Most Popular Books by Joan Aiken

A young man must prevent a magic harp from falling into the clutches of a sinister and diabolical Lord.

Wicked wolves and a grim governess threaten Bonnie and her cousin Sylvia when Bonnie''s parents leave Willoughby Chase for a sea voyage. Left in the care of the cruel Miss Slighcarp, the girls can hardly believe what is happening to their once happy home. The servants are dismissed, the furniture is sold, and Bonnie and Sylvia are sent to a prison-like orphan school. It seems as if the endless hours of drudgery will never cease. With the help of Simon the gooseboy and his flock, they escape. But how will they ever get Willoughby Chase free from the clutches of the evil Miss Slighcarp?

After the mysterious disappearance of both his mother and older brother, Cosmo is sent away to live with his eccentric mathematician aunt. Lonely and confused, Cosmo must also deal with being the new kid at school. Not an easy assignment! But things take a weird twist when Cosmo is visited by ghosts from the past. Ghosts who claim to need his help fighting an ancient curse! Only in time will Cosmo learn that he is at the center of that ancient...and deadly...curse. At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Dark family secrets can be murder . . . ''Joan Aiken''s triumph with this genre is that she does it so much better than others'' New York Times Book Review Married to an ambitious but feckless architect and living in the pretentious show home they can ill afford, Jane is forced to return to work, leaving her children in the care of a less than reassuring childminder. As the weeks pass, her disintegrating marriage and the discovery of her husband''s secrets lead Jane into a battle to save both herself and her children from an explosive summer of hatred, jealousy - and murder. This claustrophobic thriller, based on events from the author''s own life and her struggles as a young widow, marries the desperate ring of truth with all the added horror of Joan Aiken''s gothic imagination.

Revised and updated, this essential and practical guide by an award-winning children''s author explains how to write books for children, from where to look to inspiration to practical advice on how to create characters and structure a plot.

Joan Aiken, one of Jane Austen''s most sparkling successors, takes up Austen''s pen yet again, this time continuing where Pride and Prejudice left off in Lady Catherine''s Necklace. In Austen''s classic novel, the arrogant Lady Catherine de Bourgh tried vehemently to prevent the betrothal of her nephew Mr. Darcy, whom she had intended for her daughter Anne, to the less socially connected Elizabeth Bennet. Defeated, she retreats to her grand estate-- Rosings Park. This enchanting sequel tells the story of what happens one balmy April day when a sudden blizzard disrupts the weather, causes a carriage accident, and affects the lives of all those involved in a most amazing way. From out of the blizzard emerge the Delaval siblings. Miss Delaval, having twisted her ankle in the carriage accident, accepts Lady Catherine''s gracious hospitality while she recovers. But the Delavals'' presence proves disturbing to the entire household-- first causing the removal of two artists from their cottage home on the de Bourgh property, then meddling in Miss Anne''s marriage plans. Suddenly, Lady Catherine is kidnapped, revealing some members of the household to be not at all what they seemed.

The Paget family''s adventures begin in this Gothic Regency period romance reissue from legendary author Joan Aiken When danger forces expatriate English gentlewoman Juliana Paget to flee her home in Italy, she embarks on a journey full of thrilling adventure. Nothing could have prepared her for outwitting a French mob, crossing the Channel in a hot air balloon, or fending off the advances of the fascinating Count Welcker. Arriving in London just in time for her very first Season, Juliana is going to find all her ideals challenged and the truth of her heart finally revealed. What readers say: "A Regency romp with Gothic overtones, and a lot of fun." "Full of thrills and chills." "Classic Aiken—abductions, mysterious strangers and terrible betrayals." "I stayed up late to find out what would happen next!."

From the acclaimed writer of Wolves of Willoughby Chase comes an exciting adventure about two orphans struggling to survive in 19th-century England. An abundance of action, suspense, and melodrama . . . there is never a dull moment.--School Library Journal.

Here are eight gloriously imaginative stories for eight satisfying sessions of bedtime reading. There’s a flying apple pie, a cat that’s bigger than an elephant, a house that lays an egg, storybook animals that leap out of their books at night, and a wealth of other wonderful characters and ideas, all with the colorful, dreamlike quality of the very best fairy tales. Joan Aiken’s delicious prose is a joy to read aloud to very young listeners yet simple enough for the independent reader to savor on his or her own. Kevin Hawkes’s illustrations–nearly 60 of them–capture with great flair and fun the magical adventures and the triumph of the good over the bad.

Vengeful ghosts, eerie dreams, and haunted houses abound in these 10 tales.

Although she is desperate to return to England, Dido Twite is caught in Nantucket where she and Penitence Casket have to stay with creepy Aunt Tribulation.

Fifteen macabre and witty tales.

A beautiful Cornish coastal village is the setting for a highly sinister conspiracy involving a kidnapped baby, mysterious monks and an almost irresistible new perfume... ''Joan Aiken''s triumph with this genre is that she does it so much better than others'' New York Times Book Review Martha works for an advertising agency, filming a TV commercial on location on the stunning Cornish coast. The client is the eccentric owner of a chemicals company that has invented a new, almost irresistible perfume, and Martha is in charge of shooting the romantic ads - unfortunately starring his beautiful but highly manipulative daughter-in-law. Before long, Martha finds herself embroiled in the conspiracy over the perfume''s true origin - to say nothing of a kidnapped baby, sinister monks, her own long-since vanished ex-husband and a series of exploding soup cans. And what of her own floundering love life...? ''Witty and acute ... a nice romantic thriller'' Punch

A teenage adventurer gets wrapped up in her father’s dastardly schemes in this children’s novel by the author of The Wolves of Willoughby Chase. Dido Twite is finally back in London and reunited with her old friend Simon, now the Duke of Battersea and a favorite of King Richard. But no sooner does Dido start to settle in than her rascally father, Abednago, appears and drags her off into the night. Soon Dido finds herself caught in the midst of another dastardly conspiracy: a Hanoverian plot involving a mysterious double for the king, the miraculous healing powers of music, and a spy network made up of abandoned street children called lollpoops. Meanwhile, out in the forest, starving wolves are closing in on the city . . . Dido and Pa is the seventh book in the award-winning Wolves Chronicles, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

As Jem, the Shoemaker''s boy, works at night in his father''s shop he has three strange visitors asking for some silver keys. Jem must keep the silver keys safe, but how...?

A charming companion book to Jane Austen''s Mansfield Park by one of her most sparkling successors.

Jane Austen wrote the untitled fragment that was later called The Watsons in 1803-5, and it was published posthumously in 1871. Joan Aiken, well known for her Jane Austen sequels and children''s books, finishes the fragment, introducing a new hero and seamlessly continuing where Jane Austen left off to a satisfying ending for all Austen fans. Emma Watson returns home after 14 years spent with a beloved aunt, whose re-marriage has caused a significant change in Emma''s circumstances. Used to a life of ease, warmth and intelligence, Emma is thrust back into a home where, with one exception, her sisters are petty and jealous, if not vulgar, her father is ill and weak, and her brothers are not men of fine minds. This is a poignant exploration of a young lady''s endurance in the face of reduced circumstances, and in true Jane Austen fashion, there is an admirable hero to make all right in the end.

Reprint. First American ed. published: New York: Delacorte Press, 1981.

In this hilarious classic adventure, an innocent boy and his friends must stop a plot to topple the King of England. Simon, the foundling from The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, arrives in London to meet an old friend and pursue the study of painting. Instead he finds himself unwittingly in the middle of a wicked crew’s fiendish caper to overthrow the good King James and the Duke and Duchess of Battersea. With the help of his friend Sophie and the resourceful waif Dido, Simon narrowly escapes a series of madcap close calls and dangerous run-ins. In a time and place where villains do nothing halfway, Simon is faced with wild wolves, poisoned pies, kidnapping, and a wrecked ship. This is a cleverly contrived tale of intrigue and misadventure. Perfect for fans of Lemony Snicket and Roald Dahl “It’s a marvel!” —The New Yorker “A wild yarn, not to be put down once it is started.” —Washington Post “A riot of wildly improbable adventures happening to absurd and loveable characters with Dickensian names in a time that never was . . . Heartrending, hair-raising, rib-tickling, and delightful.” —New York Times

Ellen Paget, a young Englishwoman, comes to Paris in 1860 to be governess to a young noble family, but shortly thereafter, tragedy and scandal force her to return to her father''s house in Sussex under far-from-happy circumstances.

''Miss Aiken’s book is immensely enjoyable – her gift for gothic romantic charm is as effectively deployed as ever'' TLS Lucy Culpepper doesn’t take no for an answer. An aspiring pianist she dreams of being taught by the renowned Max Benovek and will defy all odds – life threatening illness, a missing great aunt, and a disgruntled uncle – to achieve it. After finding out her Uncle Wilbie has used up her college fund, Lucy discovers a selection of enchantingly beautiful paintings in the attic. Being the miserly man he is, Wilbie wants to keep any possible profits for these paintings and bargains on sending Lucy to England to find the artist – Great-aunt Fennel. Knowing Benovek lives in London she snaps up the opportunity and undertakes the adventure of a lifetime. But though Benovek proves easy to find and immediately takes Lucy to heart, she sets off to Yorkshire only to find that her old aunt Fennel has vanished. Lucy’s search entangles her in a mystery of murder and deceit . . . can they discover who is the real aunt Fennel? Awardwinning author Joan Aiken brings a shocking finale to a witty and entertaining plot full of unexpected twists and turns in modern suspense novel, The Embroidered Sunset.

''The Under People. They live in a huge Cave. They are thought to be boring upwards. Giant worms and flying ants. Underground magic.'' Mickle, the palace cat, knows something is wrong. He can feel it in his whiskers. Then he finds scribbled notes revealing that the kingdom in danger. (Yes, of course he can read. And speak - when he chooses to!) Mickle can''t trust the King and Queen with his mission, so he approaches Prince Michael and together, with the wise old mare Minerva, they set out on a perilous search to find the sinister Under People before they can invade Astalon.

When Pandora''s mother suddenly dies at a luncheon, the ten members of the MorningQuest society immediately adopt her, and she matures in the midst of her unconventional but loving family. By the author of Jane Fairfax.

A collection of eleven fairy tales from eastern Europe and the Soviet Union retold by a noted English author.

The Children Of London Are Vanishing No one knows why, so Is Twite, younger sister of Dido Twite (from Dido and Pa and Nightbirds on Nantucket), sets out to discover the whereabouts of Arun, her cousin, and Davie, the king''s only son -- both missing. Is soon finds herself aboard a secret midnight train heading north to Playland, a place of fun and frolic and dancing every night, or so they say.... Instead of fun, Is is heading straight into horrible, horrible danger...and exciting, terrifying adventure!

First comes marriage. Then comes love. Then things start to get really complicated. Desperate to help her ailing mother, Delphie Carteret agrees to a sham wedding ceremony to her cousin, Gareth. Her mother will be guaranteed annuity for life, and Gareth''s obligation to marry before his sick uncle passes is fulfilled. The plan is perfect. But perfect plans usually go awry. Not only is the marriage ceremony valid, but Gareth''s dying uncle makes a miraculous recovery. An imposter is threatening Delphie''s identity and her life, and the whole family is on the brink of scandal. As Gareth and Delphie try to mastermind a way out of this mess, they begin to discover that what''s between them may be surprisingly real... Praise for Joan Aiken: "Ingenious...a country-dance in high style, twirled to the tune of a proven virtuoso." —Kirkus Reviews for The Five-Minute Marriage "Delightful and humorous." —Historical Novels Review for Eliza''s Daughter

''I wish we''ll have two children called Mark and Harriet. And I hope lots of interesting and unusual things will happen to them. It would be nice if they had a fairy godmother, for instance. And a phoenix or something out of the ordinary for a pet. We could have a special day for interesting and unusual things to happen - say, Mondays. But not always Mondays, and not only Mondays, or that would get a bit dull'' As a result of their mother''s honeymoon wish, Mark and Harriet Armitage have a fairy godmother, a pet unicorn, and are prepared for anything life can throw at them (especially, but not always, on a Monday): hatching griffins in the airing cupboard, Latin lessons with a ghost, furious Furies on the doorstep, and an enchanted garden locked inside a cereal packet. Life with the Armitages can be magical, funny, terrifying - but never, ever dull.

Readers beware! Mischievous ghosts, ancient curses, and monstrous spirits inhabit these thirteen spine-tingling tales. Enter a world of fantasy where a blast of a whistle brings a boy from the past, where a ghostly awl perches night after night at the foot of your bed, and where a white seagull whispers the warning, "Listen." Each of these stories by Joan Aiken, a master of suspense, will chill and delight, lingering long after the book is closed.

When Charles is given just twelve months to live, his doctor sister takes him to a small Cornish village to end his days. They are joined by other friends including Tuesday, the young author of an unexpectedly sensational novel that brings her nothing but trouble. Combining doomed love, a beautifully groomed and immaculately behaved psychopath, an escaped circus leopard and a fortune hidden in the pages of a library of books Joan Aiken once again serves up all the ingredients for an explosive finale. ''Unusual, enthralling, full of wry fun'' Sunday Times

A collection of scary stories about ghosts, toads, and weird happenings.

Two 20-year-old women trade identities in this period novel.

What does a cockatrice enjoy most for dinner? Anyone it can find. So the alarmed inhabitants of England discover when a plague of monsters--known as cockatrices--invade their country and begin gobbling them up. They must be stopped! A plucky band of survivors dubbed the Cockatrice Corps--including youngsters Dakin and Sauna--decide to fight back. But how? A rollicking adventure filled with breathtaking twists and turns, The Cockatrice Boys is Joan Aiken at her comic best. At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.