Showing results by narrator "Diana Croft" in All Categories

Corfu, Greece, 1943. Though they don’t know it, five-year-old Matilde and three-year-old Anna have kissed their mother for the last time. The Nazis have reached their sun-scorched home, and they are being taken to a place of safety, on the northeastern tip of the rocky island. They are to be hidden, at great risk, by kindly Agata and her husband, until the terrible war is over. Matilde and Anna’s tears are soothed by Agata’s bedtime stories, but she is always alert.

A young Pictish healer finds herself embroiled in an epic struggle between gods and men. The Celtic tribes of Scotland and Ireland conspire to assault Hadrian’s Wall and drive the Romans out of Britain forever. But in order for the warriors to achieve victory in the military campaign, the druids must first gain ascendancy over the new Roman god.

As the pace of modern life accelerates, the old ways wither and die. But to the Society for Magickal Heritage, that just isn’t good enough.

With the Beltane Festival approaching, the preparations in White Haven are in full swing, but when emotions soar out of control, the witches suspect more than just high spirits. As part of the celebrations, a local theatre group is rehearsing Tristan and Iseult, but it seems Beltane magic is affecting the cast, and all sorts of old myths are brought to the surface. The May Queen brings desire, fertility, and the promise of renewal, but love can also be dark and dangerous.

Avery and her coven are looking forward to celebrating Samhain, and the townsfolk are preparing to honour their ancestors with the Walk of the Spirits. But then Ben disappears from Old Haven Church, leaving no clue as to where he has gone. Panic-stricken, the witches and their friends widen their search, but when they can’t find him, they have to accept that he’s somewhere else—somewhere their spells can’t reach. When part of the town vanishes, they realise that their lives and the town’s future are in danger. Their ancestors reach out, desperate to help them—if they can.

Reeling from the events that revealed other witches were behind the attack on Reuben and Caspian, the White Haven witches don’t know who to trust. The search for those who betrayed them tests their resources and their abilities, and as the fallout shatters alliances, they draw on their friends for support. But it’s not easy. The path they follow is dark and twisted and leads them in directions they can’t predict.

Midsummer is approaching and Avery, Alex, and the White Haven witches, are making plans to celebrate Litha, but everything stops when paranormal activities cause havoc. Smuggler's gold is found that dates back centuries, and a strange chain of events is set in motion; Newton needs magical help. The witches find they are pitted against a deadly enemy, and they need the Cornwall Coven. But not all are happy to help—a few members have never accepted White Haven, and their enmity puts everyone in danger.

Lori Belkin has been dumped. By her parents. They moved out while she was away on holiday, and now, at the tender age of 25, she must stand on her own two feet. While she’s getting to grips with basic adulting, Lori magically brings to life the super-sexy man she created from celebrity photos as a teenager. Lori learns very quickly that having your ideal man is not as satisfying as it ought to be and that being an adult is far harder than it looks.

Ella Hannaford has a small business to run, an overworked father to look after and a future stepmother who wants a perfect wedding.

Jenny doesn’t know what they’ll do when they find out she’s a wicked witch. She can’t help being a wicked witch. It’s in her blood. She’s supposed to eat children, blast people with witchfire, and plot dark deeds with her foul-mouthed imp familiar, Jizzimus. Instead, she’s rescued a girl, Kay, from a band of people traffickers. To keep her safe they have signed up for a college course in an English country mansion. Jizzimus is not impressed. The mansion is not the safe haven they thought it would be.

The Seven Lands of Velspar put their faith in the Intercessors, a psychic priesthood responsible for the purification of the spirit. Where passion flares, they soothe its intent. Those who cannot be soothed are cast out, their spirits destroyed by fire.

Charlotte Clarke wants nothing more than to experience a London Season. But when she finds out she has to wait another year due to her sister's recent pregnancy, she is crushed. All is not lost as a letter arrives soon after summoning Charlotte to Danbury Hall to meet her new guardian, John Wilkins. With little choice but to go, she determines to contrive a way to convince her new guardian to take her to London in her sister's stead.

As spring bursts into bloom, Ostara’s approach stirs both excitement and unease in White Haven. Two hunters—old allies of the witches—arrive with a startling request: stolen dragon eggs must be found before it’s too late. What begins as an intriguing search soon leads the witches into a web of danger and unexpected twists, forcing them to seek help from their London friends.

The Crossroads Circus has a reputation for bringing myths to life, but it also seems that where the circus goes, death follows. When the circus sets up on the castle grounds, Newton asks Avery and the witches to investigate. This proves trickier than they expected when an unexpected encounter finds Avery bound to a power she can’t control. Strange magic is making the myths a little too real.

There are worse things than death. The Nephilim have a new enemy. Belial, the Fallen Angel who brings destruction and madness, has a foothold in the present, and he refuses to leave without a fight. However, the Nephilim are determined to root him and his agents out and destroy his influence for good. As his malevolent presence casts a sinister shadow, Gabe and the team embark on a perilous quest. Their journey uncovers more of his powerful jewels, hidden temples, and ancient lineages, and threatens to unleash supernatural chaos.

Stan, the town’s pseudo-druid, has decided the Christmas festivities will be different this year. He announces he is the Lord of Misrule and appoints his Court of Fools. Very quickly odd things start to happen. Magic and paranormal characteristics are unveiled, throwing everything into disarray, and making life very difficult for the witches and their friends. And unfortunately, darker events occur, too.

Moonlight and mystery combine for a magical Yuletide. Witches have been living at Moonfell, the sprawling Gothic mansion in London, for five hundred years. The house and gardens are steeped in magic, and at every Yule the family gathers to reinforce the protection spells on the house. But this year is different. When one of the witches starts seeing visions through the moon gates, they realise that other spells are awakening. It seems the first witch has left them a gift–if they can unlock the magic to find it.

Nahum thinks he’s accompanying Olivia on a simple retrieval for The Orphic Guild, but finds something far more sinister. Relics connected to the Fallen. Relics that can send people mad and incite violence. But he hasn’t the time or resources to deal with them now. The Nephilim are spread thin. JD needs an artefact to unlock the Emerald Tablet, and a team are sent to Egypt to steal it.

As Shadow and Gabe become more involved with The Orphic Guild, they find out that the occult world is full of intrigue and far more complicated than they realised. Especially when it seems that someone wants the same thing that they do—The Trinity of the Seeker. Cause for concern? Absolutely not. If anything, Shadow is more committed than ever, and relishes pitting her wits against an unpredictable enemy. And Gabe? When they find instructions that could enable him to speak to his father, he and the Nephilim are more than ready to fight.

As Samhain approaches, worlds collide. A Shifter family arrives in White Haven, one of them close to death. Avery offers them sanctuary, only to find their pursuers are close behind, intent on retribution. In an effort to help them, Avery and Alex are dragged into a fight they didn’t want but must see through. As if that weren't enough trouble, strange signs begin to appear at Old Haven Church. Avery realises that an unknown witch has wicked plans for Samhain, and is determined to breach the veils between worlds.