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Serpentine
By Tom Morton. 2009
A name from the murkiest corners of Britain's secret war in Ireland: Serpentine. At first it's just gossip and fearful…
whispers. But then people begin to die and all hell breaks loose from Palestine to the remote Highlands of Scotland. Fresh from the toughest assignments in the mercenary world comes former SAS officer Murricane. Can he find Serpentine before it's too late and before the horrific secrets of the past threaten to cause chaos not just in Ireland but in the Middle East too?In a trail of mayhem that leads through Scotland, Gaza and Ireland, Murricane battles his own demons, as well as a monstrous former RUC officer, a disgraced policeman and a series of unreliable Land Rovers, until Serpentine plays his final, devastating game . . .Serpentine is an explosive, bitterly funny journey into the darkest heart of the Irish Troubles and the violence that lurks in Scotland's most scenic Highland communities.Selected Writings
By Gerard De Nerval. 2006
Poet, visionary, short-story writer and autobiographer, Gérard de Nerval (1808-1855) explored the uncertain borderlines between dream and reality, irony and…
madness, autobiography and fiction with his groundbreaking writings. This comprehensive selection of his works includes 'Aurélia', the memoir of his madness; the haunting novella of love and memory 'Sylvie' (considered to be a masterpiece by Proust); the hermetic sonnets of 'The Chimeras'; as well as Nerval's experimental fictions and selections from his correspondence, which demonstrate his lucid awareness of how nineteenth-century psychiatry consigned his fertile imagination to the status of mental illness. Together these pieces confirm Nerval's place as a pioneering modernist, a precursor of the French Symbolists and a vital model for such writers as Marcel Proust, André Breton, Antonin Artaud and Michel Leiris.Selected Tales
By Brothers Grimm. 1982
Selected Tales contains some of the most timeless and enchanting folk and fairy tales collected by the Brothers Grimm, translated…
with an introduction by David Luke in Penguin Classics.These folktales collected by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm are among the most memorable stories in European culture - conjuring up a world of spells and bewitchment, outwitted villains and cruel stepmothers, animal bridegrooms and enchanted princesses. Tales such as 'Hansel and Gretel', 'Little Red Cape' and 'The Robber Bridegroom' depict the dangers lurking in dark forests, and others, including 'Briar-Rose' and 'Snow White' show young beauties punished by unforgiving sorceresses. Other tales include 'Thickasathumb', which portrays a childless young couple whose wish for a baby is granted in an unexpected way, while 'The Frog King' tells of a rash promise made by a haughty princess to share her bed with a frog, and a fortune is won in 'The Blue Lamp', when a soldier gains a kingdom with the help of a magic lamp.David Luke's vibrant translation is accompanied by an introduction discussing the key themes of the tales and the literary background of the Brothers Grimm. This edition also includes new further reading and a chronology, with notes and a glossary.Jacob (1785-1863) and Wilhelm (1786-1859) are nowadays simply known as 'the brothers Grimm'. Both brothers were state-appointed librarians in Kassel, and later members of the Academy of Arts and Sciences in Berlin, where Frederick William IV of Prussia had invited them to settle. Two of Germany's greatest scholars, Jacob is regarded as the founder of the scientific study of the German language, and with his brother Wilhelm initiated the Deutsches Wörterbuch, a dictionary of all words in modern High German since 1450.If you enjoyed the Selected Tales of the Brothers Grimm, you might like Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales, also available in Penguin Classics.Since their first publication in the 1830s and 1840s, Edgar Allan Poe's extraordinary Gothic tales have established themselves as classics…
of horror fiction and have also created many of the conventions which still dominate the genre of detective fiction. As well as being highly enjoyable, Poe's tales are works of very real intellectual exploration. Attentive to the historical and political dimensions of these very American tales, this new selection places the most popular -- `The Fall of the House of Usher', `The Masque of the Red Death', `The Murders in the Rue Morgue; and `The Purloined Letter' -- alongside less well-known travel narratives, metaphysical essays and political satires.Selected Tales
By James Henry. 2001
Throughout his life, Henry James was drawn to the short story form for the freedom and variety it offered. The…
nineteen stories in this selection span James's career, from brief tales to longer works, all exploring his concerns with the old world and the new, money, fame and art. 'Daisy Miller', the work that first brought him fame, depicts a bold, unsophisticated American girl abroad, and 'In the Cage' portrays a young telegraphist's romantic fantasies about customers who send telegrams from her post office. In 'The Birthplace' a Stratford tour guide embellishes the Shakespeare legend, while in the late masterpiece 'The Jolly Corner', an elderly American returns from Europe and encounters a strange apparition. Haunting, witty and beautifully drawn, James's tales are as complex and resonant as his novels.Selected Stories
By D. H. Lawrence. 2007
This collection of short stories traces D. H. Lawrence's development as a writer. His early tales often draw on personal…
experiences, as in 'Odour of Chrysanthemums', a work he described as 'full of my childhood's atmosphere', while the horror of the First World War haunts 'England, My England'. Later stories, such as 'Things', powerfully express his evolving ideas about the duality of our lives. With their complex characters, these stories illuminate emotional lives and, above all, illustrate Lawrence's passionate belief about the destructive forces in modern society and their effect on love.With an Introduction by Louise Welsh and Notes by Sue WilsonSelected Stories: Selected Stories Of Rudyard Kipling
By Rudyard Kipling. 1987
This collection opens with The Gate of the Hundred Sorrows, the first story Kipling published as a young journalist in…
india, and ends with an acknowledged masterpiece, The Gardener, written 50 years later in the aftermath of the great war.Selected Short Stories
By Honoré De Balzac. 1977
One of the greatest French novelists, Balzac was also an accomplished writer of shorter fiction. This volume includes twelve of…
his finest short stories - many of which feature characters from his epic series of novels the Comédie Humaine. Compelling tales of acute social and psychological insight, they fully demonstrate the mastery of suspense and revelation that were the hallmarks of Balzac's genius. In The Atheist's Mass, we learn the true reason for a distinguished atheist surgeon's attendance at religious services; La Grande Breteche describes the horrific truth behind the locked doors of a decaying country mansion, while The Red Inn relates a brutal tale of murder and betrayal. A fascinating counterpoint to the renowned novels, all the stories collected here stand by themselves as mesmerizing works by one of the finest writers of nineteenth-century France.Selected Short Stories (Collins Classics Ser.)
By Rabindranath Tagore. 2005
Poet, novelist, painter and musician, Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) is the grand master of Bengali culture. Written during the 1890s, the…
stories in this selection brilliantly recreate vivid images of Bengali life and landscapes in their depiction of peasantry and gentry, casteism, corrupt officialdom and dehumanizing poverty. Yet Tagore is first and foremost India's supreme Romantic poet, and in these stories he can be seen reaching beyond mere documentary realism towards his own profoundly original vision.Selected Short Fiction
By Charles Dickens. 1976
This witty and amusing collection of short pieces shows Dickens liberated from the more formal and sustained demands of the…
novel and experimenting with a diverse range of fictional techniques. In his tales of the supernatural, he creates frighteningly believable, spine-tingling stories of prophetic dreams and visions, as well as more fantastical adventures with goblins and apparitions. Impressionistic sketches combine imaginatively heightened travel journals with wry observations of home and abroad, while in his dramatic monologues, Dickens demonstrates his talent for exploring the secret workings of the human mind. These short works display Dickens's exuberant sense of comedy and character as his imagination is given free rein.Fans of Dan Brown, Clive Cussler and Scott Mariani will love this high-octane, edge-of-your-seat international thriller from the pen of…
prizewinning author Tom Harper. It has everything you could want: great plot, great pace, great suspense and a great twist...'In the tradition of The Da Vinci Code, a page-turner of a novel. Like Dan Brown, Tom Harper knows how to ratchet up the tension.' -- Choice'FANTASTIC FANTASTIC FANTASTIC' -- ***** Reader review'A page-turner: not a single moment of boredom' -- ***** Reader review'Could not put it down!' -- ***** Reader review**********************************************************************************A BRUTAL MURDER. A DAMAGED SURVIVOR. A RACE AGAINST TIME...In a villa on the coast of Montenegro, Abby Cormac witnesses the brutal murder of her lover, diplomat Michael Lascaris. The last thing she remembers is a gun pointed directly at her and wakes to find herself alone and at the centre of a diplomatic nightmare. Everyone wants an answer but no one wants to listen. Even her employers at the Foreign Office believe she's hiding something.As Abby tries to piece together the last few months of Michael's life in order to get at the truth, she soon realises that he wasn't quite what he seemed. What exactly was his relationship with one of the most ruthless men in the Balkans? And what links Michael's gift to her of a gold necklace, a 4th century manuscript left in the shadow of Emperor Constantine's palace at Trier and an inscription on a tomb in Rome?When Abby investigates further, it becomes clear that someone wants to suppress a secret, one that has been kept hidden for centuries. And they will stop at nothing to do so...A beautiful story of love and survival for fans of Ruth Hogan and Sally Page.-----A LOST CHILD. A LONG-KEPT SECRET.…
THE HOUSE THAT HOLDS THE KEYSpring 1937: Teresa is evacuated to London in the wake of the Guernica bombing. She thinks she's found safety in the soothing arms of Mary Davidson and the lofty halls of Rochester Place, but trouble pursues her wherever she goes.Autumn 2020: Corinne, an emergency dispatcher, receives a call from a distressed woman named Mary. But when the ambulance arrives at the address, Mary is nowhere to be found. Intrigued, Corinne investigates and, in doing so, disturbs secrets that have long-dwelt in Rochester Place's crumbling walls. Secrets that, once revealed, will change her life for ever . . .Who is Mary Davidson? And what happened at Rochester Place all those years ago?Set between the dusty halls of Rochester Place and the bustling streets of modern-day Tooting, this emotive, intricately layered mystery tells the spellbinding story of two people, separated by time, yet mysteriously connected through an enchanting Georgian house and the secrets within its walls.-----'A moving, page-turning story - beautifully written and heartfelt' Amanda Prowse, To Love and Be Loved'A rich and tender story of fortitude, family and friendship' Ruth Hogan, The Keeper of Lost Things'Simply spellbinding, very addictive, and so beautifully written' Sophie Irwin, A Ladies Guide to Fortune Hunting'Richly atmospheric, evocative and moving - a triumph of storytelling' Abbie Greaves, The Silent Treatment'Full of intrigue and loss, this beautifully written gothic tale makes for a spellbinding read' Rhiannon Ward, The Quickening'This atmospheric tale of family, friendship and long held secrets is a compelling read' My Weekly'An intriguing story which skilfully entwines the past and present' Heidi Swain, A Taste of Home'Absorbing, moving and multi-layered... A book to curl up with' Emma Curtis, Keep Her Quiet'Beautifully written with a story that draws you in' Jane Corry, We All Have Our SecretsThe Secret of Father Brown (Father Brown Ser. #4)
By G K Chesterton. 2000
The fourth collection of Father Brown stories featuring the ingenious amateur detective. Ahead of a new series of the popular…
BBC adaptation starring Mark Williams, all five of Chesterton's original Father Brown books have been republished with charming and collectible Penguin covers.'You see, I had murdered them all myself ... I had thought out exactly how a thing like that could be done, and in what style or state of mind a man could really do it. And when I was quite sure that I felt exactly like the murderer myself, of course I knew who he was.'Unassuming super-sleuth Father Brown has such brilliant powers of deduction that he knows more about crime than the criminals themselves. In this fourth volume of stories, the shabby priest unravels the most baffling conundrums involving, among others, a flying fish, a man with two beards and the Worst Crime in the World.G. K. Chesterton was born in 1874. He attended the Slade School of Art, where he appears to have suffered a nervous breakdown, before turning his hand to journalism. A prolific writer throughout his life, his best- known books include The Napoleon of Notting Hill (1904), The Man Who Knew Too Much (1922), The Man Who Was Thursday (1908) and the Father Brown stories. Chesterton converted to Roman Catholicism in 1922 and died in 1938.'Chesterton knew how to make the most of a detective story' Jorge Luis BorgesThe Secret Chamber
By Patrick Woodhead. 2011
People have been disappearing in what the explorer Stanley called the black heart of Africa - the impenetrable forests of…
northern Congo. But when a brilliant young English doctor vanishes, alarm bells really start to ring. Intelligence chief Jack Milton sends a message to his godson Luca Matthews (The Forbidden Temple hero) in the Himalayas asking him to go to Africa and find Joshua. Reluctantly Luca obeys, but he is no longer the man he once was, traumatised by his part in the death of his best friend, his legendary climbing nerve shot to pieces. Meanwhile in Africa, mining troubleshooter and brilliant flying pilot, Beatrice (Bear) Makuru, also wants to brave the northern wilderness. Coltan is the mineral without which no mobile phone or computer would work. Explosions have been wrecking coltan mines. Bear needs to find out why. Her journey with Luca to Africa's black heart is the beginning of an utterly terrifying sequence of events, uncovering a secret so simple yet so startling that it could rock the foundations of the civilised world.The Secret Agent (The Penguin English Library)
By Joseph Conrad. 2012
With a note by the author.'Madness and despair! Give me that for a lever, and I'll move the world'In the…
only novel Conrad set in London, The Secret Agent communicates a profoundly ironic view of human affairs. The story is woven around an attack on the Greenwich Observatory in 1894 masterminded by Verloc, a Russian spy working for the police, and ostensibly a member of an anarchist group in Soho. His masters instruct him to discredit the anarchists in a humiliating fashion, and when his evil plan goes horribly awry, Verlac must deal with the repercussions of his actions.The Penguin English Library - 100 editions of the best fiction written in English, from the eighteenth century and the very first novels, to the beginning of the First World War.The Secret Agent: A Simple Tale
By Joseph Conrad. 1984
In the only novel Conrad set in London, The Secret Agent; communicates a profoundly ironic view of human affairs. The…
story is woven around an attack on the Greenwich Observatory in 1894 masterminded by Verloc, a Russian spy working for the police, and ostensibly a member of an anarchist group in Soho. His masters instruct him to discredit the anarchists in a humiliating fashion, and when his evil plan goes horribly awry, Verlac must deal with the repercussions of his actions.The Secret
By Ruth Thomas. 1990
Mum knew she shouldn't have left the children alone. That was why she was hurrying home, running to catch the…
evening train. She was so worried about Nicky and Roy that she didn't hear the thief come up behind her; she didn't look carefully when she dashed across the road . . . Back at home Nicky is findingit harder and harder to reassure her younger brother Roy. Soon the children are running out of money and the neighbours are getting suspicious. But whatever happens, Nicky is certain of one thing - she will NEVER tell.The Search: The outstanding new serial killer thriller
By Howard Linskey. 2017
A missing child. A terrifying killer. A gripping serial killer thriller, perfect for fans of Cara Hunter's Close to Home.Susan…
Verity was only ten when she went missing. For years the police tried everything in order to find her, with no luck. Until now. Convicted serial killer Adrian Wicklow has always been the prime suspect. At last, terminally ill after decades behind bars, Adrian finally says he'll tell the truth.For Detective Ian Bradshaw, this could be the breakthrough they so desperately need. But Bradshaw is suspicious:Would a murderer on death's door give up his last secret so easily?See what readers are already saying about this gripping serial killer thriller!"Not a dull moment... everything that I like about the crime genre!" *****"Absolutely loved this and couldn't leave it alone" *****"I was hooked from the first page and never put it down!" *****"What a compelling read... keeps you guessing untill the very end" *****"A gripping read with some heart stopping moments" *****The Sea Raiders (Penguin Little Black Classics)
By H. G. Wells. 2016
'... slowly uncoiling their tentacles... and making a soft purring sound to each other'A disgusting account of a school of…
giant squid attacking a seaside resort, and two other examples of Wells' extraordinary imagination at work - 'The Magic Shop' and 'The Land Ironclads'One of 46 new books in the bestselling Little Black Classics series, to celebrate the first ever Penguin Classic in 1946. Each book gives readers a taste of the Classics' huge range and diversity, with works from around the world and across the centuries - including fables, decadence, heartbreak, tall tales, satire, ghosts, battles and elephants.The Sea Detective (The Sea Detective #1)
By Mark Douglas-Home. 2012
Discover the chilling first mystery in a truly unique crime series you won't be able to put down'There comes a…
time when a novel raises the bar for a particular genre, and The Sea Detective does just that for Scottish crime fiction' SCOTSMAN______ Cal McGill is an Edinburgh-based oceanographer, environmentalist and one-of-a-kind investigator. Using his knowledge of the waves - ocean currents, prevailing winds, shipping records - McGill can track where objects have come from, or where they've gone. So when two severed feet wash up miles apart on two different islands off the coast of Scotland, he Most strangely, forensic tests reveal that the feet belong to the same body. As Cal McGill investigates, he unravels a web of corruption, exploitation and violence, which threatens many lives across the globe.Including his own . . .______ 'Raises the bar for Scottish crime fiction . . . elegantly written and compelling' The Scotsman 'Excellent' The Literary Review, 'Top Five Crime Books of the Year' 'Promises to be a fine series of detective novels' Sunday Times 'Crime Book of the Month' 'An unusual, interesting and enthralling read' Shotsmag 'A compelling protagonist' The Times Literary Supplement