Book picks similar to
Ovington's Bank by Stanley J. Weyman


british
british-reading-list
england
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Seven for a Secret


Mary Webb - 1922
    Although she was acclaimed by John Buchan and by Rebecca West, who hailed her as a genius, and won the Prix Femina of La Vie Heureuse for Precious Bane (1924), she won little respect from the general public. It was only after her death that the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Stanley Baldwin, earned her posthumous success through his approbation, referring to her as a neglected genius at a Literary Fund dinner in 1928. Her writing is notable for its descriptions of nature, and of the human heart. She had a deep sympathy for all her characters and was able to see good and truth in all of them. Among her most famous works are: The Golden Arrow (1916), Gone to Earth (1917), and Seven for a Secret (1922).

Dancing on Deansgate


Freda Lightfoot - 2003
    But when the Blitz reaches Manchester, she is locked in the cellar by her feckless mother, Lizzie. As bombs rain down from a sky turned blood red with flame, Jess waits for Lizzie to return.But fortunes are fickle, and soon Jess finds herself packed off to live with her tyrant Uncle Bernie, a bullying black marketeer. Though he treats her like a servant, she seeks refuge in the Sally Army and her natural musical talent offers both an escape route and the chance for love.But Uncle Bernie never forgives his niece for refusing to join his illegal schemes and threatens to deprive Jess of her hard-won freedom once and for all. This is a sweeping saga of hope and resilience perfect for fans of Kitty Neale and Rosie Goodwin. Praise for Dancing on Deansgate ‘A heart-wrenching story’ 5* Reader review‘It drew me in straight away’ 5* Reader review‘Another gem from a great writer’ 5* Reader review‘A compelling story of separation and hardship, and heartache overcome at last’ 5* Reader review

The Dog at the Gate: Murder in the Cotswolds


James Ignizio - 2015
    Just as it seems that all hope has vanished, he's informed that he is the heir to his great aunt's estate in the bucolic English village of Chambury. Once there, he discovers that his inheritance also includes his late aunt's grieving dog, a vintage typewriter, a mysterious key, and an entanglement in a series of unsolved murders. *****James Ignizio is the author of more than a dozen books, several short stories, and over 350 articles. Included among his novels are "The Dog at the Gate" and the award-winning "The Last English Village," two cozy mysteries that take place in the Cotswold region of England.

Swimming to Ithaca


Simon Mawer - 2007
    Shortly before Dee dies, she tells her son, Thomas, that she thinks her death is a punishment. Thomas, whose own emotional life is complicated, tries to piece together his parents' lives in order to make sense of his mother's words.

Aces Over Ypres


John Stack - 2016
     The nations of Europe are at war. The conflict is spread over land and sea, and for the first time in history the fight is taken to the skies above. Private Second-Class Charlie Sexton is part of that air war, but not by choice. Injured on the battlefield after he witnesses the horrifying death of his friend, the born-and-bred artilleryman has suddenly found himself seconded as an observer for the British Flying Corps. Lieutenant James St Leger is a volunteer pilot. He has little time for the inexperienced Sexton, and is weighted down by the responsibility he feels for the death of his previous observer. But they must work together, their task; to carry out reconnaissance work over the ever-changing battlefields of northern France, braving lethal anti-aircraft fire in order to keep British headquarters constantly updated. They are faced in the air by the Fliegertruppen, the German Flying Corps who strive to dominate the skies and the first chivalrous skirmishes between the opposing sides soon turns to deadly combat. Sexton and St Leger are challenged by the pilot of biplane B466, Leutnant Kurt Manheim. The contest escalates as losses mount on both sides and the brutality of the ground war finds its way into sky, forcing each man to question their own ethics of 'honour in battle'. Aces over Ypres is the extraordinary story of ordinary men who forged a new theatre of warfare with their very lives. The tale follows Charlie's experiences through the early stages of the First World War as he witnesses the rapidly developing technology and tactics of aerial warfare. It is a story of heroes and the birth of a new breed of warrior; the Aces. Praise for John Stack: ‘Strong characters, excellent action, Ship of Romebuilds to a superb climax’ - Conn Iggulden ‘Peopled with characters both fictional and historical, this debut novel - the first in the Masters Of The Sea series - gives a fascinating and evocative insight into the high politics and military life of the times’ - Daily Mail ‘This is a seriously entertaining book for anyone who enjoys stirring descriptions of ancient warfare. You can almost taste the salt, see the blood and hear the shouts and screams…John Stack is to be welcomed into the ranks of first-rate historical writers’ - Tuam Herald John Stack was born not far from the city of Cork, on the south coast of Ireland. Growing up a huge fan of Wilbur Smith and James Clavell, Stack set his sights on writing historical fiction after being made redundant from a job in computer technology. His first book, Ship of Rome was published in January 2009 and reached the Sunday Times bestsellers list. His second book Captain of Rome followed a year later and his third, Master of Rome, completing the trilogy entitled Masters of the Sea. He is also the author of a book about the Spanish Armada. He is married with three children. Endeavour Press is the UK's leading independent digital publisher. For more information on our titles please sign up to our newsletter at www.endeavourpress.com. Each week you will receive updates on free and discounted ebooks. Follow us on Twitter: @EndeavourPress and on Facebook via http://on.fb.me/1HweQV7. We are always interested in hearing from our readers.

Paradise Lane


Elizabeth Gill - 2010
    He's been her best friend since she was a child, and she can't imagine life without him. What shocks her, however, is the reaction of her mother and father. Annabel knows that her parents disapprove of her forthright opinions, but their displeasure is both unexpected and unaccountable. As they permit the engagement, however, she decides to put it out of her mind. But before she can be married, tragedy strikes, and only then does Annabel learn of the shocking secret that her parents have kept from her. Determined to learn more, she travels to Durham on a personal search that will change everything.

Suedehead


Richard Allen - 1971
    Phased out. Home had never appealed. All his life he had dreamed about a plush flat somewhere in the West End of London. So now he would make the leap from poverty street into the affluent society. In one gigantic jump. Fresh out of stir after kicking a police sergeant’s head in, former skinhead Joe Hawkins is heading for the big time – a job in a firm of stockbrokers, a swanky flat and (hopefully) plenty of money. A whole new style is called for – so Joe becomes a Suedehead. The hair is a few millimetres longer, the uniform a velvet-collared crombie coat, bowler hat and neatly-furled umbrella – with razor sharp tip. For while Joe might be playing the establishment pet, he remains the unrepentently vicious, cunning hooligan from Skinhead, intent on pulling women, stealing and putting the boot in. It’s not long before he finds some other Suedes willing to commit mayhem under cover of respectability... but can Joe and respectability ever really get along? Suedehead is the second of Richard Allen’s era-defining cult novels featuring anti-hero Joe Hawkins. First published in 1971, this new edition features an introduction by Andrew Stevens.

The Avenue


R.F. Delderfield - 1964
    And all the hopes, dreams and lives of the people on the Avenue are forged to a fighting force to defend all that they hold dear."

Sweet Thames


Matthew Kneale - 1992
    What he finds there, amid the poverty and death, shatters his ideals and strikes at everything he holds dear.

Love Letters in the Sand


June Francis - 2015
    But Marty is trapped in an unhappy marriage and nothing can come of it. Meanwhile, Peggy is desperate to marry her long-term boyfriend Pete. But Peggy’s staunchly Catholic parents would never accept a Protestant son-in-law, and she decides the only way to resolve her issues is to escape to a place where nobody can find her.With no job, no family to stay for and no hope of a future with Marty, an unexpected job offer from America offers Irene a lifeline. But it would mean never seeing Marty again. Will Irene and Peggy solve their problems by running away – or should they follow their hearts back home to Liverpool? An inspirational tale of love and friendship, perfect for fans of Kitty Neale and Lyn Andrews.

The Hill Station


J.G. Farrell - 1981
    For Emily, romance is in the air. For the mysterious Mrs Forester, there is scandal brewing. And for the Bishop of Simla, rainclouds are not the only storms on the horizon...The Hill Station is the novel on which J.G. Farrell was working at the time of his tragically early accidental death. It demonstrates powerfully what a great loss to world literature this was.

Letter to Sister Benedicta


Rose Tremain - 1978
    Her husband, Leon, lies in a nursing home after a stroke that has left him paralysed; her grown-up children are gone. In her anguish Ruby appeals for help to a half-remembered figure from her colonial Indian girlhood - Sister Benedicta. Gradually the events leading up to Leon's stroke are revealed and a woman emerges whose capacity to love, hope and understand are far greater than she realises.

Uncle Rudolf: A Novel


Paul Bailey - 2003
    Andre's father, in a desperate effort to save him from the coming holocaust, hands him over to his captivating uncle Rudolf, an internationally famous singer of popular operettas. Rudolf is a sublimely gifted lyric tenor, a dashing leading man who is the object of many women's affections-but also an artist who lives in the shadow of his own unachieved potential as an opera star. Rudolf takes the boy to back to London, renames him Andrew, turns all his attention and sardonic humor upon him, and gradually sculpts him into a gentleman.Vivid, often lighthearted scenes of Andrew's worldly life with Rudolf are intertwined with the unfolding secrets of his forgotten past as Andre, which have shadowed his otherwise happy life. Told in matchless prose, Uncle Rudolf captures in fine detail the mood of 1940s Europe--and reveals the emotions of a man whose achievement falls short of his brilliant promise. It is a wise, knowing, elegant story about the sacrifices we make for those we love.

Into the Fire


Alexander Fullerton - 1995
    Their average life expectancy is six weeks.But Rosie is brighter than most, well-aware of the consequences of a second’s carelessness, or bad luck, or treachery. Or a fellow agent crumbling under torture, naming names.Her brief is to set up a new network in Rouen, where the old one has been blown and an agent is suspected of betrayal. If she gets there, that is. Landing from a gunboat on the Brittany coast, she must to travel to Paris – carrying forged papers, a radio transceiver and more than a million francs in cash… Frighteningly realistic, unbearably exciting, the Rosie Ewing Spy Thrillers are perfect for fans of Philip Kerr, Ian Fleming and John Le Carré. ‘You don’t read a novel by Alexander Fullerton. You live it.’ South Wales Echo

The Manchester Man


Isabella Varley Banks - 1876
    Jabez's rise to commercial success mirrors the rise of the city at the heart of the industrial revolution. Mrs George Linnaeus Banks (nee Isabella Varley) weaves a web of historical fact and fiction in a fast-paced story built around the rivalry between the Jabez and his nemesis Laurence Aspinall, and the fate of Augusta Ashton, who is loved by both but loves only one. An entertaining fictional journey through the early 19th century history of the city of Manchester, the book also has serious points to make about women's choices and domestic violence. (Summary by Phil Benson)