Best Book Publishers UK | Austin Macauley Publishers
  • Two Little Girls in Blue
    hardback
    Two Little Girls in Blue
    Victor E Knight

    In this captivating family saga set in London from the late Victorian era to the early twentieth century, two sisters and two brothers navigate the complexities of love, family, and fortune. The elder siblings, favoured and spoiled since childhood, find themselves grappling with unhappiness and a secret misfortune that haunts the sisters’ lives, while the overlooked younger pair demonstrate resilience in the face of adversity.

    Woven throughout the narrative is the poignant melody of the popular 1897 song, ‘Two Little Girls in Blue,’ whose tragic love story mirrors the events of the novel, with the song’s composer making an appearance. From the bustling family businesses to the atmospheric Horn of Plenty pub in London’s East End, still haunted by the spectre of Jack the Ripper, the novel’s vivid settings come alive, with the pub managed by the author’s own grandparents.

    Narrated by the son-nephew of the two couples, the story takes an unexpected turn when, guided by his friend, the renowned H.G. Wells, he unravels the tragedy that has shaped his family members’ lives.

    £23.99
  • The Line to Freedom
    hardback
    The Line to Freedom
    Mike Walsham

    Andrew was recruited into the British Secret Intelligence Service in 1939 for his linguistic talents and other qualities while working in the banking sector in the City of London.

    From the beginning of WWII, he worked full-time for the Service. His first mission was to witness the attempted assassination of Hitler in Munich in November 1939, followed by three further missions: sabotaging a German train carrying armaments deep inside enemy territory with a colleague; assisting in the evacuation of BEF soldiers during the Dunkirk operation aboard one of the ‘small ships’; and working with the Royal Navy to help bring the Norwegian king and his cabinet from Tromsø to exile in London.

    After extensive commando-style training in Scotland, lengthy Royal Navy officer training, and instruction as a parachutist, Andrew was dropped into northeast France in late May 1941. This highly risky mission involved collaborating with the French Resistance.

    Following several smaller, but equally dangerous, missions, he was sent to Sardinia to work with the Partisans in July 1941. His objective: to thwart the Italian Air Force from bombing Allied convoys heading to Malta.

    On returning to England, Andrew assumed the identity of a missing French Resistance operative and was dropped back into France. There, he joined multiple groups on a perilous mission, narrowly escaping the Wehrmacht and the Abwehr before making his way back to England via Spain.

    This is a compelling narrative, rich with exciting and lesser-covered themes in spy fiction. The writer’s attention to detail and meticulous research offers readers a vivid and comprehensive insight into the complex and colorful world of intelligence during WWII.

    £17.99
  • Life Beyond Tomorrow
    hardback
    Life Beyond Tomorrow
    Ivan Grosvenor Hawthorn

    Set in 1827 England, Life Beyond Tomorrow follows the adventures of young Lissa Hughes and Miles Johnson as they uncover long-hidden truths about their pasts. From their very first meeting, they find themselves entangled in a dangerous mission to bring down a consortium of smugglers. With the help of family and friends, their efforts catch the attention of Britain’s master of spies.

    As they journey between Paris and London, Lissa and Miles are drawn ever deeper into a struggle to protect the nation. Amid lies, secrets, near-death experiences, and a pitched battle, Miles fights not only for justice but also to claim what is rightfully his: the title of viscount.

    £17.99
  • Fishers of Men
    hardback
    Fishers of Men
    Peter Longley

    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.

    £21.99
  • The Other Brunel
    hardback
    The Other Brunel
    Alexander Wren

    June 1821. Once admired for ingenious inventions that aided England’s navy, engineer Marc Isambard Brunel now lies broken in debtors’ prison. Though his innovations brought victory against Napoleonic France, accolades turned to accusations over his French roots. Now the fetid decay of King’s Bench Gaol repays his service.Yet Brunel’s determination remains unbowed. With steadfast wife Sophia ever by his side, he contends daily for freedom from this unjust fate. Beset by misfortunes, will he be forced to abandon his adopted England as he did his homeland? At what cost to his family – especially his beloved son, Isambard?This vivid portrayal illuminates a pioneering mind undone by the nation he served. Yet even stripped of acclaim and liberty, Brunel perseveres, a testament to irrepressible vision and spirit. His timeless struggle resonates still, for no bars can cage the soaring heights of human endeavour and hope.

    £18.99
  • A Time to Return
    hardback
    A Time to Return
    Andrew Johnston

    Harry Thomson grew up in an Australian country town, determined to break free from his destiny as a shearer’s son. The Nazi invasion of Poland became his escape route, leading him to enlist and board the Queen Mary with the 2nd AIF. But instead of adventure, Harry faced the horrors of war in Malaya, becoming a prisoner in Changi and enduring the brutal construction of the Death Railway.

    Barely surviving, Hiroshima’s tragedy brought Harry liberation, but returning home began his greatest battle: life. Alcohol became his refuge from the haunting memories of war and what he had to do to survive. His one true friend, Jack Mills, whom he met during training and with whom he survived Changi, remained loyal despite their estrangement.

    Decades later, Harry vanished, his whereabouts unknown until Jack’s great-grandson, Charlie, embarked on a search seventy years later. Born slightly disfigured, six-year-old Charlie believed he had lived before as Harry Thomson. Convinced he was his Poppy’s best mate reincarnated, Charlie carried the spirit and memories of the haunted, missing WWII POW.

    Guided by his past-life entity, Charlie must solve the mystery of his own disappearance, uncovering unfinished business and secrets from a time long gone. A Time to Return uses historical events in a fictional narrative to create a gripping tale of survival, friendship, and the enduring power of the human spirit.

    £20.99
  • The Two Little Birds
    hardback
    The Two Little Birds
    Bruce Merewether

    Immerse yourself in a gripping novel set against the stunning backdrop of rural New Zealand, swiftly transitioning to the enchanting Amalfi Coast in Italy, where flirtatious romance and shopping sprees unfold. This fast-paced narrative then transports you back 70 years, juxtaposing the allure of Italy with the stark realities of war. Experience the harrowing trials of Anzac soldiers battling the Axis powers in Crete, North Africa, and Italy, and delve into a suspenseful espionage plot in Alexandria with fatal consequences. Amidst the tumult of war, witness the courage and resilience of individuals in the partisan resistance against German and Italian fascist forces. Despite the brutality of conflict, romance and intimacy blossom, enduring against the gravest odds. As the story hurtles towards its conclusion, prepare for a clever twist that unravels the fates of characters you’ve come to know. This novel promises a captivating journey with surprises at every turn, creating an unputdownable reading experience.

    £18.99
  • Greasy Chip Butty
    hardback
    Greasy Chip Butty
    Julian Sullivan

    You are invited to make a journey of exploration through an exciting landscape of life and faith. Let the chemistry of urban life surprise and inspire you. Let it challenge your deepest sense of self knowledge and belief.Experience the best of humanity where you expect not to find it and share the pain that defiles the beauty of unique human beings. Join us as we explore pathways to wholeness and healing for people and communities and learn never to lose hope.We believe in the art of the possible, the value of instant improvisation, and that out of the mistakes we will make, we can produce something beautiful. Learn to go beyond horizons of our own making and discover more than we can ask or think.Take time to savour the art, which offers fresh insight into time-honoured stories of courage and faith in desperate situations; of joy and celebration; of compassion, perseverance, and dogged determination; deep contentment at the fulfilment of endeavour. Encounter the fragrance of generosity of spirit; and the love which embraces injustice and suffering, transforming them beyond all we can imagine.Join me on this journey that has no end but just gets better. As we walk together, we may discover pearls of great price, and not a little humour on the way.“Greasy Chip Butty is a textured, local authentic history in a very real and rapidly changing place. Those stories deserve to be studied and celebrated and the wisdom garnered from them needs to be widely shared.” – Steven Croft, Bishop of Oxford.“What a great read! A moving and wonderful example of doing narrative theology on the hoof … reflecting on change, risk taking and adventure.” – John Thomson, Bishop of Selby“I read Greasy Chip Butty with delight and new learning. A kaleidoscopic and impressionistic narrative which, through the lens of music and art, shows how God has been at work in one specific neighbourhood of Sheffield.” – Pete Wilcox, Bishop of Sheffield.

    £29.99
  • Trouble and Strife
    hardback
    Trouble and Strife
    Johanne Levesque

    Sometimes the smallest voices make the deepest impact.Josephine Hadley, a 1930s Canadian housewife, fills her days looking after her children, her indifferent husband and a stream of Depression-era visitors. Her contribution to her guests is a bowl of stew and an open heart. Her small world, however, is soon shattered by a tragic event which forces her to become the breadwinner. Can she run a business without sacrificing herself? And is it possible to act on a long-buried desire without remorse?Johanne Levesque’s first novel, Trouble and Strife, is a poignant and heartbreaking look at a woman’s life in a fast-changing time. With intimate details and a deft poetic touch, Levesque has captured the spirit of an age where war and economic hardship altered the workplace, home and women’s lives forever.

    £12.99
  • The Green Gates Story
    hardback
    The Green Gates Story
    Bernard Fredericks

    There are certainly many historical accounts of wars, military experiences, and cultural reactions to politics, but many of these works lack a personal and sentimental touch to what it really feels like to endure a battle. In The Green Gates Story, Bernard Fredericks presents a historically accurate, delightfully moving, and honest tale of a British boy who is evacuated from his Liverpool home in WWII. Told from the perspective of a child, Fredericks narrates his memories of an eight-year-old boy who is snatched from the city and transplanted to the country. He shares the triumphs and struggles of a child required to acquaint himself in a new setting and lifestyle. While he manages the heartache of missing his family and friends, the boy is also thrilled and challenged with new adventures as he acclimates to the pace of country-life. From the beginning of his evacuation to his return to home, the boy relates his feelings and doubts about so many events that crop up not only in wartime, but every child's time of coming of age.

    £12.99
  • A Village Betrayed
    hardback
    A Village Betrayed
    Louise Croft

    A poignant story of the impact of war on a defenceless French village during the Second World War. Four courageous villagers join the Maquis, the Resistance in Vichy occupied France, to protect their families. They are swept into a treacherous conflict where one false word or brave action can result in the torture and death of people they know and love.  One old man and a young girl survive the savage destruction that wipes out the whole community.This novel uses the recorded history of the devastation of many rural villages in the Aveyron, Lot and Tarn departments of the Midi-Pyrénées. Oradour-sur-Glane in the Haute-Vienne Department is a famous memorial to the brutality of the Second World War.

    £15.99
  • Trevelyan
    hardback
    Trevelyan
    Christine Baldock

    It is the end of the 18th century and the end of schooling for four Cornish youngsters. They share their aspirations for the future, not realising there is a price to be paid.

    Cornwall is the land of mystery, legends, folktale and myths. Tiny villages with narrow winding streets nestle around rocky cover ideal for landing and distributing contraband. The fishermen are dependent upon the sea in all its moods and are forced to subsidise their catch with smuggled French brandy, tobacco, tea, and silk. The only other possible occupations, the tin mines and the farmed estates, are in the hands of the wealthy few, like Lord Trevelyan. For most Cornishmen life is harsh.

    To fulfil her own hopes of a better life, one young girl Karenza, discovers there are secrets to be concealed and seemingly impossible promises to be honoured, played out against an austere and merciless Cornish landscape and the ongoing hostility of the French.

    £13.99

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