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This magnificent biography of Henry VIII is set against the cultural, social and political background of his court - the most spectacular court ever seen in England - and the splendour of his many sumptuous palaces. An entertaining narrative packed with colourful description and a wealth of anecdotal evidence, but also a comprehensive analytical study of the development of both monarch and court during a crucial period in English history.

Ancient Rome matters. Its history of empire, conquest, cruelty and excess is something against which we still judge ourselves. Its myths and stories - from Romulus and Remus to the Rape of Lucretia - still strike a chord with us. And its debates about citizenship, security and the rights of the individual still influence our own debates on civil liberty today. SPQR is a new look at Roman history from one of the world's foremost classicists.

Byzantium. The name evokes grandeur and exoticism—gold, cunning, and complexity. In this unique book, Judith Herrin unveils the riches of a quite different civilization. Avoiding a standard chronological account of the Byzantine Empire's millennium-long history, she identifies the fundamental questions about Byzantium—what it was, and what special significance it holds for us today.

Let MILLION COPY bestselling author Judy Leigh whisk you off to the French sunshine for a BRAND NEW story of friendship and fresh starts. 💖🥂 Sixty-one-year-old Maxine Sweet has a new life stretching in front of her. Her longed-for retirement is finally here and she’s ready to enjoy it...

Fairacre is a village of cottages, a church and the school - and, at the heart of the school, its head mistress Miss Read. Through her discerning eye, we meet the villagers of Fairacre and see their trials and tribulations, from the irascible school cleaner Mrs Pringle, to the young school children, with their scraped knees, hopeful faces and inevitable mischief.

Among the cobbled streets of the Somerset town of Frome, Lou is embarking on the start of something new. After the death of her beloved mother, she takes a deep breath into the unknown and is opening her own vintage clothes shop. In Upstate New York, Donna has just found out some news about her family that has called into question her whole upbringing. The only clue she has to unlock her past is a picture of a yellow dress and the fact it is currently on display in a shop in England.  

Mrs Gladden uses similar methods to her male counterparts - she enters scenes of crime incognito, tracking down killers while trying to conceal her own tracks and her identity from others. She does much physical detective work, examining scenes of crime, looking for clues and employing all manner of skill, subterfuge, observation and charm to achieve her ends. Characteristic of the casebooks of the time, Forrester's book features various cases narrated by Mrs Gladden, including murder, fraud and the sale of a baby.

From MILLION COPY BESTSELLER Judy Leigh ‘Brilliantly funny, emotional and uplifting’ Miranda Dickinson In the imposing Glen Carrick House overlooking Scotland’s famous Loch Ness, lives eighty-eight-year-old Mimi McKinlay, cared for by her three adult sons. Hamish has inherited his...

Georgette Heyer remains an enduring international best seller, read and loved by four generations of readers and extolled by today's best-selling authors. Despite her enormous popularity, she never gave an interview or appeared in public. Georgette Heyer wrote her first novel, The Black Moth, when she was 17 in order to amuse her convalescent brother. It was published in 1921 to instant success, and 90 years later it has never been out of print.

From MILLION COPY BESTSELLER Judy Leigh ‘Brilliantly funny, emotional and uplifting’ Miranda Dickinson Now in his seventies, Robert Parkin is stunned to find himself the unlikely sex symbol of the village gardening club. Living in happy solitude with his cat Isaac Mewton in the Devon village...

Bloomsbury presents The Throwaway Children by Diney Costeloe, read by Phyllida Nash. Gritty, heartrending and unputdownable – the story of two sisters sent first to an English, then an Australian orphanage in the aftermath of World War II. Rita and Rosie Stevens are only nine and five years...

In The Darcy Connection, Mr. Collins of Pride and Prejudice is now the Bishop of Ripon, living with his wife Charlotte and their two daughters, who have reached marriageable age. The elder, another Charlotte, is extraordinarily beautiful, and her parents hope her looks and connections will ensure a brilliant marriage. Her sister Eliza, while not as handsome, possesses a lively intelligence that, in Mr. Collins's opinion, is too like her godmother Mrs. Darcy.

A werewolf video leaves Micky terrified of dogs. Mum decides the only answer is to get Mickey a pet of his own. To everyone's surprise -including Micky's - she chooses a werepuppy. But Wolfie turns out to be a very special pet - and a real joker!

Bloomsbury presents The Graces by Breeze Barrington, read by Phyllida Nash and with the prologue read by Breeze Barrington 'Sparkling ... Britain’s only Italian queen is brought vividly to life' LINDA PORTER A spellbinding work of history that uncovers the inner lives and work of Maria of...

The ruins of Pompeii, buried by an explosion of Vesuvius in 79 CE, offer the best evidence we have of everyday life in the Roman empire. This remarkable book rises to the challenge of making sense of those remains, as well as exploding many myths: the very date of the eruption, probably a few months later than usually thought, or the hygiene of the baths that must have been hotbeds of germs, or the legendary number of brothels, most likely only one, or the massive death count, maybe less than 10 per cent of the population.

The BRAND NEW feel-good read from MILLION COPY BESTSELLER Judy Leigh ‘We’re celebrating life,’ Rose said. ‘Life, every single minute of it. Tell me, girls - is there ever anything better to celebrate than that?’ Five years after seventy-something Tess jetted off to Paris with her best...

A BRAND NEW feel-good read from MILLION COPY BESTSELLER Judy Leigh, perfect for fans of Dawn French and Caroline James! ✨ You’re never too old to fall in love…again! Cecily Hamilton is months away from her ninety-second birthday. She’s lived life to the full, choosing work over romance...

1817. As a young woman, clever, self-reliant Lydia Templeton scandalised society by rejecting Lewis Durrant, the county's most eligible batchelor.

Ten years later, Lydia has no regrets and, having concluded that matters of the heart need no longer trouble her, she is quite happy to remain unwed. But others still seek Lydia's advice on their love lives.

Brought to you by Penguin. In 402 AD, after invading tribes broke through the Alpine frontiers of Italy and threatened the imperial government in Milan, the young Emperor Honorius made the momentous decision to move his capital to a small, easy defendable city in the Po estuary - Ravenna. From...

From MILLION COPY BESTSELLER Judy Leigh 'Judy’s done it again. Every woman over a certain age should read this wonderful book' Jennifer Bohnet Deep in the Somerset countryside, the Combe Pomeroy village library hosts a monthly book club. Ruth the librarian fears she’s too old to find love...