Bovine Espionage and Other Stories


Book Description

With 35 hilarious novels, short stories, anthologies and comics, TreeTops Chucklers has something for everyone. Guaranteed to make reading a pleasure!Fantastic award-winning authors, funny stories and amusing artwork to make children laughPerfect for convincing even the most reluctant readers that reading is funGreat way to extend your high achieversA variety of text types, including comics, perfect for engaging reluctant readers




Goldkeeper


Book Description

Sebastian is horrified when he is chosen by the High Priest to be the new apprentice at the Temple of Ora. The choice of Sebastian doesn't please Mr Meeno, the gangster chief, either, or his nephew Horace, who had expected to be chosen as apprentice himself. And when the High Priest goes into hiding, and Sebastian narrowly avoids several nasty accidents, it's plainly urgent that Sebastian and his pet rat Gerald find out just what is going on. Suggested level: Secondary.




Shantaram


Book Description

Based on his own extraordinary life, Gregory David Roberts’ Shantaram is a mesmerizing novel about a man on the run who becomes entangled within the underworld of contemporary Bombay—the basis for the Apple + TV series starring Charlie Hunnam. “It took me a long time and most of the world to learn what I know about love and fate and the choices we make, but the heart of it came to me in an instant, while I was chained to a wall and being tortured.” An escaped convict with a false passport, Lin flees maximum security prison in Australia for the teeming streets of Bombay, where he can disappear. Accompanied by his guide and faithful friend, Prabaker, the two enter the city’s hidden society of beggars and gangsters, prostitutes and holy men, soldiers and actors, and Indians and exiles from other countries, who seek in this remarkable place what they cannot find elsewhere. As a hunted man without a home, family, or identity, Lin searches for love and meaning while running a clinic in one of the city’s poorest slums, and serving his apprenticeship in the dark arts of the Bombay mafia. The search leads him to war, prison torture, murder, and a series of enigmatic and bloody betrayals. The keys to unlock the mysteries and intrigues that bind Lin are held by two people. The first is Khader Khan: mafia godfather, criminal-philosopher-saint, and mentor to Lin in the underworld of the Golden City. The second is Karla: elusive, dangerous, and beautiful, whose passions are driven by secrets that torment her and yet give her a terrible power. Burning slums and five-star hotels, romantic love and prison agonies, criminal wars and Bollywood films, spiritual gurus and mujaheddin guerrillas—this huge novel has the world of human experience in its reach, and a passionate love for India at its heart.




Beauty Queens


Book Description

From bestselling, Printz Award-winning author Libba Bray, the story of a plane of beauty pageant contestants that crashes on a desert island.Teen beauty queens. A "Lost"-like island. Mysteries and dangers. No access to emall. And the spirit of fierce, feral competition that lives underground in girls, a savage brutality that can only be revealed by a journey into the heart of non-exfoliated darkness. Oh, the horror, the horror! Only funnier. With evening gowns. And a body count.




Oxford Reading Tree TreeTops Chucklers: Level 18: Hysterical Historicals


Book Description

Join Julius Teaser in his amphitheatre, go on mad travels with Marco Pillow, and discover the secrets of flight, or maybe not, with the Wrong Brothers. This isn't like a normal history book because almost none of it is true! Chucklers is a collection of books that make reading a pleasure. The series is edited by award-winning author Jeremy Strong.




Oxford Reading Tree TreeTops Chucklers: Level 13: Transylvania United


Book Description

In this comic, Abi is gutted when she is sacked from her job as a football manager, but then she gets a call from a team of monsters who need her help. Can Abi lead them to a spooktacular victory in the cup final? Chucklers is a collection of books that make reading a pleasure. The series is edited by award-winning author Jeremy Strong.




Joe Country


Book Description

If Spook Street is where spies live, Joe Country is where they go to die. In Slough House, the London outpost for disgraced MI5 spies, memories are stirring, all of them bad. Catherine Standish is buying booze again, Louisa Guy is raking over the ashes of lost love, and new recruit Lech Wicinski, whose sins make him an outcast even among the slow horses, is determined to discover who destroyed his career, even if he tears his life apart in the process. Meanwhile, in Regent’s Park, Diana Taverner’s tenure as First Desk is running into difficulties. If she’s going to make the Service fit for purpose, she might have to make deals with a familiar old devil . . . And with winter taking its grip, Jackson Lamb would sooner be left brooding in peace, but even he can’t ignore the dried blood on his carpets. So when the man responsible for killing a slow horse breaks cover at last, Lamb sends the slow horses out to even the score.




Allelujah!


Book Description

- What were you in life?- In life, as you put it, I was a schoolmaster. The Beth, an old fashioned cradle-to-grave hospital serving a town on the edge of the Pennines, is threatened with closure as part of an NHS efficiency drive. As Dr Valentine and Sister Gilchrist attend to the patients, a documentary crew, eager to capture its fight for survival, follows the daily struggle to find beds on the Dusty Springfield Geriatric Ward. Meanwhile, the old people's choir, in readiness for next week's concert, is in full swing, augmented by the arrival of Mrs Maudsley, aka Pudsey Nightingale. Alan Bennett's Allelujah! opened at the Bridge Theatre, London, in July 2018. With an introduction by Alan Bennett.




SPY THRILLERS - Boxed Set


Book Description

The 'SPY THRILLERS - Boxed Set' represents a seminal collection that traverses the thrilling landscape of espionage and intrigue, brought alive by a diverse group of authors whose works are emblematic of the genres evolution. The anthology boasts a rich tapestry of narratives that range from the foundational tales of adventure and spy fiction to sophisticated stories of political intrigue and psychological drama. The selections showcase the breadth and depth of the spy thriller genre, highlighting its capability to reflect societal concerns and the complexity of geopolitical realities. Among these stories, readers will find pioneering works that have defined and expanded the boundaries of the spy thriller genre. The contributing authors, including giants like Arthur Conan Doyle and Joseph Conrad, each bring a unique voice and perspective to the anthology, enriching it with their distinct literary styles and backgrounds. Their collective works span the golden age of spy literature, aligning with and contributing to various cultural and literary movements of their times. The anthology serves not just as a collection of thrilling narratives but as a window into the historical and cultural contexts that shaped these stories, offering insights into the anxieties and aspirations of the periods in which they were written. 'Readers seeking to delve into the world of espionage and intrigue will find 'SPY THRILLERS - Boxed Set' an invaluable addition to their collection. This anthology not only provides an expansive overview of the genre but also invites readers to explore the interplay between different authors' approaches to spy fiction. It is an essential volume for those interested in understanding the evolution of spy thrillers and appreciating the nuanced perspectives that have contributed to its enduring appeal. The anthology promises not only to educate but to engross, offering a multifaceted experience through the lens of legendary authors whose stories have stood the test of time.




Elsie Venner


Book Description