Most Popular Books by Mary Stewart

The legend of the birth and youth of King Arthur is poetically presented.

Born of an incestuous relationship between King Arthur and his half sister, the evil sorceress Morgause, the bastard Mordred is reared in secrecy. Called to Camelot by events he cannot deny, Mordred becomes Arthur’s most trusted counselor -- a fateful act that leads to the "wicked day of destiny" when father and son must face each other in battle.

Even after her friends and family discourage the journey, Mariposilla decides to leave her childhood home in Spanish Colonial Mexico to travel to America, where she can have a fresh start. While Mariposilla herself longs for the beautiful sight of American lands, she wants the experience for her frail and ill child, Marjorie, even more. As the two leave behind their old home, they are in awe of the scenery and people they meet along the way. Befriending strangers and staying in hotel after hotel, Mariposilla is delighted by the sight of her child become full of wonder and happiness, livelier than she had ever seen her before. Each person Mariposilla meets is characterized with intimate detail, as she exposes them with her sharp intelligence, compassion, and wit. Taking the advice of someone they met on the journey, Mariposilla and her daughter settle in a town in Southern California called San Gabriel. There, they meet Mrs. Sanderson, who, though seems agreeable at first, has less than desirable intentions. Caught up in Marjorie’s steady improvement and happiness, Mariposilla finds herself overlooking red flags, and submitting to Mrs. Sanderson without meaning to. Meanwhile, as Mariposilla adjusts her perspective and settles into her new home, she falls hopelessly in love. With her daughter’s health improving, and the blossoming of a new romance, Mariposilla feels at peace and content for the first time in a long time. However, even though the promise of the American dream brought her into the country, as Mariposilla becomes immersed in the culture, she soon realizes that a nightmare is much more common. Through thorough description and a unique perspective Mariposilla examines human nature at both its best and worst. Featuring beautiful and vivid descriptions of the landscapes, characters, and events, Mariposilla by Mary Stewart Daggett enlightens readers on social conventions and customs of Southern California during the 19th century. By depicting a setting not often represented and featuring a main character who immigrated to America, this novel offers a fresh perspective on historical fiction with representation uncommon in literature published during the 19th century, or even in recent literary works. This edition of Mary Stewart Daggett’s Mariposilla is now presented in an easy-to-read font and features a new, eye-catching cover design, making it both readable and modern.

The opulence and history surrounding Linda Martin at Chateâu Valmy are all part of some wondrous, ecstatic dream. But there is a palpable terror crouching in the shadows. And then an accident that is no accident nearly kills the young English nanny''s innocent, nine-year-old charge. This is not "chance" -- this is something planned...and deadly.

As in other Mary Stewart classics, the action of "This Rough Magic" takes place in a mere matter of days. Lucy Waring, a twenty-something actress steps off the London stage and onto the idyllic Ionian island of Corfu. In a the course of a morning swim, paradise transforms to a place of sinister doings: someone shoots at a tamed dolphin, a young Greek drowns off the coast of Albania, and a smuggler washes up dead in a nearby cove. Stewart uses all her formidable skill, crafting a strong story that is both literary and fast moving. Told from Lucy''s point-of-view, the reader''s is kept as taut as a wire as the tension mounts not only while Lucy attempts to determine the identity of the wrongdoer and the reason for his misdemeanors but as she inadvertently puts herself in harm''s way.

Transport yourself to the idyllic hills of mid-century Crete in this tale of peril and intrigue, from the original queen of romantic suspense and author of Madam, Will You Talk? ''Mary Stewart is magic'' New York Times ''One of the great British storytellers of the 20th century'' Independent While on a walking holiday through the beautiful, deserted hills of Crete, Nicola Ferris stumbles across a critically injured Englishman, guarded by a fierce Greek. Nicola cannot abandon them and so sets off on a perilous search for their lost companion - all the while being pursued by someone who wants to make sure none of them leave the island . . . When the big white bird flew suddenly up among the glossy leaves and the lemon flowers, and wheeled into the mountain, I followed it. ''A comfortable chair and a Mary Stewart: total heaven. I''d rather read her than most other authors.'' Harriet Evans ''She built the bridge between classic literature and modern popular fiction. She did it first and she did it best.'' Herald

''A comfortable chair and a Mary Stewart: total heaven. I''d rather read her than most other authors.'' Harriet Evans The rambling house called Thornyhold is like something out of a fairy tale. Left to Gilly Ramsey by the cousin whose occasional visits brightened her childhood, the cottage, set deep in a wild wood, has come just in time to save her from a bleak future. With its reputation for magic and its resident black cat, Thornyhold offers Gilly more than just a new home. It offers her a chance to start over. The old house, with it tufts of rosy houseleek and the spreading gilt of the lichens, was beautiful. Even the prisoning hedges were beautiful, protective with their rusty thorns, their bastions of holly and juniper, and at the corners, like towers, their thick columns of yews. ''Mary Stewart is magic'' New York Times ''One of the great British storytellers of the 20th century'' Independent

If you were looking for the definitive Christmas anthology, consider yourself lucky, because you just found it! This book is everything you want Christmas to be — loving, warm and celebratory. Timeless and adorable, beautifully designed, "The Big Book of Christmas" is a great big stocky book — stuffed with novels, novellas, short stories, poems, carols and songs. Inside you''ll find: · Novels, novellas and short stories from Charles Dickens, Louisa May Alcott, Hans Christian Andersen, O. Henry, Lucy Maud Montgomery, E. T. A. Hoffmann, L. Frank Baum, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Leo Tolstoy, Henry Van Dyke, Oscar Wilde, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Anton Chekhov and many more! · Poems, carols and songs from John Milton, Clement Clarke Moore, William Blake, W. B. Yeats, Rudyard Kipling, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, H. P. Lovecraft, George MacDonald, Emily Dickinson and many more!

Set in modern Greece, this romantic suspense story revolves around a terrifying manhunt as Camilla and Simon investigate the death of a man supposedly killed in World War II. Quarto vol.

Rose cottage, a tiny thatched dwelling in an idyllic English country setting, would appear the picture of tranquillity to any passerby. But when Kate Herrick returns to her childhood home she uncovers a web of intrigue as tangled as the rambling roses in its garden.

The Arthurian legend is one of the most enduring and powerful of myths, and Mary Stewart''s classic The Merlin Trilogy is one of its most beloved and acclaimed retellings. In prose that is as vividly, achingly real as it is poetic, New York Times bestselling author Mary Stewart brings to life the man behind the myth: Myrddin Emrys ... Merlinus Ambrosius ... Merlin. The Crystal Cave The Hollow Hills The Last Enchantment Born the bastard son of a Welsh princess, Myrddin Emrys -- or, as he would later be known, Merlin -- leads a perilous childhood in The Crystal Cave, haunted by portents and visions. But destiny has great plans for this no-man''s-son, taking him from prophesying before the High King Vortigern to the crowning of UtherPendragon ... and the conception of Arthur -- king for once and always. Keeping watch over the young Arthur Pendragon in The Hollow Hills, the prince and prophet Merlin Ambrosius is haunted by dreams of the magical sword Caliburn, hidden for centuries. When Uther Pendragon is killed in battle, the time of destiny is at hand, and Arthur must claim the fabled sword to become the true High King of Britain. In The Last Enchantment, Arthur Pendragon is king at last. Unchallenged on the battlefield, he melds the country together in a time of promise as Merlin works to keep safe the once and future king. But sinister powers plot to destroy Camelot, and when the witch-queen Morgause -- Arthur''s own half sister -- ensnares him in an incestuous liaison, a fatal web of love, betrayal, and bloody vengeance is woven. Extensively researched and beautifully written, The Merlin Trilogy is the epic culmination of an acclaimed career, a legend in and of itself.

First published 45 years ago, this is a beautiful new edition of Mary Stewart''s beloved magical classic illustrated by Shirley Hughes. Don''t miss the beautifully animated film adaptation called Mary and the Witch''s Flower (by the producer of The Tale of The Princess Kaguya), in cinemas now. ''The little broomstick gave a leap, a violent twist, a kick like the kick of a pony.'' Mary''s been exiled to her great-aunt, deep in the English countryside. Miserable and lonely, she befriends strange black cat Tib who leads her deep into the forest to an ordinary looking broomstick. Before Mary can gather her wits, the broomstick jumps into action, whisking her over the treetops, above the clouds, and to the grounds of Endor College, school of witchcraft. But something is terribly wrong at Endor. Students are taught spells that are petty and ill-wishing, and when Mary discovers evidence of a terrible and cruel experiment in transformation, she decides to leave. But the moment her broomstick takes off, she realises that Tib the cat has been captured ... Mary Stewart is the bestselling author of fourteen romantic thrillers, including the classic novels This Rough Magic and The Moon-Spinners, and five historical fantasy novels of Arthurian Britain. The animated film, Mary and the Witch''s Flower, will be released in 2018 by Studio Ponoc. The producer, Yoshiaki Nishimura, also produced The Tale of The Princess Kaguya and When Marnie Was There.

In "The Higher Court," Mary Stewart Daggett presents a compelling narrative that intertwines elements of legal drama and moral philosophy within a richly textured literary style. Set against the backdrop of an evolving judicial landscape, Daggett explores the complexities of justice and morality through the perspective of characters grappled by ethical dilemmas and legal entanglements. Her prose is marked by clarity and emotional depth, skillfully navigating the intertwining personal and societal consequences of legal decisions, reflecting the broader themes of accountability and righteousness that pervade contemporary discourse on law. Mary Stewart Daggett, an accomplished writer and legal scholar, draws upon her extensive experience in both literature and the justice system to inform her storytelling. Her background includes a robust academic career, where she has focused on the interplay of law and society, providing her with unique insights that enrich the narrative of "The Higher Court." This intimate knowledge of legal processes and philosophical underpinnings informs her characters and their journeys, making their struggles relatable and poignant. Readers seeking an engaging exploration of justice infused with ethical rigor will find "The Higher Court" a rewarding experience. Daggett''s ability to balance intricate legal theories with relatable human experiences ensures that her book resonates not only with legal practitioners but also with anyone interested in the pursuit of truth and justice.

Born the bastard son of a Welsh princess, Myridden Emrys--or as he would later be known, Merlin--leads a perilous childhood, haunted by portents and visions. But destiny has great plans for this no-man''s-son, taking him from prophesying before High King Vortigern to the crowning of Uther Pendragon ... and the conception of Arthur, king for once and always.

"The richest of the three...mighty...climactic...action and supsense constant, even harrowing." THE WALL STREET JOURNAL Arthur is King! But while unchallenged on the battlefield, sinister powers plot to destroy him in his own Camelot. When the rose-gold witch Morgause, Arthur''s half-siser, ensnares him into an incestuous liaison--and bears his son, Mordred, to use to her own evil ends--a fatal web of love, betrayal and bloody vengeance is woven.