Those whom God wishes to destroy he first makes mad... The convent of Our Lady of Mercy stands alone in an uninhabited part of the Spanish sierra. Its inhabitants are devoted to God, to solitude & silence; six women cut off from the world they`ve chosen to leave behind. Everything changes on the day that a suitcase punctured with air-holes is discovered on the convent steps. Soon Mother Superior Maria Ines finds that the box & its contents are to have consequences beyond her imagining, & that even in her carefully protected sanctuary she is unable to keep the world, or her past, at bay. ...

It`s a national icon, a British institution, the finest grocer of them all. Fortnum & Mason is a store that has fuelled the tide of British history, fed the appetites of kings & queens, maharajahs & czars, emperors, dukes & divas alike. Fortnum & Mason is a constantly evolving, hugely successful modern enterprise, one that respects its magnificent history while looking forward into the 21st century. The first Fortnum & Mason`s Cook Book will do the same, appealing to the modern reader & cook, whilst never forgetting the past. A contemporary, accessible recipe book that combines superb recipes & expert advice on ingredients, the Fortnum & Mason`s Cook Book will shine a light on the history of the best British cuisine, with delicious, contemporary Modern British dishes. ...

Hugo Soskin, son of best-selling author on Rennes-le-Chateau Henry Lincoln, has no time for the French Pyrenean village & its mysteries. He is fed up with the whole subject of how a nineteenth-century priest came to be a millionaire overnight & why he built so many bizarre clues into his church & his home. But when he & his wife decide to drive an old camper van to Spain to start a new life, they can't resist a tiny peek en route at the village that enthralls & captivates so many. After agreeing to work on a nearby campsite for a season, Soskin starts to absorb the culture & rhythms of life in south-west France, where working in the shadow of Rennes-le-Chateau exposes him to loony treasure hunters & conspiracy theorists, all of whom assume he has inside knowledge that could help them crack the mystery & find the hidden gold. If this isn't bad enough, Soskin's father arrives accompanied by a group of fanatical ' Rennies', including the punk rocker ' Rat Scabies', needing his assistance in touring places of interest & wanting to know Soskin's own theory about the mysteries of Rennes-le-Chateau: surely he knows more than he is telling? Will he reveal all? ...

This charming book recalls a time when the housewives of Britain were still making do & keeping a nation `fighting fit`. It contains a vast collection of recipes, from a classic fish pie to a `gooey` ginger cake, showing how even during the post-war rationing period, food could still be adventurous & tasty. Go back to basics & savour the tastes of the war years with this nostalgic collection of recipes. Illustrated with fine drawings by the artist Edward Bawden. ...

Go Travel’s ` The Cooler` is a pocket-sized mini-fan with soft flexible blades & a detachable neck chord. The fan can be adjusted in three positions allowing you to either hold it in your hand or sit back & let it cool you from a tabletop position. ...

The Corfu Trilogy by Gerald Durrell consists of the popular classic My Family & Other Animals & its delightful sequels, Birds, Beasts & Relatives & The Garden of the Gods. All three books are set on the enchanted island of Corfu in the 1930s, & tell the story of the eccentric English family who moved there. For Gerald, the budding zoologist, Corfu was a natural paradise, teeming with strange birds & beasts that he could collect, watch & care for. But life was not without its problems
- his family often objected to his animal-collecting activities, especially when the beasts wound up in the villa or
- even worse
- the fridge. With hilarious yet endearing portraits of his family & their many unusual hangers-on, The Corfu Trilogy also captures the beginnings of the author`s lifelong love of animals. Recounted with immense humour & charm, this wonderful account of Corfu`s natural history reveals a rare, magical childhood.


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For most people, an amble round a farmers` market is a luxury, something that belongs in the hallowed realm of the weekend. ...

` Never, even in his most optimistic moments, had he visualised a scene of this nature
- himself in one arm-chair, a police
...

Completely revised & updated, the second edition of The Cornwall Gardens Guide contains many gardens that have opened to the public since the Guide was first published in 2003. Described as 'an essential companion for anyone who enjoys visiting Cornwall's wealth of gardens', this book is a comprehensive visitor's guide to over 130 gardens in Cornwall & the Isles of Scilly open to the public. Written by the author of the standard reference work, The Parks & Gardens of Cornwall, with additional research by Margaret Grose, the text is thoroughly researched, informative, accessible & up to date. The guide is copiously illustrated with colour photographs
- over 100 of which are new to this edition
- &

Includes:: a general introduction to the geology, climate & garden history of Cornwall; a list of nurseries & garden centres in the county, & a calendar of garden opening times.



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Laos, 1976. The monarchy has been deposed, the Communist Pathet Lao have taken over. Most of the educated class has fled, but Dr Siri Paiboun, a Paris-trained doctor remains. & so this 72-year-old physician is appointed state coroner, despite having no training, equipment, experience or even inclination for the job. But the job`s not that bad & Siri quickly settles into a routine of studying outdated medical texts, scrounging scarce supplies, & circumnavigating bureaucratic red tape to arrive at justice. The fact that the recently departed are prone to pay Siri the odd, unwanted nocturnal visit turns out to be an added bonus in his new line of work. But when the wife of a party leader turns up dead & the bodies of tortured Vietnamese soldiers start bobbing to the surface of a Laotian lake, all eyes turn to Siri. Faced with official cover-ups & an emerging international crisis, the doctor enlists old friends, village shamans, forest spirits, dream visits from the dead
- & even the occasional bit of medical deduction
- to solve the crimes.

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