The MacDowalls traces the glories, tragedies, and amazing accomplishments of MacDowall kindred from their beginnings in Scotland and Ireland hundreds of years ago to their illus-trious present in such countries as the United States, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, and Russia. The cast of characters ranges from kings and barons to artists and generals, farmers, homemakers, and teachers. Their stories unfold as a history in progress, as each has made a unique and significant impact on the world.
This book is the story of the descendants of Thomas McDowell, who came to the American colonies in the 1700s, and their impact on American History. The different branches lived in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, and Kentucky, and many family members made significant contributions to the growth of the colonies. The new homes of the McDowell Family were on the frontier. Life there was challenging as they had to clear their land and build cabins. They also joined the local militias to protect themselves against Indian attacks. Even though Indians killed some, most survived and, in many cases, flourished. The McDowell family had many members who fought in the American Revolution to establish our freedoms. Did you know Charles McDowell, “Pleasant Garden Joe” McDowell, and "Quaker Meadows Joe" McDowell were officers in the North Carolina Militia who had a significant role in defeating the British at a turning point in the American Revolution. They are in history books. The McDowell family’s contribution to American History goes beyond our three heroes in the North Carolina militia. Read the pages of this book to discover who the other heroes are. One may be your ancestor. The book offers a fascinating overview of colonial American life. Even if you don't have McDowell ancestors, you may find a connection to your colonial roots.
A deliciously dark, unapologetically funny, and nail-bitingly tense psychological thriller by the international bestselling author of The Cry NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER ***Guardian, Telegraph, Herald Scotland AND The Week BOOK OF THE YEAR*** ***Sunday Times TOP 40 Crime Novels in the Last 5 Years*** ***Longlisted for Theakston' s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award 2020*** ‘ Shocking, gripping and laugh-out-loud hilarious from the first line to the last. Brilliant' Erin Kelly ‘ This frenetic novel' s strongest assets are its sheer verbal energy and the acerbic views of its heroine, who resembles a female Frankie Boyle' Sunday Times ‘ The main character is one of the most extraordinary you' ll meet between the pages of a book' Ian Rankin ‘ A scandalously rude comic masterpiece' Daily Telegraph ‘ Sublime' Guardian _________________ Mary Shields is a moody, acerbic probation offer, dealing with some of Glasgow' s worst cases, and her job is on the line. Liam Macdowall was imprisoned for murdering his wife, and he' s published a series of letters to the dead woman, in a book that makes him an unlikely hero – and a poster boy for Men' s Rights activists. Liam is released on licence into Mary' s care, but things are far from simple. Mary develops a poisonous obsession with Liam and his world, and when her son and Liam' s daughter form a relationship, Mary will stop at nothing to impose her own brand of justice ... with devastating consequences. A heart-pounding, relentless and chilling psychological thriller, rich with deliciously dark and unapologetic humour, Worst Case Scenario is also a perceptive, tragic and hugely relevant book by one of the most exciting names in crime fiction. _________________ ‘ Laced with pitch-dark acerbic humour, the classic thriller gets a hell of a twist' Heat ‘ This darkly, funny, shocking and surprisingly emotional thriller is unlike anything you' ve ever read before' Fabulous Magazine ‘ This novel is a funny, agonising account of one good woman' s battle with rage, guilt, fear, duty and disaster' Literary Review ‘ Absolutely compelling company from start to finish in this wonderful, energetic, hard-hitting and deeply funny novel' Big Issue ‘ Simply stunning. Dark, uncompromising, funny, and almost impossible to put down' Luca Veste ‘ Outrageous, extremely funny and ultimately devastating' Ambrose Parry ‘ Dark humour and darker truths permeate a thrilling crime novel that is fabulously transgressive and completely unique ... nobody writes like Helen Fitzgerald' Mark Billingham ‘ Helen Fitzgerald is one of a kind, and a welcome breath of fresh air in the world of off-beat but achingly relatable crime fiction'
This is history, not fiction; but the story is pure Patrick O'Brian, with special effects out ofThe Perfect Storm. The Indian Ocean was the final battleground for Nelson's navy and France. At stake was Britain's commercial lifeline to India-and its strategic capacity to wage war in Europe. In one fatal season, the natural order of maritime power since Trafalgar was destroyed. In bringing home Bengali saltpeter for the Peninsular campaign with military and civilian passengers, Britain lost fourteen of her great Indiamen, either sunk or taken by enemy frigates. Many hundreds of lives were lost, and the East India Company was shaken to its foundations. The focus of these disasters, military and meteorological, was a tiny French outpost in mid-ocean-the island known as Mauritius. This is the story of that season. It brings together the terrifying ordeal of men, women, and children caught at sea in hurricanes, and those who survived to take up the battle to drive the French from the Eastern seas. Mauritius must be taken at any cost. 8 pages of color, 8 pages of black-and-white illustrations; 4 maps.
