A selection of stories featuring Australia's favourite PI, plus unpublished writing by Peter Corris on crime. For almost four decades Peter Corris was known as 'the godfather of Australian crime fiction', and Cliff Hardy has been Australia's favourite private investigator since he solved his first case in 1980. This selection of stories starts with Cliff's early days driving round Glebe in his battered Falcon, drinking at the Toxteth Hotel and taking on cases that more often than not leave him as battered as his car. As Cliff becomes older and wiser, he prefers to use his head more than his fists, but the cases are as tricky as ever and Hardy's clients lead him to the murkiest surroundings. To further celebrate Peter Corris's legacy, editor Jean Bedford has also included a selection of his columns on the world of crime and crime writing, along with his 'ABC of Crime Writing'. From Adultery to Yeti, via Gumshoe, Hit man and The Mob, this entertaining compendium gives a fascinating insight into Peter's vast knowledge of the genre. Peter Corris was the author of nearly ninety books between 1973 and 2017, forty-two of them featuring the legendary Cliff Hardy PI. Other fiction included the 'Creepy' Crawley and Browning series, along with his non-fiction books, including biographies of Fred Hollows and Ray Barrett, and A Round of Golf with Peter Corris.

In one bumper volume, two new Plant novels! Find Me My Enemies Is James Slater really a target of a security service operation against old radicals, or is he just paranoid? Or both? Is his performance artist partner part of the plot? Or his Valley of the Weed girlfriend? Cover Story ‘Someone’s trying to burn me down,’ Paige Turner publisher tells Plant. Or are they just setting fire to a stack of Illiberal Liberals? And how do Turner’s regular trips to India, Asia and the Middle East fit in, if at all? ‘Keep Plant coming.’ David Williamson ‘The Plant novels … are hybrids of satire and crime fiction, too funny to be called bleak, but concealing a complex seriousness of purpose.’ Kerryn Goldsworthy, The Age ‘Plant grows on you.’ Stephen Knight ‘A protagonist who surely will be back.’ Emma Young, Sydney Morning Herald ‘Plant investigates not the petty individual crimes like kidnapping, murder or extortion, but the big picture – the intellectual and political follies of the age … the unstable underpinning of modern industrialized society is laid bare. And made hilariously funny.’ Peter Corris

Beryl Bainbridge, Clive Barker, Terence Davies, and J. G. Farrell represent only a handful of the fascinating and provocative writers who have emerged from the Liverpool literary scene in the past seventy-five years. Published in commemoration of Liverpool’s 800th birthday in 2007 and in celebration of its status as a European City of Culture in 2008, Writing Liverpool presents a selection of essays and interviews with the filmmakers, journalists, cultural critics, and novelists who have called the city home—asking if there is a distinctive Liverpool voice, and if so, how we identify it.

Lose yourself in these three captivating wartime sagas. Includes; Shadows of the Past, Where There’s a Will and For Better For Worse. Shadows of the Past: Liverpool, 1928. Fifteen-year-old Annie Anderson was adopted by Sylvia and Hugh after the death of their daughter. Annie is told that her own mother died in childbirth and her father died before she was born. A chance encounter introduces Annie to local lad Andrew Fraser. Their friendship blossoms, but once Annie’s adoptive parents learn of it they forbid her from seeing him. When Annie asks why, it sets her on a path to discover more about her origins – but will what she learns bring heartache or joy? Where There’s a Will: Despite being part of the large O’Donnell family Milly has felt alone in the world since her father went missing in the Irish Civil War. Now, ten years later she is forced to flee her home and journey to Liverpool seeking a better future for herself. There she is taken in by distant relatives and eventually reunited with her paternal grandmother. As Milly tries to build a new life she is haunted by her father’s mysterious disappearance. Her new friends strive to help her find answers, but meanwhile Milly’s mother seeks to remarry on the assumption that her husband is dead. Milly is caught up in the fallout when her grandmother learns of this plan, and the need to find her father is greater than ever. If she doesn’t, her hard-won security risks being ruined once more... For Better For Worse: Grace and Dougie have been courting for years, so when Dougie decides to emigrate to Australia he expects Grace to follow once she turns twenty-one. Grace used to be besotted with the handsome man, but she is increasingly worried by his bullying behaviour and gambling. On her way home from seeing Dougie off at the docks, Grace is nearly run down by a truck driven by widower Ben, who is on his way to the hospital to see his young son. Soon, Grace has agreed to look after Ben’s child while he recovers from his accident. As they spend time together Ben struggles to ignore his growing feelings for Grace. But Dougie is determined not to let Grace go and when war breaks out he returns to England. With her old flame to contend with will Grace find peace and love? From Liverpool’s much-loved saga novelist come these tales of friendship, love and heartache perfect for fans of Kitty Neale and Katie Flynn. Praise for June Francis ‘June Francis knows how to write a story to get you hooked. A well deserved 5 STARS.’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘All the books were a delight to read. One of my favourite authors.’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A captivating storyline. I could not put it down and was reading into the small hours. Fantastic.’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Lots of characters to get to know. A must read.’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Know someone with an antwacky stem-winder? Heard the Band of Hope Street? Ever been on a vinegar trip? Do you jangle? Ever met a Cunard yank in the Dingle? Could you pay for a dodger with a joey? Have you heard a maccyowler in a jigger? The Liverpool English Dictionary records the rich vocabulary that has evolved over the past century and a half, as part of the complex, stratified, multi-faceted and changing culture of this singular city. With over 2,000 entries from 'Abbadabba' to 'Z-Cars', the roots/routes, meanings and histories of the words of Liverpool are presented in a concise, clear and accessible format. Born and bred in Liverpool, Professor Tony Crowley has spent over thirty years compiling this bold and innovative dictionary, investigating historical lexicons, sociological studies, works of history, local newspapers, popular cultural representations, and, most importantly, the extensive 'lost' literature of the city. Illuminating, often remarkable, and always enjoyable, this book transforms our understanding of the history of language in Liverpool.

‘Of the many anthologies coming out of university writing programs, the annual UTS collection has always been the standout.’ Kerryn Goldsworthy, The Sydney Morning Herald The UTS Writers’ Anthology is an annual publication produced by the University of Technology, Sydney. Students from the undergraduate, postgraduate and research programs submit their work anonymously, and a student editorial committee selects and edits the Anthology over a period of four months. In 2014, from over 300 submissions, the committee selected 31 outstanding pieces. Over the years the Anthology has featured UTS alumni who have gone on to make names for themselves as authors. Gillian Mears, Bernard Cohen, Jill Jones, MTC Cronin, David Astle and Arabella Edge, along with more recent emerging authors such as P.M. Newton, Clinton Caward, Julie Chevalier and Isabelle Li, have all had early or indeed their first publications here. In addition, the Anthology has been supported by forewords from leading writers such as James Bradley, Delia Falconer, Nam Le and Fiona McGregor — many of whom have been involved with the UTS creative writing program, and who have acknowledged the outstanding talent of its students. In 2014 the Anthology features a foreword by the acclaimed author of Burial Rites, Hannah Kent. The 28th UTS Writers’ Anthology, Sight Lines, is a not-to-be missed event on the Australian literary calendar.

Fowler: My Autobiography is a personal and honest account of a phenomenal life in football by goal-poacher Robbie Fowler. Pronounced as the greatest goal scoring talent since Jimmy Greaves, seventeen-year old Robbie Fowler was immediately catapulted to fame and fortune. The thin, baby-faced Toxteth lad, who had trampled the same streets as the rioters, was now a millionaire, an idol and inspiration to every kid who kicked a football. Yet his incredible potential was never quite realized. Injuries and persistent rumours of drug abuse and depression meant that though Fowler remains one of the most celebrated of Premiership stars, he never became the world-beater so many predicted. This is a fascinating and unbelievably frank insight into the beautiful game, taking us behind the closed doors of professional football to expose what really happens at both club and international level. This is a truthful and candid account of an incredible career, examining not just the records and the glory, but the low points and the miseries of a footballing life that many people now believe somewhere, somehow went wrong. Brilliance and controversy have stalked Robbie Fowler from his five goal performance in only his second full game for Liverpool, to his snorting of the touchline in the Merseyside derby. In this utterly compelling autobiography, Robbie Fowler looks back on what was, what wasn’t and what might have been. This is the story of one of the game’s true icons, and the story of the modern game itself.

This ebook edition contains the full text version as per the book. Doesn't include original photographic and illustrated material. OUR LIVERPOOL is an oral history about the real Liverpool - about the city before its slick transformation to European City of Culture and about the spirit that remains at its heart. Here, at last, is Liverpool's grievous and glorious past. And here, through the people's voices, we find old Liverpool, without the gift-wrap. Its stories pulsate with the rhythms of an alternately funny, flippant, belligerent, stubborn and warm heart, and they broadcast the values of a community, which are the city's true legacy to the modern world. Piers Dudgeon has listened to dozens of people who remember the city as it was, and who have lived through its many changes. They talk of childhood and education, of work and entertainment, of family, community values, health, politics, religion and music. Their stories will make you laugh and cry. It is people's own memories that make history real and this engrossing book captures them vividly.

The self styled William Topaz McGonagall of Welsh Poetry collects together in one volume his prodigious output so far with previously unseen 'Early Doors' poetry from the last Millennium. He's been at this game awhile. The launch of this volume is to coincide with the writer's birthday at 53 years of age on March 1st but you can get your sticky dib dabs on it early. Celebrate the alternative St David with a purchase of this humorous yet miserable book.