Showing results by narrator "Kris Dyer" in All Categories

Jack Blackjack spends the night at a Devon tavern, agrees to a game of dice - and ends up accused of murder. To make matters worse, the dead man was the leader of the all-powerful miners who rule the surrounding moors. But who would frame Jack for murder...and why? Jack realises that the only way to clear his name - and save his skin - is to unmask the real killer. But knowing nothing of the local ways and customs, how is he to even begin? As Jack's attempts to find answers stirs up a hornet's nest of warring factions within the town, events soon start to spiral out of control.

In What Do Animals Think and Feel?, the biologist Karsten Brensing has something astonishing to tell us about the animal kingdom: namely that animals, by any reasonable assessment, have developed the sophisticated systems of social organisation and behaviour that human beings call 'culture'. Dolphins call one another by name and orcas inhabit a culture that is over 700,000 years old. Chimpanzees wage strategic warfare while bonobos delight in dirty talk. Ravens enjoy snowboarding on snow-covered roofs, and snails like to spin on hamster exercise wheels.

When a distressed young woman arrives at their station claiming her friend has been abducted, and that the man threatened to come back and 'claim her next', detectives Carrigan and Miller are thrust into a terrifying new world of stalking and obsession. Under scrutiny themselves, and with old foes and enmities resurfacing, how long will Carrigan and Miller have to find out the truth behind what these two women have been subjected to?

Noah can't believe his eyes - or his luck - when a magical gnome called Tommy turns up on the 24th of December. He's sure it's going to be AWESOME! But Tommy's spells keep going WRONG... The Christmas tree topples over, a gingerbread army goes on the attack, and a real-live reindeer is charging around the garden. Worst of all, Noah's parents are coming home soon - AARRRGHH! Can Noah fix Tommy's magical mischief in time to save Christmas?

Marshmallow Pie, a big, fluffy cat with an even bigger personality, is off to Hollywood to star in a movie! Pie is loving his trip - the glamourous people, the luxurious hotel, not to mention the tasty snacks! But most of all, he is dazzled by his new friend Madison: a charming, famous young girl not much older than his owner, Amelia. Madison is desperate to spend time with Pie and show him around town. So why doesn’t Amelia seem so sure about her?

From technical wizardly that goes disastrously wrong, to underwater warfare with a sting in its tail, this new book by Tony Matthews delves into a wide range of top-secret stories, including black propaganda missions, calamitous Resistance operations and accounts of espionage activities at the very highest level. Spies, Saboteurs and Secret Missions of World War II is a fascinating insight into some of the most astonishing clandestine activities of the Second World War.

Many people dread public speaking. And yet we all find ourselves forced to make a speech at some point in our lives and suffer the same inevitable anxieties: will my jokes fall flat? What if I freeze up? Is it okay to read notes? What if people walk out? This book will not magically transform you into a fast-talking, high-flying hotshot. But it does hope to teach you how to be adequate at public speaking - and, with a spot of luck, you might turn out to be 'rather good'.

Alexander McCall Smith is one of the world's most prolific and popular authors. He has won numerous awards for his writing, including the British Book Award Author of the Year Award and a CBE for services to literature.

Loneliness has reached the levels of an epidemic. From the bullied child to the new parent, from the pensioner who has outlived friends and family members to teenagers who manage their social lives through the glow of a mobile phone, it can - and does - affect anyone and everyone, irrespective of age, race or class. Many suffer in silence, convinced it's a confession too far, a sign of too much vulnerability, a shameful failing. But the human condition is not a failing. What's it like when loneliness descends? How does it announce itself, and how do you recognise it?

These 25 new stories mark Graham Swift's return to the short form after seven acclaimed novels and confirm him as a master storyteller. They unite into a richly peopled vision of a country that is both a crucible of history and a maze of contemporary confusions.

Australia's funniest new author for kids is back with a fresh batch of stories about the mysterious Mr Bambuckle and the class of room 12B. Meet your new assistant principal - Miss Frost! Uh-oh, that's not good. At least we're away on camp. Mr Bambuckle lets us eat marshmallows before dinner! Is that a spark-maker beetle? Shh! What was that noise? The class in room 12B are having fun in the wilderness. Until Miss Frost crashes camp....

Joe is in control of everything in his simple life, both his day job as a janitor for the police department and his night work. He isn't bothered by the daily news reports of the Christchurch Carver, who, they say, has murdered seven women. Joe knows, though, that the Carver killed only six. He knows that for a fact, and he's determined to find the copycat. He'll punish him for the one, then frame him for the other six. It's the perfect plan because he already knows he can outwit the police.

After his success on the silver screen, Marshmallow Pie—a big, fluffy cat with an even bigger personality—has an exciting opportunity to act on stage in a grand theatre. It will be his first time in front of a live audience! The bad news is, he has to share the stage with his unbearable neighbour and arch-enemy, Buster the dog. Pie is convinced Buster is out to ruin it for him! But there’s a mystery to solve both on the stage and off, and Pie’s refusal to trust Buster could have some unexpected consequences.

Vex is gone! We have to find him. But how? He could be anywhere. We'll have to track him down. That's impossible. Not if we work together! Mr Bambuckle and the class in room 12B are in trouble. Can they find Vex before it's too late?

When a dead body is discovered in a house near the university, Detective Chief Inspector Jack Hogan and his team are left baffled by the viciousness of the assault. And with very little to go on, the questions quickly mount up. But, when another victim turns up with the same distinguishing mark etched on their skin—one that links the victims to an anarchist group—it becomes clear that a depraved and calculating serial killer is at large. With the murderer always one step ahead, time is of the essence and DCI Hogan must act fast before another life is taken.

With the divisiveness of public discourse and the complexities of modern business, it is more difficult than ever to be sure that you're making the right decision. Adair provides a clear pathway to improving your judgment, beginning with an exploration of the machinations behind decision-making, before demonstrating how you can develop a stronger understanding and control of your judgment. This is an essential companion for any business leaders interested in making the best decisions for them and their organisation.

Acacia Pines, USA. Sheriff Cohen's life is falling apart – his father accidentally burned down the retirement home, his wife has moved out, and his son is bullying other kids at school. When high-school student Lucas Connor is abducted, Cohen sees a chance to get his life back on track – to win back his wife and scoop the reward money offered for Lucas's safe return. But as the body count rises, it becomes clear that Cohen's going to have to make the kind of decision from which there's no coming back...a decision with deadly consequences.

The Stoicism Collection is a collection of 5 essential pieces of stoic philosophy, alongside a biography of Marcus Aurelius, read by an esteemed cast of award-winning narrators. Stoicism is a school of Hellenistic philosophy that flourished in Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. The Stoics believed that the practice of virtue is enough to achieve eudaimonia: a well-lived life.

With unseeing eyes, Major George Tomson gazed down into the training hall from his office window. The F-omat, on the desk behind him, flicked to standby but the last message loomed in his mind and arrested all further thought. The soft footfall in the corridor and the gentle tap on the door went unnoticed. He vaguely sensed a faint aromatic odour.

Sir Walter Raleigh was one of the brightest stars in the Elizabethan firmament. Born into relative obscurity in rural Devon, he grew up in the company of smugglers and fishermen. His lust for adventure was to take him from the bloody battlefields of Europe to the colonies of the New World and on the dazzling court of Good Queen Bess. This is the story of his relationship with the two women who dominated his life: Elizabeth, his queen, and Bess, her lady-in-waiting and his secret wife.