Showing results by author "Leonie" in All Categories

Poisoner, despot, necromancer - the dark legend of Catherine de Medici is centuries old. In this critically hailed biography, Leonie Frieda reclaims the story of this unjustly maligned queen to reveal a skilled ruler battling extraordinary political and personal odds - from a troubled childhood in Florence to her marriage to Henry, son of King Francis I of France; from her transformation of French culture to her fight to protect her throne and her sons' birthright. Based on thousands of private letters, it is a remarkable account of one of the most influential women to wear a crown.

Jo Watters would rather do anything than go to her ex-husband Ben’s wedding to perfect Monica, and if it wasn't for her beloved children she would already be far, far away. But having promised to be civilised for the sake of their soon-to-be-blended family she is headed to Spain with a fixed smile and hoping for a very fixed drink! But when Jo realises that she’s on the same plane as Monica's ex-husband, the devastatingly handsome but equally cantankerous Adrián, she thinks her trip can’t get any worse... she’s wrong.

An heiress to a fortune, Ren’s home-from-home is the Ritz, while the handsome and brooding Sacha has grown up in Paris’ less salubrious suburbs. So when an accident brings them together, romance seems an unlikely outcome. When Ren’s society engagement reaches a very public end, Irena’s over-protective grandmother wants her home in London. Ren needs an excuse to stay in Paris, and so after some persuasion, Sacha agrees to pose as her new boyfriend. But only for the twenty-one days, Ren's grandmother has allowed her to nurse her broken heart before heading home to face the music.

When pragmatic, sensible and resolutely single Didi York is sent to Venice for work she is determined not to be taken in by the romantic clichés. Piero Zanetti is the epitome of the handsome yet tortured artist. Heartbroken by the end of his love affair with a glamorous opera singer, his inspiration has drained away. But Didi needs Piero working - she has been tasked with commissioning him to do a glass centrepiece for a Christmas display - Didi has to cheer Piero up or at least find him a new muse.

Eines Morgens liegt der Schäfer George Glenn leblos im irischen Gras, ein Spaten ragt aus seiner Brust. Die Schafe von George sind entsetzt...

When Norah arrives in Venice for a 10-week internship, she is surprised to discover that her guide for her work trips around the lagoon is the undeniably gorgeous and kind Gianluca. She can’t help thinking he might be too good to be true, with his endless fascinating local stories and his infectious laugh. Norah is still bitter after an accident left her with a serious injury and also meant the end of her long-term relationship. And besides, she's serious about her career, and that means leaving Venice at the end of the summer.

Jenn has always prided herself on being a city girl – she insists on easy access to good coffee, great food from around the globe, not to mention an easy commute. So, when her job takes her to one of the most famous Italian wine regions in search of the perfect Prosecco, travelling to meetings on a tractor is a bit of a culture shock.

The year is rapidly drawing to an end, Hettie the tortoise is hibernating, and Agnes, Charlie, Marshall, and the other elderly residents of Sunset Hall are going stir-crazy at home. They’ve had enough of the broken boiler, draughty bedrooms, and Christmas jingles on the radio. And to top it all off, another series of murders is rocking the hamlet of Duck End. It seems like every villager and his dog is trying to make up for all of the thwarted murders of the past thirty years.

It has been an eventful morning for Agnes Sharp and the other inhabitants of Sunset Hall, a house share for the old and unruly in the sleepy English countryside. Although they have had some issues (misplaced reading glasses, conflicting culinary tastes, decreasing mobility, and unruly grandsons), nothing prepares them for an unexpected visit from a police officer with some shocking news. A body has been discovered next door. Everyone puts on a long face for show, but they are secretly relieved the body in question is not the one they’re currently hiding in the shed (sorry, Lillith).

Catherine de Medici's father-in-law, King Francis of France, was the perfect Renaissance knight, the movement's exemplar and its Gallic interpreter. An aesthete, diplomat par excellence, and contemporary of Machiavelli, Francis was the founder of modern France, whose sheer force of will and personality molded his kingdom into the first European superpower. Arguably the man who introduced the Renaissance to France, Francis was also the prototype Frenchman - a national identity was modeled on his character.

Gemeinsam mit ihrer Schäferin Rebecca haben die Schafe von Glennkill die irische Heimat verlassen und ihre ersehnte Europareise angetreten! In Frankreich beziehen sie Winterquartier im Schatten eines entlegenen Schlosses, und eigentlich könnte es dort recht gemütlich sein - wären da nicht die Ziegen auf der Nachbarweide, die mysteriöse Warnung eines fremden Schafes und das allgemeine Unbehagen vor dem Schnee.

Escape to the sun and head off to Italy, with the wonderfully warm Leonie Mack! TV journalist Lou feels battered and bruised after her divorce from Phil, the father of her daughter Edie. Her confidence and sense of fun have steadily been drained away, and she isn’t sure who she is any more. When the opportunity arises to accompany Edie on a music camp in Italy for a month in the summer, Lou jumps at the chance for new adventures, new horizons and new friends. The hazy warmth of the summer sun, shining brightly over the stunning Lake Garda, slowly brings Lou back to life.

Sunset Hall is a house share for the old and unruly, led by Agnes Sharp. It's an eventful day when this group of idiosyncratic seniors gets a visit from the police to inform them of some shocking news. A body has been discovered next door. Everyone puts on a long face, but they are secretly relieved the body in question is not the one they're currently hiding in the shed (sorry, Lillith). It seems the answer to their little problem with Lillith may have fallen right into their lap.

When Luna Rowntree gets an unexpected and life-changing legacy from a man she’s never met, she’s determined to find out why – even if it is Christmas Day and her family are expecting her. So, with only her mother’s ashes for company – Luna sets off in her trusty Astra to the skiing resort in Chamonix, where her mysterious benefactor had lived. But her little car isn’t designed for driving through snow-covered mountains, and when she runs out of fuel heart-breakingly close to Chamonix, Luna is relieved to be saved by her very own knight-in-shining armour.

Wie Frauen Geschichte schrieben – und Männer dafür den Ruhm bekamen. Muse, Sekretärin, Ehefrau – es gibt viele Bezeichnungen für Frauen, deren Einfluss aus der Geschichte radiert wurde. Für deren Leistungen Männer die Auszeichnungen und den Ruhm bekamen. Männer, wie Karl Marx, Bertolt Brecht oder Albert Einstein, deren Bekannte, Töchter oder Geliebte an ihren Werken mitwirkten – und deren Namen damals wie heute kaum jemand kennt.

Der dritte und finale Fall für Miss Sharp und die Senioren-WG. Die Sonne scheint, die Narzissen sprießen, und Hettie die Schildkröte erwacht aus ihrer Winterstarre. Auch in der Senioren-WG von Sunset Hall regen sich Frühlingsgefühle: Charlie sucht im Internet nach dem Mann fürs Lebensende, Bernadettes Hochzeit rückt drohend näher, und sogar Agnes selbst scheint vor Schmetterlingen im Bauch nicht ganz gefeit. Doch dann treffen mysteriöse Drohbriefe ein, und eine alte Bekannte sitzt tot auf einer Bank.

Orphaned in infancy, Catherine de Medici was the sole legitimate heiress to the Medici family fortune. Married at fourteen to the future Henri II of France, she was constantly humiliated by his influential mistress Diane de Poitiers. When her husband died as a result of a duelling accident in Paris, Catherine was made queen regent during the short reign of her eldest son (married to Mary Queen of Scots and like many of her children he died young). When her second son became king she was the power behind the throne.

There’s nothing quite like a Christmas love story to get you in the mood for celebrating.... Cara doesn’t do sexy, and she only does ‘Happy Christmas’ under duress. She is, after all, a serious musician, and her stubborn streak is born from her struggle to recover from a serious injury. Javi lives for escapist fun - in his music and in his life - especially since he’s always failed at life’s more serious challenges, including marriage and fatherhood.

Eigentlich hat Agnes mit ihren Dritten, der Hüfte, Hörproblemen, dem Treppenlift, der yogaversessenen Edwina, dem Marschall, Hettie der Schildkröte und den anderen Mitgliedern ihrer verschrobenen Senioren-WG genug um die Ohren. Doch dann liegt ihre Mitbewohnerin Lillith erschossen im Gartenschuppen, und im Nachbarhaus fällt die reiche und unbeliebte Mildred einer Kugel zum Opfer. In ihrem kleinen englischen Dorf geht der Tod um, und er scheint es auf alte Damen abgesehen zu haben!

Agnes Sharp und ihre Senioren-WG haben gerade ihren ersten Fall gelöst, da erschüttern weitere Morde das Dörfchen Duck End. Die Stimmung ist gereizt, und alle hätten ein wenig Entspannung und einen Tapetenwechsel dringend nötig! Da kommt es wie gerufen, als Edwina bei einem Preisausschreiben eine Reise in ein exklusives Wellness-Hotel am Meer gewinnt. Kurzerhand packt die ganze Seniorenbande ihre Koffer. Doch in Cornwall angekommen, zeigt sich schnell, dass das Etablissement trotz Romantikpaket, Fünfgängemenü und Meeresrauschen kein Paradies ist.