British Life

Immersive, fascinating and with an ending that will quite simply… blow your socks off! Who ever really knows themselves? And if you don’t know yourself, can you ever be truly happy? Mark Rasper is a thirty-year old man who has always had a fascination with Japan. It started when he played Metal Gear Solid with school buddy Paul, becoming thoroughly captivated not only by everything Japanese, but by the character Solid Snake. When a transfer opportunity turns up at the company he works for, he doesn’t hesitate, and before he has time to change his mind he is on a plane to Tokyo. Mark ...

A Modern day suspense thriller based around the dangers of social media, what we share, and how we never really know who is watching. A single photo taken in college defined Eve Kelly’s entire life. The iconic image of the falling girl in a red dress brought her unintentional fame. Twenty years later, @beli’EVE, a successful model turned influencer, is a reluctant leader. Over a million people follow her every move but sharing images of a #perfectlife can be dangerous, especially when you have secrets. When someone begins to scratch beneath the glossy surface she presents to the world, ...

From Berlin to the Congo, from Moscow to the back streets of London, these are the stories of the agents on the front lines of British intelligence. And the truth is often more remarkable than fiction.

MI6 has been cloaked in secrecy and shrouded in myth since it was created a hundred years ago. Our understanding of what it is to be a spy has been largely defined by the fictional worlds of Ian Fleming and John le Carré. Gordon Corera provides a unique and unprecedented insight into this secret world and the reality that lies behind the fiction.

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.

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 ...

"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 ...

Rilton Castle has been peaceful for many months but the discovery of the body of a young Indian man dumped in a ditch near the village shatters the calm. Chief Inspector Muga starts an enquiry into the man’s death and discovers he had been digging into the private life of several of the local residents. Who killed Ramjap Shastri? Was it Mike Ash, to protect his nephews? Was it Dax, to protect the only family that had ever made him feel welcome? Was it Ben Hillor to protect his wife from shame? Or was it someone from outside the community who also bore a grudge against Shastri? As the ...

One of the most beautiful and brilliant women of her time, Gladys Deacon dazzled as much as she puzzled the glittering social circles in which she moved. Born in Paris to American parents in 1881, she suffered a traumatic childhood after her father shot her mother's lover dead. Educated in America, she returned to Europe, where she captivated and inspired some of the greatest literary and artistic names of the Belle Époque.

"Life is a beautiful, chaotic mess - a fact that John Bowie captures flawlessly in his stunning third poetry collection." The pages of this book are filled with raw, unfiltered emotions that will take readers on a journey through the human experience. From the highs of love and life to the lows of inescapable death, each poem is a window into the complexity of our existence. Bowie is a master poet, weaving together words that will tug at your heartstrings and make you see the world in a whole new light. With an unapologetic and soulful writing style, he invites readers to embrace the ...

Love arrives when it's least expected. And, with the person least expected! Maggie Golding, the unconventional and artistic 50-something designing the Christmas window displays at Pettett & Mayfields London department store, never expected to fall in love with Edgar Pettett, staid and sensible heir to the business. They couldn't be more different. But he's kind, sweet, a delight to be with, and willing to accept her as she is. Even with her rainbow-coloured hair, and her coat to match. Ed would far rather be wearing Wellingtons and jeans while caring for the dairy cattle on his farm than ...

At the age of 21, Edith Chaplin married one of the most eligible bachelors of the day, the eldest son of the sixth marquess of Londonderry. Her husband served in the Ulster cabinet and was air minister in the National Government of 1934-5. Edith founded the Women's Legion during the First World War and was also an early campaigner for women's suffrage. She created the renowned Mount Stewart Gardens in County Down that are now owned by the National Trust.

Spying and treachery are as much a part of warfare as weapons and death. This has always been the case since the earliest battles and is not likely to change in the future. And yet, even within this irregular system, there are certain rules, especially in past eras such as the American Revolution. First, while spying on behalf of one's country is perfectly respectable, betraying one's nation is treason. Second, honorable men do not involve those too innocent to understand the consequences of their actions in their schemes.

It's an invitation Steph can't refuse when she's handpicked to compete at the prestigious National Trust property Coleton Fishacre. With the country's top garden designers as rivals and a stunning historic estate for inspiration, it feels like a dream come true. But things quickly turn thorny when the youngest competitor falls mysteriously ill and Steph suspects foul play. Her fears are confirmed when a scream echoes through the gardens, leading her to the horrific sight of a dead body at the foot of the cliff.

By the time of his death, Wellington had been prime minister twice, a shrewd personal advisor to four British monarchs, and one of the nation's most prominent politicians for three decades. Despite his nearly four decades of peacetime service in and out of politics, Wellington has remained one of the titans of the 19th century because of one June day in 1815. Then, as now, the duke of Wellington is best remembered for defeating Napoleon in the famous battle of Waterloo.

"Romantic comedy at its finest" Reader review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Finding true love can be hard when you’re leading a double life … Kay, a sassy librarian and self-proclaimed queen of deception, thought ghosting her online fling Jeremy was a clever way to avoid awkward goodbyes. But when she falls for his charming brother Dan, her life spins into a tangled web of fake names, outrageous stories, and a world of lies she can barely keep straight. As "Elaine," her stylish and spontaneous alter ego, Kay navigates a romance with Dan, hiding her true identity while dodging her past ...

In Of Bygone Days, the seventh and final novel in the Rian & Mouse seafaring series, it is 1859 when Chumley Preston's periodical, the Weekly Standard publishes a news article about life at sea. The incredible adventures experienced by Adrian Pembroke and Richard Jay is duly reported by journalist, Julius Lightbody. But the fledgling writer learns more than he ever expected as the tale unfolds and he is faced with a decision that will break all Victorian social conventions. It is revealed to him that his subjects have lived an extremely happy and fulfilling life together as homosexuals in a...

Written with compelling honesty, this unflinching novel of a desperate single mother haunted by thwarted dreams is populated with beautifully flawed characters, beneath whose tumultuous lives lie deeply buried secrets. 'An extraordinary level of emotion brought on by some superb storytelling.' ~ The Cult Den Six-year-old Belinda Brabbage has amassed a wealth of wisdom. She knows all the best hiding places, how to zap monsters with her pig-shaped torch and why never to accept lifts from strangers – even ones who offer Fizzy Fish. But Belinda’s mummy isn’t like the other mothers who ...

A fascinating biography of Freda Bedi, an English woman who broke all the rules of gender, race, and religious background to become both a revolutionary in the fight for Indian independence and then a Buddhist icon. She was the first Western woman to become a Tibetan Buddhist nun - but that pioneering ordination was really just one in a life full of revolutionary acts. Freda Bedi broke the rules of gender, race, and religion - in many cases before it was thought that the rules were ready to be challenged.

Fans of Maeve Binchy will love this entertaining read that transcends time with history repeating itself, proving it’s not our circumstances that define us but the power within to change. A story of life, love, loss and seeking more, three generations of women are all on a journey to change their circumstances and find the life they believe they were destined for . . . revealing a terrible secret that changes it all. In 1960s Ireland, Maggie Treacy has never felt she belongs. Determined to change her life, the transformation doesn’t come without cost, but she isn’t going to let ...

Frances Andrews is sick of her husband Martin’s addiction to pornography, and has lost her trust in him. Martin views porn as a harmless pastime, but when Frances threatens to leave, he is distraught and begs her to go with him for marriage guidance therapy. Counsellor Rhona suggests they take a holiday in the first instance, and start talking to one another again. Frances just wants out of the marriage, but finally agrees to go on a cruise…as long as they have separate cabins. Told from both Frances and Martin’s perspectives, Mind Games shines a light on the effect that an addiction ...