British Life

'The Girl in the Woods is a great psychological thriller which kept me glued to the pages.' Amazon reviewer 'A brilliant, creepy but very creative domestic noir' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'This psychological thriller kept my interest. How well do we really know someone?' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I finally have the family I've always dreamed of, so why do I feel like someone's stepped on my grave? Noel and I are desperate for a child, so when we're given the chance to adopt a young girl named Orchid, we eagerly seize it. We've been cautioned it will take time for Orchid to adjust ...

Killing Goldfinger charts the extraordinary rise and spectacular bullet-riddled fall of John Palmer, the richest, most powerful criminal ever to have emerged from the modern British underworld. Palmer earned his nickname Goldfinger after smelting (in his back garden) tens of millions of pounds worth of stolen gold bullion from the 20th century's most lucrative heist; the Brink's-Mat robbery. Palmer then used his share of the millions to become the vicious overlord of a vast illegal timeshare property empire in Tenerife.

Fans of the Patrick O’Brian Aubrey/Maturin stories, or the Horatio Hornblower works by C.S. Forester will love gay-youth author, Cade Jay Hathaway’s Rian and Mouse seagoing novels. Beginning with The Ship’s Boy, life in the British Royal Navy during the Napoleonic wars is depicted in these enjoyable and relatable sea stories. Told against the historical backdrop of naval life in 1807, The Ship’s Boy is as exciting as a white-knuckle trip around the Horn down in the roaring 40’s. Adrian 'Rian' Pembroke is a lad of thirteen years sailing with his family as a passenger aboard the ...

The British Secret Service has been cloaked in secrecy and shrouded in myth since it was created 100 years ago. Our understanding of what it is to be a spy has been largely defined by the fictional worlds of James Bond and John le Carre. MI6 provides a unique and unprecedented insight into this secret world and the reality that lies behind the fiction.

In this second novel in the Rian and Mouse series, it is 1807 and Napoleon Bonaparte consumes all of Europe in total war. Only England and her allies stand in the way as France attempts to rule the world. Two young sailors, Adrian ‘Rian’ Pembroke and the love of his life, Richard ‘Mouse’ Jay, have readjusted to life on England’s shores after being rescued from a disaster at sea by the cutter, Cleo; as stout and as happy a ship as ever there was. Having found lodgings in London with a caring, elderly couple who practically adopt the lads as their own, Rian and Mouse set their ...

At eighteen, your life is full of of what-ifs and why-nots. You have everything to look forward to – unless you’ve got the plague. From a young Elizabeth Tudor, the orphan facing deadly intrigue at court, to a teenage Richard Burton, the rugby-obsessed son of a Welsh miner, historian Alice Loxton explores Britain’s past through the lives of eighteen figures at this crucial age.

Commander Dalgliesh of Scotland Yard has just published a new book of poems and has taken a brief respite from publicity on the remote Larksoken headland on the Norfolk coast. A psychotic strangler of young women is at large in Norfolk, and getting nearer to Larksoken with every killing. And when Dalgliesh discovers the murdered body of the Acting Administrative Officer on the beach, he finds himself caught up in one of the most baffling murder cases of his career.

1911: When 15-year-old Mary Kirk meets Wallis Warfield at summer camp, she’s immediately captivated by her fearless, brazen, and self-assured personality. Though Mary’s family isn’t crazy about Wallis, Mary stands by her side - even years later when rumors swirl about Wallis and her reckless behavior with the Prince of Wales. But when Mary’s loyalty to Wallis comes into question, their friendship will be put to the test. 1997: After a romantic proposal in Paris, Rachel and her fiancé Alex are in a cab when the car ahead crashes.

"An action-packed start to a new series. Signs of Life is the best I've read in ages. Dynamic, suspenseful, funny. The story is full of twists and turns and finds you scrambling to catch up with Bentley." ---------------------------- Elliott Bentley is facing adversaries twice his size, doubly lethal, and half his age. With one already responsible for the death of a friend, they will surely kill him too. The only thing stronger than Bentley's opponents is his will to live. After all, he's the only thing standing between a young woman and her vicious ex. He also needs to avert gang warfare ...

The tragic fate of the British airship R101—which went down in a spectacular fireball in 1930, killing more people than died in the Hindenburg disaster seven years later—has been largely forgotten. In His Majesty’s Airship, S.C. Gwynne resurrects it in vivid detail, telling the epic story of great ambition gone terribly wrong.

Charles Dickens is not feeling the Christmas spirit. His newest book is an utter flop, the critics have turned against him, relatives near and far hound him for money. While his wife plans a lavish holiday party for their ever-expanding family and circle of friends, Dickens has visions of the poor house. But when his publishers try to blackmail him into writing a Christmas book to save them all from financial ruin, he refuses. And a serious bout of writer's block sets in.

As we begin The Whole Wide World, the fifth novel in the Rian and Mouse series, Captain Alois Bumper has officially become the commodore of his own line, The Blue Water Packet and Navigation Co., after he buys a second ship as a running mate to Cleo. This causes what Tom and Bumper call “happy problems,” as their first course of action is to spruce up the new vessel and then fill any remaining crew berths in the ships. Mouse has been promoted to First Mate aboard the new packet, business is good at The Two Barrels, and Sofus and his new ‘Da’ have settled in together quite famously. ...

Imagine a world without Mr. Darcy. How would things have been different if he had never been born? In a moment of despair over Elizabeth’s rejection, the iconic hero of Pride and Prejudice wishes his life away. Now, on a tour with a surprising celestial guide, he must face up to the results. Instead of everybody being better off, as he had supposed, there have been unexpected consequences for his closest friends. Darcy realizes, too late, that his presence made a positive difference in the world, and that he really had a wonderful life. Is it all lost and gone forever?

In this third historical sea novel in the series, Rian and Mouse are two teenage boys who are very much in love, which is an insurmountable problem aboard a Royal Navy vessel where the penalty for homosexual activity is summary execution. When mutiny lands aboard their packet cutter, the Cleo, Rian and Mouse learn that it is time to turn the tide against Napoleon. As Europe's war with France rages on, now is the time for revenge. With the help of their shipmates aboard the Cleo and their loyal friends, the Turners, Rian and Mouse vow to make things right. But such undertakings are never ...

The House of Life & Death by Vann Chow is an epic narrative that spans generations, weaving together love, betrayal, history, and the supernatural. Elise’s world turns upside down when she stumbles upon her grandmother’s ancient diary, leading her into a web of dark family secrets and haunting supernatural forces. The diary reveals a deep connection to the House of Life, a mystical realm where the souls of the dead linger, shaped by Chinese folklore and ancient rituals. As Elise uncovers her family’s legacy, she learns that the House of Life is tied to a centuries-old curse rooted in ...

Ruth is a woman who believes in and despairs of the curative power of love. Her daughter, Eleanor, who is addicted to drugs, has just had a baby, Lily. Ruth adjusts herself in ways large and small to give to Eleanor what she thinks she may need—nourishment, distance, affection—but all her gifts fall short. After someone dies of an overdose in Eleanor's apartment, Ruth hands her daughter an envelope of cash and takes Lily home with her, and Lily, as she grows, proves a compensation for all of Ruth's past defeats and disappointment. Love without fear is a new feeling for her.

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.

Renowned biographer Andrew Morton takes an in-depth look at Britain’s longest reigning monarch, exploring the influence Queen Elizabeth has had on both Britain and the rest of the world for much of the last century. From leading a nation struggling to restore itself after the devastation of the second World War to navigating the divisive political landscape of the present day, Queen Elizabeth has been a reluctant but resolute queen. This is the story of a woman of unflagging self-discipline who will long be remembered as mother and grandmother to Great Britain.

Farewell Yellow Brick Road is a celebration of Elton John's record-breaking, globe-spanning farewell tour—from Allentown to Auckland, from Sydney to San Francisco. Featured concerts include Elton’s dazzling performances at Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium in November 2022, the finale of which streamed live on Disney+. Fans will be treated to a behind-the-scenes glimpse into every aspect of these spectacular shows, including Elton’s legendary touring wardrobe by Gucci, the set design, official photography, and more.

Turning her back on her privileged life in Victorian England, Gertrude Bell (1868-1926), fired by her innate curiosity, journeyed the world and became fascinated with all things Arab. Traveling the length and breadth of the Arab region, armed with a love for its language and its people, she not only produced several enormously popular books based on her experiences but became instrumental to the British foreign office. When World War I erupted, and the British needed the loyalty of the Arab leaders, it was Gertrude Bell's work and connections that helped provided the brain for T. E. Lawrence's military brawn.