In these hilarious stories of perverse meetings, casual dates and romantic encounters, we are enthralled, saddened, inspired and surprised by the encounters we witness. McCall Smith, a master of the unexpected and a seamless storyteller, revels in offering us the quirky complications inherent in entanglements which human beings engineer for themselves - entanglements that can be shocking, edifying, compulsive, complicated and sometimes, completely disastrous. This is an exceptional collection of stories from an author whose rapidly growing audience delights in his extraordinary imagination and delicious insights into the endlessly fascinating peculiarities of the human condition.

A classic story from the No. 1 Sunday Times bestseller Dilly Court. London, 1874 When Lucetta Froy awakes in a hospital bed, she remembers nothing of the events that brought her to her present state. She is taken home by two rough-speaking individuals who claim to be her brothers but as her health improves and her memory returns, she realises she has been kidnapped. The men hope to claim Lucetta's fortune as a ransom, for she is the daughter of a prosperous importer whose ship went down at sea. Her parents tragically drowned, but Lucetta survived. Abandoned and destitute, it seems as though the world is against her. But Lucetta's spirit will never be broken, and so she sets out to reclaim what is rightfully hers...

Spare

Secret |Listening Station for Bletchley

The Curzon Herrick Years 1915-1939

'There's never been a more honest or raw memoir ... and it may just save lives' Daily Mail 'Funny, fascinating, compelling ... also a wonderful read for fans of Friends' The Times The beloved star of Friends takes us behind the scenes of the hit sitcom and his struggles with addiction in this candid, funny, and revelatory memoir that delivers a powerful message of hope and persistence. 'Hi, my name is Matthew, although you may know me by another name. My friends call me Matty. And I should be dead.' So begins the riveting story of acclaimed actor Matthew Perry, taking us along on his journey from childhood ambition to fame to addiction and recovery in the aftermath of a life-threatening health scare. Before the frequent hospital visits and stints in rehab, there was five-year-old Matthew, who travelled from Montreal to Los Angeles, shuffling between his separated parents; fourteen-year-old Matthew, who was a nationally ranked tennis star in Canada; twenty-four-year-old Matthew, who nabbed a coveted role as a lead cast member on the talked-about pilot then called Friends Like Us. . . and so much more. In an extraordinary story that only he could tell - and in the heartfelt, hilarious, and warmly familiar way only he could tell it - Matthew Perry lays bare the fractured family that raised him (and also left him to his own devices), the desire for recognition that drove him to fame, and the void inside him that could not be filled even by his greatest dreams coming true. But he also details the peace he's found in sobriety and how he feels about the ubiquity of Friends, sharing stories about his castmates and other stars he met along the way. Frank, self-aware, and with his trademark humour, Perry vividly depicts his lifelong battle with addiction and what fuelled it despite seemingly having it all. Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing is an unforgettable memoir that is both intimate and eye-opening - as well as a hand extended to anyone struggling with sobriety. Unflinchingly honest, moving, and uproariously funny, this is the book fans have been waiting for. 'An unflinching and often harrowing must-read for 90s pop culture fans' Guardian 'Written with Chandler's trademark sarcasm and self-deprecation' Telegraph 'A hopeful read ... I started to think of [it] not as a celebrity memoir about addiction, but as an addiction memoir written by a man who understands his own history through the prism of showbiz' Independent

Part of the "Ladies Detective Agency" series.

‘A warm and wonderful read’ Woman’s Own ‘Captivating’ Heat Magazine ‘Beautiful... heartwarming’ Zara Stoneley ‘A wonderful ray of reading sunshine’ Heidi Swain ‘A fun, summery read – a little slice of a Cornish cream tea but without the calories!’ – Bella Osborne

Kingdom Series Book Two of the Saladin Trilogy

'Superbly researched and vividly told' Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury 'Affecting, action-packed' Carolyn Kirby 'This is neither men's history nor women's history. It is good, gripping history, sharply and immediately told... A real treat' Aspects of History A country torn apart by war. A woman fighting for her future... Ely, 1643. England is convulsed by Civil War, setting King against Parliament and neighbour against neighbour. As the turmoil reaches her family home in Ely, 19-year-old Bridget Cromwell finds herself at the heart of the conflict. With her father's star on the rise as a cavalry commander for the rebellious Parliament, Bridget has her own ambitions for a life beyond marriage and motherhood. And as fractures appear in her own family with the wilful, beautiful younger sister Betty, Bridget faces a choice: to follow her heart, or to marry for power and influence, and fight for a revolution that will change history... A gripping evocation of the Civil War, and the hidden stories of women at the heart of power... Perfect for fans of Philippa Gregory and Anne O'Brien *** Praise for The Rebel Daughter 'A dramatic story of love, loss and duty, set against the backdrop of the turmoil of the Civil Wars' Linda Porter 'Miranda Malins is a real and fresh new talent. This is beautifully written, exciting fiction.' Suzannah Lipscomb 'Such familiar historical characters brought so colourfully and convincingly to new life; and the writing itself is of the finest' Ronald Hutton 'This affecting, action-packed novel brings a momentous but often overlooked period of history vividly to life' Carolyn Kirby 'Brilliantly captures ... a nuanced picture of a divided world' Leonora Nattrass 'Utterly convincing' S.G. Maclean 'Beautifully articulated ... a joy to read!' Michael Scott Praise for The Puritan Princess 'There is much to enjoy in this evocation of a family whose lives are so upended by the convulsions of history' Antonia Senior, The Times 'Totally gripping... grab it now. There's a new Cromwell on the shelves!' Minoo Dinshaw, author of Outlandish Knight 'The Puritan Princess is a genuinely moving portrait of the tragedy of the Cromwells at the height of their power, and Miranda Malins handles the tumultuous drama of the last days of the Protectorate with incredible aplomb' S G MacLean, author of the Damian Seeker series 'A beautifully written and captivating true story of personal love and loss enacted against the backdrop of an England dominated by Frances' father, Oliver Cromwell. Deeply knowledgeable about the politics and desires and ideals of the time, Malins nevertheless inhabits her characters and brings them convincingly to life' James Evans, author of EMIGRANTS 'The extraordinary, revealing and moving relationship between Oliver Cromwell and his daughter Frances is brought to vivid life in this masterly historical novel' Paul Lay, author of Providence Lost 'Miranda Malins is a real and fresh new talent. This is beautifully written, exciting fiction from a writer in full command of the history' Suzannah Lipscomb 'This engaging novel brings one of the most momentous but least well known periods of English history vividly to life.' Carolyn Kirby, author of THE CONVICTION OF CORA BURNS