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Whether dressed in her finery or disguised as a frump, he wanted her just the same!How can plain Frederica withstand a Season's scrutiny after the five beauties before her have married so magnificently? The only solution is to run away from home...Disguised as a chambermaid, Freddie soon finds her way into the household of the fashionable Duke of Pembury. But the wild gentleman is soon on to her tricks and finds himself escorting Freddie back to London, where, once again on the marriage mart, her sisters make over the tomboyish runaway until even she cannot recognise herself!But a certain gentleman can, and so it would seem that Freddie is not fated to be plain - or unmarried - after all....

Diana's passion is a rather strange one for a lady - she loves to hunt while dressed as a man!With her lustrous black hair and enormous dark eyes, Diana is shy of men yet dreams of the freedom they must enjoy. Only when she is invited to Town by the icily blond Lord Mark Dantrey does she begin to realise that being a women does have unexpected advantages. And what of the gypsy, who prophesised a dark stranger, and warned of a fair one? Surprising twists and turns await Diana on the path of true love.

Red-haired, jade-eyed Deirdre is determined to marry for Love - nothing else will do. So the fact her father's candidate for her hand, Lord Harry Desire, is well bred and good looking, interests her not a jot! But the feelings he arouses in her are truly distracting.Deirdre's discovery of what desire can mean and where her heart really lies brings about a delicious climax to this adventure of intrigue, misunderstanding - and love!

Daphne Armitage is the acknowleged beauty of that family of renowned belles, but beauty is more than skin deep.Black-haired, exquisite Daphne is certain she can avoid the turmoil of true love by demanding nothing more of a husband than to be an elegant companion. Teh self-absorbed Mr Archer seems to fit the bill to perfection. But when Mr Simon Garfield agitates Daphne's calm outward manner, the results are dramatic and delightful!

The fifth book in M.C. Beaton's charming Travelling Matchmaker series. The engaging Miss Hannah Pym delights all as she resumes her matchmaking adventures aboard the English stage - when lonely hearts chance across her intrepid path they're sure to find themselves en route for romance!Destined for Dover, Miss Pym has her matchmaking work cut out for her when she encounters the pretty but hoydenish Lady Deborah Western! Encouraged by an unruly twin brother, the spirited, golden-haired Deborah seems set on dressing and acting the tomboy, much to the dismay of her handsome neighbor, the Earl of Ashton...To Deb, the earl is a dull stick, always lecturing on the behavior of a proper lady. But her desire to fish, hunt, and ride astride is quickly replaced with more romantic notions when the tall, green-eyed earl challenges her to a horse race and wins himself an unforgettable kiss. Miss Pym can't resist the opportunity to match-make, and with the help of her clever maneuverings, Lady Deborah will soon be well and truly matched - perhaps even to the earl himself!'Romance fans are in for a treat' - Booklist'[M. C. Beaton] is the best of the Regency writers' - Kirkus Reviews

The fourth book in M.C. Beaton's charming Travelling Matchmaker series. The unsinkable Miss Pym returns to the English stagecoach in search of adventure and troubled hearts, and with her delightful schemes and discerning eye, she never fails to strike a match by journey's end.Lady Beatrice Marsham is in quite a coil. No sooner is she widowed from a brutish gambling husband, than her heartless family is forcing her into another horrid marriage. Fleeing by stagecoach to the Brighton seaside, the proud beauty meets Miss Hannah Pym, who is determined to find her a proper match.The handsome and kind Lord Alistair Munro would be perfect. Unfortunately, he is convinced of the ton gossip that proclaims Lady Beatrice a cruel flirt. Miss Pym, however, is not worried. The lady's hard heart has softened much since coming to Brighton. and though Lord Alistair disapproves of the old Lady Beatrice, by Miss Pym's clever design, he is sure to fall in love with the new and improved model...'Romance fans are in for a treat' - Booklist'[M. C. Beaton] is the best of the Regency writers' - Kirkus Reviews

The first book in M.C. Beaton's charming Travelling Matchmaker series. A dead employer's legacy of five thousand pounds allows spinster Hannah Pym to resign from housekeeping and find adventure travelling the English countryside by stagecoach. But adventure soon finds Miss Pym in the form of Miss Emily Freemantle, a spoilt violet-eyed beauty fleeing an arranged marriage to a rake she has never met.When the girl's darkly handsome betrothed boards their stage, Miss Pym is certain Emily was rash to bolt from this aristocratic catch! And so as soon as the travellers repair to an inn, Miss Pym begins her matchmaking... and although Lord Ranger Harley complains he'll not marry an ungrateful minx, Miss Pym suspects once she's marshalled the couple into sharing intimate household chores, all romantic knots will be untangled!'Romance fans are in for a treat' - Booklist'[M. C. Beaton] is the best of the Regency writers' - Kirkus Reviews

The third book in M.C. Beaton's charming Travelling Matchmaker series. Kind-hearted Miss Hannah Pym is off to Portsmouth in the company of the beautiful but practical Miss Penelope Wilkins. Miss Pym quickly realises that Penelope needs someone to enliven her sheltered life, someone perhaps like their handsome travelling companion, Lord Augustus Railton. Penelope, however, thinks Lord Augustus is a ne'er-do-well...Hannah's hopes for adventure, on the other hand, are fulfilled when the coach happens upon a footman who faces hanging for a crime he didn't commit.'Romance fans are in for a treat' - Booklist'[M. C. Beaton] is the best of the Regency writers' - Kirkus Reviews

The second book in M.C. Beaton's charming Travelling Matchmaker series. The delightful Miss Hannah Pym returns to the English countryside in search of adventure and romance in distress.No sooner does Miss Pym board her next stagecoach than she finds herself embroiled in the plight of Miss Belinda Earle, a spirited heiress banished to Bath after swearing off the marriage market.When the coach founders near Baddell Castle, and the dashing Marquis of Frenton comes to the rescue, Miss Pym decides to give Fate a hand. Although the austere bachelor disdains romance, his furtive glances towards Belinda prove to Miss Pym that her expert matchmaking will soon turn this star-crossed couple into a heavenly match!'Romance fans are in for a treat' - Booklist'[M. C. Beaton] is the best of the Regency writers' - Kirkus Reviews

All the Reverend Francis Oughterard had ever wanted was some peace and quiet, instead he becomes entangled in a nightmare world of accidental murder, predatory female parishioners, officious policemen and a drunken bishop. As the vicar's life spirals out of control it is his supercilious cat, Maurice, and bone obsessed hound, Bouncer, who save the day.A Load of Old Bones is a charming and farcical romp through a 1950's mythical Surrey.Praise for Suzette A. Hill:'Perfect one-sitting summer read.' Laura Wilson, Guardian'E F Benson crossed with Jerome K Jerome' The Times audiobooks review'Quite why this series should be charming, astringent and witty, instead of emetically twee, I am not sure, but it is entirely delightful' Guardian'This dry, funny British gem, with its eccentric cast of characters, will have readers laughing and eagerly awaiting the next episode' Publishers Weekly

Having extricated himself from the embarrassment of murdering his lady parishioner, the Rev. Oughterard is now plunged into the traumas of art theft.Forced by the shady Nicholas Ingaza into being a fence for stolen paintings, he endures the investigative probings of terrifying female novelist and amateur sleuth, Maud Tubbly Pole, hell-bent on portraying him in her next novel.Haunted by the recent murder and fearful of exposure in his new role of 'receiver', the Reverend blunders haplessly in a mesh of intrigue and risible deceit. As before, his antics are commented upon by his cat, the acidic Maurice, and redoubtable bone-grinding ally, the dog Bouncer.Praise for Suzette A. Hill:'Perfect one-sitting summer read.' Laura Wilson, Guardian'I think this is tremendous - amusing and professional' Dame Beryl Bainbridge'E F Benson crossed with Jerome K Jerome' The Times audiobooks review'This dry, funny British gem, with its eccentric cast of characters, will have readers laughing and eagerly awaiting the next episode' Publishers Weekly'An intriguingly quirky read! And Maurice the cat is a very clever puss indeed!' Leslie Phillips OBE

First-hand accounts of football violence, from infamous Millwall to Man U. Once dubbed 'the English disease', British match-day thuggery has spread right across Europe and beyond. Here is the inside story of that phenomenon from those that were there, taking part in the mayhem. 'Yob Laureate' Dougie Brimson and his brother Eddy offer a compelling description of match-day madness; Colin Ward goes steaming in, while other pieces detail the irresistible aggro of the local Derby, the tragedy inside Heysel Stadium and the violence surrounding England's 1998 World Cup match against Tunisia. Finally, Dougie Brimson asks if the police are not just another 'firm', simply participants in the violence.

A thought-provoking and important book that raises essential issues crucial not only for understanding our past but also the present day.In this panoramic history, Jeremy Black tells how slavery was first developed in the ancient world, and reaches all the way to the present in the form of contemporary crimes such as trafficking and bonded labour. He shows how slavery has taken many forms throughout history and across the world - from the uprising of Spartacus, the plantations of the West Indies, and the murderous forced labour of the gulags and concentration camps.Slavery helped to consolidate transoceanic empires and helped mould new world societies such as America and Brazil. Black charts the long fight for abolition in the nineteenth century, looking at both the campaigners as well as the harrowing accounts of the enslaved themselves.Slavery is still with us today, and coerced labour can be found closer to home than one might expect.

Coinciding with Pope Benedict XVIs state visit to the UK in September 2010. David Yallop, author of In God's Name, looks at the current news stories concerning widespread child abuse by priests and shows how the Vatican is not telling the full story.Praise for In God's Name:'A thriller without an ending...Yallop has surely proved there is a case to answer.' - Guardian'An astonishing book...a story of corruption, lies and disinformation.' - Daily Mail'Excellently done ... An engrossing and disturbing book' - Economist

No wonder she's been crowned Queen of Cosy Crime' Mail on SundayAgatha Raisin has never been one for enforced holiday cheer, but her friendly little village of Carsely has always prided itself on its traditional Christmas festivities. But this year the bells will not be ringing out Silent Night as Mr John Sunday, an officer with the Cotswold Health and Safety Board, has chosen Christmas as the time to crack down on what he sees as gross misconduct by every man, woman and child in the vicinity. The village shop is told it can no longer have wooden shelves which have been there since the time of Queen Victoria 'in case someone is inflicted with a splinter.' The village school is ordered to leave lights on at night 'to prevent unauthorised intruders from tripping in the dark.' And children are warned to not play with 'counterfeit banknotes' after passing around toy money in the playground. But finally Mr Sunday goes too far when he rules that there cannot be a Christmas tree atop the church tower this year. Soon after the decree, and just before Christmas, Agatha is sipping a cup of tea and trying to stay awake as minute by minute of the Carsely Ladies Society meeting at the vicarage drones on when a sudden scream wakes her from her stupor. The ladies rush out of the building and into the garden to find Sunday lying face down in the petunias, very much dead. Agatha is instantly on the case, but with so many people having threatened the life of the victim, it's almost impossible to know where to start!Praise for the Agatha Raisin series:'M C Beaton has created a national treasure... Agatha Raisin is the strongest link' Anne Robinson'M C Beaton's imperfect heroine is an absolute gem' Publishers Weekly'Clever red herrings and some wicked unfinished business guarantees that the listener will pant for a sequel' The Times audiobook review'The Miss Marple-like Agatha is a refreshingly sensible, wonderfully eccentric, thoroughly likeable heroine' Booklist

It would seem that even a pretend engagement cannot keep Lady Rose Summer from trouble. Bored with endless parties, teas and balls, she befriends Dolly Tremaine, a beautiful young girl newly arrived from the country and overwhelmed by the demands of the Season. Their friendship is cut tragically short, however, when Dolly is found dead in the river, with flowers in her hair and blood on her breast.Rose immediately summons her fianc , investigator Captain Harry Cathcart, to help solve the mystery of Dolly's death - and to keep her from becoming the murderer's next victim.

Lady Rose Summer prides herself on not being a jealous woman - and she knows her engagement to Captain Harry Cathcart is only a ruse to keep her parents from shipping her off to India to find a husband. But then Harry's latest client, Dolores Duval - French, curvaceous, flirtatious - starts appearing everywhere at his side. And that changes everything.In a fit of temper Rose threatens Dolores - only to be found the very next day standing over her dead body. Only Harry can clear Rose's name - and to do that he has to put the real murderer behind bars...

After a brief and ill-advised dalliance with the Suffragette movement, Lady Rose Summers' debut season in London society turns out to be a complete disaster. Rose's father suspects that her fianc , Sir Geoffrey Blandon, is a first class scoundrel and calls in Captain Harry Cathcart to investigate.But when a malicious guest is found dead in suspicious circumstances, Rose becomes far more interested in discovering the truth than in landing a more appropriate suitor. As Harry and Rose begin to unravel this web of lies and rumours, a clever murderer sets out to make Rose's disastrous first season her last.

The future's not so rosy for Lady Rose Summer . . .Longing for a life of emancipation, Lady Rose Summer has abandoned the comforts of her parent's house to become self supporting. But life as a working woman isn't quite as liberating as Rose has imagined - fortunately for her, though, her drudgery comes to an end when old acquaintance Freddy Pomfret is murdered and her help - and upper class connections - are required by amateur sleuth Captain Harry Cathcart.So as Rose and Harry prepare to take on the usual Edwardian social rounds, little do they expect to uncover a devious blackmail plot and an unexpected killer.

The local ladies all deem Mr John a wizard, so when Agatha finds a few grey hairs on her head - and the rinse she tries at home turns her hair purple - she makes a beeline for the handsome Evesham hairdresser. And as well as sorting out her hair it soon becomes clear the charming man also has designs on her heart - but their future together is cut short when Mr John is fatally poisoned in his salon.Once again Agatha finds herself embroiled in a murder case. Was it one of Mr John's many customers, all of whom divulged to him their darkest secrets? Praise for the Agatha Raisin series:'M. C. Beaton's imperfect heroine is an absolute gem.' Publishers Weekly'The detective novels of M. C. Beaton, a master of outrageous black comedy, have reached cult status.' The Times'Being a cranky, middle-aged female myself, I found Agatha charming!' Amazon customer review'Agatha Raisin is sharp, witty, hugely intelligent, unfailingly entertaining, delightfully intolerant and oh so magnificently non PC. M C Beaton has created a new national treasure... the stories zing along and are irresistible, unputdownable, a joy. If you buy one book a year, let it be this. Agatha Raisin is The Strongest Link.' Anne Robinson

Summer 1931 in seedy Bayswater and James Ross is on his uppers. An aspiring writer whose stories nobody will buy ('It's the slump'), with a landlady harassing him for unpaid rent and occasional sleepless nights spent in the waiting room at King's Cross Station, he is reduced to selling carpet-cleaning lotion door-to-door. His prospects brighten when he meets the glamorous Suzi ('the red hair and the tight jumper weren't a false card: she really was a looker and no mistake'), but their relationship turns out to be a source of increasing bafflement. Who is her boss, the mysterious Mr Rasmussen - whose face bears a startling resemblance to one of the portraits in Police News - and why he so interested in the abandoned premises above the Cornhill jeweller's shop?Worse, mysterious Mr Haversham from West End Central is starting to take an interest in his affairs. With a brief to keep an eye on Schmiegelow, James finds himself staying incognito at a grand Society weekend at a country house in Sussex, where the truth - about Suzi and her devious employer - comes as an unexpected shock. Set against a backdrop of the 1931 financial crisis and the abandonment of the Gold Standard, acted out in shabby bed-sitters and Lyons tea-shops, At the Chime of a City Clock is an authentic slice of Thirties comedy-noir.Praise for Kept: A Victorian Mystery:'Very entertaining and well done, with a sharp appreciation for the details' The Times'An ingenious tale of madness, murder and deception.' The Guardian'A stylish page-turner ... all done with humour and cunning.' Sunday Telegraph

Since the dawn of humanity, men have attempted to divine the nature of the heavens. The first astronomers mapped the movement of the seasons and used the positions of the constellations for augurs and astrology. Today, the search goes ever deeper into the nature of reality and life itself. In this accessible overview, astrophysicist J.P. McEvoy tells the story of how our knowledge of the cosmos has developed. He puts in context many of the greatest discoveries of all time and many of the dominant personalities: Aristotle, Copernicus, and Isaac Newton, and as we approach the modern era, Einstein, Eddington, and Hawking.

Agatha Raisin's neighbouring village of Ancombe is usually the epitome of quiet rural charm, but the arrival of a new mineral-water company - which intends to tap into the village spring - sends tempers flaring and divides the parish council into two stubborn camps.When Agatha, who just happens to be handling the PR for the water company, finds the council chairman murdered at the basin of the spring, tongues start wagging. Could one of the council members have polished off the chairman before he could cast the deciding vote? Poor Agatha, still nursing a bruised heart from one of her unsuccessful romantic encounters, must get cracking, investigate the councillors and solve the crime.Praise for the Agatha Raisin series:'M. C. Beaton's imperfect heroine is an absolute gem.' Publishers Weekly'The detective novels of M. C. Beaton, a master of outrageous black comedy, have reached cult status.' The Times'Being a cranky, middle-aged female myself, I found Agatha charming!' Amazon customer review'Agatha Raisin is sharp, witty, hugely intelligent, unfailingly entertaining, delightfully intolerant and oh so magnificently non PC. M C Beaton has created a new national treasure... the stories zing along and are irresistible, unputdownable, a joy. If you buy one book a year, let it be this. Agatha Raisin is The Strongest Link.' Anne Robinson

Eye of newt, toe of frog . . . and murder most foul!Left with bald patches thanks to the wicked doings of a murderer from a previous investigation, Agatha flees to coastal Wyckhadden to re-grow her lost locks. With hair tonic supplied by a local witch, Agatha's tresses begin to flow - but the witch is found bludgeoned to death. The odd elderly residents of Agatha's elegantly faded hotel seem innocuous, but as she delves deeper she discovers secrets best left and powerful motives for revenge. Balancing the amorous attentions of police inspector Jimmy Jessop with an ever more treacherous search for the killer, Agatha is at her wits' end - and ready to cast a spell of her own . . .Praise for the Agatha Raisin series:'Sharp, witty, hugely intelligent, unfailingly entertaining, delightfully intolerant and oh so magnificently non-PC, M.C. Beaton has created a national treasure' Anne Robinson'M.C. Beaton's imperfect heroine is an absolute gem' Publishers Weekly'The Miss Marple-like Raisin is a refreshing, sensible, wonderfully eccentric, thoroughly likeable heroine.' Booklist

Cold-blooded murder heats up Agatha's summer holiday! Agatha travels to Cyprus, only to contend with her estranged fiance, an egregious group of truly terrible tourists, and a string of murders. . .In this sixth entertaining outing Agatha leaves the sleepy Cotswold village of Carsely to pursue love - and finds a murderer. Spurned at the altar, she follows her fleeing fianc James Lacey to Cyprus, where, instead of enjoying the honeymoon they'd planned, they witness the killing of an obnoxious tourist in a disco. Intrigue and a string of murders surround the unlikely couple, in a plot as scorching as the Cypriot sun! Praise for the Agatha Raisin series:'M. C. Beaton's imperfect heroine is an absolute gem.' Publishers Weekly'The detective novels of M. C. Beaton, a master of outrageous black comedy, have reached cult status.' The Times"e;Anyone interested in a few hours"e; worth of intelligent, amusing reading will want to make the acquaintance of Mrs. Agatha Raisin."e; The Cleveland Pain Dealer"e;M C Beaton has created a new national treasure... the stories zing along and are irresistible, unputdownable, a joy... Agatha Raisin is The Strongest Link."e; Anne Robinson'Being a cranky, middle-aged female myself, I found Agatha charming!' Amazon customer review'I dream of being able to speak out like Aggie . . . she's a heroine!' A. Lucas, Essex, reader review

The morning of Agatha's marriage to James Lacey dawns bright and clear. But her luck runs out in the church when Jimmy, the husband she had believed long dead, turns up large as life and twice as ugly. Agatha has a go at strangling him. James breaks off the engagement. So when Jimmy is found murdered next day, Agatha and James are both the prime suspects. And they'll have to work together in order to clear their names . . .Praise for the Agatha Raisin series:'M. C. Beaton's imperfect heroine is an absolute gem.' Publishers Weekly'The detective novels of M. C. Beaton, a master of outrageous black comedy, have reached cult status.' The Times'Being a cranky, middle-aged female myself, I found Agatha charming!' Amazon customer review'I dream of being able to speak out like Aggie . . . she's a heroine!' A. Lucas, Essex, reader review

Agatha lets sleeping vets lie...Retired PR boss Agatha Raisin is enjoying life in her pretty Cotswold village of Carsely. It even seems likely that the attractive new vet, Paul Bladen, has taken a shine to her. But before romance can blossom, Paul is killed in an accident with Lord Pendlebury's horse. Only the circumstances are rather suspicious.Agatha decides she must once more play amateur investigator. And this cloud has a silver lining - she can persuade her usually stand-offish neighbour, James Lacey, to become her partner in the quest. As usual, Agatha is quite prepared to rush in, heedless of the lurking menace to both James and herself.Praise for the Agatha Raisin series:'Agatha is like Miss Marple with a drinking problem, pack-a-day habit and major man lust. I think she may be living my dream life.' Entertainment Weekly'Clever red herrings and some wicked unfinished business guarantees that the listener will pant for a sequel.' The Times Audiobook Review

There may be trouble ahead . . . so will Agatha face the music?Can the feisty Agatha cut it as a private investigator? She soon learns that running her own detective agency in the Cotswolds is not quite like starring in a Raymond Chandler movie. But then walks in wealthy divorcee Catherine Laggat-Brown, and Agatha is given her first real case. Death threats, blackmail and physical attack soon follow, and once again Agatha is off scouring the countryside for clues and showing friends and enemies alike what Raisin Investigations can do!Praise for the Agatha Raisin series:'A potent cocktail of satire, mystery and adventure that will leave you wanting more' Myshelf.com 'Sharp, witty, hugely intelligent, unfailingly entertaining, delightfully intolerant and oh so magnificently non-PC, M.C. Beaton has created a national treasure' Anne Robinson'M.C. Beaton's imperfect heroine is an absolute gem' Publishers Weekly'The Miss Marple-like Raisin is a refreshing, sensible, wonderfully eccentric, thoroughly likeable heroine.' Booklist

A vengeful ghost comes back to haunt the living?Reports of a haunted house soon have Agatha snooping around, but it turns out the victim of the haunting is a universally disliked old biddy on whom someone is playing a practical joke. And then the old lady is murdered - but for Agatha, solving a crime is much more fun than hunting a ghost! Very soon she's up to her usual tricks, involving the villagers, local police, and, of course, her handsome new neighbour . . .Praise for the Agatha Raisin series:'Fast-paced, witty and well-plotted.' MyShelf.com 'Sharp, witty, hugely intelligent, unfailingly entertaining, delightfully intolerant and oh so magnificently non-PC, M.C. Beaton has created a national treasure' Anne Robinson'M.C. Beaton's imperfect heroine is an absolute gem' Publishers Weekly'The Miss Marple-like Raisin is a refreshing, sensible, wonderfully eccentric, thoroughly likeable heroine.' Booklist

He was a vicar to die for - and he did!Agatha is going through a man-hating phase and so is unmoved by news of the captivating new curate. But when she meets the golden-haired, blue-eyed Tristan Delon, she is swept off her feet . . . along with every other female in the village. She is positively ecstatic when he invites her to dine with him but the next day Agatha is left with a hangover from hell - and his cold corpse suggests that, once again, she's in the frame for murder!Praise for the Agatha Raisin series:'Sharp, witty, hugely intelligent, unfailingly entertaining, delightfully intolerant and oh so magnificently non-PC, M.C. Beaton has created a national treasure' Anne Robinson'M.C. Beaton's imperfect heroine is an absolute gem' Publishers Weekly'The Miss Marple-like Raisin is a refreshing, sensible, wonderfully eccentric, thoroughly likeable heroine' Booklist