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The Cupboard Under the Stairs: A Boy Trapped in Hell...
by Paul MasonPaul Mason’s father was a policeman. He was also a member of a sadistic paedophile ring. He would keep Paul locked up and naked in a tiny cupboard under the stairs of their home before sexually abusing him. This cycle of abuse continued for several years and also affected his brother. The cupboard became a horrific prison where fear and terror filled his every moment.The Cupboard Under the Stairs is a story of abuse at the mercy of adults whom Paul should have been able to trust. There followed a life almost destroyed by their actions. It is the harrowing story of one man’s fight for justice and an end to the horrific memories that still haunt him daily.
Diamond (Hetty Feather #4)
by Jacqueline WilsonDiamond wasn't always a star. Born to penniless parents who longed for a strong, healthy son, she was a dainty, delicate daughter - and a bitter disappointment.Discovering an extraordinary gift for acrobatics, Diamond uses her talent to earn a few pennies, but brings shame on her family. When a mysterious, cruel-eyed stranger spots her performing, Diamond is sold - and is taken to become an acrobat at Tanglefield's Travelling Circus.The crowds adore Diamond, but life behind the velvet curtains is far from glamorous. Her wicked master forces Diamond to attempt ever more daring tricks, until she is terrified to step into the ring. But there are true friends to be found, too: the gentle Mister Marvel; the kindly Madame Adeline; and the glorious Emerald Star, Tanglefield's brand-new ringmaster, and Diamond's heroine.When life at the circus becomes too dangerous to bear any longer, what will the future hold for Diamond? And will her beloved Emerald be a part of it?Enter the amazing world of Hetty Feather and follow her adventures throughout the series:1. Hetty Feather2. Sapphire Battersea3. Emerald Star4. Diamond
Cunning Women: A feminist tale of forbidden love after the witch trials
by Elizabeth LeeONE OF GRAZIA'S BEST BOOKS OF 2021'I loved it. Atmospheric and so good' MARIAN KEYES 'A dark, bewitching and captivating read that had my heart in my mouth by the ending' JENNIFER SAINT, author of ARIADNELancashire, 1620. Young Sarah Haworth and her family live as outcasts. They are 'cunning folk', feared by the local villagers by day, but called upon under cover of darkness for healing balms and spells.Against the odds, love blossoms when Sarah meets Daniel, the local farmer's son.But when a new magistrate arrives to investigate a spate of strange deaths, his gaze inevitably turns to Sarah and her family. In a world where cunning women are forced into darkness by powerful men, can Sarah reckon with her fate to protect all she holds dear?'Fans of intensely atmospheric historical fiction will love this' STYLIST'Elizabeth Lee's debut novel is timely in its depiction of hysteria and persecution, and beautifully evokes a historical period poised between dark ignorance and long-overdue enlightenment' OBSERVER'Wonderfully original . . . devastating . . . and fabulously atmospheric' ELODIE HARPER, author of THE WOLF DEN
Culture and Anarchy and Other Selected Prose
by Matthew Arnold'One has often wondered whether upon the whole earth there is anything so unintelligent, so unapt to perceive how the world is really going, as an ordinary young Englishman of our upper class' Poet, education reformer, social theorist and passionate critic of Victorian England, Matthew Arnold condemned an industrial society in 'bondage to machinery' and argued instead that the wonder and joy of culture - in particular the 'sweetness and light' of classical civilization - were essential to human life. The other pieces here, on literary criticism, schools, France, journalism and democracy, form a powerful call to arms from a writer who believed that the English needed to be taught not what to think, but how to think. Edited with an introduction by P. J. Keating.
Culloden Tales: Stories from Scotland's Most Famous Battlefield
by Hugh G. AllisonCulloden was the last battle on British soil. It marked the end of clan culture and was the harbinger of the Highland Clearances. It ensured the inevitability of the American Revolution and increased the outpouring of Scots across the globe. It is the only battle that British Army regiments are not permitted to include in their battle honours; the only battle that Bonnie Prince Charlie ever lost; and the only battle that the Duke of Cumberland ever won.Culloden is a battlefield, a graveyard and an iconic site that draws people from all parts of the world. And as they come, they bring with them their stories and their father's father's stories. These stories tell of civil war, of love, of the unexpected and even of the supernatural. They are peopled by the second-sighted, by clan chiefs and by others who have kept family secrets for centuries.The battlefield is a poignant location, resonant with past deeds and emotive memories. These Culloden tales are offered as a unique record to the power of the place.
Culloden: Battle & Aftermath
by Paul O'Keeffe'Excellent... It is a tremendous tale - one of the most dramatic in our island's history - and O'Keeffe tells it beautifully' The TimesCharles Edward Stuart's campaign to seize the British throne ended with one of the quickest defeats in history: on 16 April 1746, at Culloden, his Jacobite army was overpowered in under forty minutes. Its brutal repercussions, however, endured for years, its legacy for centuries.Paul O'Keeffe follows the Jacobite army from initial victories to calamitous defeat. Exploring the battle's aftermath, he chronicles the Jacobite prisoners paying for their treason on block and gibbet while those granted 'the King's mercy' suffered the fate of forced labour on plantations in the colonies. While Stuart's cause eventually acquired an aura of romanticism, the Jacobite Rising remains one of the most bloody and divisive conflicts in British domestic history, which resonates to this day.'Detailed, vivid - and not for the faint-hearted' Financial Times'Fascinating, meticulously researched... tremendous' Daily Mail'Intensely readable... and vividly written' Neal Ascherson, London Review of Books
Cucumber Man: (Henry Pratt) (Henry Pratt #1)
by David NobbsIt is 1957. The Suez Crisis has been and gone. Henry Pratt has completed his National Service and is putting his unsuccessful career as Thurmarsh's cub journalist behind him. Leaving Yorkshire, he's taking on a new role and a new challenge - working for the Cucumber Marketing Board in Leeds.Stumbling through the fifties, sixties, seventies and eighties, Henry Pratt accumulates jobs, marriages and children on the way as he embarks on a touching, painful and hilarious switchback ride through a divided Britain.
The Cuckoo's Parting Cry
by Anthea HalliwellFor Fidgie, living in pre-war Wales, the long school holiday stretched blissfully ahead. With her new friend Chaz as companion for idyllic summer days by the sea, she was able frequently to escape her edgy mother and her malicious older sister, Cly. Her father, mercifully, was away from home ...Through Fidgie's clear eyes the events of a brief hot spell in August unfold: her family and neighbours become involved in adultery, deception, and other, darker, misdemeanours. The eight-year-old child is an engaging and lively narrator; swept along by her extraordinarily compelling tale, the reader will realise that underlying Fidgie's innocent accounts of family meals, fishing trips round the bay, tree-climbing and playing at May Queens, a very adult sub-text is developing. Its conclusion is both tragic and inevitable.Anthea Halliwell's novel marks the emergence of a delightfully individual voice and a most original storytelling talent.
The Cuckoo Child: The heartwarming and emotional historical fiction romance from the Sunday Times bestselling author
by Katie FlynnIt takes courage to overcome the odds...Liverpool 1928: abandoned by her mother at a very young age, Dot McCann lives a lonely life with her distant aunt and uncle. A cuckoo in the nest, she spends her days trying to keep out of trouble. When Dot overhears a conversation whilst playing in the street, her life changes for ever. What she discovers could send one man to prison and another to the gallows. In a desperate attempt to right a wrong, Dot teams up with runaway orphan Corky, Emma, a local jeweller whose shop has been burgled, and Nick, a handsome young reporter investigating the crime. But Dot and Emma have been recognised and they soon find themselves in very real danger. Will they uncover the truth before it’s too late?
Cuckold
by Amber LeighA little knowledge is a dangerous thing. But that's all Edwin Miller wants. He has a good job, a pleasant home, and is married to the beautiful and loving Des. All he needs to make his life complete is the answer to one question: Has his wife made him a cuckold?Not sure if the idea is the sum of his fears, or the revelation of his true desire, Edwin struggles to uncover the truth. But the answer could mean his life is never the same again.
The Cubicle Manifesto: Change the Way You Work and Reinvent Your Life
by Mainak DharWelcome to THE CUBICLE. The desk space you occupy for hours on end. Where creativity is dead and stress levels are high. Where you feel guilty for leaving, but reluctant to arrive. Where you eat lunch, plan, strategize and phone home to say how late you'll be tonight. Is this the place you'd really like to be? Is there a better way to work?Stressed office worker Mayukh can't believe his misfortune when his computer gets infected by a virus. With enough work on his plate to last a lifetime, he can do without computer malfunctions. However, the virus seems to have its own agenda and it soon starts a revolution that will change how Mayukh works forever.The Cubicle Manifesto is a business parable for the modern age that will transform the way you work. Essential reading for anyone who wants to reduce stress and achieve better work-life balance. Read this book and join the revolution. #endcubicletyranny
The Crystal Skull
by Manda ScottFact: Five thousand years ago, the Mayans carved thirteen crystal skulls.Fact: To protect humankind, they sent them to the four corners of the globe.Fact: They gave a precise date for when they thought the world would end: 21 December 2012.Fact: They said that this time the destruction will be of man's making.Fact: Only when all thirteen skulls are reunited can the world be saved from its fate.For the last 500 years one skull has been missing. Now it's about to be found ...
The Crystal Path: The Ultimate Seven-Step Guide to Unlocking Your Power with Crystal Healing
by Georgina EasterbrookDiscover how to unlock your true potential through the power of crystals from TikTok superstar @athenascrystals __________ The life of your dreams is within your reach - and you already have what it takes to get it. Georgina Easterbrook, founder of Athena's Crystals and TikTok sensation, is your divine guide who will teach you how to harness the power of crystals and take control of seven key aspects of your life: LOVE MONEY HEALING CONFIDENCE PROTECTION MANIFESTING HAPPINESS Whether it's romantic love, emotional healing, achieving your career goals or manifesting your deepest desires, there is a crystal to help you every step of the way, from the mindful energy of Sodalite to the self-love brought by Rose Quartz. And with Georgina guiding you through every step, you can build a future that aligns with your innermost goals . . .In Spring, use Seraphinite if you're ready for some real change in your life.For the lunar eclipse in Scorpio, dive deep into your emotions with Labradorite, the stone of self-discovery.As we grow towards Summer, use Amazonite to embrace self-expression without anxiety, inspired by the Sun in Leo.You can make your dreams a reality - all you need to do to tap into your inner voice is follow the crystal path.
Cousin Pons: Part Two of 'Poor Relations'
by Honoré de BalzacMild, harmless and ugly to behold, the impoverished Pons is an ageing musician whose brief fame has fallen to nothing. Living a placid Parisian life as a bachelor in a shared apartment with his friend Schmucke, he maintains only two passions: a devotion to fine dining in the company of wealthy but disdainful relatives, and a dedication to the collection of antiques. When these relatives become aware of the true value of his art collection, however, their sneering contempt for the parasitic Pons rapidly falls away as they struggle to obtain a piece of the weakening man's inheritance. Taking its place in the Human Comedy as a companion to Cousin Bette, the darkly humorous Cousin Pons is among of the last and greatest of Balzac's novels concerning French urban society: a cynical, pessimistic but never despairing consideration of human nature.
Cousin Bette
by Honoré de BalzacPoor, plain spinster Bette is compelled to survive on the condescending patronage of her socially superior relatives in Paris: her beautiful, saintly cousin Adeline, the philandering Baron Hulot and their daughter Hortense. Already deeply resentful of their wealth, when Bette learns that the man she is in love with plans to marry Hortense, she becomes consumed by the desire to exact her revenge and dedicates herself to the destruction of the Hulot family, plotting their ruin with patient, silent malice. Cousin Bette is a gripping tale of violent jealousy, sexual passion and treachery, and a brilliant portrayal of the grasping, bourgeois society of 1840s Paris. The culmination of the Comédie humaine, Balzac's epic chronicle of his times, it is one of his greatest triumphs as a novelist.
The Crystal Healer: A Guide to Understanding Crystals and their Healing Gifts
by Marianna SheldrakeAt last - a book that explains the mysteries of Crystal Healing in a language that anyone can understand. Marianna Sheldrake has been healing with crystals for over twenty years. Now she shares her understanding and knowledge without the trappings of obscure terminology.Her fresh approach to this subject offers advice and instruction to the novice and practitioner alike. She takes the reader on a journey of exploration, from choosing a crystal to understanding its relationship with the universal energies.
Crystal
by Katie PriceA glittering and sexy story of passion and betrayal and one woman's search for true love.Crystal is beautiful, talented and ambitious. All her life she has dreamed of making it as a singer. After years of trying to break into the music industry her chance finally comes when her girl band enters a TV reality show contest. But Crystal has a secret. She's fallen for the wrong man and this one mistake could cost her everything - her friendships, her fame and her chance of ever finding love again...
The Courtesan and the Samurai: The Shogun Quartet, Book 3
by Lesley Downer1868. In Japan's exotic pleasure quarters, sex is for sale and the only forbidden fruit is love ...Hana is just seventeen when her husband goes to war, leaving her alone and vulnerable. When enemy soldiers attack her house she flees across the shattered city of Tokyo and takes refuge in the Yoshiwara, its famous pleasure-quarters.There she is forced to become a courtesan.Yozo, brave, loyal and a brilliant swordsman, is pledged to the embattled shogun. He sails to the frozen north to join his rebel comrades for a desperate last stand. Defeated, he makes his way south to the only place where a man is beyond the reach of the law - the Yoshiwara.There in the Nightless City where three thousand courtesans mingle with geishas and jesters, the battered fugitive meets the beautiful courtesan. But each has a secret so terrible that once revealed it will threaten their very lives ...
Crying in the Dark
by Shane DunphyFour extraordinary true stories ... Bobby and Micky, six and four, controlled from beyond the grave by their evil father ... Mina, seventeen, who has Downs Syndrome, desperate to be like everyone else, falling into the hands of men who abuse her trust ... Sylvie, a fourteen-year-old mother being pimped by her father ... Twins Larry and Francey, ten, scarcely human after an upbringing of savage and unimaginable cruelty ... One inspiring account of how one man got to know these wounded children and tried to give them hope - and a future.
Courage of the Shipyard Girls: Shipyard Girls 6 (The Shipyard Girls Series #6)
by Nancy RevellTHE SIXTH NOVEL IN THE COMPELLING SHIPYARD GIRLS SERIES FROM SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR NANCY REVELL. _______________Sunderland, 1942: Polly's heart and future are hanging in the balance. Polly's sweetheart Tommy has been declared missing while serving overseas, and although there's no certainty that he is dead, there is no guarantee that he will ever return home. Now Polly needs her friends more than ever, and the other women welders are ready to rally around her while she waits for news.The only one not showing support is shipyard manager, Helen. But looks can be deceiving, and beneath her cold exterior, Helen is wrestling with demons of her own, including one life-changing decision that could lead to potential ruin.As the war continues, the shipyard girls must support one another as they bravely soldier on.'Nancy Revell knows how to stir the passions and soothe the heart!' Northern EchoPraise for the Shipyard Girls series:'This author is one to watch. . .' Sun'A brilliant read!' Take a Break'Well-drawn, believable characters combined with a storyline to keep you turning the pages' Woman
Cry of the Wild: Life through the eyes of eight animals
by Charles Foster'Evocative and beautifully written, it's a deeply immersive read' Observer'Enchanting and emotional...personifies its characters as they navigate the new wild and its trials.' Chris Packham'Charles Foster is the most original voice in nature writing today - funny, urgent, poetic, philosophical and deeply moving' Patrick Barkham'Utterly exhilarating... This book demands we change our ways' Lee Schofield'There aren't many writers like Charles around... a deeply thought-provoking book' James Aldred'Reading this book feels like being made suddenly omniscient. In other words, you really have to' Tom Moorhouse'Astonishingly playful, humorous, immensely varied and outrageously intelligent... The most inventive British writer presently at work on the theme of nature' Mark CockerWhat is it like to live in a world built by humans? These eight genre-blending stories reveal the complexity, beauty and fragility of wild lives - a brilliantly modern twist on classics like Watership Down and Tarka the Otter.A fox, grown strong on pepperoni pizza from the dustbins of the East End, dances along a railway track towards Essex, the territory of wild foxes and wilder huntsmen.An orca, mourning the loss of her mother in a valley west of Skye, knows that she must now lead the pod as matriarch. She swims again through her childhood, thinking about the old ways, the old roads, laid down thousands of years ago. But the old roads aren't so easy now.At moonrise in a West Country river, an otter floats slowly downstream. The tide, though it pushes him landwards when it exhales, seems to pull him out when it inhales. He turns on his back. He can see the stars clearly for the first time and wonders if he can swim to them.The wild has never stopped waiting. It has only ever been in exile, right under our noses, waiting to confound, outrage and re-enchant.
Courage of the Railway Girls: The new feel-good and uplifting WW2 historical fiction (The Railway Girls Series, 7)
by Maisie ThomasThe seventh heart-warming, uplifting instalment in the much-loved Railway Girls series is available to pre-order now!Manchester, 1943Emily is enjoying her new job as a station porter until she learns that a trusted friend at work may be involved in something underhand. . .Persephone's romance with Matt is blossoming - but can two people from such different walks of life really make a go of it?All is going well with wedding planning for Mabel until someone divulges a secret about Harry, which could threaten their future.As war rages around them, the railway girls must face their own battles. With the support of one another, will they make the right decisions when it comes to matters of the heart?__________________________________________Readers LOVE the Railway Girls:'Make yourself a cuppa and find a comfy spot on the sofa because you're not going to be able to put this down!''I simply can't wait for the next one - I am hooked!''Gives a vivid picture of women's lives in wartime Manchester''Dramatic, intriguing and sprinkled with plenty of wit and heart''It is just like catching up with old friends'
The Cry of the Go-Away Bird
by Andrea EamesElise loves the farm that is her home. There is always tea in the silver teapot, gin and tonics are served on the veranda and her days are spent listening to stories of spirits and charms told by her nanny, Beauty. As a young white girl growing up in Zimbabwe, her life is idyllic. However, this dream-world of her childhood cannot last. As Elise gets older, her eyes are opened to the complexities of adult life, both through the arrival of her step-father, and through her growing understanding of the tensions in Zimbabwean society. As the privileged existence of the white farmers begins to crumble into anarchy and farm invasions begin, Elise is forced to confront difficult choices and the ancient unforgiving ghosts of the past.
A Coup in Turkey: A Tale of Democracy, Despotism and Vengeance in a Divided Land
by Jeremy SealThe most dramatic, revealing and little-known story in Turkey's history - which illuminates the nation'Through the spellbinding career of a single, ill-fated leader, Jeremy Seal illuminates a bitterly divided country' Colin Thubron'Read this book if you're interested in Turkey. Read it if you're interested in power, hubris and redemption. Read it' Christopher de Bellaigue, author of The Islamic EnlightenmentIn the spring of 2016 travel writer Jeremy Seal went to Turkey to investigate perhaps the most dramatic, revealing and little-known episode in the country's history - the 'original' coup of 1960, which deposed the traditionalist Prime Minister Adnan Menderes. The story of Menderes - to his adoring supporters the country's founding democrat; to his sworn enemies its most infamous traitor - goes to the heart of the feud that continues to rage between the Western and secular ambitions of a minority elite and the religious and conservative instincts of the small-town majority. A Coup in Turkey is a thrilling account of the events leading up to the coup and the trials and executions that followed, a story of political subterfuge and score-settling, courtroom drama, state execution, authoritarian intolerance and ideological division. Seal travels through President Erdogan's Turkey, tracking down eye-witness accounts from survivors of the Menderes era in Istanbul, the historic metropolis, and the new capital at Ankara. As he expertly guides us through this extraordinary story, so the compelling parallels between past and present become strikingly clear, and he illuminates this troubled nation with a deep sympathy and love for the people and places he writes about. By focussing on one key event - one which many Turks regard with shame - this evocative, gripping portrait of Turkey recentres our understanding of the past and makes sense of one of Europe's most bewildering yet intriguing neighbours.'A wonderful writer' Robert Macfarlane
Cry and You Cry Alone: The Girl Who Vowed She'd Never Forget
by Rosalinda V. HuttonAfter an idyllic early childhood in Surrey, Linda's life descended into poverty and chaos when her parents' marriage crumbled and her unstable mother's sanity declined.She experienced a brief period of comfort in a caring foster home before being plunged into the dark, terrifying world of a 1960s institution. St Anne's Convent, Orpington, was a Catholic children's home run by the infamous Sisters of Mercy and a former monk who inflicted bizarre and barbaric beliefs and practices on the children in his care.Cry and You Cry Alone is the achingly honest story of a survivor of shocking child abuse that took place in the heart of an English suburb.