Frances E. Crompton, Mrs. Molesworth, and John Strange Winter were all prolific authors known for their works of children's literature during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Each author brings their unique style and storytelling flair to the collection, offering a diverse range of tales that capture the magic and spirit of Christmas.The stories in "The Christmas Fairy, and Other Stories" likely explore themes such as generosity, kindness, family, and the joy of giving. They may fea...

It was getting very near to Christmas-time, and all the boys at Miss Ware's school were talking excitedly about going home for the holidays, of the fun they would have, the presents they would receive on Christmas morning, the tips from Grannies, Uncles, and Aunts, of the pantomimes, the parties, the never-ending joys and pleasures which would be theirs. ...

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Laurie R. King’s Mary Russell–Sherlock Holmes series weaves rich historical detail and provocative themes with intriguing characters and enthralling suspense. Russell and Holmes have become one of modern literature’s most beloved teams. But does this adventure end it all?Mary Russell is used to dark secrets—her own, and those of her famous partner and husband, Sherlock Holmes. Trust is a thing slowly given, but over the course o...

**From the New York Times bestselling author of Death Below Stairs.A mystery of stolen antiquities has Kat Holloway setting aside her apron once again for the intrigues of the upper echelons of Victorian London.**Priceless artwork has gone missing from the home of a wealthy baronet, and his wife stands to take the blame. When Kat's employer asks for help in clearing her friend's name, Kat trades her kitchen for the homes of Mayfair's wealthiest families. S...

Toby never meant to be a highway robber, but needs must. He didn't plan to impersonate a top London valet either, but when the chance comes to present himself as the earl of Arvon's new gentleman's gentleman, he grabs it. Unfortunately, the earl is the man he seduced and robbed on the road to get here. Oops.Miles, Lord Arvon, is not impressed. But he's faced with a tumbledown home and lost family fortune, and desperate times call for desperate measures. Toby—shameless, practical, a...

A stranger enters the inner sanctum of the Ashby family posing as Patrick Ashby, the heir to the family's sizeable fortune. The stranger, Brat Farrar, has been carefully coached on Patrick's mannerisms, appearance and every significant detail of Patrick's early life, up to his thirteenth year when he disappeared and was thought to have drowned himself.It seems as if Brat is going to pull off this most incredible deception until old secrets emerge that threaten to jeopardise the imp...

Mrs. Jeffries and Inspector Witherspoon should be checking off their Christmas present lists but instead they’re listing murder suspects in this latest entry of the beloved Victorian Mystery series.TIS THE SEASON FOR MURDERHarriet Andover was a smart businesswoman who did not suffer fools gladly, yet somehow her house was full of them. With a husband who has no head for money and two grown stepchildren who would rather do anything than an h...

EPISODE 2 IN A MAJOR BBC DRAMA STARRING TIMOTHY SPALL, DAVID WALLIAMS AND JENNIFER SAUNDERSAn American family come to stay at Blandings, but Freddie’s attempts to sell them dog-food causes major embarrassment.Connie is desperate to make a good impression on her visiting old school nemesis, Veronica, and her rich American husband, Mr Schoonmaker.She enlists the services of snobbish secretary Mr Baxter to tidy up Blandings, in particular Clare...

Crime novelist Edward Hope has recently purchased Fen Court, a beautiful country residence on the Essex marshes. However when he and his friend Nancy Johnson go to visit the new property, they find themselves caught up in a real-life murder mystery when three bodies are discovered in the ornamental fish-ponds.Finding himself high on the list of suspects, Hope must work in collaboration with Inspector Brews of the local police to unmask the true culprit behind this terrible deed...

Yorkshire, 1820Lina, Lady Radbourne, thought being a countess would rescue her from poverty. Unfortunately, her young groom failed to plan for the future, and his drunken accident left her widowed and pregnant. Now Colonel Winstead Vaughan—Win—will inherit her late husband's fortune…unless she gives birth to a boy. Win is her natural enemy, so why can't she stop thinking about him?Win is stunned to learn he stands to inherit a vast fortune. He's even more surprised t...

EPISODE 5 IN A MAJOR BBC DRAMA STARRING TIMOTHY SPALL, DAVID WALLIAMS AND JENNIFER SAUNDERSFreddie must keep his new Portuguese wife a secret from Connie.Clarence’s niece - the lisping Gertrude - has been imprisoned at Blandings by Connie and forced to overhaul Clarence’s library. It’s driving him crazy. Gertrude’s forbidden love, the clumsy Revd Beefy Bingham, infiltrates Blandings using a false identity determined to win Clarence’s approval for th...

A level 4 Oxford Bookworms Library graded reader. Retold for Learners of English by John Escott. When Black Beauty is trained to carry a rider on his back, or to pull a carriage behind him, he finds it hard at first. But he is lucky - his first home is a good one, where his owners are kind people, who would never be cruel to a horse. But in the nineteenth century many people were cruel to their horses, whipping them and beating them, and using them like machines until they dropped dead. Bl...