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
Orion Publishing Co Village Centenary The eighth novel in the
Book SynopsisThe village school is a hundred years old and headmistress Miss Read is fully occupied planning the festivities.VILLAGE CENTENARY welcomes us back to Fairacre just in time for the one hundredth anniversary of the village school. Such a centenary should be celebrated, and all of Fairacre is quick to offer suggestions - from a tea party to a pageant. Deciding how best to stage the grand occasion, however, is only one of Miss Read''s problems. The ancient skylight in the school is leaking, and Mr Willet, the school caretaker, fears that replacing it will be a difficult job. The new teacher, Miss Briggs, fresh from college and full of idealistic theories, proves a thorn in Miss Read''s side. The vicar has decided to keep bees. And Mrs Pringle is her usual dour self.But the seasons continue to change, and the centenary year unfolds with its hopes and fears, its memories and forecasts, its friendships and feuds. VILLAGE CENTENARY marks yet another delightful
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co Summer at Fairacre
Book SynopsisAfter a long winter, summer is a welcome time for Miss Read and her village friends.Trade Review"A gentle and easy read, just right for summer days" TELEGRAPH & ARGUS "This warm and winsome depiction of a small Cotswold community will charm, soothe and amuse readers" GOOD BOOK GUIDE
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co The Village Green Affair TURNHAM MALPAS
Book SynopsisDramatic events in Turnham Malpas make for a steamy summer.A mysterious visitor has arrived in Turnham Malpas. What can Titus Bellamy want? Is it true, the villagers ask each other, that he has discovered a medieval charter which grants the right to hold a market on their picturesque village green? And if it is true, can he be stopped?Meanwhile, after twenty-five years, the marriage of Liz and Neville Neal is on the rocks. Or so the unhappy Liz thinks. But Neville, to celebrate their silver wedding anniversary, has decided to throw a lavish party. The anniversary party and the market on the green mark both the beginning and the end of two quite different relationships. But is it really all the fault of Titus Bellamy? The village is divided - before a spate of burglaries on market day adds fuel to the hot debate, and someone unexpected decides to take matters into her own hands...
£9.49
Ebury Publishing The Most Beautiful Woman in Town And other
Book SynopsisSurfacing from the literary underground, Bukowski's wild and immortal stories have become cult favourites. This collection of anecdotal short stories demonstrates Bukowski's compelling semi-autobiographical style and his mastery of visceral language and the depiction of seamy underworlds.Trade ReviewNot since George Orwell has the condition of being down-and-out been so well recorded * New York Times *
£12.34
Ebury Publishing Tales of Ordinary Madness
Book SynopsisBorn in 1920, Charles Bukowski became one of America's best-known writers. During his lifetime he published more than forty-five books of poetry and prose including the novels Post Office (1971), Factotum (1975), Women (1979) and Pulp (1994) all available from Virgin Books.Trade ReviewDirty realism from the godfather of lowlife literature * Uncut *
£12.34
Ebury Publishing Women
Book SynopsisDuring his lifetime Bukowski published more than forty-five books of poetry and prose including the novels Post Office (1971) and Factotum (1975). He is one of America's most distinctive writers and a voice for both the outsider and low life Americana.Trade Review1A poem about love and pain. - Los Angeles Times2A laureate of American low life. - Time3One of those writers whom each new reader discovers with a transgressive thrill - New Yorker4The ultimate Bukowski novel, packed with hilarious episodes - Uncut * - *
£11.69
Orion Publishing Co The White Hotel Shortlisted for the Booker Prize
Book SynopsisThe worldwide bestselling, Booker-shortlisted modern classicNow a BBC radio play starring Anne-Marie Duff and Bill Paterson, dramatised by Dennis Potter.''Spine-tingling... heart-stunning'' New York Times''A novel of blazing imaginative and intellectual force'' Salman Rushdie''This novel is a reminder that fiction can amaze'' Time''Precise, troubling, brilliant'' ObserverShortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, The White Hotel is a modern classic of searing eroticism and sensuality set against the broad sweep of twentieth-century history.It is a dream of electrifying eroticism and inexplicable violence, recounted by a young woman to her analyst, Sigmund Freud. It is a horrifying yet restrained narrative of the Holocaust. It is a searing vision of the wounds of our century and an attempt to heal them. Interweaving poetry and case history, fantasy and historical truth-teTrade ReviewA novel of blazing imaginative and intellectual force -- Salman RushdieTo describe this novel as spine-tingling in its indescribable poetic effect would be to trivialize its profoundly tragic theme. Say then that it is heart-stunning * The New York Times *Astonishing ... A forthright sensuality mixed with a fine historical feeling for the nightmare moments in modern history, a dreamlike fluidity and quickness -- John UpdikeA dazzler that lingers in the mind * People *A remarkable and original novel ... there is no novel to my knowledge which resembles this in technique or ideas. It stands alone -- Graham GreeneThis novel is a reminder that fiction can amaze * Time *Precise, troubling, brilliant * Observer *
£8.99
Orion Publishing Co The Danish Girl
Book SynopsisThe Danish Girl is now a major motion picture starring Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander, directed by Tom Hooper.Loosely inspired by a true story, this tender portrait of marriage asks: What do you do when the person you love has to change?It starts with a question, a simple favour asked by a wife of her husband while both are painting in their studio, setting off a transformation neither can anticipate. Uniting fact and fiction into an original romantic vision, The Danish Girl eloquently portrays the unique intimacy that defines every marriage and the remarkable story of Lili Elbe, a pioneer in transgender history, and the woman torn between loyalty to her marriage and her own ambitions and desires. The Danish Girl is an evocative and deeply moving novel about one of the most passionate and unusual love stories of the 20th century.Trade ReviewThis is a curiously touching tale, told in a lucid and sensitive style * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *An enthralling read * THE TIMES *A beautifully written novel . . . elegant, assured and intelligent * DAILY EXPRESS *The intelligence and tactfulness of his exploration of [love] makes his novel a noteworthy event * NEW YORK TIMES *A first novel of startling refinement and beauty * Chicago Tribune *Heartbreaking and unforgettable, it is a complete triumph * Boston Globe *Beautifully written. It is absolutely engrossing . . . [an] elegant, assured and intelligent tale; as a first novel, it is astounding * SUNDAY EXPRESS *Intriguing and captivating . . . a resonant fable about metamorphosis and the construction of identity. This admirable book deserves to find a wide readership * DAILY TELEGRAPH *Be enchanted by THE DANISH GIRL . . . elegant and sensitive writing * ELLE *[An] affecting and graceful debut * NEW STATESMAN *The book is a sensuous treat, its symbolic visual imagery combining with mesmeric recreations of period and place . . . Einar and his wife are treated with sympathy, and a potentially sensational or bizarre subject is treated with dignity * ART NEWSPAPER *This is a curiously touching take, told in lucid and sensitive style that shows great insight into an extraordinary predicament . . . an engrossing story of true love, suffering and sacrifice * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co Maya
Book SynopsisA mysterious novel by the author of the international bestseller SOPHIE''S WORLD.A chance meeting on the Fijian island of Taveuni is the trigger for a fascinating and mysterious novel that intertwines the stories of John Spooke, an English author who is grieving for his dead wife; Frank Andersen, a Norwegian evolutionary biologist estranged from his wife Vera; and an enigmatic Spanish couple, Ana and Jose, who are absorbed in their love for each other. Why does Ana bear such a close resemblance to the model for Goya''s famous Maja paintings? What is the significance of the Joker as he steps out of his pack of cards? As the action moves from Fiji to Spain, from the present to the past, unfolding further stories within the stories, the novel reveals an astonishing richness and complexity. As bold and imaginative in its sweep as Sophie''s World, it shows again that Jostein Gaarder''s unique and special gift is to make us wonder at the awe-inspiring mystery of the unive
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co Consider the Lilies
Book SynopsisA true modern classic and inspirational Scottish novel.''Vividly depicted ... sheer beauty'' OBSERVER''A masterpiece of simplicity'' FINANCIAL TIMES''A simple but noble book ... this deserves to be read'' SCOTSMAN''When she rose in the morning the house at first seemed to be the same. The sun shone through the curtains of her window. On the floor it turned to minute particles like water dancing. Nevertheless, she felt uneasy ... What had the girl said? Something about the ''burning of houses''. They just couldn''t put people out of their houses, and then burn the houses down. No one had ever heard of that before. Not in the country...''In this modern classic, from one of Scotland''s greatest writers, CONSIDER THE LILIES captures the thoughts and memories of an old woman who has lived all her life within the narrow confines of her community during one of the cruellest episodes of Scottish history - the Highland CleaTrade ReviewIain Crichton Smith was, and is, lovingly acknowledged as one of modern Scotland's foremost writers ... Reading Iain Crichton Smith - like the author's own compulsion to write - is a hungry addiction ... The book posits, with absolute subtlety, the need for a compassionate, rather than a dogmatic, understanding of human needs: a message that is surely as important now as it ever was. -- Kevin MacNeil * The List *A simple but noble book ... this deserves to be read * The Scotsman *Crichton Smith has an acute feeling for places and atmosphere. The wind-blown heaths, the grey skies, the black dwellings, the narrow lives, the poverty - are all vividly depicted ... one can linger over the sheer beauty of his phrases * Observer *Restrained, finely wrought ... Crichton Smith shows us isolation, perplexity, loneliness, a combination of blindness and indifference * New Statesman *A masterpiece of simplicity * FINANCIAL TIMES *A profoundly human document, with a message for our own and future times -- Martin Seymour Smith
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co The ringmasters daughter
Book SynopsisFrom the author of SOPHIE''S WORLD, ''A masterful mixture of fantasy and reality...a simply wonderful read'' SHE.Panina Manina, a trapeze artist, falls and breaks her neck. As the ringmaster bends over her, he notices an amulet of amber around her neck, the same trinket he had given his own lost child, who was swept away in a torrent some sixteen years earlier.This tale is narrated by Petter, a precocious child and fantasist, and perhaps Jostein Gaarder''s most intriguing character since Sophie. As an adult, Petter makes his living selling stories and ideas to professionals suffering from writer''s block. But as Petter sits spinning his tales, he finds himself in a trap of his own making.Trade ReviewA fascinating tale told with great skill * PUBLISHING NEWS *
£16.40
Orion Publishing Co Murder on the Leviathan
Book SynopsisThe third Erast Fandorin mystery from Boris Akunin, shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger.Trade ReviewPastiche of the highest order, absurd and completely gripping at the same time * Sunday Times *Witty, thrilling and wholly unputdownable * Evening Standard *Akunin is an outstanding novelist ... gloriously tongue-in-cheek but seriously edge-of-your-seat at the same time * Daily Express *Clever and fun * The Times *
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co The Temple of My Familiar
Book Synopsis'A romance of the last 500,000 years' from the Pulitzer prize winning author of THE COLOR PURPLE.Trade Review''Walker's fictional creations are musicians, storytellers, artists and mothers: all of them embrace life with the characteristic optimism of this author, against a background of colour: love, for instance, blossoms on an "olive-green sailboat with its black-and-yellow sails". * HERALD (9.10.04) *
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co The Third Life of Grange Copeland
Book SynopsisAlice Walker's powerful first novel.
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co Now is the Time to Open Your Heart
Book SynopsisThe new novel from the author of THE COLOR PURPLE, 'This legendary writer, who with her pen has changed lives and moved minds' (Pride)Trade Reviewengaging * OBSERVER (16.10.05) *[a] likeable, warm-hearted tale. -- David Robson * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH (6.11.05) *
£8.54
Orion Publishing Co The Switch
Book SynopsisOrdell Robbie and Louis Gara have lots in common - time in the same gaol, convictions for auto theft, and a grand plan. They''re going to snatch the wife of a Detroit developer and collect some easy ransom money. At least that''s what they think...What they haven''t figured on is the fact that the husband has a secret mistress and has absolutely no desire to get his wife back. So now it''s time for Plan B. With the help of one seriously ticked-off housewife they are going to take the scumbag for everything he''s got...THE SWITCH has been adapted for the big screen as LIFE OF CRIME, starring Jennifer Aniston, Tim Robbins and Isla Fisher.
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co The Orange Girl
Book SynopsisFrom the author of SOPHIE''S WORLD, a modern fairy tale with a philosophical twist.''It should be read by all'' VOGUE''My father died eleven years ago. I was only four then. I never thought I''d hear from him again, but now we''re writing a book together''To Georg Røed, his father is no more than a shadow, a distant memory. But then one day his grandmother discovers some pages stuffed into the lining of an old red pushchair. The pages are a letter to Georg, written just before his father died, and a story, ''The Orange Girl''. But ''The Orange Girl'' is no ordinary story - it is a riddle from the past and centres around an incident in his father''s youth. One day he boarded a tram and was captivated by a beautiful girl standing in the aisle, clutching a huge paper bag of luscious-looking oranges. Suddenly the tram gave a jolt and he stumbled forward, sending the oranges flying in all directions. The girl simply hopped off the tram leaving Georg''s father with arms full of oranges. Now, from beyond the grave, he is asking his son to help him finally solve the puzzle of her identity.Trade ReviewIt should be read by all * VOGUE *A whimsical, thought-provoking story, with more than one surprise in store * GOOD BOOK GUIDE *A modern fairytale * HEAT *
£8.99
Orion Publishing Co In Another Light
Book SynopsisA stunning novel set in the stark beauty of Orkney and the heady atmosphere of Penang in the 1930s''Two small, confined communities in which established connections are cut across by shifting allegiances as people come and go: in cold climate as in hot, now as then, love is a complicated, compromising business'' Times Literary Supplement A young man leans over the railings of the ocean liner bound for the exotic shores of Penang. It is early in the 1930s and Dr Alexander Mackay is on his way to take up his post running a maternity hospital in the colony. During the voyage he meets two beautiful sisters and the seeds of a scandal are sown. Seventy years later Edward Mackay wakes after a major brain trauma. In the hazy shadowlands of illness, he conjures the figure of his dead father, a man he knew so little about. This near-death experience provokes a move to the wilds of Orkney, where Edward joins a project to harness the tides around the islanTrade Reviewan island-hoping affair, alternating between present-day Orkney and 1930s Penang. * THE INDEPENDENT *'The dual narratives of father and son run concurrently, and while Edward's near-death experience and the changes it brings about him are compelling....... told in measured but insightful prose, IN ANOTHER LIGHT is unsentimental but moving and feels all the more powerful on account of its factual origins. * THE OBSERVER *
£10.44
Orion Publishing Co A Stained White Radiance Dave Robicheaux
Book SynopsisThe fifth gripping novel in the highly acclaimed Dave Robicheaux series.Trade ReviewJames Lee Burke is the heavyweight champ, a great American novelist whose work, taken individually or as a whole, is unsurpassed. * Michael Connelly *A gorgeous prose stylist. * Stephen King *Richly deserves to be described now as one of the finest crime writers America has ever produced. * Daily Mail *The gentle giant of US crime writers, Burke always ensures that his Louisiana detective Dave Robicheaux grapples with hot topics as much as with his own inner demons. * i newspaper *There are not many crime writers about whom one might invoke the name of Zola for comparison, but Burke is very much in that territory. His stamping ground is the Gulf coast, and one of the great strengths of his work has always been the atmospheric background of New Orleans and the bayous. His big, baggy novels are always about much more than the mechanics of the detective plot; his real subject, like the French master, is the human condition, seen in every situation of society. * Independent *The king of Southern noir. * Daily Mirror *His lyrical prose, his deep understanding of what makes people behave as they do, and his control of plot and pace are masterly. * Sunday Telegraph *One of the finest American writers. * Guardian *When it comes to literate, pungently characterised American crime writing, James Lee Burke has few peers. * Daily Express *
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co Things My Girlfriend and I Have Argued About
Book SynopsisThe bestselling cult comedy from Mil Millington published alongside his new novel, Love and Other Near Death Experiences
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Orion Publishing Group The Alchemists Daughter Katharine McMahon
Book SynopsisA classic, page-turning story of secrets and science, passion and betrayal, innocence and experience - in the tradition of Tracy Chevalier and Philippa GregoryTrade ReviewA first-rate historical romance: it's hard to think it will be bettered this year * INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY *This is an intelligent portrait of England in the early 18th century, as experienced by a remarkable young woman * THE TIMES *What makes THE ALCHEMIST'S DAUGHTER more than a routine entertainment is McMahon's vivid sense of both the natural world and of the smells and illuminated darkness of Selden's workroom. We believe in Emilie and come to love her for all her follies, because she is so passionate in her experience of the world around her * INDEPENDENT *
£19.92
Orion Publishing Co Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Book SynopsisWhat readers are saying:''Loved it!'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''My favourite book'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''One of the most wonderful books I have ever read'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''Stunningly funny'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐This is the story of Dr Alfred Jones, a fisheries scientist - for whom diary-notable events include the acquisition of a new electric toothbrush and getting his article on caddis fly larvae published in ''Trout and Salmon'' - who finds himself reluctantly involved in a project to bring salmon fishing to the Highlands of the Yemen - a project that will change his life, and the course of British political history for ever.With a wickedly wonderful cast of characters - including a visionary Sheikh, a weasely spin doctor, Fred''s devilish wife and a few thousand transplanted salmon - SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN is a novel aTrade ReviewI really loved this book -- Bill NighyPaul Torday's debut novel is about an impossibility...And the remarkable thing is that a book about so deeply serious a matter can make you laugh, all the way to a last twist that's as sudden and shocking as a barbed hook...As with all good comedy, there's a tragic underside...And there is satire...To write a novel lampooning the looking-glass world of Blairite government must have given Torday as much gruesome fun as he gives his readers...Salmon Fishing is extraordinary indeed, and a triumph. * GUARDIAN *It's hilarious and so well observed -- Sir Christopher MeyerEntertaining storytelling with great characters and laugh-out-loud plot * WOMAN & HOME *A wonderful book - a cry for humanity in our target-driven spin-riddled world -- Marina Lewycka * author of A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian *A most diverting debut - ingenious, witty and moving, Yes Minister meets Monarch of the Glen -- David ProfumoIt is light, but succeeds in an ambitious project: making a book about fishing readable, even touching. Fish may not be your bag, but it is the capacity for commitment and belief that makes for good reading * NEW STATESMAN *SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN is an entertaining and successful debut...it is warmly recommended to anyone searching for feelgood comedy with surprising bite * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *A wickedly comic first novel about the power of money and the miracle of faith * SAGA *This is a wonderful, enjoyable read...Written in a highly accessible pastiche of memos, letters, interview excerpts, journal entries and emails, Fishing, encompasses everything from the science of salmon spawning to the war in Iraq. But all these elements merely give structure to the story: a lovely musing on how risking it all - however much it may be perceived as foolish or ridiculous, can bring hope and faith and love to the most bleak of outlooks * SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY *A clever, original and funny novel...A magical debut * PSYCHOLOGIES *At last an Evelyn Waugh for the 21st century. Paul Torday is funny, humane, poignant and one of the most original writers in the UK today. SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN reinvigorated my already abiding love of contemporary fiction and I am grateful to Mr Torday for it. I urge each and every one of you to buy this book and then sit on the nearest seat to the till and read it -- Paul Blezard - Oneword RadioAn amusing satire on the tensions between the West and the Middle East, and a commentary on the value of belief to mankind...The success of the book lies in the charm of Mr Torday's storyline - his love of salmon fishing shines through his text - and his skill at portraying the petty officialdom and manipulativeness of modern government. Adding breadth is a sharply drawn cast of characters * THE ECONOMIST *A tender hearted book...thoroughly enjoyable * SUNDAY TIMES *A delightfully funny debut...It's funny, ambitious, multi-layered and quirkily imaginative, yet still - especially in the case of a sub-plot featuring a deniable British raid inside Iran - frighteningly relevant * THE SCOTSMAN *Wonderful...really funny...a book you can't put down easily. Torday has an easy command of the gripping twists that play readers through the streams of a story, and at the same time he's a master of character...a tour de force * EVENING HERALD *The political bite of Torday's novel is more savage than the 'feel good' film. The narrative is crisp and clever, its denouement explosive. * THE OLDIE *
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co The Man Who Knew Too Much
Book SynopsisThe story of Alan Turing, the persecuted genius who helped break the Enigma code and create the modern computer.To solve one of the great mathematical problems of his day, Alan Turing proposed an imaginary programmable calculating machine. But the idea of actually producing a ''thinking machine'' did not crystallise until he and his brilliant Bletchley Park colleagues built devices to crack the Nazis'' Enigma code, thus ensuring the Allied victory in the Second World War. In so doing, Turing became a champion of artificial intelligence, formulating the famous (and still unbeaten) Turing test that challenges our ideas of human consciousness.But Turing''s work was cut short when, as an openly gay man in a time when homosexuality was illegal in Britain, he was apprehended by the authorities and sentenced to a ''treatment'' that amounted to chemical castration. Ultimately, it lead to his suicide, and it wasn''t until 2013, after many years of campaigning, that he Trade ReviewA sympathetic account of Turing's ultimately tragic life * Observer *Leavitt proovides fascinating insights into cryptography...he conveys both the ingenuity of Turing's creations and the complexity of the man * Daily Telegraph *
£10.44
Orion Publishing Co The Foreign Correspondent
Book SynopsisThe next great page-turner from the master of the noir spy novel.Trade ReviewThere are writers who so capture the feel of a particular historical time and place that, once you¿ve read them, it¿s impossible to look back to the period without sensing their presence. Alan Furst, with his novels of wartime Europe, is one of those authors. -- Simon Shaw * MAIL ON SUNDAY *enjoyably gripping tale of spies and skulduggery -- Christina Koning * TIMES *
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co Mr Majestyk
Book SynopsisThe New York Times bestselling author of Be Cool and Get ShortyKiller man Vincent Majestyk had his belly-full of killing in Asia. It was his job and he was one of the best, but when he stripped off his uniform he never wanted to go back to it. Now he works under the open skies of the American Southwest, growing melons on his farm, where nobody knows about his past. And that was why a cheap crook named Kopas, a hard-nosed cop named McAllen, and a big-time, high-priced hit man named Renda all figured Majestyk was another local yokel to be pushed around. Majestyk was about to go to war again...
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co Stick
Book SynopsisEx-cons, armed robberies and scams in Miami - another classic crime thriller from the masterful Elmore Leonard.
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co Gold Coast
Book SynopsisA gripping mob thriller from the NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of BE COOL and GET SHORTY.Gorgeous widow Karen DiCilia just found out what it really means to be married to the mob. Her Mafia husband Frank left her millions and a Florida Gold Coast mansion. He also left orders that she''d lose everything the day she slept with another man. With his boys as enforcers, Karen was soon a lonely lady. Then she met Detroit''s Cal Maguire, a sexy, street-smart ex-con with a scam to get Karen her money and her freedom - or get them both killed.Trade Review"with the customary jaw-dropping plot developments... [this] is Leonard with all guns firing" GOOD BOOK GUIDE
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co Maximum Bob
Book SynopsisThe New York Times bestselling author of Be Cool and Get ShortyWhen someone delivers an alligator to Judge Bob Gibbs'' porch, there''s no shortage of suspects - hard-sentencing, womanising redneck ''Maximum Bob'' is pretty much the most unpopular man in Florida.Throw into the mix the Crowe clan - about as primitive and aggressive as any alligator - a doped-up doctor on early release with a tag, quick-witted probation officer Kathy Baker, a mermaid and a long-dead slave girl called Wanda, and things get a tad complicated. And inevitably, they don''t work out the way you might expect...
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co Pronto
Book SynopsisA tale of taut suspense from 'the best writer in crime fiction today' [USA Today]Trade ReviewNo one does it better than Elmore Leonard and this grabs from the first line and doesn't let go. Pure brilliance * HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER *
£9.99
Orion Publishing Co Riding the Rap
Book Synopsis''Wicked and irresistible . . . Leonard is a genius'' New York Times Palm Beach playboy Chip Ganz needs money - fast. He has spiralling debts, and his mother''s gravy-train has just derailed. So he has a plan: he''s going to find somebody rich, and take them hostage. With the help of an ex-con, a psycho gardener and the beautiful psychic Reverend Dawn, he chooses bookmaker Harry Arno as the lucky victim. The trouble is, Harry can scam with the best of them. And that''s not the only problem. US Marshal Raylan Givens is sleeping with Harry''s ex girlfriend, Joyce, and she wants Harry found...Trade Review'Another low key, totally compelling piece of fiction' HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co Cuba Libre
Book SynopsisThe New York Times bestselling author of BE COOL and GET SHORTY.War in Cuba isn''t Ben Tyler''s concern. Still, sailing mares and guns into Havana harbor in 1898 - right past the submerged wreckage of the U.S. battleship Maine - may not be the smartest thing the recently prison-sprung horse wrangler ever did. Neither is shooting one of the local Guardia, though the pompous peacock deserved it. Now Tyler''s sitting tight in a vermin-infested Cuban stockade waiting to face a firing squad. But he''s not dying until he gets the money he''s owed from a two-timing American sugar baron. And there''s one smart, pistol-hot lady at the rich man''s side who could help Ben get everything he''s got rightfully coming...even when the whole damn island''s going straight to hell.
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co Pagan Babies
Book SynopsisA vintage roller-coaster ride from 'the hottest thriller writer in the US' [Time]
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co The Big Bounce
Book SynopsisThe beguiling story of a man, a woman and a nasty crime, from 'the hottest thriller writer in the US' [Time].
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co The Same Earth
Book SynopsisFrom the WINNER OF THE FORWARD PRIZE FOR BEST COLLECTION 2014, a ''humorous, bittersweet fiction, combin[ing] the fantastical realism of Marquez with the domestic comedy of Andrea Levy'' INDEPENDENTIt all begins with the theft of Tessa Walcott''s panties...After the hurricane of 1974, Jamaica is devastated. Imelda Richardson is sent to England, without a place to stay or a plan of what to do. Luckily sheis taken in by Purletta Johnson, a member of the ex-pat bourgeoisie who has decided to become more Jamaican than any Jamaican: sucking her teeth, sporting a gold tooth, and growing ganja on her balcony. But when her mother dies Imelda returns to Jamaica. When Tessa Walcott''s panties are stolen, she and Imelda set up a Neighbourhood Watch. But they haven''t counted on Pastor Braithwaite who denounces them in Church. The church-goers turn on Imelda, and when the river suddenly floods her home it is seen as a punishment from God. A Pentecostal fervTrade ReviewThe hazards of homecoming lie at the heart of poet Kei Miller's charm-filled debut...a breezy good-humour pervades Miller's portrait of island life. * INDEPENDENT *
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co The Irresistible Inheritance Of Wilberforce
Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author of the Richard & Judy selected SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN.''Exceptionally accomplished ... a near masterpiece'' DAILY EXPRESS''Heart-wrenching ... a mesmerising page-turner'' MAIL ON SUNDAY''Delightfully written...Paul Torday is a remarkably original novelist'' EVENING STANDARDLate one summer evening, Wilberforce - rich, young, and work-obsessed - makes a detour on his way home to the vast undercroft of Caerlyon Hall, and the domain of Francis Black, a place where wine, hospitality and affection flow freely.Through Francis, Wilberforce is initiated into a life rich in the promise of friendship and adventure, where, through his new set of friends, the possibility of finding acceptance, and even falling in love, seems finally to be within his reach.Wilberforce becomes a willing pupil to Francis, and in the cellars of Caerlyon he nurtures a new-found passion for wine. But even the finest Trade ReviewExceptionally accomplished.. second novels are notoriously difficult to pull off but Torday has managed a near masterpiece * DAILY EXPRESS *The whole book is delightfully written...Paul Torday is a remarkably original novelist * EVENING STANDARD *Grows more and more poignant as the novel progresses.. satisfyingly full-bodied and slips down a treat * SUNDAY TIMES *Remarkably, given the bleakness of both subject and hero, it is an incredibly good read * DAILY TELEGRAPH *What makes us want to find out about Wilberforce is Torday's wonderful prose - the same simple, clear writing that made Salmon Fishing so readable * FINANCIAL TIMES *He has a good feeling for character and a sly sense of humour * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *A well-told tale...Torday wryly observes Wilberforce's descent * THE TIMES *Telling the story back-to-front allows Torday to highlight Wilberforce's self-delusion; he's that familiar figure, the alcoholic who pretends that he's merely a connoisseur * GUARDIAN *Torday's confidence in his story's power to command attention is not misplaced...Wilberforce is well worth sampling * INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY *A heart-wrenching tale of alcoholism and a lonely man's search for identity...a mesmerising page-turner * MAIL ON SUNDAY *[The plot] provides Torday with copious opportunities for comedy, which he readily exploits. But there is a serious undertone * TIME OUT *Slips down a treat * THE WEEK *
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co Through Black Spruce
Book SynopsisFrom internationally acclaimed author Joseph Boyden comes a powerful novel about two native Canadian sisters and the forces that pull them apart.
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co The Painter Of Battles
Book SynopsisA compelling tale of art, love and war...Trade Reviewthis is a more personal and philosophical work than his [Perez-Reverte's] other books * HERALD *moral debate forms the substance of this atmospheric novel * DAILY TELEGRAPH *The debate between artist and subject lies at the heart of this very continental contest of wits * INDEPENDENT *
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co The Crimson Rooms
Book SynopsisEvelyn is struggling to come to terms with the loss of her brother in the Great War, and to make her own way in the world - when a woman arrives with her brother''s illegitimate child...Living at home with her mother, aunt, and grandmother, Evelyn is still haunted by the death of her younger brother James in the First World War. She is also determined to make a career for herself as one of the first female lawyers. So when the doorbell rings late one night and a woman appears, claiming to have mothered James''s child, her world is turned upside down. Evelyn distrusts Meredith at first, but also finds that this new arrival challenges her work-obsessed lifestyle. So far her legal career has not set the world alight. But then two cases arise that make Evelyn realise perhaps she can make a difference. The first concerns a woman called Leah Marchant whose children have been taken away from her simply because she is poor. The second, Stephen Wheeler, has been chargeTrade ReviewOne of those books so intensely alive in the past that it makes the world you actually live in feel flimsy and thin. McMahon combines a thriller writer's grip, pace and punch with the true novelist's depth and warmth of feeling * GUARDIAN *A well-plotted, beautifully written tale which makes the point that everyone was a victim of the Great War * DAILY EXPRESS *a fantastic read: moving, gripping,absorbing and thrillingly sexy.. a skilful, highly atmospheric drama of guilt, passion and consequences.. the kind of book you never want to end -- Wendy Holden * DAILY MAIL *Compulsively readable... McMahon skilfully weaves the different strands of the complicated plot into a compelling and moving mystery story -- Anna Carey * THE GLOSS *McMahon vividly recreates the stifled atmosphere of the period, sympathetically portraying the dilemmas faced by women * WATERSTONE'S QUARTERLY *An absorbing and deftly woven tale, which impressively captures the spirit of the early 1920s... a cracking good read * PRESS ASSOCIATION *A real treat and bound to enhance her reputation * THE MAGISTRATE *Four stars: "Haunted by the loss of her brother in the First World War, Evelyn is shocked when someone appears with a boy, apparently a nephew" * OK! *One of those books so intensely alive in the past that it makes the world you actually live in feel flimsy and thin. McMahon combines a thriller writer's grip, pace and punch with the true novelist's depth and warmth of feeling. -- Hilary Spurling * GUARDIAN *
£22.57
Orion Publishing Co Dark Voyage
Book SynopsisFrom the master of the wartime espionage novel; a thrilling story of subterfuge at sea
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co The Polish Officer
Book SynopsisFrom the master of the historical spy thriller, a story set in the heart of the Polish resistanceTrade Reviewa tense and evocative spy thriller...brings a period of history vividly to life * ILFORD RECORDER *
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co Kingdom Of Shadows
Book SynopsisA novel of adventure and intrigue in wartime EuropeTrade Review'Alan Furst's spy fiction is serious, even solemn: a good but never light read.' - Literary Review.'Furst's tales...are infused with the melancholy romanticism of CASABLANCA, and also a touch of Arthur Koestler's Darkness at Noon.' - Scotsman'Throughout, the author's delight in the process of espionage shines through.' - TLS
£8.99
Orion Publishing Co An Equal Stillness
Book SynopsisWinner of the Orange Award for New Writers 2009Artist, lover, wife, mother: can one woman be them all?Born in 1924, Jennet Mallow grew up with a disillusioned mother and a father haunted by memories of war. But Jennet has a talent - and a passion - for art. When she meets the handsome painter David Heaton they begin a tempestuous affair which takes them from the dank terraces of London to a bohemian artistic community in St Ives. But as Jennet''s career flourishes, her relationship with David suffers - with potentially tragic consequences . . . ''The most beautiful, accomplished debut I have read for a long time . . . It is a powerful novel by a supremely talented artist'' OBSERVER ''Enchanting . . . exquisitely written'' DAILY EXPRESS''A masterful portrait of a woman forging an unexpectedly dazzling career against the backdrop of familial duty'' EASY LIVINGTrade ReviewA new star has arrived on the literary scene. -- AN Wilson * EVENING STANDARD *What distinguishes this tale...is Kay's fine balance of romance and realism and her beautiful evocation of how paintings reflect their creator's experiences. * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *one dazzingly brilliantly executed scene after another...A marvel. * INDEPENDENT *An impressive debut novel that paints a vivid portrait of a woman torn between the conflicts of creativity and familial duty. * DAILY EXPRESS *sensual...Francesca Kay knows - and shows - how good art takes on a life all of its own. * INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY *an absorbing and ambitious debut * GUARDIAN *The supple, verbless sentences of Fracesca Kay's accomplished first novel create a sensuous prose full of colour, taste and smell. -- Anthony Cummins * DAILY TELEGRAPH *This is an outstanding literary debut, with masterful variation in style and characterisation of deep insight * BOOKSELLER PAPERBACK PREVIEW *The most astounding success lies in the conjuring up of a lifetime's work - a glorious succession of paintings brought to sustained, poetic life. * ART NEWSPAPER *
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co Dark Star
Book Synopsis'Outclasses any spy novel I have ever read' Richard Condon, author of THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATETrade Review'Alan Furst's spy fiction is serious, even solemn: a good but never light read.' - Literary Review'[Furst's] stories combine keen deductive precision with much deeper, more turbulent and impassioned aspects of character... Mr. Furst... is an incomparable expert at this game.' - New York Times'For connoisseurs of wartime thrillers, a new novel by Alan Furst has become a major publishing event.' - Sunday Telegraph'Throughout, the author's delight in the process of espionage shines through.' - TLS
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co Red Gold
Book SynopsisThe sequel to THE WORLD AT NIGHT featuring Jean Casson - 'Casson could become a cult figure - reluctant spy, utterly disreputable' THE TIMESTrade Review'This is the kind of literate and erudite writing we have come to expect from Alan Furst, who gives us an object lesson in how a quiet, beautifully written spy thriller can be just as gripping as anything in which bombs and bullets fly...excellent.' - Guardian'[Furst's] stories combine keen deductive precision with much deeper, more turbulent and impassioned aspects of character; Mr. Furst is an incomparable expert at this game.' - New York Times'Furst's tales...are infused with the melancholy romanticism of Casablanca, and also a touch of Arthur Koestler's Darkness at Noon.' - Scotsman'Throughout, the author's delight in the process of espionage shines through.' - TLS
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co The World at Night
Book Synopsis'A wonderfully evocative picture of wartime Paris and the moral maze of resistance' Mail on SundayTrade Review'Casson is one of the best-drawn characters in recent fiction. THE WORLD AT NIGHT is a brilliant piece of atmospheric writing.' - Daily Telegraph'[Furst's] stories combine keen deductive precision with much deeper, more turbulent and impassioned aspects of character... Mr Furst...is an incomparable expert at this game.' - New York Times'Furst's tales...are infused with the melancholy romanticism of Casablanca, and also a touch of Arthur Koestler's Darkness at Noon.' - Scotsman'Throughout, the author's delight in the process of espionage shines through.' - TLS
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co Blood of Victory
Book SynopsisUtterly gripping spy thriller set in the glittering world of European high society, just before the Second World War.Trade Review'In the world of espionage thrillers, Alan Furst is in a class of his own.' - William Boyd'For connoisseurs of wartime thrillers, a new novel by Alan Furst has become a major publishing event.' - Sunday Telegraph'How do people remain human when everyday life jumps from being maddeningly normal one moment to bringing death, separation, or danger the next? Furst has embraced that existential wrong-footing, and his skill in doing so is what makes him so pleasurable and rewarding to read.' - Spectator
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co The Man In The Yellow Doublet
Book SynopsisCaptain Alatriste returns in a swashbuckling tale of intrigue, romance and regicide.Trade ReviewA tale of swashbuckling daredevilment, a good read * TELEGRAPH & ARGUS *Perez-Reverte is a master at creating a world from the past. * SUNDAY MERCURY *
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co The Coral Thief
Book SynopsisA powerful and gripping historical thriller for fans of The Essex Serpernt and The Miniaturist. ''Original and evocative ... a mesmerising thriller'' Daily Telegraph''Full of twists and turns'' Scotsman''An enthralling exploration of revolutionary science in post-revolutionary France'' Guardian''A book of penetrating humanity and a vivid evocation of Paris'' Financial Times Paris, 1815. Daniel Connor, a young medical student from Edinburgh, has just arrived in Paris to study anatomy at the Jardin des Plantes - only to realise that his letters of introduction and a gift of precious coral specimens, on which his tenure depends, have been stolen by the beautiful woman with whom he shared a stagecoach.In the fervour and tumult of post revolutionary Paris, nothing is quite as it seems. In trying to recover his lost valuables, Daniel discovers that his beautiful adversary is in fact a philosTrade ReviewCombines theories of evolution with the intrigue of an old-fashioned thriller...Clever and thought-provoking. * LONDON METRO *An utterly gripping, fascinating read. * SUGAR *Original and evocative, this thriller set in 19th-century Paris deftly weaves together history and science. * DAILY TELEGRAPH *Keenly researched, lovingly decorated, brimming with ideas but never short on character or charm -- Boyd Tonkin * INDEPENDENT *This book, like the coral that Daniel was originally carrying, is a rare and fascinating specimen. * TIMES *It makes for an entertaining narrative as Lucienne's band of well-spoken rogues duck and dive to avoid Jagot, the head of police. * GUARDIAN *An original and enthralling read. * BIG ISSUE IN THE NORTH *A riveting read * SUNDAY BUSINESS POST, Ireland *
£8.99
