Books by John Boyne

Book SynopsisThis ELT Graded Reader is made for people learning English as an additional language. The short, simple text is also perfect for anyone looking for an easier read. It is an adapted version of the original story.In this story, Bruno''s father gets a new job, and the family have to move from Berlin, Germany, to a new place. There is a strange camp at the end of the garden. Bruno is very unhappy and bored until he meets Shmuel. The two boys become very good friends. But why is Shmuel in the camp? And why is he wearing striped pyjamas?Our Penguin Readers books include: Simple text (CEFR-levelled) Pictures to help you understand the story Fun exercises to help you learn and practise English With the print book, you can get even more help online: Read the book online Listen to the book being read out loud Get lesson plans for teachers Find answers to check your understanding Note: online resources not available with the eBook.

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Book SynopsisRussia, 1915: Sixteen year old farmer's son Georgy Jachmenev steps in front of an assassin's bullet intended for a senior member of the Russian Imperial Family and is instantly proclaimed a hero.Trade ReviewBoyne is a skilled storyteller... his novel is an exciting, fast-paced story... absorbing and richly satisfying * The Times *John Boyne has a talent for bringing big historical events to life... Boyne has skilfully drawn a living, breathing character who not only witnessed one of the greatest events of the 20th century but also had his own part to play in how the dramatic tale unravels * Daily Express *Boyne writes with consumnate ease, and is particularly good at drawing the indecently rich world of the pre-revolutionary Romanovs * Independent *A wonderful, many-layered novel, written with thought and tenderness... mesmerising * The Irish Examiner *Boyne exercises total control over pace and revelation. A work that chimes perfectly with our times * The Irish Times *

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Book SynopsisNamed Book of the Month Club's Book of the Year, 2017Selected one of New York Times Readers’ Favorite Books of 2017Winner of the 2018 Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award From the beloved New York Times bestselling author of The Boy In the Striped Pajamas, a sweeping, heartfelt saga about the course of one man's life, beginning and ending in post-war IrelandCyril Avery is not a real Avery -- or at least, that's what his adoptive parents tell him. And he never will be. But if he isn't a real Avery, then who is he?Born out of wedlock to a teenage girl cast out from her rural Irish community and adopted by a well-to-do if eccentric Dublin couple via the intervention of a hunchbacked Redemptorist nun, Cyril is adrift in the world, anchored only tenuously by his heartfelt friendship with the infinitely more glamourous and dangerous Julian Woodbead. At the mercy of fortune and coincidence, he will spend a lifetime coming to know himself and where he came from - and over his many years, will struggle to discover an identity, a home, a country, and much more.In this, Boyne's most transcendent work to date, we are shown the story of Ireland from the 1940s to today through the eyes of one ordinary man. The Heart's Invisible Furies is a novel to make you laugh and cry while reminding us all of the redemptive power of the human spirit.

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Book SynopsisJohn Boyne is the author of nineteen novels for adults, six for younger readers, a picture book and a collection of short stories. His 2006 novel The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas has sold more than 11 million copies worldwide and has been adapted for cinema, theatre, ballet, and opera. His many international bestsellers include The Heart's Invisible Furies and A Ladder to the Sky. He has won four Irish Book Awards, including Author of the Year in 2022, along with a host of other international literary prizes. His novels are published in sixty languages.Twitter: @JohnBoyneBooksInstagram: @JohnBoyneAuthorTrade ReviewAn urgently compelling story of power, corruption, lies and self-deceits, the damage that happens when we turn our eyes from wrong. Anyone who wants to know what happened in the Irish Catholic Church needs to read this brave, righteously angry and stunning book. Some of us have long wondered what it would be like if a master storyteller turned his powers to this theme. Now we know. -- Joseph O'ConnorJohn Boyne has plunged into the dark and troubled history of the Catholic Church in our time and come up with a novel to treasure. Unflinching, moving and true * John Banville *The complex architecture of this haunting novel is seamlessly constructed. The path to the priesthood that Odran Yates follows is both understandable and sympathetic. And Father Yates is a good man; he is innocent of the false accusations made against him (he's not a pedophile). But as this author accomplished, so masterfully, in The Absolutist, John Boyne has created a character who holds himself accountable -- in the case of Father Yates, for the sins of others. No writer today handles guilt with as much depth and sadness as John Boyne. As Father Yates takes himself to task for all he didn't do, no less than the sexual duplicity and cover-ups of the Catholic Church are indicted. This is John Boyne's most important novel, and of vital importance to Irish history; it is also a gripping story, one no reader can put down until its devastating ending. -- John IrvingGripping, harrowing and extremely moving...A painfully page-turning read...A vividly three-dimensional dissection of bothe the priesthood and the larger cultural malaise of Ireland -- Phil Baker * Sunday Times *Beautifully and powerfully written, with an undercurrent of passion, A History of Loneliness is aptly titled. A portrait of one if those individuals we imagine we know -- but have not a clue of his depths. -- Joyce Carol Oates

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Book Synopsis1936: London is abuzz with gossip about the affair between Edward VIII and Mrs. Simpson. But the king is not the only member of the aristocracy with a hard decision to make. Owen Montignac, the handsome and charismatic descendent of a wealthy land-owning family, is anxiously awaiting the reading of his late uncle''s will. For Owen has run up huge gambling debts and casino boss Nicholas Delfy has given him a choice: find 50,000 by Christmas - or find yourself six feet under.So when Owen discovers that he has been cut out of the will in favour of his beautiful cousin Stella, it is time to prove just how cunning he can be... And Owen is nothing if not inventive - even a royal crisis can provide the means for profit. And for murder...Trade ReviewA moving and insightful book… stylistically fluent and engages the reader with every word * Irish Independent *A narrative pace that never flags, a solid cast of characters, a vividly imagined recreation of period * The Irish Times *

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Book SynopsisLines may divide us, but hope will unite us . . .Nine-year-old Bruno knows nothing of the Final Solution and the Holocaust. He is oblivious to the appalling cruelties being inflicted on the people of Europe by his country. All he knows is that he has been moved from a comfortable home in Berlin to a house in a desolate area where there is nothing to do and no one to play with. Until he meets Shmuel, a boy who lives a strange parallel existence on the other side of the adjoining wire fence and who, like the other people there, wears a uniform of striped pyjamas.Bruno's friendship with Shmuel will take him from innocence to revelation. And in exploring what he is unwittingly a part of, he will inevitably become subsumed by the terrible process.Trade ReviewAn account of a dreadful episode, short on actual horror but packed with overtones that remain in the imagination. Plainly and sometimes archly written, it stays just ahead of its readers before delivering its killer punch in the final pages -- Nick Tucker * Independent *A small wonder of a book. Bruno's education is conducted slowly, through a series of fleeting social encounters rather than by plunging him into a nightmare landscape * Guardian *An extraordinary tale of friendship and the horrors of war seen thorugh the eyes of two young boys, it's stirring stuff. Raw literary talent at its best. More please! * Irish Independent *Quite impossible to put down, this is the rare kind of book that doesn't leave your head for days. Word of mouth should be strong and this has the potential to cross over to an adult audience. A unique and captivating novel, which I believe deserves huge success -- Becky Stadwick * The Bookseller *Brilliantly written, superbly conceived novel, ending with words as bleakly ambiguous as any I have ever read. Boyne's ability to lead us on with crystal clear prose so that we unthinkingly fall into the elephant trap reminds me irresistably of another Irishman - Jonathan Swift -- Dennis Hamley * The School Librarian *

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Book SynopsisMatthieu Zela has lived his life well. In fact, he''s lived several lives well. Because Matthew Zela''s life is characterised by one amazing fact: his body stopped ageing before the end of the eighteenth century. Starting in 1758, a young Matthieu flees Paris after witnessing his mother''s brutal murder. His only companions are his younger brother Tomas and one true love, Dominique Sauvet. The story of his life takes us from the French Revolution to 1920s Hollywood, from the Great Exhibition to the Wall Street Crash, and by the end of the twentieth century, Matthieu has been an engineer, a rogue, a movie mogul, a soldier, a financier, a lover to many, a cable TV executive and much more besides.Brilliantly weaving history and personal experience, this is a dazzling story of love, murder, missed chances, treachery - and redemption.Trade ReviewAn extraordinary début * Sunday Express *A minor masterpiece * Time Out *Boyne should be congratulated for his spirited take on an old theme * Guardian *Boyne is a skilful storyteller, expertly weaving differing stories together * Sunday Tribune *

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Book SynopsisThere's nothing unusual or different about the Brocket family - and they're keen to keep it that way. But when Barnaby Brocket comes into the world, it's clear he's anything but ordinary. To his parentsÃe(tm) horror, Barnaby defies the laws of gravity - and floats. Soon, the Brockets decide enough is enough. The neighbours are starting to talk. They never asked for a weird, abnormal, floating child. Barnaby has to go . . . Betrayed and frightened, Barnaby floats into the path of a very special hot air balloon Ãe' and so begins a magical journey around the world, with a cast of extraordinary new friends.Trade ReviewBoyne’s previous children’s novels have dealt with serious, life-changing themes and his deftness of touch is equally evident in this uplifting celebration of otherness * Daily Mail *Charming, uplifting and perfect for any growing child who might be feeling a little different * Independent *It's unashamedly and often delightfully whimsical. It's lovely to look at . . . It has much of the pell-mell what-the-hell-happens-nextness of Dahl and Ibbotson -- Mal Peet * Guardian *A whimsical, warm-hearted adventure * The Bookseller *Very entertaining reading . . . This is a book very much on the side of the child, operating rather in the same way that, for example, the children’s novels of Roald Dahl operate. But Boyne’s humour is much gentler and subtler than Dahl’s . . . Oliver Jeffers’s black-and-white illustrations capture both the wit and pathos of Boyne’s text * Irish Times *

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Book SynopsisShe is only saved by the vigilance of a passing doctor.It is the start of a journey into a world of abandoned children, unexplained occurrences and terrifying experiences which Eliza will have to overcome if she is to survive the secrets that lie within Gaudlin’s walls…Trade ReviewWonderfully creepy…This magnificently eerie novel takes us on a skilful journey through fear * Observer *A superior ghost story… Truly spine-tingling * Mail On Sunday *A lesson in classic storytelling… Boyne takes us on a highly original, entertaining journey that, like all great ghost stories, saves its most unexpected twist for the very end * Sunday Independent *Great fun…A constant barrage of surprises and the pace is terrific * The Times *

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Book SynopsisWilliam Cody grows up surrounded by his father''s tales of Buffalo Bill, to whom he is distantly related, and his fantasies of the Wild West.Though he escapes his heritage by fleeing abroad and starting a new life for himself, he finds that he is always drawn back to England and to his ancestry.When his father proposes that together they should recreate Buffalo Bill''s stage show, The Congress of Rough Riders of the World for a contemporary audience, William refuses to have any part of it. When tragedy strikes, however, it is to his father that he must eventually return.Trade Review"Boyne's story has echoes of John Irving's sprawling family epics. This is an entertaining campfire story" Time "A total blast... clever, provocative stuff. A formidable achievement" Independent "A rollicking ride...Compelling" The Scotsman "The charm of history in this book lies in imagining how exciting it would have been to live there" Observer "Boyne is an engaging writer who succeeds in making his readers care about the confused and rather selfish William" Daily Telegraph

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Book SynopsisJuly 1910: The grisly remains of Cora Crippen, music hall singer and wife of Dr Hawley Crippen, are discovered in the cellar of 39 Hilldrop Crescent, Camden. But the Doctor and his mistress, Ethel Le Neve, have vanished, much to the frustration of Scotland Yard and the outrage of a horrified London.Across the Channel in Antwerp, the SS Montrose sets sail on its two week voyage to Canada. Amongst its passengers are the overbearing Antonia Drake and her daughter Victoria, who is hell-bent on romance, the enigmatic Mathieu Zela and the modest Martha Hayes. Also on board are the unassuming Mr John Robinson and his seventeen-year-old son Edmund. But all is not as it seems...Trade ReviewEngaging * The Irish Times *Compelling * Philadelphia Inquirer *Well-crafted narrative... plenty of thrills, chills, ironies and surprises * Washington Post *Addictive * People Magazine *

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Book SynopsisSome stories are universal. They play out across human history. And time is the river which will flow through them.It starts with a family, a family which will mutate. For now, it is a father, mother and two sons. One with his father’s violence in his blood. One who lives his mother’s artistry. One leaves. One stays. They will be joined by others whose deeds will change their fate. It is a beginning.Their stories will intertwine and evolve over the course of two thousand years – they will meet again and again at different times and in different places. From distant Palestine at the dawn of the first millennium to a life amongst the stars in the third. While the world will change around them, their destinies will remain the same. It must play out as foretold. It is written.A Traveller at the Gates of Wisdom is the extraordinary new novel from acclaimed writer John Boyne. Ambitious, far-reaching and mythic, it introduces a group of characters whose lives we will come to know and will follow through time and space until they reach their natural conclusion.Trade ReviewAn ambitious, epic sweep of a book...John Boyne brilliantly and economically creates a sense of history and place... an enthralling read * S: The Sunday Express Magazine *This novel combines the pleasures of good old-fashioned storytelling with the excitement of finding a writer who makes you look at the world anew * Daily Express *Throbs with enduring love, warmth and passion. * The Irish Times *

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Book SynopsisPickpocket John Jacob Turnstile is on his way to be detained at His Majesty''s Pleasure when he is offered a lifeline, what seems like a freedom of sorts - the job of personal valet to a departing naval captain. Little does he realise that it is anything but - and by accepting the devil''s bargain he will put his life in perilous danger. For the ship is HMS Bounty, his new captain William Bligh and their destination Tahiti.From the moment the ship leaves port, Turnstile''s life is turned upside down, for not only must he put his own demons to rest, but he must also confront the many adversaries he will encounter on the Bounty''s extraordinary last voyage. Walking a dangerous line between an unhappy crew and a captain he comes to admire, he finds himself in a no-man''s land where the distinction between friend and foe is increasingly difficult to determine...Trade ReviewAn excellent story...Written with a total command of naval expertise, without ever spilling over into pedantry, Mutiny on the Bounty is storytelling at its most accomplished * Independent *A mesmerising tour-de-force... This is a remarkable and compelling piece of storytelling * Irish Times *

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Book SynopsisJohn Boyne is the author of fifteen novels for adults, six for younger readers, and a collection of short stories. His 2006 novel The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas has sold more than 11 million copies worldwide and has been adapted for cinema, theatre, ballet, and opera. His many international bestsellers include The Heart's Invisible Furies and A Ladder to the Sky. He has won four Irish Book Awards, including Author of the Year in 2022, along with a host of other international literary prizes. His novels are published in sixty languages.Twitter: @JohnBoyneBooksInstagram: @JohnBoyneAuthorTrade ReviewThis novel is a fine addition to a once taboo area of history, at least where children's literature is concerned. It provides an account of a dreadful episode short on actual horror but packed with overtones that remain in the imagination. Plainly and sometimes archly written, it stays just ahead of its readers before delivering its killer punch in the final pages * Independent *An extraordinary tale of friendship and the horrors of war * Irish Independent *In this unforgettably moving Holocaust tale, nine-year-old Bruno is witness to events devastating in their tragedy * Irish Times *So what makes these different to any other set of classics? In a moment of inspiration Random House had the bright idea of actually asking Key stage 2 children what extra ingredients they could add to make children want to read. And does it work? Well, put it this way...my 13-year-old daughter announced that she had to read a book over the summer holiday and, without any prompting, spotted The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas...and proceeded to read it! Now, if you knew my 13-year-old daughter, you would realise that this is quite remarkable. She reads texts, blogs and tags by the thousand - but this is the first book she has read since going to high school, so all hail Vintage Classics! * National Association for the Teaching of English *A small wonder of a book * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisPart of a stunning new design partnership between Puffin and the Imperial War Museum, this is an unforgettable story from the bestselling author of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. This special edition features a foreword from Eoin Colfer. The day the First World War broke out, Alfie Summerfield''s father promised he wouldn''t go away to fight - but he broke that promise the following day. Four years later, Alfie doesn''t know where his father might be, other than that he''s away on a special, secret mission.Then, while shining shoes at King''s Cross Station, Alfie unexpectedly sees his father''s name - on a sheaf of papers belonging to a military doctor. Bewildered and confused, Alfie realises his father is in a hospital close by - a hospital treating soldiers with an unusual condition. And Alfie becomes determined to rescue his father from this strange, unnerving place . . .Trade ReviewPat Barker meets Michelle Magorian . . . Comic as well as poignantly enlightening * Independent on Sunday *A beautifully paced and touching tale * Mail on Sunday *[A] timely examination of moral, physical and mental bravery and pain * Daily Mail *

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Book Synopsis''...this poignant and disarming story is full of heart and its crescendo will give you tingles'' Attitude Magazine ''Outstanding'' Irish ExaminerSam has known his sister Jessica all his life. Tonight is the first time they''re going to meet.Sam Waver has always been a loner: bullied, struggling at school, with parents who have very little time for him. The one person he has always been able to rely on is his beloved older sibling - but when they announce that they are transitioning, Sam''s life is thrown upside down. He''s convinced nothing will ever be the same again - but as Sam is about to discover, nothing is more constant than love.A moving and heartfelt portrait of one family''s journey to acceptance, from a master storyteller. ''A story with so much heart that the pages practically pulse. Both funny and moving... this is a must-read for all ages'' Irish IndependentTrade ReviewOutstanding * Irish Examiner *Both funny and moving... this is a must-read for all ages * Irish Independent *...this poignant and disarming story is full of heart * Attitude Magazine *John Boyne made his name with The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas and he's on stellar form in My Brother's Name is Jessica. A sensitively written and timely tale. * Daily Express *A sincere and very readable attempt to educate young people about the trans experience and foster acceptance * Sunday Business Post *John Boyne adds his deft sensitivity to the complex topic of transgenderism * Image Magazine *It's all sorts of amazing * TOTP *

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Book SynopsisTwo young boys encounter the best and worst of humanity during the Holocaust in this powerful read that USA Today called as memorable an introduction to the subject as The Diary of Anne Frank.”  Berlin, 1942: When Bruno returns home from school one day, he discovers that his belongings are being packed in crates. His father has received a promotion and the family must move to a new house far, far away, where there is no one to play with and nothing to do. A tall fence stretches as far as the eye can see and cuts him off from the strange people in the distance. But Bruno longs to be an explorer and decides that there must be more to this desolate new place than meets the eye. While exploring his new environment, he meets another boy whose life and circumstances are very different from his own, and their meeting results in a friendship that has devastating consequences.

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Book SynopsisTwo young boys encounter the best and worst of humanity during the Holocaust in this powerful read that USA Today called as memorable an introduction to the subject as The Diary of Anne Frank.”  Berlin, 1942: When Bruno returns home from school one day, he discovers that his belongings are being packed in crates. His father has received a promotion and the family must move to a new house far, far away, where there is no one to play with and nothing to do. A tall fence stretches as far as the eye can see and cuts him off from the strange people in the distance. But Bruno longs to be an explorer and decides that there must be more to this desolate new place than meets the eye. While exploring his new environment, he meets another boy whose life and circumstances are very different from his own, and their meeting results in a friendship that has devastating consequences.Trade Review"Certain to be one of the publishing sensations of 2006." -The Observer (U.K.)"A memorable and moving story." -The Oxford Times (U.K.)"A small wonder of a book." -The Guardian (U.K.)"A book so simple, so seemingly effortless, that it's almost perfect." -The Irish Independent"An extraordinary book." -The Irish Examiner

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Book SynopsisBerlin 1942When Bruno returns home from school one day, he discovers that his belongings are being packed in crates. His father has received a promotion and the family must move from their home to a new house far far away, where there is no one to play with and nothing to do. A tall fence running alongside stretches as far as the eye can see and cuts him off from the strange people he can see in the distance.But Bruno longs to be an explorer and decides that there must be more to this desolate new place than meets the eye. While exploring his new environment, he meets another boy whose life and circumstances are very different to his own, and their meeting results in a friendship that has devastating consequences.

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Book SynopsisJohn Boyne is the author of fifteen novels for adults, six for younger readers, and a collection of short stories. His 2006 novel The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas has sold more than 11 million copies worldwide and has been adapted for cinema, theatre, ballet, and opera. His many international bestsellers include The Heart's Invisible Furies and A Ladder to the Sky. He has won four Irish Book Awards, including Author of the Year in 2022, along with a host of other international literary prizes. His novels are published in sixty languages.Twitter: @JohnBoyneBooksInstagram: @JohnBoyneAuthorTrade ReviewPat Barker meets Michelle Magorian . . . Comic as well as poignantly enlightening * Independent on Sunday *John Boyne’s children’s novels tackle difficult subjects . . . and this latest book looks at the horrors of trench warfare in World War 1. With the anniversary of that war next year, this is a timely examination of moral, physical and mental bravery and pain * Daily Mail *Beautifully paced and affecting * The Bookseller *Stay Where You Are and Then Leave is beautifully written, as are all John Boyne's books for children. Although it's a book aimed primarily at younger readers, it's equally as satisfying for adults, and should be widely read by everyone * Wondrous Reads *A beautifully paced and affecting tale * Independent on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisJohn Boyne is the author of nineteen novels for adults, six for younger readers, a picture book and a collection of short stories. His 2006 novel The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas has sold more than 11 million copies worldwide and has been adapted for cinema, theatre, ballet, and opera. His many international bestsellers include The Heart's Invisible Furies and A Ladder to the Sky. He has won four Irish Book Awards, including Author of the Year in 2022, along with a host of other international literary prizes. His novels are published in sixty languages.Twitter: @JohnBoyneBooksInstagram: @JohnBoyneAuthorTrade ReviewWith goodly dollops of magic and wonderful surrealism, it has a fable-like quality. If they like magical stories, and if they like to deal with serious issues in a metaphorical way, they will love this sweet, funny and kindly book. I certainly did * The Bookbag *This delightful, bittersweet 'fairytale' is a flight of fantasy with playful use of language and a joy from start to finish. Noah's heartbreaking emotional journey is lightened by a rich vein of absurd humour and eccentric characters * Daily Mail *Destined to become something of a children's classic * Mail On Sunday *It's inventive, wily, twisty . . . Noah Barleywater Runs Away is a carefully crafted whimsical gem, a story to share with others and to discuss at book clubs, a true publishing event * Irish Independent *Boyne has interesting things to say about identity, self knowledge and how we cope with life's travails and the book really does benefit from a second reading. Oliver Jeffers has produced beautiful cover artwork and his line drawings are suitably enigmatic helping to make this both an attractive and desirable package * The School Librarian *

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Book SynopsisWhen Pierrot becomes an orphan, he must leave his home in Paris for a new life with his Aunt Beatrix, a servant in a wealthy household at the top of the German mountains.Trade ReviewIt’s impossible to put down: devastating and devastatingly good, one of my top three children’s novels of the year so far . . . A difficult story to pull off, but with his perfect pacing, lack of sentimentality and refusal to submit to a neat end, Boyne has won me over – all over again * The Times *A remarkable feat . . . Compelling * Guardian *Disturbingly vivid, utterly readable and appealing to audiences of all ages * The Bookbag *There is a sureness and a simplicity to the writing that is very impressive . . . In The Boy at the Top of the Mountain, Boyne has delivered a powerful account of how one boy was seduced by Hitler and Nazism and paid the price. The final pages, in which he meets the Jewish friend of his boyhood and seeks redemption, are very moving. Younger readers will lament the corruption of Pierrot; older ones will perceive what Boyne is trying to tell us: if this could happen to Pierrot, it could happen to us * Irish Independent *An affecting morality tale . . . It is the chilling portrayal of adolescent corruption and atonement that lingers * Daily Mail *

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Book Synopsis''Simply written and highly memorable'' Ireland on Sunday''A subtle, calculatedly simple and ultimately moving story'' Irish Times''Stays ahead of its readers before delivering its killer-punch final pages'' Independent''A small wonder of a book . . . A particular historical moment, one that cannot be told too often'' Guardian''An extraordinary tale of friendship and the horrors of war...Raw literary talent at its best'' Irish Independent______________What happens when innocence is confronted by monstrous evil?Nine-year-old Bruno knows nothing of the Final Solution and the Holocaust. He is oblivious to the appalling cruelties being inflicted on the people of Europe by his country.All he knows is that he has been moved from a comfortable home in Berlin to a house in a desolate area where there is nothing to do and no-one to play with. Until he meets Shmuel, aTrade ReviewA small wonder of a book . . . A particular historical moment, one that cannot be told too often * Guardian *The Holocaust as a subject insists on respect, precludes criticism, prefers silence. One thing is clear: this book will not go gently into any good night * Observer *An extraordinary tale of friendship and the horrors of war . . . Raw literary talent at its best * Irish Independent *A book that lingers in the mind for quite some time . . . A subtle, calculatedly simple and ultimately moving story * The Irish Times *Simply written and highly memorable. There are no monstrosities on the page but the true horror is all the more potent for being implicit * Ireland on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisSeptember 1919: Twenty-year-old Tristan Sadler takes a train from London to Norwich to deliver a clutch of letters to Marian Bancroft.Trade ReviewExtraordinary... The narrative is by turns surprising and tragic in equal measure while its troubling conclusion will stay with readers long after they've closed the book -- Carlo GeblerPowerful, poignant and beautifully written. This will become a classic war novel * Bookseller *Compulsive, stylish and gripping * Reader's Digest *A wonderful, sad, tender book -- Colm ToibinJohn Boyne brings a completely fresh eye to the most important stories. He guides us through the realm of history and makes the journey substantial, poignant and real. He is one of the great craftsmen in contemporary literature -- Colum McCann

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Book SynopsisJohn Boyne is the author of fifteen novels for adults, six for younger readers, and a collection of short stories. His 2006 novel The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas has sold more than 11 million copies worldwide and has been adapted for cinema, theatre, ballet, and opera. His many international bestsellers include The Heart's Invisible Furies and A Ladder to the Sky. He has won four Irish Book Awards, including Author of the Year in 2022, along with a host of other international literary prizes. His novels are published in sixty languages.Twitter: @JohnBoyneBooksInstagram: @JohnBoyneAuthor

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Book SynopsisJohn Boyne is the author of nineteen novels for adults, six for younger readers, a picture book and a collection of short stories. His 2006 novel The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas has sold more than 11 million copies worldwide and has been adapted for cinema, theatre, ballet, and opera. His many international bestsellers include The Heart's Invisible Furies and A Ladder to the Sky. He has won four Irish Book Awards, including Author of the Year in 2022, along with a host of other international literary prizes. His novels are published in sixty languages.Twitter: @JohnBoyneBooksInstagram: @JohnBoyneAuthor

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Book SynopsisJohn Boyne is the author of nineteen novels for adults, six for younger readers, a picture book and a collection of short stories. His 2006 novel The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas has sold more than 11 million copies worldwide and has been adapted for cinema, theatre, ballet, and opera. His many international bestsellers include The Heart's Invisible Furies and A Ladder to the Sky. He has won four Irish Book Awards, including Author of the Year in 2022, along with a host of other international literary prizes. His novels are published in sixty languages.Twitter: @JohnBoyneBooksInstagram: @JohnBoyneAuthor

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Book SynopsisFrom internationally bestselling author John Boyne, a contemplative story about one man trying to move forward from the trauma of his youth to become a better father to his son. Being in limbo, 30,000 feet in the air, offers time to reflect and take stock. For Aaron Umber, it's an opportunity to connect with his 14-year-old son as they travel halfway across the world to meet a woman who isn't expecting them. Unsettled by his past, and anxious for his future, Aaron is at a crossroads in life. The damage inflicted upon him during his youth has made him the man he is, but now threatens to widen the growing fissures between him and his only child. This trip could bind them closer together, or tear them further apart. In this penetrating examination of action and consequence, fault and attribution, acceptance and resolution, John Boyne gives us a redemptive story of a father and a son on a moving journey to mend their troubled lives.

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Book SynopsisBruno doesn''t like his new house. He had to leave all his friends behind in Berlin, and there are no children to play with here - until Bruno meets Shmuel, a boy who lives on the other side of the wire fence near Bruno''s house, and who wears a strange uniform of striped pyjamas.A stunning anniversary edition of John Boyne''s powerful classic bestseller, with illustrations from award-winning artist Oliver Jeffers.

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Book SynopsisThe world-renowned UEA Creative Writing MA presents new work from the three prose strands of the course: fiction, life writing, and scriptwriting. Past course tutors and students have included Kazuo Ishiguro, Ian McEwan, Toby Litt, John Boyne, Trezza Azzopardi, Rose Tremain, Malcolm Bradbury, Anne Enright, Angela Carter, Ali Smith, Tracey Chevalier, Joe Dunthorne, Adam Foulds and Tash Aw, among many others. Buy this collection if you want an exciting glimpse into the future of new prose writing in Britain and around the world. UEA has a knack of discovering writers with a distinctive voice â in this case 40 distinctive voices â and this latest anthology proves that standards remain high. Thoughtful prose, provocative stories that stay in the mind, extracts from novels that make one long for the finished book. Read it and sample the future.John BoyneTo all of you with Blurb-fatigue: We always say that this group of writers is exceptionally gifted, promising, and startlingly original..

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Book Synopsis'Beautifully told and gripping from first page to last' Sunday Express'An incredible feat of storytelling... and an old-fashioned page-turner' Donal Ryan'Gripping and well-honed...consummately constructed, humming with tension' Guardian'You can't prepare yourself for the magnitude and emotional impact of this powerful novel' John Irving________________________________From the author of the globally bestselling, multi-million-copy classic, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, comes its astonishing and powerful sequel.Gretel Fernsby is a quiet woman leading a quiet life. She doesn't talk about her escape from Germany seventy years ago or the dark post-war years in France with her mother. Most of all, she doesn't talk about her father, the commandant of one of the most notorious Nazi concentration camps.But when a young family moves into the apartment below her, Gretel can't help but befriend their little boy, Henry, though his presence brings back painful memories. One night, she witnesses a violent argument between his parents, which threatens to disturb her hard-won peace.For the second time in her life, Gretel is given the chance to save a young boy. To do so would allay her guilt, grief and remorse, but it will also force her to reveal her true identity.Will she make a different choice this time, whatever the cost to herself?The new novel from John Boyne, WATER, is available for pre-order now._______________________________Praise for John Boyne'A master storyteller' Daily Express'One of the best novelists of Ireland' Sunday Express'Boyne offers writing of insight and beauty' Observer'John Boyne is a maestro of hisoritical fiction' John IrvingTrade ReviewGripping and well-honed...consummately constructed, humming with tension... a defence of literature's need to shine a light on the darkest aspects of human nature and it does so with a novelist's skill, precision and power * The Guardian *'What an incredible feat of storytelling. All the Broken Places is a stark confrontation of evil, an examination of guilt and deflection, and an old-fashioned page-turner. John treads the finest of narrative lines with skill and grace and proves himself yet again to be among the world's greatest storytellers. ' * Donal Ryan *An eloquent meditation on guilt, complicity and redemption.. a remarkable novel, with humanity at its core * Mail on Sunday *Beautifully told and gripping from first page to last * Sunday Express *This novel, this exceptional, layered and compelling story, is built on modern history and all of us people who live it. The protagonist, the elderly, forthright and mysterious Mrs. Fernsby, is more than memorable and every one of Boyne's characters, and every scene, dark or light, is limned in truth and insight. This book moves like a freight train,with force and consequence for the reader. * Amy Bloom *

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Book Synopsis'His relish is infectious' Times'The funniest book I've read in ages. Savage but compelling' Ian Rankin'Funny, rumbustious, unstinting and wonderfully Hogarthian' The Observer'Sharp, funny, and beautifully written... a brilliant reflection on the landscape we now live in' Joanna Cannon_______________What a thing of wonder a mobile phone is. Six ounces of metal, glass and plastic, fashioned into a sleek, shiny, precious object. At once, a gateway to other worlds - and a treacherous weapon in the hands of the unwary, the unwitting, the inept.The Cleverley family live a gilded life, little realising how precarious their privilege is, just one tweet away from disaster. George, the patriarch, is a stalwart of television interviewing, a 'national treasure' (his words), his wife Beverley, a celebrated novelist (although not as celebrated as she would like), and their children, Nelson, Elizabeth, Achilles, various degrees of catastrophe waiting to happen.Together they will go on a journey of discovery through the Hogarthian jungle of the modern living where past presumptions count for nothing and carefully curated reputations can be destroyed in an instant. Along the way they will learn how volatile, how outraged, how unforgiving the world can be when you step from the proscribed path.Powered by John Boyne's characteristic humour and razor-sharp observation, The Echo Chamber is a satiric helter skelter, a dizzying downward spiral of action and consequence, poised somewhere between farce, absurdity and oblivion. To err is maybe to be human but to really foul things up you only need a phone.The new novel by John Boyne, WATER, is available for pre-order now.Trade ReviewAn uproariously funny novel... John Boyne skilfully skewers the cruelties of social media and the absurdities of wokeness ... a brave and timely foray into the contemporary culture wars. * Financial Times *A fearless romp with big laughs along the way * Graham Norton *A comedy of manners and lack of manners ... good fun and cheeky as hell * Ryan Tubridy *His relish is infectious * The Times *Funny, rumbustious, unstinting and wonderfully Hogarthian * The Observer *

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Book SynopsisA Dickensian ghost story from the bestselling author of The Heart’s Invisible Furies and A Ladder to the Sky“A wonderfully creepy novel…magnificently eerie.” —The ObserverThis House Is Haunted is a striking homage to the classic nineteenth-century ghost story. Set in Norfolk in 1867, Eliza Caine responds to an ad for a governess position at Gaudlin Hall. When she arrives at the hall, shaken by an unsettling disturbance that occurred during her travels, she is greeted by the two children now in her care, Isabella and Eustace. There is no adult present to represent her mysterious employer, and the children offer no explanation. Later that night in her room, another terrifying experience further reinforces the sense that something is very wrong.   From the moment Eliza rises the following morning, her every step seems dogged by a malign presence that lives within Gaudlin’s walls. Eliza realizes that if she and the children are to survive its violent attentions, she must first uncover the hall’s long-buried secrets and confront the demons of its past. Clever, captivating, and witty, This House Is Haunted is pure entertainment with a catch.

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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