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"e;What I smelt and what you smelt, Constable Wragg, was burning flesh!"e;William Norman dies of shock after being burnt by hot coals. The Mallett constabulary first look for a motive amongst his fellow farmers. But when a second murder occurs by poisoning, and a third by drowning, it appears this is no farming dispute but the work of a serial killer stalking the streets.With no indication of where the killer is going to strike next, Anthony Bathurst and Scotland Yard are initially at a complete loss. Are the killings random or are they following an unseen pattern? And how many more bodies will be needed to complete that pattern?Reverse the Charges was first published in 2019. This new edition features an introduction by Steve Barge.

"e;It has been evident to me for some time that this country, the Empire and all that you and I hold dear are in deadly peril."e;Mrs. Warren Clinton, the American millionaire, summons nine talented individuals to the Royal Sceptre Hotel. Her stated purpose-to save the British Empire. Through a series of fiendish intellectual tests, she whittles the numbers down to two-only for the chosen pair to be found murdered, and for Mrs. Clinton to have vanished without trace.Faced with the possibility of an international conspiracy, rooted in Nazi Germany, Anthony Bathurst finds himself challenged as never before. Are all of the guests invited to the hotel exactly whom they appear to be? Who can be trusted-and who is a ruthless murderer?Glittering Prizes was first published in 1942. This new edition features an introduction by Steve Barge.

'Going somewhere nice for lunch?' he enquired.'No,' I said. 'As a matter of fact, I'm going straight back to the country. Something tells me there isn't a minute to lose.'The scene of the crime is a large Victorian Rectory. An aged and famous opera singer dies; she has been ill for some time and initially her death would appear to be natural. But her will, signed on the day she died, causes both astonishment and considerable ill-feeling among her kin. Then two more sinister deaths occur at the Rectory . . .Tessa Crichton, soignee actress and inadvertent sleuth, is an old friend of the family. Under the circumstances she can't resist investigating, while her detective husband, Robin Price of Scotland Yard, works on another case near by. Tessa's imagination and powers of deduction are brilliant as ever. By twists and turns she reaches the solution, but not without a measure of danger to herself - and just a little help from the local police.Death and the Dutiful Daughter was originally published in 1973. This new edition features an introduction and afterword by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.'Anne Morice has a gift for creating intelligent, affection-generating characters, set in light and entertaining atmospheres.' Spectator'Relaxing, polished entertainment of high order.' Daily Telegraph

She lay on her back, her head and shoulders at an unnaturally curved angle, as though she had arched herself in a last tremendous convulsion as death overtook her. The grass around her was stained with blood and a dart was sticking out above the neckline of her dress.This is a sparkling whodunit in the best Anne Morice style: the action takes place in and around an ostentatious stately home where murder strikes at the garden fete.The gala is being thrown by a millionaire tycoon in aid of the local conservation society. Noted actress Tessa Crichton has been given the job of declaring the event 'open'. While not expecting open season on murder, Tessa is unable to resist the chance to do some on-the-spot investigation, especially as the police are building a damaging case against someone she considers to be innocent.There are plenty of suspects and plenty of motives; nobody shows much inclination to tell the whole truth and Tessa's involvement becomes more personal and more dangerous when another corpse is discovered soon afterwards.Death of a Heavenly Twin, originally published in 1974, is a crime story of ingenuity and wit, with a cast of sharply-observed eccentrics and a final surprise revelation. This new edition features an introduction and afterword by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.'Anne Morice has a gift for creating intelligent, affection-generating characters, set in light and entertaining atmospheres.' Spectator'Relaxing, polished entertainment of high order.' Daily Telegraph

With no sound at all, she pitched forward head first into the punch bowl, scattering canapes and glasses in all directions.By all accounts, Mike Parsons is a paragon: considerate, loyal and devoted to his awkward wife - rumoured to be an alcoholic. But now he has done a vanishing act. Was he killed - and who would murder such a kind individual anyway?Rising young actress Tessa Crichton is unwittingly set a real puzzle in investigating the case of a man she knew and liked - but who turns out to be a more mysterious character than previously thought. Needing all her detective skill to find out what has really happened to the saintly husband, Tessa uncovers evidence that increasingly puts herself in danger.Killing with Kindness was originally published in 1974. This new edition features an introduction and afterword by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.'Anne Morice has a gift for creating intelligent, affection-generating characters, set in light and entertaining atmospheres.' Spectator

When she turned round I saw that she had a carving knife in her hand.Why has Pelham Hargrave returned to his childhood home after twenty-five successful years in Canada and the United States, and is his beautiful and neurotic young American wife quite what she claims to be? Why has a celebrated Hollywood director chosen to retire to a remote English country house, and why does one young woman covet the house and another loathe it? Above all, what is the secret of old Nannie's power, which allows her to dominate the household from her rocking chair?These are some of the questions which confront the soignee Tessa Crichton, actress wife of Scotland Yard detective Robin Price, when she arrives to spend a quiet weekend with her godmother in Herefordshire. One by one the puzzles are unravelled, thanks to Tessa's spirited and irrepressible curiosity, plus a little help from her husband, but not before two people have died and Tessa herself has narrowly escaped the same fate.Nursery Tea and Poison was originally published in 1975. This new edition features an introduction and afterword by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.'Anne Morice has a gift for creating intelligent, affection-generating characters, set in light and entertaining atmospheres.' Spectator'Relaxing, polished entertainment of high order.' Daily Telegraph

'Poor woman, how she must wish she had never come!'Prophetic words, if ever I heard any.The actress Tessa Crichton's cousin Ellen is engaged - but to someone she has known only a fortnight. The man appears rich, presentable and mad about Ellen, but Tessa is worried about the reaction of his former amoureuse, and indeed about that of Ellen's own ex-boyfriend, a bibulous and self-pitying actor.Plans go ahead for a splendid white wedding, and the scene is set for a gathering of various eccentric and tiresome relations - foremost in tiresomeness the bride's mother.Just before the speeches one of the guests collapses and dies; and a host of clues, suspects and possible motives appear. The elegant Tessa investigates with her usual mixture of observation and intuition, helped by her Scotland Yard detective husband Robin. Another murder is in the offing before we reach the surprising yet plausible conclusion to an entertaining matrimonial whodunnit.Death of a Wedding Guest was originally published in 1976. This new edition features an introduction and afterword by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.'As always, a bright and amusing style . . . a general air of sophisticated writing.' New York Times'Relaxing, polished entertainment of high order.' Daily Telegraph

'He wants to see you, personally. He's Detective Meek, he's from Homicide, and chances are he's come to report a killing.'Tessa Crichton, actress and unwitting private detective, joins the cast of Host of Pleasures-a hit West End play opening its American run in Washington D.C.All is not well backstage. Artistic temperament, old hates and new jealousies combine to create an explosive atmosphere among the cast. When one of the actors is found dead, he is initially thought the victim of street violence-then the possibility that he was murdered by someone closer to home starts to seem horribly likely.Tessa, mixing intuition, charm and unassailable curiosity, is convinced this is no ordinary killing. Risking her own safety, and with help from Washington cop Inspector Meek, she slowly discovers the truth amongst a maze of suspects and motives.Tautly written, witty, and firmly plotted, with a stunning surprise ending, this is among the best mysteries Anne Morice has written.Murder in Mimicry was originally published in 1977. This new edition features an introduction by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.'Anne Morice has a gift for creating intelligent, affection-generating characters, set in light and entertaining atmospheres.' Spectator'A nice lively book saturated with show business.' New York Times

I had detected no sound or movement, but her eyes were open and, as I approached, she fixed them on me with an agonised stare.Tessa Crichton, actress wife of Scotland Yard Inspector Robin Price, comes to Storhampton to star in the local drama festival . . . and finds her most challenging role in a masquerade ending in murder. It begins when the insufferable Edna Mortimer sees her exact double at the races-and is literally scared stiff.Somebody has played a nasty practical joke on the wealthy dowager. But one look at Mrs. Mortimer's terrified eyes and some indecipherable pencil squiggles tell Tessa this is no laughing matter. Could the grim prankster be one of Edna's greedy heirs? When the will is finally read, it only raises more questions. Someone is not getting their just deserts. But can Tessa find out who before the deadly double strikes again?Scared to Death was originally published in 1977. This new edition features an introduction and afterword by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.'Anne Morice has a gift for creating intelligent, affection-generating characters, set in light and entertaining atmospheres.' Spectator

"e;I am absolutely certain that someone is trying to kill me,"e; she announced, which was pretty run of the mill compared to most of her ghastly secrets over the years.Tessa Crichton is appearing in a West End play when her old school friend Anne reappears in her life. Anne and her baby daughter are living in her lover's family manor, while the latter's wife and teenaged daughter inhabit a cottage on the grounds. Pregnant again, possibly with a much desired son, Anne complains to Tessa about attempts on her life. But when Tessa investigates, aided in part by the only dimly enthusiastic Uncle Toby, she finds a number of people who don't care for Anne. When the murders begin, first signs point to suicide, though the coincidences seem to Tessa to be a little suspicious . . .Murder by Proxy was originally published in 1978. This new edition features an introduction and afterword by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.'Anne Morice has a gift for creating intelligent, affection-generating characters, set in light and entertaining atmospheres.' Spectator

Dangerous secrets score high at an exclusive girl's school . . . but top marks belong to murder.Actress Tessa Crichton has mixed reactions to being on the panel of judges at the annual inter-house competition of the Waterside Drama and Ballet School, her alma mater. When she arrives on campus, the headmistress is having an affair with the founder's husband, a kleptomaniac is on the loose among the budding thespians, and the beloved and bewildering foundress is suffering from a most mysterious illness. When a student with a penchant for drawing compromising caricatures is found dead, the picture is one of murder most academic.Is it illicit love among the staff? Stealing among the students? Espionage among the alums? Or a scheme so beastly that Tessa's search for a killer becomes an education in the elusive evil one might find behind the most friendly facade.Murder in Outline was originally published in 1979. This new edition features an introduction and afterword by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.'Anne Morice has a gift for creating intelligent, affection-generating characters, set in light and entertaining atmospheres.' Spectator

'So what tips do you need of a criminal nature?''Oh, nothing complicated. Just the basic rules for committing the perfect murder will do to be going on with.'The Rotunda in Dearehaven has a reputation as one of the most distinguished theatres in the country. Its success is due to its owner, Elfrieda Henshaw, a strong-willed woman whose character and methods have moulded a professional and happy company.Tessa Crichton joins the cast of the new play, only to find the company has been upset by Elfrieda's protegee. Melanie, a young woman with a wayward past who has bewitched the old lady.As rehearsals get under way, Melanie disappears and everyone except Elfrieda is convinced she has absconded with the theatre's cash. Elfrieda is found dead, in puzzling circumstances which sharpen Tessa's acute antennae for the mysterious. It is then discovered that the famous Rotunda is nearly bankrupt - and the small residue of the once great fortune is bequeathed to Melanie.In splendid form Tessa ferrets her way to the truth in a most satisfying denouement.Death in the Round was originally published in 1980. This new edition features an introduction and afterword by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.'Actress Tessa Crichton is just the girl to have in the wings when disappearance and death take the stage at a seaside rep. On cue.' Evening News

'I'm assuming that you want to see a murderer caught and getting what he deserves?''You bet I do. In fact, I hope he gets worse than he deserves.'When a young American girl disappears from her flat and usual London haunts, her friends and family aren't frantically worried. She is over twenty-one, of independent spirit - the type who might conceivably vanish in search of greener grass.But Sandy Thurloe is also an heiress and a disappearance can often mean kidnapping. So her aunt by marriage is despatched to London to try to find out the circumstances of her disappearance. Her first move is to enlist the help of Tessa Crichton, soignee actress and amateur sleuth extraordinaire.Although some puzzling and contradictory facts quickly come to light there is really nothing concrete for Tessa to get her inquisitive teeth into. Then a ransom note arrives in America. From that point events move with menacing rapidity.This cleverly constructed mystery has all the ingredients of Anne Morice at the peak of her form: a delightful array of characters, a fast-moving plot and a truly ingenious denouement.The Men in her Death was originally published in 1981. This new edition features an introduction and afterword by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.'Anne Morice has a light hand, an engaging ease, and an inventive mind: all welcome qualities in the writing of crime novels.' Financial Times'The fun lies in the style, light and sweet as a souffle.' Daily Telegraph

Some fast thinking would be required, if I were not to get my head chopped off on the coming Friday.When Mrs Trelawney, a much-married Australian of considerable fortune, bought the big house at Sowerley, the locals hoped her money would help enrich the locality and the community. Instead they found themselves in a cold war.When Tessa Crichton arrives in the neighbourhood to stay with some old friends, there is a tense atmosphere as the established inhabitants mount guard over the oak tree threatened by the Trelawney axe. But almost before Tessa can catch up on the local news - eviction of tenants, dogs caught in gin traps, fortress fences round the big house - a murder occurs which makes all that has gone before pale into insignificance.Hollow Vengeance was originally published in 1982. This new edition features an introduction and afterword by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.'The fun lies in the style, light and sweet as a souffle.' Daily Telegraph

He was confronted by the sight of his wife sagging full length on the sofa, where she had been since approximately half past six, when she was strangled to death with one of her own silk scarves.Death isn't in the script of the comedy slated to open in London's West End. But bloody bad luck during rehearsals has convinced actress Tessa Crichton that the first night of Elders and Betters will be its last. Even a charming plot can't help the doddering old star, Sir Philip Mickleton, who is dying in every scene . . . or the indecisive director, who's killing the timing; the producer, who's fatally fouling up the financing; and the leading lady and her lover, who are battling it out in the dressing room. But the finishing touch comes with anonymous letters predicting murder. Fear suddenly takes centre stage as Tessa switches roles from ingenue to detective. A theatre goes dark . . . and somebody dies.Sleep of Death was originally published in 1982. This new edition features an introduction and afterword by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.'The fun lies in the style, light and sweet as a souffle."e; Daily Telegraph

"e;I should warn you that it is not a pretty story."e;"e;Stories about murder rarely are."e;Nobody knows who started the rumour that James McGrath murdered his wife Rosamund. Certainly no one had seen her in a while, and she had gone off to visit a sick cousin without mentioning a trip to the neighbours. Still, everyone was inclined to accept the story - that is, until one of the neighbours meets the cousin in town, in excellent health and eager for news of country cousin Rosamund. Tessa Crichton, a guest in the Oxfordshire locale, is fascinated by this series of events. Fascination soon turns to a neat bit of detection when someone comes to her with a very strange confession.Dipping into the case with relish, Tessa soon suspects there's murder mixed up in the mystery. But until she comes up with a body - or two - no killer can get just deserts.Murder Post-Dated was originally published in 1983. This new edition features an introduction and afterword by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.'The fun lies in the style, light and sweet as a souffle."e; Daily Telegraph

'Not complaining, are you? Right up your street, I should have thought. Solving the odd murder between professional engagements is your forte.'When the rare chance occurs for Tessa Crichton and her policeman husband, Robin, to have a three week holiday together it is with some misgivings that Tessa agrees to spend the time at a luxury hotel in the West Country.Her misgivings are confirmed when she realises that Robin's insistence in going to Mattingly Grange is due to an unsolved murder which had taken place in nearby Chissingfield two years previously, when a young woman had been killed near the racecourse.The link between their hotel and the death naturally gives full rein to Tessa's natural inquisitiveness. There is also the added enigma of a birthday party at the hotel involving characters who were connected with the dead woman.Getting Away with Murder? was originally published in 1984. This new edition features an introduction and afterword by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.'What makes Tessa Crichton such good company are her shrewd eye and quick tongue for people and situations.' Daily Telegraph'A lovely idea for your fictional murder, occurring at provincial arts festival and nearby racecourse. Lots of good old larger-than-life characters.' The Times'Anne Morice's books are frothy and light, a welcome sorbet to refresh the palate between ponderously significant blockbusters.' The Tablet

'Ever heard of the Alibi Club?,' Robin asked when he was driving me home after one of the most disastrous first nights in theatrical history.When Tessa's Scotland Yard husband Robin is invited to speak at the renowned and respectable Alibi Club, she is excited to be surrounded by the members - all mystery writers of the first rank - although one is missing.Crime novelist and playwright William Montgomerie has died, leaving behind a widow and a lost manuscript. His former spouse, Gwen, suddenly blossoms into literary fame after years of struggling in the shadows. The splendidly eccentric Myrtle Sprygge, whose clairvoyant powers and old relationship with Montgomerie further complicate the situation, and lead Tessa to wonder whether Gwen is taking credit for something she didn't write. When Gwen is found murdered, everyone wonders what - and who - could have triggered such revenge.Dead on Cue was originally published in 1985. This new edition features an introduction and afterword by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.'A light hand, an engaging ease, and an inventive mind: all welcome qualities in the writing of crime novels.' Financial Timesi 'What makes her such good company - and the whole point of Miss Morice's book is to converse, as it were, with Tessa Crichton - is not her deductive skill but her shrewd eye and quick tongue for people and situations.' Daily Telegraph

'I don't give much for Baba's chances. Her days as an authoress must be numbered.'It is well known that the celebrated playwright, Sheridan Seymour, had three children by his mistress. The copyright to his plays was left to his legitimate daughters, but over the years Baba, the youngest, has gained sole control.Now Sheridan's work is enjoying a popular revival on the West End stage. Baba is rich and planning to write a biography of her father, promising salacious revelations.When Tessa Crichton is asked to help prevent the biography's publication, she needs no encouragement. With all of her customary curiosity she burrows deep into the family secrets. But she is brought to a halt by the disappearance of a family member, identified as the body found in a burnt-out house - but who reappears from an impulsive visit overseas.So who died in the fire?Publish and be Killed was originally published in 1986. This new edition features an introduction and afterword by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.'A light hand, an engaging ease, and an inventive mind: all welcome qualities in the writing of crime novels.' Financial Timesi 'What makes her such good company - and the whole point of Miss Morice's book is to converse, as it were, with Tessa Crichton - is not her deductive skill but her shrewd eye and quick tongue for people and situations.' Daily Telegraph

'How was she killed?''Strangled, I gather, with her own silk scarf.'A murder involving a group of Americans on an English 'Mystery Tour' has actress Tessa Crichton investigating members of the group, including a young lady recently released from a psychiatric hospital who claims she is seeing ghosts.When a woman is found strangled, Tessa is on the case, along with detective husband Robin. But it will be Tessa's insight that helps Robin to solve the case as events reach a suspenseful climax.Treble Exposure was originally published in 1987. This new edition features an introduction and afterword by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.'A light hand, an engaging ease, and an inventive mind: all welcome qualities in the writing of crime novels.' Financial Timesi 'What makes her such good company - and the whole point of Miss Morice's book is to converse, as it were, with Tessa Crichton - is not her deductive skill but her shrewd eye and quick tongue for people and situations.' Daily Telegraph

'Rotten news, isn't it?''Rotten,' I agreed, taking it that he referred to the state of the national economy, 'but I daresay it will come all right in the end.'He stared at me as though I were either raving mad or drunk, which was excusable, since it turned out that he had been talking about the untimely death of Eliza Deverell.The renowned Deverell theatrical family, gathers to celebrate the 80th birthday of its matriarch, actress Evadne Proctor, on a TV show specializing in celebrities' lives. An unexpected guest is daughter Eliza, a former actress now married to an anthropologist and living on a Pacific island. Always a source of tension in a bickering family, Eliza is soon found in her hotel room, dead from a mixture of pain-killers and alcohol.Actress Tessa Crichton and her husband, chief inspector Robin Price, become involved, and while Evadne angles for a suicide verdict, Tessa finds that Eliza had a lot to live for. Soon other members of the Deverell clan excite Tessa's suspicions. This final 'Tessa Crichton' mystery shows Anne Morice's dry wit and keen observations in full effect.Fatal Charm was originally published in 1988. This new edition features an introduction and afterword by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.'A light hand, an engaging ease, and an inventive mind: all welcome qualities in the writing of crime novels.' Financial Times'What makes her such good company - and the whole point of Miss Morice's book is to converse, as it were, with Tessa Crichton - is not her deductive skill but her shrewd eye and quick tongue for people and situations.' Daily Telegraph

'I've got the details written down here for you. It's a little matter of a murderous assault, which took place in or near the Marshes' tea estate.'When Christine Marsh returns to live in the Sussex town where she grew up, the only person to greet the news with enthusiasm is her nearly senile mother Dolly. Christine's put-upon cousin Martha Kershaw knows how selfish Christine is: Martha takes care of Dolly with little recompense and has now been asked to find a large, elegant house at an impossibly low price for the Marshes.When Christine arrives, attended by both her current and former husbands, the temperature rises. Billy Jones, the architect supervising the conversion of her house, is a former flame she callously discarded. She accuses the workmen of stealing and cruelly tells the hopeful Dolly she won't be sharing the grand new house. Then Christine's husband, wealthy Derek Marsh, is found murdered. Detective Chief Superintendent Wiseman ('Old Tubby') suspects both Christine and her first husband, but they and the other suspects all have good alibis. Morice is her usual savagely witty self, and this solid mystery is social comedy as well.Design for Dying was originally published in 1988. This new edition features an introduction and afterword by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.'A light hand, an engaging ease, and an inventive mind: all welcome qualities in the writing of crime novels.' Financial Times'What makes her such good company . . . is not her deductive skill but her shrewd eye and quick tongue for people and situations.' Daily Telegraph

It was unlikely that many had actually prayed for the murder of Mr Waddington, and they did not light beacons on the Downs or rejoice openly when it came about, but most had probably uttered a silent word of thanks.There is no shortage of murderous feelings among the eccentric country folk opposed to the development of a new 'model village'. But when a nosy estate agent and her friend peer into the windows of the country house at the centre of the development scheme, they spy an actual corpse. Their action sets off a series of incidents that include staged pranks and cold-blooded murder. As always, Morice provides not only a solid and satisfying plot but also marvellous, witty dialogue that illuminates both character and class. Anne Morice's final novel maintains her considerable powers as a creator of complex puzzles.Planning for Murder was originally published in 1990. This new edition features an introduction and afterword by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans."e;A light hand, an engaging ease, and an inventive mind: all welcome qualities in the writing of crime novels.' Financial Times'What makes her such good company is not her deductive skill but her shrewd eye and quick tongue for people and situations.' Daily Telegraph

"e;I'm haunted by an awful dread,"e; said Raine. "e;It was a wedding Mysie once went to. The bridegroom never turned up and the bride swooned at the altar."e;"e;Have you practised swooning?"e;It's 1948 in the Scottish Highlands, with postwar austerity and rationing in full effect, but Mr and Mrs MacAlvey and their family and friends are too irrepressibly cheerful to let it get them down. There's Raine, newly engaged to the brother of a local farmer, and Cleo, just back from three years in the States, along with their brother James, married to neurotic Trina, who smothers their two oversheltered children. There are also three MacAlvey grandchildren, orphaned in the war, whose hilarious mishaps keep everyone on their toes. There are wedding preparations, visits from friends, an adventurous hike, and frustrated romance. But really the plot of the novel is, simply, life, as lived by irresistible characters with humour, optimism, and affection.First published in 1952 and inexplicably out of print for decades, Apricot Sky shows the author of the classic Lady Rose and Mrs. Memmary in a decidedly more frolicking mood. This new edition includes an introduction by Candia McWilliam.

"e;Don't, please, write and tell me that we're mad. I know it already; and even if I didn't, every friend we possess has pointed it out. My spirit is quailing at the prospect of life at Easter Hartrigg, because I know what pitiful figures we shall cut as landowners in a country quite strange to us."e;Young Susan Parsons has just moved, with her unmarried brother Oliver, to a newly-inherited property in the Scottish Highlands. Their neighbours prove a mixed bag, including the towering, kindly Jed Armstrong, a farmer whose land 'marches with' theirs, the local vicar and his family, and the three gossipy Pringle sisters, who travel by donkey-drawn cart and get their knives into one and all. After a bumpy start, with a disagreeable cook and her nincompoop daughter as their only help, Susan and Oliver begin to settle in nicely, and find themselves in the midst of romance, confusion, and earthy hilarity.Molly Clavering was for many years the neighbour and friend of bestselling author D.E. Stevenson, and they may well have influenced one another's writing. First published in 1936 (under the pseudonym B. Mollett) and out of print for more than 80 years, Susan Settles Down is one of her most cheerful and vivid romantic comedies. This new edition features an introduction by Elizabeth Crawford.

"e;Love romps home and sets the whole place by the ears, gets her own way in everything, and father and mother don't even notice they're being crossed!"e;Jane Cranstoun is having a lovely time with friends in England (and has just been proposed to by the charming John Marsh) when she is summoned home to Scotland to welcome her young sister Love, newly returned from being 'finished' in Paris. Keeping her engagement a secret, and drawn back into an 'endless round of good works and dull county functions', Jane promptly gets off on the wrong foot with Peregrine Gilbert, a local politician and naturalist, and soon falls prey to Love's inveterate (and incompetent) matchmaking. Supported by a lively and vividly-portrayed cast of family and friends, Jane must steer carefully to avoid the pitfalls of misunderstandings, gossip, and misguided romance.Molly Clavering was for many years the neighbour and friend of bestselling author D.E. Stevenson, and they may well have influenced one another's writing. First published in 1938 (under the pseudonym B. Mollett) and out of print for more than 80 years, Love Comes Home is one of her funniest and happiest tales.

Miss Flora Milligan, tripping westwards through the royal burgh of Haystoun with a bowl of her famous potted head, decently shrouded from vulgar gaze by a snowy napkin, in a neat basket, was the first person of any social standing to notice that the 'To Sell or Let' board had been taken down from the Soonhope entrance.The town of Haystoun is in a tizzy because Andrew and Lucy Lockhart and their children are boldly returning, several years after Andrew's scandalous liaison with another woman. Most residents are firmly in Lucy's corner, but as Lucy's plans to host a family gathering in celebration of their return exacerbates existing tensions, Andrew's cousin Kate Heron-drafted to help smooth the way-begins to wonder . . . The resulting difficulties draw in Kate's brother Greystiel, elderly Jean Anstruther, who keeps the town under careful surveillance, Jean's nephew Robin, the Lockharts' formidable Aunt Charlotte, and an unforgettable array of supporting characters as the tale reaches its satisfying climax.Molly Clavering was for many years the neighbour and friend of bestselling author D.E. Stevenson, and they may well have influenced one another's writing. First published in 1938 (under the pseudonym B. Mollett) and out of print for more than 80 years, Yoked with a Lamb is a witty and entertaining account of family conflict and reconciliation in a charming Scottish setting. This new edition features an introduction by Elizabeth Crawford.

"e;Old age really must be creeping upon me at last,"e; said Susan Armstrong. "e;I find more and more that what I most enjoy is a quiet evening at home by the fire, with a book..."e;Susan Armstrong is savouring a quiet evening at home with husband Jed, but her peace is fleeting. A call from Jed's irritating cousin results in a visit from young Amanda, whose ace pilot husband is missing (and none too sorely missed). There are complications with their neighbours, the embittered Larry Heriot and his spiteful sister Ruth, and with the formidable trio of Misses Pringle, the gossipy Furies of the village. Susan's brother Oliver and cheerful wife Peggy come in for difficulties as well. Of course, it all works out in the end, but not before some distressing confusion, grave misunderstandings, and rollicking adventures, permeated with eccentric and lovable characters and vivid Scottish landscapes.Molly Clavering was for many years the neighbour and friend of bestselling author D.E. Stevenson, and they may well have influenced one another's writing. First published in 1939 (under the pseudonym B. Mollett) and out of print for more than 80 years, Touch Not the Nettle reunites us with characters from the earlier Susan Settles Down (though they may be read in any order). This new edition includes an introduction by Elizabeth Crawford.i

The two were friends and had been for many years before Miss Douglas, a little battered by war experiences, had settled down in Threipford, to Mrs. Lorimer's quiet content. ... Both wrote; each admired the other's work. Lucy possessed what Gray knew she herself would never have, a quality which for want of a better name she called "e;saleability."e;In what is surely Molly Clavering's most autobiographical novel, two middle-aged women writers, close friends and neighbours, offer one another advice and support while navigating life in a lively Border village. Lucy Lorimer, the more successful author, with her four children, in-laws, and grandchildren gathered for a summer reunion, must try to avert disaster in one daughter's marriage, help a daughter-in-law restless with mundane married life after flying planes in the war, and deal with the awkward reappearance of an old flame. Unmarried Grace ('Gray') Douglas, meanwhile, has struggles of her own, but is drawn delightfully into her friend's difficulties.In real life, Molly Clavering was herself for many years a neighbour and close friend of bestselling author D.E. Stevenson. First published in 1953, Mrs. Lorimer's Quiet Summer is not only an irresistible family story, but undoubtedly provides some indication of the inspiring friendship between these two brilliantly talented women. This new edition includes an introduction by Elizabeth Crawford.

Sometimes, in a rare moment of leisure, when Mrs. Maitland looked back across the thirty years of her short married life and long widowhood, the nineteen-year-old girl on the other side of that gap seemed a total stranger, incredibly young and untried, incredibly ignorant.Millie Maitland has settled happily into her busy if slightly impoverished existence in the Scottish village of Mennan, watched over now and then by her solicitor, who once proposed marriage, and her daughter Amabel, grown but still a handful. Millie is much loved by her friends and neighbours, including the gossipy Mrs. Gray, the kind Mrs. Denholm, a shepherd's wife isolated in the hills, and the appalling Mrs. Noble, a flirt whose husband is overseas. But into this contented, quiet life comes a bit of drama. It all starts innocently enough when Martin Heriot, a bachelor farmer, asks Millie to board a black labrador puppy named Sam . . .Molly Clavering was for many years the neighbour and friend of bestselling author D.E. Stevenson (in just such a village as Mennan), and they may well have influenced one another's writing. First published in 1954, Because of Sam is a charming and compulsively readable comedy of errors. This new edition includes an introduction by Elizabeth Crawford.