Contemporary Fiction Books

Book SynopsisThe Two Towers is the second part of J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic adventure, The Lord of the Rings.Trade Review‘An extraordinary book. It deals with a stupendous theme. It leads us through a succession of strange and astonishing episodes, some of them magnificent, in a region where everything is invented, forest, moor, river, wilderness, town and the races which inhabit them.’The Observer ‘Among the greatest works of imaginative fiction of the twentieth century.’Sunday Telegraph ‘The English-speaking world is divided into those who have read The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit and those who are going to read them.’Sunday Times ‘A story magnificently told, with every kind of colour and movement and greatness.’New Statesman ‘Masterpiece? Oh yes, I’ve no doubt about that.’Evening Standard

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Book SynopsisFrom the million-copy bestselling author of The Lost Bookshop''A delicious book that I couldn't resist devouring in one sitting. It was a delight to lose myself in the world of Edie and the mysterious baker. I would recommend to pastry lovers and book lovers alike!'' Sally Page, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Keeper of StoriesNestled among the cobblestone streets of Compiègne, there existed a bakery unlike any other. Rumours were whispered through the town that its pastries offered a taste of magic, chasing away the darkest of sorrows. Just one bite of a croissant might bring luck, unlock a precious memory or reveal hidden longings.But dark clouds were looming on the horizonFor Edie Lane, a recipe for disaster doesn't require that many ingredients. Take an unhealthy amount of wishful thinking and a sprinkle of desperation and that's how Edie left everything behind in Ireland for her dream job at a bakery in Paris. Except the bakery isn't in Paris and neither is Edie.This might not be where Edie intended to be but she soon realizes it''s exactly where she needs to bePraise for Evie WoodsBeautifully written and captures the wonder and awe that a story can bring to its readera delightful story for any book loveran ode to storytelling and the connections that books can make!' ?????Wowwww!! It's been awhile since I read something so fascinating, captivating and special all in oneIt takes you on a journey like most books do, but this one, I just want to inscribe on my back and hope that it becomes a part of me so that I can carry it with me always' ?????A must read for readers that love books' ?????A beautiful story that begs to be read in one sittinga magical story filled with beautiful prose and many surprises that readers will not soon forget' ?????This spellbinding book hooked me from the very beginning and I couldn''t put it down til the end' ?????

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Book SynopsisOver 2.5 million copies sold 'Funny, touching and unpredictable' Jojo Moyes 'Heartwrenching and wonderful' Nina Stibbe Winner of Costa First Novel Award, a No.1 Sunday Times bestseller and the Book of the Year Eleanor Oliphant has learned how to survive - but not how to live Eleanor Oliphant leads a simple life. She wears the same clothes to work every day, eats the same meal deal for lunch every day and buys the same two bottles of vodka to drink every weekend. Eleanor Oliphant is happy. Nothing is missing from her carefully timetabled life. Except, sometimes, everything. One simple act of kindness is about to shatter the walls Eleanor has built around herself. Now she must learn how to navigate the world that everyone else seems to take for granted - while searching for the courage to face the dark corners she's avoided all her life. Change can be good. Change can be bad. But surely any change is better than... fine? 'Moving,Trade Review‘A truly original literary creation: funny, touching and unpredictable. Her journey out of the shadows is expertly woven and absolutely gripping’ Jojo Moyes ‘Original [and] unexpectedly funny’ SUNDAY TIMES ‘As perceptive and wise as it is funny and endearing… Warm, funny and thought-provoking’ OBSERVER ‘A narrative full of quiet warmth and deep and unspoken sadness… Wonderful and joyful’ Jenny Colgan, GUARDIAN ‘Unforgettable, brilliant, funny and life-affirming’ Wendy Holden, DAILY MAIL ‘I adored it. Skilled, perceptive, Eleanor's world will feel familiar to you from the very first page. An outstanding debut!’ Joanna Cannon ‘Hugely original, a funny and sad tale of a survivor who tackles the challenges of emotional reconnection with grave courage. Unmissable.’ SUNDAY EXPRESS ‘A truly original voice and so good on loneliness: I sobbed and sobbed’ Cathy Rentzenbrink ‘An outstanding debut about loneliness and the power of a little kindness’ MAIL ON SUNDAY ‘So powerful – I completely loved Eleanor Oliphant’ Fiona Barton ‘An absolute joy, laugh-out-loud funny but deeply moving’ DAILY EXPRESS ‘Heartbreaking’ Bryony Gordon ‘Deft, compassionate and moving’ Paula McLain ‘Heartwrenching and wonderful’ Nina Stibbe ‘Heartbreaking and heartwarming’ STYLIST ‘Brave, smart and funny… the most refreshing and heartwarming debut I’ve read in some time’ YORKSHIRE POST ‘Moving, funny and devastating’ THE HERALD ‘Quirky, witty and absorbing’ HEAT ‘Warm and funny, moving and deeply original, Eleanor Oliphant is completely marvellous’ Gavin Extence ‘A beautiful and delicate balance between funny and heartbreaking… restores your faith in humanity’ RED ‘You’ll laugh and cry reading this fine debut’ PRIMA ‘Impeccable’ Dawn O’Porter ‘Delightful, dark and moving’ Sarah Pinborough ‘Warm, quirky and fun, with a real poignancy underneath’ Julie Cohen ‘A stunning debut! I laughed, wept and reflected’ Lucy Clarke ‘Satisfyingly quirky’ NEW YORK TIMES

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Book SynopsisWhen We Cease to Understand the World shows us great minds striking out into dangerous, uncharted terrain. Fritz Haber, Alexander Grothendieck, Werner Heisenberg, Erwin Schrödinger: these are among the luminaries into whose troubled minds we are thrust as they grapple with the most profound questions of existence. They have strokes of unparalleled genius, they alienate friends and lovers, they descend into isolated states of madness. Some of their discoveries revolutionise our world for the better; others pave the way to chaos and unimaginable suffering. The lines are never clear. With breakneck pace and wondrous detail, Benjamín Labatut uses the imaginative resources of fiction to break open the stories of scientists and mathematicians who expanded our notions of the possible.Trade Review'Ingenious, intricate and deeply disturbing... Labatut has written a dystopian nonfiction novel set not in the future but in the present' - John Banville, Guardian'We may be familiar with such things as Schrdinger's cat and Heisenberg's uncertainty principle... but the sheer audacity, the utter insanity of the ideas and the thinkers who discovered these ideas has never, in my experience, been so vividly and terrifyingly conveyed as in this short, monstrous, and brilliant book' - Philip Pullman'Absolutely brilliant. I was utterly gripped and wolfed it down. It feels as if he had invented an entirely new genre' - Mark Haddon, author of 'The Porpoise''Labatut uses fiction to crack open the stories of scientists and mathematicians whose expanded our notions of the possible, while also presenting them as human, all too human' - Dazed

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Book SynopsisCrime writer Jen returns to her small hometown with a bestselling book behind her and a bad case of writer''s block. Finding sanctuary in the local bookstore, with an endless supply of coffee, Jen waits impatiently for inspiration to strike. But when theowner of the bookstore dies suddenly in mysterious circumstances, Jen has a real-life murder to solve. The stakes are suddenly higher when evidence places Jen at the scene of the crime and the reading of the will names her as the new owner of the bookstore ... Can she crack the case and clear her name, before the killer strikes again?--Trade Review“Warm, amusing, and relatable… A very entertaining cozy mystery… A relaxing night-time read, and it was perfect for that… I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries” NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I loved trying to figure out the murder before I got to the end. This was a cozy, page-turning read” NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “This ingenious author has written a cannot put down novel” NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE BAILEYS PRIZE BEST OF THE BEST Winner of the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction 2007, this is a heartbreaking, exquisitely written literary masterpieceTrade Review‘Heartbreaking, funny, exquisitely written and, without doubt, a literary masterpiece and a classic’ Daily Mail ‘Stunning. This novel is an immense achievement’ Observer ‘A landmark novel. Adichie brings to history a lucid intelligence and compassion, and a heartfelt plea for memory’ Guardian 'Vividly written, thrumming with life … a remarkable novel. In its compassionate intelligence as in its capacity for intimate portraiture, this novel is a worthy successor to such twentieth-century classics as Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart and V. S. Naipaul's A Bend in the River' Joyce Carol Oates 'Here is a new writer endowed with the gift of ancient storytellers’ Chinua Achebe ‘The character burrow into your marrow and mind, and you come to care for them deeply – something that is all too rare’ Daily Telegraph ‘A sane and compassionate new voice in an often strident world’ Financial Times ‘Adichie uses language with relish. She infuses her English with a robust poetry’ Helen Dunmore, The Times ‘A powerful account of the Biafran War, horrific and tender in equal measure’ Sunday Telegraph 'Absolutely awesome. One of the best books I've ever read' Judy Finnigan ‘I wasted the last fifty pages, reading them far too greedily and fast, because I couldn’t bear to let go … magnificent’ Margaret Forster

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Book SynopsisThe complete edition of a timeless classic, includes the recently rediscovered Part Four and Last Words' by Richard Bach.Jonathan Livingston Seagull, the most celebrated inspirational fable of our time, tells the story of a bird determined to be more than ordinary.Most gulls don't bother to learn more than the simplest facts of flight how to get from shore to food and back again,' writes author Richard Bach in this allegory about a unique bird named Jonathan Livingston Seagull. For most gulls it is not flying that matters, but eating. For this gull, though, it was not eating that mattered, but flight.' Flight is indeed the metaphor that makes this story soar.This bestselling modern classic is a fable about seeking a higher purpose in life, even if your flock, tribe or neighbourhood finds your ambition threatening (at one point our beloved gull is even banished from his flock). By not compromising his higher vision, Jonathan learns the meaning of love and kindness and gets the ultimate payoff transcendence.The dreamy illustrations by Russell Munson provide just the right illustrations for this spirituality classic that has inspired thousands of readers to follow their own path in life and so fulfill their true potential.Trade Review‘Richard Bach with this book does two things.He gives me Flight.He makes me Young.For both I am deeply grateful.’RAY BRADBURY

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Book SynopsisTrade Review'The much loved comic proves adept at noirish fiction in a debut whose surrealist humour sets it apart ... Off the wall doesn’t quite cover it ... Fans of Mortimer’s surrealist turns on Would I Lie to You? or his internet sketch show Train Guy won’t be disappointed. Nor will crime fiction devotees, if only they can get over the talking squirrels.' * Observer *'Funny, clever and sweet – and the "Richard Osman effect" will make it a bestseller ... The good news is that there is a lot of Mortimer’s ridiculousness in all this. Gary loves a regular chat with a squirrel in his playground, and his favourite chat-up lines include, “Have you ever needed to use a tourniquet in your work environment?”' * Sunday Times *'As in his television work, Mortimer conveys an infectious joy in his own oddity, and, as his recent bestselling memoir And Away… showed, there is a sweetness to his worldview that makes his writing gently poignant. And although I can’t imagine non-fans emerging anything other than baffled, those who are used to his brand of weirdness will find that the book works well as a thriller, too. Like Spike Milligan, the only vintage comic whose fiction is still read, Mortimer has managed to use a novel as a vehicle for his distinctive comedic voice.' * The Telegraph *'An offbeat romantic thriller, as if Salvador Dali scripted a Hitchcock film... It's as a comic novel that the book is most memorable. It contains the funniest description of somebody having a bath that you're ever likely to read… But there is genuine tension at times, and I came to believe in and care about the central characters. More than just a tour of the wonderfully weird mind of Mortimer, it works - for the most part - as a novel.' * Daily Express *'I’m delighted to report it’s as hilarious and surreal as you would expect… stuffed with laugh-out-loud moments.' * Daily Mail *'With Mortimer’s self-mocking wit, plus an audio version read by Sally Phillips, alongside the man himself, what’s not to love?' * Saga, Book of the Month *'The first novel from comedy legend Bob Mortimer is as funny, idiosyncratic and full of squirrels as you’d expect. It’s also really rather lovely.' * HEAT, Book of the Month *'Mr Clown Shoes. Lassoo the dog. The corn cob dongle. Just three hilarious elements of The Satsuma Complex – a surprisingly serious debut novel from Would I Lie To You? and Gone Fishing comedy star Bob Mortimer. The stellar success of his surreal and semi-truthful autobiography And Away… caused clamour for a fully fictional follow-up, and Mortimer fulfils the brief with a remarkably dark and gritty tale of sink estate murder, law and order mystery, and honey-trap romance. His distinctive tone and bizarrely British humour sing from every page, with the story swinging from side-splitting set-pieces to moments of real pathos and high drama. It’s a bit unusual, but you’ll love it.' * Independent *

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Book SynopsisTed Chiang was born in Port Jefferson, New York, and currently lives outside Seattle, Washington. In 1990 he won the Nebula Award for his first published story, 'Tower of Babylon'. His stories have won him numerous other awards including four Hugo awards and six Locus awards making him one of the most honoured writers in contemporary SF.

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Book SynopsisItalo Calvino (Author) Italo Calvino was born in Cuba in 1923 and grew up in Italy. He was an essayist and journalist and a member of the editorial staff of Einaudi in Turin. One of the most respected writers of the twentieth century, his best-known works of fiction include Invisible Cities, If on a Winter's Night a Traveller, Marcovaldo and Mr Palomar. In 1973 he won the prestigious Premio Feltrinelli. He died in 1985. A collection of Calvino's posthumous personal writings, The Hermit in Paris, was published in 2003. William Weaver (Translator) William Weaver has translated Umberto Eco, Italo Svevo, Primo Levi, Italo Calvino and Roberto Calasso, among others. He is a professor at Bard College.Trade ReviewInvisible Cities changed the way we read and what is possible in the balance between poetry and prose... The book I would choose as pillow and plate, alone on a desert islandWhole chapters of unforced poetic prose in which insight and fantasy are perfectly matched-an exquisite world * Observer *'Invisible Cities is perhaps his most beautiful work-the artist seems to have made peace with the tension between man's ideas of the many and the one * New York Review of Books *The most beautiful of his books throws up ideas, allusions, and breathtaking imaginative insights on almost every page. Each time he returns from his travels, Marco Polo is invited by Kublai Khan to describe the cities he has visited-Although he makes Marco Polo summon up many cities for the Khan's imagination to feed on, Calvino is describing only one city in this book. Venice, that decaying heap of incomparable splendour, still stands as substantial evidence of man's ability to create something perfect out of chaos * Times Literary Supplement *So important for thinking about the rich layers of life around us, our frailties, how we question and how we find meaning. * Red *

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Book SynopsisFrom the New York Times number one bestselling author of The Nightingale and The Great Alone, Kristin Hannah, comes Wild, a remarkable story about the resilience of the human spirit, the triumph of hope and the promise of new beginnings.In the rugged Pacific Northwest of the United States lies the Olympic National Forest – a vast expanse of impenetrable darkness and impossible beauty. From deep within this mysterious woodland, a six-year-old girl appears. Speechless and alone, she offers no clue as to her identity, no hint of her past. Having retreated to her hometown after a scandal left her career in ruins, child psychiatrist Dr Julia Cates begins working with the extraordinary little girl. Naming her Alice, Julia is determined to free her from a prison of unimaginable fear and isolation, and discover the truth about Alice’s past. The shocking facts of Alice’s life test the limits of Julia’s faith and strength, even as she struggles to make a home for Alice – and find a new one for herself. ‘One of Kristin Hannah's most compelling and riveting novels’ – Booklist ** Published in the US as Magic Hour ******Here’s what readers love about Wild:‘I was moved to tears and devoured this book in a day’‘Couldn’t put it down’‘Gritty and thought-provoking’Trade ReviewA rich, compelling novel of love, sacrifice and survival, as epic as the Alaskan landscape it so vividly describes -- Kate Morton on The Great AloneHannah has delivered a masterclass in all the different ways love can both save us and destroy us [. . . ] She perfectly captures and evokes the majesty and splendid isolation of Alaska and it feels a privilege to have journeyed there with her. This is a story that will stay with me for a long, long time -- Karen Swan on The Great AloneEpic . . . By the end, I was surrounded by snow drifts of tissues damp with my tears -- Washington Post on The Great AloneGreat characters, great plots, great emotions, who could ask for more in a novel? -- Isabel Allende on The NightingaleMovingly written and plotted with the skill of Greek tragedy. You’ll keep turning the pages until the last racking sob -- Daily Mail on The Nightingale

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Book SynopsisThe stunning sequel to Parable of the Sower, the NEW YORK TIMES-bestselling novel.''In the ongoing contest over which dystopian classic is most applicable to our time... for sheer peculiar prescience, Butler''s novel may be unmatched'' NEW YORKER''Octavia Butler was playing out our very real possibilities as humans. I think she can help each of us to do the same'' GLORIA STEINEM---In order for me to understand who I am, I must begin to understand who she was.Asha was born into a broken world. There are many things she needs to know: how her country could embrace a violent, far-right President promising to make America great again, why they turned a blind eye to the suffering - and the truth about her mother.In her journals, Lauren Olamina tells of a great love divided between her young daughter, her community and the revelation that led her to found a new faith that teaches ''God Is ChanTrade ReviewOne of the most significant literary artists of the twentieth century. One cannot exaggerate the impact she has had -- Junot DiazButler's prose, always pared back to the bone, delineates the painful paradoxes of metamorphosis with compelling precision * Guardian *A dark, compelling and still horribly resonant time travel story * Independent *[Her] evocative, often troubling, novels explore far-reaching issues of race, sex, power and, ultimately, what it means to be human * New York Times *No novel I've read this year has felt as relevant, as gut-wrenching or as essential... If you've ever tweeted "All Lives Matter", someone needs to shove Kindred into your hand, and quickly * The Pool *Kindred is that rare magical artifact . . . the novel one returns to, again and again * Harlan Ellison *One cannot finish Kindred without feeling changed. It is a shattering work of art * Los Angeles Herald-Examiner *[A] must-read novel * BBC *Everyone should read at least one novel by the grand dame of science fiction, and Kindred is a perfect (and harrowing and disturbing and brilliant) place to start * Refinery 29 *The immediate effect of reading Octavia Butler's Kindred is to make every other time travel book in the world look as if it's wimping out... This is a brilliant book, utterly absorbing, very well written, and deeply distressing. It's very hard to read, not because it's not good but because it's so good * Tor *A searing, caustic examination of bizarre and alien practices on the third planet from the sun * Kirkus *One of the most original, thought-provoking works examining race and identity * Los Angeles Times *Impossible to turn away from once you've devoured the first few pages * Starburst *If you haven't read Butler, you don't yet understand how rich the possibilities of science fiction can be * Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction *Butler's books are exceptional * Village Voice *Few writers in our field are so good at blending page-turners with philosophical questions so seamlessly -- Cory Doctorow

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Book SynopsisMoving, memorable and a mirror for anyone who's craving their own company, TABLE FOR ONE is a story about what it means to be happily alone, not lonely. If in doubt, date yourself *** ' A fast-paced, funny and touching story about smart young women' Elizabeth Gilbert *THE UNFORGETTABLE NEW NOVEL FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF OLIVE - AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER NOW* Willow has everything worked out. *The steady partner *The successful career *The grown-up house Until she doesn't and she's cast adrift on the sea of heartbreak, grieving a future that's barely begun. With her life transformed beyond recognition, and her friends busy moving forwards', Willow has never felt more alone. But she's in good company.

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Book SynopsisColleen Hoover, the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of It Ends with Us and It Starts with Us brilliantly brings to life the story of the hilarious and charismatic Warren in this novella. When Warren has the opportunity to live with a female roommate, he instantly agrees. It could be an exciting change. Or maybe not. Especially when that roommate is the cold and seemingly calculating Bridgette. Tensions run high and tempers flare as the two can hardly stand to be in the same room together. But Warren has a theory about Bridgette: anyone who can hate with that much passion should also have the capability to love with that much passion. And he wants to be the one to test this theory. Will Bridgette find it in herself to warm her heart to Warren and finally learn to love? Maybe.Maybe not.

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Book SynopsisFrom #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa See, “one of those special writers capable of delivering both poetry and plot” (The New York Times Book Review), a moving novel about tradition, tea farming, and the bonds between mothers and daughters.In their remote mountain village, Li-yan and her family align their lives around the seasons and the farming of tea. For the Akha people, ensconced in ritual and routine, life goes on as it has for generations—until a stranger appears at the village gate in a jeep, the first automobile any of the villagers has ever seen. The stranger’s arrival marks the first entrance of the modern world in the lives of the Akha people. Slowly, Li-yan, one of the few educated girls on her mountain, begins to reject the customs that shaped her early life. When she has a baby out of wedlock—conceived with a man her parents consider a poor choice—she rejects the tradition that would compeTrade Review“The story begins small, plunging us into the immersive detail of a single grueling day picking tea with the young girl, Li-yan, her mother, A-ma, and the rest of their ethnic minority Akha family…What makes life bearable for the Akha is their belief system, which infuses every aspect of their daily lives. The full sweep of their practices is flawlessly embedded in See’s prose…The hardships that confront Li-yan in her life are as compelling as the fog-shrouded secret groves where she and her mother cultivate a special healing tea. I could have hung out here in remote China forever, but See has wider ground to cover, including Chinese adoption, the international fine tea market and modern Chinese migration to the United States… A lush tale infused with clear-eyed compassion, this novel will inspire reflection, discussion and an overwhelming desire to drink rare Chinese tea.” –Helen Simonson, The Washington Post“One of the fascinating elements of See’s epic novel is the contrast between the isolated lives of the Akha and the globalized world of China’s larger cities — a contrast bridged by tea…Fans of the best-selling Snow Flower and the Secret Fan will find much to admire in The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, as both books closely illuminate stories of women’s struggles and solidarity in minority-ethnic and rural Chinese cultures…In rendering the complex pain and joy of the mother-daughter bond, Lisa See makes this novel — dedicated to her own mother, author Carolyn See, who died last year — a deeply emotional and satisfying read.” —Emily Gray Tedrowe, USA Today“Lisa See transports readers to the remote mountains of China…come for the heartwarming bonding between mother and daughter; stay for the insight into Akha culture and the fascinating (really) history of the tea trade." —Real Simple"With strong female characters, See deftly confronts the changing role of minority women, majority-minority relations, East-West adoption, and the economy of tea in modern China. Fans of See’s Snow Flower and the Secret Fan will appreciate this novel.” —Library Journal"With vivid and precise details about tea and life in rural China, Li-Yan’s gripping journey to find her daughter comes alive." —Publishers Weekly"A riveting exercise in fictional anthropology." —Kirkus Reviews

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Book SynopsisFrom the New York Times bestselling author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, comes a breath taking novel about modern marriage, the depth of family ties, and the year that one remarkable heroine spends exploring both. When Lauren and Ryan's marriage reaches the breaking point, they come up with an unconventional plan. They decide to take a year off in the hopes of finding a way to fall in love again. One year apart, and only one rule: they cannot contact each other. Aside from that, anything goes. Lauren embarks on a journey of self-discovery, quickly finding that her friends and family have their own ideas about the meaning of marriage. These influences, as well as her own healing process and the challenges of living apart from Ryan, begin to change Lauren's ideas about monogamy and marriage. She starts to question: When you can have romance without loyalty and commitment without marriage, when love and lust are no longer tTrade ReviewPraise for Taylor Jenkins Reid ‘Spellbinding’ Emily Giffin ‘Full of raw human emotion’ Beth O’Leary ‘An entirely fresh and new perspective on what can happen after the "happily ever after”’ Jen Lancaster ‘The very best of Classic Hollywood intrigue, a delicious twist and incisive commentary on the wages of stardom’ Anne Helen Petersen ‘I can't remember the last time I read a book that was so fun’ Dolly Alderton ‘The characters were beautifully layered and complex... captured my heart’ Reese Witherspoon ‘Everyone should read this’ Claudia Winkleman ‘Dramatic, salacious and oh-so-romantic’ Woman & Home ‘Wildy addictive’ PopSugar ‘Glamour, ambition and shocking secrets’ People ‘Earth-shaking… you will flip for this epic love story’ Cosmopolitan ‘Heartwrenching’ Us Weekly ‘Reid masterfully grabs hold of the heartstrings and doesn't let go’ Publishers Weekly ‘No one does life and love better’ InStyle

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Book SynopsisA modern classic, Flowers for Algernon has sold over five million copies worldwide and inspired the Academy Award-winning film Charly.Trade ReviewThis is one of the greats: a story and a central character that have stayed with me for thirty years, from the first moment I picked it up * Conn Iggulden *A masterpiece of poignant brilliance . . . heartbreaking, and utterly, completely brilliant * Guardian *A timeless tearjerker * Independent *Excellent . . . extremely moving * The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction *Unflinchingly honest . . . it will make you reflect on your own life . . . and completely and utterly break your heart * Guardian Online *A narrative tour de force, very moving, beautiful and remorseless in its simple logic * Science Fiction, 100 Best Novels *Strikingly original * Publishers Weekly *A tale that is convincing, suspectful and touching * New York Times *

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Book SynopsisThe poignant and fascinating story of a young man who is caught between the breakup of the traditions of a northern Japanese aristocratic family and the impact of Western ideas.Trade Review"Dazai’s brand of egoistic pessimism dovetails organically with the emo chic of this cultural moment." -- Andrew Martin - The New York Times"Seventy-five years later, No Longer Human still reads with an apt urgency. As the musician Patti Smith once put it, Dazai 'wrote at the pace of a dying man, yearning for ... the solution to an unresolved equation.'" -- Jane Yong Kim - The Atlantic"No Longer Human is his masterpiece, though all his work is worthy. Dazai was an aristocratic tramp, a self described delinquent, yet he wrote with the forbearance of a fasting scribe. " -- Patti Smith"What I despise about Dazai is that he exposes precisely those things in myself that I most want to hide." -- Yukio Mishima"From the point of view of wholesome common sense, Dazai’s writings may be regarded as the soliloquies of a deviant." -- Yasunari Kawabata

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

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Book SynopsisWhen Darcy’s brother—and Elle's new business partner—expresses how happy he is that they hit it off, Elle is baffled. But with a few conditions: Darcy must help Elle navigate her own overbearing family during the holidays and their arrangement expires on New Year’s Eve.Trade Review“Written in the Stars is everything I want from a romcom: fun, whimsical, sexy. This modern Pride & Prejudice glitters with romance.” — Talia Hibbert, USA Today bestselling author of Get a Life, Chloe Brown “With perfectly woven vulnerability and playfulness, Written in the Stars is a riotous and heartfelt read. I was hooked from the very first page!” — Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author of In a Holidaze "Bellefleur has a droll, distinct voice, and her one-liners zing off the page, striking both the heart and funny bone. She has a gift for comedy, possessing more style and panache than a debut writer has any right to... There's a sparkling quality here, one that mirrors the starry title. Bellefleur writes as if she's captured fairy lights in a mason jar, twinkly and lovely within something solid yet fragile." — Entertainment Weekly (Best Romances of November) "This book is a delight." — New York Times Book Review “There are many, many Pride and Prejudice retellings out there, but Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur might just be the best.” — Popsugar (Best New Romance Books in November) "Just what 2020 needs: a delightful rom com that once again gives us the beloved fake relationship trope — and the fuzzies you didn’t know you needed." — Shondaland (5 Best Books of November) "[A] distinctly modern frolic, charming and effervescent and entirely itself." — Washington Post “In this heart-thawing holiday romance, debut novelist Bellefleur remixes Austen's indelible clash of personalities into something fresh and totally queer.” — O, the Oprah Magazine (Best LGBTQ Books of 2020) "If you love the fake-dating trope, you won't want to miss Written in the Stars." — Bustle "A disastrous blind date kicks off Bellefleur’s excellent rom-com debut... Readers will be rapt by the sensuous love scenes once Darcy and Elle throw pretense aside... A moving subplot about Elle’s fight for her family’s acceptance rounds out the story, while astrology memes (“What brunch food are you based on your zodiac?”) and nods to Pride and Prejudice scattered throughout add texture. This is a delight." — Publishers Weekly (starred review) "A delightful, heart-warming romance, Bellefleur's novel shows eloquently how two characters can fall in love more deeply than either dared to dream. So whether you follow astrology or not, Written in the Stars has the reading you won't want to miss." — NPR "[A]wkward first dates lead to passionate first kisses and time spent together reveals there is more to both women than meets the eye... Fans of pop culture–inspired astrology sites will love the effortless and entertaining way the author weaves zodiac memes throughout the text. The stars align in this charming queer rom-com." — Kirkus Reviews "Bellefleur’s debut sprinkles amusing listicles throughout the text as Elle and Darcy cautiously move from uneasy allies to friends to something more. Well-developed leads, relatable conflicts, a strong supporting cast, and opposites-attract chemistry make for an engaging read. Fans of Alexis Hall's Boyfriend Material and Talia Hibbert's Take a Hint, Dani Brown will enjoy this Seattle-set love story that reads like a romantic holiday movie." — Booklist "Polar opposites come together in Bellefleur’s cheerful #ownvoices debut... A dash of Pride and Prejudice and Bridget Jones’s Diary, mixed with a fresh, millennial f/f twist of opposites attract." — Library Journal "Written in the Stars abounds with optimism and empathy for its characters, its wit always undergirded by sweetness. This is a comfort read, at a time when many of us need one badly, and a sparkling debut for Bellefleur." — Olivia Dade, author of Spoiler Alert "Alexandria Bellefleur is an author to watch. Her writing is joyful and heartfelt, and her voice sparkles with a delightful mix of wit, humor, and good-natured sarcasm. I can't wait to see how she wows us next!" — Mia Sosa, USA Today bestselling author of The Worst Best Man "WRITTEN IN THE STARS had me hooked from the first page. It's an adorable and heartfelt romance with everything I adore: a killer meet-cute, loads of cute banter, steamy love scenes, all the feels, and a happily ever after that left me in happy tears. I fell head over heels for Elle and Darcy's love story. Alexandria Bellefleur's debut will have readers seeing stars in the best way.” — Sarah Smith, author of Faker & Simmer Down "A dazzling debut! The perfect combination of humor and heart really makes this book shine.” — Rachel Lacey, author of Don’t Cry for Me “Written in the Stars is what you might get if your favorite Instagram astrologer wrote you an adorable romance novel. Delightful, funny and sweet, with just the right touch of woo-woo.” — Scarlett Peckham, USA Today bestselling author "Alexandria Bellefleur has crafted an impeccable debut romance in WRITTEN IN THE STARS: lighthearted and sexy, contemporary and timeless, perfect to enjoy during the holiday season or for celebrating queer love any time of the year.” — Shelf Awareness “WRITTEN IN THE STARS is the gay contemporary Pride and Prejudice retelling I’ve been looking to read for forever, and I so hope everyone who needs to read this book finds it. Elle’s openness and positivity and Darcy’s guardedness and skepticism and how they come together is a joy to read. Please check this one out. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.” — Culturess

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Book SynopsisMillennial expat couple Anna and Tom are living the dream in Berlin, in a bright, plant-filled apartment in Neukölln. They are young digital creatives, freelancers without too many constraints. They have a passion for food, progressive politics, sexual experimentation and Berlin's twenty-four-hour party scene. Their ideal existence is also that of an entire generation, lived out on Instagram, but outside the images they create for themselves, dissatisfaction and ennui burgeon. Their work as graphic designers becomes repetitive. Friends move back home, have children, grow up. An attempt at political activism during the refugee crisis proves fruitless. And in that picture-perfect life Anna and Tom feel increasingly trapped, yearning for an authenticity and a sense of purpose that seem perennially just out of their grasp. With the stylistic mastery of Georges Perec and nihilism of Michel Houellebecq,Perfection, translated by Sophie Hughes, is a sociological novel about the emptiness of contemporary existence, beautifully written, brilliantly scathing.

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Book SynopsisThe long-awaited finale to the New York Times bestselling Maybe Someday series returns with all the characters you fell in love with. What is more important? Friendship, loyalty, or love? Ridge and Sydney are thrilled to finally be together guilt-free. But as the two of them navigate this freedom, Warren and Bridgette's relationship is as tumultuous as ever, and Maggie grapples with her illness. When she comes across an old list of things she wanted to do 'maybe one of these days,' Maggie decides to live life to the fullest and accomplish these dreams. Maggie keeps Ridge updated on her adventures, but he can't help but worry, even as Sydney grows more and more suspicious about their friendship. But if she's going to move past this jealousy, she'll need to reconcile how she and Ridge came together with the fact that Maggie will always be in their lives somehow...or end up walking away from the man she loves so much. Featuring

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Book Synopsis''Thea Guanzon's talent is limitless, and she is the kind of writer that comes around once in a generation. Mark my words: lives will be changed by The Hurricane Wars trilogy.'' Ali Hazelwood, New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis Two hearts circle each other in the eye of the storm in this Sunday Times bestselling follow-up to the The Hurricane Wars.After a lifetime of war, Alaric and Talasyn were thrust into an alliance between their homelands. Now Talasyn must play the part of Alaric's willing empress while her allies secretly plot to overthrow his reign.But a greater threat is rising the Moonless Dark, a cataclysmic magical event that could devour everything. Only Alaric and Talasyn can stop it.For Alaric, helping Talasyn save their world from this disaster is a mere preface to his father''s more sinister schemes. But Talasyn is a burning flame in the darkness, tempting both his loyalties and his desires.The Hurricane Wars aren't over. It's time to choose what and who to fight for.Praise for The Hurricane Wars:''[M]y newest obsession'' Kerri Maniscalco''[W]ill leave you burning long before the last page descends'' Ehigbor OkosunThis book made me GIDDY!'' Katee Robert''I'm obsessed'' Hannah Whitten''Simply unputdownable'' HuffPost''[W]ill likely obsess fantasy romance fans everywhere' Paste Magazine

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Book SynopsisA QUEEN'S READING ROOM PICK 2023The multi-million-copy bestseller. A New York Times bestseller for over two years. Long-listed for the Orange Prize.Trade ReviewMoving, original, and accomplished ... wonderfully written, powerful, poignant, and humorous, and takes a line which is - refreshingly - strongly female without being cliche-feminist. It is also deliciously eccentric, which lifts it out of the usual category of a rite-of-passage novel into the realms of real distinction. Do read it * Joanna Trollope *Charming, funny, moving and unmistakeably from the American South... a story that whips together heat, violence, eccentricity, madness and the Gothic * The Times *This is a wonderful book, by turns funny, sad, full of incident and shot through with grown-up magic reminiscent of Joanne Harris. * The Daily Telegraph *Eccentric, inventive, and ultimately forgiving... a truly original Southern voice * Anita Shreve *Monk Kidd has created a narrative as skilful and sweet as a honeycomb. Uplifting and warm-hearted, this is a moving novel and Lily is a fascinating, funny and clever narrator * Literary Review *Sue Monk Kidd... Illuminates what is beautiful... THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES is a gift, filled with hope * Luanne Rice *This is the story of a young girl's journey toward healing, and of finding, at its end, not only wholeness, but the intrinsic sacredness of living in the world. I think it is simply wonderful * Anne Rivers Siddons *A wonderfully written debut novel * Kirkus Reviews *With imagination as lush and colorful as the American South, a clutch of deliciously eccentric characters, and vivid prose, Sue Monk Kidd creates a rich, maternal haven in a harsh world * Christina Schwarz *As original as its title and rivetingly so... It is one of the most inventive books I have read in a long time, and utterly compelling... This book demands to be read again and again, for it is not so much the solving of the mystery that is compulsive, but the gentle, sensitive, humorous and intensely colourful creation of a world far from our own * Oxford Times *Sue Monk Kidd has written a wonderful novel about mothers and daughters and the transcendent power of love * Connie May Fowler *Lily is a wonderfully petulant and self-absorbed adolescent, and Kidd deftly portrays her sense of injustice as it expands to accomodate broader social evils...August and her sisters, June and May, are no mere vehicles for Lily's salvation; they are individuals as fully imagined as the sweltering, kudzu-carpeted landscape that surrounds them * New York Times Book Review *What a splendid novel! It's wonderfully thoughtful and sensitive and compulsively readable * Susan Isaacs *An incredibly original and imaginative book with great charm and atmosphere * Glasgow Evening Times *A wonderful modern fairy tale...a touching story with a memorable cast of characters * The Big Issue *A hive's worth of appealing female characters, an off-beat plot and a lovely style... Deeply satisfying * Publishers Weekly *A honey-sweet novel * Elle *Superb * Woman & Home *Maybe it is true that there are no perfect books, but I closed this one believing that I had found perfection. The language is never anything short of crystalline and inspired. The plotting is subtle and careful and exquisitely executed...The characters are lovable and deep-hearted, fully dimensional, never pat. The story endures long after the book is slipped back onto the shelf * Book magazine *I am amazed that this moving, original, and accomplished book is a first novel. It is wonderfully written, powerful, poignant, and humorous, and takes a line which is - refreshingly - strongly female without being cliche-feminist. It is also deliciously eccentric, which lifts it out of the usual category of a rite-of-passage novel into the realms of real distinction. Do read it * Joanna Trollope *Charming, funny, moving and unmistakeably from the American South... a story that whips together heat, violence, eccentricity, madness and the Gothic * The Times *Lily is a wonderfully petulant and self-absorbed adolescent, and Kidd deftly portrays her sense of injustice as it expands to accomodate broader social evils...August and her sisters, June and May, are no mere vehicles for Lily's salvation; they are individuals as fully imagined as the sweltering, kudzu-carpeted landscape that surrounds them * New York Times Book Review *This is a wonderful book, by turns funny, sad, full of incident and shot through with grown-up magic reminiscent of Joanne Harris. * The Daily Telegraph *Eccentric, inventive, and ultimately forgiving... a truly original Southern voice * Anita Shreve *Sue Monk Kidd... Illuminates what is beautiful... THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES is a gift, filled with hope * Luanne Rice *This is the story of a young girl's journey toward healing, and of finding, at its end, not only wholeness, but the intrinsic sacredness of living in the world. I think it is simply wonderful * Anne Rivers Siddons *A wonderfully written debut novel * Kirkus Reviews *With imagination as lush and colorful as the American South, a clutch of deliciously eccentric characters, and vivid prose, Sue Monk Kidd creates a rich, maternal haven in a harsh world * Christina Schwarz *As original as its title and rivetingly so... It is one of the most inventive books I have read in a long time, and utterly compelling... This book demands to be read again and again, for it is not so much the solving of the mystery that is compulsive, but the gentle, sensitive, humorous and intensely colourful creation of a world far from our own * Oxford Times *Sue Monk Kidd has written a wonderful novel about mothers and daughters and the transcendent power of love * Connie May Fowler *What a splendid novel! It's wonderfully thoughtful and sensitive and compulsively readable * Susan Isaacs *Monk Kidd has created a narrative as skilful and sweet as a honeycomb. Uplifting and warm-hearted, this is a moving novel and Lily is a fascinating, funny and clever narrator * Literary Review *An incredibly original and imaginative book with great charm and atmosphere * Glasgow Evening Times *A wonderful modern fairy tale...a touching story with a memorable cast of characters * The Big Issue *A hive's worth of appealing female characters, an off-beat plot and a lovely style... Deeply satisfying * Publishers Weekly *A honey-sweet novel * Elle *Superb * Woman & Home *Maybe it is true that there are no perfect books, but I closed this one believing that I had found perfection. The language is never anything short of crystalline and inspired. The plotting is subtle and careful and exquisitely executed...The characters are lovable and deep-hearted, fully dimensional, never pat. The story endures long after the book is slipped back onto the shelf * Book magazine *'Kidd's first novel is well placed, gentle and deeply moving' The Times * The Times *'A personal favourite, one of those infectiously written books you can't get out of your mind...a lovely tale' Bookseller * Bookseller *'A tale that's beautifully and movingly written' Buzz * Buzz *

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Book SynopsisEveryone needs a little magic in their lives... The Rules of Magic is the long-awaited prequel to Practical Magic, and a New York Times bestseller and Reese Witherspoon's Book Club pick! In this sparkling prequel we meet the Aunts from Practical Magic, sisters Frances and Jet and Vincent, their brother. From the beginning their mother Susanna knew they were unique: Franny with her skin as pale as milk and blood red hair, who could commune with birds; Jet as shy as she is beautiful, who knows what others are thinking, and Vincent so charismatic that he was built for trouble. Susanna needed to set some rules of magic: no walking in the moonlight, no red shoes, no wearing black, no cats, no crows, no candles and certainly, absolutely, no books about magic…   But the Owens siblings are desperate to uncover who they really are. Each heads down a life-altering course, filTrade ReviewPraise for the Practical Magic series ‘Her books are a real pleasure – practical magic’ Kate Atkinson ‘[A] delicious fantasy of witchcraft and love in a world where gardens smell of lemon verbena and happy endings are possible’ Cosmopolitan ‘Dripping with pathos and otherworldly possibility’ Vogue ‘Dark comedy and a light touch carry the story along to a truly Gothic climax, complete with heaving skies and witchery on the lawn’ New York Times ‘A master of magical realism, draws us back into the spellbinding universe of the Owens family with gorgeous prose set against a backdrop of vivid imagery’ Marie Claire ‘A delightful confection – witty, imaginative, unexpectedly touching’ The Times ‘Reading an Alice Hoffman book is like falling into a deep dream where senses are heightened and love reigns supreme… I never wanted to awaken’ Jodi Picoult ‘Hoffman’s classy prose imbues this modern fairy tale with bite as well as beauty’ Mail on Sunday ‘Storytelling is in Hoffman’s bones’ New York Times Book Review ‘Vivid and enchanting… another sublime entry in an arresting series’ Esquire ‘I got so swept up in this enchanting story’ Reese Witherspoon ‘A vivid and evocative tale – prepare to be spellbound’ Woman ‘Full of Hoffman’s bewitching and lucid prose and vivid characters, The Book of Magic is ultimately about the very human magic of family and love and actions that echo through generations… it casts a spell’ Matt Haig

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Book SynopsisIn this classic thriller, Ira Levin imagines Dr Josef Mengele's nightmarish plot to restore the Third Reich. Alive and hiding in South America, thirty years after the end of the Second World War, Mengele gathers a group of former colleagues for a sinister project - the creation of the Fourth Reich. Ageing Nazi hunter Yakov Lieberman is informed of the plot but before he hears the evidence, his source is killed . . . Spanning continents and inspired by true events, what follows is one of Levin's most masterful tales, both timeless and chillingly plausible.Praise for Ira Levin:'Levin is the Swiss watchmaker of the suspense novel' Stephen KingTrade ReviewIra Levin's most inventive plot since Rosemary's Baby. Extremely clever, consisting of familiar Levin themes - biological engineering, the rebirth of the devil and human automation * New York Times *Unputdownable novel about a plan to create the Fourth Reich. A clever and chilling vision of biological engineering * Woman & Home *Levin was the master of the high-concept thriller. Here, he fuses together two of the major concerns of his era - Nazi war criminals at large in Latin America, and the emerging science of cloning - to concoct a ripping yarn * Jonathan Freedland, the Week *Ira Levin's most inventive plot since Rosemary's Baby. Extremely clever, consisting of familiar Levin themes-biological engineering, the rebirth of the devil, human automation. * New York Times. *

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Book SynopsisThe new #1bestseller from the author of Normal People and Conversations with Friends, now in paperback.

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Book Synopsis‘Full of Hoffman’s bewitching and lucid prose and vivid characters, The Book of Magic is ultimately about the very human magic of family and love and actions that echo through generations… it casts a spell’  —Matt HaigTHE STUNNING, UNFORGETTABLE CONCLUSION TO THE BELOVED PRACTICAL MAGIC SERIES For centuries, the Owens family has been cursed in matters of love. When beloved aunt Jet Owens hears the sound of the deathwatch beetle, she knows that it is a signal. She has finally discovered the secret to breaking the curse, but time is running out. She has only seven days to live. Unaware of the family’s witchcraft lineage and all it entails, one of the young sisters of the new Owens generation has fallen in love. As the curse strikes once again, her love’s fate hangs in the balance, spurring three generations of Owens to venture back to where it all began and use their Trade ReviewPraise for the Practical Magic series ‘Her books are a real pleasure – practical magic’ Kate Atkinson ‘[A] delicious fantasy of witchcraft and love in a world where gardens smell of lemon verbena and happy endings are possible’ Cosmopolitan ‘Dripping with pathos and otherworldly possibility’ Vogue ‘Dark comedy and a light touch carry the story along to a truly Gothic climax, complete with heaving skies and witchery on the lawn’ New York Times ‘A master of magical realism, draws us back into the spellbinding universe of the Owens family with gorgeous prose set against a backdrop of vivid imagery’ Marie Claire ‘A delightful confection – witty, imaginative, unexpectedly touching’ The Times ‘Reading an Alice Hoffman book is like falling into a deep dream where senses are heightened and love reigns supreme… I never wanted to awaken’ Jodi Picoult ‘Hoffman’s classy prose imbues this modern fairy tale with bite as well as beauty’ Mail on Sunday ‘Storytelling is in Hoffman’s bones’ New York Times Book Review ‘Vivid and enchanting… another sublime entry in an arresting series’ Esquire ‘I got so swept up in this enchanting story’ Reese Witherspoon ‘A vivid and evocative tale – prepare to be spellbound’ Woman ‘Full of Hoffman’s bewitching and lucid prose and vivid characters, The Book of Magic is ultimately about the very human magic of family and love and actions that echo through generations… it casts a spell’ Matt Haig

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Book SynopsisOn the 20th anniversary of SOPHIE'S WORLD - the world's bestselling book of 1995 - a striking new edition with a fresh jacket look and a foreword by the author.'A simply wonderful, irresistible book' DAILY TELEGRAPHTrade ReviewA simply wonderful, irresistible book * DAILY TELEGRAPH *A unique popular classic * THE TIMES *A marvellously rich book. Its success boils down to something quite simple - Gaarder's gift for communicating ideas * GUARDIAN *Remarkable ... What Jostein Gaarder has managed to do is condense 3,000 years of thought into 400 pages; to simplify some extremely complicated arguments without trivialising them ... SOPHIE'S WORLD is an extraordinary achievement * SUNDAY TIMES *Challenging, informative and packed with easily grasped, and imitable, ways of thinking about difficult ideas * INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY *A whimsical and ingenious mystery novel that also happens to be a history of philosophy ... What is admirable in the novel is the utter unpretentiousness of the philosophical lessons ... which manages to deliver Western philosophy in accounts that are crystal clear * WASHINGTON POST *A terrifically entertaining and imaginative story wrapped round its tough, thought-provoking philosophical heart * DAILY MAIL *

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Book SynopsisThe basis for KILLING EVE, now a major BBC TV series, starring Sandra Oh and Jodie ComerOn the run together, Eve Polastri and the psychopathic Villanelle take refuge in the underworld of St Petersburg. But the Twelve are closing in, as are the Russian security services. As the chess-game intensifies, and the grip of winter tightens, the couple are drawn into a nightmare realm of conspiracy and murder.Die For Me is a fast-paced, sophisticated thriller but also a poignant tale of love and erotic obsession. As the action races towards its shattering conclusion, can Eve and Villanelle learn to fully trust each other or will their differences destroy them?Codename Villanelle and No Tomorrow, the first two installments of the Killing Eve series, are out now! Praise for Killing Eve TV series'A dazzling thriller . . . mightily entertaining' Guardian 'Entertaining, clever and darkly comic' New York TimesTrade ReviewEnthralling . . . deftly shaped towards an excellent denouement in which both women revolt against their male bosses and the organisations behind them * Sunday Times, Thriller of the Month *Enthralling . . . deftly shaped towards an excellent denouement in which both women revolt against their male bosses and the organisations behind them * Sunday Times, Thriller of the Month *Forget the overrated TV series, Luke Jennings's tales of Sapphic slapstick work better on the page and this sequel to Codename Villanelle ignores the events of Phoebe Waller-Bridge's adaptation. Like his remarkable crackpot assassin, Jennings goes his own sweet way. Once again the reader is treated to a banquet of minced spies. The echoes of Ian Fleming and John le Carré are deafening and the ensuing double-crossing and switch-hitting outspoofs them both * Evening Standard *Forget the overrated TV series, Luke Jennings's tales of Sapphic slapstick work better on the page and this sequel to Codename Villanelle ignores the events of Phoebe Waller-Bridge's adaptation. Like his remarkable crackpot assassin, Jennings goes his own sweet way. Once again the reader is treated to a banquet of minced spies. The echoes of Ian Fleming and John le Carré are deafening and the ensuing double-crossing and switch-hitting outspoofs them both * Evening Standard *

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Book Synopsis''A formidably intelligent, gentle, comic genius'' A.N. Wilson''Gardam is a brilliantly subtle comedian who can keep the reader enraptured until the last page'' The TimesSet during the post-war summer of 1946, The Flight of the Maidens follows the growing-up of three young women in the months between leaving school and taking up their scholarships at university. Una Vane, whose widowed mother runs a hairdressing salon in her front room (''Maison Vane Glory - Where Permanent Waves are Permanent''), goes bicycling with Ray, the boy who delivers the fish and milk. Hetty Fallowes struggles to become independent of her possessive, loving, tactless mother. And Lieselotte Klein, who had arrived in 1939 on a train from Hamburg, uncovers tragedy in the past and magic in the present.Rooted in the north of England, The Flight of the Maidens is peopled with extraordinary characters, who are evoked with all the humour, compassion and eye for detail that marked Jane Gardam as one of Britain''s most gifted and original novelists.Trade ReviewA formidably intelligent, gentle, comic genius ... In a hundred years she will be read as Mrs Gaskell is read * A. N. Wilson SPECTATOR *Gardam ... has written another jewel. This tale of the three young women is made with a concentrate of humour and compassion. Gardam is a brilliantly subtle comedian who can keep the reader enraptured until the last page * THE TIMES *Jane Gardam has captured the burgeoning renaissance of post-war Britain in her novel THE FLIGHT OF THE MAIDENS. Writing with her usual deft and sensitive touch... Gardam paints scenes like a watercolour and every stroke adds depth and subtlety. The characters are rounded and appealing and humour often bubbles beneath the surface. * Christina McLoughlin, AMAZON.CO.UK REVIEW *Gardam has a pleasant, accessible style well-suited to a reassuring tale of regeneration and optimism after adversity. * OBSERVER *As a celebration of the rites of passage it rings diamond true. It is light, witty, sharp, yet understanding and sympathetic. It is also thoroughly enjoyable * SCOTSMAN *Gardam blends memory and imagination, intellect and humour, to evoke unsentimentally a vanished England, setting it in the context of the wider world and capturing the bittersweet excitement of leaving childhood behind * DAILY TELEGRAPH *Jane Gardam, as ever, shapes her narrative with wit and aplomb ... intelligent, inspiriting and entertaining * INDEPENDENT *She does fiction as it should be done, with confidence and insight -- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie * Observer *

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Book SynopsisThe first of the Sunday Times Bestselling Peter Grant seriesDiscover the million-copy-bestseller series everyone is talking aboutTrade ReviewA darkly comic read with characters you can't help but like * The Sunday Express *Funny and wildly inventive * Mail on Sunday *Masterfully crafted . . . gives the late, great Terry Pratchett a run for his money * The Sun *Ben Aaronovitch has created a wonderful world full of mystery, magic and fantastic characters. I love being there even more than the real London * Nick Frost *Charming, witty, exciting * Independent *An incredibly fast-moving magical joyride for grown-ups * The Times *What would happen if Harry Potter grew up and joined the Fuzz. A hilarious, keenly imagined caper * Diana Gabaldon *A consummate story of real policing in a vividly real world intersecting the decidedly unreal to marvellous effect. Filled with detail and imagination, the quality of this achievement stands out, making Aaronovitch a name to watch * Peter F. Hamilton *Magical, mysterious and mesmerising, Rivers of London will have you spellbound * Total Sci Fi *An engaging mix of magic and police procedural, this is a great kick off to a very promising series as well as the most satisfying fantasy thriller to hit bookshelves in quite some time. Witty, imaginative and gripping * SFX *

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Book SynopsisThe basis for KILLING EVE, now a major BBC TV series, starring Sandra Oh and Jodie ComerSUNDAY TIMES Thriller of the MonthIn a hotel room in Venice, where she''s just completed a routine assassination, Villanelle receives a late-night call. Eve Polastri has discovered that a senior MI5 officer is in the pay of the Twelve, and is about to debrief him. As Eve interrogates her subject, desperately trying to fit the pieces of the puzzle together, Villanelle moves in for the kill. The duel between the two women intensifies, as does their mutual obsession, and when the action moves from the high passes of the Tyrol to the heart of Russia, Eve finally begins to unwrap the enigma of her adversary''s true identity.Contine the adventure with Die For Me, the final installment of the Killing Eve trilogy, out now! Praise for Killing Eve TV series''A dazzling thriller . . . mightily entertaining''Trade ReviewEnthralling . . . deftly shaped towards an excellent denouement in which both women revolt against their male bosses and the organisations behind them * Sunday Times, Thriller of the Month *Forget the overrated TV series, Luke Jennings's tales of Sapphic slapstick work better on the page and this sequel to Codename Villanelle ignores the events of Phoebe Waller-Bridge's adaptation. Like his remarkable crackpot assassin, Jennings goes his own sweet way. Once again the reader is treated to a banquet of minced spies. The echoes of Ian Fleming and John le Carré are deafening and the ensuing double-crossing and switch-hitting outspoofs them both * Evening Standard *The bizarre love-hate relationship between MI5's Eve Polastri and sexy assassin Villanelle has inspired a great TV series, but it is just as much fun on the page * Daily Express *

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Book SynopsisEMILIA HART''S STUNNING NEW BOOK THE SIRENS IS OUT NOWTHE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLEROVER 700,000 COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDEAs seen on BBC's BETWEEN THE COVERS''A bewitching debut. I can't wait to see what Emilia Hart writes next'' KATE MORTONA much-heralded epic' OBSERVEREmpowering' GLAMOURThree women, five centuries, one spellbinding storyIn the present day, Kate flees a traumatic relationship to the Cumbrian cottage she inherited from her great-aunt; but the cottage hides secrets of its own.In 1942, Violet rebels against her father's ideas of a proper young lady' until he takes matters into his own hands.In 1619, Altha is on trial for witchcraft, implicated in the gruesome death of a local man.Three women they tried to cage but Weyward women belong to the wild. And they cannot be tamedWeyward was a Times bestseller w/e 18-02-2023.Trade Review‘Alive, vivid and gripping’ ABIGAIL DEAN ‘Humming with a sly, exhilarating magic’ BRIDGET COLLINS ‘Totally unique’ GILLIAN MCALLISTER ‘Utterly absorbing’ ABI DARÉ ‘Fierce and moving… magnificent’ ROSIE ANDREWS ‘A stunning debut’ LUCY CLARKE ‘Relevant, empowering and brilliantly written… I just love it!’ JOANNA CANNON ‘A magical read’ WOMAN & HOME ‘[A] bold witchy debut’ RED ‘It seems to be the year of the witch book – and this is the best I’ve read so far’ GOOD HOUSEKEEPING ‘An absolute beauty… a riveting page turner for wild women everywhere’ JULIE OWEN MOYLAN, author of That Green Eyed Girl ‘Beautifully written and intricate as a spider's web’ SUNYI DEAN, author of The Book Eaters ‘A brave and original debut – spellbinding’ SARAH PENNER, author of The Lost Apothecary ‘Beguiling, absorbing and exquisitely-rendered’ LIZZIE POOK, author of Moonlight and the Pearler's Daughter ‘A fabulous debut’ PRIMA ‘An entertaining read’ THE TIMES ‘Leave[s] you keen to turn the page and find out more’ INDEPENDENT ‘A beautifully powerful debut’ LOVE READING ‘An empowering read that will keep you glued to the final word… Buy this book’ GLAMOUR ‘An outstanding debut’ FABULOUS magazine ‘2023 is set to be the year of witchy reads, and Weyward is one of the most exciting new titles’ COSMOPOLITAN

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Book SynopsisIN A TOWN LIKE TWIN PEAKS, NO ONE IS INNOCENT... Laura Palmer – the sweet-faced beauty of Twin Peaks – hid her darkest deeds and twisted dreams in a secret diary from the time she was twelve years old…until the day she was murdered. The diary contains important clues to the identity of her killer. For the inhabitants of Twin Peaks it begins a mystery that will reach out to obsess them all… With a new foreword from Twin Peaks co-creators David Lynch and Mark Frost, The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer is a must-have for all Twin Peaks fans. ‘Rhapsodic murder mystery’ New York Times ‘It’s like sex and it takes time’ David Lynch

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Book Synopsis*Molly the maid returns in THE MAID''S SECRET available to pre-order now*_________________________________________________________________Get swept away by the million-copy bestseller *THE NO.1 NEW YORK TIMES & SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER*WINNER OF THE GOODREADS CHOICE AWARD FOR BEST MYSTERY/THRILLER*WINNER OF THE NED KELLY AWARD FOR BEST INTERNATIONAL CRIME FICTION*A BBC RADIO 4 BOOK AT BEDTIME PICKAn escapist pleasure' SUNDAY TIMESAn instantly gripping whodunnit'STYLISTSmart, riveting, and deliciously refreshing ' LISA JEWELL_________________________________________________________________It begins like any other day for Molly Gray, silently dusting her way through the luxury rooms at the Regency Grand Hotel.But when she enters suite 401 and discovers an infamous guest dead in his bed, a very messy mystery begins to unfold. And Molly's at the heart of it because if anyone can uncover the secrets beneath the surface, the fingerprints amongst the filth it's the maid . . ._______________________________________________________Everyone's getting swept away by The Maid:Excellent and totally entertaining . . . the most interesting (and endearing) main character in a long time' STEPHEN KINGThis is phenomenal thriller. Maid or murderer or victim? Find out in the book' READER REVIEW ?????Gripping, deftly written, and led by a truly unforgettable protagonist in Molly. I''m recommending it to everyone I know'' EMMA STONEXI loved everything about this book' READER REVIEW ?????I didn't think I could love a character any more than I loved Eleanor Oliphant but along comes Molly the Maid. God, I love her' READER REVIEW ?????Fresh, fiendish and darkly beguiling. The Maid is so thrillingly original, and clever, and joyous. I just adored every page' CHRIS WHITAKERFelt like a modern day homage to Agatha Christie' READER REVIEW ?????Lots of twists and turns and highly gripping' READER REVIEW ?????A Sunday Times No.4 bestseller for w/c 24/01/2022A New York Times No.1 bestseller for w/c 31/01/2022Trade Review‘Excellent and totally entertaining… the most interesting (and endearing) main character in a long time’ Stephen King ‘A smart, riveting, and deliciously refreshing debut. Prose knows how to pen a murder mystery with tremendous heart’ Lisa Jewell ‘The book’s endearing central character and atmospheric hotel setting make it an escapist pleasure — a mini-break between the pages’ Sunday Times ‘Nita Prose has created a true 21st Century heroine in a brilliantly-written, transformative story’ Janice Hallett ‘Finally booksellers have a concrete answer to the question 'I loved Eleanor Oliphant – what should I read next?'’ Bookbrunch ‘A gripping and heart-warming whodunnit narrated by an intriguing and original heroine. Skilfully layered and masterfully told. I loved it’ Santa Montefiore ‘An endearing debut . . . Prose threads a steady needle with the intricate plotting’ New York Times ‘The Maid is elegant, warm-hearted and wry, and Molly the most winningly off-beat narrator since Eleanor Oliphant. An absolute joy’ Louise Candlish ‘An instantly gripping and delightful whodunnit’ Stylist ‘I enjoyed every minute of this twisty yet tender thriller. The Maid is gripping, deftly written, and led by a truly unforgettable protagonist in Molly. I'm recommending it to everyone I know' Emma Stonex ‘Molly the Maid has captured my heart! I loved this charming and utterly original whodunit . . . Put this on your to-read pile immediately’ Sarah Pearse ‘Unlike anything else I’ve read, this kept me up way past lights out’ Katie Fforde ‘This is going to be HUGE! A heroine as loveable and quirky as Eleanor Oliphant, caught up in a crime worthy of Agatha Christie. Loved it!’ Clare Pooley ‘A contemporary murder mystery with a unique heroine who will appeal to Eleanor Oliphant fans’ Daily Mail

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Book SynopsisSalman Rushdie is the author of sixteen novels, including Midnight's Children (for which he won the Booker Prize and the Best of the Booker), The Satanic Verses, and Quichotte (which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize). A former president of PEN American Center, Rushdie was knighted in 2007 for services to literature and was made a Companion of Honour in the Queen's last Birthday Honours list in 2022.Trade Review'A staggering achievement, brilliantly enjoyable' Nadine Gordimer'A masterpiece' Sunday Times'A novel of metamorphosis, hauntings, memories, hallucinations, revelations, advertising jingles and jokes. Rushdie has the power of description, and we succumb' The Times'Damnably entertaining and fiendishly ingenious. One of the very few current writers whose works are attempts at the great Bible, "the bright book of life" ' London Review of BooksA great novelist, a master of perpetual storytelling. * V S Pritchett *

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Book SynopsisBorn in 1969, Emma Donoghue is an Irish writer who spent eight years in England before moving to Canada. Her fiction includes Slammerkin, Life Mask, Touchy Subjects, The Sealed Letter and Frog Music.Trade ReviewEmma Donoghue's writing is superb alchemy, changing innocence into horror and horror into tenderness. Room is a book to read in one sitting. When it's over you look up: the world looks the same but you are somehow different and that feeling lingers for days -- Audrey Niffenegger, author of The Time Traveler's WifeRoom is one of the most profoundly affecting books I've read in a long time. Jack moved me greatly. His voice, his story, his innocence, his love for Ma combine to create something very unusual and, I think, something very important . . . Room deserves to reach the widest possible audience -- John Boyne, author of The Boy in the Striped PyjamasI've never read a more heart-burstingly, gut wrenchingly compassionate novel . . . As for sweet, bright, funny Jack, I wanted to scoop him up out of the novel and never let him go * Daily Mail *This is a truly remarkable novel. It presents an utterly unique way to talk about love, all the while giving us a fresh, expansive eye on the world in which we live * New York Times Book Review *Startlingly original and moving . . . Endearing and as utterly compelling as The Lovely Bones * Scotsman *This book will break your heart . . . It is the most vivid, radiant and beautiful expression of maternal love I have ever read * Irish Times *I loved Room. Such incredible imagination, and dazzling use of language. And with all this, an entirely credible, endearing little boy. It's unlike anything I've ever read before -- Anita Shreve

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Book SynopsisThe women of Stepford are not all that they seem... All the beautiful people live in idyllic Stepford, Connecticut, an affluent, suburban Eden populated with successful, satisfied hubbies and beautiful, dutiful wives. For Joanna Eberhart, newly arrived with her husband and two children, it all seems too good to be true - from the sweet Welcome Wagon lady to all those cheerful, friendly faces in the supermarket checkout lines. But just beneath the town''s flawless surface, something is sordid and wrong - something abominable with roots in the local Men''s Association. And it may already be too late for Joanna to save herself from being devoured by Stepford''s hideous perfection.

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Book SynopsisYou go into a bookshop and buy If on a Winter's Night a Traveller by Italo Calvino. You try to track down the original book you were reading but end up with a different narrative again. This remarkable novel leads you through many different books including a detective adventure, a romance, a satire, an erotic story, a diary and a quest.Trade ReviewIngenious * Mail on Sunday *Breathtakingly inventiveThe greatest Italian writer of the twentieth century * Guardian *Reading Calvino, you're constantly assailed by the notion that he is writing down what you have always known, except that you've never thought of it before.This is highly unnerving: fortunately you're usually too busy laughing to go mad... I can think of no finer writer to have beside me while Italy explodes, Britain burns, while the world endsA devastating, wonderfully ingenious parody of all those dreary best-sellers you buy at the airport... It is a "world novel": take it with you next time you plan to travel in an armchair * Observer *

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Book Synopsis*THE THEAKSTON'S OLD PECULIER CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2021**WINNER OF THE CWA GOLD DAGGER FOR BEST CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR**WINNER OF THE NED KELLY INTERNATIONAL AWARD*A GUARDIAN BEST THRILLER OF THE YEARAn EXPRESS BEST THRILLER OF THE YEARAn i BEST THRILLER OF THE YEARA MIRROR BEST BOOKS OF THE YEARA WATERSTONES THRILLER OF THE MONTHREAD THE BOOK EVERYONE IS CALLING A MASTERPIECE! 'A beautifully written mystery, packed with unforgettable characters' JANE HARPER'Contender for thriller of the year' SUNDAY EXPRESS'An accomplished and moving story of crime, punishment, love and redemption' GUARDIANFor fans of Jane Harper's The Dry comes a powerful novel about the lengths we will go to keep our family safe. This is a story about good and evil and how life is lived somewhere in between.Thirty years ago, Vincent King became a killer. Now, he's been released from prison and is back in his hometown of Cape Haven, California. Not everyone is pleased to see him. Like Star Radley, his ex-girlfriend, and sister of the girl he killed.Duchess Radley, Star's thirteen-year-old daughter, is part-carer, part-protector to her younger brother, Robin - and to her deeply troubled mother. But in trying to protect Star, Duchess inadvertently sets off a chain of events that will have tragic consequences not only for her family, but also the whole town. Murder, revenge, retribution.How far can we run from the past, when the past seems doomed to repeat itself? WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT WE BEGIN AT THE END: 'Magnificent . . . an instant classic, a West Coast Where the Crawdads Sing . . . a special, vital novel. I'm grateful to have read it' A J FINN'Surely destined to conquer the world' RUTH JONES'A magnificent crime novel. It deserves to win a hatful of awards. A BIG hat. Consider me a major fan' MARK BILLINGHAM'So beautifully written' LYNDA LA PLANTE'Incredible writing, characters so brilliantly drawn they jump off the page. Outstanding' BA PARIS'I LOVED this book . . . This is a book to be read and re-read and an author to be celebrated' LOUISE PENNY'A stunning and heartbreaking book - will keep you gripped until the last moving page' CLAIRE MCGOWAN 'An exceptionally beautiful and accomplished crime novel' ALI LAND'One of the best books I've ever read' FIONA CUMMINS'An absolute masterclass in crime writing and story-telling' JO SPAIN'One of the year's best crime reads' VASEEM KHAN'One of my favourite books of all time' M. W. CRAVEN, winner of the CWA's Gold Dagger Award'Breathtakingly beautiful. Another stunning story from the genius of Chris Whitaker' COMPULSIVE READERS 'A spellbinding masterclass in storytelling . . . one of the best books I have ever had the joy to read' ALEX J BOOKS BLOG'A masterpiece . . . a contender for my top book of 2020' FOR WINTER NIGHTS BLOG'I was totally seduced by this absolute masterpiece . . . took my breath away' SUIDI'S BOOK REVIEWS'This book is bound to become a classic . . . Reader, Chris Whitaker's book made me cry . . . such is the power of this writing' LIVE AND DEADLY BLOG'Utterly brilliant . . . This isn't just crime fiction, this is a masterclass' MELANIE READS BLOG'A masterpiece of storytelling with clever twists and an ending to knock you sideways' CANDIS MAGAZINE 'This heart-rending story . . . is among the most powerful and moving I have read in years' DAILY MAIL 'Cements Whitaker's status as one of the most talented authors writing today' HEAT MAGAZINE'Masterly novel' SUNDAY EXPRESS'A dark yet painfully human tale that is impossible to forget' CRIME MONTHLY'Beautifully written and deeply moving' SUNDAY TIMES CRIME CLUB'A gorgeous, crystalline novel' JEANINE CUMMINS, author of AMERICAN DIRT'Heartbreaking and profound, this is my thriller of the year' MIRRORTrade ReviewA beautifully written mystery, packed with unforgettable characters. An intricately woven portrait of small town intrigue where old and new sins collide * Jane Harper *I LOVED it. I mean, jeez, what a story. And so intricately, delicately written, with such care and affection for all the characters. I adored all the relationships and ALL the characters without exception - I mean Duchess!! I could seriously rave about every single character that people the world of this book . . . his descriptions are so vivid, so visual, so beautifully drawn.We Begin at the End is surely destined to conquer the world. This intensely captivating story and its uniquely intriguing characters holds you in its jaws till the very last word. Astonishingly good * Ruth Jones *A magnificent crime novel. It deserves to win a hatful of awards. A BIG hat. Consider me a major fan * Mark Billingham *The character of Duchess Day Radley is so beautifully written, she will remain with you for a long time * Lynda La Plante *I love Duchess Day Radley so much I want to adopt her. She is every thirteen-year-old girl at risk, an outlaw both pure of heart and ill of intent, a fierce and melancholy girl, so memorable she will make camp in your brain and never leave. In We Begin at the End, Chris Whitaker has written a gorgeous, crystalline novel, a cautionary tale about the long shadows cast by our past selves, and one defiant girl with the bravery to hope for something better. I love this beautiful book * Jeanine Cummins, author of American Dirt *An accomplished and moving story of crime, punishment, love and redemption * Guardian, Books of the Month *Chris Whitaker's third novel, We Begin at the End, is the kind of breakout book that publishers dream about. Rich with character and story, conflict and tension, humor, tragedy and raw, unadulterated guts, this one has it all. Throw in the most compelling young protagonist I've read in at least a decade, and you have a deep and meaningful story that is an absolute delight from first page to last. Nicely done, Mr. Whitaker! * John Hart *Let's begin at the end. After you've turned the final page of Chris Whitaker's magnificent new novel, you'll struggle - I struggled, certainly - to describe the experience . . . it's an instant classic, a West Coast Where the Crawdads Sing; its prose shimmers like a mirage; in intensity and lyricism, it recalls the very best of Tana French and Dennis Lehane; for pace and whiplash plot twists, it rivals C. J. Box and Peter May . . . This is a murder mystery, yes, and an extraordinarily gripping one - but like the murder mysteries of Louise Penny, Jane Harper, and Kate Atkinson, it's humanity that most enriches Whitaker's novel (and Whitaker's readers) . . . think of We Begin at the End as a novel at the same time distinctly American and profoundly universal: a book that explores both this particular community, these particular lives, even as it maps emotional territory rarely charted in contemporary fiction. What a special, vital novel. I'm grateful to have read it * A. J. Finn *I LOVED this book. From the riveting plot, to the beautiful writing. But mostly what kept me longing to get back to it each day were the characters, especially young Duchess. Fierce, brave, vulnerable she leaps off the page fully formed. As does Walk. How aptly named. A chief of police on his own inexorable journey. This is a book to be read and re-read and an author to be celebrated * Louise Penny *Beautifully written, We Begin at the End really reminds me of To Kill a Mockingbird. And the spirit of Scout is very much alive in Duchess. A crime novel, or maybe a novel about a crime, and yet so much more * Sarah Pinborough *Stunning, intoxicating, heart-breaking - without a doubt one of my favourite books of the year. A compelling story, beautifully-drawn characters and writing that leaps off the page: We Begin at the Endis in a class of its own * T M Logan *An intense, evocative, and quite brilliant crime novel that stays with you long after you've finished the last page * Simon Kernick *An exceptionally beautiful and accomplished crime novel. I fell head over heels into its big black heart and will carry the characters with me for a long time to come yet. Duchess and Thomas Noble forever * Ali Land *A stunning and heartbreaking book - will keep you gripped until the last moving page * Claire McGowan, #1 bestselling author of What You Did *Chris Whitaker takes crime writing to new levels in this evocative and lyrical novel, which is not only beautifully written but cleverly plotted, with a climax you'll never guess * Mark Edwards *If ever there is a book that deserves all the prizes, this is it. So layered and nuanced, and brimming with characters so full of depth they breathe on the page. So heartbreakingly evocative of small town life and the secrets buried under the weight of old friendships and tangled loyalties. Stunning writing, both poetic and compelling. A damn near perfect crime novel. Do yourself a favour and put this on your most wanted list * Fiona Cummins *Chris Whitaker is leading the pack of hungry young crime writers by a long mile. He writes like a dark angel, conjuring characters and places so memorable you'll ache when it's over. A very real, very rare talent * SARAH HILARY *We Begin at the End is the most beautifully written book I have read this year . . . with characters that will tug at your heartstrings, an incredible sense of place and a cleverly plotted mystery, Chris Whitaker is proving himself to be one of the most talented writers around * Lisa Hall *What a novel! Such a remarkable achievement. So wonderful in so many ways, with writing that is Booker Prize good. I kept having to stop and go back and re-read bits because I wanted to experience them again.I enjoyed it so much and the characters now have a place in my heart, I'm sad not to be able to spend any more time with them (Duchess especially). Wow. There is no f**king justice if this book is not a smash hit * Deborah O'Connor *We Begin At The End is as perfect a novel as you'll read all year. Devastating and hopeful in equal measure, with pitch-perfect characters you'll root for at each jaw-dropping turn - Duchess, in particular, deserves a fast-track pass to the literary hall of fame. A sophisticated, utterly absorbing read * Caz Frear *A triumph. I couldn't read it fast enough, while still appreciating the absolute beauty and depth to it. I don't know where to begin - the total satisfaction of the plot, the absorbing story, the cast of unbelievably incredible characters, the sheer taste of America on the page. So, I'll begin at the end, and the fact I cried straight through those last few chapters. Duchess, Robin, they killed me. It's an absolute masterclass in crime writing and story-telling * Jo Spain *Wow . . . One of the most spellbinding crime novels I've read in a long time - and, best of all, it felt like nothing I'd read before. Masterful * Catherine Ryan Howard *Chris Whitaker excels in muscular small town American Noir. In We Begin at the End, we see that fascination with the gnarly American heartland reach new heights. Whitaker displays his mastery over style; his unique flair and eye for telling detail is comparable to a form of literary method acting. The story unwinds to a peak of tension and ends with a series of revelations that hit like a flurry of punches to the gut. It is a fabulous read. A sparse, muscular novel with a unique sense of style. A cross between crime and literary fiction in the Cormac McCarthy tradition. A sense of tragedy infuses the story and this, more than anything, makes it one of the year's best crime reads * Vaseem Khan *Breathtaking, heart-wrenching, heart-warming and laugh-out-loud funny, We Begin At The End is simply astonishing. Easily the best book I've read this year * M.W. Craven, CWA Gold Dagger winner *A sensational book. Addictive, beautifully-written and immersive. So many layers. So many fascinating characters. Chris Whitaker is an immensely talented writer * Will Dean *An absolute belter of a book. Superb, heart-breaking, astounding and gripping. Chris Whitaker has totally nailed it * Gytha Lodge *Sometimes a book finds its way to you when you need it most, and teaches you a lesson you didn't even know needed teaching. We Begin at the End is one of those books, and it truly is a masterpiece * Isabelle Broom *Astoundingly beautiful. No other writer can pull you in quite so well as Chris Whitaker. The writing is pure and sharp, the characters perfectly drawn, the story unforgettable * Rebecca Tinnelly *We Begin At The End is stunning - thrilling, moving, beautifully written * Paul Burston *Hands down, one of the best books I've ever read. In my life. There's a bit at the end which is so overwhelmingly sad I can barely breathe just thinking about it. An absolutely astonishing novel and the writing is breathtaking * Rebecca Thornton *A heart-rending, gut-punching, nail-biting masterpiece. I'm sure I could hear echoes of Harper Lee coming through in the skilfully crafted prose. It's surely rare that a British author should pen an American classic, but I think Chris has * Marnie Riches *Chris Whitaker has written a rare gem of a novel - by turns thrilling, moving and heartbreaking, it takes the reader on a gut-wrenching journey from hope to despair and back again. Chris's previous novels demonstrated his gift for creating complex, fragile and all-too-believable characters, but somehow he has topped himself here, introducing us to a cast of heroes and villains so intimately-drawn, they could be your family and friends. The kind of book that makes you fall in love with reading again * Rod Reynolds *Crime may feature at the heart of We Begin at the End but it is the heart itself that dominates this stunning crime novel. Beautiful, evocative & heartbreaking from beginning to end * Off-the-Shelf blog *Beautiful writing, characters that live on in your memory long after you've turned the last page. Excellent * Mason Cross *A sublimely beautiful book that lingers long in the memory, from a writer with a rare gift * Kevin Wignall *This is an epic drama and a profound masterpiece. I'll be amazed if I read a better novel this year * Mirror *So beautifully written you'll want to savour every word; a book that stays with you long after the final page * Victoria Selman *Two damaged children - one timid and sweet, the other foul-mouthed and furious - will break readers' hearts in this well-plotted and perfectly-paced novel. If, like me, you love stories that kidnap your intended schedule because you can't not keep turning the pages, then I wholeheartedly recommend Chris Whitaker's We Begin at the End * Wally Lamb, author of I Know This Much is True *I've just finished We Begin at the End and I have all the feelings for this beautiful book . . . A brilliantly plotted crime novel with such tender characterisation * N. J. Mackay *I loved We Begin at the End. Complicated, loveable characters, gripping plot, sparse, beautiful writing, and such great senses of place. I also cried. A lot * Abigail Dean, author of Girl A *

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Book SynopsisTHE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLEROver 500,000 copies sold internationallyA BBC Between the Covers Book Club PickA BBC Radio 4 Book at BedtimeWinner of Dymocks Book of the YearSheer joy'' GRAHAM NORTONUtterly beautiful filled with hope' JOANNA CANNONA gorgeous, generous story of kind hearts and kindred spirits' DAILY MIRRORFrom the author of When God was a Rabbit and Tin Man, Still Life is a big-hearted story of the families we forge and the friendships that make us.1944, Italy. As bombs fall around them, two strangers meet in the ruined wine cellar of a Tuscan villa and share an extraordinary evening.Ulysses Temper is a young British soldier, Evelyn Skinner a 64-year-old art historian living life on her own terms. She has come to salvage paintings from the wreckage of war and relive memories of her youth when her heart was stolen by an Italian maid in a particular room with a view. Ulysses' chance encounter with Evelyn will transform his life and all those who love him back home inTrade Review‘The sheer joy in Sarah Winman’s storytelling is completely infectious. I’ve loved spending time with this unforgettable cast of characters in extraordinary times and places’ Graham Norton ‘Winman’s pages teem with boisterous, exuberant life … The novel has verve, charm and tremendous heart’ Sunday Times ‘Exquisite … There are not enough superlatives to contain the magnitude and beauty of this novel’ Sunday Independent ‘Sentence after sentence, character by character, Still Life becomes poetry’ New York Times Book Review ‘A tonic for wanderlust and a cure for loneliness. It’s that rare, affectionate novel that makes one feel grateful to have been carried along’ The Washington Post ‘Teeming with unforgettable characters and oozing atmosphere, it’s a joyous, summery ode to love, art and poetry’ Hephzibah Anderson, Mail on Sunday ‘Rich, deeply moving and filled with hope. Sarah Winman is one of the greatest storytellers of our time’ Joanna Cannon, author of The Trouble with Goats and Sheep ‘A gorgeous, generous story of kind hearts and kindred spirits … [A] hopeful, happy, intensely humane novel’ Daily Mirror ‘Readers will want to prolong the pleasure of Sarah Winman’s beautiful novel Still Life for as long as possible’ Donal Ryan, author of From a Low and Quiet Sea 'Embodies the full generosity of the human spirit’ Rachel Joyce, author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry ‘Gorgeous … luscious and clever’ The Times ‘In Still Life, [Winman] emerges now as the great narrator of hope’ Helen Cullen, Irish Times

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Book SynopsisFrom the New York Times bestselling author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo “​Touching and powerful...Reid masterfully grabs hold of the heartstrings and doesn't let go. A stunning first novel.”​Publishers Weekly (starred review) Trade ReviewPraise for Taylor Jenkins Reid ‘Spellbinding’ Emily Giffin ‘Full of raw human emotion’ Beth O’Leary ‘An entirely fresh and new perspective on what can happen after the "happily ever after”’ Jen Lancaster ‘The very best of Classic Hollywood intrigue, a delicious twist and incisive commentary on the wages of stardom’ Anne Helen Petersen ‘I can't remember the last time I read a book that was so fun’ Dolly Alderton ‘The characters were beautifully layered and complex... captured my heart’ Reese Witherspoon ‘Everyone should read this’ Claudia Winkleman ‘Dramatic, salacious and oh-so-romantic’ Woman & Home ‘Wildy addictive’ PopSugar ‘Glamour, ambition and shocking secrets’ People ‘Earth-shaking… you will flip for this epic love story’ Cosmopolitan ‘Heartwrenching’ Us Weekly ‘Reid masterfully grabs hold of the heartstrings and doesn't let go’ Publishers Weekly ‘No one does life and love better’ InStyle

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Book Synopsis

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