Natural Causes" is the first novel from James Oswald in the " Detective Inspector Mc Lean" series. A young girl's mutilated body is discovered in a sealed room. Her remains are carefully arranged in what seems to have been a cruel & macabre ritual which appears to have taken place over 60 years ago. For newly appointed Edinburgh Detective Inspector Tony Mc Lean this baffling cold case ought to be a low priority
- but he is haunted by the young victim & her grisly death. Meanwhile the city is horrified by a series of bloody killings. Deaths for which there appears to be neither rhyme nor reason & which leave Edinburgh's police at a loss. Mc Lean is convinced that these deaths are somehow connected to the terrible ceremonial killing of the girl all those years ago. It is an irrational almost supernatural theory. & one which will lead Mc Lean closer to the heart of a terrifying & ancient evil... James Oswald's " Detective Inspector Mc Lean" appears here for the first time. " Natural Causes" is the opening to an electrifying new series. Subsequent titles include " The Book of Souls" & " The Hangman's Song". Fans of Ian Rankin Peter James & Stuart Mc Bride will love James Oswald's work. Praise for James Oswald: "A star of Scotland's burgeoning crime fiction scene". (" Daily Record"). James Oswald is the author of the " Detective Inspector Mc Lean" series of crime novels. The first two in the series " Natural Causes" & " The Book of Souls" are available from Penguin with the third title " The Hangman's Song" forthcoming for 2014. He has also written an epic fantasy series " The Ballad of Sir Benfro" as well as comic scripts & short stories. In his spare time James runs a 350 acre livestock farm in North East Fife where he raises pedigree Highland Cattle & New Zealand Romney Sheep.

Natural Causes is part of the Richard & Judy Summer 2013 Book Club. Find out how you can get involved with Britain's biggest & best book club. Visit the brand new Book Club website Â- whsmith.co.uk/richardandjudy
- to find all of the bonus content & join the discussion with Richard Judy & the authors. Find them there!
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Natural Causes is the first novel from James Oswald in the Detective Inspector Mc Lean series. A young girl's mutilated body is discovered in a sealed room. Her remains are carefully arranged in what seems to have been a cruel & macabre ritual which appears to have taken place over 60 years ago. For newly appointed Edinburgh Detective Inspector Tony Mc Lean this baffling cold case ought to be a low priority
- but he is haunted by the young victim & her grisly death. Meanwhile the city is horrified by a series of bloody killings. Deaths for which there appears to be neither rhyme nor reason & which leave Edinburgh's police at a loss. Mc Lean is convinced that these deaths are somehow connected to the terrible ceremonial killing of the girl all those years ago. It is an irrational almost supernatural theory. & one which will lead Mc Lean closer to the heart of a terrifying & ancient evil... James Oswald's Detective Inspector Mc Lean appears here for the first time. Natural Causes is the opening to an electrifying new series. Subsequent titles include The Book of Souls & The Hangman's Song. Fans of Ian Rankin Peter James & Stuart Mc Bride will love James Oswald's work. Praise for James Oswald: A star of Scotland's burgeoning crime fiction scene". (Daily Record). " Crime fiction's next big thing". (The Sunday Telegraph). " Literary sensation... James' overnight success has drawn comparisons with the meteoric rise of EL James & her Fifty Shades of Grey series". (Daily Mail). " Fifty Shades of Hay". (The Times). " Oswald is among the leaders in the new batch of excellent Scottish crime writers". (Daily Mail). " The new Ian Rankin". (Daily Record). " The hallmarks of Val Mc Dermid or Ian Rankin: it's dark violent noirish". (The Herald). "A good read". (The Times). " An excellent start to what promises to be a fine series". (Guardian). James Oswald is the author of the Detective Inspector Mc Lean series of crime novels. The first two in the series Natural Causes & The Book of Souls are available from Penguin with the third title The Hangman's Song forthcoming for 2014. He has also written an epic fantasy series The Ballad of Sir Benfro as well as comic scripts & short stories. In his spare time James runs a 350 acre livestock farm in North East Fife where he raises pedigree Highland Cattle & New Zealand Romney Sheep."
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More & more people today want to organize at least part of a funeral for themselves without depending on funeral directors. This text shows the reader how to do everything from ordering a coffin to hiring a horse-drawn hearse to finding a woodland burial ground. ...

Tristan Gooley author of THE NATURAL NAVIGATOR demonstrates how it is possible to connect profoundly with the lands we travel through. In THE NATURAL EXPLORER he combines the work of the some of the most insightful travellers of the past two thousand years with his own experience. The most rewarding travel experiences do not depend on our destination or the length of our journey but on our levels of awareness. A short walk can compare with an epic journey when we take the time to focus on the things that dramatically enrich each journey. Exploration is no longer about hardship or long distances it is about celebrating the sense of connection & discovery that is possible in all our travels. ...

A substantial percentage of our population-as much as 15 percent-has some degree of gluten sensitivity. For some people the condition is barely noticeable. For others gluten intolerance causes symptoms that range from brief periods of discomfort to debilitating disease. Gluten intolerance is associated with an increased risk of other chronic conditions including certain forms of cancer & diabetes. Knowing the basics regarding gluten sensitivity can protect you & your loved ones from many health problems. Medical writer Barbara Wexler explains the variety of health issues associated with gluten intolerance & gives practical advice to those affected for a healthier happier life. ...

This is a monumental & extraordinarily beautiful guide to the Earth's natural wonders. 5 years in the making covering over 5 000 species The Natural History Book" is one-of-a-kind; the only book to offer a complete survey of the Earth's natural history. Each geological & biological grouping is introduced & explained in an engaging & highly informative way making it the perfect addition to every family bookshelf as well as an ideal gift for every nature lover. It is packed with thousands of stunning specially commissioned photographs & written by a worldwide team of natural history experts. From granites to grape vines from microbes to mammals " The Natural History Book" is a true visual dictionary of every kingdom of life." ...

This is a natural history of the supernatural from Roger Clarke lifelong investigator into England's creepiest real-life ghost stories. ' Is there anybody out there?' No matter how rationally we order our lives few of us are completely immune to the suggestion of the uncanny & the fear of the dark. The subject of whether ghosts exist has fascinated some of the finest minds in history & it remains a subject of overwhelming interest today. This is the first comprehensive authoritative & readable history of the evolution of the ghost in the west examining as every good natural history should the behaviour of the subject in its preferred environment: the stories we tell each other. What explains sightings of ghosts? Why do they fascinate us? What exactly did the haunted see? What did they believe? & what proof is there? Taking us through the key hauntings that have obsessed the world from the poltergeist of Cock Lane through the true events that inspired The Turn of the Screw & the dark events of Borley Rectory right up to the present day Roger Clarke unfolds a story of class conflict charlatans & true believers. His surprising castlist ranges from Samuel Johnson to John Wesley & from Harry Houdini to Adolf Hitler. Inspired by a childhood spent in two haunted houses Roger Clarke has spent much of his life trying to see a ghost. Written as grippingly as the best ghost fiction A Natural History of Ghosts takes us on an unforgettable hunt through the most haunted places of the last five hundred years & our longing to believe. ...

More than any other writer Gilbert White (1720-93) has shaped the relationship between man & nature. A hundred years before Darwin White realised the crucial role of worms in the formation of soil & understood the significance of territory & song in birds. His precise scrupulously honest & unaffectedly witty observations led him to interpret animals' behaviour in a unique manner. This collection of his letters to the explorer & naturalist Daines Barrington & the eminent zoologist Thomas Pennant
- White's intellectual lifelines from his country-village home
- are a beautifully written detailed evocation of the lives of the flora & fauna of eighteenth-century Engl&.

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From the award-winning botanical painting authors a book to record more than just the flora of the world but also the fauna. Recording accurately but beautifully the animal wildlife that surrounds us is an age-old art. The authors with the Eden Project show us how to take up the subject & make the most of the revival of this art form. Finding sources from which to draw is not as diffficult as it once was. We can visit zoos & wildlife parks & museums have comprehensive collections of birds animals insects crystals & fossils. All these sources allow us to take the time to capture the true essence of some of the most beautiful things on earth. From dinosaur skeletons fossils & shells through feathers birds fish to beetles butterflies & frogs. Learn how to paint the subtle scales on a fish the iridescence of a feather or the lustre on a shell. The authors take you through the full range of skills & techniques you need to undertake natural history drawing & painting. Key techniques are explained with step-by-step demonstrations. stunning illustrations will inspire you & illuminate the techniques you are learning. A stunning book on an art form that is fast becoming the new botanical illustration. (Word count 20 000) ...

The Natural Home is a place where natural materials & motifs are the key elements of a decorating style that is a joy to live with & a joy to behold. Influential art director & stylist Hans Blomquist starts off by exploring the essence of his style. In Texture he revels in the textures & patinas of natural materials. Still Life reveals Hans passion for creating displays that showcase treasured pieces while Plants & Flowers celebrates the beauty of nature & the cycles of the natural world. Colour presents his favourite earthy natural colour palette which provides the perfect backdrop for hits of brighter natural hues. In the second part of the book Homes through a series of case studies Hans explores houses & apartments that showcase the beautiful simplicity & elegance of the natural look. ...