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Chilling, thrilling and sexy teenage novel from a best-selling author.

In the summer of 1976, on holiday in South Wales, fifteen-year-old Richard is shocked and fascinated to meet the tenants of the historic Wish House. Jay Dalton is a well-known artist, and his large, bohemian family - casually stripping naked on the beach, smoking dope, ignoring convention - seem astonishingly glamorous. Richard falls under the spell of beautiful, free-spirited Clio, Jay's daughter. She seduces him in a secret forest grotto, where they spend idyllic days playing out her favourite Celtic myths of brave grail knights and powerful enchantresses. But why does Jay paint so many nudes of Clio? Why is he obsessed with the need to paint Richard? Why does his wife grow poisonous plants in her Witch's Garden? The Daltons' dark secrets draw Richard into a world of disturbing relationships, where he discovers, too late, that his innocent arrival at the Wish House was no accident . . . Review: I read this in one sitting, having chosen it from the pile that arrived that morning - this is the stuff teenaged boys dream about happening to them, and it's handled sensitively and with flair. It's a kind of literary version of Mussourgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition - captivating, erotic - oh, how I wish this title had been around when I was an adolescent!

ELIZABETH LAIRD ~ SECRETS OF THE FEARLESS: A storming high-seas adventure from a prizewinning author. When twelve-year-old John Barr is forced to join the navy his life takes a dangerous turn. As he trains to become a powder monkey on board the mighty HMS Fearless, he soon learns that the ship hides many secrets. Thrust into a sinister world of spies and covert operations, John must go ashore accompanied by fellow shipmate Kit. But when their mission goes awry, the friends are abandoned and watch from the shore as the Fearless sail away. Can they now survive behind enemy lines? Review: One of the best children's adventure stories this year. Reminiscent of Treasure Island, but owing perhaps slightly more to Dennis Wheatley's Roger Brook series and not a little Hornblower, this is a brilliant foray into the realms of the Napoleonic Wars with pinpoint historical accuracy and a great cast of characters. First class entertainment.

JANE GLOVER ~ MOZART'S WOMEN: A major new biography of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, told through the prism of the women in his life.Mozart was fascinated, amused, aroused, hurt, and betrayed by women. He loved and respected them, composed for them, performed with them. This unique biography looks at his interaction with each, starting with his family (his mother, Maria Anna and beloved and talented sister, Nannerl), and his marriage (which brought his 'other family', the Weber sisters). His relationships with his artists are examined, in particular those of his operas, through whose characters Mozart gave voice to the emotions of women who were, like his entire female acquaintance, restrained by the conventions and structures of eighteenth-century society. This is their story as well as his -- and shows once again that a great part of the composer’s genius was in his understanding and musical expression of human nature. Evocative and beautifully written, Mozart’s Women illuminates the music, the man, and above all the women who inspired him.

'Jane Glover has pulled off a coup des livres with her fresh take on Mozart's life and work’ Sunday Telegraph

‘Readable, informative and moving…Her passion for the music shines through this touching, vividly told story' Sunday Times

The dazzling sequel to Odinn's Child and Sworn Brother - here is the triumphant conclusion to this epic Viking adventure

Constantinople, 1035: Thorgils has become a member of the Varangian lifeguard and witnesses the glories of the richest city on earth but also the murderous ways of the imperial family. Under the leadership of warrior chief Harald Sigurdsson he is set up as the unwitting bait in a deadly ambush to destroy Arab pirates harassing the Byzantine shipping lanes in the Mediterranean.

When Harald eventually ascends the throne of Norway, his liegeman Thorgils is despatched on a secret mission to Duke William of Normandy with a plan to coordinate the twin invasions of England. On 20 September 1066 Harald’s fleet of three hundred ships sails up the Ouse, confident of success, but a prophetic dream warns Thorgils that Duke William has duped his allies and the Norsemen are heading for disaster at Stamford Bridge. Thorgils embarks upon a race against time to reach and warn his liege lord before the battle begins. But will Odinn’s devout follower really be able to anticipate what fate has decreed and save the heritage of his Viking ancestors?

An inspirational and extraordinary memoir by one of the world's most popular performers.

From the international star of Riverdance, Lord of the Danceand, now, Celtic Tiger, comes a no-holds-barred autobiography that reveals the person, the passion and the drama behind Michael Flatley's astonishing career. Michael describes growing up as the son of Irish immigrants in a tough Chicago neighbourhood and the many years he struggled to make real his dream of becoming a professional Irish dancer. He was in his mid-thirties when he was asked to create Riverdance for the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest, bursting onto our television screens with a dazzling dance sequence. Just as his dreams were being realised, Michael was shattered when he and Riverdance parted company. Now Michael explains whas really happened backstage and describes how he went on to create the enormously successful Lord of the Dance.

Michael also deals openly with the controversies that have surrounded his success, such as the 2003 rape charge, his turbulent love life and the illness and injuries that have threatened his career. Filled with commentary from family, friends and colleagues and brimming with Michael's Irish charm and good humour, this book is the very personal story of a man who has lived life to the fullest according to his own credo: nothing is impossible.

JON GEORGE: ZOOTSUIT BLACK Two men are forced to fight for humanity’s future in savage contests that unfold in our real and mythical pasts. The world is panicking as, in seven days time, millions will ‘disappear’ when our universe causes changes to reality. Dr Jake Crux has proof that we must reacquaint ourselves with old powers – his experiment demonstrates extrasensory perception is possible; but his superiors intend to pervert the result. Scott Anderson is convinced the Far Right is jeopardising our chances of survival – his participation in a cult reality show exposes him directly to their mortal threats. Meanwhile both men are periodically thrust into dealing with adversity in temporary dimensions: one battles mythical dragons; the other fights Nazis in World War II. And they call this evolution?

Kinsey is back . . . SUE GRAFTON ~ S IS FOR SILENCE: The nineteenth novel in Sue Grafton's ever popular 'alphabet' series featuring PI Kinsey Millhone.

Just after Independence Day in July 1953 Violet Sullivan, a local good time girl living in Serena Station Southern California, drives off in her brand new Chevy and is never seen again. Left behind is her young daughter, Daisy, and Violet's impetuous husband, Foley, who had been persuaded to buy his errant wife the car only days before . . .

Now, thirty-five years later, Daisy wants closure.  Reluctant to open such an old cold case Kinsey Millhone agrees to spend five days investigating, believing at first that Violet simply moved on to pastures new. But very soon it becomes clear that a lot of people shared a past with Violet, a past that some are still desperate to keep hidden. And in a town as close-knit as Serena there aren't many places to hide when things turn vicious . . .

HAKAN NESSER ~ BORKMANN'S POINT: The first gripping detective novel from the internationally acclaimed Swedish author Håkan Nesser

Borkmann’s rule was hardly a rule; in fact, it was more of a comment, a landmark for tricky cases . . .

In every investigation, he maintained, there comes a point beyond which we don’t really need any more information. When we reach that point, we already know enough to solve the case by means of nothing more than some decent thinking. In his memoirs, Borkmann went so far as to claim that it was precisely this ability, or the lack of it, which distinguishes a good detective from a bad one.

A wealthy real-estate mogul is brutally murdered with an axe in the quiet coastal town of Kaalbringen, apparently the second victim of a serial killer. Chief Inspector van Veeteren, bored of his holiday nearby, is summoned to assist the local authorities. But as the investigation proceeds there seems to be nothing to link the mogul with the first victim, a seedy ex-con. Another body is discovered, again with no apparent connection to the others, and the pressure mounts. The local police chief, just days away from retirement, is determined to wrap things up before he goes. Then there’s a fourth murder, and a brilliant young female detective goes missing – perhaps she has reached Borkmann’s Point before anyone else . . . This riveting novel, full of fascinating, quirky characters and vivid settings, introduces the chess-playing Inspector van Veeteren – a detective already beloved by his European readership – and marks the UK debut of Håkan Nesser, a chilling new voice in crime fiction. 'On this showing, Inspector Van Veeteren seems destined for a place amongst the great European detectives' Colin Dexter, creator of Inspector Morse

A major new history of one of the greatest and most epic mysteries: the strange death of the Roman Empire

For half a millennium the empire of Rome stretched from Hadrian’s Wall to the river Euphrates, a massive fortified state founded on military might and the pillars of civilization - writing, the city, and the rule of law. But beyond these frontiers lay other lands, the lands of seemingly anarchic warrior tribes, the land of the Barbarians. The opening scenes of 'Gladiator' are based on the victories of Marcus Aurelius over one such tribe, the Marcommani. Two hundred years later the Romans still seemed invincible, routing 30,000 Alamanii at the battle of Strasbourg. However, within a generation, the foundations of this order were shaken to their core, and Roman armies, as one contemporary put it, 'vanished like shadows'.

What had happened? Covering the last 100 years of Empire, a period full of great battles, treachery, and characters as wild as Attila the Hun, Peter Heather shows how the Empire gave way before the relentless and deliberate onslaught of the Huns, Goths and Vandals. These tribes, originating in Eastern Europe, finally conquered large tracts of the old Empire, sacking Rome itself and defeating Roman armies on land and sea.

The stunning second volume of The Crowthistle Chronicles, which continues the sparkling fantasy adventure through the magic world of Tir

After Jewel and Eoin have fled from their native Slievmordhu to the kingdom of Narngalis, they encounter many dangerous situations which ultimately leave Eoin in the hands of the deadly unseelie wights. With nowhere else to go Jewel finds refuge amongst the plateau-dwellers at High Darioneth. Teeming with siofra, trows and other eldritch wights their land is under the tight rule of the weathermasters and Storm Lord Avalloc, who have the power to tame and summon the winds . . . When Jewel learns that the legendary Dome of Strang is no longer guarded, she decides to continue her journey to Orielthir to unravel the mystery of the hidden stronghold and with it the truth about her father's legacy. Her discoveries lead her on further quests, accompanied by a handsome young weathermaster who has secretly fallen in love with Jewel. Together they encounter marvels and misfortunes and discover that the key to all their riddles ultimately lies with the extraordinary Well of Tears . . .

The chilling new Detective Superintendent Roy Grace mystery by one of Britain's master crime writers

Tom Bryce did what any decent person would do. But within hours of picking up the CD that had been left behind on the train seat next him, and attempting to return it to its owner, he is the sole witness to a vicious murder. Then his young family are threatened with their lives if he goes to the police. But supported by his wife, Kellie, he bravely makes a statement, to the murder enquiry team headed by Detective Superintendent Roy Grace, a man with demons of his own - including his missing wife - to contend with. And from that moment, the killing of the Bryce family becomes a mere formality - and a grisly attraction. Kellie and Tom's deaths have already been posted on the internet. You can log on and see them on a website. They are looking good dead.

Acclaim for Dead Simple: 'Destined for the bestsellers' Independent on Sunday

'A terrific tale of greed, seduction and betrayal' Daily Telegraph

A sparkling and mind-blowing space adventure by one of Britain's most promising and talented new SF writers

In the far-distant future a flooded and shattered Earth is governed by the iron hand of the Martian Matriarchy. Martian warrior Dreams-of-War is not pleased to be dispatched to Earth to guard a young girl called Lunae from an unknown threat. The clone of an extraordinary heritage, Lunae ages with unnatural speed and has the special talent of being able to alter time.

Having arrived at the half-ruined city of Fragrant Harbour where Lunae lives with her malignant grandmothers and a member of the genetically modified race known as the kappa, Dreams-of-War encounters a host of intrigues centring on the sinister presence of an alien mission station nearby. When her protégé is nearly assassinated, the Martian warrior is forced to flee with Lunae to the flooded northern islands of what was once Japan. But then the child and the kappa go missing en route, leaving Dreams-of-War determined to return to the plains of Mars in order to discover the truth about Martian rule over Earth, and the nature of the intrigues behind it…

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Gateway is published by Paul Edmund Norman on the first day of each month. Hosting is by Flying Porcupine at www.flyingporcupine.com - and web design by Gateway. Submitting to Gateway: Basically, all you need do is e-mail it along and I'll consider it - it can be any length, if it's very long I'll serialise it, if it's medium-length I'll put it in as a novella, if it's a short story or a feature article it will go in as it comes. Payment is zero, I'm afraid, as I don't make any money from Gateway, I do it all for fun! For Advertising rates in Gateway please contact me at Should you be kind enough to want to send me books to review, please contact me by e-mail and I will gladly forward you my home address. Meanwhile, here's how to contact me: Gateway banner created by and © Paul Edmund Norman

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