Showing results by narrator "Déirdra Whelan" in All Categories

Abby enters the Maybridge Flower Show, never dreaming for one moment that she'll win the gold. Or an invitation to appear on telly, alongside gardening legend Daisy Dashwood! Some people say Daisy's a tiresome diva. But starry-eyed Abby can't wait for the cameras to start rolling. Until . . . Daisy staggers out on stage. Only to collapse at Abby's feet. Her demise might seem like a tragic accident, resulting from a cocktail of booze and hay-fever medicine. But Abby's not so sure. She starts digging, to uncover shifty suspects at every turn.

Abby Finch arrives at the old church hall armed with festive mistletoe and holly, ready to decorate. But within moments of her walking through the door, tragedy strikes. Edward Marsh reaches to test the antique star at the top of the tree. There's a fizz and the lights go out. Abby hears the sickening thud of a body hitting the floor. When the lights turn back on, Edward is dead.

Britain has a single pod of orca, also known as killer whales, native to its home waters, although other orca visit from more northern regions. In 2014, Dr. Natalie Sanders joined the crew of the HV Silurian to seek them out and study them before we lose them forever. In The Last Sunset in the West, she discusses them one by one, and the many issues surrounding their lives in a captivating account that will take the listener deep into the history of our relations with the sentient and beautiful creatures.

It's the 1930s, and Georgina Garrett has risen up from her tough beginnings to become the new boss of the Battersea gang. But not everyone is pleased with a female taking charge. With rival gangs trying to steal her turf, untrustworthy men in her midst and her dad lost deep in the bottle, Georgina has a lot to tackle. With her friends and family in constant danger and those closest to her questioning her leadership Georgina must use her wits to show that she's made for this job. The Garrett name is one to be feared, and Georgina will begin to change the face of Battersea forever.

In the peaceful village of Maybridge, you wouldn't expect to find a dead body in the rose garden. And certainly not two. Abby Finch is horrified to discover the bones of a baby long-since buried under a rose bush in the garden of her soon-to-be ex-husband Howard's family home.

Just four months after Emma Hogan was born, her father was convicted of a heinous crime and sent to prison for life. Forty-six years later, and now a London-based journalist, Emma discovers an old notebook she suspects might be connected to her father. Embossed on the front of that notebook is a single word - Clawthorn. Unbeknownst to Emma, the innocent-looking notebook is anything but, and it takes a stranger with an uncanny knowledge of the past to warn her of that - an intriguing stranger named Clement.

Amy is a loving wife and mother, to her husband Nick, and her two children, Michael and Bella. It's that dedication to her family that causes her to seek help for her teenage son when it becomes apparent that he is going to fail his end of school exams.

The new historical thriller featuring William Monk from The New York Times bestselling author. London, 1856. A deadly act of terror on the Thames leads William Monk into a treacherous world where the powerful seek to buy justice, and no one is safe. It is a time of progress, with the Empire's interests expanding and the Suez Canal nearing completion. Many people stand to gain - and to lose - as the world rapidly changes. When a Thames pleasure boat is blown up with the loss of many lives, an Egyptian man is quickly sentenced to hang for the crime.

For centuries mankind has waged war against the infections that, left untreated, would have the power to wipe out communities, or even entire populations. Yet for all our advanced scientific knowledge, only one human disease - smallpox - has ever been eradicated globally. In recent years, outbreaks of Ebola and Zika have provided vivid examples of how difficult it is to contain an infection once it strikes and the panic that a rapidly spreading epidemic can ignite.

Glamorous Cara De Rosa has it all: a successful and rapidly expanding chain of family-run Italian restaurants, friends aplenty and an imminent marriage to a much younger man. When she collapses during a family party, all signs point to a heart attack. But Cara knows better. Someone wants her dead. Granddaughter Sienna already knows what it's like to want answers. This time she's determined to get them. Because at De Rosa's, someone needs to pay.

As soon as 41-year-old Sheila hears the news, she knows the police will be calling. One of the country's preeminent feminist scholars - and one of Sheila's oldest friends - has been found murdered, a baby doll fixed to her hands. Twenty years before, these women had made a pact, swearing to follow the example of The Others, women the Torah considered childless, but they saw as willingly child-free.

Obsession, jealousy, lust, revenge.... There is nothing more dangerous than a passion that curdles and spills into murder. Love, when it goes wrong and spirals into violence, leads to the most chilling and tragic consequences. Death at the hands of a partner or ex-partner is the most common form of murder for women, far outnumbering the risk of death from a stranger. Obsessional sexual desire is the common thread through the stories in this book, tragic examples of how death can come at the hands of a once trusted and loved partner.

A collection of articles, based on modern science, using force-free and fear-free methods. It includes solutions to common issues from pre-puppy to adulthood. The book is a compilation of articles written by these professionals on various aspects of puppy and dog ownership, care, training, and managing and treating behavior problems.

Since Ginevra Innocenti’s death, the cottage has lain empty and abandoned in the woods. Until the day Ginevra’s granddaughter, Sara, sees a dragonfly in the depths of winter. Intrigued, she follows it and discovers the forgotten cottage. When Sara learns that her grandmother was once a healer, a series of events is set in motion which could lead to the end of the family legacy. As long-hidden secrets are revealed, Sara starts to doubt everything she once believed in. Her mind in turmoil, she no longer knows whether she can follow in the footsteps of her ancestors.

With its heart-shaped face and silent, graceful flight, the barn owl regularly tops the nation's list of favourite birds. But how much do we really know about this sublime tenant of the night? Here, bestselling author Sally Coulthard shines a light on the barn owl. Full of fascinating insights, conservation advice and the latest research, this affectionate and timely guide also tells the story of a barn owl's early life–from first pip of the shell to leaving the nest–a fascinating time in this captivating creature's journey.

Suzanne Joinson grew up in a 1980s council estate in Crewe, where her parents were followers of The Divine Light Mission cult. This clash of class and counterculture destroyed her family, leaving a legacy of turmoil and poverty. Years later, she attempts to reclaim what she's lost and piece together the impact of a childhood infused with esoteric yoga practices, psychedelic encounters, and meditation techniques. She acquires replicas of beloved objects that had to be destroyed in regular purges in the hope of restoring family ties.

The year is 1348, and the plague is set to sweep through England, leaving tragedy in its wake. Unaware of what awaits her, Agnes is in love and betrothed to Ted. But her life is about to be torn apart, and nothing will ever be the same again. Jennifer’s life has changed for the better since she arrived in Italy. She’s put her past behind her and can finally look forward to a brighter future with boyfriend, Francesco, and her Italian relatives, if it wasn’t for the disturbing visions she keeps having of a pregnant young girl. Who is she? And what is her connection to Jennifer?

Callie's life is spent caring for others – for Frey, her client, and for Noah, her brother. When a tragic car accident shatters her family, she's left alone with her mother Vanessa. Vanessa's favourite child was Noah; Callie's favourite parent was her dad. Now they're stuck with each other - the leftovers of their family - and they'll have to confront the ways they've been hurt, and the ways they've passed that hurt on to others.

After her mother's death, 20-year-old Sophie Ross is left orphaned, with only her erstwhile nursemaid and faithful friend, Hannah, for company. Penniless and with little chance of an income, she looks for work as a governess in London to avoid destitution. But unbeknownst to Sophie, her mother instructed Hannah to post a letter to Trescadinnick House in Cornwall upon her death. The letter will be the catalyst that changes Sophie's life forever as she learns of her mother's doomed romance and family she left behind in Cornwall.

Anne Perry's Inspector William Monk: in search of justice, he will not stop until he has found the truth...Oliver Rathbone, William Monk's close friend, has presided brilliantly over his first cases as a judge. But the next will bring a far greater challenge. Abel Taft, a charismatic minister adored by his congregation, stands accused of terrible corruption and fraud which has ruined the lives of those he's betrayed.In court, each victim affirms Taft's guilt, but when the defence's star witness tears their stories apart, the case seems lost.