Richmal Crompton

Frost at Morning is the heartbreaking story of four young children who, deserted by their parents, have been sent off to a vicarage that takes in children as paying guests.There's Philip, a sensitive boy whose father has remarried and gained a more preferable stepson; anxious little Monica, with a mother spiralling towards alcoholism; adopted Geraldine, whose desperate desire be loved actively repels people; and beautiful, vain Angela, who is ignored by her eccentric novelist mother. Left to themselves they grow to depend on one another and, as they leave the vicarage and return to their fractured homes, it becomes clear that a bond has formed that will hold them forever. . .As the years pass, their adult lives connect and intertwine, and the damage inflicted by their childhoods creeps ever closer to the surface. Can they build themselves anew? Or will happiness elude them forever?An exquisitely written and poignant story, Richmal Crompton's Frost at Morning is a wonderful exploration of childhood and an evocative portrait of interwar Britain.

Weatherley Parade is the compelling saga of the lives and loves of the Weatherley family, spanning the years 1902 to 1940. The story begins with Arthur Weatherley returning – tired and broken – from the Boer War to his wife and three children, and closes with his grandchildren facing the Battle of Britain. In the years between are births and death, public triumphs and private tragedies, all wrought against a backdrop of British history. As the Weatherley’s lives are marked by infidelity, alcoholism, and scandal, Edwardian England fades into the First World War and the young men and women – damaged by war and caught in the wake of a rapidly changing society – strive for a future in the shadow of the rise of Nazi Germany . . .A sumptuous, multi-generational saga and immaculately rendered period piece, Weatherley Parade’s sprawling cast of children and eccentrics is full of all the charm and character of Just William.

When Julia Gideon is widowed during the Second World War with five children to look after, she is left to manage Westover House with insufficient means for its upkeep. Urged by her solicitor brother to downsize and turn the family home into flats, she reluctantly agrees. However, as her new tenants move in it soon becomes clear that the manor house cannot contain the fiery personalities that are now living under its roof . . .From the hard up Godfrey and his wife Cynthia, who must share a flat with his brother Hubert and the uncouth Trixie; to Julia’s elderly aunts, Letitia and Lucy, who aspire to very different lives in their old age; and the faux-French Mrs Pollock whose overbearing presence in her daughter Ann-Marie’s life is protective to the point of suffocation – life is anything but simple at Westover. As heated relationships simmer away and family feuds break through to the surface, Richmal Crompton’s Westover is a keenly observed study of what happens when domestic life doesn’t run so smoothly . . .

Frost at Morning is the heartbreaking story of four young children who, deserted by their parents, have been sent off to a vicarage that takes in children as paying guests.There's Philip, a sensitive boy whose father has remarried and gained a more preferable stepson; anxious little Monica, with a mother spiralling towards alcoholism; adopted Geraldine, whose desperate desire be loved actively repels people; and beautiful, vain Angela, who is ignored by her eccentric novelist mother. Left to themselves they grow to depend on one another and, as they leave the vicarage and return to their fractured homes, it becomes clear that a bond has formed that will hold them forever. . .As the years pass, their adult lives connect and intertwine, and the damage inflicted by their childhoods creeps ever closer to the surface. Can they build themselves anew? Or will happiness elude them forever?An exquisitely written and poignant story, Richmal Crompton's Frost at Morning is a wonderful exploration of childhood and an evocative portrait of interwar Britain.

Weatherley Parade is the compelling saga of the lives and loves of the Weatherley family, spanning the years 1902 to 1940. The story begins with Arthur Weatherley returning – tired and broken – from the Boer War to his wife and three children, and closes with his grandchildren facing the Battle of Britain. In the years between are births and death, public triumphs and private tragedies, all wrought against a backdrop of British history. As the Weatherley’s lives are marked by infidelity, alcoholism, and scandal, Edwardian England fades into the First World War and the young men and women – damaged by war and caught in the wake of a rapidly changing society – strive for a future in the shadow of the rise of Nazi Germany . . .A sumptuous, multi-generational saga and immaculately rendered period piece, Weatherley Parade’s sprawling cast of children and eccentrics is full of all the charm and character of Just William.

It is the summer of 1892 and fifteen-year-old Tilly Pound has come to Linden Rise – the holiday cottage of the genteel but dysfunctional Culverton family – to work as a housemaid. She starts as just another member of ‘the help’ but, as the years pass and the 19th century judders its unwieldy way into the 20th, this tough and resourceful young woman becomes an anchor in a fragmenting world.Mr and Mrs Culverton are trapped in a loveless marriage, rocked by his obvious infidelities and marked by her helplessness and fragility. Their children are raising themselves until Tilly arrives, and it remains to be seen whether her lively good sense can change their lives for the better . . . A beautifully written, razor-sharp saga that paints a vivid portrait of the fraught and nuanced relationships between parents and their children, Linden Rise is full of the charming child characters that Richmal Crompton always evokes so beautifully.

The quartet at the heart of this delightful novel are the four Gainsborough siblings: beautiful but vain Lorna, ultra-sensitive Adrian, nature-loving Laurence and thoughtful, strange little Jenifer. We join them in 1900 – four happy children at the heart of a loving family, idolizing their strikingly beautiful mother, shrinking from their emotionally damaged Aunt Lena and ill-tempered governess, Miss Marchant. As their world widens on the journey to adulthood – through the advent of the motor car, the horrors of the First World War, the trials and tribulations of unrequited love and unfulfilled dreams – they must fight to keep that happiness. But with Lorna compelled to make everyone love her, Adrian’s artistic genius crippled by over-sensitivity to criticism, and Laurence so intent on success in business that he forgets to really live, will Jenifer’s clear-sighted pragmatism be enough to save them?A beautiful exploration of love and family, Quartet has a vivid cast of characters worthy of Elizabeth Gaskell and paints a wonderful, affectionate portrait of childhood to rival Richmal Crompton’s Just William.

Felicity – Stands By is a delightful, charming set of short stories by Richmal Crompton, following the adventures (and misadventures) of a young woman, Miss Norma Felicity Montague Harborough. Having finished school, Felicity returns to the family seat to live with her grandfather Sir Digby, sufferer of the infamous Harborough gout and the Harborough temper. Always well-meaning and often hapless, Felicity sets about to organize and matchmaker those around her: including rescuing her friend Sheila from the affections (and affectations) of local poet Marmaduke Eltham; joining travelling band ‘The Oranges’; and saving some rather important political papers from the clutches of a thief. Her escapades are a series of witty, warm and entertaining vignettes, sure to enchant anyone who loved the bestselling Just William series.

When Julia Gideon is widowed during the Second World War with five children to look after, she is left to manage Westover House with insufficient means for its upkeep. Urged by her solicitor brother to downsize and turn the family home into flats, she reluctantly agrees. However, as her new tenants move in it soon becomes clear that the manor house cannot contain the fiery personalities that are now living under its roof . . .From the hard up Godfrey and his wife Cynthia, who must share a flat with his brother Hubert and the uncouth Trixie; to Julia’s elderly aunts, Letitia and Lucy, who aspire to very different lives in their old age; and the faux-French Mrs Pollock whose overbearing presence in her daughter Ann-Marie’s life is protective to the point of suffocation – life is anything but simple at Westover. As heated relationships simmer away and family feuds break through to the surface, Richmal Crompton’s Westover is a keenly observed study of what happens when domestic life doesn’t run so smoothly . . .

Felicity – Stands By is a delightful, charming set of short stories by Richmal Crompton, following the adventures (and misadventures) of a young woman, Miss Norma Felicity Montague Harborough. Having finished school, Felicity returns to the family seat to live with her grandfather Sir Digby, sufferer of the infamous Harborough gout and the Harborough temper. Always well-meaning and often hapless, Felicity sets about to organize and matchmaker those around her: including rescuing her friend Sheila from the affections (and affectations) of local poet Marmaduke Eltham; joining travelling band ‘The Oranges’; and saving some rather important political papers from the clutches of a thief. Her escapades are a series of witty, warm and entertaining vignettes, sure to enchant anyone who loved the bestselling Just William series.

Everyone's favourite troublemaker is back in Richmal Crompton's William the Bad – with a fun and contemporary cover illustrated by Chris Garbutt and an introduction by writer Anne Fine.William doesn't understand why he's not invited to Robert and Ethel's fancy-dress party – what could possibly go wrong? Desperate for an invite, his search for the perfect costume causes mayhem. Somehow nothing ever goes to plan when William the Bad is around!There is only one William. This tousle-headed, snub-nosed, hearty, lovable imp of mischief has been harassing his unfortunate family and delighting his admirers since 1922.Enjoy more of William's adventures in William's Happy Days and William Again.

Everyone's favourite troublemaker, William Brown, is back in Richmal Crompton's William's Happy Days, a hilarious collection of classic Just William stories – with a contemporary cover illustrated by Steven Lenton and an introduction by Outnumbered actor Daniel Roche.When William's mother offers him a birthday party, he is suspicious – what's the catch? Convinced that he will have to do something boring in exchange, William refuses to be caught out. But offers of food, a pet, even hidden treasure are very hard to refuse . . .This tousle-headed, snub-nosed, hearty, lovable imp of mischief has been harassing his unfortunate family and delighting his admirers since 1922.Enjoy more of William's adventures in Still William and William Again.

Everyone's favourite troublemaker is back!William is up to his old tricks in Richmal Crompton's William the Good, a hilarious collection of stories with a gorgeous cover illustrated by the award-winning Liz Pichon and an introduction by author Kate Atkinson.Clarence Bergson is such a pain. He's always getting in the way of William's ideas and games. When Clarence starts to make friends with the lovely Miss Holding, he has gone too far – it's time for William to take action. Being good has suddenly become very difficult!There is only one William. This tousle-headed, snub-nosed, hearty, lovable imp of mischief has been harassing his unfortunate family and delighting his hundreds of thousands of admirers since 1922.Enjoy more of William's adventures in William the Bad and William's Happy Days.

Everyone's favourite troublemaker is still up to mischief!William's natural desire to do the right thing leads him into serious trouble, as usual, and when blackmail and kidnapping are involved, it's no surprise. Even when he turns over a new leaf, the consequences are dire. But it's his new neighbour, Violet Elizabeth Bott, who really causes chaos – and no one will believe that it's not William's fault . . .Richmal Crompton's Still William is a collection of fourteen brilliant Just William stories with an introduction by Sir Tony Robinson, appealing contemporary cover art by Chris Judge, along with the original inside illustrations by Thomas Henry.There is only one William. This tousle-headed, snub-nosed, hearty, lovable imp of mischief has been harassing his unfortunate family and delighting his hundreds of thousands of admirers since 1922.Enjoy more of William's adventures in William the Conqueror and William in Trouble.

Everyone's favourite troublemaker is back causing mayhem!William has a habit of being where he shouldn't be. But the village girls' school is the last place where he's likely to be making mischief . . . isn't it?In William in Trouble by Richmal Crompton, William Brown is back in a collection of fourteen Just William stories with an introduction by TV presenter Richard Madeley, appealing contemporary cover art by Alex T. Smith, along with the original inside illustrations by Thomas Henry.There is only one William. This tousle-headed, snub-nosed, hearty, lovable imp of mischief has been harassing his unfortunate family and delighting his hundreds of thousands of admirers since 1922.Enjoy more of William's adventures in William the Outlaw and William the Good.

Mischief and mayhem abound as the lovable imp William returns in this classic collection of short stories.William is always in trouble, but sometimes it really isn't his fault. It was Ginger who showed him the book about Robin Hood, and it was Violet Elizabeth Bott's idea to steal from the rich and give to the poor. Unfortunately the only rich person they know is Violet's father, so William's latest plan to right the world's wrongs is sure to lead to catastrophe. . .Richmal Crompton's William the Conqueror is a collection of thirteen brilliant Just William stories with an introduction by actor and comedian Charlie Higson, appealing contemporary cover art by Joe Berger, along with the original inside illustrations by Thomas Henry.There is only one William. This tousle-headed, snub-nosed, hearty, lovable imp of mischief has been harassing his unfortunate family and delighting his hundreds of thousands of admirers since 1922.Enjoy more of William's adventures in William in Trouble and William the Outlaw.

Richmal Crompton's adult novels are an absolute delight and every bit as charming as her beloved Just William series. The Old Man's Birthday is both a nostalgic treat for fans of the gentler brand of interwar fiction, and a dry satire of British village life. Matthew Rowston is turning ninety-five. A lovable rogue approaching his dotage, he has very little time for the high moral standards and rigid ideas of propriety espoused by his spinster daughter. Things get interesting when he invites his estranged son, the bright and lively Stephen, and his beautiful partner to his celebratory dinner. Over the course of the day, Matthew walks around the village, introducing the pair to his large and varied clan, from the aging Jolly-hockey sticks granddaughter who is considering a torrid affair of her own, to his elderly bookish bachelor son and the lovely great-granddaughter struggling to find her place in the world, doomed to work as a clerk in her dull and dismal father's firm. Teeming beneath the calm surface of village and family life, lies a whole world of secrets and desires, hopes and dreams. Mrs Dalloway with a dash of dry humour, Mapp and Lucia with a slightly melancholy tone, this is the perfect heritage read for fans of 1930s fiction at its best.

When Viola learned of her husband Humphrey's affair, it seemed obvious that she must divorce him so he could be with the woman soon to bear him a child, but now she must deal with her highly-strung and sensitive son Hilary and her sister Frances' sudden move to London alone, without Humphrey's steadying presence. And while Humphrey tries to deal with the fact that his romantic choices have ended his marriage, his family is also living through numerous personal upheavals. His twin aunts Harriet and Hester are heading for a breakdown, with Harriet looking after all aspects of her sister's life while Hester is desperate for something to call her own, and Aggie, Humphrey's mild-mannered and absent minded sister-in-law, is a widowed mother to three children she doesn't understand: Joey, hateful of his office job and eager for the freedom of farm work; solid, quiet Monica who spends her days not at Oxford reading and studying, and Elaine, desperate to leave Reddington behind and have control of her own life.Humphrey's sister Doreen and her daughter Bridget have a fraught relationship, with Bridget torn between her mother's desire for her to make a marriage that will increase their social standing and the affection she feels towards her best friend's brother, Terry.Will this family ever manage to find happiness and equilibrium? Journeying Wave by Richmal Crompton explores the changes sparked by Viola and Humphrey's divorce, letting us into the inner thoughts, feelings and dreams of an extended family. We visit numerous points of view, revealing just how rich and varied our internal lives truly are - and how there are many paths to happiness.

When Viola learned of her husband Humphrey's affair, it seemed obvious that she must divorce him so he could be with the woman soon to bear him a child, but now she must deal with her highly-strung and sensitive son Hilary and her sister Frances' sudden move to London alone, without Humphrey's steadying presence. And while Humphrey tries to deal with the fact that his romantic choices have ended his marriage, his family is also living through numerous personal upheavals. His twin aunts Harriet and Hester are heading for a breakdown, with Harriet looking after all aspects of her sister's life while Hester is desperate for something to call her own, and Aggie, Humphrey's mild-mannered and absent minded sister-in-law, is a widowed mother to three children she doesn't understand: Joey, hateful of his office job and eager for the freedom of farm work; solid, quiet Monica who spends her days not at Oxford reading and studying, and Elaine, desperate to leave Reddington behind and have control of her own life.Humphrey's sister Doreen and her daughter Bridget have a fraught relationship, with Bridget torn between her mother's desire for her to make a marriage that will increase their social standing and the affection she feels towards her best friend's brother, Terry.Will this family ever manage to find happiness and equilibrium? Journeying Wave by Richmal Crompton explores the changes sparked by Viola and Humphrey's divorce, letting us into the inner thoughts, feelings and dreams of an extended family. We visit numerous points of view, revealing just how rich and varied our internal lives truly are – and how there are many paths to happiness.