British Classics

In 1889, satirist Jerome K. Jerome fully intended to write a serious travel guide when he and his two best friends embarked on a boating trip up the river Thames to Oxford. But his musings on landmarks and local history were soon hijacked by his own digressive, waggish voice. And so, what began as a peaceful and edifying two-week exploration soon floated upriver into farce - aided, quite naturally, by a portly ration of cheese, some very bad weather, and a dog named Montmorency.

Ten years ago, Mary Morstan’s father, an officer in an Indian regiment, vanished. Four years later, elegant pearls began to arrive, six in total, and now she holds an invitation to meet her mysterious anonymous benefactor. As Miss Morstan shares this peculiar tale with Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, she urges the detectives to accompany her. Her only clues to her father’s disappearance: a map of a fortress with the names of four strangers and an assertion that she’s been dreadfully wronged.

Strangling vines and meat-hungry flora fill this unruly garden of strange stories, selected for their significance as the seeds of the villainous (or perhaps just misunderstood) 'killer plant' in fiction, film and video games. Step within to marvel at Charlotte Perkins Gilman's giant wisteria and H.G. Wells' hungry orchid; hear the calls of the ethereal women of the wood and the frightful drone of the moaning lily; and do tread carefully around E. Nesbit's wandering creepers. Every strain of vegetable threat can be found within this new collection.

END OF EXISTENCE, the second instalment of the Kirkland Finn military thriller series, tells the story of a female environmentalist who has grown tired of humankind. Written in a cinematic style with relentless action from Hereford in the UK to the wastelands of Russia, Forrest of Finland and Lapland of Sweden, Andy Munro’s END OF EXISTENCE is action-packed fiction from start to end. Follow the adventures of SAS Captain Kirkland Finn and his squad of highly skilled covert operative soldiers as they fight to eliminate a terrorist biological warfare threat with the potential to wipe out ...

Young, ardent Dorothea Brooke defies her sister by wedding the much older Reverend Edward Casaubon, blindly hoping to assist in his scholarly pursuits. Tertius Lydgate, a progressive doctor, new and unwelcome in provincial Middlemarch, is charmed into marriage with the selfish and shallow Rosamond Vincy, a disastrous mismatch of his own. Soon blatant stubbornness, unruly jealousy, blind idealism, and calculated blackmail threaten to upend the Midlands village and lay waste to happy endings.

Peter, the new Earl of Berkshire gets more than he bargains for when Juliana his childhood friend, talks him into a pretend courtship with her new friend, Patience. Instead of keeping the ladies at bay, looking to marry a title, it traps him into many of Juliana’s foolhardy schemes. When Juliana’s attentions turn in another direction, his pretend courtship might inevitably entrap him. He must do something quickly or risk everything he has come to hold dear about lovely Juliana. Can Peter turn his friendship with Juliana into Romance? A fun Regency Romance that will keep you on your toes...

Ernest Medhurst is unwittingly caught up in a minor political intrigue while second secretary to a small German Court. The Princess falls in love with him and to avoid the possibility of scandal affecting her forthcoming marriage her father ensures that Medhurst is duped into leaving the country.

A mystery novel set in the rural English countryside during the early 20th century. Centered around the enigmatic Stillwell family and their silent steward, the loyal butler Frommer, the story takes an unexpected turn with the return of a long lost family member. The resurgence from the past creates ripples through the tranquil countryside life, revealing deep-rooted secrets and chilling surprises. Set in the early 20th century, the novel paints a vivid picture of historic English aristocracy, family intrigues, and the timeless pursuit of power." The Mystery "Immerse yourself in the ...

Mary Connon froze out her husband, Sam, long ago. She likes the attention of other men—like the fellow members of Sam's rugby club. Naturally, when she's found dead in her sitting room with a hole in her head, Sam is a suspect. If only he hadn't suffered a dizzying scrum injury that's left everything a blur. He isn't sure that he didn't kill her. But Det. Inspector Andrew Dalziel and his partner, Peter Pascoe, are looking outside the unhappy home. Because it seems everyone within spitting distance of the suburban femme fatale wanted Mary dead.

When the luxurious overnight passenger train from Calais to the Riviera, known as the Blue Train, arrives in Nice, a guard goes into the compartment of American heiress, Ruth Kettering and attempts to wake her. Unfortunately, she will never wake up, as she is dead, having been killed by a heavy blow to her head, disfiguring her almost beyond recognition. What is more, her precious ruby, known as the 'Heart of Fire', is missing. The prime suspect is Ruth’s estranged husband, but detective Hercule Poirot, who also just happens to be a passenger on the train, is not convinced.

'Fans of Maeve Binchy and Cathy Kelly will love this.' A story of the aftermath, of picking up the pieces, of finding yourself again and discovering that life isn’t always easy . . . it’s not meant to be, but it can be worth it. Ann Maguire believes that discovering the truth of her past will set her free, but sometimes having all the answers isn’t enough . . . Forced to leave Dublin after her marriage crumbles, Ann returns to her childhood home of Knockmore, to find herself even more isolated than before. Catapulted back to grieving for her parents and the life she once knew, ...

Death at South Hills is a gripping English murder mystery set in the picturesque coastal town of Lynden Sands during the 1920s. Immerse yourself in a tale of intrigue, deception, and family secrets that will keep you guessing until the very end. When Mark Northbridge and his sister Stephanie arrive at the newly opened hotel in Lynden Sands, they are unaware of the dark mysteries that lie ahead. Their family estate, South Hills, stands at the center of unresolved tensions and a haunting disappearance. Garrett, their nephew, has been missing since the war, leaving a void filled with ...

Murderous Curse is a gripping murder mystery set in the eerie seaside village of Checkham-on-Sea, England, during the early 1920s. This enthralling tale plunges readers into a world of dark secrets, ancient curses, and relentless suspense. When Tony Clifton's promising rugby career is abruptly overshadowed by his father's sudden death, he is forced to abandon his studies and care for his sister, Ena. The siblings relocate to a desolate bungalow town, seeking a fresh start. But their hopes for a new beginning are shattered when Lord Lantham, the reclusive owner of Lantham Castle, is found ...

The Jewel Thief and the Earl: A Regency Romance Grandison Franklyn, 8th Earl Harlow, has earned the moniker "Grandison, the Great" for a variety of reasons: his well-honed attitude of superiority; his appearance; and a string of mistresses, most notably Lady Jenest, who created a "great" row when he cut her loose. Miss Colleen Everley is the daughter of England's most notorious thief, a man called "Brook's Crook.” Colleen has been taught many of her father's skills, along with an eye for the value of each item in a room. Unfortunately, the lady does not possess Thomas Everley’s daring. ...

Seventeen-year-old David Balfour's villainous uncle has him kidnapped in order to steal his inheritance. David escapes only to fall into the dangerous company of rebels who are resisting British redcoats in the Scottish highlands.

“What I read in your hand is tragedy—a horrible tragedy that doesn’t come to one in a million people.” Bookseller Theodore Terhune buys the substantial library of the recently deceased James Strudgewick, a wealthy Yorkshireman who fell and drowned at a local beauty spot. Though his death was deemed accidental by the coroner, the locals remain suspicious and dislike Strudgewick’s nephew and heir. But Ronald Strudgewick has a cast-iron alibi—he was 30 miles away visiting with friend Robert Shilling in Thirsk at the time of his uncle’s death, and the police have already picked ...

Trifle is a layered dessert found in British and American cuisine. The layers consist of cake, custard and fruit. The cake is sometimes soaked in sherry or wine. Variations are created by substituting the custard with whipped topping and the fruit with jelly. Sometimes a chocolate and brownie type of trifle is created. Three of four layers total is the goal in a large stemmed bowl. A trifle dates bake to 1585 and was originally called a Fool. This cookbook contains many delicious and delectable trifle recipes for every taste and occasion.

Algernon Blackwood, a journalist and broadcast narrator, was one of the most prolific writers of ghost stories in the history of the genre. The title story, "The Touch of Pan", explores the lingering presence of myth in everyday life. In "The Glamour of the Snow", Blackwood winds a tale about a man's infatuation with a supernatural winter beauty. In "The Attic", the ghost of an usurer haunts the old Chateaux and, on the anniversary of a young boy's death, the boy's cat brings the family together. "The Willows" follows two campers who are on a canoe trip down the Danube.

Lewis Carroll's most famous novels, Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, are brought to sparkling new life in this unabridged recording by AudioFile Earphones Award-winning narrator Alison Larkin. An internationally acclaimed comedienne well known for her many voices, Alison Larkin is the perfect vessel to bring Lewis Carroll's classic novels to a new audience.

"The Vanished Actor" is a mystery novel woven with suspenseful turns and intriguing characters, set in the fictional town of Norcaster, England, during the early 20th century. This thriller will transport you to the heart of a quaint British town during a time of budding modernity, yet shadowed by the timeless human inclination towards greed, deceit and mystery. An Unusual Disappearance The story unfolds with the curious absence of the renowned actor, Bassett Robertson - an unusual occurrence that sets in motion a journey into a labyrinth of perplexing clues and enigmatic characters. The ...