Need advice on how to raise a chicken or pluck a pheasant? Wondering how to train your dog, catch a mole or sneak through a field of cows? Perhaps you're after the secret to the fattest pumpkin, the wormiest compost, the classiest snowdrop? Or are you simply in love with our captivating landscapes, keen to unlock the history and culture of our woods and fields, our footpaths and boundaries, our meadows and moors? ?In this delightful and eye-opening book, Meg Clothier and her father, Jonny, combine decades of practical know-how with a passion for literature and lore - braced up by a keen understanding of the conundrums of the contemporary countryside. From hedges and holloways to henges and ha-has, Country Matters brings the world beyond our towns and cities - its pleasures and perplexities, its dilemmas and delights - to entertaining and illuminating life.

'What a fun book! Reading Sea Fever is enticing and intriguing, like watching floating treasure bob past your nose.' Tristram Gooley, author of The Natural Navigator Can you interpret the shipping forecast? Do you know your flotsam from your jetsam? Or who owns the foreshore? Can you tie a half-hitch - or would you rather splice the mainbrace? Full of charming illustrations and surprising facts, Sea Fever provides the answers to all these and more. Mixing advice on everything from seasickness to righting a capsized boat with arcane marine lore, recipes, history, dramatic stories of daring-do and guides to the wildlife we share our shores with, even the most experienced ocean-dweller will find something in these pages to surprise and delight.

In the name of the Father, not a word of this. Her letters are forbidden. Beatrice is the convent's librarian. For years, she has shunned the company of her sisters, finding solace only with her manuscripts. Then, one carnival night, two women, bleeding and stricken, are abandoned outside the convent's walls. Moments from death, one of them presses something into Beatrice's hands: a bewitching book whose pages have a dangerous life of their own. But men of the faith want the book destroyed, and a zealous preacher has tracked it to her door. Her sisters' lives - or her obsession. Beatrice must decide. The book's voice is growing stronger. An ancient power uncoils. Will she dare to listen?

The Binding meets The Handmaid's Tale - Discovering a book of dark and ancient power, a convent librarian must defend it with her life. Perfect for fans of dark academia and historical feminist fiction. 'A wonderfully rich and absorbing tale' Observer 'Expertly crafted and beautifully told' Jennifer Saint 'All so good. I read it in two days flat, and wish I had spaced it out more' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ READER REVIEW Beatrice is the convent's librarian. For years, she has shunned the company of her sisters, finding solace only with her manuscripts. Then, one carnival night, two women, bleeding and stricken, are abandoned outside the convent's walls. Moments from death, one of them presses something into Beatrice's hands: a bewitching book whose pages have a dangerous life of their own. But men of the faith want the book destroyed, and a zealous preacher has tracked it to her door. Her sisters' lives - or her obsession. Beatrice must decide. The book's voice is growing stronger. An ancient power uncoils. Will she dare to listen? More praise for THE BOOK OF EVE: 'What an extraordinary book' Harriet Tyce 'A ravishing, erudite feminist hijack of Renaissance Florence' Alice Albinia 'A beautifully written, utterly enthralling read' Karen Coles 'Mysterious, bewitching and beautiful' Elizabeth Lee 'Brutal and haunting' Melissa Fu 'Erudite and bewitching' Costanza Casati And some early reader reviews: 'It is a tribute to female strength, power and resilience' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'A very interesting take on myth, mythology and the power of women when they work together for the greater good' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'The writing was excellent with a compelling storyline and well developed characters and a fantastic setting' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'An emotional journey, I absolutely loved the story and characters' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

The Binding meets The Handmaid's Tale - Discovering a book of dark and ancient power, a convent librarian must defend it with her life. Perfect for fans of dark academia and historical feminist fiction. 'A wonderfully rich and absorbing tale' Observer 'Expertly crafted and beautifully told' Jennifer Saint 'All so good. I read it in two days flat, and wish I had spaced it out more' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ READER REVIEW Beatrice is the convent's librarian. For years, she has shunned the company of her sisters, finding solace only with her manuscripts. Then, one carnival night, two women, bleeding and stricken, are abandoned outside the convent's walls. Moments from death, one of them presses something into Beatrice's hands: a bewitching book whose pages have a dangerous life of their own. But men of the faith want the book destroyed, and a zealous preacher has tracked it to her door. Her sisters' lives - or her obsession. Beatrice must decide. The book's voice is growing stronger. An ancient power uncoils. Will she dare to listen? More praise for THE BOOK OF EVE: 'What an extraordinary book' Harriet Tyce 'A ravishing, erudite feminist hijack of Renaissance Florence' Alice Albinia 'A beautifully written, utterly enthralling read' Karen Coles 'Mysterious, bewitching and beautiful' Elizabeth Lee 'Brutal and haunting' Melissa Fu 'Erudite and bewitching' Costanza Casati And some early reader reviews: 'It is a tribute to female strength, power and resilience' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'A very interesting take on myth, mythology and the power of women when they work together for the greater good' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'The writing was excellent with a compelling storyline and well developed characters and a fantastic setting' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'An emotional journey, I absolutely loved the story and characters' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐