Download or read book The Plague Charmer written by Karen Maitland and published by Review. This book was released on 2016-10-20 with total page 471 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 1361. An unlucky thirteen years after the Black Death, plague returns to England. 'Fear and hysteria are portrayed with claustrophobic skill' THE TIMES 'Dark and enthralling... with an unexpected hero' JULIE COHEN From the bestselling author of Company of Liars, Karen Maitland, The Plague Charmer is a darkly compelling novel following a stranger who arrives in an isolated community in the grips of a medieval pandemic. When the sickness reaches the village of Porlock Weir, who stands to lose the most? And who will seize this moment for their own dark ends? The dwarf who talks in riddles? The mother who fears for her children? The wild woman from the sea? Or two lost boys, far away from home? PESTILENCE IS IN THE AIR. BUT SOMETHING DARKER LURKS IN THE DEPTHS. Why readers are gripped by The Plague Charmer 'Its horrors are vividly told but with an underlying sense of human resilience and hope' 'A real page turner' 'The best and worst of human behaviour in troubled times' 'Poignant, shocking and haunting' 'It was so easy to be drawn into this world...'

Download or read book The Gallows Curse written by Karen Maitland and published by Penguin UK. This book was released on 2011-03-03 with total page 595 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 1210 and a black force is sweeping England. For a vengeful King John has seized control of the Church, leaving corpses to lie in unconsecrated ground, babies unbaptized in their cradles and the people terrified of dying in sin. And in the village of Gastmere, the consequences grow darker still when Elena, a servant girl, is dragged into a conspiracy to absolve the sins of the lord of the manor. As the terrors that soon begin to plague Elena's sleep grow darker, in desperation she visits the cunning woman, who has been waiting for just such an opportunity to fulfil an ancient curse conjured at the gallows. Elena, haunted by this curse and threatened with death for a crime she didn't commit, flees the village ... only to find her nightmare has barely begun. For treachery lurks in every shadow as King John's brutal reign makes enemies of brothers, murderers of virgins and sinners of us all.

Download or read book The Genius Plague written by David Walton and published by Prometheus Books. This book was released on 2017-10-03 with total page 386 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "In this science fiction thriller, brothers are pitted against each other as a pandemic threatens to destabilize world governments by exerting a subtle mind control over survivors"--

Download or read book The Falcons of Fire and Ice written by Karen Maitland and published by Penguin UK. This book was released on 2012-08-16 with total page 476 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Falcons of Fire and Ice by Karen Maitland, author of the hugely popular Company of Liars, is a powerful historical thriller which takes you right back to the darkest corners of the 16th century. Intelligently written and meticulously researched, it is a real treat for all fans of CJ Sansom and Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose. 'A tour de force: dark and woven with the supernatural' Daily Mail 1564, Lisbon. The Inquisition displays its power and ruthlessly spreads fear. Heretics are tortured and burned. Any who oppose the Church's will realize that silence is preferable to a slow and agonizing death. Isabela, daughter of the Falconer at the Royal Court, is about to be caught in the Church's terrifying schemes. The slaughter of two of the King's precious white falcons sees her father arrested and imprisoned. As punishment he and his family will be killed unless the birds are replaced. Isabela, young and headstrong, decides that only she can save her father. These birds are impossibly rare, and she will have to travel far and into strange lands to find them to clear her father's name. It is a journey that will take her into a dark and dangerous world filled with menacing people driven by fearful beliefs. And, unfortunately for Isabela, the Church has sent a companion to ensure she never returns . . . Step back in time with Karen Maitland's Dark Tales and discover a world full of imagination in The Falcons of Fire and Ice - 'a thrilling horrible vision of the Dark Ages' Metro Karen Maitland travelled and worked in many parts of the United Kingdom before finally settling in the beautiful medieval city of Lincoln. She is the author of The White Room, Company of Liars, The Owl Killersand The Gallows Curse. The latter three titles are available as Penguin paperbacks.

Download or read book Frog Music written by Emma Donoghue and published by Little, Brown. This book was released on 2014-04-01 with total page 402 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the New York Times bestselling author of Room, a young French burlesque dancer living in San Francisco is ready to risk anything in order to solve her friend’s murder—but only if the killer doesn’t get her first. Summer of 1876: San Francisco is in the fierce grip of a record-breaking heat wave and a smallpox epidemic. Through the window of a railroad saloon, a young woman named Jenny Bonnet is shot dead. The survivor, her friend Blanche Beunon, is a French burlesque dancer. Over the next three days, she will risk everything to bring Jenny's murderer to justice—if he doesn't track her down first. The story Blanche struggles to piece together is one of free-love bohemians, desperate paupers, and arrogant millionaires; of jealous men, icy women, and damaged children. It's the secret life of Jenny herself, a notorious character who breaks the law every morning by getting dressed: a charmer as slippery as the frogs she hunts. In thrilling, cinematic style, Frog Music digs up a long-forgotten, never-solved crime. Full of songs that migrated across the world, Emma Donoghue's lyrical tale of love and bloodshed among lowlifes captures the pulse of a boomtown like no other. "Her greatest achievement yet . . . Emma Donoghue shows more than range with Frog Music—she shows genius." —Darin Strauss, author of Half a Life.

Download or read book The Owl Killers written by Karen Maitland and published by Delacorte Press. This book was released on 2009-09-29 with total page 529 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1321, the English town of Ulewic teeters between survival and destruction, faith and doubt, God and demons. Against this intense backdrop, a group of women have formed a beguinage, a self-sustaining community of women. Led by the strong-willed Servant Martha, these women are committed to a code of celibacy and prayer, hard work and charity that is unsanctioned by the all-powerful church. Still, the villagers have come to rely on this remarkable group of women for their very lives. And seeking shelter among them now is the youngest daughter of Ulewic’s lord, a man who holds power over them all. But when a series of natural calamities strikes, the beguinage’s enemies make their move, stirring the superstitious villagers with dark rumors of unspeakable depravities and unleashing upon the defiant all-female community the full force of their vengeance in the terrifying form of the Owl Killers. Men cloaked in masks and secrecy, ruling with violence and intimidation—the Owl Killers draw battle lines. In this village ravaged by flood and disease, the women of the beguinage must draw upon their deepest strength if they are to overcome the raging storm of long-held secrets and shattering lies.

Download or read book The Raven s Head written by Karen Maitland and published by Review. This book was released on 2015-03-12 with total page 461 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A gothic delight from Karen Maitland, author of the bestselling and much-loved Company of Liars, that will enchant readers of Kate Mosse's The Burning Chambers or fans of Deborah Harkness seeking a new, dark fix. 'An atmospheric and dark story' The Times Never trust your secrets to a Raven when you are not its true master... 1224. Langley Manor, Norfolk. Lord Sylvain has been practising alchemy in hiding for years and now only the Apothecary's niece can help him with final preparations to forge the Philosopher's Stone. Alchemy calls for symbols - and victims - and when a man in possession of an intricately carved raven's head arrives at the Manor in a clumsy attempt at blackmail, Sylvain has both symbol and victim within easy reach. But the White Canons in nearby Langley Abbey are concealing a crucial, missing ingredient... Regulus, a small boy with a large destiny. What readers are saying about The Raven's Head: 'An intriguing and exciting dark tale about power and intrigue in politics, but most of all about the power and fear of the main ingredient of the book - almighty alchemy!' 'Full of stories, witchcraft, alchemy, suspicion and suspense. Fantastic book' 'As well as being a suspenseful tale that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat, the book illustrates that the Middle Ages had a dark edge. The writing is beautiful, and the novel is crafted in a masterful way'

Download or read book Plague 99 written by Jean Ure and published by Hachette UK. This book was released on 2014-05-01 with total page 152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Almost overnight a plague has wiped out the population of England. The only survivors seem to be three very different teenagers. Together they must come to terms with the man-made devastation around them. Fran, Harriet and Shahid have the power to rebuild society, but do they have the courage?

Download or read book A Gathering of Ghosts written by Karen Maitland and published by Review. This book was released on 2018-09-06 with total page 441 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Pagans tackle the Knights of St John with terrible consequences in the new medieval thriller by Queen of the Dark Ages, Karen Maitland. Set on the wilds of Dartmoor, this is a ghostly tale for fans of The Essex Serpent, C. J. Sansom's Shardlake series and The Burning Chambers by Kate Mosse. 'A dark read... fear and hysteria are portrayed with claustrophobic skill' The Times on THE PLAGUE CHARMER 1316. On the wilds of Dartmoor stands the isolated Priory of St Mary, home to the Sisters of the Knights of St John. People journey from afar in search of healing at the holy well that lies beneath its chapel. But the locals believe Dartmoor was theirs long before Christianity came to the land. And not all who visit seek miracles. When three strangers reach the moor, fear begins to stir as the well's waters run with blood. What witchcraft have the young woman, the Knight of St John and the blind child brought with them? The Sisters will need to fight for everything they hold dear as the ghosts of the Old World gather in their midst.

Download or read book A Plague of Serpents written by K. J. Maitland and published by Review. This book was released on 2024-04-25 with total page 459 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: K.J. Maitland's gripping Jacobean historical thriller series comes to a dramatic conclusion... 'What a wonderful storyteller Maitland is' THE TIMES London, 1608. Three years after the Gunpowder Treason, the King's enemies prepare to strike again. Daniel Pursglove is tasked by royal command with one final mission: he must infiltrate the Serpents - a secret group of Catholics plotting to kill the King - or risk his own execution. But other conspirators are circling, men who would blackmail Daniel for their own dark ends. In the Serpents' den, nothing is quite as it seems. And when Daniel spies a familiar face among their number, the game takes a dangerous turn. As plague returns to London, tensions reach breaking point. Can Daniel escape the web of treason in which he finds himself ensnared - or has his luck finally run out? **Pre-order the final novel in K. J. Maitland's Daniel Pursglove series** PRAISE FOR THE DANIEL PURSGLOVE SERIES 'Dark and enthralling' ANDREW TAYLOR 'Colourful and compelling' SUNDAY TIMES 'Full of tension and danger... powerfully atmospheric' JENNIFER SAINT 'Goes right to the heart of the Jacobean court' TRACY BORMAN 'Spies, thieves, murderers and King James I? Brilliant' CONN IGGULDEN 'There are few authors who can bring the past to life so compellingly... Brilliant writing and more importantly, riveting reading' SIMON SCARROW 'A beautifully crafted thriller... Breathtaking and bone-chilling' MANDA SCOTT 'Maitland is a superlative historical novelist' REBECCA MASCULL 'Devilishly good' DAILY MAIL 'The intrigues of Jacobean court politics simmer beneath the surface in this gripping and masterful crime novel' KATHERINE CLEMENTS 'Beautifully written with a dark heart, Maitland knows how to pull you deep into the early Jacobean period' RHIANNON WARD

Download or read book The Vanishing Witch written by Karen Maitland and published by Review. This book was released on 2014-08-14 with total page 569 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Step back in time with Karen Maitland, author of the hugely popular Company of Liars. This dark tale is sure to thrill fans of The Witchfinder's Sister and C. J. Sansom with its chilling recreation of the Peasants' Revolt. **Includes an exclusive preview of Karen's new medieval thriller, A Gathering of Ghosts** 'A gem, crafted in the darkness ... Maitland has produced another gripping tale, from a darker age, which has surprising resonances with the present' Independent on Sunday By the pricking of my thumbs ... Lincoln, 1380. A raven-haired widow is newly arrived in John of Gaunt's city, with her two unnaturally beautiful children in tow. The widow Catlin seems kind, helping wool merchant Robert of Bassingham care for his ill wife. Surely it makes sense for Catlin and her family to move into Robert's home? But when first Robert's wife - and then others - start dying unnatural deaths, the whispers turn to witchcraft. The reign of Richard II brings bloody revolution, but does it also give shelter to the black arts? And which is more deadly for the innocents of Lincoln? What readers are saying about The Vanishing Witch: 'Engrossing, enchanting and mysterious - this book kept my mind busy from start to finish' 'Compulsive reading. Thoroughly researched, highly informative and just a downright good story!' 'Magical and mysterious. Against this fascinating historical background, Maitland weaves a sinister tale of witchcraft, betrayal and terror'

Download or read book Wicked Children written by Karen Maitland and published by Review. This book was released on 2016-08-25 with total page 57 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Step back in time with Karen Maitland, author of the much-loved Company of Liars, as she explores some true-crime cases of murderous children throughout history. In Wicked Children: Murderous Tales from History, the Dark Ages meets Stephen King's Carrie or We Need to Talk About Kevin. 'A brilliant writer, with a real sense of history' Susanna Gregory 'An adult who commits murder usually has some kind of motive we can understand, however twisted, but a child who kills often does it simply because they discover they can - and no one is stopping them.' Karen Maitland, Queen of the Dark Ages, has created possibly some of the most wicked children in fiction. From Narigorm, the child rune reader with a penchant for death, from Company of Liars, to the scheming yet devastatingly beautiful Leonia in The Vanishing Witch, they revel in manipulating the world around them - and those foolish enough to cross them. In Wicked Children: Murderous Tales from History, Karen Maitland explores some of the real-life cases of dangerous and powerful children which have inspired her own young - but deadly - characters. What readers are saying about Wicked Children: 'A short and not all sweet story from the brilliant Karen Maitland. Just as good as all the other full-length novels' 'Excellent writing from Karen Maitland, as always'

Download or read book Sailing to Sarantium written by Guy Gavriel Kay and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2010-09-07 with total page 415 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Guy Gavriel Kay, the international bestselling and multiple award-winning author of The Fionavar Tapestry, brings his unique storytelling imagination to an alternate Byzantine world… Sarantium is the golden city: holy to the faithful, exalted by the poets, jewel of the world and heart of an empire. Caius Crispus, known as Crispin, is a master mosaicist, creating beautiful art with colored stones and glass. Still grieving the loss of his family, he lives only for his craft—until an imperial summons draws him east to the fabled city. Bearing with him a Queen’s secret mission and seductive promise, and a talisman from an alchemist, Crispin crosses a land of pagan ritual and mortal danger, confronting legends and dark magic. Once in Sarantium, with its taverns and gilded sanctuaries, chariot races and palaces, intrigues and violence, Crispin must find his own source of power in order to survive. He finds it, unexpectedly, high on the scaffolding of his own greatest creation.

Download or read book Golden Days written by Carolyn See and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 1996-10-06 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Available again in paperback, Golden Days is a major novel from one of the most provocative voices on the American literary scene. Linking the recent past with an imagined future, this "adventurous blend of feminist fiction and nuclear apocalypse fantasy" (Time) marvelously captures life in Los Angeles in the '70s and '80s.

Download or read book Liars and Thieves A Company of Liars short story written by Karen Maitland and published by Review. This book was released on 2014-06-05 with total page 68 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Liars and Thieves is an exclusive e-novella featuring characters from Karen Maitland's much-loved Company of Liars, set against the backdrop of the plague outbreak of 1348. Sure to enthral fans of Minette Walters' The Last Hours and Kate Mosse's The Burning Chambers. 'Combines the storytelling traditions of The Canterbury Tales with the supernatural suspense of Mosse's Sepulchre in this atmospheric tale of treachery and magic' Marie Claire on Company of Liars Camelot and Narigorm the rune reader return to delight fans of Karen Maitland's classic novel as the company - in their desperate bid to outrun the plague - encounter a band of outlaws, who are making the most of the breakdown in law and order to steal from the weak ... and kill at leisure. But in the child Narigorm they might just have met their match - for plague is the lesser of those two evils. What readers are saying about Liars and Thieves: 'If you read Company of Liars, you'll love this. A wonderful short story' 'A short but excellent read from this consistently reliable author' 'An interesting gap filler. Atmospheric, dark, occasionally gruesome and mildly creepy. A nice reminder of the original characters and storyline'

Download or read book Flirt Club written by Cathleen Daly and published by Roaring Brook Press. This book was released on 2011-01-04 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Told entirely through notes passed in school, diary entries, and the occasional e–mail, Cathleen Daly's Flirt Club is a hilarious and touching tween novel about love and lust with a heart, a brain, and a whole lot more. When two self-professed middle school drama geeks––Isabelle and Annie (a.k.a. Cisco and The Bean)––fail at their attemps in romance, they start Flirt Club, an after school support group for similarly afflicted friends who decide to take decisive and strategic action with hilarious and touching results.

Download or read book The Frozen Prince written by Maxym M. Martineau and published by Sourcebooks, Inc.. This book was released on 2020-12-01 with total page 319 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dark magic, mythical beasts, undying assassins, and forbidden love—this thrilling second installment in the epic Beast Charmer series is perfect for fans of Sarah J Maas and Claire Legrand I will fight—for her, for all of us—until I have nothing left to give. Noc, leader of the assassins of Cruor, may have broken the curse that's kept him trapped for so many years, but the dark magic won't be denied. If he doesn't kill Leena—the girl he can't live without—then his own life will be given as payment. To make matters worse, the truth of his past has fallen into the hands of his enemies, threatening everyone he's ever loved. And their time is running out. Leena has finally come into her own as a Charmer and would do anything to help Noc survive. When she learns of a magical creature that may be able to save him, she gathers her courage and sets out for the frozen north. But what starts as a hunt for answers quickly turns deadly, and soon Leena, Noc, and their trusted band of assassins find themselves face-to-face with an enemy more terrible, and powerful, than they could have ever imagined. Intense, compelling, and impossible to put down, The Frozen Prince is perfect for readers looking for: epic YA fantasy series a unique premise and a plot to die for books like Sarah J. Maas' Kingdom of Ash and Kalyn Josephson's Storm Crow high fantasy with paranormal and romance elements multidimensional characters and rich world-building The Beast Charmer Series Kingdom of Exiles The Frozen Prince The Shattered Crown (coming soon)