Please e-mail sally.dore@cantab.net to place an order

Welcome to my new Topsy-Turvy catalogue.  I do have some lovely books, so I hope you’ll find something that appeals. 

The overall theme of our Eighth Bristol Conference – Twentieth Century Schoolgirls and their Books last year was “Mothers, Mistresses and Other Role Models”, which lent itself to a huge variety of talks. The book of talks will be published later this year, and in the meantime the talks from previous conferences are available.  A date for your diary:  we have decided we will go for a ninth conference, so the next conference will take place from 24^th – 27^th July 2026 (booking will open in the summer), and the overall theme will be “Fresh Air and Freedom” (Betula’s more alliterative take on my suggested “Open Air and Adventure”!)

Please feel free to contact me with orders between catalogues, don’t feel it’s “too late”.  My catalogue contains my usual mix of second-hand and new books, with books for adults at the end. New books are underlined. A small discount on postage is given for titles ordered in advance of publication, otherwise postage is in addition as with orders for other books. (For the UK, postage for an advance order is £1.50 per book.)

GGBP, Greyladies, EJO Society, and other newly published titles

New Books – place orders now for these titles recently published.

S1)      Allan, Mabel Esther; The Amber House; pb GGBP 2024. 17-year-old Helen goes as secretary to her fierce great-aunt who is writing a history of the Amber House in Rye, where she lives. MEA’s knowledge and love of Rye and Sussex shine through. New. Now out of print. £20

S2)      Allan, Mabel Esther [As Priscilla Hagon]; Mystery at the Villa Bianca; pb Greyladies 2024. Frances Grey takes up a post as secretary at an exclusive finishing school in Switzerland; she enjoys it and gets on well with the girls. But some strange things start to happen, and what started as a young adult school story turns into a tense thriller! Introduction by Sue Sims. New. £12

S3)      Brent-Dyer, Elinor; The Chalet Book for Girls; pb GGBP 2025. A reprint of the first annual-type book published when the Chalet School was at the height of its fame. Chalet short stories and more. New. £13

S4)      Brent-Dyer, Elinor; Monica Turns Up Trumps; pb GGBP 2025. Unsatisfactory Monica eventually comes good (and goes to the Chalet School…) Very attractive Christmassy cover. New. £13

S5)      Brent-Dyer, Elinor; Primula of the Chalet School by Helen Barber; pb GGBP 2025. Shy Primula has to emerge from her shell.  New. £13

S6)      [Brent-Dyer, Elinor] The Chalet School at Glendower House by Sheryl Burke; pb GGBP 2024. What happens to the English branch when the Chalet School moves back to the Alps? New. £13

S7)      [Brent-Dyer, Elinor] More Tales of the Chalet School – And Beyond by Adrianne Fitzpatrick; pb GGBP 2024. A collection by one of the most admired fill-in writers. New. Now out of print. £20

S8)      [Brent-Dyer, Elinor]; Lorna’s Last Year at Wynyards by Amy Fletcher pb GGBP 2023. The Lorna duo is a favourite with many, and now this experienced author of Chalet fill-ins has turned her attention to what might have happened to Lorna afterwards. New £13

S9)      [Brent-Dyer, Elinor]; Rosamund Leads the Chalet School by Lisa Townsend; pb GGBP 2023. The term of Redheads, but from Rosamund’s point of view. Now out of print. £16

S10)    Brent-Dyer, Elinor; The Chalet School Wins the Trick; pb GGBP 2022 New £13 This is the final title in GGBP’s publication of all the Chalet School titles, so is something of a milestone!

S11)    Courtney, Gwendoline; A Coronet for Cathie; pb rep GGBP 2024. A satisfying read! New. Now OP. £16

S12)    Edwards, Monica; The White Riders; pb rep GGBP 2024. New. Now out of print. £13

S13)    Edwards, Monica; The Unsought Farm; pb GGBP 2025. How Monica Edwards came upon the farm that was to be the model for the much-loved Punchbowl Farm. New. £13

S14)    Forest, Antonia; Autumn Term; GGBP 2024. The first GGBP ed of the first Marlow title. Now OP. £16

S15)    Goudge, Elizabeth; The Joy of the Snow; pb GGBP 2024. This new edition of her autobiography includes a selection of letters written by her in later life which have never been published before. New. £13

S16)    Hill, Lorna; Jane Leaves the Wells; pb GGBP 2024. Newly successful ballerina Jane is faced with an almost impossible choice. New. £13

S17)    Lyon, Elinor; The Shores of Darkness; pb Greyladies 2023. The Merediths and their pursuits (exploring, poetry, music) among the evocative landscapes of Wales; written in the 1960s, but never published because of a change of policy at Elinor Lyon’s publishers, so this is the first edition. New. £12.

S17a)  Oxenham, Elsie J; At School with the Roundheads; pb EJO Soc 2025. New £16

S18)    Oxenham, Elsie J; New Girls at Woodend; pb EJO Soc. 2024. New. £16

S19)    Oxenham, Elsie J; A Go-Ahead Schoolgirl; pb EJO Soc, 2023. New £16

S20)    Oxenham, Elsie J; Patience and Her Problems; pb EJO Soc, 2023. New £16

S21)    Saville, Malcolm; The Ambermere Treasure; pb GGBP 2024. The final Jillies series, this was always my favourite as a child. New. £13

S22)    Shaw, Jane; Northmead Nuisance; pb GGBP 2024. New. £13

New Books – place advance orders now for these titles due in spring and early summer

Postage is cheaper for advance orders. Titles are going out of print fast, so do pre-order to be sure of a copy.

S23)    Allan, Mabel Esther; A School in Danger; pb GGBP, 2025. Dundonay House might be ousted by the landlord. New. £13

S24)    Brent-Dyer, Elinor; Prefects at the Chalet School; pb GGBP rep 2025. New £13

S25)    Saville, Malcolm; Diamonds in the Sky; pb GGBP 2025. Rarest in the Buckingham series; Charles, Juliet, and her younger brother Simon, happen upon diamond smuggling on a visit to Amsterdam. New £13

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Allan, Mabel Esther       

S26)    A School in Danger; pb GGBP, 2025. Dundonay House might be ousted by the landlord. New. £13

S27)    The Amber House; pb GGBP 2024. 17-year-old Helen goes as secretary to her fierce great-aunt who is writing a history of the Amber House in Rye, where she lives. MEA’s knowledge and love of Rye and Sussex shine through. New. £20

S28)    [As Priscilla Hagon]; Mystery at the Villa Bianca; pb Greyladies 2024. Frances Grey takes up a post as secretary at an exclusive finishing school in Switzerland; but what starts as a young adult school story turns into a tense thriller! Introduction by Sue Sims. New. £12

S29)    Over the Sea to School; pb GGBP 2024. Dillion Harvey is reluctant to go to school, but the progressive Dundonay House on Skye is a different matter… New. £13

S30)    Shadow Over the Alps; pb GGBP 2023. A group of Sixth formers taken to the Alps face an atmosphere of increasing menace. Can anyone really wish them harm? New. £13

S31)    Philomel Follows After;  pb Greyladies 2021. This is MEA’s second full-length book, unpublished until now, and astonishingly written when she was 15, a school story with a difference. Full of Scottish romanticism, not exactly realistic, but very readable, and with girls’ dialogue that rings true. £12

S32)    Ragged Robin Began It; pb (pocket size) Greyladies 2020. MEA gives her thoughts on school stories, including the Big Three and several others – one can criticise and still love, she says. NEW £8

S33)    To Be an Author; pb Greyladies 2020. This is MEA’s autobiography, until now only privately published in two booklets in the 1980s. £10

S34)    Ann’s Alpine Adventure; pb GGBP 2020. New £13

S35)    New Schoools for Old; pb GGBP 2018. New. £13

S36)    Judith Teaches; pb GGBP 2016. Very interesting career story. New. £13

S37)    Here We Go Round; pb GGBP 2015. Nursery teaching. £13

S38)    The MacIans of Glen Gillean; pb GGBP 2013. NEW. £13

S39)    The Wyndhams Went to Wales; pb GGBP 2013.  NEW. £13

S40)    The Ballet Family; pb GGBP 2012.  Joan comes to alien London family.  New  £13

S41)    The Ballet Family Again; pb GGBP 2012. Joan discovers her own gifts. NEW. £13

S42)    Trouble at Melville Manor; pb GGBP 2014. Ray wants to be a writer. NEW £13

S43)    Margaret Finds a Future; pb GGBP 2011. Life at a National Trust house. New £13

S44)    Amanda Goes to Italy; pb GGBP 2022. New £13

Baker, Margaret J.

S45)    Prickets Way1973 1^st ed; Methuen. When the Caraway children’s mother becomes housekeeper at Prickets, the children enjoy their new life, but soon feel the strain of living with old Miss Turlypin and her hundreds of animals. So when she dies and leaves Prickets and all its contents to them, they really don’t know what to do… Fine in fine dw. £10

Barber, Helen

S46)    Mollie’s Choice; pb BTT. Popular day school story debut. New. £10

S47)    Mollie’s Friends; pb BTT 2020. Sequel to, Mollie’s Choice. New. £10

Biggs, Margaret

S48)    The very attractive Melling series follows the Blake family at a small home-like school.  All New GGBP pbs, All £13 New Girl at Melling; 2005;; Susan in the Sixth; 2007; Changes at Melling;   2009.  

S49)    Bobby at Hill House; pb GGBP 2014. £13

S50)    Christmas Term at Vernley; pb GGBP 2012.  £13

S51)    The Two Families; pb GGBP 2010. NEW.  £13

S52)    Dilly Goes to Ambergate; pb GGBP 2011.  NEW.  £13

Biggs, Margaret, and Blairman, Jacqueline

S53)    Triplets at Royders; nd Sampson Low. Anne, Robin and Sheila have to earn the right to stay on at Royders by making the most of their first year. An unusually handsomely illustrated book, b&w decorations and numerous full-page b&w illustrations throughout. Spine and strip down front panel faded, o/w VG. £15

Blake, Linda

S54)    Laura’s Summer Ballet; 1967 Children’s Press. VG in edgeworn dw. £6

Blyton, Enid

S55)    Tales of Brave Adventure; 1963 Dean. Retellings of the exciting adventures of King Arthur and his knights, and of Robin Hood and his Men. VG in attractive but edgeworn dw. £7.50

S56)    Adventures of Binkle and Flip; 1967 rep Dean. VG. £5

S57)    The Ragamuffin Mystery; 1967 rep Collins. Straggley name and address on fep, VG in G++ dw. £7.50

S58)    The Happy House Children + The Happy House Children Again; 1967 rep; Collins. Two books in one, pages a bit biscuity, gen VG in bright dw which would be VG but for a tear (no loss) on the rear panel. £6

S59)    Summer Term at St Clare’s; 1943 1^st ed, Methuen. Pictorial boards showing the twins. Endpapers professionally replaced, very small ink blot on the front board, generally VG. £8.50

S60)    The Naughtiest Girl is a Monitor; 1973 rev ed, Dean. Glazed picture bds as issued. VG+. £5

S61)    St Clare’s; paperbacks Dragon, G++, £3.50 each. The Twins at St Clare’s; The O’Sullivan Twins; Summer Term at St Clare’s; Second Form at St Clare’s; Fifth Formers at St Clare’s.

S62)    Mr Galliano’s Circus; pb Armada 1962. G++. £3.50

S63)    Enid Blyton’s Stories for You; 1966, Dean. Attractive drawings throughout. VG in VG dw. £5

S64)    Happy Hours Story Book; 1964 Dean. Glazed picture bds as issued. VG+. £5

S65)    Enid Blyton’s Storytime Book; 1964 Dean. Glazed picture bds as issued. Name blacked out, o/w VG. £5

S66)    Enid Blyton’s Goodnight Stories; 1972 Purnell. Lacks fep. Glazed picture bds as issued. G++. £4.50

S67)    Well, Really, Mr Twiddle!; 1968 Dean. Glazed picture bds as issued. VG+. £5

Boston, Lucy M.

S68)    Really handsome paperback reprints from early 2000s by Oldknow Books. All VG+ or better, £4 each. The Children of Green Knowe; An Enemy at Green Knowe; The Stones of Green Knowe.

Boylston, Helen Dore

S69)    Carol in Repertory; 1948 rep; Bodley Head. The Carol books are now hard to find. VG+ in VG+ dw. £18

S70)    Carol Comes to Broadway; 1950 rep; Bodley Head. VG++ in VG- dw. £30

S71)    Sue Barton – Visiting Nurse; 1952 rep; Bodley Head. VG. £6

S72)    Sue Barton – Rural Nurse; 1952 rep; Bodley Head. Some foxing, generally G++. £5

S73)    Sue Barton paperbacks; all Knight, G+ or better, £3.50 each: Sue Barton – Neighbourhood Nurse; Sue Barton - Senior Nurse; Sue Barton – Superintendent Nurse.

Brazil, Angela

S74)    A Fourth Form Friendship; pb 2006 GGBP, centenary edition, a good one! NEW. £6

S75)    The Nicest Girl in the School; nd Blackie, thick early ed. Lacks fp, but 3 other b&w plates. Foxing throughout, pictorial boards. Chunk cut off pre-titles page. Not as bad as it sounds! £5

S76)    A Patriotic Schoolgirl; nd, thick early ed, nice birthday inscription 1922; Blackie. Splendidly dramatic pictorial cover of schoolgirl with union flag. One of the most fascinating AB titles, because of the light it sheds on the social history of WWI. Missing fp and one other, but 4 b&w plates present. Spine edges reinforced with “invisible” bookbinding tissue, generally G++.  £9.50

S77)    The Secret of the Border Castle; 1972 rep (original 1943); Blackie. This is interesting for its WWII setting, as girls from The Pines in Norborough are evacuated to the gatehouse of Longmoor Castle. There are fascinating details about the economics of evacuation – not all the pupils will accompany the school now that the first danger of the blitz is over, so how can it be made financially viable? VG+ in VG+ dw. £8

S78)    The Manor House School; nd Blackie (later ed). 4/4 b&w plates, VG in VG+ dw. £7.50

Brent-Dyer, Elinor

GGBP and Bettany Press recent paperback editions, Chalet School, Chalet School “fill-ins” and others

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S79)    McCallum, Alison; The Chalet School Encyclopedia;. GGBP larger format pbs. Fascinating and exhaustive guide to all things Chalet. Non-fiction. NEW.  £20 each; Volume 4 (R-Z) 2016.

S80)    The Chalet Book for Girls; pb GGBP 2025. A reprint of the first annual-type book published when the Chalet School was at the height of its fame. Chalet short stories and more. New. £13

S81)    [Brent-Dyer, Elinor] Tales from the Chalet School by Helen Barber and Katherine Bruce; pb GGBP 2023. Short stories by two well-respected fill-in writers, including a couple of new ones. New. £13

S82)    [Brent-Dyer, Elinor] More Tales of the Chalet School – And Beyond by Adrianne Fitzpatrick; pb GGBP 2024. A collection by one of the most admired fill-in writers. New. £20

S83)    Chalet School World: Short Stories by Helen Barber; pb GGBP 2013. New. £13

S84)    The Chalet School Christmas Story Book; pb GGBP 2007. A lovely seasonal collection. VG+. £13

S85)    The Chalet School Cook Book; pb GGBP 2009. This is the only out-of-series Chalet book that EBD herself wrote, featuring Chalet girls, but not a school story. An interesting book full of recipes of the time, structured around conversations between Joey and her three great friends, Simone, Frieda and Marie, who are in quarantine. People have tried making the recipes, with mixed results! NEW.  £20

S86)    Before the Chalet School - The Bettanys of Taverton High by Helen Barber; pb rep 2022. New £13

S87)    Before the Chalet School – The Bettanys on the Home Front by Helen Barber. GGBP 2015. NEW. £22

S88)    Before the Chalet School - Last Term at Taverton High  by Helen Barber. GGBP 2018. NEW. £16

S89)    The School at the Chalet; GGBP 2005. Lots of extras. New. £18

S90)    Deira Joins the Chalet School by Caroline German; pb GGBP 2010. NEW  £20

S91)    Head Girl of the Chalet School; pb GGBP 2013. New. £20

S92)    Eustacia Goes to the Chalet School; pb rep GGBP 2021. New. £16

S93)    The Chalet School Annexe by Adrianne Fitzpatrick; pb GGBP 2018. One copy only £22.50

S94)    The Chalet School and the Lintons; pb GGBP 2020. New. £20

S95)    Jo Returns to the Chalet School; pb GGBP 2021. New. £20

S96)    The Muller Twins at the Chalet School by Bruce, Katherine;  pb GGBP 2012.  NEW. £16

S97)    Gillian of the Chalet School by Carol Allan; pb GGBP 2006. £20

S98)    The Chalet School in Exile; pb GGBP.  NEW.  £20

S99)    A Refuge for the Chalet School by Amy Fletcher; pb GGBP 2020. Members of the Chalet School re-group in Guernsey following the flight from Austria. (Overlaps with CS in Exile). NEW. £16

S100)  The Chalet School in Guernsey by Katherine Bruce; pb GGBP 2020. New. £13

S101)  The Chalet School and Robin by Caroline German; pb GGBP 2003. VG++. £18

S102)  Flight of a Chalet School Girl by Katherine Bruce; pb GGBP 2022. New £20

S103)  Gay from China at the Chalet School; pb rep GGBP 2023. New. £13

S104)  Jo to the Rescue; pb GGBP 2022 New £16

S105)  The Mystery at the Chalet School & Robin Heeds the Call by Wilkinson & Browlie; pb GGBP 2014 £20

S106)  A Chalet School Headmistress by Helen Barber. GGBP rep 2017. Very popular fill-in. £16

S107)  Tom Tackles the Chalet School; pb GGBP 2017. NEW. £16

S108)  Primula of the Chalet School by Helen Barber; pb GGBP 2025. Shy Primula has to emerge from her shell.  New. £13

S109)  The Bettany Twins and the Chalet School by Helen Barber; pb GGBP 2020. £13

S110)  Sisters at the Chalet School  by Amy Fletcher; pb GGBP 2017. Near fine. £22.50

S111)  A Guernsey Girl at the Chalet School by Amy Fletcher; pb GGBP 2021. £13

S112)  Peace Comes to the Chalet School by Katherine Bruce; pb GGBP rep 2020. New. £20

S113)  The Champion of the Chalet School by Adrianne Fitzpatrick; pb GGBP 2014. NEW. £18

S114)  Three Go to the Chalet School; pb GGBP 2022 New £16

S115)  A Difficult Term at the Chalet School by Lisa Townsend; pb GGBP 2021 rep. NEW.  £16

S116)  The Chalet School and the Island; pb GGBP 2022. New £16

S117)  Peggy of the Chalet School; pb GGBP 2021. New. £16

S118)  Carola Storms the Chalet School; pb GGBP 2008. One copy only. £22.50

S119)  Maeve of the Chalet School by Helen Barber; pb GGBP 2022. Set in the same term as the CS in the Oberland and Shocks. New £16

S120)  Changes for the Chalet School; pb GGBP 2014. NEW. £20

S121)  The Chalet School at Glendower House by Sheryl Burke; pb GGBP 2024. What happens to the English branch when the Chalet School moves back to the Alps? New. £13

S122)  The Chalet School and Barbara; pb GGBP 2014. NEW. £20

S123)  The Chalet School Returns to the Alps by Lisa Townsend; pb GGBP 2021. Nancy Wilmot joins the school as a mistress and takes some time to feel at home, while new girl Sue Meadows is very self-contained. (Overlaps with CS and Barbara). New. £13

S124)  A Chalet Girl from Kenya; pb rep GGBP 2021. New. £16

S125)  A Problem for the Chalet School; pb rep GGBP 2021. New. £16

S126)  New Mistress at the Chalet School; pb rep GGBP 2020. New. £20

S127)  A Leader in the Chalet School; pb GGBP 2020. New. £20

S128)  The Chalet School Wins the Trick; pb GGBP 2022 New £13

S129)  A Future Chalet School Girl pb rep GGBP 2024. New. £16

S130)  The Chalet School Reunion; pb GGBP £20

S131)  Jane and the Chalet School; pb GGBP 2013. NEW.  £20

S132)  Redheads at the Chalet School; pb GGBP 2023. NEW.  £13

S133)  Rosamund Leads the Chalet School by Lisa Townsend; pb GGBP 2023. RNew. £16

S134)  Challenge for The Chalet School; pb GGBP rep 2023 New £16

S135)  Althea Joins the Chalet School; pb rep GGBP 2021. New. £16

S136)  Prefects at the Chalet School; pb GGBP rep 2025. New £13

S137)  New Beginnings at the Chalet School by Heather Paisley; pb rep GGBP 2020 £16

Chalet School hardbacks (all Chambers), and other hbs, Armada pbs and items relating to EBD

S138)  The School at the Chalet; 1963 rep. Spine faded, several names written on eps, gen VG+. £8.50

S139)  Exploits of the Chalet Girls; 1950 rep. One section of pages has been repeated, but there are no omissions! Neat repair reinforcing front hinge, generally G++ in p/c dw. £10

S140)  The New House at the Chalet School; 1950 rep. VG+; the book has been given a tidy, handsomely lettered (removable) brown paper cover, with the dw blurb taped inside it, and the front cover of the dw loosely tucked into the turn over. £14

S141)  The Chalet School Goes To It; 1950 rep. VG+, nice and fresh, in VG dw. £18

S142)  Lavender Laughs in the Chalet School; 1956 rep. Pages going biscuity, o/w VG++ in VG+ dw. £24

S143)  Joey Goes to the Oberland; 1954 1^st. Missing prelims, pages going biscuity, generally G++ in G+ dw, missing 2 cm bit of top left front panel, taking out the J of Joey. £25

S144)  The Chalet School and Barbara; 1954 1^st ed. Pages going a little biscuity, o/w VG+ in dw with a few substantial chips, now protected. £30

S145)  The Coming of Age of the Chalet School; 1958 1^st. Near fine in VG dw. £35

S146)  The Chalet School Triplets; 1^st. Nr fine in VG- dw, base of sp torn but almost no loss, now protected. £35

S147)  The Chalet School Reunion; 1963 1^st ed. 4 colour plates. Near fine in VG- dw with the wraparound design, a few tears but little loss, now protected. £38

S148)  Adrienne and the Chalet School; 1965 1^st ed. Near fine in VG++ dw. £32

S149)  Summer Term at the Chalet School; 1965 1^st ed. Near fine in VG+ dw. £35

S150)  Althea Joins the Chalet School; 1969 1^st ed. Near fine in VG++ dw, a lovely copy. £38

S151)  Prefects of the Chalet School; 1970 1^st ed. Fine in near fine dw, a beautiful copy. £45

S152)  Judy the Guide; 1^st ed 1928; Nelson. Handsome pictorial boards, generally VG. £20

S153)  Monica Turns Up Trumps; nd (1^st ed?) RTS. A worn but nice thick copy of this CS connector. £10

S154)  The New House-Mistress; nd Nelson. Pictorial bds, VG+. £6

S155)  EBD’s Collected Verse; ed Joy Wotton; NCC 2006 124pp booklet. New. £2.50

S156)  The Chalet School and Rosalie; pb Armada. VG+. £5

La Rochelle series and other Chalet connectors

S157)  Monica Turns Up Trumps; pb GGBP 2025. Unsatisfactory Monica eventually comes good (and goes to the Chalet School…) Very attractive Christmassy cover. New. £13

S158)  Gerry Goes to School; pb GGBP 2022. EBD’s first book, and first in La Rochelle series, set on Guernsey. A new reprint to celebrate the 100^th anniversary of its first publication. New £13

S159)  A Head Girl’s Difficulties; pb rep GGBP, 2024. The second La Rochelle title, with an introduction by me on Sentiment and Stoicism: Reactions to Children’s Deaths. New. £13

S160)  The Maids of La Rochelle; 1927, Chambers hb.  VG £22

S161)  Seven Scamps; pb GGBP 2013. NEW. £20

S162)  Heather Leaves School; 1952 rep; Chambers. VG. £14

S163)  Janie of La Rochelle; pb rep GGBP 2020. £20

Janie Steps In; pb GGBP rep 2023. The final La Rochelle title. New £13

Lorna

S164)  Lorna At Wynyards; pb GGBP rep 2021. One of my favourite EBD titles. New. £13

S165)  Stepsisters for Lorna; pb GGBP rep 2023. New £13

S166)  [Brent-Dyer, Elinor]; Lorna’s Last Year at Wynyards by Amy Fletcher pb GGBP 2023. The Lorna duo is a favourite with many; what might have happened to Lorna afterwards? New £16

Condor Crags Series

S167)  The Condor Crags Adventure; pb GGBP 2018. New. £16

S168)  Chudleigh Hold; pb GGBP. New. £16

S169)  Top Secret; pb GGBP 2022. New £16

Other titles

S170)  The Little Marie Jose / The Little Missus; pb GGBP. New. £22.50

S171)  The Evangelical Books – Nesta Steps Out, Beechy of the Harbour School and Leader in Spite of Herself; pb GGBP 2021. Some of EBD’s rarest titles, slim volumes here published in one book. New. £20

S172)  Geography Readers Vol 1: A Quintette in Queensland/ Verena Visits New Zealand; pb GGBP 2019. £16

S173)  Geography Readers Vol 2: Bess on her Own in Canada + Sharlie’s Kenya Diary; pb GGBP 2020. £13

S174)  Chalet Club Newsletters; pb rep GGBP 2016. 1960s Chalet Club newsletters, extra CS info.  New £13

S175)  The Feud in the Fifth Remove; pb GGBP 2014. New. £13

S176)  Trouble at Skelton Hall; pb GGBP 2009.  NEW.  £13.

S177)  Caroline the Second; pb GGBP 2005.  NEW  £13

S178)  Elizabeth the Gallant; pb GGBP 2006.  NEW.  £13

S179)  The Lost Staircase; pb GGBP rep, 2018. NEW. £16

S180)  Judy the Guide; pb GGBP 2010.  New. £13

S181)  Kennelmaid Nan; pb GGBP 2011. EBD’s almost-career-story. NEW. £13

S182)  They Both Liked Dogs; pb GGBP 2012. NEW. £13

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Bristol Conference – see what you’ve been missing!  These are all new.

S183)  Bristol Conference booklets: SPECIAL OFFER   All six booklets/books below £25

S184)  20^th Century Schoolgirls and Their Books – 7^th 2022 Bristol Conference, 2024. Overall theme is Eccentrics, Misfits and Oddballs. 148pp. Illustrated in colour throughout. £8.50

S185)  20^th C Schoolgirls and Their Books – 6th 2018 Bristol Conference; 2019. Overall theme is War. 144pp book. Illustrated in colour throughout. £7.50

S186)  20^th C Schoolgirls and Their Books – 5th 2016 Bristol Conference; 2017. Themes are Series fiction and Hobbies. 104pp book, illustrated in colour throughout. £6.50

S187)  20^th C Schoolgirls and Their Books – 4th 2014 Conference; 2015. Locations, real and fictional. 68pp £5

S188)  20^th C Schoolgirls and Their Books – 3rd 2012 Conference; 2012. Includes Career books. 64-pp £4.50

S189)  20^th C Schoolgirls and Their Books – 2nd 2010 Conference; 2011. Themes include Guides. 60pp. £3.50

Bruce, Dorita Fairlie  I have a great selection of DFB titles in a variety of series

Springdale series

S190)  Prefects at Springdale; nd Spring. Col fp. VG. £6

Dimsie series

S191)  Dimsie and the Jane Willard Foundation: pb GGBP. The collected Dimsie short stories. NEW. £13

S192)  Dimsie Takes Charge; 1985 1^st thus; Goodchild. This was then the only collection of Dimsie short stories. VG+ in VG+ dw. £5

S193)  Dimsie Goes to School; nd Spring. VG in Somewhat edgeworn G dw. £5

S194)  Dimsie Moves Up; 1932 rep; OUP, “Swan” ed. G+. £5

S195)  Dimsie Among the Prefects; nd; Spring. VG. £5

S196)  Dimsie, Head Girl; 1938 rep; OUP, “Swan” ed. Col fp, generally VG. £8.50

S197)  Dimsie Grows Up; 1938 rep OUP, “Swan” edition. Col fp. Very light foxing, overall VG. £9.50

S198)  Dimsie Intervenes; 1946 rep; OUP. Margaret Horder fp of Dimsie. Slight fraying at corners and spine ends, generally VG. £12.50

S199)  Dimsie Carries On; 1944 rep; OUP. This wartime book about Dimsie, now a herbalist and married with children, has (Springdale’s) Primula Mary and Anne as characters. A sound reading copy, it has an intriguing inscription in ink on the rear blank endpaper: “Ecce advenit Dominator Dominus : et regnum in manu eius et potestas et imperium”. I was intrigued and looked it up, and apparently it’s part of the introit for the mass of the Epiphany: “Behold, he comes, the Lord and Ruler : and in his hand the kingdom, and power, and dominion.” £7.50

Toby trilogy

S200)  The School on the Moor; pb GGBP 2006.  First Toby title. NEW.  £13

S201)  The School on the Moor; 1937 rep; OUP “Swan” ed. Boards a little marked, G. £6.50

S202)  The School in the Woods; pb GGBP 2007. Toby title of legendary rarity.  £13

S203)  Toby at Tibbs Cross; 1942 1^st ed; OUP. Fascinating now particularly for its social history of Toby working on the land in wartime, but its plot is the thriller / romance one might expect. Surprisingly substantial edition for wartime, with a colour fp. VG £15

Colmskirk series A series of 9 books about interlinking families set around the area DFB knew well, Largs on the west coast of Scotland, from the 17^th to 20^th centuries. DFB saw these as more ambitious novels for young adults. (The first two historical stories, The King’s Curate and Mistress Mariner, published in the 1930s, have never been reprinted, and are almost impossible to get hold of.)

S204)  A Laverock Lilting; 1947 rep; OUP. Jentie Crawford’s lovely voice gives her an entrée into Edinburgh society, where she’s welcomed by the Scotts, the Raeburns and others – but then her circumstances change, and she finds she has to sing to make her living. Illustrated by Margaret Horder. VG. £20

S205)  The Bees on Drumwhinnie; 1952 1^st ed; OUP. Felicity and her young sister Deb arrive in Scotlan in the 1870s to live with two poverty-stricken aunts. Can pretty and fashionable Felicity rise to the situation? Illustrated by Margaret Horder. VG in G+ dw missing small bit at top of spine. .

S206)  Wild Goose Quest; pb GGBP 2013. £13

S207)  Wild Goose Quest; 1945 1^st ed; Lutterworth. Spine faded, o/w VG. £13

S208)  The Serendipity Shop; pb GGBP 2009.  Colmskirk series, set in very recognisable Scottish locations. £13

S209)  Triffeny; 1950 1^st ed; OUP. Triffeny aged 16, decides she must go to London to pursue her artistic bent. Her aunts agree it’s impossible – but how can they reconcile Triffeny to staying in Colmskirk? Enter Great-aunt Tryphena, owner of a pottery. VG in VG dw. £30

S210)  Triffeny; pb GGBP 2010.  Second Colmskirk title.  NEW. £13

S211)  The Debatable Mound; pb GGBP 2011.  Colmskirk series.  NEW. £13

S212)  The Debatable Mound; 1953 1^st ed; OUP. A handsome fresh copy in p/c dw. £13

S213)  The Bartle Bequest; pb GGBP. New. £13

Nancy series

S214)  The Girls of St Bride’s; 1927 rep; OUP. Dec bds, gen G+. £7.50

S215)  Nancy at St Bride’s; 1973 rep White Lion. VG in VG slightly baggy dw with faded spine. £5

S216)  Nancy at St Bride’s; pb GGBP. New. £13

S217)  That Boarding School Girl; 1930 rep; OUP. Col fp “Tied tightly to a tree in the middle of the glade was a small girl”… Some foxing, crisp boards. £6.50

S218)  The New Girl and Nancy – A Story of School and the Open Air; 1937 rep; OUP. Spine spotty and band darkend on front board, inside is generally VG. £7.50

S219)  Nancy to the Rescue; 1930 rep; OUP. Col fp. Outline picture embossed on front board, rear board has a couple of vertical crease marks, generally G+. £5

S220)  Nancy in the Sixth; 1935 1^st ed; OUP Swan edition. Col fp. VG. £15

S221)  Nancy Returns to St Bride’s; 1938 OUP. Swan edition. This is dedicated to Elsie Oxenham who had pressed DFB for Nancy to be sent back to St Bride’s! Colour fp, VG. £10

Buckeridge, Anthony This time I have a nice selection of hardbacks with the very attractive wraparound dustwrappers

S222)  Jennings Goes to School; 1956 rep; Collins. VG+ in G+ dw with some edgewear. £10

S223)  Jennings and Darbishire; 1957 rep; Collins. VG+ in VG dw. £10

S224)  Jennings Follows a Clue; 1956 rep; Collins. VG+ in VG dw. £10

S225)  Jennings’ Little Hut; 1957 rep; Collins. VG+ in G++ dw with a little edgewear. £10

S226)  According to Jennings; 1957 rep; Collins. VG- in dw missing 1 cm at top of spine, which would o/w be VG. £10

S227)  Jennings Goes to School; pb Puffin. Cover by John Verney. VG. £3.50

S228)  Take Jennings for Instance; pb Armada. Lower corner bent, o/w VG. £3.50

Burgess, Trevor

S229)  A Spy at Monk’s Court; 1960 rep; Hutchinson. Jim Raymond and his friends spend the summer term trying to unravel the mystery of Koromoff, a new boy, supposedly the son of a foreign diplomat. Dw illustration by Terence Freeman. VG in VG dw. £8.50

Butler-Joyce, Joan

S230)  Hot Water; pb BTT 2020. A trilogy first published 1935 – 1940, about school friends Madge, Pam and charismatic new girl Leah. New £12

S231)  She Went to London; pb BTT 2020 Madge visits Leah for eventful holiday. New £12

S232)  No Responsibility; pb BTT 2020. The  friends are not keen on the implications of prefectship. New. £12

Caldwell, Patricia

S233)  The Vivians school series, all GGBP, £13 each (or £10 each if you buy more than one Vivians title). Prefects at Vivians 2010; Head Girl at Vivians 2010; Strangers at Vivians 2011; Left Until Called For at Vivians 2012; A Last Year at Vivians 2013; ¡Viva Vivians! 2014; Winter at Vivians 2016

S234)  Prefects at Vivians; pb GGBP. St Vivians is a Cumberland boarding school. Slight damage, gen VG. £4

Cartmell, Esme

S235)  Rescue in Ravensdale; 1946 1^st ed; Nelson. An odd, interesting and much-loved book, about 15-year-old Roger who, when his planned school trip to France has to be cancelled in the summer of 1939, unexpectedly has to stay with his four younger girl cousins for a holiday in Yorkshire. Part gentle story about an articulate, somewhat eccentric and bantering family, part spy story, part poignant elegy for the hot, cloudless days on the moors of pre-war England. Someone has put little grey stickers a bit like space modules in the corners of all the prelims, with some little added coloured pencil marks, so a reading copy, but very sound and readable. £8

Channon, E.M.

S236)  That Awful Term; pb BTT 2018. £12

S237)  The Handsome Hardcastles; pb BTT 2017. NEW. £12

S238)  The Cinderella Girl; pb BTT 2016. Lively story of young woman who, having taken a training in domestic science, is able to help her friends out. New. £12

S239)  Expelled from St Madern’s; pb BTT 2014. New. £12

S240)  Her Second Chance; pb Books to Treasure 2014. (Sequel to “Expelled”) Possibly the only school story where the new girl turns out to be the wife of a jewel thief… New. £12

S241)  A Fifth-Form Martyr; pb BTT 2015. A wonderful time-slip story (she used her daughter’s experiences contrasted with her own 35 years earlier). NEW. £12

Chaundler, Christine  One of the major school story writers of the 20^th C, she succeeds in creating splendidly sympathetic main characters whom the reader cheers on in their inevitable travails.

S242)  The Right St John’s; pb 2007 GGBP. A new girl begins to suspects she’s in the wrong place...  NEW  £13

S243)  The Chivalrous Fifth; nd Nelson. Jane Smith’s mother apparently keeps a shop; her new friends decide they must be Terribly Kind to show they don’t mind… B&w drawings throughout. VG+/ VG dw £7.50

Christian, Catherine

S244)  Cherries in Search of a Captain; nd, but inscribed 1932, year after publication, so probably a 1^st. B&w fp and another plate.  Thick ed, pictorial spine. G+. £6

Courtney, Gwendoline       

S245)  A Coronet for Cathie; pb rep GGBP 2024. A really satisfying read! New. £13

S246)  Stepmother; pb GGBP. NEW.  2018. £16

S247)  The Grenville Garrison; pb GGBP 2014. NEW. £13

S248)  Denehurst Secret Service; pb GGBP 2005.  NEW.  £13

S249)  Well Done Denehurst; pb GGBP 2005.  NEW.  £13

S250)  The Chiltons; GGBP 2006.  NEW  £16

S251)  Mermaid House; pb GGBP 2011 1st publication in book form! £13

S252)  Wild Lorings – Detectives; pb GGBP 2010. £13

S253)  Elizabeth of the Garret Theatre; nd Children’s Press. A reprint of Stepmother (doesn’t appear to be cut). VG+ in VG+ dw. £7.50

S254)  The Girls of Friar’s Rise; 1952 1^st ed; Nelson. Col fp and several b&w illustrations. Boards rubbed at edges, o/w VG. £14

S255)  The Farm on the Downs (= Longbarrow); 1961 rep; Collins Seagull. Spine detaching, hence reading copy, but rest of the book is perfectly sound. £5

Daniell, David Scott

S256)  Polly and Oliver; pb Dragon. Drummer boy Oliver, and his cousin Polly, daughter of Sergeant Trott and brought up in the Regiment, find exciting adventures in the fight against Napoleon. VG+. £3.50

S257)  Polly and Oliver Besieged; pb Dragon. Polly and Oliver are captured by the Spanish, but undaunted. Near fine, a lovely copy. £4

S258)  Hunt Royal; pb Puffin. An exciting account of Charles II’s escape after Worcester (including the oak tree) – it made an impression on me as a child. Spine a bit faded o/w VG. £3.50

Darch, Winifred

S259)  The New School and Hilary; pb 2008. Insight into staff point of view.  Darch’s books are “among the best school stories ever written” (Encyclopaedia of Girls’ School Stories).  NEW.  £13

Doescher, Ian

S260)  William Shakespeare’s Star Wars – Verily, A New Hope; 2013 Quirk Books. Star Wars – and indeed Shakespeare – as you never imagined them… A surprisingly successful tour de force.  Fine in fine dw. £8

S261)  William Shakespeare’s The Empire Striketh Back; 2014 Quirk Books.   “O, ‘tis for the Rebellion a dark time. / For though they have the Death Star all destroy’d, / Imperi’l troops did from the ashes climb / And push the rebels closer to the void… In time so long ago begins our play / In war-torn galaxy far, far away.// Exit Chorus”. Fine in fine dw. £8

Edwards, Monica       

S262)  The Unsought Farm; pb GGBP 2025. How Monica Edwards came upon the farm that was to be the model for the much-loved Punchbowl Farm. New. £13

S263)  Wish for a Pony 2020. pb GGBP NEW. £20

S264)  The Summer of the Great Secret 2019; pb GGBP. NEW. One copy only. £20

S265)  The White Riders; pb rep GGBP 2024. New. Now out of print. £13

S266)  Black Hunting Whip 2011; pb GGBP. NEW. One copy only. £20

S267)  Storm Ahead; pb rep GGBP 2021. £13

S268)  Storm Ahead; pb rep GGBP 2021. Covers slightly bent, £8

S269)  The Wanderer 2012; pb GGBP. NEW. £20

S270)  No Entry 2005; pb GGBP. NEW. £20

S271)  Punchbowl Harvest 2013; pb GGBP. NEW. £20

S272)  Operation Seabird 2007; pb GGBP. NEW. £20

S273)  Strangers to the Marsh pb GGBP. NEW. One copy only. £20

S274)  The Outsider 2015; pb GGBP NEW. One copy only. £20

S275)  Dolphin Summer 2009; pb GGBP. NEW. £20

S276)  Fire at the Punchbowl 2009; pb GGBP. NEW. £20

S277)  A Wind is Blowing; pb GGBP 2023. New £20

S278)  No Mistaking Corker; nd Collins. VG in G dw worn at ends of spine. £6

S279)  The Wanderer; 1955 rep, CBC. Some foxing on endpapers, otherwise G++, in dw missing bottom quarter of front and spine, now protected. £8.50

S280)  No Entry; 1956 rep CBC. The Romney Marsh children are able to help when an outbreak of Foot and Mouth means isolation for a local farm. VG+ in G+ dw. £10

S281)  Frenchman’s Secret; nd CBC. Name & number written on the front board, missing fep, overall sound. £6

S282)  The Outsider; 1962 CBC. The Romney Marsh children come to stay at Punchbowl Farm, and face the challenge of separating out a wild deer that has got in among the herd. VG+ in VG+ dw. £10

S283)  The Cownappers; 1964 1^st pb Armada. Pages biscuity, G+. £3

Elder, Josephine          

S284)  Erica Wins Through; pb GGBP 2010. 1^st of Scholarship Girl trilogy. NEW £13

S285)  The Scholarship Girl; pb GGBP 2011.  Second in trilogy.  NEW. £13

S286)  The Scholarship Girl at Cambridge; pb GGBP 2012. Third in trilogy. Life for a new student at one of the women’s colleges – where so many girls in school stories were destined, but rarely described.  NEW. £13

S287)  Cherry Tree Perch; pb GGBP 2021. A Farm School title, sequel to Exile for Annis. New. £13

S288)  Evelyn Finds Herself; pb GGBP 2006.  The new School Story Encyclopaedia calls it “outstanding”.  £13

Enright, Elizabeth

S289)  Gone-Away Lake; 1967 rep; Heinemann. Ex-sch lib, scrape on front pasted down endpaper, lacks the free front endpaper, o/w VG in lovely dw marred only by strip of old-tape discolouration on rear flap. £7.50

S290)  Gone-Away Lake; pb Harcourt. Portia and her cousin Julian enjoy exploring together, and one summer find a secret lake with a settlement of grand abandoned houses. VG+. £4

S291)  Thimble Summer; pb Puffin. Newbery Medal winner 1939. Garnet Lindon’s lovely summer. Illustrated by the author, cover design by Shirley Hughes. VG+. £4

S292)  The Four-Storey Mistake; pb Puffin. How the Melendys settle into their new old house in the country, and the interesting things they find to explore. Cover Shirley Hughes, illus by Enright. Spine faded o/w VG. £4

Estoril, Jean

S293)  Drina Dances in Exile; pb S&S. VG+. £4.50

S294)  Drina Dances Again; pb Macdonald. VG+. £4.50

S295)  Drina Dances in New York; pb S&S. G++. £4

S296)  Drina Dances in Paris; pb S&S; VG+. £4.50

Evenhuis, Gertie

S297)  The School at Schellebelle; 1975 1^st UK, Kestrel. The school was tiny, only 30 children and two teachers. But when the grown-ups in the village quarrel and some children and their much-loved Miss Joanthan have to go, the children decide it’s up to them to find out what’s gone wrong. VG++ in VG dw. £8

Fidler, Kathleen

S298)  The Mysterious Mr Simister; 1960 rep; Lutterworth. “When Peter and Jane Grant and their friends Morag and Bruce return to St Regulus’s for the summer term, they find there a new French master, Mr Simister. He knows French all right, but he doesn’t know that the four have spotted him as an impostor!” Illus by Stocks May, including attractive dw. A little foxing on closed page edges, generally VG- in VG+ dw £10

S299)  The Brydons Stick at Nothing; 1952 1^st; Lutterworth. Green front bd has  charming little vignettes in red of cycling children etc. Illustrated by Terence Freeman. Some foxing on closed page edges, o/w VG. £7.50

S300)  More Adventures of the Brydons; pb Knight. VG. £4

S301)  The Brydons Get Things Going; pb Knight. VG. £4

Fitt, Mary

S302)  Annabella Taks a Plunge; 1955 1^st Nelson. Annabella and her friends are among a group of ten girls and ten boys taken to Austria one summer, but she begins to suspect that it may not be the innocent holiday it seems. Illustrated by Richard Kennedy. VG+ in VG dw. £8.50

Forest, Antonia     

S303)  Autumn Term; pb Puffin. VG+ £5

S304)  Autumn Term; GGBP 2024. The first Marlow title, first GGBP publication. New. Now out of print. £20

S305)  The Thuggery Affair; pb GGBP 2005. NEW.  £16

S306)  The Ready-Made Family; pb GGBP 2021. New. £16

S307)  The Cricket Term; pb GGBP 2020. NEW. £20

S308)  The Attic Term; pb GGBP 2022. New £20

S309)  Run Away Home; pb GGBP rep 2023. New. £20

S310)  The Player’s Boy; pb GGBP 2006. Wonderful historial novel.  NEW.  £22.50

S311)  The Players and the Rebels; pb GGBP 2008.   NEW. £22.50

Forsey, Maude S.

S312)  Nora O’Flanigan, Prefect; nd Nelson. Indecision between “Nora” on the cover and spine, and “Norah” on the title page and in the rest of the book… An enjoyable account of Norah’s year as fourth form prefect, and her ultimate influence for good (and avoids the easy stereotype of wild Irish scamp). VG+ £7.50

Garner, Alan

S313)  The Weirdstone of Brisingamen; pb Puffin 1963 first thus. VG+. £5

S314)  The Moon of Gomrath; 1^st pb Puffin 1965. The sequel to the above. VG. £4.50

S315)  The Owl Service; 1969 rep; Collins. A highly regarded novel, now a classic. VG+. £7.50

S316)  Elidor; pb Puffin 1967. VG+. £5

Geras, Adele

S317)  The Girls in the Velvet Frame; pb Collins Modern Classics. Jerusalem 1915: Isaac Bernstein has been in New York for over a year without being in touch. When it’s proposed that his five sisters might get a special photo taken for their mother, the girls hatch a plan to use it to contact their brother. Fine. £4

S318)  Apricots at Midnight; pb Young Diamond. Long ago, when Aunt Pinny was young, she couldn’t have a real garden but had to make do with a garden of velvet and lace and silk, all sewn into a patchwork quilt. Each patch has a fascinating story to tell of that enchanted childhood in a bygone age.  VG. £4

S319)  The Tower Room; 1990 1^st ed, HH. School story loosely based on Rapunzel fairy tale. Fine in VG dw. £6

Godden, Rumer

S320)  Little Plum; pb Puffin 1975. Inquisitive Belinda wants to know more about Gem, their unfriendly next door neighbour, especially as she has a Japanese doll too, Little Plum. VG++. £6.50

Goodall, John S.

S321)  An Edwardian Holiday; 1978 1^st ed; Macmillan. One of Goodall’s absolutely delightful wordless stories, in a small landscape format that suits them to perfection, with the nameless boy and girl  and their family visiting the seaside and going on a paddle steamer to the Continent. Fine in fine dw. £4

S322)  Edwardian Entertainments; 1981 1^st ed; Macmillan. Same format, another appealing subject.

S323)  Before the War: 1908-1939 – An Autobiography in Pictures; 1981 1^st ed; Macmillan. Another lovely book in small landscape format.

Goudge, Elizabeth

S324)  The Joy of the Snow; pb GGBP 2024. This new edition of her autobiography includes a selection of letters written by her in later life which have never been published before. New. £13

S325)  The World of Elizabeth Goudge by Sylvia Gower; pb GGBP 2020. Illuminating. New. £13

S326)  Smoky-House; pb GGBP 2020. The Treguddick children of the Smoky-House Inn in 19^th C Devon caught up in smuggling and other adventures. New. £13

S327)  Henrietta’s House; pb GGBP 2020. New. £13

S328)  The Valley of Song; pb GGBP 2020. New. £13

S329)  Sister of the Angels; pb GGBP. £13

S330)  Paperbacks, Hodder / Corgi. All at least G, £3 each: The Castle on the Hill; The Scent of Water; The Rosemary Tree; The Dean’s Watch; The Damerosehay Trilogy = The Bird in the Tree; The Herb of Grace; The Heart of the Family.

Grimm Brothers

S331)  Grimm’s Fairy Tales; nd (inter-war) Ward, Lock. A lovely book with a gorgeous cover and 16 colour plates by Harry G. Theaker. Occasional light spotting, gen VG. £12

Hallack, Cecily A once well-known Catholic writer whose books are now scarce

S332)  Beardless Counsellors; 1949 rep; Samuel Walker Ltd. Begun in 1918 and first published in 1923, this story tracing the lives of several scouts takes place during and after the Great War. VG. £18

S333)  The Sword Blade of Michael; 1950 rep; Sands and Co. £30

S334)  The Sunny Wall; 1929 1^st ed; Burns Oates and Washbourne. VG++. £50

S335)  The Happiness of Father Happé; 1944 1^st ed; Browne and Nolan. Missing lower third of spine, inside VG. £6.50

Harnett, Cynthia

S336)  The Writing on the Hearth; hb rep. Young Stephen, visiting his friend Meg, rumoured a witch, encounters Roger Bolingbroke, who is such an enemy of the young king, Henry VI, and can’t forget the mysterious magic signs that he and Meg scratch on the hearth. Ranging over the Thames and the Chilterns, a splendid story of the troubling times before the Wars of the Roses erupt. VG+ in VG+ dw. Now scarce. £16

S337)  The Load of Unicorn; pb Puffin. Bendy, apprenticed to William Caxton, realises that his scrivener brothers are plotting to make sure that the load of unicorn paper destined for the printing presses never arrives. Ex-sch lib, G+. £3

            Hill, Lorna      

S338)  No Castanets at the Wells; pb GGBP 2022. New £13

S339)  Masquerade at the Wells; pb GGBP 2022. New £13

S340)  Jane Leaves the Wells; pb GGBP 2024. Newly successful ballerina Jane faces a choice. New. £13

S341)  Rosanna Joins the Wells; 1956 1^st ed; Evans. Gorgeous watercolour dw design. VG++ in VG dw. £15

S342)  The Secret; pb rep 2020 GGBP. New. £13

S343)  Vicki in Venice; pb rep GGBP 2021. New. £16

S344)  Dancing Peel; 1954 1^st; Nelson. Annette Dancy in Northumberland. VG in G++ dw. £9.50

S345)  Dancer in Danger; pb GGBP 2011.  NEW.  £16

S346)  Northern Lights;  pb GGBP 2009. Only edition of this Marjorie story previously unpublished. NEW  £13

S347)  Castle in Northumbria; pb GGBP 2021. New. £13

S348)  The Vicarage Children; pb GGBP. New. £13

S349)  More About Mandy; pb GGBP 2009.  “Vicarage Children” story drawing on Lorna Hill’s own background as a clergyman’s wife.  NEW.  £13

S350)  The Vicarage Children in Skye; pb GGBP 2010.  New. £13

Hoyland, Rosemary

S351)  Ethelbert and the Witch Doctor; 1959 1^st ed; Collins. Bold attractive illustrations by the author in this classic picture book about Ethelbert the Tiger. Glazed picture boards as issued, slightly worn on the corners, generally VG. £12

James, Grace

S352)  John and Mary Abroad; 1947 rep; Muller. Tilt to spine, generally VG. £6

Jansson, Tove

S353)  Moominpappa at Sea; 2018 rep; Sort of Books. A new reprint of the classic (with Jansson’s classic drawings too). Mint in mint dw. £6.50

Johns, Capt. W.E.

S354)  Worrals Flies Again; 1948 rep, H&S. Wartime exploits of “a woman of wit, courage and resource”. Col fp. Some foxing, G+ in G+ dw. £8

S355)  Biggles Flies East; 1937 rep OUP fat ed. Col fp. G++. £10

S356)  [Biggles] The Rescue Flight; 1953 rep; OUP. Nice clean copy, £7.50

S357)  The Boy Biggles; nd Dean. VG++ in VG dw.

S358)  Biggles, Pioneer Air Fighter; nd Dean. VG++ in VG dw. £7.50

S359)  Biggles, Air Detective; nd Latimer House. VG+ in G+ edgeworn dw. £7.50

S360)  Biggles pbs; Nice old Knight or Armada, 1960s & 1970s; all G+ or better, £3 each; In the Orient; The Rescue Flight; Flies North; Goes to War.  

Keene, Carolyn

S361)  The Nancy Drew Sleuth book – Clues to Good Sleuthing; 1979 Grosset and Dunlap. 10 short Nancy Drew stories in which Nancy shows her detectives club how to make the most of footprints, handwriting, codes, plaster casts etc. Picture boards, VG. £10

Konigsburg, E.L.  Hugely imaginative, unobtrusively thought-provoking, and sophisticated in her character drawing, she’s a pleasure to read. Two-time Newbery Medal winner.

S362)  The View from Saturday; pb S&S. How Mrs Olinski, newly returned to teaching after being paralysed in an accident, comes to choose the 4 team members from her class for the State-wide Quiz, and how it’s the outsider Julian who starts everything off with his extremely unusual invitation to tea, and how they each come by their knowledge as they negotiate the quiz rounds. Original and so satisfying. Nr fine. £4.50

S363)  The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place; pb S&S. Margaret Rose Kane answers “I prefer not to” at every suggestion of summer camp activities, so is delighted when she’s rescued by her beloved uncles. But she finds that neighbours around Schuyler Place, feeling that the three tall towers her uncles have lovingly built in their garden over the past 45 years are not in keeping with the aspirations of the neighbourhood, are wanting them torn down, and Margaret Rose discovers that there is something she really does want to get involved in. VG+ £4.50

S364)  The Second Mrs Gioconda; pb S&S. What is the mystery behind Leonardo’s most famous painting? Does the answer lie with his lazy, lying, thieving apprentice, Salai? VG. £4.50

S365)  A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver; pb S&S. Eleanor of Aquitaine, waiting 8 centuries in heaven for Henry II to be judged worthy to join her from Purgatory, passes the time by reminiscing about her life. Imaginative and entertaining. Nr fine. £4.50

Lewis, Lorna

S366)  Tea and Hot Bombs; pb Greyladies 2023. Jackie Lawrence joins the emergency Mobile Canteen Corps to fill in time until she is old enough to join the W.A.A.F. and is immediately in the thick of the London Blitz. Based on the author’s own experiences, this is a fascinating novel of the home front originally published in 1943. New. £12

Lyon, Elinor

S367)  The Shores of Darkness; pb Greyladies 2023. This book about the Merediths and their pursuits (exploring, poetry, music) among the evocative landscapes of Wales was written in the 1960s, but never published because of a change of policy at Elinor Lyon’s publishers, so this is the first edition. New. £12

Mackenzie, James

S368)  Another Country –Children’s Books of the Lake District & Cumbria. Pb GGBP  NEW. £10

Mallory, Clare

S369)  The New House at Winwood; pb GGBP. One of my great favourites! NEW. £13

S370)  Leith and Friends; pb GGBP 2011.  NEW.  £13 

S371)  Merry Begins; pb GGBP 2004. One copy only. Mint. £18

S372)  Merry Again; pb GGBP 2005.  NEW.  £13

S373)  Merry Marches On; pb GGBP 2005.  NEW.  £13

S374)  The League of the Smallest; pb GGBP 2009.  NEW.  £13

S375)  Juliet Overseas; pb GGBP 2006. New Zealander Juliet comes to English  school – this is one of my great favourites, a really effective take on a rotten house making good. New £16

S376)  The Pen and Pencil Girls; pb GGBP 2010.  Lovely story of group of friends producing a hand-written magazine for a competition.  £13

Matthewman, Phyllis

S377)  Chloe Takes Control; 1942 rep; Lutterworth. Spine faded, o/w VG. £7.50

S378)  The Queerness of Rusty; 1941 1^st ed; Lutterworth. Spine faded o/w VG. £8.50

S379)  Chloe Takes Control; pb GGBP 2013.  1st Daneswood school story. £13

S380)  A New Role for Natasha; pb GGBP 2020. Daneswood series. £13

S381)  Justice for Jacqueline; pb GGBP 2021. New. £13

S382)  Pat at the Helm; pb GGBP, 2023.  Pat, Josie and Rusty are now in the Sixth Form at Daneswood, and shouldering more responsibilities, in the face of some opposition from lower down the school. New £13

S383)  Thanks to Mr Jones; pb GGBP 2013. Family theatricals. NEW. £13

Mayne, William

S384)  A Swarm in May; 1962 rep: OCL. Classic, beautifully written, set in a choir school. VG+ in VG dw £10

S385)  The Incline; 1973 rep; CBC. VG+ in VG+ dw. £6

Middleton, Ivy

S386)  The Fourth Musketeer; 1942 second impression; Lutterworth. Kay, a keen Guide, moves to London – but will she make it as a Ranger? Col fp, VG. £6

Mills, George

S387)  Meredith and Co.; 1950 rep (originally 1933); OUP. Fascinating tale (by a schoolmaster of long standing) of life at a boys’ prep school, a sort of somewhat more realistic pre-Jennings Jennings. VG++ in VG striking yellow dw. £8.50

Montgomery, L.M.

S388)  Emily of New Moon; pb Puffin. VG+. £3

S389)  The Story Girl; 1950 rep; Harrap. VG+ in VG uniform orange dw.  £7.50

S390)  Anne of The Island; 1934 rep; Harrap. VG+ in poor dw. £5.50

S391)  Anne of Windy Poplars; 1936; McClelland & Stewart (Canada). “Cavendish” edition of L.M. Montgomery’s work named after her childhood home. VG+ in VG+ dw. £7.50

S392)  Anne’s House of Dreams; 1935 rep; Harrap. A little foxing, G++ in G+ dw. £6

S393)  Anne of Ingleside; 1939; McClelland & Stewart (Canada). “Cavendish” edition of L.M. Montgomery’s work named after her childhood home. VG+ in VG+ dw. £7.50

S394)  Rainbow Valley; McClelland & Stewart. “Cavendish” ed. Anne’s children to the fore. VG+/ VG+ dw £12

S395)  Rainbow Valley; 1937 rep; Harrap. VG+ in VG uniform orange dw. £10

S396)  Chronicles of Avonlea; 1936 rep; Harrap. VG+ in G+ uniform orange dw. £6.50

S397)  Further Chronicles of Avonlea; 1972 “Canada ed” Ryerson. Fine in fine dw. £7.50

S398)  Paperbacks; VG+ £3 each; Anne of Green Gables; Anne of the Island; Anne’s House of Dreams; Anne of Ingleside; Rainbow Valley; Rilla of Ingleside; Further Chronicles of Avonlea.

Moore, Dorothea

S399)  The Only Day Girl; pb GGBP; An interesting school story about A.J., keen to follow in her mother’s footsteps, but condemned to be a day-girl. Also features one of the few disabled girls in school stories – Sadie is blind. NEW. £12

S400)  The Wrenford Tradition; pb Books to Treasure 2015. School story classic. £12

Needham, Violet Adventures, some Ruritanian, others with a touch of magic, with compelling characters and complex challenges involving questions of loyalty, bravery and integrity.

S401)  The Horn of Merlyns; pb GGBP 2010.  £13

S402)  The Bell of the Four Evangelists; pb GGBP.  NEW.  £13

S403)  Pandora of Parrham Royal  pb GGBP.  NEW.  £13

S404)  The Emerald Crown; pb GGBP 2005.  NEW  £16

S405)  The Betrayer; pb GGBP. NEW. £13

S406)  The House of the Paladin; pb GGBP 2006.  NEW.  £13

S407)  How Many Miles to Babylon?; pb GGBP 2012.  NEW. £13

S408)  Richard and the Golden Horseshoe; pb GGBP 2008.  NEW. £16

S409)  The Great House of Estraville; pb GGBP 2014.  NEW. £13

S410)  The Secret of the White Peacock;  GGBP 2008.  £13

S411)  The Red Rose of Ruvina;  GGBP 2008. NEW.  £13

S412)  The Avenue; pb GGBP 2013. NEW. £13

S413)  The Boy in Red; pb GGBP 2015.  NEW. £13

S414)  The Black Riders; 1967 rep, Collins Evergreen. VG+ in G+ dw. £16

S415)  The Emerald Crown; 1970 rep; Collins Evergreen. VG++ in VG++ dw, very clean and fresh. £12

S416)  The House of the Paladin; 1945 1^st ed; Collins. The young Duchess Anastasia of Ornowitza has to contend with manifold dangers. A little foxing, generally VG in VG dw with slightly sunned spine. £10

Nesbit, E.

S417)  New Treasure Seekers; 1990 Folio Society. A lovely cloth-bound edition with C. Walter Hodges illustrations inside and on the cover. Fine. £10

Norton Mary

S418)  The Borrowers Avenged; 1982 1^st ed; Kestrel. Further adventures of the Clock family as they have to seek a new home. Minimally ex-university library, VG+ in VG+ dw. £6.50

O’Faolain, Eileen

S419)  The Children of Crooked Castle – An Irish Fairy Story; nd, inscribed 1946: Browne and Nolan, Dublin. Larger size hb, charmingly illustrated in b&w + several full page colour illus by Edythe West. VG+. £7.50

Oxenham, E.J.

S420)  The Home Counties by S.P.B Mais (The Face of Britain series); 1943 Batsford. This is one of Batsford’s celebrated travel books, with a gorgeous wraparound cover design and copious illustrations. It covers Surrey, Essex, Middlesex, Kent and Hertfordshire, so although it doesn’t quite get to Buckinghamshire, it does include well-known Abbey locations such as High Wycombe, Prince’s Risborough and Penn, as well as Hampden and John Hampden’s house. It also has a lovely dedication in the front, dated 1947 “To Pam with all love from Peter on her 21^st – 29 Oct 47. … and may it be possible to visit many of the more interesting towns herein on our honeymoon…”  £10

S421)  The World of Elsie Jeanette Oxenham and Her Books by Monica Godfrey; GGBP 2003 (hb with dw). Essential reading for Abbey fans, or a good introduction for those who haven’t read them. VG/VG £14

S422a) At School with the Roundheads; pb EJO Soc 2025. New £16

S422)  New Girls at Woodend; pb EJO Soc. 2024. An Abbey connector. New. £16

S423)  Patience and Her Problems; pb EJO Soc, 2023. New £16

S424)  Patience Joan, Outsider; pb EJO Soc, 2024. New £16

S425)  The Go-Ahead Schoolgirl; pb EJO Soc 2023. New. £16

S426)  The School of Ups and Downs; pb EJO Soc 2021. New £16

S427)  Pernel Wins; pb EJO Soc 2022. New. £16

S428)  Daring Doranne; pb EJO Soc 2022. New. £16

S429)  Elsa Puts Things Right; pb EJO Soc 2020. £16

S430)  The Secrets of Vairy; pb EJO Soc 2019. NEW. £16

S431)  The Troubles of Tazy; pb EJO Soc 2019. NEW. £16

S432)  Girls of the Hamlet Club; pb EJO Soc; NEW. £16

S433)  Biddy’s Secret; pb EJO Soc; NEW. £16

S434)  Joy’s New Adventure; pb EJO Soc; NEW. £16

S435)  The Two Form Captains; pb EJO Society 2014. NEW. £16

S436)  Captain of the Fifth; pb EJO Soc. 2015 NEW. £16

S437)  The Junior Captain; pb EJO Soc; 2015. NEW. £16

S438)  Rosaly’s New School;  pb EJO Society 2013.  NEW. £16

S439)  The School without a Name; pb EJO Soc. 2016. NEW. £16

S440)  A School Camp-Fire; pb EJO Soc. 2018. NEW. £16.

S441)  Ven At Gregory’s; pb EJO Soc Spring 2017 NEW. £16

S442)  Rosamund’s Victory; pb EJO Soc. 2017. NEW. £16

S443)  Rachel in the Abbey; pb EJO Soc. Autumn 2018. NEW. £16

S444)  Abbey Champion; pb  EJO Society 2014. NEW. £16

S445)  Maidlin to the Rescue; pb  EJO Society 2014. NEW.  £16

S446)  A Fiddler for the Abbey; pb EJO Soc; 2015. NEW. £16

S447)  Guardians of the Abbey; pb EJO Soc. 2016 NEW. £16

S448)  Goblin Island; pb GGBP 2007. Beautiful ed with all the colour illustrations from previous eds.  NEW. £13

S449)  The Camp Mystery; pb GGBP 2006.  NEW. £13

S450)  Maidlin Bears the Torch;  pb GGBP 2009.  NEW.  £13

S451)  The Abbey Girls Go Back to School; pb 2005 GGBP £13

S452)  Jen of the Abbey Schoool; pb 2007 GGBP. Details of complex publishing history. NEW. £13

S453)  Girls of the Hamlet Club; 1914 1^st ed; Chambers. All 4 colour plates present. VG+, lovely bright copy £80

S454)  Rosamund’s Victory; 1934 1^st ed; Harrap. New spine with original in pieces stuck on top, inside VG. £30

S455)  Rosamund’s Tuck-Shop; 1937 1^st ed; GOP. Nice crisp green embossed boards, a little foxing especially near the bottom and fore page edges, in VG+ dw. £48

S456)  Pernel Wins; 1942 1^st ed; Muller. Illustrated by Margaret Horder. Loosely connected to the Abbey series through Daring Doranne. VG+ in VG+ dw. £35

S457)  Daring Doranne; 1^st ed 1945 Muller. An Abbey connector. VG. £25

S458)  Margery Meets the Roses; 1^st ed 1947; Lutterworth. B&w fp. Margery Paine comes to Doranne Dering’s village of Rainbows to open a sweet shop, and meets the four “Rose” sisters – but with a name like that I think we can all guess who they’re related to… But can they be brought to admit it? VG++, nice and fresh, in dw missing chunks at the ends of the spine, now protected. £30

S459)  Stowaways in the Abbey; 1940 1^st ed, thicker size; Collins. VG. £8

S460)  Secrets of the Abbey; 1942 rep; Collins. B&w fp. VG. £7.50

S461)  The Abbey Girls Go Back to School; Collins nd “fat orange”. Folk dancing comes to the fore, a splendid period piece. Col fp. G++ £7.50

S462)  The Abbey Girls Go Back to School; 1949 Collins Seagull. Spine faded, bds sl marked, inside VG+. £6

S463)  The New Abbey Girls; nd, nice prize plate to Queenie Angell dated 1932; fat ed, decorated boards, G+.£10

S464)  The Abbey Girls at Home; 1947 rep. Collins “fat orange” (blue). VG- £8.50

S465)  The Abbey Girls in Town; 1947; Collins “fat orange” (maroon). VG+ in most of dw. £8

S466)  The Abbey Girls in Town; 1949 rep; Collins Seagull. VG+ in G+ dw chipped at ends of spine. £6

S467)  The Abbey Girls Win Through; 1947 “fat orange” rep; Collins. Col fp. VG. £8.50

S468)  The Abbey Girls on Trial; 1949 rep; Seagull. VG. £5

S469)  Queen of the Abbey Girls; nd Collins, attractive red boards with black design. Wear to hinges of spine, some foxing, inside sound. £5

SPECIAL OFFER: All Abbey School hardbacks below 2 for £9

S470)  Strangers at the Abbey; 1958 rep; Collins “small red”. VG. £5

S471)  Selma at the Abbey; 1958 rep; Collins “small red”. VG in dw missing 4 mm at top of spine, o/w VG. £7

S472)  Schoolgirl Jen at the Abbey; 1955 Collins Seagull. Col fp. VG+. £5

S473)  Stowaways in the Abbey; 1951 rep; Collins Seagull. VG++, lovely clean copy, in G+ dw. £6.50

S474)  The Girls of Rocklands School; nd Collins. First part of Jen of the Abbey School. Monochrome fp. G. £4

S475)  Jandy Mac Comes Back; 1952 rep Seagull. VG+ in poor dw reassembled from pieces under protection! £5

S476)  Maid of the Abbey; 1961 rep; Collins “small red”. VG++ in VG dw. £7.50

S477)  A Dancer from the Abbey; 1953 1^st ed; Collins. Col fp. Lacks the fep, o/w G+. £6.50

S478)  The Song of the Abbey; 1954 1^st ed; Collins. Col fp. Pale grey bds looking a little grubby, very slight foxing on page edges, G++. £6.50

S479)  The Song of the Abbey; 1958 rep; Collins “small red”; VG+ in VG- dw. £6.50

S480)  Robins in the Abbey; 1950 rep; Collins.  VG in chipped dw. £6.50

S481)  Two Queens at the Abbey; 1959 1^st ed Collins. Col fp. VG. £6

Pardoe, M.

S482)  Bunkle Began It; 1957 rep; Routledge. The inimitable Bunkle launches out. VG. £8

S483)  Bunkle Butts In; 1953 rep; Routledge. Lacks fep, G++. £10

S484)  Bunkle Breaks Away; 1950 rep; Routledge. Spine and small margins of front and rear faded, o/w VG. £8

S485)  Bunkle’s Brainwave; 1952 1^st ed; Routledge. Spine worn, inside VG. £8.50

S486)  Bunkle’s Brainwave; pb 2006; Fidra. Attractive ed with the hardback dw as the cover art. Nr fine. £10

S487)  Bunkle Brings It Off; pb 2013 Fidra. This series sees the characters age as it progresses. Although the last Bunkle title to be published, this actually reverts chronologically to the beginning, with Bunkle and his siblings back to their original ages. Attractive ed with the hardback dw as the cover art. Nr fine. £10

Parker, Mary Louise

S488)  Diana and Pam – Chums; nd Sampson Low (insc 1945). B&w fp. Spine detaching at the rear, so a very good reading copy. £5

S489)  Dormitory Wistaria; nd Economy Standards; Smpson Low. B&w fp. VG. £6

S490)  Miss Spitfire at School; nd (insc 1948); Sampson Low. Pictorial bds. G+. £6

S491)  The Twins at School; nd Sampson Low. B&w fp. VG in dw showing the twins confronting each other, missing a few chunks but still attractive. £8.50

S492)  Pat of the Fifth; nd Sampson Low. B&w fp. Slight foxing on prelims, generally VG. £8

S493)  Top Dogs v. The Duds; nd, inscribed 1940, so may be 1937 1^st ed; Sampson Low. As with all MLP’s school stories, this one is packed full of incident. Pictorial paper boards show tennis in progress. Spine repaired, inside G+. £10

Peyton, K.M.

S494)  The Edge of the Cloud; pb Puffin. Second Flambards title. VG. £3.50

S495)  Flambards Divided; pb Puffin. Fourth Flambards title. VG. £4

S496)  Fly-By-Night; 1979 OUP rep. Line drawing iillustrations by the author. Glazed bds as issued, VG. £7.50

S497)  Pennington’s Seventeenth Summer; pb OUP. Patrick Pennington is always in trouble, but for many reasons his seventeenth summer proves a turning point. VG. £4

Ransome, Arthur

S498)  Paperbacks; Puffin 1970s, with classic covers as well as internal illustrations by the author; all VG+, £3 each; The Picts and the Martyrs; Winter Holiday; The Big Six; Great Northern?

Saville, Malcolm     

I have an excellent selection of Saville titles to suit all budgets this time. Malcolm Saville has a devoted following; generally one of his readers’ favourite aspects is his ability to use and invoke a sense of place, with locations from around the country (and occasionally overseas).

S499)  Malcolm Saville Short Stories; pb GGBP, 2023.  A new collection. New £13

S500)  All Summer Through [Nettleford]; pb Armada. VG+. £3.50

The Lone Pine Series

S501)  Lone Pine pbs; Armada / Merlin; G+ £3 each; Lone Pine 5; Treasure at Amorys; The Neglected Mountain; Mystery Mine; Sea Witch Comes Home; Wings Over Witchend; Saucers over the Moor; The Secret of Grey Walls.

S502)  Mystery at Witchend; Collins. 1971 rev ed. Glazed Boards as issued. VG. £5

S503)  Seven White Gates; Newnes 3^rd 1946. Spine detaching, bds a bit discoloured, inside is nice and clean £8

S504)  The Secret of Grey Walls; Newnes 1948 first rep. Ends of the spine are very slightly frayed, o/w VG. £10

S505)  Lone Pine Five; Newnes 1^st ed 1949. Fair, tears at the ends of the spine. £8

S506)  The Elusive Grasshopper; Collins 1970 rev ed.  Clean reading copy in VG++ dw. £5

S507)  Saucers Over the Moor; CBC 1955. Pages going biscuity, otherwise VG+ in G+ edgeworn dw. £14

S508)  Lone Pine London; Collins 1^st rev ed 1970. Ex-lib, missing free front endpaper, closed page edges are blotchy, but doesn’t seem to have affected the pages internally, overall G++ in VG dw, faded spine. £10

S509)  Mystery Mine; Newnes 1959 1^st ed. Name and address written twice on eps, VG in VG dw. £20

S510)  Mystery Mine; CBC; 1959. Spine blotchy (perhaps a water spill at some stage), inside nice and clean. Bit missing from lower margin of map on free back endpaper. £10

S511)  Sea Witch Comes Home; 1960 1^st ed Newnes. VG in VG dw (an early example of “photoshopping”, with two characters from the book superimposed on a photograph). £20

S512)  Sea Witch Comes Home; CBC 1960; VG+ in G+ dw (ownership written on dw flap)  £12.50

S513)  Not Scarlet but Gold; Newnes 1962 1^st ed. Ex-school lib, reading copy. £5

S514)  Not Scarlet but Gold; CBC 1962; VG+ in G++ dw with very small chips at the ends of the spine (the book has a school stamp in, but is so clean that I can’t imagine anyone read it!). £18

S515)  Man with Three Fingers; Collins 1969 (1^st rev ed). Page edges only foxed, otherwise VG in VG dw. £14

S516)  Where’s My Girl?; Collins 1^st ed 1972. Near fine in near fine dw. £30

S517)  Mystery at Witchend; pb rep GGBP 2015. New £20

S518)  Seven White Gates; pb rep GGBP 2021. New. £16

S519)  The Elusive Grasshopper; pb GGBP 2008.  NEW.  £20

S520)  The Neglected Mountain ; pb GGBP 2009. NEW.  £20

S521)  Saucers Over the Moor; pb 2009.  NEW.  £20

S522)  Sea Witch Comes Home; pb GGBP 2012. NEW. One copy only. £25

S523)  Not Scarlet But Gold; pb GGBP 2012.  NEW. £20

S524)  Treasure at Amorys; pb GGBP 2013.  £20.

S525)  The Man with Three Fingers; pb GGBP 2013.  £20

S526)  Strangers at Witchend; pb GGBP 2014.  NEW One copy only. £25

S527)  Home to Witchend; pb 1^st ed – Armada original, no previous hardback. VG+. £15

Buckingham series

S528)  Diamonds in the Sky; pb GGBP 2025. Last and rarest in the popular Buckingham series; Charles, Juliet, and her younger brother Simon, happen upon diamond smuggling on a visit to Amsterdam. New £13

Marston Baines series

S529)  The Purple Valley; pb GGBP 2017. Marston Baines title. NEW. £15

S530)  Dark Danger; pb GGBP. New. £15

S531)  Dark Danger; 1966 CBC. Nr fine in VG++ dw with evocative illustration of night-time Venice. £15

S532)  White Fire; pb GGBP 2019. New. £16

S533)  Power of Three; pb GGBP 2020. New. £16

S534)  The Dagger and the Flame; pb GGBP 2021. New £16

S535)  Marston - Master Spy; pb GGBP 2022. Order now. New £16

Jillies series

S536)  Redshank’s Warning; Lutterworth 2^nd ed 1954. VG++, very fresh, in G++ dw missing small chunks at ends of spine. £15

S537)  The Sign of the Alpine Rose; Lutterworth 1^st ed 1950. VG (p/c dw). £10

S538)  The Ambermere Treasure; L’worth 1953 1^st. V scarce in hardback. Front ep mended hinge, ex-lib, G £16

S539)  Two Fair Plaits; pb GGBP 2020. New £13

S540)  Strangers at Snowfell; pb GGBP 2021. A Jillies title set in a wintry Lake District.  New £13

S541)  The Sign of the Alpine Rose; pb GGBP 2022. Jillies story, set in Austria. New £13

S542)  The Luck of Sallowby pb GGBP 2023. Jillies story. New £13

S543)  The Ambermere Treasure; pb GGBP 2024. Final Jillies book, always my favourite as a child. New. £13

Selincourt, Aubrey de

S544)  Family Afloat; 1942 2^nd imp; Routledge. Anne and Elizabeth sail to France with their parents. VG. £6

Shaw, Jane

S545)  Crooked Sixpence; pb GGBP 2021. Last of the Penny series.  Those who only know the Susan books will be delighted to meet and equally entertaining cast of characters and a new setting near Bath. The others in the series will follow, but this is the rarest, hence it being published first; it can be read with great enjoyment on its own. New. £13

S546)  New House at Northmead; pb GGBP 2022. New £13

S547)  Northmead Nuisance; pb GGBP 2024. New. £13

S548)  Susan Interferes; 1960 rep; Children’s Press. Even in Switzerland, the inimitable Susan can’t help getting involved in things. VG in VG dw. £5

Sims, Sue and Clare, Hilary

The Encyclopaedia of Girls’ School Stories 3 Vols; pb GGBP 2020. A new edition of the standard work, much revised, updated, fulsomely illustrated and eagerly awaited! The definitive guide to school stories. Authors are listed in alphabetical order, with bibliographies, and each volume has extra material such as articles on ballet school stories, historical school stories, school stories for adults etc. New. £13 each

S549)  Volume One; large pb GGBP 2020. Contents include   The Critical Response, Researching the encyclopaedia, Authors A-F, adult School fiction & an 8-page colour section

S550)  Volume Two; large pb GGBP 2020. Contents include   Authors G-M, Annuals, stories from Ballet & Stage School, College and Convent Schools, early School stories & an 8-page colour section 

S551)  Volume Three; large pb GGBP 2020. Contents include   Authors N-Z, Girls’ Own Paper and Story Papers, Guide School stories, Historical, Fantasy, Modern and Pony School stories, Scottish School & an 8-page colour section.

Smith, Evelyn: one of the most sophisticated writers of classic school stories, full of character insights

S552)  The Twins at School; pb BTT 2018. New. £12

S553)  Val Forrest in the Fifth by Evelyn Smith; pb 2009 GGBP. One of the best writers of classic school stories, full of character insight. NEW.  £13

S554)  Binkie of IIIB; pb BTT. NEW. £12

S555)  Marie Macleod, Schoolgirl; pb BTT 2016. New. £12

S556)  The Little Betty Wilkinson; pb BTT 2016. New. £12

S557)  The First Fifth Form; pb Books to Treasure 2013. NEW. £12.

S558)  The Small Sixth Form; pb Books to Treasure 2013. NEW. £12.

S559)  Seven Sisters at Queen Anne’s; pb Books to Treasure 2013. NEW. £12.

S560)  Septima at School; pb Books to Treasure 2014. Sequel to above NEW. £12.

S561)  Phyllida in Form III; pb Books to Treasure 2014. Third Queen Anne’s book. NEW. £12.

S562)  Biddy and Quilla; pb BTT 2014. Older girl defending unpopular newcomer. NEW. £12

S563)  Milly in the Fifth; pb BTT 2015. NEW. £12

S564)  Nicky of the Lower Fourth; pb BTT 2015. £12

S565)  Terry’s Best Term; pb BTT. 2019. £12

S566)  Nicky of the Lower Fourth; nd Blackie. 3/3 b&w pls. VG+. £6.50

Spyri, Joanna 

S567)  Heidi; 1971 rep. Collins. Forward by Margaret Tempest. Illustrated by Pelagie Doane including dw. This is the edition I remember from my childhood. VG+ in VG dw. £7.50

S568)  [Tritton, Charles] Heidi Grows Up; 1975 rep; Collins. Illustrated by Pelagie Doane including dw. VG+ in dw which has very good front and back panels but a spine that’s oddly scraped. £6.50

S569)  [Tritton, Charles] Heidi’s Children; 1953 rep; Collins. Illustrated by Pelagie Doane. VG+. £6

Stevens, Robin

S570)  Murder Most Unladylike; very enjoyable series featuring 1930s schoolgirls Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong. Paperbacks, all VG+, each £3.50; Mistletoe and Murder; Death Sets Sail; Top Marks for Murder; Once Upon a Crime.

Streatfeild, Noel

S571)  Party Frock; 1946 1^st ed; Collins. Gen VG+ in dw, a few small chips mainly at ends of sunned spine. £10

S572)  Party Frock; 1966; Collins. First few pages have a few small splashes (pale coffee?) o/w VG in G+ dw. £6

S573)  The Circus is Coming; 1938 1^st ed; Dent. Illustrated with sketches by Steven Spurrier made while tenting with the circus over the previous summer (which Noel Streatfeild also did). A substantial edition, and a really nice copy. £15

S574)  The Children of Primrose Lane; 1956 new ed; Collins. The six children enjoy using the empty house at the end of the lane as a secret den – a room each – but when they find a man there, their suspicions are aroused and they decide to track him to see if  he really is the soldier he says he is and not the spy they think he might be.  Lacks fp, G+. £7.50

S575)  The Bell Family; pb Vintage. Recent larger format paperback; illustrated by Shirley Hughes. Fine. £4

S576)  Paperbacks; Margaret Thursday pair; these tell the story of the inimitable orphan Margaret, who was “found on a Thursday on the church step with three of everything, all of the very best quality”, and how she organises an escape from the orphanage and subsequently arrives in the world of the Victorian London theatre.  Puffin / Collins / Lion / Dragon; G+ or VG; £3.50 each; Thursday’s Child; Far to Go.

S577)  Paperbacks: Jane Nissen; 1990s larger format; VG+ / fine; £4 each; Theatre Shoes (= Curtain Up); Tennis Shoes; Party Shoes.

S578)  Paperbacks; Puffin / Collins / Lion / Dragon; G+ or VG; £3.50 each; The Circus is Coming; The Growing Summer; Apple Bough; Party Frock.

S579)  The Painted Garden; pb Puffin. One of her most memorable stories, about the filming of “The Secret Garden” in Hollywood. Cover and illustrations by Shirley Hughes. VG+. £4

Styles, Showell

S580)  Midshipman Quinn; 1956 1^st ed; Faber. This has been described as a “junior Hornblower”, and it’s a book I’ve loved since reading it as a child. The ingenious exploits of the eponymous teenaged officer in Nelson’s navy are unlikely but hugely enjoyable. Possibly ex-lib, missing the front endpaper, and has discoloured lines of former tape on the pastedowns; boards and rest of it is VG. £8.50

Sutcliff, Rosemary

S581)  Brother Dusty-Feet; OCL. Hugh, running away to Oxford, falls in with a company of strolling players. Ex-lib, tape marks on eps, gen VG in G+ dw. £8

S582)  The Armourer’s House; OCL. Tamsyn, from Devon, has to get used to living with her cousins in bustling and dirty Tudor London. With compensations in the form of ships on the river to watch and gradually feeling at home, she really knows she belongs when a wonderful thing happens at Christmas. This was a real favourite when I was a child, and it still casts its spell. VG+ in VG+ dw. £12

S583)  Outcast; 1959 rep; OUP. Roman child brought up by Celts, and his journey to Rome and back. G+. £5

Talbot, Ethel

S584)  The New Girl at the Priory; pb BTT 2015. £12

Tozer, Kathleen

S585)  Here Comes Mumfie; 1948 rep; John Murray. Mumfie the elephant is remembered with great affection from many childhoods! This book has been much loved, and lacks prelims, but is still a good reading copy if you want to revisit a childhood favourite or make his acquaintance. £8

Trease, Geoffrey: Outstanding writer, particularly of historical fiction, but wrote excellent contemporary stories too.  

Acclaimed Bannermere books, written as contemporary stories (ie in the early 1950s), set in the Lake District and taking Bill, Penny and friends from young grammar school pupils to university students. 

S586)  No Boats on Bannermere; GGBP pb. 1 copy only, Near fine, £25

S587)  GGBP pbs; NEW; £20 each;  Under Black Banner ; Black Banner Players  2005. 

S588)  GGBP pbs; NEW; £13 each;  Black Banner Abroad; pb GGBP 2006; The Gates of Bannerdale; 2007.

S589)  Under Black Banner; 1967 rep; Heinemann Windmill. VG+. £12

S590)  The Maythorn Story; 1960 1^st ed; Heinemann. A contemporary story of Mike, station master’s son, and his friend Shirley. Now scarce. VG. £8.50

S591)  The Crown of Violet; pb Puffin. Much-loved story of Alexis, determined to write a play to defend his friend Socrates and, with his friend Corinna, to find out if they really have encountered traitors plotting to overthrow Athenian democracy as they fear. VG. £6.50

S592)  Word to Caesar; 1965 rep; Macmillan. Young Paul, having by chance escaped the fate of the garrison of Hardknot Fort in the Lake District, has to go to Rome to beard the Emperor, pursued all the way.  VG+ in VG+ dw, £12

S593)  The Red Towers of Granada; 1966 1^st ed; Macmillan. Robin, exiled from his village for suspected leprosy, is reassured by a Jewish doctor, and journeys to Moorish Spain with him in search of a cure for Queen Eleanor. Ex-sch lib, but VG+, very clean, in VG++ dw. £15

S594)  Cue for Treason; pb Puffin. Plots and plays – Kit and Peter, on the run, encounter Shakespeare. VG. £3

S595)  Danger in the Wings; 1997 1^st ed; Hodder. Dan’s love of acting takes him far from his Boston home, to Bristol, Bath and London, where Sheridan’s company seems to promise a career. But life is dangerous for a young American in the London of the mid1770s…  Glazed picture boards as issued. Naer fine. £12

S596)  Follow My Black Plume; 1969 rep Macmillan. Mark, desperate to escape his stifling grandmother’s house, gets himself sent on a grand tour – but this is 1849, and Rome, fighting for independence under the  charismatic Garibaldi, becomes a dangerous place to be… Ex-college lib, VG in VG dw. £14

S597)  The Arpino Assignment; pb Walker. Young Private Rick Weston parachutes behind the lines in Italy to make contact with the partisans. VG. £3.50

S598)  Tomorrow is a Stranger; pb Piper. Occupied Guernsey is a difficult place for Paul and Tessa, especially when they become involved in producing an underground newspaper… VG++. £4.50

S599)  Sahdow under the Sea; pb Walker. Crime and archaeological discovery in the days of glasnost. Ex-lib, G+. £3

S600)  A Whiff of Burnt Boats; pb GGBP 2009 larger size. Very entertaining autobiography Photos, extras. £12

Trevor, Elleston

The author of many books for children including the much-loved Woodlanders series, now all scarce

S601)  The Secret Travellers; 1948 1^st ed; Swan. Illus in b&w throughout. Spine and strip of front cover faded, a few very tiny spots on spine and front, otherwise VG. Scarce.  £16

S602)  The Island of the Pines; 1948 1^st ed; Swan. Illus in b&w throughout. Very scarce. Biscuity tinge to endpapers, VG+ in G++ edgeworn dw missing a bit at the ends of the spine. £24

S603)  Mole’s Castle;  19501^st ed Falcon Press. Drawings by Leslie Atkinson, plus four colour drawings including an unusual double spread (all present but not where listed at the front!). Scarce. VG+. £22

S604)  Green Glade; 1959 1^st ed; Swan. Illus in b&w throughout. VG+ in VG dw missing small chunk (less than a square inch) at the base of the spine. Very scarce. £28

S605)  The Crystal City; 1959 1^st ed; Swan. Strips on eps slightly biscuity, o/w VG++. Very scarce. £22.50

Turner, Ethel S.

S606)  Seven Little Australians; 1895 Ward Lock and Co. This Australian classic remains memorable (and was brought to life for new generations by a TV series in the 1970s). Illustrated in line throughout. Gilt titles and vignette on the front board. Lacks eps, slightly loose, but nice edition. £7.50

Vicary, Dorothy

S607)  Lucy Brown’s Schooldays; nd Blackie. A much-loved story about stodgy Lucy’s transformation at the hands of new girl Nan Page. VG. £6

Vipont, Elfrida

S608)  The Lark in the Morn; 1956 rep; OUP. Much loved book introducing Kit Haverard, her schooldays, emerging love of music and Quaker background and relations. Ex-school lib, eps have lots of labels, stamps, rest of book VG £12

S609)  The Spring of the Year; pb GGBP 2012.  Very engaging heroine, Laura, struggles with finding her niche, inside her academic family and beyond.  NEW.  £13

S610)  The Spring of the Year; 1957 1^st ed; OUP. Ex-sch lib, old tape marks on eps, front hinge repaired, G+. £8

S611)  Flowering Spring; pb GGBP 2013. Lovely story – Laura growing up. NEW.  £13

S612)  The Pavilion; pb GGBP 2014. Last in Haverard family series. New. £13

S613)  [As Charles Vipont] The Heir of Craigs; 1958 OCL. Gripping late 17thC adventure. VG+ in VG+ dw. £6

Webb, Marion St John

S614)  The House with the Twisting Passage; nd Collins. A charming fantasy, about nine-year-old Jenny, who goes with her caretaker aunt to stay in an old house, and finds it peopled with all sorts of characters who tell her stories. B&w frontispiece and handsome little illustrations throughout the text by Doris M. Palmer. Top inch of spine is torn, rest of the book is VG. £4.50

Webster, Jean

S615)  Dear Enemy; 1915 1^st ed; The Century Company, New York. Lacks fep, front and back hinges mended. Pictorial boards. Generally G+. £9.50

S616)  Just Patty; 1916 H&S. Delightful Christmas inscription on endpaper, missing spine replaced, inside otherwise VG. £6

S617)  Patty and Priscilla; nd (prelims missing), early ed; H&S. Upper inner corner of title page missing, pages going biscuity. £5

White, Antonia

S618)  Frost in May; 2^nd impression 1933 (same year as first); Harmsworth. Not a children’s book, but about a child, Nanda, and her formative experiences at the Convent of the Five Wounds. A handsomely produced book with an attractive typeface. A little foxing on endpapers and page edges, generally VG. £7.50

Wiggin, Kate Douglas

S619)  More About Rebecca; 1958 rep; A&C Black. VG+ in VG+ dw. £6.50

         Willard, Barbara

S621)  The House with Roots; 1959 Constable. Although remembered for her historical fiction, Barbara Willard wrote excellent contemporary stories. Reading copy as 3 pp replaced by photocopies, but o/w G++. 34

The Mantlemass sequence chronicles the intertwined lives of two families, the Medleys and the Mallorys, living in the Weald of Sussex over the 15^th – 17^th C.

S622)  The Eldest Son; 1988 Macdonald. Glazed picture boards as issued, near fine. £6

S623)  The Iron Lily; 1980 rep; Kestrel. Fine in fine dw. £7.50

S624)  A Flight of Swans; 1980 1^st ed; Kestrel. Fine in fine dw. £10

S625)  Harrow and Harvest; 1974 1^st ed; Kestrel. Ex-lib, slight tilt to spine, o/w G++ in VG dw. £7.50

Sally’s Specials

Fantastic Fiction  Lots of favourites and more recent novels to try.   

S626)  Atkinson, Kate; A God in Ruins; pb Black Swan. Teddy Todd, would-be poet, WWII pilot, husband, father and grandfather, negotiates a future he didn’t expect. Immensely readable. VG++ £4

S627)  Buchan, John; John Macnab; pb Polygon. Classic lively tale of gentlemen poaching for a bet. VG+. £3

S628)  Dashwood, R.M; Provincial Daughter; pb VMC (originally 1961). R.M. Dashwood is the daughter of E.M. Delafield, who wrote the much-loved Diary of a Provincial Lady. A wonderfully funny revisiting of the world of her mother’s book, a generation later. VG+. £3.50

S629)  Enright, Anne; The Green Road; pb Vintage. A final family Christmas in the West of Ireland home their mother is about to sell forces her four children to confront the weight of family ties. Fine. £3

S630)  Enright, Anne; Actress; pb Cape. Irish acting legend Katherine O’Dell’s life seemed to her daughter Norah to be a great performance, but when it all goes wrong, can she find the truth she seeks? VG+. £4

S631)  [Fleming] The Little Book of Bond; 2001 Boxtree. A small but stylish book of the best James Bond quotations. Fine in VG dw. £3

S632)  Flynn, Gillian; Gone Girl; pb Orion. The book on which the film of the same name was based. VG+ £3

S633)  Flynn, Gillian; Sharp Objects; pb Orion. Camille returns home, but finds things even more unsettling than when she went away, including the grip her young half-sister seems to have on the whole town. VG £3

S634)  Gibbons, Stella; Cold Comfort Farm; pb 1951 orange Penguin. This started as a parody of the then-fashionable steamy novel of rural life, but has attained a life of its own due to its hilarious plot, characters and writing. Flora Poste has to stay with her family of rural cousins and manages to bring order to their chaotic lives, even Aunt Ada Doom who as a child saw “something nasty in the woodshed…”  VG-. £4

S635)  Heyer, Georgette; The Great Roxhythe; 1932 rep; Heinemann. An intriguing book for Heyer fans; only her second novel, it features Lord Roxhythe, courtier (and spy) to Charles II, and unlike later books has no central romance. Heyer later tried to suppress it; its canvas is perhaps too broad and its pace slower than her later books, but a good stab at the “serious novel” she always hoped to write. VG+. £8.50

S636)  Heyer, Georgette; Beauvallet; 1929 second impression; Heinemann. 1586 – Sir Nicholas Beauvallet, piratical English sea dog, captures a Spanish ship, but delivers the beautiful Dona Dominica and her father back to Spain, vowing to return for her. But when he does, can his disguise protect him in Catholic Spain? Spine becoming detached at the rear, otherwise a good solid copy. £5

S637)  Heyer, Georgette; My Lord John; 1975 1^st ed; Bodley. Heyer’s posthumously published novel centred around John, Duke of Bedford, Henry V’s younger brother, is perhaps a little constrained by her zeal for historical accuracy about a real person and period, but is very readable for all that. VG+. £6

S638)  Jonasson, Jonas; The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared; pb Hesperus. Allan is not looking forward to his 100^th birthday party, so he decides to disappear. As his adventures unfold, so to does his past life, and his part in some really rather major world events… VG £3

S639)  Mendelson, Charlotte; The Exhibitionist; pb Picador. The Hanrahan family gather for the momentous opening of Ray’s first exhibition in years, but how will they each cope with the choice facing them? And will the family survive? Near fine. £3

S640)  Murray, Paul; Skippy Dies; pb Penguin. Ruprecht and Skippy attend Dublin’s Seabrook College for Boys. “Ambitious, wise, funny, fiercely intelligent. The beauty of the cynical, hopeful, beautifully written book is that it builds a details world to explore life, the universe and everything.”  VG £3

S641)  Shaffer and Barrows; The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society; pb Bloomsbury. VG £3

S642)  Slimani, Leila; Lullaby; pb Faber. Winner of the Prix Goncourt. When Myriam goes back to work, Louise seems like the perfect nanny, but gradually things unravel… VG+ £3

S643)  Smith, Alexander McCall; 44 Scotland Street; pb. Endearing lives in an Edinburgh house. G++. £3

S644)  Stevenson, D.E.; Miss Buncle’s Book; 1968 pb Fontana. Miss Buncle writes a book to make money, but the trouble is she has no imagination, so she writes about life in her village… Curly corners, G+. £3.50

S645)  Stewart, Mary; Touch Not the Cat; 1976 1^st ed; H&S. Nr fine in VG++ dw. £7.50

S646)  Stewart, Mary; The Gabriel Hounds; pb Hodder. VG. £3

S647)  Tennyson, Alfred, Lord; Selected Poems; pb Penguin Classics. TS Eliot commented “He has three qualities which are seldom found together except in the greatest poets: abundance, variety and complete competence.” VG++. £3

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Thirkell, Angela: 20^th C novels of the lives of Trollope’s Barsetshire descendents

S648)  Growing Up; 1945 rep; BC. VG. £6

S649)  The Headmistress; 1947 rep; HH. Sound, would be very good but for bad foxing. £4

S650)  Private Enterprise; 1947 1^st ed; HH. VG. £6.50

S651)  Never Too Late; 1956 1^st ed; HH. VG+ in VG dw. £8

S652)  Thirkell, Angela (and C.A. Lejeune); Three Score and Ten; 1961 1^st ed; HH. The last chronicle of Thirkell’s Barsetshire, finished after her death. VG+ in VG+ dw. £7.50

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S653)  [Trollope] The Pallisers; Radio Times 1974. This is the Radio Times “extra” magazine-guide to the landmark 26-part TV series starring Susan Hampshire. It has synopses of the action based on the 6 Palliser novels, as well as historical background and a gazetteer of the cast of characters, and illustrated throughout with photos from the series plus historical illustrations. Pages have a small curl at the bottom corner, generally in very good condition for its age. £3.50

S654)  Watson, Winifred; Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day; pb Persephone Classic (original 1938). A much-loved fantasy; Miss Pettigrew, a mild-mannered governess, finds her life transformed over 24 hours when she is mistakenly sent by the agency to a nightclub singer rather than a household of children. Near fine, Persephone’s beautifully designed book with pictorial covers. £6

S655)  Wentworth, Patricia; Queen Anne is Dead; early rep; Melrose. One of her first novels, on a historical theme. Lacks spine, pages very biscuity. £3

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S656)  Austen, Jane; Pride and Prejudice; 3 cd set read by Juliet Stevenson. £3

S657)  Bennett, Alan; The Clothes They Stood Up In; 2 cds read by Bennett himself. £3

S658)  Defoe, Daniel; Robinson Crusoe; cd; BBC full cast dramatisation starring Roy Marsden as older Crusoe. Case has crack, cd fine. £3

S659)  Du Maurier, Daphne; Rebecca; 3 cd set read by Emilia Fox; Hodder Audio. Case cracked, cds fine. £3

S660)  Leon, Donna; Suffer the Little Children; 3 cd set read by Andrew Sachs. Brunetti in Venice. £3

S661)  Smith, Alexander McCall; Tears of the Giraffe; 5 cds read by Adjoa Andoh. Case cracked. £3

S662)  Vickers, Salley; Miss Garnett’s Angel; 4 cd set read by Anna Massey; Harper Collins Audio. £3

S663)  Pride and Prejudice (Knightly, MacFadyen) / Sense and Sensibility (Winslet, Thompson) / Shakespeare in Love (Paltrow); 3 dvd set. Card case a little squashed but dvds are fine. £3

Greyladies Newly reprinted books mainly by authors better known for their children’s titles; All New. Pocket editions £8, slim editions £10, standard pbs £12

S664)  Allan, Mabel Esther; Philomel Follows After;  pb Greyladies 2021. This is MEA’s second full-length book, astonishingly written when she was fifteen, a school story with a difference. Full of Scottish romanticism, not exactly realistic, but very readable and with girls’ dialogue that really rings true. £12

S665)  Allan, Mabel Esther; Ragged Robin Began It; pb (pocket size) Greyladies 2020. MEA gives her thoughts on school stories, including the Big Three and several others – one can criticise and still love, she says. £8

S666)  Allan, Mabel Esther; To Be an Author; pb Greyladies 2020. This is MEA’s autobiography. £10

S667)  [As Priscilla Hagon]; Mystery at the Villa Bianca; pb Greyladies 2024. Frances Grey takes up a post as secretary at an exclusive finishing school in Switzerland; she enjoys it and gets on well with the girls. But some strange things start to happen, and what started as a young adult school story turns into a tense thriller! Introduction by Sue Sims. New. £12

S668)  Channon, E.M.; The Chimney Murder; pb Greyladies 2012. NEW.  £12

S669)  Crompton, Richmal; Leadon Hill; pb 2011. English country life acutely observed… NEW £12

S670)  Crompton, Richmal; Matty and the Dearingroydes; pb Greyladies 2012. Warm and delightful. New. £12

S671)  Crompton, Richmal: Mrs Frensham Describes a Circle; pb Greyladies 2015. NEW. £12

S672)  Douglas, O; The Wintry Years; pb Greyladies (pocket) 2019. O. Douglas’s final unfinished novel, with 3 recently unearthed chapters; also a discussion by O.Douglas’s great-niece on its possible ending. NEW. £8

S673)  Elder, Josephine; The Encircled Heart; pb Greyladies. A doctor and her errant husband. NEW. £12

S674)  Lewis, Lorna; Tea and Hot Bombs; pb Greyladies 2023. Jackie Lawrence joins the emergency Mobile Canteen Corps to fill in time until she can join the W.A.A.F. and is immediately in the thick of the London Blitz. Based on the author’s own experiences, a fascinating novel of the home front from 1943. New. £12

S675)  Lyon, Elinor; The Shores of Darkness; pb Greyladies 2023. This book about the Merediths and their pursuits (exploring, poetry, music) among the evocative landscapes of Wales was written in the 1960s, but never published due to a change of policy at Elinor Lyon’s publishers, so this is the 1^st edition. New. £12

S676)  Nesbit, E; Ghost Stories; pb  (pocket) Greyladies. £8

S677)  Lee, Austin; Sheep’s Clothing; pb Greyladies. Miss Hogg, school mistress turned private investigator. £12

S678)  Pleydell, Susan; The Glenvarroch Gathering; pb Greyladies 2014.  NEW. £12

S679)  Pleydell, Susan; Brighouse Hotel; pb Greyladies 2014. New. £12

S680)  Pleydell, Susan; The Road to the Harbour; pb Greyladies. New. £12

S681)  Pullein-Thompson, Josephine; Murder Strikes Pink; pb Greyladies. Rich, bitter Theodora Thistleton, passionate to win at showjumping, seems to have people queueing up to murder her… NEW. £12

S682)  Scarlett, Susan (= Noel Streatfeild); Under the Rainbow.  New. £12

S683)  Scarlett, Susan (= Noel Streatfeild); The Man in the Dark. VG £9

S684)  Stafford, Ann; Silver Street; pb Greyladies 2018. New. £12

S685)  Stevenson, D.E.; Greyladies pbs, all NEW, £12 each; a) The Fair Miss Fortune; 2011.  Previously unpublished! b) Emily Dennistoun; 2011.  Previously unpublished! c) Jean Erskine’s Secret; 2013. 1^st publication of novel written & set in WWI

S686)  Vaizey, Mrs Geo. de Horne; The Ignorance of Sybilla & Other Stories; pb Greyladies 2010 NEW £12

Books about Books and Authors

S687)  Allan, Mabel Esther; To Be an Author; pb Greyladies 2020. This is MEA’s writer’s autobiography, until now only privately published in two small books in the 1980s. £10

S688)  Barrett, Frank; Treasured Island – A Book Lover’s Tour of Britain; pb AA. Delightful guide. VG £3

S689)  A Book of Days; NCC A5 booklet Events for different days of the year, taken from girls’ books.  New.  £3

S690)  Eccleshare, Julia; Beatrix Potter to Harry Potter – Portraits of Children’s Writers; 2002 1^st ed; National Portrait Gallery. Portraits from the NPG’s collection and a short essay about each author. Glazed picture boards as issued, near fine, a lovely book. £8

S691)  Edwards and Saltman; Picturing Canada – A History of Canadian Children’s Illustrated Books and Publishing; pb large format; U of Toronto Press. VG+. £3

S692)  Fisher, Margery; Who’s Who in Children’s Books – A Treasury of the Familiar Characters of Childhood; 1978 rep; W&N. This a glorious compendium, larger size and copiously illustrated, of all the characters one remembers from childhood reading, and perfect for signposting the many interesting characters one never chanced to encounter. Nr fine in nr fine dw. £12

S693)  Jones, Diana Wynne – An Exciting and Exacting Wisdom; ed Rosenberg et al. A book of essays celebrating the humorous, exciting and thought-provoking books of the much-loved DWJ. Fine. £7.50

S694)  Mackenzie, James; Another Country – A Guide to the Children’s Books of the Lake District and Cumbria.  GGBP Larger format 2008.  Fascinating. Copiously illustrated, practical info too.  NEW.  £10

S695)  Sims, Sue and Clare, Hilary; The Encyclopaedia of Girls’ School Stories 3 Vols; pb GGBP 2020. A new edition of the standard work, much revised, updated, fulsomely illustrated and eagerly awaited! The definitive guide to school stories. Authors are listed in alphabetical order, with bibliographies, and each volume has extra material such as articles on ballet school stories, historical school stories, school stories for adults etc. New. £13 each

S696)  Spufford, Francis; The Child that Books Built; 2002 Faber. The poignant memoir of Spufford’s childhood, when his parents, though loving, were preoccupied with his very ill sister, and the world of books that helped him cope. VG++ in fine dw. £4.50

S697)  Watson, Victor; Reading Series Fiction – From Arthur Ransome to Gene Kemp; pb Routledge. Highly recommended – now scarce. Very readable study by the then-Cambridge academic looking at the appeal of children’s series, rather than individual titles. The analysis is fascinating and one looks at all the authors in a new light having read it. Authors / series include Antonia Forest, Blyton, Green Knowe, Malcolm Saville, The Borrowers and The Dark is Rising. Ex-lib, corner cut off endpaper but generally VG++.  £15

Remarkable Women

S698)  [Beeton] The Short Life and Long Times of Mrs Beeton by Kathryn Hughes; pb Harper. Fine. £4.50

S699)  Bielenberg, Christabel; The Road Ahead; pb Corgi. So many readers contacted the author after her first memoir that she wrote this continuation, charting the life of herself and her husband as they decided to leave both Britain and Germany and start farming in Ireland. Her life continued to be fascinating, including supporting the Peace Women in Northern Ireland at the height of the Troubles. VG. £3

S700)  Dearborn, Mary; Peggy Guggenheim – Mistress of Modernism; pb Virago. A troubled life. Nr fine. £4

S701)  Flanders, Judith; A Circle of Sisters; pb Penguin. The remarkable and fascinating story of the 4 lower middle class Macdonald sisters, who married Sir Edward Burne-Jones, President of the RA Sir Edward Poynter, John Kipling (son, Rudyard) and Alfred Baldwin (son, Prime Minister Stanley). Nr fine. £4

S702)  Fountayne, Margaret; Love Among the Butterflies; pb Penguin. “The diaries of a wayward, determined and passionate Victorian lady,” who lived a wild and fearless life that took her all over the world. VG. £3

S703)  Garnett, Angelica; Deceived with Kindness; pb OUP. Angelica Garnett was the niece of Virginia Woolf, the child of Vanessa Bell & Duncan Grant and thought her father was Vanessa’s husband, Clive Bell. Her childhood was spent in the extraordinary and intense atmosphere of the Bloomsbury Group, and her memoir recalls it all, and also charts her struggle to emerge as an independent woman. VG++ £4

S704)  Licence, Amy; Bohemian Lives – Three Extraordinary Women: Ida Nettleship, Sophie Brzeska and Fernande Olivier; 2017 1^st, Amberley. The fascinating lives of three women who are almost unknown, but who were the wives or lovers of famous artists – Augustus John, Picasso and Henri Gaudier-Brzeska. The author explores how their lives, achievements and sacrifices overlapped and contrasted. Mint in fine dw £6

S705)  [Mitford] Take Six Girls – The Lives of the Mitford Sisters by Laura Thompson; pb Head of Zeus. Rather than being a straight biography, this book focuses on the interactions between the six, the different paths they chose, and how Diana’s divorce and then marriage to Oswald Mosley and the subsequent fracture of the childhood relationship with Nancy, led to the creation of “The Mitford Girls” and their activities as a newsworthy entity, rather than simply six individual sisters. VG++. £5

An Interesting Miscellany (including fascinating biographies)

S706)  Beaton, Cecil; Chinese Album; 1^st ed 1946 Batsford. A book of photographs; Cecil Beaton visited China at the behest of the Ministry of Information, so copyright remained with the Crown. Fascinating glimpse of the people of China and their way of living at the time. VG. £8.50

S707)  Bradbury, Jim; The Mediaeval Siege; 1992 Boydell. Mediaeval histories could make one think that warfare was dominated by battles – but for every pitched battle, there were a hundred sieges. Bradbury’s sweep necessarily includes all the people caught up in them; hunger, famine, personal danger, heroism and endurance loom large. Fine in near fine dw. £6

S708)  Bryson, Bill; A Short History of Nearly Everything; pb Black Swan. One review described it as “a travelogue of science, with a witty, engaging and well-informed guide.” VG+. £4

S709)  Courcy, Anne de; The Fishing Fleet – Husband-Hunting in the Raj; pb Phoenix. VG++ £4

S710)  Fermor, Patrick Leigh; Between the Woods and the Water; pb Penguin. Celebrated travelogue of a 1933 journey, the world of mountains and plains, castles and ancient ways between the woods of Transylvania and the waters of the Danube. Really beautiful cover design taken from the hardback. Fine. £4

S711)  Fox, Kate; Watching the English – The Hidden Rules of English Behaviour; 2004 H&S. A self-confessed lazy anthropologist, Kate Fox turned her attention to the English (rather than the British), so she wouldn’t have to go travelling. Among her many experiences was making herself barge into ticket queues to observe reactions, something she had to nerve herself to do! This is a fascinating book that, if one is English, one reads with constant nods of “Oh yes, I do that”, and if one isn’t, one reads with constant nods of “Ah, now I understand!” Fine in VG++ dw. £6

S712)  Hibbert, Christopher & Weinreb, Ben; The London Encyclopaedia; pb Macmillan 1987. An exhaustive companion, “this massive and magnificent panorama of London” is essential to have on hand for anyone who lives in or loves or hopes to visit London – for reading and for reference. VG++ £7.50

S713)  Hoyle’s Hymns & Songs for Temperance Societies & Bands of Hope; c1880, Partridge. Lacks fep, G £3

S714)  Ladybird: recent spoof editions for adults using the traditional Ladybird illustrations; All fine, each £2.50; The Ladybird Book of the Hipster; The Ladybird Book of the Hangover; How It Works: The Student.

S715)  Lincoln, M; London & the 17^th Century – The Making of the World’s Greatest City; pb Yale. Fine. £4

S716)  Matyszak, Philip; Ancient Rome on Five Denarii a Day; Thames and Hudson. A fascinating and digestible “guidebook” to Rome and its society. Fine in VG++ dw. £6

S717)  Milton, Giles; Samurai William – The Adventurer who Unlocked Japan; pb Sceptre. In 1611, London merchants received a letter from mariner William Adams in Japan. Hoping that he had found the key to unlocking its riches, they sent emissaries – but Adams, it seemed, had gone native… VG+. £4

S718)  Muir, P.H; Book Collecting as a Hobby, in a series of Letters to Everyman; pb Gramol [nd, c1945]. A comprehensive introduction. The covers loudly proclaim that its price was “3/6 net”. G++. £4

S719)  Oberammergau; The Oberammergau Passion Play; parish of Oberammergau. English –language text, produced for the 1950 cycle, with a lovely woodcut fp, cast of players etc. Wraps worn, inside VG. £3.50

S720)  Old Time Dancing; 1957 EP Publishers. One of the “Know the Game” booklets introducing different sports. This is in association with The Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing. Some key dances described and photographed, including waltzes, two-steps, gay gordons, tangos etc. VG+ £3

S721)  Sakamoto, Pamela Rotner; Midnight in Broad Daylight – A Japanese American Family Caught Between Two Worlds; pb Perennial. VG+. £3

S722)  Sobel, Dava; Galileo’s Daughter – A Drama of Science, Faith and Love; pb 4^th Estate. VG+. £3

S723)  Stibbe, Nina; Went to London, Took the Dog; pb Picador. As her marriage disintegrated, Nina Stibbe decided to take a year out and live in London for the first time since living there as an au pair in her twenties (her memoir about which, Love, Nina, was adapted for TV). She lodged with the writer Deborah Moggach, and her account of her year is both poignant and funny. VG++. £5

S724)  Swift, Katherine; The Morville Hours; pb Bloomsbury. In 1988, Katherine Swift arrived in Shropshire and set about creating a garden by the Dower House where people had lived for centuries. This account, taking its cue from mediaeval books of hours, is a journey through the seasons, but also a meditation on the personal and the universal. A beautiful book, not only with its absorbing prose, but also one of the most gorgeous book covers I’ve seen. VG. £4.50.

S725)  Time Out Book of London Walks; pb Time Out. 30 walks created by London writers, including Margaret Forster, Philip Ziegler, Margaret Drabble, Graham Norton, Bill Oddie and Lucinda Lambton. Maps and full instructions, plus descriptions from the very personal points of view of the different authors. VG+. £3

S726)  Tucci, Stanley; Taste - My Life Through Food; pb Penguin. The intersection of food and life, from growing up in an Italian-American family to filming foodie films and falling in love over dinner. VG+ £5

S727)  White, T.H.; The Godstone and the Blackymor; 1959 1^st ed. Illustrated by Edward Ardizzone. “God knows what this book is about. I suppose it’s a bit of autobiography really. But it’s about living on the West Coast of Ireland, in ‘the parish nearest to America’ – and it is about the people and things there, more than about me… It seems to me a complicated sort of book about a complicated place, which I loved, and anyway it has pictures by Ardizzone, who loved it too.”. VG in somewhat worn dw. £15

S728)  Wrench, Mrs Stanley; The Bride in Her Kitchen; Lutterworth for Woman’s Magazine. Nd but soon after WWII, as Stork Margarine is not yet available again after the war. Although a booklet of only 50 pages, this manages to pack in a huge amount of useful information about all aspects of cooking that any bride let loose in a kitchen for the first time would want to know, and even has space to include a number of advertisements at the back, including the said Stork Margarine, Benergy, Bird’s Custard, and Cow and Gate Milk Food – The Food of Royal Babies. VG. £4.50

S729)  Ziegler, Richard; Judith, the Widow of Bethulia; 1946 limited edition (number 219 of 700); Dennis Dobson. Very large size, 32x26 cm (12 ½” by 10”), 44 pp. A retelling, with drawings on almost every page, and the text in hand-written script, of the Biblical story of Judith and Holofernes. Deckle-edged paper, tiny bit of foxing, slight tear on bottom hinge of spine, generally VG. £12

The Cream of Crime  (see also Greyladies Books above for new titles)

S730)  Symons, Julian; Bloody Murder – From the Detective Story to the Crime Novel; pb Penguin. A highly regarded overview of the genre. VG. £4.50

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S731)  Aird, Catherine; The Complete Steel; pb Corgi. Young Michael has more than he’d bargained for when he prises open the suit of armour at Ornum House, because staring back at him is a very dead body. VG. £4

S732)  Aird, Catherine; A Late Phoenix; pb Corgi. A body is discovered when an old bomb site is cleared, but did the person really die in the explosion? VG. £4

S733)  Aird, Catherine; Parting Breath; 1977 1st ed; Collins; ex-lib, VG+ in VG+ dw. £8.50

S734)  Aird, Catherine; Chapter and Hearse; pb Pan. Short Stories, some Sloan, plus others – makes one regret that she hasn’t pursued some of her other protagonists! VG+ £5.50

S735)  Allingham, Margery  Her crime novels featuring Albert Campion show a vast range of characters and styles as she experimented and developed her craft.

Paperbacks, all 1990s reprints in classic green Penguin crime livery, all VG+ or better, £3 each; Cargo of Eagles; Traitor’s Purse; The Case of the Late Pig; The Tiger in the Smoke; Look to the Lady; Mr Campion and Others; Death of a Ghost; Black Plumes; The Beckoning Lady; The Crime at Black Dudley; The China Governess; Flowers for the Judge; Mr Campion’s Lucky Day and Other Stories.

S736)  Bax, Roger; Blueprint for Murder; pb Arcturus. Handsome reprint, originally 1948. Arthur Cross and his cousin return from WWII, but it seems his intentions towards his uncle are far from amiable… Fine. £4

S737)  Bowers, Dorothy; The Bells at Old Bailey; pb Moonstone. Dorothy Bowers died very young, and only wrote five crime novels, but all are really rewarding. She was a champion of the Golden Age idea of Fair Play by the reader, introducing all the clues necessary but misdirecting attention. Here Miss Tidy, proprietor of the Minerva hat shop, decides she really must go to the police about the letters she’s been receiving…  Mint. £6

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British Library Crime Classics: This is a series focused on bringing Golden Age mysteries back into print; the really handsome covers are taken from transport posters.

S738)  Bennett, Margot; The Widow of Bath; pb 2021 (original 1952). When old flame Lucy, who got Hugh sacked from his diplomatic career, turns up at the same south coast resort with her new husband, Judge Bath, Hugh can’t stop himself from getting involved again – and then the judge dies… VG £4.50

S739)  Dickson, Carter; The Ten Teacups; pb 2025 (original 1937). (American title – The Peacock Feather Mystery). “There will be ten teacups at Number 4 Berwick Terrace, W8, on July 31^st at 5pm precisely. The presence of the Metropolitan Police is respectfully requested.” Mint. £5

S740)  Farjeon, J. Jefferson; Seven Dead; pb 2017 (original 1939). Ted Lyte, would-be thief, picks the wrong house for his first job, as he enters and finds 7 dead bodies. Near fine. £4.50

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S741)  Brody, Frances; Murder in the Afternoon; pb Piatkus. Young Harriet and her brother stumble across the dead body of their father in the quarry where he worked – but when they return with help, the body has disappeared… Enter Kate Shackleton, war widow, whose leisure and nose for finding things out have led her into an unorthodox way of life as a detective. VG++. £4

S742)  Burley, W.J; Wycliffe and the House of Fear; pb Orion. Roger Kemp’s first wife was presumed drowned, but now his second wife has gone missing too… VG. £3

S743)  Burley, W.J.; Wycliffe and the Three-Toed Pussy; pb Orion. VG. £3

S744)  Carnac, Carol; Crossed Skis; 1952 1^st ed Collins. One of the party of skiers who arrive in Austria is a killer – but which?  Ex Boots lib, G. £5

S745)  [Christie, Agatha] The Monogram Murders by Sophie Hannah; pb Harper. A further adventure of Hercule Poirot, sanctioned by the Christie estate. Pb VG++. £3

S746)  Coles, Rev Richard; Murder Before Evensong; pb W&N. The debut crime novel of the radio personality, with a protagonist who is also a vicar, Canon Clement. Set in the 1990s. VG. £3

S747)  Coles, Rev Richard; Murder Before Evensong; 2022 W&N. VG+ in VG+ dw. £5

S748)  Cross, Mark; The Mystery of Joan Marryat; 1946 first reprint; Ward Lock. Featuring Daphne Wrayne, a Society girl, and her Four Adjusters (who use their complementary talents to “adjust” the workings of the law so that the guilty are punished and the innocent are protected). The four Adjusters are Sir Hugh Williamson, a noted African explorer; James Treviller, a handsome young nobleman; Martin Everest, a handsome lawyer; and Alan Sylvester, an actor. Most surprisingly, the author using this pseudonym was the father of renowned TV cook Fanny Craddock!  VG. £10

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Davis, Lindsey  Author of hugely enjoyable, well- researched and well-written novels about a Roman “informer”, Marcus Didius Falco, and his extensive family, and then about his adopted daughter, Flavia Alba, who falls into the same profession.

S749)  Shadows in Bronze; pb Arrow. Falco is tasked with unearthing membership of a failed coup attempt against the Emperor Vespasian - and disposing of an inconvenient dead body. VG++ £3

S750)  Three Hands in the Fountain; pb Arrow. Falco finds his local fountain blocked by a severed hand – and as other boy parts come to light, it’s clear there’s a determined killer at work. VG++ £3

S751)  The Ides of April; pb Hodder. When a female client dies just as the Festival of Cerialia is about to start, Flavia Alba realises the death must be connected with other recent disappearances. VG- £3

S752)  The Garden of the Hesperides; pb Hodder. Flavia Alba’s fiancé unearths a skeleton as he begins a building project. Five more skeletons come to light, but despite the fact that no-one seems bothered, attempts are made to stop Alba asking questions. Ex-lib, but VG, nice and clean. £3

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S753)  Dickson, Carter; He Wouldn’t Kill Patience; pb green Penguin1957. Edward Benton, zoo keeper, is found dead in a gassed room with all the gaps sealed with paper. Suicide, surely? But his daughter knows it can’t be – he was a devoted herpetologist, and he would never have killed Patience, his pet snake, found in the room with him. Sir Henry Merivale investigates, with the help of two young sprigs of rival families of magicians who happen to be on the spot. VG. £4

S754)  Edwards, Martin; The Hanging Wood; pb A&B. Orla Payne asks Lake District police to re-investigate her brother’s disappearance… and then she is found dead.  VG. £4.50

S755)  Griffiths, Elly; The Dark Angel; pb Quercus. VG. Ruth Galloway is asked to go to Italy, where archaeologist Dr Angelo Morelli, has unearthed a 2000-year-old skeleton – with a mobile phone… VG. £4

S756)  Griffiths, Elly; The Night Hawks; pb Quercus. Metal detectorists find both treasure and a body on a Norfolk beach. Ruth is interested in the treasure, and Nelson initially assumes that the death is an accidental drowning. But then someone else dies… VG. £4

S757)  Griffiths, Elly; The Last Remains; pb Quercus. Ruth and Nelson are called in when bones are found during a King’s Lynn renovation; an archaeology student who went missing several decades before. VG £4

S758)  Heyer, Georgette; Footsteps in the Dark; 1935 rep; Longman. VG. £6.50

S759)  Heyer, Georgette; witty crime novels, often featuring Supt Hannasyde and / or Inspector Hemingway. Anyone who has read her Regency romances will also detect a familiar penchant for featuring a romantically involved couple for whom things don’t always go smoothly! Paperbacks, Grafton or Panther: all £3.50 each: Duplicate Death, VG; They Found Him Dead, Fair; No Wind of Blame, VG; Detection Unlimited, VG; Why Shoot a Butler? VG; Footsteps in the Dark, VG+; Penhallow, VG+: A Blunt Instrument, G+; Death in the Stocks, VG;

S760)  James, P.D.; Death in Holy Orders; pb Penguin. Death at an East Anglian theological college. G+. £3

S761)  MacLeod, Charlotte; Rest You Merry; pb Avon 1971.  A much-lived crime series, definitely on the cosy side. Prof Peter Shandy leaves his house at Balaclava Agricultural College in rural New England to escape the excess hospitality and noise of Christmas. But when he returns, it’s to a dead body in his living room, and a not-so-accidental poisoning. G. £3.50

S762)  Marsh, Ngaio; Pbs; Fontana/ Harper Collins. G+ or better. Inspector Alleyn golden-age mysteries. £3 each; Opening Night; The Nursing Home Murder.

S763)  McDermid, Val; Still Life; pb Sphere. This and the following title feature Karen Pirie, in charge of a cold case squad, an engaging series where there isn’t a lot of blood and gore (unlike some of McDermid’s other series). The author is also a Chalet School fan – crediting Joey Bettany with inspiring her to write professionally! Here Karen finds two cases competing for her attention, a dead body from the sea proving to be a suspect in an old murder, and a skeleton found in an old camper van.  Mint. £4.50

S764)  McDermid, Val; Past Lying; pb Sphere. Edinburgh in lockdown; Karen has to investigate when it’s brought to her attention that a death in an author’s manuscript recently deposited in the Scottish Library bears an uncanny resemblance to one of her cold cases – can there be a connection? But the author died before finishing the book…  VG++. £4.50

S765)  McLean, Rachel; The Corfe Castle Murders; pb Ackroyd. When DCI Lesley Clarke is posted to Dorset after being injured in a bomb attack, she wonders how she’ll cope with the quiet life. But then, even before she starts work, a corpse turns up in the grounds of the iconic Corfe Castle, and Lesley has to negotiate her way round the local force as well as the local inhabitants. VG++. £4

S766)  Mukherjee, Abir; Smoke and Ashes; pb Vintage. Captain Sam Wyndham, whose wife died in the flu epidemic after the Great War, has joined the Indian Police, and now, in 1921, has to tread a fine line when a corpse turns up in an opium den he has been frequenting as a customer… A wonderful evocation of a vibrant Calcutta, one of the new authors I’ve really enjoyed recently. VG++. £3.50

S767)  Osman, Richard; The Man Who Died Twice; pb Penguin. A Thursday Murder Club mystery. VG+ £3.50

S768)  Sayers, Dorothy; Whose Body?; pb NEL. The body of a complete stranger in a bath… VG. £3.50

S769)  Sayers, Dorothy; Clouds of Witness; pb NEL. Peter’s brother, the Duke, is accused of murder… VG. £3

S770)  Sayers, Dorothy; Gaudy Night; pb Hodder. A handsome modern reprint of this seminal story of Harriet Vane & Lord Peter Wimsey, introduced by Harriet Walter ( Harriet Vane in the TV series). VG £3

S771)  Wentworth, Patricia; The Black Cabinet; pb DSP (original 1925). A very interesting biographical introduction about Patricia Wentworth’s career. Chloe Dane, seamstress, is left a house by a distant relative, and soon realises that it’s attracting all the wrong sort of people…  Plenty of crime, but more of a thriller. VG. £4.50

S772)  Wentworth, Patricia; Paperbacks featuring the attractive former governess Miss Silver; mysteries and crimes, often with a touch of the thriller; Corgi. All G+ or better; £3.50 each; The Clock Strikes Twelve; The Fingerprint; Danger Point; Out of the Past; The Alington Inheritance; The Chinese Shawl; The Case is Closed; Latter End; Pilgrim’s Rest; The Girl in the Cellar.

S773)  Winspear, Jacqueline; Among the Mad; pb Murray. 1931: London is threatened by a man who proves he has the knowledge to kill thousands. Maisie Dobbs is called in by a desperate Special Branch. VG. £3

Lovely lighter days, more sun and spring flowers – Something to enjoy with a good book!        Sally