One of the the American Library Association’s Top Ten Fantasy and SF Novels of 2010. A sensuous, suspenseful modern fantasy of love, betrayal, and redemption. An “Aetherial Tales” novel that can be read as a standalone, Freda Warrington’s Midsummer Night is a powerful contemporary fantasy, beginning with a prank that turns lethal when supernatural forces are unwittingly set loose. A century may not be enough to undo the terrible consequences of one fateful night’s mischief. Decades ago, at the remote Cairndonan estate on a storm-lashed coastline where the veil between our world and the Aetherial realm is thin, Juliana Flagg’s uncle – a young man called Adam – vanished in mysterious circumstances. Now Dame Juliana, a visionary artist, has inherited Cairndonan where she sculpts and runs a summer art school. However, all is not well, as she is plagued by ghosts, money troubles and her sinister ex-husband. A young athlete named Gill arrives to rent a cottage on the estate, in order to escape her own problems; a monstrous betrayal and an accident have destroyed her Olympic hopes. Now all Gill wants is solitude, but soon she’s entangled with the mischievous, flamboyant artist Peta, the creepy manservant Ned Badger and other residents of the great house – not least Juliana herself. One day Gill wanders into a strange village called Boundry that appears on no map. There she meets the seductive Rufus and his equally attractive but silent, brooding companion, Leith. The encounter leaves her unsettled. Soon after, during a violent storm, Leith comes through the portal in a state of distress and begs shelter at Gill’s cottage. Though he can explain nothing of his past, his innocence and charm capture her heart. But Leith becomes the focus of increasingly vicious arguments among the estate’s residents. Who is he – and who is the charismatic, cruel Rufus who claims to be his brother? Are these two young men as innocent as they seem – or are they poised to visit vengeance, death and heartbreak upon the human world? Gill, aided by Peta, stumbles into ever-greater danger as she tries to untangle the mysteries of Cairndonan’s past. But only when Dame Juliana finally dares to reveal Midsummer Night – the sinister, haunted sculpture to which she’s devoted years of her life – will the full storm break loose at last. A magical, romantic and suspenseful story filled with intrigue and adventure, Midsummer Night is a “moody and spine-shivering” (Publishers Weekly) follow up to Elfland, which won the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award for “Best Fantasy Novel of 2009.” This standalone novel will appeal to readers of urban and modern fantasy and grab the attention of fans who love dark and sinister tales. Praise for Midsummer Night “Warrington doesn’t miss a beat with this sinister, ghostly tale of some of the darker aspects of the Aetherial world and its denizens’ dealings with humanity.” —Publishers Weekly “Each book is a stand-alone volume and an absolute delight.” —Charles de Lint, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction “With its elegant but not over-the-top flowery prose, immersive setting, well-developed characters, natural dialogue and mystery-filled plot, it has left me eager for more Aetherial Tales.” —Fantasy Café “A powerful sense of wild landscape and strong characterization, plus a resonance of ancient magic, make Midsummer Night a truly compelling read.” —Liz Williams, author of The Ghost Sister “Delicate as gossamer, rich as darkest chocolate, Midsummer Night is a delicious, delectable, ravishing concoction of a book that fills the senses and satisfies the dreaming mind.” —Kari Sperring, author of Living With Ghosts “A sumptuous contemporary fantasy, rich with mysterious characters, romance and intrigue. Beautifully written, a delight to read.” —Justina Robson, author of Glorious Angels “One of the things that defines great fantasy is a Mythos that ‘speaks’ to the reader... In Midsummer Night, and the book in the series before it, Elfland, Freda Warrington shapes a rich Mythos. But Midsummer Night is not just a fantasy set in another world; it's also a contemporary mystery, thriller and romance. I thoroughly enjoyed it, lost myself in Freda's world quite happily for hours at a time and look forward to more.” —Storm Constantine, author of the Wraeththu Chronicles “Now let’s see why I found Midsummer Night so impressive... The plotting of the novel is superb with all the aforementioned secrets slowly revealed... This seamless integration of character back story and forward action is another major strength and Midsummer Night just flows with no narrative walls... all integrated in a tapestry.” —Fantasybookcritic.blogspot.com “Like so many British and Irish fantasy writers, Warrington writes beautiful prose with lush descriptions. She digs deep into her characters, and, as they develop, the readers learn surfaces are far different from the real people. The sculptures of Juliana form an apt metaphor for the complex personalities of both human and the Aetherials. They are different people by the end of the novel and she excels at weaving in tantalizing bits of past history to show why they act and react as they do.” —SF Revu

Can Mimi undo the mayhem caused by her baking in this contemporary-fantasy retelling of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream? Eleven-year-old Mimi Mackson comes from a big Indian American family: Dad's a renowned food writer, Mom's a successful businesswoman, and her three older siblings all have their own respective accomplishments. It's easy to feel invisible in such an impressive family, but Mimi's dream of proving she's not the least-talented member of her family seems possible when she discovers a baking contest at the new bakery in town. Plus, it'll start her on the path to becoming a celebrity chef like her culinary idol, Puffy Fay. But when Mimi's dad returns from a business trip, he's mysteriously lost his highly honed sense of taste. Without his help, Mimi will never be able to bake something impressive enough to propel her to gastronomic fame. Drawn into the woods behind her house by a strangely familiar song, Mimi meets Vik, a boy who brings her to parts of the forest she's never seen. Who knew there were banyan trees and wild boars in Massachusetts? Together they discover exotic ingredients and bake them into delectable and enchanting treats. But as her dad acts stranger every day, and her siblings' romantic entanglements cause trouble in their town, Mimi begins to wonder whether the ingredients she and Vik found are somehow the cause of it all. She needs to use her skills, deductive and epicurean, to uncover what's happened. In the process, she learns that in life as in baking, not everything is sweet. . . .

As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning is the moving follow-up to Laurie Lee's acclaimed Cider with Rosie Abandoning the Cotswolds village that raised him, the young Laurie Lee walks to London. There he makes a living labouring and playing the violin. But, deciding to travel further a field and knowing only the Spanish phrase for 'Will you please give me a glass of water?', he heads for Spain. With just a blanket to sleep under and his trusty violin, he spends a year crossing Spain, from Vigo in the north to the southern coast. Only the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War puts an end to his extraordinary peregrinations . . . 'He writes like an angel and conveys the pride and vitality of the humblest Spanish life with unfailing sharpness, zest and humour' Sunday Times 'There's a formidable, instant charm in the writing that genuinely makes it difficult to put the book down' New Statesman 'A beautiful piece of writing' Observer

Midsummer--or the summer solstice--occurs when the sun is at the height of its power, the faeries are most active, and the future can be uncovered with ease. Shakespeare even captured the mischief of the occasion in his play, "A Midsummer Night's Dream." This book explores Midsummer customs and bears witness to their power today.

A Financial Times Summer Book of 2019 Seasoned adventurer Alastair Humphreys pushes himself to his very limits – busking his way across Spain with a violin he can barely play.