With her brother, Edwin, her sister, Lillian, Sophie listened to the seductive strains of the wild Russian violin tune Mr. Barshinskey played and watched spellbound as the ragtag Barshinskey family-Ivan, sullen and dirty; Mrs. Barshinskey, pale and withdrawn; and Galina, sensual, wanton, beautiful-made their way across Tyler's meadow and into the Willoughby's world. The delighted Willoughby children could not know that this day and the Barshinskeys' arrival would change their lives forever-much as a breathless Europe could not anticipate that in a few short years, winds of revolution and war would whip across continents, sweeping away the old familiar way of life. It is at this enchanted moment that The Summer of the Barshinskeys begins. A beautifully told, compelling story that moves from the small village of Kent to teeming London, from war-torn and revolution rocked Moscow to St. Petersburg, this is the unforgettable saga of two families whose destinies are fated to entwine in endless combinations.

    the Great Plague and the Fire of London ...The profligate Earl of Rochester, the frenzied Salvationist Solomon Eagle, the abominable undertaker Chowles and Judith Malmayns, the venal plague nurse, companions in iniquity, add a nightmare dimension to the adventures of dauntless Leonard Holt and the lovely Amabel in the stricken ...Dominating this spectacular story of love, greed, betrayal, abduction, conspiracy and revenge is the towering structure of Old St. Paul's ... cathedral ... public haunt of gallants and rogues ... pest house ... and blazing inferno.(Description taken from jacket).

    Until their abusive mother mysteriously vanished. Now they have found happiness living with their grandmother. But when a tragic accident leaves her dead, the children find themselves suddenly alone.Elise knows she must act quickly to protect her younger brother. So why does she insist they stay hidden from the outside world?But as the siblings try to survive in their woodland home, it’s soon clear they’re not as alone as they think. Lurking in the shadows is a terrifying secret. One that holds the key to their mother’s disappearance.And now that secret wants to come inside.An unsettling blend of psychological horror and dark family drama, The Hiding House is the gripping debut from Malcolm Richards.

    Five British men in an open, rigid inflatable boat fighting for their lives in perhaps the most dangerous seas in the world.

    During this unfathomably grueling expedition, they will face every manner of threat, from sharks, crocodiles, and bandits to stormy seas, malaria, and their own mortality all in search of a deeper connection to Mother Nature and the indigenous people who revere her most.This is a tale of adventure, sacrifice, and physical endurance that will leave you breathless with excitement, mourning for our heroes’ losses, and cheering their successes. The evocative, gripping narrative coupled with countless, award-worthy photographs makes this a must-read for those who love travel, outdoor adventure, and the exploration of other cultures. But most of all, it's for the dreamers who've been told they can't, and stubbornly refuse to listen.

    But legends sometimes forget the true history of things and Claire’s eyes are soon opened to a world she never knew. One that has been kept from her for most of her life. All Claire wants to do is return home and start looking for her mother, the only family she ever had. But the elves have different plans. The mysterious mark that appeared on her arm isn’t a curse, at least not to them anyway, and before she knows it, she is whisked away on a mission she never agreed to, unless they help her in return.Now she is stuck on an adventure with the perverted elf, Aeron, and one with an attitude, Farron. But there is more to this adventure than she’d ever hoped for.

    But as she adapts to life at the isolated Hardcastle House, it becomes clear there's something not quite right about the beautiful, mysterious Mrs England. Ostracised by the servants and feeling increasingly uneasy, Ruby is forced to confront her own demons in order to prevent history from repeating itself. After all, there's no such thing as the perfect family - and she should know.Simmering with slow-burning menace, Mrs England is a portrait of an Edwardian marriage, weaving an enthralling story of men and women, power and control, courage, truth and the very darkest deception. Set against the atmospheric landscape of West Yorkshire, Stacey Halls' third novel proves her one of the most exciting and compelling new storytellers of our times.

    But Barbary has a secret ...and the woman who eventually goes to Ireland on the Queen's treasure hunt has allegiance only to herself.Caught up in the massacres, cruelty and beauty of Ireland, however, she is allowed no neutrality. Besides, she falls in love and becomes drawn into the last great rebellion led by Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, and the realization that the piracy of the indomitable Grace O'Malley is outweighed by the piracy of England's Queen Elizabeth.THE PIRATE QUEEN is the powerful story of a woman and a country fighting for the freedom that is rightfully theirs, set against the vivid and colorful background of the Elizabethan age.

    I read the book at a single sitting and felt bereft when I finally closed the cover onto the last page.""The house itself seemed to possess her. It was a love affair, and like many love affairs, it was inconvenient." Nestled cozily in the English countryside stands a house called Duntan-grand, proud, beautiful to look at, yet slowly falling apart and riddled with problems. How can Sonia, Lady Duntan so fiercely love such a monster of a house, almost as much as she loves her four children, perhaps more than she loves her husband, whose family has lived at Duntan for over 200 years?For Sonia, restoring Duntan to its former glory has become synonymous with repairing her own sense of self, and refurbishing the house means working closely with Simon Hadleigh, the charming director of the Heritage at Risk Association. But as her marriage seems to be crumbling faster than the house itself; her children growing up quickly; her painting career taking off and Simon awakening in her a long, dormant passion, Sonia realizes that everything has its price...

    Penniless and stranded, she found only one way to get home: charge four hapless American Colonials to find them titled husbands in London. At the ship, she realized their mothers expected each to wed the Marquess of Andover, but how hard could it be to seek an introduction? Meanwhile, Captain Grant St. Benedict was anything but friendly. Why? Because her girls set fire to the rigging? Grant had never met a woman more irritating, or more desirable, than the Lady Patience Kendall. But however dangerous his interest, he couldn't resist teaching the delicious distraction that independence was nothing to passion.

    But when a brutal attack on his team leaves Marc as the only survivor - and with the shocking knowledge that there are traitors inside MI6 - he's forced into the front line.However the evidence seems to point towards Marc as the perpetrator of the attack. Accused of betraying his country, he must race against time to clear his name. With nowhere to turn to for help and no one left to trust, Marc is forced to rely on the elusive Rubicon group and their operative Lucy Keyes. Ex US Army, Lucy also knows what it's like to be an outsider, and she's got the skills that Marc is sorely lacking.A terrorist attack is coming, one bigger and more deadly than has ever been seen before. With the eyes of the security establishment elsewhere, only Lucy and Marc can stop the attack before it's too late.