A classic murder mystery set in a rural Irish Church of Ireland parish. A body is found in the garden of a country Rectory in the Irish midlands. Suspicion focuses on the eccentric assortment of tenants inhabiting the Abbey adjoining the Rectory. But what is the motive for the murder? Property deals, race fixing, art theft, and blackmail hang elusively in the air. The disappearance of a second victim at Christmas increases tension in the Parish, which comes to a head at the Easter General Vestry. Finally, on Midsummer's Eve, the murderer makes a last desperate attack, leading to a cross-country chase and the revelation of the strange and curious motive for the crimes.

The importance of being able to read for meaning should never be underestimated. The ability to decode text is not enough. It is vital that children understand what they are reading. More importantly, it is fundamental that they enjoy what they are reading, so that they grow up to become lifelong readers. The passages in the Brilliant Activities for Reading Comprehension series are designed to do just that. They provide children with a variety of engaging, enjoyable texts that will grab their attention, and indeed their teacherʼs attention as well. The types of comprehension passages range from newspaper articles and dialogues, to plays, stories and poems. They gradually increase in difficulty as you progress though the book, and through the series, encouraging children to develop their ability to read for meaning and use a range of strategies to engage with the text. Tasks range from simple factual recall and vocabulary work to more open -ended questions enabling the reader to provide a more personal response. The cross-curricular activities provide a wealth of ideas for extending the passages further and are ideal for fast-finishers.

A study of London suburban-set writing, exploring the links between place and fiction. This book charts a picture of evolving themes and concerns around the legibility and meaning of habitat and home for the individual, and the serious challenges that suburbia sets for literature.

A mystery to solve. A villain to defeat. The world to save. Perry and Arvin are back in a zany, new adventure! It’s been over a year since their last whirlwind adventure. Perry Dobbs is 15 already. He’s moved away from video games and shiny gewgaws, and he’s grown closer to his crush - but only enough to count her freckles. His mother, “The Dragon”, is dating again. Perry’s not happy about that, and he’s not going to budge. Arvin Pewter is turning 15 today. He’s still the same witty little person with wild, red hair, and loves science and girls – one in particular. No doubt, the boy’s got mojo. His mother has also met someone new, someone just like his father. As the new year is set to begin at Nelson High, Perry and Arvin have a lot on their plate. With both of their mothers occupied and a bully out to terrorize them, their friendship has become stronger than ever. When Perry is robbed of his magical gewgaw, the world's knick-knacks also come to life. And they’re not happy. Perry and Arvin must fight an onslaught of crazed garden gnomes, dive-bombing crystal birds and fire-breathing dragons, crazy nesting dolls, and armies of figurines marching toward world domination. Can the duo solve a giant mystery, defeat a tiny villain, and save the world at the same time? Or are they already too late? "...subversive and playful fun. ...with richly developed characters... " ~Amazon Reviewer Read The Knick Knack Nightmare today!