Böcker utgivna av Penguin Books Ltd (UK)

Learn English with James and the Giant Peach! A Penguin Readers book. Discover fifteen famous Roald Dahl adventures, adapted for learners of English aged 7+. Can you read them all?Penguin Readers is an ELT graded reader series for learners of English as a foreign language. With simplified text, illustrations and language learning exercises, the print edition also includes instructions to access supporting material online.In these Penguin Readers editions, Roald Dahl's stories have been aligned to the CEFR framework A1 to A2+, in four levels. Each book is also Lexile measured. The graded readers feature illustrated new words, language activities, and fun games between chapters, encouraging students and teachers to structure learning and make real progress. Every book also includes projects and discussions.Visit the Penguin Readers website for downloadable quizzes, worksheets and answer keys, as well as accompanying audio and a digital version of the book.James and the Giant Peach, a Level 3 Reader, is A2 in the CEFR framework. The text is made up of sentences with up to three clauses, introducing first conditional, past continuous and present perfect simple for general experience. It is well supported by illustrations, which appear on most pages.When James's parents die, he has to live with his two horrible aunts. He is lonely and sad. But then, a peach in his aunts' garden starts to grow bigger and bigger. What strange and wonderful friends will James meet inside the peach?

Learn English with George's Marvellous Medicine! A Penguin Readers book. Discover fifteen famous Roald Dahl adventures, adapted for learners of English aged 7+. Can you read them all?Penguin Readers is an ELT graded reader series for learners of English as a foreign language. With simplified text, illustrations and language learning exercises, the print edition also includes instructions to access supporting material online.In these Penguin Readers editions, Roald Dahl's stories have been aligned to the CEFR framework A1 to A2+, in four levels. Each book is also Lexile measured. The graded readers feature illustrated new words, language activities, and fun games between chapters, encouraging students and teachers to structure learning and make real progress. Every book also includes projects and discussions.Visit the Penguin Readers website for downloadable quizzes, worksheets and answer keys, as well as accompanying audioand a digital version of the book.George's Marvellous Medicine, a Level 3 Reader, is A2 in the CEFR framework. The text is made up of sentences with up to three clauses, introducing first conditional, past continuous and present perfect simple for general experience. It is well supported by illustrations, which appear on most pages."Don't forget to give Grandma her medicine," says George's mother. Most grandmothers are kind, but George's grandmother is not. George is frightened of Grandma. But maybe he can make a new medicine for her, which will make her kinder. What will happen when Grandma takes George's Marvellous Medicine? Let's see!

Learn English with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory! A Penguin Readers book. Discover fifteen famous Roald Dahl adventures, adapted for learners of English aged 7+. Can you read them all?Penguin Readers is an ELT graded reader series for learners of English as a foreign language. With simplified text, illustrations and language learning exercises, the print edition also includes instructions to access supporting material online. In these Penguin Readers editions, Roald Dahl's stories have been aligned to the CEFR framework A1 to A2+, in four levels. Each book is also Lexile measured. The graded readers feature illustrated new words, language activities, and fun games between chapters, encouraging students and teachers to structure learning and make real progress. Every book also includes projects and discussions. Visit the Penguin Readers website for downloadable quizzes, worksheets and answer keys, as well as accompanying audio and a digital version of the book. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, a Level 3 Reader, is A2 in the CEFR framework. The text is made up of sentences with up to three clauses, introducing first conditional, past continuous and present perfect simple for general experience. It is well supported by illustrations, which appear on most pages. Who will find the five golden tickets inside Willy Wonka's chocolate bars? Everyone in the world is looking. When Charlie finds a ticket, his life is going to change. Come with Charlie on his wonderful adventure to Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory!

Learn English with The Twits! A Penguin Readers book. Discover fifteen famous Roald Dahl adventures, adapted for learners of English aged 7+. Can you read them all?Penguin Readers is an ELT graded reader series for learners of English as a foreign language. With simplified text, illustrations and language learning exercises, the print edition also includes instructions to access supporting material online.In these Penguin Readers editions, Roald Dahl's stories have been aligned to the CEFR framework A1 to A2+, in four levels. Each book is also Lexile measured. The graded readers feature illustrated new words, language activities, and fun games between chapters, encouraging students and teachers to structure learning and make real progress. Every book also includes projects and discussions.Visit the Penguin Readers website for downloadable quizzes, worksheets and answer keys, as well as accompanying audio and a digital version of the book.The Twits, a Level 2 Reader, is A1+ in the CEFR framework. Sentences contain a maximum of two clauses, introducing the future tenses will and going to, present continuous for future meaning, and comparatives and superlatives. It is well supported by illustrations, which appear on most pages.Mr and Mrs Twit are not nice people! They enjoy doing bad things, and they are not kind to the animals in their garden. But the animals have a plan. What funny things will the animals do? Can the animals stop the Twits from doing more bad things?

FATE CAN BE CHANGED.CURSES CAN BE BROKEN.In a shabby house in the new capital of Madrid, Luzia Cotado uses scraps of magic to get through her days of endless toil. But when her scheming mistress discovers her scullion is hiding a talent for little miracles, she demands Luzia use those gifts to win over the royal court.Determined to seize this chance to better her fortunes, Luzia plunges into a world of power-hungry nobility, desperate kings, holy men and seers, where the lines between magic, science and fraud blur. With the pyres of the Inquisition burning, she must use every bit of her wit and resilience to win fame and hide the truth of her ancestry - even if that means enlisting the help of an embittered immortal familiar, whose own secrets could cost her everything.From Sunday Times bestselling author comes a bewitching novel, brimming with peril in a world where a woman's ambition can prove deadly.PRAISE FOR LEIGH BARDUGO''S BOOKS''Impossible to put down'' - Stephen King'A pacey read with electric prose' Independent'Crackling dialogue and sumptuous description. Bardugo dives deep into this world... if you're not careful, it'll steal all your time' New York Times'A master of fantasy' Huffington Post'Sultry, sweeping, picturesque' USA Today

The stunning book from wellbeing experts NEOM and discover the secrets to BETTER SLEEP. LESS STRESS. MORE ENERGY. MOOD BOOST.'A bible of knowledge with lots of great advice' Alesha Dixon'An invaluable guide to holistic wellbeing' Joshua Fletcher (@anxietyjosh) anxiety therapist and author************These are the four pillars of wellbeing and there is no one better placed to show you how to achieve each of them than Nicola Elliott, founder of NEOM.After eighteen years of building the UK's leading wellbeing business, Nicola has been there, done that and got the weighted blanket. In this beautifully illustrated guide, she combines her own no-nonsense advice with insights from experts on sleep, stress, energy and mood, so that you can find the solutions that work for you.Wellbeing starts with the little moments so whether you've got 30 seconds or 30 minutes, you will find simple tips and tricks that will suit your lifestyle and help you feel better than ever, the NEOM way.

She found love. Now, she needs to try and keep it. She spent years in the Veil as an invisible cupid. Unable to talk, touch or love anyone, which made her a little bitter.Now, Emelle has a life . . . and a bounty on her head. The fae prince wants her dead, and her three gorgeous genfins are arrested. The royal culling trials are about to begin, but Emelle isn't going to let everything be taken from her without a fight.There's rebellion in the air, a princess who's not all she appears to be and a lamassu fae who claims to be Emelle's mate.Love is getting complicated.But to a cupid, it always is.Bonds of Cupidity is Book Two in the fun, addictive and sexy Heart Hassle seriesGild, Glint and Gleam, Sunday Times bestsellers, April 2023

What will a cupid sacrifice for love?Lex has always tried to be the perfect cupid.But during the battle for the fae realm, a power blast that should have ended her immortal life hit someone else.Belren, a fae male, stepped in front of her at the last moment - and died.Unable to let go of her guilt, Lex finds herself returning to the island he died. And finds him - his handsome but ghostly figure haunting the place.The truth is, he was haunting her long before he became a ghost.They might have a second chance at love, but first, she's going to have to help him let go of his unfinished business.Too bad she doesn't know that business is her.This cupid needs to rediscover what she does best - and create her own love story . . . Before she loses him forever.Sheer Cupidity is a stand-alone spin-off, and Book Five in the fun, addictive and sexy Heart Hassle seriesGild, Glint and Gleam, Sunday Times bestsellers, April 2023

'If you want to remember why you once fell in love with the idea of the cosmos, or want to fall in love with it for the first time, then this book is for you' ObserverFrom Carlo Rovelli, the bestselling author of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics, this is a story of wonder, new worlds and why the end is just the beginningLet us journey into the heart of a black hole. Let us slip beyond its boundary, the horizon, and tumble - on and on - down this crack in the universe. As we plunge, we'll see geometry fold, we'll feel the equations draw tight around us. Eventually, we'll pass it: the remains of a star, deep and dense and falling further far. And then - the bottom. Where time and space end, and the white hole is born . . .With lightness and magic, here Carlo Rovelli traces the ongoing adventure of his own cutting-edge research, of the uncertainty and joy of going where we've not yet been. Guiding us to the edge of theory and experiment, he invites us to go beyond, to experience the fever and the disquiet of science. Here is the extraordinary life of a white hole.A BOOK OF THE YEAR ACCORDING TO THE FINANCIAL TIMES * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH * NEW STATESMAN * NEW SCIENTIST

Juan Cabrillo and the crew of the Oregon are back in an explosive new adventureA hypersonic missile. A genetically engineered army. A worldwide plot of destruction . . .When Juan Cabrillo, captain of the Oregon, is hired to extract an undercover operative in Kenya, he finds himself on the trail of a deadly international plot. A Saudi Prince seeks to unleash a deadly assault on U.S. forces, sparking a new war in the Middle East and ultimately destroying Israel.In their quest to stop him, Cabrillo's crew are about to meet their most fearsome adversaries yet: a force of bio-hacked soldiers endowed with extreme strength and stamina and an unquenchable appetite for violence.From the remote depths of Amazon rainforest to an abandoned monastery in Eritrea, to a final showdown on the jagged mountains of Yemen, the Oregon team must use every shred of courage and cunning they can muster on this global pursuit to disable the ship-killer missile - before the Arabian Sea becomes a mass grave . . .Praise for Clive Cussler:'The Adventure King' Sunday Express'Just about the best in the business' New York Post'Cussler is hard to beat' Daily Mail

THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES TOP 10 BESTSELLERA CAPTIVATING TALE THAT CHARTS THE CONTROVERSIAL LIFE AND RISE TO POWER OF SEMIRAMIS, THE ONLY FEMALE RULER OF THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE'Costanza Casati has taken the fragments of stories about this extraordinary woman and recreated her world with a vivid panache' THE TIMES'A stirring, addictive and intoxicating tale. . . Casati's Babylonia has cemented her as one of the most skilled and exciting writers of historical fiction' BEA FITZGERALD, author of GIRL, GODDESS, QUEEN'An astounding achievement, one of the most vivid, powerful works of historical fiction I have ever read. . . I was utterly swept up in the world of this novel' ELODIE HARPER, author of THE WOLF DEN'The epic rise of the ambitious female protagonist is complemented by truly gorgeous writing, and the spying and scheming was reminiscent of the juiciest Game of Thrones scenes' Cosmopolitan----There are whispers of her fame, in the land long since turned to dust. The Queen who rose from nothing - and changed everything . . .Ancient Assyria, 9th century BC.An orphan is raised on the outskirts of a brutal empire. Heir to a tragic prophecy, Semiramis dreams of wielding power and escaping her destiny.Far away, a reluctant prince walks the corridors of his gilded palace in a city built by the gods. Ninus would rather spend his days in books and poetry than conquering the world of men. But when he meets Onnes, a broken, beautiful warrior, something awakens in them both. And as they grow into young men, their friendship deepens into something fiercer still.That is until Semiramis arrives.A savage love soon erupts between them all, even as a dark threat to the kingdom mounts. And before long, all three will be forced to learn the lesson of the gods - in Babylonia, you must bend the world to your will.What doesn't bend, you break.----READERS ARE LOVING BABYLONIA'I freaking loved this book. It was such a good page-turner and I wish I could give it a million stars because that is what the book deserves without a doubt' ***** Reader Review'So immersive!' ***** Reader Review'I cannot express enough how much Casati's writing style sings to me. Her turn of phrase, her rich language, her perfect pacing and the emotional depths she reaches all blend seamlessly together to create an authentic story. Her words read like honey' ***** Reader Review'I think this is one of the greatest pieces of mythical fiction I have ever read' ***** Reader Review'If you love complicated female characters, complicated male friendship dynamics, and political storylines similar to Game of Thrones and Ancient Civilisations/Mythology this book is for you' ***** Reader ReviewPRAISE FOR CLYTEMNESTRA'Vivid with fury, passion and strength, this is a fabulous myth retelling' JENNIFER SAINT'A blaze of a novel, fiery and furious - and alight with murderous revenge' DAILY MAIL'A powerhouse of a novel. Clytemnestra's rage, heartbreak and determination radiate off the page' ELODIE HARPER'A thrilling tale of power and prophecies, and the fierce Queen who fought back at those who wronged her' COSMOPOLITANInstant Sunday Times bestseller, July 2024

O brave new world, that has such people in't.Once upon a time not very far from now, two children come home to find a line of wet red paint encircling the outside of their house.What does it mean?It's a truism of our time that it'll be the next generation who'll sort out our increasingly toxic world.What would that actually be like?In a state turned hostile, a world of insiders and outsiders, what things of the past can sustain them and what shape can resistance take?And what's a horse got to do with any of this?Gliff is a novel about how we make meaning and how we are made meaningless. With a nod to the traditions of dystopian fiction, a glance at the Kafkaesque, and a new take on the notion of classic, it's a moving and electrifying read, a vital and prescient tale of the versatility and variety deep-rooted in language, in nature and in human nature.'As always, Ali's inventiveness and intelligence lit fireworks in my mind. Gliff is an irresistible invitation to rethink and reword our way to a truly brave new world' Michelle de Kretser

Love story and un-love story intertwine in the brand-new thriller-romance from the globally bestseller author of The One Memory of Flora Banks, Emily Barr.Venice, 2024Hazel is on a spontaneous holiday with her stepbrother, Enzo, and best friend, Phoebe. They have just helped Hazel escape her increasingly destructive relationship with her older boyfriend, and have come away to celebrate her being her again.In the dreamy Italian sunshine, Hazel is managing to relax, to stop looking over her shoulder in case Freddie has followed her here. But there's a girl she keeps seeing in the city. A girl with beautiful eyes. And whenever Hazel sees her and their eyes meet, something strange seems to happen - de ja vu, at first, and then even stranger things that make her wonder if she's really in Venice at all . . .England, 2022Hazel goes to see an up-and-coming local band with Enzo and some friends. She locks eyes with the lead singer, Freddie, during a song, and he finds her afterwards and slips her his number. She's not even 16. He is ten years older. She knows it's stupid. She didn't even think it was boys she was into.Things with Freddie start wonderfully - flowers, dates, he even writes a song about her. It's everything a girl could dream of. Until it's absolutely not . . .

The Prom meets Groundhog Day in the irresistible new queer YA romance from the author of Straight Expectations.Prom is supposed to be the night you remember your whole life. But for seventeen-year-old Zach, it's about to become his whole life - after a kiss from a masked stranger, Zach finds himself stuck in a time loop, endlessly repeating the same day.Zach thinks that the only way to break the cycle is to work out the identity of his mystery admirer. But when everyone around him is wearing masks of one kind or another, how can he ever find out who his true love might be?Inclusive, feelgood romantic comedy perfect for fans of Adam Silvera, Casey McQuiston, Elite or the movie Palm Springs.

The world-renowned economist offers a ground-breaking new vision for inclusive prosperityLeft behind places can be found in prosperous countries-from South Yorkshire, integral to the industrial revolution and now England's poorest county, to Barranquilla, once Colombia's portal to the Caribbean and now struggling. More alarmingly, the poorest countries in the world are diverging further from the rest of humanity than they were at the start of this century. Why have these places fallen behind? And what can we do about it? World-renowned development economist Paul Collier has spent his life working in neglected communities. In this book he offers his candid diagnosis of why some regions and countries are failing, and a new vision for how they can catch up. Collier lays the blame for widening inequality on stale economic orthodoxies that prioritize market forces to revive left behind regions, and on the arrogant, hands-off and one-size fits all approach of centralized bureaucracies like the UK Treasury. As a result, Collier argues, the UK has become the most unequal and unfair society in the western world. Yet the core message of Left Behind is hopeful: bringing together encouraging case studies of recovery from around the world, Collier shows how renewal is achievable through a combination of collective learning, moral leadership and local agency. With keen insight, he draws lessons from such seemingly disparate fields as behavioural psychology, evolutionary biology and moral philosophy to share a bold, galvanizing vision for a more inclusive, prosperous world.

'A brilliant, glittering intelligence' Sunday TimesOn Women brings together Susan Sontag's most fearless and incisive writing on women, a crucial aspect of her work that has not until now received the attention it deservesWritten during the height of second-wave feminism, Sontag's essays remain strikingly relevant to our contemporary conversations. At times powerfully in sync and at others powerfully at odds with them, they are always characteristically original in their examinations of the 'biological division of labour', the double-standard for ageing and the dynamics of women's power and powerlessness.As Merve Emre writes in her introduction, On Women offers us 'the spectacle of a ferocious intellect setting itself to the task at hand: to articulate the politics and aesthetics of being a woman in the United States, the Americas and the world.''Boldly provocative' iNews'On Women demonstrates a powerful mind and equally forceful personality' The Herald

'This is the ring that you gave me, and these are your promises.'Rome 1611. A jewel-bright place of change, with sumptuous new palaces and lavish wealth on constant display. A city where women are seen but not heard.Artemisia Gentileschi dreams of becoming a great artist. Motherless, she grows up among a family of painters - men and boys. She knows she is more talented than her brothers, but she cannot choose her own future. She belongs to her father and will belong to a husband.As Artemisia patiently goes from lesson to lesson, perfecting her craft, a mysterious tutor enters her life. Tassi is a dashing figure, handsome and worldly, and for a moment he represents everything that a life of freedom might offer. But then the unthinkable happens. A violent act that threatens Artemisia's honour, and her virtue. In the eyes of her family, Artemisia should accept her fate. In the eyes of the law, she is the villain.But Artemisia is a survivor. And this is her story to tell.

Two exes. One deadline. Can they make it to the end?----Temi and Wale meet in London. They flirt, date, meet each other's friends.Then they break up. And Wale goes on a reality dating show.Instead of giving in to heartbreak, Temi throws herself into her dream: writing. She's within touching distance of a book deal that would solve all her problems. But publishers keep passing on her novel and bills still have to be paid. So, when the opportunity to ghost-write a celebrity autobiography arises, Temi accepts.And, of course, the celebrity turns out to be Wale...Will Temi and Wale repeat the patterns of their past? Or can they write a whole new story?----Praise for Lizzie Damilola Blackburn'The spiritual heir to Bridget Jones's Diary, while bringing something entirely fresh and modern to the table' Emily Henry on Yinka'Warm and fun and sweet' Marian Keyes on Yinka'A total joy to read - hilarious, insightful and so uplifting' Beth O'Leary on Yinka

'A richly told tale of tangled loyalties. French ratchets up the tension in increments . . . By the end, these characters have taken on such solidity that, long after finishing it, I often catch myself wondering how they're doing - a testament to the author's mastery of her craft' GUARDIANReturn to the dark underbelly of Ardnakelty in the thrilling new sequel to The Searcher.-----It's a blazing summer when two men arrive in the village. They're coming for gold. What they bring is trouble.Two years have passed since retired Police Detective Cal Hooper moved from Chicago to the West of Ireland looking for peace. He's found it, more or less - in his relationship with local woman Lena, and the bond he's formed with half-wild teenager Trey. So when two men turn up with a money-making scheme to find gold in the townland, Cal gets ready to do whatever it takes to protect Trey. Because one of the men is no stranger: he's Trey's father.But Trey doesn't want protecting. What she wants is revenge.Crackling with tension and slow-burn suspense, The Hunter explores what we'll do for our loved ones, what we'll do for revenge, and what we sacrifice when the two collide, from the Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller Tana French. ---Nobody writes tension like Tana French:'Terrific - terrifying, amazing' STEPHEN KING'One of the greats of contemporary crime fiction' IAN RANKIN'The most important crime novelist to emerge in the last ten years' WASHINGTON POST'A truly great writer' GILLIAN FLYNN'Among the first rank of great literary novelists' OBSERVER'A masterful, beautiful mystery...' CHRIS WHITAKER'Crime fiction's biggest contemporary star' GUARDIAN'Completely, indescribably magnificent' MARIAN KEYES'Lyrical, suspenseful, unpredictable' HARLAN COBEN'Comes closer to perfection than anything I've read in the last decade' SARAH HILARY'A spectacularly talented writer' LOUISE O'NEILL

The mind-blowing murder mystery debut with magical passengers, epic adventure, and a twist you can't guess.If Agatha Christie wrote fantasy, this would be it!----------"Agatha Christie with glitter magic.' I'm totally here for it. I hoovered up White's chunky novel in a day. Both funny and flirty as it deals with issues of class, snobbery and sexuality amongst all the magic and murder. The result is hugely entertaining' Herald-----------For a thousand years, Concordia has maintained peace between its provinces. To mark this incredible feat, the emperor's ship embarks upon a twelve-day voyage to the sacred Goddess's Mountain.Aboard are the twelve heirs of the provinces of Concordia, each graced with a unique and secret magical ability known as a Blessing.All except one: Ganymedes Piscero - class clown, slacker, and all-round disappointment.When a beloved heir is murdered, everyone is a suspect. Stuck at sea and surrounded by powerful people and without a Blessing to protect him , Ganymedes's odds of survival are slim.But as the bodies pile higher, Ganymedes must become the hero he was not born to be. Can he unmask the killer and their secret blessing before this bloody crusade reaches the shores of Concordia?Or will the empire as he knows it fall forever?----------------------------Praise for Voyage of the Damned:'Frances White has crafted a brilliantly clever tale full of heart-warming characters, riveting twists and a gloriously conceived world. A poignant, quirky and utterly delightful read. I felt EVERYTHING while reading Voyage of the Damned' Bea Fitzgerald, bestselling author of Girl, Goddess, Queen'Burned through this in about two days. Absolutely bloody brilliant! Voyage of the Damned is clever and comedic, while also heartfelt and harrowing. I hope readers will come to enjoy Dee's escapades as much as I did' - Sunyi Dean, author of The Book Eaters'An enchanting, bloody delight. Full of magic, laugh-out-loud humor, and so much murder' - Gabi Burton, author of Sing Me To Sleep----------------------------Readers can't stop raving about this book and its chaotic protagonist, Dee . . .Dee Fan Club Testimonials:'He'd spit in the face of authority and unapologetically flirt with anything that moves' Reader review'Ganymedes Piscero, AKA Dee, is my favorite sort of disaster child' Reader review'He's chubby, anxious, imperfect and 100% relatable-the kind of hero the world could use more of.' Reader review'I would protect him with my life.' Reader review'Ganymedes is an absolute riot. He's hilarious, chaotic, and a total queer underdog that you can't help but root for.' Reader review

Return to the spellbinding magical world of the Hatmakers in this sweeping, epic and exciting new adventure on the high seas - perfect for fans of Nevermoor, A Pinch of Magic and Harry Potter.'Be swept along by the brisk plot and cliffhanger chapters' The TelegraphCordelia Hatmaker has finally united the Maker families and restored the kingdom's trust in Maker magic. But mysterious outbreaks of chaotic magic are beginning to happen across London. And then the unthinkable happens . . . Cordelia is accused of treason.As the guards close in, she must flee London at once. With her father, Prospero, and friends, Sam and Goose, Cordelia sets sail on her family's ship, Little Bear, for the adventure of a lifetime. They're determined to solve the mystery of a missing girl, and to clear Cordelia's name once and for all.But soon they are in the dangerous territory of a band of legendary pirates: the Troublemakers. Is Cordelia a match for the fierce and unstoppable pirate queen?A breathtaking new adventure from bestselling author of The Hatmakers and The Mapmakers, Tamzin Merchant, featuring beautiful illustrations by Paola Escobar.Praise for The Hatmakers'Wildly inventive . . . full of laugh-out-loud humour, enchanting magic and rebellious hope. I loved it' Catherine Doyle'Imaginative' The Times'An utterly charming adventure full of wildness, wit, magic and heart' Anna James'Absolutely wonderful' Emma Carroll'A swashbuckling romp for lovers of history and magic . . . Will appeal to Philip Pullman and Harry Potter fans' Kirkus

The second thrilling and unputdownable mystery starring a new generation of the Detective Society, from the million-copy-bestselling author of Murder Most Unladylike: Robin Stevens.March 1941. Britain is at war, and a secret agency called the Ministry of Unladylike Activity is training up children as spies - because grown-ups always underestimate them. Enter May, Eric and Nuala: courageous, smart, and the Ministry's newest recruits.May's big sister Hazel has arranged for them to stay on a quiet street close to the Ministry, home to an unlikely collection of people thrown together by the war. And it is in the basement of the bombed-out house at the end of that street that they discover something mysterious. Something that was not there when the Blitz wreckage was first combed through. Something that has been placed there recently. A body...Could this be the missing Ministry spy that Daisy Wells is on a dangerous mission in France to find? Or could it be someone else - someone a resident of the street wanted silenced . . . ?