Showing results by narrator "Peter Kenny" in All Categories

No. 1472 was the third of a class of steam locomotives that was eventually to number 79 engines, and did not originally even carry a name. The Great Northern Railway A1 4-6-2, though, was the biggest express steam engine ever to have been seen in Britain at the time. It was chosen to be displayed at a major exhibition at Wembley in 1924, and for this it was given the name Flying Scotsman.

In 1910, eleven-year-old Iris Villarca lives with her father at Rawblood, a lonely house on Dartmoor. Iris and her father are the last of their name. The Villarcas always die young, bloodily. Iris believes it's because of a congenital disease which means she must isolate herself from the world. But one sunlit autumn day, beside her mother's grave, she forces the truth from her father: the disease is biologically impossible. A lie, to cover a darker secret.

The 21st century is reaching middle age. Installations orbit the Earth, and synthetic intelligences rule the digital. The Forwards have destroyed the Mesh. The Thalassocracy of New Atlantis lies shattered, reeling from multiple atomic strikes. Might the dreams of better times have been nothing more than naïve figments of wishful thinking?

George Woolfe is a young working class East London printmaker in 1900. Frustrated by the constraints of his class and station, he sees an opportunity to escape when, by chance, he meets Charles Booth, author of one of the most comprehensive social surveys of London ever undertaken. But this apparently auspicious encounter has tragic consequences for George who, within six months, is charged with the murder of a young woman. But did he do it?

How can you pack for the journey of a lifetime? George Baxter has settled for a comfortable life, content as the years unfold predictably - until Win, his wife of 26 years, dies. With his loyal dog Monty by his side, George throws himself into his work as an antiques dealer. His business is at the heart of the village and all sorts pass through the doors, each person in search of their own little piece of history. When George meets local widow Sylvia Newsome, he imagines a different kind of future. But life has more revelations to offer him.

Chancellor Thorn fled before the battle for the capital began, and now seeks to place himself on the kingdom’s seat of power. He uses Irina’s ancient cult to form a new religion whose priests are determined to displace the crown.

As the city rebuilds from the onslaught of sorcery that nearly destroyed it, the great Houses of Paris, ruled by fallen angels, still contest one another for control over the capital. House Silverspires was once the most powerful, but just as it sought to rise again, an ancient evil brought it low. Phillippe, an immortal who escaped the carnage, has a singular goal - to resurrect someone he lost. But the cost of such magic might be more than he can bear.

No-one ever called Dan a pushover. But then no-one ever called him fast-track either. He likes driving slowly, playing Sudoku on his iPhone, swapping one scruffy jumper for another. He's been with Clara for four years and he's been perfectly happy; but now she's left him, leaving nothing but a long letter filled with incriminations and a small, white, almost hairless dog, named Doggo. So now Dan is single, a man without any kind of partner whether working or in love.

Stuart's not sure about having a lodger. And he's not used to Florence, an ageing tribute band singer who's full of life. Nor the pairs of voluminous knickers left to dry on every spare surface in the bathroom. Florence is everything Stuart has never allowed himself to be: bold, fearless, unabashedly herself. He's spent his life putting everyone's needs ahead of his own, avoiding risks and hiding from chances. Soon Florence is persuading Stuart to dance with her in the kitchen. And when his childhood sweetheart shows up again, it's Florence who encourages him to make his move.

Meet the adults. Claire and Matt are divorced but decide what's best for their daughter, Scarlett, is to have a 'normal' family Christmas. They can't agree on whose idea it was or who said they should bring their new partners. But someone did - and it's too late to pull the plug. Claire brings her new boyfriend, Patrick, a seemingly eligible Iron-Man-in-Waiting. Matt brings the new love of his life, Alex - funny, smart and extremely patient. Scarlett, their daughter, brings her imaginary friend Posey. He's a rabbit.

Rome, AD 51: Vespasian brings Rome's greatest enemy before the emperor. After eight years of resistance, the British warrior Caratacus has been caught. But Agrippina, Emperor Claudius' wife, pardons Caratacus. Claudius is a drunken fool, and Narcissus and Pallas, his freedmen, are battling for control of his throne. Separately,they decide to send Vespasian east to Armenia to defend Rome's interests. Meanwhile the East is in turmoil.

A startling novel of childhood, secrets and a history that refuses to be buried from the author of the No 1 bestselling The Savage Garden - a must for any fan of William Boyd. Ben Makepeace, a screenwriter, is recently divorced, with a young son to care for. So when he's invited up to Stoneham Park in Oxfordshire to meet someone who wants to bankroll his latest script, he jumps at the chance. Victor Sheldon is a hedge fund billionaire yet when Ben meets him he's bemused, for Victor is none other than old schoolfriend Daniel, last seen some twenty-five years ago.

Marcus Salvius Magnus, leader of the South Quirinal Crossroads Brotherhood, has long dominated his part of Rome's criminal underworld. From rival gangs and unpaid debts to rigged chariot races and blood feuds - if you have a problem, Magnus is the man to solve it. But while Magnus inhabits the underbelly of the city, his patron, Gaius Vespasius Pollo, moves in a different circle. As a senator, he needs men like Magnus to do his dirty work....

Giving an insight into the power of thoughts, the effect they have on our health, body, and circumstances, this is a compelling literary essay containing practical wisdom which will inspire, enlighten, and help us discover our hidden powers. Written in a spiritual tone, As a Man Thinketh has been a valuable source of inspiration ever since its first publication in 1903. It continues to remain a classic bestseller.

Every life is made up of thousands of moments. Moments that make us who we are. But what if those moments don't happen the way we think they should? What if you got on the wrong bus, or didn't speak to the right person at a party, or stayed in the wrong guest house on holiday? Would you miss your chance at happiness? Or would happiness find you eventually, when the moment was right? Meet Matthew and Myrtle.

The near future. A terrorist bomb destroys one of London's most iconic buildings and also kills the daughter of the head of the Chinese Secret Service and the son of a wealthy City Fund Manager. The furious and grief-stricken parents decide to extract a dramatic and world-changing revenge on the militants. Watching these events unfold is the future Head of the British Secret Service.

How can you pack for the journey of a lifetime? George Baxter has settled for a comfortable life, content as the years unfold predictably - until Win, his wife of 26 years, dies. With his loyal dog Monty by his side, George throws himself into his work as an antiques dealer. His business is at the heart of the village and all sorts pass through the doors, each person in search of their own little piece of history. When George meets local widow Sylvia Newsome, he imagines a different kind of future. But life has more revelations to offer him.

One evening, Patrick discovers a polar bear—in his parents' freezer! How did Monty—official name, Wilbur Ambrose Cedric Barnaby Montague the Third—get there? He talks like he might have swallowed a dictionary as well as a library, he has read more books than Patrick knew existed...and his stomach is always rumbling. Always. But how on earth is Patrick going to feed him on pocket money that doesn't stretch much further than a few tins of sardines?

When Grandma creates a robot babysitter for twins Jake and Jess, chaos ensues! Jake and Jess are on their way to Scotland to visit Robin, who’s been hiding out near a remote loch with Grandma. Jake can’t wait to see his favourite robot, but is shocked by how much he’s changed. Robin now spends most of his time camouflaged in bushes and can light a fire with a click of his fingers - he’s gone wild! But when Grandma ropes the trio into a plan to catch a local gang of thieves in the act, it looks like Robin’s new skills might just save the day....

Jess and Jake love having a robot babysitter, but lately Robin's been malfunctioning more and more often...and the only person who can help - their inventor grandma who created Robin - has disappeared. It's time for the twins take matters into their own hands....