Beaches, Bungalows and Burglaries

Download Beaches, Bungalows and Burglaries PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN 13 : 9781721977741
Total Pages : 284 pages
Book Rating : 4.9/5 (777 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Beaches, Bungalows and Burglaries by : Tonya Kappes

Download or read book Beaches, Bungalows and Burglaries written by Tonya Kappes and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2018-06-26 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Welcome to Normal, Kentucky where nothing is normal. A Campers and Criminal Mystery Series is another brainchild of USA Today Bestselling Author Tonya Kappes. If you love her quirky southern characters and small town charm with a mystery to solve, you're going to love her new cozy mystery series! Mae West, a far cry from the Hollywood actress, has been thrown for a loop. Her plush lifestyle in the big city of New York comes to a screeching halt after the FBI raids her mansion and arrests her husband, Paul West, for a Ponzi scheme that rips people out of millions of dollars. Mae finds herself homeless, friendless, and penniless. All hope isn't lost. . .the only thing Mae got to keep that the government didn't seize is a tourist camp ground, Happy Trails, in Normal, Kentucky and an RV to live in. One problem, Mae's idea of camping has room service. By the look of the brochure, Happy Trails has plush Kentucky Bluegrass, a crystal clear lake, a beach chair with her name on it and thoughts of how much money it could bring her after she sells it. Mae figures she'll take a couple weeks vacation with her toes dipped in the lake. Things aren't always as they appear. The Kentucky Bluegrass is nothing but dirt and the crystal clue lake is murky with green slime on top. Mae quickly find out that Happy Trails and the citizens of Normal were also victims of Paul's schemes, making her lower than tha lake scum in the residents' eyes. Mae doesn't think things could get much worse, but as luck would have it, Paul West has escaped from prison and is found dead, murdered, floating in the Happy Trails mucky green lake. Mae is the number one suspect on Detective Hank Sharp's short list. After all, Mae has the perfect motive as a kept wife who has been scorned to ashes, embarrassed to death, and seeking revenge. Time is running out for Mae to prove that she's innocent and nothing like her husband. If only she could get someone to believe her and talk Detective Sharp into looking at other residents who've lost all their savings to Paul's Ponzie scheme before the curtain is closed on this Hollywood namesake.

Christmas, Criminals, and Campers - a Camper and Criminals Cozy Mystery Series

Download Christmas, Criminals, and Campers - a Camper and Criminals Cozy Mystery Series PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Independently Published
ISBN 13 : 9781728835631
Total Pages : 264 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (356 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Christmas, Criminals, and Campers - a Camper and Criminals Cozy Mystery Series by : Tonya Kappes

Download or read book Christmas, Criminals, and Campers - a Camper and Criminals Cozy Mystery Series written by Tonya Kappes and published by Independently Published. This book was released on 2018-10-30 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Welcome to Normal, Kentucky where NOTHING is normal.Librarian Abby Fawn is star struck when her favorite romance author, Nadine White, has rented a cozy camper at the Happy Trails Campground for the winter months. Abby is devastated to find out Nadine White is nothing like the person she portrays in interviews or on social media. In fact, Nadine White is not nice at all and Abby lets her feelings known that she thinks Nadine is a fraud. . .after she finds out Nadine has a ghost writer.When Nadine White is found dead in the Normal Library, Abby Fawn is Detective Hank Sharp's number one suspect. It's time for Mae West to put up her camping gear for the winter months and put on her sleuthing gear to figure out who is framing Abby Fawn before Abby is the ending in Nadine White's final chapter. From USA Today Bestselling Author Tonya Kappes, this bestselling and hilarious mystery series is all the rage! You don't want to miss out!

Forests, Fishing, and Forgery

Download Forests, Fishing, and Forgery PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN 13 : 9781724580962
Total Pages : 300 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (89 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Forests, Fishing, and Forgery by : Tonya Kappes

Download or read book Forests, Fishing, and Forgery written by Tonya Kappes and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2018-07-30 with total page 300 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Welcome to Normal, Kentucky where nothing is normal. It's Labor Day weekend in Normal, and if you know anything about camping and RVing, you know it's one of the busiest times of the year. Unfortunately, Daniel Boone National Park is in danger of being closed due to a drought and local businesses are scrambling for ideas to survive a possible shutdown. Happy Trails Campground is at the center of a murder in which campers as well locals are suspects. It looks likely that a local resident is responsible for the dastardly deed since the victim is the one person who had the power to shut down the national park, which would be devastating to Normal's small businesses. Follow Mae West as she searches for clues to get to the bottom of this Labor Day campground caper!

Partners in Lime

Download Partners in Lime PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Sourcebooks, Inc.
ISBN 13 : 1728238633
Total Pages : 245 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (282 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Partners in Lime by : Bree Baker

Download or read book Partners in Lime written by Bree Baker and published by Sourcebooks, Inc.. This book was released on 2021-08-31 with total page 245 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the sixth book of the popular Seaside Café Mystery series, Partners in Lime, Everly Swan just wants to enjoy Charm's annual outdoor play. But a when a surfer rolls into town then turns up dead and Everly's EMT friend Matt is the prime suspect things gets dicey. Will Everly be able to crack the case and save her friend by opening night? Hitting all the sweet tea spots, this series is: A delightful Tea Shop and Café Culinary Mystery The ideal cozy beach read Perfect for fans of Laura Childs and Kate Carlisle It all seems to be smooth sailing for Everly Swan. The island of Charm, North Carolina is hosting tons of fun summer events, her iced tea shop is a hit, and best of all, she's finally dating the handsome Detective Grady Hays. But their romantic bubble bursts when tragedy strikes: a surf-pro is found murdered on the beach, killed with a theater prop. Grady follows the evidence, all of which points to Matt, Everly's friend and one-time fling. As Grady does his job, so does Everly—her unofficial chef-turned-sleuth-job, that is. She's determined to clear her friend's name but the arrival of a fancy new teashop and The Town Charmer, a gossip blog determined to rock the boat, complicates things. As Everly tries to keep rumors at bay and investigate the murder (and her new tea rival), the killer leaves a message in the sand... INCLUDES DELICIOUS RECIPIES "A smart and likable protagonist, a vividly rendered setting, a suitably twisty plot, and some colorful supporting characters are the ingredients for a concoction as appealing as any of Everly Swan's specialty sweet teas."—Livia J. Washburn, national bestselling author, for Live and Let Chai

A Call for Kelp

Download A Call for Kelp PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Sourcebooks, Inc.
ISBN 13 : 1728205735
Total Pages : 206 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (282 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis A Call for Kelp by : Bree Baker

Download or read book A Call for Kelp written by Bree Baker and published by Sourcebooks, Inc.. This book was released on 2020-05-26 with total page 206 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the fourth book of the popular Seaside Café Mysteries, A Call for Kelp, Everly Swan's mission to help her aunts with their beekeeping project takes a nasty turn. It's sink or swim for Everly with her most bizarre case yet! Hitting all the sweet-tea spots, this series is: A delightful Tea Shop and Café Culinary Mystery The ideal cozy beach read Perfect for fans of Laura Childs and Kate Carlisle Everly Swan is busy as a bee running her beachside iced tea shop, and the small island of Charm, North Carolina is abuzz—Mitzi Calgon, an iconic Hollywood actress, is in town! Everly's great-aunts are making a documentary about beekeeping and Mitzi has agreed to help. Aunt Clara and Aunt Fran are determined to save endangered honeybees but soon find themselves in a bind when Mitzi turns up dead. Soon, reporters and fans swarm the island, muddying the water and disrupting the peaceful lives of the townspeople. Everly's never been good at minding her own beeswax, so she starts following her own leads and combing through the evidence. Then there's the mystery of Detective Hays—ever since their kiss under the mistletoe, he's been acting distant. And he's annoyingly determined to keep Everly away from the case. With her beekeeping aunts' reputations on the line, the sleuth will stop at nothing to crack the case. But when she receives a cryptic warning to "Bee Careful", Everly realizes that she's gotten herself into a really sticky situation... From beekeeping and baking to sniffing out clues, the newest seaside café book from Bree Baker is dangerously sweet—just make sure you don't get stung by this tea cozy's surprise ending! INCLUDES DELICIOUS FOOD AND DRINK RECIPES

The High Crown Chronicles

Download The High Crown Chronicles PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Clean Teen Publishing
ISBN 13 : 163422390X
Total Pages : 372 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (342 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The High Crown Chronicles by : Jodi Gallegos

Download or read book The High Crown Chronicles written by Jodi Gallegos and published by Clean Teen Publishing. This book was released on 2020 with total page 372 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When a crown is at stake, blood will be shed… The High Crown Chroniclesis cinematic storytelling at its best. With stunning imagery, dynamic characters, and a slow-burn romance, Jodi Gallegos has built a fantastical world. Coupled with a strong female heroine who’s both relatable and fierce, this seamlessly layered plot pours the foundation for an epic fantasy series that readers will devour before asking for more. Malory is bound by blood to ensure the High Crown is returned to her kingdom—be it the blood that runs through her veins or the blood spilled at her feet. The eldest heir of the kingdom of Devlishire, Malory is destined to be the first reigning queen in a hundred years, though she’d prefer to spend her days sparring in the courtyard or reading tales of the long-forgotten gods rather than studying languages and royal lineage. But an upset in the balance of power between the Unified Kingdoms is about to disrupt peace in the land and promote unquenchable greed amongst its rulers. A jealous younger brother—and a salacious rumor—leaves Malory as a pawn in her father’s plot to overthrow the new ruling king. She’s forced to participate or risk the life of her best friend Esmond, a knight in the King’s Guard. Betrayed by her family, sent away from her home, and denied her birthright, Malory will navigate the courts of her new kingdom to protect it against any who threaten it—and her. Her journey will reawaken the warrior inside herself, and the gods who have lain dormant for a hundred years. The High Crown Chronicles is a young adult fantasy that embraces the spirit of betrayal, deception, and political intrigue that is at the core of Philippa Gregory novels, with the dark vengeance of George R.R. Martin. With heart-stopping action, relatable characters, and impeccable writing, the first novel in The High Crown Chroniclesby Jodi Gallegos is sure to leave readers hungry for more. The High Crown Chronicles by Jodi Gallegos - The High Crown Chronicles, Book 1 (Now Available) - Queen Of The Ruins, Book 2 (December 1, 2020) - The Battle of Gods and Men (Summer of 2021) Readers who love action-packed young adult fantasy page turners like The Key by Jennifer Anne Davis and An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir will love The High Crown Chronicles by Jodi Gallegos.

The Golden Chersonese and the Way Thither

Download The Golden Chersonese and the Way Thither PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 538 pages
Book Rating : 4.M/5 ( download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Golden Chersonese and the Way Thither by : Isabella Lucy Bird

Download or read book The Golden Chersonese and the Way Thither written by Isabella Lucy Bird and published by . This book was released on 1892 with total page 538 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Fixin' To Die

Download Fixin' To Die PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Independently Published
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (975 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Fixin' To Die by : Tonya Kappes

Download or read book Fixin' To Die written by Tonya Kappes and published by Independently Published. This book was released on 2021-10-15 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Kenni Lowry likes to think the zero crime rate in Cottonwood, Kentucky is due to her being sheriff, but she quickly discovers the ghost of her grandfather, the town's previous sheriff, has been scaring off any would-be criminals since she was elected. When the town's most beloved doctor is found murdered on the very same day as a jewelry store robbery, and a mysterious symbol ties the crime scenes together, Kenni must satisfy her hankerin' for justice by nabbing the culprits. With the help of her poppa, a lone deputy, and an annoyingly cute, too-big-for-his-britches State Reserve officer, Kenni must solve both cases and prove to the whole town, and herself, that she's worth her salt before time runs out.

Punch, Pastries, and Poison

Download Punch, Pastries, and Poison PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Harper Lin Books
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 194 pages
Book Rating : 4./5 ( download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Punch, Pastries, and Poison by : Harper Lin

Download or read book Punch, Pastries, and Poison written by Harper Lin and published by Harper Lin Books. This book was released on 2021-05-12 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From 3x USA TODAY Bestselling Author Harper Lin: the popular cozy mystery series set in a charming beach town! Fran throws Matt a birthday party at the cafe and invites all of Cape Bay to attend. Halfway into the party, many of the guests become sick, and some end up in the ER. Fran fears the cause was food poisoning, but Detective Mike Stanton informs her that it was actual poison—someone at the party intentionally poisoned the pastries or punch. Did the perp mean to target one person or to hurt as many people as possible? Did they want to shut down the cafe and destroy her business? Was it someone she knew or a sick stranger? Whoever it was, Fran had likely met the culprit at her party. And that makes her shudder. When another partygoer ends up dead days later, Fran is on high alert. She must find the murderer before anyone else gets hurt. Includes special recipes! keywords: culinary cozy mystery cozy mystery bestseller cozy mystery with recipes cozy mystery with dogs cozy mystery series with romance small town cozy mystery beach town cozy mystery series cupcake cozy mystery coffee shop cozy mystery Italian cozy mystery series Clean romance cozy series dessert cosy series

Whispers Through the Trees

Download Whispers Through the Trees PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Ideals Publications
ISBN 13 : 9780824947118
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.9/5 (471 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Whispers Through the Trees by : Susan Plunkett

Download or read book Whispers Through the Trees written by Susan Plunkett and published by Ideals Publications. This book was released on 2007 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Abby Stanton, a noted East Coast bird specialist, rushes home to the magnificent San Jan Islands in Pacific Northwest after a terrible car accident leaves her sister Mary paralysed from the waist down. While there, Abby spots a rare and endangered marbled murrelet and its mate. Determined to save them, she finds herself caught up in fascinating intrigue and one of the long-time families on Sparrow Island. Will Abby's quest for the birds draw her back home? What adventures await her in this marvellous place of serene beauty? Join Abby as she begins her new calling as an amateur sleuth, with God's still, soft voice guiding her way.

Wattle Island Book Club, The

Download Wattle Island Book Club, The PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Random House Australia
ISBN 13 : 1761048538
Total Pages : 386 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (61 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Wattle Island Book Club, The by : Sandie Docker

Download or read book Wattle Island Book Club, The written by Sandie Docker and published by Random House Australia. This book was released on 2022-08-02 with total page 386 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Is it ever too late to rewrite your own story? COURAGE In 1950, teenager Anne flees Wattle Island for the big city, where she learns that establishing the life she's always dreamed of isn't as easy as she thought. When a secret she's been keeping is discovered, she has no choice but to retreat home and live a quiet life. But when tragedy strikes, establishing the Wattle Island book club is the only thing that offers her solace. PASSION In 2018, spirited librarian Grace has been writing bucket lists since she was a child, and is ticking off as many challenges as she can now that life has handed her a hefty dose of perspective. Heading to Wattle Island on one of her adventures, she is determined to uncover a long-held mystery surrounding the town's historic book club, unlocking a buried truth that has been trapped between the dusty pages of secrecy for years. HOPE All too aware of how fragile life is, Anne and Grace must come together to help the residents of Wattle Island find the bravery to move beyond the trauma that tore the book club apart. Budding relationships offer new hope, along with a library project for the town's future - but it will take more than a few lively literary debates to break the silence and heal the past. Welcome to the Wattle Island Book Club, where some chapters may end, but others are just beginning...

Rich People Problems

Download Rich People Problems PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Anchor
ISBN 13 : 0385542240
Total Pages : 505 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (855 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Rich People Problems by : Kevin Kwan

Download or read book Rich People Problems written by Kevin Kwan and published by Anchor. This book was released on 2017-05-23 with total page 505 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of the international sensation Crazy Rich Asians and China Rich Girlfriend, here is the trilogy’s uproarious conclusion. • “A memorable, laugh-out-loud Asian glitz fest that’s a pure pleasure to read.” —USA Today When Nicholas Young hears that his grandmother, Su Yi, is on her deathbed, he rushes to be by her bedside—but he's not alone. The entire Shang-Young clan has convened from all corners of the globe to stake claim on their matriarch’s massive fortune. With each family member vying to inherit Tyersall Park—a trophy estate on 64 prime acres in the heart of Singapore—Nicholas’s childhood home turns into a hotbed of speculation and sabotage. As her relatives fight over heirlooms, Astrid Leong is at the center of her own storm, desperately in love with her old sweetheart Charlie Wu, but tormented by her ex-husband—a man hell bent on destroying Astrid’s reputation and relationship. Meanwhile Kitty Pong, married to China’s second richest man, billionaire Jack Bing, still feels second best next to her new step-daughter, famous fashionista Colette Bing. A sweeping novel that takes us from the elegantly appointed mansions of Manila to the secluded private islands in the Sulu Sea, from a kidnapping at Hong Kong’s most elite private school to a surprise marriage proposal at an Indian palace, caught on camera by the telephoto lenses of paparazzi, Kevin Kwan's hilarious, gloriously wicked new novel reveals the long-buried secrets of Asia's most privileged families and their rich people problems.

Beach Bags and Burglaries

Download Beach Bags and Burglaries PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 0758294964
Total Pages : 318 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (582 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Beach Bags and Burglaries by : Dorothy Howell

Download or read book Beach Bags and Burglaries written by Dorothy Howell and published by . This book was released on 2015-08-25 with total page 318 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Part-time sleuth and full-time fashionista Haley Randolph just won an all-expenses-paid vacay at the Rowan Resort. The island has everything Haley imagined: pristine beaches, posh accommodations, and possibly Brad Pitt. But trouble soon looms on the horizon when Jaslyn Gordon, a maid at the island resort, goes missing. And while practically looting the resort for a Sea Vixen beach bag, Haley of course finds the maid--on the beach. . .and clearly dead. Everyone at the resort says Jaslyn's death was just an accident, but Haley thinks there's a lot going unsaid. Haley's faced down clever criminals before and always come out on top, but this malicious murderer might be too crafty. And though she's dying to get her hands on a Sea Vixen, she also wants to live long enough to be seen with it. . .

Deserts, Driving, and Derelicts

Download Deserts, Driving, and Derelicts PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN 13 : 9781723010866
Total Pages : 326 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (18 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Deserts, Driving, and Derelicts by : Tonya Kappes

Download or read book Deserts, Driving, and Derelicts written by Tonya Kappes and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2018-07-12 with total page 326 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Welcome to Normal, Kentucky, where nothin' is normal! Mae West is getting settled into the RV lifestyle as the owner of a campground in Normal, Kentucky. Happy Trails Campground, located in Daniel Boone National Park, has started to attract late summer vacationing families who love to hike, swim, fish, and enjoy being outdoors. Betts Hager, owner of several small businesses, is swamped with work and desperate for help with her cleaning business. Mae offers her services, happy about the prospect of a little extra cash. Heiress Tammy Jo Bentley's mansion is the first one on her schedule. Mae makes sure Tammy Jo's house is spotless because the Kentucky Kennel Association's annual meeting is going to be held at the mansion. Fifi, Tammy Jo's high pedigree, insured poodle, is going to be on display and Tammy Jo will be evaluating potential suitors to sire Fifi's offspring. Before the annual meeting, Camille Braun, Fifi's nanny, is stabbed to death. Everyone knows that Camille would put her life on the line *or* lay down her life for Fifi and, apparently, she did. Mae tries her best to stay out of it. Tammy Jo begs Mae to help her; after all, she did find the last killer in Normal. Plus, it's not good for business - or Normal's revived economy - when a murderer is on the loose. Mae has grown to love her RV community and now that she's found a place to call him, she's not going to let anybody ruin it. Mae throws all of her heart and amateur sleuthing skills into bringing the real killer to justice.

What Parish Are You From?

Download What Parish Are You From? PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : University Press of Kentucky
ISBN 13 : 0813149274
Total Pages : 240 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (131 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis What Parish Are You From? by : Eileen M. McMahon

Download or read book What Parish Are You From? written by Eileen M. McMahon and published by University Press of Kentucky. This book was released on 2014-07-11 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For Irish Americans as well as for Chicago's other ethnic groups, the local parish once formed the nucleus of daily life. Focusing on the parish of St. Sabina's in the southwest Chicago neighborhood of Auburn-Gresham, Eileen McMahon takes a penetrating look at the response of Catholic ethnics to life in twentieth-century America. She reveals the role the parish church played in achieving a cohesive and vital ethnic neighborhood and shows how ethno-religious distinctions gave way to racial differences as a central point of identity and conflict. For most of this century the parish served as an important mechanism for helping Irish Catholics cope with a dominant Protestant-American culture. Anti-Catholicism in the society at large contributed to dependency on parishes and to a desire for separateness from the American mainstream. As much as Catholics may have wanted to insulate themselves in their parish communities, however, Chicago demographics and the fluid nature of the larger society made this ultimately impossible. Despite efforts at integration attempted by St. Sabina's liberal clergy, white parishioners viewed black migration into their neighborhood as a threat to their way of life and resisted it even as they relocated to the suburbs. The transition from white to black neighborhoods and parishes is a major theme of twentieth-century urban history. The experience of St. Sabina's, which changed from a predominantly Irish parish to a vibrant African-American Catholic community, provides insights into this social trend and suggests how the interplay between faith and ethnicity contributes to a resistance to change.

Innocence Taken

Download Innocence Taken PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Dark Force Press
ISBN 13 : 1946934003
Total Pages : 356 pages
Book Rating : 4.9/5 (469 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Innocence Taken by : Victoria M. Patton

Download or read book Innocence Taken written by Victoria M. Patton and published by Dark Force Press. This book was released on 2017-03-31 with total page 356 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Lion and Dragon in Northern China

Download Lion and Dragon in Northern China PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Library of Alexandria
ISBN 13 : 1465585745
Total Pages : 461 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (655 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Lion and Dragon in Northern China by : Sir Reginald Fleming Johnston

Download or read book Lion and Dragon in Northern China written by Sir Reginald Fleming Johnston and published by Library of Alexandria. This book was released on 2020-09-28 with total page 461 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Less than a dozen years have passed since the guns of British warships first saluted the flag of their country at the Chinese port of Weihaiwei, yet it is nearly a century since the white ensign was seen there for the first time. In the summer of 1816 His Britannic Majesty's frigate Alceste, accompanied by the sloop Lyra, bound for the still mysterious and unsurveyed coasts of Korea and the Luchu Islands, sailed eastwards from the mouth of the Pei-ho along the northern coast of the province of Shantung, and on the 27th August of that year cast anchor in the harbour of "Oie-hai-oie." Had the gallant officers of the Alceste and Lyra been inspired with knowledge of future political developments, they would doubtless have handed down to us an interesting account of the place and its inhabitants. All we learn from Captain Basil Hall's delightful chronicle of the voyage of the two ships consists of a few details—in the truest sense ephemeral—as to wind and weather, and a statement that the rocks of the mainland consist of "yellowish felspar, white quartz, and black mica." The rest is silence. From that time until the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War in 1894 the British public heard little or nothing of Weihaiwei. After the fall of Port Arthur, during that war, it was China's only remaining naval base. The struggle that ensued in January 1895, when, with vastly superior force, the Japanese attacked it by land and sea, forms one of the few episodes of that war upon which the Chinese can look back without overwhelming shame. Victory, however, went to those who had the strongest battalions and the stoutest hearts. The three-weeks siege ended in the suicide of the brave Chinese Commander-in-Chief, Admiral Ting, and in the loss to China of her last coast-fortress and the whole of her fleet. Finally, as a result of the seizure of Port Arthur by Russia and a subsequent three-cornered agreement between Japan, China and England, Weihaiwei was leased to Great Britain under the terms of a Convention signed at Peking in July 1898. The British robe of empire is a very splendid and wonderfully variegated garment. It bears the gorgeous scarlets and purples of the Indies, it shimmers with the diamonds of Africa, it is lustrous with the whiteness of our Lady of Snows, it is scented with the spices of Ceylon, it is decked with the pearls and soft fleeces of Australia. But there is also—pinned to the edge of this magnificent robe—a little drab-coloured ribbon that is in constant danger of being dragged in the mud or trodden underfoot, and is frequently the object of disrespectful gibes. This is Weihaiwei. Whether the imperial robe would not look more imposing without this nondescript appendage is a question which may be left to the student of political fashion-plates: it will concern us hardly at all in the pages of this book. An English newspaper published in China has dubbed Weihaiwei the Cinderella of the British Empire, and speculates vaguely as to where her Fairy Prince is to come from. Alas, the Fairy Godmother must first do her share in making poor Cinderella beautiful and presentable before any Fairy Prince can be expected to find in her the lady of his dreams: and the Godmother has certainly not yet made her appearance, unless, indeed, the British Colonial Office is presumptuous enough to put forward a claim (totally unjustifiable) to that position. By no means do I, in the absence of the Fairy Prince, propose to ride knight-like into the lists of political controversy wearing the gage of so forlorn a damsel-in-distress as Weihaiwei. Let me explain, dropping metaphor, that the following pages will contain but slender contribution to the vexed questions of the strategic importance of the port or of its potential value as a depôt of commerce. Are not such things set down in the books of the official scribes? Nor will they constitute a guide-book that might help exiled Europeans to decide upon the merits of Weihaiwei as a resort for white-cheeked children from Shanghai and Hongkong, or as affording a dumping-ground for brass-bands and bathing-machines. On these matters, too, information is not lacking. As for the position of Weihaiwei on the playground of international politics, it may be that Foreign Ministers have not yet ceased to regard it as an interesting toy to be played with when sterner excitements are lacking. But it will be the aim of these pages to avoid as far as possible any incursion into the realm of politics: for it is not with Weihaiwei as a diplomatic shuttlecock that they profess to deal, but with Weihaiwei as the ancestral home of many thousands of Chinese peasants, who present a stolid and almost changeless front to all the storms and fluctuations of politics and war.