In March 1807 the British Parliament passed an Act making the trading & transportation of slaves illegal. It was many years before slavery as it was known then was abolished & slavery still continues today in different ways but it was a big step forward towards the empancipation of a people. Malorie Blackman has drawn together some of the finest of today's writers & poets to contribute to this important anthology. Their short stories & poems sit alongside first-hand accounts of slavery from freed slaves making a fascinating & absorbing collection that remembers & commemorates one of the most brutal & long-lasting inflictions of misery that human beings have inflicted upon other human beings. ...

In 1350 the people of Cambridge are struggling to overcome the effects of the Black Death. Bands of outlaws roam the land & the high death rate among priests & monks has left the people vulnerable to sinister cults that have grown up in the wake of the plague. At Michaelhouse Matthew Bartholomew is training new physicians to replace those who died of the pestilence. When the body of a friar is found in the massive chest where the University stores its most precious documents Bartholomew is dragged away from his teaching to investigate. But the friars is not the only unexplained death in town. Almost by chance Bartholomew stumbles across a derelict church abandoned since its congregation were decimated by the plague. It is now the meeting place for a mysterious sect which holds its followers in terror & which Bartholomew believes to be at the very heart of an astonishing web of blackmail & deceit aimed to overthrow the established religion. ...

First light Ascension morning. From the top of the tower at the College of Transfiguration voices rise in song. Felicity's delight turns to horror when a black-robed body hurtles over the precipice & lands at her feet. Her fiance Father Antony recognizes the corpse as Hwyl Pendry a former student who has been serving as Deliverance Minister in a Welsh diocese. The police ignoring the strange emblem of a double-headed snake clutched in the dead man's hand label the death as suicide. But Hwyl's widow is convinced otherwise & please for Felicity & Antony to help her uncover the truth. Matters grow murkier as Felicity & Antony leading a youth pilgrimage through rural Wales encounter the same sinister symbol as they travel. Lurking figures following them. Then a body is found face-down in a well... ...

Young Philippa Cranley is living a lie. Her tyrannical father Archer forces her to masquerade as a man in order to comply with the terms of her maternal grandfathers Will & enable him to inherit the glassworks. By threatening her fragile mother with imprisonment in a mental institution he forces Philippa to become Philip wearing mens clothes & unable to reveal her identity to anyone. To increase her humiliation Archer Cranley forces Philip to do a stint in the glassworks which puts her in danger from her rough co-workers as well as from the machinery itself. There the girl is befriended by Joshua Fairley whose pity is aroused by the gentle lad. But soon Joshua finds his feelings for Philip are more than just pity & is tormented by the thought that he is being tempted into a homosexual relationship. Luckily by the end of the novel Philippa is able to reveal the truth & marry Joshua. ...

Its one of the most iconic vignettes in history: three men on camels arriving at a manger bearing gifts of gold frankincense & myrrh. An impossibly bright star is suspended in the vast desert sky above. Its a moment of serenity & grace. A holy night... But what do we really know about the Three Kings of the Nativity? The Bible says little about this enigmatic trio. Not even their names are mentioned. The historical record is vague at best. How doe know that they were three kings from the East? What if they were petty murderous thieves
- led by a mercurial individual called Balthazar
- on the run escaping through Judea under cover of night who stumble upon the famous manger its newborn child & his earthly parents? Here the brilliant & slightly warped mind behind Pride & Prejudice & Zombies takes a little mystery plays fast & loose with a bit of history to weave an epic tale. Its an adventure that will see these thieves fight the last magical creatures of the Old Testament cross paths with historical figures such as Pontius Pilate & John the Baptist & deliver the family
- as the Bible tells us
- to the safety of Egypt. Indeed this may just be the greatest story never told...



...

Meet the Rat: A dancing football-playing gangster-baiting ten-year-old. When she foresaw her fathers death she picked up her football & decided to head for New York. Meet her older brother Bob: Protector of the Rat but more often her follower he is determined to find their uncle in America & discover a new life for them both. On their adventures across the flatlands of Winnipeg & through the exciting streets of New York Bob & the Rat make friends with a hilarious con man & a famous rap star & escape numerous dangers. But is their Uncle a rich business man or is the word on the street that he something more sinister true? & will they ever find him? Hughes has created a funny warm unique world that lives & breathes. Like I Capture the Castle Breakfast at Tiffanys The Curious Incident Hughes story & characters will resonate for many & for years to come. ...

8 Pack of Uni-ball Signo Gelstick Pens in assorted gel ink colours. A great all rounder for a great price these pens are smooth writing & easy to use with a high grade design. They are simple & long-lasting- perfect for use at work or school. The ink is water-resistant UV resistant chemical resistant tamper proof & quick drying. 0.4mm line & 0.7mm ball. ...

The ever popular Uni-Ball pen features a unique controlled ink flow system ensures smooth writing performance right down to the last drop. The waterproof ink resists fading & smudging & a visible ink window lets you know at a glance how much ink is left. Stainless steel tip provides quality writing & thelps prevent the nib from drying out. A pen you can rely on. This fine tipped pen has a line width of approximate 0.3mm. This pack contains 5 pens in blue black & red ink. ...

Uni-Ball Eye 157 liquid ink rollerball pens with a fine tip to produce a medium line of 0.5 mm. The ever popular Uni-Ball pen features a unique controlled 'ink-flow system' ensures smooth writing performance right down to the last drop. The waterproof ink resists fading & smudging & a visible ink window lets you know at a glance how much ink is left. Stainless steel tip provides quality writing & thelps prevent the nib from drying out. Features a tamper proof uni Super Ink that will not wash off when immersed in water acetone glycerin bleach or other chemicals used by document fraudsters. This pack contains 2 black 2 blue & 1 red ink pen. ...

Pack of 3 coloured Uni-Ball Eye fine Rollerball Pens in blue black & red ink. The ever popular Uni-Ball pen features a unique controlled ink flow system ensures smooth writing performance right down to the last drop. The waterproof ink resists fading & smudging & a visible ink window lets you know at a glance how much ink is left. Stainless steel tip provides quality writing & thelps prevent the nib from drying out. ...