Contemporary Fiction Books

Book SynopsisJacobsen can make almost anything catch the light . . . One of Norway''s greatest writers on the working class Times Literary SupplementThey''re a gang without a name - Olav, Carl, Roar, Jan and Vidar - teenage boys growing up in a working-class area of Oslo under the shadow of Nazi occupation. They live in poverty but earn a crust by creatively swindling their fellow citizens, falsifying documents and stealing like magpies. And they don''t shy away from targeting the Enemy, either.But everything changes when Carl''s father hands him a secret map and a German password, just hours before he''s taken away by the Quisling police - only to return in a coffin. And when Olav''s father also disappears, the gang come to see that they are caught up in something far more serious than their usual petty crimes.Taking in love, death, betrayal and tragedy, The Unworthy is the latest masterpiece from Roy Jacobsen, author of the International Booker-shortlisted The Unseen. It shines a light on a brutal aspect of the war rarely explored in fiction, and every sentence is imbued with decades of accumulated wisdom from a writer who had his own brushes with the law in his youth.Translated from the Norwegian by Don Bartlett and Don Shaw

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Book SynopsisFrom one of Nigeria's finest contemporary literary talents comes Elnathan John's highly awaited debut novel. Told through the irresistible voice of a young boy, Dantala, Born on a Tuesday is a masterful and haunting coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of extremist politics and religion in Northern Nigeria. Dantala is a naive but bright Quranic student, who falls in with a gang of street boys, surviving on a regime of petty crime and violence. After being paid to set fire to the local headquarters of an opposition party, Dantala is forced to run for his life. Still reeling from the trauma of events, he stumbles into a Salafi mosque where he quickly becomes the favoured apprentice of the Sheikh and finds stability and friendship. From his place of refuge, Dantala confronts the hurdles of adolescence, first love and the splintering of family life - as his mother becomes increasingly unstable in the wake of a family tragedy and his brothers join a rival religious sect. But as political and religious tensions mount, he is torn between loyalty to his benefactor, Sheikh Jamal, and adherence to the Sheikh's charismatic advisor, Malam Abdul-Nur.When bloodshed erupts around him, Dantala is tested to his limits. In this raw, authentic and deceptively simple novel, Elnathan John explores boyhood in the wake of extremism and fundamentalism. Born on a Tuesday delves behind the scenes of the media's portrayal of Boko Haram bringing us a powerful and intensely personal picture of life in Northern Nigeria today.Trade Review'With brave, unflinching candor expressed through spare, unadorned prose, Elnathan John considers the rise of Islamic extremism in Nigeria as experienced by one young man. Anyone seeking to peer beyond the media's portrayals of Boko Haram must read this book, not because it offers a hopeful account but because it offers a human one.' - Taiye Selasi, author of Ghana Must Go; 'Elnathan John's first novel is an ambitious book that tackles modern Nigeria s extremely complex religious landscape with great insight, passion, and humour by taking us deep into the mental and emotional space of the country's most neglected.' - Uzodinma Iweala, author of Beasts of No Nation; 'Working in the tradition of Achebe, Elnathan John has penned a coming of age novel worthy of Twain. At times tragic, at times humorous, 'Born on a Tuesday' is the story of those who find the courage to transcend violence even when born to its confines.' - Elliot Ackerman, author of Green on Blue; 'I was completely pulled into Dantala's world ... How easy it is for those of us from a stable country to judge young men from other nations who are lured into following leaders simply for the promise of a full belly!' - Jamie Fiocco, Flyleaf Books, Chapel Hill, NC; 'Elnathan John's debut coming of age novel is a striking and unnervingly assured depiction of a complex and tumultuous world. John's writing is controlled and lucid, full of compassion yet fiercely unerring.' - Colin Barrett, author of Young Skins

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Book SynopsisIn the early sixties, Tayo Ajayi sails to England from Nigeria to take up a scholarship at Oxford University. There he discovers a whole generation high on visions of a new and better world. He meets Vanessa Richardson, the beautiful daughter of a former colonial officer. Their story, which spans four decades, is a bittersweet tale of a brave but doomed affair and the universal desire to fall truly, madly and deeply in love. A lyrical and moving story of unfulfilled love fraught with the weight of history, race and geography and intertwined with questions of belonging, aging, faith and family secrets. In Dependence explores the complexities of contemporary Africa, its Diaspora and its interdependence with the rest of the world.Trade Review"In Dependence, is a riveting love story across the challenges of race, geography and scars of colonial history." – Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o ; "Sarah Ladipo Manyika tells a compelling story that challenges centuries of stereotypes of what an African story can be—one that weaves love, history and race across decades and continents... A graceful and astonishing achievement.” – Henry Louis Gates Jr.; "A beautiful and ambitious novel" – Bernardine Evaristo, author of Mr Loverman;

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Book SynopsisA gripping, nail-biting adventure set in Scotland, from the original queen of romantic suspense Total heaven. I''d rather read her than most other authors'' Harriet Evans When Rose Fenemore takes a desperately needed holiday to an isolated cottage on the Scottish island of Moila she doesn''t expect much in the way of adventure - just a few quiet weeks of writing, walking and bird-watching. And then, late one night during a wild storm, two young men appear in her doorway, seeking shelter from the wind and rain. Neither man is quite who he claims, and the question of who to trust will put Rose in grave peril . . . Praise for Mary Stewart:''Mary Stewart is magic'' New York Times''One of the great British storytellers of the 20th century'' Independent''She set the benchmark for pace, suspense and Trade ReviewFrom opening to finale, this zestful romantic adventure grips, amuses, frightens and delights * Sunday Telegraph *Mary Stewart is magic * New York Times *The stylish, educated novels of Mary Stewart . . . arguably inspired the deluge of bestselling romantic fiction that has flooded the market in recent decades. * Guardian *Mary Stewart sprinkled intelligence around like stardust . . . She built the bridge between classic literature and modern popular fiction. She did it first and she did it best -- Melanie Reid * Herald *A writer of considerable skill . . . [with an] intuitive feel for the past and its re-creation in vivid, poetic detail * Telegraph *A wonderful wordsmith . . . Stewart was among the first authors to seamlessly integrate a mystery and a romance thus allowing the two to come alive and complement each other. * Scotsman *Lady Stewart's writing is illuminated by her evident affection for the Western Scottish landscape . . . a rattling good yarn * Sunday Telegraph *A sunset touch . . . a gentle love story . . . a happy return * The Times *A beautifully written, atmospheric story * Birmingham Post *She set the bench mark for pace, suspense and romance - with a great dollop of escapism as the icing * Elizabeth Buchan *A comfortable chair and a Mary Stewart: total heaven. I'd rather read her than most other authors. * Harriet Evans *

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE LA TIMES BOOK PRIZEFor fans of Where the Crawdads Sing and On Earth We''re Briefly Gorgeous, a richly atmospheric debut about lost innocence and rural America...''Remarkable. This novel reads like a miracle'' NPR ''Brimming with longing, with heartbreak'' New York Times Jude is popular, beautiful, wealthier than most in Deep Valley. Cindy is Jude''s neighbour - younger, poorer, a kid from the kind of family everyone knows will come to no good. Jude is black and Cindy is white.One summer, Jude disappears. Search parties go out but come back empty-handed and strangely pleased. Jude thought she was better than everyone else. Look at her now. Meanwhile Cindy is performing a vanishing act of her own. She is slipping out of her old life and into someone else''s. She is becoming Jude... ''Lyrical, sexy, humane, and just a total pleasure to read'' Elif Batuman, aTrade Review'Remarkable. Fiction debuts this accomplished don't come along very often . . . Smith is a writer of immense talent and rare imagination [and] this novel reads like a miracle' * NPR *Strange and powerful . . . It's a book brimming with longing, with heartbreak. It's a coming-of-age by coming into somebody else * The New York Times *Audacious... Smith's beautiful, poetic prose transforms this strange coming-of-age story into something wondrous * Daily Express, Best New Paperbacks of Summer 2020 *Rich and vivid, [a] hauntingly gorgeous debut novel... Smith captures this unstable world with matter-of-fact poetry, spare and sensual and surprisingly funny * Kirkus (STARRED REVIEW) *One of the most unforgettable books I've read this year, offering a uniquely haunting, but also disarmingly funny and lyrical look at loss, love and the desire to be seen * NYLON *This is a mysterious and strangely exciting debut. Smith is a poet, and writes in sensory driven, soul-tapping prose. * Booklist *Enthralling, startling and stunning... The prose leaves you raw, defying you to articulate what the book is because it feels too immense, promising no easy answers * Paste *Feral, alert and hungry, an unsettling coming-of-age story. Her words create a picture of desperation and absence and a poignant story of accountability * BUST *An eerie exploration of desperation and the complexities of maternal love... Sure to be a page-turner * Lit Hub (Most Anticipated Books of 2019) *A stunningly evocative debut novel * Boston Globe *

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Book SynopsisUnfolding over the course of four days and culminating in a shocking twist, Walk is a haunting, visceral and unique novel about the acts that ordinary people are prepared to commit when pushed to the very limits of what we are able to endure.Trade ReviewA modern picaresque that will grab and guide you through some of Britain's last remaining wildernesses, both inner and outer: the Wales/England border, the ransacked sociopolitical contract, the crisis of contemporary masculinity and its effect on all kinds of interpersonal relationships, the crags and quicksands of the soul. It is compelling and propulsive from the serene and optimistic beginning all the way to the stricken end. Fantastic. -- Niall GriffithsA mad picaresque across Wales which is promising a twist that I know is coming but just can't guess from which direction. I'm half way through it and enjoying every step of the journey. * Wales Art Review *This one's special. Bold, unapologetic, superbly written. 'Walk' offers a masterclass in how to write lean prose that's visually stunning and dialogue that's entirely real. -- Caroline Smailes'One of the most stunning debuts I've read in a long time. The talent behind it is huge.' -- Helen Walsh, author of The Lemon Grove Alice and the Fly is a darkly quirky story of love, obsession and fear. A disconcerting but beautiful story hung around the enchanting and heartbreaking voice of teenager Greg. -- Anna James, The Bookseller 'A beautifully written, haunting, evocative and immensely accomplished tale... this is a novel that demands that you make people read it - James Rice is one to watch. Don't miss it.' -- Liz Loves Books'This is a dark and intriguing story of love, obsession and fear - a Captivating Read *****' * OK! *A powerful novel * Closer *A stunning and fresh debut * Big Issue in the North *Fresh, original and a bit crazy * Red *Enchanting * Inside Soap *'This is a novel about loneliness, and Rice vividly evokes the isolation of all those trapped inside the need to present a socially valid exterior. His writing is fuelled by a powerful sense of empathy, even for those whose aspirations he so expertly ridicules. For all the bleakness it portrays Alice and the Fly is an oddly uplifting novel' * Guardian *'At times uncomfortable but always captivating. A wonderful debut novel - Greg's unique voice will stay with you long after the shocking climax.' * Bella *Rice's stylistic verve and skillful storytelling make us keen to discover if we're right to be fearful for his characters, while also raising pertinent questions about social divisions and the way outsiders are treated today * Independent *'Alice and the Fly is a stunning novel but as a debut work it is outstanding, marking out James Rice as a new talent to watch. This is a vivid and profoundly disturbing book which will stay with you long after you have closed it. Tremendously dark at times, it also pulls off the rare trick of being funny and engaging' -- We Love this Book'It's incredible... The best thing!' -- Scot Williams, Actor

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Book SynopsisThe joyful and escapist novel from New York Times bestselling author Debbie MacomberIt''s been nearly six years since Julia Jones had her heart broken. After her husband fell in love with another woman, Julia fought to keep her family together, but now, recalling the words of her beloved father, she realises it''s time to move on: it''s better this way.Desperate for a fresh start, Julia sells the family home and moves into an apartment complex, and she''s delighted to discover that her new abode comes with a gorgeous new neighbour. Heath is a welcome change from the men Julia usually dates, and as a divorcé himself he understands the difficulties of a fractured family all too well.As a relationship between Julia and Heath blossoms, Julia dares to dream that her life is looking up - until a dramatic revelation threatens their newfound happiness. Will Julia, Heath find a way through - and will it be together?Perfect for fanTrade ReviewIf there's a star in the romance and women's fiction firmament, chances are high it's Debbie Macomber * Publisher's Weekly *No one tugs at readers' heartstrings quite as effectively as Macomber * Chicago Tribune *The reigning queen of women's fiction * The Sacramento Bee *It's impossible not to cheer for Macomber's characters . . . When it comes to creating a special place and memorable, honorable characters, nobody does it better than Macomber * BookPage *Warm-hearted fiction . . . Debbie Macomber knows how to write an absorbing novel * People’s Friend *Perfect for fans of Maeve Binchy * Candis *

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Book Synopsis'Every detail is sharply placed ... a scorching sense of humor and a soft spot for humanity down here on Earth' The New York Times 'Fleishman Is In Trouble, but in space' Bobby Palmer A NEW YORK TIMES READERS' FAVOURITE OF 2023 LONGLISTED FOR THE 2023 SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE Kevin is a thirtysomething homebody, happily committed to his hydroponics-expert girlfriend, Amber, as they grow weed in their basement in Vancouver. Out of the blue, Amber announces that she has been selected for a reality show where she will compete for one of two seats on the first human-led mission to Mars. If selected, she must stay on Mars for good, because the technology to come home doesn't exist yet. Is this a suicide mission or a bold new frontier? Girlfriend on Mars is the story of love unravelling in a world where truth is dictated by Facebook ads and 'reality TV' is as scripted as any politician's speech. With rapt viewers voting for Amber to stay on the show and crates of Mars-mission branded protein shakes arriving at his door, is it any wonder Kevin wants to stay in the basement forever?Trade ReviewEnergetic, wise-cracking style ... horribly convincing -- Clare Chambers, author of Small PleasuresA bleak yet darkly funny story that dissects with compassion and wit the reality of "reality TV" and the fantasy of escaping eco-catastrophe by moving to another planet. -- Lisa Tuttle * Guardian *Girlfriend on Mars pulls off that most unusual balancing act; humour, heartbreak and biting social commentary - the writing is feather-light and scalpel-sharp. -- Keiran Goddard, author of HourglassFunny, increasingly touching and occasionally shocking, I can't imagine any fiction lovers not enjoying this sparky debut ... quirky and highly amusing * Big Issue, hottest fiction 2023 *It's the sundry strains of long-term relationships that are under the microscope most here, and the author tackles these with deftness and bags of humour ... readers are kept guessing about how this one will play out right until the last. * Crack magazine Book of the Month *Witty and moving ... A wild ride -- Oana Aristide, author of Under the BlueBizarre, bleak and very funny ... Fleishman is in Trouble but in space -- Bobby Palmer, author of Isaac and the EggHow did Deborah Willis manage to write about love, grief, corporate greed, climate change, and a reality show that sends two people to Mars with such grace and humor and compassion? Girlfriend on Mars blew my mind! This is one of the most original novels I've read in a long time. -- Ann Hood, author of The Book that Matters MostFunny, tender, bizarre in the best of ways, and as infinite as our universe itself -- Amanda Leduc, author of The Centaur's WifePrevious praise for Deborah Willis -- :Willis is an immensely talented writer ... sharply observed, elegant, and incisive -- Emily St John MandelThe emotional range and depth . . . the clarity and deftness, are astonishing -- Alice MunroWillis zooms in and out on her chosen subjects, adroitly examining the physical and emotional distances that separate people from one another - and from the mysteries of their lives * New York Times Book Review *

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Book SynopsisIt began with a blinding light, a divine revelation from a mysterious intelligence that called itself VALIS. And with that, the fabric of reality was ripped open and laid bare so that anything seemed possible, but nothing seemed quite right.Part science fiction, part theological detective story in which God plays both the missing person and the perpetrator of the ultimate crime, VALIS is both disorienting and eerily funny, and a joy to read.Trade ReviewOne of the most original practitioners writing any kind of fiction, Dick made most of the European avant-garde seem like navel-gazers in a cul-de-sac * Sunday Times *My literary hero * Fay Weldon *For everyone lost in the endlessly multiplicating realities of the modern world, remember: Philip K. Dick got there first * Terry Gilliam *

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Book Synopsis''A furious encapsulation of Generation Rent.'' OLIVIA LAING, NEW STATESMAN BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2021 ''Cool, sharp and perceptive.'' Stylist What is the true cost of living as a young person in 21st-century England? It''s autumn 2018 and a young woman moves into a rented room in university accommodation, ready to begin a job as a research assistant at Oxford. Here, living and working in the spaces that have birthed the country''s leaders, she is both outsider and insider, and she can''t shake the feeling that real life is happening elsewhere. Eight months later she finds herself in London. She''s landed a temp contract at a society magazine and is paying 80 a week to sleep on a stranger''s sofa. Summer rolls on and England roils with questions around its domestic civil rights: Brexit, Grenfell, climate change, homelessness. Meanwhile, tensions with her flatmate escalate, she is overworked a

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Book SynopsisA wildly inventive, exhilarating debut narrated by a young woman meditating on her Czech ancestors'' ''falling curse'', her twin brother''s fall from a window, and the malleable, breakable bonds keeping her family from falling apart.One thing that the city of Prague is famous for is throwing men out of windows. The word for this is defenestration.In 1895, Marta''s great-great-grandfather Jirí was said to have given a gentle push to the back of a stonemason for having wronged him. The stonemason fell to his death and the family fled the Czech capital for the American Midwest, where they set up a new life.So begins the story of Marta and her brother Nick, deeply interwoven twins haunted by the mysterious curse that has plagued their family for centuries, one that has doomed them to suffer various types of falls. And when Nick falls out of a window and ends up seriously injured, Marta embarks on a heart-breaking quest to discover whether or not his fall w

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Book SynopsisAn instant classic in the vein of Jurassic Park, this boundary-pushing novel has all the hallmarks of Michael Crichton's greatest adventures with its combination of pulse-pounding thrills, cutting-edge technology, and extraordinary researchThree men are found dead in a locked second-floor office in Honolulu. There is no sign of struggle, though their bodies are covered in ultra-fine, razor-sharp cuts. With no evidence, the police dismiss it as a bizarre suicide pact. But the murder weapon is still in the room, almost invisible to the human eye.In Cambridge, Massachusetts, seven graduate students at the forefront of their fields are recruited by a pioneering microbiology start-up company. Nanigen MicroTechnologies sends them to a mysterious laboratory in Hawaii, where they are promised access to tools that will open up a whole new scientific frontier.But this opportunity of a lifetime will teach them the true cost of existing at the cutting-edgeThe group becomes prey to a technology of radical, unimaginable power and is thrust out into the teeming rainforest. Armed only with their knowledge of the natural world, the young scientists face a hostile wilderness that threatens danger at every turn.To survive, they must harness the awe-inspiring creative and destructive forces of nature itself.Trade ReviewPraise for Michael Crichton: 'One of the most ingenious, inventive thriller writers around … Prey sees him doing what he does best – taking the very latest scientific advances and showing us their potentially terrifying underbelly. Another high-concept treat … written in consummate page-turning style' Observer 'This is Crichton on top form, preying on our fears about new technology and convincing us that we aren't half as afraid as we should be' The Times on Prey 'Mixing cutting-edge science with thrills and spills, this is classic Crichton' Daily Mirror on Prey 'A satirical black-comedy thriller… Crichton writes likes Tom Wolfe on speed… completely brilliant… Crichton's treatise on how breakthroughs in genetic science have been hijacked by science is anything but dull… top form' Daily Mail on Next 'The pages whip by. Does exactly what you want the prose in a thriller to do' Telegraph on State of Fear

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Book SynopsisTen years on from Trainspotting Sick Boy is back in Edinburgh after a long spell in London. Having failed spectacularly as a hustler, pimp, husband, father and businessman, Sick Boy taps into an opportunity which to him represents one last throw of the dice. However, to realise his dream of directing and producing a pornographic movie, Sick Boy must team up with old pal and fellow exile Mark Renton. In the world of Porno, though, nothing is straightforward, as Sick Boy and Renton find out that they have unresolved issues to address concerning the increasingly unhinged Frank Begbie, the troubled, drug-addled Spud, but, most of all, with each other.Trade ReviewFunny, appalling, frightening * Mail on Sunday *A brilliant satirical study of the ugly dynamic which draws together predators and prey * Sunday Telegraph *Not for the fainthearted... Highly entertaining * Sunday Times *Funny and eloquently obscene * Daily Telegraph *A worthy sequel... A touching love song to the possibilities and limits of friendship. Charming, funny and sly, Porno is a good poke at all kinds of pretence and moral tidiness * Evening Standard *

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Book SynopsisWhen Lolita was first published in 1955 it created a sensation and established Nabokov as one of the most original prose writers of the twentieth century. This annotated edition, a revised and considerably expanded version of the 1970 edition, does full justice to the textual riches of Lolita, illuminating the elaborate verbal textures and showing how they contribute to the novel''s overall meaning. Alfred Appel, Jr. also provides fresh observations on the novel''s artifice, games and verbal patternings and a delightful biographical vignette of Nabokov. The annotations themselves were prepared in consultation with Nabokov while newly identified allusions were confirmed by him during the final years of his life.

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Book SynopsisIn this essential Star Wars Legends novel, the second in the Darth Bane trilogy, the fearsome Sith lord takes on a deadly new apprentice. Darth Bane's twisted genius made him a natural leader among the Sith-until his radical embrace of an all-but-forgotten wisdom drove him to destroy his own order . . . and create it anew from the ashes. As the last surviving Sith, Darth Bane promulgated a harsh new directive: the Rule of Two.Two there should be; no more, no less.One to embody the power, the other to crave it.Now Darth Bane is ready to put his policy into action and thinks he has found the key element that will make his triumph complete: a student to train in the ways of the dark side. Though she is young, Zannah possesses an instinctive link to the dark side that rivals his own. With his guidance, she will become essential in his quest to destroy the Jedi and dominate the galaxy.

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Book SynopsisAn uncoming-of-age in New York City‘How to Be Somebody Else has literary oomph’ SUNDAY TIMES‘Brilliant… Luscious prose’ ANNIE LORD, author of Notes on Heartbreak‘Unsettling and original’ TESSA HADLEY, author of Free LoveSpring 2015, New York.On the surface Dylan has achieved the impossible - a life in New York, eight years of making this stick. And yet it is not the thing she'd imagined (what had she imagined?). When she walks out of her career, then apartment, and into a housesit for an artist she's never met, she does not tell her friends, her parents back in England, or Matt, her boyfriend, living on the West Coast.Job-free, rent-free, she'll make good on her book, herself, other things too, she's thinking, when her neighbour Kate shows up and invites her to a party. There she meets Gabe, who happens to be married to Kate but insists, 'it's not a thing'. The affair that follows consumes her and she begins to consider what is fixed and what is variable. Can a person be both? Is Gabe the thing he seems? Is she?As spring turns to summer, her experiments in living test loyalties and boundaries until an unexpected encounter between the two couples forces her to confront her future.***A MARIE CLAIRE BEST BOOK OF 2024***Trade ReviewHow to Be Somebody Else has literary oomph... What sets this debut apart is the way it sustains its sparky style to the last page without stinting on the serious stuff * Sunday Times *Sharp and entertaining * Daily Mail *Brutal and brilliant, in luscious prose, How to Be Somebody Else shows us what happens when life starts to unfurl -- Annie Lord, author of Notes on HeartbreakUnsettling and original -- Tessa Hadley, author of After the FuneralSo sharp and well observed. I loved the wry, understated humour, and how perceptive the book is about female desire. In its exploration of a woman trying to make sense of herself it is moving without being sentimental, and clever without seeming to try too hard -- Rebecca Wait, author of I'm Sorry You Feel That WayA stunning novel. Remarkable and real. Every single line is supercharged with a kind of cerebral eroticism, a zinging inventive intelligence. The sentences buzz and hum -- Samantha Harvey, author of OrbitalCompulsive. It makes its moves with such assurance that it’s hard to believe this is Pountney’s first novel. A wild mess of sex and feeling is here given beautiful form -- Adam Thirlwell, author of The Future Future

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Book SynopsisThe highly anticipated follow-up to Alexander MacLeod's critically acclaimed debut, Animal Person is a wry and perfectly-observed collection of short stories about intimacy, family and the struggle to connectAnimal Person is a collection of startling juxtapositions. Criminals and bystanders, siblings and strangers, infants, adolescents, young parents, and the elderly, mammals, reptiles and fish: unexpected encounters occur and every meeting is an opportunity for recognition or rejection.An empty-nest couple, separated after years of coexisting, find themselves pulled into the dreams of their silent, gazing rabbit; a mysterious passenger in search of his missing suitcase roams through the caverns of a 1970s LA airport; a piano recital goes wildly astray; and a great-aunt refuses to apologise as she struggles to find a place for everything in the tight space of her senior's apartment. In the adjoining motel room, a serial killer plans his next move; and a petty argument between two sisters is interrupted by an unexpected visitor.The eight stories in Animal Person are filled with wonder and yearning as MacLeod captures the fleeting intensities that shape all of our lives. MacLeod is a master of the short story form, and this is a collection that beats with raw emotion and shimmers with the complexity of our shared human experience.'Exquisite...expertly paced and finely observed' New York Times'Excellent... The eight stories, composed in crystalline prose, glimmer and gleam with yearning and loss' Eithne Farry, Daily Mail'Tender, funny and ever-surprising' Lynn CoadyTrade ReviewThe eight stories in Alexander MacLeod's excellent second collection, composed in crystalline prose, glimmer and gleam with yearning and loss, as strange longings overwhelm his finely-drawn characters. -- Eithne Farry * Daily Mail *Exquisite. * New York Times *Mesmerising... MacLeod...explore[s] the absurdities and dislocations of twenty-first-century life. -- James Moran * Tablet *Brilliantly unsettling. -- Alison Kelly * Times Literary Supplement *A five-star book. I loved it. Eight short stories, each one satisfying and complete... They all have a kind of yearning, a voice that is intimate, often troubled, but each shines a light on relationships good and bad. -- Claire Fuller

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Book Synopsis''A brilliant debut'' Guardian1870s, the Black Country.Michael is a miner. But it's no life for a man.Michael exhausts himself working two jobs, to send his son Luke to school, so he won't have to be a miner too.Down the pit one day, he finds a seam of gold. If he gets it out, he can save his own life, and Luke''s.But his workmate has other ideasMercia's Take summons an England in the heat of the industrial revolution, and the lives it took to make it. Gripping, powerful and intense, it is the debut of an astonishing new talent.

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Book Synopsis'I laughed. I cried. I loved it' - Jack Dee This is not what Pete thought middle-age would be like. His marriage is over, his business is on its last breaths and he's spending more time than is healthy in a dressing gown. So when his 23-year-old daughter Susie needs to move back home, it's like a glorious ray of sunshine has found him at last.Except that she brings Niall with her. Niall: the boyfriend. Niall: a druid gardener who inexplicably only works from home. Niall: the annoying shadow that follows Susie everywhere.Getting Niall out of the house becomes Pete's new purpose in life. But as he tries to bring Niall's flaws to the surface, Pete is forced to admit he's far from perfect himself. And spending time with this oddball – as awkward as it may be – is making Pete open up in ways he'd long shut down.Separation for Beginners is a warm and wise novel about facing old heartaches and finding new friends, in the unlikeliest of places . . .This uplifting, laugh-out-loud funny read about new beginnings is perfect for fans of David Nicholls, Beth O'Leary and Marian Keyes. ___________'Sharp-witted, self-deprecating and honest, had me laughing from start to finish' - Daily Mail'Sharp and heart-warming' - Daily Mail, Fiction Books of the Year ___________

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Book SynopsisIn a time when looking into the past has become a socially unacceptable and illegal act in the Nation, a group of scholars are offered an attractive residency to allow them to pursue their projects. When the residency transpires to be a devastating trick, these Researchers go on the run, and soon discover that their projects all relate to one major event: the Isletese Disaster – the decline and subsequent devastation fifty years earlier of a long-forgotten roaming archipelago called The Islets.One figure emerges as central to all of their work: Hester Heller, a reformed cult musiker turned student recruited from the Institute for Transmission as an agent of the state and tasked with gathering reconnaissance on the Disaster by using her old band Vehicle as a cover. Heller is the key to the Researchers collective story, which they try to piece together while evading their pursuers.Compiled from the Researchers’ disparate documentation, recollections, and even their imaginations, Vehicle is a timely and daring exploration of xenophobia, exploitation, the writing of histories and legacies, and the politics of translation.

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Book SynopsisTo save your lifeYou must kill the one you loveCan you do it?Sarah is madly in love with boyfriend Theo, and can’t wait to go on their first weekend away.But by the end of the first night, Theo is dead. And Sarah has killed him. But she swears she had no choice.She was forced to kill Theo because of something that happened a lifetime ago … something buried in her past.Now, Sarah has one week to find the truth of what happened back then and prove her innocence, before she’s turned over to the police.She’s spent years running from the truth – but now the choices of her past might destroy her future.A fast-paced, addictive thriller that fans of Gillian McAllister and Linwood Barclay won’t be able to put down.Readers are loving The Choice:‘So many twists that you are never sure what is going to happen next…thoroughly entertaining and one hell of a rollercoaster ride.’ Reader Review‘A clever, gripping and unexpected read…The ending is mindblowing and well-executed.’ Reader Review‘Amazing story, really captivated me!...Loved every minute of it.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review‘A classic thriller tale with twists and turns that keeps the reader engaged, turning page after page to reach the climax. Deception, murder, greed and revenge fill the pages.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review‘This tale is creepy and scary in parts. Suspenseful and tense! I couldn’t get enough.’ Reader Review‘Rollercoaster of a suspense, packed with action and unpredictable twists and turns, a well-crafted cast of characters and a vein of deliciously dark humour.’ Reader Review‘Really suspenseful and kept me on my toes throughout most of the book.’ Reader Review‘Wow! What an intense read from page one…I loved the crazy thrilling ride it took me on.’ Reader Review‘Fast paced, hooks you in. Great book that keeps your attention.’ Reader ReviewPraise for P.D. Viner’s breakneck thrillers:‘I loved it! A very fast-paced, action-packed story with lots of suspense to keep you reading straight to the very end!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review‘Go with the flow and enjoy the rollercoaster ride…A gripping thriller that surprises, at times, by being laugh-out-loud funny.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review‘So gripping that I couldn’t have put it down even if I had wanted to…full of suspense and mystery, I loved it.’ Reader Review‘This one is certainly worth a read. A fun ride through a very dark night. Recommended.’ Reader Review‘A fun, high-energy read…this thriller offers you a rollercoaster of a ride.’ Reader Review‘Wow… It’s intense, gory and gripping, and I really enjoyed it!’ Reader Review‘I really enjoyed this book, it grabbed me from the very first page.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review‘A twisty and scary read that I couldn’t put down!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review‘The suspense starts straight away… it kept me hooked throughout’ Reader Review

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Book SynopsisA WALL STREET JOURNAL BEST BOOK OF THE YEARForty years after John Edgar Wideman's first book of stories, comes this stunning collection that is vital reading for anyone interested in the state of America today. Its subjects range from Michael Jordan to Emmett Till, from distrust of authority to everyday grief, from childhood memories to the final day in a prison cell.A boy stands alone in his grandmother's house, unable to enter the room in which his grandfather's coffin lies, afraid the dead man may speak, afraid he won't speak. Freddie Jackson's song 'You Are My Lady' plays on the car radio as a son is brought to a prison cell in Arizona. A narrator contemplates the Atlanta child murders from 1979.Never satisfied to simply tell a story, Wideman continues to push form, with stories within stories, sentences that rise like a jazz solo with every connecting clause, voices that reflect who he is and where he's from, and an exploration of time that entangles past and present. Whether historical or contemporary, intimate or expansive, the stories here represent a pioneering American writer whose innovation and imagination know no bounds.Trade ReviewThis is truly inimitable storytelling. No one writes an American horror story like John Edgar Wideman * * Observer * *Master of language . . . Wideman has always been less interested in what a story tells than how it gets told, how the telling shapes our perception of our world. In works that erode the boundaries between fiction, memoir and essay, Wideman explores the impulses that drive storytelling itself, returning to some enduring themes and formal devices * * New York Times Book Review * *Wideman is one of the great tragedians of American literature . . . This collection, Wideman's artistic consummation, is also the site of his unravelling, and there are moments of unbearable vulnerability when the author puts aside his great gifts to lie down in the rag and bone shop of the heart * * Wall Street Journal * *Philosophical, ruminative and alive with wordplay . . . In each story, Wideman illustrates just how intricately the past is interwoven with the present, and there is plenty here to satisfy fans of captivating literary storytelling * * Booklist (starred review) * *A book that demands and deserves attention * * Scotsman * *Look for Me and I'll Be Gone, a short-story collection that draws fluidly from his personal life, is John Edgar Wideman's extended farewell to outrage . . . The book's style is so deceptively modest it stares you down and waits for you to realise it's cut your heart out while you coasted along on the calm surface of the syntax into a seething indictment of every aspect of society * * 4Columns * *Wideman's stories have a wary, brooding spirit, a lonely intelligence. They carry a real but atrophied affection for America. He airs the problems of consciousness, including the fragile contingency of our existence -- Dwight Garner * * New York Times on You Made Me Love You * *Praise for American Histories: The stories in American Histories read like an immense jazz riff . . . The acutely immersive world of American Histories is irresistible, and these profoundly moving stories will haunt you long after you've finished reading * * Guardian * *Wideman's rage against American injustice and racial prejudice burns magma-hot in his latest short stories . . . Immensely powerful . . . Challenging, animating, enlivening and electrifying; it does what literature should do. It's a bruising experience that leaves you feeling vulnerable and excited and alive * * Spectator * *Wideman's stories range widely over experiences from slavery to the present day . . . All are illumined by a searching intelligence and a willingness to test the boundaries of the short story form * * New York Times * *

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Book SynopsisOn the cusp of the 1960s, Ben moves into the ancestral home of his aunt and uncle and quickly learns to appreciate his new life of languid opulence. Until five years later, when a woman's body is found on the estate. As a murder investigation begins, Ben is placed on a collision course with his family and sees their power in a harsh new light.

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Book SynopsisWith the Duke of Dunstable trying to steal his pig to sell to Lord Tilbury, mischievous Church Lads camping in his park, his sister Constance bossing him unmercifully, and Lavender Briggs, his secretary, making life miserable, Lord Emsworth has little time to concentrate on the invasion of Blandings Castle by yet another impostor. But Bill Bailey, a.k.a. Cuthbert Meriwether, has inveigled himself into the castle to be with his beloved, Myra Schoonmaker, who is staying there under the eagle eye of Lady Constance, and Lady Constance is determined to thwart him. In the end virtue conquers vice: the lovers are united, Dunstable defeated and Tilbury trounced, but only through the brilliant plotting of Frederick, Earl of Ickenham whose greatest triumph is to marry off Lady Constance to an old admirer, Myra's father. In the end everyone is happy who deserves to be, none more so than Lord Emsworth who at one fell swoop frees himself from the tyranny of a duke, a secretary and a sisterTrade ReviewThe handsome bindings are only the cherry on top of what is already a cake without compare * Evening Standard *He exhausts superlatives * Stephen Fry *

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Book SynopsisIn The Bloody Chamber, Carter's famous collection of deeply unsettling stories inspired by fairy tales, a Beauty is turned into a Beast and Little Red Riding's grandmother is stoned to death as a witch; a young music student is swept off her feet in Paris by a middle-aged aristocrat and transported to his ancestral abode to re-enact the story of Bluebeard against a sumptuous fin de siècle background; a British soldier on a cycling holiday in Transylvania in the summer of 1914 finds himself the guest of an alluring female vampire. By contrast, in Wise Children, Carter's last novel), the comic, the bawdy and the life-enhancing prevail. An irrepressible elderly lady recalls the many colourful decades she and her sister spent as vaudeville performers - a tale as full of twins and mistaken identities as any plot of Shake- speare's. The early collection, Fireworks, reveals Carter taking her first forays into the fantastic writing that was to become her unforgettable legacy. The Everyman's Library omnibus gathers the best of Angela Carter in one astonishing volume.Trade ReviewShe writes a prose that lends itself to magnificent set pieces of fastidious sensuality * Ian McEwan *Angela Carter, for me, is still the one who said: "You see these fairy stories? Actually, each one of them is a loaded gun. Each of them is a bomb. Watch: if you turn it right it will blow up. -- Neil Gaiman * Daily Telegraph *

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Book Synopsis'One of the most impressive accounts of madness to be found in literature' ANITA BROOKNER'Lyrical, touching and deeply entertaining' JOHN MORTIMER, OBSERVER'Any one of her books could be published today and it would be ground-breaking' ELEANOR CATTON 'I was now an established citizen with little hope of returning across the frontier; I was in the crazy world, separated now by more than locked doors and barred windows from the people who called themselves sane.'When Janet Frame's doctor suggested that she write about her traumatic experiences in mental institutions in order to free herself from them, the result was Faces in the Water, a powerful and poignant novel. Istina Mavet descends through increasingly desolate wards, with the threat of leucotomy ever present. As she observes her fellow patients, long dismissed by hospital staff with humour and compassion, she reveals her original and questing mind. This riveting novel became an international classic, translated into nine languages, and has also been used as a medical school text.Trade ReviewOne of the most impressive accounts of madness to be found in literature . . . A masterpieceLyrical, touching and deeply entertaining * Observer *What an extraordinary woman she is, overcoming such obstacles, and making fresh and good use of them in her workJanet Frame's luminous words are the more precious because they were snatched from the jaws of the disaster of her early life . . . and yet to read her is no more difficult than breathingJanet Frame is the greatest New Zealand writer. She is utterly herself. Any one of her books could be published today and it would be ground-breaking

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Book SynopsisCover design by Orla Kiely Mildred Lathbury is one of those 'excellent women' who is often taken for granted. She is a godsend, 'capable of dealing with most of the stock situations of life - birth, marriage, death, the successful jumble sales, the garden fete spoilt by bad weather'. As such, though, she often gets herself embroiled in other people's lives - and especially those of her glamorous new neighbours, the Napiers, whose marriage seems to be on the rocks. One cannot take sides in these matters, though it is tricky, especially when Mildred, teetering on the edge of spinsterhood, has a soft spot for dashing young Rockingham Napier. This is Barbara Pym's world at its funniest and most touching.Trade ReviewOne of the finest examples of high comedy Lord David Cecil I don't think I've ever before recommended a novel as one that everybody will enjoy and yet - even with a certain assurance - I'm prepared to vouch for EXCELLENT WOMEN Marghanita Laski, OBSERVER I pick up her books with joy, as though I were meeting an old, dear friend who comforts me, extends my vision and makes me roar with laughter Jilly Cooper

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Book SynopsisThe perfect Mother's Day gift, from the author of About Us, Seven Letters and The Baby Trail_______________________What's a few more branches on the family tree?Things are finally looking up for Anna. Seventeen miserable years of marriage to man-child Connor have left her drained and ready for a new start. So when they separate, she couldn't be more thrilled to move in with James, a handsome lecturer who is everything her ex-husband is not: kind, thoughtful, and above all, reliable.But Anna and James's kids hate living with the loved-up couple and the new set-up. Their teenage daughters - one a studious high achiever and the other a cool rich girl unbothered by grades or exams - have nothing in common. And Anna's wild football-mad nine-year-old son declares war on bookish James.Nobody said step-parenting was easy; Anna and James are about to find out exactly how complicated it can be. With exes, new partners-of-exes and money all in the mix, home life is fast becoming a minefield and their new-found happiness hangs in the balance. Do they have what it takes to make their blended family work?________________________'Yours, Mine, Ours is her best to date . . . a hopeful book, full of love' MARIAN KEYES'A great read, lots of twists and turns, lots of humour' CLAIRE BYRNE'A story filled with heart and wit. It's impossible not to root for the characters' RACHAEL ENGLISH'Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant . . . I was on the edge of my seat to know whether it would all work out in the end . . . Sinéad is a true national treasure' CLAUDIA CARROLLTrade ReviewSinéad Moriarty writes consistently EXCELLENT novels about contemporary life - Yours, Mine, Ours is her best to date. A thoughtful, nuanced exploration of the very real dilemmas of a blended family. There are no trite solutions but it's still a hopeful book, full of love -- Marian KeyesA great read, lots of twists and turns, lots of humour -- Claire ByrneA story filled with heart and wit. It's impossible not to root for the characters -- Rachael EnglishEmpathy, humour and wisdom on every page. A terrific, though provoking, immersive read -- Patricia ScanlanWith her trademark wit and wisdom, Sinéad gets to the core of what makes a family, what breaks a family and what can put it back together. Thoroughly engaging and entertaining, a delightful read -- Liz NugentI really loved Yours, Mine, Ours. Sinéad is such a brilliant writer. It's utterly charming and life-affirming. Full of wisdom about love's imperfections and all of the everyday obstacles that can get in the way of love . . . very grown-up love story about finding love - and ourselves - as parents. I think people will really fall in love with Anna, as I did -- Edel CoffeyBrilliant, brilliant, brilliant. There is no living author who writes about the intricacies of family life quite like Sinead . . . It's funny and wonderfully well observed and gripping too - I was on the edge of my seat to know whether it would all work out in the end. Yours, Mine, Ours really is masterly and Sinéad is a true national treasure -- Claudia Carroll

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Book SynopsisPhaedrus - a character familiar to readers of 'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance' - is sailing down the Hudson River when he meets Lila Blewitt, an unapologetically sexual, psychologically unstable woman whom a mutual friend warns him against. But Phaedrus is drawn to her physically, and interested in her intellectually, finding her a culture of one in whom he discerns an unexpected Quality. Sailing with him to Manhattan, where her mental state deteriorates further, Lila promps Phaedrus to explore conflicts of values, such as those between Native Americans and Europeans, or between the insane and the normal.Trade ReviewThe compendious and digressive qualities… keep you bumping through the pages… the voice of the narrator carries some of the folksy weight and salty wisdom of a Mark Twain. * Sunday Times *This is a book I’ll come back to and read again… another one to be grateful for... * Scotsman *There’s still this terrible sense of madness and reality behind it which makes you realize it was written because it had to be written... the journey’s very much worthwile. * Time Out *Lila is unmistakably Pirsigian in style and content… this author is a Great Thinker. * Oxford Times *Written in everyday language, with searing disrespect for academia, this meandering holiday was a life-changer for me, both as a novel and a thesis. -- D.B.C PierrePirsig peppers the narrative with intriguing insights and provocative propositions - The Guardian, This is a book I'll come back to and read again…another one to be grateful for… * The Scotsman *

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Book SynopsisIn a remote part of Iceland, a boy and his friend Barður join a boat to fish for cod. A winter storm surprises them out at sea and Barður, who has forgotten his waterproof as he was too absorbed in 'Paradise Lost', succumbs to the ferocious cold and dies. Appalled by the death and by the fishermen's callous ability to set about gutting the fatal catch, the boy leaves the village, intending to return the book to its owner. The extreme hardship and danger of the journey is of little consequence to him - he has already resolved to join his friend in death. But once in the town he immerses himself in the stories and lives of its inhabitants, and decides that he cannot be with his friend just yet. Set at the turn of the twentieth century, Heaven and Hell is a perfectly formed, vivid and timeless story, lyrical in style, and as intense a reading experience as the forces of the Icelandic landscape themselves. An outstandingly moving novel.Trade Review'A glinting treasure' Der Spiegel. * Der Spiegel *'An outstanding narrative ... like a long breath from the depths of the sea' Nils C. Ahl, Le Monde. * Nils C. Ahl, Le Monde *'The author has a lyrical, poetic style ... the action unfolds vividly and dramatically, and the reader feels part of the scene. The combination creates an unusually intense reading experience' Alannah Hopkinson, Irish Examiner. * Irish Examiner *

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Book SynopsisThe first great novel - and perhaps still the most influential - Don Quixote contains within it all the seeds of modern fiction. A fantastic compound of reality and illusion in which the besotted Don Quixote and his down-to-earth companion, the faithful Sancho Panza, set out to right the world's wrongs in knightly combat, the narrative moves from philosophical speculation to broad comedy, taking in pastoral, farce and fantasy on the way. Between the Don's dreams of chivalry which inaugurate the novel, and his death which concludes it, Cervantes explores a range of experience and feeling worthy of his great contemporary, Shakespeare.

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Book SynopsisWhat happens when our oldest stories fail us? When all the rules have changed? The classic myth of Persephone reimagined for a modern-day reader. Persephone spends six months under the ground with her husband, king of the dead, and six months on earth with her mother, goddess of the harvest. It has been this way for nine thousand years. But when she emerges this spring, something is different. Rains lash the land, crops grow out of season or not at all, there are people trying to build a road through the woods, and her mother does not seem able to stop them. The natural world is changing rapidly and even the gods have lost control. While Demeter tries to regain her powers and fend off her daughter's husband, who wants to drag his queen back underground for good, Persephone finally gets a taste of freedom. But what will this mean for her mother, her husband, and for the new shoots of life inside her?

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Book SynopsisNewly revised by the author for this edition, and printed together in one volume for the first time, Updike's four Rabbit novels chronicle the history of a man and a nation from the 1950s to the 1980s. Harry 'Rabbit' Angstrom, athlete, is Mr Middle America. Dazzling in style, tender in feeling, often erotic in description and coruscating with realistic details which recreate a world in each novel, these books give a complete picture of their age.

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Book SynopsisTwelve-year-old Hans Thomas lives alone with his father, a man who likes to give his son lessons about life and has a penchant for philosophy. Hans Thomas' mother left when he was four (to 'find' herself) and the story begins when father and son set off on a trip to Greece, where she now lives, to try to persuade her to come home. En route, in Switzerland, Hans Thomas is given a magnifying glass by a dwarf at a petrol station, and the next day he finds a tiny book in his bread roll which can only be read with a magnifying glass. How did the book come to be there? Why does the dwarf keep showing up? It is all very perplexing and Hans Thomas has enough to cope with, with the daunting prospect of seeing his mother. Now his journey has turned into an encounter with the unfathomable...or does it all have a logical explanation?

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Book SynopsisThe world's threats are universal like the sun but Ricardo Reis takes shelter under his own shadow. Back in Lisbon after sixteen years practising medicine in Brazil, Ricardo Reis wanders the rain-sodden streets. He longs for the unattainably aristocratic Marcenda, but it is Lydia, the hotel chamber maid who makes and shares his bed. His old friend, the poet Fernando Pessoa, returns to see him, still wearing the suit he was buried in six weeks earlier. It is 1936, the clouds of Fascism are gathering ominously above them, so they talk; a wonderful, rambling discourse on art, truth, poetry, philosophy, destiny and love.Trade ReviewThe greatest of his novels * New Statesman *Lovely...a work of fluent and amazing gracefulness * Independent *A capacious, funny, threatening novel * New York Times Review of Books *He has created a body of work of luminous power: ironic, intellectually playful, dense and strange * Scotsman *Shows Saramago to be a novelist of the grandest sort...it is a dramatic work of great philosophical weight, filtered through a refined contemplative intelligence * Independent *

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