Sphere The Horse Whisperer Evans Nicholas

London 1881. A bride is murdered on at her engagement party, setting in chain a twisting, riveting mystery full of memorable characters in Claire Evans' dramatic debut novel perfect for fans of Kate Mosse's Labyrinth, Carlos Ruiz Zafon's The Shadow of the Wind and Jessie Burton's The Miniaturist • Phoebe Stanbury was killed in the summer of secrets • One balmy June evening in 1881, Phoebe Stanbury stands before the guests at her engagement party: this is her moment, when she will join the renowned Raycraft family and ascend to polite society. As she takes her fiance's hand, a stranger holding a knife steps forward and ends the poor girl's life. Amid the chaos, he turns to her aristocratic groom and mouths: 'I promised I would save you.' The following morning, just a few miles away, timid young legal clerk William Lamb meets a reclusive client

Первые тревожные нотки слышатся уже в самом начале повествования, хотя ничто ещё не предвещает страшной трагедии, которой суждено произойти в недалёком будущем. Девочка, ставшая калекой, утратившая надежду на свет; мать, потерявшаяся в самой себе; мужчина, который любил однажды и не думал, что когда-нибудь вспомнит это чувство. Все персонажи раскрываются перед нами как на ладони, и объединяет их едва выживший в катастрофе конь, которого собираются умертвить, но мать идёт на отчаянный риск ради своей дочери • В адаптации сохранены стилистические, пунктуационные и другие авторские особенности • Текст сокращён и адаптирован. Уровень B2

Первые тревожные нотки слышатся уже в самом начале повествования, хотя ничего ещё не предвещает страшной трагедии, которой суждено произойти в недалёком будущем. Девочка, ставшая калекой, утратившая надежду на свет; мать, потерявшаяся в самой себе; мужчина, который любил однажды и не думал, что когда-нибудь вспомнит это чувство. Все персонажи раскрываются перед нами как на ладони, и объединяет их едва выживший в катастрофе конь, которого собираются умертвить, но мать идёт на отчаянный риск ради своей дочери. В адаптации сохранены стилистические, пунктуационные и другие авторские особенности. Текст сокращён и адаптирован. Уровень B2

The internationally bestselling historical thriller, now a major Netflix series starring Luke Evans, Dakota Fanning and Daniel Bruhl • Some things never change • New York City, 1896. Hypocrisy in high places is rife, police corruption commonplace, and a brutal killer is terrorising young male prostitutes • Unfortunately for Police Commissioner Theodore Roosevelt, the psychological profiling of murderers is a practice still in it's infancy, struggling to make headway against the prejudices of those who prefer the mentally ill - and the "alienists" who treat them - to be out of sight as well as out of mind • But as the body count rises, Roosevelt swallows his doubts and turns to the eminent alienist Dr Laszlo Kreizler to put a stop to the bloody murders - giving Kreizler a chance to take him further into the dark heart of criminality, and one step closer to death

The people and businesses of London are quickly recovering from the ravages of the plague, none faster than the Court of Charles II where excess, corruption and debauchery has rebounded at a frenetic pace. In Westminster, in the haphazard corridors of White Hall Palace, plans are afoot for a grandiose ball in honour of a long-dead but English-born Pope. Meanwhile, the markets and coffee houses in the city are awash with rumours of war and portents of a coming disaster, inflamed by uncensored newssheets and the wagging tongues of dissatisfied citizens • Mysterious killings at both ends of the capital have been caused by the use of an unusually long, slender blade, and Thomas Chaloner is ordered to investigate. The only common thread is the victims' connection to the Worshipful Company of Poulters, whose members are struggling to keep ahead of London's enormous demand for eggs

The Patron Saint of Plumbing is not answering Nino Speranza's prayers • Without the thousands of euros in taxes that he could never bring himself to collect from his neighbours, the water board will cut the town off. All 212 inhabitants will be forced to leave • So, in a desperate bid to save his hometown, he starts a rumour that major movie star Dante Rinaldi is filming his next movie in the village • Soon, all the locals want to be involved: Speranza's assistant has written a screenplay and the local butcher will invest - each of his fifteen enormous sons is given a role. It seems the only way to save the town is to actually make the movie • And Nino Speranza starts to think he might have created the second chance they all needed . . . until word of the production reaches Dante Rinaldi himself

The year is 1140 and England is torn by the strife of civil war. Oliver Pascal chances upon a village raided by mercenaries and rescues the survivors: an orphaned boy, who is the illegitimate son of the old king, and his mother's maid, a young widow named Catrin. After escorting them to Bristol Castle, they are accepted into the household of Robert of Gloucester and while Catrin finds herself falling in love with Oliver she suffers a deep boredom at the frivolity of court life. Thus when the old midwife Etheldreda offers to teach her the secrets of her ancient art, Catrin agrees • But the midwife's life is fraught with dangers, not least Oliver's own personal fears which threaten their relationship, but also in the shape of two men, both killers and both of whom threaten the couple's lives

The whole country is asking • But they're not telling • At a children's party • Nothing ever happens in a sleepy American town like Middlebrook. Until the shocking events of one hot Saturday afternoon when, at a back-to-school party, nine children sneak off to a barn. And one child is shot by another • In the media storm that sweeps the nation • The press are asking questions. About the type of parents who let their children play unsupervised in a house with guns. About how damaged a child must be to commit this kind of atrocity • In the ensuing police investigation • Two questions are the most urgent, and the most baffling. Of the nine children who were present in that barn, which one actually pulled the trigger? • And why are the others staying silent? • Incredibly gripping and gorgeously written, this is a spellbinding novel that asks how far we'll go to protect our children, and how we can come together when so much divides us

The blossom is out in the little Cornish harbour town of St Felix • But Poppy Carmichael's spirits aren't lifted by the pretty West Country spring. Inheriting her grandmother's flower shop has forced her to return to Cornwall, a place that holds too many memories • Poppy is determined to do her best for the sake of her adored grandmother, but she struggles with the responsibility of the more-shabby-than-chic shop. And with the added complication of Jake, the gruff but gorgeous local flower grower, Poppy is very tempted to run away • The pretty little town has a few surprises in store for Poppy. With new friends to help her and romance blooming, it's time for Poppy to open her heart to St Felix and to the special magic of a little flower shop by the sea!

The perfect recipe for hygge: make a hot chocolate, draw the curtains, snuggle under a blanket and read your way to happiness! • It's autumn in Yulethorpe and everyone is gloomy. It's cold, drizzly and the skies are permagrey. The last shop on the high street - an adorable little toy shop - has just shut its doors. Everything is going wrong for Yulethorpe this autumn. Until Clara Kristensen arrives • Clara is on holiday but she can see the potential in the pretty town, so she rolls up her sleeves and sets to work. Things are looking up until Joe comes to Yulethorpe to find out exactly what is going on with his mother's shop. Joe is Very Busy and Important in the City and very sure that Clara is up to no good. Surely no one would work this hard just for the fun of it? • Can a man who answers emails at 3 a