Contemporary fiction titles are those which focus on the present or near past. Stories rooted in the current cultural, social, and political landscape which feature characters we can all recognise.
Contemporary Fiction Books
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Sozaboy
Book SynopsisSozaboy powerfully describes the fate of a young, naive soldier thrown into the frontline of a civil war, from his first proud days of recruitment to the disillusionment and horrors that follow.Mene yearns for manhood. He dreams of gaining the glory that the ex-soldier in his village brags about, with his stories of hunting ''Hitla''. So when war breaks out and soldiers appear in Mene''s isolated village, he sees his chance to finally wear a uniform. Too soon, however, Mene''s innocence turns to terror. While witnessing the unfathomable, Mene must learn to evade the carnage of warfare if he wants to make it home alive...Writing in Nigerian Pidgin English, Ken Saro-Wiwa creates a unique window into the dark consequences of meaningless war.''Haunting.'' Guardian ''Sozaboy is not simply a great African novel, it is also a great anti-war novel, among the very best the twentieth century has produced.'' William Boyd<
£9.49
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Interpreters
Book SynopsisNobel Prize-winner Wole Soyinka''s debut novel tells the story of a group of friends facing political corruption and cultural uncertainty in post-independence Nigeria.Friends since high school, Egbo, Bandele, Sagoe, Sekoni and Kola have returned to Lagos after studying abroad. As they navigate wild parties, affairs of the heart, philosophical debates, and professional dilemmas, they struggle to reconcile the cultural traditions and Western influences that have shaped them and that still divide their country.In The Interpreters, Soyinka deftly weaves memories of the past through scenes of the present as the friends move toward an uncertain future. The result is a vividly realised fictional world rendered in prose that pivots easily from satire to tragedy. ''No other writer has Soyinka''s unique positioning in the political and cultural life of his nation.'' Ben Okri ''Wole Soyinka is a Nigerian icon.'' Guardian ''Ela
£9.49
Bloomsbury USA Waiting for the Rain
Book SynopsisIn this poignant novel, award-winning author, Charles Mungoshi, explores the consequences of colonialism in 1960s Zimbabwe. Waiting for the Rain asks how a nation can look to the future and preserve its traditions while being tied down to the present tyranny of its oppressors.Told through multiple perspectives of the Mandengu family, Waiting for the Rain eloquently captures the generational effects of colonialism and the slow breaking of family bonds.Writing during the fiercest years of the Zimbabwe War of Independence, Mungoshi treads a fine line between criticising colonial rule and attempting to avoid British censorship. The result is an astute commentary on the challenges faced in 1960s Zimbabwe. ''Zimbabwe''s finest and most versatile writer.'' Petina Gappah ''The influence of Mungoshi''s work cuts across generations, continents and cultures.'' Professor Arthur Mutambara, former Zimbabwean Deputy Prime Minister
£9.49
Bloomsbury USA Kicking Tongues
Book SynopsisKaren King-Aribisala brilliantly transposes Chaucer''s Canterbury Tales to modern-day Nigeria in this magnificent tale of forty very different travellers thrown together on a bus journey from Lagos to the new capital, Abuja.Carefully selected by their hostess an enigmatic figure who calls herself, ''The Black Lady The'' the passengers on this journey range from a wealthy tribal chief to a humble petrol pump attendant, from a rain-maker to a reserved woman observing purdah.They are united only by their dissatisfaction with Nigeria''s chaotic and corrupt regime, a concern which is reflected in the widely differing stories they tell on their journey bawdy tales, sharp satires, poignant narratives and moral fables.Blending poetry and prose, rich visual images, and witty puns, Karen King-Aribisala succeeds in transforming a fourteenth-century English classic into an exuberant and distinctively African work.
£9.49
Bloomsbury USA A Walk in the Night
Book SynopsisIn this previously banned collection of seven short stories, Alex La Guma vividly reveals the plight of the poor and oppressed in apartheid South Africa.Characterised by his striking style and colourful dialogue, La Guma''s stories explore experiences of racism and social inequality in various settings, from an overcrowded prison to a Portuguese restaurant. In the title story, ''A Walk in the Night'', a factory worker loses his job after an argument with a white supervisor. His subsequent descent into helpless rage is played out in rich detail, illuminating the toxic effects of poverty, police brutality, and gang violence.Each story in the collection lays bare the struggles of those living in 1960s South Africa, offering poignant moments of hope and cementing Alex La Guma as one of the most important writers of his time. ''The greatest South African novelist of the 20th century.'' The Times''Achieved in 90 pages what oth
£9.49
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC As The Crow Flies
Book SynopsisFrom the winner of the 2022 Los Angeles Times Book Award, As the Crow Flies is Véronique Tadjo''s evocative collection of short stories.Writing in exquisite, poetic prose, Véronique Tadjo weaves together a rich tapestry of characters all nameless and faceless as they tell their stories of parting and return, losing and gaining, suffering and healing.Like a bird in flight, Tadjo travels across a borderless landscape composed of tales of daily existence, news reports, allegories and ancestral myths, creating a lyrical and moving portrait of the interconnectedness of human life.''A mosaic of 20th-century life.'' Guardian
£9.49
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC HRT Husband Replacement Therapy
Book SynopsisAn outrageously funny, heartbreaking read when Ruby finds out she has cancer on the brink of her 50th birthday, she decides to start living instead of complying...Ruby has always been the generous mediator among her friends, family and colleagues, which is why they have all turned up to celebrate her 50th birthday. But after a few too many glasses of champers, Ruby''s speech doesn''t exactly go to plan. Instead of delivering the witty and warm words her guests are expecting, Ruby takes her moment in the spotlight to reveal what she really thinks of every one of them. She also accuses her husband, Harry, of having an affair and lambasts her mother for a lifetime of playing her three daughters against each other. It''s blisteringly brutal.As the stunned gathering gawks at Ruby, the birthday girl concludes her bravura monologue with the throwaway comment that she has terminal cancer. She has cashed in her life savings and plans on taking her two sisters
£9.49
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Children of the Alley
Book SynopsisWinner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, Naguib Mahfouz, offers this epic story of a single alley in Cairo and the generations that passed through it.A tumultuous neighbourhood known as ''the alley'' has seen successive heroes rise and fall as they struggle to defend the rights left to them by their great ancestor, Gebelawi.From the supreme feudal lord who disowns one son for pride and puts another to the test, to the saviour who tries to free his people from bondage, the men and woman of the alley seem unable to stop themselves from reenacting the lives of their holy forbearers. Through their successes and failures, the spiritual history of humankind is revealed.Hailed as the single most important writer in modern Arabic literature' (Newsweek), Naguib Mahfouz displays the richness and variety of his storytelling in this Egyptian literary classic.A powerful allegory of human suffering and striving.' New York TimesImmen
£9.49
Random House Canada Follow the Sun
Book Synopsis
£13.59
Penguin Random House Group The Bittlemores
Book Synopsis
£14.39
Penguin Putnam Inc Park Avenue Summer
Book SynopsisMad Men meets The Devil Wears Prada in this empowering coming-of-age story set in 60s NYC.
£12.59
St Martin's Press Craft
Book SynopsisStrange, intimate, haunted, and hungryCraft: Stories I Wrote for the Devil is an intoxicating and surreal fiction debut by award-winning author Ananda Lima. Remarkable and memorable. OLIVIE BLAKE An astounding new voice. ERIC LaROCCA I love it so much. KELLY LINK Trippy, eerie, wry, and always profound. JOHN KEENE Incredible. Truly wondrous. KEVIN WILSON Heart-wrenching and wickedly funny. GWEN KIRBY Propulsive, uncanny, and expertly built. JULIA FINE At a Halloween party in 1999, a writer slept with the devil. She sees him again and again throughout her life and she writes stories for him about things that are both impossible and true.Lima lures readers into surreal pockets of the United States and Brazil where they'll find bite-size Americans in vending machines and the ghosts of people who are not dead. Once there, she speaks to modern Brazilian-American immigrant experiencesof am
£17.84
St Martin's Press A Country You Can Leave
Book SynopsisFrom page one, A Country You Can Leave is a riveting, exasperating, and deeply heartbreaking tale of mother-daughter strife and resilience. Xochitl Gonzalez, author of Olga Dies DreamingA stunning debut novel following the turbulent relationship of a Black biracial teen and her ferocious Russian mother, struggling to survive in the California desert.When sixteen-year-old Lara and her fiery mother, Yevgenia, find themselves homeless again, the misnamed Oasis Mobile Estates is all they can afford. In this new community, where residents are down on their luck but rich in humor and escape plans, Lara navigates what it means to be the Black biracial daughter of a Russian mother and begins to wonder what a life beyond Yevgenia's orbitwith her insistence on reading only the right kind of books (Russian) and having the right kind of relationships (casual, with lots of sex)might look like.Lara knows that something else lies beneath her moth
£14.39
Henry Holt & Company Inc A Pair of Wings
Book SynopsisAn airline captain crafts a riveting, adventurous novel inspired by the remarkable true life of pioneer aviatrix Bessie Coleman, a Black woman who learned to fly at the dawn of aviation and found freedom in the airA few years after the Wright brothers' first flight, Bessie was working the Texas cotton ?elds with her family when an airplane flew over their heads. It buzzed so low she thought she could catch it in her hands. Bessie was fearless. She knew there was freedom in those wings.The daughter of a woman born into slavery, Bessie answers the call of the Great Migration. She moves to Chicago, where she wins the backing of two wealthy, powerful Black menRobert Abbott, creator and publisher of the Chicago Defender, and Jesse Binga, the founder of Chicago's first Black bank. Abbott becomes her mentor, while Binga becomes her lover. Her true first love, though, remains flying.But in 1920, no one in the United States will train a Black woman to fly. So,
£22.09
St Martin's Press At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities
Book SynopsisFrom the USA Today bestselling author of In the Middle of Hickory Lane comes Heather Webber's next enchanting novel, At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities!A mysterious letter. An offer taken. And the chance to move forward.When Ava Harrison receives a letter containing an unusual job listing one month after the sudden death of her ex-boyfriend, she thinks she's being haunted. The listinga job as a live-in caretaker for a peculiar old man and his cranky cat in Driftwood, Alabamais the perfect chance to start a new life. A normal life. Ava has always been too fearful to even travel, so no one's more surprised than she is when she throws caution to the wind and drives to the distant beachside town.On the surface, Maggie Mae Brightwell is a bundle of energy as she runs Magpie's, Driftwood's coffee and curiosity shop, where there's magic to be found in pairing the old with the new. But lurking under her cheerful exterior is a painful truthk
£13.49
WW Norton & Co Digging Stars
Book SynopsisA National Book Foundation and Alfred P. Sloan Foundation 2024 Science + Literature Selection Blending drama and satire while examining the complexities of colonialism, racism, and what it means to be American, Digging Stars probes the emotional universes of love, friendship, family, and nationhood.Trade Review"[Digging Stars] is a smart, incisive novel that blends a gripping coming-of-age story with a poignant story about loss, all the while asking us to consider: What compromises are we willing to make to achieve our highest ambitions and how much do we owe our own history?" -- Weike Wang - New York Times Book Review"Sumptuous, propulsive, and radiant. Novuyo Rosa Tshuma is unafraid to scale the stars. What a liberating thrill to read this book!" -- NoViolet Bulawayo, author of Glory"Novuyo Rosa Tshuma’s virtuosic, word-drunk sentences cast bridges across the abysses of history and the gaps between the stars. In Digging Stars, she chronicles a family’s fractures and a young woman’s determination to conquer the terrors of both outer and inner space. This is a brave and moving book." -- Garth Greenwell, author of Cleanness"Digging Stars is an extraordinarily unique portrait. The real stars of this canny undoing of the hubris of settler futurism are Novuyo Rosa Tshuma’s disarmingly brilliant words." -- Namwali Serpell, author of The Furrows"An utterly remarkable novel of real ambition and heft by a truly significant young writer." -- Chigozie Obioma, author of An Orchestra of Minorities"How to write a deeply felt, vividly imagined page-turner about Afrofuturism, astronomy, and astrobiology? Ask Novuyo Rosa Tshuma. Digging Stars is vital, ambitious, and reaches high as the cosmos that inspire its characters’ lives and journeys. Pulsing with energy and mystery, this is a novel you won't soon forget." -- Ayana Mathis, author of The Twelve Tribes of Hattie"Tshuma’s novel is cerebral yet passionate, a heady stew of science, family drama, and political intrigue." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
£18.04
Hyperion The Mayor of Maxwell Street
Book Synopsis
£16.19
Simon & Schuster Ltd Reputation
Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author of Anatomy of a Scandal, now a major Netflix series… Reputation: it takes a lifetime to build and just one moment to destroy.‘Sarah Vaughan has done it again. Superb’ Shari Lapena Emma Webster is a respectable MP. Emma Webster is a devoted mother. Emma Webster is innocent of the murder of a tabloid journalist. Emma Webster is a liar. #Reputation: The story you tell about yourself. And the lies others choose to believe… 'Uncannily timely… As dark and gripping as you’d expect from the author of Anatomy of a Scandal’ ObserverYour favourite authors love Reputation: ‘A terrifically entertaining legal drama and an unsettling cautionary tale for any woman considering entering politics’ Trade Review‘Sarah Vaughan has done it again. Superb’ -- Shari Lapena‘A terrifically entertaining legal drama and an unsettling cautionary tale for any woman considering entering politics’ -- Louise CandlishThis book is brilliant. About a woman MP whose reputation is destroyed. Timely and twisty, it felt all too real. A great plot but with much to say about the struggles of being a woman in public life. I loved it -- Laura Shepherd-Robinson‘Perceptive, elegant, thrilling and addictive’ -- Chris Whitaker‘Tense. Gripping. And bang up to date. This is a rollercoaster of a book’ -- Imran MahmoodWonderfully written, tense, taut and timely. I loved it!’ -- Claire Douglas‘A stylish, challenging thriller. Do yourself a favour and read this book’ -- Fiona Cummins‘Sarah Vaughan has distilled the zeitgeist into a pulse-racing thriller. Gripping all the way’ -- Erin Kelly‘I read Reputation in one sitting, which is my highest possible praise’ -- Bella Mackie‘Sarah Vaughan has another smash hit on her hands. Reputation is nuanced, complex, and thought-provoking, while still being a gripping, fast-paced read’ -- Louise O’Neill‘Sarah Vaughan does it again. Another taut, gripping thriller that also shines a light on some of the most important issues of the day' -- Bryony Gordon'Reputation steps straight out of today's political headlines to expose the sad double standard forced on women in the public eye. I'm quite in awe of the way Sarah Vaughan manages to ask some seriously unsettling questions about our society at the same time as delivering a taut courtroom drama. Totally compelling!' -- Russ Thomas'What an incredible, thought-provoking book' -- Elly Griffiths‘Reputation is Vaughan at her best: a relevant and topical political thriller with just the right dose of feminist outrage’ -- Lucy Atkins'Sarah Vaughan’s new novel Reputation is a prescient take on women in the public eye' * STYLIST, best March books *'Tightly plotted and very clever, this page-turner is a fascinating read' * WOMAN & HOME, Book of the Month *'Tantalising to the end' * SAGA *'The author of Anatomy of a Scandal is back with another timely thriller that take you behind the scenes of Westminster and looks at the scrutiny women in public eye face. MP Emma Webster is on the up until a journalist she’s entangled with is found dead in her home. Smart and riveting' * GOOD HOUSEKEEPING *'Uncannily timely… As dark and gripping as you’d expect from the author of Anatomy of a Scandal' * OBSERVER *'Enthralling… Reputation lacks the stunning topicality of Anatomy of a Scandal, but it may be a superior novel. It’s more intricately crafted with more nuanced characterisation – the Emma/Flora relationship is particularly well observed – and its points about the impact of misogyny on women (especially those in public life) and girls emerge more naturally from the plot' * Sunday Times, Thriller of the Month *'With an unerring eye for the political zeitgeist – so aptly demonstrated in her bestseller Anatomy of a Scandal four year ago – Vaughan again concentrates on the multiple pressures facing women in powerful positions… Expertly crafted, and with a stunning legal drama at its apex, the story underlines just how excellent Vaughan has become' * Daily Mail *'A dark, sinister tale about jealousy, revenge and why you shouldn’t mix business with pleasure' * The Sun *'Sarah Vaughan follows up her smash bestseller Anatomy of a Scandal with another compelling, one-sitting thriller…. Zeitgeist-y as hell, Reputation is a clever, nuanced look at how women in the public eye are constantly on trial and then throws in half a dozen twists that you won’t see coming' * RED, best books for March *'From the author of Anatomy of a Scandal (soon to arrive on Netflix) come this brilliant psychological thriller about ambitious politician mum Emma, whose private life is thrust into the spotlight when a man’s body is discovered in her home' * Bella *'Totally addictive and destined to be a big hit' * BEST *'Anatomy, with its exploration of consent and privilege, felt uncannily timely when it was published four years ago. Vaughan’s forthcoming novel, Reputation, might be even more so' * GUARDIAN (profile with Alison Flood) *'This eye-opening thriller dissects the timely issues of being a woman in the political spotlight… Think of your favourite true crime podcast. Mix that with a large serving of the heinous trolling directed at female MPs, before adding the courtroom drama of a Law & Order episode. With those elements, it’s no wonder Reputation, the new novel from former journalist Sarah Vaughan is a speedy page-turner… It’s an eye-opening, tense read, with several twists at the end that will satisfy Vaughan’s numerous fans' * STYLIST LOVES *'With her timely first book Anatomy of a Scandal, due for a Netflix adaptation in Spring, Vaughan’s stock could not be higher and she’s on ripping form with Reputation, a thriller that delves into the dark side of one female MP’s life and family' * STYLIST, best fiction for 2022 *'From the best-selling author of Anatomy of a Scandal comes another thriller you’ll be hard-pressed to put down… A thought-provoking look at what it really means to be in the public eye' * Woman's Weekly/ Woman's Own *'From the bestselling author of Anatomy of a Scandal comes another part-courtroom drama, part-thriller you’ll be hard-pressed to put down… A thought-provoking look at what it really means to be in the public eye and the sometimes shocking pressures women face. Tightly-plotted and very clever, it’s a fascinating read and one of the best thriller books on this best books 2022 list' * WOMAN & HOME, best books of 2022 *'Latest from the terrific Vaughan… With themes of harassment, online abuse, revenge porn and political entitlement, Vaughan’s third thriller is as prescient as ever' * THE BOOKSELLER, ones to watch *'Slickly topical…' * The Times *'From the author of Anatomy of a Scandal comes this psychological thriller about a female politician that explores the ramifications of online abuse and revenge porn' * The I *'Vaughan gives a colourful and convincing picture of the difficulties of public life… She arouses sympathy for many of the victims and is honest enough to show that girls and women can be quite as dangerous as men and boys' * Literary Review *'Timely and chilling… Vaughan never shies away from the moral complexities in this exploration of the pressures women face in both private and public life' * GUARDIAN *‘A thrilling mix of courtroom and personal drama, told with expertise by an author who worked as a journalist in Parliament and the courts, giving her first-hand access to amazing characters and settings. It really is a tense story for our times’ * PRESS ASSOCIATION *‘This razor-sharp, tense thriller is one of our reads of the year’ * FABULOUS *‘Hooks from the first page to the last’ * Heat *‘Another sure-fire bestseller from Sarah Vaughan’ * Hello *‘From the writer of the hugely successful Anatomy of a Scandal comes a new book which takes a look at a high-profile female MP’s fall from grace when a man is found dead in her house. This suspenseful and addictive novel is a thought-provoking and fascinating read’ * My Weekly *‘Now comes the equally provocative Reputation, which this time sees a female MP in the dock… Hooks from the very first page to the last’ * Crime Monthly *‘Sarah Vaughan deftly reveals a compelling inside view of life in the political spotlight, ramping up a palpable sense of stress and claustrophobia and shining a light on the darkest corners of life in Parliament. Then there are the courtroom scenes, tense and vividly drawn, that keep the reader riveted for page after page’ * CRIME FICTION LOVER *‘Astonishingly timely and clever, it's also utterly gripping. I loved it’ * Lucy Foley *‘I simply couldn't put it down. It is current, compelling and very clever’ -- B A Paris'Reputation by Sarah Vaughan will go down in history. Vaughan has a knack for tapping into the current zeitgeist, and this one goes to the heart of Westminster: an MP accused of a terrible crime, what will a woman do to save her reputation? Authentic, gripping, and with some of the most authentic courtroom scenes around, Vaughan is a major talent' -- Gillian McAllister
£13.49
Simon & Schuster Ltd The Berlin Exchange
Book Synopsis'A modern master at work’ THE TIMES ‘Heart-poundingly suspenseful’ WASHINGTON POST ‘Joseph Kanon owns this corner of the literary landscape’ LEE CHILDBerlin, 1963. The height of the Cold War and an early morning spy swap. On one side of the trade: Martin Keller, an American physicist who once made headlines, but who then disappeared into the English prison system. Keller's most critical possession: his American passport. His most ardent desire: to see his ex-wife Sabine and their young son. But Martin has questions: who asked for him? Who negotiated the deal? Just the KGB bringing home one of its agents? Or, as he hopes, a more personal intervention? He has worked for the service long enough to know that nothing happens by chance. They want him for something. Not physics – his expertise is years out of date. Something else, which he cannot learn until he arrive
£15.29
Simon & Schuster Ltd The Decameron Project
Book SynopsisA stunning collection of new short stories originally commissioned by The New York Times Magazine as the COVID-19 pandemic swept the world, from twenty-nine authors including Margaret Atwood, Tommy Orange, Colm Toibin, Kamilia Shamsie, David Mitchell and more, in a project inspired by Boccaccio’s The Decameron.When reality is surreal, only fiction can make sense of it. In 1353, Giovanni Boccaccio wrote “The Decameron”: one hundred nested tales told by a group of young men and women passing the time at a villa outside Florence while waiting out the gruesome Black Death, a plague that killed more than 25 million people. Some of the stories are silly, some are bawdy, some are like fables. In March of 2020, the editors of The New York Times Magazine created The Decameron Project, an anthology with a simple, time-spanning goal: to gather a collection of stories written as
£10.44
Simon & Schuster Ltd In Bloom
Book SynopsisThe brilliant and incisive new novel from the author of Lives Like Mine...A deeply affecting novel, In Bloom tells of strength, survival, forgiveness, resilience and determination, and the fierce love and unbreakable bonds between mothers and daughters. Delph has kept herself small and quiet as a form of self-protection, ever since the love of her life Sol’s untimely death left her pregnant and alone at the age of twenty-four. Theirs was such a once-in-a-lifetime love, that the loss of her soulmate broke her heart ‒ and almost broke her, too. Years on, Delph’s protective bubble bursts when her daughter Roche moves out of the flat Delph shares with her partner Itsy and in with her estranged nan, Moon. Now that it’s just the two of them, the cracks in Delph and Itsy’s relationship begin to grow. Feeling on the outside of the bond betwTrade Review'This is a really powerful, beautifully written story about three generations of working class women with each character so vividly drawn that they leap off the page' * RED *'Treat you head and heart to IN BLOOM. Tender, true, wise and warm but utterly unfliching. It's a book about art and family, love, memory, mental health and what it means to be ourselves which will stay with me always and haunt my thoughts in the most welcome way' -- Rose Ruane'A powerful mother-daughter tale' * CLOSER *'I loved Verde's debut, LIVES LIKE MINE, and this is just as raw and insightful' * GOOD HOUSEKEEPING *'A beautiful tale of resilience' * HEAT *
£15.29
Simon & Schuster Ltd In Bloom
Book SynopsisThe brilliant and incisive new novel from the author of Lives Like Mine...A deeply affecting novel, In Bloom tells of strength, survival, forgiveness, resilience and determination, and the fierce love and unbreakable bonds between mothers and daughters. Delph has kept herself small and quiet as a form of self-protection, ever since the love of her life Sol’s untimely death left her pregnant and alone at the age of twenty-four. Theirs was such a once-in-a-lifetime love, that the loss of her soulmate broke her heart ‒ and almost broke her, too. Years on, Delph’s protective bubble bursts when her daughter Roche moves out of the flat Delph shares with her partner Itsy and in with her estranged nan, Moon. Now that it’s just the two of them, the cracks in Delph and Itsy’s relationship begin to grow. Feeling on the outside of the bond betw
£9.49
Simon & Schuster Ltd The Gosling Girl
Book Synopsis‘[The Gosling Girl] interrogates the context of a child's crime and simplistic notions of evil by society and the media. It fosters understanding & empathy and draws us deep inside the protagonist's psychology’ Bernardine EvaristoMonster? Murderer? Child? Victim? Michelle Cameron’s name is associated with the most abhorrent of crimes. A child who lured a younger child away from her parents and to her death, she is known as the black girl who murdered a little white girl; evil incarnate according to the media. As the book opens, she has done her time, and has been released as a young woman with a new identity to start her life again. When another shocking death occurs, Michelle is the first in the frame. Brought into the police station to answer questions around a suspicious death, it is only a matter of time until the press find out who she is now and where she lives and set Trade Review‘[The Gosling Girl] interrogates the context of a child's crime and simplistic notions of evil by society and the media. It fosters understanding & empathy and draws us deep inside the protagonist's psychology’ -- Bernardine Evaristo‘It was refreshing to read a thriller that wasn’t full of twists, though I kept waiting for them, as I’ve been conditioned to expect them. This well-plotted story follows Michelle, who’s recently been released from prison. Does someone who’s committed an awful crime deserve to start again?’ * Prima *‘A powerful read’ * Bella *‘A powerful look at institutionalised racism and the after-effects of childhood crime’ * OK! Magazine *‘This intriguing procedural is above all a portrait of two damaged women and a moving demonstration of how race and class have affected their lives' * The Times and The Sunday Times Crime Club *'This is a beautifully written, insightful and thought-provoking novel. Michelle's story drew me in immediately, and while it's heartbreaking in places, it's uplifting in others. Jacqueline Roy writes with deep compassion and empathy, and I have a feeling this wonderfully compelling novel will stay with me for a long time' -- Susan Eliot Wright, author of The Flight of Cornelia Blackwood'A thoughtful, slow-burn exploration of how damaged children damage, The Gosling Girl asks whether some children are born evil - and shows emphatically that an abusive childhood is to blame. I felt increasing sympathy for Michelle Cameron, in all her manifestations. At times, disturbing, poignant, and thought-provoking' -- Sarah Vaughan, author of Anatomy of a Scandal and Reputation'A tour de force of engaged storytelling. With heart-wrenching pathos, The Gosling Girl delineates the bleak aftermath for all concerned when one child kills another' -- Peter Kalu'An absorbing, powerful slow-burn' -- Lisa Howells * Crime Monthly *‘I loved this novel. Compelling, meticulously crafted, unflinching but rarely bleak, it gripped me from the first page. As in The Fat Lady Sings, Roy writes with astonishing tenderness about characters the likes of whom the real world excludes, ignores or vilifies. As hopeful as it is heart-breaking, this is a beautifully rendered and haunting coming-of-age story’ -- Judith Bryan, author of Bernard and the Cloth Monkey‘The skill and sensitivity with which Jacqueline Roy approaches this story is astounding. Her novel is full of humanity and compassion for the people and experiences that society would otherwise look away from...once I started reading I couldn’t put it down’ -- Dr Josie Gill, Bristol University Senior Lecturer in Black British Writing‘Roy’s writing is powerful, unflinching, empathetic and, above all, thought provoking, never shying away from the darker, uncomfortable realities of our society. It’s not an easy read – and it shouldn’t be – but it feels like an essential book for our times too' * Culturefly *‘Written with compassion, and an exceptional sense of identity by Roy — born to a Jamaican father and a British mother — it is both striking and powerful’ * Daily Mail *‘(a)…provocative tale of institutional racism, and how the marginalised fight back’ * Stylist Magazine *‘A powerful look at institutionalised racism and the after-effects of a childhood crime' * S Magazine *‘The Gosling Girl is one of the most moving thrillers I’ve read for some time' * Observer *‘The harrowing pathos of the story portrays the psychological impact of being repeatedly hounded’ * Woman’s Weekly *‘The Gosling Girl is a tense, humane story that encompasses betrayal, class, racial stereotyping, judicial prejudice and media-fuelled hate, raising many poignant questions…Jacqueline Roy perfectly captures marginalised people trying to claw their way back from the edge of an abyss; it cries out for a big-screen, Steve McQueen-directed adaption' * Buzz Magazine *‘The words I would use to describe it are, thought-provoking, riveting, memorable, well-written, brilliant and blinking brilliant…It’s exceptional’ * Quick Book Reviews podcast *‘The Gosling Girl is one of the saddest, most moving thrillers I’ve read for some time' * Alison Flood, The Guardian *
£8.54
Simon & Schuster Ltd In Memory of Us
Book SynopsisA literary family history centering around a pair of twin sisters coming of age in 60s London, told mostly through memory fragments and flashbacks described from one of the twins, later in life, as she reckons with her identity whilst living with the early stages of dementia. Trade ReviewPraise for The Gosling Girl: ‘[The Gosling Girl] interrogates the context of a child's crime and simplistic notions of evil by society and the media. It fosters understanding & empathy and draws us deep inside the protagonist's psychology’ Bernardine Evaristo ‘This intriguing procedural is above all a portrait of two damaged women and a moving demonstration of how race and class have affected their lives' The Times and The Sunday Times Crime Club 'This is a beautifully written, insightful and thought-provoking novel. Michelle's story drew me in immediately, and while it's heartbreaking in places, it's uplifting in others. Jacqueline Roy writes with deep compassion and empathy, and I have a feeling this wonderfully compelling novel will stay with me for a long time' Susan Elliot Wright, author of All You Ever Wanted 'A thoughtful, slow-burn exploration of how damaged children damage, The Gosling Girl asks whether some children are born evil - and shows emphatically that an abusive childhood is to blame. I felt increasing sympathy for Michelle Cameron, in all her manifestations. At times, disturbing, poignant, and thought-provoking' Sarah Vaughan, author of Anatomy of a Scandal and Reputation ‘It was refreshing to read a thriller that wasn’t full of twists, though I kept waiting for them, as I’ve been conditioned to expect them. This well-plotted story follows Michelle, who’s recently been released from prison. Does someone who’s committed an awful crime deserve to start again?’ Prima ‘Written with compassion, and an exceptional sense of identity by Roy — born to a Jamaican father and a British mother — it is both striking and powerful’ Daily Mail ‘(a)…provocative tale of institutional racism, and how the marginalised fight back’ Stylist Magazine ‘A powerful look at institutionalised racism and the after-effects of a childhood crime' S Magazine ‘The Gosling Girl is one of the most moving thrillers I’ve read for some time' Observer
£17.09
Simon & Schuster Ltd Deep Water
Book Synopsis'Powered by a subtle, ominous tension. I loved this book’ LEE CHILD‘Paradise never felt so sinister’ RUTH WARELies can be buried... Secrets always come to the surfaceAmarante is paradise... An uninhabited, unspoilt island somewhere in the Indian Ocean. Only those who know it exists can find it. But paradise comes with a price... Virginie and Jake sail to Amarante for their honeymoon, but they are not alone. They have to adjust to life on the island with five strangers. And not everyone will live to tell the tale… Dark secrets surface and their dream abruptly turns into a nightmare. Removed from society, they find out what they’re truly capable of.‘An incredible debut’ B A PARIS‘Suspenseful, evocative and beautifully written, I devoured it
£8.54
Simon & Schuster Ltd Now We Are Forgiven
Book SynopsisA brilliantly observed story of crises and reconciliations within families and stepfamilies and the conflict between Millennials and their Baby Boomer parents. Funny, dark, yet limned with hope, Tim Lott returns to a family saga – and social commentary – that began with the award-winning White City Blue, continuing with When We Were Rich. It is a story for everyone trying to make sense of a sharply polarised world where the political has become personal and the personal has become a minefield. Brighton, December 2019: a teenage girl is on an early morning run along the seafront. In her mind she is running away from something she hates, towards something she fears. China’s home is with her mother Veronica, her pompous stepfather Silas and his dysfunctional son Mason. Her father, Frankie, is in London, but they have little contact, his entrenched views a provocation to her socially conscious ideals,
£15.29
Simon & Schuster Ltd The Mermaids Tale
Book SynopsisFor fans of The Vegetarian and Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982, comes a modern-day fairy tale exploring the dark heart of the world of dance
£11.69
Simon & Schuster Ltd The Mermaids Tale
Book SynopsisIf the mermaid doesn't swim back to the sea, but instead goes ashore, she will learn to walk on two legs. Perhaps, she will even learn to dance...... In her early thirties, Summer lives alone, jobless, with little material wants. Her only passion is dancing. To be more specific, ballroom dancing. She is at an awkward position: she started too late to be competition-worthy, yet takes dancing far too seriously to be a mere pastime. Her solitary existence poses another obstacle: you need a partner in the ballroom, where 'men lead, women follow' is the ironclad rule. Under the tutelage of the legendary Donny, Summer embarks on a journey of self-discovery and, perhaps more importantly, in search of the perfect partner. Her hopes are dashed again and again as she witnesses (and sometimes partners with) the colorful characters in the ballroom: the arrogant youngster Youlin from a dancing dynasty; the talented Grac
£9.49
Simon & Schuster Ltd Good Taste
Book Synopsis****PRE-ORDER THE NEW CAROLINE SCOTT NOVEL, GREENFIELDS, COMING FEBRUARY 2025**** England, 1932, and the country is in the grip of the Great Depression. To lift the spirits of the nation, Stella Douglas is tasked with writing a history of food in England. It’s to be quintessentially English and will remind English housewives of the old ways, and English men of the glory of their country. The only problem is –much of English food is really from, well, elsewhere . . .Good taste is in the eye of the beholder... So, Stella sets about unearthing recipes from all corners of the country, in the hope of finding a hidden culinary gem. But what she discovers is rissoles, gravy, stewed prunes and lots of oatcakes. Longing for something more thrilling, she heads off to speak to the nation’s housewives. But when her car breaks down and the dashing and charismatic Freddie springs to her rescue, she iTrade Review‘. . . the perfect antidote to these darker days when the news is bleak and the weather bleaker . . . This is a nicely paced yarn shot through with nostalgia but with themes which nevertheless resonate today... A tasty treat' * Mirror, The Friday Book Club *‘A fun, colourful read . . . laugh-out-loud funny, it’s guaranteed to make you smile’ * Woman & Home *'Wonderful on nostalgia, doing things your own way and maintaining faith. I raced through it' * Daily Mail *‘A fascinating, immersive, and delicious treat of a book’ * heat (book of the week) *‘Evocatively written and laugh-out-loud funny, it’s guaranteed to make you smile’ * Woman’s Weekly *‘Beautifully written, this sparkling novel is packed with wit and warmth’ * S Magazine *‘Scott has done an amazing job of drawing on real stories to craft a powerful novel’ * Good Housekeeping *
£15.29
Simon & Schuster Ltd The Slow Lane Walkers Club
Book SynopsisA feel-good tale of unlikely friendship, community and learning to live life in the slow lane, perfect for fans of Clare Pooley and Hazel Prior Daniel isn’t used to living life in the slow lane. So when he finds himself unexpectedly jobless and back in his old Cornish hometown, he can’t sit still. Hazel used to be adventurous too. But now widowed and in her eighties, she barely leaves the house. When she sees an advert for Daniel’s new walking club, she grabs at the chance of some excitement. Daniel’s heart sinks when he sees that the only person who’s turned up for his walking club is the crazy old lady from two doors down. But what he doesn’t expect is to discover that Hazel is one of the most fascinating people he’s ever met . . .A gorgeous, warm and uplifting story about friendship, community, adventure and the joy of walking.
£8.54
Simon & Schuster Ltd My extraOrdinary Life
Book Synopsis‘I absolutely loved this book! Charming, funny – I laughed out loud several times' SARAH TURNER (The Unmumsy Mum), author of Stepping Up Have you ever wondered how normal you are? What if you were perfectly average? More than anyone else. For Emily – it's true. When she watches a documentary on the average human she sees her life. Her job, her hair, her favourite food. All of her – plainly, horrifically average. Even her blood group. Right there and then, she decides she wants more. She'll travel the world (i.e. venture out of her hometown)She'll become a vegan (it's interesting to hate cheese, right?) She'll do something daring (As long as it's safety tested) Nothing will stand in the waTrade Review‘Funny, heartfelt, and tackling the complexity of grief in an original way, this debut is far from average’ – Heat ‘Funny and heartwarming’ – Closer ‘Funny and emotional – this is a top read’ – Fabulous Magazine ‘A sparkling novel with a relatable protagonist’ – Woman’s Own ‘Bradford-based Ryan…goes to the top of the class with this debut about a fresh start that will take you from all-out laughter to tears’ – The Sunday Post'PURE JOY' 'This book just spoke to me' 'Had me chortling out loud while at some points shedding a tear' 'I couldn’t put it down' 'A story that can make you laugh out loud and well-up' 'Vivid, sparkling and entertaining - what a great debut' 'I LOVED everything about this book' 'Such a gorgeous story'
£8.54
Simon & Schuster Ltd The Recovery Agent
Book SynopsisNumber One New York Times bestselling author Janet Evanovich returns with the launch of a blockbuster new series that blends wild adventure, hugely appealing characters, and pitch-perfect humour, proving once again why she’s 'the most popular mystery writer alive' (New York Times). Lost something? Gabriela Rose knows how to get it back. As a recovery agent, she’s hired by individuals and companies seeking lost treasures, stolen heirlooms, or missing assets of any kind. She’s reliable, cool under pressure, and well trained in weapons of all types. But Gabriela’s latest job isn’t for some bamboozled billionaire, it’s for her own family, whose home is going to be wiped off the map if they can’t come up with a lot of money fast. Inspired by an old family legend, Gabriela sets off for the jungles of Peru in pursuit of the Ring of Solomon and the lost treasure of Cortez. But this pa
£17.00
Simon & Schuster Ltd The House That Made Us
Book SynopsisOne Day meets Up: The House That Made Us is a love story – and a life story – told through a series of photographs and inspired by a true story When Mac and Marie marry and find a home of their own, Mac takes a snap of them outside their newbuild bungalow, the garden bare and the paint on the front door still wet. It becomes a tradition, this snap, and slowly the photographs build into an album of a fifty-year relationship. Every year they take a photo and though things change around them – the garden matures, the fashions change, they grow older – the one constant is their love. Every year, come rain, come shine, from the Seventies through the decades, every photo tells the story of their love. But life never travels the path you expect it to, though they know that a life with love is a life lived to the full. Now, in the present day, the photo album belongs to someone who doesn&rsquo
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Simon & Schuster Ltd Flappy Investigates
Book SynopsisFlappy returns in the fabulously fun follow-up to Flappy Entertains from bestselling author Santa Montefiore, and this time something is amiss in the village of Badley Compton . . . Binoculars at the ready, Flappy Scott-Booth is set to investigate. Newcomers have moved in, a young couple from London, delightful no doubt but they do need to know their place. Who better to teach them the ways of this close-knit community than Flappy herself? But Flappy has other distractions. An ardent admirer, a New Year’s Ball to organize and manifold appearances to be kept up. How much time and effort it all takes! Add to the mix the sudden arrival of her son Jasper with his utterly charming persona and total lack of ambition and drive, accompanied by his pretentious wife and their two highly-strung children - and Flappy is on ultra-high alert.Endlessly entertaining and gorgeously gossipy, Flappy Inves
£11.69
Simon & Schuster Ltd Better the Blood
Book Synopsis 'A compelling, atmospheric page turner with an authentic insight into Māori culture' Val McDermidA DETECTIVE IN SEARCH OF THE TRUTH. A KILLER IN SEARCH OF RETRIBUTION. A CLASH BETWEEN CULTURE AND DUTY. THE PAST NEVER TRULY STAYS BURIED. WELCOME TO THE DARK SIDE OF PARADISE. Detective Senior Sergeant Hana Westerman is a tenacious Māori detective juggling single motherhood and the pressures of her career in Auckland’s Central Investigation Branch. When she’s led to a crime scene by a mysterious video, she discovers a man hanging in a hidden room. With little to go on, Hana knows one thing: the killer is sending her a message. As a Māori officer, there has always been a clash between duty and culture for Hana, but it is something that she’s found a way to live with. Until now. When more murders follow, Hana realises that her heritage and past are the keys to finding the Trade Review‘Stunning. Better the Blood is a tremendous debut, and Hana Westerman, the Maori detective at the center of the story, instantly becomes one of the great characters in crime fiction on any continent. This novel has it all: a gripping mystery, complex and memorable characters, and timely social and cultural commentary. Don’t miss it’ -- David Heska Wanbli Weiden, author of Winter Counts'Better the Blood touches on themes that have become increasingly urgent in recent years including the far-reaching impacts of colonialism and the often uneasy integration of identity and heritage into modern multicultural society. A tensely plotted, gritty crime novel that has the courage to force us all to rethink our relationship with the past' Vaseem Khan ‘As page-turning as it is eye-opening. An excitingly fresh perspective upon a world you thought you knew’ Ambrose Parry ‘Packed with intricate detail about Maori history and culture, this tense and involving story ushers in a remarkable new detective’ Geoffrey Wansell, Daily Mail ‘This thought-provoking debut is a compelling, insightful and highly addictive read’ My Weekly ‘So chilling’ Crime Monthly ‘[A] stellar series launch . . . Immersed in modern-day technologies and with a keen sensitivity to cultural issues, this is a finely crafted page-turner. Bennett is a writer to watch’ Publishers Weekly (starred review) 'Bennett unflinchingly weaves together layers of fallout from New Zealand’s bloody colonization, enduring Maori culture, and gripping procedural details. Hopefully this compelling debut heralds the start of a long-running series' Booklist
£13.49
Simon & Schuster Ltd Lovers Players
Book SynopsisFeaturing a brand new introduction from bestselling author, Sarra Manning, talking about what Jackie and her books mean to her! 'Nobody does it quite like Jackie Collins, and nobody ever will' SARRA MANNING'Jackie Collins’s daring, unapologetic stroke of the pen, combined with her glorious wit, has single-handedly given creative license to new generations of authors and storytellers.' COLLEEN HOOVER At her bachelorette party, New York heiress Amy Scott-Simon has a fling with a male model. But that one night of fun leads to complications and regrets. As she’s introduced to more of her fiancé’s family, their lives intertwine in this highly-charged love story about family relationships, deadly choices and dangerous sex. There have been many imitators, but only ever one Jackie Collins. With millions of her books sold around the world, and thirty-one New Yor
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Simon & Schuster Ltd Lucky
Book SynopsisFeaturing a new, intimate introduction from Jessie Burton talking about what Jackie and her books mean to her! Discover the empowerment, sex, scandal and glamour of Lucky, a book ‘so hot it will have to be printed on asbestos’, from the insatiable number one bestseller Jackie Collins. ‘Collins was saying that women didn’t have to centre round men, either in books or in life. Women could have their own adventures’ JESSIE BURTON'Jackie Collins’s daring, unapologetic stroke of the pen, combined with her glorious wit, has single-handedly given creative license to new generations of authors and storytellers.' COLLEEN HOOVER There have been many imitators, but only ever one Jackie Collins. With millions of her books sold around the world, and thirty-one New York Times bestsellers, she is one of the world’s top-selling novelists. From glamorous Beverly
£999.99
Simon & Schuster Ltd The Sharing Economy
Book SynopsisThree Women meets Crudo: a frank and fresh literary debut about the dawn of dating apps in Amsterdam.‘Sexual infidelity is unavoidable, for whatever reasons, in long monogamous relationships, so why not give the other sexual freedom, as a gesture of love, of communication maybe?’ Amsterdam in 2014 is an historic city situated at the heart of the future. One of the biggest hubs for internet traffic in the world, it has become a favourite testing-ground for the new internet platforms that form the vanguard of what has been coined ‘the sharing economy’. Gabrielle Bloom is a woman in her mid-40s, working as an exhibition curator. She is happily married to Anton and loves her son Victor. They have a circle of sophisticated friends and enjoy the life of two successful and respectable professionals living in one of the world’s most beautiful and culturally rich cities. There is, though, o
£9.49
Simon & Schuster Ltd Hollywood Kids
Book SynopsisFeaturing a brand new introduction from lifelong fan and Closer magazine Book Reviewer, Amy Rowland, talking about what Jackie and her books mean to her! ‘I read hundreds of books every year. But Jackie Collins’ novels are the only ones I can read over and over’ AMY ROWLAND'Jackie Collins’s daring, unapologetic stroke of the pen, combined with her glorious wit, has single-handedly given creative license to new generations of authors and storytellers.' COLLEEN HOOVER At the novel's core is the Hollywood Five, a clique of jaded twenty-somethings whose parents (all major players) thought that child-rearing ended with naming their offspring after themselves. Not since best-selling superstar Jackie Collins created Hollywood Wives, the book which established a whole new standard for novels of the American dream in the extreme, has she dealt so incisively and so revealingly with tinseltow
£9.49
Simon & Schuster Ltd Missing White Woman
Book Synopsis ‘A compulsive page-turner with plenty of twists and turns you won't see coming. Kellye Garrett is a rising star, and Missing White Woman is her best one yet’ Harlan Coben ‘You never know what’s coming next in Missing White Woman. Kellye Garrett writes with an unstoppable momentum and cultural edge that makes this a thriller not to be missed’ Michael ConnellyBeautiful. Blonde. Missing. Murdered. It was supposed to be a romantic getaway to New York City. Breanna's new boyfriend, Ty, took care of everything – the train tickets, the sightseeing itinerary, the four-story Jersey City rowhouse with the gorgeous view of the Manhattan skyline. But then Bree wakes up one morning and discovers recently missing dog-walker Janelle Beckett dead in the foyer. Ty is gone, vanished without a trace. A Black woman alone in a strange city, Bree is stranded
£15.29
Simon & Schuster Ltd The Last Kings of Sark
Book SynopsisFrom the author of Dreamland 'My name is Jude. And because of Law, Hey and the Obscure, they thought I was a boy.'Jude is twenty-one when she flies in a private plane to Sark, a tiny carless Channel Island, the last place in Europe to abolish feudalism. She has been hired for the summer to give tuition to a rich local boy called Pip. But when she arrives, the family is unsettling- Pip is awkward, over-literal, and adamant he doesn't need a tutor, and upstairs, his enigmatic mother Esmé casts a shadow over the house.Enter Sofi: the family's holiday cook, a magnetic, mercurial Polish girl with appalling kitchen hygiene, who sings to herself and sleeps naked. When the father of the family goes away on business, Pip's science lessons are replaced by midday rosé and scallop-smuggling, and summer begins. Soon something surprising starts to touch the three together.But those strange, golde
£999.99
Simon & Schuster Ltd Flight
Book Synopsis'Suspenseful, dazzling and moving' Rumaan Alam'Arresting and powerful' Lily King'Breathtakingly propulsive and insightful' Leslie Jamison It’s 22 December and Henry, Kate and Martin are gathering with their partners and children at Henry and Alice’s house in upstate New York. It's the first Christmas since their mother passed and without her ever-present advice and gentle nudges to connect with each other when they need it most, the siblings have grown distant. Their differences are all too apparent, from the lives they have forged for themselves to what they each want to do with their sole inheritance: their mother’s house. As they try and fail and try again to create new picture-perfect memories, tensions and old resentments rise, but they are forced to unite when a local family calls for help. Compassionate and wise, Flight explores the meaning of family and homeTrade Review‘Lynn Steger Strong is a master of family life, a wise chronicler of economic struggles real and imagined, of dreams versus responsibilities, and of nuances in relationships of all kinds. Arresting and powerful, Flight examines the possibility and pain of fierce love and hope in our time of looming existential threats’ Lily King, author of Writers and Lovers ‘A fateful few days in the life of two families becomes in Lynn Steger Strong’s hands a clear-eyed examination of our current moment. Flight probes deeply into grief and its aftershocks, what binds us to one another, the meaning of art itself. It's a book whose fleet movements belie its ambition. Suspenseful, dazzling and moving’ Rumaan Alam, author of Leave the World Behind ‘A gorgeous novel, both intimate and expansive. Flight is packed full of wisdom about family, marriage, class, climate, love and loss. Lynn Steger Strong is a master of creating characters so funny, flawed and true that they feel like people you know. I couldn’t put it down’ J. Courtney Sullivan, author of Friends and Strangers ‘Breathtakingly propulsive and insightful, Flight gripped me from the very first page and didn’t let go. It asked my heart to pay better, closer attention to the world, because it pays such exquisite attention to the world: from botched gingerbread houses to cigarette breaks, every scene bristles and pulses with nuance. Strong is a writer who makes me feel reconfigured, more sharply attuned to the business of being alive; as if I have nerve endings that didn’t exist before reading her. Flight is a story about how we lose and find each other again – and how this finding is never done, because we are, all of us, many selves at once’ Leslie Jamison, author of The Recovering and Make it Scream, Make it Burn ‘With razor-sharp pacing and luminous prose, Lynn Steger Strong aims her keen eye on the complexities of siblings, marriage, motherhood and grief. Flight is a wonderfully alive look at the ways we try – defiantly and sometimes perilously – to love one another. You will want to gulp this book down in one sitting, but I urge you to slow down because its charms should be savored’ Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney, author of Good Company ‘With deft, discerning prose, Strong writes beautifully about mothers and the struggles, fears, and joys of motherhood... A quiet domestic novel that soars’ Kirkus Reviews ‘A compelling portrait of how love and resentment are often twin sides of the same coin. Flight is its own portrait of struggle and strife, and yet a smooth and utterly compelling read’ Vogue ‘Strong’s writing soars effortlessly… True reconciliation, safety, stability, fulfillment: These are destinations along a flight path forever uncertain — though shot through, like this novel, with moments of transcendence’ Los Angeles Times ‘Strong is adept as characterizing this loss in all its manifestations, and in rendering the challenges inherent in three families trying to celebrate together… Once again, Strong demonstrates her talents for perception and nuance’ Publishers Weekly 'Part of the sense of life in the book comes from Strong’s distinctive prose style — compressed, telegraphic and gestural, one in which the sharp noticing of what might otherwise seem like ordinary details about a character or an exchange takes on a resonating depth' New York Times 'Strong is an exacting observer of families and their idiosyncrasies, in the mode of Anne Tyler and Jonathan Franzen... Strong keeps Flight in motion with twists of language and revelation' Washington Post ‘Three siblings face their first Christmas without a mother in this moving novel about grief and family. As they attempt to navigate the new dynamic and perform familiar festive rituals, old resentments and tensions between them are revealed and it takes an emergency in the local community to pull them together’ Good Housekeeping 'Flight doesn’t just juggle the interior lives of six protagonists with great dexterity; it also carefully delineates who these people are to each other, and where anger and jealousy might clip the wings of their better angels... Tightly plotted and vividly rendered' USA Today 'With compassion and a deep sense of understanding, Flight explores the nature of belonging, and what it means to truly be part of a community' Buzzfeed ‘Intricate and moving... reminiscent of Anne Tyler, that great chronicler of American families’ Irish Times 'Consoling and unsettling… Add enforced cheer, choreographed feasting and stifling expectations – not to mention the swirl of memories that it all triggers – and you’ve a combustible combination' Observer
£9.49
Simon & Schuster Ltd Goddess of Vengeance
Book SynopsisFeaturing a brand new introduction from Eva Verde, talking about what Jackie and her books mean to her! ‘An assassin of gender stereotypes and patriarchal double-standards, Jackie made sure in her books that women like Lucky succeed in all the places a man can – and do things better, too’ EVA VERDE'Jackie Collins’s daring, unapologetic stroke of the pen, combined with her glorious wit, has single-handedly given creative license to new generations of authors and storytellers.' COLLEEN HOOVER Owner of the luxurious and exclusive Keys complex in Las Vegas, Lucky Santangelo comes up against Armet Askarani, a ruthless billionaire middle-easterner potentate with three wives, who has little regard for women except as sexual playthings or breeding mares. Armet wishes to purchase the Keys, and is shocked when he hears that Lucky has no desire to sell – whatever the price. That a mere woma
£10.44
Simon & Schuster Ltd Where They Lie
Book Synopsis ‘A superb novel, evoking a bygone era when women could not afford to put a foot wrong’SUNDAY TIMES ‘This isn't just a mystery novel: it's a window into a vanished world’TANA FRENCH Some stories demand to be told. They keep coming back, echoing down through the decades, until they find a teller . . .Dublin, 1943 Actress Julia Bridges disappears. Her body is never found. Dublin, 1968 The bones of Julia Bridges are discovered in a back garden. Nicoletta Sarto, an ambitious junior reporter for the Irish Sentinel, investigates the mystery of Julia’s disappearance, drawing her into the tangled underworld of the illegal abortion industry.But some stories remain a mystery for a reason, and it’s not long before this one stirs up buried secrets from Nicoletta’s own past. Secrets that peTrade ReviewPraise for Where They Lie: 'The mysteries surrounding Nicoletta intertwine grippingly with the mysteries within her, but what makes Where They Lie special is its keen awareness of Dublin's layers of light and shadow. Coughlan digs deeply into the dark side, Ireland's horrifying record around women and childbearing – but at the same time the book brings to life, in fine, tender, vivid detail, the rich atmosphere of 1960s Dublin' Tana French 'This is a stunning debut. Original characters, complex issues, excellent twists. Claire Coughlan is an author to watch' Jo Spain 'Beautifully written, utterly absorbing. It’s hard to believe Coughlan wasn’t right there in 1960s Dublin observing the world she describes in such word-perfect detail. A stunning debut' Andrea Mara 'Lost myself completely in this cracking debut. Rich, complex, and beautifully written. Just gorgeous!' Andrea Carter 'A wintry Dublin sets the scene for this complex, haunting mystery. Coughlan writes with such confidence and heart as she draws us into both journalist Nicoletta Sarto’s world, and the women who came before her. Packed with suspects, intrigue, and deep emotional truths' Caz Frear 'Steeped in atmosphere, time and place, and as emotional as it is gripping, this is a blistering debut' Tammy Cohen
£15.29
Simon & Schuster Ltd Im New Here
Book SynopsisFired from his job and dumped by his girlfriend, Taiwanese-British photographer Sean flies to Taipei to seek oblivion. Lost in the neon heat of his parents' homeland, though, all he finds is alienation. He spends his days sleeping feverishly in a bleak hotel bedroom, and his nights alternating between casual sex and a crappy striplit doughnut bar. Whatever he thought Taiwan would give him, it hasn’t worked: he feels as distanced and resentful of his heritage as he ever has. Then, a chance encounter with a mysterious older man draws him into a friendship where the terms of engagement are quickly, ominously blurred. For every tentative step towards connection, Sean’s grasp on reality unravels, as the demands of the past and the present begin to take their toll. As events draw to a disturbing head, Sean’s mind spirals, until he’s not sure what’s left of him at all. Appealing to fans of Boy Parts and Luster, I’m New Here
£13.49
Simon & Schuster Ltd Miss Kim Knows and Other Stories
Book SynopsisFROM THE AUTHOR OF KIM JIYOUNG, BORN 1982 'There is laughter and joy to be found in these pages, along with the kind of laughter that sets two women over 50 rolling in the snow with tears streaming down their frozen cheeks and the aurora borealis dancing above them.' The Observer ‘A thought-provoking, nuanced read’ Sarah Manning, Red 'Dazzling prose' Elle Eight women. Eight stories. One reality. A woman is born. A woman is filmed in public without consent. A woman suffers domestic violence. A woman is gaslit. A woman is discriminated against at work. A woman grows old. A woman becomes famous. A woman is hated, and loved, and then hated again. Written in Cho Nam-Joo’s masterful, razor-sharp prose, Miss Kim Knows brings together the lives of eight Korean women, aged 10 to 80. Contained in
£9.49
Simon & Schuster Ltd Five Bad Deeds
Book Synopsis ‘Frear has a good ear for darkly comic touches, which combines with her pacey plot for an engrossing read’ Daily Mail FROM THE INTERNATIONALLY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF SWEET LITTLE LIES COMES A DARK AND TWISTY THRILLER ABOUT SECRETS, LIES AND REVENGE. ONE WOMAN'S SECRETTWO SIDES TO EVERY STORYTHREE DEADLY BETRAYALSFOUR POTENTIAL SUSPECTSFIVE BAD DEEDS ‘A big high five for Caz Frear’s Five Bad Deeds - a page-gripping, nail-gnawing good read’ Cara Hunter 'A deliciously dark story of how one woman’s life of seemingly domestic bliss can unravel faster than she ever thought possible. I predict it will be one of the big hits of 2024 - I loved it' Nikki Smith 'Deliciously waspish, twisty, and relatable' Claire McGowanEllen Walsh has done somet
£15.29
Simon & Schuster Ltd LA Connections
Book SynopsisFeaturing a brand new introduction from Sunday Times bestselling author, Louise Candlish, talking about what Jackie and her books mean to her! 'For all her trademark sass, there is a moralist at work here' LOUISE CANDLISH'Jackie Collins’s daring, unapologetic stroke of the pen, combined with her glorious wit, has single-handedly given creative license to new generations of authors and storytellers' COLLEEN HOOVER A killer is playing a deadly game inside the exclusive mansions of L.A. Drawn into this dangerous world are a high-class call girl looking for a way out…a ruthless agent playing for high stakes…and a beautiful journalist chasing the story of her career. They are about to discover the rules of survival in this city of dreamers and deceivers. There have been many imitators, but only ever one Jackie Collins. With millions of her books sold around the world, and thi
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