Showing results by narrator "Polly Edsell" in All Categories

Sadie Sadler lives in the big city. Takes the train to work each day. Drinks fancy coffee. Does yoga… and never, ever does magic, lest it leads Gabriel Thornber straight to her door. Sadie’s family have used their magic to protect the small northern town of Mannith for centuries. But now, Sadie’s brother Brendan is on trial for murder, and Gabriel, the charismatic and sinister head of the Sadlers’ only rivals, is moving to take the town. Only Sadie has both the knowledge to save Brendan and the magical strength to face down Gabriel.

In the days after her mother's death from breast cancer, Oksana, a young queer poet, decides to return her mother's ashes to their working-class hometown in Siberia. It is a journey home that will take her through the raw, almost dreamlike emotions of early grief through to an acceptance of the wound that death leaves behind. As she navigates the rituals of parting, Oksana feels her way through memory and heartache with a wry humour, reflecting on her complex relationship with her mother and on her own experiences of love, loss, sexuality and the search for home.

Amateur sleuth Maisie Cooper had hoped for a peaceful weekend at Sunny View guesthouse, when she finds herself amidst another mystery. She had received a puzzling letter from owners of the guesthouse, Russell and Audrey, asking for her help. A shocking revelation has created tension amongst the residents in the small hamlet of Trout Leap, and Maisie has a reputation of problem solving...When the body of one of the villagers is found lying dead by the river, Maisie is convinced that this is more than just an accident.

Maisie Cooper is looking for peace and quiet. But the arrival of a troupe of actors for a new production at the local theatre turn her best laid plans upside down. Among them is the young French actress, Adélaïde Amour, who appeals to Maisie for help as she struggles to prepare for her new role. As opening night approaches, a terrible crime is committed, and a body is found concealed behind the scenes in the theatre. Can Maisie unravel a real-life plot worth of a great play? Or will the killer strike again?

Can you feel it? That FANTASTICAL FIZZ of CURIOSITY? Lizzy Sparks has the spark, the spark of INVENTION, and she’s going to need it because her pet hamster Gizmo is MISSING! That's where Ruby, Lizzy's super-smart babysitter, comes in. She's going to show Lizzy how inventors NEVER give up … because there's an inventor in ALL of us. And maybe Lizzy can invent the perfect solution to find Gizmo.

13-year-old Kallie Tamm can't wait to spend a week of her summer holidays at the Wildstorm Theatre Camp: she's determined not to let her dyslexia hold her back from achieving her dream of becoming a playwright. The finale of the whole week is a performance in the local village theatre. But as soon as she arrives, Kallie discovers that the cast will be performing a play written by a 17th Century witch, Ellsabet Graveheart, and strange, scary things start happening.

1813. Haunted by her father's death and tired of watching her mother struggle, Meg Marsh will do anything to keep a roof over her family's head. Even if that means getting involved in a dangerous smuggling operation. When Meg catches the eye of a dashing gentleman above her station, things start to look up, and she can't help but start dreaming of a life away from the shingle and boats of Castle Bay. Blinded by flattery and coin, Meg can't see the danger on the horizon - and the cost just might be her life.

From the outside, Lorna has everything sorted. A cool job in radio, a home to call her own, plenty of friends. And anyone would be happy to attend their school reunion if they'd had the kind of post-adolescent glow up she's managed to pull off. Library Lorna is no more, and this new Lorna is 100%, definitely over her teenage crush on Finn, the most popular boy in school. But on the inside, Lorna's got to admit she is trying too hard.

Sadler's Wells, 1933. Disciplined and dedicated, Olivia is the perfect ballerina. But no matter how hard she works, she can never match identical twin Clara's charm. As rehearsals intensify for the ballet Coppélia, the girls feel increasingly like they are being watched. And, as infatuation turns to obsession, everything begins to unravel.

Being female means that Charlotte Dovedale's dreams are likely out of reach. Her mother is eager to support Charlotte's brother in his quest to join the newly formed Royal Flying Corps, but Charlotte is left to channel her energy into the suffragette movement. When she meets upper-class Scott Fanshawe, though, he opens a door for her: teaching her to fly. It soon becomes clear that Charlotte has not only the skill, but the bravery required for aviation. However, when she finally earns her pilot's license, the Great War breaks out and threatens to keep her grounded.

1813. Lizzie's beloved older sister Esme is sold in marriage to the ageing Lord Blountford to settle their father's debts. One year later, Esme is dead, and Lizzie is sent to take her place as Lord Blountford's next wife. Arriving at Ambletye Manor, Lizzie uncovers a twisted web of secrets, not least that she is to be the fifth mistress of this house. Marisa. Anne. Pansy. Esme. What happened to the four wives who came before her? In possession of a unique gift, only Lizzie can hear their stories, and try to find a way to save herself from sharing the same fate.

Rani's life is far from idyllic—with two small children and a partner in a tiny rented flat that has never felt like home, she has always wished for a different life. Then, Natalie moves into the large house across the road—and Rani can't help but be drawn to her. To her life of luxury, to her perfect husband, her perfect house. But not all is as it seems behind closed doors, and as Rani gets closer to Natalie, she discovers everyone has secrets—and some will stay with you for a lifetime.

March, 1914. When talented artist Isobel embarks on a journey to Egypt, it's to reunite her best friend, Alice, with her husband, Wilfred—and to use the stunning sights of Cairo as inspiration for her own paintings. A whirlwind romance was the last thing she expected, but when Isobel meets Wilfred's handsome brother, Edward, neither can deny the strong connection between them—especially when unexpected tragedy strikes, leaving them all reeling. Just as they get to grips with their grief, WW1 erupts, and the lovers are forced to separate.

Aly Meadows is a self-proclaimed 'catfluencer' using her two beloved pets to earn thousands of likes on Instagram. But behind the lens, Aly is broke, facing eviction and living a life that's a million miles away from the glamourous world of social media stardom. Rick Harvard, the CEO of talent agency Glimmer, has the power to change her life, but only if Aly agrees to dive in at the deep end. Can Aly come out of her shell and channel the confidence of her insta-famous cats? And if so, will she finally find the love and laughter she deserves?

The housemate. She's here to stay.... You've let a stranger into your home. You don't know her secrets. You don't know what she wants. Megan and Chloe have found the perfect house. And when they meet Sammi, she seems like the perfect housemate to share it with. It could be the beginning of a brilliant friendship. But Megan isn't so sure about this new girl. She knows they need to be careful about whom they invite in. Because once she's in, she's here to stay.... A brilliant and gripping psychological thriller - perfect for fans of Louise Jensen, Jane Corry and Friend Request.

Talented, ambitious designer-dressmaker Rose Burnham knows well both the strains of her profession and the secrets it can yield. Newly established in her own business, she and her sisters are privy to the hushed conversations that unspool behind the fitting room’s closed doors. So when a major client finds herself the victim of a deception, it is Rose she tells. Driven by the shortage of men following the Great War, Miss Holmes had engaged the services of a matrimonial agency, only to be cheated out of her inheritance by a fake suitor.

Cordelia Levine comes from a long line of powerful witches. She's been flying under the radar in the human world, focused on strengthening her magic. She loves working at her aunt's apothecary in London, secretly serving supernaturals. Until the truth about her family is revealed. She always assumed her enhanced sense of smell came from her French perfumer father. But when Bishop Daniels abducts Cordelia at the request of her father, the Alpha, Cordelia learns she's a lycan—sharing both witch and werewolf traits.

Rome, 1938. As the world teeters on the brink of war, talented pianist Eva Valenti enters the house of widower Dante Cavallera to become his new wife. On the outside, the forces of Fascism are accelerating, but in her new home, Eva fears that something else is at work, whispering in the walls and leaving mysterious marks on Dante's young daughter. Soon she starts to wonder whether the house itself is trying to give up the secrets of its mysterious past - secrets that Dante seems so determined to keep hidden.

If Fran doesn’t nail this audition for a major TV role, she’s officially done as an actress. She just needs to tap into her inner seductress...who doesn’t seem to exist. Enter stage right: Jae-seung. To Fran, he’s just her landlord’s ridiculously hot nephew, helping her rehearse. To the rest of the world, Jae-seung is lead singer of global sensation, JYNKS – and he’s missing in action. Together, they embark on an international journey of discovery – Fran, to track down her estranged mother and unlock her tightly guarded heart; Jae-seung, to continue (reluctantly) with his tour rehearsals.

Back in London, Sadie's tranquility is shattered when a mysterious letter arrives from Lavinia Morven, the enigmatic head of the London Coven. To stay in the city, Sadie must be bound by a lien—a promise to serve the coven, whatever’s asked of her. And while she’s not thrilled about putting her magic under Lavinia’s control or getting embroiled in more messy witch drama, she’s not going to humiliate herself by crawling back to the very person she came here to escape.