High Society Fiction

Probably the most famous of Edith Wharton's novels, Ethan Frome contrasts sharply with her usual ironic contemplation of the fashionable New York society to which she herself belonged and whose strengths and weaknesses she understood so well. Ethan Frome is a keenly-etched portrait of the simple inhabitants of a 19th-century New England village.

Worried that old age will inevitably mean losing your libido, your health, and possibly your marbles too? Well, Cicero has some good news for you. In How to Grow Old, the great Roman orator and statesman eloquently describes how you can make the second half of life the best part of all - and why you might discover that reading and gardening are actually far more pleasurable than sex ever was.

In a world where social media, online relationships, and relentless self-absorption threaten the very idea of deep and lasting friendships, the search for true friends is more important than ever. In this short book, famous Roman politician and philosopher Cicero offers a compelling guide to finding, keeping, and appreciating friends. With wit and wisdom, Cicero teaches not only how to build friendships but also why they must be a key part of our lives. For, as Cicero says, life without friends is not worth living.

A woman is found murdered in her bathtub, and the murder has been made to look like a suicide. But a strange symbol found at the crime scene leads the local police to call Commissaire Adamsberg and his team. When the symbol is found near the body of a second disguised suicide, a pattern begins to emerge: Both victims were part of a disastrous expedition to Iceland over 10 years ago where a group of tourists found themselves trapped on a deserted island.

A romantic adventure book set in the South Pacific during the late 19th century. Following a shipwreck, Mabel Miller, a disillusioned socialite from San Francisco, finds herself on the vibrant yet dangerous island of Kaahlanai with a small band of survivors, including Captain Gray and the Gray family. Initially seeking a break from her monotonous lifestyle, Mabel embarks on a journey that takes her far beyond her wildest dreams. Upon their ship's destruction by fire and subsequent arduous days at sea, the survivors finally land on Kaahlanai. They initially face both the harsh realities of ...

A thriller book set in New York City during the early 20th century. Step into the shadowy alleys and grand ballrooms of New York City in the early 20th century, where hidden secrets and overt opulence collide. In a world where wealth and power dictate the social order, a sinister plot of betrayal and murder unravels amidst the city's elite. Samuel Whittington, a prosperous industrialist, finds his orderly life thrust into chaos when the enigmatic Julia Strong arrives with a dire warning: George Dernier is in a murderous frenzy, incensed by Whittington's affair with his wife, Grace. The ...

For her 16th birthday, Vaela Sun receives the most coveted gift in all the Spire - a trip to the Continent. It seems an unlikely destination for a holiday: a cold, desolate land where two nations remain perpetually locked in combat. Most citizens lucky enough to tour the Continent do so to observe the spectacle and violence of battle, a thing long vanished in the peaceful realm of the Spire.

Beneath the glamour, beyond the wealth, a shadow lurks... In the world of high society, appearances are everything but behind the luxury lies a web of deception. When a scandal threatens to shatter the pristine image of the elite, secrets that were meant to stay hidden come creeping into the light. As a determined investigator delves deeper into the mystery, the façade of elegance begins to crack, revealing dangerous alliances, forbidden affairs, and a truth too powerful to ignore. In a society where silence is currency and reputation is king, will justice prevail, or will the shadow of ...

High atop a snow-covered hill, the stately old Wyatt mansion is perched like a crown, its stone spires pointing upward, its stained glass windows glowing like colorful jewels. Such opulence means success and, surely, happiness. But on the eve of wealthy philanthropist Cecil Wyatt's 80th birthday, all the money in the world won't bring back his missing grandson, William Wyatt. The only thing for certain: Foul play was involved.

"Using wit and romance with a master's skill, Kasey Michaels aims for the heart and never misses." -- #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Nora Roberts Waiting for You, Book One in the Love in the Regency series: SINS OF THE FATHER… Jack Coltrane grew up with his father’s red-haired tomboy ward Meredith Fairfax chasing after him, always begging to tag along in his adventures during the years they resided at Coltrane House. Jack was variously annoyed, flattered, and as the years passed and childhood faded, both he and Merry sensed a slow change in their relationship. Friendship, ...

"Using wit and romance with a master's skill, Kasey Michaels aims for the heart and never misses." -- #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Nora Roberts Someone to Love, Book Two in the Love in the Regency series: Abigail Backworth Maldon is no fan of marriage, having buried her late husband after his embarrassing demise (he toppled headfirst out of a bedroom window in an attempt to avoid an angry husband). But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t see its advantages — just not for her. The part she likes best is the idea of marrying off her niece to a suitable husband. To Abigail, “suitable...

Naive young Masha Mironova arrives in Moscow at the turn of the century with a modest inheritance and a determination to shed her provincial Siberian upbringing. As soon as she alights in Moscow, she becomes Columbine, a reckless and daring young woman with eccentric outfits and a pet snake worn as a necklace. Columbine soon discovers the Lovers of Death - a small group of poets who conduct seances to determine death's next chosen lover. The string of suicides resulting from the group have drawn attention, and gentleman detective Erast Fandorin investigates.

Newport Summer 1899—yachts, balls, and famed artists eager to paint portraits of Society’s “Queens.” Western silver heiress Val Mackle DeVere (Mrs. Roderick W.) agrees to “sit” for a portrait for her beloved Roddy, only to stumble on a scene of bloody, grisly homicide at an art gallery. Like a figure from Pompeii, the dead Newport gallery manager screams in silence, his hands like claws clutching at a gilt frame pulled down over his head and shoulders while blood darkens his cream-colored suit. Impulsive, Val reaches for the murder weapon and will find herself suspected, shamed,...

Toxic medicine, a fanatic Chicago detective, and a fatal plunge down a steep staircase embroil Val and Roddy DeVere in a dangerous quest for facts in 1899. Roddy’s fledgling business teeters as his partner begs him to free him from a detective’s “witch hunt.” The question: was the partner’s wife’s fatal free fall an accident? Or was it murder?

"Using wit and romance with a master's skill, Kasey Michaels aims for the heart and never misses." -- #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Nora Roberts Then Comes Marriage, Book Three in the Love in the Regency series: There are not many men who can say they attended their own funeral, but Brady James, Earl of Singleton is no ordinary man. He’s also, happily, not a dead man, which he is certain was the object of the trio of scoundrels who had lately tied him up and tossed him headfirst into the Thames. Of course, there’s also the matter of why he’d been skulking about the bowels of ...

'I would be most unhappy to think that any part of this memoir should be cut on grounds of 'decency', for those bits are essential....' So begins the lively true story of aristocrat and travel writer Roderic Fenwick Owen. Born in 1921, Fenwick Owen had an extraordinary life, which careered between some of the biggest moments in history and took him to the ends of the earth, meeting (and even living with) some of the 20th century's most well-known people along the way, including Eisenhower, Jackson Pollock, Christopher Lee and Sean Connery.

A murder mystery book set in the busy city of London during the early 20th century. The story revolves around the baffling case of a prominent Member of Parliament, Jacob Remy, whose sudden disappearance sends shockwaves throughout the city. Life takes a nefarious turn when he is discovered dead in his office, prompting an in-depth investigation that uncovers a tangle of deceit, hidden letters, and a suspicious will that challenges the tranquility of London society. Navigating the Shadows of Wealth and Power An eclectic array of characters, right from Remy's diligent secretary Chambers to ...

"Using wit and romance with a master's skill, Kasey Michaels aims for the heart and never misses." -- #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Nora Roberts The Kissing Game, Book Four in the Love in the Regency series: Lady Allegra has made handling unpredictable situations and people an art form, particularly since her father, Oxie Nesbitt, is one of the greatest practical jokers in all of England. For the sinfully handsome and wickedly witty Armand, who loves to observe the world around him, Ally and her outrageous father prove to be too irresistible. He forms a fast friendship with them, ...

London, 1952: Forty-six-year-old Elizabeth Dalloway feels she has failed at most everything in life, especially living up to her mother, the elegant Mrs. Dalloway, an ideal socialite and model of perfection until she disappeared in the summer of 1923—and hasn’t been heard from since. When Elizabeth is handed a medal with a mysterious inscription from her mother to a soldier named Septimus Warren Smith, she’s certain it contains a clue from the past.

Agnes Wilkins is standing in front of an Egyptian mummy, about to make the first cut into the wrappings, about to unlock ancient (and not-so-ancient) history. Maybe you think this girl is wearing a pith helmet with antique dust swirling around her. Maybe you think she is a young Egyptologist who has arrived in Cairo on camelback. Maybe she would like to think that too. Agnes Wilkins dreams of adventures that reach beyond the garden walls, but reality for a 17-year-old debutante in 1815 London does not allow for camels....