Anthologies featuring bestselling authors alongside rising stars. Short story collections from some of our beloved authors with Roald Dahl, Raymond Carver and Anita Desai among the better known
Anthologies & Short Stories
Unbound Feather, Leaf, Bark & Stone
Book SynopsisFeather, Leaf, Bark & Stone is a book of poems and meditations with a difference. More than a hundred short texts have been typed onto small squares of gold leaf, then photographed. These pieces are arranged in a sequence which culminates in a glorious final section made up of texts typed directly onto leaves, bark and feathers. Jackie started to write the pieces shortly after her father died, and for the first time ever she found herself unable to paint. The words grew out of her grief and, guided by her deep intimacy with the natural world, these objects emerged to fill the space her paintings had left behind. This book is full of the light and wind that fills the Pembrokeshire coast where it was crafted, each page anchored to the landscape by the mechanical rhythm of Jackie’s antique typewriters. The result is a collection of individual artworks to be both looked at and read. It is poetry re-imagined by a visual artist; words transformed back into their original function as images.Feather, Leaf, Bark & Stone announces a new departure for Jackie Morris and confirms her as an artist and writer at the peak of her power.
£19.00
S&s/Saga Press Wounds: Six Stories from the Border of Hell
Book Synopsis
£14.44
Faber & Faber The PartTime Job
Book SynopsisI wasn't in any particular hurry to kill him. What was important was to make sure that the deed was done without suspicion settling on meFollow P D James, Queen of Crime', as she takes us into the mind of a man who has waited decades to enact his patient, ingenious revenge on a school bully. A small, dark, treat, The Part-Time Job' is published in this special edition - for the first time in book form - in celebration of what would have been P.D. James' 100th birthday.
£7.56
Orion Publishing Co Beaten By The Masters MASTER BRIDGE
Book SynopsisDavid Bird, known world-wide for his tales of the bridge-crazy monks of St Titus, moves to a hilarious new setting. Bridge is a compulsory subject at Cholmeley school and a host of vibrant characters participate in the action. Madame Baguette, the Senior French mistress, chases any master whose hair is still where it should be. They, meanwhile, turn a roving eye towards Yvonne Guitton, the junior French mistress. And woe betide any unhappy boy (or member of staff) who finds himself partnering the irascible Headmaster.As with all David Bird''s books, it is not just a matter of the readers being convulsed with laughter. The bridge is as brilliant as ever, and by the time the final episode is reached, much sound bridge instruction has been painlessly absorbed. Which is more than can be said for those poor unfortunates caught playing a torch-lit rubber after lights-out.
£12.34
Flame Tree Publishing Were Wolf Short Stories
Book SynopsisThere's more to being a wolf than howling at the moon! This Gothic Fantasy volume blends modern werewolf tales with medieval folklore and mythology. Explore Old English origins, Norse legends like Fenrir at Ragnarök, and Slavic myths of stolen wolf-skins. A stunning new book with tales of humans, wolves, power, identity, horror, and romance.
£16.00
Hodder & Stoughton If It Bleeds: The No. 1 bestseller featuring a
Book SynopsisThe No.1 Sunday Times bestseller featuring a stand-alone sequel to The Outsider as well as the novella 'Mr Harrigan's Phone', now with a stunning new cover look.News people have a saying:'If it bleeds, it leads'.Following a horrific explosion at a school, Holly Gibney of the Finders Keepers detective agency notices something suspicious about the TV reporter who is first on the scene. In this riveting title story, Holly sets out to discover what he is hiding in her first solo crime case.Dancing alongside this stand-alone sequel to The Outsider are three more irresistible long stories: 'Mr Harrigan's Phone' sees young Craig introduce a curmudgeonly retired businessman to the wonders of the smartphone; 'The Life of Chuck' is a three act life-story - told in reverse order - about a man whose face appears on a billboard; and 'Rat' sees a struggling author head to a remote cabin in the woods of North Maine, where a deal-making rodent offers him a life-changing pact.Trade ReviewFull of vividly drawn characters and unsettling themes, If It Bleeds is another tour de force by a master storyteller * Daily Express *Full of vividly drawn characters and unsettling themes, If It Bleeds is another tour de force by a master storyteller * Daily Express *Such glimpses into King's own mind are riveting and satisfyingly terrifying. Read the book for this * Evening Standard *Such glimpses into King's own mind are riveting and satisfyingly terrifying. Read the book for this * Evening Standard *The horror writer is at his familiar best with four suspenseful and sometimes surprisingly tender novellas... If It Bleeds brings together four new stories, all offering vintage King themes with their own particular twist... King, as always, is right on the money * Observer *The horror writer is at his familiar best with four suspenseful and sometimes surprisingly tender novellas... If It Bleeds brings together four new stories, all offering vintage King themes with their own particular twist... King, as always, is right on the money * Observer *The titular novella is...an impeccably judged whodunnit...the other three [are] readable, engaging studies of male lives at different stages * The Sunday Times *The titular novella is...an impeccably judged whodunnit...the other three [are] readable, engaging studies of male lives at different stages * The Sunday Times *You may wonder if the great yarn spinner of the supernatural possesses psychic abilities of his own because this collection of short stories is so timely... Spine-chillingly brilliant * The People *You may wonder if the great yarn spinner of the supernatural possesses psychic abilities of his own because this collection of short stories is so timely... Spine-chillingly brilliant * The People *You'll fly through IF IT BLEEDS * Daily Telegraph *You'll fly through IF IT BLEEDS * Daily Telegraph *You are drawn in immediately and kept guessing until the end * the Sun (On the audiobook) *You are drawn in immediately and kept guessing until the end * the Sun (On the audiobook) *Four wonderful stories * Press Association *Four wonderful stories * Press Association *full of vividly drawn characters ... another tour de force by a master storyteller * Daily Mirror *Full of vividly drawn characters ... another tour de force by a master storyteller * Daily Mirror *His achievements... are dazzling in scope... immensely enjoyable * London Review of Books *His achievements... are dazzling in scope... immensely enjoyable * London Review of Books *The straightforward cadences of King's voice, paired with his signature sit-down-and-let-me-tell-you-a-story style, were immediately soothing. And the stories he was telling - about the seductions and corruptions of technology, the extremes of beauty and depravity in even the most ordinary life, the workings of a universe we can never entirely understand - were somehow exactly what I wanted to read right now... As sirens blare outside my Brooklyn window and the headlines grow more apocalyptic by the day, I might start working my way through King's backlist. He's good company in the dark * New York Times *The straightforward cadences of King's voice, paired with his signature sit-down-and-let-me-tell-you-a-story style, were immediately soothing. And the stories he was telling - about the seductions and corruptions of technology, the extremes of beauty and depravity in even the most ordinary life, the workings of a universe we can never entirely understand - were somehow exactly what I wanted to read right now... As sirens blare outside my Brooklyn window and the headlines grow more apocalyptic by the day, I might start working my way through King's backlist. He's good company in the dark * New York Times *Four new, exceptionally compelling novellas that reaffirm his mastery of the form... stories that cover a surprising amount of emotional territory but can still be read in a sitting... King's affection for [Holly] is evident on every page... deeply empathetic and compulsively readable * Washington Post *Four new, exceptionally compelling novellas that reaffirm his mastery of the form... stories that cover a surprising amount of emotional territory but can still be read in a sitting... King's affection for [Holly] is evident on every page... deeply empathetic and compulsively readable * Washington Post *The iconic author will keep you up late at night engrossed in four tales about our dreams and our frailties * USA Today *The iconic author will keep you up late at night engrossed in four tales about our dreams and our frailties * USA Today *King is rightly acclaimed as one of the greatest - and most inventive - storytellers of our time and The Institute is a dazzling achievement * Daily Express (on The Institute) *King is rightly acclaimed as one of the greatest - and most inventive - storytellers of our time and The Institute is a dazzling achievement * Daily Express (on The Institute) *A genuinely intriguing mystery, one that uses many of the tropes of both so-called "grip-lit" thrillers and more conventional forensics-driven crime fiction... The Outsider gives King fans exactly what they want * Guardian (on The Outsider) *A genuinely intriguing mystery, one that uses many of the tropes of both so-called "grip-lit" thrillers and more conventional forensics-driven crime fiction... The Outsider gives King fans exactly what they want * Guardian (on The Outsider) *One of the greatest storytellers of the past century...If you read only one thriller this summer, make it this one * Daily Mail (on The Outsider) *One of the greatest storytellers of the past century...If you read only one thriller this summer, make it this one * Daily Mail (on The Outsider) *
£10.44
Everyman Flaubert's Parrot/History of the World
Book SynopsisFlaubert’s Parrot, shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1984, concerns the attempts of an increasingly bemused researcher to establish certain facts about a famous French novelist and the stuffed bird which used to sit on his desk.A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters blends fact and fiction in a virtuoso kaleidoscope of vignettes from Noah’s time to the present. One of the author’s most inventive works, it was praised by Salman Rushdie as ‘frequently brilliant, funny, thoughtful, iconoclastic and a delight to read’.
£12.34
John Murray Press Short Stories in Norwegian for Beginners: Read
Book SynopsisAn unmissable collection of eight unconventional and captivating short stories for young and adult learners of Norwegian."Olly's top-notch language-learning insights are right in line with the best of what we know from neuroscience and cognitive psychology about how to learn effectively. I love his work - and you will too!" - Barbara Oakley, PhD, Author of New York Times bestseller A Mind for Numbers Short Stories in Norwegian for Beginners has been written especially for students from high-beginner to low-intermediate level, designed to give a sense of achievement, a feeling of progress and most importantly - enjoyment! Mapped to A2-B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for languages, these eight captivating stories are designed to give you a sense of achievement and a feeling of progress when reading.What does this book give you?- Eight stories in a variety of exciting genres, from science fiction and crime to history and thriller - making reading fun, while you learn a wide range of new vocabulary-Controlled language at your level to help you progress confidently-Authentic spoken dialogues to help you learn conversational expressions and improve your speaking ability-Accessible grammar so you learn new structures naturally, in a stress-free way-Pleasure! Research shows that if you're enjoying reading in a foreign language, you won't experience the usual feelings of frustration - 'It's too hard!' 'I don't understand!'Carefully curated to make learning a new language easy, these stories include key features that will support and consolidate your progress, including: - A glossary for bolded words in each chapter- Full plot summary- A bilingual word list- Comprehension questions after each chapter. As a result, you will be able to focus on enjoying reading, delighting in your improved range of vocabulary and grasp of the language, without ever feeling overwhelmed. From science fiction to fantasy, to crime and thrillers, Short Stories in Norwegian for Beginners will make learning Norwegian easy and enjoyable.Trade ReviewAs researchers in language acquisition, we need to study people like you. * Stephen Krashen, Emeritus Professor, University of Southern California *Olly's advice on language learning is the real deal, and I recommend you pay attention to what he has to say! * Benny Lewis, Fluent in 3 Months *When we wanted to create a free online course on how to learn a language we asked Olly to write it with us. * Dr Tita Beaven, The Open University *Learning a language is challenging, but it's one of the best things you can do for your brain and your learning skill set... Olly Richards is doing some seriously incredible work to empower more and more people to rise to the challenge. * Jonathan Levi *Olly bridges the gap between theory and practice by helping you to use scientific principles to get real results with your language learning. * Anthony Metivier, Magnetic Memory Method *Olly's top-notch language-learning insights are right in line with the best of what we know from neuroscience and cognitive psychology about how to learn effectively. I love his work - and you will too! * Barbara Oakley, PhD, Author of New York Times bestseller A Mind for Numbers *
£10.44
Dedalus Ltd The Angels of Perversity
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£9.49
Random House USA Inc A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four
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£12.40
Flame Tree Publishing Christmas Gothic Short Stories
Book SynopsisThe Christmas Gothic (with thanks to author Marina Favila for the suggestion) is a seasonal celebration of the dark and moody, the ghastly, the ghostly and the magical Christmas short story. New stories from open submissions join the classic tales of Algernon Blackwood, James Joyce, E.F. Benson, Elizabeth Gaskell and more. The new, contemporary and notable writers featured are: Ramsey Campbell, Donna Cuttress, James Dodds, JG Faherty, Marina Favila, Kevin M. Folliard, John Linwood Grant, K.M. Hazel, Larry Hodges, E.E. King, Jonathan Robbins Leon, Clare Marsh, Marshall J. Moore, Templeton Moss, Jane Nightshade, Marie O’Regan, Katherine Quevedo, M.C. St. John, Lamont A. Turner, Suzanne J. Willis, and Cassondra Windwalker. Flame Tree Gothic Fantasy, Classic Stories and Epic Tales collections bring together the entire range of myth, folklore and modern short fiction. Highlighting the roots of suspense, supernatural, science fiction and mystery stories, the books in Flame Tree Collections series are beautifully presented, perfect as a gift and offer a lifetime of reading pleasure.
£16.00
Wordsworth Editions Ltd The Haunted Hotel & Other Stories
Book SynopsisEditedand with an Introduction by David Stuart Davies. ‘Have you ever heard of the fascination of terror?’ This is a unique collection of strange stories from the cunning pen of Wilkie Collins, author of The Woman in White and The Moonstone. The star attraction is the novella The Haunted Hotel, a clever combination of detective and ghost story set in Venice, a city of grim waterways, dark shadows and death. The action takes place in an ancient palazzo coverted into a modern hotel that houses a grisly secret. The supernatural horror, relentless pace, tight narrative, and a doomed countess characterise and distinguish this powerful tale. The other stories present equally disturbing scenarios, which include ghosts, corpses that move, family curses and perhaps the most unusual of all, the Devil's spectacles, which bring a clarity of vision that can lead to madness.
£5.90
Simon & Schuster Ltd England and Other Stories
Book SynopsisA collection of new stories from the Booker-prize winning author of Last Orders, and of the Sunday Times bestseller Mothering Sunday. Meet Dr Shah, who has never been to India, and Mrs Kaminski, on her way to Poland via A&E. Meet Holly and Polly, who have come to their own Anglo-Irish understanding; Charlie and Don, who have seen the docks turn into Docklands; Daisy Baker, terrified of Yorkshire; and Johnny Dewhurst, stranded on Exmoor. Binding these stories together is Graham Swift's affectionate but unflinching instinct for the story of us all: an evocation of that mysterious body that is a nation, deepened by the palpable sense of our individual bodies finding or losing their way in the nationless territory of birth, ageing, sex and death.Praise for Mothering Sunday: 'Bathed in light; and even when tragedy strikes, it blazes irresistibly
£8.54
Momentum Books The Death of Bagrat Zakharych and Other Stories
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£4.98
Profile Books Ltd Murder in Midsummer: Classic Mysteries for the
Book SynopsisA rock pool with a deadly secret. A bank holiday heatwave dominated by the murder of an unknown man. A sun-drenched picnic that ends in a sinister locked-room mystery. And an Adriatic holiday interrupted by a beautiful couple ... who aren't quite who they seem to be. All these, and many more, can be found in these classic stories of summertime murder and mayhem, featuring masters of the genre from Dorothy L. Sayers to Arthur Conan Doyle. From St Mark's Square in Venice to the English seaside, their tales will puzzle, entertain and prove that - no matter how far you travel - there's no rest for the wicked. Selected by Cecily Gayford
£8.54
Páginas de Espuma SL Schweblin S Siete casas vacas
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£15.48
Humanoids, Inc Metal Hurlant - Selected Works
Book SynopsisA collection of Sci-Fi masterpieces featuring stories by acclaimed creators Geoff Johns and Kurt Busiek."Métal Hurlant" magazine was created in Paris in 1974 by Moebius, Druillet and Dionnet, the founding fathers of Les Humanoïdes Associés. This movement soon revolutionized the medium and inspired countless writers, artists and filmmakers the world over. Versions in various languages flourished everywhere, including in the States with "Heavy Metal." The French version was eventually shut down in 1987. But in 2002, Humanoids relaunched a limited publication of a 13-issue anthology, with one main goal: establishing a creative bridge between the US and Europe. Includes stories written and illustrated by comic book stars Geoff Johns, Kurt Busiek, Guy Davis, and Jerome Opena, among many others.
£17.99
Faber & Faber Homeland Faber Stories
Book SynopsisFROM THE WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR FICTIONTWICE WINNER OF THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTIONTHE MULTI-MILLION COPY BESTSELLING AUTHORFaber Stories, a landmark series of individual volumes, presents masters of the short story form at work in a range of genres and styles.You have to marry outside your clan,'' she said. ''That's law. All the people we knew were Bird Clan. All the others were gone.''When Gloria's great-grandmother, Green Leaf, left her home in the Hiwassee Valley of Tennessee, it was with a man on a stolen horse. She was one of the fugitive bands of Cherokee who'd resisted capture long ago.Decades later, her family takes Great Mam on a road trip home. But the place that holds the scattered bones of her ancestors is no longer the land she remembers.Bringing together past, present and future in our ninetieth year, Faber Stories is a celebratory compendium of collectable work.
£6.23
Simon & Schuster Ltd Kink
Book Synopsis‘This anthology of literary fiction features an all-star ensemble’ Cosmopolitan‘A reflective and must-read collection’ StylistKink is a groundbreaking anthology of literary short fiction exploring love and desire, BDSM, and interests across the sexual spectrum, edited by lauded writers R.O. Kwon and Garth Greenwell, and featuring a roster of all-star contributors including Alexander Chee, Roxane Gay, Carmen Maria Machado, and more.Kink is a dynamic anthology of literary fiction that opens an imaginative door into the world of desire. The stories within this collection portray love, desire, BDSM, and sexual kinks in all their glory with a bold new vision. The collection includes works by renowned fiction writers such as Callum Angus, Alexander Chee, Vanessa Clark, Melissa Febos, Kim Fu, Roxane Gay, Cara Hoffman, Zeyn Joukhadar, Chris Kraus, Carmen Mari
£10.44
Titan Books Ltd The Tangleroot Palace
Book SynopsisFrom New York Times bestseller Marjorie Liu comes six dark, lush, and spellbinding short stories and one novella, full of unexpected detours, dangerous magic, and even more dangerous women . New York Times bestseller and Hugo, British Fantasy, Romantic Times, and Eisner award-winning author of the graphic novel Monstress, Marjorie Liu leads you deep into the heart of the tangled woods. In her long-awaited debut collection of dark, lush, and spellbinding short fiction, you will find unexpected detours, dangerous magic, and even more dangerous women. Briar, bodyguard for a body-stealing sorceress, discovers her love for Rose, whose true soul emerges only once a week. An apprentice witch seeks her freedom through betrayal, the bones of the innocent, and a meticulously plotted spell. In a world powered by crystal skulls, a warrior returns to save China from invasion by her jealous ex. A princess runs away from an arranged marriage, finding family in a strange troupe of traveling actors at the border of the kingdom's deep, dark woods. Concluding with a gorgeous full-length novella, Marjorie Liu's first short fiction collection is an unflinching sojourn into her thorny tales of love, revenge, and new beginnings.
£8.54
Vintage Publishing Christmas Days: 12 Stories and 12 Feasts for 12
Book SynopsisThe perfect festive treat: a beautifully illustrated book of Christmas stories and recipes from the Booker prize long-listed author.'Packed with charm and beautifully illustrated, it's a book that will solve your gift dilemmas and let you escape the less salubrious aspects of Christmas for a literary wonderland' StylistEverybody loves a Christmas story. The tradition of the Twelve Days of Christmas is a tradition of celebration, sharing and giving. And what better way to do that than with a story?Read these stories by the fire, in the snow, travelling home for the holidays. Give them to friends, wrap them up for someone you love, read them aloud, read them alone, read them together. Enjoy the season of peace and goodwill, mystery, and a little bit of magic.There are ghosts here and jovial spirits. Chances at love and tricks with time.There is frost and icicles, mistletoe and sledges. There's a cat and a dog and a solid silver frog. There's a Christmas cracker with a surprising gift inside.There's a haunted house and a SnowMama. There are Yuletides and holly wreaths. Three Kings. And a merry little Christmas time.And for the icing on the Christmas cake, there are twelve festive recipes from Yuletides past and present. Red cabbage, gravlax, turkey biryani, sherry trifle, Mrs Winterson's mince pies and more.Trade ReviewPacked with charm and beautifully illustrated, it's a book that will solve your gift dilemmas and let you escape the less salubrious aspects of Christmas for a literary wonderland. * Stylist *Winterson’s winter tales unfailingly succeed in their endeavour to leave you aglow. * Guardian *Winterson's prose is often witty and sometimes lyrical . . . The recipes come with intriguing glimpses of the writer, her friends, and their Christmas rituals. Spooky, inventive, funny . . . Winterson's mixed bag of fictional treats has a 19th-century charm much needed in the grim 21st. * Kirkus *Starred Review* *A pretty cloth-bound book containing an enchanting collection of recipes and short stories… suitably festive with icicles and plenty of mistletoe. -- Laura Powell * Sunday Telegraph, Book of the Year *A wonderful mix of festive stories and recipes. * Good Housekeeping *
£10.44
Seven Stories Press,U.S. Kurt Vonnegut Complete Stories
Book SynopsisThe first complete collection of Vonnegut's 97 short stories, including 5 which have never been published before.
£23.99
Biblioasis How Fear Departed the Long Gallery: A Ghost Story
Book SynopsisBiblioasis is thrilled to continue this series of beautifully illustrated, collectible, classic Christmas ghost stories designed and illustrated by world-famous cartoonist Seth.In How Fear Departed the Long Gallery, for the Peverils, the appearance of a ghost is no more upsetting than the appearance of the mailman at an ordinary house. Except for the twin toddlers in the Long Gallery. No one would dare be caught in the Long Gallery after dark. But on this quiet and cloudy afternoon, Madge Peveril is feeling rather drowsy . . .E. F. Benson was the English writer of the Mapp and Lucia series.
£6.77
Orion Publishing Co Tales Of The Dying Earth: The influential science fantasy masterpiece that inspired a generation of writers
One of the most influential science-fantasy worlds ever envisaged, which inspired a generation of writers including George R.R. MartinThe fourth in the Fantasy Masterworks series, the Dying Earth saga inspired writers like Michael Moorcock and Gene Wolfe, who freely acknowledges his debt to Vance in his own Book of the New Sun.Here, in one volume, is Hugo, Nebula and World Fantasy Award-winning author Jack Vance's classic Dying Earth saga comprising The Dying Earth, The Eyes of the Overworld, Cugel's Saga and Rhialto the Marvellous. Travel to a far distant future, when the sun bleeds red in a dark sky, where magic and science is one, and the Earth has but a few short decades to live ...Read what everyone is saying about The Tales of the Dying Earth:'He was, in a single paragraph, able to sketch the most incredible cultures and societies . . . he'd outline a world as interesting as all of Dune. And he did it again and again and again' Christopher Paolini, New York Times bestselling author of To Sleep in a Sea of Stars'Absolutely amazing! I've never read anything quite like Vance's Dying Earth stories . . . very witty and full of sarcasm . . . Even if you're not a fantasy fan you should read these stories' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'This is one of the best series EVER WRITTEN and the world created by Jack Vance is as good as anything I have ever read . . . HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION!!!' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Within a few pages, I was completely drawn in, and there was simply no escape for me . . . This omnibus volume is the perfect way to experience everything about the Dying Earth' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Almost singlehandedly defined an entire sub-genre of SF and Fantasy . . . the Dying Earth quartet is doubtless a masterpiece' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Vance has got to be one of the greatest writers I have ever read, and quite probably the greatest stylist . . . as soon as I started reading each novel in the book, I couldn't stop' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Awesome . . . a surreal fantasy setting on our own world, surrounded by crumbled civilisations and overlooked by a sun that could blink out at any moment' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Jack Vance's masterwork of fantasy novellas and novelettes. Read once, read twice, read again. A powerful imagination in top form. This book is one of the main reasons that I love the fantasy genre' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
£14.24
Wordsworth Editions Ltd 100 Selected Stories
Book SynopsisWith a new Introduction by Professor Cedric Watts, M.A., Ph.D.This selection of a hundred of O. Henry’s succinct tales displays the range, humour and humanity of a perennially popular short-story writer.Here Henry gives a richly colourful and exuberantly entertaining panorama of social life, ranging from thieves to tycoons, from the streets of New York to the prairies of Texas.These stories are famed for their 'trick endings' or 'twists in the tail': repeatedly the plot twirls adroitly, compounding ironies. Indeed, O. Henry's cunning plots surpass those of the ingenious rogues he creates. His style is genial, lively and witty, displaying a virtuoso’s command of language and allusion.This great collection offers delights for the mind, imagination and emotions.
£5.62
Vintage Publishing Death In Venice And Other Stories
Book SynopsisOne day, at dinner, Aschenbach notices an exceptionally beautiful young boy who is staying with his family in the same hotel. Soon his days begin to revolve around seeing this boy and he is too distracted to pay attention to the ominous rumours that have begun to circulate about disease spreading through the city.Trade ReviewThe real theme is fading creativity and the search for inspiration...A deep and highly complex drama of the psyche * Financial Times *This complex fin-de-siecle masterpiece...seems eerily to pre-echo the destructive decadence that would shortly shatter European civilisation itself * The Times *Thomas Mann's story of obsession and spiritual malaise * Observer *What Mann understands and laughs at, though it grips him, is the quasi-sexual attraction of beauty and philosophy...Death in Venice is one of the undisputed classics of contemporary European literature * Independent *Mann's obsessive story explores the complex, haunted relationship between an ageing writer and a beautiful Polish boy * Express *
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers Hercule Poirot The Complete Short Stories
Book SynopsisAll 51 Hercule Poirot short stories presented in chonological order in a single volume plus a bonus story not seen for more than 70 years.My name is Hercule Poirot and I am probably the greatest detective in the world.'The dapper, moustache-twirling little Belgian with the egg-shaped head, curious mannerisms and inordinate respect for his own little grey cells' has solved some of the most puzzling crimes of the century. Appearing in Agatha Christie's very first novel in 1920 and her very last in 1975, Hercule Poirot became the most celebrated detective since Sherlock Holmes, appearing in 33 novels, a play, and these 51 short stories.Arranged in their original publication order, these short stories provide a feast for hardened Agatha Christie addicts as well as those who have grown to love the detective through his many film and television appearances.This new edition now also includes Poirot and the Regatta Mystery, an early version of an Agatha Christie story not published since 1936Trade Review‘Little masterpieces of detection. Poirot and Agatha Christie at their inimitable best.’Sunday Express
£17.99
Penguin Putnam Inc Today I Wrote Nothing
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£16.20
Vintage Publishing Collected Stories
Book SynopsisJohn Cheever's Collected Stories explores the delicate psychological frameworks of 20th century suburbia.WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY HANIF KUREISHIThis outstanding collection by Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist John Cheever shows the power and range of one of the finest short story writers of the last century. Stories of love and of squalor, they include masterpieces such as ''The Swimmer'' and ''Goodbye, My Brother'' and date from the time of his honourable discharge from the Army at the end of the Second World War.Trade ReviewI’ve read nothing better this year than The Stories of John Cheever. -- Peter McKay * Daily Mail, Book of the Year *Cheever's accomplishment in his exacting art is proportionally large, as solid as it is brilliant, and likely to endure * New York Review of Books *Currently I'm reading John Cheever's Collected Stories. My God, he was good -- David Mitchell'The Swimmer' is a masterpiece of mystery, language and sorrow -- Michael ChabonI reread Cheever's 'The Swimmer' late the other night. It had the effect that reading Cheever always has: it made me want to get up and start the futile task of trying to write something as measured yet mysteriously, heart-judderingly unexpected for myself -- Gordon Burns * Sunday Times *
£13.49
Penguin Books Ltd Parallel Text French Short Stories
Book SynopsisOriginally written to entertain, move or chill, the eight short stories in this collection accompanied by parallel English translations now also help students gain deeper insights into French literature and life.Arranged in approximate order of difficulty, the range of stories is wide, from the stylized wit of Raymond Queneau to the beautifully written ambiguities of Philippe Sollers, from Pierre Gascar's exploration of childhood as a background to a tale of infidelity to Henri Thomas's gentle, ironic look at war. All make wonderful reads in either language.
£9.49
Vintage Publishing The Snows of Kilimanjaro
Book SynopsisErnest Hemingway was born in Chicago in 1899, the second of six children. In 1917, he joined the Kansas City Star as a cub reporter. The following year, he volunteered as an ambulance driver on the Italian front, where he was badly wounded but decorated for his services. He returned to America in 1919, and married in 1921. In 1922, he reported on the Greco-Turkish war before resigning from journalism to devote himself to fiction. He settled in Paris, associating with other expatriates like Ezra Pound and Gertrude Stein. He was passionately involved with bullfighting, big-game hunting and deep-sea fishing. Recognition of his position in contemporary literature came in 1954 when he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, following the publication of The Old Man and the Sea. He died in 1961.Trade Review'Stamped with the urgency of Hemingway's style - revealing tenderness of feeling beneath descriptions of brutality' * Guardian *In a class by itself - the country, at all hours shines bright and clear in these pages * Daily Telegraph *
£9.49
Penguin Books Ltd Babettes Feast and Other Stories
Book SynopsisThese five rich, witty and magical stories from the author of Out of Africa include one of her most well known tales, Babette's Feast', which was made into the classic film. It tells the story of a French cook working in a puritanical Norwegian community, who treats her employers to the decadent feast of a lifetime. There is also a real-life Prospero and his Ariel in Tempests', a mysterious pearl-fisher in The Diver' and a brief, tragic encounter in The Ring'. All the stories have a mystic, fairy-tale quality, linked by themes of angels, the sea, dreams and fate. They were among the last to be written by Isak Dinesen, and show her as a master of short fiction.
£9.49
Penguin Books Ltd The Call of the Wild White Fang and Other Stories
Book SynopsisA bold mix of realism, allegory, adventure, and progressive politics, this collection features Jack London’s most profound and moving literary works The Call of the Wild, London’s elemental masterpiece about a dog learning to survive in the wilderness, sees pampered pet Buck snatched from his home and set to work as a sled-dog during the Klondike Gold Rush. White Fang, set in the frozen tundra and boreal forests of Canada’s Yukon territory, is the story of a wolf-dog hybrid struggling to survive in a human society every bit as brutal as the natural world. This volume of London’s famed Northland novels also includes an early feminist story “The Night-Born,” and a pro-labor story “South of the Slot.” These works echo and enrich the themes of The Call of the Wild and White Fang with their unique emphases on the primordial, the instinctual, and the quest for social justice. London’s narr
£8.54
Little, Brown Book Group The Stories
Book SynopsisThroughout her career, prize-winning novelist Jane Gardam has been writing glorious short stories, each one hallmarked with all the originality, poignancy, wry comedy and narrative brilliance of her longer fiction. Passion and longing, metamorphosis and enchantment are Gardam''s themes, and like a magician she plucks them from the quietest of corners: from Wimbledon gardens and cold churches, from London buses and industrial backstreets. A mother watching her children on the beach dreams of a long-lost lover, an abandoned army wife sees a ghost at a moorland gate, a translator adrift in Geneva is haunted by the unspeakable manifestation of her own fears, and a colonial servant wreaks a delicious revenge on her monstrous masters. Gardam''s cast is wide and wonderful, saints and mystics, trollops and curmudgeons, yearning mothers and lost children, beloved figures such as Old Filth and less familiar - but equally unforgettable - characters like Signor Settimo, the sad-eyed proTrade ReviewI adored Jane Gardam's The Stories. She does fiction as it should be done, with confidence and insight. -- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie * Observer *She has the Austeneaque quality of being satisfying and disquieting, conventional and experimental . . . conversational, lucid, realist yet fantastical, she can be outrageously funny, gradually revealing her characters by what is not said, and not seen . . . one of our greatest living writers -- Amanda Craig * Independent on Sunday *It is good, too, to be reminded that Gardam is as brilliant a short story writer as she is a novelist . . . Gardam, like Penelope Fitzgerald, knows the supreme art of what and exactly how much to leave out . . . this is a deeply, impeccably humane and pleasurable book -- Neel Mukherjee * Independent *Beautifully formed short stories . . . Gardam writes with wit, harnessing an expert use of dialogue to bring her characters to life . . . written by arguably one of our greatest living writers, the moments depicted in The Stories will certainly resonate long after the last page has been turned * Daily Express *Gardam's narratives are sharp and disconcerting . . . intimate and confiding . . . a compelling mixture of the strange and the familiar - well-told tales in which love, death and sorrow are properly valued. These moving and diverting meditations on the past offer a simple lesson: they don't make them like that any more. This collection is very welcome. * Sunday Times *Pure delight * The Times *Each one of these narratives - none of them afraid of looking into the great terrifying secrets of love and grief, death, ageing and faith in a mere handful of pages - make the heart race. Sly, sharp and mischievous . . . It is Gardam's gift for the ecstatic, for showing us what a place of wonders is the world and the hearts that dwell in it, that endows this collection with a dangerous and formidable energy. She gives us miracle heaped upon miracle -- Christobel Kent * Guardian *There is little Gardam doesn't know about being in love, or any of the other vicissitudes of ordinary life . . . her funniness does not cease to sparkle, but she moves as surely as she entertains * Telegraph *It is Jane Gardam's particular gift to be able to shine a light through these unexpected peepholes, straight into the human heart . . . marvellous * Spectator *Gardam's dialogue is a constant delight . . . Every character, however silent or minor, is accorded proper attention . . . Gardam's huge and firmly controlled imagination makes everything possible, everything credible . . . Of all the glories, here, 'Telegony' is the most compelling and it demonstrates Gardam's range of genius, with powerful characters, wit, doom, detailed settings and astonishing outcomes * Literary Review *Full of wit, unexpected turns of events and splendid writing -- A. S. Byatt * Guardian *Sharp, funny, mischeivous and often menacing, [the stories] grab you by the throat. Gardam's fiction is always much more than it at first seems. Behind a superficial ordinariness is something extraordinary. Rather like the fiction of another celebrated Jane -- Peter Stanford * Tablet *Illuminating, unshowy and often funny, [the stories] bear comparison with those by Chekhov, Trevor and Munro and offer limitless, suitcase-friendly rereading -- Caroline Jackson * Tablet *One of the finest living writers in the English language -- Neel Mukherjee * New Statesman *
£9.49
D.C.Thomson & Co Ltd The Peoples Friend Annual 2025
Book SynopsisThe People's Friend magazine has been delighting its readers for over 154 years it's the oldest women's weekly magazine in the world and still going strong. The brand is known and trusted worldwide. Enjoy the Friend's unique charm with 25 brand-new stories, poems, nostalgia and watercolour paintings. It has hours of feel-good fiction that you'll want to dip into again and again! Perfect for people who love to read quality fiction and are looking for uplifting, feel-good entertainment.
£11.39
Farrar, Straus & Giroux Inc Everything That Rises Must Converge Stories
Book SynopsisFlannery O''Connor was working on Everything That Rises Must Converge at the time of her death. This collection is an exquisite legacy from a genius of the American short story, in which she scrutinizes territory familiar to her readers: race, faith, and morality. The stories encompass the comic and the tragic, the beautiful and the grotesque; each carries her highly individual stamp and could have been written by no one else.
£15.20
HarperCollins Publishers 22 Dead Little Bodies
Book SynopsisFrom the No. 1 bestselling author of THE MISSING AND THE DEAD comes the short novel: 22 DEAD LITTLE BODIES, plus two short stories: STRAMASH and DI STEEL''S BAD HEIR DAY, and a novella: THE 45% HANGOVER, all featuring his most popular characters DS Logan McRae and DCI Roberta Steel.They say small is beautiful', but as Stuart MacBride demonstrates in these four tales, it can also be dark, violent, disturbing, and sometimes really quite rude.So pour yourself a wee dram, curl up on the sofa and enjoy DS Logan McRae and his sometime boss, friend, mother substitute, and nemesis, DCI Steel at their best.Here you'll find Logan's week from hell; Steel's own personal nightmare before Christmas; an explosive shootout on a remote Scottish island; and the ultimate test of their relationshipTrade ReviewPraise for Stuart MacBride: ‘New Logan McRae novels are close to the top of my unmissable list, and yet again MacBride delivers. His chaotic cop hero is at his best. Superb storytelling’ Sun ‘Another from MacBride’s fantastic series of Logan McRae novels. A real page-turner’ Sunday Mirror ‘Stuart’s meticulous research shows. At times it feels like you are sitting in the back of a police car overhearing conversations between real policemen’ Sunday Sport ‘Another riveting page-turner … emotional and affecting.’ Independent on Sunday ‘Skilful storytelling … strong characterisation … both intriguing and engrossing’ Laura Wilson, Guardian ‘The multiple plots move fast’ Independent ‘MacBride is the natural heir to the late and much lamented Reginald Hill’ Andrew Taylor, Spectator ‘MacBride is a damned fine writer – no one does dark and gritty like him’ Peter James ‘Fierce, unflinching and shot through with the blackest of humour; this is crime fiction of the highest order’ Mark Billingham ‘Some of the grittiest crime-writing in the field’ Independent ‘Admirers of tough, modern crime novels will be in seventh heaven – or should that be hell?’ Express ‘Ferocious and funny’ Val McDermid ‘Hard-hitting prose with a bone-dry humour and characters you can genuinely believe in, Stuart MacBride’s novels are a real treat’ Simon Kernick
£10.44
Random House USA Inc Stories of Your Life and Others
Book Synopsis
£15.30
Oxford University Press Young Goodman Brown and Other Tales
Book SynopsisThis selection of twenty of Hawthorne''s tales is the first in paperback to present his most important short works with full annotation in one volume. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford''s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.Trade ReviewAn excellent edition of this seminal story by Hawthorne, with a helpful introduction to these tales, and excellent explanatary notes.' Lionel Kelly, University of Reading 'This collection offers a good selection of the well known and the less available tales. The introduction presents a stimulating analysis of Hawthorne's art and hios view of the role/identity of the writer. The notes na dbibliographical details anr excellent.' K.M.Parkinson, Roehampton Institute of Higher Education. 'Although I don't expect to use the text myself at the moment, I'm greatly pleased to see these early examples of the genre being published in so accessible a form. * B.D.Ingraham, Teesside Polytechnic. *Table of ContentsTHE GENTLE BOY; ROGER MALVIN'S BURIAL; THE GREY CHAMPION; THE MAYPOLE OF MERRY MOUNT; THE MINISTER'S BLACK VEIL; DR HEIDEGGER'S EXPERIMENT; ENDICOTT AND THE RED CROSS; THE BIRTHMARK; THE CELESTIAL RAILROAD; THE ARTIST OF THE BEAUTIFUL; RAPPACCINI'S DAUGHTER; ETHAN BRAND
£10.44
Penguin Books Ltd Italian Short Stories Racconti Italiano New
Book SynopsisThis is an all new version of the popular PARALLEL TEXT series, containing eight pieces of contemporary fiction in the original Italian and in English translation. Including stories by Calvino, Benni, Sciascia and Levi, this volume gives a fascinating insight into Italian culture and literature as well as providing an invaluable educational tool.Table of ContentsShort Stories in ItalianIntroductionThe Long CrossingLeonardo Siascia (1921-89)Translated by Avril BardoniItalyGoffredo Parise (1929-86)Translated by Nick RobertsThe Girl with the PlaitDacia Maraini (1936- )Translated by Sharon WoodThe Last Channel Italo Calvino (1923-87)Translated by Tim ParksLilithPrimo Levi (1919-87)Translated by Ruth FeldmanThe Island of KomodoSusanna Tamaro (1957- )Translated by Charles Caroe and Chris RobertsWomen by the PoolSandra Petrignani (1952- )Translated by Sharon WoodA Naughty SchoolboyStefano Benni (1947- )Translated by Nick RobertsSaturday AfternoonsAntonio Tabucchi (1943- )Translated by Edward WilliamsNotes on Italian textsAcknowledgments
£10.44
The Cleft
Book SynopsisDoris Lessing, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, invites us to imagine a mythical society free from sexual intrigue, free from jealousy, free from petty rivalries: a society free from men.An old Roman senator embarks on what may be his last endeavour: the retelling of the story of human creation. He recounts the history of the Clefts, an ancient community of women living in an Edenic, coastal wilderness, in the valley of an overshadowing mountain. The Clefts have no need, or knowledge, of men childbirth is controlled through the cycles of the moon, and their children are always female. But with the birth of a strange, new child a boy the harmony of their community is thrown into jeopardy.At first, the Clefts are awestruck by this seemingly malformed child, but as more and more of these threateningly unfamiliar males appear, they are rejected, and are exposed on the nearby mountainside, sacrificed to the patrolling eagles overhead. Unbeknownst to the Clefts, however, these baby males survive, aided by the eagles, and thrive on the other side of the mountain. It is not until a curious young Cleft named Maire goes beyond the geographical, and emotional, divide of the mountain that this disquieting fact is uncovered forcing the Clefts to accept the prospect of a now shared world, and the possible vengeance of the wronged males.In this fascinating and beguiling novel, Lessing confronts head-on the themes that inspired much of her early writing: how men and women, two similar and yet thoroughly distinct creatures, manage to live side by side in the world, and how the specifics of gender affect every aspect of our existence.Trade Review‘Lessing skilfully manipulates multiple perspectives…a bold, inventive and challenging book from a writer who continues to enlighten and astonish as she approaches her tenth decade.’ Independent 'A work of elegance, wit, humour and mystery. It may even be considered, one day, as one of her finest works…This is a deeply serious novel, but it's also humane, warm and witty…Doris Lessing, in her ninth decade, is writing fiction that is as hypnotic, perceptive and original as any wunderkind a quarter her age' Glasgow Herald ‘The author's reach continues to thrill…there's witchery in the Old She yet.’ Daily Telegraph ‘A narrative with the compelling stamp of Lessing's late tales.’ The Times ‘Doris Lessing writes movingly of the human desire for change…she conveys a powerful belief in the impermanence of any situation in which human beings find themselves and the paradoxically unchanging nature of human relations.’ Observer ‘Lessing's engaging tale is told with the simplicity of an aural history committed to memory.’ New Statesman ‘Her prose is pleasingly incantatory…the novel has a pleasing gravitational pull on a purely poetic level.’ Metro ‘Lessing writes, as ever, with such calm and assured authority…a fascinating, at times disturbing book; one can't imagine any other writer bringing it off.’ The Scotsman 'Lessing has always observed human behaviour with the dispassionate eye of a Martian naturalist…Her prose thrives on a bigness which comes from her imaginative origins on the Veld of her African childhood, and her rangy plots take vast, fast strides over the horizon, collapsing lifetimes like pocket telescopes …”The Cleft” is a return to…the Tempest-like condensation of themes that has always enlarged her work' Times Literary Supplement
£9.49
Penguin Books Ltd The Canterville Ghost The Happy Prince and Other
Book SynopsisA collection of stories, including two of Wilde's most famous: 'The Canterville Ghost', in which a young American girl helps to free the tormented spirit that haunts an old English castle and 'The Happy Prince', who was not as happy as he seemed. Often whimsical and sometimes sad, they all shine with poetry and magic.
£6.79
Penguin Books Ltd Seven Gothic Tales
Book SynopsisRomantics, adventurers, sensualists, melancholics and dreamers inhabit the bizarre and exotic world conjured up in these seven intricately interwoven tales, whose settings range from Tuscany and Elsinore, to a dhow on its way from Lamu to Zanzibar.Proclaimed a masterpiece on its publication in 1934, this collection is shot through with themes of love and desire - from the maiden lady who now believes herself to have been the grand courtesan of her time, to the Count whose wife is so jealous that she cannot bear him to admire her jewels, and Lincoln Forsner, an Englishman whose search for a woman he met in a brothel leads him into many strange adventures.
£9.49
Penguin Books Ltd The Lady with the Little Dog and Other Stories
Book SynopsisThe Lady with the Little Dog and Other Stories 1896-1904 is an enchanting collection of tales which showcase Anton Chekhov at the height of his power as a writer. This Penguin Classics edition is translated by Ronald Wilks with an introduction by Paul Debreczeny.In the final years of his life, Chekhov produced some of the stories that rank among his masterpieces, and some of the most highly-regarded works in Russian literature. The poignant ''The Lady with the Little Dog'' and ''About Love'' examine the nature of love outside of marriage - its romantic idealism and the fear of disillusionment. And in stories such as ''Peasants'', ''The House with the Mezzanine'' and ''My Life'' Chekhov paints a vivid picture of the conditions of the poor and of their powerlessness in the face of exploitation and hardship. With the works collected here, Chekhov moved away from the realism of his earlier tales - developing a broader range of characters and subject matter, while forging Table of ContentsThe Lady with the Little Dog and Other Stories, 1896-1904IntroductionFurther ReadingChronologyNote on TextPatronymicsThe House with the MezzaninePeasantsMan in a CaseGooseberriesAbout LoveA Visit to FriendsIonychMy LifeThe Lady with the Little DogIn the RavineDisturbing the BalanceThe BishopThe BridePublishing History and Notes
£9.49
Penguin Books Ltd Gothic Tales
Book SynopsisElizabeth Gaskell''s chilling Gothic tales blend the real and the supernatural to eerie, compelling effect. ''Disappearances'', inspired by local legends of mysterious vanishings, mixes gossip and fact; ''Lois the Witch'', a novella based on an account of the Salem witch hunts, shows how sexual desire and jealousy lead to hysteria; while in ''The Old Nurse''s Story'' a mysterious child roams the freezing Northumberland moors. Whether darkly surreal, such as ''The Poor Clare'', where an evil doppelgänger is formed by a woman''s bitter curse, or mischievous like ''Curious, if True'', a playful reworking of fairy tales, all the stories in this volume form a stark contrast to the social realism of Gaskell''s novels, revealing a darker and more unsettling style of writing.Table of ContentsEdited by Laura KranzlerChronologyIntroductionFurther ReadingNote on the TextsDisappearancesThe Old Nurse's StoryThe Squire's StoryThe Poor ClareThe Doom of the GriffithsLois the WitchThe Crooked BranchCurious, if TrueThe Grey WomanAppendixNotes
£10.44
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Ladies of Grace Adieu
Book SynopsisContains stories from the world of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell and is illustrated by Charles Vess. This book includes the characters of a conceited Regency clergyman, an eighteenth-century Jewish doctor and Mary, Queen of Scots, as well as two characters from Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell: Strange himself and the Raven King.Trade Review'An unholy alliance of Austen and Angela Carter' Daily Mail 'These tales read as if Jane Austen had rewritten the Brothers Grimm ... wonderful' Spectator 'Witty rejoinders and genteel manners to contrast nicely with the darker tones of hauntings, shape-changing and black magic ... Clarke is a natural storyteller' Sunday Telegraph 'It is the poise and lightness of Clarke's prose that draws the reader in' Daily Telegraph
£9.49
Random House USA Inc New American Stories Vintage Contemporaries
Book SynopsisIn New American Stories, the beautiful, the strange, the melancholy, and the sublime all comingle to show the vast range of the American short story . In this remarkable anthology, Ben Marcus has corralled a vital and artistically singular crowd of contemporary fiction writers. Collected here are practitioners of deep realism, mind-blowing experimentalism, and every hybrid in between. Luminaries and cult authors stand side by side with the most compelling new literary voices. Nothing less than the American short story renaissance distilled down to its most relevant, daring, and unforgettable works, New American Stories puts on wide display the true art of an American idiom.
£12.87
Headline Publishing Group Troll Bridge
Book SynopsisTroll Bridge, a tale from the mind of Sunday Times bestselling writer Neil Gaiman, has been beautifully adapted for the first time by Eisner Award-winning writer/artist Colleen Doran. This striking graphic novel will delight fans of Alan Moore, Dave McKean and beyond. Young Jack''s world is full of ghosts and ghouls, but one monster - a ravenous and hideous troll - haunts him long into manhood. As the beast sups upon a lifetime of Jack''s fear and regret, Jack must find the courage within himself to face the fiend once and for all.Trade ReviewA rich imagination...and an ability to tackle large themesA quirky delightFunny, scary and perverse by turns - Time Out on SMOKE AND MIRRORS
£13.49
