Other books that might interest you

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  Great Expectations

  Charles Dickens

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  "Great Expectations" intricately portrays the transformative journey of Pip as he matures from a naïve child into a complex adult, navigating through a series of often tumultuous and painful experiences. Starting in the desolate, foggy marshes of Kent, Pip's life takes a dramatic turn as he ventures into the bustling, vibrant streets of commercial London. Along the way, he encounters an eclectic array of extraordinary characters that leave indelible marks on his life.  
  Among these figures is Magwitch, the fearsome escaped convict whose unexpected influence steers Pip’s fate, and the enigmatic Miss Havisham, who lives trapped in the shadows of her own heart-wrenching past, surrounded by the remnants of her once-grand life. Living with her is the strikingly beautiful and haughty Estella, whose cold demeanor captivates and torments Pip, fueling his desires and aspirations. 
  As Pip navigates through the complexities of social class, ambition, and personal disappointment, he embarks on a profound quest for self-discovery. He must come to terms with his true identity and examine his values and priorities, ultimately seeking to understand what truly defines his worth and happiness.

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  Recognition

  Susan Greenwood

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  It is 1717 and a remarkable woman is reflecting on a life lived, always knowing she was different, always wondering why. 
   
   
   
  Even as a young child, Elisabeth was able to see, do, and feel things that others clearly could not—and knew to be careful. It was the era of witch-hunting in France and many like her were tortured and burnt at the stake. 
   
   
   
  Visions she's experienced all her life become a reality when Elisabeth travels to England and finds herself at Oakwood Grange, the home of Alice Harryman. Traumatic events forge an unbreakable bond between the two women and Elisabeth uses her skills to safeguard Alice and her family any way she can, content that this is her calling. 
   
   
   
  But she soon realizes that there's something special about this particular location. How come others have been expecting her? Why are some animals more than they seem? Is it possible that her presence here is more important than she imagined? 
   
   
   
  Finally, Elisabeth recognizes herself for what she truly is. She now understands the purpose of her life, and is prepared to meet the challenge . . . 
   
   
   
   . . . but it's dangerous and she will need to use all her powers. 
   
   
   
  No one said fighting evil was going to be easy.

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  Double Star

  Bernard Thornton

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  This story is set in Germany at the start of the First World War and follows Klaus, a quiet astronomer of Jewish background, who spends his time with a telescope in an observatory on the edge of town. There he meets an independent young woman from a well-to-do background whose desire for a career of her own leads her to work on the laboratory’s microscope. 
   
  Their different backgrounds clash even as the world is changing around them. Ulla is forced to keep her work secret from her socially ambitious mother to whom status and the old ways are prized above all. Her father encourages Ulla to help him in his quest to find a cure for a deadly disease. However, he has a secret of his own which also threatens the stability of their family.
   
  As their relationship grows and Ulla and Klaus share their scientific discoveries, unforeseen events force them to make choices which will have far-reaching consequences for both them and their families.

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  The Body Snatcher

  Robert Louis Stevenson

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  A chance meeting  in a pub in Debenham leads our narrator to uncover the dark secrets of two men. One, the local village drunk, the other a supposedly well to do London Doctor. What common thread could possibly connect the two? The answer to that question, reveals a history of murder, and blasphemy in the name of early medical science...A short story by Robert Louis Stevenson, narrated by Michael Ward.

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  Hopeful Hearts at the Wartime Hotel

  Maisie Thomas

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  Preorder the next instalment in the emotional Wartime Hotel series from Maisie Thomas 
  'A wonderful and uplifting tale of female friendship' Eva Glyn, author of The Dubrovnik Book Club 
  Manchester, 1942. 
  When Kitty Dunbar was forced to confront her husband’s debts and close the family hotel, she transformed Dunbar’s into a storage business for bombed-out families. But with her daughter to support, and relishing her new independence, Kitty is keen to come up with more ways to use the once prestigious hotel. 
  Sharing her home are former chambermaid Lily, and kind-hearted welfare worker Beatrice, both haunted by past loss. Together, the three women create a new kind of family in the heart of the Manchester Blitz: one built on respect and resilience. When Kitty suggests hosting wedding receptions in the old dining room, her friends are happy and willing to lend a hand – and help to serve ‘Dunbar’s Wartime Wedding Punch’! 
  But when Lily meets a handsome doctor, and Beatrice comes face to face with an old flame, will hearts finally be mended, or broken once more? 
  While war rages around them, can these three women find the courage to keep fighting for their dreams? 
  Praise for the Wartime Hotel series: 
  'An irresistible wartime saga brimming with warmth, courage and charm. The fabulous Maisie Thomas has woven a rich, emotional story of friendship and fresh starts and I can't wait for the next installment.' Kirsty Dougal, author of The Poppy Girls 
  'In this heartwarming saga, Maisie Thomas depicts the strength and resourcefulness of ordinary women in wartime, and evokes the world of early 1940s Manchester with affection and skill.' Rose Warner, author of The Teacher Evacuees 
  Praise for Maisie Thomas: 
  'Make yourself a cuppa and find a comfy spot on the sofa because you are not going to be able to put this down' Reader Review 
  'Gives a vivid picture of women's lives in wartime Manchester' Reader Review 
  'Dramatic, intriguing and sprinkled with plenty of wit and heart' Reader Review

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  Dancing with the Enemy - From...

  Diane Armstrong

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  From the bestselling author of The Collaborator comes a compelling story of betrayal, collusion, revenge, and redemption set in German-occupied Jersey during World War II. 
    
  June 1940. `It was a perfect June evening that began with hope and ended in despair.' So begins the journal of Hugh Jackson, a Jersey doctor, whose idyllic world is shattered when Britain abandons the Channel Islands which are invaded by the Germans. Forced to choose between conflicting loyalties, he sends his pregnant wife to England, believing their separation will be brief. It's a fateful decision that will affect every aspect of his life. 
  May 1942. Young Tom Gaskell fumes whenever he sees the hated swastika flying from Fort Regent. Humiliated by Jersey's surrender and ashamed of his mother's fraternisation with the occupiers, Tom forms an audacious plan, not suspecting that it will result in guilt and tragedy. 
  April 2019. Sydney doctor Xanthe Maxwell, traumatised by the suicide of her colleague and burnt out by the relentless pressure of her hospital work, travels to St Helier so she can figure out what to do with her life. But when she finds Hugh Jackson's World War II journal, she is plunged into a violent world of oppression and collusion, but also of passion and resistance. As she reads, she is mystified by her growing sense of connection to the past. Her deepening relationship with academic Daniel Miller helps her understand Jersey's wartime past and determine her own future.  
  By the time this novel reaches its moving climax, the connection between Tom, Xanthe and Hugh Jackson has been revealed in a way none of them could possibly have imagined.   
  HarperCollins Australia 2023

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