It's rural England, just after the turn of the last century. Charlotte married Edward Shift after the sudden death of her first husband, Horace Torrington. They live at Sterne, the home they are in danger of losing due to a financial crisis, with Charlotte's 3 children: Emerald, Clovis and Smudge. On the day of Emerald's birthday party, a terrible train wreck occurs on a branch line and the stranded passengers seek refuge at Sterne. Among these passengers is Charlie Traversham-Beechers, a sketchy figure from Charlotte's past. This unusual guest list makes for an unforgettable birthday celebration for Emerald and an evening of the past literally coming back to haunt Charlotte.

'Julie Summers has an amazing instinct for unearthing good stories and telling quotes.' Craig Brown, The Mail On Sunday. 'This is an enjoyable book, peppered with examples of under-reported wartime heroism.' Robert Leigh-Pemberton, The Daily Telegraph 'It’s hard to believe that there are still untold stories about Britain and World War II, but Julie Summers has unearthed a fascinating one that she tells with great verve and style. All in all, Uninvited Guests is a sheer delight.' Lynne Olson, author of Citizens of London and Last Hope Island A remarkable narrative set against the dark days of World War Two, from one of the country’s foremost social historians. Our Uninvited Guests perfectly captures the spirit of upheaval at the beginning of the Second World War when thousands of houses were requisitioned by the government to provide accommodation for the armed forces, secret services and government offices as well as vulnerable children, the sick and the elderly, all of whom needed to be housed safely beyond the reach of Hitler’s Luftwaffe. Julie Summers gives the reader a behind-the-scenes glimpse of life in some of Britain’s greatest country houses that were occupied by people who would otherwise never have set foot in such opulent surroundings.Blenheim Palace was colonised by schoolboys who slept in the Long Library; Polish special agents trained in the grounds of Audley End House, learning to forge and lie their way into occupied Europe in the old nursery. Brocket Hall, former home of Queen Victoria’s favourite Lord Melbourne, was used as a maternity home for women from the East End of London, and the Rothschilds’ magnificent French chateau-inspired Waddesdon Manor housed a hundred children under five. The Northern Highlands, where the fierce warriors of Scotland’s past developed their unconventional military skills, played host to the most extreme form of warfare, training agents in the fine arts of sabotage, subterfuge and assassination. The juxtaposition of splendour and opulence with the everyday activities of people whose needs were at odds with their new surroundings is at the heart of this book. This thought-provoking and evocative narrative captures a crucial period in the social history of Britain. Praise for Julie Summers: 'Superb…highly recommended' Who Do You Think You Are Magazine 'A remarkable collection of stories…a rich and moving book' Mail on Sunday 'Summers is a good and knowledgeable writer…powerful, emotional stuff' Independent 'A poignant, lingering account' BBC History Magazine 'A revelation – full of information, reminiscences, humour and social history. Reading it not only gave me great pleasure but also made me proud to be a member of such a long lasting, valuable and vital organisation' Helen Carey OBE, former chairman of the National Federation of Women’s Institutes

This book describes different instances of trauma that may have occurred several generations ago. It explores the work of several psychoanalysts who have written on the negative effect that unknown or unremembered grandparents can have upon the life of their grandchildren.

I now had an uninvited guest in my home--one that would not be leaving anytime soon; one that would alter the lives of my family and challenge us like never before. Without recourse or explanation, without consent or appeal, things had changed. Whether I liked it or not, Cancer had forcefully entered my home and there wasn't a damn thing I could do about it. In Uninvited Guest, a young wife and mother, Angelique, is targeted by Cancer. As she battles through the most challenging days of her life, her personal will is tested. Revealing himself in the flesh to her husband, Glen, Cancer takes up residence in their home, wreaking havoc and devastation. In Cancer's continuous presence, Glen struggles to hold on to his wife, his life and his faith. Partake in this moving, vulnerable, and often amusing look at a spouse's struggle with his wife's cancer diagnosis. A creative retelling of real-life events, the author bares all in the unique narrative of a husband vying for dominion over his home and wife over an immortal enemy, Cancer. Despite the aid of family, dear friends and colleagues, Glen finds himself engaged in the fight of his life.

Discover the World of Lily Bowers Ten-year-old Lily Bowers discovers that she has an extraordinary gift - she can talk to animals. So when Mother Nature herself is threatened by animal cruelty, only Lily can save her. To do this, she must mobilize all her new animal friends in her beloved forest. The same forest where the Brothers Grimm once traveled. But first, there's a horrible bully at her new school to deal with. And Lily knows she'll need to call on all her courage to convince the rest of the world that nature must come first. Lily Bowers and the Uninvited Guest is the first of a must-read middle grade eco fantasy series that shows kids they really do have the power and influence to make a difference and change the world. And save animals. This eco fantasy Book comes with 42 beautiful inside illustrations in full color. In the back of the book, you'll read 15 easy actionable steps that will help you and your kids become a much needed voice for animals, information about the UN Sustainable Development Goals to help spread awareness and famous quotes about respecting all life forms for a healthy biodiversity. Help Those Who Need it Most When you buy this book, you'll be helping me give back 5% of my book profits to put an end to the unnecessary torture and murder of millions of laboratory animals through my membership with Doctors Against Animal Experiments.

Since its publication in 1984, The Mysteries of Harris Burdick has stimulated the minds of readers of all ages and backgrounds. Now the original fourteen drawings are available in a large portfolio edition of loose sheets. In addition, a newly discovered fifteenth drawing, titled The Youngest Magician, has been added, as well as an updated introduction by the author. The puzzles of these mysterious drawings will be even more provocative because of the larger size and the exceptional printing quality. For the first time, the drawings can be shared with groups or displayed singly. The Mysteries of Harris Burdick was a New York Times Best Illustrated Book of 1984.

This book brings together a deep thoughtfulness about the insights of psychoanalysis and its application to work with troubled couples with an original and closely argued reading of some classic plays about marriage. It will be of use to readers interested in psychoanalysis and literature.

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! Another thrilling domestic suspense novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Couple Next Door and Not a Happy Family “A gripping mystery perfect for fans of Agatha Christie.” –Good Housekeeping “Another nail-biter perfect for an all-nighter.” –Entertainment Weekly A weekend retreat at a cozy mountain lodge is supposed to be the perfect getaway . . . but when the storm hits, no one is getting away It's winter in the Catskills and Mitchell's Inn, nestled deep in the woods, is the perfect setting for a relaxing--maybe even romantic--weekend away. It boasts spacious old rooms with huge woodburning fireplaces, a well-stocked wine cellar, and opportunities for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or just curling up with a good murder mystery. So when the weather takes a turn for the worse, and a blizzard cuts off the electricity--and all contact with the outside world--the guests settle in and try to make the best of it. Soon, though, one of the guests turns up dead--it looks like an accident. But when a second guest dies, they start to panic. Within the snowed-in paradise, something--or someone--is picking off the guests one by one. And there's nothing they can do but hunker down and hope they can survive the storm--and one another.

This is not a book of answers because nobody on any side of the issue really knows what UFOs are. Instead it is a book of questions starting with... What if UFOs are real? What might this mean for Humankind? Do UFOs represent "nuts and bolts" craft piloted by sentient beings from other civilisations in space? Are they visitors from another planet? Are they human-like or human time travellers or beings from some other realm presently unknown to science? Recognition of this could profoundly alter our understanding of the universe and our outlook on life. The analyses and speculations are intended to encourage thought and discussion. The concepts explored here need to be critically examined and measured against the still unfolding UFO manifestation. Meanwhile we need to know what has been credibly reported, what possible explanations there are, and what it might all mean. Why did the CIA run a security clearance on this author without his knowledge or consent? The contents of UFO reports have become increasingly bizarre: stories of alien creatures abducting humans and subjecting them to physical examinations have multiplied. The beings who sometimes appear more like apparitions than solid entities, display almost magical powers, including levitation, telepathy, movement through solid matter, and cause electrical malfunctions. Even if the abduction reports are imaginary, why would intelligent beings repeatedly hover over installations and then dart away, for no apparent purpose? Why would they buzz human vehicles, take soil samples and all the other repetitive actions year after year without doing something to remove all doubt about their nature and purpose? Why do they continue to dazzle us with exotic displays but not make open contact or whole communicate something definite to us?

Refugees from the violence of wars and the brutality of famished lives have knocked on other people's doors since the beginning of time. For the people behind the doors, these uninvited guests were always strangers, and strangers tend to generate fear and anxiety precisely because they are unknown. Today we find ourselves confronted with an extreme form of this historical dynamic, as our TV screens and newspapers are filled with accounts of a 'migration crisis', ostensibly overwhelming Europe and portending the collapse of our way of life. This anxious debate has given rise to a veritable 'moral panic' - a feeling of fear spreading among a large number of people that some evil threatens the well-being of society. In this short book Zygmunt Bauman analyses the origins, contours and impact of this moral panic - he dissects, in short, the present-day migration panic. He shows how politicians have exploited fears and anxieties that have become widespread, especially among those who have already lost so much - the disinherited and the poor. But he argues that the policy of mutual separation, of building walls rather than bridges, is misguided. It may bring some short-term reassurance but it is doomed to fail in the long run. We are faced with a crisis of humanity, and the only exit from this crisis is to recognize our growing interdependence as a species and to find new ways to live together in solidarity and cooperation, amidst strangers who may hold opinions and preferences different from our own.