Contemporary fiction titles are those which focus on the present or near past. Stories rooted in the current cultural, social, and political landscape which feature characters we can all recognise.
Contemporary Fiction Books
Crumps Barn Studio After the Horses
Book SynopsisHoping to reclaim the peace of her rural childhood, Margo moves with her husband to a remote corner of Gloucestershire, but life in this strange place is turning out to be very different from the dream. Warm, unflinching and funny. This is rural life stripped bare
£11.69
Verso Books Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree
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£14.24
Wilkinson Publishing Collision
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£19.12
The Conrad Press Britannia Rises: ruling the waves was just the
Book Synopsis‘Britannia Rises’ tells the story of how, in the near future, the British Empire faces a pivotal crossroads. When the queen dies, her peaceful, prosperous reign comes to an end after more than seven decades. The new monarch must tackle challenges from within his own family and decide how to keep The Empire competitive with their most powerful rivals. The other world powers are looking for any weakness they can find to subjugate Britain and take their place as the most powerful nation on Earth. At the same time, King Alfred must preserve the peace and focus on Outpost, the cooperative programme that will ensure the survival of the human species. Jamie Bayston is a young teacher, embarking on a wonderful life, who has the misfortune to witness a murder that will plunge him into the dark world that exists between The Empire and its struggle to maintain order. He must run and fight to keep himself and his family safe while facing up to the truth that the world he knows is just a small part of what’s really out there.
£10.44
Rising Action Smeg
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£15.30
Idea & Design Works Godzilla Library Collection Vol. 6
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£22.95
Dedalus Ltd The Ridiculous Age
Book Synopsis
£12.34
Crooked Lane Books The House of Spells and Secrets
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£16.19
Fly on the Wall Press The State of Us
Book Synopsis"this is no fairy story but a story of human beings" In Charlie Hill's satirical short story collection, people stare. Behind twitching curtains. Behind the lens of a camera. With an eye reminiscent of Samuel Beckett, Charlie Hill invites you to be privy to strange social experiments, laugh at the pomp of the privileged classes and dwell in space, floating in the introspection of your solitary thoughts. As these stories delve into questions of human nature, you just might recognise yourself...Trade Review'Wonderful - a collection of brilliantly inventive absurdist tales from our increasingly fictional reality. If Kafka had come from Birmingham and written about climate change, feminism, war, food, parenting and space travel, then the result might well have resembled The State of Us. The best sort of hilarious and poignant satire*' - Joanna Kavenna, novelist; 'An excellent collection that captures something essential about humanity...Hill has an auteur's eye for a perfectly-timed hard cut.' - Will Ashon, Author of 'Clear Water' (Faber); 'tremendous storytelling verve' - Ruth Gilligan; 'Charlie Hill is a real writer' - Jim Crace
£8.99
Vine Leaves Press HearRational
£9.99
New Century Our Man In Kuwait: A tense historical spy
Book Synopsis
£11.39
Kodansha America, Inc Tank Chair 7
Book SynopsisAn assassin in the world's deadliest wheelchair and his devoted sister carve an ultra-violent path to recovery across a slick, dystopic landscape in this action manga that fans of Chainsaw Man, Battle Angel Alita, and Dorohedoro will kill to read!The parapsychic duel between Nagi and Sensei on Guicheng Island is over, leaving the physical and mental landscape an utter ruin. Now our attention turns suddenly to three years in the past… Here, Nagi is Sensei’s prize student, a prodigy whom no classmate can match. What events led to Nagi and his sister fleeing the academy and incurring the wrath of the world’s deadliest being?
£12.59
And Other Stories Barley Patch
Book SynopsisEssential reading for anyone interested in the art of fiction and on how images shape our thoughts, reading and loves, Barley Patch lays bare the acts of writing and imagining. With something of the spirit of Calvino and Perec, this is a cornerstone of Murnane's unclassifiable project, for which he is a deserving Nobel Prize candidate.
£13.49
Orenda Books The Torments
Book Synopsis
£9.49
Saraband / Contraband The Disappearance of Adele Bedeau
Book SynopsisIntroducing Detective Georges GorskiFrom twice Booker-listed author of His Bloody Project and Case Study.Manfred Baumann is a loner. Socially awkward and ill at ease, he spends his evenings surreptitiously observing Adèle Bedeau, the sullen but alluring waitress at his local bistro. But one day, she vanishes into thin air. When Detective Georges Gorski begins investigating her disappearance, Manfred's repressed world is shaken to its core and he is forced to confront the dark secrets of his past.The Disappearance of Adèle Bedeau effortlessly conjures up an otherworldly atmosphere that simultaneously intrigues and unsettles. A compelling psychological portrayal of a peculiar outsiderpushed to the limit by his own feverish imagination, it is byturns haunting, strange and mesmeric Graeme Macrae Burnet's acclaimed debut, a literary mystery novel that is well on its way to achieving cult status.
£8.99
The Conrad Press The Shadows of Mystic River
Book SynopsisA novel about a young woman
£10.44
Triarchy Press The Ancient Device
Book SynopsisThis is the story of a dysfunctional band of players on their way to give a performance. Who they are, where they are and what they are up to, becomes uncertain as the book draws us into the mist, exploring notions of narrative, plot, fiction of the self', performance as device, myth-work' and using imaginary landscapes and figures for repair.
£15.20
The Conrad Press St Kilda Dreaming
Book Synopsis
£12.34
Western Michigan University, New Issues Press Boy Meets Girl
Book SynopsisTold in two alternating timelines, this novel follows a friendship over twenty-five years.Boy Meets Girl is the story of a twenty-five-year friendship between Sammy Browne (young, idealistic, and broke) and Ben Eisenberg (older, jaded, and almost unimaginably rich)—two characters drawn together, and ultimately torn apart, by their differences. This novel tells the story of their relationship over the decades—from youthful flirtation to unrequited love, to long-term friendship that flourishes in middle age, to estrangement and then reunion. The novel unfolds in alternating chapters, toggling back and forth between Ben and Sammy as young people and in middle age, showing everything the characters hoped to become and how things turned out for them. Boy Meets Girl unfolds against the political and social backdrop of the last three decades, with Bill Clinton’s election, the events of September 11, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and even the Trump era providing context and contrast for the personal stories of the main characters.Trade Review“During the 1992 presidential primary, a girl—friendless for now—is closing a sandwich shop in New Hampshire. In walks Bill Clinton, bigger than life. She makes him a chicken salad on rye. The novel that ensues from these few minutes is a transfixing plunge through twenty-five years of American history: not Clinton’s history, but the girl’s and others like her, who stand just outside the spotlight of political power but whom this novel makes glow with their own significance. Boy Meets Girl is also an absorbing story of an enduring male-female friendship, written with confidence and great comic flair by a writer at the top of her game.” * Salvatore Scibona *"The intertwining of the personal and the political is at the heart of Christie Hodgen’s Boy Meets Girl, a smart, funny novel. . . .Portraying American political life through the prism of romantic realism, Boy Meets Girl is an ambitious and beautiful trawl through liberal, middle-class America that captures the deep emotional rifts between the haves and the have-nots." * Foreword *“With Bill Clinton’s ‘92 campaign and Occupy Wall Street as background, Boy Meets Girl is both a complex analysis of the haves and have-nots in America and a wry, moving portrait of a friendship between two unsure young people flirting with the edge of romance. Boy Meets Girl is so smart and heartfelt, so heartbreakingly sad and funny, I wanted it to go on and on. Another triumph by Christie Hodgen, more proof that she’s one of our wisest writers.” * Stewart O'Nan, author of 'Ocean State' *
£12.00
Zibby Books Wine People: A Novel
Book SynopsisA Time Magazine “25 New Books You Need to Read This Summer” “A riveting, behind-the-scenes portrait of a high-drama industry, from the chateau to the corner office…pour a glass and dive in.”—Oprah Daily An intoxicating escape into the cutthroat world of wine and the complicated terrain of women’s friendship. What happens when two ambitious young women, opposite in every way, join forces in a competitive male-dominated industry? Wren and Thessaly collide when they land coveted jobs at a glamorous New York City boutique wine importer. Hardworking, by-the-book Wren comes from a modest background and has everything to prove while Thessaly hails from a family of prestigious California growers—but she is plagued by self-doubt. Thrown together at work, where they're expected to have exquisite palates, endless tolerance for alcohol and socializing, and the ability to sell, sell, sell, they regard each other with suspicion. It’s only on an important European business trip—with everything on the line for both of them—that they unexpectedly forge an alliance that will change the course of their careers and personal lives. With mouth-watering descriptions of food and wine, Wine People takes readers from France, Germany, and Italy to the Midwest and California Wine Country. An utterly entertaining page-turner that explores how close friends can both misjudge and uplift each other.Trade Review“A riveting, behind-the-scenes portrait of a high-drama industry, from the chateau to the corner office…pour a glass and dive in.” —Oprah Daily "So intoxicatingly real and so, so smart and moving, Wildgen’s novel plumbs the depths of female friendship through the lives of two indelible characters: outsider Wren and golden girl Thessaly, who both enter the wine business as young women, fiercely bond, and then go into business together. Grappling with who they really were and who they now are meant to be, both together and apart, this is a stunner about ambition, love, and family. Wine connoisseurs, foodies, and literature lovers will be enraptured." —Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of With or Without You “Wildgen beautifully captures the shifting feelings and perspectives of a long friendship evolving over time, even as she illuminates a little-known corner of wine culture. An intriguing read!” —Andrea Barrett, National Book Award-winning author of Ship Fever and Natural History "An intoxicating story of friendship, workplace politics, entrepreneurship, and, of course, the elixir of the Gods, Wine People is all the wine metaphors and then some. Savor it.” —Elisa Albert, author of Human Blues “I blazed through this novel—a complicated, authentic examination of female ambition and friendship that also happens to be such fun to read.” —Vauhini Vara, author of The Immortal King Rao “Wine People follows wine professionals Wren and Thessaly as they compete to become the heirs of a retiring New York City importer—but it's just as much about what happens after that. In sharp, sensory prose, Wildgen takes us from Madison, Wisconsin and Sonoma, California to Italy, France, and beyond. In her hands, wine is many things at once: a sometimes-destroyer of relationships, yes, but also an ancient art that bottles time and place. Smart and very funny, satirical but deeply felt, Wine People is an ode to the complexity of working friendships—as well as a shrewd, clear-eyed love letter to wine and the people who make, import, and drink it.” —Chloe Benjamin, New York Times bestselling author of The Immortalists
£12.34
VIZ Media LLC Dogsred Vol. 4
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£10.44
Simon & Schuster Love After Midnight
Book Synopsis
£9.49
Charco Press Fate
Book SynopsisThis novel focuses on a group of characters who are all in different ways endeavouring to take control of their fate. Their desire to lead a genuine existence forces them to confront difficult decisions, and to break out of comfortable routines.Karl and Marina have been together for ten years and have a young son, Simón. Karl is a German-born oboist at Argentina’s national orchestra, and Marina is a meteorologist. On a field trip, she meets fellow researcher Zárate, and what might have been just a fling starts to erode the foundations of her marriage. Then there is Amer, a dynamic and successful taxidermist. At a group therapy session for smokers, Amer falls for the younger Clara. While the relationship between Karl and Marina disintegrates, the love story between Amer and Clara is just beginning – or is it already at an end? One of Argentina’s leading contemporary writers, Jorge Consiglio portrays the inner worlds of these characters through the minute details of their everyday lives, laying bare their strivings and their frustrations with a wry gaze, and seeking in this close-up texture a deeper truth.Trade Review"A moving testament to the beauty and banality of human relationships." —Publishers Weekly"A masterpiece that refuses to stay still."** —Culture Trip**"Fate could be likened to a pointillist painting by Seurat, with each dab of colour and each descriptive passage contributing to what is finally a beautifully structured and brilliantly shimmering whole."** —New York Magazine (The Strategist UK)"In the realm of fiction, an author has total authority over their characters, and they can inject interactions with meaning and pattern-play in a way therapists warn us not to in our day to day lives. It takes a particular level of craftsmanship to do this at the level of the sentence, with the effortlessness that Consiglio seamlessly achieves, and to sweep a reader so tenderly into the progress." —White Review**"A muted and unhurried novel that insists on the validity of the imperfect present."** —Kirkus**"The beauty of this novel...is that it provides no answers, but many questions. It can be reflected upon, re-read, and reconsidered."** —BookBlast**"The language of Fate has teeth and claws."** —Books and Bao**"Fate is a rich tapestry of language, a sharp depiction of the vagaries of fate and a thoughtful meditation on the human condition."** —The Monthly Booking**"Consiglio’s writing aches with poetry through its attention and complexity."** —The Skinny**"Packed full of sensuality and written in fresh, candid prose."** —The Quietus**** Praise for Jorge Consiglio**"Employing a language that is sharp, concise and visceral, it proves his talent as a natural storyteller and as a social chronicler and poet of some refinement."** —Morning Star**"There is a timeless quality to Consiglio’s prose...a storyteller of rare ingenuity."** —Splice**"His stories are told with dispassionate realism while being varnished with a surrealist gloss, creating his own in-between style...Occasional poetic turns reminiscent of Pablo Neruda erupt within the narrative."** —Culture Trip**"[Consiglio] carves out a singular space by focusing on characters who do not quite have a place of their own."** —Full Stop**
£9.49
Rupa Publications India Pvt Ltd. DONE WITH LOVE
Book SynopsisAfter a riot of a vacation in Goa, and finding theove of herife in the very handsome Dr Vivian D'' Mello, Kairavi Kay'' Krishna, a ditzy and dramatic travel journalist, is set for anotheraugh-a-minute romantic adventure. Our delicious hero and sassy heroine are very much inove, and are just about to tie the knot when Vivian''s evil twin sister and his hot,eggy ex enter the scene. That, coupled with Vivian''s unexplained commitment phobia, threatens to throw their fairy-tale romance to rocky waters. As Kay struggles with heartbreak and jealous rage, she is faced with an unexpected question: will theirove survive the odds? Will they make it or break it? Done withove is another delightfully irreverent story by bestselling author Shuchi Singh, who writes on friendship, romance and the world of women.
£7.49
Prakash Books Premchand Ki Anmol Kahaniya
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£7.95
Double 9 Booksllp St. George For England
Book Synopsis
£13.49
Double 9 Booksllp Hans Brinker Or, The Silver Skates
Book Synopsis
£15.29
Double 9 Booksllp Seraphita
Book SynopsisHonore de Balzac's book Seraphita is a work of fiction. It tells the story of a young man named Wilfrid who develops a fascination with the enigmatic Seraphitus. Seraphitus is one of a group of supernatural entities who live in the Norwegian highlands. Wilfrid is first captivated to Seraphitus by the purity and beauty of his/her voice, but as he immerses himself more into Seraphitus' world, he starts to have doubts about his/her own views on love, gender, and spirituality. As the story goes on, Wilfrid develops feelings for Seraphitus but finds it difficult to comprehend their romance due to Seraphitus' uncertain gender. Seraphitus finally discloses that he or she is a manifestation of the divine and that love is a force that is independent of gender and physical appearance. Seraphita is known for exploring topics connected to gender, sexuality, and spirituality. Balzac utilizes the book as a platform to criticize gender stereotypes and promote a more flexible and inclusive concept of identity.
£11.07
Double 9 Books That Printer of Udells A Story of the Middle West
Book Synopsis
£12.79
Crooked Lane Books Merry
£16.19
Crooked Lane Books Hating You Interrupted
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£16.19
Airship I Got Married to the Girl I Hate Most in Class Light Novel Vol. 1
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£13.49
Little, Brown Book Group The Magnificent Sons a comingofage novel full of
Book SynopsisThe brand new novel from Justin Myers, acclaimed author of The Last Romeo
£12.74
Dialogue Reproduction
Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE 2019 SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE An internationally bestselling debut novel: an energetically told, funny and moving book about how strangers become family.Reproduction tells a crooked love story which takes strange, winding paths shaped by community, family and fleeting interactions that leave an inedible imprint. Felicia, a nineteen-year-old West Indian student, and Edgar, an impetuous heir of a wealthy German family, meet when their ailing mothers are assigned the same hospital room. An odd-couple relationship blooms between Edgar and Felicia, ripe with miscommunications and reprisals for perceived and real offences that have some unexpected results. Fast-forward, their son Armistice is a teenager fixated on a variety of get-rich-quick schemes that are as comic as they are indicative of the immigrant son''s fear of falling through the cracks. When Edgar re-enters Felicia''s life at a typically inopportune moment, the book''Trade ReviewCaptivating . . . There's a fluidity and zest to Williams's insightful writing . . . A finely balanced novel -- Colin Grant * Guardian *Vastly enjoyable . . . Top-notch comic dialogue makes this light-footed navigation of race and gender politics fizz on the page -- Anthony Cummins * Daily Mail *[An] extremely funny Canadian debut about the decades-long fallout from an ill-advised hook-up between a young Caribbean student and an older white businessman, each grieving the loss of a parent. Pure pleasure, line after pitch-perfect line * Daily Mail *
£7.19
Little, Brown Book Group Roseland
Book Synopsis The Sunday Times bestselling author and much-loved bookclub champion returns to Cornwall with a beautiful, character-driven mystery loosely inspired by du Maurier's Rebecca.Trade Review Utterly captivating and beautifully told. It is clear that not only does Judy, book club champion, know how to spot a compelling novel to read, but also how to write an utterly gorgeous one -- ADELE PARKS * Platinum Magazine *There's nothing not to love about this book with its elegance of storytelling and wonderful setting of Cornwall. I especially loved the reworking of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, one of my all time favourites. -- SUSAN LEWISEvocative, enthralling and full of human insight -- CELIA WALDEN, author of PaydayRoseland is a mysterious, emotional story set in a beautifully-imagined Cornish landscape. At times the writing has a dreamlike quality as we are drawn into the secrets of a family who are haunted by the past and anxious for the future. I was completely invested in the characters and sped through the pages, craving answers, delighting in the family frissons and mounting drama. A captivating read. -- HAZEL PRIOR, author of AWAY WITH THE PENGUINSHaunting, evocative and simmering with atmosphere, Roseland is a captivating novel about family, love and long-buried secrets. With suspense spun into every page, this epic mystery will transport you effortlessly to the Cornish coast, and keep you absolutely spellbound -- HOLLY MILLER, author of THE SIGHT OF YOU Brimming with secrets, scandal and surprises. A modern twist on Rebecca that will keep readers guessing until the very end. -- MARIANNE CRONIN, author of THE ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF LENNI AND MARGOTI devoured Judy Finnigan's Roseland. A most intriguing tale of revenge and love wrapped in an evocative Cornish setting. and I was completely captured by the intricate web woven between Roseland's cast of sparkling characters. -- AMANDA GEARD, author of THE MIDNIGHT HOUSEI loved this gloriously gripping family drama filled with resentment, vengeance, redemption and love. -- LIZ FENWICKSimmers with secrets. Roseland is a captivating and beautifully told gothic mystery with strong du Maurier vibes. -- VICTORIA SELMAN, author of TRULY, DARKLY, DEEPLYThis well-written story with themes of grief, friendship and motherhood is captivating * CANDIS MAGAZINE *[Roseland], reminiscent of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, weaves a captivating narrative, exploring haunting legacies and uncertain futures. * YOURS MAGAZINE *
£16.00
Little, Brown Book Group Under the Same Stars
Book Synopsis''Beautifully written, with such heart. Not only did it make me cry, it made me see the world in a different way''JOANNA CANNONFind escape with the beautiful, moving literary debut from Sunday Times-bestselling author Alexandra Heminsley, a stunning story of sisterhood and wilderness.Clara Seymour is trying to find her feet in London, living away from home for the first time. Brought up by her domineering mother, treasuring time any time with her adoring father, Clara''s world is brought to a standstill when her dad abruptly dies.Then, a mystery comes to light in a letter from him.I am sure you are aware that before I met your mother I had a previous marriage. But what we never discussed is that we had a daughter.So begins a journey of discovery that takes Clara to remote Norway and a landscape as brutal as it is bewitching, a voyage fraught with personal and emotional danger to reveal who her father realTrade ReviewA gorgeous, insightful tale about grief, loneliness and sisterhood * Good Housekeeping (15 best books of the summer) *A beautiful hygge read. I devoured it * Harriet Evans *It's beautifully written, with such heart, and yet also with such incredible elegance. Not only did it make me cry, it made me see the world in a different way * Joanna Cannon *An exploration of loneliness, grief and identity which . . . never fails to keep its grip * Daily Mail *An engrossing, inspiring emotional rollercoaster * Keith Stuart *A moving story of hope and adventure * Daisy Buchanan *A charming story about finding your inner strength and learning to understand others. It will have you itching to book a trip to scenic Scandinvia too. * Woman & Home *Elegantly written * Harper's Bazaar *I was gripped from the first page, and crying by the last. Beautiful and bittersweet * Lauren Bravo *Expertly crafted * The i Paper *Heminsley has form in exploring the relationship between women's bodies and the landscape, as well as complicated family dynamic . . . a corker * Metro *Full of love, intrigue, caring and passion, you won't be able to put it down * Yours Magazine *I loved being marooned on the island with Maggie. Her wildness and the stark beauty of her life has left me with a deep yearning to follow in Clara's footsteps. Utterly transportive and enjoyable * Polly Samson *Alexandra writes beautifully, and I loved Clara and Maggie's story and the amazing Arctic setting. An incredibly moving debut novel. It made me cry and want to go and eat cloudberries. * Nikki Smith *
£11.24
Orion Publishing Co One Came Back
Book SynopsisOn impact, the boy seemed to fold down and disappear, as if maybe he hadn''t been there in the first place... It''s New Year''s Eve in Edinburgh when Emily sees Nicky. Or at least she thinks she does. He looks, laughs and moves just like Nicky. But how can that be? Nicky is dead. He died when they were teenagers, that fateful night on a dark road up in the Highlands... didn''t he?A week later, Emily sees the man again, and he says his name Nicholas. Her confusion begins to grow - this man not only looks like her friend all grown up, but he also knows things that only Nicky should know.As her encounters with Nicholas become more frequent and her fixation intensifies, the truth becomes murkier, and more terrifying. Is Emily being haunted, is she going mad? Or is something altogether darker going on...ONE CAME BACK is a powerfully tense debut novel that unites the chill of the modern gothic with the hook of
£17.00
Dialogue The Glorious Dead
£16.50
Salt Publishing The Watch
Book SynopsisShortlisted for the Lucy Cavendish 2020 Fiction PrizeOne sweltering midsummer night, two young women forge an unlikely bond. One of them is full of hope and ambition, the other devoid of it. How can they lead good lives, they wonder? What will they give to the world? By the time the sun comes up, their futures have been rewritten and their fates decided. Captivating and involving, in turns joyful and desolate, this haunting mystery is an exploration of vicariousness, virtue and privilege.Trade ReviewAt an English University in the 1980s, an undergraduate is asked to keep an overnight suicide watch on another student, Danielle. It’s a meaningful experience for her, but our narrator is young and arrogant, with her life planned out and nothing but excitement for the future, so she can’t identify with Danielle’s dread of living another day. The years go by, she marries, has children and becomes a journalist as part of her long-term strategy to become an MP and make a difference in the world – but she’s never forgotten her night with Danielle and what passed between them. Until finally, after three decades, she gets the chance to find out the truth about her, and why their outlooks were so diametrically opposed. Berki’s novel is an absorbing exploration of the responsibilities we have for other people, and what it means to do good, which tips expectations on their heads with a surprising conclusion. -- Alastair Mabbott * The Herald *
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Spent Bullets
£11.77
Penguin Putnam Inc Made You Look
£14.44
Semiotext (E) Grand Rapids
£15.29
Seven Stories Press UK Living in Your Light
Book Synopsis
£11.99
Penguin Books Ltd Auntie Mame
Book SynopsisPatrick Dennis (1921 - 1976) was one of the most widely read American authors of the 1950s and '60s. Among his sixteen novels, the majority of which were bestsellers, are Little Me, Around the World with Auntie Mame, Tony, How Firm a Foundation and Genius. A celebrity in bohemian New York culture, he led a double life as a bisexual man and a conventional husband and father, until becoming an exemplary butler to the elite in West Palm Beach and Chicago in the 1970s. In his own words, he attributed this change to being 'out of fashion' - and, 'I've said everything that I had to say. Twice.'Trade ReviewLike Tennessee Williams, Patrick Dennis caught the boldness, vitality, and iridescent theatricality of modern American personality. In Mame's mercurial metamorphoses we see American optimism and self-invention writ large. * Camille Paglia *Extravaganet follies and delirious escapades. * New York Times *As hilarious as a Marx brothers comedy. As elegant as a Schiaparelli eau de toilette. As exhilarating as laughing gas. * Vanity Fair *'[Dennis] writes beautifully ... absolutely delightful ... camp as all boots but still funny!' -- Ian HislopOne of the funniest books I've ever read ... a comedy classic -- Kate Saunders * Radio 4's A Good Read *
£9.49
Quercus Publishing PS I Hate You
Book Synopsis ''Made me laugh, cry, smile, and everything in between . . . a heartwarming story of healing and finding love when you least expect it'' - Jo Segura, USA Today bestselling author of Raiders of the Lost Heart In this splendidly bittersweet romantic comedy, enemies forced together by a mutual loss are led on a cross-country journey toward a second chance.Maddie Sanderson would do anything to honour her brother''s final wishes, but she did not sign up to partner with Josh''s best friend, Dominic Perry.Tasked with spreading Josh''s ashes over eight destinations - places that he never got to visit before he died - Maddie is forced to work with the man that broke her heart. Embarking on a series of farewell trips together isn''t what either of them had in mind, but with a letter from Josh at each location, neither of them has a choice.Alone together for the first time in years, Maddie and Dom can''t deny their chemistry. But as sparks fly and old wounds reopen, will saying goodbye to the man they both loved be enough to bring them back together . . . ? Readers love P.S. I Hate You . . . ''Simply incredible . . . an absolutely perfect mix of emotional and romantic'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''What a fantastic, moving, special book'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''I loved this so much!'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''A great read with heartbreaking undertones and a hot romance at its core'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''I haven''t devoured a book like this in so long'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''A story like this one does not come around very often'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''Life-changing'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''You NEED to read this book'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co The Witches of New York
Book SynopsisThose averse to magic need not apply... The perfect novel for Halloween!Trade ReviewMcKay's prose is, as always, superb - the descriptions enchanting, the narrative arcs compelling, the characters dear (or deliciously sinister, as the case may be) * TORONTO STAR *In this weighty, wonderful novel, McKay takes a sidelong glance at misogyny through a veil of witches, ghosts, and other mystical entities in 1880 New York.... Skillful worldbuilding, fascinating characters, and a suspenseful plot make McKay's novel an enchanting, can't-put-down delight * PUBLISHERS WEEKLY starred review *
£10.44
Little, Brown Book Group TheOptimists Daughter by Welty Eudora Author ON
Book SynopsisThe people of Mount Salus, Mississippi always felt good about Judge McKelva. He was a quiet, solid reassuring figure, just as a judge should be. Then, ten years after his first wife''s death, he marries the frivolous young Wanda Fay. No-one can understand his action, not least his beloved daughter, Laurel, who finds it hard to accept the new bride. It is only some years later, when circumstance brings her back to her childhood home, that Laurel stirs old memories and comes to understand the peculiarities of her upbringing, and the true relationship between her parents and herself.The Optimist''s Daughter is a reflective, poignant novel of independence and love, for which Eudora Welty, one of America''s gretest contemporary Southern writers, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize.
£9.49
Little, Brown Book Group The Lie of the Land
Book Synopsis''A very good read indeed'' MATT HAIG''Terrific, page-turning, slyly funny'' INDIA KNIGHT''As satisfying a novel as I have read in years'' SARAH PERRY''One of the most brilliant and entertaining novelists'' ALISON LURIEQuentin and Lottie Bredin, like many modern couples, can''t afford to divorce. Having lost their jobs in the recession, they can''t afford to go on living in London; instead, they must downsize and move their three children to a house in a remote part of Devon. Arrogant and adulterous, Quentin can''t understand why Lottie is so angry; devastated and humiliated, Lottie feels herself to have been intolerably wounded.Mud, mice and quarrels are one thing - but why is their rent so low? What is the mystery surrounding their unappealing new home? The beauty of the landscape is ravishing, yet it conceals a dark side involving poverty, revenge, abuse and violence which will rise up to threaten them.Sally Verity, happily married but unhappily childless knows a different side to country life, as both a Health Visitor and a sheep farmer''s wife; and when Lottie''s innocent teenage son Xan gets a zero-hours contract at a local pie factory, he sees yet another. At the end of their year, the lives of all will be changed for ever. A suspenseful black comedy, this is a rich, compassionate and enthralling novel in its depiction of the English countryside, and the potentially lethal interplay between money and marriage.A BOOK OF THE YEAR IN THE GUARDIAN, OBSERVER, TELEGRAPH, NEW STATESMAN, EVENING STANDARD, SUNDAY TIMES AND IRISH TIMESTrade ReviewI loved the The Lie of the Land. A panoramic, superbly-plotted novel about the ways we live now, about money and desire, cruelty and generosity, crime and vengeance, country and city. Craig is at the top of her game in the sweep of her storytelling, the richness of her characters, her black comedy, irony and commitment Helen Dunmore There is much to relish here. The sharp characters, the smooth grown-up prose, the irony, and the ability to weave warmth and dark honesty like few other novelists can. A very good read indeed -- Matt Haig Amanda Craig is one of the most brilliant and entertaining novelists now working in Britain and her range of sympathy and humor and understanding of the Way We Live Now are deeply impressive Alison Lurie Sharply satirical Observer As we watch the Bredin family tumble down the property ladder out of the city to the shock of country life, Amanda Craig fearlessly and faultlessly dissects our 21st century life capturing all the anxieties and absurdities of austerity era Britain. We are left simultaneously laughing and cringing as we can't fail to see ourselves in the lives of those portrayed in The Lie of the Land. Like all great fiction, it embraces us with a brilliant story while holding up an unflinching mirror asking questions of ourselves Roland Gulliver, Associate Director, Edinburgh International Book Festival A marvellously readable novel, written with great humour and spark, but also social heart and central relevance to the way we live now. To achieve both in one is a terrific - and uncommon Caroline Sanderson, the Bookseller You have a treat in store when you read the witty and insightful new novel by Amanda Craig. I just *love* The Lie of the Land, on so many levels. Land works as a rollicking narrative, a forensic examination of a marriage many will recognise, a skilful portrayal of rural poverty (spiritual as well as economic) and a serious evocation of the way humans can change Bel Moooney A hugely readable book packed with incident gradually turns into a rich and revealing portrait of contemporary Britain Readers Digest A hugely entertaining black comedy and psychological thriller rolled into one Saga Craig's finger is on the nation's pulse in this sharply perceived family drama Woman & Home Beautifully written ... she writes extremely well on the nature of empathy and on the political forces that help shape who we are Metro Pacy, well observed and, as misery brings Quentin and Lottie closer together, oddly touching -- Max Davidson Mail on Sunday A gripping, compassionate and often funny take on a cross-section of Britain that fiction tends to overlook. In the end, it is good to get out of London Sunday Times
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