They come out of the football stadium's tunnel first, but all eyes are on the well-paid athletes behind them. No one pays the Referee or the Referee's Assistants any attention - until they make a mistake. Then all hell breaks loose.They can't explain - or defend themselves against the crowd's abuse. And these days their decisions can be reversed by the dreaded VAR. Who would want the high-pressure job of running the line in professional football?Gavin Muge ...

Dorset in Victorian and Edwardian times was (as now) a predominantly rural county, but one suffering from the agricultural depression. Rider Haggard reports (1901) on a long expedition across country meeting just four other vehicles. 'Three of them were brewers' drays, and the fourth was a timberdrag.' The 'decay of agriculture' was accompanied by the steady, century-long exodus from the country to the town, though by modern standards the streets of Victorian towns were relatively quiet an...

A box is left on Marcus’s doorstep in the rain. Fussy Aunt Hester has told Marcus not to open the front door under any circumstances. But she’s out – and just this once can’t hurt . . . can it?Except the parcel isn’t embroidery supplies for Aunt Hester. Or fishing tackle for Uncle Frank. Whatever is in there, it’s alive. And it’s ANGRY.The thing in the box sends Marcus’s life spinning horrifyingly out of control – controlling his mind and t...

Nestling in undergrowth by the bank of the Thames, an old wartime pillbox, relic of the nation’s troubled past, finds itself at the heart of events that will haunt the idyllic village of Cardwell.With last summer’s case still weighing against his name, Chief Inspector Dalliance arrives at the scene of a particularly unsettling murder committed inside the cold, lonely walls of this concrete fortress.The hunt for an elusive killer sees Dalliance and DS Riley embroiled in a cu...

Driving home one night from his mother’s funeral, Chief Inspector Dalliance suddenly finds himself embroiled once more in a new string of murders – and a dangerous, cynical game targeting the lowest, the most vulnerable, and the most desperate.His own life unravelling around him, Dalliance is cast out of the investigation under the guise of compassionate leave. But as the case grows increasingly personal, he strikes out on his own to solve the sinister riddle, with or without offic...

All his life, Jack Henley has felt at home in the woods - more at home than when he's actually at home with his parents. He loves watching the badgers play-fighting in the summer evenings, and pretending to be outlaws or cannibals with his two best friends. When Jack discovers that the woods hide an incredible secret - a beautiful, extraordinary, unicorn - he cannot believe his eyes.He and the owner of the woods, the eccentric Mr Finistaire, embark on a journey to save the unicorn ...

An eye-opening survey of cricket, from the crowd violence and blatant match-rigging of the eighteenth century, down to the twentieth century's glaring abuses of the spirit of the game.Written in the same lively style that won such praise for his W.G. Grace: A Life, Simon Rae's history of cheating will appeal to the cricket fan and general reader alike. Ranging from Thomas White, who notoriously arrived at the crease with a bat the size of the wicket, on through the...

This ground-breaking anthology presents in chronological order over 400 poems written in the twentieth century. The authors, both published poets themselves, give an overview of each period of history, while notes to the poems place each one in its historical context and trace the century's poetic development. Concise biographies for each poet complete the anthology.By organizing the poems in chronological order, readers will see poets in a new light. Here A.E. Houseman, for exampl...

W. G. Grace burst onto the cricket scene in the 1860s with spectacular force. He dominated the game until the end of the century, and influences it to this day. He was the world's first sporting superstar, rivalled as a public figure only by Gladstone and Queen Victoria herself. His staggering achievements as both batsman and bowler made him the greatest draw cricket had ever known. Though often depicted as an overgrown schoolboy, W. G. was extremely shrewd and ruthlessly exploited the pow...

Dorrie Carpenter's dreams lay shattered. Thrilled at the opportunity to work near Liam, the love of her life, Dorrie has accepted a teaching position in a school for troubled children in upstate New York. In time, however, Dorrie finds herself in more and more difficulty. Not only does she struggle to maintain order in her classroom, but she discovers some unpleasant facts about Liam. And then Alex MacIntyre keeps turning up at the wrong time. Yet Dorrie is desperate to please Liam and be ...

BLESSINGS ABOUND FOR WOMEN WHO BELIEVE.This lovely devotional for women is a beautiful reminder that blessings abound for women who believe in God's promises. Each page features an encouraging devotional reading rooted in biblical truth and a heartfelt prayer to help you begin your daily quiet time with the heavenly Father. You will discover all the ways God blesses you every single day as you grow closer to Him and wrap your soul in His unconditional love. This de...

"Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. . . Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. . .a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised" (KJV). This brand-new devotional, offering equal parts inspiration and encouragement, will uncover the "secrets" of the Proverbs 31 woman. Each reading, tied to a theme from Proverbs 31:10–31, is rooted in biblical truth and spiritual wisdom. You will be inspired to emulate the vi...