Contemporary Fiction

Longlisted for the Aspen Literary Prize, 2019Longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, 2018Longlisted for Elle's Big Book Award, 2018Evening Standard's Wander List Guide to 2019 Getaways How many lives can one person lead in a single lifetime? When Hero De Vera arrives in America, disowned by her parents in the Philippines, she's already on her third. Her uncle, Pol, who has offered her a fresh start and a place to stay in the Bay Area, knows not to ask about the first and second. And his younger wife, Paz, has learned enough about the might and secrecy of the De Vera family to keep her head down. Only their daughter Roni asks Hero why her hands seem to scream with hurt at the steering wheel of the car she drives to collect her from school, and only Rosalyn, the fierce but open-hearted beautician, has any hope of bringing Hero back from the dead.

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THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER | REESE BOOK CLUB PICK | BBC BIG JUBILEE BETWEEN THE COVERS READ'It reminds me of Where the Crawdads Sing . . . it's an amazing book' Rhys Stephenson on BBC's Between the Covers'You won't be able to put this one down!' Reese WitherspoonThey say a tiger that devours too many humans can take the form of a man and walk among us... In 1930s colonial Malaya, a dissolute British doctor receives a surprise gift of an eleven-year-old Chinese houseboy. Sent as a bequest from an old friend, young Ren has a mission: to find his dead master's severed finger and reunite it with his body. Ren has forty-nine days, or else his master's soul will roam the earth forever. Ji Lin, an apprentice dressmaker, moonlights as a dancehall girl to pay her mother's debts. One night, Ji Lin's dance partner leaves her with a gruesome souvenir that leads her on a crooked, dark trail. As time runs out for Ren's mission, a series of unexplained deaths occur amid rumours of tigers who turn into men. In their journey to keep a promise and discover the truth, Ren and Ji Lin's paths will cross in ways they will never forget.Captivating and lushly written, The Night Tiger explores the rich world of servants and masters, ancient superstition and modern ambition, sibling rivalry and unexpected love. Woven through with Chinese folklore and a tantalizing mystery, this novel is a page-turner of the highest order.'An exuberant medley of magic, romance and weirdness' The Times'[A] highly imaginative and a spellbinding read' Woman's Weekly 'I was willingly propelled into a fascinating and exotic world' Daily MailReaders love The Night Tiger'Gripping, enchanting' 5* Reader Review'Captivating from the very beginning' 5* Reader Review'Simply beautiful' 5* Reader Review'Profound' 5* Reader Review'A real feel-good and warming novel' 5* Reader Review

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'A bold, bright and delightful jaunt back to the golden age of detective fiction' – Janice Hallett, author of The Appeal'A delicious read - who could resist a treasure hunt with murder at its core?' – SJ Bennett, author of The Windsor Knot'It's a delight!' – Katie Fforde, author of Island in the SunWhat antique would you kill for?Freya, it’s down to you to finish what I started . . .Freya Lockwood has avoided the quaint English village in which she grew up for the last 20 years. That is until news arrives that Arthur Crockleford, antiques dealer and Freya’s estranged mentor, has died – and the circumstances seem suspicious.You will uncover an invitation, I implore you to attend . . .But when a letter from Arthur is delivered, sent just days before his death, and an ordinary pine chest concealing Ar

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A powerful new novel about grief and mourning from the acclaimed and prize-winning author of The Old DriftA BARACK OBAMA BOOK OF THE YEAR and NEW YORK TIMES BOOK OF THE YEARI don't want to tell you what happened. I want to tell you how it felt.Cassandra is twelve; her little brother Wayne is seven. One day, when they're alone together, there's an accident and Wayne is lost forever. Though his body is never recovered, their mother can't stop searching.As Cassandra grows older, she sees her brother everywhere: in cafes, aeroplane aisles, subway cars. But it can't be, of course. Or can it? And then one day, there's another accident, and she meets a man both mysterious and familiar, a man who shares her brother's name and who is also searching for someone...'In Namwali Serpell's hands, grief is a kind of possession. The Furrows is a piercing, sharply written novel about the conjuring power of loss' - RAVEN LEILANI, author of Luster

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'This was pure joy to read and left me feeling warm inside!!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'This book pulled at my heart strings and broke me in places and then slowly pieced me back together again' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Oh my!!!!!! Cathy Bramley has done it again, a fantastic read and I could not stop reading it' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'This book - I absolutely adored it!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Three generations of women, and the summer that saved them.The holidays are here, and in Salcombe, Liz longs for the arrival of her god-daughters, Skye and Clare and Clare's daughter baby Ivy. After years on her own, she needs help to save the catering business she built with Clare's late mother, Jen. However, half-sisters Skye and Clare couldn't be more different, struggling with family secrets and hidden jealousies. As the women navigate this unexpected summer together, truths are revealed and their relationships are put to the test. The Sunrise Sisterhood is a summery slice of joyful escapism as well as an emotional drama about three women healed by the sparkling waves of Salcombe and the power of the sisterhood.***'A heartwarming story of sisterhood and second chances' Lucy Diamond'Total escapism full of joy, hope and heart' Kim Nash'Comforting, funny, warm and wise. No-one does complicated family and friendships like Cathy' Veronica Henry'Beautifully written and richly layered with characters that feel like firm friends, it's full of Cathy's wonderful warmth, wisdom and wit' Alex Brown'A wonderful story of family, sisterhood and finding yourself' Emily Stone'Absolutely loved this summer swoonsome read from Cathy Bramley' Holly Hepburn'Full of sun, humour and heart, it is Bramley's best book yet' Katie Marsh'A gloriously pitched mix of single parenting, unexpected love affairs, a possible drinking problem and beachside yoga work together to create a summer read that is all about escapism with a capital E!' Stylist'Joyfully humorous, wise and heartfelt' Heat BOOK OF THE WEEK 'A slice of pure escapism' Pick Me Up! 'A warm read about friendship' Fabulous Magazine'A wonderfully told story of complicated relationships, Cathy Bramley's heart-warming and uplifting novel is rich, funny warm and wise' Sunday Express'This joyful novel explores grief, family dynamics and friendship' The Sun

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Three women. One family curse. The summer of a lifetime. For generations, no second-born daughter in the Fontana family has married. Lucy desperately wants to find love, but for her cousin Emilia, their family curse is a blessing in disguise. But then their Great Aunt Poppy declares she’ll reunite with her long-lost love on her eightieth birthday – and break the curse once and for all. And so the three women embark on a journey to Tuscany to fulfil Poppy’s last wish. But the secrets they uncover there could change their family forever… *Published in the US as The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany* A gorgeous story about love, family, and finding yourself in the unlikeliest of places, for fans of The Spanish Promise by Karen Swan and The Dressmaker’s Gift by Fiona Valpy.

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Every paper bracelet held a mother's heartbreaking secret... The top ten bestseller, inspired by heartrending true events in a home for unwed mothers, set in Ireland, Boston and London, this novel is perfect for readers of Kathryn Hughes, Emily Gunnis and Susan Lewis.'A true storyteller who keeps you turning the pages' CATHY KELLY, Sunday Times bestselling author'A beautifully written story, uncovering some untold truths ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐' Real reader 'An addictive read ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐' Real reader'It broke my heart. Rachael has managed to tell a truly heartbreaking story beautifully and with real grace and dignity ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐' Real reader_____For 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 home for unwed mothers in the 1970s. The box contains a notebook holding the details of the babies and young women she met there. It also holds many of the babies' identity bracelets. Following the death of her husband, Katie makes a decision. The information she possesses could help reunite adopted people with their birth mothers, and she decides to post a message on an internet forum. Soon the replies are rolling in, and Katie finds herself returning many of the bracelets to their original owners. She encounters success and failure, heartbreak and joy. But is she prepared for old secrets to be uncovered in her own life?* THE LETTER HOME, THE NEW NOVEL FROM RACHAEL ENGLISH, IS OUT NOW *_____ Your favourite authors love the novels of Rachael English: 'Utterly moving and compelling. That first line...wow! I was hooked' Patricia Scanlan 'Fantastic storytelling looking back at Ireland's dark past' Liz Nugent 'A powerful, important, beautiful book' Sinéad Crowley 'A compelling read' Sheila O'Flanagan 'Outstanding. I was on the edge of my seat ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐' Real reader 'Beautifully written and enjoyable ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐' Real reader 'I loved this book. Despite the subject matter this book is very uplifting ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐' Real reader 'Could not put it down. Highly recommend ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐' Real reader

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By the author of The Handmaid's TaleNow a major NETFLIX seriesSometimes I whisper it over to myself: Murderess. Murderess. It rustles, like a taffeta skirt along the floor.' Grace Marks. Female fiend? Femme fatale? Or weak and unwilling victim? Around the true story of one of the most enigmatic and notorious women of the 1840s, Margaret Atwood has created an extraordinarily potent tale of sexuality, cruelty and mystery.'Brilliant... Atwood's prose is searching. So intimate it seems to be written on the skin' Hilary Mantel'The outstanding novelist of our age' Sunday Times'A sensuous, perplexing book, at once sinister and dignified, grubby and gorgeous, panoramic yet specific...I don't think I have ever been so thrilled' Julie Myerson, Independent on Sunday

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A handful of disparate lives converge at a remote seaside inn: a lovelorn professor, a renowned painter, an inscrutable seductress - and a beautiful young girl, fatally ill, brought to the sea by a desperate father's last hope. An intricate web of destinies and associations begins to reveal itself, but it is not until the arrival of a mysterious sailor called Adams that the truth in all its dreamlike beauty and cruelty becomes clear. Alternately playful and profoundly serious, Baricco's novel surges with the hypnotic power of the ocean sea.

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A brilliant and thought-provoking novel about family, loyalty and betrayal Once I’d been Daddy’s favourite. Before something terrible happened. Violet Rue is the baby of the seven Kerrigan children and adores her big brothers. What’s more, she knows that a family protects its own. To go outside the family – to betray the family – is unforgiveable. So when she overhears a conversation not meant for her ears and discovers that her brothers have committed a heinous crime, she is torn between her loyalty to her family and her sense of justice. The decision she takes will change her life for ever. Exploring racism, misogyny, community, family, loyalty, sexuality and identity, this is a dark story with a tense and propulsive atmosphere – Joyce Carol Oates at her very best.

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The perfect summer read from the internationally bestselling author. If you loved The Lido, you won't want to miss The Shelly Bay Ladies Swimming Circle . . . 'Heart-warming' Hello 'Wonderfully atmospheric' Sunday Mirror 'A heart-warming tale' Woman & Home (Best Escapist Reads)'The Shelly Bay Ladies Swimming Circle will have you laughing and crying' YoursIn a seaside suburb on Australia's golden coast, four women head to the water to swim every day . . .Housewife Theresa wants to get fit; she also wants a few precious minutes to herself. So at sunrise each day she strikes out past the waves.From the same beach, the widowed Marie swims. With her husband gone, it is the one constant in her new life.Elaine takes to the sea having recently moved from England, while Leanne is twenty-five years old and only has herself to rely on.In the waters of Shelly Bay, these four women find each other. They will survive bluebottle stings and heartbreak, they will laugh so hard they swallow water, and they will plunge their tears into the ocean's salt.Most of all, they will cherish their newfound friendship, each and every day.Praise for Sophie Green, author of The Shelly Bay Ladies Swimming Circle:'Reading this book was like snuggling beneath a warm beach towel after a bracing dip in the ocean' Joanna Nell, author of The Single Ladies of Jacaranda Retirement Village'Brimming with atmosphere and warmth, this gorgeous book completely carried me away. I absolutely loved it' Jenny Ashcroft

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A beautiful hardback edition of Angela Carter's feminist retelling of fairy tales - masterful, seductive and luminous. From familiar fairy tales and legends - Red Riding Hood, Bluebeard, Puss in Boots, Beauty and the Beast, vampires and werewolves - Angela Carter has created an absorbing collection of dark, sensual, fantastic stories.'Magnificent set pieces of fastidious sensuality' Ian McEwan'A quirky, original, and baroque stylist' Margaret AtwoodVINTAGE QUARTERBOUND CLASSICS: Bound to be beautifulINTRODUCED BY HELEN SIMPSON

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There was no rising from the dead and there was no hand to calm the storms and there was no peace in no valley. In the hurricane-ravaged bottomlands of South Mississippi, where stores are closing and jobs are few, a fierce zealot has gained a foothold, capitalizing on the vulnerability of a dwindling population and a burning need for hope. As she preaches and promises salvation from the light of the pulpit, in the shadows she sows the seeds of violence. Elsewhere, Jessie and her toddler, Jace, are on the run across the Mississippi/Louisiana line, in a resentful return to her childhood home and her desolate father. Holt, Jace's father, is missing and hunted by a brutish crowd, and an old man witnesses the wrong thing in the depths of night. In only a matter of days, all of their lives will collide, and be altered, in the maelstrom of the changing world. At once elegiac and profound, Salvage This World journeys into the heart of a region growing darker and less forgiving, and asks how we keep going - what do we hold onto - in a land where God has fled.

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'Truly outstanding' Mail on Sunday'This is a time-spanning, genre-blurring work of storytelling magic . . . The only constants are the land and Mason's genius' Washington Post'Daniel Mason's latest novel is one of those rare books that truly deserves the description "spellbinding" ' Observer'A tapestry at once intimate and epic' TLS'Utterly beguiling' Scotsman'Extraordinary characters . . . a tour de force' Independent, Best Books for Autumn'Epic . . . weaves a Cloud Atlas-style narrative of humanity under pressure and nature under threat' Guardian, 2023's Biggest BooksFOUR CENTURIES. A SINGLE HOUSE DEEP IN THE WOODS OF NEW ENGLAND.A young Puritan couple on the run. An English soldier with a fantastic vision. Inseparable twin sisters. A lovelorn painter and a lusty beetle. A desperate mother and her haunted son. A ruthless con man and a stalking panther. Buried secrets. Madness, dreams and hope. All are connected. The dark, raucous, beautiful past is very much alive.Exhilarating, daring and playful, NORTH WOODS will change the way you see the world.'A monumental achievement . . . I loved it' Maggie O'Farrell'Ambitious, alive, and lush with generosity . . . an immersive sprint through time' Tess Gunty

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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Sexy, glorious, action-packed fun! Also Nick is hot, and cute and a serious book boyfriend material'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Highly recommend'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Hooked from beginning to end'He wants to take her out. She wants to take him down...Sydney's mission is simple: 1. Stop her little sister from marrying a notorious criminal 2. Seduce his bodyguard to gather intel for the FBI 3. Definitely do not fall in love...Agent Sydney Swift is going home for the holidays. She's just discovered that her younger sister, Calla, is engaged to Johnny Jones - the heir to the nation's most notorious crime dynasty - and she's determined to stop their perfect winter wedding at any cost.But gathering incriminating evidence on Johnny isn't as easy as she'd hoped, especially as her biggest obstacle is Nick, his infuriatingly handsome and charming bodyguard!As Sydney spends more time with Nick, lines begin to blur, and while seducing him to gather intel was bad enough, falling for him is even worse. Soon Sydney is faced with a difficult decision - one that certainly wasn't covered in her training . . .MISS CONGENIALITY meets Emily Henry with the spice of MR AND MRS SMITH in this fun, sexy and absolutely irresistible romcom. YOUR FAVOURITE AUTHORS LOVE THE TAKEDOWN!'Fun, flirty, and fabulous!' LAURA JANE WILLIAMS'A hilarious, smart and swoony joy of a romcom' CRESSIDA MCLAUGHLIN'A masterclass in how to create sizzling chemistry. Five stars!' LORRAINE BROWN

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WINNER OF THE BOOKER PRIZE‘A passionate, scintillating, brilliant song of a book’GuardianSammy's had a bad week.Most of it's just a blank space in his mind, and the bits that he can remember, he'd rather not. His wallet's gone, along with his new shoes, he's been arrested then beaten up by the police and thrown out on the street - and he's just gone blind. He remembers a row with his girlfriend, but she seems to have disappeared; and he might have been trying to fix a bit of business up with an old mate, he's not too sure.Things aren't looking too good for Sammy and his problems have hardly begun.

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A year into her dream job at a cutthroat Silicon Valley startup, Cassie is trapped in a corporate nightmare. Between the long hours, toxic bosses and unethical projects, she struggles to reconcile the glittering promise of a city where obscene wealth lives alongside abject poverty. Ivy League grads complain about the snack selection from a conference room with a view of houseless people bathing in the bay. Startup burnouts leap into the paths of commuter trains and men literally set themselves on fire in the streets. Though isolated, Cassie is never alone. From her earliest memory, the black hole has been her constant companion. It feeds on her depression and anxiety, its size changing in relation to her distress. The black hole watches, but it also waits. Its relentless pull draws Cassie ever closer as the world around her unravels. When her CEO's demands cross an illegal line and her personal life spirals towards a bleak precipice, Cassie must decide whether the tempting fruits of Silicon Valley are worth the pain, or succumb to the black hole.

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He never meant to stay. He certainly never meant to fall in love… Summer Island off the coast of Norway was the place London chef Jack Greene should have been from. He’s an outsider in the community that should have been his family, and now he’s setting foot on the strange land he has inherited for the first time. Ninni Toft, his nearest neighbour, has come to the island to mend her broken heart. With her wild spirit and irrepressible enthusiasm, she shows city-boy Jack the simple pleasures of island life – and what it means to belong. To a place. To a people. To one person in particular… Home is where the heart is, but is Jack’s heart with the career he left behind in London, or on the wind-swept shores of Summer Island, with Ninni? Summer Island is just what you need right now! Don’t believe us? Look at what our readers think: ‘The perfect escape during this globally stressful time…delightful’ Sarah ‘Oh, how I would love to live on the Island…heartwarming, full of hope, love, friendship, fun and is everything that friends and family should be!’ Sarah Lizzie ‘This was such a good book! I couldn’t put this book down and it filled me with warmth!’ Sinead ‘This book was so good!’ Alicia ‘Absolutely loved this story…make sure you have some time to spare – you’ll not want to put it down till you’ve finished!’ Sara ‘The unique setting was really lovely and a breath of fresh air…also, love a dog in a story!’ Andi

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'Midway through my fortieth year, I reached a point where the balance of the past and all it contained seemed to outweigh the future, my mind so full of things said and not said, done and undone, I no longer understood how to move forward' May is at a crossroads. Although her career as a gardener for the university is flourishing, the rest of her life has narrowed to a parched routine. Her father is elderly, her brother estranged, and she keeps her neighbours at arm's length. The missing element, she realises, might be friendship. As May sets off on a journey to visit four neglected friends one-by-one, she holds herself (and them) to humorously high standards, while at home she begins to confront the pain of her past and imagine for herself a different kind of future. May's quest becomes an exploration of the power, and perhaps limits, of modern friendship.

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'A wise and witty drama of small-town life . . . delivering the generous humour, keen ear for dialogue, and deep appreciation for humanity's foibles that have endeared the author to his readers for decades' Publishers WeeklyTen years after the death of the magnetic Donald 'Sully' Sullivan, the town of North Bath is going through a major transition as it is taken over by its much wealthier neighbour, Schuyler Springs. Peter, Sully's son, is still grappling with his father's tremendous legacy as well as his relationship to his own son, Thomas, wondering if he has been all that different a father than Sully was to him.Meanwhile, the towns' newly consolidated police department falls into the hands of Charice Bond following the resignation of Doug Raymer, the former North Bath police chief and Charice's ex-boyfriend. When a decomposing body turns up in the abandoned hotel situated between the two towns, Charice and Raymer are drawn together again and forced to address their complicated attraction to one another. Across town, Ruth, Sully's married ex-lover, struggles to understand her granddaughter, Tina, and her growing obsession with Peter's other son, Will. Amidst the turmoil, the town's residents speculate on the identity of the unidentified body and wonder who among their number could have disappeared unnoticed. Brimming with warmth, wisdom and Russo's signature wry humour, Somebody's Fool is another classic from a modern master of storytelling.

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'A compelling tale of a family caught up in the turmoil of the Wars of the Roses... Be warned: it's dangerously addictive' TRACY BORMANEngland. 1469.A fortunate marriage will change history.A scandal could destroy everything...Margaret Paston, matriarch of the Paston family, knows that a favourable match for one of her unruly daughters is the only way to survive the loss of their recently acquired Caister Castle. But as the War of the Roses rages on, dangerous enemies will threaten even her best laid plans.Margery Paston, her eldest daughter, has always strived to uphold the Paston name and do her mother proud. But when she loses her heart to a man below her station, she must make a terrible choice: will she betray her family and risk everything for a chance at true love?Anne Haute, first cousin to the Queen, is embroiled in a longstanding betrothal to Sir John Paston, the eldest son and heir to the Paston seat. But despite his promises, Anne can't help but doubt that he will ever keep his word and make her his wife...In the midst of civil war, each of these women must decide: Head or heart? Love or duty? Reputation- or scandal?Praise for A Marriage of Fortune:'Anne O'Brien gets right inside the heads of her medieval characters!' JOANNA HICKSON'Magnificently researched... an enthralling story of strong women and advantageous marriages. I was completely hooked!' CLARE MARCHANTA beautifully researched novel told with understanding, subtlety and a deft touch. Time travel at its best' JOANNA COURTNEY

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'Provocative and compelling, it is a spectacular debut' - Daily MailMichael lost his wife in a terrorist attack on a London train. Since then, he has been seeing a therapist to help him come to terms with his grief - and his anger. He can't get over the fact that the man he holds responsible has seemingly got away scot-free. He doesn't blame the bombers, who he considers only as the logical conclusion to a long chain of events. No, to Michael's mind, the ultimate cause is the politician whose cynical policies have had such deadly impact abroad. His therapist suggests that he write his feelings down to help him forgive and move on, but as a retired headteacher, Michael believes that for every crime there should be a fitting punishment - and so in the pages of his diary he begins to set out the case for, and set about committing, murder. Waltzing through the darkling journal of a brilliant mind put to serious misuse, Kill [redacted] is a powerful and provocative exploration of the contours of grief and the limits of moral justice, and a blazing condemnation of all those who hold, and abuse, power.ONE OF THE BEST DEBUT NOVELS of 2019 (the i )

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WINNER OF THE 1973 BOOKER PRIZE'We look on past ages with condescension, as a mere preparation for us... but what if we are a mere after-glow of them?' Krishnapur, 1857: India is on the brink of a violent and bloody mutiny. In this remote town on the vast North Indian plain, life for the British is still orderly and genteel. But when the sepoys at the nearest military cantonment rise in revolt, the British community retreats with shock into the Residency. They prepare to fight for their lives with what weapons they can muster. As food and ammunition grow short when the British find themselves under actual siege, the true character of their dominion - at once brutal, blundering and wistful - is soon revealed. 'An idiosyncratic masterpiece, wise and richly comic' Hilary Mantel

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'The sharpest and funniest novel I read this year' Craig Brown, Mail on Sunday A hilarious, intelligent cult classic, from one of the most celebrated contemporary novelists. Adam Gordon is a brilliant, if highly unreliable, young American poet on a prestigious fellowship in Madrid. Fuelled by strong coffee and self-prescribed tranquillizers, every day is a fresh attempt to establish a sense of self and an attitude towards his art. Not helped by his imperfect grasp of Spanish, Adam struggles with the underlying suspicion that his relationships, his reactions, even his entire personality are just as fraudulent as his poetry. Yet while his self-obsession runs riot he is at risk of missing the bigger and more urgent things that threaten to change the world around him in sudden and dramatic ways. One of the funniest and best-loved debut novels of contemporary times, Leaving the Atocha Station is a profound exploration of the creative impulse. 'Packed full of gags... Intensely and unusually brilliant' Geoff Dyer, Observer

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AN OBSERVER BEST DEBUT NOVEL OF 2023WINNER OF THE 2021 #MERKY BOOKS NEW WRITERS' PRIZENik has lots of questions about his late father but knows better than to ask his mother, Avani. It's their unspoken rule.But when his grandfather dies, Nik has the opportunity to learn about the man he never met. Armed with a key and new knowledge about his parents' past, Nik sets out to unlock the secrets that his mother has been holding onto his whole life.The Things That We Lost is a beautifully tender exploration of family, loss and how far we will go to protect the ones we love.

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In the sixteenth century, on the island of Hven, the pioneering Danish astronomer, Tycho Brahe, is undertaking an elaborate study of the night skyA great mind and a formidable personality, Brahe is also the world’s most illustrious noseless man of his time. Told by Brahe and his assistants—a filthy cast of characters—Sublunar is both novel and almanac. Alongside sexual deviancy, spankings, ruminations on a new nose—flesh, wood, or gold?—Brahe (a choleric and capricious character) and his peculiar helpers (“I would rather watch her globes tonight than icy stars”) take painstaking measurements that will revolutionize astronomy, long before the invention of the telescope. Meanwhile the plague rages in Europe…The second in Voetmann’s triptych of historical novels, Sublunar is as visceral, absurd, and tragic as its predecessor, Awake, but with a special nocturnal glow and a lunatic-edged gaze trained on the moon and the stars.

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A surprising and exciting new collection of speculative and experimental stories that explore animal intelligences, gender, and the nature of stories. The Privilege of the Happy Ending collects award-winning writer Kij Johnson’s speculative fiction from the last decade. The stories explore gender, animals, and the nature of stories, and range in form from classically told tales to deeply experimental works. The collection includes the World Fantasy Award-winning “The Privilege of the Happy Ending” and “The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe,” as well as two never-before published works.

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Mark Helprin, the #1 New York Times, best-selling author of Winter’s Tale and A Soldier ofthe Great War, has returned with a fast-paced, beautifully written novel about the majesty of the sea; a life dedicated to duty, honor, and country; and the gift of falling in loveWhen Stephen Rensselaer, a Navy captain near the end of his career, is called upon to defend the politically doomed development of a variant of the Navy’s smallest ship, he does so without hesitation, thereby alienating the President of the United States. The program is cancelled after its first prototype, Athena, Patrol Coastal 15, and Rensselaer—his place on the promotion list for admiral all but forgotten—is given command, an intended humiliation for someone of his rank. Rather than resign, he carries on, and while supervising Athena’s fitting out in New Orleans, encounters a brilliant lawyer, Katy Farrar, with whom he falls in love. After failed marriages for both, this is a completely unexpected and exhilarating last chance. Soon thereafter, he is deployed to the Persian Gulf. However, while refueling and taking on provisions in Israel, he discovers that his mission has been changed, which subjects his integrity, morality, and skill to the ultimate test, and ensures that Athena will live forever in the annals of the Navy. As in the Odyssey, Katy is the force that keeps Rensselaer alive and the beacon that lights the way home through seven battles, mutiny, and court martial. In classic literary form, an enthralling new novel that extolls the virtues of living by the laws of conscience, decency, and sacrifice, The Oceans and the Stars is nothing short of a masterpiece.

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“Hilarious, refreshing, tightly plotted, and vividly written. An irresistible read.”—Jonas Jonasson, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window And Disappeared“A seriously funny take on death and dying.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred reviewAn ingeniously plotted dark comedy by Noa Yedlin, "a master at tone" (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) about aging and friendship following a tight-knit circle of seniors as they attempt to hide the death of one of their best friends so he can win the Nobel Prize for Economics.Avishay is up for the Nobel Prize for Economics. There’s just one problem—he’s dead. His four closest friends agree that the well-earned prize must stay within his grasp, and so conspire to conceal Avishay’s corpse until the committee’s announcement. The potential of a glorious legacy for their late friend – and by extension, for them all – is only a mere eight days away. What could go wrong?Each member of the quartet has their own motive for the scheme. Zohara, Avishay’s longtime secret lover, needs her widowhood acknowledged through an inheritance. Amos, a less successful academic than his late friend, is proving he can overcome his jealousy. Insecure magnate Yehuda needs the association to promote his own upcoming book. And Nili, a divorcee chafing against her grandmotherly expectations, thrills at the adventure.Their plan starts out simple: turn up the AC, take shifts watching the apartment, forge texts and emails on the deceased’s behalf. But as the days pass, they are confronted with surprise visitors, hidden motives, deep-seated resentments and the devices of nature herself. How far will this foursome go to help their friend die a winner?Packed into a drama-filled week, bristling with insight and dark humor, Stockholm offers a refreshingly honest consideration of the age when we begin to measure the sum of our lives.

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Fifty-five-year-old Jim Lapsford makes an unusually healthy-looking corpse. A life-long devotee of vitamin pills and herbal remedies, it seems almost ironic that he has succumbed to a heart attack. His GP is convinced that this is the case but trainee undertaker Drew Slocombe isn't so sure and he is convinced that there is enough conflicting medical evidence to merit a coroner's inquest at least. And then there's Jim's personal life: in addition to a long suffering wife, two sons and a grieving terrier, Jim appears to have left behind a series of scorned mistresses. It seems everyone else is happy enough to accept the doctor's verdict and Drew shouldn't really rock the boat, but can he really turn his back on murder? Jim Lapsford may already be dead but surely he deserves to have his killer caught? Even so, Drew may have plenty of suspects but he has no proof. And Jim's cremation is days away.

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LONGLISTED FOR THE DESMOND ELLIOTT PRIZESHORTLISTED FOR THE BOLLINGER EVERYMAN WODEHOUSE PRIZE'A writer out to do whatever the hell he wants . . . a grisly, gross-out slice of medieval life and death, it's vigorously, writhingly itself, spilling out of any box you put it in' Observer'A dark and bloody tale, well leavened with bone-dry humour, and with a dramatic climax that has about it the flavour of a Jacobean tragedy' Guardian 'Set to become an Irish cult classic' Sunday Business Post'A tremendously engaging and fun read . . . a crazed, quixotic odyssey' Kevin BarryAn ambitious noble and his three serving men travel through the Irish countryside in the stifling summer of 1348, using the advantage of the plague which has collapsed society to buy up large swathes of property and land. They come upon Nobber, a tiny town, whose only living habitants seem to be an egotistical bureaucrat, his volatile wife, a naked blacksmith, and a beautiful Gaelic hostage. Meanwhile, a band of marauding Gaels are roaming around, using the confusion of the sickness to pillage and reclaim lands that once belonged to them. As these groups converge upon the town, the habitants, who up until this point have been under strict curfew, begin to stir from their dwellings, demanding answers from the intruders. A deadly stand-off emerges from which no one will escape unscathed.'Nobber is hallucinatory and sly, conjuring a densely strange and savagely captivating world. There are lots of novels, and there are lots of novels that are all much alike, but there is nothing like Nobber' Colin Barrett'A skilled storyteller with a rich command of language and rare comedic flair' Irish Times

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Shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award 2020. Shortlisted for the McKitterick Prize 2021. Runner up for The Paul Torday Memorial Prize 2021.'VERY MOVING, A WARM AND COMPASSIONATE NOVEL' Diana Evans'TENDER, HEARTFELT AND HEART-BREAKING' Francis SpuffordOptioned for film by Monumental Pictures/Lionsgate.Maddy is sixteen. She has loyal friends, a mother with whom she's unusually close, a father she's never met, devoted grandparents, and a crush on a boy named Jack. Maddy is also dying.Told alternately by Maddy and her mother, Eve, All the Water in the World is a heart-breaking story of a family doing its best when faced with the worst, and a poignant testimony to the transformative power of love.'DEEPLY REWARDING AND WHOLLY UNFORGETTABLE' Bret Anthony Johnston'CAPTIVATING AND WARM AND REAL' Janet Ellis 'ASTONISHINGLY MOVING' Joanna Hershon'A TENDER BRUISE OF A NOVEL' Mary Paulson-Ellis

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A beautiful hardback edition of the hilarious, dark, ingenious novel that changed the face of British fiction.Choose us. Choose life. Choose mortgage payments; choose washing machines; choose cars; choose sitting oan a couch watching mind-numbing and spirit-crushing game shows, stuffing fuckin junk food intae yir mooth. Choose rotting away, pishing and shiteing yersel in a home, a total fuckin embarrassment tae the selfish, fucked-up brats ye've produced.Choose life.'The best book ever written by man or woman... Deserves to sell more copies than the Bible' Rebel Inc'Welsh writes with a skill, wit and compassion that amounts to genius' Sunday TimesVINTAGE QUARTERBOUND CLASSICS: Bound to be beautiful

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SHORTLISTED FOR THE PORTICO PRIZESHORTLISTED FOR THE DIVERSE BOOK AWARDSLONGLISTED FOR THE AUTHORS’ CLUB BEST FIRST NOVEL AWARDSHORTLISTED FOR THE COSTA FIRST NOVEL AWARDWINNER OF CALIBRE AUDIO’S ‘HIDDEN GEM’ AWARD________ ‘Poignantly paints the extraordinary in ordinary lives’THE SUNDAY POST‘An engrossing and moving story’ CLARE CHAMBERS, author of Small Pleasures‘An evocative portrayal of love and family’ AYISHA MALIK'Invites you in, not as a stranger but as a family friend’ KATIE FFORDE‘A masterclass in representation and brilliant writing’ ZEBA TALKHANI, author of My Past is a Foreign Country______ Your roots can always lead you home… Amjad cradles his baby daughter in the middle of the night. He has no time to mourn his wife’s death. Saahil and Zahra, his two small children, are relying on him. Amjad vows to love and protect them always. Years later, Saahil and his best friend, Ehsan, have finished university and are celebrating with friends. But when the night turns dangerous, its devastating effects will ripple through the years to come. Zahra is now her father’s only source of comfort. Life has taken her small family in different directions – will they ever find their way back to each other? The Family Tree is the moving story of a British Muslim family full of love, laughter and resilience as well as all the faults, mistakes and stubborn loyalties which make us human. *** ‘A profound, beautifully observed portrait of a British-Muslim family rocked by tragedy. So endearing are the characters, I grieved as they grieved, cheered as they healed and clung to them for days after the final page’ Kia Abdullah ‘A multi-generational story crafted with warmth… An engaging debut’ Vaseem Khan ‘Both unflinching and full of hope; the writing is compassionate and true’ Stephanie Butland

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*Now a major Disney+ short film starring John Travolta*The chilling thriller from the international bestselling phenomenon.'A cunningle wrought tale' Financial Times'A stirring and beautiful story' The Times_____________Christmas Eve, 1957.For one Royal Air Force pilot, one last hurdle remains between himself and a cozy Christmas morning in England. A sixty-six-minute flight in his Vampire fighter plane from Germany to Lakenheath.A routine flight plan and a full tank of fuel. What could go wrong?But as the fog begins to close in, the compass goes haywire and the radio dies, leaving him in silence, lost and alone up in the inky black sky.All hope seems lost as he accepts his fate when, out of nowhere, a vintage fighter-bomber appears and is miraculously trying to make contact.For one lonely pilot this is a miracle, but really the mystery has just begun ..._____________With over 1,000 5* reviews . . .***** 'This was for me the best Christmas military short story'***** 'What a great story!! I just loved it.'***** 'A splendid story. Still have goosebumps after reading it.'***** 'I, too, read this every Christmas season - and think of it often throughout the year.'***** 'What a wonderful surprising ending, I didn't see that coming, very good story, I think imma remember it for a long time.'

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“For fans of Sex and the City and The Nanny Diaries comes this juicy story…that would make even the most meticulously Drybar-ed hair curl.”—Good HousekeepingAs seen in The Washington Post • Good Housekeeping • theSkimm • Good Morning America • ABC News • Book of the Month • Belletrist • OK! Magazine • Betches • Newsweek • Parade • New York Post Best Book of the WeekA dark, witty p

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WINNER OF THE WINGATE PRIZE 2021SUNDAY TIMES "MUST READS" PICKECONOMIST "BEST BOOKS OF 2020" PICKKIRKUS REVIEWS "10 BOOKS TO LOOK FOR IN 2021" PICK"Boundless imagination and a vibrant style . . . a heroine of unforgettable grit" DAVID GROSSMAN"A story of great beauty and surprise" GARY SHTEYNGARTThe townsfolk of Motal, an isolated, godforsaken town in the Pale of Settlement, are shocked when Fanny Keismann - devoted wife, mother of five, and celebrated cheese-maker - leaves her home at two hours past midnight and vanishes into the night.True, the husbands of Motal have been vanishing for years, but a wife and mother? Whoever heard of such a thing. What on earth possessed her?Could it have anything to do with Fanny's missing brother-in-law, who left her sister almost a year ago and ran away to Minsk, abandoning their family to destitution and despair?Or could Fanny have been lured away by Zizek Breshov, the mysterious ferryman on the Yaselda river, who, in a strange twist of events, seems to have disappeared on the same night?Surely there can be no link between Fanny and the peculiar roadside murder on the way to Minsk, which has left Colonel Piotr Novak, head of the Russian secret police, scratching his head. Surely a crime like that could have nothing to do with Fanny Keismann, however the people of Motal might mutter about her reputation as a vilde chaya, a wild animal . . .Surely not.Translated from the Hebrew by Orr Scharf

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