New Releases by Theresa Tomlinson

When an unwelcome visitor arrives at Hild''s monastery, Fridgyth the herb-wife is forced to hold her tongue. The widow of the fierce Mercian king, who once brought death and destruction to the coastal community, is an uneasy sight for many. Although everyone is thankful for Northumbria''s fragile peace, painful memories are still fresh and some can think of nothing but revenge. A young tanner is found dead after a mysterious liaison - his brother is nowhere to be seen, and the boy that used to help him is terrified to speak. While the Abbess is busy trying to secure an ongoing peace for the kingdom, Fridgyth starts her own investigation, though she has no idea what she is dealing with or the danger she is in . . . QUEEN OF A DISTANT HIVE - is Book Two in the FRIDGYTH THE HERB-WIFE series

Ned is only eleven when he starts work in the ironstone mine. His job as a trappy lad is to open the wooden door for the pit ponies as they haul their wagon loads of stone through the tunnel. The work is hard and dangerous, and like all miners, Ned knows that a rockfall could spell disaster.

Egfrid is the prince of Bernicia, an Anglo-Saxon kingdom. When he is captured by Penda, King of Mercia during a raid, all seems lost. But though the fierce warrior Penda hates Egfrid''s cowardly father, he won''t kill the boy. Instead, Egfrid is to be brought up, as hostage and adopted son, in the court of his father''s worst enemy... This fascinating look into a long-vanished past reveals the clashes between small kingdoms, between pagan and Christian beliefs, and between the loyalty demanded by blood and given from the heart. A richly detailed and moving tale, inspired by the Staffordshire Hoard, the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon gold ever found.

''They tell you that most lumps are nothing. '' Mum''s voice wobbled. ''But mine is cancerous . . . . oh dear. Its a bit of a shock, it really is!'' And so Ellen and her family must learn with the reality of her mum''s breast cancer. Ellen finds solace in her dancing and coupled with an unexpected discovery in the school grounds, she is able to face the difficult times ahead . . .

The herring girls sort and pack the catch of fish every day at Whitby and thirteen-year-old Dora has always held a romantic notion of joining them. Then a family tragedy forces Dora into the job she''s secretly dreamed about and the brutal reality of being a herring girl strikes. It''s a tough life but Dora is detemined to be successful.

‘This little lass is strong. She will carry the ropes and walk forever.’ It is as well that these words, spoken by Minnie’s great grandmother at her birth, prove to be prophetic, for the ropemaker’s youngest daughter needs all the strength and courage she can muster in the subterranean cavern which is the family home. And not only there but even more so in Sheffield where she goes to support her ailing sister and finds an even harsher existence where squalor and injustice are rife.

"I have seen them!" cried Cassandra. "Iphigenia! Myrina and her young daughter! They are in terrible trouble . . . taken prisoner on a boat . . . stripped of all weapons!" Since the fall of Troy, Myrina has built the Moon Riders into a strong and potent band of warrior women. But the son of Achilles is bent on revenge, and the Moon Riders are displaced from their home and fighting for their lives. Plagued with slavery, storms, shipwreck, and strife, the Moon Riders must accept help from outsiders for their very survival. Only trust in the strong bonds of their friendship will help Myrina, Iphigenia, and Cassandra vanquish their enemies and welcome those who may help them achieve a more peaceful way of life. Like its predecessor, this sequel to The Moon Riders is a powerful blend of intriguing myth and inspired imagination, leavened by romance and unforgettable characters.

Ben Sterndale''s days of freedom are over. There''ll be no more running wild through Ecclesall woods now that he''s got a proper job at Dyson''s Scythe Works. As the Cellar Lad he''s at everyone''s beck and call and it''s hard and dangerous work. His father and fellow workers at the cruicible workshop - the forgers, grinders and the puller out - are striving for change. But as the working people of Sheffield unite to peacefully campaign for their rights, SOMEONE is threatening to FIGHT for a difference - no matter what trouble it may bring. . . . . . . .

When a young Amazon woman, Myrina, becomes one of the warrior priestesses known as the Moon Riders, she is well prepared to perform their sacred dances, hunt and fight when necessary. But the Moon Riders who inhabit the plains of Troy are drawn into the troubles of the city and when the visionary princess, Cassandra, becomes Myrina`s confidante, the help of the young band of horsewomen enables Cassandra`s young friend, Iphigenia to escape from the sacrifice planned for her. Hereafter the Moon Riders are drawn into the siege and the ensuing battle. Theresa Tomlinson, combining meticulous research into the Amazon women with the ancient legends of Troy, has created an epic story of tragic dimensions.

Cwen, a poor weaver struggling to make a living at Whitby Abbey, is accused of possessing a valuable necklace; if found guilty she could be hanged. Wulfrun, Cwen''s daughter, sets out to prove her mother''s innocence. Set in turbulent Anglo-Saxon times, this is the story of a resourceful, dauntless heroine, determined and clever as the wolf that she is named for. In WOLF GIRL, Theresa Tomlinson links her enthusiasm for creating strong, adventurous heroines with her interest in history and mythology of the North East Coast of England.

A powerful retelling of the Robin Hood story from Marian''s point of view. When fifteen year old Mary flees into the forest to avoid a fearsome marriage arranged by her uncle, she knows what challenges lie in store for her as the wise and magical Green Lady of the Woods.

Forced to sign the Magna Carta, King John reneges and answers the uprising by the foresters by destroying their villages. The Forestwife''s skills are called on more than ever. This trilogy concludes with Marion and Robert finally confronting the Sheriff of Nottingham and fulfilling their destinies.

Fifteen-year-old Magda helps Robin Hood''s men rescue Lady Matilda and her daughter Isabelle from the clutches of the Sheriff of Nothingham''s evil henchman.

John Robert loves his fisherman father and more than anything else longs to follow himout to sea. But when he hides in the hold of North Star it is not at all as he imagined ...

In England during the reign of King Richard I, fifteen-year-old Marian escapes from an arranged marriage to live with a community of forest folk that includes a daring young outlaw named Robert.

The life of the female bait-gatherers of England''s north-east coast at the turn of the century, seen through the eyes of a young girl who accepts their hardships but has a different vision of her future.