‘Extraordinary’ Daily Mail

As seen on BBC Breakfast

Horrifying, heartbreaking and eye-opening, these are the stories, the patients and the cases that have characterised a career spent being a doctor behind bars.

Violence. Drugs. Suicide. Welcome to the world of a Prison Doctor.

Dr Amanda Brown has treated inmates in the UK’s most infamous prisons – first in young offenders’ institutions, then at the notorious Wormwood Scrubs and finally at Europe’s largest women-only prison in Europe, Bronzefield.

From miraculous pregnancies to dirty protests, and from violent attacks on prisoners to heartbreaking acts of self-harm, she has witnessed it all.

In this eye-opening, inspirational memoir, Amanda reveals the stories, the patients and the cases that have shaped a career helping those most of us would rather forget.

Despite their crimes, she is still their doctor.

Dreaming of your next holiday? Let Ruth Kelly transport you away to the sunny climes of Provence.

Ava needs to escape.

Stuck in a dead-end job, her husband Mark has left her with a mountain of debt and no clue as to when he'll be back.

When she receives the news that her grandfather has passed away, Ava is shocked to learn he has left his entire vineyard, Chateau Saint Clair, to her.

Fresh coffee and croissants for breakfast, a glass of red with the handsome local waiter Jacques; Ava starts to feel quite at home. But it would be madness to walk away from her marriage, to take a chance on a place she fell for as a child - wouldn't it?

Fans of Jenny Colgan, Lucy Diamond and Veronica Henry will want to join Ava for a glass of wine as the sun sets on the terrace at Chateau Saint Clair.

The grander the home. The darker the secrets.

From bestselling author Ruth Kelly, The Escape is an electrifying winter thriller for fans of Lisa Jewell and Sarah Pearse.

A Perfect Escape

When struggling influencer couple Adele and Jack post a crowdfunding video online, they're amazed by a mysterious benefactor's offer: to buy them an idyllic 17th century French château. It’s the lifeline they need to leave all their troubles behind – and patch up their relationship after a rocky period.

A Hostile Town

For Adele, it’s a dream come true. She will post videos from the fairytale setting, renovating the grand building as thousands of online subscribers follow their journey. But the château is not all it seems, and the local community is far from welcoming.

A Search For The Truth

Suddenly, Adele stops uploading. The videos stop, her feeds go silent. Her sister Erin travels to France to make sure she's okay, but the couple have vanished. Erin is determined to find them, but is disturbed by Adele's obsessive fans, the unsettling history of the château and the claustrophobic secrecy of the nearby town. And first, she must unravel the shocking truth: why did that anonymous investor gift Adele and Jack their dream home?

A Reality TV Thriller for Fans of Love Island.

‘A deliciously addictive thriller that will hook you in like the best – and scariest – reality TV show you’ve ever seen’ – TM Logan, author of The Holiday and The Mother

Death and mayhem erupt on an exclusive island as it plays host to a reality television show like no other . . . From bestselling author Ruth Kelly, The Villa is an electrifying summer read, perfect for fans of Lucy Foley and Catherine Cooper.

A Villa in Paradise

It’s destined to be the ultimate reality TV show. Ten contestants. A luxurious villa on a private island. Every moment streamed live to a global audience who have total control over those competing for the cash prize.

A Journalist Undercover

Reporter Laura is told to get the inside scoop on her fellow contestants. But once the games begin, she soon finds herself at the mercy of a ruthless producer willing to do anything to increase viewer numbers.

A Reality Show to Die For

There is more to every contestant than meets the eye, including Laura. They all have secrets they’d like to keep buried, and the pressure in paradise quickly reaches boiling point. How far will the contestants go to secure audience votes? And would somebody really kill to win?

'A scorching, smouldering, turbo-charged cocktail of sun, sex and secrets' – Veronica Henry

Readers are loving The Villa:

'This is such a good book! SO relevant for these times when we are immersed in reality TV. It is a fantastically entertaining story, but also has something of the cautionary tale in it too' 5* reader review

'A thoroughly enjoyable novel that works extremely well on a variety of levels. I will be watching out for Ruth Kelly's next offering with eager anticipation' 5* reader review

'This was a really addictive read! One to devour on a sunlounger but making sure you keep a beady eye on your surroundings' 5* reader review

THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER

As seen on This Morning

Back in the day, I was Governor of Security and Operations for HMP Wormwood Scrubs. If you’re easily shocked or offended, you best look away now…

Having worked for 16 years in a high-security women’s prison dealing with the likes of Rosemary West and Myra Hindley, Vanessa Frake thought she’d seen it all. That was until she was transferred to the notorious Wormwood Scrubs.

Thrust into a ‘man’s world’, her no-nonsense approach and fearless attitude saw her swiftly rise through the ranks. From dealing with celebrity criminals and busting drug rings, to recruiting informers and being subject to violent attacks, this hard-hitting but often humorous memoir reveals all about life behind bars in unflinching detail.

Now, for one last time, The Gov opens the prison gates. Prepare for the madness and horror of daily life with the UK’s most ruthless criminals.

"'Okay listen up everyone,' I said, zipping up my high visibility jacket. 'It will be most effective to comb the local area by taking a village each.' I told my team as I traced my finger across the map. My experience as a former copper was invaluable for our search. We weren't looking for a missing person though - we had a dog to find."

Any pet owner knows the agonising panic when their beloved furry family member goes missing, but Tom Watkins, former policeman turned pet detective, is on hand to reunite our animal companions with their owners.

From recording the owner's voice to lure cats from their hiding place, to organising a fly-over to raise the profile of missing Toby the terrier, from emptying the contents of the owner's vacuum to tempt in the missing animal with the scent, to organising a Crimewatch-style reconstruction of a dog-snatching on national TV, Tom will do whatever it takes to get the nation's pets home, safe and sound. The Real Pet Detective is the story of 20 years of missing pets, their owners and Tom's team of expert pet investigators.

‘The first time Shocks saw Amber coming, he lowered his head so she could wrap her arms around his nose. It was as if they understood each other’s pain. Like two broken beings, helping each other.’

When Shocks the donkey was left for dead on a farm in Ireland, no one ever thought he would make a full recovery.

When Amber and her twin sister Hope were born 26 weeks premature, it was Amber who was separated from her family and rushed into theatre for an emergency tracheostomy. Her parents were given the devastating news that she had Cerebral Palsy and would be unlikely to walk or talk.

Then Amber met Shocks at the Donkey Sanctuary and their lives were changed
for good.

This is their touching story of recovery through friendship.