Contemporary Fiction Books

Book Synopsis'Gripped me like an airport read . . . perfect.' Lena Dunham'Lena Andersson's Wilful Disregard is a story of the heart written with bracing intellectual rigor. It is a stunner, pure and simple.' Alice Sebold, author of The Lovely BonesWinner of the August Prize 2013On the day that Ester Nilsson, a poet and a sensible person in a sensible relationship, meets renowned artist Hugo Rask, her rational world begins to unravel. Leaving her boyfriend and her past behind, Ester embarks on what is sure to be the greatest love story of her life.It's a shame no one else agrees.Trade ReviewAlas, most women have lived this story. Though few will have told it so well. Compelling and keenly observant. -- Lionel Shriver, author of We Need to Talk About KevinI never thought a book about anxious Swedish intellectuals engaged in a philosophical back and forth would grip me like an airport read, but here we are. From the first page I was deep in the headspace of our protagonist, Esther, a woman willing to destroy her life for a man who barely acknowledges her. -- Lena DunhamLena Andersson's Wilful Disregard is a story of the heart written with bracing intellectual rigor. It is a stunner, pure and simple. -- Alice Sebold, author of THE LOVELY BONESWilful Disregard by Lena Andersson describes a female writer’s new friendship with and eventual fixation on an older and more successful male artist. Hugo and Ester have an intense intellectual connection, which makes her feel like she’s in love with him and makes him feel, well, like they have an intense intellectual connection (though he’s willing to dabble in sex with her). Like Rachel Cusk’s Outline, Wilful Disregard is lacerating in its intelligence and honesty; it makes you waver between loathing and compassion for basically all humans. -- Curtis Sittenfeld, New Yorker Books of the YearLove, famously, is blind. People in love can lose even the most basic critical faculties and become capable of monumental self-deception. Hardly a new story, but I don't think I've ever seen this particular myopia as astutely and entertainingly explored as in this stunning novel . . . bruise-tender in its detail and emotional candour.This is a slim volume, but every word packs a punch; every other sentence is so wise and funny that it begs to be quoted. Andersson's gift for conjuring atmosphere and emotion out of small quotidian mishaps is extraordinary' -- Julie Myerson * Guardian *Andersson does a masterly job reeling in the reader * New York Times *Brilliant and unflinching on obsession, on desperation, on the stuff of how people are capable of being to each other. Andersson writes smart, sharp-eyed, and often witheringly funny prose; nobody gets out of this situation with their pride, or their public persona, intact. Which is what makes it such addictive reading. -- Belinda McKeon, author of SOLACE and TENDERDry wit and sharp insight . . . If she sees an intellectual pretension, she pricks it * The Economist *A compelling read, a deeply philosophical book that attempts to make sense of love in the modern world * Irish Examiner *A cerebral cat's cradle of a novel * New Yorker *A creepy lucid dissection of the tangled psychology of love. * M Magazine *'Andersson’s novel is refreshing for its willingness to look at sexual fixation with a woman’s gaze. I read Wilful Disregard full of both agonised secondhand embarrassment and admiration for Andersson’s crisp prose. Ester is maddening, lovable . . . and recognisable to anyone who’s ever had a day ruined by an unanswered text message. * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisA former feature writer for the Daily Express, Jane Green took a leap of faith when she left in 1996 to freelance and work on her book. She is now the bestselling author of several novels including Saving Grace, The Beach House and Summer Secrets. Jane lives in Connecticut with her husband and their blended family of six children.

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Book Synopsis'Ingenious and original' Philip PullmanIf you knew a book was cursed, would you still read it?When Ariel Manto uncovers a copy of The End of Mr. Y in a second-hand bookshop, she can't believe her eyes. She knows enough about its author, the outlandish Victorian scientist Thomas Lumas, to know that copies are exceedingly rare. And, some say, cursed.With Mr. Y under her arm, Ariel finds herself thrust into a thrilling adventure of love, sex, death and time-travel.Trade ReviewIngenious and original -- Philip PullmanA breakneck thriller of a plot . . . Entertainingly, mind-bendingly weird . . . Thomas writes with marvellous panache . . . An accomplished, impressive thought experiment for the 21st century * * New York Times * *Brilliant . . . The mixture of intellectual discussion with a thriller plot should please fans of Umberto Eco -- Ursula K. Le Guin * * Guardian * *Hugely enjoyable * * The Times * *An intellectual rollercoaster * * Sunday Times * *A masterpiece -- Douglas CouplandAriel Manto is [Thomas's] most compelling creation yet . . . Destined to become a cult book * * Sunday Telegraph * *Utter enchantment * * Independent * *One of the most exciting novels I have read in recent years -- Jonathan CoeMindboggling, brainy and playful * * Independent on Sunday * *

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Book Synopsis''One of the most popular storytellers of the century.'' - The TelegraphA businessman makes a deal with a satanic clergymen, and has his daughter baptised into Satan''s church. Twenty-one years later, provided she is still a virgin, she is destined to be the centrepiece of a hideous satanic ritual. Molly Fountain, a tough-minded Englishwoman who worked for the British Intelligence during the war, has retreated to her French cottage to write. Next door she finds a new, mysterious neighbour, an intriguing young girl named Christina.Why did the solitary girl leave her rented house only for short walks at night? Why was she so frightened? Why did animals shrink away from her? Molly and her son are determined to save Christina from the clutches of what promises to be a fate worse than death.Trade ReviewOne of the most popular storytellers of the century. * The Telegraph *He forcibly abducts the imagination. * The Evening Standard *The word thriller has never been more aptly bestowed. * The News Chronicle *The greatest adventure writer of his time. * Daily Mail *Never lets you down. * Evening Standard *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Strange Conduct of a Girl Unknown 2. Colonel Crackenthorp’s Technique 3. The Mysterious Recluse 4. Enter the Wicked Marquis 5. Battle of Flowers and Battle of Wits 6. The Christina of the Dark Hours 7. Night Must Fall 8. Kidnapped? 9. Illegal Entry 10. ‘Once Aboard the Lugger... ?’ 11. The Marquis Calls the Tune 12. The Fight in the Château 13. Prison for One 14. The Black Art 15. Chamber of Horrors 16. Dead Men Tell No Tales 17. The Mystery of The Grange 18. Within the Pentacle 19. The Saga of a Satanist 20. The Secret Base 21. The Pact with Satan 22. The Devil’s Altar 23. The Cave of the Bats

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Book SynopsisIn 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.Trade Review‘Mallo’s imagination never falters. To stay with him means loosening all limitations we might wish to impose on a text. The reward is an audacious adventure.... This is, indeed, a dream of a book.’ — Declan O'Driscoll, Irish Times‘There are certain writers whose work you turn to knowing you’ll find extraordinary things there. Borges is one of them, Bolaño another. Agustín Fernández Mallo has become one, too. This novel, which ranges across the world and beyond it, is hugely ambitious in scope. It’s a weird, recursive, paranoiac, funny, menacing and thrilling book.’ — Chris Power, author of A Lonely Man‘Charmingly voracious and guided by fanatical precision and wit, Mallo ties the loose threads of the world together into intricate, charismatic knots. This is the expansive, omnivorous sort of novel that threatens to show you every thought you’ve ever had in a new and effervescent light, along with so many others you couldn’t have dreamed.’ — Alexandra Kleeman, author of Intimations‘Some great works create worlds from which to look back at ourselves and recalibrate; The Things We’ve Seen takes the world as it is and plays it back through renewed laws of physics. Rarely has a novel left me with such new eyes, an X-ray view of the present.’ — DBC Pierre, author of Meanwhile in Dopamine City‘The most original and powerful author of his generation in Spain.’ — Mathias Enard, author of Compass‘The Things We’ve Seen confirms Fernández Mallo as one of the best writers in Spanish, with an absolutely unique style and fictional world.’ — Jorge Carrión, New York Times in Spanish‘A strange and original sensibility at work – one that combines a deep commitment to the possibilities of art with a gonzo spirit and a complete absence of pretention.’ — Christopher Beha, Harper’s

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Book SynopsisWinner 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.' – ObserverTrade ReviewA heartbreaking novel, a book both beautiful and brutal . . . All that grief and sadness and misery has been turned into something tough, tender and beautifully sad. * The Times *Leaves us gutted and marvelling: Life may be short, but it takes forever. * New York Times *I think it’s the best first book I’ve read in many years. -- Karl Ove Knausgård * Guardian *Rarely does a debut novel establish its world with such sure-footedness, and Stuart’s prose is lithe, lyrical and full of revelatory descriptive insights. -- Alex Preston * Observer *An astonishing portrait, drawn from life, of a society left to die . . . Shuggie Bain has been longlisted for the Booker Prize. In a just world, it would win. * Daily Telegraph *Shuggie Bain comes from a deep understanding of the relationship between a child and a substance-abusing parent, showing a world rarely portrayed in literary fiction . . . Admirable and important. -- Sarah Moss * Guardian *This is a dysfunctional love story . . . between a boy and his mother . . . what makes his book a worthy contender for the Booker is his portrayal of their bond, together with all its perpetual damage. * Financial Times *Douglas Stuart’s startling Glasgow-set debut novel creates a world of poverty and suffering offset by pure, heart-filling, love . . . It’s a novel that deserves, and will surely often get, a second reading. -- Allan Massie * Scotsman *Shuggie Bain is a novel that aims for the heart and finds it. -- John Self * The Times *Tender and unsentimental . . . and the Billy Elliot-ish character of Shuggie . . . leaps off the page. * Daily Mail *Beautiful and bleak but with enough warmth and optimism to carry the reader through. -- Graham Norton (via Twitter)A boy's heartbreaking love for his mother . . . as intense and excruciating to read as any novel I have ever held in my hand . . . The book’s evocative power arises out of the author’s talent for conjuring a place, a time, and the texture of emotion . . . brilliantly written. * Newsday *An outstanding book . . . Magnificently done . . . Wonderful. -- Lee Child * Sunday Post *A debut novel that reads like a masterpiece, Shuggie Bain gives voice to the kind of helpless, hopeless love that children can feel toward broken parents. * Washington Post *Rightly being heralded for its visceral, emotionally nuanced portrayal of working class Scottish life and its blazingly intimate exploration of a mother-son relationship. * LitHub *A formidable story, lyrically told, about intimacy, family, and love. -- 12 Best Books of 2020 So Far * ELLE (US) *You will never forget Shuggie Bain. Scene by scene, this book is a masterpiece. -- Kirkus Reviews starred reviewDouglas Stuart writes with startling, searing intimacy. I fell hard for these characters; when they have nothing left, they cling maddeningly—irresistibly—to humor, pride and hope * Chia-Chia Lin *Shuggie Bain is an intimate and frighteningly acute exploration of a mother-son relationship and a masterful portrait of alcoholism in Scottish working class life, rendered with old-school lyrical realism . . . I kept being reminded of Joyce's Dubliners. -- Sandra Newman, author of The HeavensThere’s no way to fake the life experience that forms the bedrock of Douglas Stuart’s wonderful Shuggie Bain. No way to fake the talent either. Shuggie will knock you sideways * Richard Russo *A dark shining work. Raw, formidable, bursting with tenderness and frailty. The effect is remarkable, it will make you cry. -- Karl Geary, author of Montpelier ParadeEvery now and then a novel comes along that feels necessary and inevitable. I’ll never forget Shuggie and Agnes or the incredibly detailed Glasgow they inhabit. This is the rare contemporary novel that reads like an instant classic. I’ll be thinking and talking about Shuggie Bain - and teaching it - for quite some time. -- Garrard Conley, New York Times-bestselling author of Boy ErasedGlasgow, Scotland, in the 1980s is the backdrop for this story of the fraught bond between a young boy and his mother. -- ‘The 22 Best Books to Read This Winter’ * Vogue (US) *Compulsively readable… As [the novel] beautifully and shockingly illustrates how Shuggie ends up alone, this novel offers a testament to the indomitable human spirit. Very highly recommended -- Library Journal starred review

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Book Synopsis''O''Brien writes the most beautiful, aching stories of any writer, anywhere.'' Alice Munro''The taboo-breaking, the fabulous prose there''s no one like O''Brien.'' Anne Enright''Heart-breaking empathy, rigorous honesty and peerless beauty.'' Eimear McBride''A profound intelligence spurred on by a tangible, fizzing joy.'' Megan Nolan''Brilliant and brave.'' Ann Patchett''A revolution.'' John Banville''Glittering energy.'' Colm TóibínSpanning five decades of writing, and winning the Frank O''Connor International Short Story Award, The Love Object collects the most luminous stories by Edna O''Brien that have bewitched generation after generation. Here you will find tales of families, feuds, enchantment, despair, and the manifold bonds of love. There are stories about the tension between country and city life, the instinct towards escape and nostalgia for home; always crafted in shimmering prose.Trade ReviewO'Brien anatomises with a forensic eye the yearning for love ...these stories [have] extraordinary power. -- Matthew Dennison The Times Every one of the stories included is a shining example of a master at work. -- Lucy Scholes Observer

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Book SynopsisTHE RICHARD AND JUDY BOOK CLUB PICK 'Unique and breathtaking and painful and broken and perfect . . . just like love'Jodi Picoult'Exquisitely written, incredibly moving and impossible to put down' Beth O'Leary, author of The Flatshare___________Joel is afraid of the future.Since he was a child he's been haunted by dreams about the people he loves. Visions of what's going to happen - the good and the bad. And the only way to prevent them is to never let anyone close to him again. Callie can't let go of the past.Since her best friend died, Callie's been lost. She knows she needs to be more spontaneous and live a bigger life. She just doesn't know how to find a way back to the person who used to have those dreams.Joel and Callie both need a reason to start living for today. And though they're not looking for each other, from the moment they meet it feels like the start of something life-changing. Until Joel has a vision of how it's going to end . . .Trade ReviewSome books rip you apart, even as you are marveling at how beautifully put together they are - The Sight of You is one of these. Holly Miller - with her startling metaphors and finely-etched portrait of a star-crossed relationship - has created a novel that is unique and breathtaking and painful and broken and perfect . . . just like love. I'm still crying, yet all I want to do is settle down and read it again * Jodi Picoult, bestselling author of A Spark of Light and Small Great Things *Set to be the big love story of 2020 * Red *Clever, poignant and very special. This life-affirming novel twists and turns its way, acknowledging the bravery it takes to love. It's a unique book you'll want to hug and not let go * Woman & Home *We're predicting a hit * Cosmopolitan *I've just finished it and I'm in BITS. There are literally tears still dripping from my chin. What an extraordinary book. It's exquisitely written, incredibly moving and impossible to put down. It made me want to go and give everyone I love a very, very big hug. Who could fail to fall in love with Callie and Joel? * Beth O'Leary, author of The Flatshare *A heartrending, beautifully crafted emotional rollercoaster of a read that will stay with you long after the final page. Wonderful * Mike Gayle *The Sight of You is such a special book. I had a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes to the very last page. I want everyone to read it * Paige Toon *Heartfelt and beautifully written * Kate Eberlen, author of Miss You *An epic, beautifully written novel. Holly's words are practically symphonic on the page. This book is going to break hearts in 2020 * Roxie Cooper, author *This book stole my heart. It reminds me of how I felt when I first read The Time Traveler's Wife. Special, inventive, heartbreaking and empathetic, it's a book about whether it's better to have loved and lost, or never to have loved at all. Women's fiction at its finest * Gillian McAllister, author *Looking for a love story that will break your heart this year? You've just found it. Beautifully written, The Sight of You will stay with you for a long time. Just make sure you have tissues to hand * Platinum-mag.co.uk *Enthralling, immersive and deliriously romantic. An exquisitely written emotional thriller with characters I will never forget * Katie Marsh, author *Heartbreaking, hopeful and completely original - The Sight of You is a love story that stays with you long after the final page * Dani Atkins, author *A wonderful high-concept love story. I adored it * Richard Roper, author *I loved The Sight Of You. It's an epic love story, but with such a mesmerising premise * Clare Pooley, author of The Authenticity Project *Heartbreaking and compulsive in equal measure, I read The Sight of You in a single day * Kate Riordan, author *Amazing concept, a beautiful love story * Eva Woods, author *Just wonderful - the perfect 'will they, won't they' romance with a unique premise. It's stayed with me long after I finished with an ending I cried buckets over. This book is going to be huge! * Lorna Cook, author *I. Am. Broken. It's exquisite, beautiful and tender and has left me utterly bereft! * Emma Cooper, author *The Sight Of You is one of those rare books that stays in your heart long after the final page and I'm utterly bereft now it's finished. Beautiful, lyrical and yet packs an emotional punch that will leave you reeling * Penny Parkes, author *What an astonishing book. I just loved it. One of those rare books that is beautifully written and utterly life affirming * Kate Thompson, author *This book had me in tears. I can't stop thinking about Callie and Joel and what my choices would be in their circumstances. Beautiful and heartbreaking * Jill Santopolo, New York Times bestselling author of The Light We Lost *A beautiful, heartfelt novel with two central characters you are rooting for with your whole being. It is clever, moving and wonderfully romantic. I will think about Joel and Callie for a long time to come * Cesca Major *With stunningly evocative prose, Holly Miller crafts an enthralling tale that picks up speed as it churns toward its inevitable conclusion. I'm not usually an emotional reader, but this book proved me wrong. The ending is simply perfect. Readers are going to love it * Tracey Garvis Graves, New York Times bestselling author of The Girl He Used to Know *A gorgeously sad but ultimately uplifting read * Holly Hepburn, author *Fans of The Light We Lost and The Time Traveler's Wife will fall hard for this heartbreaking but ultimately life-affirming novel * Booklist *Miller paints big emotions with nuance and subtlety . . . This beautifully rendered work is both heartbreaking and life-affirming. Readers should be prepared to cry. * Publisher's Weekly *Entrancing and beautifully written . . . A big-hearted book showing just how fragile life truly is' * Woman & Home *Heartbreaker * Cosmopolitan *A beautiful read about following your heart. This is a total triumph * The Sun on Sunday Fabulous Magazine *A love story that will break your heart (think Jojo Moyes Me Before You-level tearjerker) * Evening Standard *Big ugly cry incoming! You'd have to be made of stone not to fall for this love story * Red Magazine *A love story with a difference . . . An astonishing, affecting, and deeply moving novel * Woman & Home *An original concept, beautifully written and completely convincing . . . a heart-wrenching love story that steers clear of being overly sentimental . . . Perfect for fans of The Time Traveller's Wife and In Five Years, this bittersweet novel is one that will stay with you * Press Association *This gorgeous, unusual love story manages to be both heartbreaking and hopeful * Good Housekeeping *Such a heartbreaking yet heartwarming story * Prima *A brilliant read * Bella *Utterly moving, this heartfelt read will capture your imagination * Woman’s Own *You might need a tissue at the ready, but this is an epic romance that will absorb and transport * Platinum Magazine *One of those rare books that stays in your heart long after the final page * Heat *An astonishing, affecting and deeply moving novel * Woman & Home *

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Book SynopsisSlick, snappy and totally surprising, this is the first Rune thriller and the book that launched Deaver's career.Trade ReviewHighly original and very entertaining * Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine *'Deaver writes with clarity, compassion, and intelligence, and with a decidedly human and contemporary slant'-- * Publishers Weekly *Deaver is a master of ticking-bomb suspense! * People Magazine *

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Book SynopsisThe ultimate thriller writer's first large-scale, ticking clock standalone thriller. An escaped convict takes hostage a bus of deaf children. He will kill one an hour . . .Trade ReviewDeaver knits a seamless fabric of tightening tension right up to the explosive double whammy ending * The Times *A real chiller, seething with violence and heart-stopping tension * Sunday Telegraph *A gripping, emotional descent into the mind of evil * Anthony Gallagher, Waterstone's *Tension-packed pages take the thriller to a new dimension * Doris Mousdale, Whitcoulls, New Zealand *An authentic and gripping hostage drama * Toby Wrigley, Book League, South Africa *Riveting and sensitively handled * New Woman *

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Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author of Leaving Berlin comes an explosive and richly imagined thriller set in the early days of the Cold War.  SOME SECRETS SHOULD NEVER BE TOLDMoscow, 1961: With the launch of Sputnik, the Soviet Union's international prestige is at an all-time high. And the most notorious of the defectors to the Soviet Union, former CIA agent Frank Weeks, is about to publish his memoir. What he reveals will send shock waves through the West. Weeks' defection in the early 1950s shook Washington to its core – and forced the resignation of his brother, Simon, from the State Department. Simon, now a publisher in New York, is given the opportunity to read and publish his brother’s memoir. He knows the US government will never approve the publication of what is clearly intended as KGB propaganda. Yet the offer is irresistible: it will finally give him the chance to learn why his brothTrade Review‘Kanon is fast approaching the complexity and relevance not just of le Carré and Greene but even of Orwell’ * New York Times *‘Clever, devious and morally complex’ * Sunday Times *‘The perfect combination of intrigue and accurate history brought to life’ -- Alan Furst'Sensational! No one writes period fiction with the same style and suspense – not to mention substance – as Joseph Kanon' -- Scott Turow‘Joseph Kanon owns this corner of the literary landscape and it’s a joy to see him reassert his title with such emphatic authority’ -- Lee Child

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Book SynopsisFrom the No. 1 Sunday Times bestselling author of Just My Luck.Don''t miss Adele''s gripping new novel, the Sunday Times bestseller One Last Secret, out now!''TIGHTLY PLOTTED, BRILLIANTLY CONCEIVED AND TOTALLY GRIPPING'' LISA JEWELL''GRIPPING, TWISTY AND HEARTBREAKING, THIS STANDOUT STORY IS A TRIUMPH'' ISABELLE BROOM, HEAT''TWISTY, UNPUTDOWNABLE AND UTTERLY ENGROSSING'' JENNY COLGANWhat would YOU do if your child wasn''t yours?Utterly compelling, this stunning domestic noir from No. 1 Sunday Times bestseller Adele Parks, is sure to move, grip and delight her fans, along with readers of Liane Moriarty, Lisa Jewell and Shari Lapena. Alison is lucky and she knows it. She has the life she always craved, including a happy home with Jeff and their brilliant, Trade ReviewGripping, twisty and heartbreaking, this standout story is a triumphGripping, twisty and heartbreaking, this standout story is a triumphAdele Parks does it again. She's already proved she can write a sparkling rom com, a moving love story and a lovingly researched historical novel, now she's taken on the domestic thriller genre and nailed it. Tightly plotted, brilliantly conceived and totally grippingTwisty, unputdownable and utterly engrossingAdele Parks does it again. She's already proved she can write a sparkling rom com, a moving love story and a lovingly researched historical novel, now she's taken on the domestic thriller genre and nailed it. Tightly plotted, brilliantly conceived and totally grippingFilled with drama, riddled with deceit, The Stranger In My Home is another wonderfully tragic and atmospheric story about the complexities of morals and issues and with such an unexpected ending that will leave the reader gasping in shock * Handwritten Girl *Twisty, unputdownable and utterly engrossingFilled with drama, riddled with deceit, The Stranger In My Home is another wonderfully tragic and atmospheric story about the complexities of morals and issues and with such an unexpected ending that will leave the reader gasping in shock * Handwritten Girl *Gripped from the very first line, this rollercoaster read is undoubtedly Adele Parks's best novel yet * Bella Magazine *Gripped from the very first line, this rollercoaster read is undoubtedly Adele Parks's best novel yet * Bella Magazine *You MUST discover this absolute gem of a novel for yourself... It had me truly gripped from start to finish * The Welsh Librarian *You MUST discover this absolute gem of a novel for yourself... It had me truly gripped from start to finish * The Welsh Librarian *A slow burning story that speeds up halfway through, its pace mirrors Alison's psyche as it unravels, holding the reader in suspense before packing a final punch. Unpredictable and gripping until the end * The Lady *A slow burning story that speeds up halfway through, its pace mirrors Alison's psyche as it unravels, holding the reader in suspense before packing a final punch. Unpredictable and gripping until the end * The Lady *The plot twists and turns...and the reader is left frantic to know how it's going to work out * Woman *The plot twists and turns...and the reader is left frantic to know how it's going to work out * Woman *The secrets, lies and suspense kept me engrossed * Daily Mail *The secrets, lies and suspense kept me engrossed * Daily Mail *A wonderful exploration of loveA must read. Romantic, yet truthful, this is a moving love story with unforgettable charactersA heart-warming, heart breaking tale of love and loss, with an ending that will knock you off your feet. This is Adele Parks at the top of her gameUtterly engrossing and beautifully writtenA fairy tale with bite. Sparkly, compelling and - ultimately unexpectedAdele Parks' wonderful and heart breaking new novel will stay with youAdele Parks is a deft observer of human natureA thrilling cross-generational love story. We can't think of many authors who create more flawed and loveable characters * Glamour *Written with wit, and finishes with a surprisingly bittersweet twist * Sunday Mirror *An emotional rollercoaster of a read * Woman & Home *Well observed, original and wonderfully crafted, this is my favourite Adele Parks book to date * Sun *An emotional punch of an ending * Good Housekeeping *A big final twist that will keep you reading * Heat *A sweet, moving and romantic story that will captivate you from the first page * Closer *The story is completely mesmerising, and the ending heartbreakingly epic. Adele has created a cast of characters that completely cover the moral spectrum. The State We're In is a superb triumph * We Love This Book *This book made me laugh, caught at my heart and then broke it. The story is clearly building to something but I didn't know what - I won't spoil it but this is definitely not one for public transport * A Case for Books *A perceptive insight into family life, both idyllic and dreadful, and the individuals that are part of it. The characters are all people that you can believe in...and the ending? It's an absolute stunner! * Our Book Reviews *The secrets, lies and suspense kept me engrossed * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisHoly Cow by David Duchovny is a comic delight that will thrill fans of Jasper Fforde and Ben Aaronovitch. And anyone who enjoys a witty wisecrack in a novel.Elsie Bovary is a cow and a pretty happy one at that. Until one night, Elsie sneaks out of the pasture and finds herself drawn to the farmhouse. Through the window, she sees the farmer''s family gathered around a bright Box God - and what the Box God reveals about something called an ''industrial meat farm'' shakes Elsie''s understanding of her world to its core.The only solution? To escape to a better, safer world. And so a motley crew is formed: Elsie; Shalom, a grumpy pig who''s recently converted to Judaism; and Tom, a suave turkey who can''t fly, but can work an iPhone with his beak. Toting stolen passports and slapdash human disguises, they head for the airport ...Elsie is a wise-cracking, slyly witty narrator; Tom dispenses psychiatric advice in a fake German acceTrade ReviewDavid Duchovny is a very smart and wryly entertaining actor, and now, novelist. Although I will never publicly admit to jealousy, I am having him killed.

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Book SynopsisThe sixth enchanting novel in the Lucky Harbor series from New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis, laced with her trademark gift for humour, warmth and romance. Fans of Susan Andersen, Bella Andre, Rachel Gibson, Carly Phillips, and Susan Mallery will fall head over heels for the Lucky Harbor series.Love can happen in a heartbeat... Grace never thought she''d be starting her life over from scratch. Losing everything has landed her in Lucky Harbor, working as a dog walker for overwhelmed ER doctor Josh Scott. But the day his nanny fails to show up, Grace goes from caring for Josh''s lovable mutt to caring for his rambunctious son. Soon Grace is playing house with the sexy single dad...With so many people depending on him, Josh has no time for anything outside of his clinic and family - until Grace arrives in town. Now this brainy blonde is turning his life inside out and giving a whole new meaning to the phrase good bedside mannerTrade ReviewPacked with the trademark Shalvis humor and intense intimacy, it is definitely a must-read . . . If love, laughter and passion are the keys to any great romance, then this novel hits every note * Romantic Times *Heartwarming and sexy . . . an abundance of chemistry, smoldering romance, and hilarious antics * Publishers Weekly *[Shalvis] has quickly become one of my go-to authors of contemporary romance. Her writing is smart, fun, and sexy, and her books never fail to leave a smile on my face long after I've closed the last page . . . Jill Shalvis is an author not to be missed! * The Romance Dish *What I love about Jill Shalvis's books is that she writes sexy, adorable heroes . . . the sexual tension is out of this world. And of course, in true Shalvis fashion, she expertly mixes in humor that has you laughing out loud * Heroes and Heartbreakers *I always enjoy reading a Jill Shalvis book. She's a consistently elegant, bold, clever writer . . . Very witty - I laughed out loud countless times and these scenes are sizzling * All About Romance *If you have not read a Jill Shalvis novel yet, then you really have not read a real romance yet either! * Book Cove Reviews *Engaging writing, characters that walk straight into your heart, touching, hilarious * Library Journal *Witty, fun, and sexy - the perfect romance! -- Lori Foster, New York Times bestselling authorHumor, intrigue, and scintillating sex. Jill Shalvis is a total original -- Suzanne Forster, New York Times bestselling authorAnyone remember those funny, fluttering butterfly feelings you get when you're in love for the first time? [T]hat is what I felt while I was reading Animal Magnetism. If you love a true romance with amazing characters that leave you wanting more, go out and grab a copy of Animal Magnetism.It is so worth it! * Joyfully Reviewed *Riveting suspense laced with humor and heart is her hallmark, and Jill Shalvis always delivers -- Donna Kauffman, USA Today bestselling authorFast-paced and deliciously fun . . . Jill Shalvis sweeps you away -- Cherry Adair, New York Times bestselling authorFrom beginning to end, Animal Magnetism is a captivating story that will have you laughing out loud, rooting for a happy ending for Lilah and Brady, and hoping that this won't be your last visit to Sunshine * Romance Reviews Today *I loved the sexual tension, the great dialogue, and the well-developed characters. Any book by Jill Shalvis is guaranteed to be a hit! * The Romance Studio *Humor, intrigue, and scintillating sex. Jill Shalvis is a total original -- Suzanne Forster, New York Times bestselling authorPacked with the trademark Shalvis humor and intense intimacy, it is definitely a must-read . . . If love, laughter and passion are the keys to any great romance, then this novel hits every note * Romantic Times *Jill Shalvis is such a talented author that she brings to life characters who make you laugh, cry, and are a joy to read * Romance Reviews Today *Anyone remember those funny, fluttering butterfly feelings you get when you're in love for the first time? [T]hat is what I felt while I was reading Animal Magnetism. If you love a true romance with amazing characters that leave you wanting more, go out and grab a copy of Animal Magnetism. It is so worth it! * Joyfully Reviewed *Heartwarming and sexy . . . an abundance of chemistry, smoldering romance, and hilarious antics * Publishers Weekly *[Shalvis] has quickly become one of my go-to authors of contemporary romance. Her writing is smart, fun, and sexy, and her books never fail to leave a smile on my face long after I've closed the last page . . . Jill Shalvis is an author not to be missed! * The Romance Dish *I loved the sexual tension, the great dialogue, and the well-developed characters. Any book by Jill Shalvis is guaranteed to be a hit! * The Romance Studio *What I love about Jill Shalvis's books is that she writes sexy, adorable heroes . . . the sexual tension is out of this world. And of course, in true Shalvis fashion, she expertly mixes in humor that has you laughing out loud * Heroes and Heartbreakers *I always enjoy reading a Jill Shalvis book. She's a consistently elegant, bold, clever writer . . . Very witty - I laughed out loud countless times and these scenes are sizzling * All About Romance *If you have not read a Jill Shalvis novel yet, then you really have not read a real romance yet either! * Book Cove Reviews *Engaging writing, characters that walk straight into your heart, touching, hilarious * Library Journal *Witty, fun, and sexy - the perfect romance! -- Lori Foster, New York Times bestselling authorRiveting suspense laced with humor and heart is her hallmark, and Jill Shalvis always delivers -- Donna Kauffman, USA Today bestselling authorFast-paced and deliciously fun . . . Jill Shalvis sweeps you away -- Cherry Adair, New York Times bestselling author

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Book SynopsisWhen a stranger arrives in town, with a bulging blue bag and a whiff of adventure, the neighbourhood takes notice. When he asks for his meals to be sent to his room and peace and quiet for reading, curiosity turns to obsession. Each day he stays there, locked in his room, demanding books: Plath, Kafka, Orwell, Lawrence, Fitzgerald, James, Bronte (the eldest), Dickens, Dumas, Kesey - on and on, the stranger never leaving his room. Who exactly is he? What is he reading? And will it be able to save us from the terrible state of the world? Written by award-winning author Alice Jolly, and based on an idea by the book lovers of Swindon town, this funny and, ultimately, dystopian tale, reminds us of the importance of literature in an increasingly dark world.Trade Review'An insight into a fascinating and inspiring world of reading!' —Debbie Hicks MBE Creative Director, The Reading Agency; 'This novella is suited to our fevered times' —The Spectator; 'An entertaining, yet profound meditation on the replenishment and complications of reading in dystopia' —Diana Evans, author of 'Ordinary People'; 'A story that offers plenty to think, talk and even smile about' —Matt Holland, Director, Swindon Festival of Literature

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Book SynopsisCatharine's trajectory in life is accompanied by failures in love, family traumas and an incredible romance with handsome Sinisa. The novel takes us through turbulent times in the Balkan region, from the eighties to the present day, portraying growing up in the twilight of communism, and giving intimate insights into all that happened to the region after that. Carefully crafted characters and masterful, dynamic storytelling place Catherine the Great and the Small in the company of the very best of novels, which speak about the reality of their geographic setting and are remembered for their convincing, strong, maladjusted characters. Catherine is certainly one of them: a powerful female voice seeking her place within her family, among friends, in the cities she lives in, and constructing her unique identity as a daughter, granddaughter, friend, mistress, wife and a mother.

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Book SynopsisThe second book in the five-part Lancashire-based Gibson series.Trade ReviewAnna Jacobs' books are deservedly popular. She is one of the best writers of Lancashire sagas around. * Historical Novels Reviews *Catherine Cookson fans will cheer! * Peterborough Evening Telegraph *Anna Jacobs' books have an impressive grasp of human emotions. * The Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisA darkly satirical tale of the generation and gender gaps in Japanese society, Ruy Murakami's Popular Hits of the Showa Era is a literary karaoke act combining manga and street culture It's a set-up like a video game: two rival gangs fight to death for the control of a Tokyo district. In one gang, six young losers committed only to drinking, voyeurism and karaoke singing, in the other six tough independent older women. From ambush to revenge, both groups are gradually decimated until the ultimate showdown. In Murakami's inimitably brutal and brilliant style, Popular Hits dissects the gender and generational conflicts of contemporary society in a hilarious satire. Murakami is mercilessly funny as he tracks his characters' evolution from twits to scholars of guerrilla warfare'New Yorker 'One of the funniest and strangest gang wars in recent literature'Booklist Ryu Murakami's Popular Hits From the Showa Era is translated from the Japanese by Ralph McCarthy and published by Pushkin Press Born in 1952 in Nagasaki prefecture, Ryu Murakami is the enfant terrible of contemporary Japanese literature. Awarded the prestigious Akutagawa Prize in 1976 for his first book, a novel about a group of young people drowned in sex and drugs, he has gone on to explore with cinematic intensity the themes of violence and technology in contemporary Japanese society. His novels include Coin Locker Babies, Sixty-Nine, Popular Hits of the Showa Era, Audition, In the Miso Soup and From the Fatherland, with Love. Murakami is also a screenwriter and a director; his films include Tokyo Decadence, Audition and Because of You.Trade ReviewMurakami is mercilessly funny as he tracks his characters' evolution from twits to scholars of guerrilla warfare New Yorker One of the funniest and strangest gang wars in recent literature Booklist

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Book SynopsisA woman named Naomi arrives at her sister's house, intending, it seems, to say goodbye. She is abandoning her city life for a remote Scottish retreat, which she will share with a man called Bernát, whom she considers some kind of visionary. In a sequence of stories filtered through multiple re-tellings, she illuminates the character of this elusive individual. One story seems of special significance: about Afonso, an Amazon boatman, who could be the last speaker of his mother tongue, a language of apparently unique simplicity and precision. Bernat and Naomi are not, however, the only storytellers here. Naomi's sister, Kate, is herself working on a novel that begins as a ghost story, but ends up as something rather different: The river is the river.Trade ReviewPraise for Jonathan Buckley's Nostalgia 'As good as anything by the dozen or so big brand names of contemporary Eng Lit. -- Ian Sansom * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisImagining the history of the twenty-first century through its artifacts, from silent messaging systems to artificial worlds on asteroids.In the year 2082, a curator looks back at the twenty-first century, offering a history of the era through a series of objects and artifacts. He reminisces about the power of connectivity, which was reinforced by such technologies as silent messaging—wearable computers that relay subvocal communication; recalls the Fourth Great Awakening, when a regimen of pills could make someone virtuous; and notes disapprovingly the use of locked interrogation, which delivers “enhanced interrogation” simulations via virtual reality. The unnamed curator quotes from a self-help guide to making friends with “posthumans,” describes the establishment of artificial worlds on asteroids, and recounts pro-democracy movements in epistocratic states. In A New History of the Future in 100 Objects, Adrian Hon constructs a possible f

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Book SynopsisWhen she arrives at her long lost relative''s French estate, Serenity Smith is greeted with cold politeness by the Comtesse de Kergallen and her darkly handsome grandson, Christophe. Refusing to believe their scandalous stories about her late parents, Serenity sets out to prove they were false. But getting the enigmatic and demanding Christophe to change his mind about her will prove an equally worthy challenge.

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewAn irresistibly brilliant examination of modern conscience * The New York Times *Camus is the accused, his own prosecutor and advocate. The Fall might have been called 'The Last Judgement' -- Olivier Todd

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Book SynopsisThe Buddha taught that to live is to experience suffering. Few family sagas, especially first ones, have captured this aspect of suffering and so many other truths in as lyric a fashion as "When Memory Dies". Through the viewpoints of three generations of a Sri Lankan family (taking the reader from 1920 through the 1980s), Sivanandan explores a culture destroyed first by colonization, then through the ethnic divisions that are released when the country achieves independence. The family, which lives at a level of poverty that makes survival a constant struggle, must also balance love for one another with a deep love of their homeland. Without bending to romanticism or proselytization, the author evokes a compelling and very human story of a lost country. It is a vision as beautifully told as it is unrelenting in its devotion to truth. In the process, the work also supplies a rich historic background to the often underreported news accounts of the massacres and upheavals in Sri Lanka.Trade Review"Haunting, with an immense tenderness. The extraordinary poetic tact of this book makes it unforgettable." - John Berger, Guardian"A brilliant and moving first novel" - Times Literary Supplement"This rich novel, peopled with unforgettable heroines and heroes, will haunt the reader's mind - David Rose, Observer

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Book SynopsisAs night falls over Vienna, Franz Ritter, an insomniac musicologist, takes to his sickbed with an unspecified illness and spends a restless night drifting between dreams and memories, revisiting the important chapters of his life: his ongoing fascination with the Middle East and his numerous travels to Istanbul, Aleppo, Damascus, and Tehran, as well as the various writers, artists, musicians, academics, orientalists, and explorers who populate this vast dreamscape. At the centre of these memories is his elusive, unrequited love, Sarah, a fiercely intelligent French scholar caught in the intricate tension between Europe and the Middle East. An immersive, nocturnal, musical novel, full of generous erudition and bittersweet humour, Compass is a journey and a declaration of admiration, a quest for the otherness inside us all and a hand reaching out – like a bridge between West and East, yesterday and tomorrow. Winner of the 2015 Prix Goncourt, this is Mathias Enard’s most ambitious novel since Zone.Trade Review‘One of the finest European novels in recent memory.’ — Adrian Nathan West, Literary Review‘Few works of contemporary fiction will yield as much pleasure as Compass. Reading it amounts to wandering into a library arranged in the form of an exotic sweet shop, full of tempting fragments of stories guaranteed leaving you wanting more.’ — Eileen Battersby, Irish Times‘Compass is a challenging, brilliant, and – God help me – important a novel as is likely to be published this year.’ — Justin Taylor, Los Angeles Times‘Crisply translated by Charlotte Mandell (as was Zone), Compass is Proustian in its set-up. There are passages of pure delight with rare insight into the human condition.’ — Tobias Grey, Financial Times‘The French novelist Mathias Enard is an unusual kind of regionalist. His great subject isn’t a small town or neighborhood but the vast Mediterranean basin, and practically everyone within it. Enard speaks Persian and Arabic, and he has taught at universities throughout Europe and the Middle East. He sees the Mediterranean as a distinct literary and historical region, a “zone,” as he called it in his novel of the same title. In nine books, three of which have been translated into English, he has charted a course through this zone, writing about sectarian violence in the Balkans; the varying tugs of jihadism, tradition, and globalization in Morocco; and a rogue’s gallery of thieves, killers, and eccentrics. Enard’s prose, which tends to pile descriptive clauses ever higher on top of one another (Zone is a single, five-hundred-page sentence), can be mesmerizing. But it’s the larger project of his writing that bears particular consideration: in his fiction, Enard is constructing an intricate, history-rich vision of a persistently misunderstood part of the world.’ — Jacob Silverman, New Yorker‘Enard is like the anti-Houellebecq, and he deserves far more attention.’ — Sam Sacks, Wall Street Journal ‘The beauty of Compass is the sheer breadth and density of its vision, calling forth a multitude of different worlds, bound only by the capacious mind of its narrator, an aging Austrian musicologist named Franz Ritter.’ — Jeffrey Zuckerman, New Republic‘A love letter to the cosmopolitan Middle East ... [a] strangely powerful work.’ — Steven Poole, Guardian

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Book SynopsisIn the city of Yong’an, a fiction writer and amateur cryptozoologist is commissioned to uncover the stories of its fabled beasts. These creatures, with their greenish stomachs or gills or strange birthmarks, live alongside humans in near-inconspicuousness, some with ancient forbears, others engineered as artificial breeds.Guided – and often misguided – by her elusive university professor and his scrappy sidekick-student Zhong Liang, our narrator finds herself on a mission to track down each species. And as she blunders from one implausible situation to the next, she comes one step closer to revealing her own multifaceted beastliness…Part detective story, part metaphysical enquiry, Strange Beasts of China addresses existential questions of identity, being, love and morality with whimsy and grace.

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Book SynopsisA bizarre mystery surrounding a family tragedy forms the centrepiece of this atmospheric story of a mixed-race girl’s struggle for identity. Orphaned and alone, young Rachel is taken under the wing of her strict African-American grandmother and moved to a mostly black community where her light brown skin, blue eyes, and astonishing beauty start to attract a troubling level of attention. As the terrible secrets begin to emerge, Rachel learns to swallow her grief and construct her own self-image in a world that wants to see her as either Black or White. Inspired by the true story of a mother’s twisted love, The Girl Who Fell from the Sky is a lyrical and poignant journey into loss, trauma, and the kinship that eventually allows a young girl to face the truth, confront the demons she has buried, and finally achieve a sense of peace.Trade Review“The Girl Who Fell from the Sky is that rare thing: a post-postmodern novel with heart that weaves a circle of stories about race and self-discovery into a tense and sometimes terrifying whole.” * Ms. Magazine *"There's a poetry to these characters that draws you into their lives, making for a beautiful and earnest coming-of-age novel that speaks as eloquently to teens as it does to adults." * Amazon Best Books of the Month, February 2010 *"Taut prose, a controversial conclusion and the thoughtful reflection on racism and racial identity resonate without treading into political or even overtly specific agenda waters, as the story succeeds as both a modern coming-of-age and relevant social commentary." * Publishers Weekly *"Durrow fits a striking cast of characters and an almost overwhelming sequence of traumas into this compact and insightful family saga of the toxicity of racism and the forging of the self... Durrow brings piercing authenticity to this provocative tale." * Booklist *"A heartbreaking debut … keeps the reader in thrall." * Boston Globe *"An auspicious debut… [Durrow] has crafted a modern story about identity and survival." * Washington Post *"Hauntingly beautiful prose … Exquisitely told … Rachel's tale has the potential of becoming seared in your memory." * Dallas Morning News *"[An] affecting, exquisite debut novel ... Durrow's powerful novel is poised to find a place among classic stories of the American experience." * Miami Herald *"The Girl Who Fell from the Sky can actually fly. . . Its energy comes from its vividly realized characters, from how they perceive one another. Durrow has a terrific ear for dialogue, an ability to summon a wealth of hopes and fears in a single line." * The New York Times *"Overall, I enjoyed this debut novel" * Bookbag - www.bookbag.com *"With different characters narrating, it examines a bi-racial pre-teen's struggle to carve out a future" * Pride Magazine *“Tender and evocative, funny and moving... a delicately nuanced meditation on race.” * The Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisFull of mouth-watering flavours, sunshine and escapist adventure Anna and her partner Matteo are ready for a delicious new adventure. Leaving behind their ice cream shop on Brighton beach, they head to Sorrento where they open a new shop full of Italian flavour in a cobbled town square, a short walk from the sparkling blue sea. For a while, life is sweet; but then Matteo’s overbearing family get involved . . . Anna’s younger sister Imogen feels like things are finally coming together – she’s living with her boyfriend Finn in a beach house in Brighton, and her photography career is taking off. But then her career stalls, and the lure of Capri – and a man from her past – proves difficult to resist.Join Anna and Imogen for a summer on the Amalfi Coast that you’ll never forget  Praise for Abby Clements ‘Sweet, light and romantic’ Closer &

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Book SynopsisWinner of the 2018 Sapir Prize. You need to bribe someone into giving you weed? Don't worry, just step into this court room and call the defendant a murderer. You're a rich, lonely man and you want the joy of company? Don't worry, just buy up people's birthdays, and you'll have friends calling every day. You need to get girls into bed? Don't worry, your writer friend will write you a very persuasive story. You're standing on the edge of a very high building, with all of your wretched sorrows? Don't worry, fly already! In these 22 short stories, wild capers reveal painful emotional truths, and the bizarre is just another name for the familiar. Wickedly funny and thrillingly smart, Fly Already is a collage of absurdity, despair and love, written by veteran commentator on the circus farce that is life.Trade ReviewI am in awe of Keret's ability to simultaneously make me laugh while crying, explore the joy and horror of every day life with precision, brevity and great psychological depth. His recognition of and engagement with the absurd is profound and he never loses his humanity, his heart long the way -- AM HomesBrilliantly edgy, unsettling, Kafkaesque and often very funny -- Joyce Carol OatesA reminder that writing can be accessible, creative, intelligent, transgressive, challenging, funny - and popular - all at the same -- Graeme SimsionReading Fly Already is like settling down for a ride in a luxurious car with a world-class driver who has an extremely crazy worldview that doesn't interfere with his amazing driving. Is there any better way to see the world? -- Elif Batuman

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Book SynopsisFrom the million-copy Sunday Times bestseller comes a gripping story of family secrets, all-consuming love and the chaos of war.2011. When Lucy’s troubled father Tom passes away, she travels to Cornwall to visit his childhood home – the once-beautiful Carlyon Manor. Before he died, Tom had been researching an uncle she never knew he had. Determined to find out why, Lucy tracks down Beatrice Ashton, a local woman who seems to know more than she lets on, and has an extraordinary story to tell . . . 1935. Growing up in Cornwall, Beatrice plays with the children of Carlyon Manor – especially pretty, blonde Angelina Wincanton. Then, one summer at the age of fifteen, she falls in love with a young visitor to the town: Rafe, whom she rescues from a storm-tossed sea. On the surface, her life seems idyllic. But the dark clouds of war are gathering, and nobody, not even the Wincantons, will be left untouched.A Gathering Storm is a powerful tale of courage and betrayal, spanning from Cornwall to London and Occupied France, in which friendship and love are tested, and the consequences span generations.Praise for Rachel Hore's novels: 'Compelling, engrossing and moving' SANTA MONTEFIORE 'Simply stunning . . . I savoured every moment’ DINAH JEFFERIES 'A story that stirs the deepest emotions' WOMAN & HOME ‘An emotive and thought-provoking read’ ROSANNA LEY ‘Hore tackles difficult subjects with a clever, light touch and a sunny positivity. Her women are brave and good and you desperately want them to win’ DAILY MAIL ‘An elegiac tale of wartime love and secrets’ TELEGRAPH ‘A tender and thoughtful tale' SUNDAY MIRRORTrade Review‘Compelling, engrossing and moving; a perfect holiday indulgence’ -- Santa Montefiore on The Silent Tide‘A tour de force. Rachel’s Paris is rich, romantic, exotic and mysterious’ -- Judy Finnigan on A Week in Paris‘Engrossing and romantic, it’s a wonderful story of family secrets and the choices women make’ -- Jane Thynne on The Silent Tide‘With a serious eye for exquisite detail, Hore’s latest, brilliantly crafted novel aptly follows a photographer, Lucy. She takes a journey to capture past, life-changing family secrets, embracing three generations along the way, across Cornwall, London East Anglia and Occupied France’ * Mirror on A Gathering Storm *‘A fascinating, hugely readable book . . . Rachel Hore’s research and her mastery of the subject is deeply impressive’ -- Judy Finnigan on A Place of Secrets‘Another of this year’s top offerings’ * Daily Mail on The Glass Painter's Daughter *‘Pitched perfectly for a holiday read’ * Guardian on The Memory Garden *

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Book SynopsisRun. Don''t look back. Just run.When Michael Rowland saves his younger brother Joshua from the clutches of his stepfather, he runs for his life with his brother in his arms. From his hiding place he sees the man who has made their lives a misery taken away in the trunk of a stranger''s car, never to be seen again.Doctor Dani Novak has been keeping soccer coach Diesel Kennedy at arm''s length to protect him from her dark secrets. When they are brought together by the two young brothers who desperately need their help, it seems they might be able to leave their damaged pasts behind them.But as the only witness to the man who murdered his stepfather, Michael is in danger. As Diesel and Dani do all that they can to protect him, their own investigation into the murder uncovers the trail of a killer who is out for vengeance. And will wipe out anything that gets in his way...Praise for Karen Rose:''Intense, complex and unforgettable'' James PaTrade ReviewRose...effortlessly balances romance and crime... An excellent example of how far-reaching and varied romance can be * New York Times *Karen Rose delivers the kind of high-wire suspense that keeps you riveted -- Lisa GardnerNobody blends full-tilt suspense with a dash of romance better...Terrific! * Peterborough Evening Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisTHE BESTSELLING LITERARY SENSATION FROM BRAZIL'A blaze of heat, love and risk that will leave you reeling.' DBC Pierre'An extraordinary writer.' Misha GlennyLONGLISTED FOR THE EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FIRST BOOK AWARDA FINANCIAL TIMES AND SPECTATOR BOOK OF THE YEARCapturing the texture of life growing up in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, the stories in The Sun on My Head tell us of days lived under incredible heat - and under the shadow of a ubiquitous drug culture, the constant threat of the police, and the confines of poverty, violence and racism. They are also hauntingly beautiful portrayals of friendship, romance and momentary release from the oppressions of everyday life. The Sun on My Head is a debut work of great talent and sensitivity, a daring evocation of life in the favelas by a rising star rooted in the very community he portrays.

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES 60 BEST THRILLERS AND CRIME NOVELS OF THE PAST 6 YEARS PICK - A CAPITAL CRIME AND A CHILLING CONSPIRACY AWAIT DCI EWERT GRENS.'A powerful, multi-layered novel' Guardian'A mesmerising crime narrative' IndependentONE CELLA convicted murderer dies awaiting execution on Ohio's death row.ONE CRIMINALSix years later, the same man walks into a Stockholm police station. ONE CONSPIRACYHe's defeated death. He's played the unplayable system. And now Detective Superintendent Ewert Grens must discover how.Looking for another novel in the million-selling DCI Ewert Grens series? Try Two Soldiers . . .Trade Review'A mesmerising crime narrative' Independent. * Independent *'A powerful, multi-layered novel' Guardian. * Guardian *'Astonishing ... Passionate ... Taut with suspense' Sunday Times, Books of 2011. * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisThings You Should Know is a collection of dazzling stories by one of the most talented and daring young American writers, whose distinctive narratives demonstrate how extraordinary the ordinary can be. A woman pursues an unconventional strategy for getting pregnant; a former First Lady shows despair and courage in dealing with her husband's Alzheimer's; a teacher's list of 'things you already should know but maybe are a little dumb, so you don't' becomes an obsession for someone who wasn't at school the day it was given out; and adult tragedy intrudes into a childhood friendship. The stories are full of magic and strangeness and humour, but also demonstrate an uncanny emotional accuracy and compassion.

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Book SynopsisLose yourself in the thrilling political intrigue and tangled love affairs of wartime Egypt in Durrell''s epic modern classic, introduced by bestselling author Elif Shafak (The Forty Rules of Love).An expat schoolteacher has spent years in exile reflecting on his turmoiled love affair with Justine, a glamorous Egyptian wife. Returning to wartime Alexandria, he finds that his old friends have suffered dramatic changes of body, mind, and fortune - and someone whom he has never really known wishes to see him. His affair with Clea, a bisexual artist, not only changes the lovers, but transforms the dead, forever - and heralds a new beginning, just as Lawrence Durrell''s intoxicating masterpiece ends. ''Durrell has written about a dozen real love stories, entwined them, and explored them with a truly Proustian ferocity ... Superb.'' Observer ''Lushly beautiful ... His style glows ... One of the most important works of our time.

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Book Synopsis Three women. One family curse. The summer of a lifetime. Trade Review‘Such a lovely book.’ NetGalley Reviewer ‘What a perfect antidote to the times. I heartily recommend this gorgeous book!’ NetGalley Reviewer ‘This was a fabulous read with stunning descriptions of Italy as the three main characters go in search of Poppy's great love.’ NetGalley Reviewer ‘With twists and turns along the way, this is the perfect summer read.’ NetGalley Reviewer ‘This is a beautifully written story, full of emotive and evocative prose. You are taken on a journey with the three women and get to share their experiences, adventures and secrets. I enjoyed every page of this book.’ NetGalley Reviewer

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Book Synopsis**Winner of the Arthur C. Clarke Award 2020** 'The great African novel of the twenty-first century' Tade Thompson, author of Rosewater On the banks of the Zambezi River, a few miles from the majestic Victoria Falls, there was once a colonial settlement called The Old Drift. In 1904, in a smoky room at the hotel across the river, an Old Drifter named Percy M. Clark, foggy with fever, makes a mistake that entangles his fate with those of an Italian hotelier and an African busboy. So begins a cycle of unwitting retribution between three Zambian families as they collide and converge over the course of the century, into the present and beyond. 'Extraordinary, ambitious, evocative, dazzling' Salman Rushdie 'Brilliant . . . heartbreaking' Sunday Times 'Charming, heartbreaking and breathtaking' Carmen Maria Machado, author of In the Dream HouseTrade ReviewExtraordinary, ambitious, evocative… The Old Drift is an impressive book, ranging skillfully between historical and science fiction, shifting gears between political argument, psychological realism and rich fabulism…a dazzling debut, establishing Namwali Serpell as a writer on the world stage -- Salman Rushdie * New York Times Book Review *Brilliant...there are moments of such heart-wrenching poignancy that I had to put the book down several times and recompose myself. Serpell writes with the emotional maturity and sardonic smile of one who has lived several times already -- Leaf Arbuthnot * Sunday Times *An intimate, brainy, gleaming epic... The reader who picks up The Old Drift is likely to be more than simply impressed. This is a dazzling book, as ambitious as any first novel published this decade. It made the skin on the back of my neck prickle...she’s such a generous writer. The people and the ideas in The Old Drift, like dervishes, are set whirling -- Dwight Garner * New York Times *From the poetry and subtle humor constantly alive in its language, to the cast of fulsome characters that defy simple categorization, The Old Drift is a novel that satisfies on all levels. Namwali Serpell excels in creating portraits of resilience—each unique and often heartbreaking. In The Old Drift the individual struggle is cast against a world of shifting principles and politics, and Serpell captures the quicksand nature of a nation’s roiling change with exacting precision. My only regret is that once begun, I reached the end all too soon -- Alice SeboldAn impressive first novel… The Old Drift is electric with the sense that Serpell is laying down pieces in a puzzle kept teasingly out of sight... A growing sense that The Old Drift could go on for ever is tribute to its inventiveness -- Anthony Cummins * Observer *

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Book SynopsisA teenage girl finds unexpected sexual freedom on a trip to Amsterdam. A woman trapped at a dinner party comes up against an ugly obsession. The stories in Free Love are about desire, memory, sexual ambiguity and the imagination. In the harsh light of dislocation, the people in them still find connections, words blowing in the street, love in unexpected places. Ali Smith shows how things come together and how they break apart. She disconcerts and affirms with the lightest touch, to make us love and live differently.Trade ReviewA sweetly memorable collection ... A major talent * THE TIMES *A sweetly memorable collection ... A major talent * THE TIMES *Exquisitely delicate, unsentimental observations ... A time for celebration * BERNARD MACLAVERTY *Exquisitely delicate, unsentimental observations ... A time for celebration * BERNARD MACLAVERTY *

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Book SynopsisSet in 1950's America at a time when people stopped looking west and started looking up: a breathtakingly beautiful debut novel of revolution, chance and the gambles we take with the human heart.Muriel, newly married and newly orphaned, works as a waitress in a San Diego diner. As she pours coffee and empties ashtrays, she eavesdrops on her customers, the ex-jockeys and trainers of the Del Mar racetrack.When she begins, secretly, to bet on the horses and, shockingly, to win, she feels strangely unready to share her good luck and its origins with her husband Lee.Instead it is Lee's brother, Julius, a thief and Korean War veteran and someone she has only met once whom she longs to tell, and who has struck a spark of promise and possibility inside her quietly ordered life.Julius has found himself in Las Vegas, where his gift for gambling leads him to a job patrolling the boards above the casino tables, watching through the cigarette smoke for chancers and cheats. There he meets Henry, a blackjack artist and a man who shares Julius's passions, and his secrets. As tourists gather on roof tops to watch atomic clouds bloom in the desert, Henry and Julius''s love burns in the shadows until one night Henry is forced to flee.Through the parks and plazas of Tijuana and the bars and beaches of San Diego, On Swift Horses mesmerisingly charts the journeys of Muriel and Julius on their separate quests for freedom, new horizons and love.Trade Review‘A story so vivid, so hauntingly told, you can almost feel its complex, conflicted characters appearing in front of you as you read’ iNews ‘Shannon Pufahl’s debut novel is a taut work reminiscent of Eleanor Catton’s Booker winner The Luminaries and stylistically comparable to the best of Steinbeckk’ Irish Times ‘Imagine a cross between Revolutionary Road and Battleborn (with a little bit of Brokeback Mountain thrown in) and you might end up with something akin to Pufahl's debut, a rich and rugged suburban western about dreams deferred and living defiantly’ Oprah Magazine ‘A sad, slow, magnificent debut…worth reading for the poetry alone…the prose is unexpectedly graceful: quietly lyrical and self-assured. Every word is considered; every sentence has shape’ Sunday Times Culture Magazine ‘On Swift Horses is a marvel, a beautifully written novel that traces its raw, guarded characters from California to Las Vegas to Mexico with grace and inevitability. Shannon Pufahl’s mid century West is dead-on right, as recognisable as a box of old photos and yet completely original in voice and scope’ Jess Walter, author of Beautiful Ruins ‘Once in a rare while you come across a novel of such transfixing beauty that it enlarges your faith in the medium itself. On Swift Horses is, for me, one of those books. As an exploration of life lived in the outer distances of plain sight, it is suffused with hazard and touched by grace, furnished with the longevity of a postwar classic and the immediacy of the present tense. It is, simply put, a masterpiece’ Anthony Marra, author of A Constellation of Vital Phenomena

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Book SynopsisA brilliant and thought-provoking novel about family, loyalty and betrayalOnce 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.Trade Review‘Simply the most consistently inventive, brilliant, curious and creative writer going’ Gillian Flynn, author of Gone Girl 'I stand in awe before such an unresting hunger for the literary endeavour' Rose Tremain ‘My Life as a Rat is Oates at her best – a powerful, uncompromising story that explores racism, misogyny and recent American history’ Kate Saunders, The Times ‘Sexism, rape, racism. Murder, sadism – fans will savour this stew of typical Oatsian nasties, in which 12-year old Violet is cruelly exiled from her family … the odyssey her psyche endures is served well by Oates’s juttery, rough-edged prose’ Mail on Sunday ‘Oates’s novel adroitly touches on race, loyalty, misogyny, and class inequality while also telling a moving story with a winning narrator. This book should please her fans and win her new ones’ Publishers Weekly ‘Oates’s prose contains a deep-felt rawness which hovers between hope, despair and love’ Guardian

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Book Synopsis***A classic Christmas Carole with a brand-new look***''A cosy tale that''s brim-full of Christmas spirit''Sunday ExpressIncludes a BONUS follow-up story, PLUS the first chapter of Carole''s new book Sunny Days & Sea Breezes******Janie Johnson is ringing the changes this Christmas. As a thirty-something hairdresser, Janie''s single status is a constant source of concern for her clients as well as her friends. So after one too many questions about her love life, a blind date disaster and hearing her ex-boyfriend is getting married, Janie decides it''s time to do something dramatic. Leaving winter behind, Janie takes the plunge and books an exotic trip to Africa. Her friends think she''s mad and Janie thinks they may very well be right. Until that is she meets her gorgeouTrade ReviewA classy chick-lit story * Woman *A real winter warmer - enjoy! * Star magazine *Just the thing to make you feel good on a winter's afternoon * Take a Break *A heart-warming read * Woman's Way *Packed with romance and laughter * Lighter Life magazine *A heartwarming, feel-good, magical book, once unwrapped you absolutely have to read to the very end! Totally absorbing, a great read. Likely to be a Christmas bestseller. Highly recommended! * Hot Brands Cool Places blog *

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Book SynopsisChekhov, widely hailed as the supreme master of the short story, also wrote five works long enough to be called short novels. The Steppe-the most lyrical of the five-is an account of a nine-year-old boy's frightening journey by wagon train across the steppe of southern Russia to enroll in a distant school. The Duel sets two decadent figures-a fanatical rationalist and a man of literary sensibility-on a collision course that ends in a series of surprising reversals. In The Story of an Unknown Man, a political radical plans to spy on an important official by serving as valet to his son, however, as he gradually becomes involved as a silent witness in the intimate life of his young employer, he finds that his own terminal illness has changed his long-held priorities in startling ways. Three Years recounts a complex series of ironies in the personal life of a rich but passive Moscow merchant, engaging time as a narrative element in a way unusual in Chekhov's fiction. In My Life, a man renounces wealth and social position for a life of manual labour, and the resulting conflict between the moral simplicity of his ideals and the complex realities of human nature culminates in an apocalyptic vision that is unique in Chekhov's work.Trade ReviewPraise for previous translations by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky: "The reinventors of the classic Russian novel for our times." -PEN/BoMC Translation Prize Citation"Their translations have become the standard English-language texts." -NewsdayThe Brothers Karamazov: "One finally gets the musical whole of Dostoevksy's original." -The New York Times Book Review Anna Karenina: "The most scrupulous, illuminating and compelling version yet." -The Oregonian

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Book SynopsisTHE WORLD''S FAVOURITE AUTHOR ONE BILLION COPIES SOLDTheir lives were torn apart . . . but can love bring them together?Heart surgeon Dr Peter Hallam was trained to fight time, to conquer odds beyond hope. He had saved the lives of countless strangers, only to see his own wife die tragically beyond the reach of his healing hands. Months later the deep wound of loss had begun to heal as he learned to live without love.Melanie Adams, television newscaster, lived for her work and her children: nothing else mattered. On screen she was the ultimate professional, covering the biggest stories and meeting the hardest deadlines, but she was lonely inside. After heartbreak and desertion she had made her way to the top alone. And she, like Peter, had learned to live without love.But one day, for Peter and Melanie, everything changes.An epic and romantic tale from one of the best-loved writers of all time. PerTrade ReviewEmotional and gripping . . . I was left in no doubt as to the reasons behind Steel's multi-million sales around the world * Daily Mail *'Emotional and gripping . . . I was left in no doubt as to the reasons behind Steel's multi-million sales around the world' * Daily Mail on BLUE *

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