British Book Bargains + Intriguing Pre-Author Careers

April 12, 2025

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Many readers know that British literature is packed with authors who first served as spies - from Sir Ian Fleming and John le Carré to Roald Dahl and Graham Greene, the work of a spy seems to provide ample material for writing great fiction.

Other authors have taken less dangerous (but still very interesting) paths. SJ Watson was an NHS audiologist when he wrote his debut thriller Before I Go to Sleep. James Oswald was a Scottish livestock farmer before self-publishing his hugely successful Inspector MacLean detective series - and despite millions in sales, he continues to run his farm in Fife.

Lesley Cookman, author of the Libby Sarjeant mysteries, worked briefly at a Butlins (the famous holiday camps that inspired the British TV series Hi-de-Hi!) - while Imogen Hermes Gowar, author of the historical novel The Mermaid & Mrs. Hancock, worked in Visitor Services at the British Museum.

It all goes to show there’s no wrong way to arrive at being an author - the only thing that matters is your ability to tell a good story.

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British eBooks on Sale Today

As always, a short disclaimer on the sale listings - the overwhelming majority of our readers are US-based, so sale availability may vary outside of the US (it’s up to the publisher/author if they wish to coordinate sales internationally). Deals can disappear at any time, but all e-books were $2.99 or less at time of writing.

  • Coming Home to the Highlands by Lisa Hobman - A New York fashion designer from a Scottish clan returns home to Drumblair Castle after a family crisis forces her to choose between her dream career and her ancestral legacy.

  • A Fatal Lie by Charles Todd - Inspector Ian Rutledge is called to a Welsh village to identify a man found dead beneath a canal aqueduct, uncovering a tangle of lies, secrets, and a killer determined to stay hidden.

  • A Brush With Death by JM Hall - When a local man dies of an apparent heart attack, three retired schoolteachers turn sleuth to investigate his suspicious ex-wife’s claims—uncovering village secrets, old grudges, and a possible murder.

  • The Prophecy by Kim Sakwa - A modern woman on a soul-searching trip to Scotland is swept back to 15th century Seagrave Castle, where she meets a fierce highlander who believes she’s the woman of prophecy destined to be his.

  • The Age of Adventure by Judy Leigh - When family tensions reach a boiling point, Georgie Turner gathers three generations of Turner women for a wild road trip—hoping sun, sea, and prosecco can fix what’s broken.

  • The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durant by Kayte Nunn - When marine scientist Rachel Parker takes shelter in the Isles of Scilly during a storm, she discovers 1950s love letters that lead her on a journey connecting an isolated Cornish asylum, a young mother’s hidden past, and secrets that have been buried for over sixty years.

  • The Peacock Summer by Hannah Richell - In 1955, Lillian Oberon feels trapped in her gilded marriage at the Cloudesley estate until an artist awakens her desire for change; decades later, her granddaughter Maggie returns to the crumbling manor and uncovers long-buried secrets that could alter both their destinies.

  • The Familiars by Stacey Halls - In 1612 Lancashire, a pregnant noblewoman defies fear and superstition to save her life—and that of a young midwife accused of witchcraft—amid the infamous Pendle witch trials.

  • Cotswolds Holiday by Kasey Stockton - When a woman flees to the snowy Cotswolds to avoid her ex’s wedding, she finds herself falling for her rugged pub owner landlord—despite knowing their transatlantic romance can’t last.

  • Where There’s Smoke by Simon Beckett - When independent Kate Powell seeks a known donor to have a child on her own terms, she finds the perfect match—until her carefully planned life begins to spiral into a deadly nightmare.

  • Cordelia Gray Mystery Box Set by PD James - This discounted bundle gives you both of PD James’s novels about private investigator Cordelia Gray.

  • Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier - In Monte Carlo, a shy young woman marries the wealthy widower Maxim de Winter, only to find her new life at Manderley, his grand Cornish estate, haunted by the lingering presence of his first wife. A must-read Gothic classic.

“When you didn’t care about your job, the people in authority quickly realised just how little power they had.”

MW Craven, The Puppet Show

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