and newly promoted Detective Inspector Stella Cole catches her first murder. An intruder has murdered the husband of a glamorous older lady who turns out to have an interesting past.As Stella investigates, pieces of the puzzle come together but then fly apart and she’s left wondering how she’s going to solve the case.Her boss is putting her under pressure to clear it ‘for the statistics’ and steering her towards the burglar-disturbed-in-the-act story.But then, as she grabs some time with her husband, a shocking revelation shows her what might have really happened.

    As soon as they arrive, strange accidents start to occur. Bridie Croft is certain that this family is harbouring a secret, but to discover what it is, she must place herself in terrible danger...Meanwhile, Imogen and Hugh find themselves caught up in the breakdown of a friend's marriage. When the sleuthing couple dig a little deeper, they uncover a sad tale of duplicity and betrayal, with a twist that neither would ever have guessed.This Imogen and Hugh Croft Mystery is a fast-paced quick Christmas read. Just the perfect size for any digital stocking!

    As the storm clouds of war gather over Europe, a chain of events is set in motion which will reach across the decades to haunt the neglected place once known as Oyster Shore.A lifetime of regrets…In the winter of 1964 one of the richest men in England lies dying. Alone and consumed by guilt, Gerald Snowe leaves behind the dark secrets which have driven him to despair and his last wish is that restitution might be made. But who will remain on Oyster Shore long enough to hear the past whispering?A lost story…Over fifty years later, broken-hearted writer Lowenna Scott seeks solace in a remote riverside hideaway. Swirling mists and ghostly tales soon draw her into a decades’ old mystery and the company of the enigmatic Noah Wilson. When a long-concealed betrayal unexpectedly comes to light, Lowenna and Noah must look to the past to uncover the truth behind a love affair that changed history, haunts Oyster Shore and possesses the power to alter their own future forever…Taking the reader on a captivating journey through time, place and war, Oyster Shore is an unforgettable story of love, loss, and most of all hope.

    In A Pretty Beach Wish we delve back into the wonderful seaside town and as Pretty Beach gets warmer there are days on the beach, glorious afternoons in the garden and something Juliette had always wished for comes floating right on into her life. With her garden and love life blooming Juliette can hardly believe all her dreams really have come true. As the sun shines, the dahlias flourish, and the sea sparkles, Luke and Juliette's love story goes from strength to strength and everything is looking exceedingly rosy - that is until one fateful day when Juliette’s world is changed forever.

    

    THE PERFECT READ THIS CHRISTMAS TIME! In this collection of short stories we make a return trip to the Loire, catching up with old friends and finding out what life has had in store for Anna and Daniel, Grace and Max, and Ruby and Rosie.After visiting all of your favourite characters it's time to meet a brand new family in A Christmas Tale, an extra story written especially for the holiday season.Barbara and Ned are spending the festivities away from their children and rather unruly grandchildren, relaxing in their wintry countryside home whilst avoiding the hustle and bustle of Christmas in England.Despite escaping to France, both know they have a special task to perform, keeping a solemn promise and saying goodbye to loved ones, once and for all.This is a magical tale, recaptures the innocence of childhood Christmases, embracing the spirit of the season and accepting the precious gift of abiding love. *** This book was previously published under the title Return Journeys

    She will only make the dreams of other brides come true. So, when she accepts a job on the exquisite island of La Canette to make a special wedding gown, she doesn’t expect to fall in love. Not with the unusual island, not with its interfering community and certainly not with the allergic-to-marriage handsome doctor who is not only miles out of her league but also seems to dislike her. But as Laura herself has already discovered, the universe can have an evil sense of humour."Rose Amberly has a very warm feelgood style and characters that leap off the page... occasionally a laugh out loud wit." ST The Chicklit Review

    Settle down in a magical place that time forgot, where the snow glistens on the frosty ground, the fairy-lights glow like magical stars in the trees and romance blossoms against all the odds.When the new vicar and his family move to Dream Valley just before Christmas, they need a lot of help.Local playboy, the gorgeous Brad Hudson, takes one look at the vicar’s daughter and, he is the first in line.He will do anything to win Dolly’s heart, but having heard of his reputation, her father has other ideas and does everything in his power to tear them apart.Not used to having to work for love, Brad tries his best but he has never come up against a protective father quite like Scott Macmillan.Ex special forces soldier, turned military vicar, he proves a tough adversary.Brad is determined to make Dolly fall in love with him and rises to the challenge until her father reveals his trump card, leaving Brad and Dolly battling to stay together.Will love blossom under the starry skies of winter or will the vicar have his prayers answered and keep his daughter’s heart safe?Curl up with a sweet, delightful romance to brighten your day and discover an array of quirky characters in a place where magic happens and dreams come true.

    While there, Gabriel, recently engaged and the son of a War of Independence hero, has his life thrown into turmoil when he meets a beautiful mysterious woman, Karina Harper.Karina watched as a child as her magnificent home in Ireland was burned down by rebels and her family were driven out of the country. Now a secretary at the British Foreign Office, she is using all her contacts as she desperately tries to rescue the man she loves from Nazi Germany.As war erupts and Karina is posted to Dublin, Gabriel risks everything for a scandalous affair with her. Gabriel and Karina become engaged. But is she all she seems? Is she just using Gabriel’s diplomatic status to rescue her true love trapped in wartime Germany? Or does she have some other darker motive for pursuing the relationship?As a Nazi victory in Europe looks imminent, Gabriel is sent to Berlin by De Valera to try to avert a feared invasion of Ireland. Karina uses the opportunity to accompany him, to find her old love.But as she and Gabriel board a plane for Berlin, Karina is hiding one more secret. And if discovered, this secret will ensure neither ever return.

    The only connection is a Hampshire gang she helped put in prison thirteen years earlier. As the stalking intensifies, Maggie suspects everyone around her. Even those she loves.But as Maggie becomes more and more paranoid, unable to trust anybody, one by one the gang members suffer horrifying attacks. Someone from her past is out for revenge, and it’s clear that Maggie is next…

    In a tiny village in rural Lombardy, Graziella Ponti is born into a loving family.Though they are not rich and life is full of challenges, they are content and safe, surrounded by the tightly-knit community of Pieve Santa Clara.But when the shadow of World War Two falls across the village with the arrival of Nazi soldiers, nothing in young Graziella’s life will ever be the same again.Paradiso is Graziella’s story. It charts her loves, losses and triumphs as she grows up in post-war Italy, a country in transformation, freed from the shackles of dictatorship yet still gripped by the restraints of the Catholic church.Paradiso is inspired by true stories told to Francesca Scanacapra by her Italian family and set in locations where she spent much of her childhood. It is a deeply affecting novel which sheds light on the complexity and trauma of Italy’s past and weaves it into the epic tale of an ordinary woman compelled to live in extraordinary times.

    Will Jenna's Cornish summer be one to remember?When Jenna Wilson lands a role in a movie, it's the biggest opportunity of her life. A summer shoot is her chance to swap London for her family's cottage in Cornwall. But Hollywood star Milo Blake's interest in Jenna is not what it seems and his secret is one she has to keep or risk destroying her career. Its impact filters through her life damaging a budding relationship and threatening her Cornish escape.Jenna's time in the limelight is not what she imagined. Will it be a summer of love or one she'd rather forget?

    How did the woman end up buried, all alone, in that particular spot in the Cabardès hills?And why was her back broken?AD 777Septimania, on the coast of the Mediterranean SeaSeventeen-year-old Nanthild must marry Count Bellon of Carcassonne, a Visigoth, as part of his peace agreement with Charlemagne. As a wise-woman, she continues to visit those in need of her help during Bellon's frequent absences.But dangers lurk on her journeys...Readers of Kate Mosse and Barbara Erskine might enjoy the tale of Love Lost in Time.

    Discovering that the queen is missing, the scribe ties the queen’s disappearance to a mysterious Medjay warrior, Suti travels the length of the Two Lands in search of the missing queen and her escort, Lord Imhotep. After braving the treacherous cataract at the far reaches of the river Iteru, Suti falls prey to the corrupt governor of Ta-Seti and a murderous giant. Beaten and tortured, the young scribe escapes to continue his search for the queen. When at last he discovers the truth, Suti realizes that he possesses a secret that could end the reign of the world’s most powerful leader.

    Every year she escapes for a few weeks to beautiful Greek islands, losing herself in photography and wreck diving.When the junk room of her clifftop cottage is cleared to accommodate a carer for her father, Summer stumbles across the belongings of her great-grandmother, Gertie Smith. She finds a WWI nurse's uniform, a soldier's blanket, and a recording of Gertie's memoirs. As Summer listens to it, she learns about her great-grandmother's secret life, and might just find the strength to let go of her own tragic past.1916When eighteen-year-old nurse Gertie Smith signs up for the war effort, she is thrilled to learn that her destination will be Greece. With a head full of blue skies and handsome men, she boards the Titanic's sister ship, the hospital ship Britannic. Unprepared for the horrors of war, she heads for the Greek island of Lemnos on a mission to rescue three thousand wounded British soldiers.The Britannic never reaches its destination. Gertie, who disobeyed her orders, blames herself.She is sent to the Greek island of Kea, where she meets and falls in love with a Greek fisherman, Manno - but she finds herself torn between him and her duty to an English soldier, and all too soon her past catches up with her.