Books published by publisher Austin Macauley Publishing

M. H. Lowe's In Grievous Times takes the reader to the heart of English country village life at a turning point in Britain's history: the era of evacuees and air raids, sudden death from the skies and the expectation for every man and woman to do their patriotic duty. When Clement, a country vicar, is summoned to London by an old friend to be involved in a covert "suicide mission" to thwart the impending German invasion, his world changes forever. Priorities shift and every aspect of his life is called into question as he is forced to make choices that affect a great many lives. And when members of his secret, carefully-chosen team are one by one discovered dead, Clement finds himself at the centre of a far more complex situation than he had realised...The drama and intrigue of In Grievous Times, played out against a seemingly innocent rustic backdrop with superb characterisation, keep the reader hungry throughout for the next piece of the puzzle. A riveting read.

Demetra Demi Gregorakis has found herself feeling that technology has overtaken love in the priorities of life. In an age where whole relationships are carried out by IM, text and email, she remains a dreamer, a hopeless romantic, who wishes that her 'Memories throughout her time she wishes she could keep in jars' will inspire love, romance and happy memories in her readers as she seeks – and hopes that we all find - that which she calls ‘Agapé love,’ the type of perfect love that transcends all others. Her journey is the somewhat convoluted one which most of us take, ebbing and flowing through this stage and that, meeting the right one, the wrong one, the next one … love and adoration, heartbreak and happiness, they all appear here, in thoughts and poems written from the ever-romantic heart.

The handsome cat Shadow lives in a small village. He dreams of adventures and waits for them, sitting by the gate. And one day, the adventure comes. The book tells you how he got into the Hag's house, fell through to underground dwellers, and was bewitched by strange globes. As he tries to help his loved ones, Shadow goes to an underground country and to another planet, saves a little girl from a snakebite, and turns into a tiny cat. He is not afraid to take on and outwit the wily and crooked dragon and always comes out with honor as the hero.

This remarkable book brings together for the first time writings of RAF 100 Group who, during WWII, flew secret operations deep into the heart of Germany - identifying and jamming enemy radar, working with Bletchley Park and the Y-Service, supporting SOE and the Resistance.Over 55,000 men died in Bomber Command, the highest casualty rate of any Unit. On VE Day, Churchill praised those who contributed to victory, with one glaring omission - Bomber Command, of which this Group was a valued part. What happened to his stirring words: ‘The fighters are our salvation, but the bombers alone provide the means of victory'?Seventy years on, RAF 100 Group remains shrouded in mystery, their families unaware as veterans take their secrets to the grave.This book represents a tribute, a Memorial, proof of their existence, finally giving them recognition so richly deserved.

China Behind the Mask is not only an interesting, informative and enjoyable read but gives a thorough description of life in present-day China from the point of view of the author, an Australian English teacher, who lived in China for more than ten years. Not only does he provide a unique flavour of Chinese culture, but also presents a thorough analysis of the current political situation within China and how Chinese attitudes influence its relationships with other cultures and countries. Part travel guide, part biography, part history, this book covers many aspects of China, particularly in relation to Australian life and culture. Some entertaining comparisons are made, which illustrate the divide between West and East in considerable depth. Personal anecdotes abound, bringing the book to life and ensuring that the reader is informed and entertained in equal measure.

Meet Samantha, a 16-year-old girl who knows all too well what it is like to feel alienated, and the chance at a new life with a real family is more than she has ever hoped for. Descendants from one of seven ancient bloodlines, most of them angels, these half breeds battle around the world trying to defeat the other bloodlines in the search of religious artefacts; the possession of which can have devastating consequences if they fall into the wrong hands. Samantha is taught family secrets, and how to protect herself from others who will try to take those secrets, but even with all she is learning, there is much still left unanswered. Looks and even feelings can be deceiving. She has no reason to believe her new family is evil, but what if she is wrong? When Samantha is given her first mission, to recover a stone pendent, she must use caution, lest she fall in love with the enemy. Though, he is not the only one after her heart. This story will take you on a journey as one girl discovers why Nephilim are still on earth, and what her destiny is in the grand design between the battle of good and evil yet to come, while still reminding us what it means to be human; to hope, to fall in love, to suffer, and to overcome all odds.

Follow the adventures of intrepid guinea pigs, Sydney and Charles, as they are thrust into the big, scary world. Sydney is the braver one who sacrifices his own feelings to help Charles survive the worst of times. Charles gives Sydney’s life a purpose and shares the best of times with his big brother. Children will be sad when the baby piggies are taken away from their mommy; horrified of their neglect by the Knitting Needle, and relieved by their rescues—first by their Fairy Godmother, and then by the Nice Lady who takes them to their forever home. Children will be delighted at the guinea pigs’ antics and escapes. Sydney and Charles patiently train the nice lady, who eventually learns exactly what Sydney and Charles need to be happy.The author respectfully borrows from Charles Dickens to add depth to the story. When the children who hear this story later read Dickens’ classic A Tale of Two Cities as adults, they may picture Sydney Carton and Charles Darnay as guinea pigs, and Lucie Manette as a huge pink bunny. That should make them laugh their heads off.The author will donate all proceedings from the book to The Guinea Pig Sanctuary in Salisbury, Massachusetts.

A lonely soul searches everywhere for a body to call its own. A lost leaf tries desperately to find his way back to his mother. All the clock hands in the world are stolen and it’s up to one boy to get them back. A brave girl must save her village from the devil shadows that threaten it. All of these stories, and so many more, are to be found in the Devil Shadows and Golden Lantern with Other Stories, as Marjan Safiyari takes us on a wide host of adventures. From dragons visiting space to a sky princess involved in a war with a dusty frog, from sentient pencils to a mouse living inside a wolf’s body, no concept is considered too fantastical to be the basis of an enjoyable and involving story. Devil Shadows and Golden Lantern with Other Stories is a book full of adventurous stories that are entertaining for children and adults alike.

Dimitri Yassukovich is exiled by the Bolshevik Revolution, builds a new life and career as a Wall Street investment banker, and lays the foundations in Europe for one of the great investment banking houses of the City. His son Stanislas, after an inglorious youth in the Gatsby land of Long Island, joins his father's firm White, Weld & Co., finds himself at the epicentre of the City's revival from postwar doldrums, and becomes an architect of the Euromarkets. His highly personal and anecdotal chronicle of these two lives leads us through the history of high finance and its revival, and the heady days of the internationalisation of the City, through the ‘Big Bang' and its aftermath. Two Lives is a serious, and yet light-hearted account of a critical period in 20th century finance and of two unusual personalities.

From the creator of the hugely popular @StrangeAnimals on Twitter comes A Book of Rather Strange Animals - a collection of one hundred remarkable animal specimens from around the world. With fascinating descriptions of nasty feeding habits, bizarre mating rituals and shocking defence mechanisms, you will marvel at both the splendour and gruesomeness of nature.Meet the lizard that shoots blood from its eyes, the isopod that replaces the tongues of fish, the bug that stacks the corpses of ants on its back and the amphibian that looks like a penis.Come and discover the world's most peculiar species!