Books with author Laura Thomas

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER“Riveting. The Six captures all the wayward magnetism and levity that have enchanted countless writers without neglecting the tragic darkness of many of the sisters’ life choices and the savage sociopolitical currents that fueled them.” – Tina Brown, The New York Times Book Review The eldest was a razor-sharp novelist of upper-class manners; the second was loved by John Betjeman; the third was a fascist who married Oswald Mosley; the fourth idolized Hitler and shot herself in the head when Britain declared war on Germany; the fifth was a member of the American Communist Party; the sixth became Duchess of Devonshire.They were the Mitford sisters: Nancy, Pamela, Diana, Unity, Jessica, and Deborah. Born into country-house privilege in the early years of the 20th century, they became prominent as “bright young things” in the high society of interwar London. Then, as the shadows crept over 1930s Europe, the stark―and very public―differences in their outlooks came to symbolize the political polarities of a dangerous decade.The intertwined stories of their stylish and scandalous lives―recounted in masterly fashion by Laura Thompson―hold up a revelatory mirror to upper-class English life before and after WWII. The Six was previously published as Take Six Girls.

Every village has a mysterious character—someone to tell tales about, someone to fear. Meet The Candle Maker. One Christmas Eve in Victorian England, ten-year-old Benjamin Walker is forced to face the fabled old candle maker and see for himself if the ghastly rumors are true. Challenged by neighborhood bullies, lessons and lies, and an English bulldog along the way, Benjamin confronts his fears on a quest to discover the truth. But will this ragamuffin lad find the courage he needs in time to save a life?

Sara’s exquisite singing voice has been discovered, and she is on her way to becoming an overnight success at the age of sixteen—but fame comes at a price. When a cyber stalker threatens to invade her inconspicuous life and shatter her fragile nerves, living in the shadow of fear is no longer an option. Will Sara’s faith carry her through the intense pressures on and off stage, or will the sudden disappearance of someone she loves be her ultimate undoing? In this third book in the Tears Series, the friendship between Sara, Bethany, and Natasha intensifies as they navigate through an emotional journey of Tears, Fears, and Fame.

For fifteen year-old Natasha Smithson-Blair, life couldn’t get any worse. The shocking news of her parents’ divorce on top of her own deep, dark secret threatens to tip her over the edge—until her best friend suggests joining her on a mission trip in Mexico. Intrigued by this absurd, yet strangely enticing notion, Natasha tentatively agrees to leave her spoiled-rich-girl life behind and embarks upon an emotional journey of both devastation and joy. Facing ugly truths and beautiful promises, Natasha’s ice-princess façade is penetrated by a love so compelling it cannot be ignored. Will further tragedy rock her world again, or will she find the courage to cling to her newfound hope?

On November 7, 1974, a nanny named Sandra Rivett was bludgeoned to death in a Belgravia basement. A second woman, Veronica, Countess of Lucan, was also attacked. The man named in court as perpetrator of these crimes, Richard John Bingham, 7th Earl of Lucan, disappeared in the early hours of the following morning. The case, solved in the eyes of the law, has retained its fascination ever since. Laura Thompson, acclaimed biographer of Agatha Christie, narrates the story that led up to that cataclysmic event, and draws on her considerable forensic skills to re-examine the possible truths behind one of postwar Britain's most notorious murders. This book is a portrait of an era, of an extraordinary cast of characters, of a mystery, of a modern myth. Part social history, part detective story, it tells in masterly style of a case that has retained its fascination for decades. This is an updated edition following the death of Lady Lucan in February 2018.

On November 7, 1974, a nanny named Sandra Rivett was bludgeoned to death in a Belgravia basement. A second woman, Veronica, Countess of Lucan, was also attacked. The man named in court as perpetrator of these crimes, Richard John Bingham, 7th Earl of Lucan, disappeared in the early hours of the following morning. The case, solved in the eyes of the law, has retained its fascination ever since. Laura Thompson, acclaimed biographer of Agatha Christie, narrates the story that led up to that cataclysmic event, and draws on her considerable forensic skills to re-examine the possible truths behind one of postwar Britain's most notorious murders. A Different Class of Murder is a portrait of an era, of an extraordinary cast of characters, of a mystery, of a modern myth.Part social history, part detective story, it tells in masterly style one of the great tales of the UK's collective living memory.