Mollie Hardwick

A fascinating insight into the shared characteristics of the world's greatest detective, Sherlock Holmes, and his illustrious creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Perfect for readers of Martin Booth, Andrew Norman, Christopher Sandford, and Andrew Lycett. From the moment he first appeared in 1887, Sherlock Holmes has captivated and enthralled readers across the globe. He is the best-known and arguably the most beloved of all fictional detectives - an iconic hero who continues to appeal to audiences to this very day. To understand the enduring legacy of Holmes, one must look to his creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, for the timeless qualities they shared. The close association and comparison of one with the other are made in intimate detail, exploring their family history and the extraordinarily active and eventful aspects of their real and fictional lives. Growing up, Doyle stood out for his unusual nature and talent. It was his father who encouraged him to develop his powers of observation and intellect for reasoning and deduction. These skills enabled both character and writer to become pioneers in criminology and methods of detection that changed the face of policing forever. With a strict moral code and a disregard for personal gain, both worked tirelessly to expose injustices perpetrated by law enforcers, including judges and the Home Office. Quoting evidence from official sources, family members, friends, colleagues, and his own publications, this book presents the many varied aspects of Doyle's compelling life - as a sportsman, literary giant, campaigner, soldier, medical practitioner, scientist, family man, intellectual, and innovator. 'the Hardwicks have done a beautiful job' - The New York Times

A topographical biography of Charles Dickens's England. Ideal for everyone interested in the places associated with the great Victorian novelist and his works. This book conducts the reader to every English scene and building connected by any significance with Dickens which is still to be seen today. Despite the numerous changes that have taken place since his death in 1870, many places Dickens knew personally and immortalized in his books still stand; and it is within the setting of these that the authors tell the story of his life - a biography in terms of place, showing how Dickens's keen observation and brilliant descriptive ability transmuted his memories of his homes, his schools, his lodgings, and the towns and villages he visited into the background of his novels and stories. Such was the enormous fame Dickens enjoyed in his lifetime, that any house he lived in, visited or wrote about was remembered for his sake. In Kent, his chosen county and cradle of his genius, the pride in him is strongest, the houses and scenes most abounding; but it is possible to follow him to many other parts of the country and to find something of him in unassuming hotels and seaside inns, lonely churches and stately homes, places that knew him and can help to bring him to life for us. Dickens's England is a fascinating topographical study concentrating on what is still to be seen, rather than what has disappeared, and offers both immediate interest and enduring value for fans of the great author.

A thrilling collection of sea mysteries from around the world Twenty-eight maritime stories told in a compelling style that combines first-rate storytelling with valuable insights. Perfect for fans of true-life mysteries. What happened to the crew of the Mary Celeste? How did a racehorse come to be found on an uninhabited island several miles out to sea? Is there really sunken treasure at Tobermory? Who did the hand discovered on a New Zealand beach belong to? All these and many more unexplained mysteries of the sea are presented in this fascinating collection of the strangest tales ever heard on the high seas. Authors Michael and Mollie Hardwick present a diversity of accounts covering every kind of maritime mystery, from olden times to the present day, set in all the oceans of the world. From sightings of sea serpents and phantom ships silently sailing the ocean waves, to the discovery of a skeleton-strewn ship missing for nearly a quarter of a century, many of the bizarre events recorded here continue to baffle experts today. Well-known cases include that of the Mary Celeste, discovered adrift and deserted in 1872, and the true-life disappearance of Britain's most famous frogman, Commander Crabb, in 1956. THE WORLD'S GREATEST SEA MYSTERIES is a must-read for everyone fascinated by the myths, legends and unsolved stories of the sea. So read on, if you dare...

An engrossing biography of Emma, Lady Hamilton, and her great love affair with Lord Nelson. Perfect for readers of Flora Fraser, Norah Lofts and Kate Williams. Emma Hamilton was one of the most celebrated women of the Georgian age. Yet her love affair with England's great naval hero, Horatio Nelson, scandalised a nation. But what was Emma really like? Who was the woman behind the myth, the legends, the gossip of so many of her contemporaries and her later detractors? In this outstanding biography Mollie Hardwick presents for the first time the full story of Emma with compassion and insight. She emerges as an amazing and remarkable person. From humble origins she rose to become one of the beauties of her age, a talented singer, a natural actress, the friend of aristocrats and politicians, the wife of a distinguished diplomat, the theme of poets and painters. She captivated almost everyone she encountered, yet her previous relationships paled in comparison with her passion for Lord Nelson, and his for her. Though both were married, they secretly carried on an affair that lasted until the day of Nelson's death, from which Emma never truly recovered. After his death she struggled for financial recognition and ultimately died in poverty, alone but for her daughter Horatia. Many of the letters quoted here have never been reproduced before and contribute valuable new evidence. Mollie Hardwick has travelled across Europe in the steps of her heroine and Emma is shown to the reader in a completely new light. Emma, Lady Hamilton reveals the woman behind the misrepresentation and reveals what drove this extraordinary woman through her tumultuous life. 'One of the best, well-researched books on Emma' - Emma Hamilton Society'thoroughly recommended' - Oliver Warner

TILL DEATH DO THEM PART . . . Doran Fairweather and her husband, ex-vicar Rodney Chelmarsh, are both secretly relieved when she decides to sublet a friend's London apartment for a while. Maybe the separation will put the spice back into their relationship. But the flat is depressing, her maid is strangely intimidating, and the flat's owner is horribly murdered beside the Thames. Then, in a pre-Tudor house with a curse upon it--owned by a wonderful man who might have stepped out of Shakespeare--Doran discovers another world. There, an unbroken connection with the past is so compelling that an oath of revenge sworn when Richard III ruled England still exerts its evil power . . . even over Doran's innocent loved ones deep in the peaceful English countryside. From the Paperback edition.