Contemporary Fiction Books

Book SynopsisWhen Deshawn hears news of his uncle's death, his riotous big-city life in San Francisco is abruptly put on hold while he travels back to his Alabama hometown for the funeral. While there, he's hit by flashbacks of growing up queer and black in the '80s South, of a youth filled with strong women, bewildered boys, and messed up queers. Wading through prickly reminders of his childhood, of sweltering Sundays, church, family, and the men he once knew, Deshawn reconnects with his old self and the ghosts of his past. A raw, dirty, hilarious, and heart-breaking novel about the experiences that shape us, Since I Laid My Burden Down asks the intimate question: who deserves love?Trade Review"This is the book you fall asleep reading and wake up excited to get back to. A Cult Masterpiece with so many memorable characters and phrases you'll want to grab strangers and read paragraphs to them." - Kathleen Hanna "Brontez Purnell is foul-mouthed and evil. Be warned: this book will make you cackle out loud like you've got the Devil inside you then it will break your heart. Be careful where you read it. BUT DO READ IT." - Justin Vivian Bond "Since I Laid My Burden Down has a fearless (sometimes reckless) humor as Brontez Purnell interrogates what it means to be black, male, queer; a son, an uncle, a lover; Southern, punk, and human. An emotional tightrope walk of a book and an important American story rarely, if ever, told." - Michelle Tea, author of Black Wave "More layered insight than the page count should allow." --MTV News "A complex... look at one man's experience of being black, queer, smart, soft, tough, artistic, and constantly in motion between rural and urban cultures." - Kirkus Reviews "Performance artist Purnell beautifully captures a personality through introspection and memory in this slim novel. . . . a compelling portrait of a particular disaffected kind of gay youth caught between religion, culture, and desire." - Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisThe explosive new book from the master of the modern espionage thriller and Sunday Times bestseller James Swallow.___________________In modern espionage, every action has a reaction. One wrong move could sink an entire region into turmoil - even war.Ex-MI6 operative Marc Dane understands this better than anyone. Dedicating his life to protecting the country means he's collected enemies, and a lot of them.But for those hellbent on bringing the West to its knees, each failed plot has one thing in common: The Rubicon Group, the elite private intelligence agency, and Dane's employer. Destroy Rubicon, and the world order falls with it.With the clock ticking, Dane, along with sniper partner Lucy Keyes, must unpick a monstrous and deadly conspiracy that stretches from the marinas of Monaco to the mountains of Mozambique - one that threatens not only Rubicon, but ultimately the lives of millions of innocent civilians. And time is fast running out . . . Dark secrets of the past, a decades-long quest for revenge, and a brutal conspiracy of lies all collide in ROGUE - the explosive new novel by the bestselling author of Nomad and Exile. ___________________ PRAISE FOR JAMES SWALLOW'S ESPIONAGE THRILLERS:'Unputdownable' - WILBUR SMITH'Britain's answer to Jason Bourne' - DAILY MAIL'Explosive' - IRISH EXAMINER

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Book SynopsisMultiaward winning Dutch author Gerbrand Bakker's phenomenal new novel about grief and the unavoidable power of family ties. Simon never knew his father, Cornelis. When his wife told him she was pregnant, Cornelis packed his bags, and a day later he was dead. Or everyone assumed he was dead; after all, he was on the passenger list of the KLM plane that crashed in Tenerife in 1977. Simon is a hairdresser, just like his father and grandfather before him, but he is not passionate about cutting and shaving. Closed' appears on his shop's front door more often than open', because every customer is a person, and people suck the energy from him. But there is one client he regularly interacts with: the writer. The writer is looking for a subject for his next book, and becomes captivated by the story of Simon's father. As Simon probes the mystery of what happened to his father, a deeply humane and beautifully observed portrait of loneliness emerges in another captivating novel from one of

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Book SynopsisThe Good Place meets Sliding Doors, Begin Again is an uplifting novel about life's what if's, missed chances and new beginnings. Despite living firmly in her comfort zone, Frankie McKenzie feels unsettled. She can't help feeling something's missing. Is it a home to call her own? Travel? A more rewarding job? A relationship? Before she can work it out, she dies in a freak kebab-related accident after yet another dud of a first date. But life isn't over for Frankie. Instead, she is offered a second chance: Frankie can revisit key moments from her past to see if different choices will lead her away from that fateful takeaway and on to the fulfilling life she's always dreamt of. Soon, Frankie will see what her life would have been if only she'd caught that one-way flight, accepted the marriage proposal or attended the intimidating job interview. Will she finally find her Mr Right? Or discover she already had? What would you change if you could begin again?Praise for Helly Acton:'A romcom with a difference' Sarra Manning'Genius, funny and thought-provoking. 5 stars' Carrie Hope Fletcher'Warm, witty and thought-provoking' Abbie Greaves'A fresh, funny, razor-sharp take on society's views of relationships. It's feminist, it's provocative and a total joy to read' Hannah Tovey'Helly's writing is filled with such humour and warmth, it makes me laugh and think whilst seamlessly tackling complex ideas about modern society. What a triumph!' Abigail Mann'Funny and clever. I loved every single line' Lucy VineTrade ReviewSmart, funny and thought-provoking. I loved it. If you've ever wondered if you made the right choices in life, then this is the book for you * Nicola Gill *The dream book for anyone who has ever wondered 'what if'. . . so basically all of us? I had so much fun joining Frankie as she revisited the big decisions of her life. Gorgeous concept and a joy to read * Hannah Doyle * I LOVED Begin Again. It is sharp and funny and bright, without losing any of the emotional depth and so profound! Thoroughly enjoyable, uplifting and perceptive. I inhaled it. Joyful! * Tracy Rees *Great characters, humour galore, profound insights and warm emotion * Tracy Rees *Helly Acton has done it again! She is the queen of a good concept and this is no different. Begin Again is addictive, entertaining, and genuinely funny. I absolutely loved it! * Abigail Mann *Helly Acton is one of the smartest, most observant, and hilarious writers around and Begin Again, is a life-affirming, relatable and brilliantly funny book * Kate Weston *Fresh, funny and empowering. Helly Acton had me rooting for Frankie at every twist and turn * Zoë Folbigg *Brilliant. Helly Acton the undisputed queen of the high concept romcom. -- Emma HughesA fantastic book brimming with hope. Helly Acton is the queen of the what-if. I loved Frankie's story and felt so uplifted when it ended. A true delight. * Lauren Forsythe, author of The Fixer Upper *A heartwarming story * Woman's Own *

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Book Synopsis'Unputdownable' Sunday Times'I was hooked from page one' GuardianWhen Rilke, a dissolute auctioneer, comes upon a hidden collection of violent and highly disturbing photographs, he feels compelled to discover more about the deceased owner who coveted them. Soon he finds himself sucked into an underworld of crime, depravity and secret desire, fighting for his life.Trade ReviewOne of the most intriguing, assured and unputdownable debuts to come out of Scotland in recent years . . . A stunning work of fiction * * Sunday Times * *A remarkable first novel * * New York Times * *I was hooked from page one. Rilke is not Welsh's only great creation. The huge supporting cast of misfits and outsiders . . . are equally memorable. And Glasgow becomes a character in itself: it is oppressive, foreboding - a dark place for a dark tale * * Guardian * *Astonishingly this is a first novel, catapulting Welsh straight into the superstar league, while establishing Rilke as a true original * * The Times * *Welsh upturns tropes and adds depth, seedy detail and Gothic lyricism to the page-turner framework * * Telegraph * *The Cutting Room fixes itself among a formidable modern pantheon that includes the novels of Ian McEwan and A.L. Kennedy * * LA Times Book Review * *This elegiac, elegant and atmospheric book is an original and compelling first novel. Rarely can such Gothic material have been treated with such subtlety * * Daily Telegraph * *Welsh's prose can flit from clipped and short to elegant and graceful . . . As taut a thriller as you'll get; full of unexpected alliances, double crosses and a brutal denouement worthy of classic American hard-boiled fiction * * Big Issue * *Welsh succeeds in making Glasgow her own * * Observer * *An astonishingly accomplished debut, this is always in my top ten books of any genre . . . Welsh brilliantly draws a gothic Glasgow of despair and decay as she lays bare the depths of human deviance * * Guardian, Top 10 Scottish crime novels * *

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Book SynopsisA chilling allegorical novella by the masterful Colombian writer who poses timeless questions about violence and subjugation, power and freedom.Imagining the darkest of power imbalances in a dystopian world, in which the most vulnerable are held captive and wherein survival depends on the ability to remain anonymous, identity is a threat. Those who have everything would revel in the humiliation of others and identification brings with it the ultimate punishment. When hiding is no longer possible, the only choice may be to rebel.More frightening than the dystopia of Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go and with elements of the surreal to rival Kafka's Metamorphosis, Rosero's hypnotic tale builds in tension to deliver a crippling emotional punch.Trade ReviewPRAISE FOR THE ARMIES:'This quietly devastating novel speaks gently but strikes deep ... Perfectly pitched and paced, Anne McLean's English version does it due honour' Independent. 'An important and powerful book' Janine di Giovanni, The Times. 'A timeless epic' * El Pais *

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Book SynopsisDEREK OWUSU NAMED GRANTA'S BEST OF YOUNG BRITISH NOVELISTS 2023LONGLISTED FOR THE JHALAK PRIZE 2023LONGLISTED FOR THE DYLAN THOMAS PRIZE 2023SHORTLISTED FOR PEOPLE'S BOOK PRIZE - FICTION 2023LONGLISTED FOR THE DIVERSE BOOK AWARDS 2023'A highly enigmatic, affectionate and robustly written portrayal of a mother-son relationship . . . very relatable' Diana EvansDriven by a deep-seated desire to understand his mother's life before he was born, Derek Owusu offers a powerful imagining of her journey. As she moves from Ghana to the UK and navigates parenthood in a strange and often lonely environment, the effects of her displacement are felt across generations.Told through the eyes of both mother and son, Losing the Plot is at once emotionally raw and playful as Owusu experiments with form to piece together the immigrant experience and explore how the stories we share and tell ourselves are just as vital as the ones we don't.Trade ReviewMasterful . . . This novel is a reflection of a son attempting to embrace the entirety of his mother - all her vulnerability, spikiness and unknowability. And Owusu does so with extraordinary compassion -- MICHAEL DONKOR * * i * *A love letter - sometimes dense, often moving - written by a son to his mother * * Guardian * *A highly enigmatic, affectionate and robustly written portrayal of a mother-son relationship . . . very relatable -- DIANA EVANSOwusu is one of the most original writers today -- STEFAN TOBLEROwusu's prose is fragmentary and lucid . . . Losing the Plot is a masterclass in distilled writing and a stirring ode to motherhood * * Irish Times * *A densely poetic act of resistance * * Times Literary Supplement * *Losing the Plot is a timeless piece, crafted and written with immense emotion and exquisite detail. If you want to enter the lived experiences of our seniors, journey through their joys and pains, then this is the book for you * * Bad Form * *Owusu reimagines his mother's journey to the UK in order to process generational trauma and find peace in empathy. Owusu's writing is bold, wise, and generous; he amplifies and validates the complexities of inter-generational love * * British Blacklist * *Owusu's intricate layering of form and language (in all its meanings), and the blur of the author and his mother's life with that of their fictional counterparts, reflects the complexity of identity and memory in the most unique of ways . . . Losing the Plot will forever linger in your mind * * Arts Desk * *A biting glimpse of the immigrant experience relayed in a distinctive Ghanaian-British voice * * Financial Times * *

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Book Synopsis1979. Three old Cambridge friends are brought together at a party to celebrate New Year's Eve and the end of a decade. Esther, Liz and Alix first met in Cambridge in the early Fifties, a time when their futures held glittering promise. But with the dawn of the Thatcher era, everything changed. Now middle-aged, how will these confident women cope with the personal and professional challenges they will come to face?'A sublime example of Drabble's mastery in unravelling the intricacies of intimate relationships' - The TimesTrade ReviewEnormous in scope and profound in sympathy, it hits every note from exquisitely trivial detail to ludicrous daily comedy to numbing tragedy. Essential reading! -- MARGARET ATWOODThe emotional withdrawal proposed to us in The Radiant Way is truly radical . . . This novel is a valuable specimen of a new consciousness * * New York Times * *A sublime example of Drabble's mastery in unravelling the intricacies of intimate relationships * * The Times * *Humane, intelligent, engrossing * * Independent * *An important book - entertaining, sad, witty, lively, dense with detail * * Evening Standard * *The novels brim with sharply observed life and the author's seemingly infinite sympathy for "ordinary women" * * New Yorker * *In Britain, Drabble tells us, ambition and idealism are damned equally. The women survive, detached from the world they were so engaged in a decade earlier. The men do worse . . . Drabble surrounds her chilling message - violent disintegration lurks just under the surface - with all kinds of skilful social detail . . . when she takes off into her own elegant figures and jumps, she puts on quite a show * * LA Times * *Drabble's late fiction has never been scared off from attempting social chronicle as well as individual psychological dry-point * * Kirkus Reviews * *Praise for Margaret Drabble: She was one of the most assiduous chroniclers of female experience in Britain during that time. Drabble's work has always been characterised by astute social observation * * Guardian * *I have learned so much from Margaret Drabble's work. Her prose is very beautiful, very funny, and at the same time very serious. Novels like The Millstone and Jerusalem the Golden have helped me to understand what great writing can be -- SALLY ROONEY

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Book Synopsis''Terrific! Set in modern Paris, this literary thriller invigoratingly combines questions of identity, shenanigans in the art world, love and murder'' MICHÈLE ROBERTS''A breathtaking book confirming Claire Berest''s inexhaustible talent as a storyteller'' Elle''Deliciously unique and unpredictable ... this novel blossoms like a poisonous flower'' Le Journal du Dimanche''An astonishing thriller'' LibérationAbel Bac, a police officer, has been suspended from duty for unknown reasons. Haunted by a recurring nightmare, he walks the streets of Paris hoping to lose himself in the city, but somehow, he always finds his way home. All that gives Abel comfort are the ninety-four orchids which populate his small apartment. In museums across Paris something strange is happening. A white horse appears in the library of the Pompidou Centre. Then stuffed wolves are displayed in a gallery, dressed in fine garments and drinking champagne. The police are baffled and Abel, who is somehow linked to it all, is becoming more and more unnerved. Soon, the hidden darkness of his life will rise to the surface and lead him to Mila, the mysterious artist at the heart of this enigma. And then he discovers that nothing about these events is coincidental . . .Translated by Sophie Lewis.

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Book SynopsisA pregnant mother of two finds herself increasingly in thrall to her help, Nat. For Joad, the discovery of a haunting typewritten document in an old desk in need of restoration is overwhelming. And when Roxanne rescues her sister from an institution, she comes to realise how vulnerable they both are. Deftly navigating the fault lines of relationships - new, established or remembered - Total is a powerful collection of brilliantly imaginative stories. From the comforting mundanities of motherhood to a technologically infected near future that mirrors our present with dark prescience, each life captured in this collection is unforgettable.Trade ReviewWit and coolly slaying wisdom are constant delights in these emotionally complex stories . . . cinematically vivid * * Observer * *Miller knows and is playing with . . . all the ways stories and lives infinitely repeat. You've never quite seen them inhabited by these versions of these characters, nor at the tenor of these sentences, with these deftly deployed layers of surprise * * New York Times * *Miller's new collection shows her in many moods and modes, from wistful to comedic to speculative. What a pleasure! -- JEFFREY EUGENIDESA "cinematic prose style" is often a critical cliché, but in the case of Rebecca Miller, no other descriptor suffices . . . [a] captivating, coolly spare new collection * * Oprah Daily * *The characters in Total are instantly recognisable - they are privileged, deluged by memories and in situations fraught with anxiety, but Miller manages to offer a fresh perspective on old conundrums * * Daily Mail * *In Miller's alluring collection, protagonists search for connection and pleasure in strange, sometimes destructive ways . . . Miller brings a cinematic eye to her descriptions (a parking garage's "final floor" offers a "vivid sky") and plenty of drama to the situations. These stories are full of surprises * * Publishers Weekly * *The seven brilliantly knotty and piercingly intimate stories in Total depict characters undone, temporarily or irreparably, by obsessive love * * Lit Hub * *Slim but powerful . . . [Miller] adeptly encapsulates these women's experiences . . . Recommended for fans of Joyce Carol Oates and Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go * * Booklist (starred review) * *Praise for Rebecca Miller: Miller is a luminous writer -- OLIVIA LAINGMiller is an excellent novelist -- KATE ATKINSON

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Book SynopsisCornelius Washington is brimming with ambition and talent before his life is torn apart by a crack addiction. Taking the form of a diary and written in an arresting stream-of-consciousness style, Iced ponders the gritty realities of Cornelius's present and past upheavals that have led him here.Iced paints a portrait of being Black in America and the ways marginalised communities suffer the consequences of shortsighted political policies. First published in 1993, in the wake of the crack epidemic, Iced mixes the syncopated language of the streets with poetry from the heart to take the reader deep into the horrifying world of addiction.Trade ReviewThis book is a powerhouse . . . the man writes beautifully . . . the story is heartbreaking -- MAYA ANGELOUExtraordinary - a modern American tragedy, sharply told. Brilliant -- LENNY HENRYA brilliantly written book about somebody's battle with addiction, and it was really useful for me into the sort of mindset of somebody that doesn't want to be taking drugs but can't stop -- EWAN McGREGORIts first-person narrative is energised by the power of the speaking voice, which expresses itself in a jagged, syncopated style reminiscent of a rap monologue . . . It's difficult to put down, even during its most violent moments * * New Yorker * *An unconventional, powerful, funny, even important, first novel . . . it is a fully imagined fiction . . . above all, because of Cornelius' original and authentic voice * * Times Literary Supplement * *I love this book. It's everything a novel about this experience should be -- IRVINE WELSHShell's writing is frighteningly compelling * * Los Angeles Times * *A modern-day tragedy that explores a modern-day ill - a chilling novel * * Time Out * *A tour de force . . . brilliant, just brilliant -- LEE DANIELSThis is a tour de force, make no mistake about it . . . The strength of Shell's writing is his ability to pull you into a terrifying, funny, immensely sad and exciting world * * The Voice * *

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Book SynopsisA professional pianist searches for her sister, who disappeared when their parents died, aided by her childhood-care records and a single song that continues to haunt her … the exquisite new novel from the author of This Is How We Are Human‘Utterly beautiful … I couldn’t put it down’ Iona Gray‘Louise Beech has a rare talent … she doesn’t just move the reader, she breaks their heart and mends it again’ Fiona Cummins‘The best one yet … I’m still in tears of heartbreak and joy’ S E Lynes'Like the notes of a nocturne, Nothing Else will leave you profoundly touched by its beauty' Nydia Hetherington–––––––––––––––––––––––––––Heather Harris is a piano teacher and professional musician, whose quiet life revolves around music, whose memories centre on a single song that haunts her. A song she longs to perform again. A song she wrote as a child, to drown out the violence in their home. A song she played with her little sister, Harriet.But Harriet is gone … she disappeared when their parents died, and Heather never saw her again.When Heather is offered an opportunity to play piano on a cruise ship, she leaps at the chance. She’ll read her recently released childhood care records by day – searching for clues to her sister’s disappearance – and play piano by night … coming to terms with the truth about a past she’s done everything to forget.An exquisitely moving novel about surviving devastating trauma, about the unbreakable bond between sisters, Nothing Else is also a story of courage and love, and the power of music to transcend – and change – everything.–––––––––––––––––––––––––––‘One of the best writers of her generation’ John Marrs ‘A story of childhood trauma, survival, the fragility of memory, and of love that survives decades … I loved it’ Gill Paul‘A touching, beautifully written work of literary fiction ... pure perfection’
Michael Wood'A beautiful, heartbreaking, uplifting novel' Vikki Patis‘Another brilliant tale of love and hope’ Fionnuala Kearney'Powerful, mesmerising and honest … I loved every word' Carol Lovekin ‘A tender and beautiful story about the loving and unbreakable bond between sisters’ Madeleine Black ‘Wonderful prose’ Shelley’s Book Nook ‘Emotional, poignant, delightful’ Bobs and Books ‘A masterpiece of emotional artistry, as spectacularly tender as it is disquieting, this book will stay with you long after you finish it’ Bookly Matters ‘This is another beautiful, lyrically written story, made even more perfect with the musical themes throughout’ Karen Reads ‘Beautifully written, in that style that is so typical of this author, and which never fails to draw its reader in’ From Belgium with Booklove ‘Madame Beech has done it again ... both touching and heartbreaking’ Mrs Loves To Read ‘This is such a beautiful book – incredibly tender, it’s like an extended piece of the most beautiful classical music you ever heard’ Tea Leaves and Reads ‘This is a story, at its root, of love and loss, and lost time, but one that testifies to the power of truth and the endurance of love … her best yet’Blue Book Balloon

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Book SynopsisAn atmospheric literary thriller set during the devastating North Sea flood of 1953, in which a love triangle turns murderous. Her heart beat hard. There was a crazed beauty to the storm. It was almost miraculous, the way it took away the mess of life, sweeping all in its path... No-one could have foreseen the changes the summer of 1952 would bring. Cramming for her final exams on her family's farm on the Norfolk coast, Verity Frost feels trapped between past and present: the devotion of her childhood friend Arthur, just returned from National Service, and her strange new desire to escape. When Verity meets Jack, a charismatic American pilot, he seems to offer the glamour and adventure she so craves, and Arthur becomes determined to uncover the dirt beneath his rival's glossy sheen. As summer turns to winter, a devastating storm hits the coast, flooding the land and altering everything in its path. In this new, watery landscape, Verity's tangled web of secrets, lies and passion will bring about a crime that will change all their lives forever. Praise for The Night of the Flood: 'Evocative, glorious and tragic' Melanie Golding 'A taut, impressive debut' Neil Hegarty 'Atmospheric and haunting' Emma Stonex 'A compelling story about love and friendship, secrets and betrayal' Anna-Marie CrowhurstTrade ReviewEvocative, glorious and tragic all at once... The writing is superb' -- Melanie Golding, author of Little DarlingsThe Night of the Flood shows lives and landscapes suspended between past and future, life and death – and shows what happens when this fine, terrifying balance fails. A taut, impressive debut -- Neil Hegarty, author of Inch LevelsSimmering secrets, forbidden desires and the long shadows cast by a passionate crime combine in this atmospheric and haunting debut. Norfolk is beautifully conjured and the tension rises as surely as the tide -- Emma Stonex, author of The LamplightersA vivid portrait of Britain in the early '50s and a compelling story about love and friendship, secrets and betrayal -- Anna-Marie Crowhurst, author of The Illumination of Ursula FlightA gem for lovers of historical fiction * Evening Standard *A brilliant new book... Writing a book interweaving fiction with disasters in living memory is not easy and has to be written with utmost respect. Zoe has done just that' * Eastern Daily Press *I read this on a warm Sunday and it was bliss... Brilliant... A very powerful read' * Woman's Way *The unusual setting, around a North Sea flood in 1953, adds to the appeal of this excellent debut thriller about a murderous love triangle * Independent *Very atmospheric * Shotsmag. *A story full of atmosphere and emotional undercurrents, set against a bleak but vividly portrayed landscape... It's quality writing' * Promoting Crime Fiction. *[A] thrilling tale of crime and passion * My Weekly *A beautifully written novel... The background of the Cold War and the eerie landscape create the mood for the events which follow' * Bath Life *An impressive debut, the slowly building social and sexual hysteria contrasting strikingly with the dramatic, frightening telling of the flood and its aftermath * Morning Star *

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Book SynopsisDetective Moralès becomes immersed in a chilling case set on the icy seas of Quebec’s remote Magdalen Islands, in the midst of a brutal seal hunt. A breathtaking, atmospheric, race-against-the-clock thriller… **Number One bestseller in Canada****Shortlisted for the Crime Writers of Canada Award for Best French Crime Book** 'A shocking, exquisitely plotted mystery set in the brutal seas off Quebec. The writing is sublime … you can feel the sting of salt on your cheeks' Gill Paul ‘Detective fiction [with] a dreamily poetic cast’ Sunday Times 'Unique, stylish Canadian Noir … absolutely superb' Kjell Ola Dahl _________________________________________There’s only one thing more deadly than the storm… Fisheries officer Simone Lord is transferred to Quebec’s remote Magdalen Islands for the winter, and at the last minute ordered to go aboard a trawler braving a winter storm for the traditional grey seal hunt, while all of the other boats shelter onshore. Detective Sergeant Joaquin Moralès is on a cross-country boat trip down the St Lawrence River, accompanied by Nadine Lauzon, a forensic psychologist working on the case of a savagely beaten teenager with Moralès’ old team in Montreal. When it becomes clear that Simone is in grave danger aboard the trawler, the two cases converge, with startling, terrifying consequences for everyone involved… The award-winning author of The Coral Bride returns with an atmospheric, race-against-the-clock thriller set on the icy seas in the midst of a brutal seal hunt, where nothing is as it seems and absolutely no one can be trusted. For fans of Louise Penny, Ann Cleeves, Emma Stonex and Annie Proulx _________________________________________ ‘From the very beginning I had a feeling of tragic inevitability … the sense of isolation, both physical and emotional, pours from every page’ Jen Med’s Book Reviews ‘Beautiful prose, simple yet powerful, and a boatload of suspense … an absolute winner’ From Belgium with Booklove ‘Thrums with rhythm and tears at the heart … the best Detective Moralès yet’ Live & Deadly What Readers are saying…***** ‘Breathlessly gripping’ ‘Masterful storytelling’ ‘The suspense is palpable’ ‘If you like Louise Penny’s Armand Gamache series, you’ll LOVE this’ 'No one does atmospheric quite like Roxanne Bouchard' ‘Intricate, beautiful and compelling' ‘Gloriously shocking’ Praise for Roxanne Bouchard:**WINNER of the Crime Writers of Canada Award for Best French Crime Book** **Shortlisted for the CWA Crime in Translation Dagger** 'A haunting murder mystery about how human nature is every bit as dangerous and inscrutable as the sea draws out its suspense to the very last moment' Foreword Reviews 'A police procedural like no other – marvel at the clever plotting' Crime Fiction Lover 'An absolute joy to read, with as much tension as there is poetry' Le Journal de Montréal 'With a cast of characters you'll engage with and love and a mystery that will have you on edge, Bouchard pulls you into her world wonderful' Michael J. Malone 'Roxanne Bouchard is reinventing the crime novel' Quebec TV ‘Lyrical and elegiac, full of quirks and twists' William Ryan 'Asks questions right from page one' Quentin Bates 'A tour de force of both writing and translation' Su Bristow

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Book Synopsis'Clever, sharp, and deliciously dark... A one-sitting read.' Andrea Mara_____________________________When you fake it for a living, the truth is hard to find...Former child star Lily Thane is now a struggling thirty-something actress. Her old stage-school buddy, Adam Harker, is on the brink of making it big, but he needs an appropriate red-carpet companion to seal the deal, and Lily fits the bill.Soon after signing on the dotted line, Adam's dark side starts to surface and their perfect fauxmance turns toxic. But when Adam winds up dead in a swimming pool, Lily is the only person who cares enough to find out why. She's convinced someone was out to get Adam - and now they're after her...Trade ReviewClever, sharp, and deliciously dark - I flew through Let's Pretend. A one-sitting read. * Andrea Mara *'An award-winning performance' * The Times *You can't help but be captivated by the glamour and grit of celebrity life * Belfast Telegraph *The ultimate twist is both sad and shocking in its credibility * Literary Review *A gripping story about the dark realities of the showbusiness world which is packed with deliciously egocentric characters who will do anything to be famous. I absolutely loved it! Unputdownable and totally addictive * Katy Cox, author of M is for Mummy *A treat ... excellent insights ... elegant prose * Daily Mail on The Favour *Intensely captivating ... will cast its spell, leaving you on edge with unexpected twists * Heat Magazine on The Favour *Intelligent, elegant and immersive -- Claire Kendal, bestselling author of 'The Book of You', on 'The Favour'Absorbing, intelligent and atmospheric ... Genius -- Elizabeth Haynes on 'The Favour'

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Book SynopsisJonathan Lethem is the bestselling author of twelve novels, including The Arrest, The Feral Detective, The Fortress of Solitude, and Motherless Brooklyn, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award. He currently teaches creative writing at Pomona College in California.

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Book SynopsisVic Brown is a young man on the way up, he's got a job, money, ambitions and a new girlfriend, Ingrid Rothwell. His mate has even got a car - a Triumph TR3. He's never had it so good. But Ingrid wants to get married, it's the only respectable thing to do. She's a step above Vic and he knows it. If they marry they could move in with Ingrid's mother. He could move out from the house he grew up in. A real married couple. The world has begun to close in on Vic. A Kind of Loving is a seminal novel in British working-class fiction. First published in 1960 it has been adapted for stage, television, radio, and was made into an iconic film. A Kind of Loving made Stan Barstow one of the key voices of the 1960s cultural renaissance in British life. With a new afterword by David Collard.

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Book SynopsisA girl marrying a lion? A beautiful woman who is really a leopard? A tree that can feed a family?Let bestselling author Alexander McCall Smith whisk you off to a place where magic is ordinary and bizarre things happen everyday, in this weird, wonderful and sometimes very funny celebration of African folk tales.Trade ReviewA collection of charm and tenderness * * Daily Telegraph * *The most entertaining read of the year * * Guardian * *Highly amusing, intelligent, and heart-warming * * Scotsman * *Retold in his own deceptively elegant fashion, the simple moral truths of these brilliant stories shine through in a way that is wholesome and highly rewarding. * * Herald * *

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Book SynopsisNow filmed as Obsession on Netflix - starring Richard Armitage and Charlie MurphyThe New York Times bestselling masterpiece - a daring look at the dangers of obsession and the depth of its shattering consequences'Damaged people are dangerous. They know they can survive.'Damage is the gripping story of a man's desperate obsession and scandalous love affair. He is a man who appears to have everything: wealth, a beautiful wife and children, and a prestigious political career in Parliament. But his life lacks passion, and his aching emptiness drives him to an all-consuming and ultimately catastrophic relationship with his son's fiancée.'A taut, sinister tale of erotic obsession' Vanity Fair'The effect is powerful: here is naked obsession, sulfurous, total, scarcely possible to live with' Financial Times'The reader looks on with mingled shock and fascination. A tour de force' New York Times'Unputdownable is here, for once, not hyperbolic' Ruth Rendell 'Damage is a masterpiece' Washington Post'Passionate, elegant, ruthless' Iris MurdochTrade ReviewJosephine Hart's debut novel, Damage, was an instant success. She wrote this, a new introduction to the tale of erotic obsession, just before her death * Guardian *A remarkable first novel of awesome accomplishment and quite startling psychological insight... 'Un-put-downable' is here, for once, not hyperbolic * Ruth Rendell *The effect is powerful: here is naked obsession, sulfurous, total, scarcely possible to live with * Financial Times *The reader looks on with mingled shock and fascination. A tour de force * New York Times *A taut, sinister tale of erotic obsession * Vanity Fair *A passionate, elegant, ruthless story -- Iris MurdochDamage is a masterpiece * Washington Post *To read this tale of mutual obsession is like being abducted. Josephine Hart has managed to create a portrait of psychological and erotic obsession that is so compelling as, for a brief moment, to suck all the oxygen out of the air * Los Angeles Times *This spare, dreamlike first novel comes festooned with blurbs from the likes of Ruth Rendell and Iris Murdoch, and no wonder, for it's an unforgettable tale of sexual obsession and its calamitous consequences... Elliptical, haunting, and altogether extraordinary * Kirkus *Next to the often-contrived twists and revelations of today's psychological suspense, Hart's spare tale of all-consuming obsession is refreshingly straightforward * Library Journal *The violent dreamscape of Damage stayed with me long after I closed the book. Did I dream it? Did I live it? My very uncertainty tells me I have read something rare * Erica Jong, author of Fear of Flying *

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Book SynopsisThis engaging and highly original collection brings bright strands of meaning to the puzzles of contemporary life. In these stories L.A. Robbins addresses themes of transience, identity, gender and belonging. Set in the UK, US, Europe and the Far East, these tales reflect insights gleaned from the author’s experiences in those places.Table of ContentsContents 1. Being good 7 2. Alighting 18 3. Mirror, mirage 29 4. Brave charades 38 5. Fortune 69 6. Alligators 86 7. As above, so below 96 8. Tango with the queen of hearts 107 9. Qigong 124 10. Poisonous spore from a diabolical god 149 11. Expansion bridge 172 12. Cut-outs 200 13. Exhibitions and viewers 216 14. Ensnarement 224 15. Warts and all 239 16. Lefty loosey 264 Acknowledgements 285

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Book SynopsisJohn Lestrade is attempting to come to terms with the suicide of his friend Stephen, and his guilt that he did nothing to prevent it. Escape to a room on the hill is an act of internal exile, an attempt to find the space to overcome the inauthentic, automaton quality of his life. But Lestrade's self-loathing despair poisons any hope of reconnecting with his friends. It is only when his friend Derek's abandoned girlfriend is killed in a car crash, and is then refused a proper burial by the Catholic church, that Lestrade is moved to action. In its energy and in its rejection of the colonial straight-jacket that locks in the middle-class intellectuals in the novel, there remains in A Room on the Hill some possibility of honest reflection and escape. Garth St. Omer was born in St Lucia in 1931. During the early 1950s St. Omer was part of a group of artists in St Lucia including Roderick and Derek Walcott. His first publication, the novella Syrop, appeared in 1964, followed by the Faber publications of A Room on the Hill (1968), Shades of Grey (1968), Nor Any Country (1969) and J-, Black Bam and the Masqueraders in 1972. In the 1970s he moved to the USA, where he completed a doctoral thesis at Princeton University in 1975. Until his retirement as Emeritus Professor, he taught at the University of Santa Barbara in California. In 2001 he was honoured with the Saint Lucia Medal of Merit for service in the Arts and Literature.

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Book SynopsisNew Day is set on the eve of the achievement of universal adult suffrage in Jamaica in 1944 and the rise of the mass political parties of the nationalist movement. It is told through the memories of John Campbell, an old man whose memories go back to the Morant Bay rebellion of 1865, when after years of drought and repression a peasant rebellion lead by a Baptist Deacon Paul Bogle briefly flared and was then put down with the utmost savagery, including the slaughter of some of Campbell's family. In the present, Garth Campbell, John's grand nephew, is a leader of the nationalist and trade union movement, a lawyer who, unlike his father, has never lost touch with the people and is a keen listener to the history his great uncle tells him must inform his actions. The Campbell family are brown Jamaicans, successful business people and committed to peaceful, constitutional ways to progress.In part, the dynamics of Reid's novel arise from the conflict between this desire and the reality that Jamaica is prone to outbreaks of violence, in the present as well as the past, because the rulers are indifferent to the vast swells of anger always ready to surface in the under-educated, impoverished, spontaneous Black majority impatient for change and social justice. New Day is pioneering in its attempt to create a literary language of narration out of a modified version of Jamaican nation-language.

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Book SynopsisThe Kassims are a traditional Indian Muslim family, living in Southern Rhodesia in the 1950s and 60s, where they enjoy a wealth of new opportunities but are held down by white racism and are torn apart by their own changing values.Kulsum wants her daughters to have an education that will expand their horizons; Razaak fears that education will make the girls unmarriageable within the Khumbar caste. Feeling sidelined by Kulsum’s modernity and her other achievements, Razaak defers to his father and sends their daughters to a less sophisticated branch of the family over 1000 miles away in rural Uganda. How should Kulsum respond? In this affectionate picture of a little-documented African cultural milieu, first-time author Fatima Kara digs into her own memories of life as a Gujarati in Bulawayo, conjuring up the brilliant colours, mouth-watering foods and exotic plant life of a region she remains devoted to and wants us to love as she does. The Train House on Lobengula Street is Part One of an entrancing two-part story.

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Book SynopsisAn Absence of Ruins was originally published in 1967, a period of decolonising ferment in Jamaica. This important and much sought-after Caribbean classic is now lovingly restored to print, with an introduction by Jeremy Poynting.Patterson writes in the tradition of Dostoyevsky and Camus, creating a spiritual heir to the unnamed 'I' of Notes from the Underground or La Chute. Through the tangled love life of one Alexander Blackman, Patterson offers up a devastating critique of middle-class pretension, turning instead to the vibrant realities of the Jamaican working class. Full of sardonic humour and social commentary, the novel looks into the dark heart of social hierarchy, colonial education and the impact both have on the individual and the many."A very moving book about integrity preserved through an honest appraisal of its apparent loss."Robert Nye, The GuardianOrlando Patterson was born in Jamaica in 1940. He is the author of three novels: The Children of Sisyphus (1964, reprinted by Peepal Tree Press, 2011), An Absence of Ruins (1967), and Die the Long Day (1972). He received the National Book Award for Non-Fiction in 1991, and the Order of Distinction from the Government of Jamaica in 1999. He is now Professor of Sociology at Harvard University.

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Book SynopsisWhen the infant Jordan Sant is taken to the St Asteria Home for Children after the murder of his parents, he sets out on a journey that is a constant struggle between his best and worst selves. One relationship, with the young nun the children call Mouse, awakens the possibilities of love and hope, but when Mouse abandons her calling and leaves the home, the world thereafter becomes a darker place. When, barely a teenager, he runs away from the home to scuffle for a living in the frightening underbelly of Port of Spain, Jordan reaches the lower depths of both Trinidadian society and himself. In Jordan Sant, Kevin Jared Hussein creates a narrator who gets under your skin. He takes us into the most dreadful places of human experience, confesses doing seemingly unforgivable things. But though Jordan knows how inescapable circumstance can be, he never denies responsibility for his actions. But can this Dostoyevskian figure save himself? The Repenters takes us to places in Trinidad readers will have never been before. In Kevin Hosein the Caribbean announces a writer whose work is poetic, Gothic, and deeply transgressive, whose creation of a voice for Jordan Sant is troubling, engrossing and not to be forgotten.

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Book SynopsisIn wartime Ireland, an Englishman and a German each need the other to betray his country. And if the nationalist firebrands get their way, they may have to fight to the death. But hang on!—Just a few months ago, Flight Lieutenant Oliver Carmichael and Baron Julius von Stulpnagel were living together in Berlin, trying to sell forged paintings. So what are they doing in rundown Ballingore, and how will ex-convent-girl Mary Collins and her devoted red-headed sidekick Niamh Slattery play into their hands? In this hilarious Irish farce, Casey McCartney brilliantly recreates the slapstick flavour of an Ealing Studios comedy.

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Book SynopsisLONGLISTED FOR THE INTERNATIONAL MAN BOOKER PRIZE 2019 A brilliant collection of fictions in the vein of Roald Dahl, Etgar Keret and Amy Hempel. These are stories of what the world looks like from a child's pure but sometimes vengeful or muddled perspective. These are stories of life in a war zone, life peppered by surreal mistakes, tragic accidents and painful encounters. These are stories of fantasist matadors, lost limbs and perplexed voyeurs. This is a collection about sex, death and the all-important skill of making life into a joke. These are unexpected stories by a very fresh voice. These stories are unforgettable.

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Book SynopsisThe characters in this delicious book are pushed to the point of no return and seek retribution. But how we get even is not always the best road to redemption. On the island of Mull, it takes an incomer to make the locals realise that they need to take matters into their own hands to maintain the community’s reputation. In ‘The Principles of Soap’ the value of friendship overcomes adversity and opportunistic nepotism. In suburban Edinburgh opposing neighbours find out the hard way that the best method of dealing with a canine disturbance is not to bury one’s head in the sand. And in the final tale we meet an author on the brink of public ruin who sees the error of his ways after an act of kindness saves the day. These four tales show that the exquisite art of getting even is a skill that sees kindness win over malice. Tantalising and amusing, these stories show off a darker side but carry with them the author’s trademark warmth and humour. Trade Review'The stories all have McCall Smith’s characteristic charm, and make for easy and very pleasant reading... as in all McCall Smith’s work, we are reminded that the necessary quality in social life is kindness' -- Allan Massie * The Scotsman *'The final story provides a sweet coda to previous acts of comeuppance as kindness prevails' * Daily Mail *'McCall Smith’s writing is incredibly captivating and though the stories are frequently filled with feelings of sadness and guilt, the collection is bound to induce laughs' * Glasgow University Scottish Literature Society *'Charming tales of friendship, revenge and retribution' -- Jenny Itzcovtiz * Sixtyplussurfers *’Nimble tales' * Daily Mail *'Even in the darkest of moment, his warmth still comes through... I will be returning to [this collection] time and time again for its questions and discussion over revenge' * The Courier *'Told with his trademark warmth and humour' * The People's Friend *'Immediately engaging, and layered with dark humour and truths about human nature... It's a thoroughly entertaining, satisfying collection' -- Joanne Owen * LoveReading *'This delightful collection of tales by one of Scotland's most beloved writers shows that the art of getting even is a skill that sees kindness win over malice' * Scots Magazine *'Nicely twisty plots offer wryly wise reasons not to seek revenge. Massively entertaining and thought-provoking' * Booklist *

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Book SynopsisThe latest episode in the life of Natalie Klein, about whom Eleanor Berry has frequently written - this time her lust for one of her many psychiatrists. This tale takes us through the doors of Harley Street and beyond. We follow the life of Natalie Klein, fearless predator in the name of lust, as she attempts to entrap her prey in her tangled web, causing scandal from the hairdressers of Mayfair to the consulting rooms of Harley Street. A woman who likes to have a stalwart stock of doctors, Natalie sets her sights at Ted Curruthers, with black humour. But does she succeed...?

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Book SynopsisA chilling, haunting ghost story that delves into the dark past of the 16th century Essex witch trials. To find the truth, she’ll risk her life… Sadie Asquith has been fascinated by the Essex Witch Trials for as long as she can remember. And for good reason too: between 1560 and 1680, hundreds of innocent women were tried for witchcraft. She begins researching the subject, but soon starts to experience strange, ghostly visions. Dark shadows haunt her every step, sobbing sounds wake her in the night, and black moths appear from nowhere. It’s as if by digging up history, she has opened an unearthly connection to the women who were tortured and killed centuries before. And when a long-buried secret entwines Sadie’s own past with what she has discovered, she’ll risk everything – even her life – to uncover what really happened all those years ago… A haunting and atmospheric read that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Perfect for fans of The Lost Notebook and The Familiars. Trade Review‘Moore's merging of horror, ghost story, detective fiction and psychogeography is a heady addition to Jeanette Winterson's book about the witches of Pendle and increasingly popular genre mash-ups.’ Guardian ‘Thrilling, chilling … An intriguing read for lovers of history, the supernatural, detective fiction and horror.’ Lancashire Evening Post Praise for The Drowning Pool: ‘A stunning reinvention of the ghost story and an exploration of a 19th-century Essex witch hunt.’ Guardian ‘A goose-pimply old-fashioned ghost story.’ Christopher Fowler, author of the Bryant and May series ‘A must for any intelligent Essex girls out there and a gripping ghosty read for everyone. Hurry up and write the next one please Syd…’ The Women’s Room Blog

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Book Synopsis‘Dahlia and Carys’ tells the intriguing story of forbidden love and a woman’s heart-breaking struggle to reconcile her fragmented cultural and gender identities despite family schisms. Dahlia finds herself plagued with flashbacks of not intervening in her schoolfriend Yasmine’s kidnapping by ISIS in Iraq. Back in London, her brother Elias is showing perilous signs of affiliation with terrorists. All the while, Dahlia is slowly opening up to a captivating new presence in London: Carys. She begins to find solace in their relationship of love and trust. Yet Dahlia feels that she cannot truly move on with her life until she returns to Iraq, the place wrought with guilt. Will Carys join her on this dangerous journey to find Yasmine?

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Book SynopsisSome secrets are best left buried . . . Knee-deep in the mud of an ancient burial ground, a winter storm raging around him, and at least one person intent on his death: how did Murray Watson end up here?Trade ReviewMasterful...It is the most rounded of Welsh's books to date, fulfilling the huge promise of her earlier work, combining a whip-cracking plot with a literary touch that lifts her way above her genre colleagues...so much more than another literary mystery. * * The Times * *Welsh is adept at keeping you reading till the end. * * Daily Mail * *If you love curling up with an atmospheric thriller, this is the novel for you... Spellbinding! * * Grazia * *Welsh creates a vivid sense of place... She paces revelations with care and keeps you hooked till the end. * * Metro * *Saturated with dark imagery... enjoyable and exciting. * * TLS * *Welsh is one of the sharpest and most entertaining current Scottish writers, and her style, intelligence and wit, combined with a rather gothic texture, make her books extremely readable. * * Times Higher Education Supplement * *A tale of literature, obsession and dark magic. * * Scots Magazine * *

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Book SynopsisShortlisted for the 2013 Costa Novel AwardCecilia Banks has a great deal on her plate. But when her son Ian turns up on her doostep with the unexpected consequence of a brief fling, she feels she has no choice but to take the baby into her life. Cephas's arrival is the latest of many challenges Cecilia has to face. There is the matter of her cancer, for a start, an illness shared with her novelist friend Helen. Then there is Helen herself, whose observations of Cecilia's family life reveal a somewhat ambivalent attitude to motherhood. Meanwhile Tim, Cecilia's husband, is taking self-effacement to extremes, and Ian, unless he gets on with it, will throw away his best chance at happiness.Cecilia, however, does not have to manage alone. In a convent in Hastings sits Sister Diana Clegg who holds the ties that bind everyone not only to each other, but to strangers as yet unmet. As events unfold and as the truth about Cephas is revealed, we are invited to look closely at madness, guilt, mortal dread and the gift of resilience. No one will remain unchanged.'Frank, courageous and entertaining. I felt better for reading it' Margaret DrabbleTrade Review'This is one of the most enjoyable books I've read in years. I found it completely gripping. The carefully but unobtrusively structured plot (involving adoption, DNA and paternity) is domestic but with a wide reach; it is played out against a backdrop of world events. On reflection, I have never before read a book which confronts a serious and almost unmentionable illness with such lightness of touch. It's happy and it's cheering, with a beautiful warmth to it, achieved without a moment of sentimentality. I loved it' * Margaret Drabble *'A remarkable, immensely readable and warm-hearted book' * Sunday Express *'A refreshingly candid, unexpectedly witty and ultimately moving tale' * Candis, Jan 2013 *'A charming, playful novel' * Red *'Bishop treats a fearful subject with an extraordinary lightness of touch; her humour and her emotional wisdom make this a delightful and humane novel' * The Times *This novel, wise, sharp and startlingly frank, distils a lifetime of reflection on the rules of attraction, affection - and family life. From confused youth to the ordeals and confusions of old age, her wry insights delight' * Independent *'A wonderful novel, one of those rare books which leaves the reader with a deeper understanding of the human heart . . . This is an author of exceptional intelligence, subtlety and warmth. Expect to hear the name Bernardine Bishop when the lists for the Costa and Man Booker prizes are compiled later this year' * Spectator *'This novel should appeal to Joanna Trollope fans . . . Bishop is a fine, intelligent writer, capable of handling moral and philosophical themes with a light touch' * Sunday Telegraph *'This is a vibrant and even welcoming novel . . . it offers such a rich range of pleasures' * Observer *'This is the sort of story which grabs you, pulls you in and won't let you go - but in a very gentle way. The characters are superb. It's wise and it's witty. It's sublimely well-written, not with flowery literary devices but in the sort of prose that leaves you surprised when you realise that you've read a hundred pages and you've no intention of giving up just yet. On a cold winter's day I was left with a warm glow when I finished reading' * Bookbag *Effortlessly graceful writing * Sunday Times *Bishop wanders rich fictional ground * Times Literary Supplement *A warm and emotionally convincing novel . . . a cut above the rest, in a plot that connects madness, cats, extreme selfish behaviour and unwanted babies * Sunday Times *It's impossible to recommend the late Bernardine Bishop's wondrous book too highly . . . You will not be so afraid of cancer after reading this book * Guardian *Full of humour, kindness and gentle irony, this is a richly satisfying read * Sunday Mirror *Considered and reflective, humorous and entertaing, this is a surprising and moving novel * Good Book Guide *This . . . novel, written in illness, is full of vitality and happiness - a sort of miracle -- Margaret Drabble * Guardian Blog *A tender and acerbically witty tale of two women who survive cancer and become friends * Sunday Mirror *

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Book Synopsis‘Where will Danny go?’ is a warm-hearted and intriguing tale of good people working to save something they value. Sharp modern dialogue and an eye for conflict and reconciliation. Who could have thought it would be a good idea to remove Alison from her job? They knew she was the main reason for Copsemead’s success. But maybe there was someone who wanted failure, who had designs on its land for other, more profitable uses. A plan is needed to defeat the bad guys and ensure the survival of Copsemead, and this is the engrossing story of how a few people went about achieving it, for the benefit of so many

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Book SynopsisWhen Giuseppe Mundula first sees Michele Angelo Chironi across the corridor of a Sardinian orphanage, the reserved blacksmith realises he has found the son and heir he never knew he needed. And when, a few years later, Michele himself looks down from a church rooftop and sees the beautiful Mercede, the quiet orphan realises he has found the woman he will marry. So begins Marcello Fois' magisterial domestic epic of the lives and loves of the Chironi family, as they struggle through war and fascism. Deftly endowing familial horrors with mythical resonance, Fois creates a Dantesque triptych that inscribes the history of twentieth-century Sardinia onto a single misbegotten household.Trade ReviewFois' descriptive prose is lavish, powerfully evoking time and place. It's as if nature is possessed of a richness of expression that humans have yet to acquire . . . Mazzarella's translation is flawless -- Jethro Souter * Independent *His poetic style is reminiscent of classics such as Manzoni's The Betrothed and Lampedusa's The Leopard -- David Platzer * Tablet *Written with a lyrical, poetic flair, it's an affecting tale of the brutal realities that make life so hard but also those things that make the struggle worthwhile. * Glasgow Herald *

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Book SynopsisTwo passionate musicians, Nick and Dom, have grappled for years to become the chart-busting, hard-gigging success story their band is today. They’ve slogged it out on the European gig circuit and fought their demons in the process, realising there’s much more to learn about the cut-throat music industry than they ever thought. But what was to happen next, they could never have prepared for. Sent to a remote Scottish island by their shady record exec boss, the pair long to escape and start afresh. But old habits die hard, and unknown to them, life on the island is about to spiral into a new world of revenge, debauchery and syndicate gang warfare. It’s only rock n roll? No way, darling...

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Book SynopsisWhen factory worker Pinquean Smallcreep, who has slotted a certain type of slot into a certain type of pulley for many years, packs his sandwiches and sets out on a journey to investigate what it is he is producing, his discoveries become increasingly more bizarre and disturbing. Peter Currell Brown's brilliantly surreal satire of automation and alienation is as exhilarating and unforgettable today as when it was first published.

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Book Synopsis‘What Anna Did Next’ is a laugh-out-loud, life-loving, warm-hearted funny tale of one girl’s quest to find her true self. What will come first for Anna Moran: the perfect job or the perfect orgasm? Anna’s relationship status is permanently set to ‘open to anything’. After a decade of debauchery, meaningless sex and enduring the constant hum of local whispers, Anna leaves her hometown of Dingle, in West Kerry, in search of love and much more. But how do you shake off a small town that never lets you forget? How do you change when temptation is always there? How do you become someone else when you are so relentlessly you? Anna is faced with some difficult decisions when tragedy strikes. Everything hinges on what Anna does next.

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Book SynopsisAnne Frank is known worldwide for her moving and powerful Diary written whilst hiding from the Nazis. Less well known are these stories, fables, personal reminiscences and an unfinished novel - now re-issued after being out of print for many years. Her humour, unflinching honesty and her wisdom - all evident in The Diary of Anne Frank - are equally present in these Tales, rendering it an essential part of her legacy.

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Book SynopsisDriving home, Paulo passes an indigenous girl at the side of the road. Paulo gives her a lift to her family's camp. From cocaine-fuelled rich kids and the Guarani Indians camped along Brazil's highways to a squatter's life in London, Nowhere People is a raw and passionate classic in the making, about our need for human connections and a home.

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Book SynopsisPaul Hussey, an antiques dealer from Sussex and his American wife Belinda have arrived in Leningrad. Paul is trying to raise some money by illegally selling dresses to a people rich in cosmonauts but poor in consumer goods. But the logic of Soviet economics proves more dangerous than he ever imagined. Moreover, Leningrad turns out to be a city in which daylight dawns in the middle of the night. Anthony Burgess''s hilarious and inventive comedy takes off when Paul learns some unnerving truths about his own sexual nature and that of Belinda. And now she''s receiving the keenest attention in the hands of the Russian bears from the State Medical Service. Honey for the Bears is one of Burgess''s most accessible novels, and is a strong candidate for the funniest. It is sheer reading pleasure.

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Book SynopsisLuang Paw Tien, the abbot of Praeknamdang Temple, is ninety-three years old and a treasure trove of stories. Most nights he entertains the children of his village with tales from his long and extraordinary life, of his childhood in a previous century, of his fifteen year pilgrimage to India and back, and of the plenitude and majesty of the jungle, in a time when it was rich with elephants, peacocks and turtles. But what the children want to hear most of all are tales of the tiger, a creature which has marked the abbots life more deeply and terribly than any other. From the mind of Saneh Sangsuk, one of the most respected and beloved of Thai authors, The Understory is a novel about storytelling, a changing world and the fearsome power of nature.

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Book SynopsisFrom the author of The Love of Singular Men comes a book about three brothers with a dark inheritance. The Alencar Costa e Oliveira family talk to each other in inside jokes, often saying the opposite of what they mean, or repeating the same sentence until it acquires new meaning. But the family has another characteristic: none of them has ever died of illnesses or accident -they all die of acute melancholy. Gracefully and wisely, Heringer traces the story of the brothers and the Gloria neighbourhood of Rio de Janeiro.

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Book SynopsisIn the second novel of the visceral Divided Kingdom series, the Royalist army attacks Bristol, where the Reeve brothers, carefree and dissolute Ralph and embittered and fanatical Francis clash again.

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