Richmal Crompton

Everyone's favourite troublemaker, William Brown, is back in Richmal Crompton's William's Happy Days, a hilarious collection of classic Just William stories – with a contemporary cover illustrated by Steven Lenton and an introduction by Outnumbered actor Daniel Roche. When William's mother offers him a birthday party, he is suspicious – what's the catch? Convinced that he will have to do something boring in exchange, William refuses to be caught out. But offers of food, a pet, even hidden treasure are very hard to refuse . . . This tousle-headed, snub-nosed, hearty, lovable imp of mischief has been harassing his unfortunate family and delighting his admirers since 1922. Enjoy more of William's adventures in Still William and William Again.

Everyone's favourite troublemaker is back! William is up to his old tricks in Richmal Crompton's William the Good, a hilarious collection of stories with a gorgeous cover illustrated by the award-winning Liz Pichon and an introduction by author Kate Atkinson. Clarence Bergson is such a pain. He's always getting in the way of William's ideas and games. When Clarence starts to make friends with the lovely Miss Holding, he has gone too far – it's time for William to take action. Being good has suddenly become very difficult! There is only one William. This tousle-headed, snub-nosed, hearty, lovable imp of mischief has been harassing his unfortunate family and delighting his hundreds of thousands of admirers since 1922. Enjoy more of William's adventures in William the Bad and William's Happy Days.

Everyone's favourite troublemaker is still up to mischief! William's natural desire to do the right thing leads him into serious trouble, as usual, and when blackmail and kidnapping are involved, it's no surprise. Even when he turns over a new leaf, the consequences are dire. But it's his new neighbour, Violet Elizabeth Bott, who really causes chaos – and no one will believe that it's not William's fault . . . Richmal Crompton's Still William is a collection of fourteen brilliant Just William stories with an introduction by Sir Tony Robinson, appealing contemporary cover art by Chris Judge, along with the original inside illustrations by Thomas Henry. There is only one William. This tousle-headed, snub-nosed, hearty, lovable imp of mischief has been harassing his unfortunate family and delighting his hundreds of thousands of admirers since 1922. Enjoy more of William's adventures in William the Conqueror and William in Trouble.

Everyone's favourite troublemaker is back causing mayhem! William has a habit of being where he shouldn't be. But the village girls' school is the last place where he's likely to be making mischief . . . isn't it? In William in Trouble by Richmal Crompton, William Brown is back in a collection of fourteen Just William stories with an introduction by TV presenter Richard Madeley, appealing contemporary cover art by Alex T. Smith, along with the original inside illustrations by Thomas Henry. There is only one William. This tousle-headed, snub-nosed, hearty, lovable imp of mischief has been harassing his unfortunate family and delighting his hundreds of thousands of admirers since 1922. Enjoy more of William's adventures in William the Outlaw and William the Good.

Mischief and mayhem abound as the lovable imp William returns in this classic collection of short stories. William is always in trouble, but sometimes it really isn't his fault. It was Ginger who showed him the book about Robin Hood, and it was Violet Elizabeth Bott's idea to steal from the rich and give to the poor. Unfortunately the only rich person they know is Violet's father, so William's latest plan to right the world's wrongs is sure to lead to catastrophe. . . Richmal Crompton's William the Conqueror is a collection of thirteen brilliant Just William stories with an introduction by actor and comedian Charlie Higson, appealing contemporary cover art by Joe Berger, along with the original inside illustrations by Thomas Henry. There is only one William. This tousle-headed, snub-nosed, hearty, lovable imp of mischief has been harassing his unfortunate family and delighting his hundreds of thousands of admirers since 1922. Enjoy more of William's adventures in William in Trouble and William the Outlaw.

Richmal Crompton's adult novels are an absolute delight and every bit as charming as her beloved Just William series. The Old Man's Birthday is both a nostalgic treat for fans of the gentler brand of interwar fiction, and a dry satire of British village life. Matthew Rowston is turning ninety-five. A lovable rogue approaching his dotage, he has very little time for the high moral standards and rigid ideas of propriety espoused by his spinster daughter. Things get interesting when he invites his estranged son, the bright and lively Stephen, and his beautiful partner to his celebratory dinner. Over the course of the day, Matthew walks around the village, introducing the pair to his large and varied clan, from the aging Jolly-hockey sticks granddaughter who is considering a torrid affair of her own, to his elderly bookish bachelor son and the lovely great-granddaughter struggling to find her place in the world, doomed to work as a clerk in her dull and dismal father's firm. Teeming beneath the calm surface of village and family life, lies a whole world of secrets and desires, hopes and dreams. Mrs Dalloway with a dash of dry humour, Mapp and Lucia with a slightly melancholy tone, this is the perfect heritage read for fans of 1930s fiction at its best.

When Viola learned of her husband Humphrey's affair, it seemed obvious that she must divorce him so he could be with the woman soon to bear him a child, but now she must deal with her highly-strung and sensitive son Hilary and her sister Frances' sudden move to London alone, without Humphrey's steadying presence. And while Humphrey tries to deal with the fact that his romantic choices have ended his marriage, his family is also living through numerous personal upheavals. His twin aunts Harriet and Hester are heading for a breakdown, with Harriet looking after all aspects of her sister's life while Hester is desperate for something to call her own, and Aggie, Humphrey's mild-mannered and absent minded sister-in-law, is a widowed mother to three children she doesn't understand: Joey, hateful of his office job and eager for the freedom of farm work; solid, quiet Monica who spends her days not at Oxford reading and studying, and Elaine, desperate to leave Reddington behind and have control of her own life. Humphrey's sister Doreen and her daughter Bridget have a fraught relationship, with Bridget torn between her mother's desire for her to make a marriage that will increase their social standing and the affection she feels towards her best friend's brother, Terry. Will this family ever manage to find happiness and equilibrium? Journeying Wave by Richmal Crompton explores the changes sparked by Viola and Humphrey's divorce, letting us into the inner thoughts, feelings and dreams of an extended family. We visit numerous points of view, revealing just how rich and varied our internal lives truly are - and how there are many paths to happiness.

When Viola learned of her husband Humphrey's affair, it seemed obvious that she must divorce him so he could be with the woman soon to bear him a child, but now she must deal with her highly-strung and sensitive son Hilary and her sister Frances' sudden move to London alone, without Humphrey's steadying presence. And while Humphrey tries to deal with the fact that his romantic choices have ended his marriage, his family is also living through numerous personal upheavals. His twin aunts Harriet and Hester are heading for a breakdown, with Harriet looking after all aspects of her sister's life while Hester is desperate for something to call her own, and Aggie, Humphrey's mild-mannered and absent minded sister-in-law, is a widowed mother to three children she doesn't understand: Joey, hateful of his office job and eager for the freedom of farm work; solid, quiet Monica who spends her days not at Oxford reading and studying, and Elaine, desperate to leave Reddington behind and have control of her own life. Humphrey's sister Doreen and her daughter Bridget have a fraught relationship, with Bridget torn between her mother's desire for her to make a marriage that will increase their social standing and the affection she feels towards her best friend's brother, Terry. Will this family ever manage to find happiness and equilibrium? Journeying Wave by Richmal Crompton explores the changes sparked by Viola and Humphrey's divorce, letting us into the inner thoughts, feelings and dreams of an extended family. We visit numerous points of view, revealing just how rich and varied our internal lives truly are – and how there are many paths to happiness.

Richmal Crompton's adult novels are an absolute delight and every bit as charming as her beloved Just William series. The Old Man's Birthday is both a nostalgic treat for fans of the gentler brand of interwar fiction, and a dry satire of British village life. Matthew Rowston is turning ninety-five. A lovable rogue approaching his dotage, he has very little time for the high moral standards and rigid ideas of propriety espoused by his spinster daughter. Things get interesting when he invites his estranged son, the bright and lively Stephen, and his beautiful partner to his celebratory dinner. Over the course of the day, Matthew walks around the village, introducing the pair to his large and varied clan, from the aging Jolly-hockey sticks granddaughter who is considering a torrid affair of her own, to his elderly bookish bachelor son and the lovely great-granddaughter struggling to find her place in the world, doomed to work as a clerk in her dull and dismal father's firm. Teeming beneath the calm surface of village and family life, lies a whole world of secrets and desires, hopes and dreams. Mrs Dalloway with a dash of dry humour, Mapp and Lucia with a slightly melancholy tone, this is the perfect heritage read for fans of 1930s fiction at its best.

Happily married for thirty years with three children that have long since grown up, Christopher Mainwaring finds himself at a total loss following the death of his beloved wife, Susan. Yet the joyful marriage he remembers may not have been all it seemed, for no one in the family knows of the troubling words his wife uttered to him from her death bed . . . Alluding to a possible affair that took place many years ago with a close family friend, the grieving widower is haunted by visions of Susan's infidelity and seeks to find out the truth. In his quest to unearth his wife's potential duplicity, Christopher finds himself looking to his children's complex lives for answers: Joy who is now married with children and concerns of her own, the professionally inept but kind-hearted Frank and his neurotic wife Rachel, and Derek, whose delusions of grandeur with his struggling business causes much distress for his long-suffering wife, Olivia. Portrait of a Family by Richmal Crompton provides universal reflections and intimate insights into the dynamics of family life with a startling clarity that will stay with the reader long after the final page has been turned.

When Lettice Helston's high-society marriage breaks down, leaving a hole in her life, she flees her London life for the comfort of her friend Dorrie. But an unexpected detour to the charming village of Steffan Green introduces her to new friends, some in dire need of her help, and uncovers a decades old scandal that could have disastrous consequences for present generations. With the help of parson's wife and ex-suffragette, Mrs. Fanshaw, along with an ensemble of well-drawn and quirky characters, Lettice begins to find peace and consolation by immersing herself in her new country life. But is there someone else who can finally bring her happiness? Steffan Green by Richmal Crompton is a delightful account of country living in the 1930s, full of honest, wry and humorous observations about social class, adversity and human nature.

When Lettice Helston's high-society marriage breaks down, leaving a hole in her life, she flees her London life for the comfort of her friend Dorrie. But an unexpected detour to the charming village of Steffan Green introduces her to new friends, some in dire need of her help, and uncovers a decades old scandal that could have disastrous consequences for present generations. With the help of parson's wife and ex-suffragette, Mrs. Fanshaw, along with an ensemble of well-drawn and quirky characters, Lettice begins to find peace and consolation by immersing herself in her new country life. But is there someone else who can finally bring her happiness? Steffan Green by Richmal Crompton is a delightful account of country living in the 1930s, full of honest, wry and humorous observations about social class, adversity and human nature.

Even as a child all Vicky wants is love. She seeks it from her governess; she expects it from the lowly, loyal gardener, Andrew; but most of all, she is desperate for it from the one person who can't see beyond shadows of the past and open his heart to her - her father. As Vicky grows up, her beauty blossoms, and when she meets vivacious artist, Philip - a passionate, fiery-haired man who crashes into her carefully ordered life - everything changes. Falling in love and being loved in return fills a hole in Vicky she wasn't even aware she had. But it's the start of the twentieth century and times are changing. Not even Vicky can control the developments of the age. Yet, as the seasons come round with comforting regularity, so too do the familiar patterns of human life in Richmal Crompton's There Are Four Seasons.

Even as a child all Vicky wants is love. She seeks it from her governess; she expects it from the lowly, loyal gardener, Andrew; but most of all, she is desperate for it from the one person who can't see beyond shadows of the past and open his heart to her – her father. As Vicky grows up, her beauty blossoms, and when she meets vivacious artist, Philip – a passionate, fiery-haired man who crashes into her carefully ordered life – everything changes. Falling in love and being loved in return fills a hole in Vicky she wasn't even aware she had. But it's the start of the twentieth century and times are changing. Not even Vicky can control the developments of the age. Yet, as the seasons come round with comforting regularity, so too do the familiar patterns of human life in Richmal Crompton's There Are Four Seasons.

I don't think that people are people to her any longer. They're just mirrors. If she can see the right picture of herself in them, she likes them. If she can't, she dislikes them. Stella Markham is the apple of her aunt's eye: gentle, kind, beautiful and accomplished – the model of a perfect child. Her guardians love her and her playmates worship her. Sensitive and thoughtful, she is the very image of nineteenth century loveliness – that is, until things don't go her way. From Richmal Crompton the bestselling author of the Just William stories, Narcissa follows Stella from childhood through courtship and motherhood, detailing the triumphs and tragedies of a woman who is willing to do anything to maintain the image of her own perfection, sacrificing those she loves to her own vanity.

I don't think that people are people to her any longer. They're just mirrors. If she can see the right picture of herself in them, she likes them. If she can't, she dislikes them. Stella Markham is the apple of her aunt's eye: gentle, kind, beautiful and accomplished – the model of a perfect child. Her guardians love her and her playmates worship her. Sensitive and thoughtful, she is the very image of nineteenth century loveliness – that is, until things don't go her way. From Richmal Crompton, the bestselling author of the Just William stories, Narcissa follows Stella from childhood through courtship and motherhood, detailing the triumphs and tragedies of a woman who is willing to do anything to maintain the image of her own perfection, sacrificing those she loves to her own vanity.

She glanced at her watch. They would be in Merlin Bay in less than half an hour now. Her heart began to beat more quickly. Something was waiting for her at Merlin Bay. She didn't know what it was yet, but she would know soon-in a day, in a week, perhaps. Certainly, when she passed this spot again at the end of the visit, she would know why Michael had wanted her to go there. So begins Mrs. Paget's month-long holiday as she journeys with the rest of her family to visit her grown-up daughter Pen and her grandchildren, who have moved to Cornwall to reap the benefits of the fresh Cornish air. But teeming beneath the calm surface of seaside life lies a whole world of secrets, infatuations, hopes and dreams. Over the course of their stay, visitors and residents of Merlin Bay become entangled in each other's lives, disrupting the stability of Pen's seemingly calm domestic life. From the elderly Mrs. Paget, who visited the bay on her honeymoon nearly fifty years ago but who has never returned, to Pen's teenage daughter Stella, struggling to find her place in the world and feeling her first pangs of desire whilst her younger siblings play innocent childhood games on the beach, Richmal Crompton skillfully depicts the trials and tribulations of British domestic life. Will the hopes and desires of each family member be realized by the end of their stay? And what secret will Mrs. Paget unearth? Richmal Crompton's adult novels are an absolute delight and every bit as charming as her beloved Just William series. A nostalgic treat for fans of the gentler brand of interwar fiction, Merlin Bay is the perfect heritage read for fans of 1930s fiction at its best.

She glanced at her watch. They would be in Merlin Bay in less than half an hour now. Her heart began to beat more quickly. Something was waiting for her at Merlin Bay. She didn't know what it was yet, but she would know soon-in a day, in a week, perhaps. Certainly, when she passed this spot again at the end of the visit, she would know why Michael had wanted her to go there. So begins Mrs. Paget's month-long holiday as she journeys with the rest of her family to visit her grown-up daughter Pen and her grandchildren, who have moved to Cornwall to reap the benefits of the fresh Cornish air. But teeming beneath the calm surface of seaside life lies a whole world of secrets, infatuations, hopes and dreams. Over the course of their stay, visitors and residents of Merlin Bay become entangled in each other's lives, disrupting the stability of Pen's seemingly calm domestic life. From the elderly Mrs. Paget, who visited the bay on her honeymoon nearly fifty years ago but who has never returned, to Pen's teenage daughter Stella, struggling to find her place in the world and feeling her first pangs of desire whilst her younger siblings play innocent childhood games on the beach, in Merlin Bay Richmal Crompton skillfully depicts the trials and tribulations of British domestic life. Will the hopes and desires of each family member be realized by the end of their stay? And what secret will Mrs. Paget unearth? Richmal Crompton's adult novels are an absolute delight and every bit as charming as her beloved Just William series. A nostalgic treat for fans of the gentler brand of interwar fiction, this is the perfect heritage read for fans of 1930s fiction at its best.

Aged just seventeen Hermione is passed from the hands of an inattentive mother into an engagement with a young man she barely knows. Glad to have her pretty daughter married and celebrated by their social circle, Hermione's mother gives little thought to the fitness of the match. Hermione now finds she must grow up, and grow into a life with a man who is not her natural partner. Following Hermione and her family from the late eighteen hundreds through the First World War and the changing society of the post-war era, in Marriage of Hermione Richmal Crompton explores the strains and joys of an imperfect marriage with a warm and humorous eye. Richmal Crompton's adult novels are an absolute delight and every bit as charming as her beloved Just William series. A nostalgic treat for fans of the gentler brand of interwar fiction, this is the perfect heritage read for fans of 1930s fiction at its best.