Showing results by narrator "Charles Johnston" in All Categories

The case of Samuel Pepys’s missing pocket watch escalates rapidly when Eustace Blount, writer and wit, is found murdered in Rose’s Coffee House on The Strand. Blount was a prig, a poseur and a parliamentarian – nobody liked him, not even his friends – and Pepys’s intrepid personal inquisitors, Abby Harcourt and Jacob Standish, find themselves with a suspect list as unwieldy as it is perplexing.

Able seaman Humphrey Wilkes is dead, shot between the eyes by the murderer known as the Plague Doctor. When Samuel Pepys’s naval colleague, Robert Drake, finds a black cross daubed on his door, it marks him out as the next victim. Pepys dispatches his inquisitors, Abby Harcourt and Jacob Standish, to the docks. Can they unmask the killer and save Drake’s life before he strikes again?

Pushkin’s story of thwarted love is set in Russia of the early years of the C19th. In verse at once satiric and penetrating, it tells the tale of a bored young man and the country girl, brought up on romantic novels, whose love he rejects. His behavior leads indirectly to tragedy. The tables are turned some time later when he in his turn becomes obsessed with her. In a final confrontation, she rejects his advances.

Scotland: A place known for its wild natural beauty, fine whisky, and grand castles. From the Loch Ness Monster to bagpipes and tartan kilts, Scotland’s reputation precedes it: It’s a must for your travel bucket list, but if you’re planning a trip, you want to make sure you get the most out of it. You need to know how to experience the true essence of Scotland, steering clear of the tourist traps and steeping yourself in the culture and tradition while taking in all the natural beauty this stunning country has to offer.

Meet a robot poet, a ghost ferret named Alfonso, a barbarian who dreams of a quiet life, a brave knight whose noble steed is a donkey, and MANY more delightfully quirky characters!

Is it true that every life is the stuff of novels? Or are some people just too ordinary? This is the question a struggling Parisian writer asks when he challenges himself to write about the first person he sees when he steps outside his apartment. Secretly hoping to meet the beautiful woman who occasionally smokes on his street, he instead sets eyes on octogenarian Madeleine. She’s happy to become his subject, but first she needs to put her shopping away. Wondering if his project is doomed to be hopelessly banal, he soon finds himself tangled in the lives of Madeleine’s family.

As the inferno of the Great Fire devours London in 1666, another firestorm rages in the tranquil village of Brampton, where Pepys’s sister, Paulina, stands accused of witchcraft. Pepys summons his inquisitors, Abigail Harcourt and Jacob Standish, plunging them into the heart of the witch-hunt. Can Abigail, Pepys’s astute housemaid, and Jacob, his awkward yet eager protégé, unravel a web of whispers, gossip and lies to clear Paulina’s name?

Douglas of Faurmoor, a noble of the northern aristocracy, possesses strength tempered by compassion. His world changes forever when he encounters Henry, a peculiar outsider who struggles to connect with others yet finds solace in the harmonies of music and the quiet beauty of plants. Amid their differences, a fragile and unexpected bond takes root.

In a crumbling post-Roman Britain, Vitalinus, later Vortigern, rises to power through political manoeuvring and mercenary allies. He faces challenges from religious figures like St Germanus and ambitious nobles like Aurelius Ambrosius, culminating in a battle for control. During the transition from Roman order to a fragmented, warlord-ruled society the Jutes, led by Hengist, arrive, seeking land and influence, leading to further conflict and alliances, ultimately shaping the destiny of Britain and the rise of Arthur. The last gleam of light in the twilight of Roman civilisation.

The Titian Show at the National Gallery here in London has just opened to the public again. It was available for just three days before the big lockdown. Now, it is with us once more, though on rather different terms from what was the case previously. You have to book a time. You have to be wearing a mask. You have to maintain distance between yourself and other visitors booked in for the same slot. Is it worth the hassle? Yes, of course it is. Titian is one of the greatest figures in the history of Western art.

The Fundamentals of Psychotherapy: A Comprehensive Guide is a detailed and insightful resource designed to explore the core principles, theories, and practices that shape the field of psychotherapy. Aimed at both mental health professionals and those seeking to understand the therapeutic process, this book covers a broad spectrum of topics, offering listeners a clear understanding of the foundational elements that make therapy effective.

Are you sick and tired of the rant and rave about Bitcoin but not having a clue about what's going on? This is a perfect entry point! In this book, we will equip you with all the tools you need to start you cryptocurrency escapade. This audiobook explains what is crypto, how to get started, the fluctuation of the market, and more!

The Founding Scroll is the first installment of The Vowforged Saga, an epic fantasy series centered on oath-bound power, guild structures, and the cost of authority. Set in a world where magic is shaped by sworn vows rather than bloodline or chance, the story follows Seren, a reluctant bearer drawn into a system of ancient agreements that govern power, protection, and dominion. As guilds rise and fracture under competing interpretations of these oaths, Seren must navigate political intrigue, moral consequence, and escalating conflict.

A brazen daylight robbery at Christie's becomes the talk of London, but Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson are no longer in the business of solving crime. Holmes has retired to Sussex, to keep bees, and Watson, recently widowed, has returned to general practice. But when Watson, desperate for distraction, agrees to accompany his old friend to Vienna, to visit eminent neurologist, Sigmund Freud, it is not long before the pair are pulled back into the murky world of ruthless criminals bent on abduction, intimidation and murder.

An essay by Edward Lucie-Smith on David Hockney's portraits exhibited at the Royal Academy's "82 Portraits and One Still-Life", and also "David Hockney and the Yorkshire Landscape" at RA in 2012.

Steeped in history, culture and traditions, London remains one of the largest and most populous cities on the planet. Small wonder then, that some of history's greatest poets have been inspired by it.

These poems range across a number of topics related to marriage: parenthood, family, friendship, sex, divorce and bereavement and refer from time to time to marriages in literature, opera and the Old Testament. The verse is accomplished, the analysis of marriage both instructive and entertaining, the compassion and wisdom remarkable.

“DNA," is what I read in the paper. That’s hard to argue with. Until an unofficial search of the victim’s room uncovers evidence that the police missed, or chose to ignore. An engraved ring; a phone number; and an antique copy of Lorna Doone inscribed with a cryptic message.

This is a tale of witches and wishes, tales and trees, stepmothers, spells and a girl who sleeps in the ashes by the fire.... But it's not the one you know.

Selected poems from a couple of decades in South East London.