John Escott crafts compelling narratives, often delving into the crime and mystery thriller genres. His works, whether original creations or adaptations, are designed to engage readers of all ages, particularly students. With a distinctive style, Escott focuses on building immersive plots that satisfy a reader's appetite for suspense and intrigue.
When beautiful Scarlett O'Hara learns that Ashley Wilkes, the man she loves, is going to marry another woman, her broken heart seems far worse than the tragedies of the Civil War. However, one man knows her secret, and he wants her for himself.
In the spring of 1963, after the last conventional attempt to assassinate President de Gaulle had failed, Colonel Marc Rodin, Operations Chief of the OAS, launched the plan of the Jackal. The Jackal was an anonymous Englishman who came literally within an inch of destroying de Gaulle and possibly changing the course of world history. Frederick Forsyth's brilliantly researched novel reveals how the assassin was recruited; how much he was paid; the intricate planning that went into the attempt; the international security net that was set up (but failed) to trap him; the fantastic chase across the Continent in which he kept only a step ahead of his pursuers; and the unprecedented security measures the French were compelled to adopt to save the President from the most ruthless assassin known to modern times.
This series provides reading and learning at four language levels through a range of integrated activities designed to develop reading skills, consolidate vocabulary, and offer personalized project work.
This is the classic story of the four March sisters - Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy. Their story of their loves, problems and adventures is sometimes sad, often funny, but always charming.
Matilda applies her untapped mental powers to rid the school of the evil, child-hating headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, and restore her nice teacher, Miss Honey, to financial security. Suggested level: primary.
A level 2 Oxford Bookworms Library graded reader. Retold for Learners of English by John Escott.Everybody has bad dreams. Horrible things move towards you in the dark, things you can hear but not see. Then you wake up, in your own warm bed, and turn over to go back to sleep. But imagine that you wake up on a hard floor, in a darkness blacker than the blackest night. You listen to the silence, and smell a wet dead smell. Death is all around you, waiting . . . In these stories by Edgar Allan Poe, death whispers at you from every dark corner, and fear can send you mad . . .
In 1137 the ambitious head of Shrewsbury Abbey has decided to acquire the remains of Saint Winifred for his Benedictine order. Brother Cadfael is part of the expedition sent to her final resting place in Wales and they find the villagers passionately divided by the Benedictines' offer for the saint's relics. Canny, wise and all too worldly, Cadfael isn't surprised when this taste for bones leads to a bloody murder. The leading opponent to moving the grave has been shot dead with a mysterious arrow, and some say Winifred herself dealt the blow. Brother Cadfael knows that a carnal hand did the killing, but he doesn't know that his plan to unearth a murderer may dig up a case of love and justice, where the wages of sin may be a scandal- or his own ruin.
The readers in this series are designed for beginning students aged ten to 12. They employ a 200-word vocabulary, using the present tense only, comprehensive questions and puzzles. An accompanying cassette is available (0-582-27536-9).
Ben has a job in Mr. Tyson's store. Then Mr. Tyson finds money in Ben's bag. Get out of my store! Mr. Tyson says. But is Ben the thief? There is an earthquake in the city - and Mr. Tyson gets his answer.
Bathsheba Everdene is young, proud, and beautiful. She is an independent woman and can marry any man she chooses - if she chooses. In fact, she likes her independence, and she likes fighting her own battles in a man's world. But it is never wise to ignore the power of love.
The story of a friendship that develops between a lonely crippled painter and a village girl, when together they minister to an injured snow goose during World War II.
First published in 1848, a novel in which a woman flees from a disastrous marriage with her child to a desolate moorland mansion. It portrays one woman's struggle for independence at a time when law and society defined a married woman as her husband's property.
Original / American English Ricardo and Gisela are going home to Rio. Gisela likes reading and quiet people. Ricardo likes noise ... and he likes Gisela. In Rio, a thief takes Gisela's bag. What can Ricardo do?
Original / American English Tom breaks his leg in a football game -- it's not his lucky day! A week later, Tom sees his favorite movie star. But Tom falls again--and suddenly the movie star is falling too! Reporters are taking pictures of Tom. Is this his lucky break?
Who is the stranger and why has he come to the island? Why does he look at Eagle's Rock and Vitalis' house? Costas wants to know the answers to these questions. And he wants to be the first to climb the dangerous Eagle's Rock. But will the stranger do it first? A dramatic adventure follows.
The Oxford Bookworms Library offers new editions of the original Oxford Bookworms Black and Green series, merging the two series into one with new covers. The new editions build on the success of the original series and provide enhanced teaching support. Sixteen additional pages inside each book allow extra pages of activities and increased author and series information. Some of the titles have new illustrations. For those titles which had associated cassettes, the cassettes will remain available with the same ISBNs as before.
Andrew Douglas, working as a partner in the firm of Liberty Market Ltd, is used to kidnappers. But he is placed in danger when he becomes involved in the seizing of a victim which embroils the racing world from Italy to England to the United States.
“…for there is no folly of the beast of the earth which is not infinitely outdone by the madness of men.”--Herman Melville, Moby-Dick “Call me Ishmael” is the iconic opening line of Herman Melville’s classic American novel, Moby-Dick. Ishmael is a seaman aboard the whaling vessel, Pequod, under the vengeful captain, Ahab. Maniacally seeking retribution from the great white sperm whale called Moby-Dick--the whale responsible for the captain’s missing leg--Ahab leads the crew on a quest to kill the infamous beast. A fictional work based on actual events, Moby-Dick is a classic that has been enjoyed for generations, and it’s now available as part of the Word Cloud Classic series, making it a stylish and affordable addition to any library.
PICTURE BOOKS. When their father is wrongly accused of spying, Bobbie, Peter and Phylis move out of London and experience new exciting adventures in the countryside. But will their father ever return.
This Level 2, elementary Penguin Reader contains 500 words and tells the story of the Men in Black, who must save the world from the Bug. If they don't, there will be a war
A magazine-style reader with stories and articles exploring both the fun and the difficult aspects of Christmas. There are interesting articles about Christmas and its traditions, plus recipes and quizzes. There is a look at the serious meaning of Christmas, too. An entertaining guide to one of the most important festivals in the world.
PI Kinsey Millhone of California goes looking for the loot of a $500,000 robbery, an assignment filled with danger as one of the robbers is a psychopath. By the author of "K" Is for Killer
At 6'6 and 240lbs, Forrest Gump is difficult to ignore. This satire follows him from the football dynasties of Bear Bryant to Vietnam, and from encounters with Presidents Johnson and Nixon to pow-wows with Chairman Mao. It also takes in Harvard University, a Hollywood set, and a NASA mission.
Nicky has just got off the plane at New York to stay with his Aunt Carrie. But at once things start to go wrong. Soon Nicky is being taken on a terrifying tour of New York by some young people he doesn’t even know. And the police think he is a thief! Nicky is lost, alone and very scared. A gripping adventure for younger readers.
In this adventure thriller, a captivating storyline unfolds when a beautiful blonde girl hands Pete a cassette film. As he develops the pictures, the mystery intensifies, drawing him deeper into an intriguing plot. Designed for English learners, the Macmillan Readers series features controlled vocabulary and helpful illustrations to enhance understanding, making it an engaging choice for those looking to improve their language skills while enjoying a thrilling narrative.
This is a Beginner Level story in a series of ELT readers comprising a wide range of titles - some original and some simplified - from modern and classic novels, and designed to appeal to all age-groups, tastes and cultures. The books are divided into five levels: Starter Level, with about 300 basic words; Beginner Level (600 basic words); Elementary Level (1100); Intermediate Level (1600); and Upper Level (2200). Some of the titles are also available on cassette.
It is festival time in the City of Themon, and Hercules and Iolaus are to choose the festival queen. But will she die, like all festival queens before her? And is Hera the lover of Zeus behind it all? Before these and others questions can be answered, Hercules must figt the terrible Sea Serpent of Themom.
'My name is Kinsey Millhone. I'm a private investigator, licensed by the State of California. I'm thirty-two years old, twice divorced, no kids. The day before yesterday I killed someone and the fact weighs heavily on my mind...' Kinsey had been out for most of the morning and the client was waiting in the corridor. Nikki Fife. The eight years since Kinsey had seen her had left no visible scars. But now she was looking for the help that only a detective could provide. For whoever had killed her husband, it wasn't Nikki Fife. And if his wife wasn't the murderer, that meant someone else was...
Kriminalroman. En rig enke forsvinder fra sit hjem i Californien, og privatdetektiven KInsey Millhone, der har påtaget sig sagen, opdager snart, at den har forbindelse med en tidligere mordbrand i naboejendommen
The final episode in the saga of 'The Three Musketeers' finds Artemis attempting a royal coup. Philippe, the 'Man in the Iron Mask', has been a prisoner in the Bastille for 18 years. He is also King Louis' twin brother. Artemis wants him on the throne, but D'Artagnan cannot allow it.
While going through the possessions of a deceased guest who owed them money, the mistress of the inn and her son find a treasure map that leads them to a pirate's fortune.
MYSTERY & HORROR Through the narratives of Mr Enfield, Mr Utterson, Dr Lanyon and Poole, Jekyll’s butler, the mystery of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is revealed: Dr Jekyll, an eminent scientist, has discovered a drug which changes him into the embodiment of his evil impulses. Which side of Jekyll, the good or the evil, will triumph? Dossiers: London and Crime The ‘Double’ in 19th-century Fiction
Use these fully illustrated classic and contemporary plays for reading practice or performance. Each script offers performance notes, character lists, exercises, and glossaries.
Word count 1,260 Read at a comfortable level with word count and CEFR level on
every cover Illustrations, photos, and diagrams support comprehension
Activities build language skills and check understanding Glossaries teach
difficult vocabulary Free editable tests for every book Selected Bookworms are
available for your tablet or computer through the Oxford Learner's Bookshelf
One cold winter morning, a famous movie star and her teenage daughter are driving along a country road A blue van is waiting for them. Tom is in the van, but he's not a kidnapper - he's an artist. He usually draws pictures for adventure stories. Now he's in a real life adventure
Most people would have screamed. Mrs Hathall made no sound. She had seen death many times, but she had never witnessed death by violence. Heavily, she plodded across the room and descended the stairs to where her son waited. "There's been an accident," she said. "Your wife's dead." Chief Inspector Wexford could discover no motive, no reason, no suspect. All he had were his own intuitive suspicions. Probably he was reading meaning where there was none; probably Angela Hathall really had picked up a stranger, and that stranger had killed her. But why such doubt? Is Wexford becoming cynical and untrusting? Or is this simply one of the most ingenious crimes he has ever tackled?
"Twenty-five milion people come to England every year, and some never go out of London. But England is full of interesting places to visit and things to do. There are big noisy cities with great shops and theatres, and quiet little villages. You can visit old castles and beautiful churches - or to go festivals with music twenty-four hours a day. You can have an English afternoon tea, walk on long white beaches, watch a great game of football, or visit a country house. Yes, England has something for everybody - what has it got for you?"--Publisher
What does the name " Agatha Christie " mean? To many people, it means a book about a murder mystery - a " whodunnit ". " I'm reading an Agatha Christie, " people say. " I'm not sure who the murderer is - I think it's . . . " But they are usually wrong, because it is not easy to guess the murderer's name before the end of the book. But who was Agatha Christie? What was she like? Was her life quiet and unexciting, or was it full of interest and adventure? Was there a mystery in her life, too? Cover images courtesy of The Mander and Mitchenson Theatre Collection/Angus McBean, Topham Picturepoint, Topham Picturepoint/Press Association, National Railway Museum/Science & Society Picture Library, and Stephen Oliver.
Enjoy reading about this little boy and discover if he stays true to himself
even with all the changes in his life. In the mid-1880s, young Cedric Errol
lives with his mother in New York. They are quite poor after the death of
Cedric’s father, but live a simple happy life together. Then, one day, an
English lawyer comes to visit them. He has a message from the Earl of
Dorincourt, Cedric’s rich English grandfather that will change Cedric’s life
forever. Will he be happy? Will he win the heart of his old angry grandfather?
Prečítajte si o malom chlapcovi a zistite, či zostane verný sám sebe, aj
napriek veľkým zmenám v živote. V 80. rokoch 19. storočia žije mladý Cedric
Errol spolu s matkou v New Yorku. Sú chudobní, pretože jeho otec zomrel, no
žijú spolu jednoduchým šťastným životom. Jedného dňa ich navštívi anglický
právnik. Dostane správu od starého otca Earla z Dorincourtu a Cedricov život
sa navždy zmení. Bude s ním šťastný? Získa si srdce starého otca?
A level 5 Oxford Bookworms Library graded reader. This version includes an audio book: listen to the story as you read. Retold for Learners of English by Clare West. The wind is strong on the Yorkshire moors. There are few trees, and fewer houses, to block its path. There is one house, however, that does not hide from the wind. It stands out from the hill and challenges the wind to do its worst. The house is called Wuthering Heights. When Mr Earnshaw brings a strange, small, dark child back home to Wuthering heights, it seems he has opened his doors to trouble. He has invited in something that, like the wind, is safer kept out of the house.
'Surround yourself with human beings, my dear James. They are easier to fight for than principles.' In Casino Royale, the first of Fleming's 007 adventures, a game of cards is James Bond's only chance to bring down the desperate SMERSH agent Le Chiffre. But Bond soon discovers that there is far more at stake than money.
Factfiles are a sub-series of Bookworms with a non-fiction angle, providing factual information for students who are less interested in fiction. Each book focuses on a particular topic such as famous cities, sport, science, the environment and the media.
Original / British EnglishA mysterious stranger has come to the island where
Costas lives. Why is the man there, and why is he looking at Eagle’s Rock?
Costas wants to be the first person to climb the dangerous rock. But will the
stranger climb it first?
Factfiles are a sub-series of Bookworms with a non-fiction angle, providing factual information for students on a wide variety of themes. Exercises at the back of each book check student's understanding of the text and provide ideas for activities and project work.
This is one of a series of graded readers for elementary to intermediate level English, designed to lead into levels 4 and 5 of Simple Stories. Some robbers steal money and escape in a stolen car. A diamond necklace is stolen from a museum. Everyone who works at the museum could be guilty, but who really took it and why? There are approximately three pages of pre- and post-reading exercises in this book.
T̀he moment I heard how McAra died I should have walked away. I can see that now.' The narrator of Robert Harris's gripping new novel is a professional ghostwriter - cynical, mercenary, and with a nice line in deadpan humour. Accustomed to working with fading rock stars and minor celebrities, he jumps at the chance to ghost the memoirs of Britain's former prime minister, especially as it means flying to the American resort of Martha's Vineyard in the middle of winter and finishing the book in the seclusion of a luxurious house.
While staying with her mother's godmother, Minty finds herself drawn to a mysterious sundial which takes her back in time and links her life to that of two unhappy children she meets in two different centuries.
Sherlock Holmes is a very clever man. When people have strange, difficult problems, they come to him. Where is Mr Hosmer Angel? Which student saw the exam paper before the exam? Why is someone following Miss Smith? Can you find the answers before Sherlock Holmes does?(back cover)Sherlock Holmes and the strange Mr. Angel --Sherlock Holmes and the important exam paper --Sherlock Holmes and the dangerous road.
Most of us love reading about crime in the newspapers, and reading stories about Sherlock Holmes and the other great detectives. This book looks at some of the great crimes of history - crimes like the Lindbergh kidnapping and the Mona Lisa robbery. It also looks at some great criminals, like the poisoner Dr Crippen. Most of these crimes were solved, but some, like the assassination of President Kennedy, still hold their mysteries.
1757 - the Hudson River, North America. The armies of France and England are fighting. And Indian tribes are fighting for each army. Hurons are with the French. Mohawks and Mohicans are with the English. The daughters of the English general, Munro, start a journey through the forest. But soon they are in danger. This is the story of the scout, Hawk-eye, and his two Indian friends - the last of the Mohicans.
'Where are you taking me?' asked Dantes. 'Turn round and look,' said the officer. Dantes turned. The boat had passed the entrance of the port. On the right, he saw the dark shadow of the island of Ratonneau. An on the left he saw the black shape of the island off it.
The legendary 1951 scroll draft of "On the Road" is now published as Kerouac originally composed it: rougher, wilder, and more provocative than the official work that was released, heavily edited, in 1957.
How much do you know about the Wild West? What do you know about cowboys and Indians, about wagon trails and gunfights? Inside this book you will find the true story of the Wild West, and of some of the famous people who lived and worked there. People like Wyatt Earp, Jesse James, Billy the Kid - and Annie Oakley, the best shot in the West.
"Zoe Baker works in a bookstore. She also likes acting, and she has a part in the play Romeo and Juliet. Mike Morrison writes about the play for the newspaper. What does he write about Zoe? Is Zoe a good actress ... or is she just 'a pretty face'? What does Zoe think when she reads the newspaper? What does she do?"--Page 4 of cover
'The world had teeth and it could bite you with them anytime it wanted. Trisha McFarland discovered this when she was nine years old. Trying not to be terrified. Trying not to think that sometimes when people got lost in the woods they got seriously hurt. Sometimes they died.' In Trisha's panic to get back on the track, she takes turnings which lead her deeper and deeper into the woods. With only a small amount of food and water in her knapsack, she begins to give up hope of ever getting out. Alive. The only thing that keeps her going is her Walkman on which she listens avidly to Red Sox baseball games, creating an imaginary friendship with her hero Tom Gordon. And as she struggles for survival and a way out, she realises she's not alone. There's something else in the woods - and it's watching her...
When his parents die David Balfour goes to live with his Uncle Ebenezer Balfour. While there David discovers that his uncle robbed his father of his inheritance. After confronting his Uncle, David is sent on a task that appears to be a lightly veiled attempt to cause David's death by accident. When this fails David is lured upon a ship where he is knocked out and held captive. The plan is to take David to the Americas and sell him into servitude. There follows many many adventures for David Balfour.
Bond is off to Harlem, the kingdom of Mr Big, black master of crime and voodoo baron. The trail of terror, treachery and torture leads from New York's black underworld to the shark infested island in the sun that Mr Big calls his own.
The men and the woman in this book - William Tell, Tom Blood, Lord Bao, King Matthias, Johnny Appleseed, and Lady Godiva - are all real people from history. But every time someone tells an old story, they change things in it, to make them bigger, better, and more exciting. So what is true in this book and what is not? Read all six of the stories, and see what you think.--P. [4] of cover
A famous painting is going to the Grierson Gallery in LA and they want a top man to come to America. He can talk about the artist. The National Gallery in London sent Mr Bean. But something is very wrong with Mr Bean! He's very, very strange. And dangerous! After he arrives accidents start to happen.
Original / British English Pete and Carla are students. One day they look at some very old coins and stamps in a shop. Pete wants to buy some stamps, but they are very expensive. Later that day some coins are missing from the shop -- and the shopkeeper wants to find Pete.
This award-winning collection of adapted classic literature and original stories develops reading skills for low-beginning through advanced students. Accessible language and carefully controlled vocabulary build students' reading confidence. Introductions at the beginning of each story, illustrations throughout, and glossaries help build comprehension. Before, during, and after reading activities included in the back of each book strengthen student comprehension. Audio versions of selected titles provide great models of intonation and pronunciation of difficult words.
"You're a brave man, but I am afraid for you,' says Lady Marian to Robin of Locksley. She is afraid because Robin does not like Prince John's new taxes and wants to do something for the poor people of Nottingham. When Prince John hears this, Robin is suddenly in great danger"--Cover
Flies are a nuisance. They are annoying when they buzz around you, but you can brush them away with your hand. After all, a fly is only about half the size of your fingernail. But suppose it wasn't. Catch a fly and look at it closely - look at its head, its eyes, its legs. Now imagine that this thing was the size of a human being... These eight stories offer horror in many shapes and forms, in worlds full of monsters and evil spirits, where terror lies waiting in the shadows, and where the living and the dead dance hand in hand.--Quatrième de couverture
The murder plan seems so neat, so clever. How can it possibly fail? And when Sonia's stupid, boring little husband is dead, she will be free to marry her handsome lover. But perhaps the boring little husband is not so stupid after all.
"Listen, Bond," said Tiffany Case. "It'd take more than Crabmeat Ravigotte to get me into bed with a man. In any event, since it's your check, I'm going to have caviar, and what the English call "cutlets", and some pink champagne. I don't often date a good-looking Englishman and the dinner's going to live up to the occasion." Meet Tiffany Case, a cold, gorgeous, devil-may-care blonde; the kind of girl you could get into a lot of trouble with-if you wanted. She stands between James Bond and the leaders of a diamond-smuggling ring that stretches from Africa via London to the States. Bond uses her to infiltrate this gang, but once in America the hunter becomes the hunted. Bond is in real danger until help comes from an unlikely quarter, the ice-maiden herself ...
These stories by John Updike, Graham Greene, William Boyd, Susan Hill, D.H. Lawrence, Saki, Penelope Lively, Bernard McLaverty, Frank Tuohy, Morley Callaghan explore life from a child's perspective, and show that the world can be a strange, baffling, and sometimes very frightening place.