Showing results by publisher "Next Chapter Audio Ltd" in Historical Fiction

It's the turn of the millennium, and China is evolving. At the center of the dynamic change is the vibrant hub of Shanghai, a melting pot of cultures and businesses; a place of luck, fortune, and chance. In awe of the homes in which these strange people live, the housekeeper Li Yang gets to know the families who she's working with. What the Westerners don't know is that in addition to her unusual working life, Li Yang has a turbulent home life, with her own son hiding things from her.

Captured by the enemy during World War Two, Percy Crow escapes in the bilges of a freighter from Soviet Russia to Hamburg. There, he sells his secrets to the head of British Intelligence. But when Lord Maudlin Paterson hears Percy’s account of the royal family's dark secrets, he sets out to find the truth, however repulsive it may be. Decades later, the daughter of Maudlin’s illegitimate Russian son suddenly blurts out Percy’s name while being interrogated by the CIA — and Harry Paterson, Maudlin’s legitimate great-grandson, is the only person she trusts.

Edinburgh, 1804. Dorothea Flockhart is hiding her past. A woman alone, she avoids men. Even the personable Captain Rogers fails to stir her heart despite all his efforts. While Napoleon's armies threaten invasion, Scotland's capital still hosts balls, although the atmosphere is hectic, and men don uniforms to meet the impending turmoil.

Scotland, 1849. The O'Donnell girls are driven from their Wicklow home by starvation and an Anglo-Irish landlord. After losing their father, the three sail to Glasgow with thousands of others in search of a new start.

Librarian Heather Brown discovers the fascinating life of Alice Bailey - a long forgotten occultist. Back in 1931, Alice is preparing to give a speech at a Swiss summer school. But how can she stave the tide of hatred and greed set to bring the world to its knees? Soon after, Alice is put on Hitler's blacklist. What she doesn't realize is the enormity of her influence to the world, and the real enemies who are much closer than she thinks. A dynamic and complex figure, Alice Bailey’s reach was huge.

Times are changing around Roxie and Mattie. The two are barely surviving the bitter winters in the unforgiving American frontier. With Mattie's help, Roxie is moving forward and putting her life together, piece by piece. But just as Roxie settles back into her life in the Trade, her past returns, opening wounds she doesn’t know how to close. Losing her heart once almost broke her. Will she be strong enough to keep it from happening again?

Between creating precious glass parts for one Professore Galileo Galilei’s astonishing invention and attending lavish parties at the Doge’s Palace, Sophia crosses paths with influential people, including one who could change her life forever. But in Venice, every secret has its price. Soon, Sophia must decide how much she is willing to pay for her family, the glass, and love.

It is the year 1915, and the British and Ottoman Empires clash in a deadly struggle in the Middle East. Tasked with keeping the Ottomans out of Suez Canal, Major Andrew Selkirk discovers that his real assignment is to retrieve a Bengali spy working for those who vow to see British rule out of India. After landing on the west coast of Palestine, Selkirk discovers the Ottomans have taken the spy captive. Even more troubling are the plans by Ottomans and Germans to draw Afghanistan and Persia into the war against Great Britain.

Mattie Wallace is rejected by her family and her community when she refuses to marry one brother - because, she loves the other. Labeled a trollop and run out of town, she finds herself on the road with meager possessions and little money. Soon, Mattie meets Roxana: a woman in the trade. Mattie is impressed with Roxie's confidence, independence, her lovely wardrobe, and also with the fact that Roxie has made herself a life that is not dictated by a man.

Slashing through French soldiers at Waterloo was easy compared to engaging marriage-hungry debutantes. Finding the perfect bride-to-be isn’t Viscount Linscott’s intention; he only needs a match to satisfy the demands of the man holding his income hostage. Does he choose a wife from his friend’s list or get ensnared by the demure deb? Following the rules has never been more difficult, especially with an aunt determined to parade Annabelle Greene in front of every septuagenarian. She doubts her ability to attract a single suitor, but as the season progresses, she may have to turn away two.

In the unforgiving land of ancient Caledonia, a bloodline of chieftains rises up against insurmountable challenges. From brutal tribal clashes to powerful Roman invaders, they wage war to protect their sacred land, guided by the wisdom of mystical druids and the formidable will of old gods. With Roman walls slicing through their homeland, Lachlan — heir to the legendary Calgacus - must unite the tribes and harness ancient magic to resist the invaders. Aided by divine visions and a mythical warhound, Lachlan emerges as a warrior destined to lead his people.

Mierce, the English Midlands, 8th Century A.D. Æthelbald, King of Mierce, is a man of ambition. Having created much-needed stability within his domain, he now aspires to take the surrounding kingdoms to expand and fortify his own. Stealthy and cunning, Æthelbald manipulates other men of power to achieve his goals. As Æthelbald’s reign grows and strengthens, so too does the authority of the church, whose leverage over monarchical matters becomes increasingly overbearing.

It's the mid-11th century, and the Byzantine Empire dominates the world. Within the walls of its great capital, Constantinople, treachery, debauchery and power politics are part of the lives of the ruling elite. Thrust into this mix is the Viking adventurer, Harald Hardrada. In the court of the deranged emperor, Michael the Fifth, danger lurks at every turn, and Harald soon becomes a pawn in the various factions' thirst for power. Can he survive this dangerous place, and turn his mind towards regaining what is rightfully his?

In the early 9th century, Asculf leads a quiet life among his apple orchards on the Isle of Sceapig. When called upon for military service, he covers himself in glory. His prowess leads to a friendship with King Aethelwulf of Kent, who offers him one of the most prestigious positions in the kingdom. Meeting King Egbert of Wessex through his son, Aethelwulf, his courage and successful grasp of strategy promise them great success.

John Broughton's Expulsion is a historically accurate, riveting adventure set in the medieval times, where riches and power are in the reach of the resourceful, and death is always just one step away.

London, 1888. After Satanist Edward Sinistrari is condemned to hang for ritual murder of four girls, he escapes from the gallows at Newgate Prison, leaving a bloody trail in his wake.

It's the aftermath of the second opium war in Southeast Asia. Declan Malcolm, the newly elected captain, must lead a crew of sailors to navigate the treacherous high seas while protecting goods for a local triad leader, Three-Finger Tang.

When James Bryan Cullen takes on convict transportee Elizabeth Bartlett in 1796 as a housekeeper, his challenge is to convince her that life on Norfolk Island is worth living. But how do you come back from being wrongly accused of a crime, then exiled to the other side of the world? He is 32 years older, transported on the First Fleet, long a free man, a constable, a landowner. She’s pregnant; her life such as it was, in tatters. With nothing to lose, Elizabeth settles into an existence as a convict slave, waiting for her master to expect more than cleaning and cooking.

When Abe Kilhoe woke up, he had no idea he'd be shot in the gut before dinner. It happened anyway, and the scoundrel who did it fled into the desert. Now, he's in for a world of hurt. Abe's brother is the legendary Texas Ranger Frank Kilhoe, and it so happens that he is friends with the legendary Sheriff Curly Barnes and his two loyal deputies. Soon, the fugitive will be getting a lot more justice than he bargained for.

1914. The clouds of war are gathering across Europe, but life in the Durham village of Ashbrook Stills carries on as it has for generations, the miners and farmers unmindful of the catastrophe that is about to engulf their world and put them all in danger. The Garforth family lies at the epicenter of the upcoming change, as the young men of the village eagerly heed the call to arms and rush to enlist. Soon, young Edgar Garforth finds himself fighting for his life on the beaches of Gallipoli, as his brothers also enlist in Kitchener’s Army, ready to do their duty for King and Country.