{"title":"Joan Aiken","description":"\u003cp\u003eJoan Aiken's writing spans a rich tapestry of genres, weaving together enchanting tales for children with the intrigue of historical fiction and touches of romance. Readers can immerse themselves in whimsical adventures like \u003cem\u003eThe Wolves of Willoughby Chase\u003c\/em\u003e or explore more mysterious and atmospheric stories such as \u003cem\u003eThe Weeping Ash\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eThe Winter Sleepwalker And Other Stories\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHer narratives often blend the supernatural with heartfelt emotion, crafting stories that captivate all ages. Whether enchanted by playful escapades or drawn to subtle horror and romance, Joan Aiken’s books invite readers into imaginative worlds filled with suspense, charm, and unexpected delight.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"emma-watson-by-joan-aiken-9781529093032","title":"Emma Watson","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eEmma Watson\u003c\/em\u003e has been brought up by her aunt in a wealthy and refined household, an educated lifestyle far removed from her widowed father and five siblings. So when her aunt enters into an imprudent second marriage, nineteen-year-old Emma is sent back home and must join her sisters in their pursuit of a husband.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAiken takes on the fate of Austen's characters with confidence and skill, flawlessly entwining themes of loss and love together in this stunning regency pastiche.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eJoan Aiken's invention seemed inexhaustible, her high spirits a blessing, her sheer storytelling zest a phenomenon. She was a literary treasure, and her books will continue to delight for many years to come\u003c\/em\u003e - Philip Pullman\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Macmillan Publishers New Zealand Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46486304817388,"sku":"9781529093032","price":24.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/11352043482732.jpg?v=1748306249"},{"product_id":"the-wolves-of-willoughby-chase-by-joan-aiken-9780099572879","title":"The Wolves of Willoughby Chase","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo children stand up to a network of criminals in a snowy England where the wolves still prey...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCan you go a little faster? Can you run?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eLong ago, at a time in history that never happened, England was overrun with wolves. But as Bonnie and her cousin Sylvia discover, real danger often lies closer to home. Their new governess, Miss Slighcarp, doesn't seem at all nice. She shuts Bonnie in a cupboard, fires the faithful servants and sends the cousins far away from Willoughby Chase to a place they will never be found. Can Bonnie and Sylvia outwit the wicked Miss Slighcarp and her network of criminals, forgers and snitches?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Wolves of Willoughby Chase\u003c\/em\u003e offers thrilling adventures and gripping suspense as two brave girls face overwhelming odds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBackstory: Find out a few things you didn't know about wolves and learn all about the wonderful world of the author.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46505322053868,"sku":"9780099572879","price":19.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/11817623482223.jpg?v=1748669770"},{"product_id":"castle-barebane-by-joan-aiken-9781035057580","title":"Castle Barebane","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eJoan Aiken writes superbly, with a force, a colour and strength of imagination that one encounters all too rarely today\u003c\/b\u003e – \u003ci\u003eThe Telegraph\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eStrong and independent Valhalla Montgomery, a heroine straight out of a Henry James novel, abandons her New York career as a journalist to search for her half-brother in Joan Aiken’s gothic novel, \u003ci\u003eCastle Barebane\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWishing to escape from her pretentious New York fiancé, Valla is happy to have an excuse to travel to England, only to discover that her half-brother and his wife have disappeared from their London home – leaving their young two children all alone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFinding Victorian London a gloomy and sinister place, haunted by a series of Ripper style murders, Valla takes the children up to Scotland to a bleak family property known as Castle Barebane. In this Gothic ruin, perched on the edge of a cliff, the mystery surrounding her missing brother only gets darker, and more terrifying...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eCastle Barebane\u003c\/i\u003e is an unforgettable tale of love, loss, and human nature, brought to life by Joan Aiken’s vivid storytelling and gripping plot. Perfect for fans of gothic mystery and readers of Virginia Andrews or Nicola Cornick.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Macmillan Publishers New Zealand Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46760209187052,"sku":"9781035057580","price":27.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/14096563482556.jpg?v=1756168695"},{"product_id":"the-winter-sleepwalker-and-other-stories-by-joan-aiken-9780241730928","title":"The Winter Sleepwalker And Other Stories","description":"Eight wonderfully imaginative modern fairy tales from the mind of Joan Aiken, now back in print after 30 years\n\nJoin master storyteller Joan Aiken and illustrator extraordinaire Quentin Blake for eight original and wildly imaginative modern fairy tales.\n \nFrom eight-legged horses and Martian dinosaurs to a girl cursed to turn into a pink snake, these weird and wonderful short stories weave folktale and fantasy into something entirely unexpected.\n \nTold with Joan Aiken's wit and creativity, and illustrated with Quentin Blake's distinctive style, these surreal, sublime and endlessly enjoyable stories are perfect for young readers and fairy tale fans to share.","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46996548485356,"sku":"9780241730928","price":24.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780241730928.jpg?v=1763129595"},{"product_id":"the-wolves-of-willoughby-chase-by-joan-aiken-9780141362663","title":"The Wolves of Willoughby Chase","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA beautiful new paperback edition, with a new introduction and extra content by the author's daughter, Lizza Aiken, to celebrate the 60th anniversary of this wild, evocative and timeless fantasy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn a period of English history that never happened, when Good King James III is on the throne, and the whole country is ravaged by wolves which have migrated through the newly-opened Channel Tunnel. When orphans Bonnie and Sylvia fall into the hands of evil Miss Slighcarp, they need all their wits—and the help of Simon the goose-boy—to escape unscathed, for the governess is more cruel and merciless than the wolves that surround the great house of Willoughby Chase.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFilled with brilliantly-drawn Dickensian characters, \u003cem\u003eThe Wolves of Willoughby Chase\u003c\/em\u003e would make an excellent choice for strong preteen readers who like an old-fashioned story with a strong plot and good characterisation. This book often appears on lists of best-loved children's books.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47537303093484,"sku":"9780141362663","price":21.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780141362663-the-wolves-of-willoughby-chase.jpg?v=1776395553"},{"product_id":"the-new-flesh-by-roald-dahl-9780712369152","title":"The New Flesh","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eIt had taken, at most, three seconds for the elevator to pass downwards from the sixteenth to the twelfth... Mr Meldrum had ceased to be, and something hideously different took his place.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA man convinced that he has developed a phantom beak edges towards a terrible metamorphosis. Interlopers dismissing the superstitions of hare-women in the countryside pay for their scepticism with blood. The cruel jokes of a girl at the village festival of the Green Man lead her to a crueller transfiguring in the woods.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTracing the quintessential horror concept of the strange transformation from the Victorian era through to the modern day, horror writer, expert, and enthusiast Mark Morris presents a thrilling selection of metamorphic tales. Including stories of bestial shapeshifters such as the tiger-men, fox spirits, and werewolves of world folklore, this collection also presents some of the weirder shifts of the horror genre, where a flatworm masquerades as a boy, a girl becomes one with a bridge, and a babe-in-arms and her beekeeper father come to reflect the creatures of the hives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"NewSouth Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47933326196972,"sku":"9780712369152","price":27.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780712369152-the-new-flesh.jpg?v=1783866711"},{"product_id":"a-necklace-of-raindrops-by-joan-aiken-9780224083805","title":"A Necklace Of Raindrops","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA beautiful new edition of Joan Aiken's captivating collection of much-loved modern fairytales, now reissued with Jan Pienkowski's original and iconic silhouette illustrations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis is how it all began...\u003c\/em\u003e From \u003cem\u003eA Necklace Of Raindrops\u003c\/em\u003e to 'The Patchwork Quilt', here are eight classic stories to treasure and enjoy. Beginning and ending with a birthday, this spell-binding collection conjures up a world filled with magic, where wishes can come true.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA necklace of raindrops that keeps its owner dry in the heaviest rainstorm; a tiger that runs faster than the wind; a huge floating apple pie with a piece of sky in it; a baker's cat who swells to the size of a whale when his mistress feeds him yeast; a house that stands on one leg - these are just some of the objects and characters that figure in these delightful stories.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47995348812012,"sku":"9780224083805","price":44.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780224083805-a-necklace-of-raindrops.jpg?v=1784894592"},{"product_id":"arabel-and-mortimer-stories-by-joan-aiken-9780241386576","title":"Arabel and Mortimer Stories","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePuffin Classics: the definitive collection of timeless stories, for every child\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRediscover the A Puffin Book series and bring the best-loved classics to a new generation – including this treasured edition of \u003cem\u003eArabel and Mortimer Stories\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eLate one night, as Mr Jones drove his taxi home through a storm, he spotted a large black bird with a hairy fringe around its beak sprawled out in the road.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMr Jones decides to take the bird home to Number Six, Rainwater Crescent, London, NW 3, to meet his daughter, Arabel, she’ll know what to do – she loves animals!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e‘His name’s Mortimer,’ she said.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBut it doesn’t take long until the mischievous Mortimer causes chaos in the Jones household…\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48010452926700,"sku":"9780241386576","price":29.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/abb12f567aaa0f52943edce7bda16bf2.jpg?v=1787727886"},{"product_id":"deception-by-joan-aiken-9781529093476","title":"Deception","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo very different, but physically identical, young ladies meet at a boarding school once attended by Jane Austen. Joan Aiken's engrossing regency novel is perfect for fans of the major Netflix romantic drama series, \u003cem\u003eBridgerton\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSelf-righteous Louisa wants to escape her grand family life in Northumberland and become a missionary in India. Imaginative and quiet Alvey has no family and only longs for peaceful independence to complete her novel.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSo when Louisa suggests swapping identities, it seems like the perfect plan: Alvey will have a peaceful country manor in which to write her book, and Louisa will be free to voyage across the globe. But when Alvey becomes a beloved and indispensable member of her extraordinary new family, how will they view the return of the more quarrelsome Louisa?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eJoan Aiken weaves an intricate plot of deception and identity, peopled with strong female characters, in this unique historical romance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eJoan Aiken's invention seemed inexhaustible, her high spirits a blessing, her sheer storytelling zest a phenomenon. She was a literary treasure, and her books will continue to delight for many years to come.\u003c\/em\u003e - Philip Pullman\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Macmillan Publishers New Zealand Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48241082433772,"sku":"9781529093476","price":27.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781529093476-deception-1.jpg?v=1787933167"},{"product_id":"the-girl-from-paris-by-joan-aiken-9781529093513","title":"The Girl from Paris","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eJoan Aiken's\u003c\/em\u003e invention seemed inexhaustible, her high spirits a blessing, her sheer storytelling zest a phenomenon. She was a literary treasure, and her books will continue to delight for many years to come. - Philip Pullman\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Paget Family Saga comes to a thrilling conclusion with \u003cem\u003eThe Girl from Paris\u003c\/em\u003e, a gripping Gothic historical romance from acclaimed author Joan Aiken.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eLonging to flout convention and spread her wings in society, Ellen Paget accepts a position as a governess in Paris. Old family friend Benedict Masham has long carried a torch for Ellen and is naturally stunned when she makes her departure. But, when family tragedy and a subsequent scandal force Ellen to return to London, Benedict's passion is reignited, and he vows to express his love through unwavering help and support.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEllen will need to use all of her ingenuity and daring to solve the mysteries of the past and present and keep her family safe. But will she also find romance in a place she least expected?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePraise for \u003cem\u003eThe Girl From Paris\u003c\/em\u003e:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'The tale has echoes of both Charlotte and Emily Bronte, but the fast moving narrative and thoroughly modern sense of the ambiguities of character are all Miss Aiken's own' - Guardian\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'Joan Aiken blends elements of Villette, George Eliot and Thomas Hardy into a strong redemptive plot' - Observer\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Macmillan Publishers New Zealand Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48244577304812,"sku":"9781529093513","price":27.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781529093513-the-girl-from-paris-1.jpg?v=1788002845"},{"product_id":"the-smile-of-the-stranger-by-joan-aiken-9781529093520","title":"The Smile of the Stranger","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Paget family's adventures begin in this Gothic regency romance from legendary author Joan Aiken, perfect for fans of \u003cem\u003eBridgerton\u003c\/em\u003e, Netflix's romantic drama series inspired by the novels of Julia Quinn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhen 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eArriving 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eJoan Aiken's\u003c\/em\u003e invention seemed inexhaustible, her high spirits a blessing, her sheer storytelling zest a phenomenon. She was a literary treasure, and her books will continue to delight for many years to come. - Philip Pullman\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Macmillan Publishers New Zealand Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48244688716012,"sku":"9781529093520","price":27.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781529093520-the-smile-of-the-stranger-1.jpg?v=1788010295"},{"product_id":"the-weeping-ash-by-joan-aiken-9781529093483","title":"The Weeping Ash","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo intertwining adventures—one of English drama and one of Indian conflict—both meet at the Paget family home in the second of Joan Aiken's romantic regency adventures, \u003cem\u003eThe Weeping Ash\u003c\/em\u003e. Perfect for fans of \u003cem\u003eBridgerton\u003c\/em\u003e, the romantic drama series from Netflix inspired by Julia Quinn's novels.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eJuliana Paget kindly lends The Hermitage Estate to her widowed cousin Thomas and his new wife Fanny—on one condition—that if their missing cousins arrive they must be welcomed in. Little does Juliana know that cousin Thomas is an abusive tyrant who torments his stoic wife, entrapping her in the beautiful Paget house.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThousands of miles away in India, twin Paget cousins Scylla, governess to the old Maharaja's family, and her poet brother Cal are fleeing for their lives with the orphaned royal heir. They must survive a perilous journey—assisted by the dashing Colonel Cameron—across Kafiristan, Afghanistan, Persia, and Turkey before finally arriving at The Hermitage Estate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBut the adventure does not stop here. A dark and explosive confrontation awaits the Pagets as Aiken's two spirited heroines strive for independence in this thrilling romantic adventure.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Macmillan Publishers New Zealand Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48244774076652,"sku":"9781529093483","price":29.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781529093483-the-weeping-ash-1.jpg?v=1788012335"},{"product_id":"the-youngest-miss-ward-by-joan-aiken-9781529093056","title":"The Youngest Miss Ward","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHarriet Ward, known as Hatty to her sisters, is treated with utter contempt by most of her family. Lacking the beauty that her older sisters inherited, she is left without a dowry to care for their ill mother once her sisters are married off.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSent to Portsmouth to live with her rumbustious uncle and cousins, Hatty turns her creative flair to poetry and believes she must become a governess. That is until handsome Lord Camber passes through town...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Macmillan Publishers New Zealand Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48244778139884,"sku":"9781529093056","price":27.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781529093056-the-youngest-miss-ward-1.jpg?v=1788013165"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/joan-aiken.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}