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A Bandit's Tale: The Muddled Misadventures of a Pickpocket
by Deborah HopkinsonFrom an award-winning author of historical fiction comes a story of survival, crime, adventure, and horses in the streets of 19th century New York City.Eleven-year-old Rocco is an Italian immigrant who finds himself alone in New York City after he's sold to a padrone by his poverty-stricken parents. While working as a street musician, he meets the boys of the infamous Bandits' Roost, who teach him the art of pickpocketing. Rocco embraces his new life of crime--he's good at it, and it's more lucrative than banging a triangle on the street corner. But when he meets Meddlin' Mary, a strong-hearted Irish girl who's determined to help the horses of New York City, things begin to change. Rocco begins to reexamine his life--and take his future into his own hands.
A Barcelona Heiress
by Sergio Vila-SanjuánA historical detective story set against the social and political tumult of 1920s Barcelona and based on the real events of the end of a dazzling era. In the decade before the Spanish Civil War, Barcelona is on the verge of boiling over. Pablo Vilar, a well-connected young lawyer and journalist, meets several mysterious people who seem to hold clues to what is brewing in the city. The diverse cast of characters includes an assaulted cabaret artist, an anarchist leader, the city&’s new autocratic civil governor, and a beautiful, wealthy countess—their destinies all bound by invisible ties. While the city both touches its zenith and peers into the abyss, Vilar guides us through a labyrinth that leads from the caverns of Montjuïc, home to paupers and outlaws, to the high-society parties in the gardens of Horta. Based on documents from the author&’s family archives, and called &“an irresistible read&” by Carlos Ruiz Zafón, author of The Shadow of the Wind, A Barcelona Heiress provides a fresh perspective on a complex and dramatic period.
A Baronial Family in Medieval England: The Clares, 1217-1314 (The Johns Hopkins University Studies in Historical and Political Science)
by Michael AltschulOriginally published in 1965. In A Baronial Family in Medieval England: The Clares, 1217–1314, Michael Altschul studies the Clare family during the thirteenth century. The Clares spearheaded the struggle to enforce Magna Carta in the Barons' War. Historians prior to Altschul tended to neglect the Clares' history given the scattered nature of the archives documenting their time as a politically influential and powerful family. This book unfolds chronologically, outlining the Clares' rise to preeminence and describing how they administered their estates and income.
A Baroque Fable
by Chelsea Quinn YarbroThis novel takes readers on a romp through a fantasyland of star-crossed lovers, bumbling heroes, wicked witches, and dragons (one of whom, our heroine, Esmeralda, started out as a human but got caught up in a witch's curse.) Lighthearted adventure with a seemingly never-ending cast of strange and whimsical characters working at cross-purposes and together creates a world of little consequence and frothy entertainment.
A Barricade in Hell (Delia Martin #2)
by Jaime Lee MoyerIn Jaime Lee Moyer's A Barricade in Hell, Delia Martin has been gifted (or some would say cursed) with the ability to peer across to the other side. Since childhood, her constant companions have been ghosts. She used her powers and the help of those ghosts to defeat a twisted serial killer terrorizing her beloved San Francisco. Now it's 1917—the threshold of a modern age—and Delia lives a peaceful life with Police Captain Gabe Ryan.That peace shatters when a strange young girl starts haunting their lives and threatens Gabe. Delia tries to discover what this ghost wants as she becomes entangled in the mystery surrounding a charismatic evangelist who preaches pacifism and an end to war. But as young people begin to disappear, and audiences display a loyalty and fervor not attributable to simple persuasion, that message of peace reveals a hidden dark side. As Delia discovers the truth, she faces a choice—take a terrible risk to save her city, or chance losing everything?At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
A Basic History of Western Art
by H. W. Janson Anthony F. JansonFor undergraduate one-semester courses in Art History or Art Appreciation Basic History of Art provides students and instructors with a beautifully illustrated and masterfully concise introduction to the Western tradition of art history. The Seventh Edition builds on the best of this tradition with the contributions of several scholars who made many critical improvements to the book. Now with OneKey!
A Basket Brigade Christmas: Three Women, Three Love Stories, One Country Divided
by Nancy Moser Stephanie Grace Whitson Judith Mccoy MillerNot even the Civil War can smother the spirit of Christmas, especially in the town of Decatur, Illinois, in 1862, where the ladies of the Basket Brigade board trains to minister to Union soldiers, offering fried chicken, pickled peaches, pound cake, and other dainties to men who haven't eaten a home-cooked meal since enlisting. Join Sarah, Lucy, and Zona, three compassionate members of the brigade, as they care for wounded heroes--and find love along the way. Includes original recipes.
A Basket of Deplorables: What I Saw Inside the Clinton White House
by Linda TrippA compelling insider&’s look at a political marriage that tore apart the nation and almost destroyed a presidency—from the woman who saw it all happen.In this brilliantly written behind-the-scenes account, Linda Tripp along with her co-author, Dennis Carstens, shares her side of the Clinton White House sex scandals for the first time—detailing the behavior of two very flawed people who fooled a nation: Bill Clinton, a sexual predator, and his wife, Hillary, who was his primary enabler. In this exposé, Tripp outlines what the public was not allowed to see: the lengths Clintons&’ protectors would go to lie, deceive, and coverup for them; some of the many women Bill Clinton used his position, privilege, and power as president to sexually abuse; how the former president got away with it thanks to his morally bankrupt, unscrupulous wife and cabal of protectors; and finally, the role party politics played when he was called to task and was almost the first president to be removed from office for perjury and corruption.
A Bath Intrigue
by Sharon StancavageAn Inquisitive Lady Cassie Wyndmoore's brains have always been her distinguishing characteristic. Of course, most gentlemen prefer a pretty wife over a clever one--which is fine with Cassie, who prefers reading to flirting. That is, until a trip to Bath puts her carriage out of service, and Cassie in the path of a helpful "stranger" who doesn't recall that they've met before. Cassie has been smitten with Derek Leighton ever since he courted one of her beautiful sisters. Yet now that he's paying attention to her instead, Cassie can't help wondering about his motives--especially when he seems unduly interested in some strange documents she discovered on a park bench... An Enigmatic Earl It is a rare thing to encounter a lady whose intelligence places her above and beyond the fairest of the ton. And for the Earl of Richmond, more surprising still that a woman he found unremarkable upon their first meeting has now engaged his interest so completely. True, Cassie is possessed of important papers that Derek must obtain in order to defeat a French spy--but in attempting to seduce her into turning them over, Derek soon realizes he has given away his heart. Now, his mission is twofold: Prove his loyalty to the Crown...and his love to Cassie...
A Battle Too Far: The True Story of Rifleman Henry Taylor
by Carole McEntee-TaylorA British Army veteran’s harrowing experiences in Europe and Africa during World War II are recounted in this gripping biography.A Battle Too Far is the true story of Rifleman Henry Taylor 6923581, late 7th Battalion The Rifle Brigade (1st Battalion London Rifle Brigade) and is based on his diaries and recollections as told to his son Lawrence. The Foreword is by Lt-Gen Sir Christopher Wallace Chairman of The Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum in Winchester.Henry’s war began in October 1942 as the 2nd Battle of El Alamein commenced and continued almost non-stop for the next three years. From El Alamein to Tunisia, he fought with the 8th Army as they finally pushed Rommel back to the sea. Although they expected to return to Britain in preparation for D Day, plans were changed at the last minute, and they were ordered to Italy instead. Here they found themselves fighting for every inch of land against determined, well dug-in defenders, in conditions often resembling the trenches of World War I. Their reward? Their campaigns forgotten as the world concentrated on the D Day invasion, and to be called “D Day Dodgers” despite enduring some of the heaviest fighting of the war.As Europe celebrated VE Day, Henry’s war continued as they raced to Austria to prevent Yugoslav forces annexing Carinthia in the opening shots of the Cold War. Then, as the men around him were de-mobbed, Henry and the rest of the Battalion were sent back to Egypt to protect British interests in the continuing civil unrest. They felt dejected and fed up, so it only took one incident to spark a mutiny . . .
A Battle Won
by S. Thomas Russell"[A] thrilling story of nautical warfare" (Kirkus Reviews) from the author of Under Enemy Colors. Winter 1793. Master and Commander Charles Hayden is given orders to return to the ill-fated HMS Themis as the British fight the French for control of the strategically located island of Corsica, where his captaincy and military skill are stretched to their utmost as he finds himself at the vanguard of this brutal clash of empires.
A Battle of Britain Spitfire Squadron: The Men and Machines of 152 Squadron in the Summer of 1940
by Danny BurtFormed at Rochford on 1 October 1918, just weeks before the Armistice that ended the First World War, 152 (Hyderabad) Squadron was originally a night fighter unit equipped with the Sopwith Camel. Its existence was short-lived, for the squadron was disbanded on 30 June 1919.With war clouds looming over Europe once more, 152 Squadron reformed at Arklington on 1 October 1939, becoming operational just over four weeks later. In January 1940, conversion to Spitfires began and after a period of defensive patrols in the North East, the squadron moved to Warmwell in Dorset to help defend southern England against attacks from the Luftwaffe forces now based in northern France. Throughout the Battle of Britain, the men and machines of 152 Squadron, call sign Maida, defended the Warmwell sector, which included the vital Royal Navy base at Portland, as part of 10 Group. It is the period from 12 July to 28 November 1940 that the author examines in great depth and detail in this definitive account. This, then, is the story of one squadrons part in the struggle to defend Britain during those dark days in the summer of 1940.
A Beachcomber in the Orient
by Harry L. FosterJournalist, storyteller, and ragtime piano player Harry L. Foster is back!From a mugging in a Vietnamese opium den to hopping a freight train down the Malay Peninsula to a waterfront bar in Singapore to a sing-song theater in China, Foster never fails to show the squalid side of life in a glorious adventure to the wild countries of Southeast Asia during the Roaring 1920s.
A Beacon in the Night (The Secret Churchill Files)
by David LewisLike a female James Bond but with better one-liners, an unflappable British spy works alongside her aristocratic partner to root out homegrown Nazi collaborators in this riveting, action-packed WWII caper for fans of Jacqueline Winspear, Susan Elia Macneal, and Charles Todd.London, 1941. Britain has endured the relentless bombing campaign of the Blitz and emerged, scarred but unbroken. Caitrin, too, strives to weather each challenge that comes her way, though her ever-ready banter belies deep heartbreak and loss.But now the war has entered another phase. Instead of indiscriminate bombing, the Luftwaffe is pinpointing historic targets, including cathedrals and ancestral homes, with the help of homing beacons placed by the enemy. It&’s as if Germany plans to erase Britain&’s very essence and culture, destroying morale as it does so. Caitrin is no fan of the landed gentry, even if her fellow operative and friend, Lord Hector Neville-Percy, is one of them. But soon it is not just historical targets under attack, but hospitals and nursing homes too. Tasked with rooting out the saboteurs placing the beacons, she finds that all roads lead to Daniel &“Teddy&” Baer, a charismatic Whitechapel crook with high aspirations and zero scruples. He will crush anyone who interferes with his dreams—Caitrin included.As a member of the female-driven 512 counterespionage unit, Caitrin understands how often women are underestimated and overlooked—and how to use it to her advantage. But she is not the only one who knows how to hide in plain sight, how to outwit and effortlessly manipulate. And sometimes, as with a beacon hidden deep within a building, danger only becomes apparent when it flares to life, right before the moment of impact . . .
A Bear Far from Home
by Susan FletcherThis poignant historical nonfiction book, about a polar bear that was gifted to King Henry III, beautifully shows the importance of respecting our natural world and its precious animals.Long ago, when kings and queens ruled much of the world, the king of Norway gave the king of England a bear. Imagine a polar bear at ease in her natural arctic world, her only home--until trappers capture her and take her to the king of England.Imagine a polar bear in her lonely new world, stuck in a cage. This small, enclosed space is her only home--until King Henry III decrees that she be brought to the Thames River every day to swim and fish.Imagine now this same polar bear dipping a curious paw in the river water, then leaping in with a joyful splash. And it is here, in this unfamiliar, faraway land, in one small way, that she finds home once again.
A Bearskin's Crimea: Colonel Henry Percy VC & His Brother Officers
by Algernon PercyUsing much previously untapped source material A Bearskins Crimea is a blow-by-blow account of the Grenadier Guards experiences in the Crimean War. The principal character, The Honourable Henry Percy, a member of the Northumberland family, was present at all the major battles of that appalling conflict: The Alma, Balaklava, Inkerman and the Seige of Sebastopol.Percy was no ordinary soldier: not only was he a shrewd observer with a skilled pen but a thoroughly capable and courageous officer. This is borne out by his winning the Victoria Cross and his rapid promotion.
A Beautiful Blue Death: The First Charles Lenox Mystery (Charles Lenox Mysteries #1)
by Charles FinchEqual parts Sherlock Holmes and P.G. Wodehouse, Charles Finch's debut mystery A Beautiful Blue Death introduces a wonderfully appealing gentleman detective in Victorian London who investigates crime as a diversion from his life of leisure. Charles Lenox, Victorian gentleman and armchair explorer, likes nothing more than to relax in his private study with a cup of tea, a roaring fire and a good book. But when his lifelong friend Lady Jane asks for his help, Lenox cannot resist the chance to unravel a mystery. Prudence Smith, one of Jane's former servants, is dead of an apparent suicide. But Lenox suspects something far more sinister: murder, by a rare and deadly poison. The grand house where the girl worked is full of suspects, and though Prue had dabbled with the hearts of more than a few men, Lenox is baffled by the motive for the girl's death. When another body turns up during the London season's most fashionable ball, Lenox must untangle a web of loyalties and animosities. Was it jealousy that killed Prudence Smith? Or was it something else entirely? And can Lenox find the answer before the killer strikes again—this time, disturbingly close to home?
A Beautiful Dare
by Natasha LesterA free short story set in the roaring twenties by the author of the deliciously evocative love story A KISS FROM MR FITZGERALD.It's 1922 in Concord, Massachusetts, a time when women are expected to do nothing more than marry as well as they can, as soon as they can. And whether she likes it or not, this is exactly what Evelyn Lockhart's conservative parents expect of her. While Evie's waiting for her handsome, wealthy neighbour Charles to propose, she has convinced her parents to let her study literature at college.But when a chance meeting leads to a day of exciting adventure, Evie begins to realise that there could be so much more in her future than marriage, if only she dared imagine it . . .If you loved THE PARIS WIFE and Z: A NOVEL OF ZELDA FIZGERALD, you will devour this short story that takes place before the full-length novel A KISS FROM MR FITZGERALD.'I loved this book.' Rachael Johns, bestselling author of THE PATTERSON GIRLS'I'm calling it, Natasha Lester is our generation's Louisa May Alcott.' Tess Woods, award-winning author of LOVE AT FIRST FLIGHT'Remarkable, intelligent and heartfelt . . . one of the best Australian fiction releases of the year.' J. F. Gibson'I absolutely adored Natasha Lester's book! What a GEM!' Sara Foster, bestselling author 'Exquisite!' Vanessa Carnevale, author and blogger
A Beautiful Ending: The Apocalyptic Imagination and the Making of the Modern World
by John Jeffries MartinAn award-winning historian&’s revisionary account of the early modern world, showing how apocalyptic ideas stimulated political, religious, and intellectual transformations &“A masterful synthesis of the prognostications of faith, knowledge, and politics on a global stage. Martin&’s book illuminates one of the enduring themes that shaped the medieval and early modern world.&”—Paula E. Findlen, Stanford University In this revelatory immersion into the apocalyptic, messianic, and millenarian ideas and movements that created the modern world, John Jeffries Martin performs a kind of empathic time travel, entering into the psyche, spirituality, and temporalities of a cast of historical actors in profound moments of discovery. He argues that religious faith—Christian, Jewish, and Muslim—did not oppose but rather fostered the making of a modern scientific spirit, buoyed along by a providential view of history and nature, and a deep conviction in the coming End of the World. Through thoughtful attention to the primary sources, Martin re‑reads the Renaissance, excavating a religious foundation at the core of even the most radical empirical thinking. Familiar icons like Ibn Khaldūn, Columbus, Isaac Luria, and Francis Bacon emerge startlingly fresh and newly gleaned, agents of a history formerly untold and of a modern world made in the image of its imminent end.
A Beautiful Lie
by Irfan Master"Everybody lies. We all do it. Many years ago I told one lie that has taken on a life of its own."??In India in 1947 the country is coming apart--and so is thirteen-year-old Bilal's life. He is determined to protect his dying father from the news of Partition, news that he knows will break his father's heart. With spirit and determination, and with the help of his good friends, Bilal builds an elaborate deception, even printing false pages of the local newspaper to hide the signs of national unrest. All Bilal wants is for his father to die in peace. But that means Bilal has a very complicated relationship with the truth. This extraordinarily rich debut novel brings to live a key moment in history and touches on the importance of tolerance, love, and family.
A Beautiful Place to Die
by Malla NunnAward-winning screenwriter Malla Nunn delivers a stunning and darkly romantic crime novel set in 1950s apartheid South Africa, featuring Detective Emmanuel Cooper -- a man caught up in a time and place where racial tensions and the raw hunger for power make life very dangerous indeed. In a morally complex tale rich with authenticity, Nunn takes readers to Jacob's Rest, a tiny town on the border between South Africa and Mozambique. It is 1952, and new apartheid laws have recently gone into effect, dividing a nation into black and white while supposedly healing the political rifts between the Afrikaners and the English. Tensions simmer as the fault line between the oppressed and the oppressors cuts deeper, but it's not until an Afrikaner police officer is found dead that emotions more dangerous than anyone thought possible boil to the surface. When Detective Emmanuel Cooper, an Englishman, begins investigating the murder, his mission is preempted by the powerful police Security Branch, who are dedicated to their campaign to flush out black communist radicals. But Detective Cooper isn't interested in political expediency and has never been one for making friends. He may be modest, but he radiates intelligence and certainly won't be getting on his knees before those in power. Instead, he strikes out on his own, following a trail of clues that lead him to uncover a shocking forbidden love and the imperfect life of Captain Pretorius, a man whose relationships with the black and coloured residents of the town he ruled were more complicated and more human than anyone could have imagined. The first in her Detective Emmanuel Cooper series, A Beautiful Place to Die marks the debut of a talented writer who reads like a brilliant combination of Raymond Chandler and Graham Greene. It is a tale of murder, passion, corruption, and the corrosive double standard that defined an apartheid nation.
A Beautiful Question: Finding Nature's Deep Design
by Frank WilczekDoes the universe embody beautiful ideas?Artists as well as scientists throughout human history have pondered this "beautiful question." With Nobel laureate Frank Wilczek as your guide, embark on a voyage of related discoveries, from Plato and Pythagoras up to the present. Wilczek's groundbreaking work in quantum physics was inspired by his intuition to look for a deeper order of beauty in nature. In fact, every major advance in his career came from this intuition: to assume that the universe embodies beautiful forms, forms whose hallmarks are symmetry--harmony, balance, proportion--and economy. There are other meanings of "beauty," but this is the deep logic of the universe--and it is no accident that it is also at the heart of what we find aesthetically pleasing and inspiring.Wilczek is hardly alone among great scientists in charting his course using beauty as his compass. As he reveals in A Beautiful Question, this has been the heart of scientific pursuit from Pythagoras, the ancient Greek who was the first to argue that "all things are number," to Galileo, Newton, Maxwell, Einstein, and into the deep waters of twentiethcentury physics. Though the ancients weren't right about everything, their ardent belief in the music of the spheres has proved true down to the quantum level. Indeed, Wilczek explores just how intertwined our ideas about beauty and art are with our scientific understanding of the cosmos.Wilczek brings us right to the edge of knowledge today, where the core insights of even the craziest quantum ideas apply principles we all understand. The equations for atoms and light are almost literally the same equations that govern musical instruments and sound; the subatomic particles that are responsible for most of our mass are determined by simple geometric symmetries. The universe itself, suggests Wilczek, seems to want to embody beautiful and elegant forms. Perhaps this force is the pure elegance of numbers, perhaps the work of a higher being, or somewhere between. Either way, we don't depart from the infinite and infinitesimal after all; we're profoundly connected to them, and we connect them. When we find that our sense of beauty is realized in the physical world, we are discovering something about the world, but also something about ourselves.Gorgeously illustrated, A Beautiful Question is a mind-shifting book that braids the age-old quest for beauty and the age-old quest for truth into a thrilling synthesis. It is a dazzling and important work from one of our best thinkers, whose humor and infectious sense of wonder animate every page. Yes: The world is a work of art, and its deepest truths are ones we already feel, as if they were somehow written in our souls.
A Beautiful Rival: A Novel of Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden
by Gill PaulIn this stunning new novel, bestselling author Gill Paul reveals the unknown history of cosmetic titans Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein and their infamous rivalry that spanned not only decades, but also broken marriages, personal tragedies, and a world that was changing dramatically for women—perfect for fans of Fiona Davis, Marie Benedict, and Beatriz Williams.Who would have guessed that the business of making women beautiful was so cutthroat?They could have been allies: two self-made millionaires who invented a global industry, in an era when wife and mother were supposed to be the highest goals for their sex. Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein each founded empires built on grit and determination…and yet they became locked in a feud spanning three continents, two world wars, and the Great Depression.Brought up in poverty, Canadian-born Elizabeth Arden changed popular opinion, persuading women from all walks of life to buy skincare products that promised them youth and beauty. Helena Rubinstein left her native Poland, and launched her company with scientific claims about her miracle creams made with anti-ageing herbs.And when it came to business, nothing was off-limits: poaching each other’s employees, copying each other’s products, planting spies, hiring ex-husbands, and one-upping each other every chance they had. This was a rivalry from which there was no surrender! And through it all were two women, bold, brazen, and determined to succeed—no matter the personal cost.In this sweeping novel from the bestselling author of Jackie and Maria and The Manhattan Girls, two larger-than life fashion icons come alive with all their passion, bitterness, and ambition as they each try to live the American dream.
A Beautiful Spy: From The Million-copy Sunday Times Bestseller
by Rachel HoreFrom the million-copy Sunday Times bestseller comes a thrilling novel about a woman with an extraordinary life, based on a true story. 'Fantastic… Exciting, impeccably researched and full of powerful period atmosphere' Daily MailMinnie Gray is an ordinary young woman.She is also a spy for the British government. It all began in the summer of 1928... Minnie is supposed to find a nice man, get married and have children. The problem is it doesn&’t appeal to her at all. She is working as a secretary, but longs to make a difference. Then, one day, she gets her chance. She is recruited by the British government as a spy. Under strict instructions not to tell anyone, not even her family, she moves to London and begins her mission – to infiltrate the Communist movement. She soon gains the trust of important leaders. But as she grows more and more entangled in the workings of the movement, her job becomes increasingly dangerous. Leading a double life is starting to take its toll on her relationships and, feeling more isolated than ever, she starts to wonder how this is all going to end. The Russians are notorious for ruthlessly disposing of people given the slightest suspicion. What if they find out? Full of suspense, courage and love, A Beautiful Spy is a stunningly written story about resisting the norm and following your dreams, even if they come with sacrifices. 'Rachel Hore has written a masterful novel, rich in period detail, and her heroine is an unforgettable character' Sunday Express 'As far as her friends and family think, Minnie is an ordinary girl but she is a government spy – recruited to infiltrate the communist government. But how long can anyone lead a double life?' Best &‘Stunning. A masterclass in storytelling. Flawless writing and a great plot that builds suspense… I loved every moment&’ Dinah Jefferies, author of The Tuscan Contessa &‘Rachel Hore brilliantly contrasts the thrilling world of high-stakes politics with the inner life of a passionate woman leading a dangerous double existence&’ Wendy Holden, author of The Governess 'Phenomenal! Absolutely loved it. I was rooting for Minnie from page one right to the very end... What a treat of a read' Tracy Rees, author of The House at Silvermoor'A compulsive and enjoyable read' Historical Novel Society &‘Based on the life of Olga Gray, this atmospheric thriller is a delight to read&’ Sun 'Minnie Gray – on the outside an ordinary woman, inside a spy for the British Government who is asked to infiltrate the Russians' My Weekly
A Beautiful Spy: From the million-copy Sunday Times bestseller
by Rachel HoreFrom the million-copy Sunday Times bestseller comes a thrilling novel about a woman with an extraordinary life, based on a true story. 'Fantastic… Exciting, impeccably researched and full of powerful period atmosphere' Daily MailMinnie Gray is an ordinary young woman.She is also a spy for the British government. It all began in the summer of 1928... Minnie is supposed to find a nice man, get married and have children. The problem is it doesn&’t appeal to her at all. She is working as a secretary, but longs to make a difference. Then, one day, she gets her chance. She is recruited by the British government as a spy. Under strict instructions not to tell anyone, not even her family, she moves to London and begins her mission – to infiltrate the Communist movement. She soon gains the trust of important leaders. But as she grows more and more entangled in the workings of the movement, her job becomes increasingly dangerous. Leading a double life is starting to take its toll on her relationships and, feeling more isolated than ever, she starts to wonder how this is all going to end. The Russians are notorious for ruthlessly disposing of people given the slightest suspicion. What if they find out? Full of suspense, courage and love, A Beautiful Spy is a stunningly written story about resisting the norm and following your dreams, even if they come with sacrifices. &‘A superb novel. I absolutely loved it. Rachel Hore brilliantly contrasts the thrilling world of high-stakes politics with the inner life of a passionate woman leading a dangerous double existence&’ Wendy Holden, author of The Governess 'Phenomenal! Absolutely loved it. I was rooting for Minnie from page one right to the very end... What a treat of a read' Tracy Rees, author of The House at Silvermoor Praise for Rachel Hore: 'Absorbing&’ BARBARA ERSKINE &‘An emotive and thought-provoking read&’ ROSANNA LEY 'A poignant story, rich in period detail' SUNDAY MIRROR &‘Readers are sure to be engrossed and swept away' JANE JOHNSON 'Engrossing, pleasantly surprising and thoroughly readable' SANTA MONTEFIORE &‘Her women are brave and good and you desperately want them to win&’ DAILY MAIL &‘Rachel Hore's research and mastery of the subject is deeply impressive' JUDY FINNIGAN