Contemporary Fiction

A man who thought he put his shattered past behind him embarks on a reflective journey home in a heartfelt novel by the bestselling author of The Singing Trees and A Spanish Sunrise. Haunted by a tragic decision he made twenty years ago, veterinarian Dr. Carver Livingston has not once returned to his Vermont hometown. Now his parents’ impending divorce and his mother’s plea for support lure Carver to a reluctant homecoming. His mission: sweep into Teterbury, save a marriage, and get out before anyone else from his past knows he was even there. Fate has other plans. It’s hard to hide from former friends. Harder still to fight old feelings for the crushing and beautiful high school soulmate whom he dreams of pursuing again. And Mrs. Cartwright, his fragile English teacher, who once pulled Carver out of sadness. She taught him to always look up and to see life’s grander perspective in the stars. Now it’s Carver’s turn to help Mrs. Cartwright find those bright lights in the dark. Against his need to leave, Carver decides to stay longer, as he, his mother and father, and Mrs. Cartwright are all at turning points in their lives. Hope is not lost. If they look up, they’ll see that tonight, the stars still shine.

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At an otherwise forgettable party in Los Angeles, a queer Korean American painter spots a woman who instantly controls the room: gorgeous and distant and utterly white, the centre of everyone's attention. Haunted into adulthood by her Korean father's abandonment of his family, as well as the spectre of her beguiling, abusive white mother, the painter finds herself caught in a perfect trap. She wants Hanne, or wants to be her, or to sully her, or destroy her, or consume her, or some confusion of all the above. Since she's an artist, she will use art to get closer to Hanne, beginning a series of paintings with her new muse as model. As for Hanne, what does she want? Her whiteness seems sometimes as cruel as a new sheet of paper. When the paintings of Hanne become a hit, resulting in the artist's first sold-out show, she resolves to bring her new muse with her to Berlin, to continue their work, and her seduction. But, just when the painter is on the verge of her long sought-after breakthrough, a petition started by a Black performance artist begins making the rounds in the art community, calling for the boycott of major museums and art galleries for their imperialist and racist practices. Torn between her desire to support the petition, to be a success, and to possess Hanne, the painter and her reality become more unstable and disorienting, unwilling to cut loose any one of her warring ambitions, yet unable to accommodate them all. Is it any wonder so many artists self-destruct so spectacularly? Is it perhaps just a bit exciting to think she could too? Your Love Is Not Good stuffs queer explosive into the cracks between identity and aspiration, between desire and art, and revels in the raining debris.

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'I read On the Road in maybe 1959. It changed my life like it changed everyone else's' Bob DylanSal Paradise, a young innocent, joins his hero, the mystical traveller Dean Moriarty, on a breathless, exuberant ride back and forth across the United States. Their hedonistic search for release or fulfilment through drink, sex, drugs and jazz becomes an exploration of personal freedom, a test of the limits of the American dream. A brilliant blend of fiction and autobiography, Jack Kerouac's exhilarating novel swings to the rhythms of 1950s underground America, racing towards the sunset with unforgettable exuberance, poignancy and autobiographical passion. One of the most influential and important novels of the 20th century, this is the book that launched the Beat Generation and remains the bible of that literary movement.

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An irresistible novel of unexpected friendships, second chances and dark secrets, from the bestselling author and Queen of Uplit Ruth Hogan.'Warm and wise' Guardian | 'A book to really love' Stylist | 'Will soften even the hardest of hearts' Red | 'Subtle and poignant' Good Housekeeping | 'Plenty of spirit and heart' Daily Mail | 'An adorable heartfelt story' Prima | 'Filled with hope and the power of friendship' Evening Standard | 'A whimsical, wistful affair' Sunday Express | 'A wrenching story of recovery' MetroOnce a spirited, independent woman with a rebellious streak, Masha's life has been forever changed by a tragic event twelve years ago. Unable to let go of her grief, she finds comfort in her faithful canine companion Haizum, and peace in the quiet lanes of her town's lido.Then a chance encounter with two extraordinary women - the fabulous and wise Kitty Muriel, a convent girl turned magician's wife turned seventy-something roller disco fanatic, and the mysterious Sally Red Shoes, a bag lady with a prodigious voice - opens up a new world of possibilities, and the chance to start living again. But just as Masha dares to imagine the future, her past comes roaring back ...Like her bestselling debut, The Keeper of Lost Things, The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes introduces a cast of wonderful characters, both ordinary and charmingly eccentric, who lead us through a moving exploration of the joy of friendship and the simple human connections that make life worth living.*And if you loved The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes, try Ruth Hogan's new novel, Queenie Malone's Paradise Hotel, which is out now . . . readers are saying it's her best yet*

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Love can change your life. Can it survive marriage and middle age?'A rare gift and one to be treasured' SUNDAY TIMES‘A profound and vital book’ WILLIAM BOYDLily falls in love with Sam the minute she sets eyes on him. It takes Sam a day or two longer. Curious, because Lily – independent, headstrong, rational – has never quite believed in love; while Sam – confident, passionate, romantic – thought he understood it inside out.Lily is an award-winning television documentary maker. Sam is an award-winning playwright. Both are in relationships that have quietly expired, but their encounter makes Lily and Sam come alive again. As they begin to work together on the page and on screen, an affair takes hold that they are powerless to resist.Arriving in mid-life, their relationship opens unexpected new worlds and, for Lily, offers her a surprising form of liberation. But what will happen to them when familiarity, illness and age begin to take their toll? What will survive? Taking us to the edge of desire, love and betrayal across a lifetime, What Will Survive of Us reveals what is left of us when we strip away every layer.‘A tender love story’ DAILY TELEGRAPH

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A quirky, warm novel of eccentric adventure from the bestselling author of A PLACE CALLED WINTER - 'A huge treat' Daily Mail'Patrick Gale is among the great, unsung English novelists. Think Austen, Hardy, Murdoch. Remarkable' IndependentDomina Tey is a playwright, celebrated by friends, her husband, and the public alike, yet she fears losing her vital edge. Her solution: to leave her beautiful home in Bristol and seek adventure in a squalid West London bedsit, where she will live under an assumed name with only her typewriter for companionship. Once installed, however, she can't resist meddling in the business of others, forgetting that blurring fact with fiction can be a dangerous game.

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"Estee, I bought this ring the day after I saw you on stage at La Scala, all those years ago. You're the only woman I've ever loved." Estee wanted to see it so badly, but instead she reached for Felix's hand and gently closed it over the box. "No," she whispered. "I want you to propose only when you're truly free."When Lily is called to a lawyer's office in London, she has no idea that her life is about to change forever. There, she is told that her grandmother was born at Hope House, a home for unmarried mothers, and is given a box containing the only clues to her true heritage. Peeling back the delicate layers of paper she finds an Italian recipe and a theatre programme.Travelling to Italy and taking a job on a vineyard, Lily is determined to unravel the mystery of her past. The vineyard owners, in particular their charming son Antonio, offer to help. They tell Lily that the recipe belongs to the wealthy Rossi family, known for their famous bakeries which opened after the Second World War. Antonio offers to drive Lily to the Rossis' village and deep down, Lily is delighted to have him as her guide.When Lily arrives and shows the recipe to the surviving members of the family, it is clear that she has unearthed a tragic love story: of a young girl named Estee and a boy named Felix. Of a childhood friendship which developed into a passionate love affair. Of a family torn apart by wealth and of two young people who were prepared to sacrifice everything for love.But when Lily finds out the truth about her family and who she really is, will she too be able to follow her heart?An utterly enchanting and heartbreaking novel about lost loves, family secrets and enduring hope. Perfect for fans of Lucinda Riley, Santa Montefiore and Victoria Hislop.

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''Exquisitely written asks what it really means to be human' RED''Intense, compelling'' GUARDIAN''Barbie for girls who like Aphex Twin'' SHEENA PATELShe'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?''A compelling story of power, consent and control' GRAZIAA smart dive into big questions about identity, autonomy and power packs an impressive punch' THE TIMES, Book of the Month

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'A brilliant psychogeography of grief, moving as it does between place, history and memory... The White Book is a mysterious text, perhaps in part a secular prayer book' Deborah Levy, Guardian SHORTLISTED FOR THE INTERNATIONAL BOOKER PRIZE From the author of The Vegetarian and Human Acts comes a book like no other. The White Book is a meditation on colour, beginning with a list of white things. But it is also a book about mourning, and of rebirth and the tenacity of the human spirit. It is a stunning investigation of the fragility, beauty and strangeness of life from one of the great literary voices of our time. 'Wonderful. A quietly gripping contemplation on life, death and the existential impact of those who have gone before' Eimear McBride 'The White Book is a profound and precious thing... Han Kang is a genius' Lisa McInerney

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A pianist falls grandly, helplessly in love in this elegant new novella from the twice-Booker Prize winnerThe Pole tells the story of Witold Walczykiewicz, a vigorous, white-haired pianist, who becomes infatuated with Beatriz, a stylish patron of the arts, after she helps organize his Barcelona concert.Although Beatriz, who is married, is initially unimpressed by Wittold, she soon finds herself pursued and ineluctably swept into his world. As he sends her letters, extends countless invitations to travel, and even visits her husband's summer home in Mallorca, their unlikely relationship blossoms, though only on her terms.As the power struggle between them intensifies -- Is it Beatriz who limits their passion by controlling her emotions? Or is it Witold, trying to force into life his dream of love? Evocative of Joyce's 'The Dead,' The Pole is a haunting work, evoking the 'inexhaustible palette of sensations, from blind love to compassion' (El País) typical of Coetzee's finest novels.Published together with five exceptional stories, this new work from one of our greatest writers is a must for all literary connoisseurs.

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In honour of the centennial of the birth of J.D. Salinger in 1919, Penguin reissues all four of his books in beautiful commemorative hardback editions - with artwork and text based on the very first Salinger editions published in the 1950s and 1960s.'If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth.'The first of J. D. Salinger's four books to be published, The Catcher in the Rye is one of the most widely read and beloved of all contemporary American novels.'The handbook of the adolescent heart' The New Yorker

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As Stephen Rojack, a decorated war hero and former congressman who murders his wife in a fashionable New York City high-rise, runs amok through the city in which he was once a privileged citizen, Mailer peels away the layers of our social norms to reveal a world of pure appetite and relentless cruelty. One part Nietzsche, one part de Sade, and one part Charlie Parker, An American Dream grabs the reader by the throat and refuses to let go.

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'Vintage Emma: Wise, funny, full of wit and sparkle. Read and be uplifted' Cathy Kelly 'A beautiful story about fractured families, unconditional love and the importance of friendship. I read it in one sitting' Sinéad Moriarty'Brimming with warmth, love and friendship - Emma is on every page of this absorbing, heartfelt read' Patricia ScanlanFrom the Number One bestselling author Emma Hannigan comes The Gift of Friends, a magical story of love, friendship and hope.Kingfisher Road - a leafy, peaceful street in the town of Vayhill. But there are whispers behind closed doors. Who is moving into Number 10?Danielle appears to her new neighbours to have the perfect, glossy life. But not everything is as it seems...In fact, the four women who live close by - each at very different stages of their lives - are busy guarding their own secrets.But could a gift be waiting on their doorsteps? And, by opening their front doors, and their hearts, to each other, could the women of Kingfisher Road discover all the help they need?The final novel from the beloved and inspiring Emma Hannigan is a life-affirming, uplifting story that celebrates the strength and joys of female friendship across generations.

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THE MORE YOU IGNORE ME IS NOW A MAJOR NEW FILM STARRING SHERIDAN SMITH, SHEILA HANCOCK, RICKY TOMLINSON AND ELLA HUNT. Jo Brand's life-affirming novel The More You Ignore Me addresses mental health issues and their impact on a family in an honest, hilarious and heartwarming way. This film tie-in edition contains a new foreword by Jo Brand about the film and an exclusive extract of the film script. For Alice, the big bad monster wasn't green and hiding under the bed, it sat in the kitchen saying 'bollocks' a lot. Prone to psychotic episodes, or 'on the road to bonkersville' as Alice's dad would say, Alice's mum Gina isn't easy to live with. Her unpredictable outbursts make life in their Hereford cottage eventful. As 'family' means a mentally ill mother, a hippy father and grandparents who enjoy a drink or five, Alice needs someone to help her through. Unfortunately, Alice's special someone is Morrissey of The Smiths, and the closest she's got to him so far is watching him on Top of the Pops. Now that could all be about to change . . .Praise for Jo Brand's The More You Ignore Me:'A sweet, touching, tender novel' Independent'The book is littered with endearing characters . . . The last line moved me to tears' Daily Express'The most enjoyable piece of fiction I have had the pleasure of reading this year . . . Superb stuff' Now

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SOON TO BE A NETFLIX ORIGINAL STARRING REESE WITHERSPOONA REESE WITHERSPOON x HELLO SUNSHINE BOOK CLUB PICK'I found myself laughing out loud at Susan's prickly character' Reese WitherspoonTHE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER | SHORTLISTED FOR THE BEST FIRST NOVEL AWARD | A RICHARD AND JUDY BOOK CLUB PICKPeople aren't sure what to make of Susan Green. Family and colleagues find her prickly and hard to understand - but Susan makes perfect sense to herself. Age 45, she thinks her life is perfect. She has a London flat which is ideal for one; a steady job that suits her passion for logic; and a personal arrangement providing cultural and other, more intimate, benefits. Yet suddenly faced with the loss of her mother and, implausibly, with the possibility of becoming a mother herself, Susan's greatest fear is being realised: she is losing control. And things can only get worse ... at least in Susan's eyes. This sparkling debut is a breath of fresh air with real heart and a powerful emotional punch. In Susan we find a character as exasperating and delightful as The Rosie Project's Don Tillman. An uncompromising feminist and a fierce fighter, it's a joy to watch her bloom.'Quirky, poignant and extremely readable' Sunday Mirror'Brilliantly comic' The Lady'Wonderfully funny and astute' Red'Funny, compelling, well-written...for fans of Marian Keyes who demand a bit of grit in their comic writing' Emerald Street

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Longlisted for The Women's Prize for Fiction 2019, The Republic of Consciousness Prize 2019 and The People's Book Prize 2018. 'Enjoyable to read' - Dolly Alderton, The High Low. When Alina's brother-in-law defects to the West, she and her husband become persons of interest to the secret services, causing both of their careers to come grinding to a halt. As the strain takes its toll on their marriage, Alina turns to her aunt for help - the wife of a communist leader and a secret practitioner of the old folk ways. Set in 1970s communist Romania, this novella-in-flash draws upon magic realism to weave a tale of everyday troubles that can't be put down. 'A story to savour, to smile at, to rage against and to weep over.' - Zoe Gilbert, author of 'Folk'

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A BBC TWO BETWEEN THE COVERS BOOK CLUB PICKAfter a car accident Jarred discovers he'll never walk again. Confined to a 'giant roller-skate', he finds himself with neither money nor job, a shoplifting habit, an addiction to painkillers and strangers treating him like he's an idiot. Worse still, he's forced to live back home with his estranged father.Trying to piece himself together, Jarred comes to realise that things don't have to stay broken after all. The Coward is about hurt and forgiveness, how the world treats disabled people, and how we write and rewrite the stories we tell ourselves about our lives - and try to find a happy ending.

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Winner of the inaugural Booker Prize in 1969.It is 1956 and Townrow is in Port Said - of these two facts he's reasonably certain. He has been summoned by the widow of his deceased friend, Elie Khoury. She is convinced that Elie was murdered, but nobody seems to agree with her. What about Leah Strauss, the mistress? And the invading British paratroops? Only an Englishman, surely, would take for granted that the British have behaved themselves. In this disorientating world Townrow must assess the rules by which he has been living his life - to wonder whether he, too, may have something to answer for . . .

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INTRODUCED BY ALEXANDER McCALL SMITH'I'm a huge fan of Barbara Pym' RICHARD OSMANMildred Lathbury is one of those excellent women who are often taken for granted. She is a godsend, 'capable of dealing with most of the stock situations or even the great moments of life - birth, marriage, death, the successful jumble sale, the garden fête spoilt by bad weather'. Her glamorous new neighbours, the Napiers, seem to be facing a marital crisis. One cannot take sides in these matters, though it is tricky, especially as Mildred has a soft spot for dashing young Rockingham Napier. This is Barbara Pym's world at its funniest and most touching.'One of the most endearingly amusing English novels of the twentieth century' ALEXANDER MCCALL SMITH'Barbara Pym is the rarest of treasures; she reminds us of the heartbreaking silliness of everyday life' ANNE TYLER'Not only was Pym a comic genius but she was ever so wise' THE TIMES

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From the bestselling author of Anatomy of a Scandal, now a major Netflix series… Reputation: it takes a lifetime to build and just one moment to destroy.‘Sarah Vaughan has done it again. Superb’ Shari Lapena Emma Webster is a respectable MP. Emma Webster is a devoted mother. Emma Webster is innocent of the murder of a tabloid journalist. Emma Webster is a liar. #Reputation: The story you tell about yourself. And the lies others choose to believe… 'Uncannily timely… As dark and gripping as you’d expect from the author of Anatomy of a Scandal’ ObserverYour favourite authors love Reputation: ‘A terrifically entertaining legal drama and an unsettling cautionary tale for any woman considering entering politics’ Louise Candlish ‘Perceptive, elegant, thrilling and addictive’ Chris Whitaker ‘Tense. Gripping. And bang up to date. This is a rollercoaster of a book’ Imran Mahmood ‘Wonderfully written, tense, taut and timely. I loved it!’ Claire Douglas ‘A stylish, challenging thriller. Do yourself a favour and read this book’ Fiona Cummins ‘Sarah Vaughan has distilled the zeitgeist into a pulse-racing thriller. Gripping all the way’ Erin Kelly ‘I read Reputation in one sitting, which is my highest possible praise’ Bella Mackie ‘Sarah Vaughan has another smash hit on her hands. Reputation is nuanced, complex, and thought-provoking, while still being a gripping, fast-paced read’ Louise O’Neill ‘Sarah Vaughan does it again. Another taut, gripping thriller that also shines a light on some of the most important issues of the day' Bryony Gordon

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Gaspar is in danger. Only six-years-old, he is frightened he may have inherited the same strange abilities as his father, Juan; a powerful medium who canopen locked doors, commune with the dead, and possess the ancient forces ofthe Darkness.Now father and son are in flight, hunted by the Order, a group of wealthy acolytes who seek to harness the Darkness, no matter the cost. Among them,Gaspar's grandmother, whose twisted desires have already driven her to commit unspeakable acts.Nothing will stop the Order, nothing is beyond them. Surrounded by horrors,can Gaspar and Juan break free?Spanning the brutal years of Argentina's military dictatorship and its turbulentaftermath, Our Share of Night is a haunting, thrilling novel of broken families,cursed land, inheritance, power, and the terrible sacrifices a father will maketo help his son escape his destiny.'A singular, soul-rattling novel...I've never read anything like it' - Jessamine Chan, New York Times bestselling author of The School for Good Mothers'A novel so disquieting, so unsettling I could neither put it down, nor read it late at night.' - Kelly Link, author of White Cat, Black Dog and Get in Trouble

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"Mothers fly away like migrating birds. This is why farmers have daughters." A fifteen-year-old teenager is the backbone of her small Midwestern family, budgeting the household finances and raising her younger brother while her mom, a talented artist, weaves beautiful tapestries. For six years, it's been just the three of them-her mom has brought home guests at times, but none have ever stayed. Yet when her mom brings home a six-foot tall crane with a menacing air, the girl is powerless to prevent her mom letting the intruder into her heart, and her children's lives. Utterly enchanted and numb to his sharp edges, her mom abandons the world around her to weave the masterpiece the crane demands. In this stunning contemporary retelling of "The Crane Wife" by the Newbery Medal-winning author of The Girl Who Drank the Moon, one fiercely pragmatic teen forced to grow up faster than was fair will do whatever it takes to protect her family-and change the story.

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LONGLISTED FOR THE THEAKSTONS CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR ‘The year’s best debut’ SUNDAY TIMES ‘The best crime novel of the year’ INDEPENDENT ‘Sensational. Gripping, haunting, and beautifully written’ RICHARD OSMAN CHOSEN AS A BEST BOOK OF 2021 BY THE TIMES, THE FT, THE GUARDIAN, THE INDEPENDENT, STYLIST AND MORE! ‘The biggest mystery thriller since Gone Girl’ ELLE ‘The novel you’ll stay up reading until 3am’ SUNDAY TIMES ‘An astonishing achievement.’ JESSIE BURTON ‘Gripping, beautifully written perfection.’ SOPHIE HANNAH ‘A masterpiece.’ LOUISE O’NEILL ‘Fantastic.’ PAULA HAWKINS ‘Girl A,’ she said. ‘The girl who escaped. If anyone was going to make it, it was going to be you.’ I am Lex Gracie: but they call me Girl A.I grew up with my family on the moors.I escaped when I was fifteen years old. NOW SOMETHING IS PULLING ME BACK… RIGHTS SOLD IN 36 TERRITORIES SOON TO BE A TV SHOW DIRECTED BY JOHAN RENCK (Chernobyl) ‘Incendiary, beautifully written debut’ Guardian ‘Psychologically astute, adroitly organised, written with flair’ Sunday Times ‘Terrifyingly gripping’ SUSIE STEINER ‘Beautiful’ ADELE PARKS ‘Incredibly well written, devastating in a good way, and intriguing to the last page’ LIZ NUGENT ‘I was obsessed by it. As close to perfect as thrillers get’ JOHN MARRS ‘A gripping debut’ Oprah magazine One of Marie Claire, Waterstones and Grazia’s best books for 2021 A Sunday Times No.2 bestseller for w/e 6/2/21 A New York Times bestseller

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WINNER OF THE MAN ASIAN LITERARY PRIZE'An authentic, moving story that brings to vivid life the deep family connections that lie at the core of Korean culture'Gary Shteyngart'Kyung-Sook Shin's tale... has hit a nerve'Guardian'A raw tribute to the mysteries of motherhood'New York Times'The most moving and accomplished, and often startling, novel'Wall Street JournalWhen sixty-nine-year-old So-nyo is separated from her husband among the crowds of the Seoul subway station, her family begins a desperate search to find her. Yet as long-held secrets and private sorrows begin to reveal themselves, they are forced to wonder: how well did they actually know the woman they called Mother?Told through the piercing voices and urgent perspectives of a daughter, son, husband, and mother, PLEASE LOOK AFTER MOTHER is at once an authentic picture of contemporary life in Korea and a universal story of family love.With an introduction by Banana YoshimotoA W&N Essential

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**Perfect for fans of Lucy Diamond and Carole Matthews, Stay Close To Me is the ideal book to curl up with this autumn**Amy has a charmed life. One of shopping and lunching while the nanny looks after the children. But when her husband's business collapses, her world is thrown into disarray and, for the first time, Amy's family is relying on her to be strong.Kate has always lived a very different life to her sister, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. Until she meets enigmatic Jack. Suddenly her life is thrown into a new light and, feeling increasingly estranged from her husband Miles, Kate begins to wonder whether Jack may be what she’s been looking for all along.Jennifer worries that her two daughters may never be as happy as she was with her late husband, Michael. But even her marriage wasn't perfect and, when Jennifer makes contact with someone from her past, truths emerge that she has spent a lifetime trying to forget.From the Sunday Times bestselling author, Stay Close To Me is a thought-provoking novel about family, love and learning how to recognise what in life matters the most. Praise for Helen Warner: 'As bubbly as a glass of wedding Champagne' Cosmopolitan 'Great good fun' Woman & Home 'The kind of book holidays were made for' Red 'Heartbreaking, funny, warm and witty' Cosmopolitan ‘Great feel-good quality’ Fiona Walker ‘A ridiculously romantic story’ heat ‘Helen Warner paints a complex picture of friends and lovers’ Star ‘Brilliantly readable, escapist fun’ Weight Watchers Magazine

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Stunningly-designed new editions of Toni Morrison's best-known novels, published by Vintage Classics in celebration of her life and work.WITH A NEW INTRODUCTION BY NAMWALI SERPELL, AUTHOR OF THE OLD DRIFT As young girls in a poor but close-knit community, Nel and Sula are inseparable. But their paths as adults couldn't be more different: while Nel settles in town to raise a family, Sula escapes for the progressive ideals of the big city. When Sula reappears ten years later, she comes face to face with a community whose values are at odds with her fierce individualism and rebellious ways. Reunited, Nel and Sula must confront the consequences of their actions and the dreadful secret they shared in childhood.Two girls who grow up to become women. Two friends who become something worse than enemies. Terrifying, comic and tragic, Sula overflows with love and life, friendship and betrayal.

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'If you've ever felt like the only person in the world who isn't perfect . . . this is what you need to read' Daisy BuchananMeet Robin Wilde: mum, newly-appointed official girlfriend, make-up artist extraordinaire and general plate-spinning, life-juggling, balance-seeking badass. Or so she likes to think.Everything seems to be slotting into place, not just for Robin but for her close-knit little world of friends and family too. Yet despite all that, she still feels like she's blagging it.Although things seem pretty great on paper, cracks are beginning to show. Robin's best friend Lacey is struggling to bond with her baby, her Auntie Kath suddenly seems distant and her daughter Lyla is finding it hard to adapt to having a man in their lives. For once everybody is depending on Robin, but the pressure is mounting and she's starting to feel overwhelmed.So, when Robin's asked to go to the States for work, it seems like the getaway they all need. Look out New York, Robin and her girls are on their way! But will the city that never sleeps make or break them? *** This is what you've been saying about the Robin Wilde books:'Amazing''Had me gripped from start to end''I just loved it so much''So real, so relatable, so inspiring''Uplifting, touching and very true to life''Witty and heart-warming'Praise for the Robin Wilde books:'Warm, engaging . . . [Robin Wilde] is a chatty winning yet poignant heroine'SOPHIE KINSELLA'I fell in love with Robin and her family before the end of the first page . . . A fabulous mix of escapism and relatability, this is a hug of a book'DAISY BUCHANAN'Wonderfully written and full of humour. Funny, heartfelt, tender and empowering'GIOVANNA FLETCHER'Hilarious, moving and extremely well written'SUNDAY TIMES STYLE 'If it's great big belly laughs you're after, then meet Robin Wilde'FABULOUS MAGAZINECan't wait to read more from Louise Pentland? Look out for her new non-fiction book, MumLife: What Nobody Ever Tells You About Being A Mum. Search 9781788702928.

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In The Things We’ve Seen, his most ambitious and accomplished novel to date, Agustín Fernández Mallo captures the strangeness and interconnectedness of human existence in the twenty-first century. A writer travels to the small uninhabited island of San Simón, used as a Franquist concentration camp during the Spanish Civil War, and witnesses events which impel him on a wild goose chase across several continents. In Miami, an ageing Kurt Montana, the fourth astronaut who secretly accompanied Neil Armstrong and co. to the moon, revisits the important chapters in his life, from serving in the Vietnam War to his memory of seeing earth from space. In Normandy, a woman embarks on a walking tour of the D-Day beaches with the goal of re-enacting, step by step, another trip taken years before. Described as the novel David Lynch and W. G. Sebald might have written had they joined forces to explore the B-side of reality, The Things We’ve Seen is a mind-bending novel for our disjointed times.

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Winner of the Booker PrizeWinner of 'Book of the Year' at the British Book Awards A BBC 'Big Jubilee Read'A heart-wrenchingly moving novel set in Glasgow during the Thatcher years, Shuggie Bain tells the story of a boy's doomed attempt to save his proud, alcoholic mother from her addiction.'An amazingly intimate, compassionate, gripping portrait of addiction, courage and love.' – The judges of the Booker PrizeIt is 1981. Glasgow is dying and good families must grift to survive. Agnes Bain has always expected more from life, dreaming of greater things. But Agnes is abandoned by her philandering husband, and as she descends deeper into drink, the children try their best to save her, yet one by one they must abandon her to save themselves.It is her son Shuggie who holds out hope the longest. Shuggie is different, he is clearly no’ right. But Shuggie believes that if he tries his hardest, he can be normal like the other boys and help his mother escape this hopeless place.Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart lays bare the ruthlessness of poverty, the limits of love, and the hollowness of pride. For fans of A Little Life and Angela's Ashes, it is a heartbreaking novel by a brilliant writer with a powerful and important story to tell.'A heartbreaking novel' – The Times'Tender and unsentimental . . . The Billy Elliot-ish character of Shuggie . . . leaps off the page.' – Daily Mail'Douglas Stuart has written a first novel of rare and lasting beauty.' – Observer

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'A beautiful, moving and thought provoking story, The Figurine is a stunning read . . . her love and passion for Greece comes through loud and clear with every word she writes' Real Reader Review, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Her love for Greece shines through and transports readers to a brilliantly drawn world' Independent'Family turmoil, unanswered questions, romance and betrayal, all served up against the backdrop of Greece and its enchanting history' Daily ExpressFeel the sun on your face and the sand of the Aegean islands beneath your feet as you uncover the fate of the Bronze Age figurines in the heart-pounding new novel from the No 1 bestselling author.*When Helena inherits her grandparents' apartment in Athens, she is overwhelmed with memories of the summers she spent there as a child in the 1960s. Her remote, cruel grandfather was a general in the brutal military dictatorship and as she sifts through the dusty rooms, Helena discovers an array of valuable objects and antiquities. How did her grandfather amass such a trove? What human price was paid for them?Helena's desire to find answers dovetails with a growing fascination for archaeology, ignited by a summer spent with volunteers on a dig on an Aegean island. Their finds fuel her determination to protect the precious fragments recovered from the baked earth - and to understand the origins of her grandfather's collection.Along the way, she falls in love with the narrow streets of Athens and the city's big-hearted residents, who show her the murky underbelly of the antiques world - and help her understand the meaning of home. But can she finally make amends for her grandfather's actions? And what price should be paid for the return of such ancient and beautiful artefacts?----Victoria Hislop is back with another compulsive page-turner. Discover for yourself why 10 million readers and critics worldwide love Victoria Hislop's books ...'A tightly wrought excavation of family history' Mail on Sunday'Searing and powerful' Daily Express 'Glorious Greek setting and rich historical detail' Woman & Home'Hislop's thyme-scented, Aegean-lapped fictional Greece' The Sunday Times'Victoria Hislop has done it again! A truly captivating story . . . I wish I could give it more than 5*' Real Reader Review, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'There is no doubting Victoria Hislop is an incredible storyteller who has opened up the history of Greece to a wider contemporary world; her attention to detail and the creation of warm and sympathetic characters instantly grabs readers' Real Reader Review, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'This is the best novel I have read in a long time' Real Reader Review, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'A beautifully told story with fabulous characters and a vivid scenery that makes you believe you are in Greece' Real Reader Review, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'This was a wonderful read . . . a vivid picture of Greece and the people who live there' Real Reader Review, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐*Victoria Hislop's One August Night was a Sunday Times Number One bestseller in paperback in the first week of August 2021; Those Who Are Loved was a Sunday Times Number One bestseller in paperback for four weeks in August and September 2020.

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'A beautiful, moving and thought provoking story, The Figurine is a stunning read . . . her love and passion for Greece comes through loud and clear with every word she writes' Real Reader Review, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Her love for Greece shines through and transports readers to a brilliantly drawn world' Independent'Family turmoil, unanswered questions, romance and betrayal, all served up against the backdrop of Greece and its enchanting history' Daily ExpressFeel the sun on your face and the sand of the Aegean islands beneath your feet as you uncover the fate of the Bronze Age figurines in the heart-pounding new novel from the No 1 bestselling author.*When Helena inherits her grandparents' apartment in Athens, she is overwhelmed with memories of the summers she spent there as a child in the 1960s. Her remote, cruel grandfather was a general in the brutal military dictatorship and as she sifts through the dusty rooms, Helena discovers an array of valuable objects and antiquities. How did her grandfather amass such a trove? What human price was paid for them?Helena's desire to find answers dovetails with a growing fascination for archaeology, ignited by a summer spent with volunteers on a dig on an Aegean island. Their finds fuel her determination to protect the precious fragments recovered from the baked earth - and to understand the origins of her grandfather's collection.Along the way, she falls in love with the narrow streets of Athens and the city's big-hearted residents, who show her the murky underbelly of the antiques world - and help her understand the meaning of home. But can she finally make amends for her grandfather's actions? And what price should be paid for the return of such ancient and beautiful artefacts?----Victoria Hislop is back with another compulsive page-turner. Discover for yourself why 10 million readers and critics worldwide love Victoria Hislop's books ...'A tightly wrought excavation of family history' Mail on Sunday'Searing and powerful' Daily Express 'Glorious Greek setting and rich historical detail' Woman & Home'Hislop's thyme-scented, Aegean-lapped fictional Greece' The Sunday Times'Victoria Hislop has done it again! A truly captivating story . . . I wish I could give it more than 5*' Real Reader Review, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'There is no doubting Victoria Hislop is an incredible storyteller who has opened up the history of Greece to a wider contemporary world; her attention to detail and the creation of warm and sympathetic characters instantly grabs readers' Real Reader Review, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'This is the best novel I have read in a long time' Real Reader Review, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'A beautifully told story with fabulous characters and a vivid scenery that makes you believe you are in Greece' Real Reader Review, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'This was a wonderful read . . . a vivid picture of Greece and the people who live there' Real Reader Review, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐*Victoria Hislop's One August Night was a Sunday Times Number One bestseller in paperback in the first week of August 2021; Those Who Are Loved was a Sunday Times Number One bestseller in paperback for four weeks in August and September 2020.

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The fifth novel in the New York Times bestselling Witcher series that inspired the hit Netflix show finds Ciri trapped in a distant world and separated from Geralt and her destiny.After walking through a portal in the Tower of the Swallow, thus narrowly escaping death, the Witcher girl, Ciri, finds herself in a completely different world... a world of the Elves. She is trapped with no way out. Time does not seem to exist and there are no obvious borders or portals to cross back into her home world. But this is Ciri, the child of prophecy, and she will not be defeated. She knows she must escape to finally rejoin the Witcher, Geralt, and his companions - and also to try to conquer her worst nightmare. Leo Bonhart, the man who chased, wounded and tortured Ciri, is still on her trail. And the world is still at war.Translated by David French.

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*A TIME MAGAZINE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2024 **AN OPRAH DAILY MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2024**AN OBSERVER 2024 PICK**A GUARDIAN 2024 PICK*''An epic family odyssey... ambitious and compelling'' Guardian Book of the DayJune 1940. As Paris falls to the Germans, Gaston Cassar - honorable servant of France, devoted husband and father, currently posted as naval attache in Salonica - bids farewell to his beloved wife, aunt and children, placing his faith in God that they will be reunited after the war. But escaping the violence of that cataclysm is not the same as emerging unscathed. The family will never again be whole.A work of breathtaking historical sweep and vivid psychological intimacy, This Strange Eventful History charts the Cassars'' unfolding story as its members move between Salonica and Algeria, the US, Cuba, Canada, Argentina, Australia and France - their itinerary shaped as much by a search

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Chetna Maroo's stories have been published in The Paris Review, The Stinging Fly and The Dublin Review and she was the recipient of the 2022 Plimpton Prize for Fiction. She lives in London. Western Lane is her first novel.

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THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER''A masterclass in suspense'' PAULA HAWKINSA spellbinding nightmare' FERNANDA MELCHORA book of intense power' PHILIPPE SANDSThe shockingly compulsive new literary thriller from the International Booker-shortlisted author of The Remainder.Clean begins with an inescapable fact: a girl has died. Told by Estela, a maid to a wealthy, middle class family who speaks to us from a locked room, we hear of her plight and the circumstances that led to this moment. As we enter into her account of her daily existence, we see how her apparently simple life begins to sour, but would that drive her to the unthinkable?Disturbing and profound, Clean explores domestic work, class and violence, against the backdrop of Chile's changing political landscape. This is one of the most daring and compelling thrillers in international literature.''Uncomfortable and provocative a chilling account'' FINANCIAL TIMES''I hardly paused for breath'' ALICE SLATER, author of Death of a Booksell

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Don't miss this transporting novel full of family secrets, a disputed inheritance, and a century-old unsolved mystery A gritty and whip-smart read. Strong friendships, powerful women, mighty lives. I utterly devoured it, was swept to Sicily, loved the denouement' Amanda Geard, author of The Midnight HouseAs much a feminist adventure as a redemptive family mystery . . . I was gripped and entertained from start to finish' Ashley Audrain, Sunday Times bestselling author of The PushStrong women, rich history and page-turning suspense make for a rich and satisfying read' Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author* * *A century-old unsolved murderA disputed inheritanceA family secret that some will kill to protect . . .When Sara Marsala's beloved great-aunt Rosie passes away, she leaves Sara a valuable piece of land in Sicily, but there's a catch: the locals refuse to acknowledge the rightful owner of the deed, and if Sara wants the land she must first uncover the truth about what happen

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'Painfully beautiful' The New York Times Book Review'Heart-wrenching... a compelling love story' Entertainment Weekly'Astonishing' PeopleFor years, rumours of the 'Marsh Girl' have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life - until the unthinkable happens.

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A BEST DEBUT OF 2024 BY BBC, RED, GOOD HOUSEKEEPING'Such a beautiful story about friendship, community and family and secrets and what’s going on underneath'ZOE BALL'Gripping and moving'GUARDIAN'To read it is to feel that little bit better about life'ELIZABETH DAY‘A touching paean to lost innocence and the comfort of friendships’THE TIMES'A beautiful mystery with heart'ROB RINDER'This is a heart-warming book'EMMA HEALEY'A gorgeous, page-turning book'I PAPERYorkshire, 1979Maggie Thatcher is prime minister, drainpipe jeans are in, and Miv is convinced that her dad wants to move their family Down South.Because of the murders.Leaving Yorkshire and her best friend Sharon simply isn't an option, no matter the dangers lurking round their way; or the strangeness at home that started the day Miv's mum stopped talking.Perhaps if she could solve the case of the disappearing women, they could stay after all?So, Miv and Sharon decide to make a list: a list of all the suspicious people and things down their street. People they know. People they don't.But their search for the truth reveals more secrets in their neighbourhood, within their families - and between each other - than they ever thought possible.What if the real mystery Miv needs to solve is the one that lies much closer to home?THE PERFECT DEBUT NOVEL TO DISCUSS IN BOOK CLUBS***READER REVIEWS***'Left a lump in my throat and a hole in my heart''A book I won't forget for a while''A beautiful and emotional debut that I know will stay with me for a long time''A superb look at childhood, at growing up, at starting to see the world around you'

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An uncoming-of-age in New York City‘How to Be Somebody Else has literary oomph’ SUNDAY TIMES‘Brilliant… Luscious prose’ ANNIE LORD, author of Notes on Heartbreak‘Unsettling and original’ TESSA HADLEY, author of Free LoveSpring 2015, New York.On the surface Dylan has achieved the impossible - a life in New York, eight years of making this stick. And yet it is not the thing she'd imagined (what had she imagined?). When she walks out of her career, then apartment, and into a housesit for an artist she's never met, she does not tell her friends, her parents back in England, or Matt, her boyfriend, living on the West Coast.Job-free, rent-free, she'll make good on her book, herself, other things too, she's thinking, when her neighbour Kate shows up and invites her to a party. There she meets Gabe, who happens to be married to Kate but insists, 'it's not a thing'. The affair that follows consumes her and she begins to consider what is fixed and what is variable. Can a person be both? Is Gabe the thing he seems? Is she?As spring turns to summer, her experiments in living test loyalties and boundaries until an unexpected encounter between the two couples forces her to confront her future.***A MARIE CLAIRE BEST BOOK OF 2024***

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