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
Quercus Publishing Expiration Dates
Book Synopsis''Rebecca Serle is a maestro of love in all its forms'' GABRIELLE ZEVIN, author of Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow ''Everything you could wish for in a love story - beautifully told, effortlessly romantic, and surprising in the very best of ways'' HOLLY MILLER, author of What Might Have Been Daphne has never left her love life to chance. The truth is, she can''t . . . Every time she meets a man, a note will arrive. On it, a name and a date. An expiration date.Without fail, Daphne has always known when her next relationship will end. So when a note arrives with only a name on it: Jake, she is sure this is it. Finally, her own happy ever after. But is it . . . ? Because Daphne has another secret, and this one has the power to break Jake''s heart. Will their love story have an expiration date, or is fate on Daphne''s side at last? A heartbreaking and emotional read from the queen of unexpected
£15.29
Fairlight Books The House of Marvellous Books
Book SynopsisTucked away in a near-derelict library in the centre of London, The House of Marvellous Books is a publishing house on the brink of financial disaster. With assistant Ursula asleep at her desk, head publisher Gerard going health and safety mad, and chief editor Drusilla focused on finding a supposedly priceless but famously missing manuscript, there is hardly anyone left to steer the ship. Young Mortimer Blakeley-Smith, junior editor, charts the descent of the House in his logbook as it lurches from one failure to the next. Will mysterious Russian buyers, lurking in the wings, finally sink the ship? Or will Drusilla find the legendary Daybreak Manuscript and save the day?Trade Review'A joyride of a novel ripe with delightful irony and a flurry of colourful characters. It will have its readers smiling throughout' -Jac Shreeves-Lee, author of 'Broadwater'; 'A book full of funny lines, set pieces and memorable characters - Fiona Vigo Marshall's bookish jeu d'esprit is hugely entertaining' -Gill Darling, author of 'Erringby'; 'A must-read, rib-tickling, uproarious satire' -Peter Tyler, Emeritus Professor of Community Psychiatry and Consultant in Transformation Psychiatry, Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust; 'Amusing satire of the publishing industry' -The Independent; 'a hilarious and charming must-read for anyone who loves books - it deserves to be a massive word-of-mouth bestseller' -Red Magazine; 'This is a must-read for anyone who loves books' -Sarra Manning, author of 'Rescue Me'
£13.49
Quercus Publishing The Imposters
Book SynopsisThe Imposters is the first novel in stories that Tom Rachman has written since his international bestseller The Imperfectionists.'An astonishing achievement - brutally funny, humane, dizzying - will win Rachman the readership he deserves' Patrick Gale'Easily the best thing I have read in ages' Rebecca Wait'Clever and full of tricks from start to finish' SpectatorIt's set during a crisis in democracy, a society in lockdown linked digitally but convulsed by a social media frenzy, and is told by a little-known, little-read Dutch novelist named Dora Frenhofer who has decided that her life as an old woman in this post-truth pandemic world has become too much.But like a twenty-first century Scheherazade Dora spins stories to fend off the evil day, conjuring connections from her past to give meaning to the present. She imagines the fate of her missing brother, lost on the hippie trail in India in the sixties; the loneliness of her estranged daughter Beck, whose career writing stand-up shows for Netflix dramatizes the culture wars; Danny, an almost equally unfashionable writer she meets at a festival; the tortured history of the van driver who takes her unwanted books away; the nonchalant courier who nearly ran her over in the rain; her former lover, the sophisticated food critic; her last remaining friend. And finally, Dora's own last chapter.The Imposters is Rachman at his inimitable best, a writer whose formal ingenuity and flamboyant technique is matched by his humanity and generosity.Trade ReviewTom Rachman surpasses the already astonishing achievements of The Italian Teacher. His satire is often brutally funny, but always rooted in a humane acceptance that our flaws are what make us us. This is a dizzying switchback tale of our vanities and vain ambitions but also a deft illustration of the consolations (and condolatory revenges) of fiction. Dora Frenhofer, the relentless, failing novelist who powers the book along, is a spiky, courageous creation who will win Rachman the readership he deserves. Very sad the ride is over! -- Patrick GaleI absolutely loved The Imposters. It's terrifying, and yet made me laugh so hard. Tom Rachman is a wonderfully knowing writer, at home in half a dozen societies other than his own; and yet, The Imposters is a severe (at times hilarious) indictment of shallow cosmopolitanism, of the cruelty and disregard that can underlie the veneer of fluency in a global world, of failing to truly see the myriad peoples we find ourselves thrown amongst. -- Aatish TaseerIf like me you were a big fan of Tom Rachman's rollicking The Imperfectionists, you'll want to leap on his new novel, The Imposters. It's clever and funny and ingeniously constructed, also heartfelt: Rachman is a wizard at displaying jaundiced affection for his characters. And the dialogue zings along with an enviably Stoppardian zest. I couldn't have enjoyed myself more. -- Benjamin Dreyer, New York Times bestselling author of Dreyer's EnglishThe Imposters is Tom Rachman's fifth book in just over a decade. It is also his best - full of twists and surprises . . . Whether it's 1970s India, modern-day LA or Syria, Rachman has a good ear for place and time, and changes gear effortlessly. Each chapter is a short story in its own right, but when key characters turn up again elsewhere, the connection invariably is with Dora, until you start to wonder whether they might be the creations of this novelist, whose memory is perhaps not as bad as we thought . . . The Imposters is clever and full of tricks from start to finish. It is also very moving. * Spectator *Like a twisting kaleidoscope . . . sharp, witty and inventive * Daily Mail *A novel full of wit and observation . . . Rachman's vivid evocation of life and his literary compassion compel the reader to read on and admire. * Tablet *Rachman is observant and funny in his take on how parents and partners damage their loved ones. Yet, Dora - the failed mother, halfhearted romantic partner and unfulfilled author - remains an oddly likeable presence: "She specified herself to be Dutch, therefore allowed to be blunt." Ultimately, this is a beguiling book about the wear and tear of disappointments and the transformative value of storytelling. Failure and loss, Rachman notes, can also be material. As can a pandemic. * Financial Times *
£12.74
Quercus Publishing Great Expectations
Book Synopsis''A phenomenal, transfixing?work; Cunningham is a singular, dazzling writer'' Bryan Washington''A coming-of-age novel of the richest, most expansive kind, it''s a rare debut, one that feels both intimate and revelatory'' Megan Abbott''Rarer is a debut that announces a talent like Cunningham''s'' New York TimesA historic presidential campaign changes the trajectory of a young Black man''s life in the highly anticipated debut novel from one of The New Yorker''s rising stars.I''d seen the Senator speak a few times before my life got caught up, however distantly, with his, but the first time I can remember paying real attention was when he delivered the speech announcing his run for the Presidency.When David first hears the Senator from Illinois speak, he feels deep ambivalence. Intrigued by the Senator''s idealistic rhetoric, David also wonders how he''ll balance the fervent belief and inevitable compromises
£16.14
Fairlight Books Instructions for the Working Day
Book Synopsis'You go too far, my friend. You are near dangerous ground.' Neil Fischer is travelling to a village in East Germany that he has unexpectedly inherited - his father's former hometown of Marschwald. Knowing it has been left to deteriorate for decades after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Neil is determined to restore the derelict village to its former glory, as his demanding late father would surely have wanted. But when he arrives, he is met with hostility, mistrust and underlying menace. His only friend in Marschwald is Silke, who is coming to terms with her traumatic experiences during the Cold War and has recently uncovered a shocking truth. As tensions rise, a series of surreal encounters force Neil to contend with his own troubled past - but in his present, all signs point to danger.Trade Review'a clever reflection on ramifications of the Stasi era in East Germany, is an elegant, chilling reminder of what happens when people set out to deliberately disintegrate another person's spirit' -The Independent; 'An evocative and poignant novel exploring home and family and the hold of the past. Totally absorbing' -Alison Moore, author of the Man Booker shortlisted 'The Lighthouse'; 'I love how this seemingly quiet novel is also one of extremes: funny and tragic, captivating and disturbing. Joanna Campbell has written a mind-bending and enigmatic story that blurs the lines between thought and reality' -Claire Fuller, author of 'Unsettled Ground'; 'Instructions for the Working Day not only weaves an uncomfortable, gripping story of foreboding but also leads the reader to a better understanding of the deeply felt ramifications of the post-war era of the German Democratic Republic for a whole country and its residents, the echoes of which can still be felt today' -Kerry Mead, The Mechanics' Institute Review; 'I've been a fan of Joanna Campbell's short stories for some time now and it's a joy to see her turn her considerable talents to the novel. I hope this wonderful book brings her the wider recognition she so deserves' -Paul McVeigh, author of 'The Good Son', winner of the Polari Prize 2016
£9.49
Random House The House of the Spirits
Book SynopsisA beautiful hardback edition of a Latin American classic - the enthralling saga of three generations of a proud and passionate family, secret loves and violent revolution.''Extraordinary... Powerful... Sharply observant, witty and eloquent'' New York TimesAs a girl, Clara del Valle can read fortunes, make objects move as if they had lives of their own, and predict the future.Following the mysterious death of her sister, Rosa the Beautiful, Clara is mute for nine years. When she breaks her silence, it is to announce that she will be married soon to the stern and volatile landowner Esteban Trueba.Set in an unnamed Latin American country over three generations, The House of the Spirits is a magnificent epic reminiscent of the writing of Gabriel Garcia Marquez.''A novel to be read for its brilliant craftsmanship and its narrative of inescapable power'' El Pais''Intensely moving. Both entertaining a
£17.09
Daunt Books Sheep's Clothing
Book Synopsis
£9.49
Eye Books The Gift of Cockleberry Bay
Book SynopsisAll our favourite characters from Cockleberry Bay are back, including Hot, Rosa Smith's adorable dachshund, and his new-born puppies. Now successfully running the Cockleberry Cafe and wishing to start a family herself, Rosa feels the time is right to let her inherited corner shop go. However, her benefactor left one important legal proviso: that the shop cannot be sold, only passed on to somebody who really deserves it. Rosa is torn. How can she make such a huge decision? And will it be the right one? Once the news gets out, untrustworthy newcomers appear in the Bay, their motives uncertain. With the revelation of more secrets from Rosa's family heritage, a new series of unpredictable and life-changing events begins to unfold. The Gift of Cockleberry Bay concludes this phenomenally successful series in typically brisk and bolshy style and will delight Rosa's many thousands of fans.
£7.99
Eye Books The Enemy Within
Book SynopsisIt's 1984. Tommy Wildeblood, hero of Beneath the Streets, has put his days as a Piccadilly rent boy and scandal-hunting sleuth behind him, to study at the radical Polytechnic of North London. During a pitched battle against National Front infiltrators at the Poly, he meets handsome young Irishman Liam and embarks on the sort of romantic relationship he never thought he would have. But is it too good to be true? Liam's abrupt disappearance prompts Tommy to question how much he knows about his new lover. Dusting off his old sleuthing skills, Tommy's hunt for Liam takes him into the dark and violent netherworld of radical politics. As his search moves to an explosive climax, he finds himself in danger of carrying the can for one of the most shocking events of the decade. With the twin spectres of Aids and nuclear armageddon never far away, The Enemy Within is a gritty thriller built around a story of love in terrifying times. It captures the unique spirit of a dark and brooding age, with a supporting cast including Derek Jarman, corrupt Trotskyist leader Gerry Healy, a young Jeremy Corbyn and even Maggie Thatcher herself.Trade Review'Wildeblood is a thoroughly likeable hero' - Mail on Sunday. 'A rent boy turned detective - fantastic!' Jonathan Harvey. Macqueen has created a really memorable main character: brave, clever and brimming with moral indignation, but also vulnerable'. John Preston, The Critic.
£9.49
Daunt Books Green Water Green Sky
Book Synopsis
£9.49
Oneworld Publications The Biggerers
Book Synopsis Introducing a witty and unique voice poised to take the literary world by storm. For fans of The Borrowers, Munmun and The Truckers. Everybody became a bit mean. A bit individual. Units. That's all humanity could say for itself – well, it couldn't actually, because it was made up of too many, um, units. And then there were the elderly, who could never bear to be so isolated, yet isolated they were. It was cruel, really it was. And kids – not that many people had them any more – they seemed to be born sitting in one of those egg-shaped chairs, only seeing what was right in front of them. So, the government asked a doctor, that famous one, to get a team together and figure it all out. He did. Everyone got a playmate. Well, everyone who wanted one, could buy a playmate. About a foot tall, they stood, naked (except in winter), very affectionate, not too intelligent. Mute, but cute - exactly what every home needs. Something to love, little units of love. The Biggerers is set in a dystopian future where our two heroes, Bonbon and Jinx, spend their days gathering stones and feathers for their basket, and waiting to be fed by their owners. But it’s not long before getting sick, falling in love and wondering why they can’t eat with a spoon pushes them to realise they are exactly the same as their owners…only smaller.Trade Review‘It’s not simply the dynamic between owner and owned that drives this unnerving and funny dystopian debut. As Jinx and Bonbon develop — the pains of dawning consciousness are brilliantly evoked — everything changes.’ * Daily Mail *'Lilwall complicates the littlers’ gradual awakening to their human ability to love with satiric reflections... Science fiction fans will appreciate the unusual perspective of humans as seen through their pets’ eyes.' * Publishers Weekly *‘This inventive novel is set in a dystopian future in which full-sized humans keep mini-humans as pets. Idiosyncratic, bizarre and occasionally baffling, this bleakly comic novel will make for a perfect book club pick.’ * Bookriot *‘An entertaining, action-filled, and often troubling work of dystopian fiction... Fantasy and speculative fiction fans will enjoy this terrific mix of adventure, social commentary, and dark humour.’ * Library Journal *'Amy Lilwall is going to be a star. It is very rare to come across a writer as talented as she is. Her work is truly awesome: clever, compelling and very, very readable.' * Scarlett Thomas, author of The End of Mr. Y *‘I really did enjoy this book. There is something there that begs you to read further… The characters feel very real, with very understandable motivations.’ * Looking Glass Reads *'In The Biggerers, Amy Lilwall deftly walks a line between the playful and hilarious, and the truly terrifying. It is a remarkable debut – wonderfully unsettling and startlingly astute – and the most original dystopian novel I’ve read in years.' * Wyl Menmuir, author of The Many *'A dystopian black comedy set in a world where "full-sized humans keep mini-humans as pets." This edgy work of speculative fiction shocks and enthralls with its striking originality.' * Book Riot Best of 2018 *‘An entertaining, action-filled, and often troubling work of dystopian fiction…the book is absorbing, and Bonbon and Jinx are memorable, charming protagonists… Fantasy and speculative fiction fans will enjoy this terrific mix of adventure, social commentary, and dark humour.’ * Library Journal *'Exciting debut weird fiction, which may well become a talking point for book club types all over the world and is ideal for fans of The Borrowers, Munmun and The Truckers.' * Starburst *‘Impressive… One of the things that’s most interesting about The Biggerers is that there are clear parallels to other genre tales, but it’s such an eclectic bunch of influences… Lilwall is not afraid to have moments of dark comedy or to suddenly challenge her readers... It’s more than the eye-catching concept, it’s fantastic.’ * SciFiNow *
£15.29
Canongate Books A Long Island Story
Book SynopsisRick Gekoski's follow-up to his critically acclaimed debut, Darke, is a novel about 1950s America, a marriage in crisis, and a family falling apart at the seams
£15.29
Tangent Books Land Of The Free
Book Synopsis
£13.50
Canongate Books Ltd Like Flies from Afar
Book SynopsisA wickedly dark, multi-award-winning noir novel in translation about corruption in the Argentine state
£9.74
Influx Press Our Struggle
Book SynopsisPaul, ex-tube driver and drinking partner of legendary Union leader Bob Crowe turns up at Essex University in the early 1980s haunted by the death of his colleague on the tracks. Thrown into the radical mix of Student Union life and the academic intoxication of post-modern theory taught by the likes of Ernesto Laclau, Jaques Derrida and a very young Slavoj Zizek, Paul befriends the novel’s unnamed narrator. What follows is a riotous attempt to put the 20th Century to bed, as seen through the eyes of the foot soldiers of British history. From Miners strikes to IRA collection buckets, ANC demonstrations and some very dodgy handling of Soviet money, Our Struggle climaxes with a devastating denouement in modern day Kurdistan. Holloway’s epic tale asks the big questions, does what we think, what we say and what we do ever match up or are we destined to fall short of the ideals we think we cherish?
£9.49
Random House Cecilia
Book Synopsis''Thrillingly disorienting... ultra-sensual'' GUARDIAN''Hauntingly beautiful'' GLAMOUR''Rowdy and razor-sharp'' ALEXANDRA KLEEMANAn erotic, surreal novella about the ecstasies of intense friendships and obsessive loveSeven, who works as a cleaner at a chiropractor's office, re-encounters Cecilia, a woman who has obsessed her since their school days.As the two of them board the same bus each dubiously claiming not to be following the other their chance meeting spurs a series of intensely vivid and corporeal memories. As past and present bleed together, Seven can feel her desire begin to unmoor her from the flow of time.Smart, subversive and gripping, Cecilia is a winding, misty road trip through bodily transformation, inextricable histories of violence and love, and the ghosts of girlhood friendship.''An intriguing tale of obsession...at once strange and erotic'' ATTITUDE<
£11.69
Random House The Volunteer
Book SynopsisAn odyssey of loss and salvation ranging across four generations of fathers and sons, in the finest tradition of American storytelling. The year is 1966 and a young man named Vollie Frade, almost on a whim, enlists in the United States Marine Corps to fight in Vietnam.
£15.29
Influx Press Marshland
Book SynopsisCocker spaniel by his side, Gareth E. Rees wanders the marshes of Hackney, Leyton, and Walthamstow, avoiding his family and the pressures of life. He discovers a lost world of Victorian filter plants, ancient grazing lands, dead toy factories and tidal rivers on the edgelands of a rapidly changing city. As strange tales of bears, crocodiles, magic narrowboats, and apocalyptic tribes begin to manifest, Rees embarks on a psychedelic journey across time and into the dark heart of London itself. First published by Influx Press in 2013, Marshland is a deep map of the east London marshes where nothing it as it seems, blending local history, folklore, and weird fiction in a genre-straddling classic of contemporary place writing. This fully revised and expanded 2024 edition features brand-new material and never before-seen photographs from the author''s archive.
£10.79
Vintage Publishing The Paper Man: ‘One of our finest writers’ John
Book SynopsisAn unforgettable and sweeping interwar love story, from the Costa-shortlisted and bestselling Irish author of Life Sentences'Imaginative, beautifully told... Superb'SPECTATOR'The best book yet by a truly gifted Irish writer'GABRIEL BYRNE, author of Walking with Ghosts1980s Cork. Jack Shine discovers a shoe box full of love letters in his mother's belongings. Rebekah came to Cork alone as a young Jewish refugee from Vienna when the Second World War broke out. She died soon after, and Jack never learned of his father's identity. Why did she keep newspaper clippings about a famous footballer player? Who was 'The Paper Man'?As Jack uncovers his mother's life, he is transported to 1930s Vienna, a bustling city on the brink of war. At the heart of the action is Matthias Sindelar, one of the most famous footballers in the world, known as 'The Paper Man' because of his effortless weave across the pitch. When Sindelar unexpectedly meets Rebekah, both of their lives are changed forever. As war looms, they must accept that their survival will tear them apart.Based on true events, The Paper Man is the story of twentieth-century Europe and love against the odds. It is a story that will take Jack far from Cork and all the way back to Vienna, and towards The Paper Man.Trade ReviewImaginative, beautifully told... Billy O'Callaghan arranges the story superbly * Spectator *As the moving story unspools, O'Callaghan proves himself the most engaging of storytellers * Daily Mail *The Paper Man is Billy O'Callaghan's most ambitious work to date, and it fulfils its ambitions magnificently. Exciting, moving, perceptive and wonderfully entertaining -- John Banville, author of The SeaA beautiful, layered novel about love, football and family. As the world falls apart in its darkest hours, this story tells of a life so bright, it echoes on into the generations: so that even in tragedy, there is always hope -- Elaine Feeney, author of As You WereGorgeous. Billy O'Callaghan writes with such a spirit of warmth about the darkest of subjects -- Sara Baume, author of A Line Made by WalkingBilly O'Callaghan's writing is powerfully emotional and wholly captivating from page one. The Paper Man is the best book yet by a truly gifted Irish writer -- Gabriel Byrne, author of Walking with GhostsHistory’s inherited burden presses firmly on the characters in Billy O’Callaghan’s The Paper Man... O’Callaghan moves his narrative deftly between the Vienna of the Anschluss, rural Austria before the Nazi takeover and early 1980s Ireland * New York Times *
£15.19
Quercus Publishing The Lost Child
Book Synopsis1877, Durham. After a traumatic and harrowing incident at the hands of a stranger, a woman gives birth to a child. However, she is persuaded by her husband to give him up to a local couple. On the same dark and stormy night, a local pit owner turns his wife out onto the bleak moors, telling her son she is evil. The woman is never seen again. 1895, Durham. Twenty years later, these seemingly unrelated events have shaped the characters of two unloved boys, who have now grown to be men. They, in turn, are about to change the lives of two innocent young women as the past reaches out and casts a shadow over the present. Praise for Elizabeth Gill'Original and evocative - a born storyteller' Trisha Ashley 'A wonderful book, full of passion, pain, sweetness, twists and turns. I couldn't put it down' Sheila Newberry 'Elizabeth Gill writes with a masterful grasp of conflicts and passions' Leah Fleming 'An enthralling and satisfying novel that will leave you wanting more' Catherine King'If you love Catherine Cookson then you will love Elizabeth Gill' Northern EchoTrade ReviewOriginal and evocative - a born storyteller * Trisha Ashley *A wonderful book, full of passion, pain, sweetness, twists and turns. I couldn't put it down * Sheila Newberry *Elizabeth Gill writes with a masterful grasp of conflicts and passions * Leah Fleming *An enthralling and satisfying novel that will leave you wanting more * Catherine King *If you love Catherine Cookson then you will love Elizabeth Gill * Northern Echo *
£17.84
Scribe Publications Darkenbloom
Book SynopsisA panoramic novel of European history, by an internationally bestselling writer. The whole truth, as the name implies, is the collective knowledge of all those involved. Which is why you can never piece it together again properly afterwards. Because a few of those who possessed a part of it are always already dead. Or lying, or their memories are bad. It's 1989, and in a small town on the AustriaHungary border, nobody talks about the war; the older residents pretend not to remember, and the younger ones are too busy making plans to leave. The walls are thin, the curtains twitch, there is a face at every window, and everyone knows what they are not supposed to say. But as thousands of East German refugees mass at the border, it seems that the past is knocking on Darkenbloom's door. Still, though, nobody talks about the war. Until a mysterious visitor shows up asking questions. Until townspeople start receiving threatening letters and even disappearing. Until a body is foun
£17.00
Profile Books Ltd Paradise Block
Book Synopsis**SHORTLISTED FOR THE EDGE HILL SHORT STORY PRIZE** 'Taps into a deep and compelling strangeness with vigour and humour and heart... A disturbing and moving collection' Chris Power, author of Mothers In Paradise Block, mould grows as thick as fur along the walls, alarms ring out at unexpected hours and none of the neighbours are quite what they seem. A little girl boils endless eggs in her family's burnt-out flat, an isolated old woman entices a new friend with gifts of cutlery and cufflinks, and a young bride grows frustrated with her unappreciative husband, the caretaker of creaking, dilapidated Paradise Block. With a haunting sense of place and a keen eye for the absurd, these thirteen surreal stories lure us into a topsy-turvy world where fleatraps are more important than babies and sales calls for luxury coffins provide a welcome distraction. Lonely residents live in close proximity while longing for connection.Trade ReviewIn these brilliant stories Alice Ash taps into a deep and compelling strangeness with vigour and humour and heart. This is a disturbing and moving collection, an unusual combination I'd like to encounter more often. "I cannot look away", one of her narrators remarks; that's how I felt, too. -- Chris Power, author * Mothers *Alice Ash's writing gets right at the rot underneath the polish of things, picking out the gothic in the full light of day. ... These are dangerous stories of the best kind: treading the line between terror and delight. I couldn't peel my eyes off them. -- Livia Franchini, author * Shelf Life *Searingly brilliant ... She is a witch with words. -- Emma Jane UnsworthThis debut collection brims with honesty, humanity and a strong sense of the absurd ... inventive and energetic * TLS *A chorus of voices, an inventory of lives lived, relics formed from both joy and hardship... Mesmerising * White Review *A powerful testimony to the reality of life on the margins. Raw, bizarre, disturbing, funny and uncanny. -- Cathy Sweeney, author * Modern Times *The best weird fiction holds up a fairground mirror to what we blithely call normal, reflecting a reality that warps and flickers. In Paradise Block, Alice Ash creates a world that is disturbingly Not. Restless and unsettling, these stories take a step sideways and away from the expected. Uneasy and deliciously wrong. -- Rosie Garland, author * The Palace of Curiosities *Engaging, funny and surprising in equal measure, these stories are the work of a wonderfully unconventional imagination -- Laura Kaye, author * English Animals *A collection to savour - strange, funny, touching; Paradise Block is bound to be one of the debuts of the year ... it's very good -- Eliza Clark, author of Boy PartsThis is not a green and pleasant land, but something much more prevalent, over-looked and deeply English. These stories depict difficult, often cash-poor characters, but they are respectfully written with such texture and poetry that they give voice to the thousands of lives that they echo. Eclectic, dark, moving and sometimes very funny. -- Kate Sawyer, author of The StrandingLively, unerring, intimate and gorgeously grotesque! Sentences as satisfying as feeling the cool squish of silt between your toes. As you merrily connect the dots between crisscrossing lives, these stories will get under your skin & make themselves at home there. -- Gemma Reeves, author of Victoria ParkA matrix-like collection that reinvents the short story genre... the uneasy meshing of lives and stories is a reminder there is a strange poetry to co-existence. * Arts Desk *An unconventional collection that treads the line between the disturbing and the delightful... These stories get under your skin. * The F Word *Though dark, these stories are moving and funny, their stance on class and responsibility offering instances of bright clarity that turn the magnifying glass back onto the reader with a raised eyebrow ... read Paradise Block for a carnivalesque reflection of the world we live in. * Mslexia *Alice Ash shows such a knack for melding the mad with the mundane that it is hard to believe that this is her debut collection ... When some of the more prominent players in the individual stories turn up in another narrative, Ash does a superb job of making those connections real and helping us to see her characters from a whole host of angles... urgent and involving * Bookmunch *Dark, compelling imagination ... This is a writer to look out for * Edge Hill Prize Judges' Citation *
£11.04
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Cala
Book Synopsis
£15.19
Orenda Books The Daves Next Door: The shocking, explosive new
Book SynopsisThe lives of five strangers collide on a London train carriage, as they become involved in an incident that will change them all forever. A shocking, intensely emotive and wildly original new thriller from Will Carver… ‘Impossibly original, stylish, sinister and heartfelt. The Daves Next Door is so wildly fresh and unmatched, and once again proves that Will Carver has talent and creativity to burn’ Chris Whitaker ‘Once again, Will bends and twists the genre with a novel that is astonishing, profound and hard-hitting’ David Jackson ‘So clever, so dark, so utterly original. Where does Will Carver get his ideas?’ Victoria Selman ‘Stirring. Ambitious. Irreverent. Compassionate. Completely devoid of giveable f*@ks’ Dominic Nolan ___________________________________________________________ A disillusioned nurse suddenly learns how to care. An injured young sportsman wakes up find that he can see only in black and white. A desperate old widower takes too many pills and believes that two angels have arrived to usher him through purgatory. Two agoraphobic men called Dave share the symptoms of a brain tumour, and frequently waken their neighbour with their ongoing rows. Separate lives, running in parallel, destined to collide and then explode. Like the suicide bomber, riding the Circle Line, day after day, waiting for the right time to detonate, waiting for answers to his questions: Am I God? Am I dead? Will I blow up this train? Shocking, intensely emotive and wildly original, Will Carver’s The Daves Next Door is an explosive existential thriller and a piercing examination of what it means to be human … or not. ___________________________________________________________ ‘Will Carver is a thought-provoking and masterful writer of gut-punching fiction ... a powerhouse of a novel. Think Ira Levin at his best’ Michael Wood ‘Will has this uncanny knack of delving into your soul and revealing all the things you really think but are too scared to voice. Absolute GENIUS’ Lisa Hall ‘Another ingenious genre-bender … provocative, twisted and mind-bendingly original’ Sarah Sultoon ‘Sharp, wild and thrilling’ Danielle Louise ‘Completely unpredictable and definitely unputdownable’ Little Miss Book Lover ‘Risk-taking, provocative fiction at its absolute finest … unmissable’ Hair Past a Freckle ‘You don't just read a Will Carver, you experience it. It draws you in and not only entertains, but challenges you’ From Belgium with Booklove Praise for Will Carver ‘One of the most exciting authors in Britain. After this, he’ll have his own cult following’ Daily Express ‘Unlike anything you’ll read this year’ Heat ‘Move the hell over Brett Easton Ellis and Chuck Palahniuk … Will Carver is the new lit prince of 21st-century disenfranchised, pop darkness’ Stephen J. Golds ‘Incredibly dark and very funny’ Harriet Tyce ‘I fell in love with Carver's murderous Maeve. This is an Eleanor Oliphant for crime fans. Carver truly at his best’ Sarah Pinborough ‘A darkly delicious page-turner’ S J Watson ‘One of the most compelling and original voices in crime fiction’ Alex North ‘Weirdly page-turning’ Sunday Times ‘Laying bare our 21st-century weaknesses and dilemmas, Carver has created a highly original state-of-the-nation novel’ Literary Review ‘Arguably the most original crime novel published this year’ Independent ‘This mesmeric novel paints a thought-provoking if depressing picture of modern life’ Guardian ‘This book is most memorable for its unrepentant darkness…’ Telegraph ‘Utterly mesmerising…’ Crime Monthly ‘Will Carver’s most exciting, original, hilarious and freaky outing yet’ Helen FitzGerald ‘Vivid and engaging and completely unexpected’ Lia Middleton
£8.54
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Everythings Perfect
Book Synopsis
£15.19
Orenda Books Dashboard Elvis is Dead: The epic, extraordinary
Book SynopsisA failed writer connects the murder of an American journalist, a drowned 80s musician and a Scottish politician’s resignation, in a heart-wrenching novel about ordinary people living in extraordinary times. ‘A dazzling, time-hopping patchwork of pop and politics, sewn together with wit and compassion’ Kirstin Innes ‘This amiable and ambitious transatlantic extravaganza is a busy social tapestry pegged to real-life events in Scotland and the US … Ross’s affection for his characters shines through. There’s so much going on here that value for money is pretty much all but guaranteed’ Daily Mail ‘A mesmerising road trip through the America of Kerouac, Warhol and Reagan. Dashboard Elvis may be dead, but this book is full of vibrant, authentic, colourful life’ Stuart Cosgrove **David F. Ross was shortlisted for Scottish Fiction Book of the Year in the Scottish Book Awards** ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Renowned photo-journalist Jude Montgomery arrives in Glasgow in 2014, in the wake of the failed Scottish independence referendum, and it’s clear that she’s searching for someone. Is it Anna Mason, who will go on to lead the country as First Minister? Jamie Hewitt, guitarist from eighties one-hit wonders The Hyptones? Or is it Rabbit – Jude’s estranged foster sister, now a world-famous artist? Three apparently unconnected people, who share a devastating secret, whose lives were forever changed by one traumatic night in Phoenix, forty years earlier. Taking us back to a school shooting in her Texas hometown, and a 1980s road trip across the American West – to San Francisco and on to New York – Jude’s search ends in Glasgow, and a final, shocking event that only one person can fully explain… An extraordinary, gritty and tender novel about fate and destiny, regret and absolution – and a road trip that changes everything… ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ‘Few do raw, authentic, almost palpably believable characters better than David F. Ross' The Times ‘A masterclass in transatlantic intertwining storytelling from one of Scotland’s finest writers’ Derek Steel, Razur Cuts ‘A rich and rewarding novel that takes in the culture and social history of both Scotland and the USA, beautifully weaving stories together over decades … devastating’ Alistair Braidwood, Scots Whay Hae ‘An ambitious, sweeping novel … Taut and gritty, Dashboard Elvis Is Dead interrogates truth, and pulses with life’ Donna McLean ‘An irresistible story of chances taken and missed, and of last-ditch hopes of redemption … the writing is exquisite’ Katie Allen ‘Gripping, gritty and gloriously written, David F. Ross captures characters, places and moods like few other writers … a triumph of a novel’ Martin Geissler ‘A rawness and sensitivity that is so visceral … another extraordinary novel from David F. Ross’ Anne Cater ‘Simultaneously intimate and epic … my head and heart are spinning’ From Belgium with Booklove
£9.49
Granta Books The Second Coming
Book SynopsisA luminous novel from the New York Times bestselling author of City on Fire, plunging us deep into the lives of a teenage girl and her father as they navigate love, grief, addiction, redemption and connection.
£17.00
Cranthorpe Millner Publishers Unquiet Minds
Book SynopsisIn this thrilling sequel to 'Restless Souls', Ronnie Brown's 'Unquiet Minds' follows historian-cum-detective R.I. Penny as he learns to cope with his past trauma and goes undercover to help investigate the horrific murder of a young woman that was savagely attacked.
£11.69
Orenda Books The Fascination: The INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES
Book SynopsisThe estranged grandson of a wealthy collector of human curiosities becomes fascinated with teenaged twin sisters, leading them into a web of dark obsessions. A dazzlingly dark gothic novel from the bestselling author of The Somnambulist. 'Makes skilful use of the tropes of Victorian gothic fiction… a story of society’s outsiders seeking acceptance and redemption' Sunday Times Book of the Month ‘Mysterious, sometimes shocking, full of surprises and twists … brimming with Victorian wonders!’ Sean Lusk ‘A magical, macabre masterpiece’ A.J. West ‘Fascinating and immersive’ Anna Mazzola ________________________________Victorian England. A world of rural fairgrounds and glamorous London theatres. A world of dark secrets and deadly obsessions… Twin sisters Keziah and Tilly Lovell are identical in every way, except that Tilly hasn't grown a single inch since she was five. Coerced into promoting their father's quack elixir as they tour the country fairgrounds, at the age of fifteen the girls are sold to a mysterious Italian known as ‘Captain’. Theo is an orphan, raised by his grandfather, Lord Seabrook, a man who has a dark interest in anatomical freaks and other curiosities … particularly the human kind. Resenting his grandson for his mother’s death in childbirth, when Seabrook remarries and a new heir is produced, Theo is forced to leave home without a penny to his name. Theo finds employment in Dr Summerwell’s Museum of Anatomy in London, and here he meets Captain and his theatrical ‘family’ of performers, freaks and outcasts. But it is Theo’s fascination with Tilly and Keziah that will lead all of them into a web of deceits, exposing the darkest secrets and threatening everything they know… Exploring universal themes of love and loss, the power of redemption and what it means to be unique, The Fascination is an evocative, glittering and bewitching gothic novel that brings alive Victorian London – and darkness and deception that lies beneath… ________________________________ ‘Essie Fox follows in the footsteps of Angela Carter and AS Byatt with an adult fairy tale that delves into the darkest compulsions of human nature … an opium trance of a novel, a vivid fantasmagoria’ Noel O’Reilly ‘Deliciously dark, full of twists and surprises’ Liz Hyder ‘Filled with gothic darkness and glorious hope’ Liz Fenwick ‘Rich, dark and heady … a glorious gothic carnival’ Kate Griffin ‘Truly unexpected and original’ Kate Forsyth ‘Beautifully researched, full of horrors and delights … a chilling, thrilling slice of Victorian gothic’ Bridget Walsh ‘A cast of characters Dickens would be proud of’ Frances Quinn ‘A dizzying potion of a novel’ Polly Crosby ‘A twisty, gothic treat … wild and wonderful cast of characters’ Rebecca John ‘Rich in peril, tempered with strange, theatrical beauty’ Kate Mascarenhas ‘A wonderful, captivating carnival’ Elizabeth Fremantle ‘Haunting and emotive’ Gill Paul ‘A gorgeously gothic slice of Victoriana’ Katherine Clements ‘Beautifully controlled … exceptional storytelling, exquisitely told’ Nydia Hetherington ‘A beautiful, haunting tale peopled by a thrilling set of living, breathing characters … very fine historical fiction’ Emma Carroll ‘So inventive and surprising … beautiful writing, unforgettable characters’ Juliet West ‘A sumptuous, gothic treat that will reel you in and not let you go until the final page. Bravo!’ Caroline Green ‘Essie Fox is the mistress of gothic Victoriana … utterly beguiling and rendered in exquisite detail … a wonderful, captivating carnival of a novel’ Elizabeth Fremantle ‘Wonderfully vivid and touching … extraordinary’ Adele Geras ‘I loved this story of a group of wonderful “others” fighting to find their place and purpose in a glittering, but unforgiving, Victorian England’ Marika Cobbold ‘Atmospheric, gripping and ultimately uplifting’ Karen Coles ‘Richly detailed, beautifully written … a fascinating read’ Michael J Malone ‘The very best kind of gothic’ Lianne Dillsworth ‘Masterful’ Louise Swanson ‘A kaleidoscopic, twisting, devilish novel guaranteed to dazzle and delight. I was utterly beguiled’ Dan Bassett, Bookseller
£15.29
Canelo The Missing
Book SynopsisThere are some nightmares from which we do not wakeThe affluent community in Corpus Christi is unaffected by the bizarre environmental disaster that completely destroyed Bedford, a neighbouring town, only a few miles away.However, when third-grade schoolteacher Lois Larkin takes the children on a field trip to the site of the disaster, everything changes. There, in the abandoned woods, a small boy unearths a horror unlike any other.The long, dark night is just beginning. A malevolent contagion starts to spread, and will not rest until it has devoured every living soul in Corpus Christi... and beyond.The apocalypse approaches in this Bram Stoker Award winning horror by Sarah Langan. Perfect for fans of A. M. Shine and Rebecca Netley.Langan has a sharp eye for the small, vivid details of American life, and her characters are utterly believable. Reminiscent of early Stephen King, this is not for the squeamish.''
£9.49
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Extenuating Circumstances
Book SynopsisA collection of twenty-two disturbing tales of crime and suspense from literary icon Joyce Carol Oates, author of Blonde and 'America's preeminent fiction writer' (New Yorker). Two hitmen in a depressed rust belt town struggle with a job gone wrong. A girl witnesses a horrifying accident and carries it with her for the rest of her life. Medical students bring a severed foot to a college party. Five-time Pulitzer Prize finalist Joyce Carol Oates has made a career of exploring the forbidden corners of human experience, and the stories collected here, spanning her first three decades as a writer, are among her most unsettling and unforgettable works to date. Originally published in long out-of-print volumes, these tales have not appeared in any form this century – until now. They show a writer boldly engaging with disturbing truths and terrifying possibilities, and deconstructing the tropes and expectations of traditional prose writing as she does so. But beyond their stylistic ingenuity, these are creepy, suspenseful stories that cut straight to the bone; their darkness will linger long after the final page is turned. A must-read for long-time fans of Joyce Carol Oates and an excellent introduction for the uninitiated. Reviews for Joyce Carol Oates: 'Oates chillingly depicts the darkness lurking within the everyday.' Sunday Express 'Both haunting and sublime.' Literary Review 'Splendidly chilling.' Financial Times 'Visceral, psychologically involving, and socially astute.' BooklistTrade ReviewThemed around crime and suspense, it veers towards the gothic * Vogue *PRAISE FOR JOYCE CAROL OATES: 'A writer of extraordinary strengths' Guardian. 'Oates chillingly depicts the darkness lurking within the everyday' Sunday Express. 'A sense of helplessness is the essence of horror, and Oates conveys that feeling as well as any writer around' New York Times. 'Oates is simply the most consistently inventive, brilliant, curious and creative writer going, as far as I'm concerned' -- Gillian Flynn
£15.00
Chiltern Publishing Hard Times
Book SynopsisChiltern Publishing creates the most beautiful editions of the World?s finest literature. Your favorite classic titles in a way you have never seen them before; the tactile layers, fine details and beautiful colors of these remarkable covers make these titles feel extra special and will look striking on any shelf.Hard Times was published in 1854 and is set in Northern England in Coketown, a polluted and suffering place with smoke-filled factories and soulless workers who have been downtrodden by the cruel and heartless Thomas Gradgrind and Josiah Bounderby. The novel was published to mixed criticism, with many feeling at the time that it was too distressing. However, many modern critics have praised the book, calling it a gripping and revealing exploration of Victorian society.
£18.00
Transworld Publishers Ltd More Tales Of The City
Book SynopsisThe second novel in the beloved Tales of the City series, Armistead Maupin's best-selling San Francisco saga.Entertains, illuminates A cultural touchstone that has enlarged our understanding of the varieties of human behavior' Washington Post____________________The tenants of 28 Barbary Lane have fled their cosy nest for adventures far afield. Mary Ann Singleton finds love at sea with a forgetful stranger, Mona Ramsey discovers her doppelgänger in a desert whorehouse, and Michael Tolliver bumps into his favourite gynaecologist in a Mexican bar. Meanwhile, their venerable landlady takes the biggest journey of allwithout ever leaving home.Hurdling barriers both social and sexual, Maupin leads the eccentric tenants of Barbary Lane through heartbreak and triumph, through nail-biting terrors and gleeful coincidences in 1970s San Francisco. The result is a glittering and addictive comedy of manners that continues
£9.49
Transworld Michael Tolliver Lives
Book SynopsisThe seventh novel in the beloved Tales of the City series, Armistead Maupin's best-selling San Francisco saga.''Tender-hearted and frolicsome A tale of long-lost friends and unrealised dreams, of fear and regret, of penance and redemption, and of the unshakeable sense that this world we love, this life we live, this drama on which we all play, does indeed go by much too fast' New York Times____________________Nearly two decades after ending his iconic Tales of the City saga of San Francisco life, Armistead Maupin revisits his all-too-human hero Michael Tolliverthe fifty-five-year-old sweet-spirited gardener and survivor of the plague that took so many of his friends and loversfor a single day at once mundane and extraordinary... and filled with the everyday miracles of living.Hurdling barriers both social and sexual, Maupin leads the eccentric tenants of Barbary Lane through heartbreak and triumph, through
£9.49
September Publishing Good Husbands: Three wives, one letter, an
Book Synopsis'The most riveting and unflinching he said/she said novel to date ... absolutely staggering, insanely gripping and wholly unputdownable.' May Cobb, author of The Hunting Wives Jess, Priyanka and Stephanie are all happily married to men they think they know inside out. Then each woman receives a letter accusing her husband of involvement in a sexual assault that took place 20 years ago. Who do they believe, what should they do and can they come together as their lives are upended? A compelling, beautifully crafted thriller about consent, friendship and prejudice which asks - would you sacrifice your family life in support of another woman? 'In an emotional and powerfully evocative story, three women grapple with a discovery that could shatter their lives. Ray has expertly crafted a thoughtful and important read that ends with a stunning surprise.' Liv Constantine, author of The Last Mrs ParrishTrade Review'The most riveting and unflinching he said/she said novel to date, Good Husbands follows three women whose lives are set on a collision course upon the arrival of an unsettling letter about each of their husbands. Absolutely staggering, insanely gripping, and wholly unputdownable, this riveting, unsettling suspense will leave you gasping for air and for answers and will have you turning the pages until the last, final, astonishing twist. With her hypnotic, dazzling prose and captivating characters, Cate Ray is a masterful storyteller at the height of her powers.' - May Cobb, author of The Hunting Wives 'In an emotional and powerfully evocative story, three women grapple with a discovery that could shatter their lives.' - Liv Constantine, author of The Last Mrs Parrish 'Multilayered, unflinchingly honest, and teeming with nerve-shattering suspense, Good Husbands by Cate Ray had me flying through the pages. Spellbound, I walked the heartbreaking journey right along with the women of Good Husbands - felt their shock, fear and uncertainty as they grappled to do the right thing ... Ray has created a much-needed space for complex conversations surrounding consent and whether we really know the people we love. An absolute triumph.' - Heather Gudenkauf, author of The Overnight Guest 'A searing, compelling and beautifully written story that explores huge themes with honesty and sensitivity. Full of insight and subtle detailing, it will repay multiple rereadings.' - C. J. Cooper, author of The Book Club
£13.49
The Book Guild Ltd Foul and Fair
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£9.49
Jantar Publishing Ltd Winterbergs Last Journey
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£17.99
The Lilliput Press Ltd Habitat
Book SynopsisHabitat follows seven neighbours over the course of a surreal and life-changing week as their mid-century apartment building in Oslo begins to inexplicably break down around them.
£15.20
Canongate Books Being Emily
Book SynopsisThings are never dull in the O'Connell family. Still, Fiona, squeezed between her quiet brother and her mischievous line-dancing twin sisters, thinks life in their tenement flat is far less interesting than Emily Bronte's. But tragedy is not confined to Victorian novels. And life for Fiona in this happy domestic setup is about to change forever. Following the devastating events of a single day, her family can never be the same. But perhaps, new relationships will develop - built on a solid foundation of love.Moving, funny and ultimately heart-warming, Being Emily is a wonderful novel about one young girl trying to find her place in the world amid the turmoil that only your own family can create.Trade ReviewA tender, lyrical coming-of-age narrative, its people drawn with love in that singing Glasgow voice that is Donovan's signature -- Stevie Davies * * Guardian * *An endearing coming-of-age novel, provoking laughter and sadness in equal measure. -- Leanne Kolirin * * Mslexia * *Donovan's novel is an accomplished family drama which is quirky and endearing. Don't wait until your next life to read it. * * SUNDAY HERALD * *Her deliciously corkscrewed tale flows with the sap of everyday life. * * SUNDAY TIMES * *Wonderfully fresh and moving. -- Kate Saunders * * The Times * *Being Emily is so genuinely good-hearted, it's easy to warm to it. Rarely is Glasgow depicted so affectionately and if the family at the centre of the book is dysfunctional, there's no wallowing in misery for misery's sake. -- The Arts * * Sunday Herald * *Donovan writes, in Glaswegian dialect, with an idiosyncratic and beguiling prose style that was so powerful in her debut novel, Buddha Da...She handles characters and plot with both toughness and tenderness, and depicts the pains and pleasures borne by the developing female artist. -- Anita Sethi * * Independent on Sunday * *She handles characters and plot with both toughness and tenderness, and depitcs the pains and pleasures borne by the developing borne by the developing female artist. * * Independent on Sunday * *Donovan writes with bittersweet amplomb. * * The Times * *
£9.49
The Book Guild Ltd Violet Eyes
Book SynopsisOn the surface, London’s hairdressing world in the 1960s is a world of glamour, wealth and celebrity. A world of excitement and opportunity. But all is not what it at first seems and the superficial gloss masks something deeper, more sinister. Christine is young and trusting. She wants to escape from her dreary, crushing, home life, and she longs for love or – at the very least – romance. Frank is rich, good-looking and famous. He is a man of the world, with power and influence. The two of them are drawn to each other for very different reasons. Can Christine learn to recognise truth from lies? Violet Eyes is the story of Christine’s sacrifice and her gradual awakening.
£8.99
Quercus Publishing Tiny Sunbirds Far Away: Winner of the Costa First
Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE COSTA FIRST NOVEL AWARD. 'Everything changed after Mama found Father lying on top of another woman.'Blessing and her brother Ezikiel adore their larger-than-life father, their glamorous mother and their comfortable life in Lagos. But all that changes when their father leaves them for another woman. Their mother is fired from her job at the Royal Imperial Hotel - only married women can work there - and soon they have to quit their air-conditioned apartment to go and live with their grandparents in a compound in the Niger Delta.Adapting to life with a poor countryside family is a shock beyond measure after their privileged upbringing in Lagos. Told in Blessing's own beguiling voice, Tiny Sunbirds Far Away shows how some families can survive almost anything. At times hilarious, always poignant, occasionally tragic, it is peopled with characters you will never forget.'This is not a bleak book: there is humour and love, especially in the growing relationship between Blessing and her grandmother, a traditional midwife. Absorbing and passionate' GuardianTrade ReviewAn immensely absorbing novel. It is both heart-wrenching and consoling * Chika Unigwe *The gripping, triumphant tale of a girl who chooses life over loss, in a sweet but savage world where oil is bled from the earth -- Lola Shoneyin, author of The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's WivesWatson's descriptions of character and place are beautifully observed * Independent *Heart-warming * Telegraph *Absorbing and passionate * Guardian *Readability and literary merit go hand in hand in this vibrant gem of a novel * Costa Judges *An excellent novel. It takes the reader deep into the reality of ordinary life in Nigeria and is also funny, moving and politically alert -- Giles Foden, author of The Last King of ScotlandA fascinating, poignant story that had me laughing in places and deeply moved in others -- Ike AnyaSkilfully treading the fine line between gritty hardship and homespun warmth ... Christie Watson's affecting but unsentimental debut earns its place in the sun * Independent *Funny, tragic and moving all in the right places * Pride *
£9.49
Copy Press Here from There
Book SynopsisHere from There is a book shared by Vit Hopley and Yve Lomax. It refuses the division of genre; it defies separation. Philosophy, poetry and the everyday touch, falling together. It dares to challenge the monoculture that has all but wrecked out Earth. It will be a beautiful book to hold and read. It loves and commits to language.
£14.25
Markosia Enterprises Ltd One Big Mess
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£12.34
Luath Press Ltd Letting Go: a timeline of tales
Book SynopsisThe twelve stories in Letting Go take us on a journey through landscape, language and turbulent times, from the mid-19th century to the present day, and into the future. Stevenson’s array of characters from many walks of life and nationalities – including a traveller, a wood carver, chicken farm workers, a nurse, an architect and a magician – meet and part, some becoming reacquainted. Themes exploring identity, creativity and the environment, echo and connect throughout the different narratives, sometimes carried in snatches of song. The author leads us outward from her native Scottish Borders to Edinburgh, Glasgow and the Gàidhealtachd, south to England, across the Atlantic to Apartheid South Africa and, finally, to the melting Arctic.
£8.54
Dedalus Ltd B The Black Cauldron
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£9.99
Five Leaves Publications Rosehill and other stories: Portraits from a
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£11.79
Vintage Publishing A Hunger
Book SynopsisFrom the prizewinning author of God''s Own Country and A Natural comes a moving and intimate exploration of marriage, devotion and sacrifice, and a woman''s enduring search for freedom.A Hunger is the story of Anita: a talented sous chef at a high-end London restaurant. At home, however, her husband Patrick is suffering from dementia and declining rapidly. As she is thrown between two conflicting worlds - the exciting bustle of her kitchen and her exhausting new role as a carer - Anita must make a decision: about her husband''s future, as well as her own. Should she free them both by acting on his last plea for mercy, or should she remain faithful to the person Patrick once used to be? A decision complicated by ambition and the guilt of her own past - and by her intensifying friendship with another man, Peter, and the temptation of a new life.A Hunger is a novel about love and sacrifice; how illness and duty affect ordinary lives. W
£17.09
The Conrad Press Relda and the Runaway
Book SynopsisWelcome to ‘Relda and The Runaway’, an engaging and beautifully sensitive tale of how the course of a young person’s life can be changed in the blink of an emerald eye. The story is an intriguing and emotional journey of a desperate runaway teenager, Micki, who fears she will be placed into care following the death of her guardian grandmother. A chance encounter with an old lady on a train proves to be life-changing. Meet Relda, just an eccentric, kind and remarkably energetic old lady. Or is she? Could she be an angel who only appears when she is needed? A story of despair, of unlikely friendship, of tears, of laughter but most of all hope.
£10.44
