Showing results by narrator "Esther Wane" in All Categories

1528: Escaping from her family's scandalous involvement with Anne Boleyn's circle, Thomasin Marwood is beginning a new life in the service of Queen Catherine of Aragon. Thomasin is trying to forget Rafe Danvers, the man who stole her heart and then betrayed her, and when a group of Venetians arrive at court, she is drawn to the sophisticated Nico. But a great danger is lurking. The dreaded sweating sickness has returned, which claimed the life of Catherine's first husband, Prince Arthur, many years ago.

What if Cinderella never tried on the glass slipper? Unable to prove that she's the missing princess, and unable to bear life under Lady Tremaine any longer, Cinderella starts work at the palace as a seamstress. However, when Cinderella finds herself witness to a grand conspiracy to take the king - and the prince - out of power, she is faced with questions of love and loyalty to the kingdom.

With the help of old associates Chief Inspector Jellicoe, the newly promoted Detective Inspector Wellbeloved, and Rufus Watts, Kit and Mary soon find themselves in the middle of a race against time before the murderer strikes again in a case where revenge is the motive and everyone is putting on an act. After the Indiana Jones-like adventure in The Tangier Tajine, Kit and Mary Aston return to a more traditional murder mystery set in the world of post-war variety theatre just before the arrival of moving pictures and radio sounded the death knell to this wonderful realm of entertainment.

A Dance of Silver and Shadow: In this reimagining of the classic fairy tale The Twelve Dancing Princesses, there's a lot more at stake than worn out dancing slippers. A Tale of Beauty and Beast: In this reimagining of the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Beauty will have to use all of her strength and intelligence if she is to outwit her enemies, break a curse, and find true love. A Crown of Snow and Ice: In this reimagining of the classic fairy tale The Snow Queen, one princess is ready to burn down everything in her path.

Medieval queens were seen as mere dynastic trophies, yet many of the Plantagenet queens of the High Middle Ages dramatically broke away from the restrictions imposed on their sex, as Alison Weir shows in this gripping group biography of England's fourteenth-century consorts. Using personal...

Good at Games: Booktrack Edition adds an immersive musical soundtrack to your audiobook listening experience! Jill Mansell's hugely entertaining bestseller GOOD AT GAMES is perfect for you if you love reading Cathy Kelly, Milly Johnson and Lucy Diamond. Reviewers love Jill Mansell: 'A lovely...

Twenty years after the witch in the gingerbread house, Greta and Hans are struggling to get by. Their father and stepmother are long dead, Hans is deeply in debt from gambling, and the countryside lies in ruin, its people starving in the aftermath of a brutal war. Greta has a secret – the witch’s grimoire, secreted away and whispering in Greta’s ear for the past two decades, and the recipe inside that makes the best gingerbread you’ve ever tasted. As long as she can bake, Greta can keep her small family afloat.

Becky’s father is not just absent: he’s a total mystery, a hole in her life. He died before she was born and for her mother, Laura, the subject is strictly off-limits. When Laura books a spontaneous trip to Greece, Becky decides to join her, determined to get closer to her mother - and to the truth. But as they make their way to the island of Santorini, it becomes clear that this holiday is not as impulsive as Becky thought. Laura’s hiding something from her daughter - and she’s been hiding it for Becky’s whole life.

The Curse of the Hungerfords by acclaimed historian Alison Weir is a companion piece to the captivating fourth novel in the Six Tudor Queens series, Anna of Kleve: Queen of Secrets. Each sunset, as I go to the chapel, I find myself looking for her. I look for details. What she is wearing, some...

From an irresponsible baron whose body is discovered beneath a silver birch tree, to a classic detective duo solving a historic case as the lights go out across Europe, and an exclusive Tony Hill and Carol Jordan story, the characters McDermid conjures are enigmatic and dangerous. These evocative, atmospheric tales will shock and delight.

Marcus Kincaid, earl of Ashford, has returned to England after a 10-year absence to find his younger sister embroiled in a potential scandal that could ruin her chance at marriage. His aunt has already called in reinforcements - The Paragon. 

Has a restaurant critic's scathing review led to his murder? Local sleuth, Tanya Bowe, attends the long-awaited opening of the Surfusion restaurant. The unexpected arrival of a famous food critic raises the stakes for the owners and increases the buzz of excitement. The evening takes a dark turn...

The Princess Companion: This retelling of the classic fairy tale The Princess and the Pea reimagines the risks and rewards that come when one royal family goes searching for a true princess. The Princess Fugitive: In this reimagining of the classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, the girl in the red hood has been swallowed up by the wolf and must decide if she's willing to fight for her freedom. Happily Ever Afters: Sarah and Evelyn have already risked everything to help Ava win a crown. But they soon learn that a coronation is a beginning.

Can a dragon and an elf really save an entire kingdom? Lore has spent years dedicated to one purpose. Save the kingdom, give her people the freedom they deserve, and show the humans that they were in the wrong. But when she finally returns with her dragon at her side, she realizes that some...

Who do our politicians work for? The public, or big business? If you want to understand why British politics isn't working, the first place to start is here. Parliament Ltd reveals the financial interests that British politicians would rather you didn't hear about. From banks and private...

A wonderful selection of 22 fantastical summer stories by one of the world's best-loved children's authors, Enid Blyton. School's out! So go on a picnic in the woods, visit the seaside or take a trip on a magic aeroplane in this enchanting collection of stories perfect for summer holidays...

It's summer in Bliss Bay. Ladybirds have descended upon the village, and event organizer Megan Fallon has a diary as clear as the sky. Although her wedding to American fiance Jack Windsor is a year away, excitement surrounding the biggest event of her life (after the birth of her daughter Evie, of course) is already building, and she's determined that nothing will take the edge off it. However, when a visitor to the village is found dead in suspicious circumstances, the police are left scratching their heads.

Leadership can be learned: New evidence from neuroscience clearly points to ways that leaders can significantly improve how they engage with and motivate others. This book provides leaders and managers with an accessible guide to practical, effective actions, based on neuroscience.

If Miss Laura Hopkins desired a husband, her beauty, brains, and fortune would make it easy to acquire one. Instead, she prefers to put her charms to another purpose entirely. Using the alias Lady Sterling, she helps young women who have been mistreated or compromised by their employers. Some might see it as theft and blackmail. For Laura, it is a small measure of justice. But while in pursuit of her latest target, she is unexpectedly aided by a gentleman who announces that he is Lord Sterling.

Turning towards the lighthouse, Sarah wipes a tear from her eye as she reads the inscription on the faded photograph. Will this discovery tear her family apart for good? After running from her mother's seaside cottage ten years ago following a devastating loss, Sarah returns to the village of...