Contemporary fiction titles are those which focus on the present or near past. Stories rooted in the current cultural, social, and political landscape which feature characters we can all recognise.
Contemporary Fiction Books
Transworld Publishers Ltd Somewhere Inside of Happy
Book SynopsisIf you laughed and cried reading Anna McPartlin''s bestselling story The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes or Alice Oseman''s Heartstopper, then Somewhere Inside of Happy will have you smiling and tearful all over again.-----------------''And just like that my boy was gone.''Maisie Brennan is standing on a podium on the twentieth anniversary of the death of her son, trying to find the first breath that will help her start talking to a room full of strangers. A daunting task at the best of times, but she''s also menopausal and one hot flush away from totally losing it.But as Maisie begins her story, she soon relaxes and word by word disappears into her past, back to 1st January 1995 the day when one misunderstood action led to a chain of events that changed her life for ever...Trade ReviewTHE most beautiful book - compassionate, gritty, warm, authentic, uplifting. * Marian Keyes *My heart was ripped right out. I couldn’t put it down. * Adele Parks *An emotional roller coaster of a read * Good Housekeeping *Brims with life . . . and will keep you thoroughly gripped until the truth is revealed. * Sunday Mirror *Warm Irish humour lifts this book into another realm. * My Weekly *
£17.09
Transworld Publishers Ltd The Mistresss Revenge
Book SynopsisYou think you are rid of me. You think you have drawn a line under the whole affair.You are so, so wrong.For five years, Sally and Clive have been lost in a passionate affair. Now he has dumped her, to devote himself to his wife and family, and Sally is left in freefall.It starts with a casual stroll past his house, and popping into the brasserie where his son works. Then Sally befriends Clive''s wife and daughter on Facebook. But that''s alright isn''t it? I mean they are perfectly normal things to do. Aren''t they?Not since Fatal Attraction has the fallout from an illicit affair been exposed in such a sharp, darkly funny and disturbing way.. After all, who doesn''t know a normal, perfectly sane woman who has gone a little crazy when her heart was broken?Trade ReviewThis book is Fatal Attraction with a twist and will grip you from beginning to end * Prima *Gasp in recognition at this cracking tale, narrated by a woman scorned... Sister, we've all been there... * Grazia *If you thought Fatal Attraction was the last word on the fury of a woman scorned, think again...acutely observed, wickedly funny and deftly plotted, with a satisfyingly smart twist at the end. * Mail on Sunday *This is a brilliantly chilling read. All about obsession and delusion and the madness that love can induce. It had me up until 3am, gasping to the end -- Jo WhileyWill keep you guessing about its characters fates until the very end * Candis Magazine *
£9.49
Transworld Publishers Ltd The Orphan Masters Son
Book SynopsisAdam Johnson teaches creative writing at Stanford University. His second novel THE ORPHAN MASTER'S SON won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2013 and was a New York Times bestseller. His short story NIRVANA won the EFG/Sunday Times Best Short Story Award 2014. He lives in San Francisco with his family.Trade ReviewAn addictive novel of daring ingenuity; a study of sacrifice and freedom in a citizen-eating dynasty; and a timely reminder that anonymous victims of oppression are also human beings who love. A brave and impressive book -- David Mitchell, author of THE THOUSAND AUTUMNS OF JACOB DE ZOETA flamboyantly grim epic of totalitarianism… this larger-than-life, two-fisted picaresque manages to be a page-turner... an ambitious book * The Sunday Times *One of those books where you know you’ve found yourself in the hands of someone who can really tell a story, and is yet not naïve about the artificiality of stories. The conceit is fantastic: a narration partly told through the loud speakers of the North Korean regime. -- Zadie SmithFast-paced and intriguing.. this complex, multi-voiced narrative will remind some readers of David Mitchell’s similarly inventive tale, Cloud Atlas… It is magnificent * Financial Times *What we have here are the ingredients of an across-the-board smash hit: sympathetic characters, an exotic, unknowable setting and a plot that will carry you along more convincingly than any of the fictions used by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. -- David Annand * Sunday Telegraph *
£11.69
Transworld Publishers Ltd Shopaholic Ties The Knot
Book SynopsisFor once in Becky Bloomwood's life, things are going smoothly. She's got the dream job as a personal shopper (spending other people's money and getting paid for it). She's got a fabulous Manhattan apartment with her boyfriend Luke. They've even opened a joint bank account (although they can't quite agree on whether a Miu Miu skirt counts as a household expense).Then Luke proposes and all of a sudden life gets hectic. Becky's mum in rural Surrey wants one thing, Luke's mother in New York wants the complete opposite. Becky knows she has to sit down and decide but to be honest, it's a lot more fun testing cake, trying on dresses and registering wedding presents. But time's ticking by, plans are being made both sides of the Atlantic and soon she realizes she's in troubleEverybody loves Sophie Kinsella:I almost cried with laughter Daily MailHilarious . . . you''ll laugh and gasp on every page Jenny ColganProperly mood-altering . Trade Review"Witty and hilarious" Cosmopolitan "The diva of consumerism is back" Glamour "Another spirited and funny comedy that sees Becky finally happy. But hopefully not retired" Sunday Mirror
£9.49
Transworld Publishers Ltd In One Person
Book SynopsisA compelling novel of desire, secrecy, and sexual identity, In One Person is a story of unfulfilled love tormented, funny, and affecting and an impassioned embrace of our sexual differences. Billy, the bisexual narrator and main character, tells the tragicomic story (lasting more than half a century) of his life as a sexual suspect', a phrase first used by John Irving in 1978 in his landmark novel of terminal cases', The World According to Garp.His most political novel since The Cider House Rules and A Prayer for Owen Meany, John Irving's In One Person is a poignant tribute to Billy's friends and lovers a theatrical cast of characters who defy category and convention. Not least, In One Person is an intimate and unforgettable portrait of the solitariness of a bisexual man who is dedicated to making himself worthwhile'.Trade ReviewThis wonderful novel is an epic, moving survey of 70 years of sexual revolution * The Times *Deeply enjoyable... a comic celebration of polymorphous perversity, and of literature * Guardian *Irving has rarely written with the gorgeous poise and control he musters here * Financial Times *In One Person gives a lot. It’s funny, as you would expect. It’s risky in what it exposes. Tolerance, in a John Irving novel is not about anything goes; it’s what happens when we face our own desires honestly, whether we act on them or not -- Jeanette WintersonA brave and hugely affecting depiction of how in one life (sexual and otherwise) we contain multitudes * Elle *
£13.49
Transworld Publishers Ltd Balancing Act
Book SynopsisFamily and business, husbands and wives, parents and children. It''s always a balancing act... In this emotional and thought-provoking novel, multi-million copy bestselling author Joanna Trollope expertly weaves a study of familial relationships with a lightness of tone and real sense of compassion. Fans of Elizabeth Noble, Erica James and Amanda Prowse will not be disappointed. ''To be relished.'' -- The Times''Joanna Trollope''s evocations of human relationships are, as ever, penetrating and engaging.'' -- Daily Express''A joy to read'' -- ***** Reader review''A great read, very engrossing and hard to put down'' -- ***** Reader review ''A real page-turner'' -- ***** Reader review''Sublime'' -- ***** Reader review********************************************************************************************WHEN EVERYTHTrade ReviewTrollope writes about family relationships with intelligence and clear-eyed sympathy, and the outcomes of this terrific novel are always believable as they are surprising. To be relished. * The Times *Trollope is an extremely assured writer, with a brilliant eye for detail and a finely tuned emotional intelligence ... she writes absorbing, wise stories that dramatise the dilemmas we face. In Balancing Act, she has done it again. * Sunday Times *Joanna Trollope, whose evocations of human relationships are as ever penetrating and engaging. * Daily Express *With her compassion for her characters, Trollope cuts to the quick of family life, and the difference between men and women. I loved it. -- Fanny Blake * Woman & Home, Jan 14 *Nobody writes about family tensions better than Joanna Trollope. * Good Housekeeping *
£9.49
Transworld Publishers Ltd Wonder Adult edition
Book Synopsis''My name is August.I won''t describe to you what I look like.Whatever you''re thinking, it''s probably worse.''Ten-year-old August Pullman wants to be ordinary. He does ordinary things. He eats ice-cream. He plays on his Xbox. He feels ordinary - inside.But Auggie is far from ordinary. Born with a terrible facial abnormality, he has been home-schooled by his parents his entire life, in an attempt to protect him from the cruelty of the outside world. Now, Auggie''s parents are sending him to a real school. Can he convince his new classmates that he''s just like them, underneath it all?Narrated by Auggie and the people around him whose lives he touches, Wonder is a frank, funny, astonishingly moving debut to be read in one sitting, pass on to others, and remember long after the final page.Trade ReviewThe breakout sensation of 2012... Wonder is destined to go the way of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time... dark, funny, touching. No Tube carriage will be without a copy this year * The Times *Emotionally rewarding... funny, touching, honest * Daily Mail *Gripping - I'd really recommend it to anybody. It's a young adult book book about a little boy who's born with a disfigured face, written from his point of view... charming, brutal and brilliant * Observer *I'd defy anyone not to well up when he cries: "Why do I have to be so ugly, Mommy?", and as for the climax, it wreaks emotional havoc. There is a message running through the book, most clearly voiced by an inspirational teacher, that if we were all a little kinder to one another the benefit would be incalculable. To finish it with a firm resolve to be a better person - well, you can't ask much more of any book than that * Independent *Tremendously uplifting and a novel of all-too-rare power * Sunday Express *
£9.49
Transworld Publishers Ltd Someone Elses Wedding
Book SynopsisMr & Mrs Max Irving request the company of:Mrs Fran Friedman, mourning her empty nest, the galloping years and a disastrous haircut.Mr Saul Friedman, runner of marathons, and increasingly distant husband.The two Misses Friedman, Pip and Katy, one pining over the man she can't have, the other trying to shake off the man she no longer wants.At the marriage of their son James, forbidden object of troubling desire. For thirty-six hours of secrets and lies, painted-on-smiles and potential ruin. And drinks, plenty of drinks.There's nothing like a wedding for stirring up the past. As Fran negotiates her way from Saturday morning to Sunday evening she is forced to confront things she's long thought buried, and to make decisions about the future that will have far-reaching consequences for them all.Trade ReviewYou will not sleep or eat or move until you’ve turned the last page. Utterly gripping * LISA JEWELL *A comedy of modern wedding manners that's also gripping, sexy and sad * Daily Mail *Gripping from beginning to end. * Prima *Fast-paced...strong characters and believable relationships. You'll not want to put it down! * Candis *Our favourite * Essentials Magazine *Thoroughly involving * Woman & Home *Dark, compelling and breathtaking, and I read it in a single sitting * Jenny Colgan *A gripping undercurrent of forbidden love throughout: the book is scandalous and entertaining * The Lady *I lost myself so completely in Fran and her family’s woes that I read the whole book in 24 hours rather than the 36 hours it took for everything to unfold. The wedding part was very realistic from the over amorous guests to the women changing into comfy shoes, but this was certainly the most intriguing wedding story I have ever read.Fast paced and absorbing, I felt like I was one of the guests listening in to something I shouldn’t. A very juicy read! * Novelicious *READER RECOMMENDED: A cleverly written story, thought-provoking and easy to identify with. * Good Housekeeping *
£8.54
Transworld Publishers Ltd The Music Shop
Book SynopsisFrom the author of the world-wide bestseller, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry: ' A beautiful novel, a tonic for the soul and a complete joy to read.' Joanna Cannon, author of The Trouble with Goats and Sheep.1988.Trade ReviewRachel Joyce tells wonderful stories. In her hands, ordinary lives are given dignity and triumph. She is a champion of humanity, and The Music Shop is no exception. It is a joyous love song that pulses with hope and benevolence and laughter. -- Sarah Winman, author of When God Was a Rabbit and Tin ManHer speciality is writing with empathy on the quirkier aspects of life...[The Music Shop] has the feel of a summer hit: warm-hearted, unusual and romantic, with a sense of hope pervading all manner of misfortunes... Joyce's gift is in using simple language to convey profound observations on human nature. -- Will Hodgkinson * The Times *The Music Shop is wonderful - a tender and moving love story which captures brilliantly the healing, redemptive power of music and its ability to console, empower and reassure. I adored it. -- Laura Barnett, author of The Versions of UsRachel Joyce hits all the right notes with her love letter to vinyl… This is the most beautiful ode to music, community and love, that overflows with charm and warmth. -- Jane Craddock * The Sun *[Joyce] writes with unquestionable charm and and with her considerable heart never far from her sleeve.Joyce's charm and good-heartedness remain undiminished, as does her ability to create a highly appealing, semi-magical world... and to make us root for her characters all the way. -- James Walton * The Daily Telegraph *
£9.49
Transworld Publishers Ltd The Shut Eye
Book SynopsisFROM THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF SNAP''The most polished crime writer on the murder beat'' Daily ExpressFive footprints are the only sign that Daniel Buck was ever here. Yesterday they were a family just like any other: Anna and James, and their little boy, Daniel.But in one careless moment everything changed.A front door accidentally left ajar . . . and Daniel was gone.Now they are a pair of strangers who can''t even look each other in the eye.Distrust and unspoken words fill the void where their son used to be.Anna will go to any lengths to find Daniel - a four-year-old doesn''t just vanish into thin air. But how far will this desperate search push her?Right to the brink.And beyond.___Readers love The Shut Eye:''Original and inventive . . . Fabulous stuff!'' *****''I was absolutely gripped bTrade Review[Belinda Bauer] is such an interesting writer - a restless intelligence that always goes its own way, but always comes up with something that feels both surprising but inevitable. * Lee Child *The most polished crime writer on the murder beat . . . Exhausting, exhilarating and damn scary * Daily Express *'Belinda Bauer is a marvel. Her novels are almost indecently gripping and enjoyable, and The Shut Eye is possibly her best yet * Sophie Hannah *One of the most individual of crime writers . . . Bauer is streets ahead of most of her rivals * Independent *A twisty, fast-paced plot that kept me on tenterhooks * Woman & Home *
£10.44
Transworld Publishers Ltd The Book Thief
Book SynopsisMARKUS ZUSAK is the bestselling author of six novels, including THE BOOK THIEF. His books have been translated into more than forty languages, to both popular and critical acclaim. He lives in Sydney with his wife and two children.Find Markus on his blog www.zusakbooks.comFacebook /markuszusakInstagram @markuszusak.Trade ReviewExtraordinary, resonant and relevant, beautiful and angry. * Sunday Telegraph *...a beautifully balanced piece of storytelling...Unsettling, thought-provoking, life affirming, triumphant and tragic, this is a novel of breathtaking scope, masterfully told. It is an important piece of work, but also a wonderful page-turner. * Guardian *A moving work which will make many eyes brim. * Independent on Sunday *This is a weighty novel worthy of universal acclaim. A sense of dread prevades this beautifully written novel. As The Book Thief draws to a close, Death says: "There's a multitude of stories that i allow to distract me as I work." The story of the Book Thief, who tried to change the world in her own small way, proves one formidable and inspiring distraction. * The Daily Express *Brilliant and hugely ambitious ... the kind of book that could be life-changing * New York Times Book Review *
£9.49
Transworld Publishers Ltd One Little Mistake
Book Synopsis''A dark page-turning debut of friendship, deceit and lies'' Woman & Home''A compelling page-turner which kept me reading well into the night'' Jane Corry, author of My Husband''s WifeYOU TRUSTED YOUR BEST FRIEND . . . YOU SHOULDN''T HAVE.Vicky Seagrave is blessed: three beautiful children, a successful, doting husband, great friends and a job she loves. She should be perfectly happy.When she makes a split-second decision that risks everything she holds dear, there''s only person she trusts enough to turn to.But Vicky is about to learn that one mistake is all it takes; that if you''re careless with those you love, you don''t deserve to keep them . . .Readers are obsessed with One Little Mistake***** ''Fast paced story with a shocking to the core ending!''***** ''Kept me hooked right up until the very last word.''***** ''Full of twists and turns, keeps youTrade ReviewA compelling page-turner which kept me reading well into the night. This book will make any woman look at her best friend with more than a touch of suspicion . . . * Jane Corry, author of MY HUSBAND'S WIFE *One Little Mistake is a great page-turner: entertaining and thrilling, right up to the dramatic ending. I love how the book deals with the theme of motherhood – what can happen without a mother’s love and support, and the fine line between being a responsible parent and one that makes a silly mistake with far-reaching and devastating consequences . . . * Claire Fuller, author of OUR ENDLESS NUMBERED DAYS *A tense and utterly engrossing story * Tammy Cohen, author of WHEN SHE WAS BAD and THE BROKEN *A brilliant, gripping read. I couldn't put it down! * Claire Douglas, author of THE SISTERS and LOCAL GIRL MISSING *A page-turner that explores how friendship, mothering, marriage, and events in the past can collide in unexpected and tumultuous ways * Beth Miller, author of THE GOOD NEIGHBOUR and WHEN WE WERE SISTERS *A novel that might make you look at your closest friend with suspicion, One Little Mistake is a dark, gripping page-turner that had me reading far too late into the night... * Sarah Vaughan, author of ANATOMY OF A SCANDAL *A book you pick up and can't put down again until you've read right to the end * Cari Rosen *A dark and compulsive read - deftly plotted and chillingly believable * Juliet West, author of BEFORE THE FALL *A dark page-turning debut of friendship, deceit and lies. * Woman & Home *Will one mistake shatter their lives? A cleverly written story about how the past, and one moment of regret, can catch up with you in the most unexpected of ways * IMAGE magazine *Intriguing and meticulously crafted . . . the gradual unfolding of consequences is beautifully done . . . An accomplished novel by an imaginative story-teller. * G. J. Minett, author of THE HIDDEN LEGACY *A tense, intriguing and meticulously crafted read that is very hard to put down. * Sunday Post *If you're going to read this book, you might want to set some time aside, because once you've begun you'll find it hard to focus on anything else. * WI Life *Absolutely LOVED this. What a page-turner! * The Unmumsy Mum *I was hooked all the way through . . . One of those books you may find yourself still reading at two am. * Magnet magazine *
£999.99
Transworld Publishers Ltd Time and Time Again
Book SynopsisIt's the 1st of June 1914 and Hugh Stanton, ex-soldier and celebrated adventurer is quite literally the loneliest man on earth. No one he has ever known or loved has been born yet. Perhaps now they never will be.Stanton knows that a great and terrible war is coming. A collective suicidal madness that will destroy European civilization and bring misery to millions in the century to come. He knows this because, for him, that century is already history.Somehow he must change that history. He must prevent the war. A war that will begin with a single bullet. But can a single bullet truly corrupt an entire century? And, if so, could another single bullet save it?Trade ReviewA cracking thriller * Daily Telegraph *Time and Time Again triumphs and it’s the best I’ve read of Elton’s many bestsellers * The Times *A gripping, unpredictable read * Sunday Mirror *
£10.44
Transworld Publishers Ltd Being There
Book SynopsisThe hero of this astonishing novel is called Chance - he may be the man of tomorrow. Flung into the real world when his rich benefactor dies, Chance is helped on his life journey by Elizabeth Eve, the young, beautiful, resourceful wife of a dying Wall Street mogul. Accidentally launched into a world of sex, money, power - and national television - he becomes a media superstar, a household name, the man of the hour - and, who knows, perhaps the next President of the United States of America.Trade Review'Not until you put the book down do you realize how chilling is the image of ourselves in Kosinski's mirror...It will survive as a seminal work' -- John Barkham * Saturday Review *'Chance, a fabulous creature of our age' * Time *'Being There is a reverse parable, highly polished and patterned to the last twitch of the nerves' -- Norman Shrapnel * Guardian *'A tantalizing knuckle ball of a book delivered with perfectly timed satirical hops and metaphysical flutters' -- R.Z. Sheppard * Time *'Extremely well written. Under the circumstances, I can only urge as many people as possible to rush out and buy it' -- Auberon Waugh * Spectator *
£8.54
Transworld Publishers Ltd Cider House Rules The Novel
Book Synopsis''The reason Homer Wells kept his name was that he came back to St Cloud''s so many times, after so many failed foster homes, that the orphanage was forced to acknowledge Homer''s intention to make St Cloud''s his home.''Homer Wells'' odyssey begins among the apple orchards of rural Maine. As the oldest unadopted child at St Cloud''s orphanage, he strikes up a profound and unusual friendship with Wilbur Larch, the orphanage''s founder - a man of rare compassion and an addiction to ether. What he learns from Wilbur takes him from his early apprenticeship in the orphanage surgery, to an adult life running a cider-making factory and a strange relationship with the wife of his closest friend...Trade ReviewThe Cider House Rules is difficult to define and impossible not to admire * Daily Telegraph *John Irving has been compared with Kurt Vonnegut and J. D. Salinger but is arguably more inventive than either. Wry, laconic, he sketches his characters with an economy that springs from a feeling for words and mastery over his craft. This superbly original book is one to be read and remembered * The Times *Funnier than Garp...it's an irresistibly readable yarn spun by a master's voice * Time Out *Like the rest of Irving's fiction, it is often disconcerting, but always exciting and provoking * Observer *
£10.44
Transworld Publishers Ltd Setting Free The Bears
Book Synopsis''The brown bears paced, brushing their thick coats against the bars; their heads swayed low to the ground, in rhythm with some ritual of stealth they were born knowing and pointlessly never forgot''It is 1967 and two Viennese university students decide to liberate the Vienna Zoo, as was done after World War II. The eccentric duo, Graff and Siggy, embark on an adventure-filled motorbike tour of Austria as they prepare for the great zoo bust. But their grand scheme will have both comic and gruesome consequences, as they are soon to find out...Trade ReviewThe most nourishing, satisfying novel I have read in years. I admire the hell out of it -- Kurt Vonnegut JrSensual, moving, truly remarkable * Time *Imagine a mixture of Till Eulenspiegel and Ken Kesey and you've got the range of the merry pranksters who hot-rod through Mr Irving's book, tossing flowers, stealing salt-shakers, and planning the biggest caper of their young lives * The New York Times *
£10.44
Transworld Publishers Ltd The WaterMethod Man
Book SynopsisFred ''Bogus'' Trumper is a wayward knight-errant in the battle of the sexes and the pursuit of happiness. He also happens to have a complaint more serious than Portnoy''s. Yet he stubbornly clings to the notion that he''ll make something of his life, and is about to commit himself to a second marriage that bears remarkable resemblance to his first.The Water-Method Man is a work of cosummate artistry and comic invention, bizarre imagery and sharp social and psychological observation.Trade ReviewBrutal reality and hallucination, comedy and pathos. A rich, unified tapestry * Time *John Irving, it is abundantly clear, is a true artist. He is not afraid to take on great themes * Los Angeles Times *John Irving has been compared with Kurt Vonnegut and J. D. Salinger, but is arguably more inventive than either * The Times *Three or four times as funny as most novels * The New Yorker *
£11.39
Transworld Publishers Ltd The 158Pound Marriage
Book SynopsisOn a New England campus, Viennese housewife Utchka and her aspiring writer husband live a rather placid life with their two children.Until, that is, they meet Severin Winter, Professor of German and wrestling coach, and his delicate wife Edith at a faculty party. Utchka and Severin are rather taken with one another, and, conveniently, their spouses appear to be similarly smitten.A bizarre ménage a quatre is the result of these convoluted desires, and what starts out as a bit of fun is soon subject to the darker machinations of obsession,..Trade ReviewThe most important American humorist to appear in the last ten years -- Kurt VonnegutIrving's popularity is not hard to understand. His world really is the world according to everyone * Time *John Irving has been compared with Kurt Vonnegut and J.D.Salinger, but is arguably more inventive than either. Wry, laconic, he sketches his characters with an economy that springs from a feeling for words and mastery over his craft. This superbly original book is one to be read and remembered * The Times *
£10.44
Transworld Publishers Ltd A Village Affair
Book SynopsisReaders of Elizabeth Noble, Erica James and Amanda Prowse will devour this gripping novel about love and marriage - and the ties that bind us - from multi-million copy bestselling author Joanna Trollope. With the flawless depiction of rural, middle-class life and her incredibly astute characterisation, she effortlessly demonstrates how seductive and cosy the apparent safety of money, conformity and marriage can be - but also how fragile....''A story of seduction - not only sexual seduction but the irresistible appeal of money, beautiful objects, charming manners...excellent'' - The Sunday Times''A richly textured and immensely readable novel'' - The Sunday Times''Could not put this book down'' - ***** Reader review''A must read'' - ***** Reader review''An outstanding study of human relationships and conflicting loyalties'' - ***** Reader review**********************Trade ReviewAn elegantly crafted dissection of English rural life among the well-heeled and privileged...A considerable achievement * Woman's Journal *A story of seduction - not only sexual seduction but the irresistible appeal of money, beautiful objects, charming manners...excellent * The Sunday Times *A richly textured and immensely readable novel * The Sunday Times *
£10.44
Transworld Publishers Ltd The Rectors Wife
Book SynopsisJoanna Trollope is the author of eagerly awaited and sparklingly readable novels often centred around the domestic nuaunces and dilemmas of life in present-day England. She has also written a number of historical novels and Britannia's Daughters, a study of women in the British Empire. Joanna Trollope was born in Gloucestershire and now lives in London. She was appointed OBE in the 1996 Queen's Birthday Honours List for services to literature.Trade ReviewThe portrayal of the petty frustrations of clerical life is spot on and the novel is elegantly written * The Sunday Times *I would have killed anyone who wrested this novel from my hands... it's compulsive reading * The Times *This is Trollope's finest novel to date. Prepare to be wittily and wisely entertained by an exceptional writer * Daily Mail *Like a Barbara Pym novel, though Joanna Trollope has a much stronger grasp than Pym on the tangled web of family life * The Times *The portrayal of the petty frustrations of clerical life is spot on and the novel is elegantly written * Sunday Telegraph *
£10.44
Transworld Publishers Ltd The Men And The Girls
Book SynopsisMulti-million copy bestselling author Joanna Trollope''s insight into human relationships is both unparalleled and fascinating - and in The Men and the Girls she presents an excellent array of characters who interact in a complex and intriguing dance. Fans of Elizabeth Noble, Erica James and Amanda Prowse will not be disappointed...''One of the finest chroniclers of the way we live now'' -- Independent on Sunday''The queen of the domestic dilemma...observant and emphatic'' -- The Sunday Times''A rare pleasure to find characters so likeable that one cares what becomes of them'' -- Evening Standard''A delight. Trollope is never less than graceful and searchingly observant'' -- Independent''A great read'' -- ***** Reader review''Easy to get lost in'' -- ***** Reader review''Vastly entertaining'' -- ***** Reader review''Cosy, subtle - a really lTrade ReviewOne of the finest chroniclers of the way we live now * Independent on Sunday *The queen of the domestic dilemma...observant and emphatic * The Sunday Times *A rare pleasure to find characters so likeable that one cares what becomes of them * Evening Standard *A delight. Trollope is never less than graceful and searchingly observant * Independent *Wholly enjoyable * The Times *
£11.69
Transworld Publishers Ltd The Choir
Book SynopsisJoanna Trollope is the author of eagerly awaited and sparklingly readable novels often centred around the domestic nuaunces and dilemmas of life in present-day England. She has also written a number of historical novels and Britannia's Daughters, a study of women in the British Empire. Joanna Trollope was born in Gloucestershire and now lives in London. She was appointed OBE in the 1996 Queen's Birthday Honours List for services to literature.Trade ReviewA beautifully drawn portrait of Cathedral life * Sunday Express *One of the most interesting writers to have emerged in the past few years -- Carla McKay * Daily Mail *A modern Barchester Chronicle * Sunday Telegraph *Richly satisfying * Evening Standard *
£10.44
Transworld Publishers Ltd A Spanish Lover
Book SynopsisReaders of Elizabeth Noble, Erica James and Amanda Prowse will love this wise and warm novel from multi-million copy bestselling author Joanna Trollope. A story of delicate family relationships and the catalysts that can change everything...''Her novels, like family life itself, are built on the tensions between the illusions of permanence and the reality of charm'' -- Observer''A hugely enjoyable book'' -- The Sunday Times''I love her wit, her benevolence, her resolve that in even the darkest hour a little light will shine'' -- Irish Press''Profoundly satisfying as well as acutely querying...A perceptive chronicler of our times'' -- Sunday Express''Beautifully written'' -- ***** Reader reviewCouldn''t put this book down 100% excellent -- ***** Reader review''Incredible'' -- ***** Reader review*************************************Trade ReviewSome people are beginning to measure out their lives in terms of the next Joanna Trollope... her novels, like family life itself, are built on the tensions between the illusions of permanence and the reality of charm * Observer *A hugely enjoyable book * The Sunday Times *I love her wit, her benevolence, her resolve that in even the darkest hour a little light will shine * Irish Press *Wise and warm, profoundly satisfying as well as acutely querying...A perceptive chronicler of our times * Sunday Express *
£10.79
Transworld Publishers Ltd Palace Of Desire
Book SynopsisNaguib Mahfouz was most prominent literary figure in the Arab world of the Twentieth Century, best known for his Cairo Trilogy (Palace Walk, Palace of Desire and Sugar Walk), which became an international bestseller. He was born in Cairo in 1911 and lived in the suburb of Agouza with his wife and two daughters for the rest of his life. He published more than thirty novels as well as many collections of short stories, plays and screenplays. In 1988, Mr Mahfouz was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, the first Arab writer to win it. In 1994, after the publication of a novel that led him into trouble with Egypt's religious authorities, an attempt was made on his life, but he died peacefully in 2006, aged 94.Trade ReviewA masterpiece * The Times *A magnificent, Tolstoyan saga... unmissable * Cosmopolitan *Shamelessly entertaining * Guardian *Naguib Mahfouz's CAIRO TRILOGY puts all contemporary writers in the shade. He is the Arab Tolstoy -- Simon Sebag Montefiore * Twitter *An engrossing work, whose author can take his place alongside any European master you care to name * The Sunday Times *
£10.44
Transworld Publishers Ltd A SON OF THE CIRCUS
Book Synopsis''The doctor was fated to go back to Bombay; he would keep returning again and again - if not forever, at least for as long as there were dwarves in the circus.''Born a Parsi in Bombay, sent to university and medical school in Vienna, Dr Farrokh Daruwalla is a Canadian citizen - a 59-year-old orthopaedic surgeon, living in Toronto. Once, twenty years ago, Dr Daruwalla was the examining physician of two murder victims in Goa. Now, two decades later, the doctor will be reacquainted with the murderer...Trade ReviewDaruwalla is another iconic Irving figure... Irving handles this incarnadine combination of farce and horror with high speed skill, creating a compulsively readable book * Guardian *[Irving] is at the peak of his powers... he plunges the reader into one sensual or grotesque scene after another with cheerful vigour and a madcap tenderness for life... entertainment on a grand scale * Economist *More plot twists than the Ramayana and a cast of characters that includes dwarves, prostitutes, movie stars, tranvestites and at least one serial killer * Daily Telegraph *Irving has given us that treat of treats, a wide-ranging fiction of massive design and length that encapsulates our world with intelligence and sugars the pill with wit * Mail on Sunday *Daruwalla's quest for the truth is what sustains this book... a writer with the courage to follow this difficult journey while also exploring issues of poverty, racism and disease in a novel so full of humour is a writer to be treasured * The Times *
£12.34
Transworld Publishers Ltd Behind the Scenes at the Museum
Book SynopsisKate Atkinson''s brilliant and unforgettable first novel, which won the Whitbread (now Costa) Book of the Year Prize.''Delivers its jokes and its tragedies as efficiently as Dickens...outrageously funny...will dazzle readers for years to come'' - HILARY MANTEL, author of The Mirror and the LightRuby Lennox was conceived grudgingly by Bunty and born while her father, George, was in the Dog and Hare in Doncaster telling a woman in an emerald dress and a D-cup that he wasn''t married. Bunty had never wanted to marry George, but here she was, stuck in a flat above the pet shop in an ancient street beneath York Minster, with sensible and sardonic Patricia aged five, greedy cross-patch Gillian who refused to be ignored, and Ruby...Ruby tells the story of The Family, from the day at the end of the nineteenth century when a travelling French photographer catches frail beautiful Alice and her children, like flowers in amber, to the startling, witty, and Trade ReviewDelivers its jokes and its tragedies as efficiently as Dickens...outrageously funny on almost every page...will dazzle readers for years to come. -- Hilary Mantel * London Review of Books *A debut novel of astonishing confidence and skill...Acutely observant, overflowing with good jokes, it is the work of an author who loves her characters and sets them playing with gleeful energy * Spectator *An astounding book...without doubt one of the finest novels I have read for years * The Times *Little short of a masterpiece...Fizzing with wit and energy, Kate Atkinson's hilarious novel made me laugh and cry * Daily Mail *A blinding debut from a Yorkshire mother-of-two who could be Alan Bennett's baby sister...straight-up simplicity veils the depth, poignancy and poetry of her story * Time Out *A first novel written so fluently and wittily that I sailed through it as though blown by an exhilarating wind; a first novel with a touch so light I only felt its truth and sadness after I'd finished it. It lifted my spirits enormously. I loved it. -- Margaret ForsterEnchanting. It hops with sprightly omniscence from past to future and back again * The Sunday Times *A really gripping, emotionally satisfying family saga written with warmth and wit. I've re-read it countless times. * Red *
£9.49
Transworld Publishers Ltd Human Croquet
Book SynopsisKate Atkinson is one of the world's foremost novelists. She won the Whitbread (now Costa) Book of the Year prize with her first novel, Behind the Scenes at the Museum: Human Croquet was her second novel. Her three critically lauded and prizewinning novels set around World War II are Life After Life, A God in Ruins (both winners of the Costa Novel Award), and Transcription. She has also written five bestselling literary crime novels featuring former detective Jackson Brodie, the latest of which is Big Sky.Kate Atkinson was appointed MBE for services to literature in 2011.Trade ReviewVivid, richly imaginative, hilarious and frightening by turns * Observer *Huge, exhilarating, loving and detailed eruption of a novel...an utterly intoxicating display of novelistic elan...big and joyous, literary and accessible...storytelling at its buoyant best * The Scotsman *Wonderfully eloquent and forceful Kate Atkinson goes at the same pace in her second novel as she did in her first...welcome back, wild north-easter...brilliant and engrossing * Evening Standard *Vivid and intriguing...fizzles and crackles along...a tour de force * Independent *Part ghost story, part murder mystery, this is an exquisitely written, literary novel that reads as compellingly as any thriller * Cosmopolitan *A stunner of a second novel...a gutsy book, wrenched from the heart and written with tremendous force, immersing you in its strange, eccentric world * Marie Claire *The quirky imagination, subversive humour and instinct for domestic chaos that Atkinson displayed in her first novel...are rampantly evident again * Publishers Weekly *
£10.44
Transworld Publishers Ltd The Best Of Friends
Book SynopsisLet multi-million copy bestselling author Joanna Trollope draw you into this perceptive and prescient novel that will keep you gripped. She has a real skill in creating credible characters - and delving into our deepest thoughts and emotions. Perfect for readers of Elizabeth Noble, Erica James and Amanda Prowse, this is a novel that will stay with you for a long time...''Trollope at her best'' -- Spectator''Undeniably warmhearted and socially topical...above all a novel filled with good advice'' -- Observer''Truly, I couldn''t put it down. I''m telling you, Trollope is a significant chronicler'' -- Daily Mail''Trollope has a keen ear for the yelps of distress, as lives are sliced in half byshabby betrayal... A book that is as enjoyable as it is thoughtful'' -- The Times''An absorbing read'' -- ***** Reader review''Great storTrade ReviewTrollope at her best * Spectator *Undeniably warmhearted and socially topical...above all a novel filled with good advice * Observer *Truly, I couldn't put it down. I'm telling you, Trollope is a significant chronicler * Daily Mail *Trollope has a keen ear for the yelps of distress, as lives are sliced in half by shabby betrayal... A book that is as enjoyable as it is thoughtful * The Times *Trollope's bleakest and most satisfying work to date * The Sunday Times *
£9.99
Transworld Publishers Ltd The Wrong Boy
Book SynopsisThe hilarious, bittersweet novel from the playwright behind EDUCATING RITA, SHIRLEY VALENTINE and award-winning musical BLOOD BROTHERS.Dear Morrissey,I''m feeling dead depressed and down. Like a streetlamp without a bulb or a goose at the onset of Christmas time.Anyroad, I thought I''d pen a few lines to someone who''d understand...It''s 1991. Raymond Marks is a normal boy, from a normal family, in a normal northern town. Only lately, he''s been feeling dead down. His dad left home after falling in love with a five-string banjo. His fun-hating grandma believes she should have married Jean-Paul Sartre: ''I could never read his books, but y'' could tell from his picture, there was nothing frivolous about John-Paul Sartre.'' Felonious Uncle Jason and Appalling Aunty Paula are lusting after the satellite dish.And so he turns to the one person who''ll understand what he''s going through: Morrissey. ToTrade ReviewA big-hearted, wonderfully funny and engrossing saga. * The Mirror *Unusual, funny, unsettling and rich with sadness. * The Times *A warm, funny, poignant story. I loved The Wrong Boy - and so will you. * Sunday Telegraph *A comic masterpiece. -- Bel Mooney * Mail on Sunday *Willy Russell's triumph is to have created an unforgettable character, both unique and an Everyman. * Mail on Sunday *
£11.69
Transworld Publishers Ltd The Mistress Of Spices
Book SynopsisBorn in India, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni lives near San Francisco with her husband and two children. She teaches creative writing at a local college, and is the coordinator for a helpline for South Asian women. She is the author of several award-winning volumes of poetry, as well as Arranged Marriage, her acclaimed collection of short stories, a bestseller in America and winner of the PEN Oakland Josephine Miles Prize for fiction, an American Book Award, and the Bay Area Book Reviewers Award for fiction. She is also the author of two novels, The Mistress of Spices and Sister of My Heart.Trade ReviewA dazzling tale of misbegotten dreams and desires, hopes and expectations, woven with poetry and storyteller magic. -- Amy TanI read Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s novel The Mistress of Spices and felt excited and empowered by the way she used words * Guardian *An unusual, clever, and often exquisite first novel...The result is rather as if Isabel Allende met Laura Esquivel. * Los Angeles Times *A splendid novel, beautifully conceived and crafted. -- Pat ConroyMythical and mystical, Mistress of Spices is reminiscent of fables and fairy tales. . . . The story Divakaruni tells is transporting, but it is her gift for metaphor that makes this novel live and breathe, its pages as redolent as any freshly ground spice. * Booklist *
£9.49
Transworld Publishers Ltd Next of Kin
Book SynopsisMulti-million copy bestselling author Joanna Trollope expertly depicts how grief can tip the family balance head over heels in this beautifully written novel about change and hope through adversity. Perfect for readers of Elizabeth Noble, Erica James and Amanda Prowse.''Extraordinarily powerful'' -- Mail on Sunday''A devastatingly acute picture of a harsh rural world'' -- The Sunday Times''Certainly one of her best'' -- Daily Telegraph''A richly satisfying novel ... compulsively readable'' -- Sunday Express''Kept me interested - twists and turns - great character development - well written'' -- ***** Reader review''I couldn''t put it down and finished the book in just a couple of days'' -- ***** Reader review''Excellent'' -- ***** Reader review''A wonderful book, a wonderful story, wonderful characters - a must haTrade ReviewExtraordinarily powerful * Mail on Sunday *A devastatingly acute picture of a harsh rural world * The Sunday Times *Certainly one of her best * Daily Telegraph *A richly satisfying novel, sometimes dark, but compulsively readable, and imagined with a warmth that makes its determined realism oddly uplifting * Sunday Express *Her fine, gripping and unflinching novel * The Times *
£9.49
Transworld Publishers Ltd Emotionally Weird
Book SynopsisNora, at first, recounts nothing that Effie really wants to hear, like who her father was - variously Jimmy, Jack, or Ernie. Effie tells of her life at college in Dundee, where she lives in a lethargic relationship with Bob, a student who never goes to lectures, seldom gets out of bed, and to whom the Klingons are as real as the French and more.Trade ReviewThe lustre, energy and panache of her writing are as striking as ever...Funny, bold and memorable * The Times *Beautifully written...brimming with quirky characters and original storytelling. Kate Atkinson has struck gold with this unique offering * Time Out *Sends jolts of pleasure off the page...Atkinson's funniest foray yet...it is a work of Dickensian or even Shakespearean plenty * The Scotsman *A truly comic novel - achingly funny in parts - challenging and executed with wit and mischief...hilarious and magical * Daily Express *Her novels are remarkable both in and of themselves, and as evidence of an important emerging body of work from a brilliant and profoundly original writer * Daily Telegraph *With just two novels, Atkinson has added new colour to the British literary landscape * Guardian *
£9.49
Transworld Publishers Ltd Other Peoples Children
Book SynopsisWhat's even worse is that there are other children too, Matthew's three teenagers, who have been conditioned by their mother Nadine to hate his mother Josie.Matthew's children come to their father for weekends and make it clear how much they loathe Josie.Trade ReviewThis compelling, and at times heart-rending, novel is Trollope at her very best * Ideal Home *A gripping read - as shrewdly observant of psychological and domestic detail as anything she has written * Daily Telegraph *Wonderfully and compulsively readable... She can be as subtle as Austen, as sharp as Bronte. Trollope's brilliant * Mail on Sunday *Trollope has shown herself capable of such emotional depth, that although you turn the pages quickly, it is with trembling fingers * The Times *
£11.69
Transworld Publishers Ltd Blackberry Wine
Book SynopsisThis captivating and charming novel from international multi-million copy seller Joanne Harris takes us back to the French village we first discovered in Chocolat. Seamlessly interweaving the past and the present, magic and memory, it is a sensual rollercoaster that will appeal to fans of Victoria Hislop, Fiona Valpy, Maggie O''Farrell and Rachel Joyce.''Thickly sensuous, wildly indulgent, magical escapism: Chocolat lovers will drink deeply'' --GUARDIAN''Joanne Harris has the gift of conveying her delight in the sensuous pleasures of food, wine, scent and plants... Blackberry Wine has all the appeal of a velvety scented glass of vintage wine'' -- DAILY MAIL''A wonderful story'' -- ***** Reader review''A beautiful story... beautifully written and very atmospheric'' ***** Reader review''I could NOT put Trade ReviewTouching, funny and clever * Daily Telegraph *A lively and original talent * The Sunday Times *Joanne Harris has the gift of conveying her delight in the sensuous pleasures of food, wine, scent and plants... Blackberry Wine has all the appeal of a velvety scented glass of vintage wine * Daily Mail *Thickly sensuous, wildly indulgent magical escapism: Chocolat lovers will drink deeply * Guardian *
£10.44
Transworld Publishers Ltd The Jukebox Queen Of Malta
Book SynopsisIt is 1942 and the island of Malta is under siege by the dominant German air force. Out of the smoke and magnesium glare of bomb blast steps Rocco Raven, native of Brooklyn, New York, apprentice radioman and expert secondhand car dealer. His only contact is an American secret serviceman, Fingerley, whose rank upgrades with their every meeting and whose purpose is known to no-one but himself. Far from finding a role for Rocco, Fingerley leaves him to face the chaos alone. On only his second day there, his billet, on the top floor of a brothel, is blown to pieces. Without contacts or belongings, Rocco is left to wander the devastated streets of Valetta in a bewildered daze until he sees an apparition, a beautiful, ethereal woman. She is Melita, the Jukebox Queen of Malta, who spends her time delivering the jukeboxes wrought by her cousin from old automobile and gramophone parts to the bars and restaurants which must accommodate the beleagured civilian and military populations. ITrade Review'Under the heat and the hammering of bombs, Rinaldi paints the essence of the Second World War in exciting miniature' -- David Hughes * Mail on Sunday *'Much to enjoy...Rinaldi has tremendous fun evoking the rich cultural pudding that was Malta in 1942, its weird combination of superstition, fatalism and grafted-on anglophilia, of ricotta and stiff upper lip' -- Patrick Gale * Daily Telegraph *'Funny, romantic, disturbing...A marvellous tapestry of war...Moving and satisfying' * The New York Times *'A beguiling, romantic story in an illuminating and surprising setting' -- Joseph Heller
£15.29
Transworld Publishers Ltd Blast From The Past
Book SynopsisBen Elton's multi-award winning career as both performer and writer encompasses some of the most memorable and incisive comedy of the past thirty-five years. In addition to his hugely influential work as a stand-up comic, he was co-writer of TV hits The Young Ones and Blackadder and sole creator of The Thin Blue Line and Upstart Crow. He has written fifteen major bestsellers, including Stark, Popcorn, Inconceivable, Dead Famous, High Society, Two Brothers and Time and Time Again, three West End plays and three musicals, including global phenomenon We Will Rock You. He has written and directed two feature films, Maybe Baby and Three Summers. He is married and has three children.Trade ReviewOnly Ben Elton could combine uncomfortable questions about gender politics with a gripping, page-turning narrative and jokes that make you laugh out loud -- Tony Parsons, author of Man and BoyElton at his most outrageously entertaining * Cosmopolitan *The action is tight and well-plotted, the dialogue is punchy, and the whole thing rolls along so nicely * Guardian *A lively thriller of sexual politics and morality. Elton's best book yet * Elle *
£11.39
Transworld Publishers Ltd The Best A Man Can Get
Book SynopsisJohn O'Farrell is the author of seven books. His first book, Things Can Only Get Better, was a number one bestseller and was dramatized for BBC Radio 4. The Best a Man Can Get was the bestselling debut novel of 2002. As well as being a bestselling author, John O'Farrell is a regular contributor to television and radio. For the past five years he has written a weekly humorous column for the Guardian, three collections of which have been published as Global Village Idiot, I Blame the Scapegoats and I Have a Bream.Trade ReviewPunchline fuelled, relentless humour...I don't think a woman is going to get much closer to the workings of a man's mind than this. Giggling several times a page with plenty of out-loud laughs is guaranteed. Is John O'Farrell funny? Very * Daily Mirror *So funny because it rings true... Packed with painfully well-observed jokes * The Times *A hilarious confessional narrative. This wickedly observed page-turner lets bachelor-nostalgia joyride to its absurd conclusion... Piquant and irreverently sardonic * Literary Review *This is SO good... so insightful about men, women, love and parenthood that you read every page with a wince of recognition. Fab, fab, fab -- India KnightExcellent... Things Can Only Get Better will make you laugh out loud -- Angus Deayton
£10.79
Transworld Publishers Ltd Chocolat
Book SynopsisJoanne Harris is the internationally renowned and award-winning author of over twenty novels. Her Whitbread-shortlisted novel Chocolat was adapted to the screen, starring Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp. She is the author of several other bestsellers, including The Lollipop Shoes, Peaches for Monsieur Le Curé and The Strawberry Thief. She has also written acclaimed novels in such diverse genres as fantasy based on Norse myth (Runemarks, Runelight, The Gospel of Loki), and the Malbry cycle of dark psychological thrillers (Gentlemen & Players, Blueeyedboy, and Different Class).Born in Barnsley, of an English father and a French mother, she spent fifteen years as a teacher before (somewhat reluctantly) becoming a full-time writer. In 2013, she was awarded an MBE, and in 2022 an OBE. She lives in Yorkshire, plays bass and flute in a band first formed when she was sixteen, and works in a shed in her garden. She is an honoraTrade ReviewMouthwatering ... a feelgood book of the first order ... your senses are left reeling. Read it * Observer *Is this the best book ever written? Truly excellent ... Harris's achievement is not only in her story, in her insight and humour and the wonderful picture of small-town life in rural France, but also in her writing * Literary Review *Sensuous and thought-provoking ... subtle and brilliant * Daily Telegraph *A celebration of pleasure, of love, of tolerance * Observer *An addictive read ... haunting, obsessive and just a little nutty, like a freshly made praline -- Elisabeth Luard, author of "Family Life"
£9.49
Transworld Publishers Ltd Marrying The Mistress
Book SynopsisJoanna Trollope is the author of eagerly awaited and sparklingly readable novels often centred around the domestic nuaunces and dilemmas of life in present-day England. She has also written a number of historical novels and Britannia's Daughters, a study of women in the British Empire. Joanna Trollope was born in Gloucestershire and now lives in London. She was appointed OBE in the 1996 Queen's Birthday Honours List for services to literature.Trade ReviewParticularly rich and satisfying * Mail on Sunday *Clever, clever, clever... probes right to the heart of a typically modern dilemma * Daily Mail *Brilliant * Spectator *A swift and riveting read * The Times *This is Trollope at her best * Woman & Home *
£10.44
Transworld Publishers Ltd Maybe The Moon
Book SynopsisMaybe the Moon, Armistead Maupin''s first novel since ending his bestselling Tales of the City series, is the audaciously original chronicle of Cadence Roth -- Hollywood actress, singer, iconoclast and former Guinness Book of Records holder as the world''s shortest woman. All of 31 inches tall, Cady is a true survivor in a town where -- as she says -- ''you can die of encouragement''. Her early starring role as a lovable elf in an immensely popular American film proved a major disappointment, since moviegoers never saw the face behind the stifling rubber suit she was required to wear. Now, after a decade of hollow promises from the Industry, she is reduced to performing at birthday parties and Bar Mitzvahs as she waits for the miracle that will finally make her a star. In a series of mordantly funny journal entries, Maupin tracks his spunky heroine across the saffron-hazed wasteland of Los Angeles -- from her all-too-infrequent meetings with agenTrade Review'An enormously talented writer- witty but always sympathetic, generous in showing us the secrets of the heart' -- Amy Tan'A hugely enjoyable, glamorous read' -- Elspeth Barker * Independent on Sunday *'People buy his books the way they buy a line of gourmet soups or designer coffee, for the literary equivalent of a fix, with a trademark guarantee of style, effortless charm and frisky humour' -- Peter Matthews * Observer *'A consummate entertainer... Maupin has created a funny, memorable character in Cadence Roth' -- Edmund White * The Times Literary Supplement *'Maybe the Moon will disappoint only the envious. Rich, moving, sexy and funny, it also has a pleasingly angry streak' -- Patrick Gale * Daily Telegraph *
£10.79
Transworld Publishers Ltd Sure Of You
Book SynopsisThe sixth novel in the beloved Tales of the City series, Armistead Maupin's best-selling San Francisco saga.Maupin''s adeptness at fluid dialogue, his flair for shaping characters who thread the needle between pop archetypes and singular human beings are all on display' New York Times____________________A fiercely ambitious TV talk show host finds she must choose between national stardom in New York and a husband and child in San Francisco. Caught in the middle is their longtime friend, a gay man whose own future is even more uncertain. Wistful and compassionate yet subversively funny, Sure of You is Armistead Maupin's addictively entertaining observation on family, friendship and every relationship in between.Hurdling barriers both social and sexual, Maupin leads the eccentric tenants of Barbary Lane through heartbreak and triumph, through nail-biting terrors and gleeful coincidences in 1980s San FranciscoTrade ReviewLike those of Dickens and Wilkie Collins, Armistead Maupin's novels have all appeared originally as serials...it is the strength of this approach, with its fantastic adventures and astonishingly contrived coincidences, that makes these novels charming and compelling * Literary Review *A consummate entertainer...It is Maupin's Dickensian gift to be able to render love convincingly * Times Literary Supplement *San Francisco is fortunate in having a chronicler as witty and likeable as Armistead Maupin * Independent *I know I was not the only one who was up until two in the morning, promising myself to stop after just one chapter -- David Feinberg * The New York Times Book Review *Armistead Maupin's acclaim is richly deserved. He uses suspense, mystery and coincidence far more inventively than the more typical novelist -- Jonathan Coe * Guardian *
£9.49
Transworld Publishers Ltd Coastliners
Book SynopsisFrom the pen of international multi-million copy seller Joanne Harris, Coastliners is a powerful novel of a hardy island community fighting the encroaching seas. Written with her characteristic vivid descriptions, expert characterisation and sensuous language, this is a real treat for fans of Victoria Hislop, Fiona Valpy, Maggie O''Farrell and Rachel Joyce.''A winning blend of fairy-tale morality and gritty realism'' -- INDEPENDENT''Sensuous, evocative...you can almost feel the sand between your toes and taste the salty air'' -- HEAT''I was hooked by page 2. Brilliantly written'' -- ***** Reader review''This book kept me gripped from start to finish'' -- ***** Reader review''Page turner to the last page'' -- ***** Reader review*************************************************************************************************On the tiny Breton island of Le Devin, life has remained almost unchanged for over a hundred years. For generations, two rival communities have fought for control of the island''s only beach.When Mado returns home to her village after a ten-year absence, she finds it threatened, both by the tides and by a local entrepreneur. Worse, the community is suffering from an incurable loss of hope. Taking up the fight to transform the dying village, Mado must confront past tragedies, including the terrible secret that still haunts her father.Trade ReviewEverything about her style is aerodynamic ... Harris writes well, and charming, cinema-friendly images and cinematic mysteries abound ... stylish and economical * Sunday Times *Harris is a writer of tremendous charm, who creates a winning blend of fairy-tale morality and gritty realism * Independent *Her writing is consistently evocative, sensual and atmospheric * Mail on Sunday *Her latest gripping tale ... An intoxicating mix of documentary realism and enchanting romance * Daily Express *Coastliners is another triumph for Joanne Harris who shows that her powerful imagery is not exclusive to food and uses the coastline, sea and beaches to heighten the senses, drawing the reader further in with each incoming tide. A must-read * Punch *
£10.44
Transworld Publishers Ltd Dead Famous
Book SynopsisBen Elton's multi-award winning career as both performer and writer encompasses some of the most memorable and incisive comedy of the past thirty-five years. In addition to his hugely influential work as a stand-up comic, he was co-writer of TV hits The Young Ones and Blackadder and sole creator of The Thin Blue Line and Upstart Crow. He has written fifteen major bestsellers, including Stark, Popcorn, Inconceivable, Dead Famous, High Society, Two Brothers and Time and Time Again, three West End plays and three musicals, including global phenomenon We Will Rock You. He has written and directed two feature films, Maybe Baby and Three Summers. He is married and has three children.Trade ReviewBig up to Ben Elton and respect, big time. Top, top book * Mail on Sunday *Wry, fast and fiendishly clever * The Times *A book with pace and wit, real tension, a dark background theme and a big on-screen climax * Independent *The perfect modern-day whodunit. A cracking read full of hilarious insights into the Big Brother phenomenon * Mirror *One of the best whodunits I have ever read...a funny, gripping, hugely entertaining thriller, but also a persuasive, dyspeptic account of the way we live now, with our insane, inane cult of the celebrity * Sunday Telegraph *
£10.44
Transworld Publishers Ltd High Society
Book SynopsisThe war on drugs has been lost but for want of the courage to face the fact that the whole world is rapidly becoming one vast criminal network. From pop stars and princes to crack whores and street kids. From the Groucho Club toilets to the poppy fields of Afghanistan, we are all partners in crime. HIGH SOCIETY is a story or rather a collection of interconnected stories that takes the reader on a hilarious, heart breaking and terrifying journey through the kaleidoscope world that the law has created and from which the law offers no protection.Trade ReviewA fix of high comedy from a writer who provokes almost as much as he entertains * Daily Mail *As I raced to the end, I found myself applauding Elton. This is a tough subject tackled with courage and commitment -- Will Hutton * Observer *Packed with Elton's trademark sharp wit and biting social commentary.. colourful and thought-provoking * Waterstone's Books Quarterly *
£10.44
Random House Publishing Group To Build a Fire and Other Stories Bantam Classics
Book SynopsisTo Build A Fire and Other Stories is the most comprehensive and wide-ranging collection of Jack London's short stories available in paperback. This superb volume brings together twenty-five of London's finest, including a dozen of his great Klondike stories, vivid tales of the Far North were rugged individuals, such as the Malemute Kid face the violence of man and nature during the Gold Rush Days. Also included are short masterpieces from his later writing, plus six stories unavailable in any other paperback edition. Here, along with London's famous wilderness adventures and fireband desperadoes, are portraits of the working man, the immigrant, and the exotic outcast: characters representing the entire span of the author's prolific imaginative career, in tales that have been acclaimed throughout the world as some of the most thrilling short stories ever written.
£6.83
Random House Publishing Group Three For The Chair 28 Nero Wolfe
Book SynopsisFollow the world’s greatest detective, Nero Wolfe, on a trail of money, mayhem, and murder in three cases of capital crime.The trail of bodies begins with the death of a self-made millionaire, a fortune in uranium, and the perfect weapon . . . which no longer exists. Then it’s on to a rural lodge to teach two arrogant billionaires, a foreign ambassador, and a famous diplomat that murder is bad for business. Finally, it’s a case of politics making the strangest of bedfellows when a fake millionaire becomes a real corpse in the state capital and the evidence has Nero and Archie in the hot seat. Introduction by Sharyn McCrumb “It is always a treat to read a Nero Wolfe mystery. The man has entered our folklore.”—The New York Times Book Review A grand master of the form, Rex Stout is one of America’s greatest mystery writers, and his literary creation Nero Wolfe is one
£6.99
Random House USA Inc Fifty Great Short Stories
Book SynopsisA comprehensive anthology gathers classic short stories by such authors as Ernest Hemingway, Edgar Allan Poe, O. Henry, Rudyard Kipling, John Steinbeck, Aldous Huxley, and Anton Chekhov, among other notables. Reissue.
£7.59
Random House Worlds Foundation
Book Synopsis
£7.99
