The master of a Victorian mansion dies suddenly – and his sister is convinced it was murder…. When Cora is savagely murdered with a hatchet, the extraordinary remark she made the previous day at her brother Richard’s funeral suddenly takes on a chilling significance.

At the reading of Richard’s will, Cora was clearly heard to say: ‘It’s been hushed up very nicely, hasn’t it…But he was murdered, wasn’t he?’
In desperation, the family solicitor turns to Hercule Poirot to unravel the mystery.

Elephants Can Remember is a classic Hercule Poirot investigation where the expert detective delves into an unsolved crime from the past involving the mysterious death of a husband and wife.

Poirot stood on the clifftop, the very place where, many years earlier, a tragic accident had occurred, followed by the grisly discovery of two bodies—a husband and wife, both shot dead. But the question remained, who had killed whom? Was it a suicide pact? A crime of passion? Or cold-blooded murder?

As Poirot delves into the past, he discovers that old sins leave long shadows. With his sharp mind and keen instincts, he is determined to solve this old double murder mystery that still stands as an open verdict.

Set at the Jolly Roger, a posh vacation resort for the rich and famous on the southern coast of England, Evil Under the Sun is one of Agatha Christie’s most intriguing mysteries. When a gorgeous young bride is brutally strangled to death on the beach, only Hercule Poirot can sift through the secrets that shroud each of the guests and unravel the macabre mystery at this playground by the sea.

The beautiful bronzed body of Arlena Stuart lay facedown on the beach. But strangely, there was no sun and Arlena was not sunbathing…she had been strangled. Ever since Arlena’s arrival, the air had been thick with sexual tension. Each of the guests had a motive to kill her, including Arlena’s new husband. But Hercule Poirot suspects that this apparent “crime of passion” conceals something much more evil.

It was an open and shut case. All the evidence said Caroline Crale poisoned her philandering husband, a brilliant painter. She was quickly and easily convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

Now, sixteen years later, in a posthumous letter, Mrs. Crale has assured her grown daughter that she was innocent. But instead of setting the young woman's mind at ease, the letter only raises disquieting questions. Did Caroline indeed write the truth? And if she didn't kill her husband, who did?

To find out, the Crale’s daughter asks Hercule Poirot to reopen the case. His investigation takes him deep into the conflicting memories and motivations of the five other people who were with the Crales on the fatal day. With his keen understanding of human psychology, he manages to discover the surprising truth behind the artist's death.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is a collection of twelve short stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, featuring his famous detective Sherlock Holmes. These tales showcase Holmes' remarkable powers of deduction and the wide variety of cases that come his way, ranging from the bizarre to the highly dangerous. Aided by his loyal friend Dr. John Watson, Holmes solves each mystery with his signature wit and ingenuity.

This edition of the timeless classic ensures that the reader will be engrossed in the thrilling adventures of one of literature's most enduring characters. From the enigmatic 'Red-headed League' to the chilling 'The Adventure of the Speckled Band,' and the peculiar 'The Adventure of the Copper Beeches,' readers will be taken on a journey through the dark, foggy streets of Victorian London, where danger and intrigue lurk around every corner.

Cormoran Strike is back, with his assistant Robin Ellacott, in a mystery based around soldiers returning from war. When a mysterious package is delivered to Robin Ellacott, she is horrified to discover that it contains a woman’s severed leg.

Her boss, private detective Cormoran Strike, is less surprised but no less alarmed. There are four people from his past who he thinks could be responsible – and Strike knows that any one of them is capable of sustained and unspeakable brutality.

With the police focusing on the one suspect Strike is increasingly sure is not the perpetrator, he and Robin take matters into their own hands, and delve into the dark and twisted worlds of the other three men.

But as more horrendous acts occur, time is running out for the two of them…

Career of Evil is the third in the series featuring private detective Cormoran Strike and his assistant Robin Ellacott. A mystery and also a story of a man and a woman at a crossroads in their personal and professional lives.

Magic and mayhem collide with the British elite in this whimsical and sparkling debut. At his wit’s end, Zacharias Wythe, freed slave, eminently proficient magician, and Sorcerer Royal of the Unnatural Philosophers—one of the most respected organizations throughout all of Britain—ventures to the border of Fairyland to discover why England’s magical stocks are drying up.

But when his adventure brings him in contact with a most unusual comrade, a woman with immense power and an unfathomable gift, he sets on a path which will alter the nature of sorcery in all of Britain—and the world at large…

In a London flat, two young boys face the unbearable sadness of their mother's sudden death. Their father, a Ted Hughes scholar and scruffy romantic, imagines a future of well-meaning visitors and emptiness.

In this moment of despair, they are visited by Crow - antagonist, trickster, healer, babysitter. This self-described sentimental bird is attracted to the grieving family and threatens to stay until they no longer need him.

As weeks turn to months and the physical pain of loss gives way to memories, this little unit of three begins to heal.

In this extraordinary debut - part novella, part polyphonic fable, part essay on grief - Max Porter's compassion and bravura style combine to dazzling effect. Full of unexpected humour and profound emotional truth, Grief is the Thing with Feathers marks the arrival of a thrilling new talent.

A God in Ruins is the stunning companion to Kate Atkinson's #1 bestseller Life After Life. In this novel, Atkinson shifts her focus to Ursula Todd's beloved younger brother, Teddy—a would-be poet, RAF bomber pilot, husband, and father—who navigates the perils and progress of the 20th century.

For all Teddy endures in battle, his greatest challenge is living in a future he never expected to have. The narrative switches back and forth in time, exploring Teddy's childhood memories and his post-war life as he grapples with a rapidly changing world and family dynamics.

This ingenious and moving exploration of one ordinary man's path through extraordinary times proves once again that Kate Atkinson is one of the finest novelists of our age. A God in Ruins is a poignant reflection on the loss of innocence, the transition from war to peace, and the enduring power of family bonds.

The debut psychological thriller that will forever change the way you look at other people's lives, from the author of Into the Water and A Slow Fire Burning.

Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning and night. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She's even started to feel like she knows them. Jess and Jason, she calls them. Their life-as she sees it-is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost. UNTIL TODAY And then she sees something shocking. It's only a minute until the train moves on, but it's enough. Now everything's changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel goes to the police. But is she really as unreliable as they say? Soon she is deeply entangled not only in the investigation but in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?

When Queenie Hennessy discovers that Harold Fry is walking the length of England to save her, she is shocked. Her note had explained she was dying. How can she wait? A new volunteer at the hospice suggests that Queenie should write again; only this time, she must tell Harold everything.

In confessing to secrets she has hidden for twenty years, she will find atonement for the past. As the volunteer points out, 'Even though you've done your travelling, you're starting a new journey too.' Queenie thought her first letter would be the end of the story. She was wrong. It was just the beginning.

It is 1922, and London is tense. Ex-servicemen are disillusioned; the out-of-work and the hungry are demanding change. And in South London, in a genteel Camberwell villa—a large, silent house now bereft of brothers, husband, and even servants—life is about to be transformed as impoverished widow Mrs. Wray and her spinster daughter, Frances, are obliged to take in lodgers.

With the arrival of Lilian and Leonard Barber, a modern young couple of the “clerk class,” the routines of the house will be shaken up in unexpected ways. Little do the Wrays know just how profoundly their new tenants will alter the course of Frances’s life—or, as passions mount and frustration gathers, how far-reaching, and how devastating, the disturbances will be.

A love story, a tension-filled crime story, and a beautifully atmospheric portrait of a fascinating time and place, The Paying Guests is Sarah Waters’s finest achievement yet.

While flying an Allied fighter plane from Paris to England, American ATA pilot and amateur poet, Rose Justice, is captured by the Nazis and sent to Ravensbrück, the notorious women's concentration camp. Trapped in horrific circumstances, Rose finds hope in the impossible through the loyalty, bravery, and friendship of her fellow prisoners. But will that be enough to endure the fate that's in store for her?

Elizabeth Wein, author of the critically-acclaimed and best-selling Code Name Verity, delivers another stunning WWII thriller. The unforgettable story of Rose Justice is forged from heart-wrenching courage, resolve, and the slim, bright chance of survival.

Adventurer Richard Hannay, just returned from South Africa, is thoroughly bored with London life—until he is accosted by a mysterious American, who warns him of an assassination plot that could completely destabilize the fragile political balance of Europe.

Initially skeptical, Hannay nonetheless harbors the man—but one day returns home to find him murdered...

An obvious suspect, Hannay flees to his native Scotland, pursued by both the police and a cunning, ruthless enemy. His life and the security of Britain are in grave peril, and everything rests on the solution to a baffling enigma: what are the 'thirty-nine steps?'

Lia Meyers has a plan for a relaxing Scottish vacation, but it is short-lived when one uncharacteristic moment of clumsiness lands her in the arms of a dangerously attractive Englishman…

Is it the perfect opportunity for a much-needed holiday romance? Wrong! Lia's still reeling from the mother of all bad breakups, and she really doesn't have the patience for Alastair Holden – despite his effortless charm and cute British accent!

Arrogant and totally inscrutable, he's exactly the sort of guy she wants to avoid but can't: the man behind the mystery proves just too tempting to resist.

Drawn to him, Lia is forced to battle with her own insecurities. The closer they become, the more she recognizes her own weaknesses as she peels away his layers with every night they spend together. Discovering the past Alastair is so desperate to conceal, Lia must decide if they can heal one another together or if their deepest fears will tear them apart.

Obsession, madness, memory, myth, and history combine to achieve a distinctive blend of nature writing and memoir from an outstanding literary innovator.

When Helen Macdonald's father died suddenly on a London street, she was devastated. An experienced falconer—Helen had been captivated by hawks since childhood—she'd never before been tempted to train one of the most vicious predators, the goshawk. But in her grief, she saw that the goshawk's fierce and feral temperament mirrored her own.

Resolving to purchase and raise the deadly creature as a means to cope with her loss, she adopted Mabel and turned to the guidance of The Once and Future King author T.H. White's chronicle The Goshawk to begin her challenging endeavor.

Projecting herself "in the hawk's wild mind to tame her" tested the limits of Macdonald's humanity and changed her life. Heart-wrenching and humorous, this book is an unflinching account of bereavement and a unique look at the magnetism of an extraordinary beast, with a parallel examination of a legendary writer's eccentric falconry.

In essence, it's an ugly duckling tale. Our heroine, Aureliana, returns to school after fifteen years for a reunion. School doesn't hold happy memories for her. As a roly-poly Italian (known as the Italian Galleon), always armed with a Tupperware full of pungent Mediterranean food, she was bullied incessantly throughout her years there.

Now in her 30s, Aureliana wants to put the past behind her once and for all and face up to the bullies who made her life hell. But she is much-changed from the girl she once was - all curves and 'because I'm worth it' hair - and no one recognizes her when she arrives. Losing her bottle, she backs out on her plan for revenge and slinks off, hoping never to be reminded of her years at school again.

But fate gets in the way, and after the reunion, her path keeps crossing with James - major hunk and Aureliana's major crush back at school. But alas, as a cronie to the bullies, Aureliana to this day believes that his beautiful exterior hides an ugly interior.

As they continue to cross paths, a love/hate relationship ensues until eventually something shifts, and they both start to discover what the person underneath is really like...

Full of Mhairi's trademark laugh-out-loud humor, Here's Looking At You is a novel about facing your demons and being happy with who you really are.

Maisie Dobbs, Psychologist and Investigator, began her working life at the age of thirteen as a servant in a Belgravia mansion, only to be discovered reading in the library by her employer, Lady Rowan Compton. Fearing dismissal, Maisie is shocked when she discovers that her thirst for education is to be supported by Lady Rowan and a family friend, Dr. Maurice Blanche.

But The Great War intervenes in Maisie’s plans, and soon after commencement of her studies at Girton College, Cambridge, Maisie enlists for nursing service overseas.

Years later, in 1929, having apprenticed to the renowned Maurice Blanche, a man revered for his work with Scotland Yard, Maisie sets up her own business. Her first assignment, a seemingly tedious inquiry involving a case of suspected infidelity, takes her not only on the trail of a killer, but back to the war she had tried so hard to forget.

The Regeneration Trilogy is a modern classic of contemporary war fiction by Pat Barker, an author shortlisted for the Women's Prize.

Set in 1917, Scotland, at Craiglockhart War Hospital, army psychiatrist William Rivers is tasked with treating shell-shocked soldiers. Among his patients are the poets Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen, as well as Billy Prior, who communicates only through pencil and paper.

Regeneration, The Eye in the Door, and The Ghost Road explore the stories of these men during the last months of World War I, illustrating the profound impact of a conflict that devastated a generation.

John le Carré's classic novels deftly navigate readers through the intricate shadow worlds of international espionage with unsurpassed skill and knowledge, earning him and his hero, British Secret Service agent George Smiley, worldwide acclaim. In Smiley's People, master storyteller le Carré perfects his art.

In London, at the dead of night, George Smiley, sometime acting Chief of the Circus (aka the British Secret Service), is summoned from his lonely bed by news of the murder of an ex-agent. Lured back to active service, Smiley skillfully maneuvers his people—the no-men of no-man's land—into crisscrossing Paris, London, Germany, and Switzerland.

As he prepares for his own final, inevitable duel on the Berlin border with his Soviet counterpart and archenemy, Karla, Smiley's journey is one of unrelenting suspense and unmatched intrigue.

On a sultry summer's day in 1980, five friends stumble upon an abandoned lakeside cottage hidden deep in the English countryside. For Kat and her friends, it offers an escape; a chance to drop out for a while, with lazy summer days by the lake and intimate winter evenings around the fire.

But as the seasons change, tensions begin to rise, and when an unexpected visitor appears at their door, nothing will be the same again.

Three decades later, Lila arrives at the same remote cottage. With her marriage in crisis, she finds solace in renovating the tumbledown house. Little by little, she wonders about the previous inhabitants. How did they manage in such isolation? Why did they leave in such a hurry, with their belongings still strewn about? Most disturbing of all, why can't she shake the feeling that someone might be watching her?

The Shadow Year is a story of secrets, tragedy, lies, and betrayal. It’s a tale that explores the light and dark of human relationships and the potential the past has to not only touch our present but also to alter our future.

The Shock of the Fall is a poignant tale of loss and resilience, exploring the depths of the human psyche. What begins as the story of a lost boy turns into a narrative of a brave man yearning to understand his past and himself.

While on vacation with their parents, Matthew Homes and his older brother snuck out in the middle of the night. Only Matthew came home safely. Ten years later, Matthew reveals he has found a way to bring his brother back...

Unafraid to look at the shadows of our hearts, Nathan Filer's rare and brilliant debut shows us the strength rooted in resilience and love.

Laced with cynicism and truth, A Handful of Dust satirizes a certain stratum of English life where all the characters have wealth, but lack practically every other credential. Murderously urbane, it depicts the breakup of a marriage in the London gentry, where the errant wife suffers from terminal boredom, and becomes enamoured of a social parasite and professional luncheon-goer.

After seven years of marriage, the beautiful Lady Brenda Last is bored with life at Hetton Abbey, the Gothic mansion that is the pride and joy of her husband, Tony. She drifts into an affair with the shallow socialite John Beaver and forsakes Tony for the Belgravia set. Brilliantly combining tragedy, comedy and savage irony, A Handful of Dust captures the irresponsible mood of the 'crazy and sterile generation' between the wars. This breakdown of the Last marriage is a painful, comic re-working of Waugh's own divorce, and a symbol of the disintegration of society.

Brideshead Revisited is the most nostalgic and reflective of Evelyn Waugh's novels, looking back to the golden age before the Second World War. It tells the story of Charles Ryder's infatuation with the Marchmain family, a world of privilege that is rapidly disappearing.

Enchanted first by Sebastian at Oxford, and then by his doomed Catholic family, Charles is particularly captivated by his remote sister, Julia. Through his connections to the Marchmains, Charles experiences the heights of privilege, but he eventually comes to recognize the spiritual and social distance that separates him from them.

"Listen, Bond," said Tiffany Case. "It’d take more than Crabmeat Ravigotte to get me into bed with a man. In any event, since it’s your check, I’m going to have caviar, and what the English call 'cutlets,' and some pink champagne. I don’t often date a good-looking Englishman and the dinner’s going to live up to the occasion."

Meet Tiffany Case, a cold, gorgeous, devil-may-care blonde; the kind of girl you could get into a lot of trouble with—if you wanted. She stands between James Bond and the leaders of a diamond-smuggling ring that stretches from Africa via London to the States. Bond uses her to infiltrate this gang, but once in America, the hunter becomes the hunted. Bond is in real danger until help comes from an unlikely quarter, the ice-maiden herself…

Switch Bitch is a collection of four tales of seduction and suspense, masterfully told by the grand master of the short story, Roald Dahl.

The Visitor and Bitch feature Dahl's notorious hedonist Oswald Hendryks Cornelius, or plain old Uncle Oswald, whose exploits are as extraordinary as they are scandalous.

The Great Switcheroo and The Last Act explore a darker side of desire and pleasure, capturing the ins and outs, highs and lows of sex through black comedy.

Roald Dahl, the brilliant and worldwide acclaimed author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, and Matilda, also wrote scores of short stories for adults. These delightfully disturbing tales have often been filmed and were the inspiration for the West End play Roald Dahl’s Twisted Tales by Jeremy Dyson.

Over 50 years after their original publication, Roald Dahl’s stories continue to entertain and make readers shiver today.

My sister Rose lives on the mantelpiece. Well, some of her does. A collarbone, two ribs, a bit of skull, and a little toe.

To ten-year-old Jamie, his family has fallen apart because of the loss of someone he barely remembers: his sister Rose, who died five years ago in a terrorist bombing. To his father, life is impossible to make sense of when he lives in a world that could so cruelly take away a ten-year-old girl. To Rose's surviving fifteen-year-old twin, Jas, every day she lives in Rose's ever-present shadow, forever feeling the loss like a limb, but unable to be seen for herself alone.

Told with warmth and humor, this powerful novel is a sophisticated take on one family's struggle to make sense of the loss that's torn them apart... and their discovery of what it means to stay together.

Meet Harold Fry, recently retired. He lives in a small English village with his wife, Maureen, who seems irritated by almost everything he does, even down to how he butters his toast. Little differentiates one day from the next.

Then one morning, the mail arrives, and within the stack of quotidian minutiae is a letter addressed to Harold in a shaky scrawl from a woman he hasn't seen or heard from in twenty years. Queenie Hennessy is in hospice and is writing to say goodbye.

Harold pens a quick reply and, leaving Maureen to her chores, heads to the corner mailbox. But then, as happens in the very best works of fiction, Harold has a chance encounter, one that convinces him that he absolutely must deliver his message to Queenie in person. And thus begins the unlikely pilgrimage.

Harold Fry is determined to walk six hundred miles from Kingsbridge to the hospice in Berwick-upon-Tweed because, he believes, as long as he walks, Queenie Hennessey will live. Still in his yachting shoes and light coat, Harold embarks on his urgent quest across the countryside.

Along the way, he meets one character after another, each of whom unlocks his long-dormant spirit and sense of promise. Memories of his first dance with Maureen, his wedding day, and his joy in fatherhood come rushing back to him - allowing him to also reconcile the losses and the regrets.

As for Maureen, she finds herself missing Harold for the first time in years. And then there is the unfinished business with Queenie Hennessy.

There but for the is a sparkling satirical novel by the bestselling Ali Smith.

Imagine you give a dinner party and a friend of a friend brings a stranger to your house as his guest. He seems pleasant enough. Imagine that this stranger goes upstairs halfway through the dinner party and locks himself in one of your bedrooms and won't come out. Imagine you can't move him for days, weeks, months. If ever. This is what Miles does, in a chichi house in the historic borough of Greenwich, in the year 2009-10, in There but for the. Who is Miles, then? And what does it mean, exactly, to live with other people?

Sharply satirical and sharply compassionate, with an eye to the meanings of the smallest of words and the slightest of resonances, There but for the fuses disparate perspectives in a crucially communal expression of identity and explores our very human attempts to navigate between despair and hope, enormity and intimacy, cliché and grace.

As time passes by and the consequences of this stranger's actions ripple outwards, touching the owners, the guests, the neighbours, and the whole country, so Ali Smith draws us into a beautiful, strange place where everyone is so much more than they first appear.

Ali Smith's dazzling novel is a funny, moving book about time, memory, thought, presence, quietness in a noisy time, and the importance of hearing ourselves think.

When God Was a Rabbit is an incredibly exciting debut from an extraordinary new voice in fiction. Spanning four decades, from 1968 onwards, this is the story of a fabulous but flawed family and the slew of ordinary and extraordinary incidents that shape their everyday lives.

It is a story about childhood and growing up, loss of innocence, eccentricity, familial ties and friendships, love and life. Stripped down to its bare bones, it’s about the unbreakable bond between a brother and sister.

From Essex and Cornwall to the streets of New York, from 1968 to the events of 9/11, it follows the evolving bond of love and secrets between Elly and her brother, Joe, and her increasing concern for her best friend, Jenny Penny, who has secrets of her own. Funny, quirky, utterly compelling, and poignant, too, When God Was a Rabbit heralds the start of a remarkable new literary career.

The Canterbury Tales is a timeless piece of literature, penned by Geoffrey Chaucer at the end of the 14th century. This vibrant collection of stories is presented in the form of a storytelling contest by a group of pilgrims on their journey to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral. The tales, most of which are in verse with some in prose, showcase Chaucer's unparalleled wit and insight into the human condition.

Each character, from the noble Knight to the bawdy Wife of Bath, is drawn with vivid detail, bringing to life the social spectrum of Chaucer's time. The stories themselves range from romantic adventures to moral allegories, reflecting the rich diversity of medieval society. Chaucer's daring use of the English language, rather than the conventional Latin, marked a pivotal moment in the evolution of English literature.

Although The Canterbury Tales remains an unfinished masterpiece, with some tales left incomplete and others lacking final revision, its legacy endures. The work continues to captivate readers with its complex characters, intricate narratives, and biting social commentary.

Set against the backdrop of World War II, Code Name Verity is a compelling tale of friendship, bravery, and sacrifice. After a British spy plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France, the story unfolds through the eyes of a survivor who is caught by the Gestapo. Facing the threat of execution, she must decide whether to reveal her mission or protect her secrets at all costs.

Through her confession, we learn about her intense bond with the pilot Maddie, and the events that led to their fateful flight. Elizabeth Wein delivers a story that explores the depths of human courage and the unbreakable spirit of two young women determined to survive in a world at war.

Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? is a memoir by Jeanette Winterson that is both witty and fierce, taking readers on an emotional journey of belonging, love, identity, and the search for a mother.

Jeanette Winterson, known for her acclaimed novel Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, shares her life story in this celebratory and tough-minded narrative. It's a book full of stories: about a girl locked out of her home, sitting on the doorstep all night; about a religious zealot disguised as a mother with two sets of false teeth and a revolver in the dresser, waiting for Armageddon; about growing up in a northern England industrial town now changed beyond recognition; about the Universe as a Cosmic Dustbin.

Winterson's journey takes her through madness and back as she searches for her biological mother, confronting the painful past she thought she'd left behind. This memoir also explores the power of literature, illustrating how fiction and poetry can form a string of guiding lights, a life raft that supports us when we are sinking.

Lord Edgware Dies is a classic mystery novel by the renowned author Agatha Christie, featuring the brilliant Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot. When Lord Edgware is found murdered, the police are baffled. His estranged actress wife was seen visiting him just before his death, and Poirot himself heard her brag of her plan to “get rid” of him.

But how could she have stabbed Lord Edgware in his library at exactly the same time she was seen dining with friends? It’s a case that almost proves to be too much for the great Poirot, as he navigates through a web of deceit and alibis to uncover the true culprit.

In Agatha Christie’s classic, A Pocket Full of Rye, the bizarre death of a financial tycoon has Miss Marple investigating a very odd case of crime by rhyme. Rex Fortescue, king of a financial empire, was sipping tea in his “counting house” when he suffered an agonizing and sudden death.

On later inspection, the pockets of the deceased were found to contain traces of cereals. Yet, it was the incident in the parlor which confirmed Miss Marple’s suspicion that here she was looking at a case of crime by rhyme.

Luke Fitzwilliam, a retired colonial policeman, has returned to England and chances to converse on a train with a woman who reminds him of a favorite aunt. She informs him that she is reporting three murders to Scotland Yard and is hoping to prevent a fourth, that of a village doctor. Before she can do so, she is killed by a car, and a short time later the doctor she mentioned is killed. Fitzwilliam decides to investigate these five deaths.

It was just Luke Fitzwilliam's luck to be stuck next to a dotty old woman like Miss Fullerton on the London-bound train—although he found himself quite entertained with her tall tales about a series of perfect murders in the quaint village of Wychwood. But when he reads the next day of the freak accident that killed her, too, Fitzwilliam's amusement turns to grave concern. A visit to the isolated village confirms his worst fears. For Wychwood seems to be divided by an eccentric lot of locals: those who are in on a dark and dangerous secret—and those who don't live long enough to share it.

The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry is a compelling exploration into the world of psychopaths and the industry of doctors, scientists, and others who study them. Bestselling journalist Jon Ronson delves into a potential hoax that has been played on the world's top neurologists, leading him into the heart of the madness industry.

An influential psychologist, convinced that many CEOs and politicians are actually psychopaths, teaches Ronson to identify these individuals through subtle verbal and nonverbal clues. With his newfound skills, Ronson navigates the corridors of power, encountering a death-squad leader institutionalized for mortgage fraud, a CEO renowned for his psychopathy, and a patient in an asylum for the criminally insane who claims his sanity.

Through his journey, Ronson not only uncovers the mystery of the hoax but also reveals the disturbing truth that those at the forefront of the madness industry can be as mad as those they study. He highlights how increasingly, ordinary people are defined by their most extreme traits.

Award-winning author Alan Bradley returns with another beguiling novel starring the insidiously clever and unflappable eleven-year-old sleuth Flavia de Luce. The precocious chemist with a passion for poisons uncovers a fresh slew of misdeeds in the hamlet of Bishop's Lacey—mysteries involving a missing tot, a fortune-teller, and a corpse in Flavia's own backyard.

Flavia had asked the old Gypsy woman to tell her fortune, but never expected to stumble across the poor soul, bludgeoned in the wee hours in her own caravan. Was this an act of retribution by those convinced that the soothsayer had abducted a local child years ago? Certainly Flavia understands the bliss of settling scores; revenge is a delightful pastime when one has two odious older sisters. But how could this crime be connected to the missing baby? Had it something to do with the weird sect who met at the river to practice their secret rites?

While still pondering the possibilities, Flavia stumbles upon another corpse—that of a notorious layabout who had been caught prowling about the de Luce's drawing room. Pedaling Gladys, her faithful bicycle, across the countryside in search of clues to both crimes, Flavia uncovers some odd new twists. Most intriguing is her introduction to an elegant artist with a very special object in her possession—a portrait that sheds light on the biggest mystery of all: Who is Flavia?

As the red herrings pile up, Flavia must sort through clues fishy and foul to untangle dark deeds and dangerous secrets.

In the sprawling, half-timbered mansion in the affluent suburb of Swinly Dean, Aristide Leonides lies dead from barbiturate poisoning. An accident? Not likely. In fact, suspicion has already fallen on his luscious widow, a cunning beauty fifty years his junior, set to inherit a sizeable fortune, and rumored to be carrying on with a strapping young tutor comfortably ensconced in the family estate.

But criminologist Charles Hayward is casting his own doubts on the innocence of the entire Leonides brood. He knows them intimately. And he's certain that in a crooked house such as Three Gables, no one's on the level...

The Fry Chronicles is the captivating autobiography of Stephen Fry, one of the most beloved figures in British entertainment. Thirteen years ago, Moab Is My Washpot, Stephen Fry's autobiography of his early years, was published to rave reviews and was a huge best seller. In the years since, Stephen Fry has moved into a completely new stratosphere, both as a public figure and a private man.

Stephen Fry arrived at Cambridge on probation—a convicted fraudster and thief, an addict, liar, fantasist, and failed suicide—convinced that at any moment he would be found out and flung away. Instead, university life offered him love, romance, and the chance to stand on a stage and entertain. He met and befriended bright young things like Emma Thompson and Hugh Laurie and emerged as one of the most promising comic talents in the country.

This is the intriguing, hilarious, and utterly compelling story of how the Stephen the nation knows (or thinks it knows) began to make his presence felt as he took his first tentative steps in the worlds of television, journalism, radio, theatre, and film. Shameful tales of sugar, shag, and champagne jostle with insights into credit cards, classic cars, and conspicuous consumption, Blackadder, Broadway, and the BBC.

For all its trademark wit and verbal brilliance, this is a book that is not afraid to confront the aching chasm that separates public image from private feeling. Welcome to The Fry Chronicles, one of the boldest, bravest, most revealing, and heartfelt accounts of a man's formative years that you will ever have the exquisite pleasure of reading.

Merry Christmas! ...every idiot who goes about with "Merry Christmas" on his lips, should be boiled with his own pudding.

Dickens' story of solitary miser Ebenezer Scrooge, who is taught the true meaning of Christmas by a series of ghostly visitors, has proved one of his most well-loved works. Since its publication in 1843, it has had an enduring influence on the way we think about the traditions of Christmas.

Dickens' other Christmas writings collected here include:

• The Story of the Goblins who Stole a Sexton, the short story from The Pickwick Papers on which A Christmas Carol was based;
• The Haunted Man, a tale of a man tormented by painful memories;
• along with shorter pieces, some drawn from the 'Christmas Stories' that Dickens wrote annually for his weekly journals.

In all of them, Dickens celebrates the season as one of geniality, charity, and remembrance.

'How cool was Will Freeman?' Too cool! At thirty-six, he's as hip as a teenager. He's single, child-free, goes to the right clubs and knows which trainers to wear. He's also found a great way to score with women: attend single parents' groups full of available (and grateful) mothers, all hoping to meet a Nice Guy.

Which is how Will meets Marcus, the oldest twelve-year-old on the planet. Marcus is a bit strange: he listens to Joni Mitchell and Mozart, looks after his mum and has never owned a pair of trainers. But Marcus latches on to Will - and won't let go. Can Will teach Marcus how to grow up cool? And can Marcus help Will just to grow up?

Annie and Duncan are a mid-thirties couple who have reached a fork in the road, realizing their shared interest in the reclusive musician Tucker Crowe (in Duncan's case, an obsession rather than an interest) is not enough to hold them together anymore. When Annie dislikes Tucker's 'new release', a terrible demo of his most famous album, it's the last straw - Duncan cheats on her, and she promptly throws him out.

Via an internet discussion forum, Annie's harsh opinion reaches Tucker himself, who couldn't agree more. He and Annie start an unlikely correspondence which teaches them both something about moving on from years of wasted time. Nick Hornby's compelling new novel, four years after A Long Way Down, is about the nature of creativity and obsession, and how two lonely people can gradually find each other.

A Wayside Tavern narrates the captivating tale of a Suffolk drinking place that has stood the test of time from the end of the Roman occupation of Britain to the present day.

This tavern, initially known as the One Bull, was established by a Roman veteran who was left behind and worshipped Mithras. Over the centuries, it adapted to the changing times, serving as a clearing house for contraband, a miniature Hell Fire Club, a fashionable hotel, and eventually, just a simple pub.

The saga of the Gilderson family, proprietors of the tavern, unfolds through sixteen centuries of British history. They encounter colorful wayfarers and endure various misfortunes, from plagues to Nazis. The tavern becomes a witness to love, happiness, sacrifice, murder, and even miracles.

Next to the tavern stands a chapel where the body of an ancient and holy British king lies. It is said that those who pray at Cerdic's tomb never leave without receiving a miracle, though often the miracle is what they truly need, not necessarily what they requested.

Woven through history, the Inn and the chapel guide the lives of the Gildersons, culminating in a pivotal choice: to let go of the past or to rebuild it in hope one last time.

King Henry IV, Part 1 is a remarkable play that delves into the complexities of history and fiction. While it is conventionally regarded as a history play, much of it is a conspicuously invented fiction. This duality raises questions about the very nature of history and how it is represented.

The play's language is rich with an economic vocabulary that provides a texture reflecting the social concerns of the time. The central relationship between value and political authority is a key focus, along with the recurring theme of honor and the role of women in the narrative.

The Arden Shakespeare edition offers an exceptional scholarly experience, with comprehensive introductions that contextualize the play within the historical and cultural backdrop of Shakespeare's era. It includes detailed appendices that address challenges such as dating, casting, and analyzing the differing Quarto and Folio sources.

This edition provides a full commentary by leading contemporary scholars, illuminating the text by glossing unfamiliar terms and explaining allusions and significant background information. It is highly informative, making it the fullest experience of Shakespeare available to readers.

Set during the dark days of World War II, Agatha Christie’s N or M? puts two most unlikely espionage agents, Tommy and Tuppence Beresford, on the trail of a pair of Nazi spies who have murdered Britain’s top agent.

World War II is raging, and while the RAF struggles to keep the Luftwaffe at bay, Britain faces a sinister threat from “the enemy within”—Nazis posing as ordinary citizens. With pressure mounting, the intelligence service appoints two improbable spies, Tommy and Tuppence Beresford. Their mission: to seek out a man and a woman from among the colorful guests at Sans Souci, a seaside hotel.

But this assignment is far from an easy stroll along the promenade—N and M have just murdered Britain’s finest agent and no one can be trusted.

Heavy Duty People is a gripping British crime thriller that introduces the world to Biker Noir. From the gang-infested streets to the realm of ruthless gangsters, this explosive tale offers a raw and unfiltered account of life on the edge.

Join Damage and his brothers as they ride their thunderous bikes across the untamed Northern fells. When the coveted offer from The Brethren MC lands at Damage's club, tensions rise, and loyalties are tested. Will they remain true to their brotherhood, or will the allure of power and wealth drive them apart?

Heavy Duty People exposes the high-stakes game of supply and demand, where the risks are deadly, but the rewards are intoxicating. Reflect on society, where big tobacco profits from selling death, and question your own moral compass.

Prepare for the ride of your life and a no-holds-barred exploration of brotherhood, betrayal, and the high-stakes world of two-wheeled outlaws. Heavy Duty People will grab you by the throat, shake you to your core, and leave you breathless for more.

Believing herself guilty of a crime, Olivia Keene flees her home, eventually stumbling upon a grand estate where an elaborate celebration is in progress. But all is not as joyous as it seems.

Lord Bradley has just learned a terrible secret, which, if exposed, will change his life forever. When he glimpses a figure on the grounds, he fears a spy or thief has overheard his devastating news. He is stunned to discover the intruder is a scrap of a woman with her throat badly injured. Fearing she will spread his secret, he gives the girl a post and confines her to his estate.

As Olivia and Lord Bradley's secrets catch up with them, will their hidden pasts ruin their hope of finding love?