Other books that might interest you

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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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  War Babies

  Rachel Billington

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  A woman lies unconscious on the carpet of a smart Westminster apartment, one red high-heeled shoe has fallen off... A younger woman lies with her eyes closed, half-hidden under a drinks cabinet... Her fingers clutch an empty bottle... What happens when a mother withholds her love? When she has no love to withhold? When she sees her three daughters as obstacles to her own formidable career? This is the story of three sisters, Millie, Di and Cleo. They are the war babies. Growing up in a world still in turmoil, hungover from war, the sisters struggle to leave behind their mother and build their own lives. Each sister is lost in her own world where extreme need leads to extreme behaviour. Then a tragic event forces Cleo, the youngest and wildest, to become the catalyst to smash the pattern. Who will adapt and survive in this new world? Who will find peace? From London to New York and to Vietnam, the focus shifts from one sister to the next, putting human nature, its flaws and its virtues, under the spotlight. With elements of a psychological thriller, Rachel Billington observes her characters with clinical detachment, but also with wit and understanding. Yet there is hope at the heart of this story which will leave the reader wondering long after the final twist is revealed.

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  East Lies the Sun

  Alla Crone

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  An epic novel of a woman caught in the turmoil and suffering of the Russian Revolution. With indomitable courage, she would survive the savage ordeal of the Siberian Ice March to find love and make a new life in a world utterly changed.  East Lies the Sun was awarded the Gold Medal Award by the West Coast Review of Books.

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  Ali Pacha

  Alexandré Dumas

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  "Ali Pacha" by Alexandre Dumas is a vivid historical tale of power, ambition, and betrayal set in the Ottoman Empire. The story follows Ali Pacha of Ioannina, a ruthless and cunning ruler who rises to prominence through strategic alliances and brutal force. Dumas explores his complex character, portraying him as both a visionary leader and a tyrant driven by greed and paranoia. As Ali’s quest for dominance unfolds, themes of loyalty, revenge, and cultural conflict come to the fore. Set against a backdrop of political intrigue and war, the novel delves into the tension between tradition and modernity. A gripping blend of drama and history, it reflects on the cost of power and the fragility of legacy in a turbulent era.

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  Heart of Darkness

  Joseph Conrad

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  Embark on a haunting journey into the depths of the human soul with Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad’s timeless literary masterpiece. Narrated with gripping intensity by Luke Oldham, this novella follows Charles Marlow as he navigates the treacherous Congo River in search of the enigmatic ivory trader, Mr. Kurtz. 
  As the steamboat pushes deeper into the jungle, Marlow’s physical journey mirrors a descent into moral ambiguity and existential dread. Through vivid storytelling and rich symbolism, Conrad explores the corrosive impact of imperialism and the unsettling truth about civilization’s thin veneer. 
  With moody atmosphere, philosophical depth, and psychological complexity, Heart of Darkness continues to challenge and captivate readers more than a century after its original publication. 
  Perfect for fans of introspective drama, historical fiction, and dark, thought-provoking literature.

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  The Queen's Dollmaker

  Christine Trent

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  Dollmaker Claudette Laurent fled Paris for London after tragedy destroyed the life she once had.  But life is not easy in a new country that despises the French. Nevertheless, she establishes her doll shop again and soon has English society wild for her fanciful creations.  Moreover, Claudette finds a surprising new customer in Queen Marie Antoinette, an avid doll collector herself. 
  That royal favor, though, will prove to be dangerous for Claudette when she decides to journey back to France for an audience with the queen despite the growing fanaticism and civil unrest in her home country. Soon swept up in a web of political intrigue by unknown malevolent forces, Claudette finds herself deemed an enemy of France.  Her fate is either disloyalty…or death. 
  Glittering with atmospheric period detail, The Queen’s Dollmaker is the first in the Royal Trades series.

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