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Set against the haunting backdrop of an isolated Edwardian estate,'The Secret of Greylands'by Annie Haynes intricately weaves a compelling narrative of mystery and intrigue. Through her deft use of atmospheric prose and richly drawn characters, Haynes explores themes of familial betrayal, hidden pasts, and the labyrinthine nature of human relationships. The story unfolds with a suspenseful plot that captivates readers, drawing them into the dark secrets that linger within the walls of Greylands, a place steeped in rumor and tragedy, evoking the gothic traditions of her literary predecessors. Annie Haynes, a pioneer of the early 20th-century crime fiction genre, was known for her sharp intuition into human nature and her ability to craft intricate plots. Living during a time when women's roles in literature were evolving, Haynes's own experiences and keen observations of societal norms undoubtedly informed her writing. Her work often reflects a nuanced understanding of the complexities of human emotions and societal expectations, which she channels into the compelling narrative of'The Secret of Greylands.'This novel is highly recommended for fans of mystery and gothic fiction seeking a gripping narrative laced with psychological depth. Haynes's masterful storytelling and atmospheric setting will leave readers pondering the shadows of Greylands long after the final page, making it a must-read for anyone interested in classic crime literature.

It is June in 1939, and the inhabitants of a country house prepare to host the annual village pageant in its grounds. It will tell the stories of English history, as it does every year. Through her characters'passionate musings and private dramas, and through the enigmatic figure of the pageant's author, Miss La Trobe, Virginia Woolf's playful final novel both celebrates and mocks Englishness, and re-creates the elusive role of the artist.

Taken from the poverty of her parents'home in Portsmouth, Fanny Price is brought up with her rich cousins at Mansfield Park, acutely aware of her humble rank and with her cousin Edmund as her sole ally. During her uncle's absence in Antigua, the Crawford's arrive in the neighbourhood bringing with them the glamour of London life and a reckless taste for flirtation.

On a fine autumn weekend, Lord Aveling hosts a hunting party at his country house, Bragley Court. Among the guests are an actress, a journalist, an artist, and a mystery novelist. The unlucky thirteenth is John Foss, injured at the local train station and brought to the house to recuperate – but John is nursing a secret of his own. Soon events take a sinister turn when a painting is mutilated, a dog stabbed, and a man strangled. Death strikes more than one of the house guests, and the police are called. Detective Inspector Kendall's skills are tested to the utmost as he tries to uncover the hidden past of everyone at Bragley Court.'Jefferson Farjeon is quite unsurpassed for creepy skill in mysterious adventures.'—Dorothy L. Sayers

Bealby is a young boy who is absolutely determined not to accept his lot in life as a servant. However, despite having thrown tantrums and argued with his mother about his future he has not been able to change his fate. He reluctantly leaves his home for Shonts, a big country house, to work as a steward's boy. What he hasn't anticipated, however, are the guests that are arriving for the weekend at the big house, or for the arrival of the eccentric but captivating Lord Chancellor. What follows is an adventure that Bealby will not soon forget. (Goodreads)

Mansfield Park is the third novel by Jane Austen, written at Chawton Cottage between February 1811 and 1813. Mansfield Park is a pygmalion morality epic. Mansfield Park is the most controversial of Austen's major novels. Regency critics praised the novel's wholesome morality, but many modern readers find Fanny's timidity and disapproval of the theatricals difficult to sympathise with and reject the idea (made explicit in the final chapter) that she is a better person for the relative privations of her childhood. The story contains much social satire, targeted particularly at the two aunts. One reviewer opined: «It might be the most quietly subversive of Austen's novels». The ebook «Mansfield Park» from Animedia Company contains the introduction by Austin Dobson, and more than 50 colorful and black-and-white illustrations by Charles Edmund Brock and Hugh Thomson.

Bealby is the story of the escapade of a thirteen-year-old boy when he rebels against his placement as a steward's-room boy in the great house of an estate named Shonts and flees-not, however, before thoroughly upsetting a weekend party.

Between the Acts is the last novel by Virginia Woolf, and it was published in 1941 shortly after her suicide at the age of 59. The story takes place just before the Second World War, in a small English village. An annual pageant is due to take place in the grounds of a house owned by Bartholomew Oliver, and the book consists of the days events leading up to the pageant.

Bealby: A Holiday is a comic novel written by H. G. Wells, first published in 1915. Bealby is a 13 year old boy who rebels against his job of a domestic servant in a'great house'by running away. During his'holiday', he meets an actress, a Captain who is determined to return Bealby to the house, and a man who persuades him to take part in a burglary.

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER, “A captivating mystery: beautifully written, with a rich sense of place, a cast of memorable characters, and lots of deep, dark secrets.”—Kate Morton, New York Times bestselling author of The Clockmaker's Daughter “Extraordinary…Absolutely her best yet.”—Lisa Jewell, New York Times bestselling author of The Family Upstairs Three generations. Three daughters. One house of secrets. The truth can shatter everything... When the Harrington family discovers an abandoned baby deep in the woods, they decide to keep her a secret and raise her as their own. But within days a body is found in the grounds of their house and their perfect new family implodes. Years later, Sylvie, seeking answers to nagging questions about her life, is drawn into the wild beautiful woods where nothing is quite what it seems. Will she unearth the truth? And dare she reveal it? (Published in the UK as The Glass House) “The Daughters of Foxcote Manor is not really about a murder, or a creepy house, but about families - the ones we're born into, the ones we make and especially the ones we flee.”—The New York Times One of the New York Times'Novels of Suspense and Isolation'One of The Washington Posts'Best New AudiobooksOne of Bustle's Most Anticipated Books of SummerOne of PopSugar's Best Books of JulyOne of New York Posts Best Books of the Week

An “unerring bawdy comedy” of criminally bad behavior by the author of the Dalziel and Pascoe mysteries (Sunday Telegraph). Best known for his Dalziel and Pascoe novels, which were adapted into a hit BBC series, Reginald Hill proves himself to be a “master of form and style... grace and wit” in his stand-alone novels as well—now available as ebooks (The New York Times). Joseph Askern, English teacher in a village day school has three preoccupations: his fantasies about women that are quite unbecoming for such a proper gentleman; a hopelessly delinquent student; and a near obsessive fascination with the history of the noble estate of Averingerett. Unluckily for Joseph, they are all about to collide. The filching father of the troubled pupil has engaged a call girl for her services in blackmail. The scheme: Joseph must aide in the master heist of the stately home (since he knows the place so well) or his immodest, career-ending indiscretion will go public—with pictures! Unable to wriggle free, Joseph agrees to navigate the caper. But getting into Averingerett isn't the problem. It's getting out that will be more dangerous, unexpected, and scandalous than Joseph imagined.

This is a mysterious story about The Corner House, where there are many secrets and various rumors about it. Some time ago, the Corner House was the center of what could be an exciting tragedy. Some of the neighbors could hear about the night cry, how to stamp their feet, about a beautiful woman with poison in her hand. No one ever revealed her secret, no one crossed her threshold. However, there is always someone brave who will do it.

From the editor of the popular Annotated Pride and Prejudice comes an annotated edition of Jane Austen's Mansfield Park that makes her story of an impoverished girl living with her wealthy relatives an even more satisfying read. Here is the complete text of Austen's own favorite novel with more than 2,300 annotations on facing pages, including: ● Explanations of historical context● Citations from Austen's life, letters, and other writings● Definitions and clarifications● Literary comments and analysis● Maps of places in the novel● An introduction, bibliography, and detailed chronology of events● More than 225 informative illustrations Filled with fascinating details about the characters'clothes, houses, and carriages, as well as background information on such relevant issues as career paths in the British navy, contemporary attitudes toward slavery, and the legal and social consequences of adultery, David M. Shapard's Annotated Mansfield Park brings Austen's world into richer focus.

The new drawing mistress feels inquisitive eyes upon her as she arrives to take up her post at a country house. Ex-street urchin Molly's quickwitted candour earns her favour with the old Earl and his guests, but the keen-eyed butler sees through her pose of gentility. The House of Roxbury welcomes a cavalcade of poets and magicians, explorers and cyclists, scientists and surgeons. But Molly begins to suspect that darker secrets lurk in the gardens. Who works so late into the night in the menagerie glasshouse laboratories? In London's East End, a body tumbles from a ship. Sergeant Lawless unearths connections between a newly arrived aristocrat, an unfortunate fire, and a mysterious vanishment. The shadow of European machinations looms over the capital, threatening royals and politicians, but evidence from an accidental blast sends him into the English shires.

This eBook features the unabridged text of ‘Between the Acts by Virginia Woolf - Delphi Classics (Illustrated)'from the bestselling edition of ‘The Complete Works of Virginia Woolf'. Having established their name as the leading publisher of classic literature and art, Delphi Classics produce publications that are individually crafted with superior formatting, while introducing many rare texts for the first time in digital print. The Delphi Classics edition of Woolf includes original annotations and illustrations relating to the life and works of the author, as well as individual tables of contents, allowing you to navigate eBooks quickly and easily.eBook features: • The complete unabridged text of ‘Between the Acts by Virginia Woolf - Delphi Classics (Illustrated)'• Beautifully illustrated with images related to Woolf's works • Individual contents table, allowing easy navigation around the eBook • Excellent formatting of the text Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to learn more about our wide range of titles

Introducing chef-sleuth Nell Drury in the first of a delightful series of 1920's traditional country house mysteries. 1925. The fashionable Bright Young Things from London have descended on Wychbourne Court, the Kentish stately home of Lord and Lady Ansley, for an extravagant fancy dress ball followed by a midnight Ghost Hunt – and Chef Nell Drury knows she's in for a busy weekend. What she doesn't expect to encounter is sudden, violent death. When a body is discovered in the minstrels'gallery during the Ghost Hunt, Nell finds herself caught up in the police investigation which follows. As the darker side of the Roaring Twenties emerges and it becomes increasingly clear that at least one person present that night has a sinister secret to hide, Nell determines to unmask the killer among them. Could the Wychbourne Ghosts hold the key to the mystery?

This eBook features the unabridged text of ‘Mansfield Park'from the bestselling edition of ‘The Complete Works of Jane Austen'. Having established their name as the leading publisher of classic literature and art, Delphi Classics produce publications that are individually crafted with superior formatting, while introducing many rare texts for the first time in digital print. The Delphi Classics edition of Austen includes original annotations and illustrations relating to the life and works of the author, as well as individual tables of contents, allowing you to navigate eBooks quickly and easily.eBook features: • The complete unabridged text of ‘Mansfield Park'• Beautifully illustrated with images related to Austen's works • Individual contents table, allowing easy navigation around the eBook • Excellent formatting of the text Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to learn more about our wide range of titles

First published in 1814, “Mansfield Park” is Jane Austen's third published novel, the story of Fanny Price, an impoverished young girl who at the age of ten is sent away by her overburdened family to be raised by her wealthy aunt and uncle, Sir Thomas and Lady Bertram, at their estate, the titular Mansfield Park. This classic coming of age story follows the young lives of Fanny and her four cousins, Tom, Edmund, Maria, and Julia. When Sir Thomas incurs a large debt he is forced to rent out the Mansfield Park parsonage which has been recently freed up by the death of the family's Uncle Norris. Clergyman Dr. Grant and his wife take up residence in the parsonage and the aristocratic Crawford family from London joins them soon after. The arrival of the wealthy and fashionable Crawford family enlivens life at Mansfield Park and begins to spark romantic entanglements amongst its residents. While largely ignored by critics during her lifetime, “Mansfield Park” has since been recognized as one of Austen's most mature works. The greatest financial success of Austen's literary career, “Mansfield Park” is a brilliant and satirical depiction of the lives of the upper class in England during the early 19th century. This edition includes an introduction by Austin Dobson.

Mansfield Park has become one of the most widely read and influential books ever written. It reveals the astounding range, subtlety, artistry, and depth of thought of a true literary colossus, Jane Austen. Published in hundreds of editions and translated into virtually every modern language, it has not been out of print since 1814. Mansfield Park is one of Jane Austen's rare and genuine masterpieces; an enchanting work of artistry deserving of the label in a thousand different ways. It can be found on countless lists of the finest literary works of all time, and is one of her major achievements. JANE AUSTEN (1775-1817), one of the greatest English authors, transformed the art of fiction. Author of numerous novels, including Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Mansfield Park, and Mansfield Park, she is considered to be a central figure in the development of the modern novel.

This eBook features the unabridged text of ‘Bealby: A Holiday'from the bestselling edition of ‘The Complete Works of H. G. Wells'. Having established their name as the leading publisher of classic literature and art, Delphi Classics produce publications that are individually crafted with superior formatting, while introducing many rare texts for the first time in digital print. The Delphi Classics edition of Wells includes original annotations and illustrations relating to the life and works of the author, as well as individual tables of contents, allowing you to navigate eBooks quickly and easily.eBook features: • The complete unabridged text of ‘Bealby: A Holiday'• Beautifully illustrated with images related to Wells's works • Individual contents table, allowing easy navigation around the eBook • Excellent formatting of the text Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to learn more about our wide range of titles

Social class, friendship, and morality meet in a tangled web that only love can unweave.Jane Austen's novel Mansfield Park, first published in 1814, tells the story of young Fanny Price, who is sent to live with her wealthy relatives, the Bertrams, at the age of ten. As she grows up, she develops deep feelings for her cousin Edmund Bertram, the only person at Mansfield Park who shows her true kindness. When the Bertram family is thrown into scandal and disorder, Fanny and Edmund must overcome the chaos around them so they can come to terms with the affection that they have for one another. A classic story that deals with social structures, friendship, morality, and love, Mansfield Park is a treasured addition to any reader's bookshelf.

A charming tale of a young recalcitrant boy's wanderings through England. Full of humour. It is a light tale, and one of Wells'that holds up the best. Though young Bealby is determined to rise above his mother's servant status, no amount of struggle helps him to prevail. He reluctantly leaves his home for Shonts, a big country house, to work as a steward's boy. But a fateful weekend visit by distinguished personages, including the strange yet captivating Lord Chancellor, may give Bealby the opportunity to change his fate in this social comedy. What follows is an adventure that Bealby will not soon forget. First published in 1915 Bealby was originally entitled „Bealby a Holiday”.

Too poor to care for all their children, the Price family sends ten-year-old Fanny to live with wealthy relatives at their estate, Mansfield Park. Fanny is painfully shy and spends her childhood struggling to fit in with her Bertram cousins, being constantly reminded of her lower social status. Then Henry Crawford and his sister Mary move in next door. They are fashionable and rich, but scheming. Fanny, now a teenager, falls for her cousin Edmund, but he seems to only have eyes for Mary Crawford. Meanwhile, Fanny is pursued by the charming but amoral Henry Crawford. With all these romantic entanglements, will Fanny ever feel truly at home at Mansfield Park? English author Jane Austen examines the influence of nature vs. nurture in this unabridged version of her social satire, first published in 1814.

Fanny Price is a young girl from a relatively poor family, raised by her rich uncle and aunt, Sir Thomas and Lady Bertram, at Mansfield Park. She grows up with her four cousins, Tom, Edmund, Maria and Julia, but is always treated as inferior to them; only Edmund shows her real kindness. He is also the most virtuous of the siblings: Maria and Julia are vain and spoiled, while Tom is an irresponsible gambler. Over time, Fanny's gratitude for Edmund's kindness secretly grows into romantic love.

Jane Eyre is the story of a small, plain-faced, intelligent, and passionate English orphan. Jane is abused by her aunt and cousin and then attends a harsh charity school. Through it all she remains strong and determinedly refuses to allow a cruel world to crush her independence or her strength of will. A masterful story of a woman's quest for freedom and love. Jane Eyre is partly autobiographical, and Charlotte Brontë filled it with social criticism and sinister Gothic elements. A must read for anyone wishing to celebrate the indomitable strength of will or encourage it in their growing children.

The novel tells the story of Fanny Price starting when her overburdened family sends her at age 10 to live in the household of her wealthy aunt and uncle, through to her marriage. The critical reception from the late 20th century onward marks Mansfield Park as Austen's most controversial novel as it briefly mentions the British slave trade and touches upon the issue of Sir Thomas owning a plantation in the West Indies, with others not finding this trip to Antigua as other than a plot device for Sir Thomas's long absence. Sir Thomas is the uncle and benefactor of Fanny Price in the novel. The late Edward Said criticized the novel for not adding clarity to its critique of Sir Thomas for the profits which he and his son had reaped from his plantation holdings in the West Indies. Two notable film versions of the novel were released: 1999 and 2007

In Woolf's last novel, the action takes place on one summer's day at a country house in the heart of England, where the villagers are presenting their annual pageant. A lyrical, moving valedictory.

This Shirley Jackson Award–winning novel is “a true surreal phantasmagoria... [a] gothic supernatural” horror story set in the decadent world of British rock (Chelsea Quinn Yarbro). When the young members of a British acid-folk band are compelled by their manager to record their unique music, they hole up at Wylding Hall, an ancient country house with dark secrets. There they create the album that will make their reputation, but at a terrifying cost: Julian Blake, the group's lead singer, disappears within the mansion and is never seen or heard from again. Now, years later, the surviving musicians, along with their friends and lovers—including a psychic, a photographer, and the band's manager—meet with a young documentary filmmaker to tell their own versions of what happened that summer. But whose story is true? And what really happened to Julian Blake?

Adeline Virginia Woolf was born in 1882 and was to become a founder of modernist writing. Her background is filled with elements of tragedy that she somehow overcame to become a revered writer. Her mother died when she was 13, her half sister Stella two years later and with it her first of several nervous breakdowns. She began writing professionally at age 20 but her father's death two years later brought a complete mental collapse and she was briefly institutionalised. Three of her half brothers had sexually abused her so further darkness was added to her life. But out of this came great innovations in writing; she was a pioneer of “stream of consciousness”. Whilst the dark periods continued to interrupt her emotional state her rate of work never ceased. Until on 28 March 1941, Woolf put on her overcoat, filled its pockets with stones, and walked into the River Ouse and drowned herself leaving behind a note which read in part “Dearest, I feel certain that I am going mad again. I feel we can't go through another of those terrible times. And I shan't recover this time. I begin to hear voices, and I can't concentrate. So I am doing what seems the best thing to do”.

Three generations of women grapple with a legacy of secrets, lies, love, and loss Ashton. The place dreams are made of? For most of her life, Nancy Vandekar has been haunted by the same disturbing nightmare in which a menacing figure in the shadows calls out her mother's name: Diana. When Nancy found love, she thought she'd left her past far behind. But now a capricious twist of fate brings her back to Ashton. The magnificent family home masks a legacy of damning secrets, illicit love, suicide, and violence that casts its long shadow over three generations of women. First, there's Nancy's grandmother Alice, the spirited American beauty whose passionate wartime romance has far-reaching consequences for those who come after her. Then Diana, the vivacious debutante whose sexual obsession nearly destroys them all. And finally Nancy, the last remaining heir. She alone can restore the Vandekar name. But is she ready to face the truth about her family? Spanning decades of extraordinary change, The House of Vandekar paints an indelible portrait of three unforgettable women.

From the #1 international bestselling author of The Orchid House—an epic saga of two remarkable women and two love stories spanning the years from 1920s India to modern-day England.Spanning four generations, The Midnight Rose sweeps from the glittering palaces of the great maharajas of India to the majestic stately homes of England, following the extraordinary life of a remarkable girl, Anahita Chaval, from 1911 to the present day... In the heyday of the British Raj, eleven-year-old Anahita, from a noble but impov­erished family, forms a lifelong friendship with the headstrong Princess Indira, the privileged daughter of Indian royalty. As the princess's official companion, Anahita accompanies her friend to England just before the outbreak of WorldWar I. There, she meets young Donald Astbury—reluctant heir to the magnifi­cent, remote Astbury Estate—and his scheming mother. Ninety years later, Rebecca Bradley, a young American film star, has the world at her feet. But when her turbulent relationship with her equally famous boyfriend takes an unexpected turn, she's relieved that her latest role, playing a 1920s debutante, will take her away from the glare of publicity to a distant cor­ner of the English countryside. Shortly after filming begins at the now-crumbling Astbury Hall, Ari Malik, Anahita's great-grandson, arrives unexpectedly, on a quest for his family's past. What he and Rebecca discover begins to unravel the dark secrets that haunt the Astbury dynasty... A multilayered, heartbreaking tale filled with unforgettable characters caught in the sweep of history, The Midnight Rose is Lucinda Riley at her most captivating and unforgettable.

Note to readers: In the UK, this book is published under the title The Light Behind the Window. An aristocratic French family, a legendary château, and buried secrets with the power to destroy two generations torn between duty and desire.La Côte d'Azur, 1998: In the sun-dappled south of France, Emilie de la Martinières, the last of her gilded line, inherits her childhood home, a magnificent château and vineyard. With the property comes a mountain of debt—and almost as many questions... Paris, 1944: A bright, young British office clerk, Constance Carruthers, is sent undercover to Paris to be part of Churchill's Special Operations Executive during the climax of the Nazi occupation. Separated from her contacts in the Resistance, she soon stumbles into the heart of a prominent family who regularly entertain elite members of the German military even as they plot to liberate France. But in a city rife with collaborators and rebels, Constance's most difficult decision may be determining whom to trust with her heart. As Emilie discovers what really happened to her family during the war and finds a connection to Constance much closer than she suspects, the château itself may provide the clues that unlock the mysteries of her past, present, and future. Here is a dazzling novel of intrigue and passion from one of the world's most beloved storytellers.

A HAUNTING PAIR OF GHOST STORIES FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE WOMAN IN BLACK The Small Hand Antiquarian bookseller Adam Snow is returning from a client visit when he takes a wrong turn and stumbles upon a derelict Edwardian house with a lush, overgrown garden. As he approaches the door, he is startled to feel the unmistakable sensation of a small, cold hand creeping into his own, almost as though a child has taken hold of it. Shaken, he returns home to find himself plagued by nightmares. But when he decides to investigate the house's mysteries, he is troubled by increasingly sinister visitations. Dolly After being orphaned at a young age, Edward Cayley is sent to spend the summer with his forbidding Aunt Kestrel at Iyot house, her decaying estate on the damp, lonely fens in the west of England. With him is his spoiled, spiteful cousin Leonora. And when Leonora's birthday wish for a beautiful doll is denied, she unleashes a furious rage which will haunt Edward through the years to come.

The mistress of black comedy returns, pulling no punches, laying bare everything that's pompous, conceited, vain or deluded.In Muriel Pulls it Off our heroine inherited an estate from an eccentric relation. Muriel's Reign picks up the sto

Note to readers: In the UK, this book is published under the title Hothouse Flower. From beloved New York Times bestselling author Lucinda Riley, a “sweeping, poignant saga that will enthrall fans of The House at Riverton, Rebecca, and Downton Abbey” (Shelf Awareness).Spanning from the 1930s to the present day, from the Wharton Park estate in England to Thailand, this sweeping novel tells the tale of a concert pianist and the aristocratic Crawford family, whose shocking secrets are revealed, leading to devastating consequences. As a child, concert pianist Julia Forrester spent many idyllic hours in the hothouse of Wharton Park, the grand estate reminiscent of Downton Abbey where her grandfather tended exotic orchids. Years later, while struggling with overwhelming grief over the death of her husband and young child, she returns to this tranquil place. There she reunites with Kit Crawford, heir to the estate and her possible salvation. When they discover an old diary, Julia seeks out her grandmother to learn the truth behind a love affair that almost destroyed the estate. Their search takes them back to the 1940s when Harry, a former heir to Wharton Park, married his young society bride, Olivia, on the eve of World War II. When the two lovers are cruelly separated, the impact will be felt for generations to come. This atmospheric story alternates between the magical world of Wharton Park and Thailand during World War II. Filled with twists and turns, passions and lies, and ultimately redemption, The Orchid House is a beautiful, romantic, and poignant novel.

Fanny Price is a young girl from a relatively poor family, raised by her rich uncle and aunt, Sir Thomas and Lady Bertram, at Mansfield Park. She grows up with her four cousins, Tom, Edmund, Maria, and Julia, but is always treated as inferior to them; only Edmund shows her real kindness. He is also the most virtuous of the siblings: Maria and Julia are vain and spoiled, while Tom is an irresponsible gambler. Over time, Fanny's gratitude for Edmund's kindness secretly grows into romantic love.

When Jimmy Hood buys Sweynsend Hall and marries the girl next door, he knows that some tragedy has occurred to make the Carew family want to leave the dilapidated place after generations, but it is no concern of his. Once weekend he brings home Lucas, who has been working for him in St Petersburg, and is surprised to find that he and Teresa know one another. The meeting prompts Teresa to give Jimmy an account of Sweynsend under the Carews and Lucas's friendship with its last owner, William Carew, who was once engaged to her sister. Shadowing Teresa's disclosure of her former love for Lucas is Jimmy's preoccupation with a passion of his own. But how real is it? What happens when dormant love awakes? As secrets are revealed and the love story builds to its terse dénouement, it is far from obvious what choices will emerge.'Unprecedented... There will be few finer books published this year'Independent on Sunday'Gripping'Sunday Times'A subtly engrossing novel... admirable higher literacy''A wise and tautly written novel'Literacy Review'This thoughtful book reveals much about the strength of attachments...''De Falbe is a clever writer, who knows how to keep the outcome uncertain.'

'The Spoils of Poynton'is the tale of the widow Adela Gereth, an iron-willed woman of impeccable taste, and her conflicts with her son Owen over the antique furniture and art in the family home of Poynton. Told from the perspective of Fleda Vetch, a young woman caught between her love for Owen, who is engaged to another, and her concern for Mrs. Gereth. Originally serialized in'The Atlantic Monthly'in 1896'The Spoils of Poynton'is ultimately a tragic tale of materialism.

At a house party on the day of the royal wedding in 1981, a little girl named Sonya Dufrette wanders off and is never seen again. Twenty years on, divorcee and librarian Antonia Darcy sets out to solve the mystery.From the Trade Paperback edition.

Did the young and beautiful Lady Tradescant try to poison her elderly husband? If not, who did? There is no shortage of suspects - quite a few people might have wanted Sir Seymour Tradescant dead. His eccentric twin sister Bettina, his disgruntled son Nicholas, his scheming daughter Olivia... Antonia Darcy and Hugh Payne face one of their most baffling cases. Their investigation takes them from the luxury of Claridges Hotel to Mayholme Manor, a residential home for elderly gentlemen. This proves to be a distinctly sinister establishment, where they encounter the mysterious Do.

On the day of the Royal Wedding in July 1981 at a house party by the Thames, a little girl vanishes. Her doll is found floating in the river, but of the child herself there is no sign. Twenty years on and Antonia Darcy, divorcee and assistant librarian at the Military and Naval Club, still puzzles over the disappearance of Sonya Dufrette and the bizarre behaviour of her father, the awful Lawrence Dufrette, his exotic wife, Lena and the intelligent but austere Lady Mortlock -- not to mention the strange absence of the nanny. Ably assisted by her new admirer, Major Payne, she embarks on.

When death threats arrive in the post, Corinne takes refuge at Chalfont Park, country estate of her godmother Lady Grylls. Other house guests include Antonia Darcy and her husband Major Payne, Corinne's dominating agent Maitre Maginot, a private detective called Jonson, and Lady Grylls'nephew, Peverel de Broke... But why has millionairess socialite Eleanor Merchant travelled from the US with the sole intention of meeting Corinne? Could it be because she believes it was Corinne's haunting voice that drove her son to suicide? Praise for R.T. Raichev'A whodunit that has more tw.

It promised to be the perfect holiday every modern convenience, exotic terraced gardens complete with an'English'folly, thirty-eight varieties of ice-cream, cocktails with names like'Widow's Wink'and'Mumbay Mule'. Antonia and Hugh Payne never seriously imagined they would encounter anything worse than extravagance in this idyllic setting... But an uninvited guest at the garden party given in their honour makes Antonia Darcy his confidante. Not only does he claim to have witnessed the strangling of beautiful, wayward Marigold Leighton, he also insists it was their host Roman Songhera.

Introduction and Notes by Dr Ian Littlewood, University of Sussex. Adultery is not a typical Jane Austen theme, but when it disturbs the relatively peaceful household at Mansfield Park, it has quite unexpected results. The diffident and much put-upon heroine Fanny Price has to struggle to cope with the results, re-examining her own feelings while enduring the cheerful amorality, old-fashioned indifference and priggish disapproval of those around her.

Charlotte Grayson and her sister Kitty are living with their widowed mother at Westbury Hall, which they are renting from the wealthy Sir Benjamin Westbury. When he returns home unexpectedly, he brings with him his handsome great-nephew, Hugo, who demands that they leave the Hall forthwith. Then, during a violent thunderstorm, part of the library panelling is broken away, revealing a gruesome skeleton. The man has obviously been murdered, but who is he and how did he get there? As this gripping story unfolds, past family tensions are revealed and Charlotte puts herself in mortal danger.

EPUB.

'Mansfield Park'is the story of Fanny Price, an impoverished young girl who is raised by her rich uncle and aunt, Sir Thomas and Lady Bertram, at Mansfield Park. A coming of age story,'Mansfield Park'follows the young lives of Fanny and her four cousins, Tom, Edmund, Maria and Julia. At times very satirical,'Mansfield Park'is an excellent depiction of early 19th century England and the struggle between socio-economic classes that was so prevalent at that time.

Death threats start arriving in the mail, and legendary French diva Corinne seeks refuge at her godmother's country estate. Other house guests include Antonia Darcy and her husband, Corinne's dominating agent, her godmother's nephew, and a private detective.From the Trade Paperback edition.

When one of mystery writer Antonia Darcy's admiring readers, Bee Ardleigh, becomes over friendly, Antonia finds it just a bit of a bore. But when she and husband Major Hugh Payne are persuaded to visit Bee at Millbrook House, they begin to suspect it's something more sinister. Is the lovely Bee, newly wed, really an invalid? Where does her female live-in companion go on her frequent outings? Why would the mortally ill master of nearby Ospreys estate decide to change his will and leave his vast fortune to Beatrice? Hugh and Antonia become embroiled in a gruesome death in their perilous pur.

'Jane Eyre'is the story of its title character, a poor orphaned girl who comes to live with her aunt where she endures poor treatment from her aunt and cousins. Jane subsequently ships off to Lowood, a Christian boarding school where she endures more horrible conditions. After some time, life becomes more bearable at Lowood for Jane and she eventually finishes her coursework and spends a period of time as a teacher at the school. After leaving Lowood she comes into the employment of Mr. Rochester as a governess at Thornfield Hall.'Jane Eyre'is the story of one woman's struggle to overcome adversity and a classic love story.