The People's Friend Pocket Novel

Real Life drama

From the script writer of the epic TV drama, VICTORIA comes Daisy Goodwin's THE FORTUNE HUNTER for readers of MY LAST DUCHESS (THE AMERICAN HEIRESS) and any novel by Georgette Heyer *A Richard and Judy Book Club title* 'Pure, light-hearted, unpretentious entertainment' Sunday Express In 1875, Sisi, the Empress of Austria is the woman that every man desires and every woman envies. Beautiful, athletic and intelligent, Sisi has everything - except happiness. Bored with the stultifying etiquette of the Hapsburg Court and her dutiful but unexciting husband, Franz Joseph, Sisi comes to England to hunt. She also comes looking for excitement and finds it in the dashing form of Captain Bay Middleton, the only man in Europe who can outride her. Ten years younger than her and engaged to the rich and devoted Charlotte, Bay has everything to lose by falling for a woman who can never be his. But Bay and the Empress are as reckless as each other, and their mutual attraction is a force that cannot be denied.

An investigation leads DI Kelly Porter back to her former command... and the ex who betrayed her A brutal murder in the Lake District. A double assassination in a secret lab in London’s West End. Seemingly unconnected, unexpected links between the gruesome crimes emerge and it’s up to DI Kelly Porter to follow the trail – all the way to the capital. Back amongst old colleagues and forced to work alongside her calculating ex, DCI Matt Carter, Kelly must untangle a web of deceit that stretches into the highest echelons of power. A place where secrets and lies are currency and no obstacle is insurmountable. A must-read from million copy bestseller Rachel Lynch, for fans of L. J. Ross, Carol Wyer and Angela Marsons. Praise for Bold Lies ‘I’m yet to read a Kelly Porter book I wouldn’t recommend! Once again the setting, the case and the character development fit together in perfect harmony to create a wonderful story I absolutely flew through’ **{::}Reader review {::}**⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I have loved each and every Kelly Porter novel I've read... Yet again I was completely pulled in by Rachel Lynch's wonderful writing and characters, it's exceptionally compulsive reading!’ **Reader review **⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A riveting read, and I eagerly anticipate the next case for DI Kelly Porter’ **Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Once again Rachel Lynch has produced a terrific book from the world of DI Kelly Porter’ **Reader review **⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Rachel Lynch prevails again and is fast becoming one of my favourite female sleuth writers... This book will keep you riveted’ **Reader review **⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘It's a cracking good read with a cast of believable, three-dimensional characters, original settings and is pacy, action-packed and written in an engaging manner. There is never a dull moment and something exciting happens in every single chapter’ **Reader review **⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The true story of London's toughest, deadliest street gangs: the events, the rules and the real top boys. Are the streets of London some of the deadliest in the world? What's the truth behind the headlines? And who are the real top boys? Looking beyond the hit TV series, The Real Top Boys reveals the lives of the street gangs who have taken over, and now rule, dozens of corners of the UK's capital. Bestselling true crime author Wensley Clarkson takes us on a tour of the housing estates and volatile neighbourhoods where pride, rivalry and revenge are the codes people live and die by. He talks to the criminals who have helped create this chilling modern-day underworld and recounts the vicious turf wars that changed the map, unravels the rules and rights of the streets, and charts the rise and fall of many of the game's key players over the decades that have transformed the city. Featuring interviews with real-life gangsters and told in a gripping story that lays bare the hard life in this world, The Real Top Boys is the ultimate account of gang life in London and a jaw-dropping look at who really runs the streets.

Since their reunion, Nicole and Anne have moved from "sisters" to best friends, but when Anne and her young son follow Nicole to their uncle Charles's English estate to become his heirs, they struggle to overcome the trials of keeping their birthright secret. Simultaneous.

A historical epic brings together a group of banished French Acadians, a lonely British nobleman, and a couple on the verge of separation

"A winner for fans of both Scandinavian and British procedurals... a complicated tangle of secret motivations that fans of Henning Mankell and Elizabeth George will appreciate." BOOKLIST (starred review) on THE BLOOD STRAND In the wake of a dying man's apparent suicide, the skeleton of a young woman is discovered on a windswept hillside. Detective Hjalti Hentze suspects that it is the body of a Norwegian woman reported missing forty years earlier, while a commune occupied the land, and whose death may be linked to the abduction and rape of a local Faroese girl. Meanwhile British DI Jan Reyna is pursuing his investigation into his mother's suicide. But as he learns more about her final days, links between the two cases start to appear: a conspiracy of murder and abuse spanning four decades. And as Hentze puts the same pieces together, he realizes that Reyna is willing to go further than ever before to learn the truth...

Shortlisted for the RNA Romantic Saga of the Year AwardWhen Evie’s dreams come crashing down, she’s determined to still make something of herself in these trying times... It is 1939 and working class Evie Bishop has received a scholarship to study mathematics at Oxford when tragedy turns her life upside down. Evie must seek a new future for herself and, inspired to contribute to the war effort, joins the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force as an Ops Room plotter. Posted to a fighter station on the Sussex Coast, Evie befriends two other WAAFs – shy, awkward May and flirty, glamorous Jess. Faced with earning the approval of strict officers and finding their way in a male dominated world, the three girls band together to overcome challenges, navigate new romances and keep their pilots safe in the skies. But the German bombers seem to know more than they should about the base’s operations, and soon Evie, May and Jess are caught up in a world more dangerous than they ever imagined... This heartwarming, dramatic World War II saga is perfect for fans of Daisy Styles, Kate Thompson and Rosie Clarke. Praise for The Ops Room Girls ‘A fabulous tale of courage, comradeship and romance.’ Glynis Peters, author of The Secret Orphan ‘A lovely book. Vicki Beeby is a saga author to watch.’ Margaret Dickinson, Sunday Times Top Ten bestselling author 'Full of excitement, energy and romance, this story kept me turning the pages eagerly.' Lesley Eames, author of The Brighton Guest House Girls 'An exceptional historical saga about young women forging new paths in an uncertain world at war... rich with historical detail, and a must read for historical fiction fans.' Andie Newton, author of The Girl I Left Behind 'An utter joy to read, from the first page to the last. I would not hesitate to recommend this book to anyone with a liking for strong characters, a taste for danger, and a deeply romantic soul.' Terri Nixon, author of Penhaligon's Gift ‘Entertaining from beginning to end. I can’t recommend it highly enough.’ Gemma Jackson, bestselling author of the Ivy Rose series

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