it. Meeting her cousin, Guy, for a few moments as he prepares to join King Richard's Crusade to free Jerusalem, Elfreda tells him of her father's battle cry, "Christ and His salvation." Something in this cry thrills Guy's heart even though he doesn't understand the meaning of the words. Soon after this, Lady de Valery sends Elfreda off to live with relatives in London. There Elfreda and Guy meet again and Guy promises Elfreda that he will win such honor as a crusader that he will be able to remove the curse from their family. Elfreda, too, tries to remove the curse through a life of religious devotion. Over the years that follow, however, severe trials befall the de Valery family, and Guy and Elfreda despair of ever being able to lift the curse, until at last they both learn of One who has power stronger than any curse.

Mystery, rumours and scandals abound in Jane Austen Stole My Boyfriend from Cora Harrison, a historical romantic comedy perfect for fans of Bridgerton. A little mystery is so becoming in a hero, don't you think? Jane wants to meet a hero worthy of her extraordinary imagination: a gentleman who is dashing and daring and handsome and brave; who can dance like a viscount and duel like a king. Jane and Jenny are whiling away the social season in Bath and there are plenty of dances, rumours and scandals to entertain them. But a good reputation, once lost, is gone forever; and Jane is in danger of becoming the talk of the town for all the wrong reasons . . .

The gates to Frost Hollow Hall loomed before us. They were great tall things, the ironwork all twisted leaves and queer-looking flowers. And they were very definitely shut. Tilly's heart sinks. Will's at the door of their cottage, daring her to come ice-skating up at Frost Hollow Hall. No one goes near the place these days. Rumour has it that the house is haunted . . . Ten years ago the young heir, Kit Barrington, drowned there in the lake. But Tilly never turns down a dare. Then it goes horribly wrong. The ice breaks, Tilly falls through and almost drowns. At the point of death, a beautiful angel appears in the water and saves her. Kit Barrington's ghost. Kit needs Tilly to solve the mystery of his death, so that his spirit can rest in peace. In order to discover all she can, Tilly gets work as a maid at Frost Hollow Hall. But the place makes her flesh crawl. It's all about the dead here, she's told, and in the heart of the house she soon discovers all manner of dark secrets . . . Frost Hollow Hall is a thrilling historical fiction debut. Told in Tilly's unique voice, it is a tale of love and loss, and how forgiveness is the key to recovery.

Inspired by award-winning author Elizabeth Laird's own childhood growing up in post-war London, The Misunderstandings of Charity Brown is a classic coming-of-age story, perfect for fans of The Skylarks' War and I Capture the Castle. Charity Brown’s life is about to change – her family have been left a huge, rambling house by a mysterious benefactor, and her parents want to move in and throw open its doors to the needy. Only recently back from hospital after months of isolation with polio, Charity is over-protected and lonely as the only child still at home. Her family are very religious – her sisters are called Faith and Hope, and her brother Ted is studying to be a preacher – so she's both excited and nervous at the thought of sharing her family and new home with strangers. It’s a recipe for confusion, joy and endless misunderstandings, including with the new neighbours, an Austrian family with a daughter just Charity’s age . . .

A captivating World War II story with a high-stakes ending that explores the moral dilemma of helping the enemy. 'This is an intense, thought-provoking, and deeply satisfying read.' TEACH SECONDARY 'This book grabbed me from page one' HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY Summer, 1941. For Peter, the war is a long way away, being fought by a faceless enemy, marching across places he's never seen. Until the night it comes to him. A German plane is shot down over the woods that his Dad looked after, before he went off to fight. Peter rushes to the crash site to find something exciting to keep. But what he finds instead is someone: a young and injured German airman. The enemy. Here. And in trouble. Suddenly, helping him seems like the right thing to do ... An exciting and thought-provoking World War II adventure for ages 9 and up Perfect for fans of Michael Morpurgo, Michelle Magorian and Phil Earle From the acclaimed author of Nisha's War and My Brother's Secret

Athan Wilde dreams of flight. When his friend, Mr Chen, is murdered, Athan must rescue the flying machine they were building together and stop it falling into the wrong hands. But keeping the machine safe puts his family in terrible danger. What will Athan choose - flight or family?

From the acclaimed author of Murder In Midwinter, Fleur Hitchcock's The Boy Who Flew is a thrilling, murderous tale set among the steep rooftops and slippery characters of Athan's intricately imagined world. Perfect for fans of Philip Pullman, Peter Bunzl and Emma Carroll.

Exciting, funny, moving - and featuring joyous and authentic disabled representation - Cosima Unfortunate Steals a Star is the middle-grade debut of 2023. Cosima Unfortunate has spent all her life at the Home for Unfortunate Girls - a school where any disabled children, or children deemed different, are sent, whether their families want it or not. It is there that she meets her friends - Pearl, Mary and Diya - and they start to practise mini heists involving the theft of cakes, biscuits and other sweet goodies. But when Cos finds out that Lord Francis Fitzroy, the explorer behind the Empire Exhibition, is planning to adopt them, she and her friends plot the biggest heist of their life. Instead of fondant fancies, they're going to steal Fitzroy's prized tiara, containing the legendary Star Diamond of India! But, as they start preparing for the day, Cosima finds herself drawing ever closer to discovering the one secret she's always wanted to know - the truth about her parents...

A magical story of snow and stars by Catherine Fisher. The Clockwork Crow is a mysterious gothic Christmas tale set in a frost-bound Victorian country mansion. When orphaned Seren Rees is given a mysterious package by a strange and frightened man on her way to her new home, she reluctantly takes it with her. But what is in the parcel? Who are the Family who must not be spoken of, and can the Crow help Seren find Tom, before the owner of the parcel finds her? The Clockwork Crow is a gripping Christmas tale of families and belonging set in snowy Wales from a master storyteller.

Since she was twelve, Meriel Garland has lived with her grandfather in London, exiled from her beloved India following the death of her mother. Now sixteen, Meriel chafes against the strict regime of tests and study that her grandfather imposes on her. Escaping, she discovers a world outside her narrow existence one that promises admiration for her acting skills, social success and the dark mysteries of seances. Disbelieving at first, she is drawn in when the young medium Sophie Casson passes on a message apparently from beyond the grave and Meriel begins to suspect she might not be alone in the world after all. In searching for the truth about her past, Meriel uncovers a sinister scheme and soon it's hard to know who she can really trust ...

A wonderful and original Jacqueline Wilson novel, featuring Hetty Feather, a Victorian Tracy Beaker
London, 1876 and Hetty Feather is just a tiny baby when her mother leaves her at the Foundling Hospital. The Hospital cares for abandoned children -- but Hetty must first live with a foster family until she is big enough to go to school.
Life in the countryside is hard but with her 'brothers' Jem and Gideon, she helps in the fields and plays imaginary games. Together they sneak off to visit the travelling circus and Hetty is mesmerised by the show, especially Madame Adeline and her performing horses.
But Hetty's happiness is threatened once more when she is returned to the Foundling Hospital. The new life of awful uniforms and terrible food is a struggle for her. But now she has the chance to find her real mother. Could she really be the wonderful Madame Adeline? Or will Hetty find the truth is even more surprising?
Jacqueline Wilson will surprise and delight old fans and new with this utterly original take on a historical novel. Set in Victorian times and featuring a brand new feisty heroine, Hetty Feather, this is a Tracy Beaker-esque tale that will thrill young readers. Warm, moving, funny and totally fascinating, it's the perfect gift for girls of nine and older.

"From the Hardcover edition."

Humiliated by his father in front of their household, Leofwine's only crime is that, unlike his wild, younger brother, he finds no pleasure in terrorizing the countryside. Leofwine finally receives permission to enter a monastery but shortly after his dream is fulfilled, he hears strange rumors of a French monk who preaches "heresy." Unable to stop thinking about these new ideas, Leofwine and his fellow monks become convinced that he must be under the spell of a witch. At last, Leofwine determines to leave the monastery and England, hoping that in the holy life of a pilgrim he will find freedom from the curse that he feels he is under. His search for inner peace takes him to France and to Rome and finally to Jerusalem, but all of his travels leave him more confused than ever, and worse yet, he uncovers a plot against his native England. Now Leofwine must find a way to help his beloved country and also decide what to believe about the surprising ideas he has heard in a small village in the Alps.

October, 1916. Clara is sent to stay with her formidable aunt and uncle in the grounds of a country estate. Clara soon discovers that her new surroundings hold secrets: a locked room and a hidden key, and a mysterious boy who only appears in the gardens at night... But can Clara face up to her own secrets, and a war she's desperate to forget?

It is 1940, and American Tom McCord, a 23-year-old graduate student, is in England researching the historical evidence for the legendary King Arthur. There he meets perky and intuitive Laura Hartman, a fellow American staying with her aunt in Oxford, and the two of them team up for an even more ambitious and dangerous quest. Aided by the Inklings - that illustrious circle of scholars and writers made famous by its two most prolific members, C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien - Tom and Laura begin to suspect that the fabled Spear of Destiny, the lance that pierced the side of Christ on the Cross, is hidden somewhere in England.

Welcome to Professor Brownstone's vault - containing ancient relics from around the world, all collected by his famous ancestors! This fan favourite is coming to shelves in paperback! Follow the epic journey of Brownstone's earliest ancestor, Arthur, and travel back to the age of the Vikings where this bookish young adventurer must find the courage to save his village and defeat the mighty beast Fenrir...

Be the first to read the next action-packed adventure from the indomitable Gauls by pre-ordering now! Follow Asterix and Obelix as they set out on their 39th adventure on a long journey in search of a strange and terrifying creature. Half-eagle, half-lion, and idolised and feared by ancient peoples, this creature is the griffin. How will Asterix, Obelix, Dogamatix, along with the Druid Getafix, get drawn into the epic, perilous quest to find this fantastical animal? Find out in the next instalment of this multi-million bestselling series.