The Secrets of Harbour House

Liz Fenwick

A NEGLECTED Georgian house overlooking turquoise seas holds not just an array of magnificent art treasures but heartbreaking memories of a powerful but forbidden love… and it will take a lost and grieving young woman to unlock its hidden secrets.

Summer always springs to vibrant life when Liz Fenwick – the queen of Cornish fiction – sweeps us away to the bejewelled corner of the country that this Massachusetts-born expat has made her own, and her brand new story is brimming with all the mystery, drama and romance that are the hallmarks of her enthralling books. Fenwick (pictured below) fell in love with an Englishman and now enjoys family life in beautiful Cornwall whilst channelling her writing talents and energies into atmospheric and beautifully crafted novels which connect with both the landscape she adores, and the human condition that she writes about with such startling insight and veracity. 

And The Secrets of Harbour House is a visual and verbal triumph… an emotionally-charged and sensual tale of love, loss, passion and redemption weaving seamlessly between past and present, and steeped in the sea vistas and sparkling sunlight of Cornwall, and the lush elegance and dazzling glories of a long-ago summer in Venice.

Thirty-year-old Kerensa (Ren) Barton is struggling to cope with the recent death of her beloved father in a road accident. Her mother’s health is frail after a stroke and the family’s well-established auctioneering firm in Penzance is now being run solely by her uncle, Stephen Barton, who chucked Ren out of the business eight years ago after she made a catastrophic pricing error.

It knocked Ren’s confidence and left her with a breakdown and symptoms of anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder, making her more and more dependent on her controlling boyfriend Paul who says he is ‘always looking out for her’ and makes constant checks on where she is and what she’s doing.

Three days after her father’s funeral, Ren is unexpectedly sent by her uncle, now running the auction company alone, to catalogue Harbour House, a neglected home overlooking the sea in Newlyn, and it’s a welcome escape for her. Until just a few years ago, it was the home of two very elderly women, artist Bathsheba Kernow and sculptor Vivian Sykes who died in what may have been a suicide pact. It would appear that they left no will and Ren – who is an amateur artist herself and has a passion for putting women back into the history of art – is determined to discover more about the two women and the treasure trove of artworks inside their house.

And there’s one painting in particular which catches Ren’s eye… a hypnotically sensual portrait of a beautiful young woman which dominates the hallway, exudes a beguiling combination of sexual power and innocence, and is full of longing, sadness and intelligence. Captivated and intrigued, Ren finds herself piecing together the enigma of Bathsheba (Sheba) Kernow, a fiercely talented young artist who left St Ives almost a hundred years before, eager to escape a society that wouldn’t understand that she was ‘different’ instead labelling her ‘unnatural’ and ‘a freak.’

And so we meet Sheba in May of 1934 as she sets out on her quest to ‘find her place in the world’ and embarks on a daring train journey from the underbelly of Paris to the heady luxury of Venice and, along the way, makes a chance encounter that will change her life forever and draw her into the most dangerous and forbidden of love affairs. For Ren, still reeling with her own grief and misgivings, and facing an uncertain future with her boyfriend, Harbour House possesses secrets that will change her life too… in ways she could never have imagined.

Fenwick’s home nestles near Frenchman’s Creek – the enchanting cove on Cornwall’s Helford River made famous by renowned novelist Daphne du Maurier – and here she finds her inspiration from the famous colony of artists known as the Newlyn School who settled in the small fishing port near Penzance in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries.

Harnessing a Sapphic love story which broke boundaries and tested loyalties with the spectacular backdrop of an area which offered those pioneering artists scenes and lives scarcely touched by the industrial revolution, The Secrets of Harbour House proves itself to be a literary gem, rich in artistic history, lyrical and descriptive storytelling, and heart-rending drama. At the centre of the action are two generations of talented women who suffer the slings, arrows and emotional pain of outrageous male manipulation across different  timelines, and it is their battle to find happiness, however brief and whatever the risks, that dominate this captivating romantic odyssey.

Written straight from the heart, full of warmth, sensitivity and thought-provoking issues, and given extra power by a compelling mystery and fascinating insights into early 20^th century art history and social mores, this is top of the class for summertime reading!
(HQ, paperback, £9.99)

A Deadly Inheritance

Charlotte Vassell

A DOUBLE murder, an ever-deepening mystery, and skeletons dropping out of the closets of the rich and influential means just one thing... the irrepressible Met Detective Inspector Caius Beauchamp is back on duty and this time he’s pursuing a case uncomfortably close to home.

If you like your crime mysteries to have all the complex detective work and exquisitely drawn characters of Agatha Christie but with an original and insightful voice, an acidly satirical edge, and a decidedly 21^st century vibe, then treat yourself to the third book of Charlotte Vassell’s fun, original and entertaining whodunit series.

After the runaway success of The Other Half and The In Crowd, Vassell (pictured below) delivers another gripping, high-energy police procedural mystery set within a London super-rich and powerful milieu, in which only a chosen few born into staggering wealth can comfortably exist, and exploring contemporary issues like extremism, political intrigue, online influencers and racism. It’s a tale of upper class excesses and attitudes, full of wickedly incisive social commentary, plenty of twists and turns, and a cast of goodies and baddies that could only have been conjured up by a writer who also trained to tread the boards.

When DI Caius Beauchamp is dispatched to a double murder in a smart South London townhouse, it looks at first like a simple botched burglary.  

The bodies of the home’s elderly owner, Mona Frogmorton, and an unknown attacker wearing a balaclava, thought to be the thief, were found by Mona’s granddaughter Rosie Krige who had woken at 3am feeling the twinges of a brutal hangover after an afternoon spent drinking with her university pals. She crept downstairs for a glass of water only to stumble across a shocking and bloody scene in the kitchen.

But then Caius gets a tip-off about the matriarch Mona’s will and it turns out this well-heeled family has a nefarious past. Not only that, Caius saw Mona and her granddaughter on a very recent luxury train ride between London and Bath with his high society milliner girlfriend Callie Foster, and now the case is bordering on the personal. Caius’s own family circumstances have changed dramatically recently due to a complicated inheritance clause which means he is now (albeit reluctantly) in line to inherit Frithsden Old Hall, his family’s Jacobean manor house in Hertfordshire.

As Caius – along with his chirpy fellow officers, DS Matt Cheung and DC Amy Noakes – investigate the two murders, they discover a family full of disturbing secrets. With his reputation on the line and powerful people pressuring him to close the case, Caius must decide what’s more dangerous… the bodies on the floor or the skeletons in the closet?

Vassell’s addictive murder mystery plunges readers into a world of money and power as she explores some of high society’s dark and rancid corners whilst fearlessly puncturing the pretensions, entitlement and conceit of the British class system, and exquisitely nailing the faux manners and mores of the filthy rich.

And what a clever, complex story of tangled family secrets, privilege, excess and corruption this is, unfolding seamlessly through the sharpest writing and an entertaining blend of descriptive language, lively dialogue and an irresistible brand of sardonic humour.

With the very moral Caius leading the action, A Deadly Inheritance is both caustically funny and refreshingly different, serving up familiar tropes like red herrings, intriguing suspects and page-turning plotting with wit, style and moments of high drama. Add on a team of charismatic detectives, the deliciously adorable Callie, a fine line in banter, and a gut punch twist in the tail, and you have a clever concoction of crime fiction with a side serving of satire!
(Faber & Faber, paperback, £9.99)

A Good Deliverance

Toby Clements

FOR anyone who has studied the Middle Ages, and particularly the literature of the particularly turbulent period of 15^th century history, one name will always stand out... Sir Thomas Malory.

An English knight during the Hundred Years War and the War of the Roses, Malory is best known for his highly influential work, Le Morte D’Arthur, regarded as the first novel in English, the first prose fiction in Western literature, and the most comprehensive treatment of the eternally popular Legend of King Arthur, transforming a story based on French romances into an adventure of knightly brotherhood and the conflicts of loyalty which eventually destroy the fellowship.

But the creator of one of literature’s greatest stories has also carried with him down the centuries a mysterious and, some claim, false reputation as not just a brave and courtly knight who took part in some of the famous battles of the Wars of the Roses, but also as a villain who had several spells of incarceration in London’s infamous Newgate Gaol. Between 1450 and 1451 a certain Thomas Malory of Newbold Revell in the parish of Monks Kirby, Warwickshire, was charged with several major crimes, including robbery, two cattle raids, several extortions, a rape, and an attempted murder. At one point, he was jailed but escaped by swimming a moat and resorted to what was for medieval men the darkest of depravities... robbing churches.

So was Malory a literary hero, a villain, or both? Enter stage left, the vivid imaginative power of Toby Clements (pictured left), the former Literary Editor at the Daily Telegraph and author of the magnificent Kingmaker series which featured four critically acclaimed novels and brought to life the epic Wars of the Roses with breathtaking and brutal detail.

Clements, a once ‘warlike child’ who was long ago inspired by both reading Le Morte D’Arthur and by the mysterious reputation of the man who wrote it, set his sights on a novel that would recreate Malory’s extraordinary world and tell his story using what we know of his life, his groundbreaking literary work, and the myths that have grown up around him.

The result is a suitably thrill-packed and flamboyant adventure, planted firmly in the real and brutal history of this action-packed corner of English history, and offering a thoroughly entertaining insight into an extraordinary man who wrote with flair, fought with valour, and might well have spent as much time incarcerated among the filthy rushes of Newgate as wading through the mud and gore of the battlefield.

In a delightful opening twist to the tale, we meet the politician, courtier, outlaw and renowned author Malory as an old man in the garden of his Warwick home one drowsy summer afternoon in 1468 just at the moment he is roughly snatched by royal agents and bundled away on the orders of King Edward IV.

Dragged off to Newgate Prison for reasons unknown, Malory is left shivering in the foul-smelling, filthy old cell which he has come to know well over the course of many years. Convinced that he will soon die, for reasons he does not know, Malory cannot help but mourn his misspent life as he awaits the execution bell and the arrival of a priest to hear his last confession.

But when the locking bar lifts, and Malory prepares to ‘greet Death with a smile, with a nod, with a God-give-you-good-grace, sir,’ he is met instead by a boy aged about twelve who turns out to be John Brunt, the jailer’s son, who has come with food and ale for him. Having spent the previous night regretting that he will die without people knowing of his life and achievements, and longing for a witness, ‘someone to hear his tale, to marvel at his deeds and to hold his truths’, Malory is giddy with relief to see the boy.

Despite the serving lad’s insistence that his father will box his ears if he is finds out he ‘stood about’ listening to tales, Malory is determined young John will be his ‘audience’ and hear the ‘true tale of the deeds and of arms and gentle acts of valour’ and learn ‘how a man might rise from nothing.’ And so begins a prison confession of the perilously exciting life of a man at odds with his past, the events that led to him penning the first great prose work of fiction in English, and the risks he took that have finally come to roost...

Master storyteller Clements has fun with this rip-roaring, rollercoaster ride through chivalry and shenanigans as the youthful scepticism of the jailer’s spiky young son proves to be more than a match for Malory's histrionics and hyperbole. ‘Oho! It’s not one about how innocent you are?’ he asks Malory when the old man says he wants to tell him a story.

From boyhood in rural Warwickshire and onward to the sidelines of some of the major historical events and battles of the 15^th century, we witness Malory at the coronation of King Henry V, the famous siege of Harfleur in France, the great English victory at the Battle of Verneuil in Normandy, and even manfully guarding the captured Joan of Arc.

And with a nod to the adventures of King Arthur and his Round Table Knights, Clements takes Malory to jousting contests, sea battles, imagines him getting horribly drunk, tutoring a young Henry VI, and falling scandalously in love with Lady Anne Neville, wife of the brutal Duke of Gloucester, later King Richard III.

With some of the big names from this bellicose period of history striding through the pages alongside a Malory brought to life with Clements’ vivid historical insight, a playful tribute to the man who inspired the author’s own career, and a rich vein of dark humour, there could be no better way to explore the truths and myths of one of literature’s most elusive stars.
(Faber & Faber, paperback, £9.99)

The Face of Evil

John McPartland

By guest reviewer Nicholas Litchfield

A RUGGED Chicago fixer wrestles with his moral compass as he attempts to tarnish the reputation of a local attorney in The Face of Evil, a gritty 1950s pulp fiction tale, steeped in extortion, corruption, and counter-blackmail.

Originally published as a Gold Medal Books paperback original in 1954, John McPartland's hard-hitting standalone novel of redemption has resurfaced this month as part of Stark House’s Black Gat mass market editions, having been long out of print.

McPartland, a former staff writer for Life magazine who died at the age of 47 in 1958, carved out a niche for himself in the realm of pulp fiction crime, writing four screenplays and a dozen gangster-style thrillers. But he is perhaps best remembered for his dramatic novel No Down Payment, which was adapted into a film featuring Joanne Woodward and Tony Randall, garnering two BAFTA nominations. Set during a sultry summer in Newport Beach, California, The Face of Evil introduces us to hard-nosed Bill Oxford, depicted as ‘a smart, tough fixer whose soul has rotted away.’ Employed by his brutish boss, Roger Mooney, vice president of the advertising agency where Bill works, he’s accustomed to managing all manner of ‘extra services’ for Roger and the agency, ranging from organising parties to ‘easing some used woman out of the trouble zone.’ However, his true expertise lies in bribery and violence.

This time, Bill is tasked with undermining altruistic lawyer Ringling Black, who holds incriminating evidence against a high-powered political candidate in a tight primary race… evidence that reveals the candidate had ‘embezzled a lot of money, taken bribes from other crooks, and got mixed up in a very slimy situation with a sixteen-year-old.’

It’s evidence that could jeopardise the candidate’s election prospects, and his political team is determined to keep it hidden. With a five thousand dollar bonus riding on the success of this framing operation, Bill faces the added pressure of knowing that Roger possesses leverage over him… evidence potent enough to imprison Bill on serious charges.

Unfortunately, within hours of arriving in Newport, Bill’s mission takes a turn for the worse when he encounters the captivating yet perilous Nile Lisbon, the local assistant District Attorney. Nile, widow of Black’s former law partner, is well-known in the community and has close ties to Black. When her brutish lover, King McCarthy, instigates a brawl with Bill purely for amusement, Bill quickly realises he’s in for a tumultuous time in Newport.

As Bill gets to know Nile, his attraction to her intensifies, leading him to reconsider framing her friend, Black. But with so much at stake, his boss Mooney and his superiors exert additional pressure on Bill to fulfil his assignment.

When Black schedules a political telecast for the primary at nine o’clock – intending to unveil photostats and affidavits detailing the high-powered candidate’s corruption – the stakes escalate in a frantic race to eliminate Black.

Caught between a rock and a hard place, Bill yearns for upright lawyer Black to expose the political candidate for the reprobate he truly is while, at the same time, grappling with the fear that doing this morally right thing might land him behind bars.

Full of tension, violent fistfights, and a dose of dry humour, The Face of Evil hits hard and fast, culminating in an unexpected and utterly frenetic climax. Shamus Award-winning author Ed Gorman remarked that McPartland possessed ‘a great Fitzgeraldian social eye for every strata of society, from blue collar all the way up to the gated community folks.’ This, perhaps McPartland’s finest novel, delivers a raw and incisive tale of redemption that is well worth a second outing.
(Black Gat, paperback, £19.95)

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Talking animals, a girl with gills and a mystical realm

Marvel at a stunning environmental adventure set in a threatened land filled with fantastical forests, icy landscapes and animals that talk, dive into the dark depths of a river for a thrilling, chilling tale inspired by the centuries-old tradition of mudlarking, meet a boy and his dog in a mystical realm where everything is possible and prepare to laugh until it hurts in the company of an alien called Grimstink in a sparkling summer collection 

Age 12 plus
Skrimsli
Nicola Davies

‘Who are you if you’ve never seen another face like yours? Where do you belong if you don’t know where your home is? What do you call
yourself when others call you ‘freak'...? How can you be brave when you are full of fear?
Why would you choose purpose over love?’

WHEN you care about the wild world with the passion of award-winning author, TV presenter and zoologist Nicola Davies, then putting pen to paper is always going to result in powerful words and far-reaching ideas. So get ready to be knocked for six by Skrimsli, an epic fantasy story that traces the early life of the tiger sea captain who stole readers’ hearts in Davies’ double Carnegie-nominated The Song That Sings Us, a stunning environmental adventure set in a threatened land filled with fantastical forests, icy landscapes, wild beauty, danger, and animals that can communicate with humans.

And it’s no surprise that Skrimsli is Wales Children’s Book of the Year as readers are plunged head first into a story full of excitement and danger and Davies explores themes of friendship, loyalty, identity and love against a backdrop featuring some of humanity’s toughest problems. Abandoned at birth, Skrimsli is rescued from an icy death by a little boy who looks like an owl. Owl raises the cub in secret for as long as possible, hidden in the travelling circus of which he is a part. But before long, Skrimsli and his friends, Owl and Kal, must first escape the clutches of a tyrannical circus owner Kobret Majek, and then stop a war and save an ancient forest! As they journey to find out where they truly belong, they are helped by a desert princess and her eagle, a chihuahua who thinks she’s a wolf, a horse with heart of gold and the crew of a very unusual ship.

This is an author who pushes her imagination into overdrive to speak loudly, clearly and lyrically to readers not just about the magic to be found in the natural world but the imperative need for its protection. With a cast of beautifully drawn characters and visionary storytelling, Davies’ magnificent new environmental novel is adventure on a grand scale as readers are treated to a thrilling, chilling tale full of action, suspense, danger, and animals with a timely and resonant warning for our own planet. Exhilarating, gripping and ultimately uplifting…
(Firefly Press, paperback, £9.99)

Age 9 plus
The Girl with Gills
Becca Rogers

AS far back as 1862 and the runaway success of Charles Kingsley’s novel The Water Babies, the wonders of underwater worlds have always caught the imaginations of young readers. And now debut children’s novelist, Becca Rogers, dives into the dark depths of a river for a thrilling, chilling tale inspired by the centuries-old tradition of mudlarking. The Girl with Gills is a river-soaked story, awash with adventure and exceptional world-building, and features a determined girl called Effra and a truly sinister villain called the Rat Queen… when the two go head-to-head, their clash exposes ancient river lore, a host of fantastical creatures and colossal challenges.  

In a time and place which might be now, people with gills, outcast larkers, live in secret communities. They have houseboats along the river. Concealing their gills from landlubbers, they scour the mudbanks, trade their finds and live off their wits. Thirteen-year-old Effra has been supporting her brother, Fleet, alone since their beloved grandfather died six months ago. When merciless Rivermun, a larker gone bad, threatens Fleet, Effra’s quest begins. Rivermun asks for the impossible… he wants to overpower Mother River, to possess the river serpent’s pearl and for age-old debts to be settled. Effra must bargain with the imposing Mother River, dive into the underwater parts of the city, venture deep into the Rat Queen’s lair and confront the terrible river serpent to save not only Fleet, but everything the larkers stand for. Luckily, she is not alone. She befriends a sentient sewer rat called Clay and a landlubber, book-loving girl called Bow who will help her in her quest. Rogers’ evocation of a mysterious underwater world is rich in river myth and legend, and includes fascinating snippets of real history. Star of the show is undoubtedly the heroic Effra whose underwater battles explore friendship, belonging and not being afraid to show your vulnerabilities. Fast-paced, filled with magic, jeopardy and joy, The Girl with Gills is guaranteed to dive into every reader’s heart.
(Zephyr, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus
RSPB Bird of the Week:
The TikTok thing but, like, a book?

TAKE flight with a host of giggles and gaggles, facts and stats as the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds – better known as the RSPB – set feathers flying with their official and utterly unhinged bird guide based on the viral #rspb TikTok series. When the RSPB started a TikTok account, their goal was to inspire a love of birds in people on the internet through a mix of ‘tomfoolery, malarky and bird memes.’ What they didn’t expect was that Bird of the Week would become a viral video sensation in which one lucky bird would be chosen through the spin of a (totally-not-rigged) wheel of fortune and viewers would learn amazing (and occasionally true) facts about it. And now, this TikTok phenomenon has crash-landed into the world of books to create a mish-mash bird guide to keep and cherish. Featuring 52 brilliant British birds – that’s one to learn about every week of the year – each spread is packed with quirky illustrations, incredible photography, unbelievable facts and stats (some of which are real!), and lots of gags written by ‘silly gooses for silly gooses.’ With a spotter’s guide like you’ve never seen before, and quizzes to test newly acquired bird skills, this is the silliest, most utterly chaotic and most entertaining bird guide you’ll ever read!
(Bloomsbury Children’s Books, hardback, £8.99)

Age 8 plus
Will Wolfheart
Teresa Heapy and Adam Beer

MEET a boy, his dog and a mystical realm… and discover a wonderful adventure where EVERYTHING is possible and EVERYTHING is magical! The feelgood factor flows from every page of this love-filled, enchanting and action-packed adventure which has been written straight from the heart of award-winning children’s writer Teresa Heapy and stunningly illustrated by Adam Beer. Featuring the incredible bond between a boy and his dog, Will Wolfheart explores what it would be like if you could understand what your dog was thinking. Ten-year-old Will has moved with his family to a flat in the city and has had to leave his beloved dog Whisker in the countryside with his grandma. So Will now stays with his gran every weekend but is always sad when he has to go home. Until one day, Will and Whisker are wondrously summoned to enchanted Wolf World… a mystical, moonlit forest where Whisker becomes a majestic wolf and he and Will can speak to each other! And now incredible adventures abound in this amazing land where wolfy friendships are formed with the incredible Maple Pack, excitement is everywhere and danger could be just around the corner! Perfectly created for any young dog lover who wishes they could talk to their own canine best friend, this a beautifully told and illustrated tale of friendship, family love… and learning to be heroes.
(David Fickling Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 8 plus
Grimstink
Daniel Peak

IF you’re ready for a summer of sci-fi, satellites, a strange planet and a sackload of laughs, this comedy caper from Emmy Award winning TV scriptwriter Daniel Peak could be just what you need! Manchester-based Peak, who co-wrote BBC1’s hit series Not Going Out, dishes up fun at every turn as he brings young readers two planets… one that we all know, Planet Earth, and an alien planet that has seven moons and killer deathbots. At the heart of all the madcap antics is alien Grimstink who has travelled ninety thousand light years to annihilate all life on Earth while 13-year-old Layla Tenby has travelled half a mile to deliver leaflets for affordable fence panels. But, when they swap places, Grimstink finds himself battling traffic wardens and the Subway sandwich ordering system, while Layla is zapped to a strange planet and left fighting for the future of the galaxy whether she wants to or not (spoiler: she does not want to). Is Reece, Layla’s annoying younger brother, key to the galaxy’s survival, or will his friendship with new bestie Grimstink lead them all to impending doom? From black holes to shopping precincts, mining satellites to old people’s homes, and from quantum spaceships to the middle aisle of Aldi, is this the end of all life on planet Earth… or the beginning of a beautiful friendship? Prepare to suffer tummy hurt from laughing as you join this motley crew for an adventure so out-of-this-world that you’ll need help to find your way back to Earth! 
(Firefly Press, paperback, £7.99)

Age 7 plus
My Big Fat Smelly Poo Diary: Plop of the Class
Jim Smith

BRACE yourselves for the ‘number two’ outing with the Poopies, aka best friends Pedro, Olga and Ozzy... their initials just happen to spell the word POO and they are the stars of a smelly (but hilariously funny!) graphic novel series from the master of mischief himself, Jim Smith. Smith – creator of the bestselling Barry Loser books – has his finger firmly on the pulse of what makes kids (and grown-ups!) laugh… and the pages of his books buzz with energy, madcap antics, and a joyful sense of managed mayhem that is as addictive as it is entertaining. And he is on top form in this crazy, laugh-out-loud series which is packed full of friendship, fun and toilet jokes galore... all expertly delivered in witty bite-sized stories brought to life by Smith’s vibrant artwork. So hold your noses, tag along with our terrible threesome, and help Pedro to keep his title as the king of poo when he and meets another kid obsessed with STINK, navigate an obstacle course like no other at school, escape a set of portaloos on the move, and choose a brand new state-of-the-art toilet at the Toilet World megastore. Sounds FUN, right? Positively fizzing with Smith’s wild and wonderful wit, and perfectly pitched toilet jokes, My Big Fat Smelly Poo Diary: Plop of the Class is organised chaos for your fun-lovers and mischief-makers!
(Scholastic, paperback, £8.99)

Age 7 plus
Pets Tell Tales: Ancient Egypt
Rik Worth and Jordan Collver

IF you thought Ancient Egypt was all about pyramids, mummies and pharaohs, this laugh-out-loud graphic novel guide from northern writer Rik Worth and Canadian illustrator Jordan Collver is guaranteed to come up with more than a few surprises! So what REALLY happened in Ancient Egypt? Meet the animals of Ancient Egypt who are poised and ready to spring to life and give readers the REAL history of the world they inhabited. It seems that animals were a big deal to the Ancient Egyptians and through them, we can learn a thing or two, starting with the Pharoahs. Did you know there were seven Cleopatras and eleven Ramesses? This is a book that talks about the really good stuff, like baboon bodyguards, a crocodile king, mummified cats, and sacred poop-pushing beetles.  Prepare to giggle and gape as Worth – who is fascinated with why people believe in unusual things and the odder side of history – has fun digging out some of Ancient Greece’s most bizarre secrets. Brilliantly illustrated by Collver, Pets Tell Tales: Ancient Egypt is the perfect teaching tool to inspire reluctant readers!
(Wren & Rook, paperback, £9.99)

Age one plus
The Hug Button
Naomi Jones and Rebecca Ashdown

MATILDA misses her Mummy on her first day at play school… but a little button could be all she needs! Separation anxiety is a natural emotion when youngsters go to school or nursery for the first time so introduce them to The Hug Button, a beautiful, inspiring and reassuring picture book that offers a practical way to manage a child missing a loved one. It's Matilda’s first day at The Meadows and she’s very excited. But when Mummy goes to say goodbye, Matilda isn’t happy. She doesn’t want Mummy to go. The next day, Mummy has a helpful suggestion. She draws two hug buttons… one on Matilda’s wrist and one on her own. Then, when Matilda wants a hug, or wants to give one, she can press the hug button and know that Mummy is thinking about her too. Written by award-winning duo, author Naomi Jones and illustrator Rebecca Ashdown, this heartwarming and exquisitely illustrated story is filled with comfort and love, offering practical solutions for children missing loved ones, and movingly depicting the trials and triumphs of early childhood. The perfect starter book for schools and nurseries!
(Oxford University Press, paperback, £7.99)

The Best of Intentions

Caroline Scott

THE First World War remains one of the most devastating conflicts in human history and its painful legacies, and the many social changes it ushered in, continued to impact on the lives of millions of people for decades after the guns fell silent in 1918.

Historian and highly acclaimed author Caroline Scott – writer of haunting novels like The Photographer of the Lost and When I Come Home Again – returns to this pivotal post-war period for a delightful and atmospheric novel which focuses on the ways in which creative, bohemian communities banded together to forge what they hoped would be a better, kinder and more optimistic future.

Inspired by one of these real-life ‘utopian’ communities – Dartington Hall in Devon, opened in 1925 as a model co-operative community by wealthy couple Dorothy and Leonard Elmhurst – Lancashire-born Scott (pictured below) explores a social experiment of the Twenties and Thirties which sought to find practical solutions to stimulate positive change. And The Best of Intentions proves to be a beautiful tale of love and friendship set in 1932, brimming with nostalgia, bucolic charm and larger-than-life characters, and serving as a reminder of how this ‘lost’ generation regrouped and reimagined society to heal their ‘wounds’… even as war clouds once again gathered on the horizon.

In December of 1932, young and ambitious Lancashire-born gardener Robert Bardsley arrives at Anderby Hall, a neglected Elizabethan manor house in the Gloucestershire countryside which is now home to Greenfields, a community of artists and idealists.

Robert tries not to dwell on the reason for his abrupt departure from his last job in Yorkshire or the fact that his letter of reference isn’t all that it would appear to be. Fortunately, he has no trouble in convincing his new employer, Gwendoline Fitzgerald, Anderby’s flamboyant American owner, that he is just the man to restore the house’s once famous rose and topiary garden.

The Greenfields community, Robert learns, includes artists, sculptors, wood and textile workers, poets and musicians who all contribute to a trust and share the advantages and responsibilities of running the estate so that they can work collaboratively and ‘live as vividly and fully as possible.’ 

Before long Robert has settled into his tiny cottage on the estate and befriended the other residents, including colourful, dog-loving neighbour Trudie who makes a formidable Corpse Reviver cocktail and keeps her late-fiancé’s ashes on the mantelpiece, and composer Daniel who is still recovering from the horrors of the Great War and now writing an epic choral piece which he hopes will one day be performed in Ypres.

The only person Robert can’t win over is Anderby’s estate schoolteacher, Faye Faulkner, who thinks employing a gardener is ‘a mistake’ and believes the plan to charge people entry to the restored gardens is wrong. But despite her misgivings, Faye cannot help noticing that the handsome northerner has eyes ‘the blue of wild violets’ and finds him totally and perfectly vexing… Just as Robert starts to feel at home, the horrified residents discover that the old orchard has been sold to a property developer who has plans for an estate of mock Tudor bungalows. Can they find a way to keep their creative community alive or will the new housing development put an end to the spirit of Greenfields?

Written with her signature lyricism and a piercing insight into a period of history that she has made her own, Scott’s warm, funny and affectionate story of an experimental community learning to live, love and stay true to themselves under the banner of ‘community, creativity, equality and education’ is infused with an uplifting sense of hope and new beginnings. As old ideas and traditions inevitably clash with the new needs and imperatives of a society looking to turn the page of history and prepare for the future, the struggles and challenges of a self-created ‘paradise’ become a battleground in which the unscrupulous could tear apart the whole edifice of Anderby’s shared endeavour.

At the centre of the drama is an exquisitely portrayed cast of unconventional characters drawn together by the rewards of working for the common good, and finding hope, inspiration and nurture in revitalising the famous gardens of a picturesque country house.

It’s a story of resilience and determination with a powerful sense of time and place, soaked in the atmospherics of old England and given added enchantment by the sights and scents of a garden full of spring and summer blooms. But it’s also a place where their dreams of a new, kinder society are disrupted and threatened by the harsh realities of modernisation, a shocking betrayal and an ever-changing world. Brilliantly researched, written with stunning authenticity, and seasoned with a heartwarming romance and the northern wit that never fails to bewitch Scott’s readers, The Best of Intentions is a sparkling summer treat ideally imbibed with a glass of vino in a shady corner of your own garden!
(Simon & Schuster, paperback, £9.99)

Trees: Of North America, Europe, the UK & Ireland

Roger Phillips

LOVING and appreciating the beauty of trees is not just the domain of professional dendrologists… trees are at the root of life on Earth. They help combat climate change, house wildlife, protect against floods and water pollution, produce oxygen, conserve rainwater, fight soil erosion and give us shade.

Humans’ love affair with trees and their life-enhancing gifts was given a massive boost in 1975 when acclaimed pioneering photographer and botanist Roger Phillips (pictured below) published his groundbreaking book, Trees in Britain, which provided accurate, close-up colour illustrations of trees along with their leaves, shoots, flowers, bark and fruits.

Phillips – who died in 2021 – was a well-known figure in the world of gardening. He wrote and presented two major six-part TV series on gardening for the BBC and Channel 4, and famed for his ebullient personality and trademark red glasses. Amongst many awards, he received an MBE for his work on London’s garden squares.

Fifty years after the publication of Trees, this stunning and eagerly anticipated new edition – with a foreword by gardener, author and broadcaster Roy Lancaster and an introduction by Phillips’ wife Nicky Foy – has been expanded and revised with over 1,000 full-colour photographs and an updated species index, cataloguing hundreds of trees found across North America, Europe, the UK and Ireland, from the familiar to the exotic.

A superb identification guide for both amateur enthusiasts and professional botanists, this spectacular book covers everything from the common oak to the elusive black poplar, and in settings as varied as woodlands, floodplains and your own back garden.

Phillips’ classic book has informed generations of nature lovers and as an added bonus in this updated and refreshed edition, each tree is illustrated in full detail – by leaf, flower, fruit, bark and mature tree shape – along with a unique Leaf Key Index featuring photographs of over 550 leaves, cross-referenced to the main text, plus line drawings of the trees for clear and easy identification.

The trees are also arranged alphabetically by Latin name, and the carefully curated profiles of each one features fascinating details such as descriptions of habitat, rarity, the distribution of each tree, and historical backgrounds. In total, the book provides details of over 650 tree species and cultivars, with 150 added to the 500 that appeared in the original edition, and there are 1,200 full-colour pictures, showcasing detailed visuals of leaves, flowers, fruits and tree structures.

And with two indexes of the latest botanical and common names, and current ecological information on endangered species providing insights into their conservation status and the efforts needed to protect them, this all-encompassing and essential photographic guide is a book to treasure forever and perfect inspiration for a new generation of tree lovers.
(Macmillan, hardback, £35)

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: High seas sleuths, magical woods and a school for anarchy

Set sail with the high seas star of a sparkling new cruise ship detective series, head to a magical wood for a thrilling eco-themed adventure with trees at its it heart, laugh at the ‘hell’ of a school full of creatures from myths and legends, and enjoy an incredible journey through a wonderful world of facts in a colourful new selection 

Age 8 plus
Cruise Ship Kid: Thief At Sea!
Emma Swan and Katie Saunders

IF you need a breath of fresh sea air this summer, set sail with the Cruise Ship Kid, the high seas star of a sparkling new maritime detective series from debut author, West End actress and award-winning comedian Emma Swan. Harnessing her own childhood experiences aboard P&O cruise ships, where both her parents worked, Swan uses her insider knowledge of every part of a cruise ships (including out-of-bounds spaces!) to bring youngsters exciting adventures which navigate the trials of growing up, the fine art of making friends, and lessons in how to be a crime-solving superstar. Written in diary form and filled with Katie Saunders’ brilliant doodle-style illustrations, this charming and interactive story includes activities to enjoy along the voyage and lots of space for youngsters to add their own scribbles and doodles. So jump on board with ten-year-old Silver and find out all you need to know about her from her hilarious diary entries. 

There are four things you should know about me: 1. I live on a cruise ship 2. My name is Silver. Yes, really 3. I've never had a best friend my own age :( 4. I’m definitely not a detective Somehow, though, I’m now investigating the Case of the Missing Mega-Expensive Watches. But, I’ve got a plan. If I can solve the crime, then surely the kids on board will want to be friends with me. Right? I’ve had lots of help (interference) from the Gang, but I won’t tell you about them because they are all over 80 and prefer playing bingo to solving crimes. So, do you want to be definitely-not-a-detective too and help me catch the thief at sea?

With crime-solving and friendship playing equal roles, Cruise Ship Kid is a super, sunshine summer treat which packs in lots warm-hearted fun whilst exploring the importance of forming intergenerational relationships.  Don’t miss the boat!
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £7.99)

Age 7 plus
The Wood Where Magic Grows
Andy Shepherd and Ellie Snowdon

CLIMBING trees has always been fun… but have you ever looked at a tree and seen a face staring back? Andy Shepherd – bestselling author of The Boy Who Grew Dragons, a debut series that captured the imaginations of both children and their parents – conjures up more of her storytelling magic with an enchanting new series that puts trees at centre stage. Brimming with unexpected adventures, wonder and wildness, The Wood Where Magic Grows is set to branch out into the heart of every young reader as we meet two brothers discovering the magic that grows all around us but which we are often too busy and distracted to discover. If you look closely at a tree, you might just spot a knobbly brow, a knotty pair of eyes, or even a mossy beard. Well, next time you do, stop staring and say hello! When Iggy discovers overgrown Wildtop Wood at the end of his new garden, he couldn’t be more excited. A whole new world opens up for him and his brother Cal, high in the treetops, a world of tangled greenery and unexpected adventure. But some say the wood is a place of danger and mystery. And as Iggy and Cal venture further into the trees, they hear whispers of a fading green magic, and scampering animals seem to be leading them to a secret deep at the heart of the wood. Could it be that the wood needs them just as much as they need it? 

It’s time to join the Treetoppers! As much a love letter to trees – ‘the green guardians that we walk among’ – as a thrilling eco-themed adventures with trees at its it heart, The Wood Where Magic Grows is a rallying call to the younger generation to help protect one of the planet’s most important natural ‘gifts.’ With themes of connecting with the wild, the power of the imagination, and the bravery that lies within us all, this timeless series – brought to life by Ellie Snowdon’s illustrations – can only grow and grow.
(Piccadilly Press, paperback, £7.99)

Age 7 plus
Dante N. Ferno is NOT a Loser
Brian Gordon

WHAT could go wrong in a school full of creatures from myths and legends? Quite a lot it seems! If you’re looking for madcap adventures to lure your reluctant readers out of comic books and into chapter books, then this anarchic, devilishly funny and highly illustrated new series from cartoonist and debut children’s author Brian Gordon is the picture perfect choice. Ever since his trousers fell down in front of the whole school, Dante N. Ferno has struggled to shake off his seriously uncool reputation. Luckily, he has a foolproof plan to become the most popular kid at his new school: 1. Completely reinvent himself. 2. Make a tonne of friends and accept his nomination as their leader. 3. Become good at sports stuff and win all the game things. 4. Rub his new-found popularity in the face of all the haters he grew up with. Sounds easy, right? Well think again… Purg School is attended by infamous creatures from myths and legends and they’re not going to let Dante shake off his loser status overnight! Dante is going to have his work cut out to beat the bullies and show the world that he is NOT a loser. There’ll be hell to pay if youngsters don’t get their hands on this one!
(Macmillan, Children’s Books, paperback, ££7.99)

Age 6 plus
What Came First?
Kit Frost and Aaron Cushley

What came first… chickens or eggs? Dive into this fascinating and colourfully illustrated book and discover a host of surprising facts about science, animals, dinosaurs, people, games, Ancient Egyptians and lots more. What Came First? – written by picture book author Kit Frost and lavishly illustrated by Belfast artist Aaron Cushley – takes youngsters on an incredible journey through a wonderful world of facts in an easy-to-understand short questions and answers format. Are pants older than socks? Did flushing toilets come before toilet paper? What’s older… Mount Everest or sharks? Did football matches come before running races? Was Stegosaurus older than Tyrannosaurus? The book takes youngsters on a journey through a series of mind-boggling questions that they might never have thought to ask – and unearths some remarkable facts along the way. Zoom out on history to see the world in a different way and draw connections between history, science, geography and more. Also included is a timeline featuring many of the incredible events explored in the book. Perfectly created for even the most reluctant readers!
(Red Shed, paperback, £7.99)

Age 4 plus
George and Lenny Are Always Together
Jon Agee

LENNY the rabbit and George the bear are inseparable best friends… until Lenny declares he wants to find out if being alone is just as much fun as being together! American master of the absurd Jon Agee makes a welcome return with an irresistibly funny and heartwarming picture book that puts friendship – and branching out on your own – at centre stage. George and Lenny are always together and it’s terrific. They are never alone! So what happens when Lenny decides it’s time to try some alone time? George thinks it’s a crazy idea but decides that if Lenny can be alone, then he can be alone too. But is there a way for them to be alone together? Author and illustrator Agee is on top creative form as he stamps his unique, exuberant charm and trademark zany, zingy humour all over this adorable story. Brimming with wonderfully understated comedy, imagination, surprises and amazingly expressive illustrations, this funny, but also moving, story reminds readers young and old that even in the closest friendships, there’s room to assert yourself and take a risk, and still be there for your best buddy!
(Scallywag Press, hardback, £12.99)

Age 3 plus
Bessie’s Bees
George Kirk and Ana Gómez

WE'VE all heard about getting bees in your bonnet, but here’s a little girl with bees in her head! Written from the heart by debut neurodiverse Lancashire author, George Kirk, Bessie’s Bees is an uplifting picture book story about starting nursery and has a bubbly, neurodiverse child at its centre. Kirk, who has both autism and ADHD, has used her own experiences to offer universal messages about growing up with neurodiversity. So meet Bessie whose head is full of bees, so full that it’s absolutely buzzing with them. And that’s just fine until one morning, Granny takes them somewhere new… NURSERY! Soon Bessie realises that no one else at nursery has bees, so she keeps hers hidden inside and now Bessie's head isn’t just buzzing with bees… it's BURSTING with them! Can Granny help Bessie back to feeling like herself again? And will Bessie find a way to share her bees with everyone in a way that feels right? With Ana Gómez’s gorgeous colour illustrations bringing Bessie and her bee-filled world to life, this is a story that positively buzzes with charm and complex youthful emotions. By using the visual, accessible metaphor of bees, Bessie and her headful of bees help readers to see themselves represented and to also understand those around them. A universal and empowering message for all… and an important addition to home, nursery and school bookshelves.
(Templar Publishing, hardback, £12.99)

Age 3 plus
Every Botty Burps
Becky Wilson and Alex Patrick

WELL blow me down… here’s a brilliant book about farts that are quite simply off the charts! Becky Wilson, a debut children’s author with a passion for funny books, is set to make little mischief-makers giggle and gasp with this hilarious rhyming picture book gorgeously illustrated by Alex Patrick. ‘Don't worry if your botty burps. It’s just what bottoms do! We all break wind, so let me share some types of toots with you…’ From short and sweet penguin pops to super-slow sloth parps, youngsters will enjoy this fast-paced journey exploring wacky and weird animal farts. With Patrick’s stylish design and bold, bright illustrations, Every Botty Burps normalises farting in a fun a humorous and child-friendly way… perfect for little ones who sometimes get embarrassed by their own bottom burps. Tons of ‘farty’ words and rhymes, and a cute and colourful cast of animal characters, make this a joy to read aloud!
(Little Tiger Press, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
Go Go Dodo!
Huw Lewis Jones and Fred Blunt

'HE'S behind you!’ No it’s not the panto season yet… it’s a clever and comical picture book from the top team of author and natural history professor Huw Lewis Jones and illustrator Fred Blunt. Little ones will love following the antics of a blissfully carefree (and blissfully unaware!) dodo as he takes a stroll through a very gentle jungle, across a very friendly swamp and over a very soothing sea. What he is completely unaware of (unlike young readers!) is that, not only is his walk full of peril, but he’s being stalked by a VERY hungry tiger! So what will happen when the tiger and the dodo enter the very dangerous grass? Readers will adore shouting a warning to the lovable dodo in this simple and fun-filled picture book where the words and the art tell two sides of the same story!
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £12.99)

Age 3 plus
Come Back, Gosling
Anne Booth and David Litchfield

RICH storytelling, breathtaking artwork and the strength that comes from honesty and trust are the magical ingredients that will make this beautiful picture book fly into the hearts of all who turn its pages. Come Back, Gosling has been conjured up by author Anne Booth and illustrator David Litchfield, the creative duo behind A Shelter for Sadness and The Boy, the Troll and the Chalk. Once upon a time, there was a little girl and a gosling who loved each other very much… and loved reading books together even more. But one day, there is a book the girl will not share. Before Gosling can peek inside, she slams the book shut and says: ‘I don’t like this book. Let’s play something else.’ When their new book mysteriously disappears, the girl and the gosling’s friendship is put to the test. Then one night, Gosling finds the missing book and leaves. Will the girl be able to put things right before it’s too late? Booth’s heartwarming and reassuring celebration of friendship, flying and the joy of sharing books springs to vibrant and colourful life through Litchfield's stunning and atmospheric scenes. A spectacular gift book for all the family to love and treasure.
(Templar Publishing, hardback, £12.99)

Age 3 plus
Changing Tides
Júlia Moscardó

THE concept – and realities – of being part of a blended family can be difficult for young children to grasp so here’s a beautiful, sensitive picture book from award-winning artist and illustrator Júlia Moscardó. When Theo and his mother, Simone, become part of Lula and her dad’s family, Lula – who has never had a big brother before – isn't sure what to expect and she definitely doesn’t want to share her toys with Theo. But when they all spend a holiday at the seaside, the new siblings learn to trust one another and work together to create a beautiful, big sandcastle on the beach. But when disaster strikes and the overnight rain, wind and tide wash away their sandcastle, will the children’s relationship weather the storm? Using endearing and evocative watercolour illustrations, and a warm and timeless story about coping with life’s ebbs and flows, Moscardó explores the challenges and joys of forming a new family and gaining a sibling. Perfect for children from blended families, and those struggling to adapt to change.
(Little Tiger Press, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
One Up
Ben Sanders

GREEN and Blue are best friends… but who is the bestest? This comical picture book – with its fun-filled warnings about the dangers of comparing yourself to others, especially your friends! – is the work of award-winning author and illustrator Ben Sanders. So meet two adorable but overly-competitive turtles who see red as they compete to build the biggest and, most definitely, the best shell. Green builds a bigger, better shell, but then Blue builds a biggerer, betterer shell! Uh-oh, I think we can guess where this is going. Who, or what, will ultimately triumph? Furiously fast-paced and witty, Sanders’ ‘winning’ picture book delivers a clever cautionary tale through an array of visual humour as Blue and Green’s shells become increasingly silly… and guarantee giggles and guffaws at every turn of the page!
(Little Tiger Press, paperback, £7.99)

Age one plus
Lions Lay Eggs!
Becky Davies and Gareth Lucas

LIONS lay eggs… well, don't they? And what about baby elephants… do they emerge from a chrysalis? Wait, that can’t be right! Turn the clever peep-through pages to discover how these adorable, but mixed-up, baby animals are really born! Little ones will hoot with laughter at the absurd pairings… from lions in eggs and giraffes in pouches to ridiculously pink zebras. With a dry, humorous text by Becky Davies, Gareth Lucas’s colourful illustrations, and a final flap on the last page which turns everything upside down again, this is a fun and delightfully interactive introduction to baby animals!
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £7.99)

A Crime Through Time

Amelia Blackwell

IF you’re looking for the perfect holiday reading ‘companion’ this summer, the delectable Miss Georgiana Darcy could be just the person you need to bring a large helping of time-travelling mystery, laugh-out-loud fun and heart-fluttering romance.

While the literary world was preparing to celebrate this year’s 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth, Cornwall-based Amelia Blackwell (pictured below) was busy penning her own tribute to the beloved English author with a debut cosy crime series starring a young woman best known as the naïve young sister of Pride and Prejudice’s swoonworthy hero Fitzwilliam Darcy.

And A Crime Through Time – the first book of Blackwell’s Miss Darcy Investigates series – proves to be an engrossing, quirky and original Austen-esque romp as the shy and meek Georgiana is transported backwards and forwards through time and space from Pemberley in 1799 to the spectacular real-life Georgian mansion, Saltram House in Devon, in 1995 where a film crew is shooting the latest Jane Austen adaptation.

So sit back and prepare for a time-travelling delight as we witness 20-year-old Georgiana reckoning with not just the misunderstandings and mysteries of life, language (and love!) in the late 20^th century but also a shocking murder… and some unexpected dramas brewing back home at Pemberley.

At the imposing Derbyshire home of Fitzwilliam Darcy Esquire, his sister Georgiana – whose unfortunate naivete led to her being almost seduced by the wicked Mr George Wickham – is desperate to escape an unwanted marriage proposal from the aged Baron John de Halighwell, a man to whom she can only be ‘as civil as his bad breath would allow.’ As is her wont, she retreats to Pemberley’s woodlands, the ancient place ‘where magic might happen’ and where she can ‘breathe’ and be alone. But after hearing a strange, discordant ‘shriek,’ Georgiana discovers a mysterious object with the word ‘MOTOROLA’ on it and when she presses a glowing red circle, she finds herself transported almost two hundred years into the future and on to the lawn in front of a grand country mansion.

This is Saltram House in Devon where a crew are busy shooting a new Jane Austen film and the cast are wearing clothes not unlike Georgiana’s own. But she also stumbles across a terrible crime and the impeccably mannered Miss Darcy – newly arrived and thoroughly confused – would appear to be the only witness.

It soon becomes clear that, somehow, Georgiana was meant to solve this riddle. Seized by a powerful desire to dig out the truth and helped by a border collie named Watson and an Irish security guard named Quinn, a man ‘with an exceptionally pleasing countenance,’ she sets out to stop the killer before they can strike again. But as Georgiana moves back between the present and future, there are serious problems at Pemberley where pregnant Elizabeth’s condition is causing concern. And time, it seems, is not on her side…

This happy collision of crime, time travel and Jane Austen delivers an intriguing murder mystery while allowing readers a fresh and fun perspective on their favourite Pride and Prejudice characters and an entertaining speculation on what life might have looked like for the iconic cast in the months after events in the book. Much of the comedy element comes from Georgiana’s 18^th century upper-class sensibilities and societal restrictions encountering the prosaic, totally unbuttoned and uncensored world and words of 1995… all alongside the often bewildering goings-on of a busy film set.

As we witness Georgiana’s slow metamorphosis from shy ingénue to determined and daring young woman, and enjoy the blossoming of her romance with handsome, down-to-earth security guard Quinn, she must also apply herself to catching a killer, and cope with emotional dilemmas in both timelines.

Blackwell’s depth of research, her allusions to the great author’s life and works, and her joyful love all things Austen, shine through in this time-travelling odyssey which heralds the start of another winning cosy crime series…this time with a delicious Regency flavour.
(Macmillan, hardback, £18.99)