'Full of glamour and intrigue. It slips down as easily as any cocktail.' Fern Britton ESCAPE TO THE EMPIRE THEATRE WITH THE NEW NOVEL FROM MUSICAL THEATRE LEGEND, MICHAEL BALL. GLAMOUR. DECEIT. SECRETS. SCANDAL. THE THEATRE MAY SEEM GLAMOROUS, BUT SECRETS WAIT BEHIND THE CURTAIN. 1926. Running a theatre may appear to be all about the showbiz, but times are hard at The Empire. Following a turbulent period Jack Treadwell, erstwhile proprietor, his mother Lillian, and his playwright wife Grace, know they need to get things back on track - and how better than with the annual pantomime, a new venture, and an all-singing all-dancing talent contest, showcasing the best performers around. But could Lillian's new admirer, Grand Duke Nikolai Kuznetsov, be bringing disaster in his wake? Will The Empire be caught up in the scandal surrounding West End star, Stella Stanmore? And what are their enemies in Highbridge planning? While Jack and Grace fight to ensure the show does go on, a royal visitor raises the stakes and a young widow, Sally Blow, dares to dream that the talent contest might be her big break. As the talent contest draws closer, tragedy strikes. Amid the glitz and glamour there are strange goings on and a plot afoot. Is everything Jack and Grace have worked so hard for about to come crashing down? And could this be curtains for The Empire? In this perfect Christmas gift for theatre lovers, Michael Ball transports readers to the roaring twenties as he works his magic in this second Empire Theatre novel. Readers are loving A BACKSTAGE BETRAYAL 'A beautifully described evocative piece of the era with wonderful characters. Loved it' ***** 'A lovely cosy read with a lot of excitement' ***** 'Wonderful characters, great plot and a perfect setting' ***** 'The second brilliant instalment in what I hope will be a long-running series' ***** Praise for THE EMPIRE 'A wonderful book. A love letter to the theatre' Rev. Richard Coles 'A fantastic book. Brilliant' Don Black OBE 'A wonderful read' Jeffrey Archer 'A golden debut - charming, funny and romantic' Cameron Mackintosh 'Takes you to the magical world of theatre' Rosie Goodwin

AU Author. Highly appealing books with interesting and relevant topics. Texts include mystery, realistic fiction, humour and environmental stories. Stories focus on courage, saving lives, sense of community, conservation and honesty. Looks at how secrets affect us. Explores problems of peer pressure and bullying.

Conservative columnist West uncovers how and when America gave up its core ideals and began the march toward socialism. She digs into the modern political landscape, dominated by President Barack Obama, to ask how it is that America turned its back on its basic beliefs.

Welcome to The Empire Theatre 1922. When Jack Treadwell arrives at The Empire, in the middle of a rehearsal, he is instantly mesmerised. But amid the glitz and glamour, he soon learns that the true magic of the theatre lies in its cast of characters - both on stage and behind the scenes. There's stunning starlet Stella Stanmore and Hollywood heartthrob Lancelot Drake; and Ruby Rowntree, who keeps the music playing, while Lady Lillian Lassiter, theatre owner and former showgirl, is determined to take on a bigger role. And then there's cool, competent Grace Hawkins, without whom the show would never go on . . . could she be the leading lady Jack is looking for? When long-held rivalries threaten The Empire's future, tensions rise along with the curtain. There is treachery at the heart of the company and a shocking secret waiting in the wings. Can Jack discover the truth before it's too late, and the theatre he loves goes dark? Musical theatre legend Michael Ball brings his trademark warmth, wit and glamour to this, his debut novel. Enjoy the show! Look out for the next Empire Theatre novel, A BACKSTAGE BETRAYAL. Pre-order now. Real readers love The Empire 'A charming, captivating, majestic, electrifying, exciting and dazzling masterpiece' 'This book was perfect' 'The Empire is fantastic read, and one of my favourites of this year!' 'A real razzmatazz of a read' 'What a wonderful book, as full of warmth and wit as Michael himself . . . absolute magic!' The Empire was a Sunday Times No. 3 bestseller for w/c 24/10/2022'

Bats are smelly and horrible, aren't they? Finding a colony of bats changes Peter's thinking. The bats are more than he could ever expect. But will Peter be able to save the colony? [back cover].

Kirsty, Nick and Dan are tempted. It's a lot of money and they can all think of ways to spend it. Finders keepers, right? What will they decide and how will they live with their decision? [back cover].