Contemporary Fiction Books

Book Synopsis'Her observation of our species is tender, precise, illuminating' Hilary Mantel THE NEW NOVEL BY THE BOOKER LONGLISTED AND ARTHUR C CLARKE AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR OF THE TESTAMENT OF JESSIE LAMBADAPTED FROM THE HIT BBC RADIO 4 PLAY'An ambitious and important writer' New York Times'Unputdownable and often thought-provoking' Sunday Times'Grimly plausible' GuardianIn this version of London, there is a small, private clinic. Behind its layers of security, procedures are taking place on poor, robust teenagers from northern Estates in exchange for thousands of pounds - procedures that will bring the wealthy dead back to life in these young supple bodies for fourteen days.It's an opportunity for wrongs to be righted, for fathers to meet grandsons, for scientists to see their work completed. Old wine in new bottles.But at what cost?MORE PRAISE FOR JANE ROGERS AND BODY TOURISTS:'Gripping' Mail on Sunday'Very much a novel about human nature . . . an insightful examination of the things people truly value' SciFi Now'A wonderfully versatile novelist' Penelope Lively'Rogers' prose flows elegantly and with effortless power' Observer'A compulsive and compelling slice of fiction' Sunday ExpressTrade ReviewHer observation of our species is tender, precise, illuminating -- Hilary MantelUnputdownable and often thought-provoking * Sunday Times *Grimly plausible . . . Moving * Guardian *Rogers has never been afraid to expose the dark underside of people's psyches, their shoddy motives and secret compulsions * Guardian *Gripping and thought-provoking * Mail on Sunday *[A] compulsive and compelling slice of fiction * Sunday Express *Body Tourists is very much a novel about human nature. Told through a variety of different perspectives . . . the novel is an insightful examination of the things people truly value * SciFi Now *Jane Rogers is a wonderfully versatile novelist -- Penelope LivelyAn ambitious and important writer * New York Times *Rogers' prose flows elegantly and with effortless power * Observer *A clever, bold and entertaining novel with serious undercurrents concerning medical ethics, class privilege, deprivation and manipulationAs the trials are marred by unforeseen battles between will and flesh, tantalising moral questions are raised about gender, class, race, mortality and the pursuit of ever smarter, ever more human artificial intelligence. * Bookanista *An extraordinary novel about an ordinary situation - the unravelling of a marriage -- (Review of CONRAD AND ELEANOR) * The Times *Brilliantly done - a sustained exploration of the polarities at the enduring heart of love -- (Review of CONRAD AND ELEANOR) * Guardian *A literary dystopia that packs an emotional punch . . . The novel does not set up an elaborate apocalypse, but astringently strips away the smears hiding the apocalypses we really face. -- (Review of Booker-longlisted THE TESTAMENT OF JESSIE LAMB) * Independent on Sunday *Beautifully constructed and controlled . . . an absorbing, nuanced drama about moral choices and personal responsibility -- (Review of THE VOYAGE HOME) * Sunday Telegraph *A voyage of self-discovery that is eloquent, lucid and entirely enthralling -- (Review of THE VOYAGE HOME) * Daily Mail *A startling and gripping exploration of love, grief, responsibility and power that moves effortlessly from the personal - the pain of a woman who has recently lost her father - to one of the most hotly debated and emotive issues of the moment, the plight of asylum seekers . . . A wonderfully humane and vividly written story that will keep you entranced until the last page -- (Review of THE VOYAGE HOME) * Red Magazine *A triumphant creation . . . the authorial voice has a chameleon quality; she speaks with tongues. And the tongue here is persuasive indeed -- (Review of ISLAND) * Independent *Rogers' use of genuine historical detail is brilliant, she knows exactly what to use, and when to stop. * Canberra Times *Cuts to the bone * Sunday Times *Her observation of our species is tender, precise, illuminating -- Hilary MantelJane Rogers is a wonderfully versatile novelist -- Penelope LivelyAn ambitious and important writer * The New York Times *Cuts to the bone * The Sunday Times *Rogers has never been afraid to expose the dark underside of people's psyches, their shoddy motives and secret compulsions * Guardian *Roger's prose flows elegantly and with effortless power * Observer *

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Book Synopsis'A subversive debut' GUARDIAN'Prose that dances with charge and potency' LOS ANGELES REVIEW OF BOOKS*WINNER of a 2023 ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN AWARD FOR LITERATURE and a 2023 SOUTH ASIA BOOK AWARD*On a year-long exchange programme, sixteen-year-old Hira must swap the bustle of urban Pakistan for church and volleyball practice in rural Oregon. Stuck between two worlds, her experience of America is sometimes freeing, sometimes painful, often quite painful. And while she faces racism and Islamophobia, she also makes new friends and has her first kiss.But when her new life is blown apart by a shocking health crisis, Hira's sense of belonging is overturned once again - forcing her to consider her place in the world.'Marks the debut of a thrilling new global voice' Peter Ho Davies, author of The FortunesTrade ReviewA subversive debut . . . It is the sharpness, and surprise . . . that makes Dur e Aziz Amna's coming-of-age, coming-to-America debut novel stand out . . . The highly quotable Hira is a force to be reckoned with. Her spiky prose style provocatively undercuts received narratives about the 'American dream' from the immigrant's perspective. -- Sana Goyal * Guardian *What comes sharply into focus in this beautifully written debut, is that we can never leave the past behind -- Jane Shilling * Daily Mail *American Fever is the unforgettable story of a teenage girl in a year of transformation. Dur e Aziz Amna navigates the choppy waters of adolescence with blistering insight and humour, and exquisitely captures the way we can long for home while yearning to escape it. Rarely does a book sharpen how you see the world around you, but American Fever does just that. It dazzled me on every page. * Julie Buntin, author of Marlena *"The one thing I shouldn't ever do was take an American's word on America." Good point: take Dur e Aziz Amna's word instead. In this sharply observed twist on the classic coming-to-America story, we find an America recognizable in all its generosity, cruelty, and sometimes-well-intentioned bumbling. And we find a brilliant exploration of the sacred, scary moment when a girl comes into the wider world. * Benjamin Moser, Pulitzer-Prize-winning author of Sontag: Her Life and Work *Brave, tender-hearted, and painfully bittersweet, American Fever is a sharply observed debut that announces Dur e Aziz Amna as a brilliant new voice. * Fatima Farheen Mirza, author of A Place for Us *In American Fever, Dur e Aziz Amna gives us an unforgettable South Asian protagonist - clever, clear-spoken, equal parts brash and vulnerable - navigating the mores of illness, separation and small-town America. Charming, fearless and politically aware, American Fever is a novel that will stay with you for a long time. * Sarah Thankam Mathews *American Fever is an extraordinarily assured and gripping debut. The intelligence, humour and longing of Hira's voice, as she negotiates what it means to belong to a place, will certainly stay with me * Aysegül Savas *Hira's is a voice I won't soon forget; her biting intelligence, her irreverence, and her wit blazes through this riveting, brilliant novel which stuns in its insights, its sensitive understanding of the complexities of identity, of what home means, and what it means to exist within a globalized world. A searing debut. * Aamina Ahmad, author of The Return of Faraz Ali *A poetic, memorable novel. I loved it. Hira is a marvellous creation - American Fever marks the arrival of a hugely promising writer. * Mirza Waheed *A loving and unflinching exploration of home and homeland, the ways they make and unmake us, how they feed us and also eat away our insides. Amna's crystalline prose reflects and refracts, dazzles and captivates. * Nawaaz Ahmed, author of 'Radiant Fugitives', finalist for the PEN-Faulkner Award *American Fever is a fresh, fierce bildungsroman - a story of homesickness and adolescent ache, not to mention a biting meta-commentary on what we expect from immigrant narratives. It's a relief to witness America as Hira does, seeing it clearly as an absurd, flawed nation that is all too often, as Hira says, a concept on whose behalf immigrants are unreasonably asked to testify. * Sanjena Sathian, author of GOLD DIGGERS *American Fever is a beautifully written book . . . Hira [is] a narrator whose insight and skepticism is addictive . . . Excellent * Tribune Magazine *Hira is a compelling, emotionally astute narrator . . . Hira's freshness in the way she assesses the world and herself while skewering the inconsistencies of those around her makes for a layered read . . . Amna's debut novel showcases her adeptness in tackling some of the big migration questions of home and identity within the context of her insightful young protagonist's complex experiences * Booklist *This is a funny and affecting novel, understated but powerful, a wonderful new spin on the coming-of-age story. A smart, charming debut. * Kirkus Reviews *An utterly hypnotic, witty and brilliant novel about young Hira's journey across two oceans... Dur E Aziz Amna's virtuosic way with language kept me enthralled the whole way through. This book is a necessary next-leveling of diasporic consciousness, the unraveling of borders between homeland and newfound home that happens inside of us. * Tanaïs, author of IN SENSORIUM *American Fever is an exhilarating juxtaposition of discovery and nostalgia. With great humour and fine attentiveness, Dur e Aziz Amna captures the feverish excitement and confusion of America from the point of view of a young outsider, questioning our assumptions about relationships, politics, food, clothes, illness, grief and beyond. It's a fast-paced yet contemplative story of malaise and opportunity, intercultural (mis)understanding, and transgenerational debt. Every page is filled with the zest of life that makes you want more. * Kit Fan, author of DIAMOND HILL *Fierce, razor-sharp, poignant, and rendered with fiery wit and deep empathy for human foibles, American Fever is a powerful tale of exile, identity, and belonging in our complex world. * Vikram Paralkar, author of NIGHT THEATER *A gripping debut on a journey that so many young people embark on but very little is written about with such audacity, skill and compassion. The narrative toggle between teenage and adult Hira adds depth to an already evocative book. * Zeba Talkhani *Gorgeous... Amna is a bold storyteller skilled at blending character, plot, and the kind of existential crises that keep us up at night. Her debut novel, American Fever-as propulsive as it is lyrical, as hilarious as it is sobering-is, above all, an irresistible read from an impressive new literary voice. * Michigan Quarterly Review *Completely engrossing . . . Amna's prose moves along quickly and Hira's appraisal of the people and places she encounters is sharp and untarnished by tact. At times, her wit and judgement land like the crack of a whip and leave you both laughing and uncomfortable. -- Mariam Tareen * Dawn *When I finished reading the novel, I was filled with gratitude for finding this brilliant voice from our country at the start of her career . . . Dur e Aziz Amna is a writer that every Pakistani should be reading. * The News *Prose that dances with charge and potency . . . American Fever firmly puts Amna on the literary map as a sharp young voice to look out for. Its striking cast of characters, both Pakistani and American, stand out in their pugnacious individuality, and its potent themes are woven through the story with genuine subtlety -- Anandi Mishra * Los Angeles Review of Books *

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Book SynopsisFrom the author of Grey Souls and Brodeck's Report: a chilling island fable of murder, exploitation and complicity"A parable about modern migration that is also the kind of detective story Mikhail Bulgakov might have written: visionary and darkly humourous" Lucy Hughes-Hallet, New Statesman BOOKS OF THE YEAR"A timely and elegant examination of the migrant situation in the Mediterranean from the point of view of a remote, volcanic island" The New European BOOKS OF THE YEARThe Dog Islands are a small, isolated cluster of islands in the Mediterranean - so called because together, when viewed from above, they form the shape of a dog, twisting and baring its teeth against a brilliant blue sea. One of the only inhabited islands (the one that takes the place of one of the dog's teeth) is dominated by a gently smoking volcano, fringed by black volcanic beaches and under the iron rule of the heads of community who are loath to let any outside influence disrupt the quiet way of life on the island.Then one morning, an old woman comes across three bodies that have washed up with the tide: three young black men, who have apparently drowned in their attempt to cross the sea. The initial reaction of the island community is that this tragedy must be covered up, lest any association with the drownings damages the island's tourism industry . . .But the island's deliberate isolation from the realities of the world cannot last for long, and when a visiting detective arrives on the island and starts asking awkward questions, it becomes clear that the deaths of these three men indicate something far more sinister and deeply rotten lying at the heart of this godforsaken fragment of sea-bound land.Translated from the French by Euan CameronEUAN CAMERON is a literary translator from the French and a former publisher. His previous translations include works by Patrick Modiano, Didier Decoin and Paul Morand, as well as biographies of Marcel Proust and Irène Némirovsky. His debut novel, Madeleine, was published in 2019.With the support of the Creative Europe Programme of the European UnionTrade ReviewA timely and elegant examination of the migrant situation in the Mediterranean from the point of view of a remote, volcanic island that depends on tourism for its survival and lives in fear of negative publicity as a result. -- Charlie Connelly * New European Books of the Year *

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Book Synopsis'Billed as Agatha Christie meets Beatrix Potter . . . Sometimes you just need an entertaining, escapist read to while away the hours, and Juneau Black (the pen name of authors Jocelyn Cole and Sharon Nagel) certainly delivers all the small-town cosy crime vibes, with the animal quirkiness of Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr Fox . . . a perfect long weekend binge-read' Culture FlyA MURDER TO SOLVE. A REPORTER ON THE CASE. CAN YOU SPOT THE SECRETS IN SHADY HOLLOW?In the woodland community of Shady Hollow, you'll discover a secret. Moose and mice, owls and bears live side by side in civilized harmony. Shady Hollow has a coffee shop and a bookshop, a haberdasher and a bank. All is well . . . until the town's querulous toad shows up dead. It's something this village haven't seen before: a murder.Vera Vixen is new in town. She has a nose for news and catches the scent of a story, one that leads her to dark places. As she stirs up the still waters, the fox exposes more than one mystery, and the folks in Shady Hollow learn that some of their neighbours are lying, while others are downright dangerous. It will take all of Vera's cunning and quickness to come out alive.Entertaining and perceptive, Shady Hollow is fast-paced and witty, with characters that jump off the page and a hugely satisfying mystery to solve. Once you've met the residents of Shady Hollow, you won't easily forget them.'It sounds daft - it is daft - but it's also lots of fun' The People's Friend MagazineTrade ReviewIt sounds daft - it is daft - but it's also lots of fun * The People’s Friend Magazine *Billed as Agatha Christie meets Beatrix Potter . . . Sometimes you just need an entertaining, escapist read to while away the hours, and Juneau Black (the pen name of authors Jocelyn Cole and Sharon Nagel) certainly delivers all the small-town cosy crime vibes, with the animal quirkiness of Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr Fox . . . a perfect long weekend binge-read * Culture Fly *

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Book Synopsis'Acampora is an original' Jay McInerney, author of Bright Lights, Big CityAn electrifying debut novel of two women's friendship, a haunting obsession and twisted ambition, set against the feverish backdrop of contemporary Hollywood.Abby Graven is a dreamer. She dreams her way through her small, lonely life - hiding back at her parents, working at the grocery store. At night, she collects tabloid clippings that taunt her with Elise - her best friend, now Hollywood's hot new starlet.When a school reunion throws Elise in her path, Abby seizes her chance. With feverish certainty, she boards a one-way flight to LA to become Elise's assistant and enters her gauzy realm of film sets and glamorous actors.But behind Elise's glossy magazine veneer, she is drowning in Hollywood's vicious social cycle. Ever the devoted friend, Abby conceals her own burning desire for greatness. For she is smarter than Elise. More talented. A true artist. And as she edges closer to her own ambitions, Abby can see only one way to make her dream come true.Propelled by seductive, unstoppable force, The Paper Wasp slashes through the dark side of Hollywood and the treacherous intimacies of female friendship, pursuing a heroine of blazing artistic vision and blinding drive.Trade ReviewIt seems at first a novel of friendship between women - a rich vein for any writer - but in The Paper Wasp, Lauren Acampora upends convention, creating an unsettling (and impossible to put down) story about art and ambition, fame and power. A beautiful and surprising book. * Rumaan Alam, author of That Kind of Mother *The Paper Wasp is a crazy joy ride of a novel; a bold and joyous take on female friendship, outsider ambition and the secret powers of loners. It gives us a heroine who is selfish, weird, and manipulative, and makes us root for her with all our selfish, weird, and manipulative hearts. I loved every second of it. * Sandra Newman, author of The Heavens *A lyrical, provocative, imaginative page turner that makes the world feel new again, The Paper Wasp is both a stunning portrait of a fixated woman and an addictive, modern commentary on an eternal theme of obsession. In her glittering, goosebump-inducing prose, Lauren Acampora gives us a soul trip/head trip/rarefied LA trip replete with surrealism and social commentary. * Caroline Kepnes, author of You *Acampora is an exquisite stylist who misses no shade or psychological texture and who also plumbs depths of feeling in note-perfect prose that leaves one stunned at the artistry on display. The Paper Wasp is a powerful statement of aesthetic purpose, and an unalloyed triumph. * Matthew Thomas, author of We Are Not Ourselves *Thrilling . . . Acampora writes propulsive sentences at a fever pitch. Told in the second person, the novel is by turns a confession, an accusation, and a stalker's diary, yet it is also grounded by Acampora's musings on philosophy, art, and ambition. Abby is a unique heroine making all the wrong choices feel somehow right and just. Utterly bizarre and completely bewitching, this twisted, delicious tale will grab you from the first page and hurl you over the edge. * Kirkus (starred review) *Acampora's accomplished prose style and the complexity of the themes she addresses catapults this story into the freshly minted category of literary psycho thriller. -- Christena Appleyard * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisFrom the million-copy bestselling author of Before We Were Yours comes a novel about one summer like no other.When Rebecca Macklin receives a long-distance call from the Dallas police to explain her aging father has been found repeatedly wandering the city streets alone, and his wife has suffered a serious illness and landed in a nursing home, it is not what she is expecting. Despite the demands of the busy LA legal practice Rebecca shares with her husband, she must put aside old resentments and return to her childhood home.When Hanna Beth Parker hears about the arrival of her stepdaughter, Rebecca, who has stayed away for decades, she knows something is terribly wrong. Suddenly, the last person she'd ever turn to for help is the only one she can count on. But forging a relationship with Rebecca will require awakening old ghosts. In this moving story of separation and forgiveness, two women will unravel the betrayals of the past, examine the yearnings of the heart, and discover the truest meaning of family.Perfect for fans of Kathryn Hughes and Santa Montefiore.Trade ReviewLisa Wingate takes an almost unthinkable chapter in our nation's history and weaves a tale of enduring power * Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife *Heartfelt, honest, and entirely entertaining... this poignant story will touch your heart from the first page to the last * Kristin Hannah, author of The Nightingale *One of the year's best books . . . It is impossible not to get swept up in this near-perfect novel. It invades your heart from the very first pages and stays there long after the book is finished * Huffington Post *A poignant, engrossing tale * People Magazine *Wingate roots her tender tale in hope, redemption, and family * Publishers Weekly *A gift for crafting a story. Lisa Wingate never disappoints * USA Today *

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Book SynopsisFrom the million-copy bestselling author of Before We Were Yours comes an inspiring novel about one woman's effect on a struggling Dallas neighbourhood.Sometimes hope springs up in unlikely places. Sandra Kaye Darden certainly never expects to find it in the little pink house left by her uncle Poppy. With her adopted son, Jake, missing thousands of miles away, and her family life disintegrating, Sandra feels as if her life is falling apart. A decaying house in a struggling Dallas neighbourhood just adds to her burden. But what begins for Sandra as a simple painting project to help sell the house for sale becomes a secret venture that starts to change everythingCass Blue is having trouble keeping food on the table since she left her foster care. When Sandra Kaye shows up with lunch one day, Cass has no way of knowing that the meeting will lead to the creation of the Summer Kitchen, a place of refuge that could reunite a divided community.In this moving story of second chances, two unlikely allies realize their ability to make a difference... and the power of their Summer Kitchen to nourish the soul.Perfect for fans of Kathryn Hughes and Santa Montefiore.Trade ReviewLisa Wingate takes an almost unthinkable chapter in our nation's history and weaves a tale of enduring power * Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife *Heartfelt, honest, and entirely entertaining... this poignant story will touch your heart from the first page to the last * Kristin Hannah, author of The Nightingale *One of the year's best books . . . It is impossible not to get swept up in this near-perfect novel. It invades your heart from the very first pages and stays there long after the book is finished * Huffington Post *A poignant, engrossing tale * People Magazine *Wingate roots her tender tale in hope, redemption, and family * Publishers Weekly *A gift for crafting a story. Lisa Wingate never disappoints * USA Today *

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Book Synopsis"Compassionate and complex" Financial Times"Stridsberg writes with chilling poise" New York Times"A haunting portrait of the starkest meanings of love and family. Stridsberg's literary talent left me awestruck" KATE REED PETTY, author of True Story**A FINANCIAL TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2021**Inside me was voiceless silence, above me only bare defenceless sky and beneath me the earth's unrelenting gravity, pulling me downThe moment of Inni's death will never end. Not ever. Murdered one summer's day on a lake shore at the heart of a distant, rain-washed forest, she tells the story of the moment her life was violently extinguished by an anonymous man.But amidst that moment of death lies the story of what came before, and of the lives that carry on afterwards. This is the story of her children, her parents and the chain of choices, tragedies and accidents that lead her to a life on the streets and take her into the wrong crowd, the wrong places and, finally, the wrong car with the wrong person.The Antarctica of Love is the unflinching testimony of a woman on the margins, giving voice to the voiceless and offering an insight into depths of absolute vulnerability, brutality and isolation. Hauntingly beautiful yet at times disturbing, this is a devastating story of unexpected love, tenderness and light in the total darkness.Translated from Swedish by Deborah Bragan-TurnerTrade ReviewThe Antarctica of Love is a shocking and beautiful subversion of the 'dead girl' trope. With fierce dignity, the narrator in this elegiac novel refuses to be reduced to murder victim/sex worker/addict; she is a poet, philosopher, and author of her own life story in this haunting portrait of the starkest meanings of love and family. Stridsberg's literary talent left me awestruck -- Kate Reed Petty * author of TRUE STORY *An elegy to the murdered woman's life, from her point of view . . . [Stridsberg] writes with chilling poise * New York Times *Stridsberg offers a compassionate and complex portrait of a woman damaged by her past, and of those left behind to mourn her death * Financial Times *Excellent . . . Linguistically and structurally beautiful, The Antarctica of Love is a an exploration of our place in the world, how fleetingly we occupy it, and how much of a trace we leave * Translating Women *A deeply moving portrait of a life cut short, free of judgement but rich in insight and compassion . . . Stridsberg's novel is brave, and it couldn't be more relevant * European Literature Network *A disturbingly beautiful book. Stridsberg writes perhaps the most taut and most beautiful prose in Sweden right now * Expressen *A powerful story that ripples through time and across generations and social divides . . . with extraordinary empathy and insight * CrimeReads *A stunning book which paints the portrait of a broken life with honesty and compassion * Kirkus Reviews (starred) *A ruminative, heartrending novel * Publishers Weekly *Already with her second novel - The Faculty of Dreams, which was awarded the 2007 Nordic Council Literature Prize - Stridsberg proved that she is among the finest authors of contemporary Nordic literature ... With her latest work, The Antarctica of Love, Stridsberg has surpassed herself. The Antarctica of Love is a novel that one both rejects and cannot resist. It is brutal and oddly full of light, it is wild and violent, but also full of love and tenderness. * Aftenposten *A shattering read from one of Scandinavia's truly modern storytellers, in prose that appears both more sophisticated and more accessible than previous works * Klassekampen *The book has a linguistic abundance that fires up the reader with energy and the conviction that this novel can be one of the best of the year * Adresseavisen *Gives voice to the unseen . . . A terrible and beautiful novel with unique moral weight. * Vårt Land *Few writers craft such distinct imagery, in such poetic meanderings, with such beauty and precision, as Stridsberg * Svenska Dagbladet *The Antarctica of Love is an utterly brilliant novel * Skånska Dagbladet *Her story becomes inscribed upon our minds, so rich with poetic expressions and prosaic sentences that it is ultimately difficult to comprehend all the horror, since it is wrapped in such powerful words. ... Sara Stridsberg's The Antarctic of Love is this year's most poignant book * LitteraturMagazinet *The Antarctica of Love is Stridsberg's darkest and most powerful novel to date. Here, there is no romanticizing of marginalization ... Here, it's all intense presence and nerve, up until the moment of death itself * SVT Kulturnyheter *An interesting experiment in narrative and emotional detachment -- Rónán Hession * Irish Times *An amazing and almost unbearably precise novel * Dagens Nyheter *Stridsberg's language bears the unbearable, and provides a soft blanket that leads us into the worst - and beyond * Politiken *

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Book Synopsis"A novel par excellence that is destined to become a classic' of almost byzantine splendour . . . At its best worthy of comparison with Gabriel García Márquez" Catherine Taylor, Irish Times"Afonso Cruz is one of the strongest voices in contemporary Portuguese literature" Antonio Saez Delgado, El PaisAt the age of forty-two, Bonifaz Vogel begins to hear a voice.But it doesn't belong to the mice or the woodworm, as he first imagines. Nor is it the voice of God, as he comes to believe. It belongs to young Isaac Dresner, who takes refuge in the cellar of Vogel's bird shop on the run from the soldier who shot his best friend. Soon Vogel comes to rely on it for advice: he cannot make a sale without first bending down to confer with the floorboards. Thus begins the story of two Dresden families, fractured and displaced by the devastating bombing of the city 1945, their fates not only intertwined, but bound also to that of a life-sized doll commissioned by the artist Oskar Kokoschka in the image of his lost lover.Based on a curious true story, Kokoschka's Doll is an imaginative and playful novel that transports the reader to Dresden, Paris, Lagos and Marrakesh, introducing them to an unforgettable cast of characters along the way.Translated from the Portuguese by Rahul BeryRahul Bery's translations from Portuguese and Spanish have been published in Granta, The White Review, Words Without Borders and the T.L.S. His first full-length translation, Rolling Fields by David Trueba, was published in 2020. From 2018 to 2019 he was translator-in-residence at the British Library.With the support of the Creative Europe Programme of the European UnionTrade ReviewWhat truly distinguishes Cruz is how he can combine philosophical thinking with surprising writing, rich with imagery. -- Ana Dias Ferreria * Time Out. *Highly recommended for its imaginative, playful character, though it tells many tales of sad love. -- Pedro Mexia * Publico. *A novel par excellence that is destined to become a classic' of almost byzantine splendour . . . At its best worthy of comparison with Gabriel García Márquez. -- Catherine Taylor * Irish Times. *

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Book SynopsisA moving novel of love and war by the author of The Beekeeper of Aleppo and Songbirds.It is July 1974 and on a bright, sunny morning, the Turkish army has invaded the town of Kyrenia in Cyprus. For many people, this means an end to life as they know it. But for some, it is a chance to begin living again. Everyone has always talked about Koki. They never believed she was her father's daughter and her mother died too soon to quiet their wagging tongues. And when she became pregnant and there was no sign of a husband, her fate was sealed. So she lives outside the town and hides from her neighbours' eyes. But, held captive with the very women who have made her life so lonely, Koki is finally able to tell them the truth. To talk of the Turkish shoe-maker who came to the town and took her heart away with him when he left. And how she has longed for him all these years. Meanwhile, Adem Berker finds himself back in Kyrenia, his former home, now as a member of the invading force. Here he left everything he ever wanted and, by cover of darkness, risking his life, he is searching every house, every cafe, every old pathway, for just a glimpse of the only woman he has ever loved.For readers of The Island, The Book Thief and The Kite Runner.Trade ReviewSo much more than another romantic beach, this is a powerful piece of writing - Sunday Telegraph

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Book SynopsisThe stories here collected under the title Five Women combine two different volumes. All together, these stories, each of which (as the reader will guess) has a woman at the apparent centre of its gaze, has the feel of a series study, or of a natural history, though one performed in a strange and not entirely rational laboratory, or field. The intensity in these stories derives in part from looking at humans under the very ordinary extremities of love and desire. Neither love, nor femininity, is the subject matter so much as it is the medium.Translated by Eithne Wilkins & Ernst Kaiser

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Book Synopsis'A charming and heart-warming read that will warm your cockles this winter' HeatThirty-nine-year-old Romane is a doctor and hypochondriac. Her usually uneventful life changes when one of her patients insists that she saw Romane coming out of a hospital in Marseille, looking very ill. But Romane is perfectly healthy and has never stepped foot in Marseille. So who did her patient see?Romane sets off for the south of France, determined to uncover the mystery of her lookalike. Her investigation leads her to Juliette, a bookseller in Avignon. When the two women meet it soon becomes clear they are twins. But how is it possible that neither of them knew of each other's existence? What secrets have their families been keeping? On their search for the truth the two sisters embark on an astonishing journey filled with both pain and joy...Sandrel's first novel, The Book of Wonders, was a global bestseller. It has been translated into 26 languages and will be adapted for the big screen. His second novel is a deeply moving and inspiring story about the quest for happiness and a second chance at life.PRAISE FOR THE BOOK OF WONDERS'A sweet and heartfelt read' Heat'Will make you rethink your priorities in life' Sunday Post'Heart-warming and tear-jerking' Irish ExaminerTrade ReviewA charming and heart-warming read that will warm your cockles this winter * Heat *An astonishing journey filled with both pain and joy. Uplifting * Bella *This book will make you rethink your priorities in life * Sunday Post *A sweet and heartfelt read * Heat *A hope-against-hope, madcap race against time * Saga *Heartwarming and tearjerking * Irish Examiner *

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Book Synopsis'Rich in charm and surprises' GUARDIAN'A transporting and entertaining read' THE TIMES'A triumph. Funny, mysterious, moving and ingenious - a Shakespearian knot of happiness all round' PHILIP PULLMAN One night in a remote hunting lodge with a Hollywood director causes an international scandal that wrecks Astrid's glittering stage career, and her marriage. Her ex-husband, the charismatic Scottish actor Magnus Fellowes, goes on to find global fame, while Astrid retreats to a disintegrating Sussex windmill. Now 82, she lives there still, with a troupe of dachshunds and her long-suffering friend, Mrs Baker, who came to clean twenty years ago and never left. But the past is catching up with them. There has been an 'Awful Incident' at the windmill; the women are in shock. Then Astrid hears that Magnus, now on his death bed, is writing a tell-all memoir. Outraged, she sets off for Scotland, determined to stop him. Windmill Hill is the story of two very different women, both with painful pasts, and their eccentric friendship - deep, enduring, and loyal to the last. Praise for Lucy Atkins:'Brilliantly observed. I loved it' CLAIRE FULLER'A truly memorable story, I loved it' JOANNA CANNON'An intriguing, brilliantly told story' NINA STIBBE'Charming and shocking . . . Never fails to delight' MICK HERRON'A deft display of Lucy Atkins's talents as a delicate observer of human nature' ARIFA AKBAR'Compulsive and skilfully woven' CLARE CHAMBERS'Intelligent and gripping' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING'Mesmerising . . . beautifully written' LITERARY REVIEW'Cleverly constructed' WOMAN & HOME'It was an utter joy to relish Atkins's wonderfully skilled and unobtrusive writing' SARAH PERRY 'Sly, witty and gripping . . . I loved it' NAOMI ALDERMAN 'A sinewy, supple and gorgeously satisfying triumph' LUCY MANGANTrade ReviewWindmill Hill is enormous fun and Atkins delivers an emotionally satisfying climax * Guardian *A transporting and entertaining read * The Times *Atkins's enjoyably cosy yarn builds to a powerful and deftly denouement as she pursues themes of friendship, memory, perception and truth * Daily Mail *What a fabulous character Lucy Atkins has created in Astrid! 82 with a wandering mind, she is eccentric, determined, loyal, and wholly believable. This novel, ultimately about female friendship is playful, brilliantly observed, and with a plot that leaps and skips and surprises in the best possible ways. I loved it * Claire Fuller *Windmill Hill is a compulsive and skilfully woven story of loyal female friendship, memories, regrets and secrets that will not stay buried. Lucy Atkins keeps the reader turning the pages hungrily * Clare Chambers *I loved Windmill Hill. Glorious characters in an intriguing, brilliantly told story. And so funny! * Nina Stibbe *Lucy Atkins, a one-of-a-kind writer, has reached new heights. Packed with story, character, sadness, friendship and joy, Windmill Hill is charming and shocking by turns, and never fails to delight * Mick Herron *Utterly gorgeous - a lush, rich mystery peopled by unforgettable characters * JP Delaney *I've been a firm fan of Lucy Atkins since The Night Visitor and the superb Magpie Lane, but Windmill Hill propels her into a different league. Exquisitely written, with a protagonist who leaps off the page, it's comic, astute, heart-warming and powered by two dark strands of suspense that tug you as strongly as the wind beneath the mill's sails. I loved it * Sarah Vaughan *Windmill Hill is a propulsive read about the lives of theatre actors; their loves, long buried secrets and what they are willing to do for fame. It is written with all the addictive energy of a whodunit but also the elegance and poise of literary fiction. A deft display of Lucy Atkins's talents as a delicate observer of human nature and a master of intrigue * Arifa Akbar *Lucy Atkins is such a skilled storyteller, creating compelling, interesting characters who remain with the reader long after the last word is read. I loved the story of friendship at the heart of Windmill Hill and I was entranced by this exquisitely written novel. It's a novel I will be giving to all my friends. Beautifully written, it has stayed with me a long time * Clover Stroud *In Windmill Hill, Lucy Atkins has created two unforgettable characters in a setting so vivid you'll be googling 'how to live in a windmill' even as you turn the last page. At turns funny, poignant and fierce, the novel is a thrilling pageturner which showcases Atkins' beautiful prose. I loved this book and am hoping for further adventures for our protagonists! * Sarah Franklin *Lucy Atkins is an author at the top of her game with Windmill Hill. This is a compelling and multi-layered novel with so much to say about love and friendship, about being young and growing old - and how the concept of home can be found in another human being while companionship can be found in an old, irritable windmill * Freya North *A beautifully written story about the endurance and strength of female friendship, and how we can set the past free if we find the courage to face it. Lucy Atkins writes place and character with such skill, I feel as though I have sat by the windmill with Astrid and Mrs Baker, watching the downs unfold before us and drinking a shot (or two) of Jim Beam. A truly memorable story, I loved it * Joanna Cannon *A triumph. Funny, mysterious, moving and ingenious - a Shakespearian knot of happiness all round * Philip Pullman *A fascinating exploration of the resilience of the aged and the determination to confront the ghosts of the past. The book keeps you in suspense until the final page * Michael Billington *I'm a big Lucy Atkins fan and Windmill Hill is a brilliantly structured tale of complicated lives which moves cleverly between several timelines. The protagonists are fascinating and the windmill almost a character in its own right. A really absorbing read * Adèle Geras *Intelligent and gripping * Good Housekeeping *Mesmerising . . . beautifully written * Literary Review *Make sure you read this funny, moving book before it becomes a film, for the pleasure of Atkins's delicious writing * Daily Express *Funny, moving and original * Best *With wonderfully drawn characters, this female character-led story is humorous and charming * Candis *Its warmth and roundness is one that'll keep you turning the pages * Belfast Telegraph *Cleverly constructed * Woman & Home *

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Book Synopsis 'I loved this novel' SARAH PEARSE, bestselling author of The Sanatorium 'Rippling with suspense' VICTORIA SELMAN, author of Truly, Darkly, Deeply 'Haunting at its core' SHEA ERNSHAW, author of The Wicked Deep BEHIND EVERY STRONG WOMAN IS A GIRL WHO SURVIVED. . .Summer, 1985: Ruby has stayed at the chateau with her family every summer since she can remember. It was her favourite place to be, but this year uninvited guests have descended, and everything is about to change. . .As the intense August heat cloaks the chateau, the adults within start to lose sight of themselves, and darkness begins to creep around them. With the summer spiralling out of control, Ruby and her two young friends soon discover it is best not to be seen or heard until, one fateful night, an incident occurs that can never be undone. . .Summer, 2010: One of the three young girls, now grown and newly widowed, returns to the chateau. In her fight to free herself from its grip, she uncovers what truly happened that long, dark summer.The Ruins is a dark and suspenseful tale of control, and the women determined to fight back.~*~ WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE RUINS ~*~"Dark and compelling""I couldn't stop reading it. . . I wanted justice""A dark, disturbing and gripping read""Unnerving, tense and compelling"Trade ReviewI was completely transported by The Ruins. Phoebe Wynne has evocatively rendered a beautiful, doomed French chateau while creating immersive, almost dream-like atmospherics. I loved this novel * Sarah Pearse, bestselling author of THE SANATORIUM *Rippling with suspense and gripping from the outset, The Ruins is a powerful feminist novel written with real panache * VICTORIA SELMAN, author of TRULY DARKLY DEEPLY *The Ruins is a raw, unsettling coming-of-age story not for the faint-hearted. Harrowing and compelling, this is a story burning with rage and the heat of the male gaze * VIKKI PATIS, author of RETURN TO BLACKWATER HOUSE *Tense and atmospheric, The Ruins investigates trauma and memory with a knowing, meticulous hand. The Chateau des Sètes - in all its crumbling, sinister glory - will imprint on your psyche as if you, too, spent a fateful summer there years ago... but it's the young women who call it home that leave the most lasting impression. This is a book that understands the inherent dangers of girlhood, and one that believes wholeheartedly in the innate resilience, bravery, and compassion of teenage girls themselves * Emily Layden, author of ALL GIRLS *The French Riviera has never been more captivating or unsettling. A story rich with family tensions and a chateau that serves as a gilded cage. The Ruins is both beautifully written and haunting at its core. Another stunning novel from Phoebe Wynne * Shea Ernshaw, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of A HISTORY OF WILD PLACES and THE WICKED DEEP *Beautifully written and haunting * COSMOPOLITAN *Whilst this is not a comfortable book to read, I couldn't stop reading it. I guess I wanted justice * PROMOTING CRIME FICTION *A timely, bittersweet plot that will make you think * THE BELFAST TELEGRAPH *This evocative novel would make the perfect holiday read * SHEMAZING! *Fans of Patricia Highsmith will enjoy The Ruins * THE GLOSS *

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Three women. Three dates. One missing man...'Ingenious, heartwarming and romantic' SOPHIE KINSELLA'Surprising and deeply satisfying' EMILY HENRY8.52 a.m. Siobhan's looking forward to her date with Joseph. Breakfast on Valentine's Day surely means something ... so where is he?2.43 p.m. Miranda's hoping that a Valentine's Day lunch with Carter will be the perfect way to celebrate her new job. But why hasn't he shown up?6.30 p.m. Joseph Carter agreed to be Jane's fake boyfriend at a dreaded engagement party tonight. But he's not here...Meet Joseph Carter. That is, if you can find him.An unexpected love story, The No-Show is an utterly extraordinary tear-jearker of a book, a heart-breaking and joyful novel about dating, and waiting, and the ways love can find us.'Such a clever, finely woven, sweet and heart-rending story' BOLU BABALOLA'A brilliant, multilayered, romantic stunner' LAUREN HO'It will break your heart in a million different ways' LOUISE O'NEILL'Beth O'Leary at her very best' LINDSEY KELK

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Book Synopsis 'Joyful, wise and enormously good fun' TASMINA PERRY'An utterly gorgeous story that had me totally hooked. Without a doubt the best book I've read this year' HOLLY MARTIN If you knew how the love story finished, would you turn the first page?Amy has been keeping a secret most of her adult life... The women in her family have a gift, or is it a curse?Since her first kiss, Amy has had visions of how her relationships will end. A date fleeing through the bathroom window. At the altar - runaway-bride style. There seems to be no end to the unhappy endings.Then she drunkenly kisses three men at her best friend's wedding, only to wake up with no memory of who she kissed. She knows she's found 'the one' but now she must find out which one...Roping in her friends, Amy sets off on a mission to find her true love. What readers are saying about Skip to the End:'Well written, charming, sweet and thoroughly enjoyable' 'A proper feel good book. I couldn't put it down''I couldn't have loved this book more. It's absolutely perfect in every way''This book was absolutely stunning. About Time is one of my all time favourite films and this was finally a book like it' 'I finished reading Skip to the End with an enormous, contented sigh and a huge smile on my face'Trade ReviewAn utterly gorgeous story that had me totally hooked. Without a doubt the best book I've read this year * HOLLY MARTIN, author of THE BLOSSOM TREE OF DREAMS *Joyful, wise and enormously good fun - Skip to the End is an irresistible read I'm recommending to everyone I know! * TASMINA PERRY, author of THE LAST SUPPER *Skip to the End was a feel-good feast from start to finish. The story felt original, perfectly-paced, and heartfelt. I can't wait to devour more books by Molly James * LISA DICKENSON, author of MY SISTERS AND ME *Skip to the End is such a lovely, heartwarming story about finding your happy ever after - I rooted for Amy from the start and finished with a big smile on my face! * VICTORIA WALTERS, author of the Glendale Hall series *Such a great concept . . . witty, poignant, and I loved the touch of magic * MY WEEKLY *I raced through it * DAILY MAIL *Feel-good fun * YOURS *You'll totally fall in love with this! * FABULOUS, SUN ON SUNDAY *Funny, light-hearted . . . it's the perfect poolside companion * CHAT *Lots of laughter and fun in this heartwarming read * WOMAN *A super-sparkling tale of kisses, sexual chemistry and kismet * WIGAN POST *Heartwarming * WOMAN’S WEEKLY *A funny reverse Cinderella story * SUNDAY POST *

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Book Synopsis"A brilliantly inventive writer" A.S. BYATT"The most important Basque writer of his generation" Times Literary Supplement"Not just a Basque novelist but the Basque novelist" GuardianTheir lives run into each other, like water running over stonesAs the Basque mining town of Ugarte moves from the hazy summer of the 1972 Olympics, through the mining strikes of the turbulent Eighties and into the modern day, her people navigate the silences, secrets, joys and tragedies of their lives.From the story of a traumatised teenage boy at the town's bakery, to the tale of a group of comrades on an army base in the twilight of Franco's dictatorship, the interconnected narratives of Water Over Stones confront the changes time brings to Ugarte's close-knit community, as the lives of its inhabitants run into to each other like water running between stones.This extraordinary novel of friendship, nature, love and the immensity of death shows Bernardo Atxaga's mastery of his craft, and his ability to create places and characters that are impossible to forget.Translated from the Spanish by Thomas Bunstead and Margaret Jull-CostaTrade ReviewA brilliantly inventive writer -- A.S. ByattNot just a Basque novelist but the Basque novelist * Guardian *The most important Basque writer of his generation * Times Literary Supplement *A twisting and rewarding story, and one readers will savor until the lovely finish * Publishers Weekly, starred review *Profound, luminous and strange. This is really a remarkable novel * Shiny New Books *Atxaga holds the attention by his sheer craft, by the complete control he exhibits * Independent *A narrative steeped in poetry in which Atxaga has brilliantly combined reality and fiction -- Jury of the National Spanish Literature AwardA dramatic story that captivates the reader from the first pages to its splendid ending * La Razón *The reader will discover once again the great poetic power of Atxaga, and his incredible ability to build entire and profound universes * El Correo *Atxaga knows how to entertain, move and give autobiography all the charm of fiction * La Vanguardia *

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Book SynopsisEduardo Mendoza's classic novel about the birth of Barcelona as a world city, embodied in the rise of the ambitious and unscrupulous Onofre Bouvila"Though historical in subject matter, this story of Catalonian enterprise and Barcelonan ambition is thoroughly contemporary in spirit" Jonathan FranzenStung by the realisation that his father is a fraud and a failure, Onofre Bouvila leaves a life of rural poverty to seek his fortune in Barcelona.The year is 1888, and the Catalan capital is about to emerge from provincial obscurity to take its place amongst the great cities of the world, thanks to the upcoming Universal Exhibition. Thanks to a tip-off from his landlord's daughter, Onofre gets his big break distributing anarchist leaflets to workers preparing for the World Fair. From these humble beginnings, he branches out as a hair-tonic salesman, a burglar, a filmmaker, an arms smuggler and a political dealmaker, in a multifaceted career that brings him wealth and influence beyond his wildest dreams.But, just as Barcelona's rise makes it a haven for gangsters, crooks and spivs, vice begins to fester in Onofre's heart. And the climax to his remarkable story will come just as a second World Fair in 1929 marks the city's apotheosis.Translated from the Spanish by Nick CaistorTrade ReviewThough historical in subject matter, this story of Catalonian enterprise and Barcelonan ambition is thoroughly contemporary in spirit. -- Jonathan FranzenA splendid piacaresque novel . . . Rich in humour, irony and parody . . . Lusty and ingenious entertainment * New York Times Book Review *Rich in eccentric, violent, fantastic, and horrible incident . . . A profusion of bizarre characters, and a fair quota of entertaining digression. * The Times *A novel of great variety and scope . . . There is much to delight . . . A very considerable, and an exhilarating, achievement * Scotsman *A large book, written in picaresque style, and full of incidental pleasures. * Observer *Not since Ragtime has there been such a treasure of rascals and riches . . . Brilliant . . . Mendoza is a prodigiously inventive author. * Chicago Tribune *A major work, a great novel . . . a satirical love song and an adventurous chronicle that delivers the wonders promised in its title. * El País *One of this season's literary landmarks . . . an extravagant, amusing, fantastic, and moving fresco of Barcelona. * Vanguardia *

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Book Synopsis'I loved every bit of this novel, and finished it with a giant smile on my face' - Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Two Ways.Liza never dreamed that anyone would be interested in her life, let alone buy a book about it. But when she publishes a thinly veiled novel about a woman posing as a millennial, called Younger, not only is the book a hit, but her old friend Kelsey wants to turn into a TV show.Flying off to Los Angeles to help write the pilot, Liza leaves behind her on-again off-again boyfriend Josh, her pregnant daughter, and her best friend Maggie. But as Liza is swept up in the heady world of Hollywood, she finds herself thinking less and less of her life back home in New York. And when she meets Hugo Fielding - the devastatingly handsome and incredibly flirtatious Brit playing her boss on the show - she toes the line between having a crush and falling in love.Torn between New York and Los Angeles, a familiar love and a risky one, an established career and a shot at stardom, Liza must decide if it's too late to go to the ball . . . and if she even wants to.The hotly anticipated sequel to the beloved Younger - now a hit TV series from the creator of Sex and the City, Darren Star, starring Sutton Foster and Hilary Duff.Trade ReviewThe best part of a sequel is revisiting characters whose fictional lives you were once invested in - and Older is the best kind of sequel - one that reminds us of why we loved the first book, whisks us into that world again, and satisfies us in its new conclusion. Funny, painfully relevant, and very meta (thanks to the success of Younger on TV), I loved every bit of this novel, and finished it with a giant smile on my face * Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of A Spark of Light and Small Great Things *If Pamela Redmond's bestseller Younger was a heady cocktail of a novel, Older is a luscious dessert. Tender, wise, and achingly funny, this is the book you want on the beach, in the hammock, and in bed on a rainy day. Try not to devour it in one sitting * Christina Baker Kline, New York Times bestselling author of Orphan Train *Older is a delicious read. It made me smile and laugh out loud and turn pages with sheer delight. Pamela Redmond even made me happy to be older! * Ann Hood, bestselling author of The Knitting Circle and The Book That Matters Most *

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Book SynopsisI might no longer exist here at this momentthis moment might no longer exist for meVioleta is driving along a lonely stretch of late-night motorway, caught in a tumultuous storm. When her tired eyes close for just a second, her car veers off the road, overturns, and comes to rest on an empty stretch of sodden ground.And as she lies amid the wreckage, suspended between this world and the next, Violeta's troubled life will quite literally flash before her eyes . . .Violeta Among the Stars weaves memories and feelings as Violeta reflects on her death and her life, the piercing highs and the seedy lows. An astonishing portrait of a seemingly insignificant life from one of Portugal's greatest living writers."An extraordinary piece of writing on the life of an ordinary woman" Litro"Absolutely compelling . . . this novel is truly unforgettable" Irish IndependentTranslated from the Portuguese by Ángel Gurría-QuintanaÁngel Gurría-Quintana is a historian, journalist and literary translator from Spanish and Portuguese. He writes regularly for the books pages of the Financial Times, and his translations include the anthology Other Carnivals: Short Stories from Brazil and The Return, by Dulce Maria Cardoso.With the support of the Creative Europe Programme of the European UnionTrade ReviewA vibrant style, a brilliant novel * De Standaard *Every word is in the right place and the result is pure music * De Volkskrant *A devastating novel * Matricule des Anges *A powerful, moving monologue that weaves intimate voices with the history of contemporary Portugal -- Véronique Rossignol * Livre Hebdo *Exceptional ... absolutely compelling ... this novel is truly unforgettable -- Anne Cunningham * Irish Independent *Quite extraordinary and a privilege to read . . . Devastating but immensely moving . . . Violeta among the Stars is related with rare eloquence -- Rosie Goldsmith * European Literature Network *Both the translator Ángel Gurría-Quintana and Cardoso herself are true masters of their craft . . . an artistic achievement in style and form that will move you, even if you don't want it to. It is an extraordinary piece of writing on the life of an ordinary woman. * Litro *

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Book Synopsis*WINNER OF THE BEST TRANSLATED BOOK AWARD USA**SHORTLISTED FOR THE EBRD PRIZE**SHORTLISTED FOR THE OXFORD-WEIDENFELD PRIZE*"A writer and thinker of ever greater relevance, a voice whose wide-ranging screeds we ignore at our peril" CLAIRE MESSUD"Her work is of such power and scope that had she remained alive, she would have been a contender for the Nobel Prize in Literature" JOSIP NOVAKOVICH, Los Angeles Review of BooksAn urgent new novel about death, war and memory, and a bristling follow-on from Belladonna.In this extraordinary final work, Daša Drndic's combative, probing voice reaches new heights. In her relentless search for truth she delves into the darkest corners of our lives. And as she chastises, she also atones.Andreas Ban failed in his suicide attempt. Even as his body falters and his lungs constrict, he taps on the glass of history - an impenetrable case filled with silent figures - and tries to summon those imprisoned within. Mercilessly, fearlessly, he continues to dissect society and his environment, shunning all favours as he goes after the evils and hidden secrets of others. History remembers the names of perpetrators, not of the victims.Ban travels from Rijeka to Rovinj in nearby Istria, from Belgrade to Toronto to Tirana, from Parisian avenues to Italian palazzi. Ghosts follow him wherever he goes: chess grandmasters who disappeared during WWII; the lost inhabitants of Latvia; war criminals who found work in the C.I.A. and died peacefully in their beds. Ban's family is with him too: those he has lost and those with one foot in the grave. As if left with only a few pieces in a chess game, Andreas Ban plays a stunning last match against Death.Translated from the Croatian by Celia HawkesworthTrade ReviewThere is great wisdom, along with dark history, in these pages, for those ready to take on the challenge... E.E.G. reveals Drndic as a writer and thinker of ever greater relevance, a voice whose wide-ranging screeds we ignore at our peril. * Guardian *Funny, angry, informed and intent on the truth, no voice is quite as blisteringly beautiful as that of Daša Drndic . . . a major literary artist, a truthteller and custodian of the collective memory of forgotten European Jews * Financial Times *Her work is of such power and scope that had she remained alive, she would have been a contender for the Nobel Prize in Literature * L.A. Review of Books *Her incisive skill and radical style render potentially grim reading compulsive. She was a voice of - and for - our times * T.L.S. *One of the handful of truly great artists of our beleaguered epoch, her historically-based, semi-autobiographical fictions are as exhilarating as they are disturbing; dense, profound and extraordinarily readable * Calvert Journal *Drndic will be remembered for her outspokenness, her refusal to be quiet, her interrogation of history, and her exploration of difficult or taboo topics * White Review *E.E.G. is a monument against the common notion that political convictions soften with age, as you learn to let the world off the hook. Neither Drndic nor her books did any such thing. * Harper's Review *This is a novel of ideas but also of exquisite poetry . . . An elegant search for lost time and a fitting valediction by a superb writer. * Kirkus *Reading Daša Drndic is not for the fainthearted. Anger radiates from Drndic's pages, and perhaps the book's greatest strength is the way in which it gives a voice to those people who are unable to tell their own stories. * Guardian *Drndic has in her own way composed an astonishment that extracts light from darkness * The Jewish Daily Forward *The formidable Daša Drndic has created something like a modern-day Homeric narrative of wars that are anything but glorious. In Celia Hawkesworth, she has a translator of genius who shares her vision. It is difficult to suggest a contemporary English-language novel with which to compare it, or one that might even approach its eloquence and daring. * Los Angeles Review of Books *It has become blurb fodder to describe a writer as "essential", but in the case of Daša Drndic this can be said with seriousness and certainty . . . Read everything by her. -- Ronan Hession

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Book SynopsisTHE 12 MILLION COPY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE ENZO FILES AND THE CHINA THRILLERSAWARD WINNING AUTHOR OF THE CWA DAGGER IN THE LIBRARY 2021'One of the best regarded crime series of recent years.' Independent'No one can create a more eloquently written suspense novel than Peter May.' New York Journal of BooksA MAN WITH NO NAMEAn unidentified corpse is recovered from a Lewis peat bog; the only clue to its identity being a DNA sibling match to a local farmer.A MAN WITH NO MEMORYBut this islander, Tormod Macdonald - now an elderly man suffering from dementia - has always claimed to be an only child.A MAN WITH NO CHOICEWhen Tormod's family approach Fin Macleod for help, Fin feels duty-bound to solve the mystery.LOVED THE LEWIS MAN? Read book 3 in the Lewis trilogy, THE CHESSMENLOVE PETER MAY? Buy his latest frontlist thriller, THE NIGHT GATETrade ReviewA rip-roaring thriller . . . thoroughly enjoyable * Mail on Sunday *A wonderfully complex book * Peter James, on Entry Island *The Lewis Man shone like a bright star out of this year's book lists. Lyrical, empathetic and movingHe is a terrific writer doing something differentFrom the first page I knew I was in safe hands. I knew I could trust this writerWonderfully compellingWestern France - now May's own stamping ground - is as much a character in the book as the Hebrides were in his formidable Isle of Lewis sequence * Guardian *Peter May is a writer I'd follow to the ends of the earth * New York Times *Instantly struck by the beauty of the descriptions of the wild island terrain as well as by the roundedness and complexity of the characterisations * The Times *One of the best regarded crime series of recent years * Independent *May's novels are strong on place and the wounds left by old relationships * Sunday Times *Will have the reader relishing every tendency of description and characterization * Independent *Dark, exciting and atmospheric * Scotland on Sunday *Powerful and authentic * Glasgow Sunday Herald *Fast, exciting ... an entertaining read that will also give food for thought * Irish Times *A tense and atmospheric thriller with a heart-stopping ending * Tangled Web *Truly the best of May's series so far, this is not to be missed * The Good Book Guide *

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Book Synopsis"Tremendous and enjoyable" - La Libre Belgique"A great success" - La CroixApril, 1940. Louise Belmont runs naked down the boulevard du Montparnasse. To understand the traumatic scene she has just witnessed, she will have to plunge headlong into the madness of the Phoney War, as France, seized by the panic of a new European conflict, descends into chaos.Louise navigates this period of enormous upheaval in parallel with her fellow citizens - including Maginot Line conscripts Raoul and Gabriel, bistro-owner Monsieur Jules and confidence trickster Désiré Migault. The looming threat of German occupation uncovers long-buried secrets and makes for strange bedfellows, as one extraordinary twist of fate follows another.With characteristic wit and verve, Pierre Lemaitre chronicles the fall of a nation crushed by circumstance. The final novel in his award-winning trilogy is an incandescent tale that veers from the tragic to the burlesque.Translated from the French by Frank WynneTrade ReviewA great success * La Croix *Lemaitre's new historical chronicle possesses the desperate irony that made the early volumes so successful * BibliObs *Pierre Lemaitre brings his brilliant interwar trilogy to a close * Le Journal de Quebec *Tremendous and enjoyable * La Libre Belgique *Great characters and a roaring pace * Le Monde *Spectacular * Le Soir *A vibrant tapestry of a decayed and defeated France * Financial Times *

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Book SynopsisThe fourth novel in a historical series that began with the International Booker-shortlisted The Unseen "Taken together, Jacobsen has given us an epic of Norway's experience of the first half of the 20th century that is subtle and moving" David Mills, Sunday Times"Jacobsen can make almost anything catch the light . . . One of Norway's greatest writers on the working class" Times Literary SupplementA childless island is no island at all.Ingrid Marie Barrøy has returned to the island that bears her name, bringing up her daughter with the other children that came with the war, who will someday raise their own children until an island that was empty is singing once more with life.And soon another will arrive, a child of the war and an orphan of the peace, whom Ingrid will fight to make her own, and whose interests may, in time, collide with those of certain others on the island, forcing her to make a choice she will long regret.The sea brings the island all it has - herring for salting, eider ducks for down - but Ingrid knows, has alwaysknown, that one day it may wish to take something back. But until that day, she continues to live by one simple truth:There is no limit to what you can do with an island, the imagination sets the only limits, as with the sea.Translated from the Norwegian by Don Bartlett and Don ShawReviews for The Unseen"Even by his high standards, his magnificent new novel The Unseen is Jacobsen's finest to date, as blunt as it is subtle and is easily among the best books I have ever read" Eileen Battersby, Irish Times"A beautifully crafted novel . . . Quite simply a brilliant piece of work . . . Rendered beautifully into English by Don Bartlett and Don Shaw, The Unseen is a towering achievement that would be a deserved Booker International winner" Charlie Connelly, New European."A profound interrogation of freedom and fate, as well as a fascinating portrait of a vanished time, written in prose as clear and washed clean as the world after a storm" Justine Jordan, Guardian"The subtle translation, with its invented dialect, conveys a timeless, provincial voice . . . The Unseen is a blunt, brilliant book" Tom Graham, Financial Times.

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Book SynopsisThe fourth novel in a historical series that began with the International Booker-shortlisted The Unseen "Taken together, Jacobsen has given us an epic of Norway's experience of the first half of the 20th century that is subtle and moving" David Mills, Sunday Times"Jacobsen can make almost anything catch the light . . . One of Norway's greatest writers on the working class" Times Literary SupplementA childless island is no island at all.Ingrid Marie Barrøy has returned to the island that bears her name, bringing up her daughter with the other children that came with the war, who will someday raise their own children until an island that was empty is singing once more with life.And soon another will arrive, a child of the war and an orphan of the peace, whom Ingrid will fight to make her own, and whose interests may, in time, collide with those of certain others on the island, forcing her to make a choice she will long regret.The sea brings the island all it has - herring for salting, eider ducks for down - but Ingrid knows, has alwaysknown, that one day it may wish to take something back. But until that day, she continues to live by one simple truth:There is no limit to what you can do with an island, the imagination sets the only limits, as with the sea.Translated from the Norwegian by Don Bartlett and Don ShawReviews for The Unseen"Even by his high standards, his magnificent new novel The Unseen is Jacobsen's finest to date, as blunt as it is subtle and is easily among the best books I have ever read" Eileen Battersby, Irish Times"A beautifully crafted novel . . . Quite simply a brilliant piece of work . . . Rendered beautifully into English by Don Bartlett and Don Shaw, The Unseen is a towering achievement that would be a deserved Booker International winner" Charlie Connelly, New European."A profound interrogation of freedom and fate, as well as a fascinating portrait of a vanished time, written in prose as clear and washed clean as the world after a storm" Justine Jordan, Guardian"The subtle translation, with its invented dialect, conveys a timeless, provincial voice . . . The Unseen is a blunt, brilliant book" Tom Graham, Financial Times.

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Book SynopsisTHE 12 MILLION COPY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE LEWIS TRILOGY, THE ENZO FILES AND THE CHINA THRILLERSAWARD WINNING AUTHOR OF THE CWA DAGGER IN THE LIBRARY 2021'Peter May is one of the most accomplished novelists writing today.' Undiscovered Scotland'No one can create a more eloquently written suspense novel than Peter May.' New York Journal of BooksA detective is haunted by the feeling he knows his murder suspect - despite the fact they have never met.IF YOU FLEE FATE...When Detective Sime Mackenzie is sent from Montreal to investigate a murder on the remote Entry Island, 850 miles from the Canadian mainland, he leaves behind him a life of sleeplessness and regret.FATE WILL FIND YOU...But what had initially seemed an open-and-shut case takes on a disturbing dimension when he meets the prime suspect, the victim's wife, and is convinced that he knows her - even though they have never met.And when his insomnia becomes punctuated by dreams of a distant Scottish past in another century, this murder in the Gulf of St. Lawrence leads him down a path he could never have foreseen, forcing him to face a conflict between his professional duty and his personal destiny.LOVED ENTRY ISLAND? Read the first book in Peter May's acclaimed China thrillers series, THE FIREMAKERLOVE PETER MAY? Buy his new thriller, THE NIGHT GATETrade ReviewPraise for Peter May:He is a terrific writer doing something different.From the first page I knew I was in safe hands. I knew I could trust this writer.Wonderfully compelling.A true pleasure to read. * Guardian *Peter May is a writer I'd follow to the ends of the earth. * New York Times *One of the best regarded crime series of recent years. * Independent, on the Lewis trilogy *Lyrical, empathetic and moving.A wonderfully complex book.May's novels are strong on place and the wounds left by old relationships. * Sunday Times *Will have the reader relishing every tendency of description and characterization. * Independent *Dark, exciting and atmospheric. * Scotland on Sunday *Powerful and authentic. * Scotland on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisIt was the perfect honeymoon . . . until she confessed to murderFor one week, everything in Luke Miller's life is perfect. Surprised with a belated honeymoon by his wife, Rose, he's had seven days with her in a Caribbean paradise.But then Rose confesses that on the day they left, a violent man from her past tracked her down and broke into their home. He wasn't expecting her to fight back. In her terror, Rose killed him. Now there's a dead body in his apartment, and only one person Luke can think to turn to.Mickey never expected to hear from Luke again, not after he disappeared without warning. Mickey can't deny a woman who needs help. Luke trusts her to make sure Rose doesn't have to keep running.But it turns out, some lies are too big to run from.Praise for Jo Spain'I loved it' Tim Weaver'A griptastic thriller' Liz Nugent'Jo Spain at her brilliant best' Andrea Mara'Jo Spain is a brilliant, compelling storyteller' Jane Casey'Jo excels at bringing her readers into the most exhilarating and addictive thrillers and Don't Look Back is no exception. I consumed (inhaled really!) this book over a couple of days and didn't want to put it down' 5-star reader review'A top-notch thriller' T. M. Logan'Jo Spain never disappoints' Chris Whitaker'You'll hear yourself say just one more chapter, but one more chapter is never enough.' 5-star reader review'A fabulous page-turner that will keep you guessing and guessing' Cara Hunter'Utterly fantastic, clever and absorbing . . . I have a new favourite author' 5-star reader reviewTrade ReviewDon't Look Back is a beautifully controlled thriller full of brilliant writing, great characters and smart twists. I loved it * Tim Weaver *A griptastic thriller, Jo Spain's Don't Look Back keeps us guessing as the story twists itself inside out and upside down. Everyone has secrets, but how many of them are deadly? Brilliant characterisation and plotting as we have come to expect from Jo. Compelling, enthralling and entertaining * Liz Nugent *This is trademark Jo Spain at her brilliant best - a one-sitting read, non-stop tension, clever twists and turns, and of course, nothing is ever as it seems * Andrea Mara *A cast of credible characters, razor-sharp writing and a compelling ending ensures Don't Look Back is very hard to set aside. Devour it * Sunday Independent *A masterpiece in misdirection . . . the novel is terrifically slick, glossy and assured. It is relentlessly high-octane stuff, propulsive and tense. This is as unpredictable a crime novel as I can remember * Irish Examiner *Jo Spain's brilliantly crafted mystery peels back layers of detail and deception in chilling style * Woman's Weekly *An addictive, fast-paced thriller from one of Ireland's leading crime fiction writers, you won't be able to put it down * Irish Country Magazine *Ideal summer reading * Woman's Way *This will keep you gripped * Best *Another rip-roaring thriller from one of Ireland's leading crime authors * Hot Press Magazine *Jo Spain's Don't Look Back is brilliant - we binged in one sitting * That's Life *As always, Spain takes us on a crazily twisty ride * Peterborough Telegraph *Jo Spain knows how to build suspense * Promoting Crime Fiction *A rip-roaring, twisty ride * Sunday Business Post Review *A page-turning, addictive ride into a dark, dangerous world. I love Jo Spain's thrillers and Don't Look Back is up there with her best -- BP WalterMoving between the Caribbean, London and Ireland, this is a gripping thriller with complex characters - particularly Mickey, who deserves her own series * Culturefly *

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Book SynopsisSeven interconnected stories orbit a central novella to create a collection of tales which resonate with the sound of women's voices.A widower struggles to erase his wife's voice from his answering machine. Two old friends meet after a period apart and find they can no longer fit into their habitual rhythm. A woman records herself reading a poem for two sisters who obsessively collect voice recordings.At the heart of Canoes is "Mustang", in which a woman moves with her family to the suburbs of Denver, where her partner takes up a research post. As her husband and child fit seamlessly into their new lives, she remains aloof, consumed by a feeling of not belonging, and observing as her loved ones change and adapt to these alien surroundings.In this moving and deeply poetic collection, Maylis de Kerangal casts light on the balance between life and death, exploring the traces we leave upon each other's lives and creating space for women of all ages to be heard.Translated from the French by Jessica MooreTrade ReviewWhen a new book by de Kerangal translated by Jessica Moore land son the mat during Women in Translation Month, it's clear that somewhere up above the thick blanket of summer cloud the stars are aligning -- Charlie Connelly * The New European *The beauty of Kerangal's poetic, multi-layered stories, full of sensory detail and expertly translated by Jessica Moore, lies in their emotional resonance. Anyone dealing with change cannot fail to be moved -- Lucy Popescu * Financial Times *De Kerangal's work is the translation of voice into the material for text. [...] And translation, in one form or another, is central to Canoes: translation from one country to another, from old pasts to new presents. Then there is the matter of translation and its consequence - transformation - as the task of the writer * Times Literary Supplement *De Kerangal is a wonderfully attentive writer with an ear for the most apposite word (a challenge elegantly met by Jessica Moore, who translated the book from the French) as this pitch-perfect collection reveals * Daily Mail *

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Book Synopsis"The limitless possibilities of fiction are brilliantly utilised . . . Ingenious" Irish Times"Agualusa's funny and lively tale turns increasingly ominous ahead of an explosive conclusion" Guardian***A Financial Times Fiction in Translation Book of the Year 2023***Daniel lives with artist Moira on her native Island of Mozambique. They are awaiting the birth of their child, while also organising the island's first literary festival. But as soon as the first festival guests arrive, the coast is hit by a cyclone.The island is spared, but the bridge to the mainland is left impassable, and telephone and internet connections are severed. The islanders - and the writers who have come for the festival - are cut off from the outside world. Left to their own devices, the authors forge new bonds and make the best of a situation that gets stranger each day. Some believe they're in an intermediate realm, a kind of limbo, and some have no choice but to write, as the boundaries between reality and fiction, past and future, and life and death begin to blur.Where do we go when it's all over? Perhaps to a small island. This is a novel about the nature of life and of time, and the extraordinary power of imagination and the written word, capable of creating anything and regenerating everything.Translated from the Portuguese by Daniel HahnTrade ReviewThe limitless possibilities of fiction are brilliantly utilised in José Eduardo Agualusa's novel The Living and The Rest . . . Ingenious. -- Declan O'Driscoll * Irish Times *Agualusa's funny and lively tale turns increasingly ominous ahead of an explosive conclusion. I give it four stars - and a half -- John Self * Guardian *Perfect for those who like their beach reads served with a spritz of postmodernism. * Strong Words *

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Book Synopsis"Powerful, profound and deeply moving, new fiction by Afghan women writers will expand your mind and elevate your heart" ELIF SHAFAK***A Financial Times Fiction in Translation Book of the Year 2022***"[An] arresting collection . . . Written in simple, direct prose and offers vivid snapshots of a country beset by war and violence . . . It seems more important than ever to read the work of these courageous writers" Financial Times"My pen is the wing of a bird; it will tell you those thoughts we are not allowed to think, those dreams we are not allowed to dream"A woman's fortitude saves her village from disaster. A teenager explores their identity in a moment of quiet. A petition writer reflects on his life as a dog lies nursing her puppies. A tormented girl tries to find love through a horrific act. A headmaster makes his way to work, treading the fine line between life and death."A precious collection of work, the first and maybe the last of its kind. My Pen Is the Wing of a Bird is a huge accomplishment" MONIQUE ROFFEY, author of The Mermaid of Black ConchMy Pen Is the Wing of a Bird is a landmark collection: the first anthology of short fiction by Afghan women. Eighteen writers tell stories that are both unique and universal - stories of family, work, childhood, friendship, war, gender identity and cultural traditions."This book reminds us that everyone has a story. Stories matter; so too the storytellers. Afghan women writers, informed and inspired by their own personal experiences, are best placed to bring us these powerful insights into the lives of Afghans and, most of all, the lives of women. Women's lives, in their own words - they matter." Lyse Doucet in her IntroductionThis collection introduces extraordinary voices from the country's two main linguistic groups (Pashto and Dari) with original, vital and unexpected stories to tell, developed over two years through UNTOLD's Write Afghanistan project. My Pen Is the Wing of a Bird comes at a pivotal moment in Afghanistan's history, when these voices must be heard.With an Introduction by BBC Chief International Correspondent Lyse Doucet and an Afterword by Lucy HannahABOUT UNTOLD UNTOLD is a writer development programme for marginalised writers in areas of conflict and post-conflict. Afghanistan has millions of Pashto and Dari speakers with little or no local support for creative writing, literary translation, or literary editing. Support for writers has been hampered by cultural norms, free expression issues, chronic instability, and internal displacement. UNTOLD has been working one-to-one with women on their short stories, with English-speaking literary editors and translators working with the writers to realise the potential of their stories for publication both locally and globally in translation.Trade ReviewA precious collection of work, the first and maybe last of its kind. My Pen Is the Wing of a Bird is a huge accomplishment -- Monique Roffey * author of THE MERMAID OF BLACK CONCH *Powerful, profound and deeply moving, new fiction by Afghan women writers will expand your mind and elevate your heart -- Elif ShafakNo-one aware of the harrowing events currently playing out in Afghanistan and, in particular, the catastrophic effect this has had on the lives of women, can be unmoved by their plight. The risk of womens' voices being lost and their freedoms eradicated is very high. This book is like a little light shining into the lives of women in Afghanistan. It's a beautiful read -- Jo BrandSometimes, life is having beautiful dreams in a nightmare. The authors of this book express their longing to escape a nightmare and build a liveable world. A liveable world for everyone, but especially for women at a time when their body and soul are being destroyed -- Burhan Sonmez * President of PEN International *Here we have stories of the everyday and extraordinary lives of Afghan women, all of them written before the Taliban took power in August 2021. Today, these women writers live under the harshest of conditions, their everyday human rights, as women, revoked. This book is a precious collection of work, the first and maybe last of its kind. My Pen is the Wing of a Bird is a huge accomplishment -- Monique RoffeyThese are extraordinary and intense glimpses into a shuttered world, written by women who have to struggle daily to make their voices heard -- Lissa EvansIf fiction offers a window into the world, this is a book of stories you need to open -- Romesh Gunasekera[An] arresting collection . . . Each of the works in this collection is written in simple, direct prose and offers vivid snapshots of a country beset by war and violence, where misogyny is rife but women continue to dream for a better future . . . The women's extraordinary resilience is celebrated . . . It seems more important than ever to read the work of these courageous writers. -- Lucy Popescu * Financial Times *A gripping and important book told by the women whose voices need to be heard * Bella Magazine *These stories show why the militants are wrong. They take their readers into rooms at televisions cameras and journalists never reach. In the process they reiterate how much Afghan women could again say and do, if only they were allowed to. * Economist *The pandemic and the resumption of Taliban rule have made the publication of My Pen Is the Wing of a Bird little short of a miracle . . . [T]hese short tales draw insight and lyricism from lives lived in the shadow of war, violence and relentless misogyny -- Cameron Woodhead * Sydney Morning Herald *Powerful in its impact and admirable in the quality of the prose -- Ellah Wakatama * Guardian *Revelatory . . . taken together [these stories] form a remarkable portrait of lives largely invisible to readers outside Afghanistan. This brims with humanity. * Publishers Weekly *Beautifully written and translated, these stories are gripping, insightful, often shocking, intense and extraordinary * The Lady *

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"This novel will be nostalgia trip for anyone who grew up in similar circumstances and a breath of fresh Jamaican air for anyone else" The Voice Jenny and Hortense Rodney have always loved and hated one another in the way that only sisters can. From their childhood in Claremont, rural Jamaica, to working life amid the hustle and bustle of Trenchtown, they are the turning point in a multi-generational tale.Enticed by the possibilities of the colonial "motherland", the sisters move to England and settle in the bleak streets of Brixton, only to find that this land of opportunity is instead one that will stretch their fractious relationship to breaking point . . . A hauntingly beautifully evocation of twentieth-century Jamaica and the Brixton of the Windrush generation, Island Songs is an epic of love, laughter and sorely tested family loyalties. By the author of Brixton Rock, East of Acre Lane and Homeboys, and several bestselling, prizewinning novels for younger readers"Island Songs grabs your heart " Independent"Alex Wheatle has a real talent for understated, convincing dialogue" Big Issue

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Book Synopsis"A mystery and an elegy for the death of old-fashioned journalism, it's a book that will warm your heart." The Observer "Splendid . . . Funny, poignant, perceptive and plenty of sharp elbows along the way." Val McDermid Thorn Marsh was raised in a house of whispers, of meaningful glances and half- finished sentences. Now she's a journalist with a passion for truth, more devoted to her work at the London Journal than she ever was to her ex-husband. When the newspaper is bought by media giant The Goring Group, who value sales figures over fact-checking, Thorn openly questions their methods, and promptly finds herself moved from the news desk to the midweek supplement, reporting heart-warming stories for their new segment, The Bright Side, a job to which she is spectacularly unsuited. On a final warning and with no heart-warming news in sight, a desperate Thorn fabricates a good-news story of her own. The story, centred on an angelic apparition on Hampstead Heath, goes viral. Caught between her principles and her ambitions, Thorn goes in search of the truth behind her creation, only to find the answers locked away in the unconscious mind of a stranger.Marika Cobbold returns with her eighth novel, On Hampstead Heath. Sharp, poignant, and infused with dark humour, On Hampstead Heath is an homage to storytelling and to truth; to the tales we tell ourselves, and the stories that save us.Trade ReviewOn Hampstead Heath is a deliciously romantic comedy of misunderstandings and misbehaviour - I loved it -- Clare Chambers * author of SMALL PLEASURES *With On Hampstead Heath, Marika Cobbold has rebooted the Hampstead Novel for the 21st century. A delightful novel -- Amanda CraigA heart-warming and at times hilarious tale about truth and honesty in this treacherous age of social media -- Josie LloydA brilliant and brave take on fake news and its fallout -- Elizabeth BuchanClever and funny with a splinter of melancholy running through it. It's a superb read -- Frances Quinn * author of THE SMALLEST MAN *Few writers balance darkness and light as well as Cobbold -- Sarah Hughes * i paper *On Hampstead Heath was so refreshing and unexpectedly needed, like feeling the sun on your face in winter. Funny, astute, and aching in all the right ways, I was utterly charmed. -- Tor Udall * author of A THOUSAND PAPER BIRDS *Marika Cobbold's look on life is unique -- Katie FfordeOn Hampstead Heath is exactly what is needed at this time. A romantic story tempered with a sharp wit and written with knowledge and love of place in which it's set -- Adèle GerasAn absolute little gem of a book, On Hampstead Heath is entertaining, thought-provoking and extremely witty -- Michelle Ryles * The Book Magnet *A fabulous read. It's wise and perceptive, honest and witty * Short Book and Scribes *Brilliant and funny and darkly surprising -- Emma Stonex

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Book Synopsis"A novel of exceptional emotional force" John Self, Guardian***A Financial Times Fiction in Translation Book of the Year 2023***It's not only grief and loneliness that have tormented Tara since her husband's death. In her, something rises and crests like a wave. As she sits in squalor in a house that once knew love, she hears the deafening cry of a past she thought was stifled and the resurgence of the person she had been before. A girl with another name, who loved to laugh and dance, who believed in the innocence of childhood until she was overtaken by her country's demons. With her characteristic lyricism and precision, Nathacha Appanah offers us total immersion into a world of lost futures and hidden pasts, in which the implacable hand of fate can only be resisted at a price.Translated from the French by Jeffrey ZuckermanTrade ReviewNothing Belongs to You is a physical novel - its sentences grab you by the throat, devour you, haunt you. The prose is magnificent because from its shadows and its ghosts, a light emerges, despite everything. A tour de force -- Mohammed Aïssaoui * Le Figaro *Nathacha Appanah has penned an unsettling novel, full of imaginative, dizzying and hypnotic prose -- Linda Pommereul * Page des Libraires *A wonderful return to Nathacha Appanah's sensual and committed writing on the condition of women and the state of the world * Le Point *Refusing to take the easy way out, the writer avoids the traps of pathos or of pity. Nathacha Appanah is one of our most singular novelists -- Hubert Artus * Le Parisien *A deeply moving book of rare literary power -- Clémence Roux * Marie France *A novel of exceptional emotional force -- John Self * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisA breathtaking novel of grief, love, creativity and a young woman's queer and artistic awakening.In the days after her mother's death from breast cancer, Oksana, a young queer poet, decides to return her mother's ashes to their working-class hometown in Siberia. It is a journey home that will take her through the raw, almost dreamlike emotions of early grief through to an acceptance of the wound that death leaves behind.As she navigates the rituals of parting, Oksana feels her way through memory and heartache with a wry humour, reflecting on her complex relationship with her mother and on her own experiences of love, loss, sexuality and the search for home.Powerful, lyrical and precise, this extraordinary debut is a novel which blurs the line between reality and creation. Wound is both an exploration of grief and a journey towards love, happiness and creative fulfilment.Translated from the Russian by Elina Alter"This is not just an amazing novel, extremely frank, extremely accurate and extremely addictive, but, perhaps, a book about finding happiness" The Blueprint"Wound is a poet's novel . . . a primer on feminist thought for readers with Pushkin in their veins" European Review of BooksTrade ReviewIt is heartening to see public recognition of Vasyakina, a feminist activist and a lesbian, whose work does not hide but rather publicises her orientation and her politics...Elina Alter does justice to Vasyakina's style, whose clarity and unpretentiousness results in a work of great inner power -- EUGENE OSTASHEVSKY * author of The Pirate Who Does Not Know the Value of Pi *Wound is a poet's novel, structured like "a pebble dropped into water" . . . a primer on feminist thought for readers with Pushkin in their veins * European Review of Books *From very personal experiences, Vasyakina has written a frank text about memory, her own sexuality, the relationship between mother and daughter * Forbes Russia *Wound is a story about how wounds can heal. To do this, they need to grope, understand and speak. This is not just an amazing novel, extremely frank, extremely accurate and extremely addictive, but, perhaps, a book about finding happiness * The Blueprint *This book is impossible to swallow or read in one gulp. I, who always read very quickly, only needed twenty pages. Then I had to step back, catch my breath, look at the surrounding objects, return to the familiar world - which, it seemed, would never be the same again. There is such density, concentration of thoughts and feelings in the text, that one wants to live and realize each fragment separately * Snob *It is the rare and therefore especially valuable ability to see the forest, while distinguishing individual trees in it, and to generalize without falling into the sin of superficial simplification, which makes Oksana Vasyakina's Wound one of the most important texts published in Russian in 2021 * Meduza *In this moving, poetic autobiographical novel, family trauma is inseparable from national history. Returning to Siberia with her mother's ashes, a daughter revisits the primal scenes of four generations. In the process, she invents a new way of existing as a queer woman from the Russian provinces -- SOPHIE PINKHAM * author of Black Square: Adventures in Post-Soviet Ukraine *Deeply moving, Wound flows from a faith in the emancipatory power of literature that has become all too rare. One of the most refreshing young voices I've encountered in contemporary literature -- JESSI JEZEWSKA STEVENS * author of The Exhibition of Persephone Q and The Visitors *Acutely necessary. Wound is a bold, human, powerful meditation on how a language of love and death takes shape -- POLINA BARSKOVA * author of Living Pictures *In Vasyakina's magnificent Wound, a woman goes on a pilgrimage to bury her mother's ashes in the small Siberian town of her birth, a place where lesbians 'didn't exist.' Urn under arm, the prodigal daughter returns: a queer in Putin's Russia, a poet who first glimpses herself whole-'soft and agape'-in the gaze of her girlfriend. The narration pivots through time in Elina Alter's resonant translation. 'Poetry is my method of forgetting in such a way that what I forget becomes known to others.' I remain awed by the expansive emotional geography of this book, which reads like a novel yet tastes like a poem. -- ALINA STEFANESCU * author of Dor *Oksana Vasyakina's Wound is a rare work of towering honesty and lyricism. Few writers can hold such poise amidst the wilderness of human emotion and render language both brutal and magnanimous -- Yelena MoskovichLyrical and profound, this one is a truly special book by one of Russia's boldest voices * Glamour *raw and hypnotic * New York Times *A seriousness of purpose is explored through prose, poetry and an essay on the links between weaving and writing with some comparative thoughts on the difficulties of mother/daughter relationships... Only an author of great skill could hold such disparate material together while also questioning her own method throughout the process. But Vasyakina successfully folds the untidy past into the unsettled present, demonstrating how inseparable they are to the person she is... -- Declan O'Driscoll * Irish Times *This is a study of grief and an accounting of a coming-to-consciousness as a queer subject in a repressive state. It also left me feeling joyful, grateful, enlightened - and lighter.... [Wound] is a novel to savour and to recommend to queer and straight friends alike, precisely for how it explores the possibilities of discontinuity * Times Literary Supplement *

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Book Synopsis"Stridsberg has perfected a kind of contemporary fairy tale with a bracing Scandinavian edge, here elegantly translated by Deborah Bragan-Turner" Christian House, Financial TimesA young woman becomes obsessed with her psychoanalyst's daughter. A police officer's mistress clandestinely cares for his dying wife. A boy goes missing from the Swedish town of Huskvarna after he was last seen walking with a wolf. From the inside of a dead whale's belly, to an industrial town emptied out after its factory's closure, to a Texan prison where a young man visits his sister's murderer on death row, Stridsberg approaches both the strange and the mundane with a fairy-tale sensibility that lights our world anew.Time runs through this collection like water, variously ebbing, flowing and rippling beneath the shimmering surface of Stridsberg's prose. These genre-spanning stories are held together by a sense of longing: for escape from the narrow margins of a prescribed life, for a past which promises an undiscovered future, for a place or a person that feels like home. Translated from the Swedish by Deborah Bragan-TurnerTrade ReviewThere's a dreamy quality to these death-stalked tales from Swedish author Stridsberg, which marry old-world mysteriousness to modern sensibilities * Daily Mail *Stridsberg has perfected a kind of contemporary fairy tale with a bracing Scandinavian edge, here elegantly translated by Deborah Bragan-Turner...This is storytelling with an eye for the uncanny -- Christian House * Financial Times *

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Book Synopsis'Spellbinding' JODI PICOULT'Bewitching' REBECCA ROSS'Exquisite' STEPHANIE GARBER'Captivating' SUE LYNN TANEmery Blackwood's life was forever changed on the eve of her high school graduation, when the love of her life, August Salt, was accused of murdering her best friend, Lily. She'd once dreamt of running away with August, eager to escape the misty, remote shores of Saoirse Island and chase new dreams together. Now, she is doing what her teenage self swore she never would: living a quiet existence among this tight-knit community steeped in folklore and tradition, ruled by the seasons and ancient superstitions.But when August returns after fourteen years to bury his mother's ashes, Emery must confront her first love and the reason he left so abruptly. But the town wants August gone again. And as the island begins to show signs of strange happenings, the emergence of deep betrayals and hidden promises threatens to reveal the truth behind Lily's death once and for all.'There were tales that only the island knew. Ones that had never been told. I knew, because I was one of them'Trade ReviewLush with secrets, magic, and a past that won't stay where it belongs, this novel is (quite fittingly) spellbinding * Jodi Picoult *A bewitching mystery, equal parts thrilling and romantic. I felt the isle's salt-laced winds, deeply rooted secrets, and the draw of the tides in Adrienne Young's stunning prose. Not to be missed * Rebecca Ross *A thrilling, rich mystery with exquisite twists. Adrienne Young's adult debut will trick you, bewitch you and leave you begging for more * Stephanie Garber *Spells for Forgetting seamlessly weaves mystery, magic, and love into a captivating tale. Deeply immersive and filled with intrigue, each page draws you closer and leaves you wanting more * Sue Lynn Tan *With magic, murder, and prose that reads like music, Adrienne Young weaves together an immersive tale amidst the Pacific Coast island of Saoirse where love and pain both stick to the bone and a novel that will surely stick with me for many years to come, too * Chandler Baker *With quiet magic like wind on a spooky autumn evening, Spells for Forgetting is so atmospheric it will leave you breathless. Adrienne Young's exquisite prose blends slow-burn romance and intense mystery into a beautiful, twisty gem of a novel. You won't want to miss this one * Sarah Addison Allen *A mysterious island with a will of its own. A fire. A murder. Love and betrayal, secrets and deep connections. And everything tinged with magic. A gripping and enthralling read. Beautifully crafted storytelling * Nydia Hetherington *Tense, lyrical, and wholly romantic, Spells for Forgetting is as immersive a story as you could ask for. I could feel the salt on my skin, smell the smoke, and every page felt like a tentative step into a mist concealing all of Saoirse's darkest secrets * Ruth Emmie Lang *Bewitching * E Online *Young casts a spell that will keep readers turning the pages * Publishers Weekly *While Young's fascinating, atmospheric, and mystical adult debut blends a few different genres, it is a mystery at its core * BuzzFeed *This tale has a claustrophobic Stranger Things atmosphere . . . highly emotional * Daily Mail *Haunting and mythical * Woman *At its heart this is a book about a community and relationships . . . thrilling * SF Books *

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Book Synopsis'Ryan and Ray go from strength to strength, and this, their third outing, is the best yet. Simon Mason has created crime fiction's most entertaining double act in decades' Mick HerronOxford, city of rich and poor, where the homeless camp out in the shadows of the gorgeous buildings and monuments. A city of lost things - and buried crimes. At three o'clock in the morning, Emergency Services receives a call. 'This is Zara Fanshawe. Always lost and never found.' An hour later, the wayward celebrity's Rolls Royce Phantom is found abandoned in dingy Becket Street. The paparazzi go wild. For some reason, news of Zara's disappearance prompts homeless woman Lena Wójcik to search the camps, nervously, for the bad-tempered vagrant known as 'Waitrose', a familiar sight in Oxford pushing his trolley of possessions. But he's nowhere to be found either. Who will lead the investigation and cope with the media frenzy? Suave, prize-winning, Oxford-educated DI Ray Wilkins is passed over in favour of his partner, gobby, trailer-park educated DI Ryan Wilkins (no relation). You wouldn't think Ray would be happy. He isn't. You wouldn't think Ryan would be any good at national press presentations. He isn't. And when legendary cop Chester Lynch takes a shine to Ray - and takes against Ryan - things are only going to get even messier.Trade ReviewAs in all fine novels, it is the voice that grips you: ironic, eloquent, but compassionate. -- Nicholas Chee * Bookbrunch *Better than Morse in its bite, pace, urgency and characterisation. * The Critic *Mason has created a gripping case while making his cops so human they leap off the pages. * Peterborough Telegraph *Superb * Sun *Class conflict and police corruption are at the heart of the third novel in this superb series. * Sunday Times (Pick of the Month, Jan 2024) *

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Book SynopsisA spy thriller that will change your view of the Cold War forever, by a former special forces officer who is 'poised to inherit the mantle of John le Carré' 'Edward Wilson seems poised to inherit the mantle of John le Carré' Irish Independent'More George Smiley than James Bond, Catesby will delight those readers looking for less blood and more intelligence in their spy thrillers' Publishers WeeklyAugust, 1956. A generation of British spies is haunted by the ghosts of friends turned traitor. Whitehall spymaster Henry Bone has long held Butterfly to be the Holy Grail of Cold War Intelligence. His brain is an archive of deadly secrets - he can identify each and every traitor spy as well as the serving British agents who helped them. And now Bone learns that Butterfly plans to defect to the Americans. Unless Bone gets to him first. William Catesby, a spy with his reputation in tatters, is pressured into posing as a defector in order to track down Butterfly. His quest leads him from Berlin, through a shower of Molotov cocktails in Budapest, to dinner alone with the East German espionage legend Mischa Wolf. 'A gripping Cold War story centred on a Berlin seething with agents and counterspies' Mail on Sunday'Smart, finely written' Publishers Weekly Starred Review'All you could want in a spy thriller' Oliver JamesPraise for Edward Wilson:'Stylistically sophisticated . . . Wilson knows how to hold the reader's attention' W.G. Sebald'A reader is really privileged to come across something like this' Alan Sillitoe

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Book Synopsis'A spellbinding modern fairytale, sexy and warm and full of hope and the power of love' BOLU BABALOLA'Funny, sexy and breathtakingly romantic' EMILY HENRYOne florist. One pianist. One love story . . . One hundred years in the making.Ricki Wilde has many talents, but being a Wilde isn't one of them. As the impulsive, artistic daughter of a powerful Atlanta dynasty, she's the opposite of her famous socialite sisters. In her bones, Ricki knows that somewhere, a more exciting life awaits her.So, when she is invited to rent the bottom floor of a Harlem brownstone, Ricki jumps at the chance for a fresh start. She leaves behind her wealth and chaotic romantic decisions to realize her dream of opening a flower shop. Then one evening in February, as the heady scent of night-blooming jasmine fills the air, Ricki encounters a handsome stranger who knocks her world off balance in the most unexpected way.Set against the backdrop of modern Harlem and Renaissance glamour, A Love Song for Ricki Wilde is a swoon-worthy love story of two passionate artists drawn to the magic, romance, and opportunity of New York.'Magical and steamy . . . their love story is literally written in the stars' RED'Williams never ceases to surprise and delight!' ROBINNE LEE'It's a showstopper' PUBLISHERS WEEKLY'Punchy and poignant, sweeping and yet so intimate' KENNEDY RYAN'Quirky, suspenseful, and unforgettable' BOOKLIST STARRED REVIEW'Reads like the best kind of love song: tender, smart and sexy' LEAH JOHNSONEVERYONE'S FALLING FOR TIA WILLIAMS'A sexy, modern love story to start the summer off right' Reese Witherspoon'A smart, sexy testament to Black joy' Jodi Picoult'Tia Williams conjures a seductive fantasy' Rumaan Alam'Hilarious, romantic and incredibly sexy' Hello!READERS LOVE SEVEN DAYS IN JUNE'This is a MUST-READ!' 5* reader review'Such a beautiful love story' 5* reader review'Modern, beautiful, emotional, sexy and funny!' 5* reader review''I literally couldn't put it down' 5* reader reviewTrade ReviewA Love Song for Ricki Wilde is funny, sexy, and breathtakingly romantic. This is the kind of book you wish you could slip bodily into, live within its warm and magical world for as long as it would have you. Another rapturous knockout from Tia Williams * Emily Henry *A spellbinding modern fairytale, sexy and warm and full of hope and the power of love * Bolu Babalola *An enigmatic, enchanting, absolute gift of a love story that transcends time, place, and realm. Williams never ceases to surprise and delight! * Robinne Lee *Tia Williams writes instant classics, and A Love Song for Ricki Wilde is the perfect vehicle to demonstrate the rare range and insight that make her writing so special. At turns punchy and poignant, sweeping and yet so intimate, this story will steal your heart and surprise you. Make you ache. Make you laugh and cry and yearn. As Williams' most ambitious work to date with layers of romance and heartache and history and magic tucked between these pages, it is your next book of the year * Kennedy Ryan *This book reads like the best kind of love song: tender, smart and undeniably sexy. Tia Williams simply doesn't miss * Leah Johnson *Magical and steamy . . . their love story is literally written in the stars * Red *Elegantly blending past and present, romance and fantasy, Williams delivers a gorgeous, transportive love letter to the Harlem Renaissance . . . What begins as a simple romance is elevated by rich history as the story flashes back through Harlem's past, revealing both its glamor and its danger. This vast time span creates an epic feel that never overpowers the tender heat of the romance. It's a showstopper * Publishers Weekly *Williams's novel is both a love letter to Harlem and a recognition of its history that gentrification cannot erase . . . highly recommended * Library Journal *A truly original romance that is quirky, suspenseful, and unforgettable * Booklist *Beautifully swoony and full of magic, this charming book is both a love letter to Harlem and to the essence of love itself * Culturefly *There's a glamorous quality to Ricki Wilde that suits the headiness of its love story . . . No matter the era, romance hangs in the air * BookPage *Fans of Williams' hit novel Seven Days in June will be smitten by this * Press Association *With humor, soulful prose and a touch of magical realism, Williams takes a creative chance with Ricki Wilde that'll make it one of your most memorable reads of 2024 * People *A gorgeously written romance . . . I couldn't help but fall head-over-heels for this book and the love story between our two leads * Culturess *Effortlessly capturing the humor and heartbreak of falling in love * Kirkus *

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Book SynopsisA brilliant Cuban Missile Crisis spy thriller by a former special forces officer who is 'poised to inherit the mantle of John le Carré' 'Edward Wilson seems poised to inherit the mantle of John le Carré' Irish Independent'More George Smiley than James Bond, Catesby will delight those readers looking for less blood and more intelligence in their spy thrillers' Publishers WeeklyOctober, 1962. If the Cuban gamble goes wrong and war breaks out, Britain will cease to exist. Whitehall dispatches a secret envoy to defuse the confrontation. Spawned in the bleak poverty of an East Anglian fishing port, Catesby is a spy with an anti-establishment chip on his shoulder. He loves his country, but despises the class who run it. Though he is loathed by the Americans for his left-wing sympathies, Catesby is sent to Havana and Washington to make clandestine contacts. London has authorised Catesby to offer Moscow a secret deal to break the deadlock. But before it can be sealed, he meets the Midnight Swimmer, who has a chilling message for Washington.'An intellectually commanding thriller' Independent'An excellent spy novel . . . belongs on the bookshelf alongside similarly unsettling works by le Carré, Alan Furst and Eric Ambler' Huffington PostPraise for Edward Wilson: 'Stylistically sophisticated . . . Wilson knows how to hold the reader's attention' W.G. Sebald'A reader is really privileged to come across something like this' Alan Sillitoe'All too often, amid the glitzy gadgetry of the spy thriller, all the fast cars and sexual adventures, we lose sight of the essential seriousness of what is at stake. John le Carré reminds us, often, and so does Edward Wilson' Independent

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Book Synopsis"Both a pleasure and a testament to life in Ukraine, before" Sunday Times"Ukraine's greatest living novelist" New European"A Ukrainian Murakami" GuardianA love letter to the beautiful city of Lviv, by the author of Death and the Penguin and Grey Bees.Strange things are afoot in the cosmopolitan city of Lviv, western Ukraine. Seagulls are circling and the air smells salty, though Lviv is a long way from the sea . . . A ragtag group gathers round a mysterious grave in Lychakiv Cemetery - among them an ex-KGB officer and an ageing hippy he used to spy on. Before long, Captain Ryabtsev and Alik Olisevych are teaming up to discover the source of the "anomalies".Meanwhile, Taras ­- who makes a living driving kidney-stone patients over cobblestones in his ancient Opel Vectra - is courting Darka, who works nights at a bureau de change despite being allergic to money.The young lovers don't know it, but their fate depends on two lonely old men, relics of another era, who will stop at nothing to save their city. Shot through with Kurkov's unique brand of black humour and vodka-fuelled magic realism, Jimi Hendrix Live in Lviv is an affectionate portrait one the world's most intriguing cities.Translated from the Russian by Reuben WoolleyTrade ReviewPlayful and ebullient, shot through with magical twists and supernatural turns . . . A reminder of Kurkov's prodigious storytelling gifts and a throwback to an earlier, happier age * Observer *This beguiling literary postcard from a recent, now supplanted past brims with the bittersweet charm and rueful satire of the books, such as Death and the Penguin, that established Kurkov's international reputation * Financial Times *Both a pleasure and a testament to life in Ukraine, before -- David Sexton * Sunday Times *Entertaining and poignant . . . A multi-layered, Chagal-like picture of modern-day Ukraine. * Glasgow Herald *A craftily constructed novel that undermines and transforms itself in a consistently enjoyable manner without the haze of purple prose. * Irish Times *Charming . . . A love letter to Lviv, Ukraine's linguistic and cultural capital * Guardian *The characters are lovingly drawn and exude the sort of warmth with which the author imbues all of his creations. You enjoy the time spent in their company * The Times *Kurkov draws us with deceptive ease into a dense complex world full of wonderful characters -- Michael PalinA latter-day Bulgakov . . . A Ukrainian Murakami * Guardian *A post-Soviet Kafka * Daily Telegraph *A kind of Ukrainian Kurt Vonnegut * Spectator *Ukraine's greatest living novelist New European -- New European

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Book Synopsis"Both a pleasure and a testament to life in Ukraine, before" Sunday Times"Ukraine's greatest living novelist" New European"A Ukrainian Murakami" GuardianA love letter to the beautiful city of Lviv, by the author of Death and the Penguin and Grey Bees.Strange things are afoot in the cosmopolitan city of Lviv, western Ukraine. Seagulls are circling and the air smells salty, though Lviv is a long way from the sea . . . A ragtag group gathers round a mysterious grave in Lychakiv Cemetery - among them an ex-KGB officer and an ageing hippy he used to spy on. Before long, Captain Ryabtsev and Alik Olisevych are teaming up to discover the source of the "anomalies".Meanwhile, Taras ­- who makes a living driving kidney-stone patients over cobblestones in his ancient Opel Vectra - is courting Darka, who works nights at a bureau de change despite being allergic to money.The young lovers don't know it, but their fate depends on two lonely old men, relics of another era, who will stop at nothing to save their city. Shot through with Kurkov's unique brand of black humour and vodka-fuelled magic realism, Jimi Hendrix Live in Lviv is an affectionate portrait one the world's most intriguing cities.Translated from the Russian by Reuben WoolleyTrade ReviewPlayful and ebullient, shot through with magical twists and supernatural turns . . . A reminder of Kurkov's prodigious storytelling gifts and a throwback to an earlier, happier age * Observer *This beguiling literary postcard from a recent, now supplanted past brims with the bittersweet charm and rueful satire of the books, such as Death and the Penguin, that established Kurkov's international reputation * Financial Times *Both a pleasure and a testament to life in Ukraine, before -- David Sexton * Sunday Times *Entertaining and poignant . . . A multi-layered, Chagal-like picture of modern-day Ukraine. * Glasgow Herald *A craftily constructed novel that undermines and transforms itself in a consistently enjoyable manner without the haze of purple prose. * Irish Times *Charming . . . A love letter to Lviv, Ukraine's linguistic and cultural capital * Guardian *The characters are lovingly drawn and exude the sort of warmth with which the author imbues all of his creations. You enjoy the time spent in their company * The Times *Kurkov draws us with deceptive ease into a dense complex world full of wonderful characters -- Michael PalinA latter-day Bulgakov . . . A Ukrainian Murakami * Guardian *A post-Soviet Kafka * Daily Telegraph *A kind of Ukrainian Kurt Vonnegut * Spectator *Ukraine's greatest living novelist New European -- New European

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Book Synopsis'Alex Wheatle writes from a place of honesty and passion with the full knowledge and understanding that change can only happen through words and actions' - Steve McQueen Four schoolchildren decide to run away from the the horrors of their everyday lives in a children's home. Seeking asylum in the woods, they enjoy the exhilaration of freedom and the first flush of adolescence. Yet the forest slowly asserts its own power and what happens out in the wild will affect the four boys' lives forever. With his compelling narrative directness, rhythmic prose, and trademark humour, Alex Wheatle shows himself to be an author of real calibre, exposing the social stigma associated with children's homes, and the horrifying psychological consequences of their impact on children at the most sensitive stage. Never losing pace or failing to engage the reader at every moment, Home Boys is an unflinchingly honest depiction of disrupted childhoods.Trade ReviewThis is a brave, brutal story told with a shocking immediacy. Alex Wheatle has created a disturbing portrait of life in a children s home, in language which is plain, unsparing, and heart-rendingly poignant * Daily Mail *Strong and meaningful * Independent on Sunday *This is a book to read and nourish ... For it is a book which never gives up on its characters and, doing such, also never gives up on its readers * Morning Star *Impossible to put down * Buzz Magazine *Alex Wheatle writes from a place of honesty and passion with the full knowledge and understanding that change can only happen through words and actionsA gripping, horrifying and moving adventure storyI think I went through every emotion possible whilst reading this book and was bereft when I got to the end * 5/4 nudge-book.com *With this groundbreaking work of fiction, Wheatle has produced what is truly the most moving book I have read this year * The New Nation *A beautifully written poetic portrayal of loyalty, friendship, and boyhood adventure * Big Issue *Alex Wheatle, always a gripping writer, has given us an important work about life as a kid in care in the 1970s and how brutality and abuse within the system can continue to distort and destroy lives down the years * Teen Librarian *

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Book Synopsis"A rich layering of motive and emotion . . . robust dialogue, streetwise humour and muscular, mischievous vernaculour" IndependentSet on the streets of Brixton, south London, BRENTON BROWN is a fatal love story about a man who never got over his first love, a perfect love with his half-sister Juliet that has left him unable to form any real relationships since they both decided it must end."Wheatle's dialogue sings" GuardianJuliet is consumed by guilt because she knows that her half-brother, Brenton, grew up in children's homes with no family to speak of, while she received all her mother's love. She has a career with good prospects in politics, and has married Clayton, a successful banker, to please her mother. He treats her daughter, Breanna, like his own - but secretly he has always suspected that there has been something going on between Juliet and Brenton.Unable to let go physically or emotionally, Brenton takes the advice of his longstanding friend Floyd, and decides to start a new life in another country. When their good intentions fail, Juliet and Brenton must pay the ultimate price.A story about family ties, forbidden love and life, BRENTON BROWN is shot through with robust humour, unforgettable characters, unerringly pitched dialogue and towering emotion.

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Book Synopsis"A funny, gripping and perfectly balanced blend of P.G. Wodehouse, Evelyn Waugh and Graham Greene" Independent"Highly enjoyable read" SpectatorAnthony Whitelands, an English art historian, is invited to Madrid to value the collection of a Spanish duke. At a welcome lunch he encounters José Antonio Primo de Rivera, founder and leader of the Falange, a nationalist party whose antics are bringing the country ever closer to civil war. The paintings turn out to be worthless, but before Whitelands can leave for London the duke's daughter Paquita reveals a secret and genuine treasure, held for years in the cellars of her ancestral home. Afraid that the duke will cash in his wealth to finance the Falange, the Spanish authorities resolve to keep a close eye on the Englishman, who is also being watched by his own embassy. As Whitelands - ever a fool for a pretty face - vies with Primo de Rivera for Paquita's affections, he learns of a final interested party: Madrid is crawling with Soviet spies, and Moscow will stop at nothing to secure the hidden prize.Translated from the Spanish by Nick CaistorTrade ReviewA highly enjoyable read * Spectator *A funny, gripping and perfectly balanced blend of P.G. Wodehouse, Evelyn Waugh and Graham Greene * Independent *This Englishman's excursion takes us to the very heart of Spain * Times Literary Supplement *'A funny, gripping and perfectly balanced blend of P G Wodehouse, Evelyn Waugh and Graham Greene' Christian House, Independent on Sunday. * Independent on Sunday *'A highly enjoyable read [that] elegantly evokes the eccentricities of Spain's capital city' Miles Johnson, Spectator. * Spectator *'This Englishman's excursion takes us to the very heart of Spain' Michael Kerrigan, T.L.S. * TLS *

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Book Synopsis'Joelle Taylor has a Midas touch with words' Diana SouhamiA Cosmo best books to look forward to in 2024 pick 'A glorious jewel of a novel' Sophie Ward'Exhilarating, profoundly beautiful and exquisitely written' Salena Godden'A mesmerising debut from one of the most talented literary stylists writing today' The Bookseller'Hugely imaginative' Marie Claire (Best New Books, 2024)---------------------------------------------------------------------------------The tattoo was a reclamation, a flag we mounted in the centre of our own landscape.A woman walks into a tattoo parlour. But this is no ordinary woman, and this is Hackney in 2233. Jones' body is covered in tattoos but she wants to add one final inking to her gallery - a thin line of ink mixed with blood that connects her body art together, creating a unique map.As the two artists set to work, Jones tells them the story behind each tattoo. As Jones is no ordinary woman, these are no ordinary stories: each one represents a doorway to a life Jones fell into, a 'remembering'. Some of these lives were in the past, others in the future, some are sideways, but each of them connects Jones to the two tattoo artists in some way, though they are unaware of it.We visit the dystopian cities of the Quiet Men, the coal mines of 19th century Lancashire, join a gang of vigilante sex workers, enter the world of an INCEL murderer, haunt the old Maryville gay bar, and uncover plans to genetically modify female children. Each of the stories brings us closer to Jones' truth, and how her life is intricately interwoven with that of the women tattooing her body.Set across geographies and timespans, The Night Alphabet is a dazzlingly bold and original work, a deep investigation into human nature and violence against women.Trade ReviewThe Night Alphabet is a glorious jewel of a novel, rich with language and story, that glows in your mind's eye long after you have set it down. Taylor manages to combine her vivid poetry with a truly engaging tale of female resilience, an Illustrated Woman for our times. -- Sophie Ward, author of Love and Other Thought ExperimentsJoelle Taylor's debut novel The Night Alphabet is phenomenal. This book is exhilarating, profoundly beautiful and exquisitely written, it is poetic, empowered, courageous. The Night Alphabet is an inspired piece of truly magical and brilliant story telling. -- Salena GoddenA mesmerising debut from one of the most talented literary stylists writing today. * The Bookseller *This hugely imaginative debut by TS Elliott-prizewinning poet Taylor pulls no punches... a fierce, tender - at times highly uncomfortable - study of power, agency and resilience. * Marie Claire (Best New Books, 2024) *Exquisitely written . . . Joelle Taylor reveals herself as an extraordinary storyteller. * The Skinny *

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Book SynopsisHe could be anywhere else . . . but he's right here, with meFalling in love wasn't on Emma's agenda for her year abroad at Dunbridge Academy, the boarding school where her parents once met. Here she wants to find out where her father disappeared to when he left their family all those years ago. She has no time for distractions.But when she meets fellow student Henry, Emma knows she's in trouble. During secret midnight parties and moonlit walks through the old school buildings, feelings grow between them, and Emma feels powerless to resist. But Henry has a girlfriend and Emma doesn't want her heart broken . . .Discover the new, heart-pounding romance series that's perfect for anyone who loves Hannah Grace, Elsie Silver and LJ Shen. 'I am absolutely obsessed with this book!' 5* reader review'I laughed and I cried' 5* reader review'Incredible, I couldn't put it down' 5* reader review18+ content

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