When a valuable shipment of ood vanishes from an important shipment, everyone assumes it was lost in transit. But Maple Leaf, the town's sharp-eyed witch detective, isn't convinced.Armed with her spellbook, a knack for solving mysteries, and her faithful friends, Maple follows a trail of strange clues through oceans and taverns. What begins as a simple missing-shipment case soon uncovers something far more troubling: a secret band of Pyrites, cunning tricksters who have been operat...

Launched in 1995, Bach Perspectives has become the premier English-language serial book series dedicated to cutting-edge Bach scholarship. The University of Illinois Press now offers the first four volumes in open access editions available for free to all interested readers.The fourth volume of Bach Perspectives analyzes J. S. Bach’s orchestral works, especially his concertos, and the interpretation and performance of his music in general. The diverse contributors...

The six principal classes of diesel locomotive that once made up the ‘Type 4’ classification – the 40, 44, 45, 46, 47 and 50 – were the survivors of a wider group that can trace its origins to the British Transport Commission’s Modernisation Plan of 1955. Designating a power output of between 2,000 and 3,000 hp, the type once contained representatives of several non-standard and one-off prototype builds, including the Warship and Western diesel-hydraulics, which between them originally num...

An engrossing, expansive historical fantasy drama, inspired by the Mamluk slave dynasty of EgyptTumanbay: the wealthiest city on earth. The beating heart of a vast empire. A city of dreams, where those who once arrived as slaves now hold power, and merchants, artists and warriors live side-by-side in peace. But this magnificent city is under threat. A rebellion in a far-off province, led by 'Queen' Maya, is gathering strength - and a mysterious force is devouring t...

Is a rose without its thorns any less beautiful?Shona Scott would much rather putter in her garden than deal with brides that get hysterical over floral arrangements. Fed up, she quits the wedding business and renovates a small cottage on her property for holiday rentals. Without the weddings crowding her calendar, Shona will finally get some time to explore a newfound talent. An unexplainable one, at that.Owen Williams lands in Scotland for a family wedding, only to prolon...

Warlock Holmes may have demons in his head, but now Dr. John Watson has a mummy in his bloodstream. Specifically that of the sorcerer Xantharaxes, who when shredded and dissolved in an 8% solution, results in some extremely odd but useful prophetic dreams. There's also the small matter of Watson falling for yet another damsel-du-jour, and Warlock deciding that his companion needs some domestic bliss...

A collection of dramas set in South and Central America by acclaimed dramatist Mike WalkerAn award-winning dramatist, author and feature writer, Mike Walker has written numerous original dramas for BBC Radio 4, including his epic chronicles Tsar, Caesar!, The Stuarts and Castle of the Hawk. Collected here are five of his gripping dramas from the 1980s and '90s, set around the Amazon rainforest and Nicaragua.Broken Wings and Bri...