Contemporary Fiction Books

Book SynopsisA group of teenage boys take turns assessing each other’s changing bodies before a Friday night disco… A grieving woman strikes up an unlikely friendship with a fellow traveller on a night train to Kiev… An unusually well-informed naturalist is eyed with suspicion by his comrades on a forest exhibition with a higher purpose… The stories shortlisted for the 2021 BBC National Short Story Award with Cambridge University take place in liminal spaces – their characters find themselves in transit, travelling along flight paths, train lines and roads, or in moments where new opportunities or directions suddenly seem possible. From the reflections of a new mother flying home after a funeral, to an ailing son’s reluctance to return to the village of his childhood, these stories celebrate small kindnesses in times of turbulence, and demonstrate a connection between one another that we might sometimes take for granted. The BBC NSSA is one of the most prestigious prizes for a single short story, with the winning author receiving £15,000, and four further shortlisted authors £600 each. James Runcie is joined on the judging panel by a group of acclaimed writers and critics including: Booker Prize shortlisted novelist Fiona Mozley; award winning writer, poet and winner of the Desmond Elliott Prize, Derek Owusu; multi-award winning Irish novelist and short story writer, Donal Ryan; and returning judge, Di Speirs, Books Editor at BBC Radio.

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Book SynopsisSpanning the Arab world, India and the United States, this family saga tells of the heart-stopping triumphs and failures of three generations of Arab womenTrade Review"So fresh and unsettling that it will enchant you from the first page and linger for days after reading. ... Deftly written. ... Its epic family saga style echoes that of Hala Alyan's Salt Houses and The Arsonists' City, Ayad Akhtar's Homeland Elegies, and Min Jin Lee's Pachinko." Los Angeles Review of Books, "Grapples profoundly with the limits of individual choice and the hold exerted by a person's homeland...accomplished and searing." Publishers Weekly (starred review), "Mai Al-Nakib lyrically explores themes of homeland, tradition and agency as she relates the stories of generations of Arab women across Kuwait, the US, Iraq, India and Lebanon." Ms. Magazine "Deeply enchanting, at times suspenseful, and always engaging, An Unlasting Home is filled with tales of women's lives and their intersection with the often volatile and unpredictable currents of nations, war, and political history. Mai Al-Nakib's storyteller's voice is fresh and original-her book grabbed me from the outset and kept me entranced to the last page." Diana Abu-Jaber, author of Fencing with the King and Crescent, "An Unlasting Home is an unforgettable story of people making choices for love, family, freedom, and identity against the tidal forces of history in the Arab region. Shimmering with poetic prose, and as pressingly real as the white heat of August in Baghdad, this poignant debut will keep you in its thrall." Juhea Kim, author of Beasts of a Little Land, "An ambitious family epic with a historical sweep, an elegy to grandmothers and mothers who were forced from their original homes by personal or political circumstances in the Middle East to build nests elsewhere." World Literature Today "A spellbinding family history unfolds as a Kuwaiti woman goes on trial for blasphemy in a world gone mad. Deftly written, structurally brilliant, Mai Al-Nakib's An Unlasting Home is a lasting novel that splits open time, leaps across continents, and creates the sort of characters we carry forward into our hearts and lives. I absolutely loved this book." A. Manette Ansay, author of Vinegar Hill, "An author already confident in her craft and her ability to give voice to the emotions and yearnings of her characters." New Internationalist "A mesmerising saga of women’s resilience in the face of political turmoil." Buzz Magazine‘A smooth, fast-flowing narrative […] a testament to the eternal vibrancy of women in the Arab world.’ * Financial Times *

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Book SynopsisFrom the beloved bestselling author Santa Montefiore comes a new novel filled with humour and heart. For fans of The Temptation of Gracie, Flappy now takes centre stage, more charismatic and competitive than ever. ‘Fresh, fun and fabulous! Flappy certainly kept me entertained!’ Heidi Swain, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Winter Garden  Underneath her graceful exterior lies a passion nobody knew about, least of all Flappy herself…   Flappy Scott-Booth is the self-appointed queen bee of Badley Compton, a picturesque Devon village. While her husband Kenneth spends his days on the golf course, she is busy overseeing her beautiful house and gardens, and organising unforgettable events, surrounded by friends who hang on to her every word.   Her life is a reflection of herself – impossibly perfect.   UntilTrade Review‘Fresh, fun and fabulous! Flappy certainly kept me entertained!’ -- Heidi Swain, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Winter Garden‘A friendly, undemanding read in unfriendly, demanding times’ * Daily Mail *‘A keeping up with the Joneses tale that will life your spirits in no time’ * New! *‘Another winner from the author who writes about relationships so astutely’ * Belfast Telegraph *'Packed with wickedly funny insights and throwaway lines and written with an extra-large helping of heart, this is the perfect escape for anyone in need of of a book hug!' * Lancashire Post *‘Santa Montefiore is a born storyteller’ * Woman’s Weekly *‘With its air of nostalgia, gentle humour and snobbery, this is a super but also surprising read’ * NFOP magazine *

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE RICHARD AND JUDY SEARCH FOR A BESTSELLER COMPETITION'A blistering debut from a major new voice. I couldn't put it down. Authentic, compelling, unflinching and tender and written with real verve and assurance' ERIN KELLY'Debut novels don't come better than this one, which begs the question - Caz Frear, where have you been?' RICHARD MADELEY 'Taut, gripping, surprising and original - a fabulous read' JUDY FINNIGAN'Caz Frear's ability to write tight, tense dialogue with a dark comedic slant is brilliant. I read Sweet Little Lies in one sitting, it is a terrific debut' LYNDA LA PLANTE'BRILLIANT! Unputdownable and great writing. Recommended' MARIAN KEYES'An astonishingly confident and individual voice' ANN CLEEVESWHAT I THOUGHT I KNEWIn 1998, Maryanne Doyle disappeared and Dad knew something about it?Maryanne Doyle was never seen again.WHAT I ACTUALLY KNOWIn 1998, Dad lied about knowing Maryanne Doyle.Alice Lapaine has been found strangled near Dad's pub. Dad was in the local area for both Maryanne Doyle's disappearance and Alice Lapaine's murder - FACTConnection?Trust cuts both ways . . . what do you do when it's gone? FOR FANS OF ERIN KELLY AND BELINDA BAUER, GET READY FOR THE SUSPENSE NOVEL OF THE YEAR.'A killer premise. An original voice. An utterly compelling story that will keep you up all night' FIONA CUMMINS, author of Rattle'Impossible to put down' ALEX GRAY'The best debut I've read in a very long time' WILLIAM RYAN'An incredibly strong and confident voice that has hit the page fully-formed' CATHERINE RYAN HOWARD, author of Distress Signals'A perfect storm of a crime novel . . . one of the best novels in this genre' LIZ LOVES BOOKSTrade ReviewDebut novels don't come better than this one, which begs the question - Caz Frear, where have you been? * RICHARD MADELEY *Taut, gripping, surprising and original - a fabulous read * JUDY FINNIGAN *Caz Frear's ability to write tight, tense dialogue with a dark comedic slant is brilliant. I read Sweet Little Lies in one sitting, it is a terrific debut * LYNDA LA PLANTE *BRILLIANT! Unputdownable and great writing. Recommended * MARIAN KEYES *A blistering debut from a major new voice in Crime Fiction; I couldn't put it down. Authentic, compelling, unflinching and tender and written with real verve and assurance. Frear is brilliant on conflicting loyalties and guilty consciences * ERIN KELLY *An astonishingly confident and individual voice * Ann Cleeves *I can't wait for the next adventure of the tough, Cat Kinsella - Sweet Little Lies was one of the best debut crime novels I've ever read! * REBECCA CHANCE *Sweet Little Lies is written with panache and is kick-ass feminist, as well as laugh-out-loud funny * THE INDEPENDENT *Sweet Little Lies is a tremendous debut. Caz Frear delivers on a compelling premise with taut prose, snappy dialogue, and a fresh, confident voice. Highly recommended! * ALAFAIR BURKE *Impossible to put down. What can I say? Bloody brilliant! Wish I had been as good a writer when I started, that's for sure. I wish this lady a very happy and successful future. Love her characters, that is [Caz Frear's] main strength, I think and her dialogue is terrific. Really authentic and sometimes made me laugh out loud * ALEX GRAY *A killer premise. An original voice. An utterly compelling story that will keep you up all night * FIONA CUMMINS, author of Rattle *Sweet Little Lies won Richard and Judy's 'Search for a Bestseller' competition, and it's easy to see why from the very first page: Caz Frear has an incredibly strong and confident voice that has hit the page fully-formed. It's difficult to stand out as a debut when you've written a police procedural - there's so many of them - but in Frear's confident hands (and Detective Constable Cat Kinsella's company) this one definitely does. Bonus: I laughed. A LOT * CATHERINE RYAN HOWARD *The best debut I've read in a very long time * WILLIAM RYAN *Sweet Little Lies is a perfect storm of a crime novel. With its wonderfully divisive characters and a beautifully layered plot, it is without doubt worthy of its competition win and one of the best novels in this genre I have read this year. Caz Frear has created an engaging and wittily observant main protagonist in Cat Kinsella then saddled her with an intriguing moral dilemma. If you like your crime brilliantly unpredictable you are in the right place * LIZ LOVES BOOKS *The plot is brilliantly played out with a few curveballs, offering us suspense and a great surprise twist at the end which I definitely didn't see coming! Sweet Little Lies is a brilliant debut novel from an author I'm definitely wanting to read more from very soon, if you love crime thrillers then Caz Frear with Sweet Little Lies is your next stop! * EMMA'S BOOKERY *I think "page turner" is probably the best description for Sweet Little Lies . . . This one is well worth popping onto your holiday reading pile this summer! * MY CHESTNUT READING TREE *Written with the assurance of a seasoned author, Sweet Little Lies is a superb page-turner, packed with impressive police procedural, a fascinating, festering, twisting mystery that weaves tantalisingly between past and present, and a plot that thrills and confounds to the final showdown. A remarkable debut from an exciting new author . . . * LANCASHIRE EVENING POST *Caz Frear has produced a confident and accomplished debut, mixing police procedural and domestic noir to good effect and building up a cast of strong characters to carry an intriguing plot that turns into one of the best murder stories I've read for a long time. Her writing voice is darkly lyrical and the story has layers within layers that gradually peel off to reveal unexpected truths in places I hadn't even thought to look. She plays totally fair with her readers at all times, which makes each revelation even more satisfying than the last. Sweet Little Lies proves that quality writing and strong storytelling will always combine to produce an unbeatable result. This is a book that deserves to be a resounding success * CRIME REVIEW *I have hit the debut writer jackpot lately and Sweet Little Lies by Caz Frear is another book that FLOORED me! WOW! This book . . . where do I begin without giving anything way? Caz does a flawless job with this book! She had me questioning everything, everyone and every possible possibility! * STEPH AND CHRIS BOOK REVIEW *For a debut novel, Sweet Little Lies is superb . . . Caz Frear has written a fantastic first novel, the writing kept me hooked from start to finish and unable to put the book down until I'd read the last word * BOOKISH OUTSIDER *On the surface Sweet Little Lies is a book about disappearance, suspicion and murder, but it's also a book about family and the weird and wonderful dynamics that exist between the mind of a very human detective and the sweet little lies everyone else believed . . . Lot of twists and unexpected revelations. Sit back and enjoy! * BREAKAWAY REVIEWERS *This police procedural works at a level where clues are revealed and mysteries are unravelled all leading to the finale which is mind blowing and unexpected . . . * BOOK REVIEWS BY SHALINI *I didn't work this mystery out, the murderer and the reasons why the murder happened were cleverly hidden. I would love this to become a series . . . * STEPH'S BOOK BLOG *Sweet Little Lies is a promising debut novel by an author to watch . . . I really enjoyed Sweet Little Lies and don't hesitate to recommend it to lovers of mystery and crime * BUT BOOKS ARE BETTER *Cat is a complex and troubled character, determined to do the right thing, even if that means having to betray family or keep secrets from those who trust her. What starts of as a relatively slow novel, soon gathers pace, and the ending will (probably) leave you open mouthed. It was certainly unexpected * THE WELSH LIBRARIAN *It was one of the better crime novels I've read and it deserves an afternoon of your time * ARTISITIC BENT *Sweet Little Lies is a sharp, intelligent novel which offers a more emotive side to the usual police investigation novels, because DC Cat Kinsella's own family may be snarled up in their most recent case: the murder of Alice Lapaine, and an older case involved Maryanne Doyle * SNAZZY BOOKS *#SweetLittleLies is a tense and suspenseful debut from Caz Frear and definitely one for the watching! Secrets and lies are the main themes underlying the plot and oh what twisted secrets and lies they are indeed . . . by the time I had turned the last page, I was already wondering when the next in the series is going to be published! A cleverly crafted plot and realistic overview of Police procedures and dark humour will ensure that you are not going to be disappointed when you pick this one up off the shelf! * CHAPTER IN MY LIFE *Five must-read crime thrillers: Another writer to have come up with an outstanding debut recently is Caz Frear. Sweet Little Lies won the Richard and Judy competition for a new bestseller and it's easy to see why. This is a police procedural, with a team of credible and interesting detectives, a great sense of place and a brilliant central character in Cat Kinsella. Sweet Little Lies is a book about identity and about families, the ones that work and the ones that are destructive and dangerous. Frear has an astonishingly confident voice for a new writer and there's a dark humour that lifts the storytelling to a different level. I hope this is the beginning of a series * RADIO TIMES *This book is filled to the brim with secrets and lies which kept me on my toes waiting for the next revelation. There are a few surprises along the way and this really helped to keep the momentum going right until the very end * RAE READS *As far as crime novels go, this is by far my favourite, and the book itself has become one of my favourites of the year. I can't wait to read more by Caz Frear! * THE BEAUTY OF READING *I was captured by this great book from the very beginning . . . I think the mystery here was one of those most engaging ones I've come across lately. I needed to know what had happened. How exactly was everything connected? And unlike recent disappointments, I absolutely loved the way the author crafted the book's third and final act. The twists and turns weren't obvious and the explanations were complex, but it all made sense in the end * THE MISSTERY *As premises go, this one is great for a mystery that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Cat narrates this story and it's a delicate balance between work and home, what she knows from the investigation and what she knows, or maybe just suspects, from her personal life. Cat is a great narrator with a sharp eye (befitting of her role) and a sharp tongue to match. I read a lot of thrillers but very few from inside the police control room, and this one was brilliant for whizzing you straight to the heart of the action and watching the investigation unfold * THE BOOKBAG *Caz Frear hasn't just written a perfect crime thriller, she's added her amazing dry wit throughout to make it stand out from the crowd . . . Sweet Little Lies is an outstanding debut novel and I'd love to see Cat Kinsella make an appearance in more novels. With her fresh and witty writing, Caz Frear gives an overdue wake up call to tired crime fiction, encouraging readers back to crime fiction after having their heads turned by the overloaded psychological thriller genre * THE BOOK MAGNET *I thought this was an extremely well-rounded novel, great characters and a great plot! . . . a dark story, one that got darker as the reveal came . . . a brilliant debut novel from Frear * KEEPER OF PAGES *The plot is well-crafted and revealed at a pace that held my attention throughout. Caz Frear is certainly an exciting new voice on the crime thriller scene; I mean what a way to start! Sweet Little Lies is a terrific read and I really do hope that we'll be seeing more from her in the not too distant future * WOMAN READS BOOKS *If you're a fan of murder mysteries then you'll absolutely love this. It's about a detective who believes her own father has something to do with a missing girl, whilst also trying to figure out the case of a dead woman. I'm trying not to give too much away but this is honestly one of the best books I've read in a long time - even better than Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train * THE AUBURN AGENDA *I'd definitely recommend this complex, convincing and deeply satisfying thriller about family bonds, and how far we would go to protect the ones we love, in spite of everything * BACK TO THE BOOKS *I adored this novel. The plot is great, but it's our lead character, Cat and her voice . . . which in essence reflects Caz Frear's writing that I really loved * DEBBISH, favourite books of 2017 *With brilliant characterisation alongside inspired plotting this is a book that you will not want to put down until you turn that last page. I'm not at all surprised that it won the Richard and Judy Search for a Bestseller Competition 2016, it is very hard to believe that a book that ticks all the boxes so decisively is a debut novel * CLEOPATRA LOVES BOOKS *A cracking thriller, original, pacy, gripping with some fantastic characters that for some inexplicable reason got under my skin. With a complex but plausible plot, some fabulous dialogue and humour thrown in, Sweet Little Lies really does deserve all the high praise it has received * COMPULSIVE READERS *Caz Frear not only writes with confidence, but has also managed to plot a very twisty tale. With just the right mix of humour, darkness and well-written narrative, Sweet Little Lies is an impressive crime novel filled with unreliable characters and plenty of intrigue * OFF THE SHELF BOOKS *Caz Frear's debut novel is a winning mix of the procedural and the domestic. The story is gripping and the writing filled with insights into dysfunctional families and the lies people tell, just to keep the peace. But the greatest achievement is Cat herself. Flawed detectives are nothing new, but here's one you'll fall in love with from the very first page and stay with until the final twist. Sweet Little Lies is an honest to goodness triumph * PAUL BURSTON'S BLOG *With a host of flawed but believable characters, this is a suspenseful police procedural, and with Cat's wry humor added, it's a sure winner. Don't miss this one. Highly recommended * AUNTIE M WRITES *Sweet Little Lies by Caz Frear is my pick of the year for many reasons. Not least because every single character matters. Each one of them, regardless of how minor, is painted with such care. It has been months since I read the book, yet I can still recall Maryanne's school friends gossiping about her in the café, and the barmaid in the pub with the tattoos. DC Cat Kinsella, the protagonist, is smart, relatable, and funny, but never clichéd. The story is about a missing girl, Maryanne, whose body turns up many years later. Cat's dad lied about knowing her and now her body has been found near his pub. As Cat pieces together Maryanne's missing years she fears her father is involved. A great read, often humorous and always gripping. I look forward to reading Caz Frear's next book * DEAD GOOD BOOKS, Jo Jakeman, author of Sticks and Stones picks Sweet Little Lies as one of her books of the year *Trust cuts both ways . . . what do you do when it's gone? * Cosmopolitan.co.uk, the ten most popular books of 2017 *A truly satisfying - and gritty - mystery * Kirkus Reviews, Starred review *There's something about the tried-and-true police procedural that always keeps me coming back for more-and finding an author who can write a police procedural in as fresh, modern a way as can Caz Frear is a genuine treat * Crime by the book *Frear manages the suspense skillfully and drives both strands forward with meticulous investigative work * Crime Reads *

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Book Synopsis'This atmospheric read is simply beautiful.' Woman & Home How can home be found, when you are lost?When two very different women find themselves sharing a home, they must confront their pasts in order to work out who they each are, and how they will survive.Disillusioned with her high-flying London career, Jo has returned to the remote rural community of her childhood. Taking over her parents' beloved butcher shop, she works hard to save the family legacy, hoping toalso save herself.Tessa has returned too, fleeing a chance of happiness to come to terms with a life filled with secrets and shame. Now her livelihood as a farrier is under threat from a mysterious and debilitating condition.How to Belong is a delicate, honest portrayal of unexpected friendship, the power of memory and what it trulymeans to come home.'This gentle, thoughtful novel will warm your heart and nourish your soul' Red Magazine'(A) thoughtful, original novel . . . Detailed, descriptive, transporting prose.' Adele Parks, Platinum Magazine 'A big-hearted novel about how we learn to belong despite ourselves.' Shelley Harris'It really touched me, I can't stop talking about it. Your words spoke to somewhere deep inside me.' Warwick BooksTrade ReviewIn this insightful, thoughtful novel about a farrier and a butcher, Franklin explores the meaning of home and the importance of belonging. It's replete with gorgeous descriptions of forest life * Carys Bray *A tender story about finding your place in the world, about ordinary lives, belonging and being brave. The kind of book that gives you hope and courage. I loved it. * Kit de Waal *Sarah writes intimately about the forest and the lives it sustains, exploring the human condition with forensic tenderness; we feel every step of Tessa and Jo's journeys. It's a big-hearted novel about how we learn to belong despite ourselves, and I relished every word * Shelley Harris, author of Jubilee *This set up - the farrier and the butcher - is so unusual, and so engaging. I was VERY curious to see how this relationship between Jo and Tessa would unfold, and Sarah Franklin's skilful weaving of their backstories into the captivating present keeps up a constant, subtle tug of intrigue, as well as thematic poignancy. It's thoughtful, and fresh, and such a vibrant setting. The place feels completely alive - I can walk through it and practically smell those horses, that forest, the butcher's shop, the woodsmoke. And the wider community is also wonderfully colourful and alive. It's just a pleasure to read! * Lucy Atkins *How to Belong is set in the Forest of Dean and is steeped in the spirit of the place. Such a warm and touching novel * Lissa Evans *This atmospheric read is simply beautiful. * Women and Home Magazine *A meditative read about second chances, friendship and belonging that feels perfect for these uncertain times...This gentle, thoughtful novel (...) will warm your heart and nourish your soul. * Red Magazine *(A) thoughtful, original novel... Detailed, descriptive, transporting prose. * Adele Parks, Platinum Magazine *Such a warm novel with a clear sense of place. * Chepstow Books *When Jo rents Tessa's spare bedroom, a tentative friendship develops; but Jo's need to be helpful just might be a poisoned chalice. * Saga Magazine *It really touched me, I can't stop talking about it. Your words spoke to somewhere deep inside me * Warwick Books *Life-affirming and compelling . . . Sarah Franklin is a breath of fresh air * Clare Mackintosh, on Shelter *Its characters pulse with life and energy * Daily Mail, on Shelter *This beautifully crafted tale of survival and solace reveals that you can find a home in the most unusual places * Sunday Express, on Shelter *An accomplished debut from Sarah Franklin . . . with humour, warmth and a real sense of place * Daily Record, on Shelter *Beautiful * Adele Parks, on Shelter *Powerful and moving * Essie Fox, on Shelter *A wonderful, affecting debut novel about the redemptive power of nature * Red, on Shelter *

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Book SynopsisThe Muslim Bridget Jones - the hilarious romantic comedy from the writer behind Nadiya Hussain's bestselling The Secret Lives of the Amir Sisters.Sofia Khan is single once more, after her sort-of-boyfriend proves just a little too close to his parents. And she'd be happy that way too, if her boss hadn't asked her to write a book about the weird and wonderful world of Muslim dating. Of course, even though she definitely isn't looking for love, to write the book she does need to do a little research . . .'Snort-Diet-Coke-out-of-your-nostrils funny . . . will resonate with any woman who's looking for love' Sarra Manning, author of It Felt Like a Kiss'Funny and sparky . . . a smart and acerbic romcom . . . Read Ayisha Malik's book: it's huge fun.' Jenny ColganTrade ReviewAyisha Malik has spoiled me for eternity with this book . . .Never in my life has a character touched me as much as Sofia Khan. * Books & Other Distractions *Made me laugh out loud . . . Sofia Khan Is Not Obliged is a contemporary, witty and refreshing women's fiction novel which I thoroughly enjoyed! * A Spoonful of Happy Endings *A brilliant first novel . . . in some ways I enjoyed this book even more than Bridget Jones. * The Book World of Anne *Sofia Khan is NOT Obliged is the new (I dare to say it, better) Bridget Jones. It's intelligent, very funny, sharp, heart-breaking, witty, superbly plotted, realistic, and a feminist love story without gush. It will remind white readers who don't have Muslim friends of Bend it Like Beckham, and it is simply a joy to read. It's also damn well written. * katemacdonald.net *The book is actually HILARIOUS and I mean hilarious; I had to stop reading it in public because i was laughing at every page and everybody eyeing you awkwardly gets...well...awkward . . . a funny, honest portrayal of one woman's journey through some of the hardest and happiest times, featuring a great band of diverse characters full of like and lessons. It was so refreshing to have a humorous take on the customs of this culture without an apologetic voice attached. * The Chronicles of Radiya *It's funny, it's heart-breaking, it's heart-warming and it has a protagonist who's determined to live life and write her book her way. * The Writes of Woman *Sofia Khan is Not Obliged was a welcome change. It offered a cheeky, intelligent, fallible heroine who, although I may not share her faith or culture, I could identify with more easily than most of the other protagonists in the genre. Once I started reading, I could not put the book down - it's the only thing I've read this year that kept me up past midnight. * The Captive Reader *Fun, fresh and funny * Mhairi McFarlane *This is better than Bridget Jones! It deals with such complex issues but at the same time is so funny! (...) This is bloody hilarious and it is one of the most special and brilliant books I read this year -- Just Kiss My Frog * youtube.com *This is a must read and I do not say that lightly and therefore, you are most definitely, obliged. * XXY Magazine *This fictional diary of the dating travails of one righteous romantic is snort-diet-Coke-out-of-your-nostrils funny and will resonate with any woman who's looking for love * Red Magazine *A light-hearted book crammed with witty humour... It's an entertaining debut with laugh-out-loud moments - a contemporary love story you won't want to miss! * Candis Magazine *Laugh-out-loud-funny from the off, this witty, unapologetic, honest, fun and feisty tale fully deserves the buzz it's getting. We can't wait for the inevitable film to follow * Heat Magazine *Fans of Bridget Jones certainly won't be disappointed, since Malik achieves the perfect balance of romance and humour * The Independent *Move over Bridget Jones - there's a new heroine charting her romantic disasters- this time minus the Chardonnay... refreshing and funny * Sunday Mirror *'highly talented Ayisha Malik, author of the funny and sparky Sofia Khan Is Not Obliged, a smart and acerbic romcom about a young woman writing a book on Muslim dating...read Ayisha Malik's book: it's huge fun.' * The Guardian *Feisty, funny and relatable it's the feminist romantic comedy you've been waiting for * Elle Magazine *Best of the New Books... For fans of Bridget Jones's Diary * Grazia *Must-read... Liven up your daily commute or boost your bedtime routine with [this] page-turner * Marie Claire *A courageous, revealing, fiendishly funny and important book. Genuinely ground-breaking * Vaseem Khan, bestselling author of The Unexpected Inheritance of Mr Chopra *Most refreshing of all, Sofia doesn't need to undergo some sort of wild identity crisis before she gets her happy ending... [a] sharp, funny but ultimately very normal portrayal of life as a British Muslim * The National *Part of "a new wave of female-focussed fiction... Bridget Jones-esque" * Stylist *Fun, feisty and addictive. It deserves to be read * Irish Examiner *Malik hopes that books like hers will continue to increase relatable portrayals of Muslims in popular culture... in creating a host of characters that are normal in their abnormality, relatable yet individual, Malik is undoubtedly making a difference * New Statesman *Malik's novel aims to answer the lack of Muslim heroines in popular fiction and to give a more authentic characterisation of modern Muslims * Kahleej Times *Overall, this was a solid, refreshing read, and a great addition to #MuslimShelfSpace * building Diverse Bookshelves *'It's a great novel that covers dating, marriage, friendship, and family dynamics. There are also not many chick lit novels with Muslim main characters, and I liked the way that religion was covered in this book.' * Book Riot *'The book benefits not only from a diary-style format, but also from the fact the focus is less on Sofia's search for love at the personal level, a classic chick-lit topic, but on her search for love at the academic, exploratory level.' * Creative Quibble *What To Read Next, Based On Your Favorite '90s Rom-Com- 'Love 'Bridget Jones's Diary'? Read 'Sofia Khan Is Not Obliged' by Ayisha Malik' review- 'The tragic, hilarious, ultimately hopeful dating experiences of one relatable unlucky in love woman. Need we say more?' * Bustle *It's a great novel that covers dating, marriage, friendship, and family dynamics. There are also not many chick lit novels with Muslim main characters, and I liked the way that religion was covered in this book. * Book Riot *I can't properly express how much I love this book. It's hilarious (it had me laughing out loud right from the start), very difficult to put down and filled with endless anecdotes and witty remarks on being a young Muslim woman in this day and age. Although this book is seemingly lighthearted, the issues that it deals with are very real and relevant to young women, Muslim or not. I'm trying not to hype this for anyone, but it's a must-read. Did I mention I adore the female solidarity in Sofia's life? The sequel is The Other Half of Happiness, and it's just as good but more intense in comparison to the first novel. I need a third book! * Reading Women *The likable thing about Sofia is that she's witty. And since it's her diary, you smile fairly frequently and laugh out loud at some bits. She also hangs out with a cosmopolitan crowd, which makes her more understanding and less judgmental than most. But not perfect! * The Asian Age *This fresh and fun novel will light up your world this summer. After a break-up, Sofia decides to swear off men... until her boss convinces her to write an expose on the Muslim dating scene. Described by readers as the "Muslim Bridget Jones," this warm-hearted, hilarious novel is sure to become one of your favorites. * Bustle.com *'The book is funny, its cute, its sad & honestly the last half of the book had me switching emotions from laughing & being all "how cute is that" to crying quite a lot. I definitely recommend reading the book.' * The Bookie Rookie blog *Often referred to as the "Muslim Bridget Jones." After finding herself single again, Sofia Khan agrees to write a book about what it means to date as a modern Muslim woman. Along the way she discovers more about herself, her family, and her faith * Book Trib *An entertaining, surprising and delicious novel * Affinity Magazine *I loved it ... whilst religion and racism are portrayed unflinchingly, it's also a great piece of entertainment ... If more people read books like this, I think the world would be a better place * Social Bookshelves *

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Book Synopsis A poignant story of three young adults trying to make a future for themselves in war-torn Damascus Syria - a country at war. Amal, Hammoudi and Youssef are young and ambitious, the face of modern Syria. But when civil war tears through their homeland, they are left with a horrifying choice: risk death by staying in the country they love, or flee in search of a new life elsewhere? From one of Germany's most talented literary voices comes this intricately woven story of brutality, loss, and how hope can shine through when darkness feels overwhelming.Trade Review‘Grjasnowa’s measured undemonstrative writing style (the book is beautifully translated from German by Katy Derbyshire) is central to the novel’s success... A significant literary and moral success.’ * Big Issue *‘There are few authors writing in German as sensuously and vividly as Grjasnowa.’ * KulturSpiegel *‘Grjasnowa provides a close-as-skin understanding of what it's like to suffer bombardment, torture, and dislocation while remaining human and hopeful... Highly recommended.’ * Library Journal, Reading Around the World: 12 Top Spring Titles for the Library Market *‘An important and painful book.’ * Deutschlandradio Kultur *‘Olga Grjasnowa's sentences crack like a whip.’ * Süddeutsche Zeitung *‘It is wonderful that there are writers like Grjasnowa who can write brilliantly and decisively about the real world.’ * Brigitte *‘A dark, tragic story with the resilient light of humanity shining through it... It truly spoke to my soul.’ * Marjorie's World of Books, blog review *‘Olga Grjasnowa writes from the nerve center of her generation.’ * Die Zeit *‘Grajsnowa’s extraordinary novel offers an opportunity to reacquaint ourselves with one of the great tragedies of our time - to remember what that nation once was, why and how the conflict began and what it has led to…Grajsnowa’s measured undemonstrative writing style (the book is beautifully translated from German by Katy Derbyshire) is central to the novel’s success…The reader isn’t patronised or manipulated, and the emotional impact is all the greater. Characters come and go and live and die as the novel heads for its masterly, shattering denouement. A significant literary and moral success.’ * Big Issue *‘A truly gifted writer...[who] has a very bright future ahead of her.’ * Yahoo! Voices *

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Book SynopsisWinner of The Big Book Awards: The Best Page TurnersShortlisted for the Popular Fiction Book of the Year: The Irish Book AwardsAn Irish Independent Book of the Year_______________________________Grace sees her boyfriend Henry everywhere. In the supermarket, on the street, at the graveyard. Only Henry is dead. He died two months earlier, leaving a huge hole in Grace's life and in her heart. But then a man who looks uncannily like Henry turns up to fix her boiler one day. Grace isn't hallucinating - he really does look exactly like Grace's lost love. Grace becomes captivated by this stranger, Andy. Reminded of everything she once had, can Grace recreate that lost love or does loving Andy mean letting go of Henry?'I really enjoyed it - satisfying and warm, and written with humour and heart.' Sheila O'Flanagan, author of The Missing WifeTrade ReviewThis book is an emotional rollercoaster of the very best kind. Sad, funny, touching and ultimately uplifting, Grace After Henry is simply wonderful. * Chrissie Manby, author of Once in a Lifetime *Grace After Henry made me WEEP... it was so moving - but also witty and well written. I loved it. * Louise O'Neill, author of Asking for It *I really enjoyed it - satisfying and warm, and written with humour and heart. * Sheila O'Flanagan, author of The Missing Wife *Grace After Henry is an engrossing, surprising, and empowering story about the complexities of love, grief, and family. The characters were so beautifully developed that by the time I finished reading, I felt like I'd known them forever. * Jill Santopolo, author of The Light We Lost *A bittersweet story that tackles grief, love and moving on after a partner, and keeps readers guessing until the final page. * Irish Independent, Book of the Year, 2018 *An emotional, charming read, written with heart and humour. And when you finish it, trust me, you will hold your loved ones that little bit tighter. * Carmel Harrington, author of A Thousand Roads Home *Poignant, funny and deeply satisfying. * RED *A tender, warm-hearted read. * Prima *Grace After Henry is sometimes heartbreaking and sometimes very funny as Eithne Shortall mixes humour and tragedy with a deftness reminiscent of Marian Keyes. * Irish Times *A moving exploration of what it means to lose your love... and if it's wise to try to recreate what you once had. * Daily Mail *Beautiful and moving. * Good Housekeeping *Witty and wonderful, even at its most tenderly sad moments. * Image Magazine *Brilliant... A terrific read and superior plot! * Liz Nugent, author of Unravelling Oliver *This is the best kind of book, with a blend of sharp humor and dark grief that strikes a pitch-perfect note of poignancy... An absolute treat of a novel. * Lolly Winston, author of Good Grief *Irish author Eithne Shortall's Dublin-set romance novel allows its characters to experience grief with a mix of lightheartedness and gravity. -- Marie ClaireIs it possible for a novel about grief to be this enchanting? ... Extraordinary... A gorgeously written, haunting reminder that nothing is ever really lost. * Caroline Leavitt, author of Pictures of You *Fans of Jojo Moyes and Cecelia Ahern will adore Grace After Henry, a story of life after loss that brims with a lovable cast of characters, humor, and lots of heart. I recommend you have tissues at the ready and a phone within reach to call your friends! This emotionally rich, satisfying read is sure to put Eithne Shortall novels at the top of your TBR. * Jamie Brenner, author of The Husband Hour *Readers who loved Sense & Sensibility's inquiries into the possibility of loving twice will fall head over heels for this book. * Bustle *Full of heart, this bittersweet tale examines love after loss. * Woman’s World *Charming and heartfelt, Eithne Shortall's Grace After Henry is the unconventional love story - complete with quirky characters and tissue-worthy moments - you won't want to miss! A lovely, moving read. * Karma Brown, author of The Life Lucy Knew *Insightful... Shortall's thought-provoking potentialities combined with her perceptive characterizations are certain to keep Grace and Andy in the reader's mind for a long time. * Publishers Weekly *This book is a poignant and touching account of one woman moving on after great tragedy. Shortall's American debut does not go for easy solutions but shows how grief manifests differently for those who experience it. * Booklist (starred review) *A touching, beautifully written story about losing love and finding it again in an unexpected way. I couldn't put it down - I was reading the book at two in the morning with a little flashlight, so I wouldn't wake up my husband. * Mary Simses, author of The Irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop & Café *A witty, heartbreaking, life-affirming, gorgeous charmer of a novel about love and loss and letting go. I couldn't put it down, and I can't stop thinking about the characters, and I can't wait to give copies to all the people I love. * Nancy Thayer, author of A Nantucket Wedding *

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Book SynopsisA GOVERNOR GENERAL'S LITERARY AWARD FINALISTLonglisted for the Dublin Literary Award 2018Crime Book of the Month, Sunday Times, February 2018'I loved this... very tough and very real.' - Margaret AtwoodWhen Stella, a young mother in an Indigenous community, looks out her window one wintry evening and spots someone being attacked on the Break - a barren field on an isolated strip of land outside her house - she calls the police. By the time help arrives, all that is left of the struggle is blood on the snow. As the search for the victim intensifies, people who are connected, both directly and indirectly - police, family, and friends - tell their personal stories leading up to that fateful night, uncovering secrets and resentments long buried and giving blazing testimony to the lived reality of people pushed out to the coldest edges of modern Canada.Trade ReviewA compelling account of the way violent crime warps the lives of several generations. * Sunday Times *Unforgettable. * Lee Maracle, author of Celia’s Song *A tough, close-up look at a side of female life that's often hard to acknowledge: the violence girls and women sometimes display towards other girls and women. * Margaret Atwood *The lives of the girls and women in The Break are not easy, but their voices are complex, urgent, and unsparing. * Madeleine Thien *Reading The Break is like a revelation; stunning, heartbreaking and glorious. Absolutely riveting. * Eden Robinson, author of Monkey Beach *I love a book that takes me to a new place, a world I know nothing about - and so it is with The Break. * RTE Ireland *Vermette, an award-winning poet, brings real lyricism to this hard-nosed tale of a rape on Native American land, and the unwillingness of the local police to investigate. * Sunday Times, Best Summer Reads 2018 *A dazzling debut... The Break is a terrific achievement, combining passages of lyrical prose with a compelling account of the way that violent crime warps the lives of several generations. * Sunday Times *

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Book Synopsis'I loved it!' - Phillipa Ashley A gripping tale of family secrets, sibling rivalry and summer romance, set against the backdrop of New York's sizzling urban beach. Sisters Sophie and Celia haven't been on speaking terms for years. So it's a huge shock when they discover their grandmother has left them her quirky old house on Rockaway Beach, New York. Just a stone's throw from the bright lights of Manhattan, they spent many idyllic summers there as children, swimming in the Atlantic ocean, playing in the sand and watching day trippers come and go. Then suddenly, the visits stopped. Sophie knows her mother and grandmother fell out, but has never found out why. Together, the sisters return to Rockaway, and can't agree on anything. Sophie wants to keep the house, Celia's determined to sell. It seems they'll never see eye to eye, until Sophie makes a shattering discovery that forces her to question everything... Why do she and Celia have such different memories of their grandmother? What caused the rift with their mother? Can Sophie trust the handsome stranger who seems to take such an interest in her? And who is the mysterious old woman watching them from afar? Praise for The House on Rockaway Beach: 'Brilliant' Phillipa Ashley 'A novel to lose yourself in' Faith Hogan 'Step into a world of pure escapism in this gripping tale of family secrets, sibling rivalry and summer romance' Chat Magazine Praise for Emma Burstall: 'A charming, warm-hearted read... Pure escapism' Alice Peterson 'Burstall is a great writer, and this is not your usual run-of-the-mill chick lit... I was gripped from the start' Daily Mail 'Burstall has a true knack for transporting you to her world' Jane CorryTrade ReviewStep into a world of pure escapism in this gripping tale of family secrets, sibling rivalry and summer romance * Chat *PRAISE FOR EMMA BURSTALL: 'Burstall is a great writer... I was gripped from the start' Daily Mail. 'Burstall has a skill for storytelling that keeps the reader hanging on every word' The Bookbag. 'I couldn't put it down. A terrific read' Lorraine Kelly. 'Burstall has a true knack for transporting you to her world' Jane Corry. 'An incredibly moving story of love, loss and friendship' * Closer *

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Book SynopsisFor Arturo Bandini, oldest son of Italian immigrants living in small-town Colorado during the Great Depression, the winter proves harsh. When his father seemingly abandons his family, Arturo is left to pick up the pieces, even as turmoil rages within him.With its evocative account of grinding poverty, tragic love affairs and tumultuous adolescence, this first novel from the Bandini quartet is a much-neglected masterpiece of modern American literature.Trade ReviewBandini is a magnificent creation, and his rediscovery is not before time * * Times Literary Supplement * *John Fante takes some beating . . . mean, moody, disturbing and intensely atmospheric * * The Times * *If you haven't yet discovered John Fante, you're in for a wonderful treat * * Evening Standard * *John Fante knew how to make words sing * * Uncut * *A lost classic of American literature . . . Evocative of a time with great parallels to our own, Fante's novel portrays youthful ennui and young love brilliantly * * Shortlist * *

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Book SynopsisIn a war-torn village in Eastern Europe, an American photographer captures a heart-stopping image: a young girl fleeing a fiery explosion that has engulfed her home and family. It becomes an icon for millions, winning acclaim and prizes - and a subject of obsession for one writer, the photographer's best friend, who has suffered a tragedy of her own. With the flash of a camera, one girl's life is shattered and another's is altered forever.Trade ReviewWild . . . genuinely subversive * * New Yorker * *A tour de force * * Los Angeles Review of Books * *Intensely corporeal, potently feminist, tenaciously written * * Boston Globe * *Lidia Yuknavitch burns through sex, art, and war * * Vanity Fair * *Explosive . . . with a vital intensity that grabs at the gutstrings * * Los Angeles Times * *Beautifully examines the fractures of loss and the myriad ways we can recover from it . . . A wild ride * * Huffington Post * *I have never felt so wrung out by a novel and yet simultaneously invigorated . . . A terrifically good novel and powerfully written * * Paris Review * *[An example] of thrilling storytelling with universal appeal * * Entertainment Weekly * *This is a novel for the bold of heart * * New York Journal of Books * *Masterful . . . Promises to stay on the skin long after the reader has turned the last page . . . Tightly wound, pacy and provocative * * Irish Independent * *

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Book SynopsisJesse is a twenty-nine-year-old adrift in San Francisco's demi-monde of sexually ambiguous, drug-taking outsiders, desperately trying to sustain a connection with her bisexual boyfriend. She becomes caretaker and confidante to Madame Pig, a grotesque, besotted recluse. Jesse also meets Madison - Pig's daughter or lover or both - who uses others' desires for her own purposes, and who leads Jesse into a world beyond all boundaries.As startling, original and vital as it was when first published, Suicide Blonde is an intensely erotic story of one young woman's sexual and psychological odyssey, and a modern cult classic.Trade ReviewLike so many naturals with a singular vision and an unyielding gift, Steinke wrote a perfect book nearly right out of the gate, one which both emanates from its time and will last the test of time -- MAGGIE NELSONHallucinatory, dystopian . . . a disturbing, poisonous fable of the dire consequences of derailed passion * * New York Times * *A provocative tour through the dark side * * Vanity Fair * *A book that feels neon-drenched, dirty, incredibly alive. The story slides around San Francisco in the 90s, with a cast of characters who feel grotesque and charismatic all at once. Incredibly vivid and captivating -- SOPHIE MACKINTOSH * * NZ Herald * *A shocking and electrifying journey into the inferno of sexual obsession * * Details * *

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Book SynopsisAfter a cataclysmic flood submerges half the world underwater, cannibalistic gangs and corrupt encampments become a constant threat to the remaining dry lands. Liv and her precocious three-year-old son Milo are some of the lucky ones who have survived.With the company of a lonely horse seeking a loving home, Liv is determined to protect Milo from the encampments, even if it means destroying what little is left of civilization. Amidst it all, she learns to embrace love and her own worth. Dry Lands is a gripping journey showcasing the resilience of humanity, parenthood, and the sacrifices we make for our children.FLAME TREE PRESS is the imprint of long-standing Independent Flame Tree Publishing, dedicated to full-length original fiction in the horror and suspense, science fiction & fantasy, and crime / mystery / thriller categories. The list brings together fantastic new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original

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Book Synopsis"Emotions resonate across time in Chris Canders’s absorbing tale." - Guardian"Intense and imaginative." - The New York Times“Cander grabs the reader in her bravura, thickly detailed opening pages.” - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)“Impossible to put down and impossible to forget.” - Library Journal (starred review)A dazzling exploration of how the human heart can both break and be restoredHidden in dense forests high in the Romanian mountains, where the winters were especially cold and long, were spruce trees that would be made into pianos: exquisite instruments famous for the warmth of their tone and beloved by the likes of Schumann and Liszt. One man alone knew how to choose them . . . The Weight of a Piano is a tour-de-force about two women and the piano that inexorably ties their lives together through time and across continents.In 1962, in the Soviet Union, eight-year-old Katya is bequeathed what will become the love of her life, a Blüthner piano built by a master piano-maker at the turn of the century in Germany. In 2012, in California, twenty-six-year-old Clara Lundy loses another boyfriend and again has to find a new apartment, a situation which is further complicated by the gift her father had given her for her twelfth birthday: a Blüthner piano. The mysterious—and tragic—connections between Katya and Clara unravel gradually yet thrillingly in Chris Cander’s powerful novel about attraction, obsession, creative passion, love and loss.“This is a powerful tale of how we live with grief, with what we hang on to of the people we love and the joy and pain of memory…a riveting read.” - Paul Burke NB MagazineTrade Review“Heart-wrenching. Readers stay griped by the questions this novel raises about the power of fetishized possessions, about the effects of family members on each other, about the difficulties of finding love and recognizing it. The settings are gripping too: from Brezhnev’s Russia to late-20th century California, cold Romanian forest to torrid Death Valley.” * The Washington Times *“Cander grabs the reader in her bravura, thickly detailed opening pages.” * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *“Cander brilliantly and convincingly expresses music and visual art in her writing, capturing both within a near-alien but surprisingly stunning landscape.” * Publishers Weekly (starred review) *"Gorgeous and melancholy." * Dallas Morning Star *

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Book SynopsisA FINANCIAL TIMES 'BEST BOOK OF THE WEEK' CHOICE A sharp, breath-taking exploration of love and relationships. Pietro and Teresa’s love affair is tempestuous and passionate. After yet another terrible argument, she gets an idea: they should tell each other something they’ve never told another person, something they’re too ashamed to tell anyone. In this way, Teresa thinks, they will remain intimately connected forever. A few days after sharing their shameful secrets, they break up. Not long after, Pietro meets Nadia, falls in love, and proposes. But the shadow of the secret he confessed to Teresa haunts him, and Teresa herself periodically reappears, standing at the crossroads of every major moment in his life. Or is it he who seeks her out? Trust asks how much we are willing to bend to show the world our best side, knowing full well that when we are at our most vulnerable we are also at our most dangerous.Trade Review"Trust unfolds with all the tension of a thriller despite much of the action taking place in the mind of the protagonist." * Big Issue North *

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Book SynopsisAn impassioned novel on the consequences of sexual exploitation and the dead ends of forgiveness 13-year-old Cléo lives a drab existence with her parents in a suburb of Paris. Her life changes when she is offered the chance to obtain a scholarship – issued by a mysterious Foundation - to realise her dream and become a modern jazz dancer. But there is more to the Foundation and their suave representative than meets the eye. Soon Cléo finds a trap has closed in on her, and she’s fallen prey to a sinister system in which she’ll eventually become complicit. Over 30 years later, a cache of images surfaces on the internet and exposes the Foundation’s exploitative, hidden purposes. The police put out a call for witnesses, and Cléo, now with a successful career as a dancer behind her, comes to realise the past has come back to haunt her. As her sense of self diffracts into multiple, contrasting images, there’s no way out but to confront her double burden as victim and predator.Trade Review“The deep relevance and the nuanced portrayal of the myriad effects of abuse on their lives are skilfully done…. Layered and disquieting.” * Kirkus Reviews *“This of-the-moment novel that scrutinises how working-class girls’ ambition to be dancers or excel at sport is used to manipulate them for abuse by wealthy men. That the procuring of these girls is done by a woman makes this novel especially pertinent. But there is, to the author’s great credit, no hint of sensationalism in the presentation of this exploitation.” * Irish Times *“Lafon has done a wonderful job of depicting the structures that enable sexual violence, and its traumatic aftermath on the victims: the shame, the disgust, and the need for forgiveness.” * Asymptote Journal *“Expertly crafted in an immersive, captivating story.” * Buzz Magazine *“The great strength of Reeling is the way Lafon weaves together social failures that, on the surface, seem quite disparate.” * LA Review of Books *“A brilliantly written and unsettling novel about those who have power and those who don’t - be it through age, social standing or money. Lola’s writing is never sentimental, but is so powerful in ensuring understand exactly how these events have shaped Cléo’s life and that the issues of power and consent are never clearly defined. I absolutely loved it.” * Years of Reading Selfishly *"A harrowing, painful story, draped in beautifully melancholy writing.” * Les Échos Week-End *“A beautiful, intense novel.” * Madame Figaro *“A fiercely feminist novel... compulsively readable too.” * The New Yorker on The Little Communist that Never Smiled *“A thought-provoking, surprisingly touching story about a little girl who shook up the world.” * The Big Issue on The Little Communist that Never Smiled *

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Book SynopsisA MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK - VOGUE, BuzzFeed, LitHub "A bold, promising debut." MARY GAITSKILL *** "Thoughtful, savage" RAVEN LEILANI *** "Radical, daring and bracing" SHEILA HETI If sex is a truth-teller, Eve—a young, queer woman in Brooklyn—is looking for answers. On an evening when she is feeling particularly impulsive, she posts some nude photos of herself online. This is how Eve meets Olivia, and through Olivia, the charismatic Nathan—and soon the three begin a relationship that disturbs Eve as much as it delights her. As each act of the affair unfolds, Eve is left to ask: to whom is she responsible? And to what extent do our desires determine who we are? In the way that only great fiction can, Acts of Service takes between its teeth the contradictions written all over our ideas of sex and sexuality. As incisive as it is exhilarating, this novel asks us to face our ideas about desire and power: what sex means to us, the forces that shape it, and how we find—or lose—ourselves in intimacy. At once juicy and intellectually challenging, sacred and profane, it might be the most thought-provoking book you read all year.Trade Review"[An] extraordinary debut novel, Acts of Service, [is] a work of ferocious moral and sensual intelligence and a masterly defence of sex for its own sake.” * The Guardian *"Acts of Service is a stylish, elegant piece of provocation that is also as sincere and searching as its heroine. Even if it pisses you off, it's hard not to keep turning the pages. It's a bold, promising debut." * Mary Gaitskill *"An exhilarating and memorable literary exploration of sex and power dynamics." * British Vogue *“One of the most searching and enthralling novels about human attraction and connection that I’ve read in many years. Part erotic Bildungsroman, part melancholy comedy of manners, it arrives with quiet confidence and a fully formed bank of ideas about intimacy, sexual ethics and contemporary mores that Fishman could go on exploring for years to come.” -- Johanna Thomas-Corr * The New Statesman *“Both insanely erotic and intellectually challenging, one of those books we never wanted to end.” * COSMOPOLITAN *“A fabulous debut." * Independent *“This one had me hooked from the first sentence….it’s heady, exhilarating, and will change the way you look at the world. The perfect read for fans of Raven Leilani and Ottessa Moshfegh, this is a book that will have people talking.” * BuzzFeed *"A young woman follows her exhibitionist streak to uncharted new territory in this bold and unflinchingly sexy novel, engaging in a three-way sexual relationship that teaches her more than she could have imagined about her own desire." * VOGUE *"I was completely absorbed by this radical, daring and bracing novel about a so-cold and yet so-intimate world where safety and pleasure can only be found in the most unlikely and unpredictable of places. It is a book of exciting, provocative complexity, and, for me, it made the human creature feel like something new." * Sheila Heti, author of Motherhood and Pure Colour *“Acts of Service doesn’t kiss you first; it gets right to it—depicting the liquid frequencies of need and power with a thoughtful, savage eye.” * Raven Leilani, author of Luster *"Reading 'Acts of Service' I felt the uncanny sensation of being in the presence of its narrator, observing me as I tore through its pages. Fishman’s Eve, heir to Eve Babitz, makes us complicit in her interrogation of desire with an erotic, cerebral, subversive and tormenting tale, a reckoning formed in the cracks between certainties, like the cooling magma that rises between tectonic plates; between voyeurism and complicity, intimacy and alienation, the body and the mind." * Olivia Sudjic, author of Sympathy and Asylum Road *“A book of exquisite moral refinement and almost intimidating elegance.” * Edmund White, author of A Boy’s Own Story and States of Desire *“Taut, thorny, and sublimely fraught, Acts of Service stares straight into the white-hot center of desire with a cool, incisive eye. This book is electric.” * Alexandra Kleeman, author of Something New Under the Sun *"Disturbing, erotic, completely compulsive; quickeningly captivating, provocative in ways that I am still turning over." * Lucy Caldwell, author of These Days *“Seamlessly written, sedate and subtle and so pleasurable, and quite enrapturing on a psychological level. This book opens space for a new kind of precision and intelligence that gives the amoral opulence of desire its rightful place.” * Niamh Campbell, author of This Happy and We Were Young *"Lillian Fishman is not just a brilliant writer—she’s a brilliant feeler, a great thinker. She has the gift we open books for.” * David Lipsky, author of The Art Fair *“With deep eroticism and stunning prose, Lillian Fishman explores sex and the self with delicious seriousness and sensuality. I didn't want it to end.” * Saskia Vogel, author of Permission *“I cannot recall the last time I felt this exhilarated and transformed by a novel. Acts of Service electrified both my mind and body. How can a story feel so smart and carnal at once? Lillian Fishman writes exquisitely about desire, pleasure, life with shattering clarity.” * Sanaë Lemoine, author of The Margot Affair *"An evocative exploration of desire and sexuality." * Kirkus Reviews *"Smooth and smart." * Publishers Weekly *“Fishman’s coming-of-age story isn’t only about sex. Using sex as a road map, Eve is searching to understand her own inner workings as a young woman. While writing Acts of Service, Fishman kept returning to a simple idea: We tend to love what disturbs us, if we are willing to follow our desires and take the risk.” * Interview Magazine *“Ottessa Moshfegh’s urban malaise meets Raven Leilani’s loquacious eroticism in this provocative novel.” * Electric Literature *

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Book SynopsisDarlene, once an exemplary wife and a loving mother, finds herself devastated by the unforeseen death of her husband. Unable to cope with her grief, she turns to drugs.Unbeknownst to her eleven-year-old son Eddie, Darlene has been lured away to a remote farm with false promises of a good job by a shady company named Delicious Foods, where she is held captive while she works the land to pay off alleged debts.Through Darlene's haunted struggle to reunite with Eddie, through the efforts of both to triumph over those who would enslave them, and through the irreverent and mischievous voice of the drug that narrates Darlene's travails, Hannaham's daring prose infuses this harrowing experience with compassion and humour. Along the way we experience a tale at once contemporary and historical that wrestles with timeless questions of love and freedom, forgiveness and redemption, tenacity and the will to survive.

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Book SynopsisNow a major TV series starring Daniel Radcliffe and Steve Buscemi. Originally published as What in God's Name. How can you help mankind, when they won't help themselves? Welcome to Heaven Inc, and Craig's life. From the Sunsets Department and Geyser Regulation to the Department of Miracles, Heaven Inc has the earth covered. Unless someone is away from their desk. And these days, the CEO is kind of disillusioned. God knows he should be keeping an eye on the bad things happening on Earth, but instead he finds himself watching the Church channels on satellite TV. His first priority is the team of angels he's asked to get Lynyrd Skynyrd back together. Downstairs on the office floor, Eliza has been promoted from the Prayers Department to Miracles, and Craig, the only other workaholic in heaven, has to show her around. Eliza is shocked by the casual attitude of many of the angels in her new department. And she's furious when she discovers that God has never looked at, let alone answered, a single prayer. So she storms into God's office and asks Him a question that no one has ever dared to ask before. And it might just be the end of the world.Trade ReviewTruly hilarious -- Eva Wiseman * Observer *Simon Rich is outrageously, lavishly gifted -- Caitlin MoranAn appealing mixture of subtle and laugh-out-loud funny * Independent on Sunday *The super-funny Simon Rich . . . a literary romcom . . . Properly laugh-out-loud funny and sweetly charming. You'll be rooting for the angels to save the world * Heat *A romcom with Armageddon hanging in the balance, it's written with a lightness of touch that makes it a breezy read * Herald *Like Douglas Adams in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Rich drags heaven down to Earth ... Rich knows how to balance the smart with the funny * New York Times Book Review *One of the best American comic novels of the past few years -- Michael Schaub * NPR *Divinely funny * Vanity Fair *One of the funniest writers in America ... feels like a little love letter to the world * Daily Beast *Deliciously funny * Kirkus *Like Kevin Smith's Dogma via Neil Gaiman's Good Omens, it takes a lovingly satirical swipe at religion. * Grazia *

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER INTERNATIONAL PRIZE 2019 AN INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER When Gilbert wakes one day from a dream that his wife has cheated on him, he flees - immediately and inexplicably - for Tokyo, where he meets a fellow lost soul: Yosa, a young Japanese student clutching a copy of The Complete Manual of Suicide. Together, Gilbert and Yosa set off on a pilgrimage to see the pine islands of Matsushima, one looking for the perfect end to his life, the other for a fresh start. Playful and profound, The Pine Islands is a beautiful tale of friendship, transformation and acceptance in modern Japan.Trade ReviewMiraculous ... Poschmann has all the air of uncovered greatness -- John Self * Guardian *A remarkably tender exploration of modern life ... Poschmann reveals the still beauty to be found in life beneath a mask of black humour. -- Mia Colleran * Irish Times *A blackly funny novel, in which the rhythms of modern life slowly give way to the restorative poetry of the natural world. -- Claire Allfree * Daily Mail *If you've ever wondered how a writer of imagination and wit might blend Murakami-style mysticism with black-humoured realism, this diverting novel will tell you everything you need to know. * Big Issue *Funny, strange and sad ... a refreshing book for the curious reader * Herald *Really fascinating ... on the face of it a simple story with a sort of surreality to it, a playfulness as well ... interesting, left-field ... we absolutely loved it ... a comic confrontation with mortality -- Bettany Hughes, chair of the 2019 Man Booker International Prize judgesAbsurdly delightful * Straits Times *A masterpiece * Die Zeit *Clever, poetic, funny * Tagesspiegel *A dazzling little novel * Süddeutsche Zeitung *Profoundly serene, flawlessly beautiful * TAZ *Ravishingly funny * Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung *Simply wonderful * Stern *

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Book Synopsis'Morbid, and yet, you can't help but laugh.. refreshing, seductive and magical. If this book wasn't already on your radar, it needs to be.' Oyinkan Braithwaite 'I read this book in a single addictive sitting. It will stay with me for a long time' Jeet Thayil 'Paralkar has created my favorite kind of story: morbid, magical, and enthralling' Sarah Blake As dusk approaches, a former surgeon goes about closing up his dilapidated clinic in rural India. His day, like all his days, has been long and hard. His medical supplies arrive late if at all, the electrics in the clinic threaten to burn out at any minute, and his overseer, a corrupt government official, blackmails and extorts him. It is thankless work, but the surgeon has long given up any hope of reward in this life. That night, as the surgeon completes his paperwork, he is visited by a family - a teacher, his heavily pregnant wife and their young son. Victims of a senseless attack, they reveal to the surgeon wounds that they could not possibly have survived. And so the surgeon finds himself faced with a preposterous task: to mend the wounds of the dead family before sunrise so that they may return to life. But this is not the only challenge laid before the surgeon, and as the night unfolds he realises his future is tied more closely to that of the dead family than he could have imagined. At once dustily realist and magically unreal, Night Theatre is a powerful fable about the miracles we ask of doctors, and the fine line they negotiate between life and death.Trade ReviewI read this book in a single addictive sitting. It will stay with me for a long time. -- Jeet Thayil, Booker Prize shortlisted author of NarcopolisNight Theatre is astonishing - stark and luminous, nimble and tensile, powerful and propulsive in the moment, but also full of lingering wonder. -- Leah Hager Cohen, author of Strangers and CousinsA haunting, hallucinatory fable, Night Theatre wrestles with the deepest mysteries of morality, death, and the afterlife. -- Rachel Heng, author of Suicide ClubNight Theatre hypnotized me, held me on the line between life and death ... Paralkar has created my favorite kind of story: morbid, magical, and enthralling. -- Sarah Blake, author of NaamahHaunting and irresistible. I cannot wait for you to read this book. -- Wayétu Moore, author of She Would Be KingA beautifully fearsome meta-fiction on death, the dead and the living * Business Line *Equal parts speculative fiction, medical drama and a philosophical treatise on death ... perceptive and absurdly humorous in ways I hadn't expected. By the time I reached its smashing final line, I was hoping Paralkar would resurrect the dead for a sequel. * The Hindu *

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Book SynopsisWinner of the 2020 Prix Médicis etranger I want to live on foot, by hand, by pencil, at ease, responsive to whatever I meet, loose like the air that moves around my body as I walk or like a graceful swimming stroke. I want to remain astonished. Join Antonio Muñoz Molina for a walk through Madrid, Paris, London and New York, where the past and the present live side by side in the literature of newspaper headlines, billboards, casual glances and overheard conversation. This is the digital metropolis, captured in notebooks, recorded on the iPhone, where Edgar Allan Poe, Herman Melville, Charles Baudelaire, Thomas de Quincey, Fernando Pessoa and Walter Benjamin step beside us, all of us writing the unfinished poem of the crowded city.Trade ReviewA word-drunk ramble through the modern city, echoing literary predecessors from Baudelaire to Poe * Wall Street Journal *Molina is a true original -- Salman RushdieBrilliant, erudite, absorbing, moving * 4columns.org *Tolstoyan in its scale, emotional intensity and intellectual honesty. -- Economist * Economist *Spellbinding * Washington Post *Exhilarating . . . exceptional . . . necessary -- Adam Feinstein * Financial Times *Compellingly seductive * Independent *

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Book Synopsis'Exquisitely written and structurally bold ... a deeply impressive novel' Eva Dolan, author of This Is How It EndsArthur and Gwen married young. Twenty years on, Gwen's got it all: wealth, beauty, a famous husband who's the founder of Britain's most successful tech company, stables full of horses, millions of followers on Instagram, an unstable lover, a wayward son, a hoard of secrets, an aching heart, and a cyberstalking blackmailer who calls himself The Invisible Knight.As the Wiltshire town of Abury prepares to celebrate the fortieth birthday of its favourite son, Morgan, Gwen's former best friend, is on her way back to Abury after two decades away, keen to expose Abury's long buried secrets and hellbent on revenge.An inventive, magisterial reworking of Britain's greatest myth, Bliss & Blunder is a heartrending novel of power, friendship and betrayal.

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Book SynopsisLonglisted for the Historical Writers' Association Gold Crown 2022 Longlisted for the Polari Prize 2022 'The exquisite story of two women trying to make a life together in wartime Austria, and all the love, friendship and danger that implies.' Sophie Ward All of You Every Single One is an epic novel about family, freedom and how true love might survive impossible odds. When Julia flees her unhappy marriage for the handsome tailor Eve Perret, she expects her life from now on will be a challenge, not least because the year is 1911. They leave everything behind to settle in Vienna, but their happiness is increasingly diminished by Julia's longing for a child. Ada Bauer's wealthy industrialist family have sent her to Dr Freud in the hope that he can fix her mutism and do so without a scandal. But help will soon come for Ada from an unexpected quarter and change many lives irrevocably.Trade ReviewA gorgeous trip across time and identity, through war and fascism, to show how people make new families and find ways to love each other. * Kate Pullinger *For all its big themes, this novel never stops being tender. Hitchman has beautifully captured the ebb and flow of long-term relationships, from first lust, to the pathos of familiarity ... gorgeously written on every single page. -- Katie Ward, author of Girl ReadingThe story flows with epic majesty... a rich and dynamic narrative expertly told; authentic characters skilfully shaped with genuine empathy; and beautifully crafted historical descriptions written with superb grace. -- Laura Carlin, author of Requiem for a KnaveWith the delicacy and beauty of Flaubert, Hitchman tells the exquisite story of two women trying to make a life together in wartime Austria, and all the love, friendship and danger that implies. -- Sophie WardPraise for Petite Mort: 'Sumptuously set, elegantly written, evocative and quietly subversive' -- Stella DuffyThe atmosphere is rich with sumptuous details ... striking ... This clever debut indicates a bright future for its author. -- Max Liu * Independent *Praise for Petite Mort: 'An astonishingly assured debut novel... an expertly crafted story.' * The Irish Times *There's a touch of Angela Carter about Beatrice Hitchman's beguiling debut - a sly, erotic thriller concerned with doubleness and duplicity. * Guardian *Praise for Petite Mort: 'An impressive and enjoyable debut: nimble, deft and wrapped luxuriously in the velveteen glamour of the movies.' * FT *Compelling ... Hitchman's confident debut is a story about relationships and the risks we take to get what we want. Universal themes, beautifully explored. * Diva *Sumptuous ... part Moulin Rouge, part Alfred Hitchcock * Grazia *Vienna is described in richly atmospheric, beautifully evocative language ... Hitchman's characters are engaging, despite their many flaws, and her storytelling engrossing. * A Life in Books *An intertwined and ever-weaving story about queer people living - or surviving - in 1900s Vienna . . .It's a novel about found family, the consequences of decisions, and how far we'll go for love - especially in an age of oppression. * Buzzfeed *A gorgeous and deeply moving novel... Hitchman takes readers on an atmospheric and unforgettable journey. * Daily Hive Must-Read Books Roundup *A touching and atmospheric ode to queer characters and their struggles during such a poignant time in history...we can guarantee you won't put this one down until it's finished. * Women.com *With a masterful eye for historical detail, Beatrice Hitchman's ambitious new novel plunges us headfirst into the bohemian world of Vienna's early 20th century golden age .... All of You Every Single One shines as a beautiful, poignant, and deeply felt tale of holding on to the love of the chosen families we create, even in the most adverse of historical circumstances. * Vogue Best Books of 2022 *Engrossing ... Hitchman excels at capturing both the liberating permissiveness of turn-of-the-century Vienna and the city's paralyzing fear after Hitler's 1938 annexation of Austria. * Kirkus *Populated with rich and vibrant characters, All of You Every Single One is a stellar work that blends the best of history and fiction. * Historical Novel Society *Beatrice Hitchman's writing is beautiful from the start... The little community that built up around them caught me by the heart at once, * Manhattan Book Review *An absorbing novel of love and lust and found family * Library Journal *

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Book SynopsisWelcome to Batch Magna, a place where anything might happen. And often does... Sir Humphrey has offered to play Father Christmas at the local hospital, but disaster strikes when he realises he won’t be able to buy the sack of toys he’d promised the children. Rupert, a gentleman of the road, is found asleep in an old car in the Hall’s coach house. He is scrubbed up and given a room at the Hall, where two guests are already staying: a businessman and his rather young female companion. When money goes missing from their bedroom, Rupert is accused, and Miss Wyndham, the village’s amateur sleuth, decides to investigate the matter. Meanwhile, local author Phineas Cook has come up with the idea of a resident ghost at the Hall to attract paying guests. All goes smoothly until the ghostly actors spend too long in the pub one evening and their performance descends into sword-wielding chaos. As always in Batch Magna, events somehow manage to turn out all right in the end – but in the most unexpected manner…

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Book SynopsisCommunity music projects always spread harmony… don’t they? When players in Stockwell Park Orchestra fear they may be getting out of touch with the community, they invite children from two nearby schools to join them for a season. Supercilious, rich Oakdean College pupils have never mixed with the rough Sunbridge Academy kids, and when things go missing and rumours spread, the situation threatens to turn ugly. DCI Noel Osmar has to tread carefully: after all, he’s off duty. Step forward, Carl the trombonist. Can music heal social rifts? Who has been stealing and why? And will the orchestra’s newly-composed fanfare turn out to be fantastic… or farcical?

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Book SynopsisAs the Town's annual flower and produce show approaches, it's all doom and bloom up on the allotments. Prize vegetables are going missing and a dead body is found fertilizing Bonny Grub's onion patch.

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Book SynopsisA modern country house farce with a diverse cast of characters

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Book Synopsis'What a great novel, its language and storytelling so light but also raw and lyrical. A tremendous writer. Read this book' ADRIAAN VAN DIS. Alan Noland discovers his father's memoirs and learns the truth about the violent man he despised. In this unsparing family history, Alan distils his father's life in the Dutch East Indies into one furious utterance. He reads about his work as an interpreter during the war with Japan, his life as an assassin, and his decision to murder Indonesians in the service of the Dutch without any conscience. How he fled to the Netherlands to escape being executed as a traitor and met Alan's mother soon after. As he reads his father's story Alan begins to understand how war transformed his father into the monster he knew. Birney exposes a crucial chapter in Dutch and European history that was deliberately concealed behind the ideological facade of postwar optimism. Readers of this superb novel will find that it reverberates long afterwards in their memory.Trade ReviewA masterly novel about the violence of colonialism, the war of decolonisation, the repatriation of the collaborators and the consequences all of this has had on the families of those involved * De Groener Amsterdammer *Birney mercilessly exposes a crucial part of Dutch history. This masterful novel will echo in the minds of its readers * De Volkskrant *What a great novel, its language and storytelling so light but also raw and lyrical. A tremendous writer. Read this book -- Adriaan van Dis, author of My Father's War and BetrayalA work of unbridled, incensed storytelling: an assault on the lazy assumptions of parochial, colonial history and a personal quest for redemption * South China Morning Post *

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Book SynopsisMax Falkland finds herself on a new mission, this time posing as a maid of honour at the Queen’s coronation. Out of her comfort zone with an assignment that reminds her she is the daughter of a viscount, and out of her depth with the silent men in her life, she takes refuge in an archeological expedition, but a chance meeting leads to a trip that will force Max to face the most frightening moments of her career while trying to protect those she loves. The unmissable conclusion to the Max Falkland Trilogy.

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Book Synopsis'I adored it' JULIE HAWORTH'Witty, well-observed and utterly charming' SOPHIE COUSENS'Funny, tender and insightful' ERICKA WALLERTwo sisters, one absent father and a grand inheritance . . .Maggie and Liz may be sisters (and yes, named after a pair of much more famous siblings), but that's about all they have in common. Maggie is a free spirit - travelling the world, flitting through life and relationships without ever really having to connect. Liz, meanwhile, is the lynchpin of Little Martin village society and determined to be the perfect wife, mother and homemaker - even if she does live in a new build.When Liz and Maggie's beloved grandmother, Queen Vic, dies in a characteristically dramatic fashion, they are left to deal with the aftermath - inheriting the family Manor, as well as full responsibility for their profligate father, a notorious womaniser who causes trouble wherever he

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Book SynopsisA young boy is in love with the game of golf, but he doesn’t understand why. He has a natural talent and an enviable swing but playing the game well is not enough. There’s something missing. When Jimmy, the homeless man who spends his days cheering on golfers from his usual sitting spot just off the 5th green at Old Elm Municipal Golf course goes missing, the young boy becomes curious. His quest uncovers Jimmy’s mysterious link to the Old Course in St. Andrews, Scotland and reveals a life in golf that not only fascinates but sends the boy on a personal journey to discover the magic of an ancient game and its deeper meaning for a young man doing his best to find his path in the world.

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Book SynopsisInspired by Much Ado About Nothing, this is a hilarious and uplifting romantic comedy perfect for fans of 10 Things I Hate About You and The Hating Game. Bridie Morgan is giving love one last chance – she's going on twenty dates in twenty days. If this 'love' thing really is a numbers game, then surely she'll find The One. And if not? Well, at least the memory will be enough to put her off for life. But being love's biggest sceptic is a challenge in the face of best friend Hattie's upcoming nuptials. And as maid of honour, she really has to give it a chance. Then Bridie's lifelong nemesis Ben Kemp returns home to join the wedding party. Ben, who triggered the sorry state of affairs that has been Bridie's love life since high school. Ben, the best man to her maid of honour. As old enemies reunite, sparks fly – in ways Bridie could never have seen coming... Readers love Love at First Fight! 'OMG SUCH A SWEET READ. I LOVED IT!! This book is super sweet and I totally loved the main characters!!... An amazing story!' @lifeinbooksnow, 5* Review 'A fantastic five-star read. This is funny, and sweet... I adore this author and can't wait to see what they will come up with next' NetGalley 5* Review 'Mary Jayne Baker take a bow! This is definitely going to be high on the list of favourites for this year! This is a book that has made me laugh out, cry a whole lot and fall in love with the characters that have filled the pages... This is without a doubt a book worthy of all the stars. All Hail Mary Jayne Baker – queen of romance and one of the few authors that can almost read my mind and create the perfect man' Little Miss Book Lover 87, 5* Review 'Hilarious and heartwarming read!... This was the first time I've read a book by Mary Jayne but definitely won't be the last!' The Literary Space, 5* Review 'Just the perfect kind of a book to cuddle up with and let it comfort you. It made me feel so much better and happier, and after finishing I had a smile on my face because gosh that ending!... A classic enemies to lovers... Gah! So adorable ... Feel-good rom-com in all aspects!' NetGalley 5* Review 'Fantastically adorable and has a bit of everything. From enemies to lovers, wonderful banter... Had me turning pages until I was done far sooner than I wanted to be. I couldn't put this book down... You'll smile, you'll laugh' NikkiHRose Writing, 5* Review 'The perfect frenemies to lovers romcom and I really enjoyed it' @katiethebooklover, 5* Review 'I absolutely loved this book as the fun rom-com is something every girl needs!' NetGalley 5* Review 'So much fun! I definitely had LOL moments and I couldn't stop reading it; I had to rush to the end to see what happened... Highly recommended!' NetGalley 5* Review 'I read in under 24 hours. It would have been one sitting, if I hadn't slept in the middle of it!... This is a lighthearted romcom book that was very enjoyable' @neverlandbooks, 5* Review 'Great lighthearted summer read! Cute and fun! I loved the characters and the romance was beautiful to see develop' NetGalley 5* Review 'What a fun book!... There was laughter, friendship, and several tender moments... If you are looking for a light, fun read that's hard to put down, this is for you' NetGalley 5* Review

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Book SynopsisA diplomatic genius' Gordon BrownTom Fletcher is the essential diplomat, and was my support and sounding board about virtually every country on earth' David CameronHow far will he go to save a future he may never see?Having been made High Commissioner in Nairobi, Ed Barnes is keeping his head down and staying out of trouble. But when his daughter, Stephanie, is kidnapped following a security crisis for which he is blamed, his attempts at normality fall apart once again. He finds himself at the heart of a complex negotiation with a dangerous Somali terrorist group, in an effort to avert a regional security crisis and free his daughter.Meanwhile, across the globe a series of political assassinations have been shaking the world of business and government. Tensions boil over when a Chinese envoy is murdered in Jordan, only days before a crucial climate change conference, sparking a diplomat

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Book Synopsis''A major talent'' Hilary MantelShortlisted for the Edge Hill Short Story Prize Whether seeking knowledge, riches, or a better life, the characters in these stories are united by a quest for lasting value, as they ask how we should treat our world, our work, our selves, and each other. A vainglorious mine owner dreams of harnessing all of nature to the machinery of commerce. Two ladies of a certain age hunt rare butterflies in a pre-First World War Europe already experiencing the first bites of biodiversity loss. A climate campaigner must choose between personal happiness and political action. A rural Welsh community is fascinated and angered by glimpses of its invisible, wealthy neighbours.Exact and lyrical, compassionate, and full of wit and truth, this debut collection from Jo Lloyd, winner of the BBC National Short Story Award, announces a fresh new voice with a sensibility all her own.

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Book SynopsisA very funny, intelligent, deliberately and engagingly resistant, and moving piece of writing' Amit ChaudhuriA recovering writer' his first novel having been littered with typos and selling only fifty copies Frank Jasper is plucked from obscurity in Port Jumbo in Nigeria by Mrs Kirkpatrick, a white woman and wife of an American professor, to attend the prestigious William Blake Program for Emerging Writers in Boston.Once there, however, it becomes painfully clear that he and the other Fellows are expected to meet certain obligations as representatives of their cultures.' His colleagues, veterans of residencies in Europe and America, know how to play up to the stereotypes expected of them, but Frank isn't interested in being the African Writer at William Blake any anyway, there is another Fellow, Barongo Akello Kabumba, who happily fills that role.Eventually expelled from the fellowship for non-performance' and non-participation,' Frank Jasper sets off on trip to visit his father's college friend in Nebraska where he learns not only surprising truths about his father, but also how to parlay his experiences into a lucrative new career once he returns to Nigeria: as a commentator on American life...Seesaw is an energetic comedy of cultural dislocation and in its humour, intelligence and piety-pricking, it is a refreshing and hugely enjoyable act of literary rebellion.

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

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Book Synopsis'A legendary writer entirely on his own account' Observer 'Stunningly good' Guardian Gloria Goltz's intellectual ambitions are derailed when she meets Leonard at college. Self-taught, blue-collar, possessor of an aggressive intelligence, Leonard claims to hold the key to unlocking her potential. After making her pregnant, he disappears. Her son Corey grows up without a father, looking for a male role model ­- and restless, dreaming of a great adventure. Instead, when Corey is fifteen, Gloria is diagnosed with motor neuron disease, and his estranged father - this man of domineering charisma and dubious moral character - returns. Determined to be his mother's hero at any cost, Corey begins shouldering responsibility for her expensive medical care, pushing himself to his physical and emotional limits as her disease progresses. And as Leonard's influence over son and mother grows, Corey must dismantle the myth of his father's genius and confront the evil that lurks beneath it. Atticus Lish won a Pen/Faulkner award for his debut Preparation for the Next Life, a novel 'described as the finest and most unsentimental love story of the new decade' in The New York Times. His second novel confirms Lish as a beguiling storyteller and a prose stylist of extraordinary emotional reach and beauty.Trade ReviewLike an American cousin of Shuggie Bain ... Heavyweight prose and highminded commitment * Daily Mail *Stunningly good * Guardian *Visceral and Ingenious * Financial Times *Lish keeps you nothing but rapt by his last-gasp gear change... in years to come he'll be spoken of as a legendary writer entirely on his own account. * Observer *Praise for Preparation for the Next Life -- :A stunning, brilliant novel ... Every word, every encounter, rings true -- 'Pick of the Week' * Observer *Extraordinary ... "Make it new" was Ezra Pound's exhortation ... Lish does exactly that ... astonishing ... nothing less than a triumph, worthy of every heroic adjective a critic could throw. It is a reminder, plain and simple, of what fiction is for * FT *Impressive ... Charged with breathless momentum ... substantial and beguiling * Guardian *A complex exploration of masculinity, veering from the fierce, destructive aggression of Corey's encounters with his father to the tender, attentive dedication he displays toward his mother. Lish writes with unhurried precision, avoiding sentimentality yet generating enormous emotional resonance -- New YorkerThis behemoth of a novel packs an emotional punch that will send you reeling...a disturbing and compelling picture of lives in the margins * Mail on Sunday *Into the field of post-9/11 literature wades America's latest literary darling, Atticus Lish...Lish was awarded the PEN/Faulkner award for this book. Those who have read it will agree with the decision * The Times *Extraordinarily powerful ... Lish's remarkable debut fuses raw realism with narrative poetry to memorable effect * Sunday Times *Devastatingly good. My heart was a different size by the time I finished: swollen from the terrible beating it took, but also, I think, permanently augmented -- Ned Beauman, author of The Teleportation AccidentMagnificent ... one of the best recent novels I have read about work as it exists for millions of people ... attests to a more profound and intimate knowledge of how life functions on the margins * New Statesman *Punches its way, bare-knuckled, through every millennial New York novel centring around middle-class intellectual characters ... kicking typical tales of artsy, east-coast intelligentsia romance into a dumpster. But its real target, sought out with a heat-seeking precision, is far weightier, and that is America itself * Observer *Here is a raw first novel with a low center of gravity. Set in Queens, it dilates upon blinkered lives, scummy apartments, dismal food and bad options. At its heart is a love story between a Chinese immigrant and a veteran of the Iraq war. Mr. Lish's narrative is intense, moving and somehow necessary -- Dwight Garner, '2014 Books of the Year' * The New York Times *Astonishing, gorgeous ... It is hard to imagine a more daunting task for a novelist than to say something new about 9/11. Preparation for the Next Life is dizzying in its ambition and exhilarating in its triumph -- Clancy Martin * New York Review of Books *A stunning debut novel ... Lish's prose is at once raw and disciplined, and every word feels necessary * Publishers Weekly *A tour de force of urban naturalism ... a love story that's as bold and urgent as any you'll read this year -- Sam Sacks * Wall Street Journal *A significant contribution ... striking ... [Lish] isn't catching a mood but building a world ... we look to long novels for richness, not perfection, for power, not precision, so we should savour Lish's audacity and open heart, his refusal to coddle or console * Daily Telegraph *Lish's prose is superlucid, propulsive but always beautifully controlled, authoritative yet selfless, wrought with an exactitude that is the toughest but deepest kind of compassion a book can have -- Colin BarrettA remarkable portrait of a sensitive boy forced into a life of hardness and violence . . . a superbly original talent -- Wall Street JournalWhat a strange genius, this author, of a novel full of such tenderness and violence. The portrait is heartbreaking -- Christian Lorentzen * Harper's *

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Book Synopsis'Absorbing and original . . . A very smart tale packed with jeopardy' Daily Mail 'Keeps you guessing till the very end' The Times 'An absolute page-turner' Miranda Cowley Heller, author of The Paper Palace He's in your house. He's in your family. Or is he in your mind? Gil has been estranged from his sister ever since her obnoxious son tried to drown his daughter on a family holiday. That's Gil's interpretation; his sister thinks Matthew was just playing around. Or did. When she and her husband perish in a car crash, Gil becomes Matthew's legal guardian. Matthew is now an urbane 17-year-old, raised on Manhattan's Upper East Side, a planet away from rural Vermont, where Gil lives with his wife and daughters, teaching at the local university. At first, Matthew appears to have changed, but when he joins Gil's writing class, he submits a story detailing the various ways a character resembling Gil's youngest daughter might die. While Gil believes he has invited a psychopath to live under his roof, the women in his life are impressed by Matthew's intelligence and charm. Is Gil losing his mind, or are his family in desperate danger?Trade ReviewGreat characterisation and plenty of genuine suspense in a psychological thriller par excellence * Guardian *An absorbing and original plot. The writing is pitch-perfect and the observations of family dynamics are quietly excruciating. Oates has produced a very smart tale packed with jeopardy * Daily Mail *Terrifying and amusing ... keeps you guessing till the very end * Times *Horribly claustrophobic, in the best possible way * Observer *Compulsive, richly imagined * Irish Times *Not only a deep dive into the things that can rock the cradle of a family, but also an absolute page-turner. I read it in a single sitting. -- Miranda Cowley Heller, author of The Paper PalacePhenomenal. A highly enjoyable Russian doll of a story. Impossible to put down. A remarkable debut -- Lisa Ballantyne, bestselling author of The Guilty OneA Flaw in the Design is a literary thriller of the highest order - a book that made my heart beat fast and my brain light up -- Julia May Jonas, author of VladimirA mesmerising literary thriller, full of atmosphere, perfectly observed characterisation and a plot that relentlessly corkscrews to a brilliant dénouement. I found myself completely immersed from start to finish, fully hooked on Nathan Oates' stunning fiction -- Philippa East, author of Little White LiesThis is SO up my street. Gil is estranged from his wealthy sister, as her son once tried to drown Gil's daughter when they were kids. But when his sister dies, Gil adopts the would-be-murderer. LOVE IT -- Joanna Cannon, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Trouble with Goats and SheepBrutal and compelling, A Flaw in the Design ... swerves and shocks before smashing into you, a T-bone collision you can hold in your hands. -- Julia Phillips, author of Disappearing EarthBrilliantly constructed and psychologically astute -- Antoine Wilson, author of Mouth to MouthAstonishingly good. A brilliant premise, a pulse-pounding plot, gorgeous language - this book has it all -- Sarah Pekkanen, New York Times bestselling author of Gone TonightMenace and mendacity vie with the mundane in this skillfully told tale about ambition and grief and envy... A Flaw In the Design is an impressive debut. Cue the sequel -- Alice McDermott, winner of the National Book Award for Charming BillyWhat happens when a (possibly murderous) sociopath takes a writing workshop? This is the premise of Nathan Oates's delicious, inexorable, fast-paced tale of obsession - a thriller that will keep you reading till the end." -- Karan Mahajan, author of The Association of Small Bombs

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Book SynopsisSalomé was bullied for years and no one did a single thing to help her. One day she finally snapped. Now at just sixteen years old, she's being held in a secure unit for young offenders Salomé's counsellor, the man whose good opinion is key to her release, is best known for his racist gaffes on reality TV. Her father has recently been diagnosed with liver cancer and her elder sister Miriam's main preoccupation is to get out of their small, close-minded village as soon as possible. Both at home and in the unit, things are unbearably tense. Salomé finds it hard to keep her temper and harder still to think about the crime she is charged with committing. But as time passes, she finds new strength to delve into the reasons for her rage and arrive at her own understanding of punishment, penitence and the paradoxical demands made on her existence as a Black woman. Raw and unsentimental, Confrontations is a powerful depiction of racism and resilience from one of the Netherlands' most exciting new literary voices.Trade ReviewConfrontations unpicks the stitches of a young life prematurely defined by violence. Crime, punishment, privilege and racism are explored with the unsentimental, stark precision of a poet's pen. Simone Atangana Bekono is one to watch. -- Alice Slater, author of Death of a BooksellerOne of the best debuts I've read in years. Atangana Bekono's raw scenes are written with enormous tenderness." Do you see it now?" she asks you. And leaves you with a broken heart -- Hanna Bervoets, author of We Had to Remove This PostA tightly wound, forcefully lyrical debut novel by an award-winning Dutch poet ... A psychological mystery whose solution resides in self-discovery. * Kirkus *Confrontations is a moving study of how quietly pivotal events build over time to fuel rage. Simone Atangana Bekono immerses us in the different worlds Salome navigates, gripping us through the character's distinctive voice. There is a tender stubbornness she possesses, and it sealed my attention from the start. I sighed with Salome, laughed with her, dreamt with her, was frustrated for her. This novel will compel you to reconsider what rehabilitation means, and will follow you beyond the final page. -- Theresa Lola, author of In Search of EquilibriumConfrontations tackles heavy subject matter with nuance and empathy, following its complicated protagonist as she grapples with trauma and her sense of self. -- Jeremiah Emmanuel, author of Dreaming in a NightmareA sensitive, moving, and insightful story about an incarcerated teenage girl coming to terms with her social identity, self-understanding, and dreams. The writing captures, believably, the thoughts of a young person facing the devastation of her confinement and what led up to it. Oscillating between unfiltered expression and philosophical realization, and with moments of utter beauty, Bekono captures the anguish of degradation, the desperation of rage, and the loneliness of Salomé's experience at the margins of two cultures. -- Erin I. Kelly, Pulitzer Prize Winning co-author of Chasing Me to My GraveIn the pages of Simone Atangana Bekono's daring, beautifully-written and incredibly observant novel, Confrontations, you'll meet the main character, Salomé, who pays a high price for standing up for herself and the people she loves. Each of Bekono's characters are drawn with so much acuity and honesty. I love this page turner and the colorful cast of characters who populate it. -- De’Shawn Charles Winslow, author of Decent People and In West Mills

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Book SynopsisSeven powerful, gripping short stories from bestselling author, Amanda Prowse. 'If you have not discovered Amanda Prowse yet you are in for a real treat... Full of incident and real characters' Rascals of London Collection includes: Something Quite Beautiful, The Game, Ten Pound Ticket, Imogen's Baby, Miss Potterton's Birthday Tea, A Christmas Wish and Mr Portobollo's Morning Paper. Susie has just arrived in Australia. She is clutching a newborn baby, but she has no wedding ring on her left hand. With no money, and no hope, how can she turn her life around? Gemma Peters, a happy-go-lucky teenager has disappeared without trace. Where has she gone? Why has she been lying to her family? And, most importantly, will she ever come home? Twenty-four-year-old Imogen longs for a baby. She knows it's hard to raise a child alone, but Imogen is also blind. Can she overcome life's challenges and have the baby she longs for? Funny, heart-warming and moving, these seven short stories are the perfect excuse for a bit of me-time.Trade ReviewPRAISE FOR AMANDA PROWSE: 'The queen of domestic drama' Daily Mail. 'A page-turning novel of loss and courage' Sun. 'Compelling, uplifting, thoughtful and wise' Irish Daily Mail. 'If you love JoJo Moyes and Freya North, you'll love this' Closer. 'Heartwarming' * TripFiction *

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