A delightful journey through the glamorous story of the English country house party by the bestselling historian. Croquet. Parlour games. Cocktails. Welcome to a glorious journey through the golden age of the country house party - and you are invited. Our host, celebrated historian Adrian Tinniswood, traces the evolution of this quintessentially British pastime from debauched royal tours to the flamboyant excess of the Bright Young Things. With cameos by the Jazz Age industrialist, the bibulous earl and the off-duty politician - whether in moated manor houses or ornate Palladian villas - Tinniswood gives a vivid insight into weekending etiquette and reveals the hidden lives of celebrity guests, from Nancy Astor to Winston Churchill, in all their drinking, feasting, gambling and fornicating. The result is a deliciously entertaining, star-studded, yet surprisingly moving portrait of a time when social conventions were being radically overhauled through the escapism of a generation haunted by war - and a uniquely fast-living period of English history. Praise for The Long Weekend: 'Delicious, occasionally fantastical, revealing in ways that Downton Abbey never was. It is as if Tinniswood is at the biggest, wildest, most luxuriantly decadent party ever thrown, and he knows everyone.' Observer 'A deliciously jaunty and wonderfully knowledgeable book. Tinniswood displays a terrific insider's grasp of gossip . A meticulous, irresistible story.' Spectator 'Elegant, encyclopedic and entertaining . A confident and skilled historian who understands the mores of his era and wears his learning lightly . Deserves to be on every costume drama producer's bookshelf.' Times

On Halloween night, a child's party is visited by real ghosts and goblins. Unfortunately, because everyone is in a mask and costume, no one knows who the real creatures are--until some of the real ghosts and goblins begin to show off for each other. The host and his friends ultimately learn how to deal with negative, destructive behavior and take responsibility for their situation.

Someone is about to die... Someone is about to lie... At the intimate house-warming party for her glorious ‘grand design’, Kathleen confides in her best friend Beth that she is terrified of one of their close friends, but daren’t reveal which one. The guests are a tight-knit group, but Kathleen is convinced one of them is dangerous. The next day Kathleen’s body is found at the foot of a cliff and Beth must face the sickening truth that she may have been killed by one of their trusted friends. With little help from the police, Beth’s decides to seek answers. All the friends have secrets they are desperate to hide, but only one of them is ready to kill to keep theirs safe... The House Party is set on the Isle of Wight - insular,claustrophobic, and with nowhere to run. Mary Grand has written a heart-stopping novel of secrets, betrayal and desire, perfect for fans of Louise Candlish, Lucy Foley and The Isle of Wight Murders. What readers are saying about The House Party: 'Truly a great puzzler with a superb ending! I HIGHLY Recommend!!!' 'Wow I'm so so impressed it had me gripped start to finish and I couldn't put it down. I completed within 1 night and such a page turner' 'All the suspense and twists and turns' 'This is a real page turner, that kept me guessing until the end!' 'A gripping read.' 'A brilliantly clever read and one to remember.' 'So many twists and turns to keep the reader guessing to the very end. An excellent read.' 'This is a book that will leave the reader guessing all the way.' 'With its ability to draw the reader in, this is great for a day when you don’t want to do anything but curl up with a good story and while away the day.' 'The House Party is a fantastic read for anyone who likes twisty, witty thriller reads.' 'I highly recommend this book - you won't want to put it down.' 'This is a great book that sucks you in right from the start. Plenty of twists and turns and suspense. Unexpected ending that I didn't see coming.' 'Brilliant if you love psychological thrillers like me.' 'This was an excellent novel, combining the elements of drama and thriller.' 'A sinister "whodunit" that is not your typical police procedural.'

Art meets food in this celebratory story of family and friends in Tuscany at the Arniano Painting School. Few farmhouses in Tuscany are as magical as Arniano. Bought and restored in the 1980s by an English couple, this 18th-century ruin, surrounded by staggering beauty as far as the eye can see, became synonymous with delicious food and sparkling company. At Arniano, their daughter, Amber Guinness, found a passion for cooking and established The Arniano Painting School with cofounder William Roper Curzon. A marriage of food and art, the school celebrates Amber’s cooking and hosting skills and William’s talents for imparting his knowledge and passion for painting. Showcasing inviting and lush photography of the farmhouse’s interiors and exteriors alongside mouthwatering images of simple and flavorful dishes, A House Party in Tuscany collects recipes from 30 years of cooking and hosting at Arniano, exemplifying fundamental principles of Italian home cooking. With essential ingredients for an Italian pantry; feast curation; menu suggestions for every season; notes on Italian wines; day trips from Arniano; tricks and rules for cooking that can be applied to any lunch or dinner party, whatever the season; guidelines to seemingly effortless cooking and hosting, this is a book to make everyone feel welcome.

During the golden age of English country house entertaining, from the death of Prince Albert in 1861 to the outbreak of World War I, invitations passed back and forth among members of the aristocracy. Barstow brings to life the personalities and lifestyles of a vanished age in this carefully researched and illustrated study. International royalty and the political figures of the day also feature, none more memorably than the Shah of Persia, who offered to buy the Marchioness of Londonderry and advised the Prince of Wales to execute the Duke of Sutherland when he became king. The text reveals the social and political importance of the house party and also describes the role of the country house in its local and national setting. The decline of country house living after World War I and the beginnings of the National Trust and other efforts to save for the nation these former playgrounds of the elite form the concluding chapters.

“Some characters become your friends for life. That’s how it was for me with Betsy-Tacy.” —Judy Blume “I am fairly certain that my independent, high-spirited grandmother must have had a childhood similar to Betsy Ray’s….As I read...I felt that I was having an unexpected and welcome peek into Granny’s childhood.” —Ann M. Martin, author of The Baby-sitter's Club Two of Maud Hart Lovelace’s beloved Deep Valley books join the Harper Perennial Modern Classics library, next to other enduring favorites like A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, To Kill a Mockingbird and Lovelace’s Betsy-Tacy books. This beautiful combination edition of Carney's House Party and Winona's Pony Cart features a foreword by author Melissa Wiley and a never-before-published biography of Lovelace illustrator Vera Neville.

As the new girl in a strange town, Casey is trying desperately to fit in and make friends. When her parents leave town for the weekend, her friend suggests she have a house party. Casey is reluctant to go along, until she realizes maybe this is the answer to fitting in and making friends -- and getting back at her parents. They invite a few people and then a few more, using msn and text messaging. Hundreds of people show up and things get out of hand. Casey is in more trouble than she thought possible and now she must decide whether -- and how -- to do the right thing.