The Last Days of Pompeii

Edward Bulwer-Lytton

The Last Days of Pompeii is a love story set in that Roman town just before the famous eruption of Mount Vesuvius buried it and most of its citizens in ash. It draws a vivid portrait of the lifestyle of the Imperial Romans, their daily baths, symposia, and gladiatorial entertainments, their religious practices and their homes while presenting a busy plot full of decadent, diabolical seducers, religious fanatics, and glutinous parasites.The novel itself tells the story of the Athenian Glaucus, his love, the beautiful Ione, and a blind flower-girl Nydia, who is secretly in love with Glaucus. Threatening the love of Glaucus and Ione is Iones guardian, the decadent and deceitful Egyptian Arbaces, who lusts after Ione himself. An amazing historical-fiction novel, set out in a highly elaborate exquisite language.

The Agony Column

Earl Derr Biggers

Geoffrey West falls in love at first sight with a girl in a hotel breakfasting with her father. Theyre all Americans, but the scene is London on the eve of the Great War. Both Geoffrey and his ladylove Marian are reading the personals (The Agony Column) of the Daily Mail. Later that day he has an idea to place an ad to catch her attention, and vows to send her a letter each day for a week to win her heart. Each letter becomes more interesting than the previous because West finds himself entangled in a murder mystery with new twists each day. To say more about what transpires would spoil the fun. The lightness of the story contrasts interestingly with the grim mood of England as Germany mobilizes.

Bealby. A Holiday

Herbert George Wells

A charming tale of a young recalcitrant boys wanderings through England. Full of humour. It is a light tale, and one of Wells that holds up the best. Though young Bealby is determined to rise above his mothers servant status, no amount of struggle helps him to prevail. He reluctantly leaves his home for Shonts, a big country house, to work as a stewards boy. But a fateful weekend visit by distinguished personages, including the strange yet captivating Lord Chancellor, may give Bealby the opportunity to change his fate in this social comedy. What follows is an adventure that Bealby will not soon forget. First published in 1915 Bealby was originally entitled Bealby a Holiday.

Masks Off at Midnight

Valentine Williams

Trevor Dene and his wife are looking forward to attending a masked ball in Lavra, a Long Island mansion owned by the wealthy Tallifer family. But the problem is brewing in the form of a prolonged feud with local businessman Brent Hordern. Resenting the way Tallifers use their new money, and decided to marry their daughter Jenny, Horder swore to attend the ball at all costs.

The Almost Perfect Murder. A Case Book of Madame Storey

Hulbert Footner

Beyond the City explores the relationships between the residents of three adjoining homes. The cast of characters includes a widowed doctor with two daughters, a retired admiral with a wife and son, and a feminist living with her nephew. Destiny brings these three peculiar households together in the placid English countryside. The desire for money and romance drive these Victorians beyond the natural boundaries of their middle-class lives. As the web of lust and deceit draws these accidental neighbors ever closer, a financial scandal befalls one of them. An outside rank pirate is linked somehow to one of the neighbors. Who could it be? In this work, Conan Doyle exhibits the practiced subtlety and complexity for which he has become so well known.

Ambrose Lavendale, Diplomat

E. Phillips Oppenheim

The usual little throng of Americans, journalists, men of business and loiterers, were occupying their accustomed chairs in one corner of the long, green-carpeted room. Around the bar, would-be customers were crowded three or four deepmany of them stalwart Canadians in khaki, making the most of their three days leave, and a thin sprinkling of men about town on their way to lunch in the grill-room adjoining. On the outskirts of the group was a somewhat incongruous figure, a rather under-sized, ill-dressed, bespectacled little man, neither young nor old, colourless, with a stoop which was almost a deformity. His fingers were stained to the tip of his nails as though by chemicals or tobacco juice. He held the glass of vermouth which he had just succeeded in obtaining from the bar, half-way suspended to his lips. He was listening to the conversation around him.

The Dagger and Cord

Aidan de Brune

The dead body of a beautiful girl in a disused house, the secret meeting room in the cellar, a baffling murder mystery... The Dagger and Cord is another mystery by Aidan de Brune (Herbert Charles CULL). Its all great fun and the author keeps the action moving along swiftly, as he always did. Wonderful entertainment and highly entertaining. If you havent discovered the joys of Brunes mysteries there is a good place to start. Aidan De Brune was a Canadian-born writer who settled in Australia. In the 1920s and 1930s a number of his novels appeared in Australian newspapers as serials, and he also appears to have written serials specifically for publication in newspapers.

Almuric

Robert E. Howard

The creator of Conan looks to the stars in one of fantasys most enduring science fantasy classics! Robert E. Howards Almuric is a savage planet of crumbling stone ruins and debased, near-human inhabitants. Into this world comes Esau Cairn, Earthman, swordsman, murderer. Only he can overthrow the terrible devils that enslave Almuric, but to do so he must first defeat the inner demons that forced him to abandon Earth.

Joan VIII, 112

Maria Rodziewiczówna

Stróż Gedras napotyka przy drodze ciężarną kobietę i zabiera ją do domu. Podczas porodu kobieta umiera i zostawia mu w opiece dziecko, które ten chce wychować. Nie jest mu jednak łatwo żyć z nim wśród ludzi, ponieważ dziecko jest okryte hańbą.

Treny

Jan Kochanowski

Cykl dziewiętnastu utworów Jana Kochanowskiego o charakterze lamentacyjnym, które wyrażają żal i rozpacz po śmierci córki Urszuli. Treny są najbardziej osobistym dziełem poety. Stanowią przede wszystkim pomnik wystawiony zmarłemu dziecku, które Kochanowski ukazuje jako erudytę. Są także wyrazem bolesnego doświadczenia autora przez los, zrujnowania ideałów człowieka renesansowego, kryzysu światopoglądowego i prób jego przezwyciężenia. Poeta poprzedził cykl dedykacją: Urszuli Kochanowskiej, wdzięcznej, uciesznej, niepospolitej dziecinie..., zakończył zaś utworem Epitafium Hannie Kochanowskiej.

The Dolliver Romance

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Dr. Dolliver, a worthy character of great antiquity. A persons desire for an immortal existence, an attempt to satisfy which would be stated in various ways: first, through the selfish old sensualist, Colonel Dabni, who greedily grabbed the mysterious elixir and took his draft so that he died on the spot; then, through the plain old Grandir, longing to live for Pansy; and, perhaps, through Pansy herself, who, having come to enjoy some kind of ennobling love, would like to defeat death so that she can always maintain the perfection of her worldly happiness all these forms of desire to be united are higher, a play of shadows that should direct our mind to true immortality outside of this world.

The Mustang Herder

Max Brand

Frederick Schiller Faust (May 29, 1892 May 12, 1944) was an American author known primarily for his thoughtful and literary Westerns under the pen name Max Brand. This is one of his Western fiction. Raised on the tough streets of Old New York, Gregg could beat a man to death with his fists and use a pistol like an artist. Armed with these talents, he headed west to make his fortune, never realizing that herding mustangs was what hed end up doing. He didnt know a lot about horses, but he knew anyone who stood in his way was as good as buzzard bait.

The Calendar

Edgar Wallace

An enjoyable Edgar Wallace horse-racing escapade. One of the most prolific writers of the twentieth century, Edgar Wallace was an immensely popular author, who created exciting thrillers spiced with tales of treacherous crooks and hard-boiled detectives. The setting of this mystery/thriller is the horse-racing world. A wealthy racehorse owner is banned from racing when he is double- crossed by the woman he loves. With the help of his butler an ex-burglar he succeeds in regaining a L100 note that will clear his name and he falls for the bad girls sister. In an impulsive moment, a man agrees to throw a big race-and then is faced with all the consequences.

A Secret Service

Fred M. White

A Secret Service is a spy story. Detective Moore fights with Russian seducers and German spies. All events take place before the Second World War. The plot, as always, is obsolete, but interesting for readers.

The Secret of Sarek

Maurice Leblanc

Arsene Lupin, Master Detective makes his reappearance in this thrilling romantic novel. He returns to a wild island stocked with druids, lost riches, and 30 coffins! Essentially, the complex plot revolves around Veronique, a young woman who travels to an isolated island off the coast of Brittany in search of her kidnapped son. She soon discovers that a terrible prophecy involving herself is about to come true. The islands inhabitants believe that when the so called Thirty Coffins have claimed their thirty victims and four women have been crucified from some oak trees then the Gods Stone will be revealed a stone which gives life and death. A book of extraordinary adventure!

Dave Fearless and the Cave of Mystery

Roy Rockwood

No manly boy ever grows tired of sea stories there is an irresistible fascination about them, and they are a recreation to the mind. A tale of being adrift on the Pacific Ocean, with Dave discovering a mysterious cave. Full of startling incident, clever dialogue, admirable descriptions of sky and water in all their aspects, and plenty of fun. Originally written for young men, this adventure tale is great reading for the whole family. The four-volume Deep Sea series was published in the 1900s by Roy Rockwood. Roy Rockwood was a house pseudonym used by the Stratemeyer Syndicate for boys adventure books. Created by Edward Stratemeyer, the Stratemeyer Syndicate was the first book packager to have its books aimed at children, rather than adults.

The Exploits of Airman Hay

Edgar Wallace

The Exploits of Airman Hay is a series of ten stories about an intrepid aviator by the name of Captain Murray Hay. The stories fast-paced with some surprising twists and turns, well written and great to read. The book presents the stories under the titles found in Edgar Wallaces manuscript, most of which correspond to those used in Topical Times. Edgar Wallace was a prolific author of crime, adventure and humorous stories, whose best known creations include The Four Just Men, Sanders of the River, and J. G. Reeder. Although Wallace wrote many stand alone novels it is, perhaps, for his series based material-always popular with readers-that he remains best known. More than 160 films have been made of Wallaces work.

The Peer and the Woman

E. Phillips Oppenheim

If you have a fondness for mystery you should find this novel to be an entertaining read. Lord Alceston, the Earl of Harrowdean, statesman, philanthropist, nobleman, is murdered in his own study on the night of a great ball given at his home. On the same night a mysterious woman is murdered in the slums of East London. The valet disappears. Thus begins a moody and dramatic tale of love, jealousy, and revenge. This is the second published novel by E. Phillips Oppenheim and deals with a rigid Victorian moral code which is hard to comprehend today. Oppenheim dictated many of his later novels, but the careful writing, lengthy descriptions, and close observation of characters are beautifully expressed in this early work.

Master of the World

Jules Verne

In the first part of the story, the brave inventor Robur sets off on a world tour on a giant helicopter Albatross in order to prove the superiority of aircraft heavier than air over balloons. The work has an intrigue that unfolds in a rather interesting way, as well as a very unpredictable ending. This is in the style of Verne when the heroes of one work can easily appear in another, remember the same Mysterious Island. There is a similar picture.

Maiwas Revenge. Or The War of the Little Hand

H. Rider Haggard

Another short novel about the adventures of Allan Quatermain. This is a story about how the main character gets involved in a conflict between two African tribes and helps Maiwa take revenge on her terrible husband. As always, readers are waiting for exciting adventures in Africa. The main question: will the anger take hold above Maiwa?

The Young Runaway

Zane Grey

Zane Grey was one of the first millionaire authors. With his veracity and emotional intensity, he connected with millions of readers worldwide, during peacetime and war, and inspired many Western writers who followed him. That work is widely considered the greatest Western ever written, and Grey remains one of the most famous authors of the genre. Cattle rustling was on the rise in the town of Randall, Wyoming and the new people Martha and Andrew join the ranchers in their fight to protect their livestock. This novel is especially rich in Greys masterful description of, and feelings for, the beauty and strength of the Wyoming countryside.

The Black Tulip

Alexandre Dumas

Set at the height of the tulipomania that gripped Holland in 17th century, this is the story of Cornelius van Baerle, a humble grower whose sole desire is to grow the perfect specimen of the tulip negra. After his powerful godfather is assassinated, the unwitting Cornelius becomes caught up in deadly political intrigue and is falsely accused of high treason by a bitter rival. Condemned to life imprisonment, his only comfort is Rosa, the jailers beautiful daughter, and together they concoct a plan to grow the black tulip in secret. Also we meet the scheming and wicked Isaac Boxtel, who labors to acquire the elusive black tulip for himself, stooping even to falsely imprison the naive Cornelius. The Black Tulip, by Alexandre Dumas, is a work of historical fiction that mixes actual events in the Netherlands in the 17th century with fictional characters and events. A masterful retelling of one of the most infamous incidents in Dutch history, it is not to be missed by fans of historical fiction.

Linnet. A Romance

Grant Allen

Originally published in 1900, Linnet, A Romance is a classic romance novel by noted author Charles Grant Blairfindie Allen. Two young English tourists come to a little mountain village Tyrol where they find the Tyrolese in all their native simplicity; the young men, with the pride and aspirations of the hunter, who dance wildly and make love fiercely, and the maidens of easy virtue who tend their cows in the summer and serve a master in the village through the long winter. One of these is Linnet, the heroine, an innocent, modest girl among her bold associates, who possesses a marvelous voice. Both tourists are charmed with the lovely singer, but while one is selfish and conceited and pays her meaningless compliments, the other, who is quiet and undemonstrative really wins her love. The love story is told with much charm and grace, and when the scene changes to London the contrast in character and national traits between that city and the land of the Tyrol is strikingly shown.

Die Millionengeschichte. Roman

Edgar Wallace

John Sands sammelt die aus dem Gefängnis geflohene Margaret Maliko auf einer Landstraße gewährt ihr Unterschlupf und will sie mit seinem Freund, dem Millionär Harry Leman verheiraten. Als die entsprungene Strafgefangene Margaret Maliko vom Regen durchnässt an der Landstraße stand, ahnte sie noch nicht, dass sie eine Woche später mit dem Dollarmillionär Harry Leman verheiratet sein würde. John Sands, einem abgefeimter Verbrecher ist es gelungen das Vertrauen von Harry Leman, dessen Nichte und auch deren Verehrer, des Journalisten Jimmy Cassidy zu erringen. Die Hochzeit wird streng geheim gehalten. Um die Millionen Harry Lemans zu erhalten, schreckt er vor nichts zurück.