Showing results by narrator "Lesley Parkin" in All Categories

"The policewoman got shot, and she's bleeding everywhere. Get someone here in one hour, or I'm going to put her out of her misery." An ultimatum that forever changes the lives of police officer Sam Lucas and Dr. Kate Myles. When heavy snowfall isolates the small English village of Birchenlow, a violent robbery shatters the community. Taken as a hostage and stranded with the increasingly desperate criminals, Sam is seriously injured during an ill-fated escape attempt.

In 1938 and 1939, the Kindertransport occurred: a movement to bring thousands of Jewish children out of Nazi-occupied territories to safety in Great Britain. These children came without their parents, almost always without a knowledge of English, and also little experience with English culture. They came to a new family, a new country, and a new life. Approximately 250 of these children were sponsored by Christadelphians, a small Christian group.

How to be a reader - how to be a writer. All you need to know. Alice is an 18-year-old student and aspiring novelist with green spiky hair, a child of the modern age who recoils at the idea of reading Jane Austen. In a sequence of letters reminiscent of Jane Austen's to her own niece, 'aunt' Fay examines the rewards of such study. Not only is her correspondence a revealing tribute to a great writer - it is also an original and rewarding exploration of the craft of fiction itself.

Journey to gaslamp Victorian London to battle werewolves alongside Agent Clemeny Louvel. As part of Her Majesty's Red Cape Society, it's Agent Louvel's job to keep the streets of London safe from supernatural creatures. In this Red Riding Hood retelling, Clemeny takes on lycans, demons, excessively snobbish godmothers, and a dark fae prince intent on kidnapping Queen Victoria.

It's Penny Dreadful meets Supernatural in this exciting retelling of the classic Red Riding Hood fairy tale with hefty doses of badassery and steampunk. See how New York Times best-selling author Melanie Karsak puts her unique spin on this timeless tale, blending it into her richly-built and award-winning steampunk universe.

Georgina, Princess of Wales, has always known her destiny, but she never expected duty to call so soon. When her father dies suddenly, she is called back from her Royal Navy post to assume the crown. While the people acclaim their new Queen, Great Britain's first openly gay monarch, all George feels is the isolation of her station. When Bea, director of a hospice charity, must spend six months working with Queen Georgina, her charity's new patron, sparks fly and passion blooms.

To save the Hatter, Alice must work with the one man she despises so much that she might still love him. Alice thought she'd turned over a new leaf. No more working for Jabberwocky. No more making deals with the ruthless Queen of Hearts. No more hanging around The Mushroom with tinkers, tarts, scoundrels, and thieves in London's criminal underbelly. But she'd been bonkers to dream.

Scotland, 1032. When a marriage contract calls Gruoch away from Ynes Verleath, she leaves with the hope she'll be reunited with Banquo. But fate has different plans. Lies, betrayal, and violence await her. Set on a collision course with destiny, Gruoch soon finds herself thrust into the arms of another man.

Boudica, second daughter of a Celtic king, has little concern for tribal tensions and political intrigues. Called by the gods and the stirrings of her own wild heart, she listens instead to whispers of the oaks. But Boudica would be wiser to heed the warning cries of eagles. Rumors abound that the Romans are amassing forces for another invasion. In an effort to consolidate power, Boudica’s father turns to Prasutagus, the formidable ruler of the Greater Iceni. To win Prasutagus’s aid, Boudica’s father must strike a bargain - a deal with implications beyond Boudica’s imagining.

Scotland, 1032. Everything Gruoch loves has turned to ash. With Gillacoemgain gone, Gruoch rides north with her newborn son and a broken heart. While she desperately clings to hope, Gruoch's new alliance with Macbeth proves more challenging than she ever anticipated. Only her unexpected reunion with an important person from her past offers solace. All may yet be well, but the raven's wary eyes cannot help but notice clouds gathering on the horizon.

For Odin’s chosen, all roads lead to Valhalla. With Gudmund dead, Hervor and Hofund are crowned queen and king of Grund. The pair soon discovers that ruling a Viking land is not without difficulty. Enemies from without and within threaten the new rulers. While her dreams are the same, Hervor’s future becomes unclear. The gods have grown silent. Only Skadi whispers to Hervor now, and all her words are warnings. A dark moon is rising. Hervor must learn to rely on her inner strength to protect her family and face the tumultuous path the Norns have woven for her.

Scotland, 1026 - Gruoch, descendant of the line of MacAlpin, should have been born into a life of ease. But fate is fickle. Her father's untimely death, rumored to have been plotted by King Malcolm, leaves her future uncertain and stained by the prophecy that she will avenge her family line. Escaping to one of the last strongholds of the old Celtic gods, Gruoch becomes an adept in arcane craft. Her encounters with the otherworld, however, suggest that magic runs stronger in Scotland than she ever imagined.

In 1587, a fleet of English ships set sail for the Virginia colony. During a storm, one ship became separated from the others and was never seen again. The settlers on board were presumed lost at sea, but there is both historical and legendary evidence that the colonists actually founded the Roanoke colony.

With the arrival of the Romans, Boudica’s world is in upheaval. She and Prasutagus must decide where they stand. Will they fight the invaders alongside Caratacus, or bargain with the Romans to secure the future of the Iceni? Every choice seems like a bad one.

Britain, AD 38, Princess Cartimandua—Carti—of the Brigantes tribe faces an uncertain future when her father’s sudden death ignites turmoil. Suspicion falls on the Crow People of the Votadini tribe, straining the fragile peace between the factions. But they’re not the only ones bearing a grudge. A tangled web of political games soon unfolds. When enigmatic Prince Cormag of the Votadini shows the princess unwanted attention, the Brigantes’ alliance with the Carvetti is shaken. Cartimandua’s dream of marrying gallant Prince Venutiux of the Carvetti is put at risk.

Being the heir to Camelot is a tangled mess. Rapunzel has spent her entire life living in Merlin's cave on the coast of Cornwall. Under the protection of her faerie guardian, Gothel, she's stayed safe. Safe and bored. Dreaming of a life that looks more like a Jane Austen novel, Rapunzel fears she'll never have the chance to explore Victorian England's modern delights. Or meet a man. Or be kissed. Or anything else remotely resembling normal.

Lydia's last chance. Will she improve when someone takes the trouble to check her? Running off with Mr. Wickham was a great joke - until everything turned arsey-varsey. That spoilsport Mr. Darcy caught them and packed Lydia off to a hideous boarding school for girls who had lost their virtue. It would improve her character, he said. Ridiculous, she said.

The rebellion of the Northern Iceni under King Caturix results in dire consequences for Boudica. Without Aulus Plautius’ protection, Boudica must face the new, more severe Roman Governor Scapula. Struggling to make their way in a war-torn landscape, Boudica and Prasutagus persevere, but fate has a way of undoing our best intentions. Catastrophic events take place, undermining everything Boudica worked so hard to achieve. As the eagle betrays, the queen of ash and iron rises to protect all that she loves.

Paying homage to some of the greatest women the world has ever seen, Extraordinary Women in History is a testament to the power of dedication, courage, tenacity, and never giving up. Their stories will encourage you to take action and prove that barriers only exist to be broken.

An orphaned descendant of Loki. A princess without a kingdom. A shield-maiden plagued by the shadows of Valhalla. Born to rule two jarldoms, Ervie should have had a life of ease. But fate has not been kind. Her parents’ jarldoms destroyed in the wars of a previous generation, Ervie is set adrift in the world. Taking refuge in the lands of the famed King Gizer, Ervie finds a temporary retreat from her aching sense of loss. But when Gizer’s warband is summoned to defend one of his staunchest allies, the journey promises more than just battle for Ervie.