Patricia Simpson

PM Storybooks offer engaging stories carefully levelled to help readers grow from title to title.

Reviewer's Choice Award Winner Best Contemporary Fantasy of the Year For beautiful, independent Olivia Travanelle, redesigning the gardens of a historic Charleston estate is the job of her dreams. But as she gets to know her enigmatic and highly reclusive employer, Alexandre Chaubere, she finds herself drawn to his strangely powerful presence and seductive charms. Just when Olivia begins to revel in her newfound freedom and the hope for something more, her painful past comes back to haunt her. And when it does, Alexandre is forced to reveal a deep, dark secret of his own--one that stretches back through time and threatens to destroy the fiery love that could be theirs for the taking.

Detective Chief Inspector Justin Mortmain is bored, waiting for injuries, sustained in the line of duty, to heal. Frustrated, he goes for a run hoping to prove his ability to return to work. Near the halfway point of his route, he discovers the body of a young woman, Having found her, Justin feels duty bound to discover her killer. He requests permission to investigate her death and this is the focus of his first case leading a Major Crime Unit team. Haunted by the corruption of their former senior investigating officer, then being placed under the authority of an officer they do not respect or like has left the team disillusioned and demotivated. A difficult situation Justin must resolve. Can he draw the team back into the successful unit it was? After the betrayal that injured him, is Justin prepared to make the attempt? The murder investigation acts as a catalyst for him and the team, but there is one deep, dark secret about Justin's past which could blow the whole thing apart ...

When Eva Wilder's husband is executed for treason, her once lavish life crumbles overnight, sending her back to the grim alleys of Londo City with nothing but her pride. Determined to never again sacrifice herself for a man's reckless choices, she vows to trust no one but herself. That is, until a storm-tossed body washes up on the shore-a handsome, shipwrecked Croatian who claims he's come to rid Londo City of vampires. It's absurd, Eva thinks. Vampires? The idea is preposterous, and she refuses to get involved. After all, she's done with dangerous men and deadly risks. But as she waits for the train back to Londo, Eva spots a familiar face in chains-her estranged sister, Joanna, condemned to a terrible fate she doesn't deserve. Old guilt and regret flare within her. Now, Eva faces an impossible choice: walk away, or seek help from a stranger whose deadly mission could mean her ruin. Drawn into a world of shadows and secrets, Eva's only hope of rescuing her sister may lie with the charismatic vampire hunter she's sworn to avoid. Yet trusting him could be her downfall. In the fight for her sister's freedom, Eva will confront the dark underworld that lurks in Port Pennwood-and the darkness she's hidden within herself. Perfect for fans of dark fantasy and unbreakable heroines, The Phoenix is a heart-stopping story of redemption, betrayal, and a woman's fight to reclaim her own fate.

When the sister of model citizen Joanna Wilder goes missing, Joanna must turn to the dark side and trust a doctor who is hiding a secret that could destroy her... Five days before Joanna Wilder's wayward sister Eva becomes the responsibility of a government-selected husband, Eva vanishes. Desperate, Joanna enlists the help of Gabriel Stone, a Londo City doctor and the last person to see Eva alive. While Joanna searches for her sister, she is trampled in a riot. She drags her broken body to the doctor's clinic and collapses, barely clinging to life. Her fate is now in Gabriel's hands. He must make a life and death decision: let her live-a changed being of undiscovered powers and not entirely human-or let her die. Gabriel chooses life, but in so doing, takes away Joanna's freedom of choice. Will Joanna damn Gabriel for playing God with her life, or will her new powers be the secret to defeating the cruel overlord that rules Londo City? For Joanna, playing by the rules is over-forever. AUTHOR'S NOTE: If you like Victorian London, gothic stories, vampires who are more than just bloodthirsty monsters, slow-to-burn romances, strong female leads, colorful sidekicks and snarky villains, you will enjoy this book.

This sequel to the early biography charts the establishment of a radically innovative religious community of uncloistered women - the first in the New World.

This sequel to the early biography charts the establishment of a radically innovative religious community of uncloistered women - the first in the world.

Born and raised in Troyes, France, in 1653 Marguerite Bourgeoys came as a new recruit to de Maisonneuve's tiny and beleaguered settlement of Ville-Marie, founded in 1642 as a Christian missionary society. These early years in New France marked a special period in her life. Firmly committed to the belief that the world would be a better place if people learned to understand one another, she worked to build a better church and a better society, especially for women and children. Marguerite Bourgeoys's life story teaches us about tolerance and compassion, ideals that are no less important now than three centuries ago.

PM is a firm favourite amongst Primary Schools due to its reputation for reading success. Offering over 800 carefully levelled fiction and non-fiction books, PM builds confidence through gradual progression and step-by-step support.

St Marguerite Bourgeoys (1620-1700) is a key figure in Canadian and religious history. Patricia Simpson goes behind the myth and hagiography surrounding Marguerite Bourgeoys to reveal her true character. The text documents her life in France and in the struggling settlement of Ville-Marie, present-day Montreal, placing her life within the larger historical context of the time and highlighting the role of women in society and the church.

St Marguerite Bourgeoys (1620-1700) is a key figure in Canadian and religious history. Patricia Simpson goes behind the myth and hagiography surrounding Marguerite Bourgeoys to reveal her true character. The text documents her life in France and in the struggling settlement of Ville-Marie, present-day Montreal, placing her life within the larger historical context of the time and highlighting the role of women in society and the church.