Contemporary fiction titles are those which focus on the present or near past. Stories rooted in the current cultural, social, and political landscape which feature characters we can all recognise.
Contemporary Fiction Books
Pocket Napoleon 2: Le sacre d'Austerlitz
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£13.28
Pocket On la trouvait plutot jolie
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£15.09
Pocket JAi D Rver Trop Fort Best
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£15.09
Outlook Verlag Lectures on Diseases of the Heart
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£44.91
Outlook Verlag Lectures on the History of the Church of Scotland
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£26.91
Verlagsgruppe Random House GmbH Die verschwundene Schwester
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£13.45
Broken Dimanche Press The Trains of Europe
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£12.59
PalmArtPress Five Minutes Before the World Was Made
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£16.50
Tuttle Publishing Modern Japanese Short Stories: Twenty-Five
Book SynopsisModern Japanese Short Stories is a remarkable collection of Japanese stories from the pioneers of contemporary Japanese literature. This volume's twenty-five stories by as many authors display a wide range of style and subject matter—offering a revealing picture of modern Japanese culture and society. The stories in this anthology include: "Tattoo" by Junichiro Tanizaki—a large spider tattooed on the back of a young woman results in unexpected changes "Autumn Mountain" by Ryunosuke Akutagawa—vivid memories of a beautiful painting leads a man to wonder if the it ever actually existed "The Priest and His Love" by Yukio Mishima—a Buddhist priest finds his path to enlightenment challenged after falling in love "The Moon on the Water" by Nobel Prize winner Yasunari Kawabata—a young woman who cared for her ailing first husband through most of their marriage regrets remarrying after his death Featuring a new foreword by Japanese literary scholar Seiji Lippit and striking woodcut illustrations by Masakazu Kuwata, the stories are translated by the editor, Ivan Morris, and Edward Seidensticker, George Saito, and Geoffery Sargent. This collection of short stories shows why Japanese literature is so highly valued today—it teaches not only about Japan, but about the human condition and the possibilities of art.Trade Review"Offering readers a doorway into the past and gorgeously illustrated by black-and-white Japanese woodblock prints, [this] is a worthy collection to savor." --The Japan Times"Modern Japanese Short Stories is a moveable feast of the richness, complexity, and depth of a land that is all too often reduced to clumsy stereotypes and broad brush strokes. For readers who hunger for more, it is a rare jewel that continues to bedazzle despite the unrelenting passage of time and tide." -- The Hawai'i Herald"Here is another excellent and thorough collection of 25 short stories…Some stories are quite simple in plot, provoking the reader to stop and reflect…but other stories are great windows into the social scenery." -- BBC.com
£15.29
Artbooks Bookshops Bonedust
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£11.43
Aiora Press Junkermann
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£14.24
Twisted Spoon Press House of the Nine Devils: Selected Bohemian Tales
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£15.20
Ediciones SM Memorias de Idhun.: Memorias de Idhun 2/Triada
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£20.85
Hansson Publishing Close To You
Book SynopsisClose To You,is the immersive second novel in the GenX women's contemporary fiction series. If you like realistic protagonists, secrets hidden in the cobwebs of time, and hard-won second chances, you'll adore Cary J Hansson's ray of hope.
£10.93
Rupa Publications India Pvt Ltd. MAHA VISHNU TRILOGY: PART I: THE CODE OF MANAVAS
Book SynopsisBook one of the Maha Vishnu Trilogy, The Code of Manavas, is set some two million years past ad 2050, when earth as we know it ceased to exist and so did mankind. A new race, the Manavas, now exists on Bhoomi, the erstwhile Earth, which is divided into two citiesMadhavpur and Ayudhpur. In the quiet and peaceful city of Madhavpur, a reclusive Krishna is busy with an immense task. He has to prepare a new abode for the Manavas before an impending apocalypse destroys them. He knows something that nobody else doesthe Manavas are running out of time faster than they can imagine and there are no inhabitable planets to escape to. To make matters worse, there is someone in Madhavpur who wants to destroy Krishna and subjugate each Manava. The Manavas, it seems, are doomed. Yet Krishna knows there is a slim chance of survival for the Manavas, although there is a huge price to be paid for it. Will the various factions of the Manavas unite for the greater good? Will Krishna, who saved them during the turn of theast Yuga, be able to save them now? What will be the price to pay? Enter the mythical world of Maha Vishnu and get swept up in a fast-paced suspenseful narrative.
£9.74
Little, Brown Book Group The Testimony of Alys Twist
Book SynopsisArrested by her sister for treason, who in her household can Elizabeth trust?1553: deeply-divided England rejoices as the rightful heir, Mary Tudor, sweeps to power on a tide of populist goodwill. But the people should have been careful what they wished for: Mary''s mission is to turn back time to an England of old. Within weeks there is widespread rebellion in favour of her heir, her half-sister, Princess Elizabeth, who is everything that Mary isn''t. From now on, Elizabeth will have to use her considerable guile just to stay alive.Orphan Alys Twist has come a long way - further than she ever dared hope - to work as a laundress at the royal wardrobe. There she meets Bel, daughter of the Queen''s tailor, and seems to have arrived at her own happy ending. But in a world where appearance is everything, a laundress is in a unique position to see the truth of people''s lives, and Alys is pressed into service as a spy in the errant princess''s household. AlTrade ReviewThe question of Mary's marriage splinters English politics and these dynastic travails are the source of gossip and peril for ordinary people...A beautifully written portrait of the familiar Tudor court from an unfamiliar angle * The Times *This intriguing story is set in 16th-century Tudor England...Suzannah Dunn weaves suspense, historical detail and romance brilliantly into this tale * Woman's Weekly *Suzannah is known for her painstaking detail of the period and for her research and this does not disappoint * Woman's Way *
£7.19
Little, Brown Book Group The House of Unexpected Sisters No 1 Ladies
Book SynopsisTHE EIGHTEENTH BOOK IN THE BELOVED NO. 1 LADIES'' DETECTIVE AGENCY SERIESThe one with the other Mma Ramotswe . . . The dismissal of an employee at a thriving local business leads to an investigation by Precious Ramotswe and self-appointed Principal Investigating Officer Grace Makutsi. But Mma Ramotswe also has to contend with the re-appearance of her ex-husband, and the arrival of a long-lost relation: another Mma Ramotswe. Can Precious draw on her strength, compassion and powers of detection to manage these surprises from the past?''A delight'' Daily Telegraph Trade ReviewThe dialogue transports the reader to the book's hot, dry setting, and the gentle exchanges of mundane facts carry a weight of love and tenderness . . . Immersing yourself in Precious Ramotswe's life seems to slow your heart rate while sharpening your senses * Scotsman *There's the usual charm and wit which have graced all of McCall Smith's previous work, as family secrets unearthed along the way make for an interesting investigation for our established heroines * Scottish Field *Hugely enjoyable * Sunday Times *A small slice of heaven * Scotsman *A delight * Daily Telegraph *It's always a pleasure to be reacquainted with Botswana's No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. Once again, with pertinent questioning and endless pots of redbush tea, the ladies fulfil their obligations and solve a few personal dilemmas, delighting the readers as as they do so * People's Friend *
£7.64
Little, Brown Book Group Getting Rid Of Mister Kitchen
Book SynopsisFrom the author of the latest official James Bond novel''Charlie Higson''s thrillers are major events'' Mark Billingham''Very funny and utterly unstoppable'' The Times''A sizzlingly paced modern thriller'' NMEA man kills a prospective buyer for his car. On the verge of becoming a name in the interior design world, he can''t afford a scandal and must discreetly dispose of the body - not an easy job when the whole of London seems to be conspiring against him.Action, consequence, retribution: Getting Rid of Mister Kitchen is a sustained nightmare of thwarted ambition, a Dante-esque tour of a world at home with Tarantino and temazepam, where motive is meaningless and justice is just another victim.Trade ReviewCharlie Higson's thrillers are always major events * Mark Billingham *A funny, frightening book, full of powerful, open-hearted material and with a strong line in suspense * TLS *A sizzingly paced modern thriller with outbursts of thumpingly sick black humour... It is fast. It is cruel. It is comical. It is vastly entertaining, and not a little disturbing * NME *A tour-de-force... captures right-wing arrogance magnificently * Scotland on Sunday *This is a black farce with bells on, or Martin Amis as slapstick... very funny and utterly unstoppable * The Times *
£8.09
Little, Brown Book Group Full Whack
Book SynopsisFrom the author of the latest official James Bond novel''Charlie Higson''s thrillers are major events'' Mark Billingham''Piercing wit and accelerated action in finely paced style'' Time Out''Lively narration, a superabundance of action... gruesome and hilarious'' Evening StandardDennis ''The Menace'' Pike, former wild man of Tottenham, is going grey and going straight. Anyway, it was hard work being a yob- the birds, the brawls, the endless beers- and he hasn''t really got the energy any more for life on the edge. Then two old faces turn up from the past- the Bishop brothers, Chas and Noel. Famously inept, they were bad news then, and they haven''t aged well. What''s worse, they need Pike''s expertise on a scheme wealth distribution really- offloading one of the old gang''s ill-gotten millions. Robbing the robbers- now what''s criminal about that?Pike, still haunted by what happened one wreckless nigTrade ReviewCharlie Higson's thrillers are major events -- Mark BillinghamPiercing wit and accelerated action in finely paced style * Time Out *The missing link between Dick Emery and Bret Easton Ellis * Vox *Lively narration, a superabundance of action...gruesome and hilarious * Evening Standard *Higson has the kind of ear for middle-England angst that more established writers should be jealous of * GQ *
£8.09
Little, Brown Book Group King Of The Ants
Book Synopsis''Charlie Higson''s thrillers are major events'' Mark Billingham''Funny, very tough and full of action'' Patricia Highsmith ''Uncoils with wit and imagination'' Time OutIt seemed straightforward enough. Sean had now consumed so much alcohol that everything seemed perfectly reasonable. He''d started planning the job already. The first problem was how to do it. Thirteen thousand pounds in an envelope seems a fair price for a man''s life. Particularly if you don''t know the man, he seems a nonentity, and you quite fancy his wife. And there''s no chance of being caught. Sean is a drifter, working as a building labourer and waiting for something to happen.When Sean is offered easy money to tail someone and even more easy money to dispose of him, it''s all more tempting than you might think. Except when you realize that you''ve been led up the garden path the whole way...King of the Ants is dark, disturTrade ReviewCharlie Higson's thrillers are major events * Mark Billingham *Funny, very tough and full of action * Patricia Highsmith *A brave, abrasive, alarmingly realistic debut * Daily Mail *Uncoils with wit and imagination * Time Out *
£7.19
Little, Brown Book Group By Virtue Fall the perfect heartwarming romance
Book SynopsisA heartwarming Shakespeare Sisters romance from the bestselling author of Fix You.Love blooms when you least expect it . . .Juliet Shakespeare is done with love. With a growing floristry business and an adorable daughter to raise, life after separating from her husband is complicated enough.But when handsome single father, Ryan Sutherland, arrives in town, everything changes. As much as she tries to distract herself, Juliet can''t help but be drawn to the easy-going Romeo next door and the way he makes her feel.Photographer Ryan is only back in his hometown for a few months so there''s no point falling for someone he''ll just have to say goodbye to. But he didn''t account for Juliet - the intriguing and beautiful, red-haired woman next door. And in her, he might just have found everything he ever wanted . . .Now a *MUST READ* in the Daily Express*WHA
£7.19
Dialogue The Quarry
Book Synopsis''Halls'' stories show that even in zero-hour, austerity-battered Britain, the tenderness and warmth of human connection exists. The Quarry is, in the end, a testament to this messy truth - how love, hate, hope and fear have always lived on the same street'' GLEN BROWN, author of Ironopolis You can see it in them; all that anger inside, it''s toxic. Throw some drink into it and everything bubbles over. People say that they never see it coming, the swing of the fist that kicks it all off, but I can tell.In these interconnected short stories, we meet the men living on the Quarry Lane estate in west London. These are men at work, at the pub, at home, with their families, lovers and friends. Men grappling with addiction, sexuality and the corrosive effects of toxic masculinity.From a bouncer at the local nightclub, to a postman returning to the streets of his youth, and a young man thinking of all the things he''d say andTrade ReviewHalls weaves a chorus of voices that don't shy away from the ugliness of contemporary deprivation - the casual racism, the violence and addiction - but this refusal to romanticise or rose-tint is where the book's power lies. In following these flawed, multifaceted characters as their lives obliquely intersect, we're forced to reckon with a section of our society that is frequently denounced as hopeless, but is actually anything but. Halls' stories show that even in zero-hour, austerity-battered Britain, the tenderness and warmth of human connection exists. The Quarry is, in the end, a testament to this messy truth - how love, hate, hope and fear have always lived on the same street -- Glen Brown, author of IronopolisHalls's arresting debut tackles topics from addiction to toxic masculinity * The i *Halls has a sharp observational eye, exploring both the best and worst of humanity, and how it exists side by side * Culture Fly *Equal parts tough and tender, The Quarry is essential reading. Ben Halls has important insights into the challenges faced by men in post-industrial, gig-economy BritainThe Quarry is a powerful read and you won't regret picking it up and flicking through the amazing stories. At this point of my review I'd usually list my favourite short stories from the book, but it's too hard to choose as every one of them struck a chord with me. They're all immensely powerful in their own way and each story merits a medal in its own right * Daily Record *Tender, droll . . . Halls gives his flair for knuckle-chewing agony free rein * Observer *
£8.09
Headline Publishing Group Anyone but Him A touching story about love
Book SynopsisTwo sisters can''t quite believe what their mother has done. And now they have to decide what to do about it. As if their own personal lives aren''t complicated enough . . . Andie and her sister Jin have never seen eye to eye. Andie doesn''t envy Jin her marriage to a wealthy businessman, while Jin isn''t convinced that Andie''s happy with her man-free existence (if only she knew the truth!). But when their widowed mother Cora comes back from a Caribbean cruise with more than just a suntan, Andie and Jin are united in horror. Who is this gorgeous young man who''s swept their mother off her feet? What the women really need is a friend to set the world to rights with - but can they be friends with each other?Readers love Anyone But Him:''Beautifully written - a delight getting to know the characters'' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐''One of Sheila O''Flanagan''s best novels. It hooked meTrade Review'A must-read' * Women's Own *Sheila O'Flanagan is one of the blinding talents on the female fiction scene * Scottish Daily Record *
£8.49
Orion Publishing Co The Sunrise Sisterhood
Book Synopsis''This was pure joy to read and left me feeling warm inside!!'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''This book pulled at my heart strings and broke me in places and then slowly pieced me back together again'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''Oh my!!!!!! Cathy Bramley has done it again, a fantastic read and I could not stop reading it'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''This book - I absolutely adored it!'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Three generations of women, and the summer that saved them.The holidays are here, and in Salcombe, Liz longs for the arrival of her god-daughters, Skye and Clare and Clare''s daughter baby Ivy. After years on her own, she needs help to save the catering business she built with Clare''s late mother, Jen. However, half-sisters Skye and Clare couldn''t be more different, struggling with family secrets and hidden jealousies. As the women navigate this unexpected summer Trade ReviewA glorious tangle of missed opportunities, mistakes and misunderstandings that unfolds in a gorgeous seaside setting, the Sunrise Sisterhood is like a glass of wine on a summer's evening with your best mate. Comforting, funny, warm and wise - no-one does complicated family and friendships like Cathy. The perfect cocktail of emotions, hopes and dreams * Veronica Henry *
£8.49
Little, Brown Book Group London Burning
Book SynopsisLondon, Burning is a novel about the end of the 1970s, and the end of an era. It concerns a nation divided against itself, a government trembling on the verge of collapse, a city fearful of what is to come, and a people bitterly suspicious of one another. In other words, it is also a novel about now. Vicky Tress is a young policewoman on the rise who becomes involved in a corruption imbroglio with CID. Hannah Strode is an ambitious young reporter with a speciality for skewering the rich and powerful. Callum Conlan is a struggling Irish academic and writer who falls in with the wrong people. While Freddie Selves is a hugely successful theatre impresario stuck deep in a personal and political mire of his own making. These four characters, strangers at the start, happen to meet and affect the course of each other''s lives profoundly.The story plots an unpredictable path through a city choked by strikes and cowed by bomb warnings. It reverberates to the sound of aTrade Review[A] marvellous new novel . . . This master storyteller recreates the whole world of the 70s, as the London we used to know is about to change for ever. The novel throbs with music and life, love and skulduggery, with the beating drum of the approaching Margaret Thatcher sounding the knell for that decade and the way we used to live on these islands -- Carmen Callil * i newapaper *Set during the dog days of the Callaghan Labour government, Anthony Quinn's latest period novel extends his richly pleasurable and loosely connected series portraying London down the decades. Since 2011, he has fused romance, mystery and social realism to produce a kind of epic Londoniad, tackling the city's Victorian slums (The Streets), the first world war (Half of the Human Race), the 30s (Curtain Call), the blitz (Our Friends in Berlin), the 50s and 60s (Freya and Eureka), and now the late 70s, a time of strikes, IRA violence and the imminent election of Margaret Thatcher. It's David Peace territory, but Quinn is a steadier, suaver writer, relying on the old-school charms of rounded characters and a clockwork plot -- Anthony Cummins * Observer *Anthony Quinn is one of my favourite novelists and London, Burning didn't disappoint ... Set in the grimy, unglamorous world of the winter of 1979, when most public workers were on strike and the IRA were at large, London, Burning deftly weaves together the stories of Vicky, a young police officer, Hannah, a journalist, Callum, an academic and Freddie a bon viveur and theatre director, whose lives connect and coincide with dramatic consequences -- Sarra Manning * Red *A multi-character tale of a paranoid, dirty London at the tired end of the seventies -- Francesca Carington * Telegraph *If you like BBC political dramas, you'll love this tale set in 1970s London, in a time of strikes and bomb threats. It weaves together stories of a theatre impresario, a policewoman, a journalist and a writer as their lives are profoundly affected by their relationships with one another -- Joanne Finney * Good Housekeeping *Anthony Quinn's excellent seventh novel . . . highly enjoyable -- Sarah Emma Adams * The Tablet *Quinn is a witty and erudite writer who manages to make his characters' dialogue sound natural and engaging . . . Quinn's book is a page-turning delight. I can pay it no higher compliment than to say that, when I finished reading it, I felt almost sad that I was not going to be spending time with its characters any longer, and I hope that a sequel or continuation of this fascinating saga awaits in due course -- Alex Larman * The Critic *Peopled by the kind of strong, fully realised individuals whom you could easily identify in a crowd, it is skilfully plotted and written with a rare elegance, sinuous wit and even optimism. It is a deeply satisfactory read -- Sue Gaisford * Financial Times *
£11.24
Little, Brown Book Group The Fourth Shore
Book Synopsis''Effortlessly enjoyable . . . an emotionally rewarding novel so succulent with detail that you can almost feel the Tripoli sand storms whipping across your face'' Daily Mail The Fourth Shore: the sliver of fertile land along the Tripoli coast, the ''lost'' territory Mussolini promised to reclaim for Italy. Which is how, in 1929, seventeen-year-old Liliana Cattaneo arrives there from Rome on a ship filled with eager colonists to join her brother and his new wife.Liliana is sure she was on the brink of a great adventure, but what awaits her is not the Mediterranean idyll of cocktail parties, smart dances, dashing officers and romantic intrigues she had imagined. Instead she finds a world of persecution, violence, repression, corruption and deceptions both great and small. A child of fascist Italy, blown about by the winds of fascism and Catholicism, Liliana becomes enmeshed in a dark liaison which has terrible consequences both for her and those Trade ReviewEffortlessly enjoyable . . . an emotionally rewarding novel so succulent with detail that you can almost feel the Tripoli sand storms whipping across your face * Daily Mail *Fans of Victoria Hislop will love The Fourth Shore * Good Housekeeping *As gripping as any thriller . . . crammed with the sort of heart-stopping, heart-breaking scenes that brought a lump to the throat of even this jaded reviewer. Really, really good * Daily Mail, praise for Early One Morning *A moving assertion of the power of maternal love to overcome unimaginable obstacles * Sunday Times, praise for Early One Morning *Incredibly sure-footed, a big, generous and absorbing piece of storytelling, fearless, witty and full of flair . . .Even as it forces its characters to lose so much, it asserts itself against those losses with vehemence and hope * Samantha Harvey, Guardian, praise for Early One Morning *A real treat: a beautifully written account of the long consequences of war, set in a richly evoked Roman of the 1970s * Philip Hensher, Observer, praise for Early One Morning *Baily subtly tugs at your heartstrings and by the end of her novel you're likely to be as desperate as the women in Daniele's life to discover his fate * Daily Express, praise for Early One Morning *Heartbreaking . . . a powerful story of sacrifice, despair and ultimately redemption * Sunday Express, praise for Early One Morning *Wonderful . . . I was completely inside it from the first pages, just that delicious (rare) feeling of knowing you're in safe hands, this writer isn't going to make a mess of anything, or forfeit your trust or your belief. It managed to be so witty and dry and true . . . Vividly intelligent, gripping and moving and alive * Tessa Hadley, praise for Early One Morning *So effortlessly enjoyable she almost slips into the guilty pleasure category, yet she is also so accomplished there's really nothing to feel guilty about . . . Baily sheds light on a neglected area of pre-war history in ways that are both politically astute and deeply satisfying * Daily Mail *A wholly enjoyable historical novel * Daily Mail *
£8.09
Oneworld Publications Voices of the Lost: Winner of the International
Book Synopsis 'Barakat isn't writing about 'the immigrant'. She's writing about the human.' Rumaan Alam, author of Leave the World Behind Shortlisted for the Saif Ghobash Banipal Prize for Arabic Translation * Longlisted for the DUBLIN Literary Award, 2022 Winner of the International Prize for Arabic Fiction, a devastating story of displacement, war, and the unlikely glimmer of hope in the dark In an unnamed country torn apart by war, six strangers are compelled to share their darkest secrets. Taking pen to paper, each attempts to put in writing what they can’t bring themselves to say to the person they love – mother, father, brother, lost love. Their words form a chain of dark confessions, none of which reaches the intended recipient. But their consequences will ripple through other lives, affecting strangers in ways the writers could never have anticipated... Luminous and haunting, Voices of the Lost tells the moving story of characters living on the periphery, battling displacement, poverty, and the demons within themselves. From one of today’s most talented Arabic writers, this is the story of lives intimately woven together in a society that is tearing itself apart. 'Hoda Barakat is one of Lebanon's greatest gifts to literature' Amy Bloom, author of White HousesTrade Review'Emotionally punchy.' -- The Sunday Times'The tragedies in Voices of the Lost are agonising...[a] searing prizewinner.' -- Madeleine Thien, Guardian'Spare and deep, Voices of the Lost captivates. Hoda Barakat is one of Lebanon's greatest gifts to literature, and Booth allows her English audience to explore this painful and irresistible present.' -- Amy Bloom, author of White Houses'An astonishing novel, superbly translated from the original Arabic, in which grave, naked confessions are delivered by characters orbiting in motion. It is a fierce, challenging exploration of the extremities of rootlessness and desperation, rendered in a shocking clarity of voice.' -- Leila Aboulela, author of Bird Summons'Hoda Barakat's new novel reveals to us the many faces of power, war, love and despair as destinies mysteriously intersect, and all certainties are shaken. Through these letters, we glimpse the hidden story of immigration: characters condemned to suffer for nothing more than being born in the wrong place.' -- Jokha Alharthi, author of Celestial Bodies, winner of the Man Booker International Prize'Drawing on the power of testimonial, Hoda Barakat's characters relate tales of loss, regret, and displacement. Beautifully written and filled with a raw, audacious honesty, these lost and found letters draw readers into an extraordinary embrace and refuse to let go.' -- Diana Abu-Jaber, author of Birds of Paradise'Marilyn Booth captures the starkness of Voices of the Lost… It isn't surprising that two of the most interesting authors to write about the migrant crises of the last ten years were subjects of earlier waves of displacement.' -- London Review of Books'Hoda Barakat is one of the most versatile and innovative novelists in the Arab world. Here, in a fugue of undelivered letters, she etches the portraits of a series of existential refugees, lost between countries, languages, and lives.' -- Marilyn Hacker, author of Blazons'A subversive novel that examines sorrow, longing, violence, kindness, and compassion. The places may be named, but the protagonists are nameless. We love them because they are us.' -- Fady Joudah, author of Tethered to Stars‘A writer for our times: her prose is at once reflective and morally astute. Her novels possess a gravity in their confident, thoughtful style that bursts with tension and profound emotion.’ * Mediapart *‘A short, deeply intense novel. A book of shadows which shows us the cracks threatening the modern Arab world.’ * France Culture *‘Anger, despair and passion are lyrically expressed...the beauty of her writing does nothing to detract from the candour of this narrative.’ * Livres Hebdo *‘Hoda Barakat offers a penetrating insight into the minds of people whose inner lives are all too often dismissed without a second thought.’ * L'Humanité *‘In a style that is by turns precise and sumptuous, Hoda Barakat... tirelessly explores themes of metamorphosis, of madness, of countries left behind, and of journeys with no hope of return.’ * Le Matricule des Anges *‘An immensely talented novelist.’ * Transfuge *'So many universal human themes are touched on in this outstanding novel that it is impossible in these few words to do them, or it, justice… Every one of us will find something in these pages that reflects our own experience… Though our paths may be different, we are all ultimately united in seeking truth, freedom, compassion and forgiveness.' -- New Internationalist'This intense, raw and human novel which does not shy away from showing life's fallibilities, feels both hopeless and hopeful… [Barakat] isn't tone deaf to the tragedy the Middle East has recently seen nor does she believe it makes up one person's entire story and identity.' -- TheNewArab'Voices of the Lost manages to pull off quite a feat. This is a novel about war, it is a political novel. It is also a novel about love, ranging from filial to romantic, abuse, trauma, fatherhood, motherhood, it’s all in there. Like a piece of tapestry this novel weaves in themes, which create [a] multi-layered result… a one of a kind novel… [Booth's translation] is fantastic and captures the emotions of all the characters. Having won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction, I would not be surprised to see it garner more awards this year.' -- The Bobsphere
£11.69
Oneworld Publications Strange Tricks: An Essex Witch Museum Mystery
Book SynopsisRosie Strange is back in the latest of the fabulously creepy Essex Witch Museum Mysteries Secretly Rosie Strange has always thought herself a little bit more interesting than most people – the legacy her family has bequeathed her is definitely so, she’s long believed. But then life takes a peculiar turn when the Strange legacy turns out not just to be the Essex Witch Museum, but perhaps some otherworldly gifts that Rosie finds difficult to fathom. Meanwhile Sam Stone, Rosie’s curator, is oddly distracted as breadcrumb clues into what happened to his missing younger brother and other abducted boys from the past are poised to lead him and Rosie deep into a dark wood where there lurks something far scarier than Hansel and Gretel’s witch… Praise for the Essex Witch Museum Mysteries: ‘I gleefully submitted to a tale of witchcraft, feminism, mysterious strangers, historical atrocities, plucky heroines and ghastly apparitions – and came away more proud than ever to be an Essex girl.’ Sarah Perry, author of The Essex Serpent ‘Confident, down-to-earth Essex girl Rosie is an appealing character, and there is plenty of spooky fun in this spirited genre mashup.’ GuardianTrade Review‘If you’re looking for a first-rate mystery that is full of humour, heart and will also give you the heebie-jeebies, Strange Tricks is the book for you. Charming, tense and addictive, I couldn’t get enough of Rosie and will be buying and listening to the other books as soon as possible.’ -- Emma's Biblio Treasures‘Mysterious, intriguing, humorous and highly entertaining, Strange Tricks is a fantastic audiobook and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end; both the writing and the narration are exceptional.’ -- The Book Magnet‘The narrative of Strange Tricks is near impeccable. Rosie’s musings on her surroundings and life in general, are as hilarious as they are relatable. Under a facade of a devil may care, adventurous, rather feisty Essex girl, there’s an extremely sensitive and quite a sweet character whose whole life has been defined by a series of unfortunate events which cast long shadows on her future. The world of Strange Tricks offers many avenues for exploration. On the surface, it’s a well-woven mystery that introduces us to a twisted serial killer. Still, it touches upon the themes of feminism and women’s rights without being preachy or reproachful. It takes a dive into the subject with a very cool head and firm resolve to challenge without losing its entertainment value.’ -- Kon Frankowski's Book Blog‘Wow finished Strange Tricks by Syd Moore last night, that book is dark and awesome and dark, i did not expect that twist 5* all the way from me.’ -- Caroline Maston, founder of the facebook UK Crime Book Club‘I thoroughly enjoyed this audio book and was quite sad to reach the end... the nice little hook into the next book has me intrigued too!’ -- Brown Flopsy's Blogspot‘Both author and narrator are exceptionally skilled and manage to weave a tale that is as compulsive as the summer days are long... All in all a brilliant read, and a series I wouldn’t hesitate to go back to!’ -- Tomes with Tea blog‘The characters are vivid, complex and fascinating. The premise is inventive and interesting and I just love the whole idea of the Essex Witch Museum being taken on by a Benefits Fraud investigator!’ -- Live and Deadly blog‘Unique and intense... A highly recommended eerie story!’ -- Welsh Book Lover‘Sleuth in matters of the supernatural, Rosie Strange, returns in the rollickingly funny and spooky sixth case in the Essex Witch Museum series.’ -- Peterborough Telegraph‘This story has a much darker tone than Rosie Strange’s previous outings. She still investigates with the same lightness of touch and determination to confound any expectations of an Essex Girl, while wearing cowboy boots, of course!... It’s always fun to spend time with Rosie Strange.’ -- Crime ReviewPraise for Syd Moore: ‘I gleefully submitted to a tale of witchcraft, feminism, mysterious strangers, historical atrocities, plucky heroines and ghastly apparitions – and came away more proud than ever to be an Essex girl.’ Sarah Perry, author of The Essex Serpent 'Dennis Wheatley meets Caitlin Moran.' Starburst ‘Confident, down-to-earth Essex girl Rosie is an appealing character, and there is plenty of spooky fun in this spirited genre mashup.’ Guardian
£8.54
Orion Publishing Co The Enchanted
Book Synopsis'THE ENCHANTED wrapped its beautiful and terrible fingers around me from the first page and refused to let go after the last. A wondrous book... so dark, yet so exquisite.' Erin Morgentern, author of The Night CircusA prisoner sits on death row in a maximum security prison. His only escape from his harsh existence is through the words he dreams about, the world he conjures around him using the power of language. For the reality of his world is brutal and stark. He is not named, nor do we know his crime. But he listens. He listens to the story of York, the prisoner in the cell next to him whose execution date has been set. He hears the lady, an investigator who is piecing together York's past. He watches as the lady falls in love with the priest and wonders if love is still possible here. He sees the corruption and the danger as tensions in 'this enchanted place' build. And he waits. Because every monster was once a child, and even monsters have a story . . .A powerful and hauntingly beautiful novel for fans of THE GREEN MILE and THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION.Trade ReviewTHE ENCHANTED wrapped its beautiful and terrible fingers around me from the first page and refused to let go after the last. A wondrous book that finds transcendence in the most unlikely of places, enshrouding horrible things in a gossamer veil of fantasy with a truly unforgettable narrator. So dark yet so exquisite * Erin Morgenstern, author of THE NIGHT CIRCUS *THE ENCHANTED is unlike anything I've ever read ... A jubilant celebration that explores human darkness with a profound lyric tenderness and not one jot of sentimentality ... contagious and seductive * Katherine Dunn, author of GEEK LOVE *Rene Denfeld is a genius. In THE ENCHANTED, she has imagined one of the grimmest settings in the world - a dank and filthy death row in a corrupt prison - and given us one of the most beautiful, heart-rending, and riveting novels I have ever read * Donald Ray Pollock, author of THE DEVIL ALL THE TIME *A striking one-of-a-kind prison novel. The narrator, who is on death row and remains nameless until the book's end, explains that the prison, although a place where "the walls sigh with sadness," is enchanted: golden horses "run deep under the earth," miniature men with miniature hammers hide in the walls, and "flibber-gibbets dance while the oven slowly ticks." The narrator's magical perspective-which is paradoxically necessary, perhaps, to preserve what remains of his sanity-contrasts heartbreakingly with the parallel tale of an investigator, also unnamed, who is tasked with finding details about the past of another death-row inmate, known as York, that will result in his sentence being commuted, even though York has decided he wants to die ... Through the novel's rich, haunting prose, Denfeld, who herself has worked as an investigator in death penalty cases, shines a light on lives led with capital punishment on the schedule. This is a stunning first novel from an already accomplished writer that will leave the reader hoping for more fiction in the author's future. * PUBLISHERS WEEKLY *Read this magical book, and prepare to be spellbound * Library Journal *A dark must-read. * RED MAGAZINE *An unnamed prisoner looks for salvation amid the shadows of a high-security prison in this eerie, haunting novel by Rene Denfeld, who worked as a Death Row investigator for many years. * MAIL ON SUNDAY *BOOK OF THE WEEK Weaving horror and suspense alongside magical realism, Denfeld takes the reader on a nightmarish journey that raises important questions about clemency and punishment, death and redemption...Meticulously researched, the novel benefits from the author's first-hand experience. A gripping and learned study of dysfunctional human behaviour. * THE LADY *This is magical, bleak and unexpectedly compelling. * HARPER'S BAZAAR *The Enchanted is a compelling, nuanced meditation on the possibility (no more than that) of human redemption, even int he most unlikely circumstances imaginable. * NEW INTERNATIONALIST *Denfeld is much more interested in the why rather than the whodunnit...it is through lyricism Denfeld offers her insight into human nature. Her thesis is that even in this terrible place there is to be found some terrible beauty. * IRISH EXAMINER *Rene Denfeld's transcendent if bleak vision elevates this imaginative and utterly gripping debut novel far above the usual thriller fare * IRISH INDEPENDENT *This haunting read follows the thoughts and dreams of a prisoner on death row... that sounds like like pretty heady stuff but it's actually gripping and often moving. * NEW! *Drawn from the author's personal experience of working as a death-penalty investigator, The Enchanted is a debut novel of quite astonishing assurance.. this is a book that oozes authenticity, a novel of atrocity, redemption, justice and mercy, swinging back and forth between the most unbearably horrific and the heartbreakingly moving... in the end it's not the monstrosities that make this book so compulsively readable, it's the unwavering sense of humanity. * IRISH EXAMINER *One of those books on which a certain head of steam is already building, suggesting that this haunting and disturbing novel is something different from the general run of crime-related novels - and so it proves to be... Unusually for a novel with such a subject, there is a genuine lyricism here, which undercuts the more unsettling aspects of the narrative. -- Barry Forshaw * GOOD BOOK GUIDE *THE ENCHANTED wrapped its beautiful and terrible fingers around me from the first page and refused to let go after the last. A wondrous book that finds transcendence in the most unlikely of places, enshrouding horrible things in a gossamer veil of fantasy with a truly unforgettable narrator. So dark yet so exquisite * Erin Morgenstern, author of THE NIGHT CIRCUS *America's love affair with the death penalty has been a staple of American thrillers from Grisham to King, but Rene Denfeld... turns the potentially hackneyed tale of a woman's fight to save a prisoner from execution into a metaphysical examination of evil and redemption. * BELFAST TELEGRAPH *THE ENCHANTED is unlike anything I've ever read ... A jubilant celebration that explores human darkness with a profound lyric tenderness and not one jot of sentimentality ... contagious and seductive * Katherine Dunn, author of GEEK LOVE *Rene Denfeld is a genius. In THE ENCHANTED, she has imagined one of the grimmest settings in the world - a dank and filthy death row in a corrupt prison - and given us one of the most beautiful, heart-rending, and riveting novels I have ever read * Donald Ray Pollock, author of THE DEVIL ALL THE TIME *A striking one-of-a-kind prison novel. The narrator, who is on death row and remains nameless until the book's end, explains that the prison, although a place where "the walls sigh with sadness," is enchanted: golden horses "run deep under the earth," miniature men with miniature hammers hide in the walls, and "flibber-gibbets dance while the oven slowly ticks." The narrator's magical perspective-which is paradoxically necessary, perhaps, to preserve what remains of his sanity-contrasts heartbreakingly with the parallel tale of an investigator, also unnamed, who is tasked with finding details about the past of another death-row inmate, known as York, that will result in his sentence being commuted, even though York has decided he wants to die ... Through the novel's rich, haunting prose, Denfeld, who herself has worked as an investigator in death penalty cases, shines a light on lives led with capital punishment on the schedule. This is a stunning first novel from an already accomplished writer that will leave the reader hoping for more fiction in the author's future. * Publisher's Weekly *Read this magical book, and prepare to be spellbound * Library Journal *
£8.24
Little, Brown Book Group Nineteen EightyFour
Book SynopsisA new edition of Orwell''s timeless dystopian classic, introduced and annotated by his biographer, D.J. TaylorSince its first publication in 1949, Orwell''s devastating expose of the totalitarian mind has established itself as the most influential political satire of the modern age. Winston Smith''s doomed rebellion against the all-seeing eye of Big Brother, and a world corrupted by technology and the perversion of language, is as relevant now as it ever was.This new edition includes an introduction and extensive end-notes, and an appendix containing original responses to the novel and several of Orwell''s essays from the period in which Nineteen Eighty-Four was written.
£7.19
Headline Publishing Group Three Weddings and a Proposal
Book SynopsisSunday Times bestseller April 2022Irish Times bestseller March 2022At the first wedding, there''s a shockThe second wedding is unexpected By the third, Delphie thinks nothing could surprise her. But she''s wrong . . . Delphie is enjoying her brother''s wedding. Her surprise last-minute Plus One has stunned her family - and it''s also stopped any of them asking again why she''s still single. But when she sees all the missed calls that evening, she knows it can''t be good news. And she''s right. Delphie has been living her best life, loving her job, her friends, her no-strings relationships and her dream house by the sea. Now she has to question everything she believed about who she is and what she wants. Is her mum right - is it time to settle down? Or does she want to keep on trying to have it all? Each wedding of a glorious summer brings a new surprise. And as everythiTrade ReviewA glamorous, blockbusting, empowering read with a glorious spin on the wedding scene. Sheila writes with such verve and positivity and emotional intelligence - she knows just what it is to be a woman * Veronica Henry *I really enjoyed Three Weddings and a Proposal . . . Reading a Sheila O'Flanagan novel always feels like sitting down for a cup of tea with a friend - she writes with such warmth and empathy * Beth O’Leary *One of my favourite authors * Marian Keyes *A novel which celebrates strong women who can carve out their own happy endings * Linda Green *Great characters and many twists and turns make this page-turner thoroughly enjoyable. A great read! * Katie Fforde *Sheila's books always make you feel as if you've spent time with a good friend * Carole Matthews *This book had me jumping this way and that, trying to decide which characters could be trusted . . . and then changing my mind. A highly enjoyable read * Imogen Clark *Insightful, pacy and authentic, this is a terrific read * Patrica Scanlan *Believable, warmly drawn characters, a perfectly paced story and a satisfying ending; just what I've come to expect from this accomplished writer. Do I rejoice when a new Sheila O'Flanagan book hits the shelves? I do. * Roisin Meaney *As a lover of all things Irish, how is it possible that I hadn't discovered Sheila O'Flanagan's books before Three Weddings and a Proposal? Thanks to this wonderful story of a woman's journey of self-discovery, I can't wait to read more by this very talented author * Sherryl Woods *The perfect summer escape . . . Engrossing, entertaining, and emotional - and featuring a protagonist you can't help but root for - this one will keep you turning the pages * Farrah Rochon *A fascinating story, full of twists and turns... Full of tension, honesty and compassion, Sheila's wonderful novel kept me guessing right until the end' * Gill Thompson *An involving, thought-provoking novel and a masterclass in storytelling. I was drawn in from page 1 * Sue Moorcroft *
£8.99
Headline Publishing Group Mother Mother
Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER, JUNE 2021''Annie Macmanus is a writer whose understanding and capturing of human nature comes as easily to her as breathing'' CANDICE CARTY-WILLIAMS''A work of gilded melancholy that is going to take everyone by surprise'' UNA MULLALLY''Macmanus writes with flair and confidence rarely seen in a debut'' SINÉAD GLEESONOne Saturday morning, TJ McConnell wakes up to find his mother, Mary, gone. He doesn''t know where - or why - but he''s the only one who can help find her.Mary grew up longing for information about the mother she never knew. Her brother could barely remember her, and their father numbed his pain with drink.Now aged thirty-seven, Mary has lived in the same house her whole life. She''s never left Belfast. TJ, who''s about to turn eighteen, is itching to see more of the world.But when his mother disappears, TJ begins to realise what hTrade ReviewPrepare to fall in love with Mary, to want to reach right into the pages and hold her as a child and help her as an adult. MOTHER MOTHER is a brilliant book that takes you with it on a journey of struggle, friendship and forgiveness that explores the brutal legacy of addiction and the consequences of a deep grief left to stagnate -- Sara Cox, broadcaster and author of TILL THE COWS COME HOMEI loved it. Annie Macmanus is writer whose understanding and capturing of human nature comes as easily to her as breathing -- Candice Carty-Williams, author of QUEENIEMacmanus' immersive novel reminds us that the minutiae of daily struggles are always worth homing in on. Her meditative, considered writing constantly pulls us towards the messy experience of life itself, where there is hope to be found in the grind of intergenerational trauma, and beauty amongst the brokenness. This is a work of gilded melancholy that is going to take everyone by surprise -- Una Mullally, journalist and broadcasterA hugely entertaining and emotional story about intergenerational loss and love, trauma and acceptance. Macmanus writes with flair and confidence rarely seen in a debut -- Sinéad Gleeson, author of CONSTELLATIONSI adored it. I loved the characters and stories, and I became completely immersed in that world. It's so beautifully written... Moving and brilliant -- Emily Eavis, co-author of GLASTONBURY 50A brave and occasionally heartbreaking portrait of a family falling apart and the woman who's been holding them all together for far too long. Macmanus' debut novel is assured, evocative and, like her characters, full of gentle strength -- Jan Carson, author of THE FIRE STARTERSSuperb... [Macmanus is] brilliant at voice and motivation and the (historic and emotional) passage of time; at making households so vivid you know their smell. Can't recommend enough -- Laura Snapes, journalistI loved this book and felt powerfully connected to every character I met within its pages. Tender and deeply felt, it's a beautiful portrayal of the pain and beauty of normal life, told in hauntingly lyrical prose. Poignant and beautifully observed, it was a novel that stayed with me a long time, reminding me again and again of the secrets hidden within the most seemingly normal lives, and the awe-inspiring power and resilience of women everywhere -- Clover Stroud, author of MY WILD AND SLEEPLESS NIGHTS'A brilliant debut novel from an exciting new voice in literature . . . Macmanus makes weaving a decades-spanning, multiple- perspective narrative look easy in this highly accomplished debut' * Sunday Business Post *Melancholy, beautifully unadorned prose * Mail on Sunday *A study of grief, addiction and what it means to be a mother * Stylist Magazine *An incredible debut * Daily Mirror *A page-turning exploration of grief, addiction, young motherhood and unbreakable family ties * British Vogue *MOTHER MOTHER is a tender, surprising, occasionally bleak, moving and delicate book * The Irish Times *Unflinching and unsparing but also beautifully written * Daily Mail *Macmanus writes with flair and confidence rarely seen in a debut * The New European *Written with a poet's ear for language * Waitrose Weekend *
£8.09
Headline Publishing Group Summer Dreams at the Lakeside Cottage
Book Synopsis''I loved joining Koo, Lulu and Beth on their hen adventures - this is an uplifting and wonderful story about the power of female friendships, love and self-discovery'' DONNA ASHCROFT''Koo, Lulu and Beth, three very different women, wake up in a strange hotel room with no recollection of how they got there! . . . Warm, humorous and full of friendship; an ideal holiday read'' GEORGIA HILLIf you love Lucy Diamond, Phillipa Ashley, Sue Moorcroft and Holly Martin, you''ll LOVE Erin Green''s novels of love, life and laughter.''Wow! Where to start? I loved this from start to finish'' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐''[A] delightful, heartwarming story about friendship. It is funny, entertaining and is set in beautiful places I''d love to visit! It would make a great holiday read'' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐''[W]ell thought out, well written, and very descriptive, and is full of humour, love, rom
£14.70
Headline Publishing Group Cold Blooded Liar
Book SynopsisHe lies about everything. Except for murder.''High-wire suspense that keeps you riveted'' LISA GARDNERColton Driscoll is a compulsive liar. But there''s one thing his psychologist Sam Reeves fears he is telling the truth about: murder. Concerned his patient has committed an awful crime and that the life of another girl could be under threat, Sam calls in an anonymous tip to the San Diego Police Department. Detective Kit McKittrick works homicide in the hope that one day she will find out what happened to her foster sister, Wren. When a tip comes in from an anonymous caller it leads her to the body of a girl whose murder has the hallmarks of a serial killer that has been at large for almost twenty years. It also leads her to the source of the information: Dr Sam Reeves. Will Kit be able to crack the cold case in time to stop another murder being committed? And is Sam Reeves being a concerned citizen trying to help, or is there another morTrade ReviewAnother gripping, twisty thriller from bestselling Rose roars into top gear . . . you'll be hooked * Peterborough Telegraph *
£8.99
Orion Publishing Co The Child Finder
Book SynopsisNaomi finds missing children, that's what she does. The snow girl is waiting to be found. But will Naomi find out the truth in time? From the author of The Enchanted, a novel as unsettling as Lullaby or Room, and as beautifully written as The Lovely Bones or History of WolvesTrade ReviewPoetic... Redemptive... Unflinching -- Barry Forshaw * FINANCIAL TIMES *A moving tale of resilience and hope in the face of the worst of humanity -- Jon Coates * DAILY EXPRESS *A compelling blast of cold air from the wintry woods, with elements of a dark fairytale -- Alison Flood * OBSERVER *The sense of physical and psychological isolation is palpable in this moving exploration of loss, hope and human resilience -- Laura Wilson * GUARDIAN *Denfeld's haunting, disquieting and tension-filled tale is brilliantly told * IRISH INDEPENDENT *A truly mesmerising and deeply moving story * HEAT *Part mystery, part fairy tale, this is also a real white-knuckle read where the suspense ratchets up to almost unbearable proportions * CANDIS MAGAZINE *Rene Denfeld has a gift for shining bright light in dark places. The Child Finder is a gorgeous, haunting gem of a novel. Raw and real yet wrapped in a fairy tale, as lovely and as chilling as the snow -- Erin Morgenstern, NYT bestselling author of THE NIGHT CIRCUSA darkly luminous story of resilience and the deeply human instinct for survival, for love. Blending the magical thinking of childhood, of fairy tales, dreams, memories and nightmares, The Child Finder is a terrifying and ultimately uplifting novel that demands to be consumed and then once inside you - lingers... -- A.M. Homes, author of MAY WE BE FORGIVENA glittering gem of a story - part mystery, part fairy tale, and all white-knuckled, edge-of-your-seat thriller . . . readers will be drawn in by Denfeld's lyrical prose and undone by the brutal reality that Naomi uncovers, just beneath the snowy forest floor * Library Journal *Denfeld is a Portland-based journalist and private investigator, and also the adoptive mother of three foster children. All of these aspects of her life are mined in The Child Finder, a powerful novel about a search for a missing girl that's also a search for identity.... It's "Deliverance" encased in ice... Denfeld's novel is indeed loaded with suspense, its resonance comes from its surprising tilt towards storytelling restraint, a rarity in this typical crackling genre. Elegiac, informative and disquieting... The novel gallops to a suitably heart-racing finish -- Michael Callahan * New York Times Book Review *The story takes you forward on a fast-paced search and recovery, one that keeps you turning the pages. Imminent danger is palpable, keeping you reading, while the mystery is deep and full of angst and loneliness. Danger and urgency are the prevailing worries....If you enjoy mystery, romance, danger and some darkness you will love this story. This work takes you on a journey and keeps you turning the pages until the truth comes out. The characters will stay with you a long time -- Leslie Wright * Seattle PI *Giving voice to those who are metaphorically or even literally voiceless, Rene Denfeld reminds us that consequences continue, aftermath continues - yet we must somehow find ways of holding on to threads of hard-won hope * San Francisco Chronicle *A gripping page-turner * Real Simple magazine *A hauntingly beautiful, chilling novel by a real-life badass heroine (Rene Denfeld is, among other things, a licensed investigator and foster-adoptive parent), The Child Finder turns around a woman named Naomi, a private investigator with a gift for finding lost children, and her search for a girl who has been missing in the Oregon woods for three years. Denfeld brings Naomi to life with precise, lyrical prose. While the whole book reads like a fairytale for adults, Naomi herself is fully realized and deeply human * CrimeReads *
£7.19
Orion Publishing Co An Unremarkable Body
Book Synopsis***Shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award 2018***EVERY MOTHER IS A WOMAN WITH A PAST''An intriguing tale of love and loss . . . written with verve and delivers an amazing twist'' Sunday Mirror''A haunting debut about grief, loss and motherhood'' The Pool''This novel pulls you in and will have you racing to reach the end'' Good HousekeepingWhen Katharine is found dead at the foot of her stairs, it is the mystery of her life that consumes her daughter, Laura. The medical examiner''s report, in which precious parts of Katharine''s body are weighed and categorised, motivates Laura to write her own version of events. But as she delves deeper into Katharine''s past, she is forced to confront a new version of the woman she knew only as her mother. A woman silenced by her own mother and wronged by her husband. A woman who lived in the shadows but whose secrets are now coming to light. *** InTrade ReviewAn intriguing tale of love, loss and missed opportunities . . . although infused with sadness, it is written with verve and delivers an amazing twist -- Deirdre O'Brien * SUNDAY MIRROR *Tender and moving, this part-thriller, part-memoir will leave you floored * EMERALD STREET *A haunting debut about grief, loss and motherhood - and a woman's identity beyond that role * THE POOL *This novel pulls you in and will have you racing to reach the end * GOOD HOUSEKEEPING *Extraordinarily sensuous storytelling that makes the reader's heart ache in sympathy * OBSERVER *A sensitive examination of a life frustrated by mores and circumstance * DAILY MAIL *An elegant, haunting book with a flawed narrator, troubled relationships, and a mystery at the heart . . . Lodato's writing is spare, confident and affecting. A compelling read -- Joanna Barnard, author of PRECOCIOUS and HUSH LITTLE BABYAn incredibly moving story of maternal love, sacrifice, and how little we know about those closest to us. This beautifully-written novel had me gripped until the last page -- Chloë Mayer, author of THE BOY MADE OF SNOWAn Unremarkable Body is infused with sadness but avoids being morbid or cloying. It is written with verve, pace and sensitivity. A fabulous debut that also delivers an amazing twist as a final flourish * THE PEOPLE *An Unremarkable Body is a well-crafted story of grief and loss. Beautiful, sensitive, and poignant -- Clarissa Goenawan, author of RAINBIRDSAn uplifting story * GRAZIA *Pleasingly distinct . . . the structuring of the chapters by means of an introductory extract from the autopsy report is a rather ingenious one . . . . this organizational quirkiness sets Lodato's work apart from the start . . . a novel that shows notable promise . . . . I'm already intrigued to see what Lodato writes next * INDEPENDENT *A beautifully told tale of love and loss, which ever so gently reaffirms that no life is indeed unremarkable . . . Lodato probes the secrets that are scattered through one character's life and draws us into her world . . . absorbing and compelling . . . startlingly bittersweet . . . I couldn't stop reading and now I'm done I wish I could read it all over again -- Ronnie Turner, book bloggerAN UNREMARKABLE BODY is clever, evocative and sensitively written. There's so much to love about this book. These characters will creep into your thoughts -- Polly Courtney, author of FERAL YOUTHLodato's skill is that of Katharine's pathologist; precise, delicate and thorough. A tender dissection of brutal truths -- Dexter Petley, author of WHITE LIES
£8.09
Faber & Faber The Zoo
Book SynopsisAn Observer and Spectator Book of the YearShortlisted for the Historical Writing Association Gold Crown AwardMeet Yuri Zipit. A boy who's had a bang on the head in a collision with a Moscow milk truck.He has a kind face, makes friends easily, and likes to help. People want to tell him their secrets.Including the Great Leader himself, who takes a shine to Yuri when he employs him for his natural talents.In his new job, Yuri will witness it all betrayals, body doubles, buffoonery. Who knew that a man could be in five places at once? That someone could break your nose as a sign of friendship? That people could be disinvented . . .?The Zoo is a brilliantly cutting satire told through the voice of one incredible boy.
£7.19
Vintage Publishing Lionel Asbo
Book SynopsisMartin Amis was twenty-three when he wrote his first novel, The Rachel Papers (1973). Over the next half century in fourteen more novels, two collections of short stories, eight works of literary criticism and reportage, and his acclaimed memoir, Experience he established himself as the most distinctive and influential prose stylist of his generation. To many of his readers, Amis was also the funniest. His intoxicating comedic gifts express a profound understanding of the human experience, particularly its most shocking cruelties, and Amis wrote with pathos and verve on an astonishing range of subjects, from masculinity and movie violence to nuclear weapons and Nazi doctors. His books, which have been translated into thirty-eight languages, provide an indelible portrait and critique of late-capitalist society at the turn of the twenty-first century. He died in 2023.Trade ReviewTerrific... Both funny and serious, and (as always wth Amis) very very on-the-money' * Richard Ford *This is classic Amis * Sunday Herald *The novel is something of a joy...he makes the dreadful funny, the grotesque poetic * The Times *It's a Big Mac made from filet mignon… It is a book of lovehate. It is a powershake... A book that looks at us, laughs at us, looks at us harder, closer, and laughs at us harder and still more savagely. It is every inch the novel that we all deserve. * Observer *The broadest comedy he has ever published… Lionel is a fantastic brute… I laughed a lot. Amis’s delight in the incorrigible is genuinely Dickensian… This is a verbally inventive comedy…to be enjoyed in the same spirit as Little Britain… It’s a hoot * Evening Standard *
£7.49
Yale University Press The Walnut Mansion
Book Synopsis
£14.24
Little, Brown Book Group The First Century After Beatrice
Book SynopsisMysterious beans are found on the market stalls of the East, to which ancient superstition lends the power of favouring the birth of male children. When a French entomologist obtains a few of these beans, he worries that the world has entered a critical phase of its history.Trade ReviewIf someone is going to tell a story about the end of the world, we can glean some comfort from the fact that it is told in a voice as refined and delightful as Amin Maalouf's - Independent on Sunday
£9.49
Little, Brown Book Group Censoring An Iranian Love Story
Book Synopsis* An exciting novel that easily bears comparison to Milan Kundera's early writing.* A wonderfully accessible literary novel, that draws on Iran's rich literary heritage but which always remains engaging and very readable.Trade ReviewThis important, timely novel is sharp, playful and zesty with life * Daily Mail *A brilliant novel about the complexities of writing and publishing in Iran... It will help to further understanding of the frustrating and sometimes perilous situation of the book industry in a country where copyright is not respected, where writers struggle desperately to publish and can be jailed simply for exercising their imaginations * Guardian *An absorbing and unique novel with a depth of feeling for words and stories in Iran... Censoring an Iranian Love Story is intriguing even before its first page * Scotsman *A marvellous tale... This is a writer intoxicated with the possibilities of language, and his timely, well-translated book is about a potent love affair, not only with women, but also with words * New Statesman *Powerful... Mandanipour's writing is exuberant, bonhomous, clever, profuse with puns and literary-political references * New Yorker *A very special novel - a passionate, inventive and humorous exposure of the stupidity and cruelty of a society ruled by fear * The Times *Wry, playful... Reminiscent of Milan Kundera, this is a lively account of life and letters in contemporary Iran * Financial Times *A clever Rubik's Cube of a story [and] a haunting portrait of life in the Islamic Republic of Iran... An Escher-like meditation on the interplay of life and art, reality and fiction... At its best, Censoring an Iranian Love Story becomes a Kundera-like rumination on philosophy and politics [that] playfully investigates the possibilities and limits of storytelling * New York Times *Rich and riveting... The absurdities of life in the Islamic Republic of Iran provide frequent moments of hilarity - typical of political satires in the tradition of Milan Kundera... Mandanipour has the potential to create a genre of Persian literature that could breach the gap in literary sensibilities that separates readers from vastly different traditions * Irish Times *A love story that is convincingly, achingly impossible in a place where men and women cannot even look at each other in public... The effect (as every good Victorian understood) is deliriously sensual prose... Mandanipour has triumphed * Los Angeles Times *In this brilliantly conceived and cleverly written novel, characters and author together and separately act and write with sly purpose, disguising and disavowing their subversive ends - to live, love and create in today's repressive Iranian society * Boston Globe *Devious and engaging... A droll, even cheerful portrait of totalitarian craziness * Bloomberg News *Telling amorous tales in post-Islamic-revolution Iran is tricky, if not downright dangerous, but Mandanipour is up to the task... And as much as humor dominates the book, it quietly gets at something else - the omnipotence of tyranny * Miami Herald *** 'Censoring an Iranian Love Story is intriguing even before its first page . . . An absorbing and unique novel with a depth of feeling for words and stories in Iran * The Scotsman *** 'A playful tale . . . Censoring an Iranian Love Story is a brilliant novel about the complexities of writing and publishing in Iran * Guardian *** 'The absurdities of life in the Islamic Republic of Iran provide frequent moment of hilarity - typical of political satires in the tradition of Milan Kundera . . . Censoring an Iranian Love Story in both context and style gives us a timely glimpse of the complex and infuriatingly paradoxical society that is today's Iran . . . Mandanipour has the potential to create a genre of Persian literature that could breach the gap in literary sensibilities that separates readers from vastly different traditions * Irish Times *** 'A marvellous tale . . . This is a writer intoxicated with the possibilities of language, and his timely, well-translated book is about a potent love affair, not only with women, but also with words * New Statesman *
£9.49
Headline Publishing Group A Cold Heart
Book SynopsisMurder stalks the LA art world in A COLD HEART, a page-turning and perturbing novels from No. 1 international bestselling Jonathan Kellerman, author of KILLER, MOTIVE and BREAKDOWN. ''Jonathan Kellerman has justly earned his reputation as a master of psychological thriller'' (People), and his powerful stories will appeal to all those who love John Grisham and David Baldacci.Juliet Kipper, a gifted painter, is strangled in the LA gallery where her first solo show has opened to critical acclaim, and Milo Sturgis takes on the murder investigation as a favour to an old friend. He consults Alex Delaware, who, researching parallels with other deaths, looks for artists killed when on the verge of a breakthrough or comeback. And he finds two others.The investigation points to a gruesome, sadistic pattern of death, taking Milo and Alex into the dark side of the art world, and Alex''s ex-lover Robin into terrible danger.Trade ReviewStrong insights into the quirks of human and criminal behaviour * Guardian *Filled with insight * Stephen King *Coolly intelligent * GQ *A sense of humanity and justice * Publishers Weekly *An alert eye for detail * New York Times *
£9.49
Little, Brown Book Group Three Fates Three Sisters One Dark Destiny
Book SynopsisNora Roberts - the World''s Greatest StorytellerIrish siblings Malachi, Gideon, and Rebecca Sullivan are on a mission. A precious family heirloom has been stolen - a small silver statue that just happens to be one of three priceless, long-separated ''Fates''. They are determined to recover it - no matter the cost. Their quest will take them from Ireland to Helsinki, Prague and New York, where they meet a brilliant formidable female professor; a daring exotic dancer and a seductive security expert. Together they will confront a dangerous and unscrupulous enemy in this passionate and gripping novel from the peerless and brilliant Nora Roberts.
£9.49
Coch-y-Bonddu Books Lepus The Story of a Hare
Book Synopsis
£14.20
Coch-y-Bonddu Books In Pursuit of Coney
Book Synopsis
£18.95
Orion Publishing Co Unfinished Business
Book SynopsisUNFINISHED BUSINESS focuses on an ordinary suburban office worker, fundamentally weak but always keeping his eyes fixed on some horizon where a heightened, romantic, better world must surely exist. Faced with the regular stuff of life - work, aspiration, marriage, age, divorce, bereavement - his ordinary plight is sharpened, becoming increasingly urgent. Having lived in a modern condition, confusing pleasure with happiness, wanting the dream to deliver, what do you do when you notice the shadows begin to lengthen on the lawn?Trade ReviewUnfinished Business is humane, intimate and affecting because it explores universal themes - ageing, marriage, friendship, mortality - and celebrates beauty -- Max Liu * Financial Times *The tenor of Unfinished Business feels dreamlike, fragmentary, except that the writing is also exact and alert, anchored very particularly in time and place. Better known as a cultural critic, Bracewell hasn't published a novel in 21 years. This is quite the comeback . . . The overall tone is so measured that the tragic event at the novel's climax stuns like a concussion - worse than that, because it's not even the tragedy we thought we had seen coming -- Anthony Quinn * Guardian *This sense of innocence and wanting is what gives this eerie novel its power to move and frighten . . . Bracewell excels at this kind of shocked satire, of London's continuing grand delusions -- Gwendoline Riley * TLS *I was won over by this quietly reflective gem of a novel about regret, ageing, and the memory of lost love * Independent *I gave up on Proust to read this - there are similarities - and didn't regret it. Not for a moment -- Geoff DyerWhat a poignant, quietly devastating novel, a meditation of loss in all its flavours and pains of late middle age with a Prufrock for our times at its heart -- Travis ElboroughThere is an elegance and mystery to Bracewell's writing as well as a sumptuous, slightly chilly delight in the sensuality and texture of things; clothes, food, drink, interiors. His prose evokes a world that is at once unknowable, beautiful and sad -- Stuart MaconieMichael Bracewell's masterpiece was worth the wait. Awash with luxury and regret, suffused with the pent-up emotion of The Great Gatsby and the style of a post-modern dandy, Bracewell delivers something magical -- Philip HoareThis elegaic, understated story of a man cut adrift in London, haunted by the reality of his own decaying body, is an essay in fracturing memory, a compassionate and tender tale of searching for a better life as time runs short -- Philip ClarkThis book has the instantly recognisable feel of a minor classic. Melancholic, reflective, it quietly and elegantly asks the big questions: what is a life for, exactly? What does it all amount to? A devastating portrait of a once dazzling life fading to grey -- Keiran GoddardMichael Bracewell is an extraordinary stylist who's able to summon whole eras with a few deft phrases. In Unfinished Business, his prose mastery of cultural codes and aesthetic textures is put to work on the most intimate kinds of hope and loss. As a novelist he dazzles, then breaks your heart, and I wish I knew how he pulls it off -- Brian DillonFor me, Michael Bracewell, in edgy, elusive works, like Present Tense, Souvenir, and now Unfinished Business, has always been engaged in something very special. A spiritual adventure which embraces all things with huge curiosity, seems present throughout his work -- Alan Warner
£12.74
Orion Publishing Co Strangers at the Port
Book SynopsisA TELEGRAPH BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023''This novel amazed me. It is the work of a true original'' LUCIE ELVEN''I loved Strangers at the Port. It is deliciously spare, yet complex - a story of the past as well as a vision of the future'' SARA BAUMEGiulia is ten. She lives on the greenest island in a volcanic archipelago. She has never left.Her best friend, beside her older sister, Giovanna, is a donkey. She ties ribbons around his head and thinks she will marry him when the time comes.The sisters'' days on the island are shaped by ritual, community, superstition and isolation.It is a place that feels stuck in time: verdant, plentiful, peaceful.Until the men arrive.And a foreign yacht anchors at the port.And the vines begin to fail.And everything changes.From the author of Dolores, Strangers at the Port is an exquisite, enchanted, atmospheric novel about myth and meTrade ReviewCurtis - who was included on Granta's recent Best of Young British Novelists list - writes dazzlingly confident prose, too rich to be called spare yet without any superfluous weight. She writes the island as if she were Celine Sciamma shooting Portrait of a Lady on Fire -- Francesca Peacock * TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT *An incredible novel about how the quiet, ritualistic lives of a pair sisters are shaken by the arrival of strangers on their island -- Anna Bonet * THE I PAPER *Strangers at the Port is both a fascinating delve into the small, personal stories sacrificed to the grander sweep of history and a provocative creation of a fable for our times -- Emily Rhodes * THE SPECTATOR *Lushly poetic -- Lucy Thynne * LITERARY REVIEW *Curtis's writing is beautiful * GOOD READING *Reading this wonderfully oblique historical tale is a little like looking at the way light refracts through a prism: its meanings and impressions disperse along its journey to reveal what the author herself has termed 'the slippery overlap between history, fiction and memory' . . . Fascinating -- Catherine Jarvie * MARIE CLAIRE, Best Books of 2023 *Magnificent -- Cal Revely-Calder * TELEGRAPH REVIEW, Books of the Year *Stubbornly enigmatic * SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, Books of the Year *A mesmeric and lyrical novel about a fictive island and its inhabitants, which eschews narrative convention in favour of something more elusive, fractured, and choral . . . truly original -- Ralf Webb * GRANTA, Books of the Year *
£14.44
Hodder & Stoughton The Man of Her Dreams
Book Synopsis''Romantic, funny, sweet and sexy'' MARIAN KEYES''The funny, clever, deeply romantic, sinfully sexy, devastatingly heartbreaking, perfectly uplifting book of your dreams'' CRESSIDA MCLAUGHLIN''A very swoony, sexy, warm read'' CESCA MAJORIs he too good to be true?Meet Theo. Handsome, sexy, funny. kind. And he can cook.He''s literally the man of Esme''s dreams. But Esme''s sensible enough to know that you can''t just manifest your perfect boyfriend then have him turn up on your doorstep.Or can you?REAL READERS ARE SWOONING OVER THE MAN OF HER DREAMS...''Beautifull written, romantic, sexy, and gives a good ol'' tug on the heart strings'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''Sarra Manning is a one-click author for me'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''Funny, romantic and spicy in equal measures'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''An auto-buy author for mTrade ReviewThis is already one of my books of the year! . . . A VERY special book - a decades-long 'near miss' love story, it gave me One Day vibes. It's GORGEOUS, real, believable and BEAUTIFUL * Marian Keyes *Reading London, with Love reminded me why Sarra Manning is one of my favourite writers. It's wonderful - romantic, sexy, moving, and impossible to put down. * Louise O'Neill *A wonderful rom-com - such a glorious treat * Harriet Evans *Wonderful. An epic, enduring love story that is so funny, tender and warm. I loved everything about it. -- Cressida McLaughlinImmersive, razor sharp and full of tenderness. Manning explores love in many forms - not least her obvious affection for the city in which this romance unfolds. But it is her witty rendering of life in the 90s that I really fell for! I was transported! * Claire McGlasson *Sarra Manning's stunning, beautifully written book is not just a love letter to London, but a love letter to what really matters in life: each other. Funny, smart and gorgeously romantic, London, With Love is the perfect read to make you smile on the rainiest of days * Katy Birchall *A book to treasure - brilliantly crafted with characters that feel like lifelong friends. Beautiful, romantic, real, poignant, nostalgic and completely compelling. I love this book with all my heart. * Alex Brown *London, With Love is just all kinds of glorious, one minute moving me to tears, the next making me snort with laughter. I'm going to be pressing it into the hands of all my friends and family * Jenny Ashcroft *Sarra Manning is the queen of London-set romance. London, With Love is the sort of book that sweeps you off your feet and wins your heart with laughter, tears and the whole cavalcade of city life. Utterly romantic, totally recognisable and with as much spirit as the city itself, this is an unforgettable love story * Jane Casey *Brimful of longing, tenderness and the pain of missed chances, this book could soften the stoniest heart * Kate Riordan *PRAISE FOR SARRA MANNING * - *Absolutely gorgeous with great characterisation -- Marian KeyesSexy, heartfelt, funny and fresh -- Laura Jane WilliamsUplifting, tender and heartwarming -- Louise O'NeillBeautiful -- Lindsey KelkA pure dose of adorable * Cosmopolitan *Romantic, funny, sweet and sexy * Marian Keyes *The funny, clever, deeply romantic, sinfully sexy, devastatingly heartbreaking, perfectly uplifting book of your dreams. Sarra Manning is the absolute Queen of funny, heartfelt, deeply emotional romances, and The Man of Her Dreams is romcom perfection * Cressida McLaughlin *A very swoony, sexy, warm read * Cesca Major *I absolutely, completely, entirely and wholly adored The Man of Her Dreams. I didn't think Sarra's writing could get any better . . . but she has somehow surpassed herself. It manages to be romantic, relatable and heartfelt, while also being such an compelling, intriguing story - I couldn't put it down. I'll be thinking about this special book for a long time to come, and recommending it to everyone I know. * Lucy Vine *What a wonderful storyteller Sarra Manning is. All her characters feel so real and utterly lovable despite their best efforts. Lovely, lovely book. * Jane Casey *Smart, funny, audacious, and dazzlingly romantic. The Man of Her Dreams is an utterly ingenious romcom with the breathless page-turning quality of a thriller. I could not put it down. Sarra Manning just gets better and better. * Laura Wood *Romantic, smart and moving * Best Magazine *A clever, modern romance that keeps the reader guessing right to the very end * Woman's Weekly *Very funny * Bella Magazine *Saucy, funny and emotional, this is a feel-good romance with fabulous characters and a juicy twist * Daily Record *This is a real emotional rollercoaster, but the warmth, humour and wonderful characters will have you tearing through those pages * Heat Magazine *[A] brilliant romantic comedy * Hello! Magazine *Sweet and satisfying * i Paper *Manning once again delivers a great female lead who is easy to relate to, flawed, and someone who you can't help rooting for * Kay Ribeiro *Sarra Manning writes with brio and Esme's slow self-realisation will bring a tear to your eye * Times *PRAISE FOR THE MAN OF HER DREAMS --
£17.00
