Showing results by narrator "Claire Morgan" in All Categories

When mysterious footprints appear in the Stockholm snow, 10-year-old Kara must discover where they've come from - and who they belong to. They lead Kara to Rebecca, a 13-year-old Jewish girl, and her younger brother, Samuel. Kara realises they are refugees - from another time, World War Two - and are trying to find their way home. The grief and loneliness that Rebecca and Samuel have endured is something Kara can relate to - feeling like you're always on the outside looking in - and she finds herself compelled to help them.

Rhian Grey left her home in Sweyn’s Eye to make a life for herself in Yorkshire, where she learnt the skills of spinning and weaving. She also learnt to love Mansel Jack, a charismatic and ambitious mill-owner. When Rhian returns to Sweyn’s Eye, it is to a town torn apart by anxiety and uncertainty, by the devastation of the Great War, a town whose workers' lives are governed by fear. Amidst the anguish and dedication of the women who were left behind, Rhian must decide where her own future lies.

A hauntingly beautiful coming-of-age tale set in the Welsh valleys of the 1970s. Set in a remote valley in Wales, this is 1974, and Tirzah is 16, pretty, witty and wise. Brought up in a staunchly religious family, she has lived a sheltered life. But then she meets a boy. As she begins to struggle against the confines of her community, juggling everyone’s expectations and trying to find her own way in the world, life takes an unexpected turn, ultimately teaching her that freedom springs from within.

A fresh, funny and accessible retelling of Jane Austen's classic story. When she was just 19, Anne Elliot followed the wishes of her father and turned down the proposal of the man she loved - a naval officer called Frederick Wentworth. Years later, Captain Wentworth returns from his time at sea, and Anne dares to hope that their paths might cross once more. But the course of true love is bumpy at best - will Anne and Frederick ever be reunited?

Emma Woodhouse is pretty, clever and rich and sees no reason why she would ever need to get married. But she loves matchmaking for her neighbours, despite the advice of her friend Mr Knightley, who warns her against meddling. Her latest success - the wedding of her governess - makes her certain that she can find the right match for anyone. Can Emma's lucky streak continue? Or will best laid plans unravel...as they always seem to do?

Astrid Atomic, a 6-year-old human person, goes to bed every night like every other 6-year-old human person. But unlike many other 6-year-olds she doesn’t stay there. The minute the lights are off and the coast is clear the Space Cadet siren goes off, her uniform goes on, and 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 - WHOOSH! - she blasts off on board the spaceship Stardust! Along with her best pals Beryl, Professor Quackers and Zoink, Astrid is given her mission from The Chief - to retrieve the special trophy for the Supersonic Saturn race!

Lily and Tom travel the county with Ma Hawker, enthralling crowds with their amazing collection of curios. Always on the lookout for new wonders, Lily is tricked into buying a worthless bag of rubbish. But hidden within is a special piece of scrimshaw. A young woman called Flora Meriweather is desperate to buy the scrimshaw, hoping it can help her solve a mystery surrounding her late mother. But someone else also wants to get his hands on the scrimshaw and ensure that secrets stay hidden in the past. Can the curio collectors help the truth come to light?

The Llewelyn family's livelihood largely depends on the ferry, run by Siona Llewelyn, the kindly yet rugged head of the family. The family is large but close knit, held together by their mother Emily—a hard-working woman made old before her time having borne seven sons, and now with child once again. As the boys grow into young men, tensions flare in the family unit, made worse by a web of rivalries and ambitions. When a death shocks the family to its core, it will take the intervention of a special person to remind them of what they have lost.

When her grandmother dies, Catherine Llewellyn finds herself alone in the world. Her inheritance is a comfort, but her grandmother's will states she must go to the family home, Langland Hall, to live with her two unknown cousins, Garth and Jonathon. The harsh and inhospitable coast is a sharp contrast to Catherine's previous country existence, and the welcome she receives from Garth is equally cool. Only Jonathon seems happy to welcome her to her new home. But no sooner has she arrived than she realises that something dangerous is waiting for her.

When the child emerges from the wilderness, no one in the town knows what to do with her. She is odd—half-wild, without speech and seems to have an unnatural bond with animals—especially the falcon, who is always circling above her. The wise-woman of the town takes her in, and names her Rhodd, but the rest of the town remain suspicious. Over the years, as Rhodd grows, the town realises that the river, which is their connection to the wider world, is beginning to die, and eventually a dark sickness begins to spread.

Can their marriage be mended in time for Christmas? Lottie has always been thrifty. As a mother of three, it's even more important that she stretches the household budget as far as possible. Luckily, Lottie’s penchant for taking broken items and upcycling them has worked wonders for living on a shoestring. Henry can’t face telling Lottie he’s been made redundant. Instead, he pretends to go to work as usual while frantically job hunting. The race is on to find another role before Lottie discovers he’s another useless item for her collection – one that is beyond repair.

George can’t throw anything away. But he’s in danger of throwing away a chance at love. George Nightingale is a hoarder with a house full of junk. For years he’s kept it a secret, rarely leaving his house and keeping social interactions to a minimum, but his carefully balanced system is now under threat... Nessa Millbrook can’t wait to get settled into her new home in quaint, rural Applewell. Everyone in the village is so friendly – except her neighbour, George, who wants nothing to do with her. But Nessa isn’t one to back down from a challenge and she’s determined to win George over.