Secret Kendal by Andrew Graham Stables, £14.99

SECRET Kendal offers a unique insight into the 'Gateway to the Lakes' through a series of little-known and forgotten stories, facts and anecdotes from its past. Local author Andrew Graham Stables takes the reader on a fascinating journey from pre-Roman times to the present day. He tells how a mistake in the preparation of peppermint creams led to the town’s most famous export, as well as introducing the reader to nefarious characters and telling tales of dark deeds from its long and often grisly history. Secret Kendal delves beneath the surface of this ancient market town, revealing a lesser-known and unsavoury past that even most local people don’t know.

CAROLINE REECE

WATERSTONES KENDAL

Publisher Amberley Publishing