Corvus – The Bell Bookshop

Scandal of the Summer

Emma — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

'An incandescent gem of a book' – Rachel Lynn Solomon 'This is one summer romance read not to be missed!' – Emily Rath 'Vasti has solidified herself as an absolute star!' – Danica Nava ———- As sparks fly, deceptions run wild… Lady Ruby Ballimore has had enough of the Marriage Mart. After offending yet another Marquess, Ruby flees London for the holiday house of a glamorous yet absent princess. Armed with a forged invitation and her like-minded friends, Ruby arrives in Cornwall expecting a summer of freedom. Instead, she's greeted by a derelict mansion and the most suspiciously charming man she's ever met. Rakish privateer turned con artist Captain Malcolm Archer has dragged his misfit crew into posing as staff at the princess's estate. It's the perfect cover for Archer's smuggling scheme (not to mention free rent). That is, until a feisty London heiress crashes the party. In this Great Cornish Fake Off, the only thing riskier than telling the truth is falling in love… ———- Praise for Alexandra Vasti 'Vasti has a gift for mixing mayhem and genuine emotion' – Oprah Daily 'Superbly written and sensationally funny' – India Holton 'Forever in awe of Alexandra Vasti's talent' – Sarah Adler Readers LOVE Scandal of the Summer 'A perfect read' ***** 'Top tier yearner' ***** 'A joyous historical romance' ***** 'Delightful hijinks, stolen kisses, fraudulent endeavours' ***** 'Perfect amount of spice' ***** 'Full of heart' *****

The Light a Candle Society

Emma — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

‘LIFE-AFFIRMING AND FULL OF LOVE’ Celia Anderson’WARM, COMPASSIONATE, WITTY’ Mike Gayle’MAGICAL . . . UPLIFTING’ Anton Du BekeA TOP TEN KINDLE BESTSELLER ABOUT THE POWER OF KINDNESS.George McGlory is showing off his new shirt to his wife, Audrey. It’s got bright-orange parrots on, but he knows she won’t say anything. He’s talking to the headstone at her grave. Audrey passed away two years ago, and George is still muddling through.Across the cemetery he sees a lonely coffin with only council pallbearers in attendance. Mrs Kathleen Hooley was eighty-nine and she died safe and warm in her own bed, but had no friends or family to organise a funeral – or even send flowers.Even through his own grief, George is deeply touched by Kathleen’s lonely funeral. No one should be sent out of this world alone, surely?Not on George’s watch. With the help of his friends, he creates The Light a Candle Society, to make sure no one is forgotten. It might just remind him that there’s still light in his life, too . . .An uplifting story of how compassion, kindness and care – even for strangers – can shine a light in the darkest of times, perfect for fans of Mike Gayle, Ruth Jones, Jennie Godfrey or Graham Norton.Praise for Ruth Hogan:’Told with wit and heart’ BETH MORREY’Every page is a joy’ PIP WILLIAMS’Delightfully uplifting’ WOMAN’S OWN’Full of hope’ PRIMAReaders love Ruth Hogan’s uplifting and heartfelt The Light a Candle Society:’Wow . . . this book is so emotional, uplifting and powerful’ Reader review, 5 stars’The story just grips you. Read it.’ Reader review, 5 stars’Such a powerful read. It will stay with me forever’ Reader review, 5 stars’A poignant, heartwarming story’ Reader review, 5 stars

Scenes From a Tragedy

Emma — Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

‘COMPULSIVE AS HELL’ ABIGAIL DEANIf you hurt me, I’ll hurt you. Not right away of course, because where’s the fun in that?When journalist Carly Atherton decides to investigate Daniel Taylor, the pilot of a mysteriously crashed plane, the only family member who will speak to her is his sister.Glamorous and self-assured, Izzy Taylor is happy to fill Carly in on Daniel’s family history and the events leading up to the crash. She even starts to give Carly career advice.But when Daniel’s widow finally agrees to an interview, everything Izzy has said is called into question, and Carly realizes she has been drawn into a story far darker than she could possibly have imagined…’MASTERFUL’ JANICE HALLETT’EXTRAORDINARY’ JENNIE GODFREYReaders love SCENES FROM A TRAGEDY’Simply loved this book. Absolutely chilling’ *****’Totally immersive. I couldn’t put it down’ *****’Masterfully crafted’ *****’An absolute belter of a book!’ *****’This is a work of genius’*****

The Mischief Makers

Emma — Thu, 07 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

‘AS COMPELLING AS ANY OF DU MAURIER’S OWN WORKS’ SUNDAY TIMESShe wrote her stories in his shadow. Now Daphne’s past is catching up with her…In a beautiful house in the wilds of Cornwall, Daphne du Maurier is on the brink of a nervous breakdown. Tangled in a self-destructive love affair that threatens to unravel her marriage, she is also distracted by worry for the family friend whose shadow looms over her childhood: J. M. Barrie, author of Peter Pan.Daphne tries to escape into writing her new book, but the line between fiction and reality blurs dangerously when her own characters start manifesting before her eyes – in particular a woman called Rebecca who looks suspiciously like her husband’s alluring ex-girlfriend.Daphne must confront the dark truth that lurks beneath the fantasy of Peter Pan and the secret life that has plagued her since she found fame. Unless she can solve these mysteries and reckon with who she truly is as an artist, her next great work may be lost to history . . .’Fascinating’ Elizabeth Buchan’Elegant and immersive’ Essie Fox’Glorious’ Jane Johnson

One Summer in Provence

Emma — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

‘SUPERB – I LOVED IT!’ MIRIAM MARGOLYES’SHINES WITH ALL THE COLOURS AND TEXTURES OF PROVENCE’ KATE MOSSE’SIMPLY DELICIOUS’ JOANNE HARRISA season of secrets…Celia Grey appears to have the perfect life: married to Dominic, the man of her dreams, and living on a glorious, thriving vineyard in the south of France. To celebrate their good fortune, she decides to throw a huge party. When she is contacted by a stranger who claims to be her long-lost son, David, the newborn she gave up at twenty and has never spoken of since, Celia impulsively invites him for the weekend of celebrations – without mentioning it to her husband.Despite his surprise, Dominic graciously welcomes David and his unexpected companion – but secretly he harbours doubts. Is David really Celia’s son? And who is the mysterious young woman travelling with him? Only Celia can decide how far she will go to hold everything together, to keep her perfect life from unravelling…One Summer in Provence is a story of betrayal and belonging, and of discovering love in unexpected places.Praise for Carol Drinkwater:’Like taking an amazing holiday in book form’ Jenny Colgan’You can almost smell the sun-baked countryside’ Bella

The Light a Candle Society

Emma — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

‘LIFE-AFFIRMING AND FULL OF LOVE’ CELIA ANDERSON’WARM, COMPASSIONATE, WITTY’ MIKE GAYLEEvery flame tells a story…George McGlory has been struggling since the death of his beloved wife, Audrey. But when he witnesses a public health funeral – with no flowers and no mourners – he is inspired to create The Light a Candle Society.As George and his friends join together to celebrate forgotten lives, their care, compassion, humour and friendship become gifts not only to the people they are remembering, but to each other. And the kindness of strangers gives them strength to confront the secrets of their own histories, forging joyful and unexpected new connections…Praise for Ruth Hogan:’Magical … uplifting ‘ ANTON DU BEKE’Told with wit and heart’ BETH MORREY’Every page is a joy’ PIP WILLIAMS’Delightfully uplifting’ WOMAN’S OWN’Full of hope’ PRIMA

Bonjour, Sophie

Emma — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

‘Vividly conjures the excitement of Paris’ RUTH HOGAN, bestselling author of THE KEEPER OF LOST THINGS’Beguiling’ The TimesCan she escape the darkness of her past in the City of Light?It’s 1959 and time for eighteen-year-old Sophie’s real life to start. Her existence in the village of Poynsdean, Sussex, with her austere foster-father and his frustrated wife is suffocating. She dreams of escape to Paris, the wartime home her French mother fled before her birth. Getting there will take spirit and ingenuity, but it will be her chance to uncover the mystery of her family background, and, perhaps, to find a place where she can finally belong.When Sophie eventually arrives in the Paris arising from the ashes of the war, it’s both everything she imagined, and not at all what she expected…’Original, page turning, wonderful. I loved it.’ KATIE FFORDE’A delightful, funny, poignant story suffused with the atmosphere of Paris on the cusp of the Sixties’ RACHEL HORE

The Phoenix Ballroom

Emma — Thu, 13 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

THE BRAND NEW UPLIFTING NOVEL FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE TWO-MILLION COPY BESTSELLER THE KEEPER OF LOST THINGS’Magical … uplifting … the Phoenix Ballroom feels like an old friend’ ANTON DU BEKE’A rich and joyful story, told with wit and heart’ BETH MORREY’Every page is a joy’ PIP WILLIAMSITS NEVER TOO LATE TO SPREAD YOUR WINGS…Recently widowed Venetia Hamilton Hargreaves is left with a huge house, a bank balance to match and an uneasy feeling that she’s been sleepwalking through the last fifty years.Buying the dilapidated Phoenix Ballroom and with it a community drop-in centre could be seen as reckless, but Venetia’s generosity, courage and kindness provide a refuge for an array of damaged and lonely people.As their stories intertwine, long-buried secrets are revealed, missed opportunities seized and lives renewed – the Phoenix lives up to its name.’Will enthral and delight everyone who reads it’ MIKE GAYLE’Packed with Ruth Hogan’s trademark warmth’ MATT CAIN

Displeasure Island

Emma — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

‘Warm, smart and laugh-out-loud funny’ Andrea Mara’Delightful’ Stuart Turton’Alice Bell writes with real verve’ Janice HallettGroup holidays are always murder…An unfinished wellness retreat was not Claire’s first choice of holiday destination, but it turns out that amateur murder investigation pays even less well than professional mediumship.So Claire, her oldest friend Sophie (a 17-year-old ghost) and their new friends, Basher and Alex, head for Spike Island (off the coast of Ireland) for some R&R. But when one of the other guests turns up dead, Claire finds herself the chief suspect. Can she solve the murder, clear her name and escape the group holiday from hell before it becomes permanent incarceration?