Contemporary Fiction

'American storytelling at its era-spanning best . . . An immersive, multi-layered portrait of a marriage, Nathan Hill’s follow-up to The Nix is a work of quiet genius.' – The Observer'The incredible scope of this dazzlingly detailed state-of-the-nation satire almost defies description . . . Brilliant doesn’t begin to describe it, but I’ll say it anyway.' – Daily Mail'I doubt I'll enjoy many books this year as much as Wellness.' – The TimesAn Oprah's Book Club Pick.A powerfully affecting novel about how we change, grow and age, Wellness is a story of marriage, middle age, our tech-obsessed health culture, and the bonds that keep people together.When Jack and Elizabeth meet as college students in the 90s, the two quickly join forces and hold on tight, each eager to claim a place in Chicago’s thriving underground art scene with an appreciative kindred spirit. Fast-forward twenty years to married life, and the no-longer-youthful dreamers are forced to face their demons, from unfulfilled career ambitions to painful childhood memories of their own dysfunctional families. In the process, Jack and Elizabeth must undertake separate, personal excavations, or risk losing the best thing in their lives: each other.Moving from the gritty 90s Chicago art scene to a suburbia of detox diets and home renovation hysteria, Wellness mines the absurdities of modern technology and modern love to reveal profound, startling truths about intimacy and connection. In this follow-up to Nathan Hill’s electric debut The Nix, Wellness reimagines the love story with healthy doses of insight, irony and heart.

Read more less

In novels such as Silence, Endō Shūsaku examined the persecution of Japanese Christians in different historical eras. Sachiko, set in Nagasaki in the painful years between 1930 and 1945, is the story of two young people trying to find love during yet another period in which Japanese Christians were accused of disloyalty to their country.In the 1930s, two young Japanese Christians, Sachiko and Shūhei, are free to play with American children in their neighborhood. But life becomes increasingly difficult for them and other Christians after Japan launches wars of aggression. Meanwhile, a Polish Franciscan priest and former missionary in Nagasaki, Father Maximillian Kolbe, is arrested after returning to his homeland. Endō alternates scenes between Nagasaki—where the growing love between Sachiko and Shūhei is imperiled by mounting persecution—and Auschwitz, where the priest has been sent. Shūhei’s dilemma deepens when he faces conscription into the Japanese military, conflicting with the Christian belief that killing is a sin. With the A-bomb attack on Nagasaki looming in the distance, Endō depicts ordinary people trying to live lives of faith in a wartime situation that renders daily life increasingly unbearable. Endō’s compassion for his characters, reflecting their struggles to find and share love for others, makes Sachiko one of his most moving novels.

Read more less

A powerful tale of honour, prejudice and the twentieth century's most maltreated hero, by the acclaimed author of THE GIRL IN THE SPIDER'S WEB.June 8, 1954. Alan Turing, the visionary mathematician, is found dead at his home in sleepy Wilmslow, dispatched by a poisoned apple. Taking the case, Detective Constable Leonard Corell quickly learns Turing is a convicted homosexual. Confident it's a suicide, he is nonetheless confounded by official secrecy over Turing's war record. What is more, Turing's sexuality appears to be causing alarm among the intelligence services - could he have been blackmailed by Soviet spies? Stumbling across evidence of Turing's genius, and sensing an escape from a narrow life, Corell soon becomes captivated by Turing's brilliant and revolutionary work, and begins to dig deeper. But in the febrile atmosphere of the Cold War, loose cannons cannot be tolerated. As his innocent curiosity takes him far out of his depth, Corell realises he has much to learn about the dangers of forbidden knowledge.

Read more less

A horrifying discovery is made off the coast of Scotland's Isle of Skye in Deadly Code, the third novel in Lin Anderson's forensic crime series featuring Rhona MacLeod.Following a grisly discovery made on Scotland’s Isle of Skye, forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod is sent over to investigate. It’s there she finds a decomposing foot, caught in a net by a local fisherman, and there are key questions which remain unanswered: Where is the rest of the body? Who was the dead man? And why does the Ministry of Defence want the discovery to be kept out of the media?Returning to her island roots, Rhona soon becomes embroiled in a conspiracy that stretches far beyond the beautiful and remote Western Isles. For there are deadly international forces at play, controlled by powerful people who are willing to do anything to protect their interests and will silence anyone who threatens to expose them . . . Deadly Code is the third boo

Read more less

The memories we return to most frequently are the most inaccurate, the least faithful to reality...This is the tragic realisation made by the narrator of Ramifications as he tries to make sense of the defining event of his childhood: the disappearance of his mother to join the Zapatista uprising that shook Mexico in 1994. Left behind with an emotionally distant father who is singularly unqualified to raise him, and an older sister who only wants to get on with being a teenager, he takes refuge in strange rituals that isolate him from his peers: favouring the left-hand side of his body, trying to tear leaves into perfect halves, obsessively shaping origami figures. Now, two decades older and withdrawn from the world, he folds and unfolds these memories, searching the creases for the truth of what happened to his mother, unaware that he is on the verge of a discovery that will destroy everything he believed he knew about his family.Award-winning Mexican author Daniel Saldaña París masterfully evokes a child’s attempts to interpret events beyond his understanding. Less a Bildungs-roman than a tale of arrested development, this story of a boy growing up in the aptly-named Educación neighbourhood of Mexico City is a rich and moving portrait of a life thwarted by machismo and secrecy.

Read more less

This assured debut novel from acclaimed Chilean author Andrea Jeftanovic explores the devastating psychological effects of the conflict in the Balkans on a family who flee to South America to build a new life. It is told from the perspective of the young Tamara, as she tries to make sense of growing up haunted by a distant conflict. Yet the ghosts of war re-emerge in their new land – which has its own traumatic past – to tear the family apart.Staging scenes from childhood as if the characters were rehearsing for a play, the novel uses all the imaginary resources of theatre director, set paint- er and lighting designer to pose the question: how can Tamara salvage an identity as an adult from the ruins of memory, and rediscover the ability to love? With themes that echo Elif Shafak’s The Bastard of Istanbul , a sensitive narrator recalling Eimear McBride’s A Girl is a Half-Formed Thing , and a focus on the body in the style of Elfriede Jelinek, this is an artfully construct- ed, widely praised work from one of the most exciting novelists at work in Latin America today.

Read more less

*WINNER OF THE AKUTAGAWA PRIZE, Japan''s most prestigious literary award, first published when the author was just 24**A Japanese contemporary classic, perfect for fans of Convenience Store Woman**A love letter to Tokyo as it can only be seen through the eyes of a young woman setting out in the world*It was raining when I arrived at the house. The walls of my room were lined with cat photos, set in fancy frames just below the ceiling.When her mother emigrates to China for work, 21-old Chizu moves in with 71-year-old Ginko, an eccentric distant relative, taking a room in her ramshackle Tokyo home, with its two resident cats and the persistent rattle of passing trains.Living their lives in imperfect symmetry, they establish an uneasy alliance, stress tested by Chizu''s flashes of youthful spite. As the four seasons pass, Chizu navigates a series of tedious part-time jobs and unsatisfying relationships, b

Read more less

Ogadinma Or, Everything Will be All Right is a tale of departure, loss and adaptation; of mothers who experience trauma at the hands of controlling men, leaving them with burdens they find too much to bear. After an episode of abuse results in exile from her family in Kano, thwarting her plans to go to university, seventeen-year-old Ogadinma is sent to her aunt’s house in Lagos. When a whirlwind romance with an older man descends into indignity, she is forced to channel her strength and resourcefulness to escape a fate that appears all but inevitable. A feminist classic in the making, Ukamaka Olisakwe’s second novel introduces a heroine for whom it is impossible not to root and announces the author as a gifted chronicler of the patriarchal experience.

Read more less

Every baby's bracelet held a mother's secret...'Utterly moving and compelling' Patricia Scanlan'A true storyteller who keeps you turning the pages' Cathy KellyFor almost fifty years, Katie Carroll has kept a box tucked away inside her wardrobe. It dates from her time working as a nurse in a west of Ireland mother and baby home in the 1970s. The box contains a notebook ... and a collection of babies' identity bracelets.Now, grieving the loss of her husband, Katie makes a decision. The information she possesses could help reunite people with their birth mothers. She posts a message on an online forum and soon the replies are rolling in, from as far away as Boston. Katie encounters success and failure, heartbreak and joy. But is she prepared for shocking secrets to be uncovered in her own life?

Read more less

THE TIKTOK SENSATIONDiscover the enchanting, magical bestseller from the author of The Night Circus, now in a stunning new edition.We are all stardust and stories...When Zachary Rawlins stumbles across a mysterious book containing details from his own life among its pages, it leads him on a quest unlike any other.Following the clues inside, he is guided to a masquerade ball, a dangerous secret club, and finally to an ancient library hidden far beneath the surface of the earth. What Zachary finds in this curious place is more than just a buried home for books and their guardians - it is a place of lost cities and seas, lovers who pass notes across time, and of stories whispered by the dead.But when the library is threatened, Zachary must race through its twisting tunnels and sweetly soaked shores, searching for the end of his story.PRAISE FOR THE STARLESS SEA:'Enchanting read... an ode to stories and storytelling itself, and the joy of reading' Guardian'Spellbinding' Daily Mirror'A magical mix of quests and fables...beautifully written' Heat

Read more less

''Satisfyingly intriguing'' Faith Martin ''J.M. Hall has mastered the warmth of a perfect modern cosy crime with all the twists and turns that go with it. I really enjoyed it!'' Hannah HendyRetired schoolteachers and amateur sleuths Liz, Pat and Thelma are giving up their coffee morning for a brand-new mystery.Retired teachers Pat, Liz and Thelma are happiest whiling away their hours over coffee, cake and chat at the Thirsk Garden Centre café.But when their good friend tells them about an unsettling experience she had in a sinister-feeling charity shop, they simply can't resist investigatingBecause the entire shop has vanished into thin air.Before long, our trio of unlikely sleuths find themselves embroiled in a race against the clock to get to the bottom of this mystery but who has a secret to hide and how far will they go to keep it concealed?Only time will tellPraise for A Clock Stopped Dead:''Satisfyingly intriguing'' Faith Martin, author of the Travelling Cook Mysteries seriesThi

Read more less

''I was blown away by this dark, enchanting story of witchcraft, power and injustice. ..nothing short of brilliant'' Mary ChamberlainErzsébet Báthory, whose infamous place in history characterises her as the ''Blood Countess'', was accused of the murder of over 600 peasant girls in Hungary, 1610. The Nightingale''s Castle tells the story of a woman fighting for her survival and the complicated, often cruel, household over which she presides.Praise for The Nightingale''s Castle''Moving, fascinating and haunting.. A mesmerising combination of gothic horror and elegant restraint'' Francesca De Tores, author of Saltblood ''Gripping... a fascinating exploration of women''s struggle to have their truth heard'' Louise O''NeillIn 1573, Countess Erzsébet Báthory gave birth to an illegitimate child. The infant, a girl, was swiftly bundled up and handed to a local peasant family to be brought

Read more less

The future is no more, and eternity has begun.'Enormously compelling’ The Times'Knausgaard is among the finest writers alive' New York TimesIt is 1986 and Syvert Løyning has returned from military service to his mother's home in southern Norway. One night, he dreams of his late father, and the next morning can't shake him from his mind. Searching through his father's belongings for clues and connections, Syvert finds a cache of letters that leads to the Soviet Union, and to a half-sister, Alevtina, he didn't know he had.Several decades later, in present-day Russia, he will meet her - just as a mysterious new star appears in the sky...From internationally bestselling author Karl Ove Knausgaard, The Wolves of Eternity is the new book in a visionary series that begins with The Morning Star. Expansive, searching and deeply human, it questions the responsibilities we have toward one another and ourselves - and the limits of what we can understand about life itself.‘So engrossing and entertaining that I crammed in its 800 pages like a glutton devouring a box of chocolates… I was mesmerised throughout this book. The translation is also excellent. More, please’ Spectator'Captivating' Financial Times

Read more less

'Brilliant' SUNDAY TIMES'Compelling and unnerving' SPECTATOR**A NEW STATESMAN Book of the Year 2023**This first collection of stories by Lawrence Osborne perfectly showcases his talent for tension, atmosphere - and characters out of their depthA naïve young linguist sent to the forests of Irian Jaya is manipulated into betraying her mission by a ruthless and disturbed pastor. A deaf girl hired as a maid by a wealthy New York couple turns the tables on her obliviously abusive employers and answers blackmail with blackmail. A psychiatrist treating a girl in rural England becomes ensnared in a love affair that threatens to destroy her career; while a young couple on holiday in Oman accidentally witness a killing, which leads to their being hunted as well. An entomologist at a remote hotel in the Andamans survives a tsunami and uses a dead body to further her study of ants.Collected here for the first time, Lawrence Osborne's stories, like his novels - 'elaborate and intricately plotted dances macabres' (The Times) - feel like nightmares set against calmly and meticulously observed backgrounds. With their nods to Daphne du Maurier and Roald Dahl, these nine long-form stories explore characters lost in the shadowed borders between the mundane, the fantastical and the violence of the natural world.

Read more less

A heart-stopping tale of medicine gone mad and the abuse of power, Godplayer is a medical thriller from the master of the genre – Robin Cook.The first moment pathology resident Cassandra Cassidy met brilliant cardiac surgeon Thomas Kingsley, she knew they were meant to be together. Forced by a deteriorating eye condition to switch from her chosen field to psychiatry, Cassandra needs the support that the charismatic doctor so passionately offers.But while Thomas continues his meteoric rise, what should have been fairytale happiness begins to disintegrate as the solidity of their marriage begins to crumble. And the dependable security of the hospital world around her seems equally menaced: Cassandra is convinced that someone is killing terminal patients – someone who holds the power of life and death in their hands.Against her husband’s furious objections, Cassandra takes it upon herself to stop the killings even as she fights to save her marriage. Little does she know that her search for the truth will open the floodgates of an unimaginable horror . . .

Read more less

Utterly chilling. Frighteningly plausible. Mindbend is a classic of medical horror that could come only from New York Times bestselling author Robin Cook.When young dancer Jennifer Schonberg becomes pregnant by accident, her feelings are mixed – but her husband, Adam, feels even more conflicted. As a third-year medical student already in financial straits, the loss of Jennifer’s income and the cost of the coming child means he must drop out of medical school – on the eve of becoming a doctor.Against the advice of his teachers and his wife, Adam takes a job as a salesman for the powerful drug company Arolen Pharmaceuticals, whose influence reaches far into the physician’s world. Just how awesome Arolen’s control is over the medical profession Adam is yet to discover. But it will become all too clear in a series of increasingly terrifying revelations.Awaiting Adam at the end of his violent odyssey is a confrontation grave beyond imagining, in which the survival of Jennifer’s unborn child hangs in the balance and he must fight to save his family – and the soul of medicine – from an overwhelming evil . . .

Read more less

'The perfect mix of funny, poignant and heartwarming.' - Good Housekeeping‘Warm, witty but also heart-wrenching read' - Red Magazine'This heart-warming and creative contemporary fiction is a story of unexpected self-discovery.'- Woman's Weekly'Full of heart and depth.' - Prima Book of the Month‘Funny, heart-warming read - it made me laugh and cry' — Nikki Smith, author of The Beach Party'Eleanor Oliphant meets About a Boy' — Gillian Harvey'A beautiful read full of heart and depth’ — Nina Pottell, Prima Magazine'An absolute joy' — Nancy Peach'Brilliantly funny' — Louise HareSwimming for Beginners will show you how a child can open your heart even if you aren't a mother.Loretta has her life under control. She's chasing a big promotion, she's marrying the "perfect man" and she has a flawless five-year plan.This plan does not include children.But when a complete stranger asks her to watch her six-year-old daughter in an airport and never returns, both their lives will be changed forever.A little human in fairy wings and sparkly cowgirl boots will turn Loretta's world upside down and maybe, just maybe, show her exactly what she's missing.Overflowing with humour and heartbreak, Nicola Gill takes us on a relatable journey of self-discovery through the power of a child's love.'Brilliantly funny, incredibly touching and so relatable.’- Louise Hare, author of This Lovely City‘Please meet my new favourite book.' - Jessica Ryn, author of The Extraordinary Hope of Dawn Brightside'Heartbreaking and life-affirming, an absolute must read’ - Tim Ewins, author of We Are Animals

Read more less

Old-school creepy. . . a five-star horror novel. STEPHEN KINGA mind-bending speculative thriller in which the sudden appearance of a mountain in the middle of the Pacific Ocean leads a group of scientists to a series of jaw-dropping revelations that challenge the notion of what it means to be human.IF YOU EVER READ THIS, TELL OTHERS. DON'T COME HERE.When a mountain mysteriously appears in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, a group of scientists are sent to investigate.Explorer Harry Tunmore agrees to join the secret mission and he has his own reasons beyond scientific curiosity . . .But the higher the team ascend, the stranger things become. Time moves differently. Memories of their lives before the mountain begin to fade.What, or who, will they discover at the top?Gripping and intriguing' Daily MailJaw-dropping' Cosmopolitan

Read more less

'The first Booker contender of 2024... a deeply touching, beautifully composed book' Sunday TimesAn intensely moving novel about three friends living in political exile and the emotional homeland that deep friendships can provide - from the Booker-shortlisted, Pulitzer prize-winning author of THE RETURNKhaled and Mustafa meet at university in Edinburgh: two Libyan eighteen-year-olds expecting to return home after their studies. In a moment of recklessness and courage, they travel to London to join a demonstration in front of the Libyan embassy. When government officials open fire on protestors in broad daylight, both friends are wounded, and their lives forever changed.Over the years that follow, Khaled, Mustafa and their friend Hosam, a writer, are bound together by their shared history. If friendship is a space to inhabit, theirs becomes small and inhospitable when a revolution in Libya forces them to choose between the lives they have created in London and the lives they left behind.'MY FRIENDS is a brilliant novel about innocence and experience, about friendship, family and exile. It makes clear, once more, that Hisham Matar is a supremely talented novelist.' COLM TOIBIN'I have always admired Matar's tender and compassionate but equally strong and compelling voice' ELIF SHAFAK'It is impossible to describe the profound depth and beauty of this book. MY FRIENDS is a breathtaking novel, every page a miracle and an affirmation. Hisham is one of our greatest writers, how lucky we are to be in his midst.' MAAZA MENGISTE, author of THE SHADOW KING

Read more less

Torn between two countries and various life stories, the siblings find themselves dealing with complex life choices, and the mystery of their sister's suicide twenty-two years ago. Whispering Walls is a story of love, relationships, affection, and hope, with a cautious view of the future.

Read more less

Four generations of women experience love, loss, war, and hope from the rise of Nazism to the Cuban Revolution and finally, the fall of the Berlin Wall… Berlin, 1931: Ally Keller, a talented young poet, is alone and scared when she gives birth to a mixed-race daughter she names Lilith. As the Nazis rise to power, Ally knows she must keep her baby in the shadows to protect her against Hitler’s deadly ideology of Aryan purity. But as she grows, it becomes more and more difficult to keep Lilith hidden… Havana, 1958: Lilith has few memories of her mother or her childhood in Germany. But as the flames of revolution ignite, Lilith and her newborn daughter, Nadine, find themselves at a terrifying crossroads. Berlin, 1988: As a scientist in Berlin, Nadine is dedicated to ensuring the dignity of the remains of all those who were murdered by the Nazis. Yet she has spent her entire lifetime avoiding the truth about her own family’s history. It will fall to her daughter Luna to come to terms with a shocking betrayal that changes everything she thought she knew about her family’s past. Separated by time but united by sacrifice, four women embark on journeys of self-discovery and find themselves to be living testaments to the power of motherly love.

Read more less

**One of the Observer's Debut Novels of 2024**A small-town feud. A madcap kidnapping. A wild weekend to change everybody’s lives...‘Sublime… [Wild Houses is] a thrillingly moreish novel… and held me captive until the very last page’ Sunday Times'Strange and beautiful... A book to live inside' SALLY ROONEY, author of Normal People'A gift of true storytelling... Barrett's talent burns up the page' ANNE ENRIGHT, author of The Wren, The WrenAs Ballina prepares for its biggest weekend of the year, the simmering feud between small-time drug-dealer, Cillian English, and County Mayo's enforcers, Gabe and Sketch Ferdia, spills over into violence and an ugly ultimatum.When the reclusive Dev answers his door on Friday night he finds Doll - Cillian's teenage brother - in the clutches of Gabe and Sketch. Jostled by his nefarious cousins and goaded by his dead mother's dog, Dev is drawn headlong into the Ferdias' revenge fantasy.Meanwhile, seventeen-year-old Nicky can't shake the feeling something bad has happened to her boyfriend Doll. Hungover, reeling from a fractious Friday night and plagued by ghosts of her own, Nicky sets out on a feverish mission to save Doll, even as she questions her future in Ballina.‘This nastily slow-burn chiller is shaping up to be one of the novels of the year’ Daily Mail, **Books to Look Out For 2024**

Read more less

Derek B. Miller is an American novelist, who worked in international affairs before turning to writing full-time. He is the author of five previous novels, all highly acclaimed: Norwegian by Night, The Girl in Green, American by Day, Radio Life and Quiet Time (an Audible Original). His work has been shortlisted for many awards, with Norwegian by Night winning the CWA John Creasey Dagger award for best first crime novel, an eDunnit Award and the Goldsboro Last Laugh Award. How to Find Your Way in the Dark was a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award and a New York Times Best Mystery of 2021.Miller is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College (BA), Georgetown (MA) and he earned his Ph.D. in international relations from The Graduate Institute in Geneva. He is currently connected to numerous peace and security research and policy centres in North America, Europe and Africa, and previously worked at the United Nations for over a decade. He has lived abroad for over 25 years in Is

Read more less

Hisashi Kashiwai, the author of The Kamogawa Food Detectives, was born in 1952 and was raised in Kyoto. He graduated from Osaka Dental University. After graduating, he returned to Kyoto and worked as a dentist. He has written extensively about his native city and has collaborated on TV programmes and magazines.

Read more less

''Sid Karger has done it again, with this beautifully-written and timely story that resonates in a universal way. The Bump is a smart, deeply funny and heartwarming novel that perfectly captures modern parenthood, family and love. What a joy to read'' ANDERSON COOPERWyatt and Biz are freaking out.Their surrogate is ready to pop and their life as care-free New Yorkers is nearly over.So as a last hurrah, and to get their relationship back on track before the baby arrives, the soon-to-be-daddies embark on a road trip across America to pick up their bundle of joy.But when several unexpected detours cause long-buried secrets to spill, old wounds are reopened and the couple are forced to reexamine the meaning of family.After all, what's a road trip without a few bumps along the way?''Tender and humorous Fans of Best Men will welcome this follow-up'' STEVEN ROWLEYKarger makes it easy to empathize with his heroes, bringing impressive emotional depth to their relationship. The twisty road trip

Read more less

'Anyone can see darkness. It takes courage to look for light.' Across the small town of Henford, families are preparing for the holiday season. A teacher, pulled in every direction by family and work, forms an unexpected friendship following a collision; a mother and daughter unexpectedly forced to stay with the in-laws open themselves to new family; a carer on New Year's Eve brings something more than her nursing skills when she visits the client no one wants to see. Meanwhile, in nearby Ashdown House, an elderly woman hopes to bring her family and community together as they never have been before. Told through a series of heart-warming and uplifting short stories, 'Winter Lights' explores the complexities, struggles and joys of everyday life, showing that light can still bloom even in the darkest places.

Read more less

A book of the summer for The Times, Sunday Times, Observer, Financial Times, Guardian, Evening Standard, Irish Independent and Scotsman The new novel by the author of One Day, now a major Netflix series''A triumph, a real gift of a novel''SUNDAY TIMES''A comforting antidote to the grimness of our grim world''GUARDIAN''Nicholls''s knack for warm characters, funny dialogue and superb scene-setting is as spot-on as ever''DAILY MAIL''I read David Nicholls'' new book You Are Here - you''ll love it as much as One Day . . . Probably his best yet''INDEPENDENT''A great comic novel . . . The reader becomes so invested in the outcome of this romance that it makes the whole world shimmer with a kind of secret possibility''OBSERVER''A novel that will make you f

Read more less

Shining a spotlight on everyday readers of the 21st century, Beth Driscoll explores how contemporary readers of Anglophone fiction interact with the book industry, digital environments, and each other.We live in an era when book clubs, bibliomemoirs, Bookstagram and BookTok are as valuable to some readers as solitary reading moments. The product of nearly two decades of qualitative research into readers and reading culture, What Readers Do examines reading through three dimensions - aesthetic conduct, moral conduct, and self-care to show how readers intertwine private and social behaviors, and both reinforce and oppose the structures of capitalism. Analyzing reading as a post-digital practice that is a synthesis of both print and digital modes and on- and offline behaviors, Driscoll presents a methodology for studying readers that connects book history, literary studies, sociology, and actor-network theory. Arguing for the vitality, agency, and creativity of readers, thi

Read more less

‘I want you to remember something, Nat. You’re small on the outside. But inside you’re as big as everyone else. You show people that and you won’t go far wrong in life.’ An uplifting, feel-good story perfect for fans of Mrs England The Doll Factory and The Devil and the Dark Water My name is Nat Davy. Perhaps you’ve heard of me? There was a time when people up and down the land knew my name, though they only ever knew half the story. The year of 1625, it was, when a single shilling changed my life. That shilling got me taken off to London, where they hid me in a pie, of all things, so I could be given as a gift to the new queen of England. They called me the queen’s dwarf, but I was more than that. I was her friend, when she had no one else, and later on, when the people of England turned against their king, it was me who saved her life. When they turned the world upside down, I was there, right at the heart of it, and this is my story. Inspired by a true story, and spanning two decades that changed England for ever, The Smallest Man is a heartwarming tale about being different, but not letting it hold you back. About being brave enough to take a chance, even if the odds aren’t good. And about how, when everything else is falling apart, true friendship holds people together.Praise for The Smallest Man: ‘An enchanting tale about a small man with a big heart. Nat Davy is so charming that I couldn't bear to put this book down. I loved it’ Louise Hare, author of This Lovely City ‘A perfect fusion of history and invention. It’s so purposefully written, cuts right to the chase, galloping along. Nat’s wit and humour makes the poignancy of his story all the more powerful - The Smallest Man has the biggest heart’ Beth Morrey, author of Saving Missy 'What a page-turner! A timely tale celebrating courage, determination and friendship, it serves as a warning against prejudice and superficial judgements' Anita Frank, author of The Lost Ones ‘I absolutely loved it. It's a rare thing to get a historical fiction that is wonderfully researched, pitch-perfectly voiced and unputdownable, but this is the real deal. A perfectly formed masterpiece. I raced through it’ C.S. Quinn, author of The Bastille Spy 'I adored Nat Davy’s witty narrative as his personal struggles and triumphs unfolded alongside the compelling events of a troubled court and a Queen in jeopardy. I found myself rooting for the Smallest Man in England from the very first page' Sonia Velton, author of Blackberry and Wild Rose ‘Great memorable books are made by great, memorable characters. Frances Quinn’s Nat Davy is such a character. The Smallest Man is a beautiful, heartwarming tale, weaving history and fiction intricately and seamlessly. I was routing for Nat from the first page. Quinn shows us how a big heart and strength of character can lead anyone, perceived disability or not, to achieve great things, and that kindness and compassion are the most important of human qualities. I loved this book’ Louise Fein, author of People Like Us ‘This book took me on an epic journey with a character that will always have a special place in my heart, I shall miss Nat Davy immensely!’ Emma Cooper, author of If I Could Say Goodbye ‘Written with a wonderful lightness of touch, full of humour and humanity... An engaging, compelling, thought-provoking story of a life less ordinary’ Caroline Scott, author of The Photographer of the Lost ‘A beguiling and well-written tale, whose mysterious protagonist is plucked from a famous painting; the carefully crafted historic context uncannily reflects contemporary politics’ Ellen Alpsten, author of Tsarina ‘What a wonderful romp through such a turbulent period of history. I absolutely fell for the book’s narrator: an ebullient character whose voice and world view I adored’ Polly Crosby, author of The Illustrated Child ‘A captivating story, part fact, part fiction — always a tricky balancing act, but Quinn pulls it off with pretty much perfect poise’ Hilary Spurling, Spectator Best Books of the Year

Read more less

The Bestselling Richard & Judy Summer Book Club Pick 2021 The Bestselling Radio 2 Book Club Selection ‘Tight, clever and riddled with wit. Like discovering Adrian Mole or Bridget Jones for the first time.’ Joanna Nadin, author of The Queen of Bloody Everything ‘A sweet, fizzy sherbet dib-dab of a book - deliciously nostalgic, hugely funny and ultimately heartwarming. The perfect book for our times.’ Veronica Henry ‘Such a joyful and uplifting read. Just the sort of thing that people will want to be reading right now.’ Anita Rani, Radio 2 Book ClubIt is the summer of 1962 and sixteen-year-old Evie Epworth stands on the cusp of womanhood. But what kind of a woman will she be? Up until now, Evie’s life has been nothing special: a patchwork of school, Guides, cows, lost mothers, lacrosse and village fetes. But, inspired by her idols (Charlotte Brontë, Shirley MacLaine, the Queen), she dreams of a world far away from rural East Yorkshire, a world of glamour lived under the bright lights of London (or Leeds). Standing in the way of these dreams, though, is Christine, Evie’s soon-to-be stepmother, a manipulative and money-grubbing schemer who is lining Evie up for a life of shampoo-and-set drudgery at the stinky local salon. Luckily Evie is not alone. With the help of a few friends, and the wise counsel of the two Adam Faith posters on her bedroom wall (‘brooding Adam’ and ‘sophisticated Adam’), Evie comes up with a plan to rescue her future from Christine’s pink and over-perfumed clutches. She will need a little luck, a dash of charm and a big dollop of Yorkshire magic if she is to succeed, but in the process she may just discover who exactly it is she is meant to be. Moving, inventive and achingly funny, with an all-star cast of bold-as-brass characters, The Miseducation of Evie Epworth is a perfectly pitched modern fairytale about love, friendship and following your dreams while having a lot of fun along the way. 'Full of fabulous characters, sprinkled with joy and drenched in wit.’ Milly Johnson 'Funny and original with a cast of eccentric characters, this debut novel is a tour de force. Not to be missed.' Sunday Express 'A rich triumph of comic writing.' Waterstones.com 'One of the funniest, wittiest and most joyful books you will read this year.' Lancaster Guardian

Read more less

Don''t miss the first book in the sensational new series from the number one bestselling author Santa Montefiore!''Remarkable and compelling'' JULIAN FELLOWES''Fantastic, moving and beautifully written'' TRACY REES''Enjoyable and engaging, I loved it!'' BARBARA ERSKINE''A love story to break your heart!'' LIZ FENWICK''Beautifully written, haunting and enchanting'' FIONA VALPY''Irresistible! Full of passion, love and loyalty'' CAROL KIRKWOOD''A sweeping, romantic mystery I couldn''t put down!'' ANTON DU BEKE''Original, suspenseful and intriguing, the perfect holiday read'' RACHEL HOREA FORBIDDEN LOVE. AN IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE...When Pixie Tate is summoned to the wild Cornish coast to unravel a curious mystery at the stately St Sidwell Manor, she knows that something quite extraordinary must be hiding in its shadows.Over one hundred years ag

Read more less

A woman’s investigation into her past reveals family secrets and lies in this novel of discovery, redemption, and the mutability of memory by the bestselling author of The Good Neighbor and In Another Light. Astrid Johansen swore she would never return to Heron Bay, Washington. In that idyllic coastal town, her little sister, Nina, drowned in a reflecting pool under Astrid’s watch seventeen years ago. Though guilt has kept her away, Astrid can’t ignore her aunt Maude’s urgent plea to come back. Maude claims to have found a letter that will change everything about the past. When Astrid arrives in Heron Bay, she finds Maude unconscious, perhaps the victim of an attack. As Maude lingers in a coma, Astrid uncovers alarming evidence that Nina’s drowning that tragic night was no accident. But in a town rife with secrets, and in a family still fractured by grief, who knows the truth? Astrid’s investigation leads her down a trail of dark memories, lies, and betrayals that will shatter her perception of everyone she thought she knew—even herself.

Read more less

In an unnamed coastal city home to many refugees, a mother of a displaced family searches for her child, calling her name as she wanders along the cliffside road where her daughter used to work. She searches and searches until, devoid of hope and frantic with grief, she throws herself into the sea, leaving her other children behind. Bearing witness to this suicide is another woman – on a business trip from a distant country, with a swollen belly that later gives birth to a stillborn baby. In the wake of her pain, the second woman remembers her own litany of losses – of a language, a country, an identity – when once her family fled a distant war. Weaving between both narratives and written in looping prose rich with meaning, The Singularity is an astounding study of grief, migration and motherhood from one of Sweden's most exciting new writers.

Read more less

David is growing up in a world where something is very badly wrong but everyone is protecting David from knowing what it is. People are going missing, bodies are showing up with wings, or bones in nests if you believe the rumours from the kids at school. David doesn’t really know because his parents turn off the news whenever he might get a handle on what is happening around him and his older sister just doesn’t seem interested in sharing. Most importantly for David the centre of his world – his grandfather – is gone. His parents say he is dead but why is his grandfather’s backpack and jumper missing from the house? Alongside this we have a man abandoned in a hostile landscape and trying out run nature itself to get back home with some information.

Read more less

“The queen of the football romance is not Taylor Swift. It’s Susan Elizabeth Phillips.”—Wall Street Journal#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Elizabeth Phillips returns with the next book in her Chicago Stars series where a successful sports agent and the sister of his biggest client engage in a take-no-prisoners battle of the sexes. Take one hard-driving sports agent…Throw in a failed chocolatier…And her superstar football player brother…Add a quirky pink and purple food truck…Then, to really screw things up, mix in a very unfortunate murder.Brett Rivers is the hottest sports agent in the business—fast and furious, swift and deadly. Failure? Not an option.Rory Garrett is—let’s be honest—a disaster. She has a big heart, an empty bank account, a passion for making exquisite chocolate, and a hug

Read more less

A moving, page-turning story of two families in crisis and the unexpected places from which love can grow.The true mystery Lapid seeks to unveil is one of the most burning questions of our time: What does it mean to be a woman in today’s world? On Her Own is a book you will want all the women in your life to read. —Ayelet Gundar-Goshen, award-winning author of Waking LionsNina, a teenage runaway, wakes up in the unfamiliar stairwell of a Tel Aviv apartment in a torn minidress. As her memory starts to resurface—the abusive older man she’s running away from, the crime she witnessed—she knows one thing: she needs to find a place to hide.When one of the building’s tenants, Carmela, a lonely old widow suffering from memory loss, mistakes Nina for her granddaughter she hasn’t seen in years, Nina jumps at the opportunity for a safe haven. Soon, t

Read more less

Lose yourself in bestselling author Lawrence Durrell's sublime novel about a group of English tourists trapped in the minotaur's labyrinth on Crete ... 'Spellbinding ... A fine storyteller.' Guardian'Superb ... Quite simply a lovely work of art.' New York TimesA group of English tourists have come ashore from their cruise ship to explore the island of Crete. This motley crew - including a painter, spiritualist, spinster, soldier, convalescent, and elderly couple - are holidaying to seek respite from a broken post-war world. But their journey reaches a disastrous climax when they visit a cave reputed to be the legendary labyrinth of the minotaur, and become trapped within ...Set in the glorious Mediterranean landscapes which Lawrence Durrell so famously evoked in his travel writing and novels, The Dark Labyrinth is a morality tale unlike any other. Artfully blending horror and humour, comedy and tragedy, witty allegory and profound philosophy, it is a sublime novel, as refreshing today as it was decades ago. 'Superb, not only in the great passages of poetical description but also [the] casual wit and the brilliance of comment.' Observer'Will amuse those who enjoy satires on English manners and morals, engage readers who like a build-up of suspense and delight lovers of the sensuous world of the Greek islands.' New York Times

Read more less

Stefan Hertmans (Author) Stefan Hertmans is the prizewinning author of many literary works, including poetry, novels, essays, plays, short stories and a handbook on the history of art. He has taught at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Ghent, at the Sorbonne, and at the Universities of Vienna and Berlin. His first novel to be translated into English, War and Turpentine, was longlisted for the Man Booker International Prize, and was chosen as a book of the year in The Times, Sunday Times, and The Economist, and as one of the ten best books of the year in the New York Times.

Read more less

When reporter Quentin Jones investigates a shadowy military programme during the desert war, he discovers cutting edge technology that simulates reality during interrogation. As the shadowy labyrinth of governmental corruption unfurls and tightens around him, unnerving links to his protégé Bruce keep emerging, who disappeared into the war several years earlier. The Dimensions of A Cave is a haunting journey into networks of power and corruption, exploring our drive towards war and obsession with new technologies. A modern day retelling of Heart of Darkness, this masterful debut novel heralds a dazzling and singular voice in fiction.

Read more less