He is an accountant, she the daughter of a successful businessman. They live in a comfortable middle-class village in Surrey. Then, during a party for their daughter Pippa's baptism, their son Jeremy is knocked down on the road outside. It is their worst nightmare, something they thought could never happen, and the consequences will affect each one of them more than they could possibly imagine. What is Claire's guilty secret, and can her wealthy, self-made father help? Will Mark, desperate to escape, have the nerve to leave? And how will Pippa be affected by the turmoil that began on the day of her own christening?'A compelling story about the way a family copes with a catastrophe' THE TIMES'A delight, a very polished read' CATHOLIC HERALD'An accomplished first novel' TATLER'Humane, thoughtful' HARPERS AND QUEENS

    She’s a thirty-two year old widow, struggling to raise her daughter and come to terms with the past, so a man is the last thing she needs.Her friends disagree, and when Max Bedford arrives in the village, they decide he’s perfect for her; he’s gorgeous, rich and divorced. But Becky’s already met him and feels he’s far from perfect; he’s rude, arrogant and annoying – and anyway, he wouldn’t be interested in her.To his surprise, Max is very interested in the feisty woman he’s just rescued and whilst he’s not looking for a serious relationship, dating her could be a lot of fun.When Becky is employed to organise Lizzie Marshall’s Wedding, introducing her to Max’s ex-wife and a group of people whose lives seem even more complicated than her own, she begins to discover she’s not the only one with “baggage”.Can love set her free, or will Max Bedford, break her heart?This novel catches up with some of the characters from my first novel, Highland Fling. You do not need to have read Highland Fling to read this novel - but it may add to your enjoyment if you have.

    Hundreds of miles away, in London, Queen Victoria is preparing for her wedding. She will wear the most exquisite wedding dress in history, bearing the famous Honiton lace. When Lily is asked to be one of the select few to work on this top-secret commission it is the answer to her prayers.Lily quickly makes an impression, both as an expert seamstress and a natural leader of the women working day and night to ensure their families' survival. But there are others who want to see Lily fail, including Squire Clinsden who issues her with a terrible ultimatum - work for him, and be subject to his unwanted advances, or lose the family home.Torn between her duty and her dreams of a better life, Lily must remember where she came from or risk losing those most important to her.

    What is Tom White's secret and sinister trade? Why does a champion dog breeder find her reputation and livelihood under threat? When the vet spurns his housekeeper's affections, what terrible revenge does she plan? Anita Burgh's blockbusting new novel is peopled with a vivid cast of characters that will ensure Breeders a special place in the heart of readers everywhere.

    The pretty daughter of a wife-beating drunk, it is no surprise that she has grown up afraid of her own shadow. That is until 'Battling Bessie Ruddick' takes the young girl under her wing and into the heart of her bustling family.Growing into an attractive young woman, Mary Ann yearns to be loved and when her affection for Bessie's son, Dan, is finally returned she becomes a skipper's wife. But the arduous life aboard ship is clearly not for her and only the arrival of a daughter, Lizzie, seems to hold the marriage together. Yet, tragically, the family is torn apart when Mary Ann is seduced by the promise of a happier life.Although bewildered by her mother's disappearance, it is now up to Lizzie to help her father. For she, unlike Mary Ann, has inherited Dan's love of the river. But then, disturbingly, her life starts to follow the same pattern as her mother's . . .

    The son of a top trainer, Toby has a telephone tipping service that is slowly bringing the old enemy to its knees.A plea from the bookmakers prompts a Jockey Club investigation which uncovers a plot of murder and jealousy where the stakes being played for mean more than just money - and where one horse, Better By Far, lives up to its name.

    Set in the aftermath of WW2, this gripping saga is richly evocative of the period and shows the true grit of our heroine Ruby.

    The race to be the first to make GBP1,000,000 to win the inheritence is on! Harry Bingham is a wonderful new talent in the great bestselling storytelling tradition of Jeffrey Archer and Dick Francis. Three sons. One fortune. Who will win it? A wealthy Yorkshire industrialist dies and leaves his three sons and one daughter, all used to a life of extreme luxury! absolutely nothing. Except the chance to win the entire inheritance by whichever one of them has one million pounds in his bank account at the end of three years. Startled out of their indulgent lives, the three sons start competing against each other in their mad attempt to make a million pounds. Two of them go into the City, the eldest buys a run-down factory. Which one of them is going to be successful in their desperate bid and win the millions? With a knack for story-telling in the style of Jeffrey Archer, this compulsively readable and absolutely un-put-downable novel heralds the arrival of a new bestselling, extremely commercial talent on the scene.

    Crete, present day. A woman anxiously awaits the arrival of someone who could change her life for ever…Lancashire, the 1950s. Three young girls make their way in a brave new post-war world. But can they escape the trappings of the past?Bookworm Connie dreams of university. Brought up on myths about her mysterious father, her life is turned upside down when she accidentally discovers the truth about him.Former ugly duckling Joy is determined to snare a man now she's finally a swan. Winning the "Miss Mercury" competition she bowls over local heart-throb Denny Gregson. But she quickly finds he's not all he seems…Convent-educated Rosa is a born rebel, desperate to flee the strict nuns for a life on the stage. But sometimes you need to be careful what you wish for…As all three girls face heartbreak and tragedy, can they learn from the mistakes of their mothers? Or will history repeat itself?For everyone who loves Maureen Lee and Maeve Binchy, this emotionally charged tale of that most special relationship of all will capture your heart.

    And yet you've never heard of him. Or his book. The whole thing is a little hard to explain. To unravel the tangled threads of reality you have to go back to the beginning. To a New Year's Eve party in Cambridgeshire in 1996. Or earlier, when an unsuccessful novelist called Roderick Bent embarked on a train journey that turned into a nightmare. Actually, it doesn't matter where you start from. The point is that you'll soon understand why there's never been another book like it. And, more importantly, why you can't remember that you've already read it.

    He considered his brother dead, but thirty years later a knock on the door heralded the arrival of his long-lost brother and the beginning of a terrifying journey of revenge.

    

    She has to adapt and make a home for her baby daughter and aging husband amidst boreholes, long drops and Aga stoves.She comes to terms with her neighbours, Joshua, a practising Sangoma, and Ben, a Jewish pig farmer; is educated in the ways of the Practical by her indomitable maid May; and comes of age through her determined efforts to create things of beauty amidst the khakibos - a lawn and poetry. She even restores the family fortune by engaging in a lucrative and uniquely South African venture.

    Partita has invited her friend, Kitty to stay at her ancestral home, Borders Castle. The grandeur of Partita’s family seat is in stark contrast to Kitty’s home in London where she and her mother, Violet, struggle to maintain appearances despite Kitty’s father gambling away the family money. Kitty is introduced to the aristocracy — a world she finds fascinatingly decorative and theatrical. She is enthralled by it, and desperately wants to be part of this way of life that is so far removed from the genteel poverty in which she and her mother are forced to exist.But war breaks out, not only irrevocably changing society, but also the lives of these two beautiful young women. The headstrong Partita and down-to-earth Kitty become nurses, caring selflessly for men who have been horrifically injured in the trenches.In Distant Fields is about the mothers and daughters, sisters and wives who are left holding things together on the home front and caring for their men. But, more importantly, it’s about the nature of female friendship.

    A chance meeting between scullery maid Lizzy Parker and heiress Evie Creswell is about to break them all . . . Their meeting leads to more than an enduring friendship and a new job for Lizzy - it draws her into a world of privilege and intrigue and delivers her into the loving arms of a killer. Meeting the handsome but mysterious Jack Carlisle, Lizzy begins to fall for him despite rumours he had been involved in the death of Evie's father. As she becomes further embroiled in the dangerous life that Carlisle lives, she must decide if he can be trusted with the life of a close friend, and, ultimately, if he is worth the risk to her own . . . Perfect for fans of Nadine Dorries, Dilly Court and Annie Murray. The story continues in The Roses of Flanders Field, out now! 'This is the kind of novel that makes you look forward to bedtime so you can read some more - an epic true romance story' - Historical Novel Society *Shortlisted for RNA Best Historical Novel 2013*