What is the best way to tell a story? In first-person peripheral, or third-person focalised? Unfolding in the present, or as events in the past? Where is the camera? What is the lens? Where is the action? In this concise little book, educator Amy Jones describes the different ways that novelists and scriptwriters tell their stories. Packed with examples and insights, this is an essential reference guide for writers of all ages and disciplines. It's not the story, it's how you tell it!

Novel Ideas explores meaning within novels with the aid of block diagrams. Written without jargon the book takes in a wide range of sometimes complex novels written over a period in excess of 200 years by British, Commonwealth, French, American, and Russian authors. These novels also take on important issues of their day that, in most cases, pursue points still relevant in today's world. Such as this can easily be seen by comparing the work of Mary Wollstonecraft in the 1790s with those that followed such as Kate Chopin and even Katherine Mansfield in the 1920s. The idea is to then reduce the content of the essays in question to a still more manageable level by containing the points raised therein on single page block diagrams. What this form of block diagram does is to give students a more easily retained visual representation of an essay that might comprise of over twelve thousand words relating to complex issues raised in the novels. It also allows students to compare and contrast similarities and differences across the novels chosen, a question frequently asked of students throughout most literature courses and under exam conditions. Other authors' works discussed are Eliot, Zola, Hardy, Flaubert, James, Conrad, De Laclose and Turgenev. If students were to operate this system for themselves it could also help by consolidating literary points brought up throughout the year. In other words this methodology can be used as a template and need not only apply to the novels dealt with here. Although primarily of use to students throughout a literary degree course the same system could be employed by students on A-level courses as an aid to disciplining their approach to this wide and often complex subject.

This study of Sherlock Holmes and panoptic power will intrigue both fans of the Holmes canon and anyone interested in the history of crime literature and how such a character has captured the imagination of countless generations. Dr Michael Plakotaris has succeeded in bringing together the most authoritative works on the matter to create a revealing insight into one of the most prominent figures of English literature. From comparisons between Holmes and his creator to studies of his Nietzschean personality, his panoptic-semiotic modus operandi and his successful relationship with Watson, we begin to understand the components used that created this astounding success in Victorian literature.

An enhanced exam section: expert guidance on approaching exam questions, writing high-quality responses and using critical interpretations, plus practice tasks and annotated sample answer extracts. Key skills covered: focused tasks to develop your analysis and understanding, plus regular study tips, revision questions and progress checks to track your learning. The most in-depth analysis: detailed text summaries and extract analysis to in-depth discussion of characters, themes, language, contexts and criticism, all helping you to succeed.

When Bunny Carter, the old lady from the Manor House, is discovered in an open grave, Sophie Sayers is sure it's a case of foul play. But when it comes to suspects, she's spoiled for choice. One of Bunny's squabbling children from three different husbands? Petunia Lot from the Cats Prevention charity, always angling for a legacy? All these and more had motive and opportunity. But who is to blame? And can Sophie and her boyfriend, village bookseller Hector Munro, stop them before they strike again? Previously published by Debbie Young.

Love thy neighbour or fear thy neighbour? For myself and Lauren, my 10-year-old daughter No3 Beech Close was to be our refuge after two years of hell nursing my sick mother. In need of a fresh start and wanting to distance ourselves from the bad memories of my mother's house we moved to Beech Close, a small cul-de-sac of six houses situated around a picture-perfect green. It seemed perfect but I had underestimated the secrets that this tightknit community shared. Within hours of moving in my next-door neighbour Valerie made it abundantly clear we were not welcome. I soon discovered that Valerie hadn't welcomed the previous occupant either and she'd since disappeared without a trace. Had I put myself and my daughter in danger moving to Beech Close? Which neighbours, if any could I trust? And how far would they go to keep their secret? Perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty, Shari Lapena and Lisa Jewell

Packed full of analysis and interpretation, historical background, discussions and commentaries, York Notes will help you get right to the heart of the text you're studying, whether it's poetry, a play or a novel. You'll learn all about the historical context of the piece; find detailed discussions of key passages and characters; learn interesting facts about the text; and discover structures, patterns and themes that you may never have known existed. In the Advanced Notes, specific sections on critical thinking, and advice on how to read critically yourself, enable you to engage with the text in new and different ways. Full glossaries, self-test questions and suggested reading lists will help you fully prepare for your exam, while internet links and references to film, TV, theatre and the arts combine to fully immerse you in your chosen text. York Notes offer an exciting and accessible key to your text, enabling you to develop your ideas and transform your studies!

Harry Gilmore has no idea of the terrible danger he faces when he meets a beautiful girl in a local student bar. Drugged and abducted, Harry wakes up in a secure wooden compound deep in the Welsh countryside, where he is groomed by the leaders of a manipulative cult, run by the self-proclaimed new messiah known as The Master. When the true nature of the cult becomes apparent, Harry looks for any opportunity to escape. But as time passes, he questions if The Master's extreme behavior and teachings are the one true religion. With Harry's life hanging by a thread, a team of officers, led by Detective Inspector Laura Kesey, investigate his disappearance. But will they find him before it's too late? *Previously published as The Girl in White*

'Packed full of emotional wisdom, heartbreak and hope. Wonderful - I loved it.' Daily Mail A story about friends, sisters, motherhood and starting again - one day at a time... Stella fell in love with Simon hard and fast. He was everything she wanted in a husband, and he seemed to feel the same way about her. More than a decade of marriage later, life is sweet. They have three much-wanted children, a successful business, and a comfortable London home. What more could Stella possibly want? But then, out of the blue, Simon is gone. Vanished. No one knows where he's gone or why. Now Stella, with the help of her friends and family, has to pick up the pieces of her and her children's life, all the while wondering what she missed. Was her husband who he said he was, and can she trust her own memories of their life together? Helen McGinn's latest novel is a love story to friendship, sisters, motherhood and starting again - one day at a time. Perfect for fans of Elizabeth Noble, Cathy Kelly and JoJo Moyes. Praise for Helen McGinn: 'This is McGinn's third novel and it's her best yet. Packed full of emotional wisdom, heartbreak and hope and is particularly brilliant on the importance of friendship and taking things one day at a time. Wonderful - I loved it.' Daily Mail 'This is a lovely uplifting book that transported me away, firstly to the beautiful city of Rome and then to gorgeous Cornwall. It's a moving and emotional story of families in all their messy wonderfulness, of people losing one another, and then coming together again - sometimes in unexpected ways. A hugely enjoyable family tale, it was exactly what I wanted to read at this time.' Louise Douglas 'This Changes Everything is the perfect tonic. An uplifting, forget-about-everything-else read that I couldn't put down. Romantic, emotional and page-turning, Helen McGinn's debut novel can't fail to cheer you up!' Zoe Folbigg 'I loved reading this book. I needed escapism and it gave me Rome, Cornwall and a family who immediately felt like old friends. I took it to the bath, to bed and had finished it within 24 hours. It was the perfect antidote to tough times.' Victoria Moore The Daily Telegraph

For more than 25 years, York Notes have been helping students throughout the UK to get the inside track on the written word. Firmly established as the nation's favourite and most comprehensive range of literature study guides, each and every York Note has been carefully researched and written by experts to make sure that you get the most wide-ranging critical analysis, the most detailed commentary and the most helpful key points and checklists. York Notes Advanced offer a fresh and accessible approach to English Literature. Written by established literature experts, they introduce students to a more sophisticated analysis, a range of critical perspectives and wider contexts.

L.M.Montgomery grew up in Prince Edward Island, a real place of "politics and potatoes." But it's her fictional island, a richly textured imaginative landscape that has captivated a world of readers since 1908, when Anne of Green Gables became the first of Montgomery's long string of bestsellers. In this wide-ranging and highly readable book, Elizabeth Waterston uses the term "magic" to suggest that peculiar, indefinable combination of attributes that unpredictably results in creative genius. Montgomery's intelligence, her drive, and her sense of humour are essential components of this success. Waterston also features what Montgomery called her "dream life," a "strange inner life of fancy which had always existed side by side with my outer life." This special ability to look beyond the veil, to access vibrant inner vistas, produced deceptively layered fictions out of a life that saw not just its share of both fame and ill fortune, but also what Waterston calls "dark passions." A true reader's guide, Magic Island explores the world of L.M. Montgomery in a way never done before. Each chapter of Magic Island discusses a different Montgomery book, following their progression chronologically. Waterston draws parallels between Montgomery's internal "island," her personal life, her professional career, and the characters in her novels. Designed to be read alongside the new biography of Montgomery by Mary Rubio, this is the first book to reinterpret Montgomery's writing in light of important new information about her life. A must-read for any Montgomery fan, Magic Island offers a fresh and insightful look at the world of L.M. Montgomery and the "magic" of artistic creation.

Ever since Arthur Conan Doyle created the pipe-smoking, deer stalkered character, Sherlock Holmes, he has become a part of popular culture for generations, and here every aspect of the legendary detective is investigated. Brimming with strange and amusing facts, Sherlock Holmes explores this timeless character and the continuation of impact it has had on audiences today. Brief, accessible and entertaining pieces on a wide variety of subjects makes it the perfect book to dip in to. The amazing and extraordinary facts series presents interesting, surprising and little-known facts and stories about a wide-range of topics which are guaranteed to inform, absorb and entertain in equal measure.

The brand new gritty, addictive gangland thriller from bestseller Edie Baylis!Revenge will come at a price... With his once thriving casino business now in ruins, Seb Stoker is certain about two things: One - he will rebuild bigger and better than ever. And two - someone will pay for torching his club. But until that day comes, Seb has bigger things to worry about and a business deal that could make or break them all... Sam Reynold knows Seb is out for revenge, and she'll do anything she can to help him. But Sam has her own enemies and battles to fight - ones much closer to home. With pressure mounting for both of them, tensions run high. And payback will be deadly. A gripping new gangland story perfect for fans of Kimberley Chambers, Heather Atkinson and Caz Finlay. What people are saying about Edie Baylis! 'From start to finish, fast paced and gripping. Gangland fiction at its best! Bestselling author Kerry Kaya. 'Shocking and thrilling at the same time. It will take your breath away!' Bestselling author Gillian Godden. 'Edie Baylis has produced another fantastic gangland read. I loved the characters and was gripped from the first page. A massive 5 stars!' Bestselling author Caz Finlay.

Mazo de la Roche leaped to prominence as one of the most successful writers of the twentieth century when the first novel in her Whiteoaks of Jalna series won the Atlantic Monthly Prize in 1927. The award was hailed not only as a triumph for Mazo but as marking the coming of age of Canadian literature. Therefore her popularity, which earned her a luxurious life-style that included baronial manors in the English countryside, a retinue of devoted servants, and a fondness for world travel, abated only with her death in 1961. The centre of her life was her overwhelming love for her cousin, Caroline Clement, whom she adopted as a sister and who was her life-long companion, soulmate, and muse. The core of their existence was a secret unwritten play-endlessly changing and growing-that they acted out from the moment they met almost to the end of their lives. In this insightful biography Joan Givner has recovered the hidden life of Mazo de la Roche.

Family first. Family last. The Glass family always... Charley Glass arrived in her family's lives like the hurricane she'd escaped. But she hadn't run far enough: the ruthless Giordano family are on her tail and want two things - her life, and the return of the property she stole from them. No matter how many bodies stack up. After years of hoping, Charley finally has the family she's always wanted, but now she's going to have to tell them the real reason she came looking for them. There is only one way she's going to stay alive, and that is to employ the muscle of the notorious Glass Family. The head of the family, Luke, isn't sure they're strong enough to take on one of New Orleans' biggest crime gangs. But he'd put his life on the line to protect the empire they've built - even if they'll have to take on an enemy hurting enough to cross an ocean for revenge. Page-turning, gritty, and utterly compelling, Thief is Owen Mullen's best book yet. Perfect for fans of Martina Cole, Kimberley Chambers and Mandasue Heller. What readers say about Owen Mullen: 'Owen Mullen knows how to ramp up the action just when it's needed... he never fails to give you hard-hitting thrillers that have moments that will stay with you forever...' 'One of the very best thriller writers I have ever read.' 'Owen Mullen writes a good story, he really brings his characters to life and the endings are hard to guess and never what you expected.'

The most substantial collection of critical essays on Morrison to appear since her death in mid-2019, this book contains previously unpublished essays which both acknowledge the universal significance of her writing even as they map new directions. Essayists include pre-eminent Morrison scholars, as well as scholars who work in cultural criticism, African American letters, American modernism, and women's writing. The book includes work on Morrison as a public intellectual; work which places Morrison's writing within today's currents of contemporary fiction; work which draws together Morrison's "trilogy" of Beloved, Jazz, and Paradise alongside Dos Passos' USA trilogy; work which links Morrison to such Black Atlantic artists as Lubaina Himid and others as well as work which offers a reading of "influence" that goes both directions between Morrison and Faulkner. Another cluster of essays treats seldom-discussed works by Morrison, including an essay on Morrison as writer of children's books and as speaker for children's education. In addition, a "Teaching Morrison" section is designed to help teachers and critics who teach Morrison in undergraduate classes. The Bloomsbury Handbook to Toni Morrison is wide-ranging, provocative, and satisfying; a fitting tribute to one of the greatest American novelists.

An enhanced exam section: expert guidance on approaching exam questions, writing high-quality responses and using critical interpretations, plus practice tasks and annotated sample answer extracts. Key skills covered: focused tasks to develop your analysis and understanding, plus regular study tips, revision questions and progress checks to track your learning. The most in-depth analysis: detailed text summaries and extract analysis to in-depth discussion of characters, themes, language, contexts and criticism, all helping you to succeed.

Mining the borderlands where history meets literature in Britain and Europe as well as America, this book shows how the imminence and outbreak of World War II ignited the imaginations of writers ranging from Ernest Hemingway, W.H. Auden, and James Joyce to Bertolt Brecht, Evelyn Waugh, Henry Green, and Irene Nemirovsky. Taking its cue from Percy Shelley's dictum that great writers are to some extent created by the age in which they live, this book shows how much the politics and warfare of the years from 1939 to 1941 drove the literature of this period. Its novels, poems, and plays differ radically from histories of World War II because-besides being works of imagination-- they are largely products of a particular stage in the author's life as well as of a time at which no one knew how the war would end. This is the first comprehensive study of the impact of the outbreak of the Second World War on the literary work of American, English, and European writers during its first years.

A Sherlock Holmes Escape Book: The Adventure of the Tower of London is a unique form of puzzle book, in which the reader must solve the riddles to escape the pages. The fourth title in this ingenious series of Sherlock Holmes Escape Books, The Adventure of the Tower of London is an exhilarating combination of escape room, puzzle book and adventure story. Inspired by the urban craze for escape rooms, where players tackle puzzles while trapped in a locked room, it is an escape room in the form of a locked book, filled with codes, ciphers, riddles and red herrings, and a clever Code Wheel set into the cover. In the latest adventure in the series, readers will take on the role of the world's foremost consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes. Holmes's nemesis Moriarty has locked Sherlock's friend, the musician Odon von Mihalovic, with the CrownJewels in a cage in Tower Bridge the night before a special ceremony is due to be held for the Queen. Holmes and Watson are themselves trapped in the nearby Tower of London by Moriarty, and they must work through the night and against the clock to find and free Odon from the cage to prevent him being disgraced in the ceremony the following morning. Combines riddles, logic puzzles, timed challenges, mathematical brain-teasers, maps and mazes.

The most supportive, easy-to-use and focussed literature guides to help your students understand the texts they are studying at GCSE and A Level

When 12 year-old Jared Johnson's little sister dies, just hours after his mother breathes her last after wasting away so her children could eat, he knows he is on own. Desperate to avoid the workhouse, he does everything he can to survive the inhospitable streets of Birmingham. Jared is blessed with the gift of the gab and soon attracts the attention of the King of the Tatters, Toby McGuire. Recognising a kindred spirit, Toby soon has Jared out on a cart hustling for rags. Jared loves driving his horse Bess, shouting 'any old rags' as loud as he can, and it's not long before he's thriving. But being successful can bring you enemies as well as friends. Toby knows that Jared is destined for bigger things - provided his big mouth doesn't get him hurt first... The top 10 best-seller is back with an unforgettable story about an unforgettable boy. Heart-breaking and heart-warming, fans of Katie Flynn, Val Wood and Lyn Andrews will fall in love with this latest page-turner from Lindsey Hutchinson. What readers are saying about Lindsey Hutchinson: 'Couldn't put this book down. Brilliant story with many sad bits, but lovely happy ending. I would thoroughly recommend this book.' 'What a fabulous book from Lindsey again. She never disappoints. Read in 2 days it really is unputdownable! Can't wait for the next one as I know it will be another cracker.' 'It's a while since I didn't want a book to end. I absolutely loved this story as I have all of this author's books. She can't write fast enough for me, every book has been as lovely as the last and as usual I can't wait for the next.' 'Oh my goodness, I fell in love with each and everyone of the characters, except Edith, am glad to say she got her just rewards. Lindsey, you make them so loveable and real. Read it in 2 days. Brilliant!!!'

THE ULTIMATE GUIDES TO EXAM SUCCESS from York Notes - the UK's favourite English Literature Study Guides. York Notes for AS & A2 are specifically designed for AS & A2 students to help you get the very best grade you can. They are comprehensive, easy to use, packed with valuable features and written by experienced experts to give you an in-depth understanding of the text, critical approaches and the all-important exam. An enhanced exam skills section which includes essay plans, expert guidance on understanding questions and sample answers. You'll know exactly what you need to do and say to get the best grades. A wealth of useful content like key quotations, revision tasks and vital study tips that'll help you revise, remember and recall all the most important information. The widest coverage and the best, most in-depth analysis of characters, themes, language, form, context and style to help you demonstrate an exhaustive understanding of all aspects of the text. York Notes for AS & A2 are available for these popular titles: The Bloody Chamber (9781447913153) Doctor Faustus (9781447913177) Frankenstein (9781447913214) The Great Gatsby (9781447913207) The Kite Runner (9781447913160) Macbeth (9781447913146) Othello (9781447913191) Wuthering Heights (9781447913184) Jane Eyre (9781447948834) Hamlet (9781447948872) A Midsummer Night's Dream (9781447948841) Northanger Abbey (9781447948858 Pride & Prejudice (9781447948865) Twelfth Night (9781447948889)

An enhanced exam section: expert guidance on approaching exam questions, writing high-quality responses and using critical interpretations, plus practice tasks and annotated sample answer extracts. Key skills covered: focused tasks to develop your analysis and understanding, plus regular study tips, revision questions and progress checks to track your learning. The most in-depth analysis: detailed text summaries and extract analysis to in-depth discussion of characters, themes, language, contexts and criticism, all helping you to succeed.