'How deeply I envy any reader coming to her for the first time!' Elizabeth Jane Howard*A finely nuanced exploration of responsibility, snobbery and culture clash from one of the twentieth century's finest novelists.When Amy is suddenly left widowed and alone while on holiday in Istanbul, Martha, an American traveller, comforts her and accompanies her back to England. Upon their return, however, Amy is ungratefully r...

As the acknowledged "Queen of Crime," P. D. James was frequently commissioned by newspapers and magazines to write a special short story for Christmas--and here, together, are four of the best.P. D. James's understanding of human nature illuminates each of these stories, making them ideal reading for the darkest days of the year. Each treats the reader to her masterfully atmospheric storytelling, a mystery to be solved, and enjoyable puzzles to keep the reader guessing. With wry hu...

In this fabulous ebook short story Trisha Ashley will whisk you away for a romantic treat on the Yorkshire moors.Budding author and die-hard Bronte fan Eleri Groves decides to escape from her disastrous love life to a remote farm cottage in Yorkshire.Living in the land of the Brontes has got to be better than her life at home and she hopes that she’ll find some inspiration for her next book.But what she doesn’t expect is to find her own Mr Rochester and much more th...

** Finalist for the 2012 WSFA Award **"A fun blend of P.G. Wodehouse, steampunk and a touch of Sherlock Holmes. Dolley is a master at capturing and blending all these elements. More than fascinating, this work is also rip-roaring fun!" - SF RevuThe adventures of Reggie Worcester, gentleman consulting detective, and his automaton valet, Reeves."Dolley got me to laugh out loud near the end. Which, frankly, is VERY hard to do. Dolley's ton...

Previously published in the print anthology The Thirteen Problems.A murder-suicide in a small village mimics events that took place years before.

Murder on haunted ground . . .Mary Stokes was walking through Dead Man's Copse one evening when she saw, in the beam of a torch, the corpse of a young woman dressed in a black coat, black gloves, no hat and an eternity ring set with diamonds in her ear. But when she and Detective Sergeant Frank Abbott went back to the wood the body had vanished.This would have been mystery enough for Miss Silver to solve if a woman had not also reported that her lodger had gone out on Frida...

A captivating story filled with English charm, luminous wisdom, and astonishing spiritual insight.Mary Lindsay is a born and bred Londoner who has enjoyed her city life—a prestigious job, and friends with whom she takes in the city pleasures of theatre, art and music. But fleeting memories of a childhood visit to her father's elderly cousin out in the country are revived with the news that the woman has willed her home, the Laurels, to Mary. She makes an uncharacter...

Two Christmas novels from bestselling author Miss Read - the perfect festive treat!CHRISTMAS AT FAIRACREFrom an unexpected visitor on Christmas Eve in 'The Christmas Mouse' to an unwelcome change of plan in 'No Holly for Miss Quinn', Miss Read recounts some of the traditional Christmas events where often, despite the most careful planning, things do not always go as expected. In his charming collection of Christmas stories Miss Read describes the season's ev...

An enchanting story of village life from the bestselling author of the FAIRACRE series.January has been bitterly cold in Thrush Green. But at last the winter seems to be melting into a beautiful spring.But with the warmer weather comes a series of local dramas in the community: the future of The Fuchsia Bush tea shop is uncertain when its owner, Mrs Peters, falls ill; there are problems concerning Rectory Cottages, which prove hard to solve; the plans for t...

INTRODUCED BY LISSA EVANS'I envy anyone yet to discover the joy of Monica Dickens. She's beady eyed, big hearted and blissfully funny' NINA STIBBE' Humorous, moving and fascinating' CLARE MACKINTOSHConsidering herself unsuitable for any other contribution to the war effort, Monica Dickens opts for nursing, imagining herself gliding through the wards, serene in a pure white halo cap. On enrolment, however, she is pro...

Peter Ackland is ordered to rest by his Doctor. He travels to Cornwall and is greeted by Henry Braddock at the door of a cottage below the 'skytip'. Braddock has a revolver in his pocket. Ackland also comes across Nathan Murrison and his valet, who divide their time between exploring the 'skytip' and propping up the bar of the Green Dragon; a charming young lady who, on behalf of a Member of Parliament, tries her hand at burglary; other less charming characters who try their hand at blackm...

Like all good coaching inns, the Green Man is said to boast a resident ghost: Dr Thomas Underhill, a notorious seventeenth-century practitioner of black arts and sexual deviancy, rumoured to have killed his wife. However, the landlord, Maurice Allington, is the sole witness to the renaissance of the malevolent Underhill. Led by an anxious desire to vindicate his sanity, Allington strives to uncover the key to Underhill's satanic powers. All while the skeletons in the cupboard of Allington'...