Showing results by narrator "Peter Joyce" in All Categories

It is 1919 shortly after the termination of the 1st European holocaust. Henry Earlforward, a middle aged North London Bookseller, courts and marries Violet Arb, a widow who has inherited the confectioners shop opposite his own premises in Riceyman Square. Henry and Violet engage the services of Elsie as ‘charwoman’.

“This is the original Game of Thrones.” George R.R. Martin. Charles IV is now king of France and his sister is Edward II of England’s Queen. Having been imprisoned by Edward as leader of the rebellious English barons, Roger Mortimer escapes to France, where he joins the war against the...

A chilling tale of suspense with a puzzling mystery at the heart of the story. Architect Edward Westray is sent by his firm to restore Cullerne Minster. The young man believes that more work is needed to secure the bell tower, but his warnings go unheeded. A fellow lodger, the church organist Sharnall, is investigating the belief of the late Martin Joliffe, the landlady's brother, that he, Joliffe, was the rightful heir to the Blandamer title and estates.

In 1842, Charles Dickens visited America. His reception was somewhat colder than that which usually greeted him - already a successful author in both Britain and the United States. This lack of enthusiasm from the Americans was partly due to his criticism of the pirating of English books in that country and partly due to his outspoken distaste for the custom of slavery in the southern states.

Soames travels to Paris to make one last attempt to regain Irene and the detective agency think they have found the man involved in the affair.Irene returns to London to seek Jolyon’s help and the two become closer while Soames takes out some insurance with Annette’s mother.The spurned husband confronts the lovers at Robin Hill in a meeting which verges on violence and as devastating news comes from the Front more young Forsytes prepare to serve their country.

‘This was the original GAME OF THRONES’ George R.R. Martin Available for the first time in English, THE KING WITHOUT A KINGDOM is the seventh and final volume of The Accursed Kings series. The reign of the Capetian kings has ended and John II, ‘The Good’, second of the Valois dynasty...

Arnold Bennett's... splendidly comic portrayal of Edward Henry Machin, known as Denry to his mother to save time, is set in Bursley, one of the author's Five Towns of Staffordshire. Starting in 1897, when Denry first saw the smoke of the potbanks, the tale chronicles his rise to fame and wealth including such events as improving his exam results to guarantee success, adjusting the guest list of the municipal ball to include himself and then daring to ask the Countess of Chell to dance!

A compelling drama and a merciless scrutiny of a newly monied upper-middle-class family at the turn of the 20th century, The Forsyte Saga has a sumptuous range of characters. If you have enjoyed The Forsyte Saga on television in the past, you will be familiar with this engrossing story; if not, prepare to be completely captivated and engaged by one of the best tales ever told.

'Why should I work when I could steal?' Thus speaks A. J.Raffles, gentleman, the finest slow bowler of his generation and a shameless thief. When Bunny, an old school acquaintance, confesses that he will be dishonourably disgraced for writing cheques that his bank will not meet, Raffles persuades him to assist in a burglary. From that moment, Bunny is locked into a life of crime and, fortunately for his audience, recounts their adventures in a most thrilling way.

In 1843 the material that Dickins had gathered on his trip to America was published with the title American Notes [also produced by Assembled Stories]. The book was viewed with disdain from both sides of the Atlantic and in some quarters, strong disapproval, his criticism having done little for Anglo-American relations.

Mr Sleuth is a good guest, pays handsomely and in advance, needs very little looking after and seems to be a harmless gentleman. But when the murderous exploits of a serial killer known only as 'The Avenger' start occurring closer to home, Mrs Bunting begins to worry about her guest, his curious experiments and nocturnal habits.

Helen Rathbone meets her elderly uncle, James Ollerenshaw, in Bursley Park, after an estrangement of several years. Both are very strong-willed, independent characters. Helen has an extravagant lifestyle and likes to spend money while the old man has lived a thrifty life and intends to continue in the same way. However, they develop a friendship which progresses rapidly, and Helen moves in to James' house to look after him.

Summer, 1942. For the people of Malta, suffering daily bombing raids, the British are the last line of defence against the Nazis. And it is Max Chadwick's job as the information officer to ensure the news the islanders receive maintains morale. So when Max is given proof suggesting a British officer is murdering local women, he knows the consequences of discovery are dire.

Dr Jekyll creates a potion whereby he can divide the good and evil parts of his personality and thus free the good side to work for the benefit of mankind without the distraction of his baser instincts. Unfortunately, he undertakes the experiment while the depraved side of his nature is in the ascendancy and turns into the repulsive Mr Hyde, whose very presence ‘emanates with foulness and decay’, and who bears the ‘signature of Satan’ on his face.

Grace Melbury, the timber merchant's daughter, comes back to Little Hintock after some years at finishing school. She was the childhood sweetheart of Giles Winterborne, a compassionate, caring man who works in the village. Melbury senior has promised himself that Grace and Giles will be married to recompense for him taking Giles' father's betrothed many years before. However, Grace is a different woman now, a sophisticated creature, and the suave, knowledgeable local doctor Fitzpiers takes an interest in her.

An exciting... adventure indeed as the Seagrave family, en route to Australia, are shipwrecked and become castaways on a desert tropical island. Thankfully Masterman Ready, a good man to have in a crisis, is on hand to build shelter and solve the many problems they encounter- to build a fish pool, catch turtles and how to cultivate the available resources .

Jon and his mother go to Spain. The son manages to curtail the visit after six weeks.Meanwhile, Jolyon strengthens his relationship with his eldest daughter, June, who reveals that she sympathises with the young lovers. It is June who helps Fleur in her search for the history of the feud within the family. Prosper Profond, who continues to ingratiate himself with the Forsyte clan, inadvertently discloses the truth.

Twenty years have passed since their first adventure in Africa, but Leo assures Holly that Ayesha is alive and imploring him to find her. They search through Asia and eventually arrive in the city of Kaloon, ruled by the mad Khan Rassen and his devious wife, the Khania Atene. The people live under an uneasy truce with the followers of the Priestess of Hes, who dwells on the Mountain, a huge volcano that dominates the region.

The brutal murder of a woman in a lonely beach cottage, huge footprints found nearby, a meandering tramp singing snatches of opera in the night! Superintendent Minter - "Sooper", rattles around the countryside on his noisy motorbike and tries to find a connection. Hampered by amateur detective Gordon Cardew, aided and admired by lawyer Jim Ferraby and the beautiful Elfa Leigh, Sooper finds the case further complicated by another murder.

Love and Mr Lewisham is a hugely uplifting tale from the pen of one of our greatest writers. Wells drew on his own experience as a young teacher to provide the background and, one suspects, the emotional drama. The plot enables him to satirise the educational establishment and deliver many wry observations on Victorian morality and the obsession with the supernatural. One day Mr Lewisham sits at his makeshift desk at his lodgings. He is an assistant master at Whortley proprietary school.