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  The Stranger of the Night - A...

  Edgar Wallace

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  Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace was born on the 1st April 1875 in Greenwich, London.  Leaving school at 12 because of truancy, by the age of fifteen he had experience; selling newspapers, as a worker in a rubber factory, as a shoe shop assistant, as a milk delivery boy and as a ship’s cook.  
   
  By 1894 he was engaged but broke it off to join the Infantry being posted to South Africa. He also changed his name to Edgar Wallace which he took from Lew Wallace, the author of Ben-Hur.  
   
  In Cape Town in 1898 he met Rudyard Kipling and was inspired to begin writing. His first collection of ballads, The Mission that Failed! was enough of a success that in 1899 he paid his way out of the armed forces in order to turn to writing full time.  
   
  By 1904 he had completed his first thriller, The Four Just Men. Since nobody would publish it he resorted to setting up his own publishing company which he called Tallis Press. 
    
  In 1911 his Congolese stories were published in a collection called Sanders of the River, which became a bestseller. He also started his own racing papers, Bibury’s and R. E. Walton’s Weekly, eventually buying his own racehorses and losing thousands gambling.  A life of exceptionally high income was also mirrored with exceptionally large spending and debts.  
   
  Wallace now began to take his career as a fiction writer more seriously, signing with Hodder and Stoughton in 1921. He was marketed as the ‘King of Thrillers’ and they gave him the trademark image of a trilby, a cigarette holder and a yellow Rolls Royce. He was truly prolific, capable not only of producing a 70,000 word novel in three days but of doing three novels in a row in such a manner. It was estimated that by 1928 one in four books being read was written by Wallace, for alongside his famous thrillers he wrote variously in other genres, including science fiction, non-fiction accounts of WWI which amounted to ten volumes and screen plays. Eventually he would reach the remarkable total of 170 novels, 18 stage plays and 957 short stories. 
   
  Wallace became chairman of the Press Club which to this day holds an annual Edgar Wallace Award, rewarding ‘excellence in writing’.  
   
  Diagnosed with diabetes his health deteriorated and he soon entered a coma and died of his condition and double pneumonia on the 7th of February 1932 in North Maple Drive, Beverly Hills. He was buried near his home in England at Chalklands, Bourne End, in Buckinghamshire.

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  Hand and Heart - From their pens...

  Elizabeth Gaskell

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  Elizabeth Stevenson was born in Chelsea in London on 29th September 1810.  
  Both parents embedded their strong Unitarian beliefs into Elizabeth who rebelliously was often reluctant to display these religious convictions.  
  The early death of Elizabeth’s mother saw her sent away to be brought up by her maternal aunt in Knutsford, Cheshire.  
  Her father now remarried but Elizabeth spent most of her childhood in Cheshire away from her father and his new family but was supportive towards her half-siblings.  
  Elizabeth’s aunt encouraged her education and particularly to read and express herself through writing.   
  In 1828, her brother John, who worked in the merchant navy, disappeared on a journey to India. This disastrous loss depressed her father, and she went to his household to nurse him for the next year before he died.  
  In 1832, she fell in love with William Gaskell, a Unitarian minister like her father, and married him.  They settled in Manchester. This booming industrial city had a great impact on Elizabeth who felt the need to speak up for poor workers and their exploitation by large industrial companies. A collection of poems and short stories, ‘Sketches among the Poor’ appeared in 1837, co-authored by her husband.  Her first major work, under a pseudonym, was ‘Mary Barton: A Tale of Manchester Life’ published in 1848. 
  During her career she worked continually with Charles Dickens and published much in his various magazines. With him she published ‘Lizzie Leigh’ in 1850 which dealt with the taboo subject of prostitution.  She was an excellent writer and impressed her many Victorian literary peers. Much of her writing reflects her work as a social critic highlighting the exploitation of the working class and the situation of women in society.  
  On 12th November 1865, Elizabeth Gaskell died in Holybourne, Hampshire, after suffering from a heart attack a month earlier.

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  The Complete Works of George Eliot

  George Eliot

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  Discover the "Large Mind" that Defined an Era.
  
  George Eliot was more than a novelist; she was a profound philosopher of the human heart. Writing under a masculine pseudonym to ensure her work was taken seriously, she produced a body of work that remains the pinnacle of English realism. This comprehensive collection brings together her entire literary output, offering an unmatched look at the intricate connections between individual character and the community at large.
  
  This collection explores the pillars of her literary genius:
  
  The Master of Psychological Realism: Experience her revolutionary ability to delve into the inner motivations, flaws, and moral dilemmas of her characters with scientific precision and deep empathy.
  
  Portraits of Provincial Life: Vivid, atmospheric journeys into the heart of rural England, capturing the shifting traditions and social hierarchies during a time of immense cultural change.
  
  The Web of Society: Witness her signature "interconnected" storytelling, where the smallest actions of a single individual ripple outward to affect the lives of an entire town.
  
  Intellectual and Moral Inquiry: Beyond the drama, Eliot's work is infused with her deep interests in religion, politics, and the pursuit of a meaningful, virtuous life in a modernizing world.
  
  Eliot's prose is celebrated for its wisdom, its wit, and its "massive" intellectual scope. Whether you are seeking a sweeping social epic or an intimate study of a marriage, her work remains the gold standard for classic literature and social history.
  
  Explore the depths of the human condition. Buy "The Complete Works of George Eliot" today and own the library of a Victorian titan.

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  The Big Four

  Agatha Christie

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  This fifth book in Agatha Christie's renowned detective series follows Hercules Poirot's latest investigation. His newest case will see him exploring the world of international intrigue and espionage in this twisty mystery that only a detective like Poirot could hope to untangle.
   
  This action-fueled mystery begins with a mysterious man arriving on Poirot's doorstep—only to drop dead moments later before he can convey crucial information about what led to his fatal condition. What follows will be one of Poirot's most dangerous investigations as he tangles with an international crime syndicate known as "The Big Four" in a race to stop their dastardly plans from coming to fruition.

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  The Europeans

  Henry James

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  "The Europeans" by Henry James is an enchanting novel that revolves around the arrival of two European siblings, Eugenia and Felix, to their American relatives' home. The cultured and mysterious newcomers create a stir among their pragmatic and reserved American kin. As the two worlds collide, romantic entanglements, cultural clashes, and social complexities unfold. Eugenia, a charming baroness, captivates the locals, including the earnest and polite Robert Acton, who falls for her continental allure. Meanwhile, Felix, a talented artist, courts the free-spirited Gertrude Wentworth, creating tension within the family.

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  Emma

  Anonymous

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  She thinks she knows everyone's heart—except her own.
  Emma Woodhouse is clever, confident, and absolutely certain she's an expert at matchmaking. But when her well-intended plans go hilariously wrong, the quiet village of Highbury becomes a stage for misread signals, tangled friendships, and a love she never saw coming. With wit, warmth, and irresistible charm, Austen turns one young woman's misadventures into a timeless story of growth, humility, and unexpected romance.
  
  Celebrated as "Austen's most sparkling and comedic novel," Emma delights readers with its sharp humor, unforgettable characters, and insightful look at love and self-discovery.
  
  If you enjoy witty banter, slow-burn romance, and classics filled with heart, this beloved novel will captivate you from the first page.
  
  Open the book—and fall in love with Austen's most mischievous heroine.

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