Contemporary Fiction Books

Book SynopsisFrom #1Sunday Timesand multi-million-copy bestselling author, Chris Carter, comes the 13th chilling and adrenaline-packed Robert Hunter thriller.

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Book SynopsisA mega best-seller in Sweden, with rights sold to over a dozen countries and a TV adaptation underway, Annika Norlin's debut novel Colony is the biggest Swedish literary phenomenon since Fredrik Backman's A Man Called Ove. Winner of the Vi Literature Award and Swedish Radio's Novel Prize, two of Sweden's biggest literary awards, Colony is a gripping portrayal of contemporary society and its alternatives. Burnt-out from a demanding job and a bustling life in the city, Emelie has left town to spend a few days in the country. Once there, in the peaceful, verdant hills, down by the river she encounters a mysterious group of seven people, each with personal stories full of pain, alienation, and the longing to live differently. They are misfits, each in their own way, and all led by the enigmatic and charismatic Sara. How did they end up there? Are they content with the rigid roles they've been assigned? And what happens when an outsider appears and is initially drawn to their alternative lifestyle but cannot help but stir things up?A masterful blend of humour, emotion, unforgettable characters, and sharp social commentary, Colony is a magnetic and deeply touching story about love, community, and the unfathomable power we have over others and that others have over us.

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Book SynopsisFrom the Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author of Fleishman Is in Trouble comes a darkly exhilarating new novel about an American family and its inheritance - the safety and wealth that they fought for, and the precarity of their survival that is their legacy

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Book SynopsisIt's just before New Year, and Frank, an overweight American tourist, has hired Kenji to take him on a guided tour of Tokyo's nightlife. But, Frank's behaviour is so odd that Kenji begins to entertain a horrible suspicion: his client may in fact have murderous desires.Trade Review'A blistering portrait of contemporary Japan, its nihilism and decadence wrapped up within one of the most savage thrillers since The Silence of the Lambs' Kirkus Review 'Deft and fascinating ... A grisly tour of the darkness and confusion of the human mind' New York Times 'There is no shortage of terrors in this novel ... Atmosphere predominates, and the claustrophobia of the backstreets of Tokyo is intensely imagined' Daily Telegraph 'In the Miso Soup stays with the reader long after the book is finished and Murakami makes his readers as complicit as Kenji in their desire to understand why Frank is the way he is' Guardian

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Book SynopsisWilliam Rayfet Hunter is a British-Jamaican writer from the North West of England. They now live and work in East London. Their non-fiction writing has been published by VICE, Dazed, and the Evening Standard. Sunstruck, their debut novel, won the #Merky Books New Writers' Prize 2022.

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Book SynopsisFrom the acclaimed author of Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo comes a breathtaking novel about a young woman whose fate hinges on the choice she makes after bumping into an old flame; in alternating chapters, we see two possible scenarios unfold—with stunningly different results At the age of twenty-nine, Hannah Martin still has no idea what she wants to do with her life. She has lived in six different cities and held countless jobs since graduating college. On the heels of leaving another city, Hannah moves back to her hometown of Los Angeles and takes up residence with her best friend Gabby. Shortly after, Hannah goes out to a bar one night with Gabby and meets up with her high school boyfriend, Ethan. Just after midnight, Gabby asks Hannah if she’s ready to go. A moment later, Ethan offers to give her a ride later if she wants to stay. Hannah hesitates. What happens if she leaves with Gabby? What happens if she leaves with Ethan?Trade ReviewPraise for Taylor Jenkins Reid ‘Spellbinding’ Emily Giffin ‘Full of raw human emotion’ Beth O’Leary ‘An entirely fresh and new perspective on what can happen after the "happily ever after”’ Jen Lancaster ‘The very best of Classic Hollywood intrigue, a delicious twist and incisive commentary on the wages of stardom’ Anne Helen Petersen ‘I can't remember the last time I read a book that was so fun’ Dolly Alderton ‘The characters were beautifully layered and complex... captured my heart’ Reese Witherspoon ‘Everyone should read this’ Claudia Winkleman ‘Dramatic, salacious and oh-so-romantic’ Woman & Home ‘Wildy addictive’ PopSugar ‘Glamour, ambition and shocking secrets’ People ‘Earth-shaking… you will flip for this epic love story’ Cosmopolitan ‘Heartwrenching’ Us Weekly ‘Reid masterfully grabs hold of the heartstrings and doesn't let go’ Publishers Weekly ‘No one does life and love better’ InStyle

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Book Synopsis'Despite the inordinate limits placed on women, See allows their strengths to dominate their stories' Washington Post'Poignant . . . quietly affecting' Time'Emotional and illuminating' BookPageIn 15th century China two women are born under the same sign, the Metal Snake. But life will take the friends on very different paths.   According to Confucius, ‘an educated woman is a worthless woman’, but Tan Yunxian – born into an elite family, yet haunted by death, separation and loneliness – is being raised by her grandparents to be of use. She begins her training in medicine with her grandmother and, as she navigates the male world of medicine, requiring tact and diplomacy, she struggles against the confining world of her class.   From a young age, Yunxian learns about women’s illnesses, many of which relate to chil

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Book SynopsisTHE DEBUT NOVEL FROM THE BESTSELLING AND AWARD-WINNING COMEDIAN, WRITER AND ACTOR SARA PASCOE''Moving and bittersweet and clever . . . I love it.'' EMMA JANE UNSWORTH''Hilarious and heartbreaking at every sentence.'' CARIAD LLOYD''Quietly profound and laughing-in-public funny.'' CAITLIN MORAN''A tragicomic masterpiece.'' DAISY BUCHANAN''A deep meditation on how it feels to be lost - in your relationship, your family, your job and even your own mind.'' ELIZABETH DAYFunny, sad, engaging, Pascoe nails everything that confronts women today.' STYLIST''Funny and deeply relatable.'' GUARDIAN''A tremendously exciting voice.'' THE TIMES''An incredible read.'' AISLING BEAI hope since our chat he thinks I''m normal . . . I told him that I was several times.Deep in Essex and her own thoughts, Sophie had a feeling something was going to happen and then it did. Chris has entered the pub and re

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Book Synopsis''One of the very great writers of the last century'' Guardian''Lispector had an ability to write as though no one had ever written before'' Colm Tóibín''He''d wait for her, she knew that now. Until she learned''Lóri yearns for love yet is scared of herself, and of connecting with another human. When she meets Ulisses, a Professor of Philosophy, she is forced to confront her fears. As both of them will learn, to be worthy of another person, they must first be fully themselves. The book of which Clarice Lispector said, ''I humanized myself'', An Apprenticeship is about the ultimate unknowability of the other in a relationship, and what it means to love and be loved.Translated by Stefan ToblerEdited by Benjamin Moser with an Afterword by Sheila HetiTrade ReviewHer brilliant and bewildering style is helping me to imagine how to write again -- Jenny Offill * The Times *One of the very great writers of the last century * Guardian *An Apprenticeship or The Book of Pleasures teaches us how to love. And how love lies in spaces. In waiting -- Carlos Valladares * Gagosian Quarterly *Lispector had an ability to write as though no one had ever written before -- Colm Tóibín

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Book SynopsisIn Wynbridge, the scent of autumn is on the breeze and love is in the air…This autumn, cosy up with Heidi and this perfect seasonal romance.   Clemmie Bennett has been renovating beautiful Rowan Cottage on the outskirts of the small town of Wynbridge, for eighteen months following a very public heartbreak back in her childhood hometown. The popular Instagram influencer, lost her husband, sold their home, and has been cosied up the Fens and living a very private life, but now she feels it’s time for a change.   A chance encounter with co-owner of The Cherry Tree Café, the bubbly Lizzie Dixon, pulls her into organizing Wynbridge’s first-ever Autumn Festival, and her once quiet life is soon a distant memory. With the whole town rallying behind the event, she discovers a new sense of purpose.    And when local vet Ash falls hard for Clemmie, she begins to wonder if she’s ready to move even further on from her past and fall in love again…  This autumn, cosy up with Heidi and this perfect seasonal romance.    

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Book SynopsisA beautiful hardback edition of Atwood''s classic dystopian novel.''As relevant today as it was when Atwood wrote it'' GuardianOffred is a Handmaid in The Republic of Gilead, a religious totalitarian state in what was formerly known as the United States.She is placed in the household of The Commander, Fred Waterford - her assigned name, Offred, means ''of Fred''. She has only one function: to breed.If Offred refuses to enter into sexual servitude to repopulate a devastated world, she will be hanged.Yet even a repressive state cannot eradicate hope and desire. As she recalls her pre-revolution life in flashbacks, Offred must navigate through the terrifying landscape of torture and persecution in the present day, and between two men upon which her future hangs.Masterfully conceived and executed, this haunting vision of the future places Margaret Atwood at the forefront of dystopian fiction.''Fiercely political, yet witting and wise...this novel seems ever more vital in the present day'' ObserverVintage Quarterbound Classics: Bound to be beautiful

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Book SynopsisFeverish and forthright, Pond is an absorbing chronicle of the pitfalls and pleasures of a solitudinous life told by an unnamed woman living on the cusp of a coastal town. Broken bowls, belligerent cows, swanky aubergines, trembling moonrises and horrifying sunsets, the physical world depicted in these stories is unsettling yet intimately familiar and soon takes on a life of its own. Captivated by the stellar charms of seclusion but restless with desire, the woman’s relationship with her surroundings becomes boundless and increasingly bewildering. Claire-Louise Bennett’s startlingly original first collection slips effortlessly between worlds and is by turns darkly funny and deeply moving.Trade Review‘Wielding a wry but implacable logic, Claire-Louise Bennett dives under the surface of “ordinary” experiences and things to reveal their supreme and giddy illogic. Like Gail Scott and Lydia Davis before her, she writes an impeccable affect-less prose that almost magically arrives at something extraordinary.’ — Chris Kraus, author of I Love Dick‘This is an extraordinary collection of short stories – profoundly original though not eccentric, sharp and tender, funny and deeply engaging. A very new sort of writing, Bennett pushes the boundaries of the short story out into new territory: part prose fiction, part stream of consciousness, often truly poetry and always an acute, satisfying, delicate, honest meditation on both the joys and frustrations of a life fully lived in solitude. Take it slowly, because it is worth it, and be impressed and joyful.’ — Sara Maitland, author of A Book of Silence‘Claire-Louise Bennett is a major writer to be discovered and treasured.’ — Deborah Levy, author of Swimming Home‘Bennett’s language is an ornate and long-winded riposte to all those pared-back minimalists, and I love it.’ — Jon McGregor, Guardian‘This is a truly stunning debut, beautifully written and profoundly witty.’ — Andrew Gallix, Guardian‘Claire-Louise Bennett sets the conventions of literary fiction ablaze in this ferociously intelligent and funny debut. Don't be fooled by Pond’s small size. It contains multitudes.’ — Jenny Offill, author of Weather‘As brilliant a debut and as distinct a voice as we’ve heard in years – this is a real writer with the real goods.’ — Kevin Barry, author of City of Bohane‘A touch of William Gaddis. A touch of Lydia Davis. A touch of Samuel Beckett. A touch of Edna O’Brien. And yet Claire-Louise Bennett’s Pond feels entirely unique. Quiet and luxurious all at once, this will be one of the most sensational debuts of the year.’ — Colum McCann, author of Let the Great World Spin

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Book SynopsisA multi-narrator novel in which six of the young people who took part in an international voluntary service project in Calabria in 1963, write of that project, the disappearance of one of their number, and the repercussions in their lives over the next sixty years, in Bosnia, East Germany, Colombia, Australia, Italy, Malawi and England.

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Book Synopsis'Who is to say dreams are insubstantial when whole lives can be lived in their pursuit?' When an office worker receives a mysterious device promising to transport her to a parallel universe, she assumes it is just another marketing stunt. That night, she visits a fantastical place in her dreams; on waking she returns to her normal life, only to return to the same dream the following night. At first she finds the ongoing dreams bizarre, but the more time she spends in the dream world, the less she wants to wake up. Yet as her fantasy begins to encroach on her waking life, dream and reality collide with drastic consequences. With sharp insight, wry humour and Black Mirror-esque themes, Red Dust, White Snow highlights the blurring of reality and fantasy in our increasingly virtual world.Trade Review'Caught between the tense strictures of a dystopian future and ever-thrilling flights into an imagined past, Pan Huiting's 'Red Dust, White Snow' is a dizzying, inventive, page-turning debut' -Daryl Qilin Yam, author of 'Lovelier, Lonelier', nominated for the 2023 Dublin Literary Prize; ''Red Dust, White Snow' is a work of sprawling imagination and luminous writing. Full of heady oneiric visions, it takes you into a world that's both recognisable and familiar, and also uncannily strange. A wild ride, it marks Pan Huiting out as a real talent to watch' -Eli Lee, author of 'A Strange and Brilliant Light', winner of the Writers' Guild of Great Britain's Best First Novel Award; 'An eerie, engaging, extended parable about the launch of a dreamworld, and the longings it mirrors of the all-too-real world we live in now' -Gwyneth Jones, author of 'Bold as Love', winner of the Arthur C. Clarke Award; 'Tantalizing, poignant and compelling, Pan Huiting's 'Red Dust, White Snow' is a luminous spell of a novel about the escapes of technology that delivered me firmly and thrillingly back into myself' -Katie Williams, author of 'Tell the Machine Goodnight'; Dreamlike, playful, lush. Pan Huiting manages to depict the dangers and pleasures of a life lived online without finger-wagging or condescending' -Lynda Clark, author of 'Beyond Kidding' and 'Dreaming in Quantum'; 'Invoking the social alienation of Haruki Murakami's The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Huiting creates a world whose characters search desperately for self in an ever-more-virtual landscape. Red Dust, White Snow holds a mirror up to the imaginary lives that captivate and enslave us - then forces us to look' -Carole Stivers, author of 'The Mother Code';

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Book SynopsisAPRIL 2024 REESE WITHERSPOON BOOK CLUB PICKLONGLISTED FOR THE WOMEN''S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2020AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER''A literary love child of Jonathan Franzen and Anne Tyler . . . outstanding and highly enjoyable'' Observer''The Most Fun We Ever Had is as good as books come'' Telegraph''I loved this book'' Bryony Gordon''The perfect, engrossing holiday read'' RED''A gripping and poignant ode to a messy, loving family in all its glory'' Madeline Miller''A moving, immersive, often very funny study of family and sisterhood'' Sunday Times''Like Meg Wolitzer. A forensic dissection of family past and present, I loved it. If you like reading about relationships, this one is for you.'' Pandora SykesMEET THE SORENSON FAMILY.MARILYN has somehow fallen into motherhood and spTrade ReviewLombardo's impressive debut is a gripping and poignant ode to a messy, loving family in all its glory. She juggles a huge cast of characters with seeming effortlessness, bringing each to life with humour, vividness and acute psychological insight. -- Madeline Miller, author of CIRCEIf ever there were to be a literary love child of Jonathan Franzen and Anne Tyler, then Claire Lombardo's outstanding debut, which ranges from ebullience to despair by way of caustic but intense familial bonds, would be a worthy offspring...This is a novel epic in scope-emotionally, psychologically and narratively. Combining a broad thematic canvas with impressive emotional nuance, it's an assured and highly enjoyable debut. -- Hannah Beckerman * GUARDIAN *Beware this book, that will enmesh you in the psychic DNA of this utterly convincingly imagined family. You will encounter characters whose stories you're compelled to follow, you will recognise the bitterest and sweetest tastes of life, you will laugh, and you will want to discuss it with other people. (Possibly not your own family). John Irving has a literary daughter, and her name is Claire Lombardo. -- Laline Paull, author of THE BEESI adored The Most Fun We Ever Had. It is such a shockingly tender and uncannily knowing novel about the reality of long term love and affection, and the sweetness and claustrophobia of relationships between sisters. Lombardo's writing is so elegant - she makes our most complex and fragmented feelings tangible, which is a very rare skill. This book will stay with me forever. -- Daisy Buchanan, author of HOW TO BE A GROWN UPRemarkably alive and wise, Claire Lombardo's story of the Sorensons is a stunning vision - not just of family or love, but the funny, tender mystery of human connection itself, with all its intensity, charm, and wonder. -- Affinity Konar, author of MISCHLINGClaire Lombardo has created a wonderful, subtle and sophisticated portrait of a family. The nuances, the secrets, the triumphs and tragedies light up this narrative with the many ways we love and the unremitting clarity with which we are known by our siblings. Epic and intimate, funny and delicate, this is a best friend of a book: curl up with it and lose yourself in the easy intimacy of the magnetic, loveable and flawed family of Sorensons. -- Raffaella Barker, author of SPRINGTIMEI cancelled appointments to keep reading this totally gripping portrait of a marriage and the four daughters that it has produced. It is excellent on sisterhood, motherhood, marriage - in fact on all human relationships. Highly, highly recommended. -- Clover Stroud, author of THE WILD OTHERIn The Most Fun We Ever Had Claire Lombardo has given us a truly unforgettable American family. The book bristles on every page with intelligence and fierce wit. What a debut! -- Richard Russo, Author of EVERYBODY'S FOOLThis amazing, sexy, moving, transfixing novel sweeps you up into the epic range of human emotion, from tenderness to exasperation, bafflement to pride, anger to unconditional love that is intrinsic to family life. And how those oh-so-familiar hairpin bends of parenthood and of marriage are so beautifully juxtaposed with the infinite complexities and blind corners of being a daughter, a sister, a friend, a lover! I couldn't quite think of what to do with myself when I came to the last page except read it all over again. -- Juliet Nicolson, author of A HOUSE FULL OF DAUGHTERSA novel to make a note to pack for summer travels ahead -- Laura Bailey * VOGUE *A rich, engrossing family saga, spiked with sisterly malice...[rendered] with such skill and finely tuned interest that it feels like a quiet subversion of the traditional family saga. * The New York Times Book Review *Ambitious and brilliantly written -- Jane Smiley * The Washington Post *A wonderfully immersive read that packs more heart and heft than most first novels...A deliciously absorbing novel with-brace yourself-a tender and satisfyingly positive take on family. * NPR *The big family saga of the summer * EW *You'll be glad this loopy family isn't yours, but reading about them is a treat. * People magazine *A sharp, sly family story of feminine guile and guilt...A fun and brimming tale...Divine * Kirkus *An expansive U.S. family saga, expertly rendered * Daily Mail *Lombardo has a wry, often spiky humour and tightly written style that should appeal to fans of Maria Semple, Emma Straub and Jennifer Egan ... A moving, immersive, often very funny study of family and sisterhood. * Sunday Times *A spry, sly and funny read * Sunday Express *A funny, complex, tragic and immersive family sage which spans forty years. This is the perfect, engrossing holiday read * Red *An exploration of the complex tapestry that is family life, full of delights and difficulties * Cosmopolitan *I love this book, and the Sorensons, so much * Bryony Gordon *

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Book SynopsisHaunting' Sara SheridanIntriguing, atmospheric, thought-provoking' Alexandra BellBeautifully crafted, thrilling and atmospheric' Rebecca NetleyIn the midst of the woods stands a house called Lichen Hall.This place is shrouded in folklore old stories of ghosts, of witches, of a child who is not quite a child.Now the woods are creeping closer, and something has been unleashed.Pearl Gorham arrives in 1965, one of a string of young women sent to Lichen Hall to give birth. And she soon suspects the proprietors are hiding something.Then she meets the mysterious mother and young boy who live in the grounds and together they begin to unpick the secrets of this place.As the truth comes to the surface and the darkness moves in, Pearl must rethink everything she knew and risk what she holds most dear.Praise for The Ghost Woods . . .Cooke has mixed the darkness of reality with a magical realism that will have you gripped'Woman & HomeThis chilling gothic tale is the perfect choice for a book cluTrade Review‘Wonderful! [C.J. Cooke is] a master of the feminist gothic!’ Katherine May ‘Original and compelling, The Ghost Woods is a beautifully written, chilling tale that will stay with the reader long after the book is finished’ Elizabeth Lee ‘It’s no surprise that C.J. Cooke has done it again. She is the queen of gothic thrillers and never fails to amaze me with her writing. The Ghost Woods is an eerie, timely story and an instant classic of the genre’ Samantha Downing 'Beautifully crafted, this thrilling and atmospheric read had me racing to the very satisfying end' Rebecca Netley ‘A haunting and gothic deep dive into danger’ Sara Sheridan ‘Deliciously unsettling, strangely believable’ Carly Reagon ‘Original, moving . . . A twisty gothic thriller’ Anne Wyn Clark ‘I loved The Ghost Woods . . . the perfect chilly read’ Nina Pottell ‘Hauntingly spellbinding. Once again C J Cooke combines history, horror and heart to bring us a mysterious tale wrapped in eerie magic’ N.J. Simmonds ‘Intriguing, atmospheric, thought-provoking and just the right amount of creepy’ Alexandra Bell Praise for C.J. Cooke: 'Wonderfully atmospheric and compelling’ Rosamund Lupton ‘This ghost story is a perfect mix of propulsive plot and shivers-up-the-spine spookiness’ Good Housekeeping ‘A compelling story’ Kate Sawyer ‘Seething with gothic menace … interweaves myth, superstition and history in a way which feels strikingly relevant and gripping’ Caroline Lea ‘Gothic at its best’ Rhiannon Ward ‘Beautifully crafted’ Constance Sayers ‘Surprising and inventive’ Sarah Burton ‘Like a lighthouse roving atmospheric waters, its secrets are revealed glimpse by tantalising glimpse’ Cari Thomas ‘Nordic folklore, snowy landscapes, and an ever-turning screw of tension – a fun, gothic treat’ Kirsty Logan ‘A taut, scary thriller that winds the suspense so tightly you can barely breathe’ Simone St. James

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Book SynopsisLiving in the Blackwood family home with only her sister Constance and her Uncle Julian for company, Merricat just wants to preserve their delicate way of life. But ever since Constance was acquitted of murdering the rest of the family, the world isn't leaving the Blackwoods alone.Trade ReviewHer greatest book ... at once whimsical and harrowing, a miniaturist's charmingly detailed fantasy sketched inside a mausoleum ... the deeper we sink, the deeper we want to go. -- Donna TarttThe world of Shirley Jackson is eerie and unforgettable ... She is a true master. -- A. M. HomesA masterpiece of Gothic suspense. -- Joyce Carol OatesIf you haven't read We Have Always Lived in the Castle ... you have missed out on something marvellous. -- Neil GaimanHer greatest book ... at once whimsical and harrowing, a miniaturist's charmingly detailed fantasy sketched inside a mausoleum ... Through depths and depths and bloodwarm depths we fall, until the surface is only an eerie gleam high above, nearly forgotten; and the deeper we sink, the deeper we want to go -- Donna TarttThis novel brings back all my faith in terror and death. I can say no higher of it and her -- Dorothy Parker * Esquire *An amazing writer -- Neil GaimanThe world of Shirley Jackson is eerie and unforgettable ... She is a true master -- A. M. HomesA masterpiece of Gothic suspense -- Joyce Carol OatesSo eerie, so disturbing, and not a wasted word, it has the kind of economy I wish I knew how to achieve -- Jonathan CoeFor me, it is that unique and dreamlike book ... that stands as her masterpiece -- Jonathan LethemWe Have Always Lived in the Castle is Jackson's masterpiece ... Stunning -- Elaine ShowalterManages the ironic miracle of convincing the reader that a house inhabited by a lunatic, a poisoner, and a pyromaniac is a world more rich in sympathy, love and subtlety than the world outside * Time *A witch's brew of eerie power and startling novelty * The New York Times *A marvellous elucidation of life ... a story full of craft and full of mystery * The New York Times Book Review *

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Book SynopsisMatthew Hall was educated at Hereford Cathedral School and graduated in Law from Worcester College, Oxford. He worked as a criminal barrister before getting his first screenwriting commission with the ITV hit series, Kavanagh QC starring John Thaw. He has since written over 60 hours of prime-time drama. In 2018 he won a BAFTA Cymru for his BBC series, Keeping Faith, which returns for a third and concluding season in 2020. He lives in Herefordshire with his wife Patricia Carswell. They have two sons.

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Book Synopsis*SHORTLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE***FROM THE AUTHOR OF TIKTOK SENSATION MY YEAR OF REST AND RELAXATION** Trapped between caring for her alcoholic father and her job as a secretary at the boys' prison, Eileen Dunlop dreams of escaping to the big city. In the meantime, her nights and weekends are filled with shoplifting and cleaning up her increasingly deranged father's messes. When the beautiful, charismatic Rebecca Saint John arrives on the scene as the new counsellor at the prison, Eileen is enchanted, unable to resist what appears to be a miraculously budding friendship. But soon, Eileen's affection for Rebecca pull her into a crime that far surpasses even her own wild imagination. 'Fully lives up to the hype. A taut psychological thriller, rippled with comedy as black as a raven's wing, Eileen is effortlessly stylish and compelling' The Times *SHORTLISTED FOR THE CWA NEW BLOOD DAGGER AWARD*Trade ReviewFully lives up to the hype. A taut psychological thriller, rippled with comedy as black as a raven's wing, Eileen is effortlessly stylish and compelling. -- Robert Douglas-Fairhurst * The Times *A sucker punch of a novel, full of fury and disgust, heart-wrenching in places, a masterclass in mood and tone. Eileen is a fantastic creation and a surprisingly satisfying antidote to the dozy and complacent heroines of much so-called literary fiction. -- Julie MyersonAn unforgettable new American voice. * Los Angeles Times *The great power of this book…is that Eileen is never simply a literary gargoyle; she is painfully alive and human, and Ottessa Moshfegh writes her with a bravura wildness that allows flights of expressionistic fantasy to alternate with deadpan matter of factness… As a character study, the book is a remarkable tour de force… As an evocation of physical and psychological squalor, Eileen is original courageous and masterful. Moshfegh never panders. -- Sandra Newman * Guardian *A seductive novel…Moshfegh writes beautiful sentences. One after the other they unwind – playful, shocking, wise, morbid, witty, searingly sharp. The beginning of this novel is so impressive, so controlled yet whimsical, fresh and thrilling, you feel she can do anything. * New York Times *

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Book SynopsisNew from the NUMBER ONE bestselling author of The Note. A must-read winter romance for fans of When Harry Met Sally!'A wonderful read that’s got everything – romance, suspense, a New York Christmas setting and an unputdownable plot.' Samantha TongeThirty-two-year-old Charlie Brown has a plane to catch.As Christmas approaches, she is New York bound, to be reunited with boyfriend Harry after work has kept them apart.But once she lands, Harry is nowhere to be found…There’s no hand-drawn sign with her name being brandished at the gate. No answer from Harry's phone. And all at once, Charlie’s worst fears come true.What has happened to Harry? And what should Charlie do now that she’s an ocean away from home?As Charlie slowly comes to terms with her predicament, she makes a decision. She’s not leaving New York without finding out the truth, and with a little help from her handsome new friend Pete, there might still be a path to happily-ever-after…Bestseller Zoë Folbigg returns with a page-turning story of love, friendship and learning to believe in your own worth. Perfect for fans of Mike Gayle, JoJo Moyes and David Nicholls.Praise for Zoë Folbigg:'The Three Loves of Sebastian Cooper is a cleverly constructed, brilliantly insightful book with a glorious cast of characters. You’ll be racing through the final chapters!' Paige Toon'A beautifully-written, perfectly-crafted novel about love, loss and family that kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end. I love how we meet the entire cast of characters (some of whom you'll love, others you'll hate!) in the present and then weave back in time to discover their connection to the infamous Sebastian Cooper. Pacy, evocative, intriguing and complex - I loved it! Lorraine Brown'Folbigg's beautiful tale of love and loss owned my heart from page one. Riveting and touching with an intriguing cast of characters from Sebastian Cooper's past and present, this gorgeous story is a must-read. Highly recommend!' Jacquelyn Middleton'Zoë Folbigg's new novel, The Three Lives of Sebastian Cooper is a brilliant, warm-hearted take on the complexities of love, and the messiness and joy of family life.' Ian Critchley, book reviewer'The Night We Met will warm and break your heart in equal measure, and make you laugh out loud and sob quietly. A lovely gem.' Heat'Bestselling author Zoë works her magic again in this lovely tale' Now! on The Distance

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Book SynopsisMarcus Kliewer is a writer and stop-motion animator. His debut novel We Used to Live Here began life as a serialized short story on Reddit, where it won the Scariest Story of 2021 award on the NoSleep forum (eighteenmillion members). Film rights were snapped up by Netflix, and it was acquired by Simon & Schuster in the US for publication even before it had been extended into a full-length novel. He lives in Vancouver, Canada.

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Book SynopsisIntroduced by Brandon Taylor - Booker-shortlisted author of Real Life - Erasure is an unforgettable, satirical but tender novel about race and cultural expectations in contemporary America.

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Book SynopsisIn September 1913, a young Pole suffering from tuberculosis arrives at Wilhelm Opitz's Guesthouse for Gentlemen, a health resort in the Silesian mountains. Every evening the residents gather to imbibe the hallucinogenic local liqueur and debate the great issues of the day: monarchy or democracy? Do devils exist? Are women born inferior? War or peace? Meanwhile, disturbing things are happening in the guesthouse and the surrounding hills. Someone or something seems to be watching, attempting to infiltrate this cloistered world. Little does the newcomer realize, as he tries to unravel both the truths within himself and the mystery of the sinister forces beyond, that they have already chosen their next target. A century after the publication of The Magic Mountain, Olga Tokarczuk revisits Thomas Mann territory and lays claim to it, blending horror story, comedy, folklore and feminist parable with brilliant storytelling.

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Book SynopsisIntroducing the Collins Modern Classics, a series featuring some of the most significant books of recent times, books that shed light on the human experience classics which will endure for generations to come.So begins the breathtaking story of Calliope Stephanides and her truly unique family secret, born on the slopes of Mount Olympus and passed on through three generations.Growing up in 70s Michigan, Calliope's special inheritance will turn her into Cal, the narrator of this intersex, inter-generational epic of immigrant life in 20th century America.Middlesex won the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.Trade Review‘A masterful dissection and reassembling of the American Dream into a shape you will not quite have seen anywhere before’ Daily Telegraph ‘Superb. Warm and beautifully written. Illuminates part of the human soul’ Sunday Times ‘Truly original and compelling’ Daily Mail ‘Eugenides is a big and a big-hearted talent’ Jonathan Franzen

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Book SynopsisThe Witch is dead. After a group of children playing near the irrigation canals discover her decomposing corpse, the village of La Matosa is rife with rumours about how and why this murder occurred. As the novel unfolds in a dazzling linguistic torrent, Fernanda Melchor paints a moving portrait of lives governed by poverty and violence, machismo and misogyny, superstition and prejudice. Written with an infernal lyricism that is as affecting as it is enthralling, Hurricane Season, Melchor's first novel to appear in English, is a formidable portrait of Mexico and its demons, brilliantly translated by Sophie Hughes.Trade Review'Brutal, relentless, beautiful, fugal, Hurricane Season explores the violent mythologies of one Mexican village and reveals how they touch the global circuitry of capitalist greed. This is an inquiry into the sexual terrorism and terror of broken men. This is a work of both mystery and critique. Most recent fiction seems anaemic by comparison.' — Ben Lerner, author of The Topeka School‘Fernanda Melchor has a powerful voice, and by powerful I mean unsparing, devastating, the voice of someone who writes with rage, and has the skill to pull it off.’ — Samanta Schweblin, author of Fever Dream‘This is the Mexico of Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian or Roberto Bolaño’s 2666, where the extremes of evil create a pummeling, hyper-realistic effect. But the “elemental cry” of Ms. Melchor’s writing voice, a composite of anger and anguish, is entirely her own.’ — Sam Sacks, Wall Street Journal‘A brutal portrait of small-town claustrophobia, in which machismo is a prison and corruption isn’t just institutional but domestic, with families broken by incest and violence. Melchor’s long, snaking sentences make the book almost literally unputdownable, shifting our grasp of key events by continually creeping up on them from new angles. A formidable debut.’ — Anthony Cummins, Observer‘Hurricane Season is a Gulf Coast noir from four characters’ perspectives, each circling a murder more closely than the last. Melchor has an exceptional gift for ventriloquism, as does her translator, Sophie Hughes, who skillfully meets the challenge posed by a novel so rich in idiosyncratic voices. Melchor evokes the stories of Flannery O’Connor, or, more recently, Marlon James’s A Brief History of Seven Killings. Impressive.’ — Julian Lucas, The New York Times‘Stomach-churning, molar-grinding, nightmare-inducing, and extraordinarily clear-eyed account of the ordinary horrors men inflict upon women. Melchor refuses to look away, refuses to indulge in fantasy or levity—even in the moments when the novel is laugh-out-loud funny. And lest the far-off reader think the horror is contained to the lives of others, Melchor repeatedly threads the reminders of the long reach of these crimes—and their causes—throughout the narrative.’ — Lucas Iberico Lozada, The Nation‘I found it impossible to look away. Hurricane Season unfurls with the pressure and propulsion of an unforeseen natural disaster, the full force of Melchor’s arresting voice captured in Sophie Hughes’ masterful translation.’ — Lucy Scholes, Financial Times‘A sprawling, heaving thing, and I loved it because I have no idea how Fernanda Melchor was able to write it. The prose has the quality of a storm.’ — Avni Doshi, Guardian Best Books of 2020‘Hurricane Season is, first and foremost, a horror story—its horror coming from rather than contrasting with the lyricism of Melchor’s prose [...] Melchor’s kaleidoscope keeps circling around the untold source of the horrors, and we are increasingly keen to unveil it. This is an effect of the structure of the novel as much as of its writing. Sophie Hughes’s translation renders the expansive, punishing spirit of Mexican slang so impressively that one wonders whether the harsher sounds of English in fact suit the novel better.’ — Emmanuel Ordóñez Angulo, New York Review of Books

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Book SynopsisIn the latest novel from award-winning author Hari Kunzru, a failed artist who was big in the nineties grapples with his storied, difficult past and uncertain present, all while convalescing secretly in the cottage of his lost love, who just so happens to be married to his former best friend.

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Book SynopsisOne of the most iconic fictional debuts of all time turns 25 this year!What's past is prologue'First published in the year 2000, Zadie Smith's White Teeth was one of the most celebrated novels of the new millennium. Adored by critics and readers alike, it remains a perennial bestseller, which still delights with the audacity of its scope and vision, its fresh-minted style, and the wit and warmth of its voice.Funny, generous and big-hearted, it deals among many other things with friendship, love, war, three cultures and three families over three generations, one brown mouse, and the tricky way the past has of coming back and biting you on the ankle.A life affirming, riotous must-read of a book, it won the Guardian First Book Award, the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Fiction and the Whitbread First Novel Award.Curl up with it, savour every sentence, then turn around and reread' The TimesThe outstanding debut of the new millennium' ObserveTrade ReviewFunny, clever ... and a rollicking good read * Independent *Do believe the hype, buy into it, curl up with it, savour every sentence, then turn around and re-read * The Times *An impressive début, not only for its vitality and verve, but mainly for the sheer audacity of its scope and vision ... an epic tale ... swooping, funny ... it has ambition, wit and is unafraid -- Meera Syal * Express *Announces the debut of a preternaturally gifted new writer ... street-smart and learned, sassy and philosophical all at the same time * The New York Times *Relentlessly funny ... idiosyncratic, and deeply felt * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR FICTION 2018 ''You will sob little tears of joy'' Nell Zink''I recommend it with my whole heart'' Ann Patchett''This book is basically perfect'' Dolly Alderton''Charming, languid and incredibly funny, I absolutely adored Arthur'' Jenny Colgan ''Marvellously, endearingly, unexpectedly funny'' Gary Shteyngart''I adore this book'' Armistead Maupin''Bedazzling, bewitching and be-wonderful'' New York Times Book Review''A fast and rocketing read . . . a wonderful, wonderful book!'' Karen Joy Fowler''Hilarious, and wise, and abundantly funny'' Adam HaslettWHO SAYS YOU CAN''T RUN AWAY FROM YOUR PROBLEMS? Arthur Less is a failed novelist about to turn fifty. A wedding invitation arrives in the post: it is from an ex-boyfriend of nine years who is engaged to someone else. Arthur can''t say yes - it would be too awkward; he can''t say no - it would look like defeat. So, he begins to accept the invitations on his desk to half-baked literary events around the world. From France to India, Germany to Japan, Arthur almost falls in love, almost falls to his death, and puts miles between him and the plight he refuses to face. Less is a novel about mishaps, misunderstandings and the depths of the human heart.Trade ReviewI adore this book -- Armistead MaupinGreer is one of the most talented writers around -- Michael ChabonA really smart, funny book that pulls you up instead of down . . . It's hysterical, and the writing is fantastic -- Ann PatchettThe most deftly funny romantic comedy I've read in years. If you have a sentimental bone in your body (I have 206),the ending will make you sob little tears of joy -- Nell ZinkMarvelously, unexpectedly, endearingly funny. A love story focused on the erroneous belief that the second half of life will pale in comparison to the first. Guess what? It won't! -- Gary ShteyngartLess is the funniest, smartest, and most humane novel I've read since The Imperfectionists . . . Greer writes sentences of arresting lyricism and beauty. His metaphors come at you like fireflies . . . Like Arthur, Andrew Sean Greer's Less is excellent company. It's no less than bedazzling, bewitching and be-wonderful -- Christopher Buckley * New York Times Book Review *A generous book, musical in its prose and expansive in its structure and range, about growing older and the essential nature of love -- Judges of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction 2018I am re-reading Less by Andrew Sean Greer. It is a hilarious, heart-warming story about an imperfect, optimistic and utterly loveable protagonist Arthur Less, stumbling towards a milestone of middle-age on a geographical and personal odyssey while reflecting on his life so far. It is my idea of perfect comfort reading - heroically hopeful, laugh-out-loud funny and overflowing with love -- Dolly Alderton * Waterstones.com *A fast and rocketing read with everything I want from a story - moments of high humor, moments of genuine wisdom, sharp insights, and gorgeous images. A wonderful, wonderful book!Greer is an exceptionally lovely writer, capable of mingling humor with sharp poignancy . . . Brilliantly funny . . . Greer's narration, so elegantly laced with wit, cradles the story of a man who loses everything: his lover, his suitcase, his beard, his dignity * Washington Post *Less is philosophical, poignant, funny and wise, filled with unexpected turns . . . Although Greer is gifted and subtle in comic moments, he's just as adept at ruminating on the deeper stuff. His protagonist grapples with aging,loneliness, creativity, grief, self-pity and more * San Francisco Chronicle *Greer elevates Less' picaresque journey into a wise and witty novel. This is no Eat, Pray Love story of touristic uplift, but rather a grand travelogue of foibles, humiliations and self-deprecation, ending in joy, and a dollop of self-knowledge * National Book Review *Greer, the author of wonderful, heartfelt novels including The Confessions of Max Tivoli, The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells and The Story of a Marriage, shows he has another powerful weapon in his arsenal: comedy. And who doesn't need a laugh right about now? * Miami Herald *Greer writes beautifully . . . Entirely successful in the authorial sleights of hand that make the narrator fade into the background - only to have an identity revealed at the end in a wonderful surprise * Publishers Weekly *Greer's evocations of the places Arthur visits offer zesty travelogue pleasures * Seattle Times *An engaging, funny literary romp * Minneapolis Star Tribune *Dressed in his trademark blue suit, Less adorably butchers the German language, nearly falls in love in Paris, celebrates his birthday in the desert, and, somewhere along the way, discovers something new and fragile about the passing of time, about the coming and going of love, and what it means to be the fool of your own narrative. It's nothing less than wonderful * BookPage *Greer is a masterful writer who sees the best in humankind, and this novel is no exception * Esquire *The charms of this light-footed, melancholy novel are soft and subtle . . . Less is a nuanced, delicately sketched example of someone whose life has been dogged by feelings of inadequacy simply because he has long allowed such feelings to dominate his life . . . rest assured, Less is most awfully good * Big Issue *Faced with an invitation to his ex-lover's wedding and his looming 50th birthday, failed writer Arthur takes the only route he knows and legs it by accepting all the invitations he's been offered to literary festivals around the world. Jumping from country to country with each chapter, Arthur seems beset by irrelevance but slowly shines forth in one comic situation after another (in Italy, he finds himself up for a literary prize judged by 12 high school students) until the book unexpectedly blooms into an ode to humanity. Read and weep * Emerald Street *Less is witty, wise, and wistful in equal measure, sometimes all in the space of one page . . . a charming novel, and the vehicle for the most amiable of heroes * Independent *Less is very definitely more. This ingenious and hilarious Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about a middle aged, almost successful gay author running away from his problems is one of the most brilliant and endearing books we've read in ages. A book about aging, relationships, disappointment and the inevitable absurdity of life, Less is like a friend you didn't know you had, who wraps your heartache in laughter and makes you see that it's all going to work out fine in the end. We adored this wonderful book * Attitude Magazine *This brilliant, Pulitzer-winning skewering of the literary world tracks a lovelorn writer on a voyage of self-discovery . . . Less is about anyone who has allowed their calling to define them at the expense of their humanity. Writers may blush in the mirror it holds up to them, but many readers will find it as endearing as the very best of Armistead Maupin * Guardian *Less is beautifully written, witty, sharp and compelling, and the reminiscing is dreamy and rueful, peppered with optimism of the moment and blissful ignorance . . . a gorgeous, unforgettable work that, whatever your gender or orientation, cannot fail to tell you something about yourself * Independent *Charming, languid and incredibly funny, I absolutely adored ArthurA highly entertaining, bittersweet, quirky, comedy about the unfathomable mysteries of the human heart. Ideal for holiday reading * The Lady *I loved Less, Andrew Sean Greer's novel in which his hero Arthur Less - gay author, recently dumped, turning 50 - goes on a voyage of rediscovery via Japan and Italy. Think Eat Pray Love with A-levels, the novel managed to win this year's Pulitzer Prize, despite being funny * Telegraph *Check out this gentle, witty Pulitzer-winning story about failed novelist Arthur Less . . . Greer'ssparkling prose covers his mishaps, misunderstandings and the fragility of the human heart * Eastern Daily Press *Comic novels rarely if ever get awarded the Pulitzer Prize, so it's a testament to Greer's deft command over theform that this picaresque but poignant romp broke through that particular ceiling * Herald Scotland *Like a rare diamond, Greer's prose sparkles . . . I can't think of a better book to stash in your suitcase * Guardian *Reader, I laughed and I cried: this is a hilarious, heart-warming and thoroughly midlife-enhancing book. On one level. Less is a glorious anthology of all the exquisite humiliations that can be heaped upon a writer . . . it is also a lyrical, moving essay on the rewards of creativity and perseverance in the second half of life. Oh. and it is wise, generous of spirit and beautifully written. More! * Spectator *The last book that made me cry [was] Less by Andrew Sean Greer. The ending gave me chills and then I realised I was crying too -- Derek Owusu * Guardiam *Less is witty, wise, and wistful in equal measure, sometimes all in the space of one page . . . a charming novel, and the vehicle for the most amiable of heroes * Independent *

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Book SynopsisHOW MANY LOVES DO YOU GET IN A LIFETIME? AND ARE MAGNOLIA AND BJ EACH OTHER''S?It''s been nearly a year since everything happened between Magnolia Parks and BJ Ballentine on the steps of the Mandarin Oriental, and it seems like everything since then has changed.Magnolia has a life in New York now and BJ appears to have finally let go and moved on.But when they both wind up back to London and are thrust together once again, they find themselves asking their age-old question: how many loves do you actually get in a lifetime, and most importantly - are they each other''s?READERS LOVE THE MAGNOLIA PARKS UNIVERSE ''Magnolia and BJ have embedded themselves into my DNA.'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ''This book gave drama, love triangles, toxicity, chaos and I ate up every single moment.'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ''TikTok made me do it, 1000% live

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Book SynopsisGorgeous' Observer * Profoundly moving' Financial Times * ''Electrifying'' Daily MailHow do you find the courage to make your own life? An unputdownable novel about first love set in 1960s London from Sunday Times bestselling Rose TremainMarianne is fifteen when she falls helplessly and absolutely in love with Simon. Simon owns a Morris Minor, is in his final year at school and has a dazzling future ahead of him. Desperate to escape the stifling 1950s suburbs she has been raised in, Marianne feels sure she will be able to find true happiness with him.However a twist of fate sees Simon's glittering future dashed, and with it, Marianne's dreams. He flees the country and Marianne, realising she will now have to make a life of her own, moves to London determined to reinvent herself. But Marianne cannot let go of that first all-encompassing love and all the while Simon is in Paris, nursing a secret that will alter everything.A perfect Tremain novel English, dark and yearning Remarkable Tremain shows us the things that make every human life extraordinary' The TimesA complex tale of becoming that's moving, evocative and mesmerising in its acuity' Mail on Sunday*A Sunday Times Book of the Year** Shortlisted for the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction *READERS LOVE ABSOLUTELY AND FOREVER:''Heartrending, funny, unputdownable'' 5*****''An undoubted modern classic'' 5*****''Marianne will remain with me as a friend'' 5*****''A masterclass in character and world building ... the writing is just sublime'' 5*****

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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