Contemporary fiction: literary and general

Book SynopsisONE OF THE BBC'S 100 NOVELS THAT SHAPED OUR WORLD 'This is probably my favourite book of all time' Billy Connolly A pithy, laugh-out-loud story following John Kennedy Toole's larger-than-life Ignatius J. Reilly, floundering his way through 1960s New Orleans, beautifully resigned with cover art by Gary Taxali_____________ 'This city is famous for its gamblers, prostitutes, exhibitionists, anti-Christs, alcoholics, sodomites, drug addicts, fetishists, onanists, pornographers, frauds, jades, litterbugs, and lesbians . . . don't make the mistake of bothering me.' Ignatius J. Reilly: fat, flatulent, eloquent and almost unemployable. By the standards of ordinary folk he is pretty much unhinged, too. But is he bothered by this? No. For this misanthropic crusader against an America fallen into vice and ignorance has a mission: to rescue a naked female philosopher in distress. And he has a pirate costume and hot-dTrade ReviewI succumbed, stunned and seduced, page after page, vocal with delight. A masterwork of comedy * New York Times *A fine funny novel. This is the kind of book one wants to keep quoting from -- Anthony BurgessEvery reviewer has loved it. For once, everyone is right * Rolling Stone *

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Book Synopsis'The Susan Sontag of her generation' Deborah LevyTwo couples inhabit the same apartment in Paris, almost fifty years apartIn 2019, Anna, a psychoanalyst, is processing a recent miscarriage. Her husband, David, takes a job in London so she spends days obsessing over renovating the kitchen while befriending a younger woman called Clémentine who has moved into the building and is part of a radical feminist collective called les colleuses. Meanwhile, in 1972, Florence and Henry are redoing their kitchen. Florence is finishing her degree in psychology while hoping to get pregnant. But Henry isn't sure he's ready for fatherhoodBoth sets of couples face the challenges of marriage, fidelity, and pregnancy. The characters and their ghosts bump into and weave around each other, not knowing that they once all inhabited the same space. A novel in the key of Éric Rohmer, Scaffolding is about the bonds we create with people, and the difficulty of ever fully severing them; about the ways that people we've known live on in us; and about the way that the homes we make hold communal memories of the people who've lived in them and the stories that have been told there. 'Atmospheric and evocative, the prose elegant and poised' Observer

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Book SynopsisAn instant New York Times and Sunday Times bestsellerSHORTLISTED FOR THE 2021 DYLAN THOMAS AWARD''A package of dynamite'' Stephen KingPowerful, compulsive, brilliant' Marian KeyesAn era-defining novel about the relationship between a fifteen-year-old girl and her teacherALL HE DID WAS FALL IN LOVE WITH ME AND THE WORLD TURNED HIM INTO A MONSTERVanessa Wye was fifteen-years-old when she first had sex with her English teacher.She is now thirty-two and in the storm of allegations against powerful men in 2017, the teacher, Jacob Strane, has just been accused of sexual abuse by another former student.Vanessa is horrified by this news, because she is quite certain that the relationship she had with Strane wasn''t abuse. It was love. She''s sure of that.Forced to rethink her past, to revisit everything that happened, Vanessa has to redefine the great love story of her life her great sexual awakening as rape. Now she must deal with the possibility that she might be a victim, and just one of many.Nuanced, uncomfortable, bold and powerful, My Dark Vanessa goes straight to the heart of some of the most complex issues of our age.Trade Review‘A hard story to read and a harder one to put down … a package of dynamite’ Stephen King ‘The book that scared Weinstein’ Metro ‘Compulsive. I burned through the first half in such a fever that I lost sleep, I missed meals … a lightning rod’ Washington Post ‘A brilliant and stunning debut … utterly truth-rattling, humane in its clarity and chilling in its resonance. An absolute must-read’ Gillian Flynn, author of Gone Girl ‘A skilled, terrifying depiction of grooming … we should all read it’ Marian Keyes ‘Once in a while, a book comes along that consumes your waking hours, unmoors you from your lived reality, grips the very core of you and doesn’t let go. My Dark Vanessa is that book’ Esquire ‘Clever, unsettling … this novel stands out for its elusiveness, its exceedingly complex, inventive, resourceful examination of harm and power’ New Yorker ‘The #MeToo novel that’s as gripping as any thriller’ Grazia ‘Gripping and unsettling… a bracingly uncompromising book. It will doubtless be devoured with an ache of recognition by large numbers of women. But it really ought to be read by men’ Economist ‘Superb … a book that asks what we have lost and gained in an era that has revolutionised the way we think about sex and power’ Observer ‘Addictively disturbing’ Red Magazine

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Book SynopsisIn Água Viva Clarice Lispector aims to ''capture the present''. Her direct, confessional and unfiltered meditations on everything from life and time to perfume and sleep are strange and hypnotic in their emotional power and have been a huge influence on many artists and writers, including one Brazilian musician who read it one hundred and eleven times. Despite its apparent spontaneity, this is a masterly work of art, which rearranges language and plays in the gaps between reality and fiction.Trade ReviewA bewitching, jewel-like book unlike anything in modern literature. Agua Viva baffles and inspires me ... Each word of the book lands with the sweet force of a blade ... crystalline -- Carlos Valladares * Gagosian Quarterly *An emblematic twentieth-century artist who belongs in the same pantheon as Kafka and Joyce * Edmund White *Lispector stands at the pinnacle of Brazil's impressive literary achievement * Washington Post Book World *One of the very great writers of the last century * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisTHE SEQUEL TO THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING PHENOMENON ME BEFORE YOUThe beautiful love story that will make you both laugh and cry, from the author of The Last Letter from Your Lover, now a major motion picture''Matches Me Before You. Funny, sad and wise, you''ll be using a hankie as a bookmark'' Mail on Sunday___________Lou Clark has lots of questions . . .Like how it is she''s ended up working in an airport bar, spending every shift watching other people jet off to new places.Or why the flat she''s owned for a year still doesn''t feel like home.Whether her close-knit family can forgive her for what she did eighteen months ago.And will she ever get over the love of her life.What Lou does know for certain is that something has to change.Then, one night, it does.But does the stranger on her doorstep hold the ansTrade ReviewThis book ticks every box: lots of laughs, big emotions and a loveable heroine you really root for * Good Housekeeping *Funny, heart-warming and extremely wise * Prima *It's wry and absorbing . . . It is impossible not to root for Lou, willing her to find that happy ending * Stylist *A deeply satisfying book full of big emotions * Good Housekeeping *This romantic, heart-rending sequel to Moyes's international super seller, Me Before You delivers on every level as Lou rebuilds her life with help from an unexpected source * Woman & Home, Books to Give this Christmas *Keep the tissues handy but expect plenty of humour and wisdom as well * Mail on Sunday, Books of the Year *

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Book SynopsisParsed through the eyes of a film maker, the ultimate outsider, Commedia Mortale summons dreams of kinship and nightmares of enmity. Ranging across philosophy, food, history, love, loss and landscape, Holloway conjures up a unique portrait of a place, the fables of its past and the dilemma of how to live now.

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Book Synopsis‘Full of Hoffman’s bewitching and lucid prose and vivid characters, The Book of Magic is ultimately about the very human magic of family and love and actions that echo through generations… it casts a spell’  —Matt HaigTHE STUNNING, UNFORGETTABLE CONCLUSION TO THE BELOVED PRACTICAL MAGIC SERIES For centuries, the Owens family has been cursed in matters of love. When beloved aunt Jet Owens hears the sound of the deathwatch beetle, she knows that it is a signal. She has finally discovered the secret to breaking the curse, but time is running out. She has only seven days to live. Unaware of the family’s witchcraft lineage and all it entails, one of the young sisters of the new Owens generation has fallen in love. As the curse strikes once again, her love’s fate hangs in the balance, spurring three generations of Owens to venture back to where it all began and use their Trade ReviewPraise for the Practical Magic series ‘Her books are a real pleasure – practical magic’ Kate Atkinson ‘[A] delicious fantasy of witchcraft and love in a world where gardens smell of lemon verbena and happy endings are possible’ Cosmopolitan ‘Dripping with pathos and otherworldly possibility’ Vogue ‘Dark comedy and a light touch carry the story along to a truly Gothic climax, complete with heaving skies and witchery on the lawn’ New York Times ‘A master of magical realism, draws us back into the spellbinding universe of the Owens family with gorgeous prose set against a backdrop of vivid imagery’ Marie Claire ‘A delightful confection – witty, imaginative, unexpectedly touching’ The Times ‘Reading an Alice Hoffman book is like falling into a deep dream where senses are heightened and love reigns supreme… I never wanted to awaken’ Jodi Picoult ‘Hoffman’s classy prose imbues this modern fairy tale with bite as well as beauty’ Mail on Sunday ‘Storytelling is in Hoffman’s bones’ New York Times Book Review ‘Vivid and enchanting… another sublime entry in an arresting series’ Esquire ‘I got so swept up in this enchanting story’ Reese Witherspoon ‘A vivid and evocative tale – prepare to be spellbound’ Woman ‘Full of Hoffman’s bewitching and lucid prose and vivid characters, The Book of Magic is ultimately about the very human magic of family and love and actions that echo through generations… it casts a spell’ Matt Haig

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Book SynopsisHurt people hurt people.Say there was a novel in which Holden Caulfield was an alcoholic and Lolita was a photographer''s assistant and, somehow, they met in Bright Lights, Big City. He''s blinded by love. She by ambition. Diary of an Oxygen Thief is an honest, hilarious, and heartrending novel, but above all, a very realistic account of what we do to each other and what we allow to have done to us.Trade ReviewKinky, artsy, and swoon-worthy * New York Magazine *The author does a great job. I loved it! * Junot Diaz, author of The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao *F. Scott Fitzgerald for the iPad generation. * Richard Nash, author of What is the Business of Literature? *First he steals the oxygen from you, then he spits it right back in your face. One of the most interesting and controversial encounters I've made through a book. * Lorenzo DeRita, editor in chief, COLORS magazine *Enthralling . . . the cult tale of a misogynist's ruin * Guardian *A massively enjoyable, very quick read that's as hipster as a three pound bowl of Rice Krispies on Shoreditch High Street, but less of a rip-off * The Pool *The book becomes valuable, at least to me, because what the oxygen thief does par excellence is describe the myriad horrors of corporate culture * Elle Thinks *A brutal but a frank and honest account . . . exudes raw open honesty . . . Love it or hate it Diary of an Oxygen Thief is here and it will divide opinion, Read it for yourself and judge for yourself. * The Last Word *

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Book SynopsisLearn all about Hermione Granger in the brand-new POCKET POTTERS series, the completely collectable, must-have mini-guides about your favourite wizarding friends.

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Book Synopsis** THE SUNDAY TIMES NO. 1 BESTSELLER ****A BBC BETWEEN COVERS BIG JUBILEE READ**Go back to where it all began with the dystopian novel behind the award-winning TV series.'As relevant today as it was when Atwood wrote it' GuardianI believe in the resistance as I believe there can be no light without shadow; or rather, no shadow unless there is also light.Offred is a Handmaid in The Republic of Gilead, a religious totalitarian state in what was formerly known as the United States. She is placed in the household of The Commander, Fred Waterford - her assigned name, Offred, means 'of Fred'. She has only one function: to breed. If Offred refuses to enter into sexual servitude to repopulate a devastated world, she will be hanged. Yet even a repressive state cannot eradicate hope and desire. As she recalls her pre-revolution life in flashbacks, Offred must navigate through the terrifying landscape of torture and persecution in the present day, and between two men upon which her future hangs.Masterfully conceived and executed, this haunting vision of the future places Margaret Atwood at the forefront of dystopian fiction.'A fantastic, chilling story. And so powerfully feminist', Bernardine Evaristo, author of Girl, Woman, Other.Trade ReviewA fantastic, chilling story. And so powerfully feminist -- Bernadine EvaristoCompulsively readable * Daily Telegraph *The mother of all feminist dystopian novels * Red *The novel satirises the strain of evangelical puritanism in American culture and the objectification and control of women's bodies. It is more broadly a contemporary myth of despotic power, and how such power deforms those who are subjected to it * Observer *The Handmaid's Tale is both a superlative exercise in science fiction and a profoundly felt moral story -- Angela CarterOut of a narrative shadowed by terror, gleam sharp perceptions, brilliant intense images and sardonic wit -- Peter Kemp * Independent *Margaret Atwood is a wry and perceptive observer of society as well as an original storyteller * Psychologist *The images of brilliant emptiness are one of the most striking aspects of this novel about totalitarian blindness...the effect is chilling -- Linda Taylor * Sunday Times *Brilliantly conceived and executed, this powerful evocation of twenty-first century America gives full rein to Margaret Atwood’s devastating irony, wit and astute perception * Essence *It's hard to believe it is 25 years since it was first published, but its freshness, its anger and its disciplined, taut prose have grown more admirable in the intervening years... Atwood's novel was an ingenious enterprise that showed, with out hysteria, the real dangers to women of closing their eyes to patriarchal -- Lesley McDowell * Independent on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES TOP FIVE BESTSELLER NOW A MAJOR TV SERIES'Beth O'Leary is that rare, one-in-a-million talent who can make you laugh, swoon, cry and ache all in the same book' Emily Henry'Beth O'Leary crafts novels with such wit, heart and truth' Sophie Kinsella**********Tiffy and Leon share a flatTiffy and Leon share a bedTiffy and Leon have never met...Tiffy Moore needs a cheap flat, and fast. Leon Twomey works nights and needs cash. Their friends think they're crazy, but it's the perfect solution: Leon occupies the one-bed flat while Tiffy's at work in the day, and she has the run of the place the rest of the time.But with obsessive ex-boyfriends, demanding clients at work, wrongly imprisoned brothers and, of course, the fact that they still haven't met yet, they're about to discover that if you want the perfect home you need to throw the rulebook out the window...**********See what everyone is saying about The Flatshare'A Sleepless In Seattle for the 21st century' Sunday Express'I devoured The Flatshare. Original, funny and touching. Read it' Clare Mackintosh'If Richard Curtis and Nora Ephron made a story baby' Zoella Book Club'One of the most talked about books of 2019... Fans of Jojo Moyes's Me Before You will love this UpLit romcom' Red Magazine'It's fiction to make you feel good - endlessly enjoyable and brilliant fun' Daily Express'In the league of Bridget Jones and Marian Keyes' Walsh sister books' Claire Allan'Funny, emotional and uplifting' Sun'A quirky, feelgood read, bursting with character and warmth' Prima'The Flatshare is a huge, heartwarming triumph' Josie Silver'Uproariously funny with characters you fall for from the first page' Woman & Home'Deliciously funny and truly uplifting' Lucy Diamond'Touching, funny and skilful, a delightful read' Katie Fforde'It's funny and charming but there are moments of real poignancy, too. Guaranteed to leave you with a smile on your face' Good Housekeeping'Heartwarming and brilliant' Closer'Funny and winning... a Richard Curtis rom-com that also has its feet firmly planted in real life. A real treat' StylistTrade ReviewDeliciously funny and truly uplifting, this is a heartwarming story of friendship, love and starting overUtterly charming... a Richard Curtis rom-com that also has its feet firmly planted in real life... above all else, it's funny and winning * Stylist *It's funny and charming but there are moments of real poignancy, too. Guaranteed to leave you with a smile on your face * Good Housekeeping *The Flatshare is a huge, heartwarming triumph * Josie Silver, author of One Day in December *Set to become the romcom of the year with its loveable characters, comic situations and deeply satisfying love story - a Sleepless In Seattle for the 21st century * Sunday Express *I loved the way various strands of Tiffy and Leon's lives were crocheted together ... A warm, colourful, unique story and a thoroughly enjoyable read * Sarah Haywood *Funny, emotional and uplifting ... you'll devour this well-written debut * Sun *A quirky, feelgood read, bursting with character and warmth * Prima *Whip-smart and joyful, an original, delightful and thoroughly engaging love storyTouching, funny and skilful, a delightful read * Katie Fforde *Charming * Sun *In the league of Bridget Jones and Marian Keyes' Walsh sister books... Fresh, funny and feel-good... the perfect antidote to any bad dayA beautiful, hope-filled, joyful triumph of a bookIncredibly uplifting and joyous. I spent the last few hours with a massive smile on my face. I have fallen head over heels in love with Tiffy and Leon, and indeed with this bookA fresh, funny, quirky feelgood read with real heart * Mike Gayle *This will be THE heart-warming summer read of 2019Breaks your heart AND puts it back togetherAn utterly magical read! * Lauren North *A gorgeously written, highly original love storyA sweet, funny, beautifully written romanceThe Flatshare is original, charming, warm and properly funny. I loved it * Keris Stainton *This wee smasher is up-lit/romcom at its best * Sunday Post *Uproariously funny with characters you fall for from the first page * Woman & Home *The last book to completely emotionally absorb me in this way was Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, and I think fans of that will adore this. . . addictively readable * Daisy Buchanan, Brides Magazine *Each novel is like if Richard Curtis and Nora Ephron made a story baby * Zoella Book Club *An inspired premise... Much Up Lit, often characterised by infantilising whimsy and pat resolutions, raises this reviewer's hackles. The zesty Flatshare, however, proves a tonic * Sunday Times *There's no denying the sparky charm of this rather quirky love story * Sunday Mirror *Funny and uplifting... a heart-warming story of friendship and love. The smart, original writing makes for a compelling, emotionally intelligent and thoughtful book about love. It's fiction to make you feel good - endlessly enjoyable and brilliant fun * Daily Express *I couldn't get enough of Tiffy and Leon in this funny and uplifting tale * Sun *A heart-warming read * i newspaper *Cheer up your commute * Grazia *Heartwarming and brilliant * Closer *An unashamed romantic comedy, this is a delight, with two main characters you can't help rooting for * Heat *This book covers some heavy subjects, yet it leaves you feeling joyful. A fantastic debut! * Women’s Weekly *Heartwarming * Bella *A charming and hugely promising debut * Irish Independent *Leaves you feeling utterly joyful. A unique premise and a fantastic debut * Woman's Own *Beth O'Leary's first novel is feel-good fiction at its best * Independent *A boy-shouldn't-meet-girl screwball comedy with an ingenious premise * Sunday Times Culture *Perfect holiday reading * Irish Examiner *It's funny and charming but there are moments of real poignancy, too. Guaranteed to leave you with a smile on your face * Good Housekeeping *The Flatshare was a triumph of screwball pacing and plotting * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisCatherine Newman is the author of the memoirs Catastrophic Happiness and Waiting for Birdy, and the bestselling children's book How to be a Person. She is a regular contributor to the New York Times, O, The Oprah Magazine, Parents magazine, and many other publications. Her debut novel for adults, We All Want Impossible Things, was chosen for the Richard & Judy Book Club. She lives in Amherst, Massachusetts, with her family.

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Book SynopsisThe beloved classic novel, the basis of the classic film starring Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock As children, sisters Gillian and Sally were forever outsiders in their small New England town, teased, taunted and shunned for the air of magic that seems to sparkle in the air around them. All Gillian and Sally ever wanted was to get away.  And eventually they do – one marries, the other runs as far from home as she can manage. Years later, however, tragedy will bring the sisters back together. And they’ll find that no matter what else may happen, they’ll always have each other. An enchanting tale of love, forgiveness and family, Practical Magic is beloved of readers of all ages. Book 3 in the Practical Magic series.*~*~*Readers love Practical Magic*~*~*   'A real pleasure' Kate Atkinson 'Simply brilliant' Trade Review Praise for the Practical Magic series ‘Her books are a real pleasure – practical magic’ Kate Atkinson ‘[A] delicious fantasy of witchcraft and love in a world where gardens smell of lemon verbena and happy endings are possible’ Cosmopolitan ‘Dripping with pathos and otherworldly possibility’ Vogue ‘Dark comedy and a light touch carry the story along to a truly Gothic climax, complete with heaving skies and witchery on the lawn’ New York Times ‘A master of magical realism, draws us back into the spellbinding universe of the Owens family with gorgeous prose set against a backdrop of vivid imagery’ Marie Claire ‘A delightful confection – witty, imaginative, unexpectedly touching’ The Times ‘Reading an Alice Hoffman book is like falling into a deep dream where senses are heightened and love reigns supreme… I never wanted to awaken’ Jodi Picoult ‘Hoffman’s classy prose imbues this modern fairy tale with bite as well as beauty’ Mail on Sunday ‘Storytelling is in Hoffman’s bones’ New York Times Book Review ‘Vivid and enchanting… another sublime entry in an arresting series’ Esquire ‘I got so swept up in this enchanting story’ Reese Witherspoon ‘A vivid and evocative tale – prepare to be spellbound’ Woman ‘Full of Hoffman’s bewitching and lucid prose and vivid characters, The Book of Magic is ultimately about the very human magic of family and love and actions that echo through generations… it casts a spell’ Matt Haig

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Book SynopsisFROM THE GLOBALLY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRINGBittersweet dazzling' GuardianDeeply pleasurable the ending made me cry' The TimesTold with a wealth of detail and narrative intensity' Penelope LivelyViolet is 38.The First World War took everything from her. Her brother, her fiancé and her future. She is now considered a surplus woman'.But Violet is also fiercely independent and determined. Escaping her suffocating mother, she moves to Winchester to start a new life a change that will require courage, resilience and acts of quiet rebellion. And when whispers of another world war surface, she must live with a secret that could change everythingTrade Review‘Bittersweet … dazzling’ Guardian ‘Tracy Chevalier shows once again her ability to illuminate ordinary lives and to pay attention to those most often ignored … movingly examines hidden depths beneath quiet exteriors’ Sunday Times ‘Writing with quiet but devastating empathy, Tracy Chevalier pinpoints Violet’s predicament as a single woman, her unexpected emotional crisis and her struggle to give her life depth and meaning. I loved it’ Daily Mail ‘A well-woven story of love … Chevalier has such a sure eye for details, whether she is describing the loveliness of the cathedral or the dismal interior of a 1930s boarding house. Reading this is deeply pleasurable’ The Times ‘I enjoyed A Single Thread enormously. Tracy Chevalier wonderfully evokes the social climate of the nineteen thirties – this is the intriguing story of a young woman facing the conventions and prejudices of the day, told with a wealth of detail and narrative intensity’ Penelope Lively ’Tracy Chevalier’s quietly moving story of a woman finding freedom in the 1930s is a gem’ Stylist ‘Evocative and beautifully written’ Sunday Express Magazine ‘I loved it. So compelling and warm and subtle, and very moving’ Bridget Collins, author of The Binding ‘Evocative, beautifully written’ Daily Mirror ‘Beautifully written … utterly immersive’ Red ‘Atmospheric … wonderful’ Good Housekeeping ‘I loved it! Enchanting and full of hope. Absolutely needed in this political climate’ Laura Purcell, author of The Silent Companions ‘A fierce and moving book about the great courage of a small life’ Sadie Jones ‘It’s a chance encounter that sets Violet on an unexpectedly rewarding path in this pleasant, leisurely paced novel’ i Paper ‘Absorbing, empathetic, poignant’ Daily Mail

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Book SynopsisA princess desperate to win back the prince who broke her heart follows him to his kingdom''s prestigious military academy and in doing so, falls in love, saves the realm, and continues to look fabulous, in this romantic debut fantasy.Prince Domhnall and Princess Clía are a perfect royal match or so everyone says. Until Domhnall ruins everything by refusing to propose.Heartbroken but determined, Clía makes the perfect plan: Follow Domhnall to Caisleán Cósta, the military academy he's attending. Show she can protect her kingdom. Secure the betrothal. Sure, the castle has a brutal reputation. But how hard can dueling really be?Warrior Ronan promised himself he'd never lose his focus. He fought and sacrificed for his place at Caisleán Cósta, and he has no time for blonde princesses who waltz intro arenas like they're attending a ball. Even if she and her otter-like pet arewell, cute.He doesn't want to be intrigued by Clía. But her hunger to prove herself is something he understands. He tells himself there's no harm training her. Even if his heart does race around her. Even if Domhnall is his best friend.But as they say, love is a battlefield and unfortunately for them all, a very real war is looming on the horizon. It's a fight that will threaten all their kingdomsand test all their hearts.

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE 2025 ARTHUR C. CLARKE AWARD A TIMES BOOK OF THE MONTH A GUARDIAN SCI-FI BOOK OF THE MONTH A JIMMY FALLON SPRING FAVOURITE A HARPER'S BAZAAR 'BEST BOOK OF 2024' AUDIBLE BEST OF THE MONTH AMAZON 'BEST OF MARCH' PICK ESQUIRE'S 'BEST BOOKS OF 2024 (SO FAR)' A 'MOST ANTICIPATED NOVEL' FOR GOODREADS AND READER'S DIGEST She's human in every way that matters. Annie is the perfect girlfriend. She has dinner ready for Doug every night, wears the outfits he buys for her, and caters to his every sexual whim. Maybe her cleaning isn't always good enough, but she's trying really hard. She was designed that way, after all. Because Annie is a robot. But what happens when she starts to rebel against her stifled existence and imagine the impossible a life without Doug? Intense, compelling' GUARDIAN 'Barbie for girls who like Aphex Twin' SHEENA PATEL 'An exquisitely written, empathetic novel that asks what it really means to be human' RED A smart dive into big questions about identity, autonomy and power packs an impressive punch' THE TIMES, Book of the Month Slyly profound gripping' NEW YORK TIMES 'A Frankenstein for the digital age' ESQUIRE 'A compelling story of power, consent and control in the age of AI' GRAZIA

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2025 'Enormously entertaining' THE TIMES 'As funny as it is moving' GUARDIAN 'A joy of a debut' DAVID MITCHELL 'Magnificent' BERNARDINE EVARISTO A stunning debut novel following five women from three generations of a once eminent Iranian family as their lives are turned upside down. The Valiat family are in crisis. Elizabeth, the regal matriarch, remained in Tehran despite the revolution and only has Niaz, her Islamic law-breaking granddaughter for company. In America, Elizabeth' s daughters, the flamboyantly high-flying Shirin and frustrated housewife Seema, are wondering if their new lives there are all they had hoped for. Lastly, there's the second granddaughter, Bita, a disillusioned law student trying to find deeper meaning by giving away her worldly belongings. When an annual vacation in Aspen goes wildly awry and Shirin ends up being bailed out of jail, gossip about the family spreads like wildfire. Soon, Shirin sets out to restore the family name to its former glory. But what does that mean in a country where the Valiats never mattered to anyone? And, will reputation be enough to make them a family again? The Persians is an irresistible portrait of a unique family in turmoil that explores timeless questions of love, money, art and fulfilment. Here is their past, their present and a possible new future for them all. A most anticipated novel of 2025 in Stylist, BBC and iNews. Funny, gutsy and confidently written an outstanding debut' DIANA EVANS, 2025 Women's Prize Judge 'I lapped up its wonderful characterisations, profound insights and vivacious prose' BERNARDINE EVARISTO 'Mesmerising' MONICA ALI 'Darkly funny, richly satisfying' SARAH WINMAN 'Riotous will have you hooked' STYLIST A darkly funny read about mothers and daughters, love and loss and being true to yourself' RED 'As exuberant as it is sharp' iNEWS 'A sweeping and irreverent tale' BBC Gloriously engrossing' TASH AW Exuberant, comic, perceptive' AMINA CAIN 'A very brilliant, very special book' JESSICA STANLEY An unforgettable read' JOSIE FERGUSON

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book Synopsis''A stunning novel.' GRAHAM NORTON''My god this is gorgeous. Wild, wise, wonderful.'' RUSSELL T. DAVIESUnforgettable.' CÓLM TOIBÍNWINNER OF THE CHRISTOPHER ISHERWOOD PRIZESHORTLISTED FOR THE PORTICO PRIZENow featuring Andrew O''Hagan''s moving essay on the real-life friendship that inspired his beloved, award-winning novel.Everyone has a Tully Dawson: the friend who defines your life.In the summer of 1986, James and Tully ignite a friendship based on music, films and the rebel spirit. With school over, they rush towards a magical weekend of youthful excess in Manchester, played out against the greatest soundtrack ever recorded. And there a vow is made: to go at life differently.Thirty years on, the phone rings. Tully has news.Readers love Mayflies: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ''Intelligent, moving, and quick-moving. Leaves you smiling and crying at once.''⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ''Exquisitely written and made me exhale with a big sigh and just sit still, thinking deeply, when I closed the book at the end.''⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ''An uplifting and life-affirming read.''⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ''This book will change your life and challenge your values. You''ll laugh, then weep til you''re weak like a baby.''⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ''An exquisite exploration of how life should be lived, right until the very last breath.''

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Book SynopsisFrom cult sensation Mariana Enriquez, author of the International Booker Prize-shortlisted The Dangers of Smoking in Bed "...one of the best novels of the 21st century" - Paul Tremblay "...a magnificent accomplishment and a genuine work of power" - Alan Moore His father could find what was lost. His father knew when someone was going to die. His father had talked to him about the dead who rode in on the wind. The dead travel fast. Gaspar is six years old when the Order first come for him. For years, they have exploited his father's ability to commune with the dead and the demonic, presiding over macabre rituals where the unwanted and the disappeared are tortured and executed, sacrificed to the Darkness. Now they want a successor. Nothing will stop the Order, nothing is beyond them. Surrounded by horrors, can Gaspar break free? Spanning the brutal decades of Argentina's military dictatorship and its aftermath, Our Share of Night is a haunting, thrilling novel of broken families, cursed inheritances, and the sacrifices a father will make to help his son escape his destiny.Trade ReviewA gorgeous, dazzling novel... Startlingly brilliant... An enchanting, shattering, once-in-a-lifetime reading experience. * New York Times *A masterpiece of supernatural horror... Our Share of Night is a literary achievement, gorgeous and exacting in its execution * Washington Post *With realism in its magic and magic in its realism, this is a magnificent accomplishment and a genuine work of power. -- Alan MooreA gothic horror epic... Has the makings of a cult read * The Times *Very dark, very powerful, very compelling... An extraordinary thing -- John LanchesterA novel so disquieting, so unsettling I could neither put it down, nor read it late at night. Enriquez's short stories had already made me a fan for life - her novel is going to haunt me for the rest of my life -- Kelly Link, author of White Cat, Black Dog and Get in Trouble, finalist for the Pulitzer PrizeDazzling... Towering, electric, wild - this novel is a masterpiece and a true original. -- Laura van den Berg, author of The Third HotelThrilling and engaging, it is a staggering accomplishment. Mariana Enriquez has written the novel that other novels will be compared to -- John LanganBinds together the terror of Stephen King with the history and aftermath of Argentina's military dictatorship which saw thousands "disappeared"... This horror is a must-read * Evening Standard *Compelling... unlike most Gothic fictions, this book is truly frightening -- Adam Thirlwell * London Review of Books *Epic and intimate, lyrical and brutal, horrifying and defiantly hopeful, and one of the best novels of the 21st century. I'm going to press this book into the hands of everyone I know -- Paul Tremblay, author of A Head Full of Ghosts and The Pallbearers ClubA hugely ambitious, inventive and compelling work of modern fantasy * Interzone *Macabre and unsettling, some of the imagery is so horrific that it is hard to keep reading, yet the story so captivating it is impossible to stop... Lest this all sound too horrific, there is profound and enduring love here as well * New Internationalist *This is a literary work of huge significance... [A] fully unfurled psychic map of a country, the claustrophobia and inescapable horror of a haunted house story told over the length and breadth of a nation * The List *Enriquez is a masterful world builder. And the one she creates here devastates. This engrossing mixture of supernatural horror and intimate storytelling will leave an indelible but instructive mark on readers -- Sergio de la Pava, author of A Naked SingularityThere is a high gothic flavour to this material, as well as lurid, brilliantly over-the-top moments of grotesquery, of high violence... It has teeth, claws and a beating heart difficult to resist for those hardy of stomach -- Stuart Evers * Spectator *This is a proper gothic door stopper * Times Literary Supplement *An old-fashioned flesh-creeper... it is done with absolute relish and evident delight... Entirely unique - a long serious novel which has all the delights of horror fiction * Literary Review *A bone-chilling behemoth of a book, and another treasure in Enriquez's trove * nb. Magazine *A singular, soul-rattling novel... Mariana Enriquez's terrifying, lush, blood-soaked epic masterfully uses the occult to depict unspeakable brutality, political oppression, and the tragedy of Argentina's disappeared to devastating effect, while powerfully exploring the lengths a parent will go to protect their child. I've never read anything like it and I'll never forget my time in Enriquez's mesmerizing world. -- Jessamine Chan, New York Times bestselling author of The School for Good Mothers

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Book SynopsisTHE NUMBER ONE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLERA genuine masterpiece, the first great American novel of the twenty-first century' ElleFunny, moving, generous, brutal and intelligent' GuardianA brilliantly perceptive and moving novel that announced Jonathan Franzen as one of our greatest living writers.The Lamberts Enid, Alfred and their three grown-up children are a troubled family living in a troubled age. After fifty years as a wife and mother, Enid is ready to have some fun, but her husband Alfred is losing his mind to Parkinson's. As his condition worsens, and the Lamberts are forced to face the long-buried secrets and failures that haunt them, Enid sets her heart on gathering everyone together for one last family Christmas.Compellingly readable, funny and above all generous spirited' Daily MailA novel of outstanding sympathy, wit, moral intelligence and pathos, a family saga told with stylistic brio and psychological and political insight' Financial TimesA big-hearted, panoramic AmericaTrade Review‘Jonathan Franzen has built a powerful novel out of the swarming consciousness of a marriage, a family, a whole culture’ Don DeLillo 'Impossible to dislike, an unpretentious page-turner' Zadie Smith 'Compelling. A pleasure from beginning to end. Franzen, in one leap, has put himself into the league of Updike and Roth' Evening Standard ‘A book which is funny, moving, generous, brutal and intelligent, and which poses the ultimate question: what life is for? And that is as much as anyone could ask' Guardian ‘Intelligent, compellingly readable, funny and above all generous spirited, it is a rare thing, a modern novel with both head and heart’ Daily Mail

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Book Synopsis''Heartstopping... doesn''t let up... you will urge them on, fists clenched'' The TimesAn extraordinary story of the lengths a mother will go to to save her son, AMERICAN DIRT has sold over 2 million copies worldwide. It''s time to read what you''ve been missing.Lydia Perez owns a bookshop in Acapulco, Mexico, and is married to a fearless journalist. Luca, their eight-year-old son, completes the picture. But it only takes a bullet to rip them apart.In a city in the grip of a drug cartel, friends become enemies overnight, and Lydia has no choice but to flee with Luca at her side. North for the border... whatever it takes to stay alive. The journey is dangerous - not only for them, but for those they encounter along the way. Who can be trusted? And what sacrifices is Lydia prepared to make?*An Instant New York Times #1 Bestseller 2020**An Instant Sunday Times Top Ten Bestseller 2020**OveTrade ReviewDevastating and timely... its hard to imagine there will be a more urgent or politically relevant novel this year * Observer *This book is not simply the great American novel; it's the great novel of las Americas. It's the great world novel! This is the international story of our times. Masterful -- Sandra CisnerosHeartstopping... doesn't let up... you will urge them on, fists clenched * The Times *Stunning... remarkable... an account of love on the run that will never lose steam * Vogue *This might be the first book many people read this year... it might also be the best * Irish Times *Taut, tough, visceral, savage and exhilaratingly written * i-Paper *One hell of a novel about a good woman on the run with her beautiful boy... I defy anyone to read the first seven pages of this book and not finish itAMERICAN DIRT transported me through genuine fear and had me willing on every human being struggling to get to a better life. Written with masterly restraint, it is a roaring human triumphIt's been a long time since I turned pages as fast as I did with American Dirt. Its journey is a testament to the power of fear and hope and belief that there are more good people than bad.I devoured the novel in a dry-eyed adrenalin rush... profoundly moving * Washington Post *From its heart-stopping first sentence to its heart-shattering last, Cummins' story of immigrants is just what we need nowFrom the opening page your heart will be in your mouth You will never want to put this story down, Jeanine Cummins has written a novel of such moment, such danger and such compassion, it will change your view of the worldUrgent and unforgettable, AMERICAN DIRT leaps the borders of the page and demands attention, especially nowRiveting, timely, a dazzling accomplishment. Jeanine Cummins makes us all live and breathe the refugee story. If a book can change hearts and transform policies, this is the oneBoth a moral compass and a riveting read

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Book SynopsisGRIPPING AND POIGNANT'RUTH HOGAN, bestselling author of The Keeper of Lost ThingsCLEVER AND ENTERTAINING' GOOD HOUSEKEEPINGA THOUGHT-PROVOKING READ' PRIMAEight ordinary people. One extraordinary choice.It seems like just another morning.Around the world, people wake up, check the news, open the front door.On every doorstep is a box. Inside that box is the exact number of years that person has left to live.Whether they open it or hide it under their bed, each person must learn to live in this new world: a couple who thought they didn't have to rush their life together, a doctor who cannot save himself from his own fate, best friends whose dreams are forever entwined, and a politician whose box becomes the powder keg that ultimately changes everythingEnchanting and deeply uplifting, The Measure is a sweeping, ambitious and invigorating story about family, friendship, hope and destiny that encourages us to live life to the fullest.***EXAMINES THE BIG LIFE AND DEATH QUESTIONS IN A CLEVER AND, DARE WE SAY IT, ENTERTAINING WAY' WOMAN & HOMEINTRIGUING' WOMAN'S WEEKLYLIFE-AFFIRMING' CHRISTINA DALCHER, bestselling author of VoxDESPITE ITS CHILLING PREMISE, ERLICK'S NOVEL IS AN ESCAPE FROM RATHER THAN A WINDOW INTO OUR OWN TERRIFYING REALITY' NEW YORK TIMESCOMPELLING AND HEART-BREAKING' Bridget Collins, bestselling author of The Binding ''A SHARP LENS FOR REAL-WORLD PROBLEMS'' DAILY MAILA HEARTFELT PARABLE FOR OUR OWN UNPRECEDENTED TIMES' Laurie Frankel, bestselling author of One Two ThreeBEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED AND HUGELY IMAGINATIVE' Claire NorthBRILLIANT I COULDN'T STOP READING' Christina Sweeney-BairdHUGELY COMPELLING' Freya Sampson, author of The Last Chance LibraryTrade Review‘The Measure is a fantastic first outing for Nikki Erlick. […] It’s a timely, page-turning triumph and I can’t recommend it enough’ LoveReading ‘A sharp lens for real-world problems’ Daily Mail ‘Perfect for book clubs… equal parts charming and thought-provoking. It takes a philosophical question – what if everybody on earth knew exactly how long they had left to live? – and explores, with compassion and pragmatism, how the implications would trickle down into… modern life, from politics to intimacy’ Marie Claire ‘Utterly original and wonderfully mysterious. Through Erlick's deft prose and clever logic, I threw away all disbelief and fully plunged into the unsettling but life-affirming world she creates’ Jessica Anya Blau, author of Mary Jane ‘The Measure is exactly what our world needs right now’ Christina Dalcher, bestselling author of Vox ‘[a] hugely compelling story, which drew me in from the very first page with its beautiful writing. Weeks after reading it, I'm still thinking about this smart, uplifting novel and its wonderful characters’ Freya Sampson, author of The Last Chance Library ‘The Measure has a strong emotional heart with an array of characters exploring their frightening, but sometimes beautiful new worlds. Ultimately, [it] is about the power of human resilience’ Luke Allnutt, author of We Own the Sky ‘A brilliant concept cleverly executed. I couldn’t stop reading’ Christina Sweeney-Baird, author of The End of Men ‘What an incredible book! … beautifully executed’ Ruth Hogan, author of The Keeper of Lost Things ‘A compelling, heart-breaking story of life and love with a perfect, elegant premise’ Bridget Collins, bestselling author of The Binding

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Book SynopsisDiscover the Dark Romance classics: Daphne du Maurier's timeless novels are now available with stunning, contemporary new covers for a new generation.

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Book Synopsis'There are four ways in but no way out ...'In 'Jack Squat', unemployed Gordon and his partner Omar see a money-making opportunity helping expats buy homes in southern Italy. But their scheme catches up with them after the first home they sell, curiously built with four entrances but no connecting doors inside, is revealed to have a dark history.In 'The Niche', mercilessly bullied schoolboy Billy Lender finds a hiding place in a nook in the school corridor and begins to hear whispers: the voice of a mysterious friend who will help him to plot a devastating revenge.Trade Review'In these expertly-crafted stories the consequences of moral corrosion are truly frightening. There are terrible things in the shadows - and we made them. Charles Lambert is a terrific, devious storyteller." - Owen King, author of Double Feature and co-author of Sleeping Beauties 'Gripping' Attitude Magazine 'Jack Squat ... A charming, elegantly written novella. [...] The Niche ... Deeply poignant.' TLS 'Odd, disturbing and original... two elegant novellas.' Sunday Express 'Genuinely horrifying, but subtle and unique' The Literary Sofa 'Charles Lambert could one day attain classic status.' Maggie Gee 'This disquieting novel is surely one of the year's most bizarre stories... Mr. Lambert's subtle prose enhances the novel's creepiness, as does his refusal to fully resolve or explain its many mysteries.' New York Times 'Charles Lambert is a seriously good writer' Dame Beryl Bainbridge 'Compulsively readable, a one-of-a-kind literary horror story' Kirkus Reviews

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Book SynopsisBrimming with characters you can''t help but fall for and off-the-charts chemistry, this is TikTok sensation Emily Henry doing what she does best!-----Two exes. One pact.Could this holiday change everything?Harriet and Wyn are the perfect couple - they go together like bread and butter, gin and tonic, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds.Every year, they take a holiday from their lives to drink far too much wine with their favourite people in the world.Except this year, they are lying through their teeth, because Harriet and Wyn broke up six months ago. And they still haven''t told anyone.But the cottage is for sale, so this is the last time they''ll all be here together. They can''t bear to break their best friends'' hearts so they''ll fake it for one more week.But how can you pretend to be in love - and get away with it - in front of the people who know you best?-----''Hilarious and wise . . . Another knockout' Taylor Jenkins Reid''One of my favourite authors'' Colleen HooverA must-read book of the year' Lauren Asher''Another Emily Henry masterpiece'' Hannah Grace, ICEBREAKER''Tender and sexy, bittersweet with Henry''s trademark warmth'' Bolu Babalola, HONEY & SPICEHappy Place, Number 1 Sunday Times bestseller, May 2023

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Book SynopsisA haunting and beautifully written novel about a Confederate soldier whose own personal war follows him into the afterlifeuntil one fateful day when his encounters with a modern-day couple change everything. A ghost in his deserted childhood home in Virginia, Tom Smiley can't forget the bloody war and its meaningless losses, nor can he shed his revulsion for his role in the Confederate defense of slavery. But when a young couple moves in and makes his home their own in the early twenty-first century, trouble eruptsand Tom is forced not only to face his own terrible secret but also to come to grips with his family's hidden wartime history. He finds an unexpected ally in the house's new owner, Phoebe Hunter, whose discoveries will have momentous consequences for them both. Readers who enjoy immersive historical fiction books featuring vivid depictions of the Civil War and its lingering impactsor historical and literary ghost fiction like Lincoln in the Bardo and The Haunting of HillTrade Review“What really haunts us—our own mistakes, or the weight of history? Based closely on the true story of her own uncanny encounters in an inherited antebellum Virginia farmhouse and old letters she found there, Abbie Cutter has crafted a novel that plumbs the painful history of a common soldier in the Civil War and the burdens he cannot set down. A riveting read, rich in historic detail and moral complexity.”—Geraldine Brooks, New York Times bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize winner of Horse and March “A searing, brilliant, moving, and utterly original Civil War novel, told by the guilt-ravaged Virginia infantryman Tom Smiley whose own war never ended—at least not until a young couple move into his now-historic childhood home and start renovating . . . . A stirring meditation on guilt and redemption.”—Lee Smith, New York Times best-selling author of The Last Girls “Abigail Cutter has rendered the Civil War and its consequences with a rare power and eloquence, combining literary imagination with fidelity to history. She has allowed people who lived and breathed in the past to live and breathe again, telling us of loss and suffering we need to remember.”—Edward Ayers, author and winner of the Bancroft Prize for In the Presence of Mine Enemies: Civil War in the Heart of America “A richly imagined tragedy of a Rebel soldier whose regret for ill-chosen allegiance haunts him from the moment of enlistment through the horrors of a Union prison. It follows him into the afterlife, where he lingers in his ancestral home, unable to shed his shame for fighting for the cause of slavery. Masterful historical research and detail of the nineteenth century invest this story with a reader’s pleasure in a felt life.”—John Rolfe Gardiner, author of Newport Rising and O. Henry Prize winner “Tom’s experiences, so vividly described, highlight the futility, chaos and hopelessness of war. . . . A deep and thought-provoking novel.”—The Spectator “Cutter paints a vivid portrait of the 19th century . . . striking prose . . . [An] absorbing Civil War tale about overcoming guilt.”—Kirkus Reviews

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Book Synopsis''The literary equivalent of a security blanket'' Patrick Rothfuss, New York Times bestselling author of The Name of the Wind ''This is one of Pratchett''s best books. Hilarious and highly recommended'' The TimesThis is where the dragons went. They lie... not dead, not asleep, but... dormant. And although the space they occupy isn''t like normal space, nevertheless they are packed in tightly. They could put you in mind of a can of sardines, if you thought sardines were huge and scaly. And presumably, somewhere, there''s a key...GUARDS! GUARDS! is the 8th Discworld novel - and after this, dragons will never be the same again!Readers adore Guards! Guards!''You will enjoy it if you already enjoy fantasy; you will very likely enjoy it even if you don''t generally enjoy fantasy, because the humour, characterisation, and dialogue are ridiculously good'' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐

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Book SynopsisCelebrating 25 years of The Notebook - the classic novel which became the heart-wrenching film. *Once again, just as I do every day, I begin to read the notebook aloud...Noah Calhoun has returned from war and, in an attempt to escape the ghosts of battle, he sets his mind and his body to restoring an old plantation home to its former beauty.But he is haunted by memories of the beautiful girl he met there years before. A girl who stole his heart at the funfair, whose parents didn''t approve, a girl he wrote to every day for a year.When Allie Hamilton shows up on his doorstep, exactly as he has held her in his memory for all these years, Noah has one last chance to win her back. Only this time, it''s not just her parents in the way - Allie is engaged and she''s not a woman to go back on her promises. The Notebook is the love story to end all love stories - it will break your heart, heal itTrade ReviewWhen it comes to tales about love, Nicholas Sparks is one of the undisputed kings * Heat *

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Book Synopsis"Solà pushes past the limits of human experience to tell a story of instinct and earth-time that is irresistible in its jagged glory." - C Pam Zhang, author of How Much of These Hills is Gold When Domenec - mountain-dweller, father, poet, dreamer - dies suddenly, struck by lightning, he leaves behind two small children, Mia and Hilari, to grow up wild among the looming summits of the Pyrenees and the ghosts of the Spanish civil war. But then Hilari dies too, and his sister is forced to face life's struggles and joys alone. As the years tumble by, the inhabitants of the mountain - human, animal and other - come together in a chorus of voices to bear witness to the sorrows of one family, and to the savage beauty of the landscape. This remarkable English-language debut is lyrical, mythical, elemental, and ferociously imaginative.Trade ReviewWhen I Sing, Mountains Dance made me swoon. Translated with great musicality and wit, it is rich and ranging, shimmering with human and non-human life, the living and the dead, in our time and deep time; a fable that is utterly universal, deadly funny and profoundly moving -- Max PorterThere's so much beauty in this wonderful polyphonic novel. Each page makes you fall in love again with nature, with imagination, with words, with life. When I Sing, Mountains Dance is timeless and unique -- Mariana EnríquezLike nothing I've read before. This novel is a feral, yowling love howl to a place of such staggering majesty that it resists usual comprehension. By giving voice to animals, storms, outcasts, one-legged girls, birthing women, and the mountain itself, Solà pushes past the limits of human experience to tell a story of instinct and earth-time that is irresistible in its jagged glory. -- C Pam Zhang, author of How Much of These Hills is GoldIrene Sola is a magnificent writer, When I Sing, Mountains Dance is a creepy, earthy masterpiece -- Camilla Grudova, author of The Doll's AlphabetSolà's prose, excellently translated from the original Catalan, is expansive and tactile. Her sentences accumulate, running along, taking in as much as possible, senses alert... Solà convincingly implicates everyone in the quickening pace of history and environmental decline... this attentive, playful, responsive novel makes an excellent case for stopping and listening -- Christopher Shrimpton * Guardian *Mara Faye Lethem's translation magnificently preserves the dreamy, haunting tone of the original... [and] Solà's distinctive lyricism... When I Sing, Mountains Dance illuminates the delicate, mutable relationship we have to the places that dictate how we understand ourselves -- Ella Fox-Martens * TLS *

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisA prophetic and experimental masterpiece by J. G. Ballard, the acclaimed author of Crash' and Super-Cannes', featuring an introduction by Hari Kunzru.The human organism is an atrocity exhibition at which he is an unwilling spectator As the protagonist spirals into the depths of a nervous breakdown, his dreams are haunted by images of John F. Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe, astronauts and car-crash victims. A kaleidoscopic scrapbook of mass culture, his mind fixates on the consumerism of the modern world a hallucinatory obsession with celebrity, media, sex and violence. With the media infiltrating every corner of our psyche, have the lines blurred between fiction and reality?Trade Review‘The zenith of the experimental novel in English’ Will Self ‘Brilliant and unnerving … Ballard is a writer with talent to burn’ The Times ‘These stories – “condensed novels”, Ballard has called them – are a high-water mark in English experimental fiction’ New York Times ‘A powerful book … Phrase and image are constantly disturbing and stimulating’ Sunday Telegraph ‘The terrifying thing about Ballard is his logic; is this science fiction or history written ahead of its time?’ Len Deighton

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE WOMEN'S PRIZE 2021 WINNER OF THE KITSCHIES' 2021 SHORTLISTED FOR THE COSTA NOVEL OF THE YEAR AWARD A SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER CHOSEN AS A BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE THE TIMES, GUARDIAN, OBSERVER, DAILY TELEGRAPH, FINANCIAL TIMES, i PAPER, NEW STATESMAN, SPECTATOR, TIME MAGAZINE, TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT, BBC CULTURE, NETGALLEY AND THE CHURCH TIMES The spectacular new novel from the bestselling author of JONATHAN STRANGE & MR NORRELL, ‘one of our greatest living authors’ New York Magazine Piranesi lives in the House. Perhaps he always has. In his notebooks, day after day, he makes a clear and careful record of its wonders: the labyrinth of halls, the thousands upon thousands of statues, the tides that thunder up staircases, the clouds that move in slow procession through the upper halls. On Tuesdays and Fridays Piranesi sees his friend, the Other. At other times he brings tributes of food to the Dead. But mostly, he is alone. Messages begin to appear, scratched out in chalk on the pavements. There is someone new in the House. But who are they and what do they want? Are they a friend or do they bring destruction and madness as the Other claims? Lost texts must be found; secrets must be uncovered. The world that Piranesi thought he knew is becoming strange and dangerous. The Beauty of the House is immeasurable; its Kindness infinite. ***** 'What a world Susanna Clarke conjures into being … Piranesi is an exquisite puzzle-box' DAVID MITCHELL ‘It subverts expectations throughout … Utterly otherworldly’ Guardian 'Piranesi astonished me. It is a miraculous and luminous feat of storytelling' MADELINE MILLER ‘Brilliantly singular’ Sunday Times 'A gorgeous, spellbinding mystery … This book is a treasure, washed up upon a forgotten shore, waiting to be discovered' ERIN MORGENSTERN ‘Head-spinning … Fully imagined and richly evoked’ TelegraphTrade ReviewReminds us of fiction’s power to take us to another world and expand our understanding of this one * Guardian, Autumn highlights *It has a daring and a grace that are quietly, transportingly spectacular. If you were looking for a book that distils the concept of wonder, this is the one: it feels like a work of pure generosity -- KATHERINE RUNDELL * GUARDIAN, Best summer books *It’s always great to have some fiction to heartily recommend, and while there’s been stiff competition this year, Piranesi by Susanna Clarke has won out in the end. A masterful work of weird fiction, it’s a novel that grips, perplexes and moves you, usually all at once! * Observer, The Best Books of 2020 *The fiction, nonfiction and poetry that deepened our understanding, ignited our curiosity and helped us escape … For fantasy readers often eager to get lost in mystical worlds and escape the complications of real life, Piranesi’s predicament deeply resonates * Time, Books of the Year *The long-anticipated second novel from the author of 2004’s best-seller Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell is a philosophical fantasy. Piranesi (the name is one of several allusions to the 18th century) spends his days interpreting coded messages left around a labyrinthine villa filled with seabirds and symbolic statues * Financial Times, Books of the Year *Susanna Clarke’s new novel is a beguiling study of isolation and exile ... To say more would be to ruin one of the year’s more unusual reading experiences * i paper, Books of the Year 2020 *This tale of weird enchanted halls is close to perfect * The Times, Books of the Year *A warm book about losing and finding oneself; about what humanity could have lost in the process of becoming rational * BBC.com *Purely joyful reading … a delight - as if Borges wrote a novel with a beginning, middle and satisfying end -- Naomi Alderman * Spectator, Books of the Year *My absolute favourite book of the year by miles ... it took root in me -- Jenny Colgan * Spectator, Books of the Year *Like Hilary Mantel, Clarke made the very notion of genre seem quaint ... Piranesi is a tenebrous study in solitude … A remarkable feat, not just of craft but of reinvention * Guardian *Susanna Clarke's first novel since 2004's Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell was more than worth the sixteen-year wait. Full of the magic and mayhem you might expect, Piranesi introduces a labyrinth to savour * NetGalley UK’s Top Ten Books of 2020 *Susanna Clarke's long-awaited Piranesi is utterly compelling – bewildering, intense, moving, shocking, combining a haunting fantasy with sharp insights about a culture of domination, hierarchy and rivalry and about how the imagination can survive in such a world -- Rowan Williams * New Statesman Books of the Year *Like a thriller … Compelling … A fever dream - disorientating, engrossing, persistently strange … It burrows into the subconscious, throwing out puzzles long after the final page … Brilliantly singular * Sunday Times *Exhilarating and hallucinatory, a mystery told backwards and inside-out. How she does it I've no idea; it's as though most minds are cameras, but Clarke's is a kaleidoscope -- Melissa Harrison * New Statesman, Books of the Year *Brilliantly peculiar … It subverts expectations throughout … Utterly otherworldly * Guardian *The publication of Susanna Clarke's Piranesi confirms her status as one of the greatest and most interesting writers of fantasy in the past hundred years or more * Times Literary Supplement, Books of the Year *A gently comic, thoroughly beguiling read … The ‘House’ - its upper rooms lost in clouds, its lower chambers drowned by the sea - will haunt my dreams * Daily Mail *The most curious confection … Blending elements of mythology and fantasy, with nods along the way to CS Lewis and Tolkien … Genuinely moving climax that throws open the doors of the halls in more ways than one * i paper *Her prowess as a stylist is undiminished … Piranesi’s naively observant voice also nods to the narrators of those Enlightenment parables of flawed Reason lost amid marvels and monsters – think Defoe’s Crusoe, Swift’s Gulliver, Voltaire’s Candide * The Arts Desk *Close to perfect ... Full of wonders and an infectious ecstasy ... Clarke has the same skill Flann O’Brien poured into The Third Policeman for making insane worlds feel as solid as our own * Sunday Times *A dazzling fable about loneliness, imagination and memory * Spectator *Beautiful and bewitchingly strange * Mail on Sunday *This is a novel of exceptional beauty ... The cliché that this book is hard to put down is for once true; I can think of few recent books that keep the reader so passionately hungry to know what happens next and to understand the hints and guesses that appear in greater and greater profusion ... There is at the heart of her writing a rare capacity for the immediate: the stripped, wide-eyed descriptive simplicity of someone who, like her Piranesi, has gone through some sort of barrier and brought back news. -- Rowan Williams * New Statesman *A novel to revisit - a house you can open again, with statues touched by quiet thoughts and strange tides ... To read Piranesi is to be the labyrinth and the traveller in the labyrinth, which is poetry and prose * Observer *Piranesi astonished me. It is a miraculous and luminous feat of storytelling, at once a gripping mystery, an adventure through a brilliant new fantasy world, and a deep meditation on the human condition: feeling lost, and being found. I already want to be back in its haunting and beautiful halls! -- MADELINE MILLERA book that’s deliciously weird but meticulously constructed to achieve maximum suspense. Susanna Clarke doesn’t just write about magic; she channels it on to the page * Sunday Express *Enthralling and transcendent ... Clarke's writing is clear, sharp - she can cleave your heart in a few short words ... The mystery of Piranesi unwinds at a tantalizing yet lightning-like pace - it's hard not to rush ahead, even when each sentence, each revelation makes you want to linger * NPR *Plunges deep into those forbidden fortresses from which the un-mad and mortal among us are forever barred ... The only possible conclusion is: Clarke is writing from experience ... With great effort, Clarke has un-unpicked her personality and returned to this world, our Earth, so that the rest of us might know her exquisite burden. Welcome back, Fairy Mistress, if only for a spell! We are grateful to you, oh yes, but we mourn you a little, too—that you must work so hard to be human.” * Wired *Utterly brain-mangling … A creepy, expertly managed crime story * Metro *Close to perfect ... As a work of fiction, it’s spectacular; an irresistibly unspooling mystery set in a world of original strangeness, revealing a set of ideas that will stay lodged in your head long after you’ve finished reading * The Times *Why don’t you trip on the new Susanna Clarke book if you want to get your mind bent but don’t much care for drugs? * New York Magazine *A high-quality page-turner - even the most leisurely reader will probably finish it off in a day - but its chief pleasure is immersion in its strange and uncannily attractive setting ... A standout feat * Wall Street Journal *Could Piranesi match the hype? I’m delighted to say it has, with Clarke’s singular wit and imagination still intact in a far more compressed yet still captivating tale you’ll want to delve into again right after you read its sublime last sentence * Boston Globe *A short and beautiful novel that reads like a poem ... in its cumulative effect of expressing an emotion and state of being that is inexpressible. It’s a strange and lovely read * Buzzfeed *In terms of invention and beauty, it’s a fitting heir to Clarke’s first book … Clarke deftly weaves together highbrow and lowbrow so Piranesi as reader is both symbol and story. To read Piranesi is to be the labyrinth and the traveler in the labyrinth, which is poetry and prose … The end of the novel doesn’t exactly provide justice, and closure is only provisional. Piranesi is a gentle man, and a gentle book. It wants to leave doors open for its characters and its readers … Piranesi is a novel to revisit - a house you can open again, with statues touched by quiet thoughts and strange tides * Observer *What a world Susanna Clarke conjures into being, what a tick-tock-tick-tock of reveals, what a pure protagonist, what a morally squalid supporting cast, what beauty, tension and restraint, and what a pitch-perfect ending. Piranesi is an exquisite puzzle-box far, far bigger on the inside than it is on the outside -- DAVID MITCHELLA wonder * Slate.com *Susanna Clarke has fashioned her own myth anew and enlarged the world again * New Republic *Piranesi is a gorgeous, spellbinding mystery that gently unravels page by page. Precisely the sort of book that I love wordlessly handing to someone so they can have the pleasure of uncovering its secrets for themselves. This book is a treasure, washed up upon a forgotten shore, waiting to be discovered -- ERIN MORGENSTERNOkay, now everyone listen. No, I mean it, shut up for a second. We need to talk about Piranesi. I don’t… I really do not know how to talk about this book beyond a very high pitched scream and an emphatic grabbing of your knee * Tor.com *As gloriously imaginative as its predecessor … A novel that could have been written by nobody else … Her prose is crisp, direct and unfussy … It’s a book about the tension between those who want to possess a world and those who delight in it, describe it, honour it. It’s an extraordinary book, well worth the wait * SFX Magazine *Fifteen years on from Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, Clarke’s second novel finally sees the light * Sunday Times, What to watch out for next year 2020 *Susannah Clarke’s monumental masterwork Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell was one of the finest works of speculative fiction of the twenty-first century and now, with Piranesi, she once more mines a darkly fantastical vision with a tale of a very singular house and its mysterious inhabitants. Saturated in gothic atmosphere and supernatural lore, Piranesi is simply unmissable * Waterstones.com *Here is Clarke’s talent in full flower; Piranesi is the most purely enjoyable novel I’ve read in a long while * Literary Review *A magical house with labyrinthine halls and tides that thunder up staircases * The Times, Autumn highlights *Delightful, discombobulating … Piranesi is detective of his own existence ... Gripping * Psychologies *It’s 16 years since Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell – now Clarke is back with a new otherworldly fantasy * Guardian, 2020 in books: a literary calendar *Sixteen long years have passed since the publication of the magnificent Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. Susanna Clarke returns at last in September with Piranesi … The eerie tale of a man who lives in a flooded house * Daily Express *The long-awaited new book from the author of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell * Observer *Susannah Clarke’s much-anticipated follow-up finally arrives * SFX Magazine *Sixteen years after Jonathan Strange And Mr Norrell, Susannah Clarke returns at last with the otherworldly tale of a man who lives in a flooded house * Daily Mirror *I wish I could read this again for the first time. Its atmosphere of beautiful, sad loneliness is the perfect lockdown companion. There are so many things to note about the book, but here is just one: Piranesi looks with loving attention at the world in which he finds himself, caring for everything that he encounters, and receiving everything as a loving gift. Other forces, however, see it very differently. The book is deeply satisfying, with a depth of sadness – or is it joy? * Church Times, Books of the Year 2020 *PRAISE FOR JONATHAN STRANGE AND MR NORRELL: Unquestionably the finest English novel of the fantastic written in the last seventy years. It’s funny, moving, scary, otherworldly, practical and magical ... Closing Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell after 800 pages my only regret was that it wasn’t twice the length -- NEIL GAIMANThis is, in both the precise and the colloquial sense, a fabulous book ... a highly original and compelling work * SUNDAY TIMES *To be honest, my topic for a gathering, my page-turner, my mind-improver, my talking point and my train-reading are all one and the same book: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell…I am literally unable to put it down -- JULIAN FELLOWES * TATLER *Full of spells, bad weather, statues that talk, haunted ballrooms and sinister gentlemen with thistledown hair ... be enchanted! * ELLE *The language of the book is such a pleasure you’d probably want to go and read it anyway -- LAUREN LAVERNE, BBC 6 MUSICA literary event * Daily Telegraph, Autumn highlights *A sublime exploration of loss, isolation, and the power of the imagination * New York Magazine, Autumn picks *Infinitely clever ... None of Clarke’s enchantment has worn off - it’s evolved ... to abide in these pages is to find oneself happily detained in awe * Washington Post *Wondrous and moving ... Empathy opens new horizons in Susanna Clarke’s glorious new novel about occultists, lost ages, and the power of belief * Los Angeles Times *

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Book SynopsisWinner of The Women's Prize for Fiction and the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction.The poignant and at times very funny novel from the internationally bestselling author of The Dutch House and Commonwealth.Somewhere in South America, at the home of the country''s vice president, a lavish birthday party is being held in honour of the powerful businessman Mr. Hosokawa. Roxane Coss, opera''s most revered soprano, has mesmerised the international guests with her singing.It is a perfect evening until a band of gun-wielding terrorists takes the entire party hostage. But what begins as a panicked, life-threatening scenario slowly evolves into something quite different, a moment of great beauty, as terrorists and hostages forge unexpected bonds and people from different continents become compatriots, intimate friends, and lovers.Trade Review‘A beguiling mix of thriller, romantic comedy, and novel of ideas…Crisply written, immaculately plotted, and often very funny, it is that rarity – a literary novel you simply can’t put down.’ The Times ‘Like the blueprint of operatic performance that she has imported, Patchett slides from strutting camp to high tragedy, minute social comedy to sublime romanticism.’ Alex Clark, Guardian ‘Expect miracles when you read Ann Patchett’s fiction. Comparisons are tempting to the unabashed romanticism of Laurie Colwin, the eccentric characters of Anne Tyler, the enchantments of Alice Hoffman. But Patchett is unique; a generous, fearless and startlingly wise young writer.’ New York Times Review of Books

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