Publisher: Sovereign
A sequel to Stevenson's previous novel Kidnapped. This time the central character is kidnapped again and confined on the Bass Rock, an island. David also meets and falls in love with Catriona MacGregor Drummond, the daughter of James MacGregor Drummond, known as James More, also held in prison, whose escape she engineers.
"The Adventure of the Three Students", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 13 stories in the cycle collected as The Return of Sherlock Holmes.Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson find themselves in a university town when a tutor and lecturer of St Luke's College, Mr. Hilton Soames, brings him an interesting problem. Soames had been reviewing the galley proofs of an exam he was going to give when he left his office for an hour. When he returned, he found that his servant, Bannister, had entered the room but accidentally left his key in the lock when he left, and someone had disturbed the exam papers on his desk and left traces that show it had been partially copied. Bannister is devastated and collapses on a chair, but swears that he did not touch the papers. Soames found other clues in his office: pencil shavings, a broken pencil lead, a fresh cut in his desk surface, and a small blob of black clay speckled with sawdust.Show book
Around the World in Eighty Days (French: Le tour du monde en quatre-vingts jours) is a classic adventure novel by the French writer Jules Verne, published in 1873. In the story, Phileas Fogg of London and his newly employed French valet Passepartout attempt to circumnavigate the world in 80 days on a £20,000 wager (equal to about £2 million in 2016) set by his friends at the Reform Club. It is one of Verne's most acclaimed works.Show book
The story deals with the life of David Copperfield from childhood to maturity. David's father had died six months before he was born, and seven years later, his mother remarries but David and his step-father don’t get on and he is sent to boarding school. As David settles into life we are taken along with him and meet a dazzling array of characters, some of whom we will never forget and some of whom we won't want to remember!Show book
"The Red and the Black" is a psychological novel that follows the story of Julien Sorel, a young and ambitious protagonist from a provincial town in France. Set against the backdrop of the post-Napoleonic era, the novel explores themes of love, social climbing, and the clash between individual aspirations and societal expectations. Julien, a clever and ambitious young man, navigates the complexities of love and politics as he seeks to rise above his social station.Show book
"The Murders in the Rue Morgue" is a story by Edgar Allan Poe published in Graham's Magazine in 1841. It has been recognized as the first detective story; Poe referred to it as one of his "tales of ratiocination". C. Auguste Dupin is a man in Paris who solves the mystery of the brutal murder of two women. Numerous witnesses heard a suspect, though no one agrees on what language was spoken. At the murder scene, Dupin finds a hair that does not appear to be human. Writing the first true detective in fiction, Poe's Dupin originated many literary conventions which would be used in future fictional detectives including Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. Many later characters, for example, follow Poe's model of the brilliant detective, his personal friend who serves as narrator, and the final revelation being presented before the reasoning that leads up to it. Dupin himself reappears in "The Mystery of Marie Rogêt" and "The Purloined Letter"Show book
William Collins Books and Decca Records are proud to present ARGO Classics, a historic catalogue of classic fiction read by some of the world’s most renowned voices. Originally released as vinyl records, these expertly abridged and remastered stories are now available to download for the first time. Impressively witty, beautiful and vain, with a penchant for meddling, Emma Woodhouse is mischievous force to be reckoned with. Though she has convinced herself that she will never marry, she somehow has garnered skills for 'matchmaking'. The formidable Prunella Scales brings the satirical bite to this timeless comedy of manners, reigniting Austen's unfailing exploration of society's obsession with class, its influence on a woman's choices and a woman's right to love. This literary masterpiece, set in a small, rural town, is a Sunday Times bestselling book that beautifully captures the essence of romance. Emma's matchmaking skills, her best and most mischievous trait, are a testament to Austen's ability to create complex and relatable characters. For fans of Charlotte Brontë (The Professor), Emily Brontë (Wuthering Heights), Diane Long Hoeveler (The Castle of Wolfenbach), Rachel Firth (Physics for Beginners), and Gill Hornby (Godmersham Park).Show book
