In this tale Jemima is reluctantly shooting a TV exposé — "Golden Lads and Girls" — on the exotic lifestyles of overprivileged undergraduates. Among them is Lord Saffron, the wealthy, twenty-year-old heir to the former foreign secretary. When a confession by a dying midwife throws Saffron's birth and bloodline into doubt, Jemima's interest in the documentary perks up considerably. Then a student is murdered, drawing Jemima into a case that will demand the utmost of her skills of detection.

In Black Ajax, George MacDonald Fraser tells the story of a black man from the United States who nearly became England's champion boxer during the early 19th century. This historical novel is based on the true story of Tom Molineaux, a former slave who won his freedom in a boxing match, then traveled to England, refined his skills, and almost became the first black champ. The story is told by over a dozen witnesses to Molineaux's bouts with the reigning champion, Tom Cribb. Molineaux's trainer recalls the fighter's awe-inspiring strength and speed. A butler who asks to remain anonymous divulges information about the fighter's love affair with an English noblewoman. Molineaux's manager, a former slave and retired boxer, speaks bitterly of his disappointment in the youth for failing to prove to the English that a black man could be as capable a fighter as any white man. Nearly all the witnesses to the first match between the two fighters thought Molineaux lost mainly because the judges gave the white opponent an unfair advantage. All the characters in this novel speak in 19th-century dialect, and it's diverting to try to decipher their many odd turns of phrase. For those who cannot determine the meanings of words such as "Spike Hotel," "toco," "winker," and "wistycastor" from context, the author provides a glossary at the end of the book. Unfortunately, almost all of the characters seem overly fond of using racial epithets, which draws attention to the shortcomings of this book. The main one is that Tom Molineaux, who undoubtedly was a complex, fascinating character, comes across as a stereotype here: a hulk with not many brains but a lot of sex drive. Although Fraser fails in that respect, this novel does vividly chronicle an intriguing episode in the history of sport and race relations. --Jill Marquis

A self-confident performance by an old hand. . . . Mr. Fraser clearly enjoys being master of such a wide and wild plot and makes sure to leave room in it for his most famous creation, the eponymous hero of his "Flashman" adventure series."-- "The New Yorker

Author of Marie Antoinette She was the quintessential queen: statuesque, regal, dazzlingly beautiful. Her royal birth gave her claim to the thrones of two nations; her marriage to the young French dauphin promised to place a third glorious crown on her noble head. Instead, Mary Stuart became the victim of her own impulsive heart, scandalizing her world with a foolish passion that would lead to abduction, rape and even murder. Betrayed by those she most trusted, she would be lured into a deadly game of power, only to lose to her envious and unforgiving cousin, Elizabeth I. Here is her story, a queen who lost a throne for love, a monarch pampered and adored even as she was led to her beheading, the unforgettable woman who became a legend for all time.

When the wayward lady Imogen Swain summons journalist Jemima Shore to her home, Jemima once again finds herself in the thick of love affairs--old and new--intrigue, and betrayal. For the colorful Lady Imogen kept diaries documenting her passionate affair with a rising young politician who has since risen to high ranks in the government. Increasingly eccentric as the years have passed, Lady Imogen now threatens to reveal details of the affair, and of the subsequent and unsolved disappearance of a young journalist. Jemima's meeting with Lady Imogen is the first step in a sinister series of events which will remind the reader why Antonia Fraser is the reigning queen of murder--British style!

In this panoramic work of history, Lady Antonia Fraser looks at women who led armies and empires: Cleopatra, Isabella of Spain, Jinga Mbandi, Margaret Thatcher, and Indira Gandhi, among others.

Antonia Fraser, a popular historian, has delved into archives across Europe to unravel the true story of the plot by fanatical Roman Catholics to blow up the Houses of Parliament and King James I at the opening of Parliament in 1605.

It’s 1868 and Sir Harry Flashman, V.C., arch-cad, amorist, cold-headed soldier, and reluctant hero, is back! Fleeing a chain of vengeful pursuers that includes Mexican bandits, the French Foreign Legion, and the relatives of an infatuated Austrian beauty, Flashy is desperate for somewhere to take cover. So desperate, in fact, that he embarks on a perilous secret intelligence-gathering mission to help free a group of Britons being held captive by a tyrannical Abyssinian king. Along the way, of course, are nightmare castles, brigands, massacres, rebellions, orgies, and the loveliest and most lethal women in Africa, all of which will test the limits of the great bounder’s talents for knavery, amorous intrigue, and survival. Flashman on the March—the twelfth book in George MacDonald Fraser’s ever-beloved, always scandalous Flashman Papers series--is Flashman and Fraser at their best.

In Cromwell, award-winning biographer Antonia Fraser tells of one of England's most celebrated and controversial figures, often misunderstood and demonized as a puritanical zealot. Oliver Cromwell rose from humble beginnings to spearhead the rebellion against King Charles I, who was beheaded in 1649, and led his soldiers into the last battle against the Royalists and King Charles II at Worcester, ending the civil war in 1651. Fraser shows how England's prestige and prosperity grew under Cromwell, reversing the decline it had suffered since Queen Elizabeth I's death.

Just how weak were the women of the Civil War era? What could they expect beyond marriage and childbirth in an age where infant and maternal mortality was frequent and contraception unknown? Did anyone marry for love? Could a woman divorce? What rights had the unmarried? What expectations the widows? An expert on the period, Antonia Fraser brings to life the many and various women she has encountered in her considerable research: governesses, milkmaids, fishwives, nuns, defenders of castles, courtesans, countesses, witches and widows.

Brilliantly written, a work of impeccable scholarship. An utterly riveting and intensely moving book by one of our finest biographers. Never before has the life of Marie Antoinette been told so intimately and with such authority as in Antonia Fraser's newest work, Marie Antoinette: The Journey. Famously known as the eighteenth-century French queen whose excesses have become legend, Marie Antoinette was blamed for instigating the French Revolution. But the story of her journey begun as a fourteen-year-old sent from Vienna to marry the future Louis XVI to her courageous defense before she was sent to the guillotine reveals a woman of greater complexity and character than we have previously understood. We stand beside Marie Antoinette and witness the drama of her life as she becomes a scapegoat of the Ancien Regime when her faults were minor in comparison to the punishments inflicted on her. The youngest daughter, fifteenth out of sixteen children, of Austrian empress Maria Teresa and Francis I, Marie Antoinette was sent on a literal journey by her mother from Vienna to Versailles with the expectation that she would further Austrian interests at all times. Yet, Marie Antoinette was by nature far from interested in state affairs and much more inclined to exert a gracious, philanthropic role, patronizing the arts especially music, as royalty would come to behave in the nineteenth century. Despite this the French accused her of political interference and wrote scandalous tracts against her, mocking her lack of sophistication. Meanwhile, longing for a family and the birth of an heir who would have cemented the Franco-Austro alliance, the French queen had to endure more than eight years of public humiliation for her barren marriage before the delivery of her first of four children. As these problems unfold, Antonia Fraser also weaves a richly detailed account of Marie Antoinette's other, more poignant journey: from the ill-educated and unprepared girl who sought refuge in pleasure as a consolation into a magnificent, courageous woman who defied her enemies at her trial with consummate intelligence, arousing the admiration of even the most hostile revolutionaries. Brilliantly written, Marie Antoinette is a work of impeccable scholarship. Drawing on a wealth of family letters and other archival materials, Antonia Fraser successfully avoids the hagiography of some the French queen's admirers and the misogyny of many of her critics. The result is an utterly riveting and intensely moving book by one of our finest biographers.

Pomp and chilling circumstance combine when a bizarre group of animal-rightists kidnap a royal bride-to-be on the eve of her wedding, and Jemima Shore, now a freelance commentator for American television, races against time to rescue the princess bride. Cover Artist: Tom Hallman

Celebrated actress Christabel Cartwright trades her country house, its staff of servants, and her husband for a reckless affair. She also thought she could resume her career--her director was delighted, and so was Megalith Television. But one person in Christabel's circle had doubts. What happens next is murder, and it brings Jemima Shore, the author's elegant alter ego, into the fray. She trails her man (or is it woman?) through the thickets of human emotion. Cover Artist: Tom Hallman

The acclaimed biographer details the life, reign, and impact of King Charles II of England, revealing him to have been far more serious, sensible, and competent than has been thought.

A (black) comedy short story of rustic life, death and birth written far too soon after reading Stella Gibbons' Cold Comfort Farm.Who would know his skill for the magical arts until he tries them, or the skill and balance of a sword until he picks it up and weighs it in the hand? There are stories, tales, prophecies and legends in every nation, but not all these are true... Some will come to pass, some already have, and some are yet to be...But the future holds the key to what we will be, and so it was with this legend as well.Yet every legend needs a point to start, a knife edge to balance on until the moment is right and the forces at hand pivot the balance of the prophecy into realisation. What was the hardest day of one's life can often be the start of your own prophecy, your own future can then be decided by your own skills, your own talents for things unknown to you...

Flashy, that lustful libertine, takes a round-the-world adventure that would shock Don Juan and make swingers of today green with envy. In an English mansion, he's not just doodling in the drawing room with a blue blood's red-hot-blooded mistress; in Africa, he's forced to serve a sultry queen who kills low-endurance lovers. The irresistable antihero heads to China, where he gets between a pair of Chinese beauties who'll do anything to improve East-West relations; en route, he takes cover on warship under fire with an explosive Malay maiden. "A romp that will have lucky readers chortling with delight." (Publishers Weekly)

Trouble with the law, a missing sister, and a growing attachment to the wrong man - Evie Emerson has a dangerous path ahead of her... an exciting and twisty historical mystery and adventure from a bestselling Australian author. 1898: Bendigo, VictoriaEvie Emerson has worked hard to build a fashionable clientele for her hats. But when an ex-paramour employs underhanded tactics after his attempt to coerce an engagement fails, Evie's reputation is in tatters. On the heels of having to put a case together to defend herself in court, Evie's life is thrown into further turmoil when the disappearance of her sister takes her to Cobram. Roving reporter Fitzmorgan O'Shea has troubles of his own: his involvement in uncovering police corruption has placed a target on his back. And while Fitz is hunting a new story in Cobram his problems collide with Evie's when his research exposes malicious intimidation and threats designed to...

Danny Carpenter is smart and cocky. Although he’s seemingly earned the right to be. Second only to Jackson, Danny is just as competent and often takes Jackson’s place during the low season. When it comes to women, he often keeps his cards close, knowing just how the others would tease him ruthlessly if they knew he’d only ever been with one woman. As a beta, he’s quick-witted, smart and self-assured. But as a man, he’s holding out for his soul mate.Rebekah Cortez is smart, with a wicked sense of humor and she’s always laughing. She’s often brutally honest and doesn’t shrink away when others are honest in the same tone. She notices that Danny seems to favor honesty, when they meet at a club and almost immediately she’s drawn to him.Can Danny trust Rebekah with his secret? Will he open himself up to the possibilities, or close himself off for good when things don’t seem clear between them?

Jackson Pike is a fourth generation hotshot. He was hauling hoses when most boys were mowing lawns and his ego is big enough to prove it. He’s the crew leader and he doesn’t miss a moment to let someone, namely rookies, know it.Sarah Peterson is a third generation journalist, following in the footsteps of her mother and grandfather. She doesn’t shy away from tough questions and when it comes to a story that interests her, she digs in with everything she’s got.When a wildfire flares up and threatens homes in the Crescent Valley, Sarah finds herself trapped by the fire and up against the hard wall of egocentric Jackson Pike. Can Sarah show Jackson that he doesn’t have to strut his stuff constantly? Can Jackson learn to let his guard down without feeling as if he’s losing a vital part of himself?

With twenty-three works in R. M. Fraser's first ever book, there is sure to be something for everyone. Topics include memories, grief and loss, fantasy, love and relationships, and a peek at his experiences growing up with culturally Deaf parents.In this series of poems, THE SHADOW BOXER, R.M. Fraser pays homage to and comes to terms with family… All the grace and grain, the pride and practice, the fear and frustration as well as the hope and love are here. As progeny to culturally Deaf parents, he understands that they were able to transcend many of the deficits society foists upon people they deem handicapped. Sometimes in prose, sometimes in rhyme, but consistently with the desire to comprehend and reconcile the arithmetic of kinship and the multiplication of wounds...Fraser moves steadily to a comprehension that we all do the best we can with the abilities given us at birth and the limitations imposed upon us by a society rife with indolence. His is an understanding that while one cannot really go home again that home follows us wherever we may be. -- Kathleen Niles, The Comstock Review

Welcome to Glenwood! Moonburn is the first book in the Moonlight in Glenwood series by creative duo Aynsley J. Fraser & Lita Hunt. Evie and Laika are werewolves working part-time as Moonlighters for the supernatural task force, MOONS. Neither is ready to give up her day job yet because when trouble is afoot, their pack, Night Claw, isn't getting the call. No one believes a pair of barely-trained, late twenties werewolves are ready for more than domestic disturbances. However, when a magical murder mystery shatters the peace of their Californian suburb, it's all Moonlighters on deck. With suspects ranging from vampires to witches, no clues to go on, and murders starting to pile up, Night Claw finally has an opportunity to prove themselves. Can Evie and Laika rise to the challenge before anarchy spreads through Glenwood? —- Moonburn is an action-packed adventure, following two strong heroines and a diverse supporting cast...

After a childhood spent in hospitals and foster homes, Myla's freelance adventure writing suits her perfectly. A couple of weeks trying out new things then move on. Now, if she can only get her guide to all things winter interested in helping her lose her V-card. Sawyer's lost his parents, his SEAL team, and his legendary Spidey senses. Now he's faced with a sexy, secretive woman who makes him want things he has no business wanting. When someone starts butchering the wolves Sawyer is trying to reintegrate, he ends up in the bush with Sexy City Girl whose titanium attitude is more than enough to compensate for her weak leg. If Sawyer and Myla can't learn to trust each other and themselves, they might not make it out alive.

An action adventure short story of a girl whose family is murdered whilst hiding out in a forest.A violin and three gold coins hold the key to solving a sixty-eight-year-old mystery. Hundreds of people have traveled to a small Southern town in America in hopes of proving the young man found dead in the city park in 1911 was their long lost relative. Or were they trying to make a claim on the gold the young man supposedly hid before his death? No one has been able to prove a verifiable link to the unidentified body, and the hidden gold has not been found.Sixty-eight years after the death, a young woman has traveled from England to set the record straight. Rebecca believes everyone had it all wrong. She has an interesting theory, but can she prove her version of what happened? She needs a little help from the one man in town who is the most skeptical of all, with good reason.A novelette, approximately 10,000 words.Included in this eBook is an additional 5000 word excerpt of Portrait of Conspiracy

A gripping psychological thriller with shocking twists.In the bitter cold of a Canadian winter, seven university freshmen vanish without a trace. Soon afterwards, police discover a ghastly crime scene—the victim is frozen solid and his eyes are missing, replaced with black stones. A week later, they find a second frozen statue at an identical crime scene.Toronto PI Samantha McNamara suspects a copycat is mimicking Incubus, the serial killer who brutally murdered her sister three years earlier. And when Incubus writes to her from a maximum-security prison, Sam is certain that the psychopath holds the key to saving the remaining students.But as the hunt for the young men intensifies, Sam is unwittingly lured into a lethal trap, intricately planned to destroy her. Haunted by the signature white lily that Incubus tattooed on all of his victims, Sam grows obsessed with uncovering the meaning behind the flower. Her partner...

Prime Minister Peter Fraser is back in New Zealand in 1945 before he continues to lead the small counties pushing to remove colonialism and great power veto from the fledgling United Nations. A plot is under way to kill him. If successful, New Zealand's influence on the international stage ends and the country could descend into chaos, a divided country ripe for international manipulation.Detective Dan Delaney has returned from the war seeking a peaceful life with his refugee bride, but his old boss Inspector Biggart needs his help tracking down shadowy would-be assassins in Wellington's black market underworld, a defensive Italian fishing village and an upmarket yachting haven. Prodded by the Commissioner of Police, Dan reluctantly involves his wife in a dodgy cabaret scene, as former alien internees are killed and British and Soviet spies Dan has previously clashed with arrive to assist a suspected American undercover operation. Dan and his wife risk their lives as...

A murder mystery short story about a gruesome and distinctly messy murder in a retirement home.The world of the supernatural is a place of intense horror and blood-chilling danger. Dark, twisted monsters stalk among humanity from the shadows, seeking only to devour us. Seems like somebody should make some money from all that, right? Enter Eric Margrave, semi-professional monster hunter (He'd be a professional, but they really don't have a certification process for this sort of thing.). When the things that go bump in the night start actually knocking on the door, he's the one who serves them their walking papers... for a nominal fee. Prices negotiable. No demons, please.In his debut appearance, Eric has entered the exciting world of real-estate, looking to set up a new safehouse. Good news: the house is haunted, and therefore a steal at the current price if you happen to know how to work an exorcism. Bad news... well, the house might be a bit more aggressively haunted than even a freelance slayer of the paranormal is used to...

A woman longing for freedom, a man longing for a home. Can the magic of Christmas bring them together? It's 1890. Lizzie Naylor's life is working in her grumpy father's store in Munyup, trying to bring up her six-year-old daughter, Alice, who's hellbent on finding herself a father. Christmas is nearing, and tempers are fraught, especially when mysterious Mr Nicholas is back with his pesky sidekick, Alf. Or Elf, as Alice calls him. And Elf is just about to make another big mistake.Mack Miller has returned to the district to make peace with his brother, Shep. He's weary of the life he's led, the loss he's experienced. He's longed for home for a while, but the family farm had been a contentious issue between the brothers, and Shep and he have not spoken for years.When Alice is quite taken with Mack, she tells him he's a suitable contender for the role of being her father. But then someone from her mother, Lizzie's past appears, and...

A collection of Antonia Fraser's compelling stories exploring the dark hearts and lethal secrets of criminals. This collection features the tale of the jealous wife who engineers revenge for the lovers who wronged her.

She was bought once, he'll buy her again...A dysfunctional upbringing has made Sheikh Zavian bin Ameen Al Rasheed distrustful of people—but he trusted Gabrielle. That is, until she betrayed him by accepting his father's bribe to leave Zavian and his country. He's left shattered by the betrayal but with an obsession for her which only increases with time.Raised by her eccentric grandfather in the deserts of Taraq, Gabrielle loves the country and Zavian so much that she leaves them. He's to become King and he needs to marry a suitable Bedouin. So she accepts Zavian's father's bribe to leave—it was the only way to make sure Zavian didn't follow her—and, in so doing, exiles herself from the only home and man she's ever loved.But a year later, as wedding plans are underway, Zavian suspects Gabrielle is the 'anonymous' donor of one his country's most precious artefacts, purchased for the exact sum as the bribe. So he buys her services from her...

A young, restless Alabama teacher searching for a sense of purpose accepts a position at a tiny Louisiana bayou school, where a lonely Cajun fisherman, a tight-knit community, and a legendary white alligator will change her life forever.

Jemima Shore is anticipating some peaceful research in the British Library when sinister things occur, a vicious murder and a disappearance. Jemima then finds herself involved in a tangle of possible motives and conflicting relationships.

A series of ugly killings has shattered the orderly workings of the Hampstead police station. And truth be told, they have shattered the confidence of the lead investigator on the case, who has long taken pride in his old-school "copper's nose." When yet another body turns up, he's forced to give way to a new chief with fancy new detecting techniques. But when those, too, prove unequal to the task, the police are stymied. So they reach back to the past, invoking the skills of one of the great Gentleman Sleuths. Is this nutty? No doubt. But Lord Peter Wimsey always got his man.

Alex Hernandez has been a hotshot firefighter for five years. He spends the majority of his time with his crew and when he’s not fighting fires, he’s trying to convince himself that getting involved with a crew member is a bad idea. As a wolf, he follows his instincts in every situation. But as a man, following his instincts could cost him his job, or worse.Ava Schoenguard is barely past her rookie season and much to the amazement of just about everyone she’s survived. Not just that, she’s thriving as a hotshot. She’s smart, capable and after a solid six months under her belt, she’s back for another round of relentless work.Ava is like every other woman, with needs and wants that don’t necessarily coincide with her current lifestyle. She knows the rules of fight fires with her crew and rule number one, even if it’s unspoken, is that you don’t get involved romantically with anyone on your crew. If only she could get her head and her heart on the same page.Can Ava and Alex have anything beyond the fire line or will they have to give up the jobs they love for any sort of personal life? When Alex and Ava both discover the other is a shifter, will it bring them closer together, or tear them apart for good?

The acclaimed New York Times bestselling author shares vivid memories of her childhood and recalls the experiences that set her on the path to a writing life. Ever since she received Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall as a Christmas present in 1936, Antonia Fraser's deep love of history has been a constant in her remarkable life. The book made such an impression that it inspired her to write Mary, Queen of Scots thirty years later. Born into British aristocracy, the author's idyllic early childhood was interrupted by a wartime evacuation to North Oxford. The relocation had profound effects on her life, not the least of which was her education at a Catholic convent and her eventual conversion from the Protestant faith to Catholicism. Her memories of holidays spent at Dunsany Castle and Pakenham Hall, a stint as "Miss Tony" selling hats in a London department store, and her early days working in publishing are all told in her singular, irresistible voice. My History is a heartfelt memoir that is also a love letter to a British way of life that has all but disappeared. Anglophiles, history lovers, and Downton Abbey fans are sure to be enthralled.

A compulsively readable story of passion, adventure and a woman's quest for independence set against the colourful backdrop of 19th century Bendigo and the goldfields of Ballarat. 1854, Ballarat, Victoria When Nell Amberton's husband is shot dead by a bushranger, there are few who grieve his passing, and Nell least of all. How could she miss the monster who had abused her from the day they wed – the man who had already killed his innocent first wife? But his death triggers a chain of events that seem to revolve around the handsome bushranger who murdered him – a man to whom Nell, against her better judgement, is drawn. But Nell has far more than a mysterious stranger to worry about. With a mess of complications around her late husband's will, a vicious scoundrel of a father trying to sell her off in matrimony, and angry relatives pursuing her for her husband's gold, she is more concerned with trying to ensure her safety and that of her friend,...

"Two strangers. One shattered realm. And a quest neither of them asked for."Pris never questioned the world around her—until Snake crashed into her life and turned it upside down. What starts as a simple mission to track down her missing parents spirals into a whirlwind adventure across magical realms, ancient rivalries, and high-stakes quests.Together, Pris and Snake journey from the World Above to the World Below, uncovering secrets about their heritage, awakening dangerous powers, and finding unexpected allies—including their reluctant guide Percival, the Witch of Wimbledon and a mythical monster.As revelations unfold—dragons are real, magic is fading, and Pris is an actual Elven Princess–Pris, Snake, and Percival are thrust into the heart of court politics and they find themselves protecting the fabric of magic itself.With tensions mounting, saving their parents is no longer enough. To heal their worlds...

Adventure, romance and history combine in this thrilling 19th century journey through the South Australian bush and along the mighty Murray River in the company of a determined heroine. 1895, Renmark, South AustraliaMaggie O'Rourke has always had a hard head. No man was going to tie her down to a life of babies and domestic slavery, even if that man was as good (and as annoyingly attractive) as Sam Taylor. Maggie is happily earning her own way as a maid in a house on the Murray River when disaster strikes.Forced to defend herself and a friend from assault by an evil man, she flees downriver on a paddle steamer. With death at her heels, Maggie begins to realise that a man like Sam might be just who she wants in her hour of need. As for Sam, well, Maggie has always been what he wants.The further Maggie runs, the more she discovers there are some things she cannot escape...

In THE PYRATES, the author of the celebrated Flashman novels pays tongue-in-cheek homage to the swashbuckling books and movies that have always stirred his imagination. In these rollicking pages you'll find tall ships and desert islands; impossibly gallant adventurers and glamorous heroines; devilishly sinister cads and ghastly dungeons; improbably acrobatic duels and hair's-breadth escapes; and more plot twists than you can shake a rapier at. A deliriously entertaining combination of Errol Flynn action-adventure and Naked Gun pastiche.

Fraser Marshall is pretty sure his career as a Spec Ops fighter is over. Yes, he's gone into private security, working for Jones, Inc, but his last gig ended with him wounded and taken captive. And those wounds just won't heal. The last thing he wants to do is stick around his family's winery pressing grapes. But what choices does he have?The answer comes via a panicked phone call from his kid brother, Creed.Help, Fraser. I'm in over my head...Yeah he is, because he's run away with a princess, with her bodyguard hot on the trail. And said bodyguard, Pippa Butler is going to hunt them down, no matter the cost.Even if she has to join forces with a bossy, arrogant former American SEAL. But Pippa has her own set of lethal skills, and if Fraser gets in the way, she'll leave him on the side of the road. Still, maybe he's not a terrible side-kick. He is handsome, and he makes her laugh...No, no, bad Pippa! She has no room for a...

Nova: At twenty-eight, my world shatters when my husband betrays me, leaving me and my daughter homeless. Phoenix, my lifelong best friend, is our last hope—offering us refuge with his motorcycle club. Soon, the line blurs between friendship and an undeniable attraction. Could I risk the safety of friendship for the thrill of something more? Phoenix: When Nova's world falls apart, bringing her and her daughter into my MC club's safe haven is a no-brainer. Nova is more than my best friend—she's the woman I've always loved. But having the woman I've secretly loved for years living so close is tests my resolve like never before. As she pieces her life back together, I can't hide my feelings anymore. I'm tired of watching from the sidelines. I'm determined to make her mine, but her psychotic ex threatens any chance at happiness. Protecting Nova and her daughter is my priority, even if it...

Welcome to Dickens—a quaint New England town bustling with excitement and anticipation for the upcoming Christmas holiday. We have the annual tree lighting in the town square, a snowman building competition, ice skating on Grosvenor's Pond, and horse-drawn sleigh rides. You're welcome to cut down your own Christmas tree at Gridley Meadows, or join in the caroling on the Common. Dickens offers an abundance of heartfelt wishes, a few much needed miracles, and—quite possibly—a touch of magic! Families reunite, new friends are made, and old flames take a second chance at happiness. All while celebrating this most joyful time of the year. USA Today and Top 100 Best Selling & Award-Winning authors Nancy Fraser, Maddie James, Caroline Clemmons, Bonnie Edwards, Liz Flaherty, Kathryn Hills, Peggy Jaeger, Kathleen Lawless, Lucinda Race and Jan Scarbrough will fill your holiday stocking with ten brand new novellas ranging from sweet to...

Antonia Fraser’s Perilous Question is a dazzling re-creation of the tempestuous two-year period in Britain’s history leading up to the passing of the Great Reform Bill in 1832, a narrative which at times reads like a political thriller. The era, beginning with the accession of William IV, is evoked in the novels of Trollope and Thackeray, and described by the young Charles Dickens as a cub reporter. It is lit with notable characters. The reforming heroes are the Whig aristocrats led by Lord Grey, members of the richest and most landed cabinet in history yet determined to bring liberty, which would whittle away their own power, to the country. The all-too-conservative opposition was headed by the Duke of Wellington, supported by the intransigent Queen Adelaide, with hereditary memories of the French Revolution. Finally, there were revolutionaries, like William Cobbett, the author of Rural Rides, the radical tailor Francis Place, and Thomas Attwood of Birmingham, the charismatic orator. The contest often grew violent. There were urban riots put down by soldiers and agricultural riots led by the mythical Captain Swing. The underlying grievance was the fate of the many disfranchised people. They were ignored by a medieval system of electoral representation that gave, for example, no votes to those who lived in the new industrial cities of Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, and Birmingham, while allocating two parliamentary representatives to a village long since fallen into the sea and, most notoriously, Old Sarum, a green mound in a field. Lord John Russell, a Whig minister, said long afterwards that it was the only period when he genuinely felt popular revolution threatened the country. The Duke of Wellington declared intractably in November 1830 that “The beginning of reform is the beginning of revolution.” So it seemed that disaster must fall on the British Parliament, or the monarchy, or both. The question was: Could a rotten system reform itself in time? On June 7, 1832, the date of the extremely reluctant royal assent by William IV to the Great Reform Bill, it did. These events led to a total change in the way Britain was governed, and set the stage for its growth as the world’s most successful industrial power; admired, among other things, for its traditions of good governance—a two-year revolution that Antonia Fraser brings to vivid dramatic life.

"Freya knew her whole outlook on life was about to change once more. This moment, this very moment, would never happen again. She was on the verge of entering a new world, one that did not exist in her universe. She took a step into the new realm."The wizard, Rowan, has searched many worlds to find her - the one person who could help undo something terrible. Her name, Freya Liddle.Freya is undeniably a power so great the worlds of magic cry out for her. Rowan, together with a dragon, Tarron, who had all but given up on mankind, and a young man, Simon, train Freya and help her rediscover the light of magic. They travel to other dimensions, working with Ascended Masters and magical beings.Freya discovers the Web, a vast vortex of energy holding all of creation together and a gateway to other worlds. She has no idea of the legacy she holds within her. Her doubts and fears clash with her magical training,...

Sisters Emmy and Callie have no secrets between them until a mysterious accident robs one of a crucial memory and sparks troubling visions. Only through letters they exchange while painfully separated do the sisters reveal hidden truths leading back to a fateful springtime day—and a chilling September night—that changed them both forever.

Harry Dinsmore doesn’t talk much, unless it’s about his crew or fire season. He doesn’t make small talk and he doesn’t seek out others who do. If you’re crazy enough to ask him about his family, be prepared to get a tongue lashing that will leave your ears next to bleeding.Katie Richards loves to talk. She’ll talk to anyone about anything and doesn’t shy away from even the most uncomfortable conversations. In Harry she sees a challenge and she’s never met a challenge she couldn’t overcome.Will Katie push too hard when it comes to Harry’s past, or will Harry learn that sharing often leads to healing? Can these two learn to speak one another’s language or will miscommunication keep them apart?

George MacDonald Fraser was famed for his legendary Flashman series, featuring the incorrigible knave Harry Flashman. In the colorful standalone novel Captain in Calico, which has never been published, Fraser introduces another real-life anti-hero: Captain John Rackham, called “Calico Jack,” an illustrious eighteenth-century pirate who marauded the Caribbean seas. On a tranquil evening in the Bahamas, Calico Jack, long wanted on counts of piracy, makes a surprise appearance at the Governor’s residence and asks for a pardon. A deal is brokered after Jack reveals the motive for turning himself in: love. When he last set sail from the Bahamas two years ago, Jack left behind a beautiful fiancée, and he hopes to win her back. But while Jack was off pirating, his beloved has become betrothed to a new man—the governor himself. It doesn’t take long for this truth to come to light, and after embarking on a new romance with famous Irish pirate Anne Bonney, Jack is quickly transformed back into a thieving captain in calico. With his trademark picaresque style, Fraser draws readers into the wild west of the British empire, where black sails prowl the waters and redemption can be found in the most unexpected places.

Awatea and his brother Tai are staying with their nan and pop on the farm. It's summer, andthey're free to explore. They're also helping spruce up Mrs Carol's house and shed, which Nanand Pop inherited, because the aunties are coming to stay. There's always been a mysteryaround Mr Carol, who disappeared. Uncle Kim says he came to a sticky end. But in the shed,Awatea finds an old satchel with some coins, a notebook, some receipts and two envelopesthat make him think differently. With the help of old Mr Willoughby, Awatea pieces togetherwhat happened to Mr Carol when he came back from the war, why he suddenly left one dayin secret and where he went

Set in a charming little Scottish town, The Bookshop of Second Chances is an uplifting story of fresh starts and new beginnings by a hugely talented debut author. Thea's having a bad month. Not only has she been made redundant, she's also discovered her husband of nearly twenty years is sleeping with one of her friends. And he's not sorry – he's leaving. Bewildered and lost, Thea doesn't know what to do. But, when she learns the great-uncle she barely knew has died and left her his huge collection of second-hand books and a house in the Scottish Lowlands, she seems to have been offered a second chance. Running away to a little town where no one knows her seems like exactly what Thea needs. But when she meets the aristocratic Maltravers brothers – grumpy bookshop owner Edward and his estranged brother Charles, Lord Hollinshaw – her new life quickly becomes just as complicated as the life she was running from......

Antonia Fraser's Warrior Queens are those women who have both ruled and led in war. They include Catherine the Great, Elizabeth I, Isabella of Spain, the Rani of Jhansi, and the formidable Queen Jinga of Angola. With Boadicea as the definitive example, her female champions from other ages and civilisations make a fascinating and awesome assembly. Yet if Boadicea's apocryphal chariot has ensured her place in history, what are the myths that surround the others? And how different are the democratically elected if less regal warrior queens of recent times: Indira Gandhi and Golda Meir? This remarkable book is much more than a biographical selection. It examines how Antonia Fraser's heroines have held and wrested the reins of power from their (consistently male) adversaries.

George MacDonald Fraser's hilarious stories of the most disastrous soldier in the British Army are collected together for the first time in one volume. Private McAuslan, J., the Dirtiest Soldier in the World (alias the Tartan Caliban, or the Highland Division's answer to the Pekin Man) first demonstrated his unfitness for service in The General Danced at Dawn. He continued his disorderly advance, losing, soiling or destroying his equipment, through the pages of McAuslan in the Rough. The final volume, The Sheikh and the Dustbin, pursues the career of the great incompetent as he shambles across North African and Scotland, swinging his right arm in time with his right leg and tripping over his untied laces. His admirers know him as court-martial defendant, ghost-catcher, star-crossed lover and golf caddie extraordinary. Whether map-reading his erratic way through the Sahara by night or confronting Arab rioters, McAuslan's talent for catastrophe is guaranteed. Now, the inimitable McAuslan stories are collected together in one glorious volume.

Join the fun in Bloo Moose, where love is always worth the risk! Curl up with these small-town romantic suspense stories about brave women and the daring men who will conquer all the odds to keep them safe. Reaching For Balance (Book 4) - FBI agent Rebecca knows nothing about kids, small towns, or blending in. But she'll need to learn all three if she's going to protect her partner's son. Gage runs a fishing lodge and keeps life low-key and easy. To protect the boy, he'll work with the uptight agent. When danger encroaches, he discovers that he'll do anything to keep both of them safe. Reaching For Christmas (Book 5) - Lil has been keeping a heavy secret from her family. When the man who attacked her escapes prison, she returns to her hometown and to the safest place she knows. Max returns early from a book tour to find Lil in his bed. Exactly where he's always wanted her. To keep her safe, he'll have to reveal his...

When Amanda Thorne arrives on San Bella Island, she's tired and in bad need of a vacation. She's just finished paying off her late husband's many debts by selling their home and belongings. On her way to Dallas for a new job in a medical research lab, she's taking one week to recoup before beginning her new life. Nicholas Holloway is recovering from a 2 year stint undercover for the U.S. Marshal Service. Ordered to take a vacation to clear his head, he ends up on San Bella at the same time. Will these two battle-scared souls find peace in the other's arms? And, will they be able to walk away at the end of their one-week fling?Caution: This book contains love scenes and language some may find offensive. Or hot!

After WWII and a family tragedy, Peyton Cabot seeks connection with his troubled veteran father by retracing the trip he'd taken from Savannah to Key West at the same age. The adventure forces Peyton to come to terms with his identity and decide how much he's willing to risk for the girl he loves.

If something has been covered up for eighty years, someone, somewhere, knows why.... One cold January weekend in 2019, Nicole Weymouth and her fiancé, Dan, visit a boutique hotel in The Lake District. During the Second World War it was a boarding school for young boys evacuated from London.When a letter falls out of a book Nicole finds in the library, she discovers it was written in 1940 by an eight-year-old boy, Peter Slaithwaite, and he is asking his parents to bring him home because of the horrors he has experienced.The letter was never sent. Still traumatised by the memory of her younger brother's death when she was a child, Nicole resolves to find out what led Peter to write the letter. The search she embarks upon takes her on a journey full of surprises and terrible consequences for her, her loved ones and all those involved in her investigations.

A woman alone and a charismatic private detective are caught up in a dangerous quest to discover her true identity in this thrilling historical adventure romance set in 19th century Victoria, from a bestselling Australian author. 1898, Geelong, Victoria. Stella Truehart is all alone in the world. Her good-for-nothing husband has died violently at the hands of an unknown assailant. Her mother is dead, her father deserted them before she was born, and now her kindly Truehart grandparents are also in their graves.Private detective Bendigo Barrett has been tasked with finding Stella. He believes his client's intentions are good, but it is evident that someone with darker motives is also seeking her. For her own part Stella is fiercely independent, but as danger mounts she agrees to work with Bendigo and before long they travel together to Sydney to meet his mysterious client where they discover more questions than answers.What role do a stolen...

Dissident Dispatches is about Christian theology. It also gives voice to the ethno-patriotic concerns now fuelling the growth of the secular Alt-Right movement. Both reject the ongoing spiritual degeneration and concomitant demographic displacement of every white European ethno-nation.The author, Andrew Fraser, has studied and taught history and law at leading universities in Canada, the United States, and Australia. He was born a British subject when people of British stock still counted as one of Canada’s two “founding races”. Indeed, at that time, there was no such thing as a “Canadian citizen”.A “late loyalist” in his own personal development, Fraser deplores the ethno-masochistic eagerness with which far-too-many other WASPs still spit upon the graves of their ancestors.He recognizes, however, that it is not enough to mourn the loss of once-secure and legitimate ethno-religious identities. Nor will politics alone save us. Dissident Dispatches outlines the fundamental elements of the Christian ethno-theology sorely needed by the Alt-Right if it is to halt, much less reverse, the rising tide of colour.Dissident Dispatches identifies the main currents in modern Christian theology responsible for the moral and spiritual collapse of both the Anglican Church and Christendom more generally.Given the rusted-on secularism of the Alt-Right, the book offers a critical comparative analysis of the major alternatives to a Christian ethno-theology; namely, the political theology of popular sovereignty and the cornucopian civil religion of perpetual progress. Across a wide range of issues in systematic and practical theology, in bible studies and church history, the essays collected here provide the basic ingredients for the counter-revolutionary theology of Christian nationhood needed in contemporary debates with Christian universalists and disingenuous white liberals.The book counters the Christophobia endemic among neo-pagan white nationalists with an intellectually respectable Christian apologetic as well as a biblical hermeneutic informed by both “kinism” (aka covenantal creationism) and “preterism” (aka covenant eschatology).But Dissident Dispatches is more than a theological treatise. It is also a personal memoir. The author, Andrew Fraser, is a racially aware, former law professor who became a theology student at a divinity school in suburban Sydney, Australia. He discovered there a multiracial college community of professedly Christian teachers and students promoting the postmodern cult of the “Other”. There, to be Christian is to celebrate the fact that Australia, Canada, the United States, even England, are no longer “Anglo-Saxon countries”.Following in the author’s footsteps from one class to another, the book provides insight into the academic and personal problems likely to face pro-white students engaging in politically-incorrect speech or behaviour in a divinity school anywhere in the white, English-speaking world.The author has considerable personal experience on the receiving end of politically correct thought policing. Early on, Dissident Dispatches explores the background to the one-year suspension meted out to the author for “offending” faculty members and/or female and ethnic students by the allegedly racist, sexist, and anti-Semitic remarks made by him in classes and seminars.Dissident Dispatches is the unplanned product of the culture shock experienced on all sides when an Alt-Right senior citizen cum cultural warrior decides to rattle his politically-correct bars by going to a theological college run by a church often confused with the Communist Party at prayer.

Elsa Goody is a woman on a quest for buried treasure - and her own freedom. A thrilling historical romance adventure from a bestselling Australian author. 1896 Robe, South AustraliaWhen Elsa Goody's father and brother George die in quick succession she and her sister Rosie are in trouble. Pursued by an unpleasant suitor with dubious motivation, Elsa leaves for Victoria on the hunt for a fortune in gold coins that her brother has hidden. If Elsa can find it she will be able to save Rosie and herself from married slavery. Their quest leads them on a cross-country journey to find the last man who saw her brother alive, Ezekiel Jones. But Elsa is not the only one looking for buried treasure. She and Rosie are beset by bushrangers and in the confusion Elsa is accused of being an accomplice. Luckily not everyone believes that Elsa is a criminal. When she finally catches up with Ezekiel, it's clear that for him...

In the glittering world of Regency London, where gossip is exchanged—and reputations ruined—with the tilt of a fan, Mélanie Fraser is the perfect wife. Devoted to her husband, Charles, the grandson of a duke, she is acknowledged as society's most charming hostess. But just as the elegant façade of Regency London hides a dark side, Mélanie is not what she seems. She has a secret: one that could destroy her perfect jewel-box life forever . . . and the cost to keep it is an exquisite heirloom ring surrounded by legend and power. The search for it will pull Mélanie and Charles into a gritty underworld of gin-soaked brothels, elegant gaming hells, and debtors' prisons. In this maze of intrigue, deception is second nature and betrayal can come far too easily . . . **

Playboy sheikh, Xander, wants a trophy wife, and Elaheh, a fiery sheikha, has no interest in marriage whatsoever. Xander and Elaheh dislike each other at first meeting, and sparks continue to fly as they work with the other Kings of Havilah to bring peace and prosperity to their region. But the distance they agree to keep from each other is destroyed when Elaheh is forced to accept Xander's protection. Will this forced proximity bring them closer, or set them, and their countries, on a collision course? —The Sheikhs of Havilah— The Sheikh's Secret Baby Bought by the Sheikh The Sheikh's Forbidden Lover Surrender to the Sheikh —Desert Kings— Wanted: A Wife for the Sheikh The Sheikh's Bargain Bride The Sheikh's Lost Lover Awakened by the Sheikh Claimed by the Sheikh Wanted: A Baby by the Sheikh

When Olivia loses control at her fiftieth birthday party, her four best friends decide to intervene once and for all, much to the irritation of Olivia and her lover, Norma. But is she the only one battling a demon? Or do each of these women face an addiction of one kind or another? 5 @ 50 is a raw and darkly comedic portrayal of turning fifty in contemporary society, and of the friendships we can't live without.

From the author of the ever-popular Flashman novels, a collection of film-world reminiscences and trenchant thoughts on Cool Britannia, New Labour and other abominations. In between writing Flashman novels, George MacDonald Fraser spent thirty years as an "incurably star struck" screenwriter, working with the likes of Steve McQueen, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Cubby Broccoli, Burt Lancaster, Federico Fellini and Oliver Reed. Now he shares his recollections of those encounters, providing a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes. Far from starry-eyed where Tony Blair Co are concerned, he looks back also to the Britain of his youth and castigates those responsible for its decline to "a Third World country … misruled by a typical Third World government, corrupt, incompetent and undemocratic". Controversial, witty and revealing – or "curmudgeonly", "reactionary", "undiluted spleen", according to the critics – The Light's on at Signpost has struck a chord with a great section of the public. Perhaps, as one reader suggests, it should be "hidden beneath the floorboards, before the Politically-Correct Thought Police come hammering at the door, demanding to confiscate any copies".

A moving testament to one of the literary world's most celebrated marriages: that of the greatest playwright of our age, Harold Pinter, and the beautiful and famous prize-winning biographer Antonia Fraser. In this exquisite memoir, Antonia Fraser recounts the life she shared with the internationally renowned dramatist. In essence, it is a love story and a marvelously insightful account of their years together, beginning with their initial meeting when Fraser was the wife of a member of Parliament and mother of six, and Pinter was married to a distinguished actress. Over the years, they experienced much joy, a shared devotion to their work, crises and laughter, and, in the end, great courage and love as Pinter battled the illness to which he eventually suc­cumbed on Christmas Eve 2008. Must You Go? is based on Fraser’s recollections and on the diaries she has kept since October 1968. She shares Pinter’s own revelations about his past, as well as observations by his friends. Fraser’s diaries—written by a biographer living with a creative artist and observing the process firsthand—also pro­vide a unique insight into his writing. Harold Pinter and Antonia Fraser lived together from August 1975 until his death thirty-three years later. “O! call back yesterday, bid time return,” cries one of the courtiers to Richard II. This is Antonia Fraser’s uniquely compelling way of doing so. From the Hardcover edition.

Sparking a series of further revelations, the sudden reappearance of David exposes suppressed emotions and desires in everyone and the family must renegotiate their relationships with each other and, ultimately, redefine their family. In sharp, non-stop dialogue, Brad Fraser brings each of his characters to life with a depth, humour, and emotion that tears open the nuclear family and finds the heart that is often lost and forgotten.

An open-hearted hippy, a secretive property tycoon—a recipe for heartache. Amber Connelly is the youngest in the Connelly family and is adored by her family for her sunny, quirky personality. She loves nothing more than to hang out with her family and friends, create her art, and bake inedible cakes for the café in which she works. So what is she doing, her family wonders, lusting after a strait-laced property billionaire? Okay, he has muscles to spare, but he wouldn't be seen dead in a tie-dyed t-shirt and the chances of him playing a guitar around a campfire are approximately zero. David Tremayne is focused and tough for a reason—because he's had to be. Raised by an alcoholic father and an absent mother, he worked hard to provide and care for his two siblings. Now, he has no intention of having a family of his own—he's done that already. He's free to focus on what matter to him most—his business interests and beautiful...

Louis XIV, the highly-feted “Sun King”, was renowned for his political and cultural influence and for raising France to a new level of prominence in seventeenth-century Europe. And yet, as Antonia Fraser keenly describes, he was equally legendary in the domestic sphere. Indeed, a panoply of women—his mother, Anne; mistresses such as Louise de la Vallière, Athénaïs de Montespan, and the puritanical Madame de Maintenon; and an array of courtesans—moved in and out of the court. The highly visible presence of these women raises many questions about their position in both Louis XIV’s life and in France at large. With careful research and vivid, engaging prose, Fraser makes the multifaceted life of one of the most famous European monarchs accessible and vibrantly current.

Barry Todd is one of life's good guys – everybody says so. He works hard for Monument Housing Association to provide the poor and vulnerable with a place to live – people like Iulia Nicolescu, a trafficked former sex worker who Barry helps keep safe in her new home even after her benefits are cut. But, overlooked for promotion and with mounting financial problems, Barry starts to wonder if goodness will ever bring its own reward. When the opportunity presents itself to steal fifty thousand pounds of Monument's money without anyone being able to trace the theft back to him, Barry finds himself wondering – if nothing bad were to happen to anyone, would being good really matter anymore? As his plan unfolds, Barry finds his fate becoming ever more closely entwined with that of Iulia. Eventually he can no longer control the chain of events he has set in motion and he is forced into desperate measures to prevent his intricate web of deception from being revealed.

Join the fun in Bloo Moose, where love is always worth the risk! Curl up with these small-town romantic suspense stories about brave women and the daring men who will conquer all the odds to keep them safe. Reaching For Normal (Book 1) - Former SEAL Sawyer wants to be left alone to deal with the traumas he's seen. Freelance writer Myla wants to learn all things winter and Sawyer is just the man to help her. And if her sexy guide could help her get rid of that V-card, that'd be great too. But when things turn deadly, these opposites will need to work together if they want to survive. Reaching For Risks (Book 2) - When her octogenarian B&B guests suggest she fits right in with them, Darby realizes it's time to renovate herself. Her legendary Reno List gets a new page—the Risk List. Quinn has wanted Darby since he was a teen living with his selfish family. A lucky accident has him staying in her B&B and...

Join the fun in Bloo Moose, where love is always worth the risk! Curl up with these small-town romantic suspense stories about brave women and the daring men who will conquer all the odds to keep them safe. Reaching For Roots (Book 7) - Cartoonist Emmy is terrified of putting down roots because it's never worked out for her before. But opening a shop in quirky Bloo Moose is too good an opportunity to pass up. Undercover agent Ryan is following the only link to his target. He never expected her to be sexy and sweet. And lovable. When he's in too deep, everything goes wrong. Now he needs to convince Emmy of the truth beneath the lies, if he can find her first. Reaching For Family (Book 8) - Veterinarian Jenna has changed her name to escape her family. Animals are much safer company. Former Ranger Noah is determined to buy back his adoptive parents' farm and raise alpacas in peace. But when the sexy vet who owns part of...