A few days off, a quiet spot and a few moments to yourself - enjoy one of our festive reads.
This selection and so many more can be found in our branches.
Click here for more Christmas Reads!
This selection and so many more can be found in our branches.
Click here for more Christmas Reads!
Winter Chillers and Thrillers
A present contains a monstrous secret.
An uninvited guest haunts a Christmas party.
A shadow slips across the floor by firelight.
A festive entertainment ends in darkness and screams.
Who knows what haunts the night at the dark point of the year? This collection of seasonal chillers looks beneath Christmas cheer to a world of ghosts and horrors, mixing terrifying modern fiction with classic stories by masters of the macabre. From Neil Gaiman and M. R. James to Muriel Spark and E. Nesbit, there are stories here to make the hardiest soul quail - so find a comfy chair, lock the door, ignore the cold breath on your neck and get ready to welcome in the real spirits of Christmas .
An uninvited guest haunts a Christmas party.
A shadow slips across the floor by firelight.
A festive entertainment ends in darkness and screams.
Who knows what haunts the night at the dark point of the year? This collection of seasonal chillers looks beneath Christmas cheer to a world of ghosts and horrors, mixing terrifying modern fiction with classic stories by masters of the macabre. From Neil Gaiman and M. R. James to Muriel Spark and E. Nesbit, there are stories here to make the hardiest soul quail - so find a comfy chair, lock the door, ignore the cold breath on your neck and get ready to welcome in the real spirits of Christmas .
December 1860. Headed for the morning shift at the Swindon Locomotive works is an army of men pouring out of terraced houses built by the GWR, a miniature town and planned community that aims to provide for its employees from cradle to grave. Unfortunately, boiler smith Frank Rodman is headed for the grave sooner than he'd expected, or he will be once his missing head is found. Colbeck, the Railway Detective, finds his investigation into Rodman's murder mired in contradictions. Was the victim a short-tempered brawler, or a committed Christian and chorister who aimed to better himself? On the trail of Rodman's enemy as the season starts to bite, Colbeck finds little festive cheer in the twists and turns of this peculiar case.
Gosford Park meets Groundhog Day by way of Agatha Christie. Tonight, Evelyn Hardcastle will be killed ... Again It is meant to be a celebration but it ends in tragedy. As fireworks explode overhead, Evelyn Hardcastle, the young and beautiful daughter of the house, is killed. But Evelyn will not die just once. Until Aiden - one of the guests summoned to Blackheath for the party - can solve her murder, the day will repeat itself, over and over again. Every time ending with the fateful pistol shot. The only way to break this cycle is to identify the killer. But each time the day begins again, Aiden wakes in the body of a different guest. And someone is determined to prevent him escaping Blackheath...ever!
SEE NO EVIL
Eyes missing, two bodies lie deep in the forest near a remote Swedish town.
HEAR NO EVIL
Tuva Moodyson, a deaf reporter on a small-time local paper, is looking for the story that could make her career.
SPEAK NO EVIL
A web of secrets. And an unsolved murder from twenty years ago.
Can Tuva outwit the killer before she becomes the final victim? She'd like to think so. But first she must face her demons and venture far into the deep, dark woods if she wants to stand any chance of getting the hell out of small-time Gavrik.
Eyes missing, two bodies lie deep in the forest near a remote Swedish town.
HEAR NO EVIL
Tuva Moodyson, a deaf reporter on a small-time local paper, is looking for the story that could make her career.
SPEAK NO EVIL
A web of secrets. And an unsolved murder from twenty years ago.
Can Tuva outwit the killer before she becomes the final victim? She'd like to think so. But first she must face her demons and venture far into the deep, dark woods if she wants to stand any chance of getting the hell out of small-time Gavrik.
Mrs Bradley, sharp-eyed detective and celebrated psychiatrist, has decided to spend Christmas with her nephew at his beautiful house in the Cotswolds. It isn't long before a mystery unfolds. There are strange events occurring in the nearby wood and local villagers are receiving anonymous threatening letters. Then the snow begins to fall - and a body is discovered. Mrs Bradley is on the case, but she'll have to hatch an ingenious plan to reveal the truth and find the culprit. (Previously published as Groaning Spinney.)
Christmas is coming and the streets of London are full of festive cheer. As young Worm returns to his home at the Portpool Lane clinic, he encounters the most beautiful woman he has ever seen and, spellbound, he follows her until she is dragged away by two evil-looking men. Convinced that she is in grave danger, Worm begs Squeaky Robinson to help him track her down. But Elouise is embroiled with dangerous criminals who want information that only she can tell. They will stop at nothing to get what they want and, with Christmas day fast approaching, Worm and Squeaky must conjure up a daring plan to help Elouise before it is too late.
Festive Cooking
Scandinavians really love Christmas! With huddling up in candlelit snowed-in cottages to consuming glögg at every opportunity, Christmas is peak-hygge season. From saffron scented bakes to 'gingerbread spice in everything!', Christmas is the time to break the never-ending darkness with edible treats and joyful feelings. Scandinavians visit friends and families taking along something home baked to share. They have Jul-Smörgåsbord parties where old and young celebrate with a spread of traditional dishes and delicacies.
Let Bronte show you how to celebrate your Christmas Scandi-style.
Let Bronte show you how to celebrate your Christmas Scandi-style.
Vegans and vegetarians everywhere will have the best holiday period ever with Gaz Oakley's fantastic alternatives to the trad turkey and trimmings. Gaz is an expert in bold flavours and textures, so everyone can enjoy a spectacular centrepiece and amazing food throughout the festive season. Gaz talks you through the menus and the planning: Christmas morning breakfast: Sweet Potato Waffles and Tofu Benedict; Show-stopping lunch: Ultimate Christmas Wellington, "Turkey" Roast and Festive Nut Roast Wreath with all the trimmings: "No Pigs" in Blankets, Hasselback Potatoes and Fluffy Yorkshire Puddings. Rounded off with spectacular dairy-free puds like Boozy Tiramisu and Creme Brûlée Tarts. There are vegan versions of mince pies and Pavlova and even a "cheese" board for afters! And it's not just about the big day: Gaz offers a supreme spread of party food - Mini Sausage Rolls, Sticky BBQ "Ribs" and Arancini, among many others.
A collection of step-by-step recipes for Christmas biscuits, cakes and sweets that can be given as gifts, hung on a Christmas tree, or simply eaten and enjoyed. It also includes wrapping ideas such as festive gift boxes and tags.
Fun with the Family
A craft for every day of Advent, or just to keep children entertained in the run up to Christmas. You can make decorations, your own Christmas cards, and a variety of gift boxes and trimmings. Each activity is wonderfully simple with only a few steps to each craft and will give satisfying results in minutes - or hours can be whiled away with glittery embellishments.
Crammed with fifty crafts and creative ideas for the run up to the Christmas season. Each craft is accompanied by simple step-by-step illustrated instructions. Make divine decorations, glittery angels, clever gift wrap, 3D cards, and more!
This book explores the festival of Christmas and the story behind it and features six simple origami projects for your own festive fun! The book shows how people around the world celebrate Christmas both in church and at home. Attractively designed, its simple text and wonderful full-colour photos make this an essential book for children celebrating or learning about the festival. The origami activities are accessible to all and are explained with step-by-step illustrations. Your fantastic creations can be used as decorations for the festival, for presents, to impress your teacher for a Christmas school project or simply to wow your friends!
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