British Sea

I watched the mirror for a last view, for now, of the frozen mountains of Glen Coe. As the road bent, and the outline of Buachaille Etive Mor slid into sight, I did what I always did and always would. I felt for that flutter of awe and that indefinable, unmistakable quickening of the pulse. In the late eighteenth century, mountains shifted from being universally reviled to becoming the most inspiring things on Earth. Simply put, the monsters became muses - and an entire artistic movement was born.

Tom, a man on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Fred is often confused and losing his memory. Yorky, a heavy-drinking, aggressive womaniser. Not forgetting Kevin, an unexpected, mysterious rookie. These are the crew of the Scarborough fishing trawler, Dorothy Hood, as she prepares to set sail on her final fishing trip of 1973. Owner and Skipper, Tom, is carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. After a year of poor catches and expensive engine repair bills, he is deeply in debt. So much so, that he has had to remortgage his house. Recently separated from his wife, Debbie, his ...

A Historical Adventure NovelIn the tumultuous era of the early 20th century, nestled between the traditional world power of England and the untouched expanse of East Africa, unfolds the captivating saga of "From Dock to Dynasty". This gripping historical adventure mutates from the bustling piers of London to the treacherous landscapes of East Africa, spinning a tale of intrigue, camaraderie, and treachery. The Beginning...The narrative kicks off with the chance encounter of two unlikely allies - Frederick L.C. Hughes, an English aristocrat, and Cyrus "Sharkey" Murray, a rough-hewn American ...

The world is unraveling. John Caul is the last thread. In the explosive sequel to Rakehell, secret agent John Caul faces a brutal new reality: orchestrated violence is tearing down governments, and an unseen hand is shaping the future. The rules have changed—and survival means rewriting them. Pitted against Angel, a lethal assassin who matches him move for move, Caul must uncover a global conspiracy before it’s too late. Allies are scarce. Enemies are everywhere. And with winter closing in, every decision could be fatal. The wolves are hunting. Caul is running out of time. Praise for ...

When prison inmate and former police officer John Brace says he’s willing to give up information about the location of a dead body in return for protection for his family, Vera knows that she has to look into his claims. But opening up this cold case strikes much closer to home than Vera anticipates as her investigation takes her back in time to The Seagull, a once-decadent and now-derelict nightclub where her deceased father and his friends used to congregate.

A rare and unrecorded sea bird captures all the birders attention whilst right under their noses the most fanatical birder of them all disappears. Later, Greg Franks’s corpse, the head bludgeoned, is found floating in the sea. Had it not been for Greg Franks, amateur detective George Palmer-Jones would not have been on the bird watching trip in Cornwall to the first place. He had been hired by Greg Franks’s anxious parents to try and persuade their errant son to return home.

An arranged marriage, an abusive family, a dream of freedom in America just out of reach.... After Meg Westmoreland’s father mysteriously dies when she’s a small child, her life quickly spirals out of control. Her mother is mean and manipulative, her uncle abusive in a way Meg won’t even speak of. Getting away from them becomes an obsession. When she discovers she’s been promised to a wealthy American, she’ll do whatever she must to flee the only home she’s ever known in Southampton, hoping for a new life in America and a chance to start over, even if it means leaving behind the...

Awarded the CROWNED HEART OF EXCELLENCE by InD'tale magazine (February 2014) Single mother Cath is the ray of sunshine Max has been looking for to brighten up his life. When she pins up an advert in his bookstore seeking a piano teacher for her daughter, Alice, Max sees the opportunity he’s been waiting for. Within a short space of time he secures the position as Alice’s piano teacher and can only see one problem on the horizon – he can’t play the piano. As the story unfolds, it’s never easy to foretell whether Max will end up playing romantic love songs or the broken-hearted ...

A deadly captain is the subject if this short story. Young sailor Roberts recalls his experience of Captain Morbond, a cruel, heartless man who mysteriously is followed by small white mice said to carry the souls of dead men.

Book One Ray Spalding's had enough of his wife, Paula. He's left his home in Edinburgh's Southside and headed for Belfast. It's safer there. Unknown to Ray, Paula's also had enough of him. She's not going back home. Not now, not ever. Jesse Spalding wakes up one morning to find both his parents gone. And he can't tell anyone or he'll be taken into care. As time passes and bills need paying, all Jesse can rely on are his wits, his friend Archie and his dad's 1950s record collection. Southsiders is a powerful short novel that follows the spiralling fortunes of Ray and Jesse, pushing father ...

Nigel Bird and his stories have appeared in so many places that it’s about time the best of them were brought together in one collection. His work has also received so much praise that this collection should be a must for the fan of the short story, particularly those fans with a taste for noir, crime or unusual fiction. Praise for his work and, indeed, for some of the stories collected here includes: 'A tremendous writer.' Donald Ray Pollock (The Devil All The Time) 'A rare talent.' Allan Guthrie (Bye Bye Baby) ‘I was surprised by every story. These are short, punchy, thoughtful, hard ...

.Embark upon an underwater adventure with this new download of wildlife recordings from the British Library Sound Archive. Experience the haunting song of the Humpback Whale as it travels through winter breeding grounds in search of a mate, and marvel at the humming courtship calls of the male Haddock. Encounter Dusky Dolphins in the Pacific, Harp Seals in the Arctic and a host of other species including the lovable Bottlenose Dolphin and the mighty Blue Whale.