Contemporary Fiction Books

Book Synopsis Praise for Erica James''A wonderfully humorous novel following the dysfunctional Baxter family'' Woman''s Own''Completely absorbing'' Sarah Morgan''A brilliant and gripping family drama ... full of heart'' My Weekly''A captivating read'' OK!Home is where the heart is... Paradise House, with its gorgeous views of the sea, was the perfect home for the Baxter girls to grow up in - that was, until their mother ran away to ''find herself''. Since then, it''s been down to Genevieve to keep the family-owned B&B afloat - which hasn''t always been easy, when her father spends most of his time hiding away from the flirtatious local women! And there''s little help from her sisters, either. Nattie is too busy offending her long-term admirer and Polly spends most of her days with her head in a book. But when Genevieve hears that a nearby tumbTrade ReviewA wonderfully humorous novel following the dysfunctional Baxter family * WOMAN'S OWN *A romantic, inventive and riveting read. James at her best * Good Book Guide *Erica James is perhaps one of this country's most popular fiction writers. So it's no surprise that her latest book - Paradise House - is as wonderful as the rest . . . This is Erica James at her best. Paradise House is not only funny, it is also a tale of human emotions - love, friendship and jealousy. James has a wonderful way of introducing characters that you can't help but instantly take a liking to - Paradise House is certainly no exception. This is, once again, a wonderful read * Our Time Magazine *

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Book Synopsis''I will be thinking about Penny, Josephine and Archie for a while yet!'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''A fun and entertaining story that made me laugh out loud!'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''Highly recommend!'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐_____________________________________________________________A charming, uplifting and cosy mystery about two national treasures hiding official secrets and double lives - perfect for fans of THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB.Revenge is a dish best served old...Meet the Williamson sisters, Britain''s most treasured World War II veterans. Now in their nineties, Josephine and Penny are in demand, popping up at commemorative events all over the country. Despite their age, they''re in great form-sprightly and sparky, and always in search of their next excitement. This time it''s a trip to Paris to receive the Légion d''honneur, accompanied by their devoTrade ReviewThis novel is the perfect mix of poignant, shocking and laugh-out-loud funny * Woman & Home *I adored the two leads in this fun and thrilling mystery. * Good Housekeeping *Full of irrepressible fun and tales of derring-do, The Excitements is "vraiment gai" as Josephine and Penny would say. * Red *Fun and delightful * Take a Breath *

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Book Synopsis''This book had me utterly gripped! A fabulous twisty read'' Lauren North''A twisty, compulsive mystery - the perfect BookTok read for 2023!'' Faith Hogan''A gripping and thought-provoking thriller that I raced through to the hugely satisfying ending'' M.A. Hunter ''A magnificent book and a must read'' Catherine Yardley''Someone needs to bring her down a peg or two...''When Pippa''s best friend goes missing on a school run, no one thinks twice. Heather is pretty, popular and more than a little wild.Most people think she ran away for the attention... Others say girls like her always get what''s coming to them.Pippa''s mother, Abbie, has never liked Heather. Or her mother Michelle, a successful doctor who thinks she''s too good for the school mums'' group. But when Heather turns up dead, everything changes. Because Pippa was the last person to see her alive... and now AbbTrade ReviewI really enjoyed this, it does exactly what I expected when I picked it up, plenty of twists and turns and a satisfying resolution. A twisty, compulsive mystery - the perfect BookTok read for 2023! * Faith Hogan *

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Book SynopsisFor romantic epic fantasy fans who loved King of Battle of Blood, The Bridge Kingdom, and Crave. Step into a world of hunters, vampires, and curses that run deeper than blood. This standalone is a must for fantasy vampire lovers.On the night of the blood moon, the Vampire Lord must die.Floriane''s position as the forge maiden of Hunter''s Hamlet is one of reverence, for it is her skill that arms and protects the vampire hunters. She knows her place and is a faithful servant to the Master Hunter and her community... until the night of the blood moon. Until her brother is dying at the hands of the Vampire Lord Ruvan.Wanting to defend her home at all costs, Floriane fights the vampire lord, ready to give her life if it means taking his. But Ruvan doesn''t want to take her life... he wants her.Kidnapped and brought to the vampire castle, Floriane is now blood sworn to the vampire lord. She is bound in mind and body to her worst

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Book SynopsisWith a new introduction by Lorraine Kelly, Sunday Times bestselling author of THE ISLAND SWIMMER''This is Binchy at her best'' MAIL ON SUNDAY''A brilliant storyteller'' GRAHAM NORTONRia and Marilyn have never met, but they''re about to switch lives for the summer... Ria Lynch lives in a big, warm, Victorian house in Tara Road, Dublin, where her life revolves around family and friends. Marilyn Vine lives thousands of miles away in a quiet, modern house in New England. After a terrible loss, she has closed herself off from the world. Two more unlikely friends would be hard to find, but when each needs a place to escape to, a house exchange seems the ideal solution. Along with the borrowed houses come neighbours and friends, gossip and speculation, and Ria and Marilyn soon realise that swapping lives won''t be the peaceful escape they''d been hoping for ... Though it might turn out toTrade ReviewAn irresistible tale * ELLE *What is Maeve Binchy's magic? Every time she publishes a novel the race is on to the armchair or the poolside seat, telephones fall eerily silent . . . Her great gift is to suck her reader into the drama of everyday lives without fuss . . . She relies on dialogue and on keeping up a cracking pace * DAILY MAIL *A tender novel of the pleasures and pitfalls of friendship, TARA ROAD is an ultra-modern love story for women, about women, between women that is sure to delight * NEWSDAY *Engrossing * WALL STREET JOURNAL *You can see why, for a legion of female readers, Maeve Binchy is a one-woman opiate of the people * EVENING STANDARD *She is one of the few writers who can pull at your heartstrings . . . The author's great skill is to draw you into the world she creates, so that reading her books is like gossiping with old friends * DAILY EXPRESS *Binchy is a consummate storyteller who involves the reader in the world she creates ... Binchy is a Dickens: she writes about the dilemmas of human beings with a backdrop which describes the manners and morals of a society * IRISH TIMES *Maeve Binchy's novels are just the kind of comforting companions so many women can't wait to take to bed ... Binchy's prose flows as naturally as conversation with a good friend * THE LADY *Two women, one from Dublin one from New England, end up on a house swap for the summer and find their lives changed for ever. Another tale with strong female characters and the importance of friendship. As always there are a host of characters to keep the interest going and plenty to make the reader question the nature of relationships * LOVE READING *She is the Queen of Fiction and one of the funniest and best-loved storytellers in the world...once you read Maeve you are hooked for life * IRISH TIMES *Maeve Binchy's work continues to inspire ... thought-provoking, warm and funny in equal measure * WOMAN *In TARA ROAD the extraordinary Maeve Binchy spins an irresistible tale of modern life, creating a world so packed with telling details and emotional perspicacity that you feel instantly connected to the heartbroken Ria Lynch and Marilyn Vine * ELLE *Absorbing and delightful * SUNDAY TIMES *Full of characteristic humour and warmth, a lovely read * SUNDAY MIRROR *Moving, original, funny and entertaining... It's the same skill shown in their craft by Irish writers such as Marian Keyes and Sally Rooney. A rare gift. -- Róisín Ingle * Irish Times *There is always a moment of mild astonishment when you turn the final page of a Maeve Binchy novel and look up, only to discover that the characters don't actually live in your house * Irish Times *TARA ROAD, even years later, is still everything you want in a Maeve Binchy book. It's moving, original, funny and entertaining...It's the same skill shown in their craft by Irish writers such as Marian Keyes and Sally Rooney. A rare gift -- Roisin Ingle * IRISH TIMES *

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Book SynopsisA devastating tragedy tears a family apart - a superb novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author of THE SEPTEMBER GIRLS. Pretty Amy Curran was just eighteen years old when she met Barney Patterson, the love of her life, on Southport Pier in 1939. Their romantic, passionate marriage was made in heaven - but with the outbreak of war, Barney volunteered to fight, and the couple were separated for five long years. When he returned to Liverpool after VE Day, he wasn't the same person - and neither was Amy. How could things have become so twisted that one day Amy would kill the husband she once so adored? And what happened to their little girl, Pearl, just five years old at the time? In 1971 Amy is released from prison - although her freedom will change the lives of others, not least that of her daughter. But Pearl has her own demons to exorcise in her quest for happiness. And the greatest question she must ask herself is this: can shTrade Reviewa tender saga of family life that explores the themes of love and forgiveness * My Weekly *Millions of fans can't be wrong. A spellbinding story set in Liverpool in the war and post-war years * BELFAST MORNING TELEGRAPH *

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Book Synopsis''It has everything I love in a romantasy. I absolutely adored it'' CARRIE ELKS''Fun, sweet and sexy'' SARAH HAWLEY''A magical rollercoaster which will charm the hex out of the hardest of hearts'' JESSICA THORNE-----One hurricane. Two stranded witches.Sparks are bound to fly...Kay knows three things to be true: a witch who cannot control their powers is dangerous, she needs to make it home for her brother''s wedding, and Harry Ashworth is the last person she ever wants to see...But after visiting the witching community''s equivalent of IT support to try to fix her misbehaving magic, a hurricane hits and her flight home is cancelled!Not only is Kay stranded, but she''s stranded with Harry - her infuriatingly handsome and charming childhood friend, who broke her heart when they were teenagers.Except Harry is a frustratingly powerful witch so working together might be their only way Trade ReviewWitch you Weren't Here cast a spell on me from the first page with its bewitching brew of angst, charm and romance. A magical delight! * M.A Kuzniar *Emma Jackson has a new fan! I devoured Witch You Weren't here in less than a day, and now I want more. With fabulous characters, a swoony brother's best friend romance, and a road trip gone wrong it has everything I love in a romantasy. I absolutely adored it * Carrie Elks *A magical rollercoaster which charm the charm the hex out of the hardest of hearts * Jessica Thorne *I loved everything about this book! As warm and gently soothing as a magicked cup of tea - this is the perfect witchy comfort read * Laura Wood *Emma Jackson has a new fan! I devoured Witch You Weren't here in less than a day, and now I want more. With fabulous characters, a a swoony brother's best friend romance, and a road trip gone wrong it has everything I love in a romantasy. I absolutely adored it. * Carrie Elks *

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Book Synopsis''Nick is hot, and cute and a serious book boyfriend material'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ''It got my heart in a flutter'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''Romance was so perfect, I haven''t read anything like it'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''Carlie Walker can tell a story!!'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ He wants to take her out. She wants to take him down...Sydney''s mission is simple:1. Stop her little sister from marrying a notorious criminal2. Seduce his bodyguard to gather intel for the FBI3. Definitely do not fall in love...Agent Sydney Swift is going home for the holidays. She''s just discovered that her younger sister, Calla, is engaged to Johnny Jones - the heir to the nation''s most notorious crime dynasty - and she''s determined to stop their perfect winter wedding at any cost.But gathering incrimi

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Book Synopsis''You will lose yourself in Lucy Debussy''s worlds.'' Meghan Flaherty, author of Tango Lessons''Rich and creamy writing fired with a crackling of humour... Tales that charm as quickly as they disarm.'' Lynsey May, author of Weak Teeth''Beautiful, shocking and beautifully shocking; treat yourself to this rich and sensuous read.'' Catherine Simpson, author of One BodyNow as they take their pleasure, I shall take mine...A Spanish Inquisitor''s daughter breaks out of piety to tap into her talents as a dominatrix. A woman inhabiting a male identity as a sailor explores a heady sexuality that dances across gender lines.An exacting auctioneer loves putting the bidding paddles to good use, and a journalist follows a travelling circus to discovers a carnal awakening with the man who keeps the aerialists flying...The erotic stories in this collection each feature women stepping into their sexuTrade ReviewThis is erotica for the thinking woman. Like all good erotica, it dances with taboo, but lingers on the right edge of inviting. Like all good historical fiction, it gives those hits of sensual detail and diction. You'll smell the food, the human food, the textiles. You will lose yourself in Lucy Debussy's worlds and (almost) forget you're reading (high-class, literary) smut. -- Meghan Flaherty, author of Tango Lessons

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Book Synopsis''The chemistry they have is amazing and the steaming moments are HOT'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''It''s one of the best romance books/best friends sister relationship books I''ve EVER read! And I read A LOT!'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐I want her. She wants to feel wanted. Those are two very different things...I never expected my best friend''s little sister to become the one I craved, but it happened anyway. In the beginning, we were both young, then she was too young, and then suddenly...she wasn''t.Unfortunately for me, things got complicated, so I took off, but this girl? She followed.Now she''s sitting across from me, asking me to do something I''ve thought about more times than I''ll admit. Something I really shouldn''t do. She wants me to take her virginity.The problem? No way I could kiss her and not keep her, but she''s not looking to be claimed. She wants to feel, not fall,

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Book SynopsisFake. That''s what we are. That''s what we agreed to be. So why does it feel so real?I thought it would have been harder, convincing everyone our school''s star receiver was mine and mine alone, but I was wrong. We played our parts so well that the lines between us began to blur until they disappeared completely.The thing about pretending, though, someone''s always better at it, and by the time I realized my mistake, there was no going back. I fell for our lie. And then everything fell apart. It turned out he and I were never playing the same game.He didn''t have to break me to win.But he did it anyway.

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Book SynopsisA dark and addictive exploration of modern love by an electrifying new talent, for fans of Magpie and ExpectationTrade ReviewDarkly and steadily absorbing - the cool, even tone perfectly matched with the intimate, implosive subject matter. The characters are so plausibly and skilfully drawn . . . I loved it * Kate Murray-Browne *What a read. Dark and addictive, Everything We Are is a brilliant exploration of broken people and destructive relationships. I loved it * Nikki Smith *This book should come with a warning - don't start reading if you need an early night . . . Unnerving and exhilarating, it's a compelling and forensic exploration of love, marriage and happy ever after * Marianne Levy *Totally addictive. An insightful and intriguing look into the minds of good or damaged characters who can't help behaving badly * Matt Cain *A masterpiece . . . Here is a writer who really sees and understands the mechanics of human nature, who writes beautifully about love, but not the shiny, happy kind - more the difficult and resilient kind that comes after many years together. It's almost painful at times in its accuracy. It's sharp as knives * Laura Pearson *This is a story about lack of communication, of secrets and lies and bottling things up. It's urban, slick and wonderfully written with plenty of sex, drugs and glossy modern lifestyle detail. But at its centre is someone twisted and sad and Angelico's great achievement is to create sympathy for him * Daily Mail *A dark novel that we couldn't put down * Bella *

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Book SynopsisHerschel Caine is a master of the universe. His hedge fund, built on the miracle of machine learning, is inches away from systematically sapping profits from the market. His SoHo offices (shoes optional, therapy required) are ready for desperate investors to flood through the doors. But on May 12, his mind is elsewhere-at his Cobble Hill townhouse and the dinner party designed to impress his flawless neighbours. When the soiree falters, Herschel concocts a prank that goes horrifically awry, plunging him into a tailspin of guilt and regret. As Herschel''s perfect world starts to slip away, he clings to the moral clarity he finds in the last place he''d expect: a sudden connection with his neighbour''s dog.A wildly inventive, reality-bending trip, The Vegan holds a mirror up to its reader and poses a question only a hedge fund manager could: is purity a convertible asset? The more Herschel disavows his original sin, and the more it threatens to be revealed, the more it Trade ReviewAndrew Lipstein's The Vegan is a meaty comedy with a bleeding heart, highly recommended for all animals who read -- Joshua Cohen, winner of the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for FictionThe Vegan is the weirdest novel I've read in ages. In a good way. A genre unto itself. Skillfully written and strangely addictive -- Lionel ShriverSkewers capitalism, consumerism, and milquetoast morality in its pointed teeth * Elle *Exquisite . . . perfectly pitched between farce and poignancy * i *One of my favourite books . . . poignant, but also really funny and lightly written . . . grapples with ethical questions in a really sensitive way * Financial Times *I ignored house and home to read this propulsive story of impulse, guilt, and resolve. A dazzling and resonant allegory for our moral moment -- Julia May Jonas, author of VLADIMIRA pig in a blanket of irony, subversion and humour * New York Times *Propulsive * Los Angeles Times *You will want to tear through this ingenious tale in one sitting, but I urge you to resist and wallow in the strange, hilarious, whip-smart world Andrew Lipstein has built. Exacting, upending and constantly surprising, I loved this novel -- Cynthia D'Aprix SweeneyAt once bracingly contemporary and deeply strange . . . The Vegan channels the queasy paranoia of an era when the fear of human extinction via machine learning can make even masters of the universe feel like trapped animals * Time *In his engrossing new novel, Andrew Lipstein has produced a feverish, fantastically surprising parable about guilt, money, and (curveball) the lives of animals. It reads like the unholy offspring of Saul Bellow's Seize the Day and Julio Cortázar's cosmic short fiction, or Crime and Punishment for the Brooklyn brownstone set -- Andrew Martin, author of EARLY WORK AND COOL FOR AMERICAA propulsive, wild ride * Vanity Fair *A fresh, witty, masterfully crafted morality tale for the modern age. Lipstein has conceived an unforgettable character, terrifyingly real, who could have walked out of an episode of Succession. I absolutely (bordering on obsessively) loved this novel -- Virginia Feito, author of MISS MARCHAndrew Lipstein's hilarious, acid-tart, spot-on, and deeply unnerving novel The Vegan follows its privileged narrator as his inability to tolerate his own guilt and complicity deranges him. We can't turn away as he follows his impulse, both righteous and ridiculous, to burn it all down. Lipstein has written a precise, weird, and wildly propulsive take on modern American ethical and moral bankruptcy -- Dana Spiotta, author of WAYWARDA sharply observed literary novel with elements of satire and intrigue baked into the mix, The Vegan is a deftly told morality tale for our time -- Jonathan TropperA funny, intelligent page-turner, The Vegan explores what it means to have self-determination and to take it from another - or to have it taken from you. It unfolds in a delectably paranoid fever dream that possesses a Kafkaesque strangeness, humor, and moral terror. One of the most entertaining and beguiling novels I've read in years. Lipstein has quickly joined the ranks of my favorite contemporary novelists -- Cara Blue Adams, author of YOU NEVER GET IT BACKA topsy-turvy investigation of that most disorienting question: What does it mean to be a good person? * Kirkus Reviews *The Vegan is unexpectedly hilarious in the face of doom. Andrew Lipstein has managed to create gruesomely cinematic scenes within a contemporary landscape of greed, and it's amazing to watch -- Chelsea Hodson, author of TONIGHT I'M SOMEONE ELSEWith mind-bending skillfulness, The Vegan plumbs the back alleys of morality without ever moralizing. This is storytelling that feels sharply contemporary, dizzyingly intelligent, and utterly original. -- Allegra Hyde, author of THE LAST CATASTROPHE

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Book SynopsisNew edition of the Terry Nation classic Galactic freedom fighters battle The Federation.Accused of a brutal crime and exiled from Dome City, where a vicious regime wields dictatorial power, Roj Blake swears vengeance on the corrupt leaders who have destroyed his future.Hijacking the Liberator, the most advanced spacecraft ever created, Blake travels to the sinister planet Cygnus Alpha and risks everything to rescue other victims of the regime. And with these allies he forms a new fighting force to combat galactic injustice and fight The Federation.Blake''s 7 is born.Trade ReviewBlake's 7: 40 years on, the dystopian sci-fi drama still packs a punch * GUARDIAN *A genuine classic * TELEGRAPH *It was forward thinking in the use of ongoing storylines and has been cited as an influence on such shows as Babylon 5, Firefly and Deep Space 9 * SFFCHRONICLES.COM *One of the most popular sci-fi series Britain has ever produced * DOUX REVIEWS *A serious home grown science fiction adventure series * TelevisionHeaven.co.uk *

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Book SynopsisSilence has fallen. The Psy are free to feel emotion. Free to love. But Silence was never a prison for Ivan Mercant. The biggest threat to his future lies dormant in his brain - a psychic monster that wants only to feed. And now, the brutal leash he''s kept on that monster is slipping. He prepared for this day, for the end of Ivan Mercant . . . but that was before he met Lei.As primal as she is human, this wild changeling brings colour into his life, laughter to his soul. Then the dream shatters in a rain of blood, in silent bodies in the snow. Lei is gone. Vanished without a trace . . . until Ivan meets strangely familiar eyes across a busy San Francisco street.Soleil Bijoux Garcia is a healer who has lost everything. She exists in a world of desolate aloneness . . . until the day she finds herself face-to-face with a lethal stranger. The animal who is her other half knows this man, but her memories are tattered fragments. Sorrow and a need for

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Book Synopsis''STRIKING, ETHEREAL AND TRANSCENDENT'' NEW YORK TIMES''THIS BOOK WILL LEAVE YOU BREATHLESS'' BRYN GREENWOODNo heart is safe on the savage side.Arcade and Daffodil are twin sisters born one minute apart. With their fiery red hair and thirst for escape, they form an imaginative world of their own, nurtured by their grandmother''s stories. But no matter how hard they try, Arc and Daffy can''t escape the generational ghosts that haunt their family. And so, left to fend for themselves in the shadow of their rural Ohio town, the two sisters cling tight to one another.Years later, a local woman is discovered dead in the river. Soon, more bodies are left floating in the water, and as the killer circles ever closer, Arc''s promise to keep her sister safe becomes increasingly desperate - and the powerful riptide of the savage side more difficult to survive.Drawing from the true story of women killed in Chillicothe, Ohio, Trade ReviewEye-opening, chilling and yet compassionate, On the Savage Side is a disturbing and insightful re-imagining of a true-life crime story. * Dan Chaon, author of ILL WILL *A brilliant and beautifully written book about a stark and terrible world, On the Savage Side brings a sense of humanity to the ravages of addiction. This book is as important as it is timely. * Garth Stein, author of THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN *Inspired by a true crime story, Tiffany McDaniel has written a novel of the highest literary merits, a book about the bonds of family, community, and the consequences of those bonds failing us. It is a story that speaks to America's current moral disorientation, and then transcends it. * Elliot Ackerman, author of DARK AT THE CROSSING *Tiffany McDaniel's characters will break a reader's heart with their longing and vulnerable loves. "A trio of women who could have been queens in a different parade," they tell stories of an America that deserves a closer look, from a writer who delineates their lives with tenderness. * Susan Straight, author of HIGHWIRE MOON *In On the Savage Side, Tiffany McDaniel paints a portrait of addiction that is honest and unapologetically brutal, yet her twin protagonists are never defined solely by their struggles. Instead they are artists and swimmers, archeologists and poets, searching for the smallest glints of hope in a world where their love for each other is the only constant. Dedicated to the memory of six women who disappeared or were killed in Chillicothe, Ohio, the novel asks pressing questions about why society deems some injustices tragic and others merely inconvenient. If only all women whose suffering has been ignored could have an artist as gifted as McDaniel to give their eulogy. * Anjali Sachdeva, author of ALL THE NAMES THEY USED FOR GOD *Tiffany McDaniel spins an elaborate, glittering web of brutality and childlike innocence. On the Savage Side lays bare the cruel devolution of addiction, and the way it clings to a family, dragging them into poverty and desperate acts. This book will leave you breathless, heartbroken, and agape at how beauty persists in the midst of tragedy. * Bryn Greenwood, author of ALL THE UGLY AND WONDERFUL THINGS *Striking, ethereal and transcendent * New York Times *Unapologetically beautiful . . . McDaniel combines unflinching realism with otherworldly fairy-tale lyricism to powerfully redemptive effect in this slow-burning reckoning with America's exploding drugs nightmare * Daily Mail *An evocative and deeply moving story * Irish Times *

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Book SynopsisWhat could be more innocuous than grass? Or more idyllic than a world covered with a wind-whipped ocean of verdant plains? But the planet Grass conceals horrifying secrets within its endless pastures. And as an incurable plague attacks all inhabited planets but this one, the prairie-like Grass begins to reveal these secrets - and nothing will ever be the same again ...Considered to be among one of Sheri S. Tepper''s best works, Grass was nominated for both the Hugo and Locus awards. It explores ideas of colonisation, class and sits as part of a rich culture of feminist SF. In 2015, Tepper received the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement.''A splendid achievement, one of the most satisfying science fiction novels I have read in years'' - New York Times''One of science fiction''s premier world-builders'' - The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction''Tepper delves into the nature of truth and religion . . . in her

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Book SynopsisHarper Connelly''s past comes back to haunt her in the final gripping supernatural mystery from bestselling author Charlaine Harris.Taking a break from investigating, Harper and Tolliver head back to Texas, where they grew up - and her sister Cameron went missing eight years ago. But when they arrive home, Tolliver''s dad arrives on the scene seeking forgiveness, and the police get a tip-off that after all these years, Cameron''s been spotted in a mall. Soon, family secrets ensnare them both and Harper finally discovers what happened to her missing sister so many years before. And what she finds out will change her world forever. . . ''Harris delivers a knuckle-gnawing tale . . . [that] will challenge the most jaded mystery buffs'' Publishers Weekly on Grave Sight

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Book SynopsisThe between days were days of pure white heat.Summer is swelling around the village. Heat is surging, people are whispering about a great hungry wave, and in the garden, Anna is kicking her dying dog on the grass.But someone is watching her. The girl. Ava.Outside, the brutal summer blisters on. Inside, over the course of one claustrophobic week, Anna and Ava become caught up in their own world. Become swallowed by each-otherness. But what does Ava really want?As faces fray and secrets splinter, the past casts the present anew, and Anna and Ava are forced to reckon with who they truly are. Because who we are, Ava Anna Ada warns us, is not always the same as what we are to each other.Braiding climate chaos, lust, poetry and violence, Ali Millar''s debut novel is a contemporary fable against images and their enduring hold on us. Attuned to the knotty texture of reality, Ava Anna Ada asks us to confront the way things lTrade ReviewKay Dick's They meets early Iain Banks or Ian McEwan in this novel of a near-future family meltdown. Every bit as gripping as it is horrifying. * Ian Rankin *So striking... like seeing our last few years through a distorted fever-dream. The precision and delicacy of the violence is uncanny * Lucy Caldwell *Shocking and uncompromising, but effortlessly and unpretentiously so, Millar's writing is visceral and vibrant; piercingly astute in rendering the inner thoughts and raw emotions of her protagonists, unearthing diamonds of humanity from the mire of brutality * Miki Berenyi *Tense, ruthless and fevered, Ava Anna Ada is a bracingly original tale of lust and malice amidst dementing heat, general unravelling, and the late nightmares of a screaming planet. * Rob Doyle *A work of exquisite strangeness, Ava Anna Ada is unsettling and arresting. It moves from character to character, page to page, with beguiling relentlessness. Ali Millar's writing is full of dark richness and fevered heat, but also cool stringency in its exploration of grief and femininity. * Wendy Erskine *Ava Anna Ada is both brilliantly stylish and horribly unnerving . . . an almost impossibly elegant evocation of violence, eroticism and derangement. A weird, furious, fucked-up fable. -- Keiran GoddardLove and lust are the dark forces that intertwine within Ava Anna Ada. Millar is a rare talent and has created a hypnotic, profound and mesmerising novel * Ewan Morrison *Ava Anna Ada is as brilliantly queasy as Nabokov's final novel, Look At The Harlequins! ... This is an unforgettable and unflinching book. Even though there are moments of ghastly comedy it manages to end with a moment of sublimity. But the sublime, as Blake described it, something overwhelming that reminds us of our mortality, of the 'terrible uncertainty of the thing' -- Stuart Kelly * The Scotsman *A perverse, dark tale of shifting identities, deceit and manipulation * Financial Times *'A work of exquisite strangeness, Ava Anna Ada is unsettling and arresting. It moves from character to character, page to page, with beguiling relentlessness. Ali Millar's writing is full of dark richness and fevered heat, but also cool stringency in its exploration of grief and femininity.' * Wendy Erskine *

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Book SynopsisPre-Order SHY CREATURES: the unforgettable new novel about love, family and freedom from award-winning author of SMALL PLEASURES, Clare ChambersCOMING AUGUST 2024***A BEAUTIFUL HARDBACK SPECIAL EDITION, FEATURING RECIPES AND AN EXCLUSIVE Q&A WITH THE AUTHORTHE PERFECT GIFT FOR THE BOOK LOVER IN YOUR LIFELONGLISTED FOR THE WOMEN''S PRIZE FOR FICTIONA BBC 2 ''BETWEEN THE COVERS'' BOOK CLUB PICK''Wonderful'' RICHARD OSMAN''Perfect'' INDIA KNIGHT ''Beautiful'' JESSIE BURTON ''Witty and sharp'' DAVID NICHOLLS1957, the suburbs of south east London. Jean Swinney is a journalist on a local paper, trapped in a life of duty and disappointment from which there is no likelihood of escape. When a young woman, Gretchen Tilbury, contacts the paper to claim that her daughter is the result of a virgin birth, it is down to Jean to discover whether she is a miracle or a fraud. AsTrade ReviewA very fine book... It's witty and sharp and reads like something by Barbara Pym or Anita Brookner, without ever feeling like a pastiche. * David Nicholls, author of ONE DAY *Perfect. * India Knight *Small lives, love and loneliness, wit and despair all wrapped in an unexpected mystery and placed in a perfectly-realised 50s setting. Effortless to read, but every sentence lingers in the mind. * Lissa Evans, author of OLD BAGGAGE *This is one of the most tender, beautiful books I have ever read. Please, please order it now for July. I honestly don't want you to be without it. It is exquisite. * Lucy Mangan *I've had about five people recommend this to me, which is quite rare... It's a novel about the last throw of the dice, the last chance perhaps of finding a life of happiness when you've had a struggle. The writing is beautiful. This is also the first novel Chambers has written for 10 years, which I find really inspiring. I think there's this discourse in our culture that you've got to have everything done in your first book ... But Chambers has been away for 10 years and she's come back with this absolute humdinger. It's just so nice to read a book by someone who's so confident with their talent. I'm glad she's having this renaissance. * Jessie Burton *Quietly remarkable... Small Pleasures is no small pleasure. -- Andrew Billen * THE TIMES *Small Pleasures is an almost flawlessly written tale of genuine, grown-up romantic anguish. Written in prose that is clipped as closely as suburban hedges, this is a book about seemingly mild people concealing turbulent feelings... one of the great strengths of the book is its tender, atmospheric descriptions of England: wet leaves, misted windows, the "melancholy sense of approaching dusk". Small Pleasures succeeds in creating one of those enclosed fictional worlds that, however desolate, has its own rules, its own flavour and its own charm. -- Johanna Thomas-Corr * THE SUNDAY TIMES *There's compassion and quiet humour to be found in this tale of a putative virgin birth in postwar suburban London... Chambers's eye for drab, undemonstrative details achieves a Larkin-esque lucidity. -- Alfred Hickling * GUARDIAN *An irresistible novel - wry, perceptive and quietly devastating. -- Hephzibah Anderson * MAIL ON SUNDAY *Small Pleasures is no twee romance, but a quietly compelling novel of duty and desire. -- Francesca Carington * THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *Wonderful. * Richard Osman *A wonderful novel. I loved it. * Nina Stibbe *Miraculous. * Tracy Chevalier *A beautiful and moving read set in 1950s suburbia that'll be on bookseller tables across the land this summer -- Francesca Brown * STYLIST *This is a dazzling, exquisitely written story of how happiness and even love can find us when we least expect it. -- Sarra Manning * RED *There are small pleasures aplenty in Clare Chambers' quietly observed, 1950s-set story... Chambers' novel combines a startling storyline with an engagingly nuanced portrait of post-war suburban femininity. -- Claire Allfree * METRO *A stunning novel to steal your heart. * WOMAN & HOME *A wonderfully compassionate imagining of the post-war years, darned with the fine skeins of love. -- Kerry Fowler * SAINSBURY’S MAGAZINE *I loved this novel, which simmers with repressed emotions, and the gut punch of an ending really stayed with me. -- Jo Finney * GOOD HOUSEKEEPING, Book of the Month *The glorious literary equivalent of pulling the duvet over your head... Both an absorbing mystery and a tender love story - and the ending is devastating. Chambers is a writer who finds the truth in things. If you admire Tessa Hadley or Anne Tyler (and there are shades of Barbara Pym too), then this is one for you. -- Alice O'Keefe * The Bookseller, Book of the Month *It is a glorious piece of storytelling where powerful emotions and awful revelations are treated with a dignity that makes them all the more devastating. -- Eithne Farry * DAILY MIRROR *A gentle, heart-aching mystery that's infused with empathy and a keen understanding of stifling 1950s mores. -- Stephanie Cross * DAILY MAIL *The author's first novel in almost 10 years is so good it made me want to read her entire backlist!.. An enticing read. -- Nina Pottell * PRIMA *I am perverse about those books that acquire a sudden, unexpected popularity; perhaps a combination of natural contrariness and fear of being out of step with the cultural zeitgeist. I'm glad I overcame that irrational prejudice for Small Pleasures by Clare Chambers, another story of lives that appear to have hit the buffers... A little gem of a book that transplants the listener quite elsewhere, while exploring the abiding issue of how much we are prepared to suspend our disbelief if we glimpse a chance of happiness. * Financial Times (Best Audiobooks) *Clare Chambers's novel is a delight to read: completely and utterly haunting... Quietly confident with moments of vibrant humour, this is an exquisitely drawn study of human fragility. -- Helena Gumley-Mason * THE LADY *Part mystery, part love story, part reflection on changing attitudes to sexuality in post-war Britain, Small Pleasures is a disarmingly gentle read that quietly builds to a devastating conclusion. -- Scarlett Sangster * PRESS ASSOCIATION - syndicated across regional newspapers and websites *A devourable mystery with a side order of love story set in 1950s suburbia. -- Rosamund Dean * GRAZIA *Hauntingly tender, and written with powerful grace, Clare Chambers's Small Pleasures is an absolute joy from start to finish... Laying bare a quivering three-way tug between obligation, propriety and passion, and the inexplicable way thunderbolt-bonds are formed between similar-souled individuals, Jean's conflicts and chance to love truly get under your skin. What a remarkable book, with a dagger-sharp climax that will pierce your heart. * LOVEREADING - July Picks of the Month and a Star Book *Beautiful... Small Pleasures is a sort of meditation on finding moments of joy (a solo cigarette, a melting ice-cream) in a context of wider sadness. * Emma Beddington in the Observer Magazine *Small Pleasures is a tender and heart-rending tale that will draw you in from the first page and keep you gripped until the very end. Exquisitely compelling! * Ruth Hogan, author of THE KEEPER OF LOST THINGS *Clare Chambers is that rare thing, a novelist of discreet hilarity, deep compassion and stiletto wit whose perspicacious account of suburban lives with their quiet desperation and unexpected passion makes her the 21st century heir to Jane Austen, Barbara Pym and Elizabeth Taylor. Small Pleasures is both gripping and a huge delight. I loved what she did with the trope of the claim of a virgin birth, and how the hope of a miracle opens the door to love, kindness and hope in an arid existence. This is better than Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and deserves just as much acclaim. * Amanda Craig, author of THE LIE OF THE LAND *Clare Chambers is such a witty, astute and subtle writer. There is a delightful whiff of Pym or Whipple about Small Pleasures - it's an absolute delight! * Lucy Atkins, author of MAGPIE LANE *Elegant, compelling, funny, sad. I loved every word of this tone perfect novel. I was so absorbed I stopped only to wonder if the author had squirrelled away a lost classic by Barbara Pym and presented it as her own. * Polly Samson, author of A THEATRE FOR DREAMERS *Small Pleasures is a gorgeous treat of a novel: the premise is fascinating, the characters beautifully drawn and utterly compelling, the period setting masterfully and delicately evoked, and the plot is full of unexpected twists and turns. And oh, the finale broke my heart. I just couldn't put this novel down. * Laura Barnett, #1 bestselling author of THE VERSIONS OF US *I adored Small Pleasures. It's engrossing and gripping: you want to race on and relish every sentence at the same time. I love the way Clare writes - her wry, subtle turns of phrase, the humour in the smallest of observations, the finely drawn characters. A wonderful book' * Sabine Durrant, author of LIE WITH ME *A delicious mystery and a touching exploration of loneliness and desire in cloying 1950s suburbia - a great read. * Sally Magnusson, author of THE SEALWOMAN'S GIFT *Small Pleasures is the best sort of book: full of longing, regret and difficult emotions but leavened with so much warmth and humour it was a joy from start to finish. * Francesca Jakobi, author of BITTER *The must-read uplifting book of the summer. * WEST END LANE BOOKSHOP *You know one of those rare books that just immerses you with its richly constructed world and compelling narrative. Well, Small Pleasures is that book. * BOOK RIOT, Best Books of Summer 2020 *Praise for the audiobook:Narrated by Karen Cass, who ably gives voice to a range of characters including lugubrious journalists, the potential trickster, Swiss woman Gretchen Tilbury, and her phlegmatic husband Howard, it's a little gem of a book that transplants the listener quite elsewhere, while exploring the abiding issue of how much we are prepared to suspend our disbelief if we glimpse a chance of happiness. * FINANCIAL TIMES *The novel's charms lie less in its sensational subject than in the journalist's tentative efforts to escape the drab horizons of her daily existence. Quietly perfect. -- Claire Allfree * EVENING STANDARD, Books of the Year *Blissful. -- Cressida Connelly * THE SPECTATOR, Books of the Year *This is a dazzling, exquisitely written story of how happiness and even love can find us when we least expect it. -- Sarra Manning * RED MAGAZINE, 10 Best Books of 2020 *This novel brings a sensibility not unlike those of Barbara Pym and Philip Larkin to a story (inspired by a real-life episode in the 1950s) of a woman who claims to have had a child by virgin birth... In a milieu of reticence and chin-up stoicism, startling revelations surface and emotions hopefully stir. -- Peter Kemp * THE TIMES, Best Novels of 2020 *Made me want to read the whole of her back catalogue!... An enticing read. -- Nina Pottell * PRIMA, Books of the Year *One of the year's most quietly affecting books... achingly tender. * THE DAILY TELEGRAPH, Books of the Year *PRAISE FOR CLARE CHAMBERS'Clare Chambers is a diamond in the dust' Independent on Sunday'Clare Chambers' characters are so vivid that, by the end of the book, they feel like old friends' Daily MailA book I very much enjoyed and will be gifting is SMALL PLEASURES by Clare Chambers. It's a love story tangled up with a very satisfying mystery. The portrayal of post-war suburbia, its boredom and frustration, is so vivid and you long for the characters to find happiness. It's Brief Encounter with an ingenious twist. -- David Nicholls * GOOD HOUSEKEEPING, Books of the Year *Set in 1957, Chambers' atmospheric tale of lonely journalist Jean and her last chance at love is compelling, beautifully written and will shatter your heart into smithereens. Unmissable. -- Charlotte Heathcote * DAILY EXPRESS, Books of the Year *Clare Chambers' novels have a unique quality of elegiac charm, and Small Pleasures, her breakthrough success, is set inrecognisable 1950s' Kent. The setting alone is a wonderful escape from our own big bad reality and the plot - based on a true story of a woman who claimed to have undergone a virgin birth - is both striking and atmospheric. Hers is a lost suburban world of quiet anguish and inhibited ecstasies. Chambers is compared to Barbara Pym but is more joyful andaddictive. I was hooked from her first novel. Treat yourself to all her work. -- Jane Thynne * THE TABLET, Best Books of the Year *Some of the year's most purely enjoyable reading could be found in this perfectly formed, 1950s-set tale... A droll, charming and wholly absorbing blend of period mystery and romance. -- Anthony Cummins * METRO, Books of the Year *I loved this book. Thoughtful and empathetic storytelling that is full of suspense. It is full of conflict, asking questions about duty and happiness. -- Jamie Klingler * I NEWSPAPER *Clare Chambers's bittersweet novel of unexpected late love is beautifully observed and quietly compelling. -- Jane Shilling * DAILY MAIL *

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Book SynopsisTHE FIRST ADULT NOVEL BY THE CARNEGIE PRIZE WINNING AUTHOR OF JUNK''A spirited retelling... witty and insightful.'' i PAPER''His prose is electrical, crackling with a mischievous charge.'' BUZZ MAGAZINE''Told with wit [and] verve... it''s a book that exerts a curious charm.'' MAIL ON SUNDAY''Burgess recounts Loki''s genius . . . with great gusto, pulling together many tales into one sometimes beautifully lyrical masterwork.'' SFX MAGAZINE''a mischievous, unpredictable and clever book that breathes new life into an already fascinating character and godly race.'' CULTUREFLYStep into the ancient fir-tree forests of Scandinavia and bear witness to legends as epic as those of the Greeks and the Romans.Melvin Burgess revolutionised children''s literature with the infamous cult novels Junk and Doing It. In his first adult novel, Loki, he breathes new life

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Book SynopsisThe debut adult novel by the bestselling and award-winning YA author Nina LaCour, following two women on a star-crossed journey toward each other.Trade ReviewNina LaCour's Yerba Buena is a love story for our time. I so admired its truth and candor, the lilting prose and the two compelling protagonists, Sara and Emilie, whose lives weave, break and bend towards each other until the novel's moving and deeply satisfying conclusion. Yerba Buena is an absolute joy to read. * Tara Conklin, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Romantics *Tactile, tender and intimate, Yerba Buena is a gorgeous, sensory exploration of life's richest moments. Led by two soulful and complex women, it is a breath of sweetness and a joy to read. * Charlotte McConaghy, New York Times bestselling author of Once There Were Wolves and Migrations *"Yerba Buena tells two lovely, tangled, gorgeously-detailed coming-of-age stories. It is a novel full of heartbreak and hope, food and flowers, complication and compromise, love and loss and lessons learned the hard way. But especially love. * Laurie Frankel, New York Times bestselling author of One Two Three and This Is How It Always Is *Yerba Buena is not just a book to read; it's a story to revel in, so full is it of sensual pleasures?food and flowers, cocktails and home decor?all of it enveloping a sexy, magnetic and unputdownable love story of two young women fighting their way past family demons and toward each other. This is Nina LaCour's best work yet. * Gayle Forman, New York Times bestselling author of If I Stay and We Are Inevitable *

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Book SynopsisKing and Chizmar join forces again with a powerful stand-alone novel that is also the final chapter in the Gwendy trilogy.When Gwendy Peterson was twelve, a stranger named Richard Farris gave her a mysterious box for safekeeping. It offered treats and vintage coins, but it was dangerous. Pushing any of its seven coloured buttons promised death and destruction.Years later, the button box re-entered Gwendy''s life. A successful novelist and a rising political star, she was once more forced to deal with the temptations that the box represented - an amazing sense of wellbeing, balanced by a terrifyingly dark urge towards disaster.With the passing of time, the box has grown ever stronger and evil forces are striving to possess it. Once again, it is up to Gwendy Peterson, now a United States Senator battling the early symptoms of Alzheimer''s Disease, to keep it from them. At all costs. But where can you hide something from such powerful entities?Trade ReviewMan, I love this story! The whole thing just races and feels so right-sized and so scarily and sadly relevant. Loved the characters . . . and the sense of one little girl's connection to the whole world through this weird device. It all just sang * J.J. Abrams, on GWENDY'S BUTTON BOX *A resonant novella set in one of King's signature locales: the small town of Castle Rock, Maine * WASHINGTON POST, on GWENDY'S BUTTON BOX *[An] appealing chiller . . . The charming protagonist and thrill of temptation will enthrall fans and new readers alike * PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, on GWENDY'S BUTTON BOX *This charming, whimsical tale about a woman with an enchanted toy deepens into a story of pain and threat, destiny and desire * Daily Mail *Has genuine charm * The Sunday Times *Tense and yet simultaneously moving * The Afterword *A well-written, seamless read (you can't see the join between the chapters King wrote and Chizmar wrote), that racks up the tension and dread, as well as the horror and the sense of wonder in this modern fairy story. The ending will bring a smile to the face, and possibly a tear to the eye. A fine end to the series and Gwendy's journey * Concatenation *Stephen King and Richard Chizmar's Gwendy saga comes to a satisfying conclusion . . . Unexpectedly moving. Like its predecessors, Gwendy's Final Task is both a seamless act of collaboration and a deeply felt reflection on the perilous state of our fractured modern world * Washington Post *

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Book Synopsis''A gripping and compelling story . . . Deeply addictive and simmering with tension, THE LAST RESORT had me breathlessly turning the pages all the way through to its explosive conclusion.'' - Lucy Clarke, author of The CastawaysYou can ignore the truth, but it will come for you eventually . . .The Harmony Resort promises hope for struggling marriages. Run by celebrity power couple Drs. Miles and Grace Markell, the last resort offers a chance for partners to repair their relationships in a luxurious setting on the gorgeous Mayan Riviera.Johanna and Ben have a marriage that looks perfect on the surface, but in reality, they don''t know each other at all. Shell and Colin fight constantly: after all, Colin is a workaholic, and Shell always comes second to his job as an executive at a powerful mining company. But what has really torn them apart is too devastating to talk about. WhTrade ReviewGripping and compelling . . . Deeply addictive and simmering with tension, The Last Resort had me breathlessly turning the pages all the way through to its explosive conclusion * Lucy Clarke, author of The Castaways *Both spine-chilling and heartwarming. How Stapley does it is as intricate a mystery as The Last Resort's plot. You won't be needing a bookmark. * Christina Dalcher *PRAISE FOR MARISSA STAPLEY * - *A wild and deeply satisfying rollercoaster ride through the world of a con artist with a heart of gold. Propulsive and affecting, Lucky is the most fun I've had reading a book in quite a while * Taylor Jenkins Reid *A riveting caper full of heart, I loved this book! * Karma Brown *This fun romp, with deeper themes of identity, family ties and the meaning of truth in a life built on lies, kept me greedily turning pages late into the night. Perfect for book clubs - or anyone looking for their next unputdownable read * Colleen Oakley *Stapley's gorgeous writing cuts to the bone, and her grifter heroine, both vulnerable and fierce, is driven by a genius premise . . . a gripping, heart-wrenching journey of resilience, hope, and redemption. A stunning read! * Samantha M. Bailey *

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Book SynopsisIt''s never too late for the adventure of a lifetime . . .Heather Winterbottom has worked side by side with her husband as GPs in their idyllic rural practice for over forty years. But as the time comes to hang up their stethoscopes, the Winterbottoms discover that they have rather different visions of retirement . . . Heather dreams of exploring the Greek Islands, of escaping the shackles of her routine life and embracing an exciting new adventure. Alan dreams of growing his own vegetables.When things come to a head at a family lunch, Heather announces that she has decided to take a year off. From her old life, from her marriage - from Alan. Alone in beautiful Greece, Heather embarks on her very own odyssey - complete with peak experiences, pitfalls and temptations. But what if coming home is the biggest adventure yet? ***Readers love MRS WINTERBOTTOM TAKES A GAP YEAR!''Moving and laugh-out-loud funny'' Trade ReviewMrs Winterbottom Takes a Gap Year was my first Joanna Nell novel and it was a treat. The writing is warm, insightful and funny - there were several laugh-out-loud moments for me - and the story celebrates, so well, the treasures that life's later stages can hold * Dianne Yarwood *

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Book Synopsis... a testament to the truth that love comes in all shapes, sizes, and situations; that being alone does not mean being lonely. And Linda Holmes creates characters and conversations so real that sometimes I wonder if she is hiding in my closet, eavesdropping.-Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of Wish You Were HereA moving and tender novel full of bighearted characters, smalltown charm, and deep truths about life ... a perfect book for anyone who feels a little separate from the flock.-Rebecca Serle, New York Times bestselling author of In Five Years It''s impossible to read Linda Holmes without smiling. Flying Solo has everything: life decisions, second chances, intrigue, skulduggery, and a hot librarian! I loved it.-Clare Pooley, New York Times bestselling author of The Authenticity ProjectSmarting from her recently cancelled wedding and about to

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Book Synopsis**A Red magazine book of 2023**''The most charming, utterly lovely story I''ve read in ages... this is one of my books of the year'' RED ''This joyous novel is a feast for the senses, as well as the soul'' JOANNA NELLA warm-hearted debut novel set in the beautiful coastal city of Chennai, for fans of Alexander McCall Smith, Joanna Nell and Graeme Simsion.Grand Life Apartments is a middle-class apartment block surrounded by lush gardens in the coastal city of Chennai, India. It is the home of Kamala, a pious, soon-to-be retired dentist who spends her days counting down to the annual visits from her daughter who is studying in the UK. Her neighbour, Revathi, is a thirty-two-year-old engineer who is frequently reminded by her mother that she has reached her expiry date in the arranged marriage market. Jason, a British chef, has impulsively moved to India to escape his recent heartbreak in London.Trade ReviewThe most charming, utterly lovely story I've read in ages . . . With characters you absolutely root for and mouth-watering descriptions of delicious food, this is one of my books of the year * Red Magazine *From the vibrant setting to its engaging characters, this joyous novel is a feast for the senses, as well as the soul -- Joanna NellI was put in mind of Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City. Just daily life and its 'small disturbances' but rendered with great observational acuity and a distinctive and evocative voice -- Graeme SimsionIt's utterly entrancing - so humane and funny, and so seeped in India that I could smell the cooking and breathe the exhaust fumes. I absolutely loved it from start to finish -- Deborah MoggachWarm, gorgeous, tender, hopeful and human. I felt so HAPPY when I was reading it -- Daisy BuchananAn enchanting hug of a book with characters that you'll really root for -- Nikki MayA super warm and lovely read . . . Should have a warning though: WILL MAKE YOU HUNGRY -- Kate SawyerHema Sukumar's debut is an absolute joy. I loved being transported to the Grand Life Apartments and I was bewitched by the characters, colours and tastes of Chennai. Please can I move in forever? -- Clare PooleyA gorgeous, beautifully-written story, full of wonderfully charming characters - and a loveable cat -- Nick BradleyWritten with such warmth . . . full of life and love. Hema Sukumar's lovely characters became like friends to me, and I adored spending time with them -- Sara Nisha AdamsI can picture this as a TV series - and I would definitely watch it * Belfast Telegraph *I loved this heartwarming read * Prima Magazine *Inspiring * Woman's Own *This charming debut is an absolute joy * Good Housekeeping *

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Book Synopsis''THE GOOD PART is one of the most heartfelt and wonderful books I''ve read all year'' BETH O''LEARY''Sophie''s books are always filled with warmth, but she''s outdone herself here. It''s the definition of a feel-good read! Funny, poignant, and heartfelt, I fell head-over-heels for this one'' LAURA JANE WILLIAMS________From the New York Times bestselling author of Just Haven''t Met You Yet, This Time Next Year, and Before I Do''I wish I could skip to the good part, where my life is sorted. I''m so tired of being broke and single and stuck . . . I just want to get to the good part of my life.'' What if you could fast forward to your happy ever after? Lucy Young is twenty-six and fed up with life, so when she stumbles upon a wishing machine, she wishes to skip ahead. When she wakes up the next day to the perfect life, Lucy can''t believe it''s real . . . especially when she looks in the mirror and sees her Trade ReviewA fresh, heartwarming work of art, The Good Part left me buried under an avalanche of emotions and with a new appreciation for the life's small, beautiful moments. This is a book to read twice - once to feverishly tear through the pages and a second time to savour * Annabel Monaghan, author of NORA GOES OFF SCRIPT and SAME TIME NEXT SUMMER *A fun loving romp, The Good Part is a delight to read. With characters that are full of heart, this book is the reminder we all need to stop and relish all the moments along the way to whatever our dream life looks like. I couldn't put it down! * Betty Cayouette of Betty’s Book List and the author of ONE LAST SHOT *No matter where you are in life, The Good Part is a highly relatable read. This charming and poignant timeslip story had me considering my own experiences from a new perspective and with a renewed sense of gratitude. Sophie Cousens is one of a select few authors I will happily allow to break my heart again and again because it's just such a pleasure to find out how she'll mend it. I laughed, I sobbed, and I enjoyed every word * Sarah Adler, author of MRS. NASH'S ASHES *The Good Part is such a good concept - I was totally hooked. Sophie's books are always filled with warmth, but she's outdone herself here. It's the definition of a feel-good read! Funny, poignant, and heartfelt, I fell head-over-heels for this one. * Laura Jane Williams *Warm, witty and wise. I defy anyone not to fall for both Lucy and Sam. THE GOOD PART is just wonderful. * Emily Stone *Warmth and joy wrapped up into one very lovely book, The Good Part is a reminder that sometimes the messiest days are also the best days. An absolute must-read. * Hannah Doyle *The Good Part is one of the most heartfelt and wonderful books I've read all year. I laughed, I cried, I never wanted it to end... and it's exactly the message that twenty-something me needs. Sophie writes romance so beautifully, and Lucy's journey of self-discovery and acceptance felt like a warm hug! * Beth Reekles *Best-selling Cousens knocks it out of the park with this whimsical story that is reminiscent of the movie 13 Going on 30 . . . This heartfelt and unique romcom will have readers on the edges of their seats up to the emotional conclusion * Booklist *A truly magical read! This book has it all, laughs, tears and a whole lot of heart * Jo Watson *I completely loved The Good Part. It's everything a rom-com should be; hilarious, full of heart and warmth, all while being a brilliantly compelling and readable story. Sophie is officially a genius and I'm her number one fan * Lucy Vine *A fun. brilliant read. * That's Life Magazine *Swoonworthy, laugh-out-loud funny and beautifully tender. Sophie's best yet! * Laura Carter *I loved this high-concept romcom, which constantly kept me guessing. * Sara Manning, Literary Editor for Red Magazine *This fun and emotional read (we def sobbed!) is a total treat. * Fabulous Magazone *One for fans of 13 Going on 30, this brings laughs and heartache in equal measure * Heat *A beautifully observed romcom * Woman & Home *A hilarious, heartfelt read * Woman's Own *This fun tale has a fantasy twist reminding us 'be careful what you wish for'. * Peterborough Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisREADERS ARE LOVING THE STORM WE MADE:Difficult to put down once started. ?????This is not a book to be missed. ?????An absolutely exceptional book that will never leave me.?????AS FEATURED ON BBC RADIO 4 WOMAN''S HOURHer decision changed history.Now her family must survive it.British Malaya, 1930s Discontented housewife Cecily is seduced by Japanese general Fujiwara and the glorious future he is promising for ''independent'' Malaya, free from British colonialism. As she becomes further embedded as his own personal spy, she unwittingly alters the fate of her country by welcoming in a punishing form of dictatorship under the Japanese in WWII.Japanese-occupied Malaya, 1945 Cecily and her family are barely surviving. Her children, Jujube, Abel and Jasmin, are surrounded by threat, and look to their mother to keep them safe. But she can''t tell them about the part she played in the waTrade ReviewBrave and immensely moving, The Storm We Made is one of the most powerful and confident debuts I've ever read. A storytelling star is born -- Tracy ChevalierIn Vanessa Chan's spellbinding debut, one woman's desire to change her destiny shapes the future of a colonized nation. Combining cinematic grandeur with nuanced storytelling, The Storm We Made offers the hidden history that only fiction can reveal: the everyday yearnings of people surviving a brutal occupation, children trying to make sense of the unspeakable, and the search for love. I'll never forget this book. -- Jessamine ChanExceptionally brave, heart-breaking, beautiful, and moving. Destined to be a classic. The Storm We Made is a celebration of stories that have been silenced or erased. Vanessa Chan writes with admirable power, confidence and grace. By confronting the horror of colonisation and wars, this book opens the pathway to peace and healing. A significant contribution to world's literature -- Nguyen Phan Que MaiWith assured prose, impeccable story-telling, and vibrant characters, The Storm We Made heralds an exceptional, exciting new voice. Vanessa Chan's textured, visceral writing brings 1930s-40s Malaya to life during the British and Japanese occupations, as the waves of small actions ripple out with unexpected and often tragic consequences. Bravo to this immense talent! -- Melissa FuA striking, moving exploration of good and evil and the devastating repercussions one's actions can have, it is a novel that will stay with you -- Cecile PinThe Storm We Made is an excellent examination of the way individuals get caught in the violence of history . . . a frank book that revels in moral complexity. Lovers of Eileen Chang will especially appreciate Vanessa Chan. -- Rowan Hisayo BuchananDevastatingly beautiful and extraordinary . . . Vanessa shines an evocative light on this piece of history. I'm going to be thinking about this one for a very long time -- Jessica GeorgeA phenomenon unto itself. This is no mere debut, but rather the summoning of a story buried so deeply in a nation that it could only surface with a talent great enough to do it justice. -- Mira JacobLike the most dazzling historical fiction, The Storm We Made etches intimate details on an epic canvas. Vanessa Chan's characters face agonizing choices under the darkness of colonization and war, and yet she imbues them with an indelible spirit of resistance that never lets you forget the light. A fearless, gripping, morally complex story by a writer to watch. -- Dawnie WaltonThere are so many rich layers to this book-my breath caught at the beauty of the words and the kaleidoscope of images they painted. Vanessa Chan has written a masterpiece, and The Storm We Made has not only changed my perspective on war and humanity; it has also transformed my sense of what truly great novels can do. -- Qian Julie Wang, author of New York Times bestseller, Beautiful CountryMagnificent. A beautiful, scintillating, devastating and deeply moving marvel of storytelling. I implore you to read it. -- Chris WhitakerA chilling exploration of the costs of human weakness and desire, in a compelling and vividly wrought historical context * Kirkus *Dynamic . . . Chan convincingly portrays a family caught in the horrors of war * Publishers Weekly *. . . this got me out of my reading slump . . . heart-breaking but compelling and perfectly paced novel -- Zoe West, Woman & Home editorChan has written a horrific, gripping, exquisitely plotted novel. I could not put it down! -- Alice Winn, author of Sunday Times bestseller In MemoriamA cinematic historical fiction crafted with care from her grandparent's experiences . . . The kind of immersive fiction that teaches you more than any history lesson could * The Bookseller *Powerful . . . [told] so brilliantly that I could not put it down... I absolutely loved [this] book -- Zoe Ball, Radio 2 Book ClubAbsolutely brilliant * Radio 4 Woman’s Hour *Exceptionally compelling * Sunday Times *Unforgettable . . . Everything you want from historical fiction * Good Housekeeping *Exquisite -- RedWill keep you gripped * Woman & Home *

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Book SynopsisThe perfect winter romcom for fans of CHALET GIRL and FALLING FOR CHRISTMAS!Jen is turning thirty and has spent her entire life jumping from man to man. So, when her latest relationship ends in disaster, she decides she needs to stop pleasing others and focus on herself. And where better to start afresh than the beautiful Canadian ski resort of Whistler?Okay, she''s broke, unemployed, and has never so much as strapped on a pair of skis - but Jen is determined to make it on her own. She just has one rule: to stay single for the entire ski season.When a new job forces Jen into contact with snowboarding instructor Art, the two of them are set on keeping their distance. It shouldn''t be hard, since they hate one another on sight - and Art knows better than anyone how to keep other people at arm''s length. The problem is, the more time they are forced to spend together, the clearer it seems that Jen''s promise to stay single might not be qTrade ReviewPraise for SINGLE IN THE SNOWThoroughly enjoyable * Daily Mail *I LOVED this superior romcom . . . an utter delight! * Matt Cain *A fab festive read * Hello! *A finely wrought damaged hero and a heroine determined to grow into herself - right up my street. I loved the authenticity of the setting * Sue Moorcroft *A gorgeous story about loving yourself, as well as each other * Fabulous *Praise for Helen WhitakerEmotionally smart and thought-provoking * Clare Pooley *So well-observed, with a kind eye and an open heart . . . wonderful * Laura Jane Williams *Helen is a hilariously witty, observational and truly brilliant storyteller * Emma Gannon *Searingly honest and deeply heartfelt . . . A triumph! * Mike Gayle *Funny and frank * Dawn O'Porter *Packed with wry humour * Woman and Home *

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Book Synopsis''I loved it. It''s such a warm-hearted, compassionate story, full emotional insight and hope for the future and so sensitively written'' JILL CHILDS''Rich, warm, humorous and tender'' ALI MERCER''Heart-warming, uplifting, inspiring . . . a compelling read'' GRAEME SIMSIONThree years after the death of their beloved brother, all Daniel''s sisters have left of him are their memories. They know he''s helped others by donating his organs, but as miracles come true for the recipients, his own family are struggling with their devastating loss. When Clare suggests that they find the people Daniel''s death saved, her sisters have their doubts. Will meeting them help to bring the sisters back together, or will old tensions and surfacing secrets splinter the fragile family ties forever?''A page turner from the first to the last - I fell in love with all the characters and was gripped by the plot. Everyone will be reading thiTrade ReviewHeartwarming, uplifting, inspiring . . . a compelling read * Graeme Simsion *A page turner from the first to the last - I fell in love with all the characters and was gripped by the plot. Everyone will be reading this fantastic, heart-warming book . . . This is Kylie Ladd at her very best * Sally Hepworth *Her characters step off the page and straight into your heart * Meredith Jaffe *Reading this book feels like eavesdropping on a lively family dinner. I love the O'Shea sisters and the journey of discovery that brings them closer to their brother, and to each other * Kerri Sackville *Move over Jodi Picoult. Kylie Ladd creates ethical complications, then shows us both sides with uncanny insight into human nature. I inhaled this book! * Fleur McDonald *I loved this book. It's funny, joyful and sharp. An entirely satisfying meal of a novel that doesn't shy away from what is hard about families, it also manages to capture how family can restore you to yourself * Maggie MacKellar *The author's background as a neuropsychologist really shines through in this important book about how an extraordinary act of generosity can unite a devastated family. Told with warmth, compassion and humanity, I'll Leave You With This drew me in from the first page. Ladd blends depth and pace in this thought-provokingnovel that is filled with hope and humour * Joanna Nell *I loved it. It's such a warm-hearted, compassionate story, full emotional insight and hope for the future and so sensitively written * Jill Childs *A perfect book club read. I want everyone I know to read it too so we can talk about the wonderfully drawn O'Shea family and their dilemmas. Highly recommended * Imogen Clark *Rich, warm, humorous and tender, this is a thoroughly satisfying tale of love - and tensions - between siblings, and the aftermath of a devastating loss. It's an unsentimental and touching portrait of a big family learning to live with grief and their differences, as they are drawn together by their shared past and then find they still have more to give each other than any of them could have imagined. * Ali Mercer *Poignant and heartwarming. Be prepared to take the O'Shea sisters to your heart * Emma Robinson *

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Book SynopsisThe gripping new gangland thriller from the Sunday Times bestseller and Queen of the Underworld, Jessie Keane.Once, he loved her. Now he''s going to put her away for murder.Christie Doyle is living the dream: she has a beautiful mansion on the South Downs with an infinity pool and stables, and her husband, Kenny, spoils her rotten. It''s her birthday and she is the centre of the most amazing party.And then the bombshell drops. Kenny confesses to an affair and asks for a divorce. Worse is to come when the ''other woman''- Lara, nineteen years old and pregnant with Kenny''s child - is found dead.Suspicion falls on Christie and the Doyles'' life is ripped apart as the police hunt for evidence: lead investigator DCI Dexter Cooper is a face from Christie''s own troubled past and he knows better than anyone what she is capable of.The race to unmask a killer is on...Trade ReviewA brilliant historical crime read * Bella *This thrilling and twisty crime novel is perfect for fans of Martina Cole * My Weekly *Mills & Boon meets Peaky Blinders in a mix of heaving bosoms and cut-throat razors * The Sun *A gritty and enlightening read * Yours *No one delves into the underworld like Keane! * Woman's Weekly *Authentically gritty! * Crime Monthly *Another charged gangland thriller from the bestselling author * Woman's Weekly *An epic drama starring an unforgettable heroine. Keane...has a wicked eye for the ruthless, fiercely factional criminal underworld and her books never fail to pack a powerful punch... Every story that Keane writes transports her readers into the heart of a terrifying but addictive underworld, and into the lives of people of every shade... And this cracking page-turner is certainly packed with Keane's trademark cast of larger-than-life characters - each superbly fleshed out and each inhabiting a world so palpably real that we can feel the menace... Brimming with drama, suspense, cruelty and the kind of gobsmacking violence that has made Keane one of the most powerful writers in contemporary crime fiction, this is full-on, eye-watering (of every kind!) entertainment from start to finish! * Lancashire Evening Post *

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Book Synopsis *THE MOST RELATABLE NOVEL SAD GIRLS WILL READ ALL YEAR*A laugh-out-loud-funny, addictive book book about growing up, finding your purpose and whether everyone really does have a novel within them, for fans of MONICA HEISEY, OTTESSA MOSHFEGH and COCO MELLORS.''Brilliant'' Daily Mail''Comic'' Guardian''Extremely relatable'' Sydney Morning Herald''Unique and smart'' Emma Gannon''Weird and witty'' Chloë Ashby''I loved it'' Laura KayMaybe my main character will slowly lose their mind too. Novels usually need an abandoned woman going crazy in them. It''s gonna be, like, a sad girl novel. An Australian expat in Berlin, Kim is jobless, rootless, and - as she''s slowly discovering - somewhat useless.That is until a chance encounter with Matthew, a hotshot New York literary agent, gives Kim the direction she''s bTrade ReviewTake Hannah Horvarth's endearing naivety and Kirstin Wiig's loveable kookiness and you have the hilarious new protagonist Kim - you can't help but root for her. Unique and smart with wry humour that will make you laugh out loud. I enjoyed following (and re-living) the trials and tribulations of being a 20-something writer desperate to prove herself to the world -- Emma GannonPip Finkemeyer has drawn such a unique, funny and painfully astute character in Kim. I could keep reading her inner monologue forever. It is rare to pick up a novel so simultaneously hilarious and moving. I loved it. -- Laura Kay, author of The SplitWhat a voice - weird, witty, wonderfully unique. SAD GIRL NOVEL will make you laugh and move you, too. A winning combination. -- Chloe Ashby, author of Wet PaintWhile Kimberley Mueller spends a lot of time wondering whether she's talented, Finkemeyer need have no such doubts. Finkemeyer's narrator--with her gift for both self-delusion and self-awareness--is a stroke of genius. Sad Girl Novel achieves all we can ask of contemporary fiction: it mocks and sympathises in equal measure. I closed it feeling better able to laugh at myself -- Diana Reid, author of Love & VirtueTold through the eyes of Kim, a twenty-something Australian navigating the complexities of love, friendship, and mental health in Berlin, this novel will have you laughing, crying and wanting more. A book about finding yourself, losing yourself and everything in between, Finkemayer will draw you in with her stark realism and heartbreaking honesty. * The Urban, Australia *A captivating novel . . . Finkemeyer has an irreverent voice that will have you reaching for a pen to underline every second sentence. Sad Girl Novel will appeal to literary fiction readers who enjoyed Ottessa Moshfegh's My Year of Rest and Relaxation and Sally Rooney's Beautiful World, Where Are You. * Books + Publishing *

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Book Synopsis From Sunday Times and #1 New York Times bestselling author of Things We Never Got Over Luke Garrison is a hometown hero, a member of the National Guard ready to deploy again. The last thing he''s looking for is a woman to ruin his solitude. When the wildly beautiful Harper stumbles into his life, though, he realises she''s the perfect decoy: a fake girlfriend to keep his family off his back until he''s deployed.Harper was on her way to starting a new life . . . again. But something about Luke makes her want to settle down in this small town and make his house a home. Luke never thought he''d feel this way about a woman again. But he knows that he can''t tell her the truth about his dark past. And she can''t reveal what she''s running from.At least this isn''t a real relationship. It''s only for a month. It''s only pretend. Until it isn''t . . .

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Book Synopsis From Sunday Times and #1 New York Times bestselling author of Things We Never Got Over Dominic: I got her fired. Okay, so I''d had a bad day, but there''s nothing innocent about Ally Morales. Maybe her colourful, annoying, inexplicably alluring personality brightens up the magazine''s offices that have felt like a prison for the past year. Maybe I like that she argues with me in front of the editorial staff. And maybe my after-hours fantasies are haunted by her brown eyes and sharp tongue.She''s working herself to death at half a dozen dead-end jobs for some secret reason. And I''m going to fix it all. Don''t accuse me of caring. She''s nothing more than a puzzle to be solved. If I can get her to quit, I can finally peel away all those layers. Then I can go back to salvaging the family name and forget all about the dancing, beer-slinging brunette.Ally:Ha. Hold my beer, Grumpy Grump Face.

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Book Synopsis From Sunday Times and #1 New York Times bestselling author of Things We Never Got Over You don''t fall for your brother''s high school sweetheart, your boss''s daughter, or your ex-wife''s best friend. Especially when they''re all the same woman.Under Brick Callan''s mile-wide chest beats a loyal heart with a few cracks in it. He''s the steadfast, overprotective type. Especially when it comes to the one woman he can never have. When Remi Ford returns to Mackinac Island in the dead of winter with a secret, Brick makes it his mission to find out what put the shadows in those green eyes. Even if it means breaking down the walls he''s built between them. Even if it means falling for the one girl he''ll never get over.

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Book Synopsis From Sunday Times and #1 New York Times bestselling author of Things We Never Got Over The bride is a doll. The groom is the perfect gentleman. But the rest of the wedding party are the stuff of nightmares.Rich? YesVapid? YesEntitled? YesAnd the Best Man? More like the Worst Man. But Maid of Honor Franchesca takes her duties seriously. There''s no way she''s going to let that pretentious, judgmental jackhole ruin her best friend''s wedding. No matter how sexy he is . . .

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Book Synopsis From Sunday Times and #1 New York Times bestselling author of Things We Never Got Over Fire Chief Lincoln Reed is known for his heroics in the fire department and in the bedroom. Life is a never-ending good time. Until flight trauma surgeon Mackenzie O''Neil lands right in the middle of an accident scene he''s working, as well as in his back yard. Too bad she''s immune to flirty first responders . . .After experiencing severe burnout, Mackenzie''s temporary job as a small-town family physician is just what the doctor ordered. She''ll learn to meditate. Sleep more. Take up gardening. But Linc and his tattoos are very persuasive. It''s all naked fun and games until the shadows from Mack''s past find their way into her present. Can Linc be her hero when she needs him the most?One thing is certain: Someone is going to get burned.

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Book Synopsis''Story telling at its most primal . . . brutal, tender and wildly imaginative'' Irish Times''An act of pure imagination'' ANNE ENRIGHT''Strange and darkly wondrous . . . like a wild and witty outtake from a folkloric Moby-Dick'' PHILIP HOAREA creature from another world had collided with ours - a reckonin she might properwise be knowt, a great reckonin had washed upon our shores, and I ran twort it.On a remote island in the northern seas an unnamed boy is exiled from his community and cast into the Wastelands. In his struggle to survive he breaks away from the strictures of his upbringing and aligns himself with the beauty and brutality of the natural world. The Leviathan, a colossal beast that strands itself upon the shore, is the embodiment of everything the boy has yearned for and he vows to protect it with his life. The community''s religious leader, the Prelate, proclaims the creature to beTrade ReviewStory telling at its most primal . . . brutal, tender and wildly imaginative * Irish Times *Wild, wanton, fresh and ageless * Irish Independent *My hidden gem of the year * Sunday Independent Books of the Year *An act of pure imagination: this is one of those stories that arrive fully formed in the writer's head, asking to be written first and understood later. The result is a kind of vision, told with great attention to language, voice and tone * Anne Enright *A primeval fairy tale, fully-realised and wondrous, resplendent with stark and powerful images I'll not forget * Oisin Fagan *Unlike anything else you'll read this year - a truly imaginative, atmospheric novel that tells in strange, beguiling prose the story of a lost young man finding redemption on foreign shores * Sarah Gilmartin *A strange and darkly wondrous book, like a wild and witty outtake from a folkloric Moby-Dick * Philip Hoare *

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Book SynopsisA dazzling Dickensian thriller set in a Victorian underworld inspired by Charles Dickens'' A Christmas Carol.It''s the Christmas season, and Tiny Tim is now grown up. No longer the pious child the world thought he was, he has just buried his father and is struggling to shed his financial ties to his benevolent ''Uncle'' Ebenezer by losing himself in London''s dark underbelly. He spends his nights dredging the Thames for dead bodies and the treasures contained in their pockets.One day he comes across a girl''s body, branded with a mysterious ''G''. Then he finds another girl with a similar brand - but she is still alive. Determined to protect Philomela and get to the bottom of the mystery, Tim embarks on an astonishing adventure...''With its linguistic razzle-dazzle, Mr. Timothy is a mock-Victorian tour de force - a chilling shocker that touches the heart and makes it race''Wall Street JournalTrade ReviewWith a cast of unforgettable characters and a compelling plot . . . Mr. Timothy is a triumph * Yorkshire Evening Post *A Dickensian thriller . . . strong on atmosphere and characterisation * Sunday Telegraph *One of the coolest books of the year * James Frey *A darkly enchanting historical thriller * Amazon.com *Louis Bayard's Mr. Timothy proves once again that John Murray's new fiction can do no wrong * The Bookseller *Fabulous . . . shimmering . . . one truly engaging book * Entertainment Weekly *Bayard packs his novel with detail, grotesques and plenty of fog and hansom cabs . . . it scores full marks for atmosphere * Publishing News *With its linguistic razzle-dazzle, Mr. Timothy is a mock-Victorian tour de force - a chilling shocker that touches the heart and makes it race * Wall Street Journal *A vividly imagined historical thriller * Elle *Dazzling . . . soaring language, memorable characters, splendidly atmospheric settings * People Magazine *Gripping page-turner . . . A memorable thriller * New Woman *Vigorous, well imagined and thoroughly entertaining. Louis Bayard can write up a storm * Literary Review *Inventive and amusing * New York Times *A crime caper with a twist * Bookseller *An historical crime novel . . . taking his cue from Dickens, Bayard packs his novel with plenty of detail, grotesques and plenty of fog * Publishing News *Highly atmospheric, splendid stuff * The Bookseller *

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Book Synopsis**A New York Times Best Mystery Novel of the Year**''This year''s most original fictional detective - a sassy, black intellectual and saxophonist who is plunged into mayhem when an undercover cop gets killed in her apartment'' Good Housekeeping on Rhode Island RedThe first book in the Nanette Hayes series introduces us to New Yorker and jazz-loving street musician Nanette, whose love life leads her into some very hot water.Nanette''s day is not off to a good start. Her on-again, off-again relationship with Walter is off. . . again, and when she offers a fellow busker a place to stay for the night he ends up murdered on her kitchen floor. To make matters worse, the busker turns out to have been an undercover cop. And his former partner has taken an immediate and extreme dislike to Nanette. When she finds that the dead man stashed a wad of cash in her apartment, cash that could go to help his blind girlfriend, Nanette''s desirTrade Review'Nanette Hayes may be the most charismatic crime-fiction heroine to appear in the last decade' * Booklist *'Style's the thing in this breezy, sexy mystery narrated by Nanette, a French-speaking, sax-playing street musician' * Publishers Weekly *'A terrific novel, from those witty, subversive opening sentences, to the edgy, melancholy and very satisfying ending' * Margo Jefferson, author of Negroland *'Charlotte Carter has . . . the practical discipline needed to craft functional, human sentences [that] flow one into the next without embellishment or posturing' * Crime Times *'This Grace Jones lookalike with a degree in French is a splendid creation' * Sunday Telegraph *'The sweet, clear sound of Nanette's musical voice keeps us on her corner, tossing all the change we've got' * The New York Times on Rhode Island Red *'This high-spirited tour of Paris has terrific charm . . . with the infectious energy of eternal youth' * The New York Times on Coq au Vin *'Funky scenes of New York's musical underworld . . . [a] sweet and saucy narrative voice' * The New York Times on Drumsticks *'This year's most original fictional detective ­- a sassy, black intellectual and saxophonist who is plunged into mayhem when an undercover cop gets killed in her apartment' * Good Housekeeping on Rhode Island Red *'The love affair between jazz, black musicians and Paris is an eternal story; Carter illuminates it with rare intelligence and a gripping vortex of thrills, feeling and wit' * Time Out on Coq Au Vin *

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Book Synopsis**A New York Times Best Crime Mystery of the Year**''Nanette Hayes may be the most charismatic crime-fiction heroine to appear in the last decade'' BooklistIn the third book in the Nanette Hayes series, Nanette finds a voodoo doll is bringing her some much needed luck. . . until the doll''s maker is murdered and she is dragged into the investigation.Nanette is on the rocks. Heartbroken and alone in New York, she finds what comfort she can in the bottom of a bottle. But her life seems to turn around when she''s given a voodoo doll, so much so that Nanette seeks out the doll''s creator, Ida, to thank her. That''s when Nanette''s luck seems to run out, and Ida ends up with a bullet in her head.Guilt-ridden, Nanette resolves to get justice for her new friend, only to find that Ida was hiding some dark skeletons in her closet. Now plunged into a dangerous world she doesn''t understand, Nanette will have to team up with some unliTrade Review'Nanette Hayes may be the most charismatic crime-fiction heroine to appear in the last decade' * Booklist *'Style's the thing in this breezy, sexy mystery narrated by Nanette, a French-speaking, sax-playing street musician' * Publishers Weekly *'A terrific novel, from those witty, subversive opening sentences, to the edgy, melancholy and very satisfying ending' * Margo Jefferson, author of Negroland *'Charlotte Carter has . . . the practical discipline needed to craft functional, human sentences [that] flow one into the next without embellishment or posturing' * Crime Times *'This Grace Jones lookalike with a degree in French is a splendid creation' * Sunday Telegraph *'The sweet, clear sound of Nanette's musical voice keeps us on her corner, tossing all the change we've got' * The New York Times on Rhode Island Red *'This high-spirited tour of Paris has terrific charm . . . with the infectious energy of eternal youth' * The New York Times on Coq au Vin *'Funky scenes of New York's musical underworld . . . [a] sweet and saucy narrative voice' * The New York Times on Drumsticks *'This year's most original fictional detective ­- a sassy, black intellectual and saxophonist who is plunged into mayhem when an undercover cop gets killed in her apartment' * Good Housekeeping on Rhode Island Red *'The love affair between jazz, black musicians and Paris is an eternal story; Carter illuminates it with rare intelligence and a gripping vortex of thrills, feeling and wit' * Time Out on Coq Au Vin *

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Book Synopsis**A New York Times Best Mystery Novel of the Year**''This year''s most original fictional detective'' Good Housekeeping''The love affair between jazz, black musicians and Paris is an eternal story; Carter illuminates it with rare intelligence and a gripping vortex of thrills, feeling and wit'' Time Out on Coq Au VinStraight-talking jazz musician Nanette Hayes is swapping New York for Paris as she tries to solve the mystery of her missing aunt. . . but will she lose more than just her heart in the city of love?When Nanette''s mother calls with the news that her Aunt Vivian has gone missing, it''s not exactly out of the ordinary. Vivacious and bohemian Aunt Vivian has never been one to play by the rules. This time, however, the circumstances surrounding Vivian''s disappearance are troubling. Would Nanette be up to polishing her French and flying to Paris, where she was last seen, to track her down? It''s not a tTrade Review'Nanette Hayes may be the most charismatic crime-fiction heroine to appear in the last decade' * Booklist *'Style's the thing in this breezy, sexy mystery narrated by Nanette, a French-speaking, sax-playing street musician' * Publishers Weekly *'A terrific novel, from those witty, subversive opening sentences, to the edgy, melancholy and very satisfying ending' * Margo Jefferson, author of Negroland *'Charlotte Carter has . . . the practical discipline needed to craft functional, human sentences [that] flow one into the next without embellishment or posturing' * Crime Times *'This Grace Jones lookalike with a degree in French is a splendid creation' * Sunday Telegraph *'The sweet, clear sound of Nanette's musical voice keeps us on her corner, tossing all the change we've got' * The New York Times on Rhode Island Red *'This high-spirited tour of Paris has terrific charm . . . with the infectious energy of eternal youth' * The New York Times on Coq au Vin *'Funky scenes of New York's musical underworld . . . [a] sweet and saucy narrative voice' * The New York Times on Drumsticks *'This year's most original fictional detective ­- a sassy, black intellectual and saxophonist who is plunged into mayhem when an undercover cop gets killed in her apartment' * Good Housekeeping on Rhode Island Red *'The love affair between jazz, black musicians and Paris is an eternal story; Carter illuminates it with rare intelligence and a gripping vortex of thrills, feeling and wit' * Time Out on Coq Au Vin *

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Book SynopsisOriginally banned in China but later named one of that nation’s most influential books, a searing novel that portrays one man’s transformation from the spoiled son of a landlord to a kindhearted peasant. “A work of astounding emotional power.” —Dai Sijie, author of Balzac and the Little Chinese SeamstressFrom the author of Brothers and China in Ten Words: this celebrated contemporary classic of Chinese literature was also adapted for film by Zhang Yimou. After squandering his family’s fortune in gambling dens and brothels, the young, deeply penitent Fugui settles down to do the honest work of a farmer. Forced by the Nationalist Army to leave behind his family, he witnesses the horrors and privations of the Civil War, only to return years later to face a string of hardships brought on by the ravages of the Cultural Revolution. Left with an ox as the companion of his final years, Fugui stands as a m

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Book SynopsisIt would always be summer on the island . . .THE EMOTIONALLY GRIPPING AND ADDICTIVE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER''I cannot put into words the love I have for Anna and T.J. I felt as though I was right there with them'' 5***** Reader Review''I''d give this more than 5 stars if I could! Will stay with me for a very long time'' 5***** Reader Review_________When thirty-year-old English teacher Anna Emerson is offered a summer job tutoring T.J. Callahan at his family''s holiday home in the Maldives, she immediately accepts.T.J. wishes he weren''t going. Almost seventeen and finally cancer free, he''d much rather spend the summer with his friends.But as Anna and T.J. jet off to join his family, the pilot of their seaplane suffers a fatal heart attack and crash-lands in the Indian Ocean. Marooned on an uninhabited island, Anna and T.J. work together to obtain water, food, fire and shelter.As the

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Book SynopsisThe heart-stopping and gripping novel from the author of international No. 1 bestsellers Mercy and Disgrace - fans of Scandinavian crime thrillers will love this. 1987Nete Rosen thought she''d put her traumatic youth behind her. Her caring foster parents and loving husband helped her start again. But then a man from her past reappears, who threatens to destroy her new life. She won''t be drawn back into that nightmare - she won''t be a victim again . . . 2010Detective Carl Mørck from Copenhagen''s cold case division is looking into the disappearance of Rita Nielsen, an escort agency owner. But as he investigates, he discovers that Rita is only one piece of the puzzle. It''s not a one-off incident, but part of a disturbing pattern that''s been hidden for over 20 years . . . Praise for Jussi Adler-Olsen:''Gripping storytelling'' GuardTrade ReviewAdler-Olsen is the new "it" boy of Nordic Noir * The Times *Engrossing * Sunday Express *This is your methadone if you enjoyed The Killing and found it overwhelmingly addictive * BBC Radio 2 Claudia Winkleman Arts Show *Grippingly different * The Times *

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