Recommended Reads
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Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong
Tour guiding is a well-established part of the entertainment profession. Its practitioners have evolved over the centuries, shifting from street theatre performers to companions for aristocrats exploring the brothels and antiquities of the ancient world.
As time went on, companies like Messrs Thomas Cook & Co employed hundreds of guides worldwide, confirming their place in the tourism industry. Yet, entertainment remains the key to delighting clients and ensuring a good tip.
£8.99 -
A Meaningful Life
A MEANINGFUL LIFE is a book about living purposefully and composedly in today’s world of strife, turmoil, uncertainty, and competitive survival. The recognition is that, with a stable, intelligently derived sense of meaning, anyone can weather any storm with courage and composure, or, as stated by Friedrich Nietzsche, “If we have our own why in life, we shall get along with almost any how.” Without it, today’s youth are burdened by feelings of uncertainty, loneliness, fear, depression, or despair, leaving a hole in the soul they cannot comprehend, far less fill. The consequence is the irresistible attraction to alcohol, drugs, entertainment, reckless sexual encounters, or activities that cause harm to self or others just to escape these feelings or get comfort even, if superficial or fleeting.
Real meaning can only be reached through logic and scientifically sound reasoning, a personal and individually driven exercise. This book uses dialogue that critically examines the nature of self, of theism, and of our physical reality to guide the reader to achieve that objective for themselves or to guide someone in their charge to do so.
It does not offer ten easy answers or twelve rules to follow. It will, instead, dissect science, philosophy, and theology to reach a logical revelation of human existence in a world of perpetual change, showing that we are more than a composite of flesh slated only to survive but a real, though invisible existence, the soul, with a mandate to grow to be the best we can be.
£11.99 -
Mon Monde Est Sombre, Mate! (My World Is Dark, Mate!)
I was hoping that gorgeous CIA agent Margarita Gomez would never find out about the deception I had played on her in Türkiye. I feared that if we met up again, the tables would be turned, and I’d be receiving a hefty dose of payback.
I’m Dougay Roberre, an expat Australian living on the French Riviera, where trouble has a knack for finding me, posing questions I foolishly feel compelled to answer.
Why would a stand-over merchant think I needed to buy his special insurance?
Why has the thug, M. Beret, come to visit me with a gun?
Why are those criminal scumbags, Louis Heroux and the Mascati twins, meeting a Brazilian drug lord on top of Piazza Michelangelo in Florence?
If only my crystal ball hadn’t fogged up, I would have told Margarita I was busy that week and couldn’t join her in Italy.
£8.99 -
The Gnelfs of Scotland
The Western Highlands and Islands of Scotland are steeped in mystery, but one secret has remained hidden… until now. Discover the enchanting legend of the Gnelfs of Scotland in this magical tale.
Join Duncan and Isabella as they embark on a heartfelt journey to find a new home. Along the way, they face unexpected challenges, but their new lives as Gnelfs bring delightful surprises, enchanting adventures, and a host of wonderful new friends to guide them.
Perhaps these magical friends can become your friends, too.
£9.99 -
Fishers of Men
The second instalment in the dramatic new series, The Flavian Trilogy.
Joshua, Maria, and Linus Flavian now determine their destinies. From the Nazirites and the Essenes to the burgeoning fishing industry on the Sea of Galilee, Joshua and his band of followers are led from obscurity to the portals of the Roman Prefect in a movement poised to change the world. Maria of Magdala becomes a part of this movement, and is left with an awesome responsibility. Linus Flavian pits Roman pride and ambition against a Galilean past.
Fishers of Men provides a fascinating commentary on the origins of Christianity that is both challenging and yet plausible, incorporating traditional beliefs, fictitious thoughts, and new controversial interpretations. With vivid prose and compelling characters, Fishers of Men offers a captivating glimpse into the first-century Roman and Judean worlds.
“A provocative new picture of the ‘historical’ Jesus.”
– Kirkus Discoveries, Texas.“Peter Longley’s unique interpretations of the life of the Messiah, along with his interesting and plausible explanations of miraculous events and his indications that Maria of Magdala played a vital role in the ministry of God’s son, make for a fascinating and intriguing story and increases anticipation for the third and final book in the series.”
– San Francisco and Sacramento Book Reviews, California.“From the descriptive nature, it is obvious that this author has personal knowledge of these important first-century sites, giving authenticity to his work often missing in Biblical narratives.”
– Beecher, Springfield, Missouri.£14.99 -
Watch Out, He Bites!
Living the quiet life in a grassy paddock on a Yorkshire dairy farm is a small, fuzzy black-and-white Shetland pony, spending his days happily grazing with his even smaller ginger buddy.
From over the rickety dry stone wall, Humbug easily gives the impression of being very sweet – with big dark eyes, long eyelashes, a rounded tummy, a forelock that Tina Turner’s hairdresser would have been proud of, and slightly misshapen legs due to arthritis in his knees.
Nothing in his outward appearance gives even a hint of the chaos he’s caused over the past 20 years or so, but there’s a reason the stone wall is rickety – and it’s only as you look more closely that you realize the ponies are contained within a paddock with four (yes, four!) low strands of electric fencing. The gaps along the top of the stone wall are a testament to Humbug’s escapology pursuits, occasionally aided by large, wet-nosed dairy cows who love a bit of entertainment!
This is the true story of Humbug and his family (human and equine) and the often hilarious exploits and misdeeds that have entertained, frustrated, and exasperated his long-suffering humans.
You’re invited to sit back, relax, and enjoy getting to know this charismatic little pony. I hope you appreciate his adventures… but watch out—he bites!
Follow Humbug on X (formerly Twitter): @HumbugAndToby
And on Instagram: @humbug_and_toby
He looks forward to welcoming you there!
£8.55 -
The Angel of Marham
Constance Baker (née Ketteringham) was born in 1868 in the quiet farming village of Marham, Norfolk. In her early teens, she moved with her parents to bustling Kensington, London, where she found work as an apprentice dressmaker. Years of dedication led Constance to establish herself as a dressmaker in her own right, crafting elegant gowns for some of the most celebrated Victorian and Edwardian actresses, opera singers, and music hall performers of the era.
Her marriage to John Baker, a former Royal Navy serviceman, marked the start of a family legacy in dressmaking. Together, they raised their children on Harwood Road in Fulham, where they all contributed to Constance’s flourishing business. Among them was Aderline, my grandmother, who learned the trade from Constance herself. Remarkably, they lived just down the road from Dame Nellie Melba, the famous soprano and close friend of Constance; the two would often share tea, discussing the events of the day and critiquing the ambitions of Kaiser Wilhelm II.
The Bakers’ home wasn’t just a hub for the family business—it was also a haven for those in need. Constance and John took in destitute children and cared for them as if they were their own. With the outbreak of World War I, Constance’s connections in the entertainment world led her to organize performances for soldiers at Bishop’s Park, Fulham, throughout the week from 1914 to early 1918, supported by Field Marshal Haig, who had opened up London’s green spaces for military training. These performances featured lady entertainers and provided much-needed moments of levity for the troops, including those depicted in the iconic film ‘Oh! What a Lovely War.’
As the wounded began to return from the front in 1915, Constance’s dedication only grew. She transformed her home into a refuge for injured soldiers, offering care and comfort, often buying them gifts and providing for their needs. Her unwavering compassion earned her the cherished title “Mother of the Wounded.”
Tragically, Constance’s own eldest son, John Gilbert Baker, who served with the King’s Royal Rifle Corps, was killed in action at Passchendaele in 1917.
£6.99 -
The Westminster Series Book 1: In Private
Amber Celeste Reynaud, a young schoolteacher of Huguenot descent, and proud of it, is passionately keen to enter British politics as a member of the Ecology party.
Her bête noir is the rich and famous MP for the Business party, Catherine Fitzwilliam. Daughter of a baronet, she is married to a wealthy banker and lives in a fabulous, listed property. Amber loathes her and everything she stands for.
A chance meeting in a London theatre leads to a far from polite outburst from Amber, for which she is ashamed. But Catherine’s teenage son had, after all, poked her painfully in the back with his umbrella.
Amber teaches sports and English at a state school in the Brighton area. When she is summoned by the head teacher to meet a prospective new entry to her class in the winter term, it is Catherine and her son who she finds sitting in the Head’s study. Sam, who Amber has realised is on the Asperger Spectrum, insists he leave his private school to join Amber’s class. Against the Head’s better judgement, Amber persuades her to give the boy a chance.
Amber lives in a marriage of convenience with her husband, Ian. She has never questioned her indifference to sex, believing she needs all her energies to flow into her career ambitions. Now she recognises that the looks the very married Catherine gives her are far from innocent. And strangely, they don’t leave her cold either…
£11.99 -
Parvon Zin Koban Hunter Book 4: The Games
The Ninth Roman Legion didn’t fall in the wilds of Caledonia or the forests of Germania. They were stolen away – snatched from the battlefield by the Yonath Anunnaki, forced to fight and die in the brutal arenas of an alien empire.
Now, with the planet Thera Three enslaved by the iron fist of Gishma, a new supply of gladiators has been found: the Adamu. Countless innocents are shipped across the stars to fuel the bloody games of Master Kollexx, where they will be sacrificed for the entertainment of the bloodthirsty Anunnaki.
£8.99 -
Parvon Zin Koban Hunter Book 4: The Games
The Ninth Roman Legion didn’t fall in the wilds of Caledonia or the forests of Germania. They were stolen away – snatched from the battlefield by the Yonath Anunnaki, forced to fight and die in the brutal arenas of an alien empire.
Now, with the planet Thera Three enslaved by the iron fist of Gishma, a new supply of gladiators has been found: the Adamu. Countless innocents are shipped across the stars to fuel the bloody games of Master Kollexx, where they will be sacrificed for the entertainment of the bloodthirsty Anunnaki.
£8.99 -
The Green Cat
Wrongfully dismissed and relegated to driving a van, David Enfield never expected a second chance. But fate has other plans. Summoned back to his old company, he’s inexplicably promoted and tasked with solving a terrifying mystery: why are planes suddenly falling from the sky? His investigation leads him to a new home with an ancient secret – a burial mound in the neighboring field. When a raucous house party awakens the mound’s dormant power, David must enlist the help of Professor Jonathan Heart to unravel the connection between the ancient site and the deadly aviation failures. But as they delve deeper into the mystery, they become targets themselves, facing sabotage and assassination attempts. Can they uncover the truth behind the falling planes before more lives are lost?
£9.99 -
The Green Cat
Wrongfully dismissed and relegated to driving a van, David Enfield never expected a second chance. But fate has other plans. Summoned back to his old company, he’s inexplicably promoted and tasked with solving a terrifying mystery: why are planes suddenly falling from the sky? His investigation leads him to a new home with an ancient secret – a burial mound in the neighboring field. When a raucous house party awakens the mound’s dormant power, David must enlist the help of Professor Jonathan Heart to unravel the connection between the ancient site and the deadly aviation failures. But as they delve deeper into the mystery, they become targets themselves, facing sabotage and assassination attempts. Can they uncover the truth behind the falling planes before more lives are lost?
£9.99
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