Showing results by narrator "Nicky Diss" in All Categories

In the snowy kingdom of Erkenwald, whales glide between icebergs, wolves hunt on the tundra and polar bears roam the glaciers. But the people of this land aren’t so easy to find - because Erkenwald is ruled by an evil Ice Queen, and the tribes must stay hidden or risk becoming her prisoners at Winterfang Palace. Join Eska, a girl who breaks free from a cursed music box, and Flint, a boy whose inventions could change the fate of Erkenwald forever, as they journey to the Never Cliffs and beyond.

Moll Pecksniff and her friends are living as outlaws in a secret cave by the sea, desperate to stay hidden from the Shadowmasks. But further along the coast lies the Amulet of Truth, the only thing powerful enough to force the Shadowmasks back and contain their dark magic. So, together with Gryff, the wildcat that’s always by her side, and her best friends, Alfie and Sid, Moll must sneak past smugglers, outwit mer creatures and crack secret codes to save the Old Magic.

Imagine suddenly being sacked from your job. After spending years building your career, it’s all taken away in one moment. Why? Because you told your boss you are pregnant. This happened to Joeli Brearley. And she quickly realised she wasn’t alone - 54,000 women a year are forced out of their job because they dared to procreate, and three-quarters of working mothers face workplace discrimination. Pregnant Then Screwed is an expose of the unscrupulous work practices and antiquated systems that we’ve been conditioned to accept and a toolkit for how to challenge them.

Madame Augustina Pinchbeck travels the country conjuring the spirits of dearly departed loved ones...for a price. Whilst her ability to contact ghosts is a game of smoke and mirrors, there is real magic behind her tricks, too - if you know where to look. Through a magical trade, she persuades children to part with precious objects, promising to use her powers to help them. But Pinchbeck is a deceiver, instead turning their items into enchanted cabinets that bind the children to her and into which she can vanish and summon them at will.

In Vaxxers, we hear directly from Professor Gilbert and her colleague, Dr Catherine Green, as they reveal the inside story of making the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine and the cutting-edge science and sheer hard work behind it. This is their story of fighting a pandemic as ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. Sarah and Cath share the heart-stopping moments in the eye of the storm, they separate fact from fiction, they explain how they made a safe vaccine in record time with the eyes of the world watching and they give us hope for the future.

Audrey's family are falling apart. Her two grown-up daughters, Jess and Lily, are estranged, and her two granddaughters have never been allowed to meet. One secret that echoes back to 30 years before has splintered the family in two, and is also the one thing keeping them connected. But as tensions reach breaking point, the irrevocable choice that one of them made all those years ago will inevitably rise to the surface and either split them apart for good - or bring them back together. A moving novel full of heart about the people closest to us.

From Sulky Susan, whose face is one big frown, to the little boy who can't stop telling fibs, these mischief-makers are up to no good! Ranging from the light-hearted to the deliciously dark, these cautionary tales will delight and intrigue listeners as much today as they did when first published in the mid-20th century. This collection is inspired by Enid Blyton's A Book of Naughty Children, first published in 1944.

Agatha Christie revelled in the use of poison to kill off unfortunate victims in her books; indeed, she employed it more than any other murder method, with the poison itself often being a central part of the novel. Her choice of deadly substances was far from random—the characteristics of each often provide vital clues to the discovery of the murderer. Christie's extensive chemical knowledge provides the backdrop for A Is for Arsenic, in which Kathryn Harkup investigates the poisons used by the murderer in fourteen classic Agatha Christie mysteries.

In this short prequel to Alison Weir's new novel, Elizabeth of York, The Last White Rose, the young princess is born - and the future of England hangs in the balance. The Palace of Westminster, 1466. As the queen of England lies in her chamber, exhausted from childbirth, the court awaits news of the longed-for heir.

Odile Souchet is obsessed with books, and working at The American Library in Paris for the formidable Director Dorothy Reeder is all she has ever dreamed of. The Library and its thriving community of students, writers, diplomats and book lovers provide her with a safe haven. When war is declared, the Library is determined to remain open. But then the Nazis invade Paris, and everything changes. The Nazi 'Library Protector' changes the rules overnight, declaring a war on words and making the librarians risk their lives to do their jobs.

Having the ability to see fairies means that Tanya Fairchild's life has never been easy. After all, real fairies are nothing like the ones in books, ones that grant wishes or leave money for teeth. Real fairies don't like to be talked about, and they cast spells if Tanya steps out of line. The most she's ever received in exchange for one of her teeth is a chewed up toffee. Of course, it would help if Tanya knew someone - anyone - else who could see them, too....

The fairies stole her brother...and now Red is trapped. In the dangerous fairy realm, she strikes a bargain. Her brother will be returned, but only if she can complete a perilous magical quest in the human world. If she fails, she will lose him - and her own freedom - for ever. With the help of Tanya and Fabian, Red's desperate task begins - but a shocking discovery turns it into a race against time. And even if the friends succeed, will the fairies keep their promise?

It is midnight in Crackledawn—a midnight full of magic. Sea dragons stir in the depths of the ocean, silver whales surface beneath the moon and sand goblins line the shores. Everyone is waiting for the phoenix, the guardian of the kingdom’s magic, to rise up from the forests of Everdark. But there is no sign of the phoenix tonight. Something else surges up out of Everdark instead: a harpy bent on stealing Crackledawn’s magic.

A windowless shack in the woods. Lena's life and that of her two children follows the rules set by their captor, the father: meals, bathroom visits, study time are strictly scheduled and meticulously observed. He protects his family from the dangers lurking in the outside world and makes sure that his children will always have a mother to look after them. One day Lena manages to flee - but the nightmare continues. It seems as if her tormentor wants to get back what belongs to him....

Science and technology have always been central to the plots that make up the world of Bond, and in Superspy Science Kathryn Harkup explores the full range of 007’s exploits and the arms, technologies, tactics and downfalls of his various foes. From the practicalities of building a volcano-based lair, to whether being covered in gold paint really will kill you, and—if your plan is to take over the world—whether it is better to use bacteria, bombs, or poison—this audiobook has all the answers and more.

One mother's past could cost her everything. Frankie Keegan is struggling. While she tries to make strides in her career, life at home is slowly unravelling as she is haunted by the secrets of her past. Someone else remembers. As the dark nights draw in, the anniversary of the loss of her brother looms, and Frankie is drawn back to the memories of that fateful night 20 years previously. As she descends into a guilt-ridden state, she begins to suspect that someone else is also remembering that night and they are determined to terrify her.

A Christmas anthology from legendary historian and Christmas Cracker compiler John Julius Norwich. This year go carol singing in the Cotswolds with Laurie Lee or attend church with a grumpy Samuel Pepys. Make plum puddings for bemused French villagers with Elizabeth David; go present shopping with Virginia Woolf, or eat far too much with Agatha Christie. Celebrate Christmas at Chatsworth, in the workhouse or marooned in the ice with Shackleton....

Red's past won't stay hidden. She's now living at Elvesden Manor under her real name, Rowan, and trying to put her terrible adventures behind her. But staying out of trouble isn't as easy as she'd hoped. Haunted by awful dreams of Hedgewitch's cottage - and of Eldritch, who swore revenge when she left him there to die - Red fears the fairy realm is about to draw her back in.... But will she make it back this time? Or will dark forces finally claim her?

The family curse has been lifted and the Widdershins sisters: Betty, Fliss and Charlie are free to leave the misty prison isle of Crowstone. But when a mysterious girl arrives at the Poacher’s Pocket with a pocketful of hagstones, and accompanied by a will-o’-the-wisp, it seems another adventure has landed on their doorstep. And when Charlie goes missing, it’s up to Betty and Fliss to journey through misty marches, past wisp catchers and on to a secret island that doesn’t exist on any map.

Deep within Tanglefern Forest, Moll Pecksniff and her wildcat, Gryff, are waiting for a sign from the Old Magic before they continue their quest to find the last Amulet of Truth and free their world from the Shadowmasks’ terrible magic. Still missing fellow Tribe member Alfie, and armed only with a mysterious set of clues, Moll sets out on an adventure across the northern wilderness with Gryff and her friend Siddy at her side. They must brave the Lost Isles, scale the Barbed Peaks and face witches, goblins and giants who lurk at every turn...while the Shadowmasks draw ever closer.