[b]Review by Bob Williams[/b] I see this book as an essential addition to the bookshelves of all LNWR students and it will appeal to those with interests in the many different aspects of that great company.
London & North Western Railway Society

[b]Rating[/b]: 5 out of 5 stars Notorious Mrs. Gordon Baillie (aka Annie and about 40 other aliases) was a fascinating con woman who lived in the Victorian era, a woman I had not heard of before. But now she will stick out in my mind as her life was absolutely crowded with ingratiating, stealing and racking up debts everywhere she went. And I mean everywhere. When finally found out by Inspector Marshall, in the courtroom evidence was heard from a huge range of people she swindled including a butcher, jeweler, milliner, bankers and many more. She even sold furniture from homes which weren't hers. She largely got away with it for ages! One of her favourite excuses was "forgetting" her purse. Every time things got "hot" she packed up and moved with her servants. Yes, she had servants! Mostly unpaid, of course. She must have had stamina and energy in spades, especially as she also had children, though they did not seem to be important to her. On the outset she had three immense strikes against.. Read more
NetGalley, Brenda Carleton

[b]Rating[/b]: 5 out of 5 stars A really detailed and interesting book about the Cadbury family. The business was failing, the product was inferior and had it not been for some inheritance money, the company would have gone! But this is more than a book about chocolate. With the help of family letters and remaining family members the author was able to tell us so much about Richard. He was a kind, generous and good man but is, sadly, hardly remembered. He gave workers better working conditions, helped the poor, helped the elderly and so much more. I really enjoyed delving into the past of this remarkable man's life. I enjoyed reading this book.
NetGalley, Zoe Morton

I have been fascinated by the British Army since a young age, but the weaponry of the Victorian British Army has never particularly interested me and, for that matter, even after having read this book, I still wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a Martini Henry and a Lee Enfield at twenty paces. That's not to say that this book isn't good; it is, very. It's just that I don't have the forensic knowledge that author Stephen Manning has. It is one thing to have that knowledge though, and quite another to be able to write about the subject in a compelling manner that makes it interesting for people like me. Although it's not 'fashionable' to say so now, the British Army of the Victorian and early Edwardian eras did a sterling job of maintaining and expanding the British Empire through a combination of grit, determination, stiff-upper-lipiness and unwavering discipline. The weaponry they used, certainly provided the back-up, and in this book we can read about its evolution from.. Read more
Paul Nixon

Wow what a dedicated woman not only as a nurse but as a friend and companion. Worked through horrendous times but nothing stopped her form carrying on.
NetGalley, Angela Stewart