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'1984'by George Orwell is a dystopian masterpiece that paints a chilling vision of a totalitarian future. Set in a world where Big Brother watches your every move, the novel follows Winston Smith, a low-ranking member of the ruling Party who begins to question the oppressive regime.Orwell's portrayal of a surveillance state, thought control, and the erasure of truth is eerily relevant in today's digital age. The novel introduces the concept of'Newspeak,'a language designed to eliminate independent thought.As Winston rebels against the system, he embarks on a dangerous journey for truth and freedom. The story is a harrowing exploration of the consequences of mass surveillance and authoritarianism.'1984'is not just a work of fiction; it's a warning about the dangers of sacrificing individual liberties for the illusion of security. It's a thought-provoking, unsettling, and thought-provoking read that remains profoundly relevant in our modern world.ABOUT THE AUTHORGeorge Orwell, the pen name of Eric Arthur Blair, was a renowned English writer and essayist. Born on June 25, 1903, in Motihari, India, he is best known for his literary contributions that challenged totalitarianism and explored the consequences of oppressive government systems.Orwell's early life included experiences as an imperial police officer in Burma, which profoundly influenced his views on British imperialism. His first notable work,'Down and Out in Paris and London', was published in 1933, recounting his experiences among the working class and homeless.However, it was Orwell's dystopian novels that catapulted him to literary fame.'Animal Farm,'published in 1945, is a satirical allegory that critiques the Russian Revolution and the rise of Stalinism. In 1949, he released his magnum opus,'Nineteen Eighty-Four,'which portrayed a nightmarish future under a totalitarian regime, coining terms like'Big Brother'and'thoughtcrime'that have become part of popular culture.Orwell's writing style is marked by its clarity and social commentary. He was a passionate advocate for truth and freedom of expression, which is evident in his essays like'Politics and the English Language.'Sadly, Orwell's life was cut short by tuberculosis, and he passed away on January 21, 1950, at the age of 46. His works remain not only literary classics but also influential critiques of authoritarianism and the dangers of propaganda, ensuring his enduring legacy in the world of literature and political thought.

One of R. Austin Freeman's three or four best, although not one of his best-known books. The crime is modelled on the Maybrick case: murder of a chronic invalid by arsenic poisoning suspected by his brother, with suspicion falling on his wife.

Excerpt:'The measure of a man's popularity is not always—or indeed seldom—the measure of his intrinsic worth. So, when the earlier work of any writer is gathered together in more enduring form, catering to the enthusiasm of his readers in his maturer years, there is always a suspicion that the venture is purely a commercial one, without literary justification. Fortunately these stories of Mr. Kipling's form their own best excuse for this, their first appearance together in book form. Not merely because in them may be traced the origin of that style and subject matter that later made their author famous; but because the stories are in themselves worth while—worth writing, worth reading.'The Likes o'Us'is as true to the type as any of the immortal Mulvaney stories; the beginning of'New Brooms'is as succinctly fine as any prose Mr. Kipling ever wrote; for searching out and presenting such splendid pieces of fiction as'Sleipner, late Thurinda,'and'A Little More Beef'to a public larger than their original one in India, no apology is necessary.'

The Adventures of Dr Thorndyke features five short stories, each divided into two halves. In the first half of each, we get an inverted mystery set up, showing how some soul was led down a dark path to murder, and their subsequent steps to avoid detection. In the second half, the story completely shifts perspective, and we watch as series detective Dr Thorndyke applies scientific principles to uncover the truth.

Long cherished by readers of all ages: the hilarious account of an incorrigible truant and a powerful parable of innocence in conflict with the fallen adult world—from the author of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and'the father of American literature'(William Faukner, Nobel Prize-Winning Author).'All modern literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn… It's the best book we've had. All American writing comes from that.'—Ernest Hemingway, Nobel Prize-Winning Author of The Sun Also RisesThe mighty Mississippi River of the antebellum South gives the novel both its colorful backdrop and its narrative shape, as the runaways Huck and Jim—a young rebel against civilization allied with an escaped slave—drift down its length on a flimsy raft. Their journey, at times rollickingly funny but always deadly serious in its potential consequences, takes them ever deeper into the slave-holding South, and our appreciation of their shared humanity grows as we watch them travel physically farther from yet morally closer to the freedom they both passionately seek.

'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes'by Arthur Conan Doyle is a thrilling and iconic collection of detective stories featuring the brilliant detective Sherlock Holmes and his loyal friend Dr. John Watson. This collection brings together some of Holmes'most famous cases, including'A Scandal in Bohemia,''The Adventure of the Speckled Band,'and'The Red-Headed League.'Conan Doyle's writing captivates readers with its masterful storytelling, intricate plots, and the unparalleled deductive skills of Sherlock Holmes. Each story presents a unique mystery that challenges Holmes'intellect and astute powers of observation.Sherlock Holmes, with his razor-sharp wit and remarkable attention to detail, remains one of literature's most beloved and enduring characters. Dr. Watson's faithful narration provides readers with a window into the world of Victorian London and the enigmatic workings of Holmes'mind.'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes'is a timeless classic that continues to enthrall readers of all ages. It has inspired countless adaptations, films, and television series, solidifying its place in literary history as the ultimate detective collection.Embark on a journey into the foggy streets of Victorian London, where mysteries abound and only Sherlock Holmes can unravel the truth. Arthur Conan Doyle's masterpiece is a must-read for anyone who enjoys the art of deduction and the thrill of solving intricate puzzles.ABOUT THE AUTHORArthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) was a Scottish author and physician best known for creating the iconic detective Sherlock Holmes. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Doyle's literary contributions spanned a wide range of genres, including mystery, science fiction, historical fiction, and more. Doyle's most famous character, Sherlock Holmes, made his debut in the novel'A Study in Scarlet'and went on to become one of the most beloved and enduring fictional detectives in literature. The character's brilliant deductive reasoning and keen observation skills set a standard for the detective genre that persists to this day. Beyond his detective stories, Doyle wrote historical novels, science fiction, and non-fiction works. He was a prolific author and a passionate advocate for various causes, including spiritualism and the reform of divorce laws. Doyle's legacy as a writer is marked by his ability to captivate readers with intriguing mysteries and memorable characters. His impact on the detective genre is immeasurable, and Sherlock Holmes remains a cultural icon, inspiring numerous adaptations and interpretations in literature, film, and television.

FOLLOW HER IF YOU DAREOne of the best-known and most popular works of Victorian English fiction, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is an 1865 novel written by English author Lewis Carroll. Translated into over 97 languages. Its characters and imagery have had a huge influence on popular culture and literature, and its ongoing legacy encompasses many adaptations for stage, screen, ballet, radio, art, theme parks, board games and video games. Due to Its play with logic the story has had lasting popularity with adults as well as children.A young girl named Alice was tired of sitting by her sister, who was reading a book without any pictures, when suddenly a White Rabbit with pink eyes ran close by her. When Alice saw the rabbit take a watch out of his waistcoat-pocket and look at it, she jumped up and ran after him, as she had never seen a rabbit do such a thing before. Without thinking, she followed him through a rabbit hole and fell down a deep well into a subterranean fantasy world which was populated by peculiar, anthropomorphic creatures.Follow her if you dare, but beware of the world you are about to enter. You'll meet a childish, foul-tempered, decapitation-crazed Queen of Hearts, a strange, unintelligible duchess, a sleepy dormouse, a constantly late rabbit, a mischievous, witty Cheshire cat, a blue hookah-smoking caterpillar, a Hatter and a March Hare hosting a mad tea party, and a caucus race in which the participants run in patterns of any shape, starting and leaving off whenever they like, so that everyone wins. The best way to experience it and these amazing creatures is to read the book!

In this novel by the author of The Berlin Stories, a listless pair of siblings in post-WWI London battle the constraints of society and their mother. It's the 1920s—the wake of the Great War—and Britain is undergoing a transformation. The middle class is struggling, and the younger generation, feeling constrained by the values that once fueled the empire, is yearning to break free... A new war is brewing in the slums of Kensington, London. The members of one family are plotting daily against each other and themselves. Philip Lindsay has quit his office job and dreams of becoming an artist. His sister,Joan, is in love. To get what they want, they must first get away from their overbearing mother... Originally published in 1928, All the Conspirators was Christopher Isherwood's first novel. He later went on to write such works as The Berlin Stories, A Single Man, and Goodbye to Berlin.

A new edition of Beverley Farmer's classic 1980 debut, out of print for many years. Alone captures the emergence of one of Australia's most powerful and distinctive writers. Set in Melbourne in the late 1950s, and taking place over the course of two days and nights, Alone chronicles the feelings of obsession and hopelessness, isolation and desire provoked by the ending of an intimate relationship. A young woman, a fledgling writer, recalls her passion for her female lover, who has left her. She is estranged from her family and has dropped out of university, and is contemplating ending her life. As she travels through the night-time streets, industrial areas and boarding houses of a Melbourne fallen into economic depression and cultural malaise, she reflects on the days and months past that have brought her to despair. Written in a style threaded with gothic motifs, and shadowed by the constant threat of sexual violence, Beverley Farmer's debut novel captures the romantic intensity and ironic reversals of youthful longing. It displays her remarkable capacity for bringing different forms of writing together in a single work, prose and poetry, dialogue and dramatic monologue, as well as her reflections on other writers'work. Based partly on her own experiences, Alone shows the formation of a literary voice in writing that is both heightened and flowing, lyrical and precise. Praise for Beverley Farmer: ‘As she explores the frailty of emotional experience, Farmer places her characters in a luminous domain of elemental sensual experience…'— Cassandra Pybus ‘Beverley Farmer's expansive curiosity and regard for microcosmic significance sharpen a reader's attention to all things lived, dreamed, and observed.'— Josephine Rowe

Amazing Stories Volume 162 is a great collection of action short stories from'The Golden Age of Science Fiction'. Featured here are five short stories by different authors:'Blank?', by Randall Garrett,'Age of Anxiety', by Robert Silverberg,'The Men Return', by Jack Vance,'The Show Must Go On'by Henry Slesar and'Pangborn's Paradox'by David Mason.

Amazing Stories Volume 163 is a great collection of action short stories from'The Golden Age of Science Fiction'. Featured here are four short stories by different authors:'The Overlords Thumb', by Robert Silverberg,'West O'Mars', by Charles L. Fontenay,'The Way Out', by Richard Rein Smith, and'Go To Sleep, My Darling'by Winston K. Marks.

Amazing Stories Volume 165 is a great collection of action short stories from'The Golden Age of Science Fiction'. Featured here are five short stories by different authors:'Of Time And Texas', by William F. Nolan,'Small World', also by William F. Nolan,'And Miles To Go Before I Sleep', by William F. Nolan,'The Man Who Wouldn't Sign Up'by Tom Purdon and'Infiltration'by Algis Budrys.

Amazing Stories Volume 166 is a great collection of action short stories from'The Golden Age of Science Fiction'. Featured here are five short stories by different authors:'Stay Off The Moon!', by Raymond F. Jones,'Phoenix', by Marion Zimmer Bradley & Ted White,'The Vertigo Hook', by Richard Ashby,'Quinquepedalian'by Piers Anthony and'Date Of Publication, 2083 A.D.'by William Douglas Morrison.

Amazing Stories Volume 167 is a great collection of action short stories from'The Golden Age of Science Fiction'. Featured here are four short stories by different authors:'The Road To Sinharat', by Leigh Brackett,'For Service Rendered', by Jesse F. Bone,'Small Voice, Big Man', by Stewart Pierce Brown, and'The Demi-Urge'by Thomas M. Disch.

Amazing Stories Volume 168 is a great collection of action short stories from'The Golden Age of Science Fiction'. Featured here are three short stories by different authors:'The Spirit Of Toffee', by Henry Farrell,'Beside The Golden Door', by Henry Slesar, and''Utopia? Never!''by Thomas M. Disch.

Amazing Stories Volume 169 is a great collection of action short stories from'The Golden Age of Science Fiction'. Featured here are five short stories by different authors:'I Bring Fresh Flowers', by Robert F. Young,'The Small Bears', by Gene L. Henderson,'Down To Earth', by Harry Harrison,'The Smart Ones'by Jack Sharkey and'War In Heaven'by Fletcher Pratt.

Amazing Stories Volume 170 is a great collection of action short stories from'The Golden Age of Science Fiction'. Featured here are five short stories by different authors:'Everybody Knows Joe', by C.M. Kornbluth,'Star Chamber', by H. B. Fyfe,'Nightmare On The Nose', by Evelyn E. Smith,'The Towers Of Titan'by Ben Bova and'Radio Mates'by Benjamin Witwer.

Amazing Stories Volume 171 is a great collection of action short stories from'The Golden Age of Science Fiction'. Featured here are four short stories by Three different authors:'The Klygha', by H. B. Fyfe,'The Right Side Of The Tracks', and'The Happiness Rock'both by Albert Teichner, and'A Voice From The Inner World'by A. Hyatt Verrill.

Amazing Stories Volume 172 is a great collection of action short stories from'The Golden Age of Science Fiction'. Featured here are five short stories by different authors:'Respectfully Mine', by Randall Garrett,'And It Was Good'by A. Early,'The Satellite-Keeper's Daughter'by Mark Reinsberg,'Native Son'by T. D. Hamm, and'The Oddly Elusive Brunette'by John Victor Peterson.

Amazing Stories Volume 173 is a great collection of action short stories from'The Golden Age of Science Fiction'. Featured here are five short stories by different authors:'There Was An Old Woman'by Robert Silverberg,'Burden The Hand'by Randall Garrett,'Ozymandias'by Ivar Jorgensen,'The Wizard Of Light'by David Ely, and'Fairyland Planet'by John Silletto.

Amazing Stories Volume 174 is a great collection of action short stories from'The Golden Age of Science Fiction'. Featured here are five short stories by different authors:'Mr. Reploge's Dream', by Evelyn E. Smith,'The Warriors'by Tom Purdon,'Pattern'by Robert H. Rohrer'After Ixmal'by Jeff Sutton, and'Spacerogue'by Robert Silverberg.

Amazing Stories Volume 175 is a great collection of action short stories from'The Golden Age of Science Fiction'. Featured here are four short stories by different authors:'Captives Of The Thieve-Star'by James H. Schmitz,'Left Hand, Right Hand'by James H. Schmitz,'Dear Nan Glanders'by Beta McGavin, and'Feet Of Clay'by Robert Hoskins.

Amazing Stories Volume 176 is a great collection of action short stories from'The Golden Age of Science Fiction'. Featured here are three short stories by different authors:'The Problem Makers'by Robert Hoskins,'Second Chance'by Robert Hoskins,'Dear Nan Glanders'and'Sense From Thought Divide'by Mark Clifton.

Amazing Stories Volume 177 is a great collection of action short stories from'The Golden Age of Science Fiction'. Featured here are four short stories by Mark Clifton:'The Kenzie Report'by Mark Clifton,'Do Unto Others'by Mark Clifton,'A Woman's Place'by Mark Clifton and'Progress Report'by Alex Apostolides & Mark Clifton.

Amazing Stories Volume 178 is a great collection of action short stories from'The Golden Age of Science Fiction'. Featured here are six short stories by different authors:'We're Civilized!'by Alex Apostolides & Mark Clifton,'Star, Bright'by Mark Clifton,'Hang Head, Vandal'by Mark Clifton,'The Akkra Case'by Miriam Allen De Ford,'Title Fight'by William Campbell Gault and'One Touch Of Terra'by Hannes Bok.

Amazing Stories Volume 179 is a great collection of action short stories from'The Golden Age of Science Fiction'. Featured here are five short stories by different authors:'The Last Class'by Richard Banks,'A Prison Make'by William W. Stuart,'Requiem'by Edmond Hamilton,'Sunfire'by Edmond Hamilton, and'The Silent Invaders'by Robert Silverberg.

Amazing Stories Volume 180 is a great collection of action short stories from'The Golden Age of Science Fiction'. Featured here are six short stories by different authors:'Far Enough To Touch'by Stephen Bartholomew,'The Fastest Draw'by Larry Eisenberg,'Cully'by Jack Egan,'World Edge'by Jack Egan,'The Yes Men Of Venus'by Ron Goulart and'Little Men Of Space'by Frank Belknap Long.

Amazing Stories Volume 181 is a great collection of action short stories from'The Golden Age of Science Fiction'. Featured here are five short stories by different authors:'Inconstancy'by Roger D. Aycock,'Travelogue'by Roger D. Aycock,'The Minister Had To Wait'by Roger D. Aycock,'Finders Keepers'by Stephen Marlowe, and'Listen, Children …. Listen!'by Wallace West.

Amazing Stories Volume 182 is a great collection of action short stories from'The Golden Age of Science Fiction'. Featured here are five short stories by two different authors:'McILvaine's Star'by August Derleth,'A Traveler In Time'by August Derleth,'The Maugham Obsession'by August Derleth,'What Need Of Man?'by Harold Calin, and'A Time To Die'by Harold Calin.

Amazing Stories Volume 183 is a great collection of action short stories from'The Golden Age of Science Fiction'. Featured here are three short stories by two different authors:'The Missionary'by Jesse F. Bone,'Nightmare Tower'by Sam Mervin, and'The Sane Men Of Satan'by Sam Mervin.

Amazing Stories Volume 184 is a great collection of action short stories from'The Golden Age of Science Fiction'. Featured here are four short stories by different authors:'The Vanguard Of Venus'by Landell Bartlett,'Divvy Up'by Stephen Marlowe,'A Jar Of Jelly Beans'by Franklin Gregory, and'Question Of Comfort'by Les Cole.

Amazing Stories Volume 185 is a great collection of action short stories from'The Golden Age of Science Fiction'. Featured here are four short stories by different authors:'Trajectory To Taurus'by Les Cole,'Rogue Psi'by James H. Schmitz,'The Next Logical Step'by Ben Bova, and'The Duelling Machine'by Ben Bova & Myron R. Lewis.

Amazing Stories Volume 186 is a great collection of action short stories from'The Golden Age of Science Fiction'. Featured here are four short stories by different authors:'Answer, Please Answer'by Ben Bova,'A Long Way Back by Ben Bova,'Reign Of The Telepuppets'by Daniel F. Galouye, and'The Beacon To Elsewhere'by James H. Schmitz.

American ghosts stories have their origins in the gothic, mixed with the fears of the pioneer landscapes. A terrific new collection of classic talesSettling in for a night of spine-chilling entertainment? Here's a gripping collection of classic American ghost tales by authors such as Edgar Allan Poe ('The Masque of the Red Death'), Francis Bret Harte ('The Ghosts of Stukeley Castle'), Edith Wharton ('Afterward'), Mark Twain ('A Ghost Story'), Harriet Beecher Stowe ('The Ghost in the Mill'), O. Henry ('A Ghost of a Chance'), H.P. Lovecraft ('The Outsider') and many more.FLAME TREE 451: From myth to mystery, the supernatural to horror, fantasy and science fiction, Flame Tree 451 offers a healthy diet of werewolves and mechanical men, blood-lusty vampires, dastardly villains, mad scientists, secret worlds, lost civilizations and escapist fantasies. Discover a storehouse of tales gathered specifically for the reader of the fantastic.

This story follows the mysterious Amos Judd who immigrates to the United States as a young child from a foreign land. Being adopted by a farmer and his wife, Amos'identity is further clouded with jewels, rich garments, and extensive amounts of cash that he brings with him as a child. As the book continues we are introduced to a young women who a then older Amos falls in love to. This romance continues as the mystery behind Judd is further explored and Judd's unique abilities are revealed. (Amazon)

Excerpt:'Where are you going, Philippa?'Mrs. Jackman asked sharply as Flip turned away from the group of tourists standing about in the cold hall of the Chateau of Chillon'I'm going for a walk,'Flip said Her father put his hand on her shoulder.'I'd rather you stayed with us, Flip.'She looked up at him, her eyes bright with pleading.'Please, father!'she whispered. Then she turned and ran out of the chateau, away from the dark, prisoning stones, and out into the sunlight that was as bright and as sudden as bugles. She ran down a small path that led to Lake Geneva, and because she was blinded by sudden tears and by the sunlight striking on the lake she did not see the boy or the dog sitting on a rock at the lake's edge, and she crashed into them.'

The finest work by the great Russian writer Teffi, in a new selection by the acclaimed Robert Chandler __________'Heartbreaking as well as very funny. I wish she were still alive, and I could have met her... I can't recommend her strongly enough'Guardian'Teffi is one of the great writers of early 20th century Russia, from Nicholas II's reign to the Revolution afterwards. Her writing, whether stories or reportage or memoir is witty, elegant, fantastical, yet sharp and acute and playful'Simon Sebag Montefiore'One of the great twentieth-century writers. At their best her short stories are to my mind the equal of Chekhov's'John Gray __________ Teffi's literary genius made her a star in pre-revolutionary Russia, beloved by Tsar Nicholas II and Vladimir Lenin alike. An extremely funny writer with a scathing critical eye, she was also capable of Chekhovian subtlety and depth of character. Ranging from humorous sketches of a vanished Russia to ironic, melancholy evocations of post-revolutionary exile, And Time Was No More showcases the full range of Teffi's gifts. A new selection by the celebrated Robert Chandler, it includes previously untranslated stories alongside more famous work, demonstrating the enduring freshness of one of the great wits of Russian literature.

Excerpt:'Angel Esquire, of Scotland Yard, has his hands full in helping Jimmy Stannard, as he is known to the criminal element of London, solve the puzzle of the great safe which held the fortune of Old Reale who had placed it there, and who had taken the precaution to hide the combination in a bit of doggerel verse that served as a cryptogram. When Old Reale's Will was read it was found that four people might benefit by it. Two of them, known as members of the famous “Borough Lots” gang would stop at nothing to gain possession of the fortune. Jimmy and his friend are pitted against them in a story that constitutes the finest entertainment for the person liking excitement, love and mystery combined.'

Angel's Brother is a heartwarming tale of love, resilience, and the power of friendship. Eleanora H. Stooke weaves a captivating story that follows the extraordinary bond between a young girl and her mischievous guardian angel. Through trials and triumphs, this enchanting narrative explores the transformative power of love and the enduring strength of the human spirit. (Amazon)

Excerpt:'SCENE—'Johnny-The-Priest's'saloon near South Street, New York City. The stage is divided into two sections, showing a small back room on the right. On the left, forward, of the barroom, a large window looking out on the street. Beyond it, the main entrance—a double swinging door. Farther back, another window. The bar runs from left to right nearly the whole length of the rear wall. In back of the bar, a small showcase displaying a few bottles of case goods, for which there is evidently little call. The remainder of the rear space in front of the large mirrors is occupied by half-barrels of cheap whiskey of the'nickel-a-shot'variety, from which the liquor is drawn by means of spigots. On the right is an open doorway leading to the back room. In the back room are four round wooden tables with five chairs grouped about each. In the rear, a family entrance opening on a side street.'

This volume contains some of Eliot's earliest work that did not make the'final cut'when he put together his Collected Poems many years later. The title Ara Vus Prec contains a spelling mistake. It is meant to be Ara Vos Prec, referring to a line by Arnaut Daniel, the great renaissance troubadour poet, who features in Dante's Inferno. The provencal words mean literally'to you I pray'or more loosely'I beg you'and Eliot apologised that he didn't know enough Provencal and that's why he got it wrong. After copies went to print, the'u'was fixed to an'o'including labels being reattached to the spine. Very early and rare Eliot work. (Goodreads)

'I see that it is by no means useless to travel, if a man wants to see something new.'Jules Verne's classic novel Around the World in Eighty Days follows the adventures of Phileas Fogg and his faithful valet Passepartout as they attempt to circumnavigate the globe in 80 days or less.A wealthy English gentleman, Fogg spends most of his time at his club. One day he got involved in an argument over a newspaper article stating that with the opening of a new railway section in India, it was now possible to travel around the world in 80 days. Fogg accepts a challenge from his whist partners and after betting half his fortune, he abandons his quiet domestic routine to undertake the daring feat of circling the globe in only 80 days, an achievement unheard of in Victorian times.Fogg and Passepartout avail themselves of virtually every known means of transportation in their wild race against time, while a devious detective follows their every move and introduces fresh obstacles to delay their journey. The quick-witted Fogg faces each new hurdle with unshakable composure. They travel through a constantly shifting setting of exotic locales, including the jungles of India, a Chinese opium den, a Japanese circus, a full speed train ride under attack by Sioux and a bloodless mutiny aboard a tramp steamer.The most popular of Jules Verne's fantastic adventure stories, Around the World in Eighty Days has delighted the world since it was first published in 1872 and its enduring blend of comic misadventures along with thrilling suspense continues to entertain and enchant new generations of readers.

It's an invitation that will change everything…It's 1923 and in a decade that promises excitement and liberation, Pearl Glenham and her father are invited to a mysterious country house party on the Dorset coast, by a total stranger.Her father claims not to have any prior association with Highcliffe House, but upon arrival, it is apparent that he has a shared history with several of the guests, although he won't admit it. Belatedly discovering that her father was blackmailed into attending, Pearl's worries are compounded when their host fails to arrive…Intimidated by everyone at the party, she escapes to the nearby cove and stumbles upon a mysterious mercury clock hidden in a cave. This strange encounter sets in motion a series of events that will culminate in an horrific house fire, claiming the lives of all the guests, including Pearl herself.But then Pearl wakes up back in the cave, seemingly destined never to live past midnight. She can repeat the day. But can she change its outcome?A completely addictive and unforgettable 1920s mystery – with a timeslip twist – perfect for fans of Daphne du Maurier, Agatha Christie, and Lucinda Riley. Readers are loving At the Stroke of Midnight:‘A fantastic read!… The puzzle, once solved, is staggering… Reminded me of Poirot… I'd recommend this to anyone who loves historical fiction with a mystery and a dash of the unexplainable thrown in. Brilliant imagination!!!'NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘And Then There Were None meets Groundhog Day… The author does a great job of making you feel as if you're in the 1920s; it's a clever Christie-like whodunnit (and I didn't guess!) but it's more than that. It's a coming-of-age story… a lovely romance; and magical realism with the timeloop… Thoroughly good.'NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘So many twists and surprises, it was a thrilling experience trying to work out what was going on and who was responsible for the murders. Definitely a little Agatha Christie like, with a sprinkling of Rebecca for good measure.'NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘A sumptuous, suspenseful and very satisfying read… Skilfully weaves drama, glamour, comedy, romance and coming of age in a time-twisty tale of suspense… Atmospheric… rich in period detail… perfectly paced.'Nancy Peach, bestselling author ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘To sum this book up in one word... Absobloodymazing!!!… I am in love with the way [the author] writes historical fiction, timeslips, mysteries and romance all in one book. She really is clever, the way she hides her clues throughout the book and gives her readers so many ‘aha'moments throughout. The sheer amount of twists leaves you feeling seasick in the best possible way.'NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘What a creative fascinating story!… A unique intriguing mystery set in 1923 with a fascinating time loop… Reminded me of an Agatha Christie… Kept me intrigued from start to finish… I loved it.'NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Creative, unusual and brilliant! Like nothing else I've read and I loved it!… Wonderful!'Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Kept me reading late into the night… Extraordinary “whodunnit” set in a different era… Reminded me of the film Groundhog Day… I loved this book.'NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Excerpt:'Now it has been my pleasant task during the recent months to read or to reread scores upon scores of short stories that have been published in the Atlantic Monthly. My object has been to select from the Atlantic files some of the best and most representative of these narratives for publication in book form, and thus make these significant stories more readily available for the college, school, and the reading public. Out of this study, as it has combined and recombined with all my impressions of past readings, have come certain convictions that have grown more persistent as the reading and the selecting have progressed.'

Excerpt:'Captain Mike Brixan had certain mild and innocent superstitions. He believed, for example, that if he saw a green crow in a field he would certainly see another green crow before the day was out. And when, at the bookstand on Aix la Chapelle station, he saw and purchased a dime novel that was comprehensively intituled “Only an Extra, or the Pride of Hollywood,” he was less concerned as to how this thrilling and dog-eared romance came to be on offer at half a million marks (this was in the days when marks were worth money) than as to the circumstances in which he would again hear or read the word “extras” in the sense of a supernumerary and unimportant screen actress. The novel did not interest him at all. He read one page of superlatives and turned for relief to the study of a Belgian time-table. He was bored, but not so bored that he could interest himself in the sensational rise of the fictitious Rosa Love from modest obscurity to a press agent and wealth. But “extra” was a new one on Michael, and he waited for the day to bring its inevitable companion. To say that he was uninterested in crime, that burglars were less thrilling than golf scores, and the record of murders hardly worth the reading, might convey a wrong impression to those who knew him as the cleverest agent in the Foreign Office Intelligence Department. His official life was spent in meeting queer continentals in obscure restaurants and, in divers rôles, to learn of the undercurrents that were drifting the barques of diplomacy to unsuspected ports. He had twice roamed through Europe in the guise of an open-mouthed tourist; had canoed many hundred miles through the gorges of the Danube to discover, in little riverside beer-houses, the inward meanings of secret mobilizations. These were tasks wholly to his liking.'

Edith Nesbit was born on the 15th August 1858 in Kennington, then part of Surrey. Due to the health issues and tuberculosis of her sister Mary, Nesbit's early life was one of constant changes of house both in England and on the continent.At age 17, Nesbit met Hubert Bland and they married three years later―whilst she was 7 months pregnant. Bland also kept his affair with another woman going throughout their marriage and the two children of that relationship were raised by Nesbit as well as her own three with Bland.Together they were founder members of the Fabian Society in 1884 naming their son Fabian in its honour. They also edited the Society's journal; ‘Today'. Nesbit was an active lecturer and prolific writer on socialism during those years but gradually her work for them dwindled as her career as a children's writer grew. Her most famous success was ‘The Railway Children'but she was also very prolific and greatly accomplished in poetry, short stories―especially her macabre ghost and supernatural stories―and novels for adults. In February 1917, some three years after the death of Bland she married Thomas ‘the Skipper'Tucker in Woolwich, where he was a ship's engineer on the Woolwich Ferry.Edith Nesbit died from lung cancer on the 4th May 1924 at her house ‘The Long Boat'at Jesson, St Mary's Bay, New Romney in Kent. She was 65.

These stories written by Arthur Conan Doyle, which were originally published, each one separately, between the years of 1891 and 1892, in the British newspaper The Strand Magazine and later compiled under the title of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, constitute the largest theme of his work and represent the cornerstone of detective stories. In The Best Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, this detective and his assistant, Dr. John H. Watson, will face each other and try to solve cases that are apparently difficult to solve, but the London police trust the good deductive judgment of Detective Holmes to be able to clarify them, and that is the argument of which the narrations of the solved crimes of Holmes are composed. This selection of stories invites you to discover the best cases of the greatest detective of all time.

Excerpt:'A section of country highway. The road runs diagonally from the left, forward, to the right, rear, and can be seen in the distance winding toward the horizon like a pale ribbon between the low, rolling hills with their freshly plowed fields clearly divided from each other, checkerboard fashion, by the lines of stone walls and rough snake fences. The forward triangle cut off by the road is a section of a field from the dark earth of which myriad bright-green blades of fall-sown rye are sprouting. A straggling line of piled rocks, too low to be called a wall, separates this field from the road. To the rear of the road is a ditch with a sloping, grassy bank on the far side. From the center of this an old, gnarled apple tree, just budding into leaf, strains its twisted branches heavenwards, black against the pallor of distance. A snake-fence sidles from left to right along the top of the bank, passing beneath the apple tree. The hushed twilight of a day in May is just beginning. The horizon hills are still rimmed by a faint line of flame, and the sky above them glows with the crimson flush of the sunset. This fades gradually as the action of the scene progresses.'

When Adrian Mander flew off to the Sahara to look for the tomb of King Ras Tenazza, his choice of a partner was unlucky, for once they had located the site, the unscrupulous Sekunder took off in their aircraft, leaving the young archaeologist to die of thirst. Weeks later, ignorant of these events, Biggles comes looking for Adrian. What he finds astonishes even the hard-bitten Biggles, and his ultimate meeting with Sekunder shows Biggles at his most resourceful.

Squadron Leader “Dizzy” Digswell thinks he has found, in a desert cave, treasure from the ancient city of Ophir. Having formed a syndicate of treasure-hunters with Dizzy, Ginger and Bertie, Biggles finds himself involved in a highly unofficial adventure in Arabia, a country known to some members of the fighting services as “Hell's Gates”...