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  Ryūnosuke Akutagawa - A Short...

  Ryūnosuke Akutagawa

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  Ryūnosuke Niihara was born in Kyōbashi, Tokyo in Japan on the 1st March 1892.  Sadly, his mother suffered severe mental illness after his birth and so, at only eight months old, he was sent to be raised by his maternal uncle and aunt, from whom he received the Akutagawa family name.  
   
  He was fascinated by classical Chinese literature from his early years and began writing after entering what was then the Tokyo Imperial University in 1913 to study English Literature.   
   
  The following year Akutagawa and his friends revived the literary journal ‘New Currents of Thought’ which published their own works and translations of such icons as W B Yeats and Anatole France. 
   
  Akutagawa published "Rashōmon" in 1915 and whilst it was disliked by his friends everyone else knew better.  As other short stories followed so did his growing literary reputation as the father of the Japanese short story. 
   
  Much of his work reinterpreted former classical works and incidents and this, melded with his strong dislike of naturalism, produced a writer of rare and genuine quality.  His character palette featured strong and domineering women, mainly based on his mother and the aunt who helped raise him. 
   
  In 1921, he spent four months in China as a reporter.  Whilst there his health was compromised by several illnesses and both his physical and mental health spiralled downwards.  He began to suffer from hallucinations and dreaded that he might have inherited his mother’s mental disorders.  
   
  Although he survived one suicide attempt Ryūnosuke Akutagawa died on the 24th July 1927 in Tokyo from an overdose of Veronal, a barbiturate.  He was 35. 
   
  1 - Ryunosuke Akutagawa - A Short Story Collection - An Introduction 
  2 - In A Grove by Ryunosuke Akutagawa 
  3 - Rashomon by Ryunosuke Akutagawa 
  4 - The Cold by Ryunosuke Akutagawa 
  5 - The Mine Cart by Ryunosuke Akutagawa 
  6 - The Socialist by Ryunosuke Akutagawa

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  Three Debts Paid

  Anne Perry

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  A killer is on the loose, targeting victims with an elusive connection that young barrister Daniel Pitt must deduce before more bodies pile up, in this intricately woven mystery from New York Times bestselling author Anne Perry.  
   
  A serial killer is roaming the streets of London, and Daniel Pitt’s university chum Ian, now a member of the police, is leading the search. The murders happen on rainy nights, but Ian knows that the victims must have something in common  
  beyond the weather. He turns to Miriam fford Croft, Daniel’s good friend and now officially one of the first female pathologists in London, to tap her scientific knowhow to find details he and Daniel have missed.  
   
  With Miriam involved in the murder investigation, Ian passes to Daniel the case of Nicholas Wolford, their former university professor. Charged with assault after reacting violently to an accusation of plagiarism, Wolford, a proud, boastful man,  
  is loath to admit that he was in the wrong. But Daniel must defend him—whether he likes it or not.  
   
  As the murders continue with no clue as to who is committing them, Miriam, Daniel, and Ian find themselves questioning everything. Is the “Rainy-day Slasher,” as the newspapers have dubbed the killer, really just one person? Or have the  
  investigators stumbled into a more complicated web of deceit? The answer may lie closer than anyone could have expected.

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  The Kingbreakers Saga

  JC Duncan

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  💥A BRAND NEW, epic and bloodthirsty Viking historical adventure from bestselling author JC Duncan⚔️ featuring Harald Bluetooth👑 and JomsVikings🗡️  Full of action, intrigue and politics🔥  The Kingbreaker Saga Bk1 starts in 865AD 🛡️🏹

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  A Cuppa Tea and an Aspirin

  Helen Forrester

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  Timeless family drama from the best-selling author of Tuppence to Cross the Mersey. With over 3 million copies sold around the world, Helen Forrester’s heart-warming and gripping fiction, set in Liverpool during the Depression, continues to move readers. 
  Life in a Liverpool tenement block is a grim struggle for Martha Connelly, who works hard every day to protect her family from hunger and disease. 
  When rumours of war reach the neighbourhood in 1938, it becomes clear that life will soon be changed forever. As tough as it is, this is the life that Martha knows and loves — she’ll fight not to lose it, but will she succeed? 
  Despite their troubles, the community is full of warmth and support from friends and neighbours. Through hardships and small triumphs, they’ll strive to survive together. 
  Helen Forrester's A Cuppa Tea and an Aspirin is a top historical classic that takes readers on a journey through the struggles and triumphs of life in a Liverpool tenement block, amidst the looming threat of military action. 
  For fans of Katie Flynn (The Winter Runaway), Maureen Lee (The Kelly Sisters), Pam Howes (Secrets on Mersey Square), Anna Jacobs (The Secrets of Eastby End), and Rosie Goodwin (Yesterday's Shadows). 
  HarperCollins 2022

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  Leixlip Castle

  Charles Robert Maturin

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  Well Played Audio presents: Leixlip Castle by Charles Robert Maturin.  
  Nestled on the banks of the River Liffey, Leixlip Castle has stood for centuries—its stones steeped in history, mystery, and whispered legend. In this immersive audio adaptation, experience the story like never before: atmospheric narration draws you in, while haunting sound design brings the castle’s halls, secrets, and spirits to life. 
   Whether you’re a history enthusiast, folklore lover, or simply seeking a captivating escape, this audio journey invites you to explore the echoes of Ireland’s past in vivid, spine-tingling detail.

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  Murder on the Great Northern...

  Edward Marston

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  April, 1867. A train departs King's Cross station bound for Lincoln. Among the passengers is a man attired in the garb of one in high ecclesiastical office. He is accompanied by a brawny man carefully carrying a large leather bag, who ensures that they are not joined by any other travellers in their first-class compartment. Back at Scotland Yard that evening, Detective Inspector Colbeck is alerted to news of a brutal murder and robbery on the train. The urgent request for help from the Bishop of Lincoln states that a man has been shot dead and something of great value, a silver model of Lincoln Cathedral, has been stolen. Colbeck is more and more intrigued by the case as he and Sergeant Leeming follow the lines of inquiry, and he is convinced that the killer and thief is still close at hand. But with the city bursting at the seams for the annual Horse Fair, the timing is far from ideal and further complicates a challenging case for the Railway Detective.

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