Bleak House

A beautifully crafted tale of crime, mystery and suspense. The grimy fog rolls over London as three young adults step into their new lives. They encounter a gamut of remarkable characters, from the irritating leech Mr Skimpole to the gallant soldier Mr George, whilst at the heart of the tale lies a lengthy labyrinthine court case which embroils many in its bitter grasp. Meanwhile the insidious lawyer Mr Tulkinghorn is prying into the mysterious letters of a man who styled himself ‘Nemo’and his connection to the imperious Lady Dedlock. And what part does the ward Esther have to play in all this? When Tulkinghorn turns up murdered, and Lady Dedlock disappears, Inspector Bucket realises he’ll have to unearth a few dreaded secrets if he wants to solve the case.

FLAME TREE 451: From mystery to crime, supernatural to horror and fantasy to science fiction, Flame Tree 451 offers a healthy diet of werewolves and mechanical men, blood-lusty vampires, dastardly villains, mad scientists, secret worlds, lost civilizations and escapist fantasies. Discover a storehouse of tales gathered specifically for the reader of the fantastic. Each book features a brand new biography and glossary of Literary, Gothic and Victorian terms.

The iconic and much-loved Charles Dickens was born in 1812 in Portsmouth, though he spent much of his life in Kent and London. A prolific writer, Dickens kept up a career in journalism as well as writing short stories and novels, with much of his work being serialised before being published as books. He gave a view of contemporary England with a strong sense of realism, yet instilled his stories with a sense of charm, fantastic characters and humour like no other. He continued to work himself hard up until his death in 1870, leaving The Mystery of Edwin Drood unfinished.