Contemporary Fiction Books

Book SynopsisA heart-warming tale of loyalty, betrayal and family values in the village of Turnham Malpas.Things are heating up in the village of Turnham Malpas. Now comfortably settled in the Big House, Johnny and Alice Templeton are over the moon at the arrival of their second son. But Johnny''s roguish younger brother, Chris, is visiting from Brazil and causing trouble in the village.For Ford and Mercedes Barclay, returning to the village after all these years is a big step. Will they be welcomed or shunned? And will Ford be able to convince people he''s a changed man? Meanwhile, poor Fran Charter-Plackett has some important decisions to make about her future. With all her siblings having flown the nest, the pressure is on to decide what to do with her life. And when her parents discover Fran''s shocking secret, things really start to get messy...Trade ReviewRebecca Shaw mixes all the ingredients for a winning novel of village life - THE TIMES

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It's Friday in the Leeke household, but this is no ordinary Friday and the Leekes are a little unusual: they are Lancastrian Mormons, and this evening their son Gary will return from 2 years as a missionary in Salt Lake City.His mother is planning a celebratory dinner - with difficulty, since she's virtually housebound with an undiagnosed, embarrassing condition. What she doesn't realise is that the rest of the family - her meek husband, disturbed oldest son, and teenage daughter - have other plans for the evening, each involving drastic and irrevocable action.As the narrative baton passes from one Leeke to the next, disaster inexorably looms. Except that nothing goes according to plan, and the outcome is as unexpected as it is shocking. Giving a fascinating insight into the Mormon way of life, this blackly funny tale of innocence betrayed shows the havoc religion can wreak.

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Book SynopsisWhen story-lover Anna takes over Longhampton''s bookshop, it''s her dream come true.And not just because it gets her away from her three rowdy stepchildren and their hyperactive Dalmatian...Unpacking boxes filled with childhood classics, Anna can''t shake the feeling that maybe her own fairytale ending isn''t all that she''d hoped for. But, as the stories of love, adventure, secret gardens, lost dogs, wicked witches and giant peaches breathe new life into the neglected shop, Anna and her customers get swept up in the magic too. Even Anna''s best friend Michelle - who categorically doesn''t believe in true love and handsome princes - isn''t immune.But when secrets from Michelle''s own childhood come back to haunt her, and disaster threatens Anna''s home, will the wisdom and charm of the stories in the bookshop help the two friends - and those they love - fTrade ReviewFans of Katie Fforde will devour this latest novel ... Nostalgic, heart-warming and honest, this is a tale of love and friendship at its very best. * Press Association *A modern fairy-tale for grown ups. * Sun *A heart-warming piece of escapism for long winter nights. * Red *

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Book SynopsisTHE NO. 1 EBOOK BESTSELLER''A fabulous tale with refreshingly inspiring heroines'' ***** Heat WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT is an enchanting read by Sheila O''Flanagan, bestselling author of THE HIDEAWAY, perfect for fans of Marian Keyes and Lisa Jewell. ThenWhen Lola Fitzpatrick catches the eye of Philip Warren, she''s new to Dublin and loving it. He''s used to getting what he wants...and she can''t resist him. Until one night he forces her to make an impossible choice.If she''d known then what she knows now, everything might have been different.NowLola''s daughter Bey has inherited her mother''s impulsive streak and it takes her down dangerous paths.Then one night she too finds herself in front of a man she loves, with impossible choices of her own to make.For both women, what happened that night changes everything. For better. For worse. ForTrade Review'A fabulous tale with refreshingly inspiring heroines' ***** * Heat *'The mother/daughter relationship is particularly well evoked' * Sunday Express *This warm family story of mother and daughter * My Weekly *See the aftermath as this family tries to put right their mistakes. You'll be rooting for them. * Take a Break *Praise for Sheila's other novels: 'Smart and twisty' * Heat ***** *This GONE GIRL-esque novel will have you gripped until the very end * Look *Sheila O'Flanagan has written another first class bestseller. I read the book in one sitting as it was so enjoyable, full of romance and kept you riveted until the last page * Woman's Way *Escapist in every sense, this easy-to-read romance has a steely edge * Sunday Mirror *Must read * Saturday Express *An exciting love story with a deliciously romantic denouement * Sunday Express *A fabulous tale with refreshingly inspiring heroines * Heat ***** *A heartfelt tale, told with the sincerity and humour we've come to expect from Sheila O'Flanagan - this is a real page turner * Best *The perfect holiday companion... O'Flanagan is one of our best-known, best-loved and most prolific women's fiction authors. A thoroughly satisfying, well-paced plot from a sure and experienced pen * Irish Independent *Romantic and charming * Candis *

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Book SynopsisWith all the snowy romance of THE HOLIDAY, LAST CHRISTMAS and LOVE, ACTUALLY, this is the read for you...''A gorgeous, festive, romantic read. Highly recommend!'' SOPHIE COUSENS''I absolutely loved it! Such a treat. The perfect book to curl up with this Christmas'' JO LOVETT''I can''t even put into words how much I love this book ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'' Reader review''I don''t think the glow of this book will ever leave me ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'' Reader review''Consider me a convert to all things Emily Stone from here on out! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'' Reader review''The perfect festive read ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'' Reader review''A book I have thought about many times since finishing it ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'' Reader review-------------''

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Book Synopsis''Mordant, torrential, incantatory, Bolano-esque, Perec-ian, and just so explosively written that I had to stop and shake the language-shrapnel from my hair and wipe it off my eyeglasses so I could keep reading'' Jonathan Lethem''Full of clever postmodern flourishes, self-referential winks and riotous set pieces. It''s funny, smart and beautifully written'' Alex Preston, The Guardian''I absolutely adored Dead Souls. Reading it felt like overhearing the most exhilarating, funny, mean conversation imaginable--which is to say it made me extremely happy and I dreaded it ending'' Megan Nolan, author of Acts of Desperation''I first heard about Solomon Wiese on a bright, blustery day on the South Bank...''Later that evening, at the bar of the Travelodge near Waterloo Bridge, our unnamed narrator will encounter that very same Solomon Wiese.In a conversation that lasts until morning, he will hear SolTrade ReviewMordant, torrential, incantatory, Bolano-esque, Perec-ian, and just so explosively written that I had to stop and shake the language-shrapnel from my hair and wipe it off my eyeglasses so I could keep reading. -- Jonathan LethemFull of clever postmodern flourishes, self-referential winks and riotous set pieces. It's funny, smart and beautifully written. -- Alex Preston * Guardian *I absolutely adored Dead Souls. Reading it felt like overhearing the most exhilarating, funny, mean conversation imaginable - which is to say it made me extremely happy and I dreaded it ending -- Megan Nolan, author of ACTS OF DESPERATIONSublime, legendary, delightfully unhinged. Sam Riviere's Dead Souls is a rare and brilliant pleasure, a coiling, searing fugue of a book that takes our deranged culture and pulls forth from it a box of stars -- Nicolette Polek, author of IMAGINARY MUSEUMSDead Souls is the literary equivalent of a 100% cocoa bar: intimidating, bitter, rich, and ultimately the only one worth your time. The novel seduces through relentlessly nested narratives, endlessly psychologically refracted. I have no idea quite how Rivière makes such an undertaking a compulsive and delightful page-turner - I wish I did, because I'd steal it. Something oracular and terrifying lurks just below the surface of the pitch-perfect digressions and character assassinations, like uncovering the evidence for a long-dismissed paranoia and finding yourself an unwitting instigator of the conspiracy. But it's also beautiful, intricately humane, and gut-wrenchingly funny; not so much cynical as a ruthless vivisection of cynicism itself... Reading it feels like discovering the British Bolaño, and not just for the gleeful dismantling of the cultural ego: the restless, searching sensibility; the precise tuning-in to contradictory voices. I haven't been so excited by a debut novel in a long time -- Luke Kennard, author of THE TRANSITIONAs Brontë does so disarmingly in Wuthering Heights and Nabokov in Pale Fire, Sam Riviere gives a loquacious and pleasingly unreliable nobody the task of telling the tale of Dead Souls' true protagonist: Solomon Weise, a recently excommunicated poet who seems to have been everywhere and known everyone. In long, sure sentences reminiscent of Thomas Bernhard, Riviere cracks open the administrative heart of the contemporary literary endeavor, finding it full not of hot air but of crowds of characters, a whole shimmering historical ecosystem-in short, the world as we know it, as mesmerizingly real as it is fictional. -- Lucy Ives, author of COSMOLOGY and LOUDERMILKDead Souls is elegant, ambitious, very serious and very funny - an enlivening burst of anti-anti-intellectualism. -- Katherine Kilalea, author of OK, MR. FIELDIf as I read Sam Riviere's wonderful first novel I discerned intriguing notes of Rachel Cusk's Outline Trilogy and Thomas Bernhard's propulsive monologues, I also found myself thinking with pleasure of the intricate (and hilarious) book-world satire in Italo Calvino's If on a Winter's Night a Traveler. Echoes aside, Dead Souls is its own whip smart, razor sharp, wise-funny, highly readable animal and I can't recommend it enthusiastically enough. -- Laird Hunt, author of NeverhomeRiviere artfully blends metaphysics, existentialism, ideas of originality, and plagiarism, plus an enticing dose of history and memoir in this captivating read. * Reader's Digest, A Best Fiction Book of the Year *Riviere's provocative debut novel ... Calls to mind Thomas Bernhard not only for its form but its rhythm and cadence * Publishers Weekly *A mesmeric (and often mordantly funny) read. Fans of the great Austrian curmudgeon Thomas Bernhard will recognise the style. I also thought of other modern masters who capture the cataract of consciousness in serpentine syntax: László Krasznahorkai; Javier Marías; even WG Sebald. And, of course, this shaggy-dog story about the delusions and misadventures of obscure, self-mythologising poets cannot help but evoke the Roberto Bolaño of The Savage Detectives ... The sheer brio and tumbling intelligence of Riviere's narration lift almost every page. Once you catch the spuming surf of his prose you'll want to ride the wave to the shore. He's wickedly sharp about the pious deceits, and self-deceptions, that fuel the culture industry like oil -- Boyd Tonkin * The Arts Desk *One of the wittiest, sharpest, cruellest critiques of literary culture I've ever read. No summary can convey the hypnotic effect of Riviere's relentless prose. An astute, wildly original novel that talks trash about everyone whose success galls you. And there's nothing quite so delicious as that * Independent *Whip-smart. Maddening. Weirdly hypnotic. I loved it * Telegraph *Entirely original ... I laughed loud and often at the author's exuberance * Financial Times *100 pages in, I was thinking, "Why bother with anything else? Why bother with lunch?" This is a brilliant and brilliantly entertaining novel. The writing is merciless; the rage is genuine. The cumulative effect is exhilarating: Riviere has turned paranoid pub talk and midnight doubts into a prose poem of laceration * Guardian *A boozy, raging, hilarious and surreal recounting that keeps you enraptured * AnOther Magazine *With sinuous, ornate prose and riotous set pieces, it's funny, smart and beautifully written * Observer *John Cheever wrote, 'one never asks is it a novel? One asks is it interesting', and Dead Souls is definitely interesting ... Funny, smart ... with less vinegar and vitriol than Bernhard, more wryness and lashings of irony * Spectator *Intoxicating ... Stepping through Dead Souls' funhouse mirror, we see the current normal reality is as absurd and empty as an email. Yet, running through the novel is a skein of hope * The i *Very funny * Sunday Times *Imagine Thomas Bernhard without the moral seriousness ... This a clever, funny book, an atheistic cousin to The Third Policeman * TLS *Very, very funny. A comedy of immense depth. Wildly original * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisA Financial Times Translated Fiction Book of the YearTranslated from the Japanese by Louise Heal Kawai Minoru Aose is an architect whose greatest achievement is to have designed the Yoshino house, a prizewinning and much discussed private residence built in the shadow of Mount Asama. Aose has never been able to replicate this triumph and his career seems to have hit a barrier, while his marriage has failed. He is shocked to learn that the Yoshino House is empty apart from a single chair, stood facing the north light of nearby Mount Asama.How can he live with the rejection of the work he had put his heart and soul into, the dream house he would have loved to own himself? Aose determines that he must discover the truth behind this cruel and inexplicable dismissal of the Yoshino house and in doing so will find out a truth that goes back to the core of who he is. Plotted with the subtlety of his bestselling masterpiece Six Four, The North Light is Yokoyama at his elusive, tantalising and surprising best.Trade ReviewJapan's Master of Mystery and one of the country's most consistently engaging and brilliant novelists. -- David PeaceThis is a fascinating novel about guilt, shame and redemption, which offers insights into the subtleties and frustrations of creativity, as well as many different kinds of relationship. * Literary Review *A multilayered, offbeat, bittersweet and utterly engrossing meditation on ambition, creativity, guilt, and workplace and family relationships. * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisTorn between two countries and various life stories, the siblings find themselves dealing with complex life choices, and the mystery of their sister's suicide twenty-two years ago. Whispering Walls is a story of love, relationships, affection, and hope, with a cautious view of the future.Trade Review"Full of urgent resonance for our present moment, Choman Hardi's Whispering Walls is about a charismatic Kurdish family who confront their ghosts in the tense weeks leading up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The novel travels between London and Kurdistan, past and future, as each sibling grapples with a secret wound - a multilingual poet who loses her fluency in the face of love, a tender father who is haunted by the sister he failed, a journalist who must confront the truth in his own family. A book that is written with the same sharp observation, fresh language and moral imagination of Hardi's award-winning poetry, it asks a question we all must consider; how can we grapple with the tragedies of the past as we try to fashion a better future? Not only is Choman Hardi a brilliant poet, she is also a great novelist. I want everyone I know to read her book." Catherine Davidson, Poet and Novelist; "More than anything, Whispering Walls is a novel about siblings, and how, even though we grow up in the same family, our lives unfold in distinct narratives. Choman Hardi, with compassion and unflinching honesty, tells the story of five siblings in a choral narrative that succeeds in being both deeply intimate and a chronicle of the land and people who have shaped them. A compelling reminder that behind complex national stories are the complex dramas taking place on the level of the family." Shaun Levin, Artist and Author; "A rare and fascinating glimpse of the dangerous past as seen through the eyes of Lana, a young poet, and her two brothers juggling a life in London and a Kurdish dream." Romesh Gunesekera, Writer

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Book Synopsis*WINNER OF THE GOLDSMITHS PRIZE 2017**SHORTLISTED FOR THE GORDON BURN PRIZE 2018**LONGLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2018*A GUARDIAN BOOK OF THE YEARA TELEGRAPH BOOK OF THE YEARAN INDEPENDENT BOOK OF THE YEARFrom the internationally acclaimed, Man Booker-shortlisted Nicola Barker comes a new novel, a post-post apocalyptic story that overflows with pure creative talent.Imagine a perfect world where everything is known, where everything is open, where there can be no doubt, no hatred, no poverty, no greed. Imagine a System which both nurtures and protects. A Community which nourishes and sustains. An infinite world. A world without sickness, without death. A world without God. A world without fear.Could you...might you be happy there?H(A)PPY is a post-post apocalyptic Alice in Wonderland, a story which tells itself and then consumes itself. It's a place where language glows, where words buzz and sparkle and finally implode. It's a novel which twists and writhes with all the terrifying precision of a tiny fish in an Escher lithograph – a book where the mere telling of a story is the end of certainty.Trade ReviewNicola Barker’s H(A)PPY is a work of vaulting ambition. It is deathly serious but played out with the lightest of touches. She takes the vapid discourse of social media blather, with all its ‘likes’ and ‘favourites’, and extrapolates madly to make a language for an utterly believable future world, a world enslaved by the blandness of its technology. Line by line, the novel carefully builds its music and teases out its crazed riffs. It’s very funny but there are pockets of great eeriness, and of savagery even. It’s a novel-as-object, too, with a typography employed as visual code, but its design always has a narrative purpose. Only a writer of uncanny ability could bring this novel to such memorable, pulsing life. It’s very moving. -- Kevin BarryH(A)PPY is anything but conventional, subverting the traditions of sci-fi, typography and narrative … The coloured words are joined by a host of typographical flourishes, making the book a bravura piece of design … Barker is as gnomic, terrifying and glorious as ever. -- Justine Jordan * Guardian *Nicola Barker’s kaleidoscopic new novel is a socio-political futurama with a wildness and honesty all of its own … What wonders there are in Nicola Barker’s bewildering, fatiguing and deliciously stimulating new novel … Echoing and quoting literary styles and situations, disrupting the words on the page – via those coloured inks, blank pages, typographical games – in a manner that traces a line from Laurence Sterne to avant-gardists such as BS Johnson, Deborah Levy and Tom McCarthy … But H(a)ppy ventures far beyond a retread of narratological theory … Any description of H(a)ppy can only fail to do justice to its wildness and its honesty. It is a superb novel by a genuinely experimental and committed novelist. In Barker’s hand, narrative, however fragile, not only survives but thrives. -- Alex Clark * Observer *(Barker) specialises in formal eccentricity, thematic novelty, stylistic excess ... Her new book is her strangest yet, an avant-garde slice of dystopian science fiction that thumbs its nose...at the conventions of the genre ... It is a small miracle that this uncompromising anti-novel about the collapse of narrative absolutely works ... Barker is as innovative and idiosyncratic as ever. -- Edmund Gordon * Sunday Times *No book Nicola Barker writes is remotely like a book by anyone else, which is one of the many reasons to celebrate her. Also, no two books by Nicola Barker are doing remotely the same thing, which is another. So you never quite know what you’re in for. And H(A)PPY, even by her own extravagant standards, is very strange indeed … Barker has always been a visionary writer – visionary in style, with past and present interpenetrating in dream and hallucination. But her interest in religious visions and theology here comes to the fore … As I say, Barker is not remotely like any other writer. With its typographical jiggering about (words really do change colour, and some pages have blocks of identical text or no text at all), and its favouring of symbols and ideas over characters, setting and story, it’s more like a poem or artwork than a novel. Still, it’s quite something. I’m just not sure what. -- Sam Leith * Literary Review *With polychromatic printing, creative typography and sheer inspiration, the post-apocalyptic novel has been turned on its head … In most fiction set in totalitarian states, the principal protagonist will gradually realise the monstrosity of the regime…Nicola Barker, one of our greatest contemporary novelists, with typical élan, turns this paradigm inside out … This must be the most beautifully designed book I have read since Mark Z Danielewski’s House of Leaves … As the novel progresses, Barker pulls off an astonishing piece of technique … She is the most unpredictable novelist I know. -- Stuart Kelly * The Scotsman *The English novelist Nicola Barker began publishing in the mid-1990s, hit her stride almost immediately … Barker seems to find writing fiction as natural as breathing, and there’s a strong imaginative streak to almost everything she does … The Prospero role is here assumed by Barker herself, and the parallel is fairly close: creative to excess, more than capable of abusing her omnipotence, blurring the border between genius and dazzle. -- Leo Robson * New Statesman *A trailblazing sci-fi writer makes a bleak future seem fun ... Nicola Barker is the high priestess of weird ... H(A)PPY is the story of one woman's escape from a controlling matrix formed by a powerful artificial intelligence ... As Mira's journey of emancipation progresses, a full-on typographic melodrama explodes off the page ... It's confusing but fun. Barker, along with David Mitchell and Dave Eggers, is an important trailblazer for literary sci-if. H(A)PPY does not present a cheerful version of the future of humanity, but in her hands it is a hauntingly convincing one. -- Melissa Katsoulis * The Times *Lately, no destination on the map of fiction has welcomed so many visitors as the twin islands of utopia and dystopia. When she entered this populous domain, Nicola Barker – the rule-busting, genre-twisting maverick author of 11 previous novels – was never likely to deliver an orthodox post-catastrophe fable of lonely revolt against an all-powerful, all-knowing tyranny … As ever, Barker spins her ingredients into a wild, antic performance with a tuning – comic, satirical, mystical, downright weird – all her own … You might treat H(A)PPY as a creative uprising against the iron laws of dystopia itself … Beautifully designed pages … An occult musical theme drifts through her dystopian architecture … At times I was tempted to read H(A)PPY as a delirious allegory of the “tuning wars” among musicians … Barker layers the emerging tale of Mira’s disobedience with overtones that hum in the background … Not only the ideas but the very words on the page spiral, loop, morph and shatter. Barker’s expressive typography enacts the breakdowns, and breakthroughs, of Mira’s mutiny: not some avant-garde stunt, but the method of George Herbert’s “pattern poems”, or of Laurence Sterne’s Tristram Shandy … She succeeds in tuning the dystopian genre to a fresh, uncanny pitch. -- Boyd Tonkin * Financial Times *H(A)PPY is Barker’s most audacious and important novel since Darkmans … A clever exploration of the compulsive and destructive power of narrative … Language, grammar and typography spiral out of control until they reach the crescendo of a typographical cathedral composed of a “billion tiny calculations” … Barker has always been a wildly experimental writer and never more so than now … [H(A)PPY] demonstrates her visceral sensitivity to words. -- Ruth Scurr * Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisMaggie Smith stars in this BBC radio adaptation of Alan Bennett's highly acclaimed autobiographical stage playAn eccentric old lady moves into a quiet street in Camden Town. There she remains, installed in her van in glorious self-sufficiency, until the council instructs her to move on. Then a kind homeowner invites her to move her van into his garden – where she stays for the next fifteen years. This is the fascinating story of the genteel vagrant who found a unique place in Alan Bennett's life and writing.But the drama is as much about the author himself as Miss Shepherd. Why did Alan Bennett let her commandeer his driveway? Was he acting out of kindness, weakness, or hidden guilt over not spending enough time with his own mother? Did he always subconsciously plan to exploit Miss Shepherd for literary profit? Thought-provoking and moving, The Lady in the Van tackles profound questions about social responsibility, homelessness and mental illness with a lightness of touch characteristic of Bennett the master storyteller.With a full cast including Adrian Scarborough, Marcia Warren and Alan Bennett, this bitter-sweet comic tale stars Maggie Smith as Miss Shepherd.Now a major BBC feature film, starring Maggie Smith and Alex Jennings.Trade ReviewPlayed by Maggie Smith, who captured her every infuriating nuance, you could almost smell her... -- Gillian Reynolds * The Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisArthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier, Clive Dunn and Ian Lavender star in a collection of rediscovered Dad's Army gems. Published for the first time, these four instalments of Dad's Army have been brought together from a variety of archive sources, and in each case represent something unique. 'A Stripe for Frazer' is the surviving TV soundtrack from an episode whose film recording has long been missing in action; 'Santa on Patrol' and 'The Cornish Floral Dance' are two mini-episodes produced in 1968 and 1970 for BBC TV's Christmas Night With the Stars; finally, 'The Boy Who Saved England' is a mini-episode written by Jimmy Perry and starring Ian Lavender, recorded as part of BBC Radio 2's Last Night at the Paris programme in 1995. With a supporting cast including Arnold Ridley, John Laurie, James Beck, Bill Pertwee and Frank Williams, this is a fine quartet of episodes you're not likely to have seen or heard before. Don't panic! Duration: 1 hour approx.

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Book SynopsisCelia Imrie and Toby Jones star in this BBC Radio 4 dramatisation of Gerald Durrell's much-loved comic gem. My Family and Other Animals is the classic tale of naturalist Gerald Durrell's magical 1930s childhood on pre-war Corfu. His descriptions of his eccentric family and his encounters with the local creatures are full of humour and charm, and the book has delighted readers of all ages for sixty years. Ten-year-old Gerry is the youngest member of the Durrell family, which also consists of Mother, pompous eldest son Larry, gun-mad second son Leslie, acne-ridden sister Margo, and Roger the dog. When they arrive in Corfu, Gerry is thrilled to find a paradise of exotic wildlife to be explored. Soon he is embarking on natural history expeditions, swimming in the clearblue sea and befriending the island's inhabitants.Gerry's relatives are less impressed with his exploits, especially when his burgeoning animal collection sparks chaos at the family's Christmas party... With a specially created soundtrack, this vivid adaptation takes the story out of the studio and into the Greek wilderness that enthralled Durrell the young naturalist. Duration: 2 hours approx.

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Book SynopsisA gripping novel from a queen of psychological suspense and New York Times bestselling author, Joy Fielding. Perfect for readers of Liz Nugget's Lying in Wait, BA Paris and Jenny Blackhurst.'I think my real name is Samantha. I think I'm your daughter.'When Caroline Shipley's two-year-old daughter disappeared, her whole world came crashing down.Now, fifteen years later, Caroline receives a phone-call that could change everything.But could this stranger really be her daughter? And what happened all those years ago to make her vanish without a trace? As Caroline pieces together the events of that ill-fated holiday, she begins to question whether the answers could lie dangerously close to home . . .'Fielding at her finest. Readers will not be able to put it down' BooklistPraise for Joy Fielding's Someone Is Watching'Someone Is Watching gripped me from the first to the very last page. Bailey Carpenter is a heroine who's both victim and warrior woman, a fascinating sleuth who will linger with you long after you've finished this thrilling read.' Tess Gerritsen'Fielding pens a spiraling tale of paranoia and suspense, as sultry as a Miami night.' Jenny Milchman'An edge-of-your-seat read . . . With Fielding's patented blend of complex characters and escalating suspense, she is in top form here.' Karen Robards'Engrossing . . . The characters pulsate with life.' Publishers Weekly (starred review)'A gripping, fast-paced psychological thriller . . . Fielding's story of one woman's search for justice, understanding, and internal peace is nothing short of arresting.' Booklist (starred review)Trade Review'She's Not There' is more an emotional exploration of family dynamics than a thrilling whodunnit, but there's a decent frisson of suspense throughout and I really liked the way the ending drew a number of elements together * Buried Under Books *This book kept me hooked from the beginning till the end * Maureen's Books *This is the first book I have read by this author and it certainly won't be the last! This is one of those slow burners that gently draws you in and then before you know it, it has got you hook, line and sinker, not allowing you to go anywhere until you get to the very end. She's Not There is a brilliant read. It lulls you into a false sense of security, dropping a few treats along the way, but like with a meal, my favourite part has to be, the dessert, or in this case the ending. Superb! * By The Letter Book Reviews *This novel has pace, heart, and deals with an issue that is painful even to contemplate. It could well be one for you. * Frost Magazine *Fifteen years ago, Caroline Shipley's toddler daughter was kidnapped while they were on holiday in Mexico. Now a young woman has made contact, claiming to be the missing girl. Is she really Samantha? As Caroline digs deeper into this coldest of cold cases, she begins to doubt the veracity of everything she previously held as true in this taut psychological thriller from the author of New York Times best-sellers The First Time and Kiss Mommy Goodbye. Out now. * Crime Fiction Lover *It takes an experienced novelist to bring such a painful scenario to life without descending into mawkish sentimentality; fortunately Joy Fielding is that novelist. She creates locations with a sure hand...But mainly this is a novel about people, and the effect such a traumatic event has on both individuals and relationships. Fielding has produced a cast of characters of such variety and humanity that it's easy to be drawn into the unfolding of both past and present. * Mystery People (Promoting Crime) *She's Not There' is more an emotional exploration of family dynamics than a thrilling whodunnit, but there's a decent frisson of suspense throughout and I really liked the way the ending drew a number of elements together. * Buried Under Books *She's Not There is an edge of your seat kind of read, it had me totally engrossed from page one. Joy Fielding has written a story where the words just flow over the pages and totally draw you in hook , line and sinker. This being the first book I have read by this author I will definitely be having a look to see what other books I have been missing out on and highly recommend She's Not There, it's a cracker. * It’s All About the Books *From about the 150 page mark I literally could not put my Kindle down until I'd reached the dramatic conclusion of this story and the truth was finally revealed and who was involved. I thought the story was heading in one direction but then it took me in a totally different jaw-dropping direction which is testament to the writing skills of the author. Joy Fielding was a new author to me but having had a look on Amazon I can see she has quite a back catalogue so it looks like my TBR pile is going to be added to over the next couple of years. * Shaz’s Book Blog *I have enjoyed Joy Fielding's books in the past and this was no different. A fast read that I devoured in one day and would definitely recommend. * Chloe’s Book Blog *The premise of the story was interesting...there was a big twist at the end which I did not see coming at all and I was shocked by it. Over all this was an enjoyable read with a twist and I would highly recommend it. * Literary Wisdom *A 'ripped-from-the-headlines' style thriller * BookNoir *

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Book SynopsisIf you love Karen Swan and Elizabeth Edmondson, you will love this perfect holiday read. 'The story started at dawn on the fourteenth of September, 1943 . . .'All her life, London-born Angelika has been intrigued by her mother's secret past. Now planning her wedding, she feels she must visit the remote Crete village her mother grew up in.Angie's estranged elderly grandmother, Maria, is dying. She welcomes Angie with open arms - it's time to unburden herself, and tell the story she'll otherwise take to her grave.It's the story of the Nazi occupation of Crete during the Second World War, of horror, of courage and of the lengths to which a mother will go to protect her children. And it's the story of bitter secrets that broke a family apart, and of three enchanting women who come together to heal wounds that have damaged two generations.What readers are saying about Island of Secrets:'Island of Secrets is a book full of raw emotions, family vendettas, hidden secrets and three very strong women. It's a book I enjoyed very much and one which fans of Victoria Hislop and Debbie Rix are sure to enjoy' (NetGalley Reviewer)'So well written and utterly heartbreaking . . . a story that needs to be told' (NetGalley Reviewer)'Page-turning, enthralling and heartbreaking by turns''Made me laugh and cry, just couldn't put this book down'Ready for your next incredible read from Patricia Wilson? Villa of Secrets is available now. Search 9781785764387.Trade ReviewDay by day the story unfolds, and as it intertwines with Angelika's wedding preparations, the secrets are revealed, feuds revisited and three generations of women reunited. * People's Friend *We race to the end with our hearts thumping. Full of local colour and tradition this is a little slow to start but certainly builds to unexpected conclusions. Terrific stuff. * Love Reading *This is a beautiful, heartbreaking story of sacrifice and love in the face of evil * For The Love of Books *Island of Secrets is a book full of raw emotions, family vendettas, hidden secrets and three very strong women. It's a book I enjoyed very much and one which fans of Victoria Hislop and Debbie Rix are sure to enjoy. * That Thing She Reads *The real highlight for me was the events of WWII and the Greek culture in a small village . . . an eye opening story about the events that occurred during the war. It is yet one more piece of the puzzle for me as the reader to have the opportunity to learn about how it impacted others. I still feel haunted regarding this fact long after reading the last sentence. * Twin Spin *Patricia Wilson deserves great praise for weaving such a fascinating, gripping story that left me gasping in horror at times with tears in my eyes but also a deep respect for the characters and their story. I'm sorry I read it so quickly because I know now I will never experience that feeling of reading such a wonderful book as this was for the first time again. Island of Secrets is a moving, emotional, engrossing story that was written with such intensity and honesty and I loved every minute of it. It's already one of my books of 2017 and I am so glad to have discovered the writing of Patricia Wilson and hope there is many more books to come in the future if they are anything of this calibre I really can't wait. * Shaz's Book Blog *I couldn't believe that this was a debut novel, the writing is very descriptive and it almost feels like you are there in the thick of it, I loved it. Maria's story is heart-breaking and I was in tears it was sad but then it is uplifting too. * Echoes in an Empty Room *I was engrossed and hanging on each and every word. This book will leave a lasting impression on me and will be one that I will find myself recommending to everyone I meet. * Rea's Book Reviews *The author uses such powerful descriptions and language that I felt as though I was actually living the story and I was a silent observer. The descriptions of Crete made the place sound so beautiful that I really do want to visit there. If you haven't already guessed, I absolutely LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this book and I really would strongly recommend that you read this book. I can't wait to read more from this hugely talented author. * Ginger Book Geek *The plot is unpredictable from start to finish so I was engrossed and hanging on each and every word. This book will leave a lasting impression on me and will be one that I will find myself recommending to everyone I meet. SO YES fans of Victoria Hislop you will love this book! This will easily be in my top 5 reads at the end of the year. * Rea Book Reviews *Our July choice Island of Secrets by Patricia Wilson was a good summer read, with it's sunny Cretan location, and book club members loved the WWII historical detail and the evocative description of the Greek island. * Henpicked, Book of the Month *The author did an amazing job with her research and her attention to detail is second to none... I cannot praise this book enough and just hope that the author writes another book soon * Boon's Bookcase *It is a very dramatic novel, one you cannot put down and a hugely enjoyable read * South Wales Argus *

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Book Synopsis***SHORTLISTED FOR THE WALTER SCOTT PRIZE FOR HISTORICAL FICTION***From the bestselling author of Asylum, Trauma and Spider'Ghosts of the theatre and the spectre of fascism haunt cold and grimy London in this atmospheric tale from a master of the grotesque.' GuardianJANUARY 1947.London is in ruins, there’s nothing to eat, and it’s the coldest winter in living memory. To make matters worse, Charlie Grice, one of the great stage actors of the day, has suddenly died. His widow Joan, the wardrobe mistress, is beside herself with grief.Then one night she discovers Gricey’s secret. Plunged into a dark new world, Joan realises that though fascism might hide, it never dies. Her war isn’t over after all. 'McGrath is one of the age's most elegantly accomplished divers into the human psyche . . . a master writer.' John Banville‘McGrath is that rare yet essential thing, a writer who can expose our darkest fears without making us run away from them.' New Statesman'Wonderfully sinister … a delight … you are in for a thrilling ride.' Spectator'A brilliant evocation of the theatrical world’s seedy glamour, The Wardrobe Mistress is also a moving portrait of a woman struggling to make sense of her past and imagine a future for herself.' Sunday Times'[A] rich and highly spiced feast of a novel, even before it reaches its classically gothic McGrath climax.' Reader's DigestTrade ReviewThe Wardrobe Mistress isn’t just an entertaining ghost story, assembled by a master-manipulator to be full of narrative trapdoors, tantalising at one moment and agreeably grotesque the next: it’s also an exploration of the deep mythology of theatre . . . McGrath himself seems ambivalent about the sentimentality he depicts. But there’s no political ambivalence here: by the end of the novel, the icy postwar alleys, the shattered theatres and public houses are under the malign enchantment of a quietly resurgent politics. The plentiful mirrorings, the doppelgangers and dybbuks both real and false, make that plain, and make plain that fascism is also a kind of theatre – always already a re-enactment of itself. * Guardian *A brilliant evocation of the theatrical world’s seedy glamour, The Wardrobe Mistress is also a moving portrait of a woman struggling to make sense of her past and imagine a future for herself. * Sunday Times *McGrath is so adept at creating a sense of foreboding that one is never sure whether there will be a rational, a psychiatric or a supernatural explanation . . . wonderfully sinister . . . a delight . . . you are in for a thrilling ride. * Spectator *A chilling novel of grief, passion and unfulfilled longing, where secrets lurk in every dark alley . . . McGrath takes us backstage in the London theatre — and you can just about smell the greasepaint. But he also opens out his story to embrace the zeitgeist of the time, the misery and deprivation of post-war Britain, the persistent running sore of fascism and the feeling that life after victory isn’t what it was supposed to be. * Daily Mail *A rich and highly spiced feast of a novel, even before it reaches its classically gothic McGrath climax * Reader’s Digest *

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE McKITTERICK PRIZELONGLISTED FOR THE 2019 WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTIONSHORTLISTED FOR THE GOLDSBORO BOOKS GLASS BELL AWARDAS SEEN ON RYAN MURPHY'S FEUD SEASON 2'Sparkling' GUARDIAN'Fascinating' RED'Remarkable' WOMAN AND HOME'Astounding' EMERALD STREET'Glamorous' IRISH TIMES'Scandalous' DAILY MAIL'Spellbinding' SUNDAY EXPRESS___________________________To the outside world, they were the icons of high society - the most glamorous and influential women of their age. To Truman Capote they were his Swans: the ideal heroines, as vulnerable as they were powerful. They trusted him with their most guarded, martini-soaked secrets, each believing she was more special and loved than the next...Until he betrayed them.'Writers write. And one can't be surprised if they write what they know.'______________________________'The new Donna Tartt' VOGUE'A dazzlingly assured first novel... This clever book, with the moreish astringency of a negroni, is a perfect summer cocktail.' SUNDAY TIMES'A whirlwind of a first novel. There is great pathos in the Swans' woundings and in their inevitable decline. And the character of Truman himself shimmers through the novel in a wonderful blaze of eccentricity and excess. Outstanding.' ROSE TREMAIN'A completely fascinating novel and a marvellously skilful re-imagining of real people, times and places. Outstanding.' WILLIAM BOYD'Our generation's The Secret History' PENDORA'Brilliantly written, deeply researched, funny, sharp and moving.' - KATE WILLIAMS, bestselling author of Josephine 'Brilliantly captures Capote's acid wit and his dramatic downfall.' THE TIMES, Books of the Year'This is a first novel of extraordinary skill, a book of which Capote would have been proud' OBSERVER'Greenberg-Jephcott's debut is a devastating read that blurs the lines between vulnerability and narcissism; sex and power... will have you racing breathlessly towards the end' THE POOLTrade ReviewA rich, sharp, sting of a book. It made me laugh and grimace and pity monsters. I'm still smiling about it -- Stu Turton, bestselling author of THE SEVEN DEATHS OF EVELYN HARDCASTLEBrilliantly captures Capote’s acid wit and his dramatic downfall. * The Times BOOKS OF THE YEAR *As deliciously gossipy as it is wretched, and Greenberg-Jephcott's unique rendering of Capote's squealing drawl of a voice is unforgettable. -- Frankie McCoy * Evening Standard BOOKS OF THE YEAR *Gorgeous... That glittering world - all Dom Perignon, Sobranies, Quaalude and Chanel - is recreated with a lovely eye for detail -- Robbie Millen * The Times *Since reading the totally, totally beautiful Swan Song, I have two new hobbies. Googling photos of Barbara Paley and watching videos of the Camel Walk. -- Dolly AldertonA sparkling debut vividly captures the high society women who punished Capote for his indiscreet reporting * The Guardian *A dazzlingly assured first novel... This clever book, with the moreish astringency of a negroni, is a perfect summer cocktail * The Sunday Times *A completely fascinating novel and a marvellously skillful re-imagining of real people, times and places. Outstanding. -- William BoydThis is a first novel of extraordinary skill, a book of which Capote would have been proud -- Alex Preston * The Observer *If a writer is going to craft a novel from well-known events, they might as well do it with brio, which this has in spades... A skilled and sparking debut -- Suzi Feay * Guardian *

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Book Synopsis_____________________The long-awaited sequel to KILL YOUR FRIENDSA Guardian Book of the Year 2018It is 2017 – the time of Trump, Brexit and fake news. And time for the return of Steven Stelfox, former A&R man who made his millions from a hit reality TV show. Now Stelfox works occasionally as a music industry ‘consultant’. A fixer. He’s had a call from his old friend James Trellick, president of one of the largest record companies in America. Trellick has a huge problem on his hands in the shape of...Lucius Du Pre. Once the biggest pop star on earth. Now he’s a helpless junkie, a prolific sexual predator, and massively in debt to Trellick’s record company. And the picture only gets bleaker when the parents of one of Du Pre’s ‘special friends’ begin blackmailing him.Enter Stelfox stage right. He’s the perfect man to find a way out of this nightmare, and to make a killing in the process. There’s no line he won’t cross. _____________________‘A banging action satirical thriller. But it’s also a proper novel about the Trumpian era, of the reality TV era, the fake news era. It’s managed to say a lot of things in a way that very few other novels are doing and in a very comedic way’ IRVINE WELSH'A bruising triumph; Amis' MONEY for the Trump generation. What a monster he's created' IAN RANKIN‘John Niven understands our era better than almost anyone’ DOUGLAS COUPLAND‘A scabrously entertaining satire of what it is like to be rich and white in the land of the free if you are utterly depraved, “where money doesn’t just talk, or swear, it nukes”. … There is a twisted poetry in Niven’s mastery of invective’ THE TIMES‘Savagely, viciously witty, this frantic hymn to greed is filthy, frenetic and totally fabulous’ SUNDAY MIRROR‘A full-throttle send up of toxic masculinity … Niven at full tilt is always something to behold.’METROTrade ReviewA banging action satirical thriller. But it’s also a proper novel about the Trumpian era, of the reality TV era, the fake news era. It’s managed to say a lot of things in a way that very few other novels are doing and in a very comedic way. -- Irvine WelshJohn Niven understands our era better than almost anyone. -- Douglas CouplandThe off-colour banter, hellbent on causing offence to all and sundry, masks an unimpeachable commitment to social justice … [A] full-throttle send up of toxic masculinity … Niven at full tilt is always something to behold. * Metro *‘A bruising triumph; Amis’ Money for the Trump generation. What a monster he’s created.’ -- Ian Rankin‘Savagely, viciously witty, this frantic hymn to greed is filthy, frenetic and totally fabulous.’ * Sunday Mirror *

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Book SynopsisHaunting, uplifting, beautiful: the final work from Helen DunmoreHelen Dunmore passed away in June 2017, leaving behind this remarkable collection of short stories. With her trademark imagination and gift for making history human, she explores the fragile ties between passion, love, family, friendship and grief, often through people facing turning points in their lives:A girl alone, stretching her meagre budget to feed herself, becomes aware that the young man who has come to see her may not be as friendly as he seems.Two women from very different backgrounds enjoy an unusual night out, finding solace in laughter and an unexpected friendship.A young man picks up his infant son and goes outside into a starlit night as he makes a decision that will inform the rest of his life.A woman imprisoned for her religion examines her faith in a seemingly literal and quietly original way. This brilliant collection of Helen Dunmore’s short fiction, replete with her penetrating insight into the human condition, is certain to delight and move all her readers.Trade ReviewThis posthumous collection from the much-loved author, focusing on motherhood, war and women under threat, is an act of tender commemoration… there are new departures on the themes that preoccupied Dunmore: childhood, motherhood, war, friendship, forgotten lives. * Guardian – Book of the Week *Wisdom and wit shine out from Helen Dunmore’s last stories…The simplicity of the writing is deceptive; Dunmore manages to say a lot about families, about the mystery of creativity, and the shock of seeing someone you thought you knew in a new light. * The Times *Dunmore’s gift for period detail combines with the respect she has for her characters’ inner lives to produce an effect that is oddly moving. * Sunday Times *Dunmore’s love of history glints and gleams in this elegant, posthumous collection * The Daily Mail *Whether musing on a portrait of John Donne or a friendship between two widows, the late, much missed Dunmore always has something worth saying * Mail on Sunday, Event – Summer Reads *

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Book Synopsis'Gripping' Observer'Spellbinding ... I loved this book.' Caroline Kepnes, author of You_________________________________________________________________Thomas knew from the moment he saw Miriam that she was going to change his life forever. They are the couple everyone envies. So when Thomas wants his 'Miri' to be his wife, he doesn't hesitate in popping the question. And when they start a family, Thomas finally has the life he always dreamed of.But what happens when dreams shatter and the unspeakable happens? And who is to blame when there's one man left standing?Trade ReviewAni Katz is a brilliant writer. I sat down to read A Good Man and didn’t move until I’d finished it. This is a spellbinding work of psychologically potent art. I can’t wait to read what she does next. I loved this book. -- Caroline Kepnes, author of YouProfoundly disturbing and deeply unsettling … Richly drawn and laced through with dread, this bold novel is an unflinching examination of what it means to be a man, and how easily a man can become a monster. -- Kathleen Barber, author of Are You SleepingGripping, sly, and ferociously intelligent. I couldn't put it down. -- Jennifer duBois, author of The SpectatorsAni Katz’s debut is a gorgeously written, profound examination of contemporary masculinity and its potentially lethal side effects. -- Laura Sims, author of Looker[A] powerful and unsettling debut ... Producesin the reader a sense of foreboding that builds with ever-increasing intensity to the inevitable and brutal climax … Katz is in full control of mood and pacing. [A] masterly first novel. * Publisher's Weekly *

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Book SynopsisBOOK TWO IN THE SHIRES MYSTERIES - A GRIPPING NEW COSY CRIME MYSTERY.When Maggie Kaye and Sam Dee join the Bishops Well archaeological dig, they are as surprised as everyone else to unearth a body that was buried there less than fifty years ago. It can't possibly be the remains of an ancient Celt.Maggie, with her usual flair - and psychic intuition - is convinced that there is more to this discovery than meets the eye. And some Bishops residents seem to know a lot more about the case than they are willing to let on.But nobody is as shocked as Maggie when a face from the past - a face she thought she'd never see again - appears in the village, and long-hidden secrets begin to surface.With danger at her door, and Sam by her side, can Maggie uncover the truth before it's too late?A TWISTY NEW WHODUNNIT, FOR FANS OF BETTY ROWLANDS, FAITH MARTIN AND JOY ELLIS.What readers are saying about Anna Legat:'Brilliant. I didn't want to put it down!''It's a rare author who can keep me guessing until the end - and the ending was a shocker''Plenty of twists and turns''A brilliantly complex spaghetti of unrelated sub-plots to challenge any armchair sleuth''I thoroughly enjoyed this book, reading it cover to cover in a weekend''I shall look out for more from Ms Legat'

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Book Synopsis"A WARM AND WELL-WRITTEN CASE FOR LOVE AFFAIRS IN LATER LIFE" (DAILY TELEGRAPH) - A ROMANTIC TALE OF NEW ATTRACTION AND OLD LOYALTIES FROM #1 KINDLE BESTSELLING NOVELIST HILARY BOYD. If you like Erica James, Harriet Evans and Veronica Henry, you'll love Hilary Boyd.SPECIAL 5TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION OF THE EBOOK PHENOMENON. Includes reading group questions and the first chapter of Hilary's beautiful new book, The Lavender House.Jeanie has been married for thirty years, but her husband George has become so cold and distant she may as well be alone. Surely, at just sixty, a loveless marriage can't be the only thing left on the horizon? Then, one Thursday in autumn, Jeanie meets Ray in the park, and a chance meeting blossoms into a friendship.They talk, laugh, share hopes and secrets and heartbreaks.They offer each other a second chance at life and love.But will they have the courage to take it?Trade ReviewI found myself instantly gripped * The Times *Thoroughly enjoyable read . . . a real page turner * Good Housekeeping *

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Book Synopsis*** The BBC Radio 2 Book Club choice ****** Bought for TV by Paramount ***'Funny and charming . . . tailor-made for summer . . . magical' New York Times Book Review'Hilarious, freewheeling' Guardian'Gloriously imaginative' Cynthia D'Aprix SweeneyThey were the Amazing Telemachus Family, who in the mid-1970s achieved widespread fame for their magic and mind reading act. That is, until the magic decided to disappear one night, live on national television.We encounter this long-forgotten family two decades on, when grandson Matty, born long after the public fall from grace, discovers powers in himself and realises his hugely deflated, heavily indebted family truly are amazing.Spoonbenders is the legacy and legend of a dysfunctional, normal, entirely unique family across three generations of big personalities and socially inept recluses - each cursed with the potential of being something special.Trade ReviewLaugh out loud. - Daily TelegraphPure escapism. - New York TimesUtterly charming and effortlessly witty. - SFXA perfect summer read.

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Book SynopsisA fantastic writer - compassionate, funny and fearless' George Saunders'One of the US's finest writers' according to Joshua Ferris, Jim Shepard now delivers a new collection that spans borders and centuries with unrivalled mastery. These ten stories ring with voices as diverse as those belonging to Arctic explorers in history's most nightmarish expedition, the Montgolfier brothers competing to be the first man to fly, and two American frontierswomen whose passionate connection is severed by jealous husbands and a deadly snowstorm.In each case the personal is the political as these humans, while falling in love or negotiating marital pitfalls or simply coming to terms with their own failings, face the tidal wave of nature's indifference and cruelty. History has swept them from our sympathy; Jim Shepard has reached into the past and sought them out.In his first collection to be published in the UK, this celebrated master of the short story displays his formidable acuity in imagining these wildly different worlds, and what our various lives feel like in the grip of catastrophe.Trade ReviewA fantastic writer - compassionate, funny and fearless . . . inspires us to look more closely at life, and be more caring * George Saunders *What is so impressive is how Shepard extrapolates what's constant about the human condition . . . The result is as warm as it is devastating, and somehow exorcises existential terror . . . Shepard's characters may not endure, but his prose will. -- Jamie Fisher * Times Literary Supplement *Scrupulously researched and sumptuous in detail . . . This collection delivers that beguiling dichotomy of what we understand from history - the pointlessness of our experiences in the cosmos - yet the universality of our most intimate experiences: our crises of conscience, our secret desires, our fragility. -- Ruth McKee * Irish Times *Remarkable for their sheer range . . . Everything he writes is enriched by an underlying magnanimity. -- Phil Baker * Sunday Times *In ten meticulously researched stories, Shepard elegantly places the emotional dilemmas of morose, melancholy, misunderstood characters against backdrops that emphasise the vastness of the world and the smallness of their hopes and dreams . . . Wonderful -- Eithne Farry * Daily Mail *Retelling 'real' stories is Shepard's forte. He is a dramatist with a reporter's dispassion. The measured tone is pitchperfect. There is no sense of sensationalism, no over-emoting, no embellishment. He lets his facts do the talking and in several of the stories in The World to Come the effect is devastating and affecting . . . He is a terrific writer whose arrival on these shores is long overdue. -- Alan Taylor * Glasgow Herald *Greedier writers would spin entire novels out of just one of the richly weird, hilariously bizarre premises that distinguish a Jim Shepard story. His stories can be set in any corner of the world, at any era in time, and there is no oddment or calamity of the human experience Shepard does not find fascinating. His stories are droll, action packed, ingenious and finally moving. * Colin Barrett *An outrageously versatile and gifted fiction writer, Shepard continues his original, precise exploration of times and places long ago and far, far away . . . Shepard's project is always to push toward that sense of wonder and the 'high hopefulness' of purpose that ordinary people have always brought to the project of living - to give us through fiction a sense of profound empathy that the historical record alone cannot. He most stunningly succeeds * Washington Post *Like Alice Munro, Shepard has a knack for compressing a novel's worth of life into thirty or forty pages . . . It all adds up to a peculiar yet arresting vision, as Shepard lets you see a startling variety of dangers and conundrums through the eyes of characters who, poignantly or even despairingly, can't quite summon the humanity that's hidden away in them * Boston Globe *This is what you get with Shepard's short stories - weight and validity, lingo and precision . . . This approach gives the individual stories heft and the collections a dizzying range . . . What impresses is his ability to convey compressed, cinematic action. He knows when to pop rivets and bend structures, add histrionics as well as saltwater stocism . . . Shepard's beautifully researched creations inhabit different eras * New York Times *Ten exceptionally powerful tales of courageous responsibility and criminal indifference . . . Throughout this masterful, profoundly involving collection, Shepard elucidates with stirring precision the emotions of characters ambushed by terrifying powers beyond their control * Booklist *Let's hope Jim Shepard becomes as influential as he should be. He's the best we've got * Dave Eggers *His insight is humbling, deeply grained, outrageously perceptive and full of a signature humour . . . If you haven't read Shepard, you should, because he's also one of the US's finest writers, full of wit, humanity and fearless curiosity . . . It's a hell of a thing to walk the earth with Jim Shepard -- Joshua Ferris * Guardian *[An] American master * O, the Oprah Magazine *

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Book SynopsisA heartwarming tale of love, family and acceptance, Darling Blue is a simply gorgeous read...Trade ReviewIn their townhouse in Richmond, Blue and her family are as happy and as close as can be - well, on the surface at least. But with the arrival of a young, destitute woman hoping to escape her abusive husband, they must finally confront the rifts that keep them apart. When they welcome Delphine into their home - and their hearts - they think it's for her benefit only. But what they don't realise is that she will bring them together in ways they never thought possible... -- Publisher: Quercus Publications

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Book SynopsisPerfect for fans of Cathy Kelly, Victoria Hislop and Lucinda Riley, The Godmothers is a heart-warming exploration of family, friendship and female bonds. ___________In order to find out who her father is, Eliza has to discover who her mother truly was . . . As the only daughter of a troubled young mother, Eliza Miller's life was kept on track by the constant support of her godmothers Olivia and Maxie – until a tragic event just before her eighteenth birthday changed everything.Thirteen years later, Eliza is cautious, lonely, and dedicated to her work in Melbourne. Out of the blue, an enticing invitation from Olivia, now based in the UK, prompts a leap into the unknown. Eliza is thrown back into the centre of a complicated family, and the busy hotel they run in Edinburgh's West End.Amidst the chaos, Eliza unexpectedly begins to explore her past. Her godmothers have long been waiting for her to ask about her mother's mysterious life – and the identity of the father she has never known.But even they are taken by surprise with all that she discovers . . .If you loved The Godmothers, don't miss Monica McInerney's The House of Memories, available now in paperback. ___________'Absolutely beautiful . . . Intriguing and uplifting' Marian Keyes 'The perfect read!' Patricia Scanlan'A feel-good read' The Sun'Warm, wise and witty' Woman & Home'You'll be laughing out loud one minute and crying the next' Cosmopolitan'Heart-warming . . . A lovely read' Hello! Magazine'McInerney is a must-read author for women's fiction fans around the world' Huffington Post'The sort of feel-good read you long to get back to' Hilary Boyd, bestselling author of Thursdays In The Park'Exploring universal family issues of loss, rivalry, ageing and grief, this is a warm, witty and moving novel' Woman's Day'McInerney's bewitching multigenerational saga lavishly and lovingly explores the resiliency and fragility of family bonds' Booklist'A world of family, love, warmth and heartbreaking secrets that will sweep you up . . . Superb' Books of all Kinds'You'll be laughing in one breath, crying in the next . . . If you haven't discovered McInerney yet, now is the time to do so' Better ReadingTrade Review'An absolutely beautiful book ... Intriguing and uplifting' -- Marian Keyes'You think she can't get any better, but she does! The perfect read' -- Patricia Scanlan

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Book SynopsisCHALLENGE was Vita Sackville-West's second novel. It was ready to go to print in 1920, but the author suddenly changed her mind. This was not because she lacked confidence in her work, but because of the scandal it would have caused. CHALLENGE remained unpublished for over fifty years.Vita's love affair with Violet Trefusis had reached its peak, and, eloping to France, they decided to abandon everything and everyone - children and husbands included - to spend the rest of their lives together. Although they returned to their families eventually, CHALLENGE remains a testament of their love, and was written during that period. The hero, Julian, might be a Byronic young Englishman, and Eve the woman he adores; it may be an adventure tale about a revolt on a Greek island. But really, this is a love story, written in the presence of the beloved, and inspired by her. And, as its title implies, the novel is a challenge to the society that condemned Vita and her lover.

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Book SynopsisBobs and Ba live in happy prosperity. They began with nothing, but now they have a successful chain of car repair yards. Bobs has even bought a racehorse! But on a Caribbean holiday to celebrate Bobs' fiftieth birthday, it becomes clear he is a man with things on his mind. Has he found a younger woman? The receipt in his pocket from Sasha Lingerie is pretty damning. And what's the terrible secret in the cupboard behind his pool table? As the gossip starts at the golf club and the kids stop calling, Ba's life is turned upside down. What's more, her daughter Melody is getting married and everyone's nerves are in shreds. It takes events beyond their control to show Bobs and Ba just what their marriage is made of.Trade Review'Warm, perceptive and laugh-out-loud funny' The Good Book Guide. * Good Book Guide *

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Book SynopsisPerfectly observed, shot through with light and shadow and wry humour, Welcome to Paradise confirms Khannaâs reputation as one of our most masterful storytellers.

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Book SynopsisThis is the story of three young people from starkly different backgrounds with intertwined fates, fighting for what they value most. What will they have to give up to get what they want?

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Book SynopsisWriter Chanis Fernando-Boisard explains that Ayah & Other Stories was born out of My poignant memories of a blessed childhood in Sri Lanka and my life in France, in between traversing many places and time-frames the world over. The writer explains that life is a cycle, one always keeps going back, and in her first chapter, Ayah, the character Asilin''s chilling warning, about marrying a foreigner and the dangers of living overseas, is dramatically backed up by a lizard cry, which in Sri Lanka is said to be a signal of foreboding and evil. As a young girl Chanis, called Miss Nelun in the book, found this somewhat dramatic event deeply disturbing, but now, looking back with the wisdom of age, she realizes that Asilin had a point; one is best in one''s homeland once that inner rebellion is done with. The power of this collection of stories is in the harsh realities of life''s lessons that she succinctly sums up by saying Life is tough, life is unfair; why do some things happen to some and not to others I wonder? Then I shrug my shoulders; what good does it do thinking? Let''s just get on with what has to be done. For Chanis jet setting around the world in the airline travel business showed her how travel and tolerance go hand in hand, the more people nurture prejudices, the more I scorn them. Worst terrorist incidence Like most Sri Lankans this enigmatic and deeply spiritual writer is very wary of the dangers of black magic and her superstitions are threaded throughout the book brilliantly brought to life in Chapter 6 Living with The Huynhs, From where I come, they say that hair is a perfect conduit for bad luck, spells and charms, which is why I have become so careful when cleaning my hairbrush or cutting my hair. Living overseas in the West has not changed her views on the spirit world as highlighted in the chapter about a house she lived in We who have lived in this house know that it conceals a hint of madness in its walls and corners. The bathtub on the first floor overflows for no good reason; in the basement pots of food burn to charcoal. From an early age Sri Lankan parents have their children''s fingernails cut and burnt to stop them being used in spells to put on them. Like the stories, Chanis has a femme fatale quality to her writing in which the expected ending is twisted, like in Ayah when she is told of Asilin''s death on her wedding day, instead of breaking down into tears, she quietly and firmly asserts without even a tear in her eyes: Will someone hand me the jasmines, please. I dare however anyone reading this book not to shed a tear or two by the end of it for Guillaume in particular whom in the last chapter one fears attended the football match at the Stade de France on that bloody Friday, November 13, one of France worst terrorist incidence in 2015! As the final page of Ayah and Other Stories was edited the authors dad died suddenly and I asked the writer if this unexpected tragedy would trigger an early return to live once again in her home country? This quietly rebellious writer responded, I am not ready to go back.

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Book SynopsisGail wakes in the middle of the night to everyone's worst nightmare.She can't move, can't speak and a stranger is standing over her. Then everything goes black.Gail knows she didn't dream it. Or him. But the police don't believe her.That was two years ago. She has tried to move on, forget what happened.Until she meets his next victim.This woman's story is identical to hers. And the attack happened exactly one year later.There is one week left until he will strike again.Now the silence is broken, there is no telling what he will unleashA totally gripping and twisty crime thriller that will take your breath away. Fans of K.L. Slater and Rachel Abbott will be hooked from the very first page.Readers are loving The Silence:Wow! Oh wow! I read this book in a day as I just couldn't put it down. Stories like these need to be told so that women feel empowered to speak out. A thoroughly gripping, yet heartbreaking, read' NetGalley review ?????A well written and well researched book, The Silence is a highly topical read, and deals with horrific subject matter in an empathic and compassionate way' NetGalley review ?????A brilliant thriller that keeps you turning the pages until the shocking ending. I loved the characters and the tense and chilling plot!' NetGalley review ?????Diamond's whodunnits just keep getting better and better!' NetGalley review ?????Absolutely brilliant! I love Katerina Diamond. There is no one else like her. Another book that I devoured in a day' NetGalley review ?????I loved this book, it's dark, raw and emotional. Diamond is back with a jaw dropping and addictive read. This is a must for the TBR list' NetGalley review ?????A brilliant revenge thriller that had me on the edge of my seat until the bitter end.' NetGalley review ?????I could not put this book down. It is so clever and really innovative, I read well into the early hours to finish it. Absolutely riveting you''ll be rooting for Gail and the other women all the way through.' NetGalley review ?????A skilful masterclass on how to write a fabulous thriller!' NetGalley review ?????Praise for Katerina Diamond:Gripping' OK!A web of a plot that twists and turns' SunHeartstopping' Crime MonthlyDiamond is the master of gripping literature' Evening StandardTrade ReviewPraise for Kat Diamond: ‘I loved it – absorbing and wonderfully twisty. It keeps the reader guessing right up to the last pages’ Debbie Howells ‘Absolutely top-notch. So many twists it makes me dizzy thinking about it’ Jo Jakeman ‘Dark and twisted, but with sunshine and nostalgia to transport you’ SJI Holliday ‘Diamond is the master of gripping literature’ Evening Standard ‘Gripping’ OK! ‘Gritty, realistic, and worthy of an open mouth when you reach the ending, this is a taut, tense read’ Woman’s Way ‘A must for crime lovers’ Woman & Home ‘Heartstopping’ Crime Monthly ‘Dark, nail-biting … the hottest thriller out this summer!’ The People’s Friend ‘All hail the new Queen of Crime’ Heat ‘A page-turner with a keep-you-guessing plot’ Sunday Times Crime Club ‘Packed with twists until the last page’ Closer

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Book SynopsisNorman is the clever one of a close-knit Jewish family in the East End of London. Infant prodigy; brilliant barrister; the apple of his parents'' eyes... until at forty-one he becomes a drug addict, confined to his bedroom, at the mercy of his hallucinations and paranoia.For Norman, his committal to a mental hospital represents the ultimate act of betrayal. For Rbbi Zweck, Norman''s father, his son''s deterioration is a bitter reminder of his own guilt and failure. Only Bella, the unmarried sister, still in her childhood white ankle socks, can reach across the abyss of pain to bring father and son the elusive peace which they both desperately crave.Trade ReviewShe has a large compassion, and an intelligence which makes her compulsively readable. * NEW STATESMAN *Splendidly sane, compassionate and often grotesquely funny. * DAILY TELEGRAPH *The writing sparkles and flickers and blazes. * JEWISH CHRONICLE *The novel moves from intense emotion to humour and pathos to the frightening realisation that those who are surrounded by the insane quickly become insane themselves. Read it. * DARTS *

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Book SynopsisNew, repackaged audio editions of the classic and internationally bestselling, multi-award-winning series, read by Stephen Fry containing 24 CDs with a total running time of 29 hours and 5 minutes. With new jackets by Jonny Duddle to bring Harry Potter to the next generation of readers.Dark times have come to Hogwarts. After the Dementors' attack on his cousin Dudley, Harry Potter knows that Voldemort will stop at nothing to find him. There are many who deny the Dark Lord's return, but Harry is not alone: a secret order gathers at Grimmauld Place to fight against the Dark forces. Harry must allow Professor Snape to teach him how to protect himself from Voldemort's savage assaults on his mind. But they are growing stronger by the day and Harry is running out of time.Trade ReviewA marriage made in heaven, Stephen Fry reading Harry Potter * The Times *One of the greatest literary adventures of modern times * Sunday Telegraph *Spellbinding, enchanting, bewitching stuff * Mirror *

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Book Synopsis'A really beautiful book about obsession, longing and science' RAVEN LEILANI ‘Wise, funny, suspenseful’ JONATHAN SAFRAN FOER 'Sardonic and strange ... With its dark humour and loopy lyricism, it bewitches’ DAILY TELEGRAPH 'Reads like a botanist’s cross-breeding of The Secret History and Department of Speculation' EMMA STRAUB Nell Barber, an expelled PhD candidate in Biological Science, is exploring the fine line between poison and antidote, working alone to set a speed record for the detoxification of poisonous plants. Her mentor, Dr. Joan Kallas, is the hero of Nell’s heart. Nell frequently finds herself standing in the doorway to Joan’s office despite herself, mesmerized by Joan’s elegance, success, and spiritual force. Surrounded by Nell’s ex, her best friend, her best friend’s boyfriend, and Joan’s buffoonish husband, the two scientists are tangled together at the center of a web of illicit relationships, grudges, and obsessions. All six are burdened by desire and ambition, and as they collide on the university campus, their attractions set in motion a domino effect of affairs and heartbreak. Meanwhile, Nell slowly fills her empty apartment with poisonous plants to study, and she begins to keep a series of notebooks, all dedicated to Joan. She logs her research and how she spends her days, but the notebooks ultimately become a painstaking map of love. In a dazzling and unforgettable voice, Rebecca Dinerstein Knight has written a spellbinding novel of emotional and intellectual intensity.Trade ReviewSardonic and strange ... With its dark humour and loopy lyricism, it bewitches * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *A really beautiful book about obsession, longing and science … It’s really beautiful and it does something I love, and can never say no to in books, which is a really complex relationship between two women … it’s just gorgeous, really gorgeous on a sentence level … It’s just extremely cool … that’s the book that I’m reading and really love -- RAVEN LEILANICannily explores both the poisons and the antidotes of love, ambition, mentorship, and yearning, in prose so lively that I often found myself laughing with pleasure. Hex is some dark and joyous witchery -- LAUREN GROFFNell is an expelled Ph.D. candidate in biological science who is trying to set a speed record for the detoxification of poisonous plants. She’s mesmerized by her mentor, Joan, and the woman’s elegance and success. Surrounded by Nell’s ex, her best friend, her best friend’s boyfriend and Joan’s husband, the two scientists are tangled together at the centre of a web of illicit relationships, grudges and obsessions * PUREWOW, 44 Books We Can’t Wait to Read in 2020 *Strange and delightful … How could a reader - or a botany professor - not be charmed? * NPR.org *Academics tie themselves up into a pretzel of betrayal and desire in Rebecca Dinerstein Knight’s propulsive second book, which reads a tiny bit like AS Byatt after dark … This is a bold and highly charged book that makes entertainment seem like not such a bad word * LITHUB, Most Anticipated Books of 2020 *Hex is the sort of novel that almost has its own smell – humid and loamy, like a body after a morning spent bent over a garden patch. It’s about Nell Barber, a recently expelled Ph.D. student secretly running her own experiments on poisonous botanicals in her apartment and vigorously lusting after her buttoned-up adviser and mentor. Sex practically pulses out of Nell as she fails her way into adulthood in this botanically entwined work of early-adult dissatisfaction * VULTURE, 32 Books We Can’t Wait to Read in 2020 *Swift-moving, sardonic … Dinerstein Knight paints a withering portrait of this web of toxic romances, and of the excesses of academia, while illustrating how both the heart and the mind can be broken and reshaped by changing circumstances * NEW YORKER *As precise as any scientific observation and far more tantalizing * VOGUE *Hex reads like a botanist's cross-breeding of The Secret History and Department of Speculation, full of brilliant and bodily obsession. Rebecca Dinerstein Knight is both a scientist and a magician, and she conjures this beautiful spell of a novel with total control -- EMMA STRAUBHex is a book for those who feel adrift and solitary, for those who feel overwhelmed by themselves. Ultimately, it’s a story about harnessing what is out of control - and learning that perhaps the only way to control a poisonous thing is to first embrace it * CHICAGO REVIEW OF BOOKS *A book that examines our natural and absolutely astounding reactions to each other. The language of this novel is so finely tailored, so elegant yet organic, so absorbing that it takes the reader a moment to realize that this is not just a deliciously engaging tale of what it is like to be social and sexual, but that this writing is an actual incantation in itself. It is a beautiful, spooky spell that divides and processes our innate potential for poison or pleasure -- JENNY SLATEHex is sexy, unhinged, revelatory, so smart it gives the reader whiplash. It works on you like the poisonous plants that wind through the storyline, until you’re as obsessed and intoxicated as the vivid characters that make up this love hexagon gone fascinatingly and beautifully wrong. I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun reading a book or was so impressed by the wizardry of the language -- JULIE BUNTIN, author of MarlenaHex is a gem of a book: sharp and exquisite. Dinerstein Knight writes about women’s obsession with devastating wisdom, insight, and humor. It is pure pleasure to be under her spell -- JULIA PIERPONT, author of Among the Ten Thousand ThingsHex is neon-bright and guided by a fierce, scintillating interest in the innermost chambers of the human heart, where melancholic and bright humors mingle together. In every line you hear the voice of a writer who knows how to lead you expertly into the place where the story is most alive: spooky, shifty, darkly funny, and delectable in every way -- ALEXANDRA KLEEMANOffbeat yet entirely precise; original and universal. Hex is a nut with sweet meat and a poison shell, at once disarming and quietly devastating. This is a book for anyone who’s ever felt adrift, or felt alone, or loved someone out of reach, or all the above -- RACHEL KHONGNell’s intensity and the hypnotic, second-person prose convincingly render the protagonist’s bewitched, self-destructive state. Readers who liked I Love Dick and want something more lurid will appreciate this * PUBLISHERS WEEKLY *A joyfully deranged pleasure * KIRKUS *A spellbinding novel of emotional and intellectual intensity * FANTASTIC FICTION *

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Book SynopsisLove affairs, village rivalries, horses, jealousy and secrets... 'An all-encompassing whirlwind of activity, wit, fun and frolic. I loved it!' JILL MANSELL. 'If it's brilliant country fun you're after, but you can't afford your own horse (or even if you can), read Fiona Walker immediately!' JENNY COLGAN. Glamorous Ronnie Percy has been back home in the Cotswolds for a year. But not everyone has forgiven her for abandoning her family twenty-five years ago. Ronnie's daughter Pax is fighting for custody of her small son as her own marriage disintegrates. Now she is furious to have to spend New Year's Eve waiting to meet some stranger, invited by her mother to help run the family stud farm. The staunchly loyal head groom, Lester, is even more annoyed. Does Ronnie think he's lost his touch? Luca O'Brien, Irish charmer and reputed heart-breaker, is known throughout the countryside as the Horsemaker. But what happened to Luca's beautiful stallion, Beck, now broken and unrideable in the Compton Magna stables? And what is Luca running away from? Passionate, sexy, gripping, and laced with wicked humour, this is bestselling Fiona Walker at her dazzling best.Trade ReviewWith feisty characters, sexy menfolk, long-buried secrets and a healthy dollop of sauce, this book is a total riot from start to end * Heat *Filled with intrigue, romance and drama... This is a must-read for cold winter nights by the Aga' * Cotswold Life *A feel-good romp complete with dashing heroes and engaging heroines. Perfect for some serious but light-hearted escapism * Horse and Countryside *Fans of the sex-and-horses rural romp will feel right at home with this pleasing doorstep of a novel * Daily Mail *Fiona Walker is a class act, the best of her genre. Witty, clever, fabulous and fun, she's a natural storyteller with a gift for characterisation and plot, romance and drama... Massively entertaining' -- Santa MontefioreIf you love Jilly Copper, you'll love this -- Jo ThomasEvery Christmas needs a good Jilly Cooper-style romp, and Walker's latest – stuffed full of star-crossed lovers, misunderstandings and horses – more than fits the bill * i newspaper *

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Book SynopsisThe hilarious and feel-good novel about escaping the rat race, friendship and new beginningsWhen Nicola's husband, Dominic, retires they decide not to spend their days finding hobbies to fill the time until Countdown is on channel 4. Instead, they fulfil their life-long fantasy of buying a house in the French countryside and filling it with their dearest friends. Reliving their youth and spending their children's inheritance.Joined by seven of their friends they club together to invest in a château in Normandy. Group dinners, fine wine, beautiful scenery - they're living the dream!But la vie en rose is harder than it first appears. Is there a reason why only teenagers take gap years?The perfect read for fans of Jo Thomas, Cathy Bramley and Veronica Henry!Trade ReviewI was hooked from the start on this emotionally intelligent read * Daily Mail, on Invisible Women *Irreverent, witty and emotionally charged, Long's rollercoaster ride zones in with exquisite precision and perception on the dreams, despairs and dilemmas of all middle-aged women getting ready to say a final goodbye to their youth and looking forward to new beginnings. Warm, intelligent reading for the autumn nights! * Lancashire Evening Post, on Invisible Women *The perfect spring read * Chat! *Emotionally charged and laced with a good dose of humour, this novel is one everyone approaching retirement will identify with, when it comes to re-establishing the boundaries, hopes and expectations of this new generation of adventurers * My Weekly *"A chateau in Normandy populated by friends: shopping, cooking, gardening, emotional entanglements, tragedy, romance. It's a treat" * BookBrunch *Book of the Week. A humorous and insightful novel about what it's like to throw caution to the wind * Woman's Weekly *

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Book SynopsisAn empowering, thought-provoking feminist novel that will change the way you see the world. Perfect for fans of Elizabeth Day, Claire Fuller and Joanna Cannon.1968. Veronica Moon, a junior photographer for a local newspaper, is frustrated by her (male) colleagues' failure to take her seriously. And then she meets Leonie on the picket line of the Ford factory at Dagenham. So begins a tumultuous, passionate and intoxicating friendship. Leonie is ahead of her time and fighting for women's equality with everything she has. She offers Veronica an exciting, free life at the dawn of a great change.Fifty years later, Leonie is gone, and Veronica leads a reclusive life. Her groundbreaking career was cut short by one of the most famous photographs of the twentieth century.Now, that controversial picture hangs as the centrepiece of a new feminist exhibition curated by Leonie's niece. Long-repressed memories of Veronica's extraordinary life begin to stir. It's time to break her silence, and step back into the light.Praise for The Woman in the Photograph:'Imaginative and moving novel - a must-read for any feminist'Katie Fforde'I absolutely loved The Woman in the Photograph, a compelling,original and thought-provoking look at feminism and the power of female friendships'Sarah Franklin'What a glorious combination: Stephanie's warm intelligence brought to bear on the complexities of second-wave feminism. I ate the book up'Shelley Harris'Refreshing and thought-provoking . . . a stirring exploration of female friendship and the fight for equality'Carys Bray'Brilliantly researched, thought-provoking, and written straight from the heart, this is undoubtedly Butland's best book yet'Lancashire Evening PostTrade ReviewThe Woman in the Photograph is a powerful and empowering appeal to women to trumpet their achievements, and to keep on calling out sexism and inequality, in a modern world that has probably not changed as much as those second wave Women's Libbers had hoped for . . . Brilliantly researched, thought-provoking, and written straight from the heart, this is undoubtedly Butland's best book yet * Lancashire Evening Post, on The Woman in the Photograph *One of the best books of the summer . . . A fantastic read! * Jo Good, BBC Radio London, on The Woman in the Photograph *This is an imaginative and moving novel - a must-read for any feminist. It taught me so much * Katie Fforde, on The Woman in the Photograph *The Woman in the Photograph is an absorbing meditation on friendship and feminism, bringing the women at the heart of the story so clearly into focus that their struggles feel urgent and compelling, as well as acknowledging that we can measure the slow march of justice and equality by extraordinary moments in ordinary lives as much as by the milestones selected by the history books * Sara Collins, on The Woman in the Photograph *Refreshing and thought-provoking . . . a stirring exploration of female friendship and the fight for equality. * Carys Bray, on The Woman in the Photograph *What a glorious combination: Stephanie's warm intelligence brought to bear on the complexities of second-wave feminism. I ate the book up. It was especially great to see those iconic moments in civil rights history through Stephanie's lens - it brought back so many memories for me. What else? I loved Vee from the start, and found her development utterly believable and compelling. And the book contains one of the best father-daughter relationships I've read * Shelley Harris, on The Woman in the Photograph *I absolutely loved The Woman in the Photograph, a compelling, original and thought-provoking look at feminism and the power of female friendships * Sarah Franklin, on The Woman in the Photograph *Loveday is a marvellous character and she captured my heart from the very first page . . . and her bookshop is the bookshop of readers' dreams. * Julie Cohen, bestselling author of Dear Thing, on Lost for Words *It is such a beautiful read and Loveday's voice is so compelling . . . an exquisite story that I couldn't put down. * Liz Fenwick on Lost for Words *Burns fiercely with love and hurt. A quirky, rare and beautiful novel, one you'd be delighted to unearth in any bookshop. And Loveday Cardew is a character who leaps from the pages into our hearts. * Linda Green, bestselling author of While My Eyes Were Closed, on Lost for Words *I loved it so much, I couldn't put it down. I wish I hadn't read it so quickly, really, then I'd still have it to read! It felt completely authentic and was really interesting as well as moving, funny and romantic. I also want to take up tango. Utterly engaging from the first line to the last . . . impossible to put down * Katie Fforde, on the previous work of Stephanie Butland *Loveday is an incredible character.Oh, the w riting . . .Vibrant, vivid, sometimes visceral;Engaging, funny, searing.Dares to mix prose and poetry seamlessly.Archie had me head-over-heels in love.You can't help but hurt w hen it's over * Helena Sheffield, author of The Art of Wearing Hats, on Lost for Words *I loved it! Spent all day today engrossed in Loveday . . . a superbly drawn character. * Alex Gray, bestselling author of The Darkest Goodbye, on Lost for Words *I very quickly fell in love with the protagonist, Loveday Cardew . . . This is a story about hurt and self-preservation but above all else love . . . * Boofs Books on Lost for Words *Utterly wonderful . . . quirky, heart-warming and emotional . . . loved it!! * Liz Fenwick, on the previous work of Stephanie Butland *A funny, heart-wrenching and life-affirming story that's brave and beautifully written. And made me want to dance the tango. Bravo! * Zoë Folbigg, on the previous work of Stephanie Butland *It completely knocked my socks off - I devoured it in a single sitting! Wow. Just wow * Claudia Carroll, on the previous work of Stephanie Butland *If you loved Lost for Words you'll be pleased to know that Ailsa Rae is exactly as warm-hearted and compassionate as you'd expect * Carys Bray, on THE CURIOUS HEART OF AILSA RAE *I loved it so much . . . the thing that most struck me was the sheer human-ness of that moment after the crisis . . . It rang incredibly true * Shelley Harris, on the previous work of Stephanie Butland *A lovely, heartbreaking story of given second chances. Her characters are so vulnerable, so unsure of themselves and at the same time so lovable. I love this unusual story * Bookseller reviewer, on the previous work of Stephanie Butland *Loveday is a compelling character, you love her in the way you love a cat who always scratches but you love it anyway . . . this book is quirky, clever and unputdownable. I really enjoyed it. * Katie Fforde on Lost for Words *Loveday is so spiky and likeable. I so loved Archie, Nathan and the book shop and the unfolding mystery * Carys Bray, author of A Song For Issy Bradley and The Museum of You, on Lost for Words *Beautifully written and atmospheric. Loveday is an endearing heroine, full of attitude and fragility. The haunting story of her past is brilliantly revealed. * Tracy Rees, Sunday Times top ten bestselling author of Amy Snow, on Lost for Words *What an absolute stunner of a book. I LOVED it and cried like a motherf***er. If you care about books (or humans) read it! * Shelley Harris, author of Jubilee, on Lost for Words *A beautiful, touching, moving, sweet treat of a book. Sad, intriguing, cleverly plotted, sometimes shocking, compelling read. I was with Loveday all the way. I absolutely loved it * Jane Wenham-Jones, author of Prime Time, on Lost for Words *I just finished. I can totally see why you fell in love with it. What a unique, beautiful novel that cleverly builds to a heart-stopping climax. Any book lovers out there would be mad not to adore the quirkily drawn character of Loveday who pulls you in right from the get go with her distinctive voice! * Tracy Buchanan, number one bestselling author of My Sister' s Secret, The Atlas Of Us and No Turning Back, on Lost for Words *I enjoyed Lost For Words; I found it readable, humane and rather perceptive . . . it's so well done that it felt very fresh and involving to me. Loveday's narrative voice is authentic and very engaging . . . it is intelligent and thoughtful and almost entirely without implausible sentimentality. There is a distinct whiff of a Richard Curtis film about the plot . . . I found it genuinely funny in places and very touching in others . . . an engaging and quite gripping read which I can recommend. * Sid's Book Reviews on Lost for Words *Wonderful. So many beautiful one-liners too! * Ayisha Malik, author of Sofia Khan is Not Obliged, on Lost for Words *Oh poor, brilliant Loveday. Gorgeous, gorgeous bookshop book . . . So, so lovely! * Sarah Franklin, author of Shelter and Costa Book Awards judge, on Lost for Words *Love at first word! Fascinating. Truly fascinating and spectacular * Articles and More on Lost for Words *A wonderful read for a holiday or weekend. It's a great, immersive read with a big heart. What more could you want? * Hannah Bullimore on Lost for Words *'This is the perfect read for any bookworm . . . The story is warm, effortless, and comfortable. Most of all, it was lovely to be able to connect to a character that felt exactly the same way about books as you do . . . Read this book. Even if you think this 'might not be your thing' like I did, give it a chance. You might just have found your new favourite book' * A Literary Mind on Lost for Words *I loved so many things about this book. It is narrated by the most appealing heroine named Loveday. Loveday is a fantastic character, defensive and spirited . . . a brilliant story about surviving, and full of hope. I loved this author's way with words and her astute observations. It is surprising, affecting and beautifully finished but the main thing is that it is brilliant and I suspect my voice will be one of many shouting about how good it is. * Kitty Loves Books on Lost for Words *A beautiful book * Prima magazine on Lost for Words *Lost for Words is a book I adored. It's full of warmth with wonderful characters and it's full of the magic and power of books. If you love books set in bookshops, you'll love it. If you love books about damaged people learning to love again, you'll love it. If you love books with quirky characters, you'll love it. In fact, if you love any beautifully written story, you'll love Lost For Words! * Portobello Book Blog on Lost for Words *Fierce, tender, quirky, well-written - Lost for Words is all this and more. There's much to love in this book, but what really makes it stand out is its appeal for readers who don't just read books but adore them: the bookstagrammers, the paperback hoarders, the page sniffers. * The Book Specialist on Lost for Words *I could gush for hours about Lost For Words; the setting, the characters, the quite dark and disturbing themes . . . I'd just like everyone to go out and buy a copy and savour it and love it as much as I did. I expect most people will shed a tear or two, and I know that there will be laughs and gasps along the way too. This really is a poignant and beautiful story, told by an author who can captivate an audience so easily. Wonderful. Highly recommended from me. * Random Things Through My Letterbox on Lost for Words *Oh how I adored this book. I loved everything about it. The only thing wrong with it was that I could have read another 100 pages. This is a novel that is an ode to the written word, to the beauty of poetry and the solace that books can provide. But it is not just a celebration of books. It is a novel about how our history shapes us, but doesn't have to define us. It is a novel about love, in its many guises, of friendship and of how we can always re-write our own story. Simply beautiful. * From First Page To Last, on Lost for Words *I truly liked Loveday, Nathan and Archie. I wanted to unwrap Loveday's past and find out what keeps her so guarded and untrusting. A wonderful, heartfelt story that pulls on your heart strings and leaves you bereft when finishing it. I could have read on after the book finished, I'm still hungry for more. * Lip Squid Book Blog, on Lost for Words *LOST FOR WORDS by Stephanie Butland is such a heartbreaking story...the author perfectly portrays the significance that a book can play in someone's life - the memories they invoke, the connection they can make with the reader, the emotions, the dreams, just everything...a must read for fiction fans everywhere, but especially for those who find books their connection to the world. A beautiful, all-consuming read! * Books of All Kinds, on Lost for Words *And oh, how I absolutely loved it. I was completely drawn in from the beginning, loosing track of what was going on around me and completely involved in Loveday's story. Seriously, I can't remember the last time I cared for a fictional character as much as I did this one. It made me laugh and cry, it's both heartbreaking and heartwarming, and it's sad yet filled with hope. And I guarantee you will fall in love with Loveday Cardew too. * Cosy Books, on Lost for Words *this is a story with a mystery at its heart, that deals with some hard-hitting subjects... heartwarming and heartbreaking in equal measure with more than one heart stopping moment. I have no hesitation in recommending this book, it is quite simply brilliant. * Jill's Book Cafe, on the previous work of Stephanie Butland *Lost For Words is that rare thing . . . a warm, wise and funny tale of our times with a dark and shocking twist . . . truly is a book lover's dream . . . an intriguing story set in an irresistibly charming bookshop, packed with literary references, featuring a cast of eclectic characters and with a gripping and unexpected dénouement guaranteed to keep readers on the edge of their seats. * Lancashire Evening Post, on Lost for Words *Intriguing and touching story * Sunday Express, S Magazine, on Lost for Words *an easy, breezy read... Loveday is an appealing character with a fascinating hinterland. * Daily Mail, on Lost for Words *I enjoyed reading this story. The premise is a good one, the ending was heartfelt and I loved the poetry included as part of what helps brings two people together in this story. * Layered Pages, on Lost for Words *Yes, I really loved everything about this novel and it's one of my favourite releases of 2017 so far. All in all, 'Lost for Words' is a compelling and lovely read that will warm your heart and leave you with a smile on your face. If you love books about book shops, then definitely do not miss out on this one! * A Spoonful of Happy Endings, on Lost for Words *I'm just going to go ahead and say, if you love books, read this one. Seriously it's beautiful and sweet and comforting and heartbreaking. * Is this Real Life, on the previous work of Stephanie Butland *BOOK OF THE MONTH: Loveday Cardew is a quirky, fiery, likeable character who works at the Lost for Words Bookshop in York. Preferring books to people, she keeps the memories of her painful childhood to herself, hiding her scars deep within her. Warm and spiky, beautifully written and plotted, you'll be swept along by the bitter-sweet storyline to the very end. * Candis Magazine, on Lost for Words *Oh, wow. Just...wow... Butland has created such an unforgettable character...To create ONE storyline full of endless emotions, good memories and bad memories, multiple layered characters, AND an exceptional plot and setting, is just...mind-blowing. Stephanie Butland's outstanding writing style is what makes this storyline stand out from the rest, alongside her beautiful creation that is; Loveday. Poignant, heart warming, and totally unforgettable; 'Lost for Words' is the soul-searching, exceptional novel that I have been waiting for. * The Writing Garnet, on Lost for Words *If you like something more than just romance in your chick-lit then maybe Loveday's story is one for you. * Shhh we're reading *There was so much more to this story than I was expecting and I loved how it took me as a reader on a roller-coaster of emotions - I may have shed a few tears! The supporting cast of characters are also beautifully created and add so much to the story of Loveday and it captured my heart as I followed her story. * Books and Me *I have a fatal weakness for books set in bookshops and whimsical heroines for Lost For Words pushes all my bookish buttons. Loveday Cardew infinitely prefers books to people; she works in a second-hand bookshop called Lost For Words and has her favourite lines from her favourite novels tattooed on her skin. But then mysterious packages begin to arrive for Loveday, each one containing a book that stirs up unsettling memories for her, especially as someone seems to know the secret that Loveday has been hiding for so many years. * Red Magazine on Lost for Words *I found myself faced with the question of how much you can hold a mentally ill person accountable for their violent tendencies, and how do you measure whether its their illness or just their evil? If you're looking for a light read with a dark twist I'd recommend Lost for Words. It was a comfort read for me, especially because of the familiarity that comes from a bookish protagonist. * Sumaiyya Reads on Lost for Words *The past is handled so very well, and makes the present scenes very understandable and real. As I said, by the time I got to the last few chapters I was invested enough to be teary about it all * Little Frog Scribbles on Lost for Words *'As soon as I read the first few pages though I realized that this book was something special. In fact, I would say it is a book lover's dream, with endless references to all our favorite books, charming and really interesting characters and the perfect setting, a bookshop full of rarities, surprises and secrets... All in all, I cannot recommend this story enough. It had been a while since I had felt so involved in a story like this one. It is inspiring but heat-breaking, a real gem of a book that I have no doubt will be on my top ten books of the year.' * Alba In Bookland *My favorite thing about Lost for Words was how powerful some scenes were... This book is not a fast read, but then again neither is one of my favorite books of all time...Not all books have to be, when the author can find the right pace and divulge the inner workings of their characters in the proper moment. * The Hermit Librarian *This is the second novel I've read by Stephanie Butland and she is fast becoming one of my favourites. Her characters are so raw and real you become truly engrossed in them. I love that chance to really fall into a novel and become the character. * Life Has A Funny Way *A book that contrives to be both a serious and empathetic story about Ailsa and her life-defining illness, but at the same time is an uplifting and humorous tale of her struggles as both a blue and a pink heart * The Bouncing Tigger Reviews *an enjoyable, easy to read, good story. I hope when you finish it the first thing you do is google the organ donation register * The Bookbag *warm writing and wonderful characterisation * From First Page To Last *An emotive and joyous read. It is such a beautiful book. A bold story that is gently told * Brew and Books Review *Such an open and inspiring story * Emma's Chapter *Brave, intuitive, incredibly grounded and funny... A clever book that is unputdownable * Candis Magazine *Sensitive and thought provoking, but at the same time rather quirky - it's a well researched story about life, death, grief, hope and love * Gem's Quiet Corner *A warm-hearted story (and yes, I do use that phrase intentionally), funny at times and always feels very grounded in reality. It is a hopeful yet frank look at learning to live with new expectations * Portobello Book Blog *Stephanie Butland really seems to have a talent for creating seemingly tough characters with soft centres * Elementary Watson *Warm, funny and well-researched * Culturefly *Given that a large chunk of the plot and emotional development is around medical conditions, transplants, and dying or not-dying, Butland has written a book that is thoughtful, humorous, and whatever the opposite of maudlin is * Sunshine and Readbows *The novel and its key protagonist displayed a refreshing perspective on life as the reader encounters Ailsa Rae's new start in life as she learns to live again and live her life to the fullest * Sarah Kettleborough *WOULD I RECOMMEND? Yes, for its humour, insight into the life of someone dealing with chronic illness and beyond as well as its delightful characters. This is one of those books I want a physical copy of for my bookshelf so I can indulge again in the future * Duvet Dwellers Books *I really enjoyed how this book didn't sugar coat things and didn't get over emotional with the issues that faced the character and just dealt with things with warmth and humour. It's a book about being braver and following your heart - even if that heart isn't yours! * Books and Me *It has touched me in a way that I didn't expect * The Readathon *This is a book that I will be recommending to everyone. It's been a while since I've read a book that's made me feel this much. It's simply fantastic and it has everything I look for in a contemporary novel. It's addictive, touching and brilliantly written. Have I just found a new favourite book? I think so. It's definitely in my top ten reads of 2018 so far (out of 25 books, and yes it's only April but I'm certain it will still be in my top ten by the end of the year!) * Janay Brazier *The relationships in this book are just wonderful. I loved the introduction of the tango, its passion and the moments it led to - and the focus on Romeo and Juliet was just wonderful, and rather inspired. And I really loved the book's ending - I felt I was watching the characters walk into their future, knew I had to leave them, and wanted to wish them well. A beautiful, uplifting read that I really enjoyed * Being Anne *Fun, warm-hearted, touching story. The main character Ailsa Rae will endear the reader with her honesty and bravery as she starts to truly live her life after a heart transplant. This book reminded me of one of my favourite movies, Return To Me, with a hint of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, and a twist of The Fault In Our Stars. You'll be entertained from the very first page. If you're looking for a feel good book, with likeable characters and a heart-warming story of second chances and a change of heart (no pun intended) this book won't disappoint * Ramblings of a Red Headed Snippet *Beautifully written, this will touch even the hardest - and healthiest - of hearts. I really can't find anything to criticise and I know this is one of those books which is going to stay with me. It's a very special read, and one which I'm happy to recommend. There is so much positivity in this one, I suspect it will do more to get people to sign up to the donor register than any media campaign. And, just as importantly it will make you want to get out there and live your life! * Reviewer Lady *I found this a moving and thought-provoking story of a girl coping with an enormous change in her life, told with a fair amount of humour that balances out the serious nature of the topic....It does bring home the message that organ donation is an important choice for us all and that having a transplant is not the end of the journey. * Fabulous Book Fiend *Brimming with hope, drama, friendship, love, and new beginnings and I read this book from cover to cover in one evening. This book is stunning and special and everyone should read it as soon as possible * Books of All Kinds *a story which is full of warmth, sensitivity and humour * Nudge Books *Butland's delightfully quirky novel delivers on many levels. A fascinating and informative medical drama, relayed with the help of an entertaining flow of public blogs and private emails, The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae is also a warm and witty romance, a tender and uplifting tale of hope, and a gentle but persuasive reminder of the critical importance of organ donation * Lancashire Evening Post *An engaging read with a relatable and realistic heroine * The Lady *A fascinating story that will make you appreciate the little things in life that we all take for granted * Chaz Bookworm *The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae is a cleverly crafted story, it's uplifting, often funny, sometimes very emotional, but most of all it is a sensitive and charming story that deals with some serious issues. Heart-warming, and a lovely read * Random Things Through My Letterbox *Really clever and heartfelt . . . I loved Seb, a flawed hero but a hero nonetheless * Claire Dyer *This is a heartwarming and uplifting book, though don't be fooled, it has it's darker moments. But then that's life, a balance of light and shade, but happily the book is definitely running towards the light * Jill's Book Cafe *This book left me tingling in a way that only happens when I know I've just read something special. The Curious Heart Of Ailsa Rae is a beautiful (I don't want to say heartwarming, given the nature of the beast), wonderfully written, touching journey...I'm predicting big things for this book - if the film rights haven't been bought yet I think someone will snap them up very soon * After The Rain *An enchanting read that will make you shed tears of sadness and joy in equal measure * Woman's Own, on the previous work of Stephanie Butland *A well-researched and uplifting tale of friendships and victory. * Candis *Stephanie Butland has created an important and powerful novel. Well-researched and cleverly combining history with a deeply moving and poignant story of so many dimensions, this is a book that will stay in your mind long after you finish reading it. Highly Recommended! * Hot Brands, Cool Places *Beautifully written, it draws you into the period from the first page. Such evocative writing and careful attention to detail really brought the 1970s to life. * Frost Magazine *A fascinating window on the women's movement, in a touching emotional tale. * Sunday Mirror *

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Book Synopsis ‘This book is stunning, phenomenal, wow.’ Cecelia Ahern, author of P.S. I Love You WINNER OF THE FINLANDIA PRIZE Seven women meet in a white, undefined space seconds after their deaths Time, as we understand it, has ceased to exist, and all bodily sensations have disappeared. None of the women can remember what happened to them, where they are, or how they got there. They don’t know each other. In turn they try to remember, to piece together the fragments of their lives, their identities, their lost loves, and to pinpoint the moment they left their former lives behind. Deftly playing with genres from essay to poetry, Oneiron is an astonishing work that explores the question of what follows death and delves deep into the lives and experiences of seven unforgettable women.Trade Review‘This book is stunning, phenomenal, wow.’ * Cecelia Ahern, author of P.S. I Love You *'Incredibly audacious.' * Chicago Review of Books Most Anticipated Fiction Books of 2018 *‘Reflective and full of depth, Finnish author Laura Lindstedt blends in elements of other genres such as poetry and essay to wrestle with some of life’s most difficult questions.’ * World Literature Today *‘Super-readable, but buckle up – things get a bit Black Mirror at times.’ * Cosmopolitan *'Oneiron seems to rise effortlessly to the best of international literature.' * Finlandia Prize Jury *‘In the sheer diversity of her characters, Lindstedt might be responding to other modern realities: genetic interconnections revealed by DNA tests; global migration and interdependence; the random array of newspaper obituaries that follow a terrorist attack; and the boundary-breaking and community-building properties of social media, two years before the rise of the #MeToo movement.’ * Public Books *‘I’ve never read anything like it. I was riveted to the pages as each of the women tries to work out her last memories and tells her individual story... If you sometimes long for a reading experience that takes you out of the usual realm of life and gets you thinking, this book is it. Recommended.’ * Marjorie’s World of Books *‘Oneiron is one of those books that stunned me into silence at the end.’ * Lark Benobi *'Oneiron is literally a fabulous work. A triumph of the art of the novel.' * Dagbladet, Norway *‘A spectacular novel about life after death...Laura Lindstedt embodies with breathtaking imagination the idea that we are all equal in the face of death...[weaving] her unlikely story with the finest of writers' hands.' * Svenska Dagbladet (Sweden) *'Oneiron is ambitious and lush...a vital, critically-acclaimed novel.' * Stavanger Aftenblad (Norway) *'A prize-worthy, magnificent meditation on the afterlife with a suggestive warmth and forgiveness towards death in this frank portrait of seven women told with humour and a strong desire for storytelling.' * Dagens Nyheter (Sweden) *'On an international scale this is an exceptionally bright pearl of high literature – a novel that is close to perfect.' * Aamulehti (Finland) *‘Good and provocative.’ * Complete Review *‘Laura Lindstedt is a masterful narrator...the story leads its speechless reader through a dreamlike and fascinating universe.’ * Kristeligt Dagblad (Denmark) *‘A wonderful, literary dream.’ * Göteborgs-Posten (Sweden) *‘Oneiron is a precise example of a postmodern novel. The leitmotif death is handled by the author Laura Lindstedt through a variety of (not only) literary genres and references. This is a story in which death is only the beginning.’ * Literatura (Czech Republic) *‘A very touching way of describing how much women’s lives are controlled by the body, but also just a truly amazing book about the feelings, experiences and creations that create a (woman’s) life.’ * Femina (Denmark) *‘Simply put – Oneiron is a very, very special book.’ * týždeň magazine (Slovakia) *‘Excellent speculative fiction about seven women who meet in the afterlife and try to clarify what happened to them.’ * Weekendavisen (Denmark) *'Powerful...fresh and inventive.' * Klassekampen (Norway) *'[Lindstedt’s language] is powerful: the sprawling narrative flows masterfully smoothly.' * Savon Sanomat (Finland) *'Oneiron is a shameless, touching and absurd approach to the state we know little about, the space, the transition, the moment when we hover between life and death.' * Torborg Igland, Fædrelandsvennen (Norway) *'Lindstedt uses the tools of literature to form a work of art with its own rules; one can only admire her execution and her ability to depict our world to a startling effect.' * Helsingin Sanomat (Finland) *'Oneiron is a deeply fascinating book and one of the best I’ve read for a very long time.' * Litteratursiden (Denmark) *'An overwhelming novel.' * Anne Cathrine Straume, NRK (Norway) *'There’s nothing predictable in Laura Lindstedt’s elegant and in every way skillful analysis of humanity.' * Turun Sanomat (Finland) *'A visionary book.' * Marie Claire Italia *'Fascinating and original in its reflection on life and death...[and] realistic in its analysis of power and powerlessness.' * Vigdis Moe Skarstein, Fædrelandsvennen (Norway) *'Laura Lindstedt’s construction is, specifically, about death. In this way, Dante Alighieri and Marcel Proust are subtly invoked.' * il Giornale (Italy) *'Oneiron is about death. It comes with interesting suggestions of how it is "on the other side," but actually sheds more light on the various power structures on our side.' * Dagsavisen (Norway) *'There is something therapeutic – if not, relieving – in reading Oneiron; like surrendering to a trust exercise.' * Politiken (Denmark) *'Oneiron is touching, with its direct language, and in its multi-faceted and concrete approach to what life can be. The way in which Lindstedt portrays the biographies of the women in words, enriches the theme of life, the body, and art in a grotesque but also refreshing way.' * Ingeborg Urke Myklebust, Mellom (Norway) *‘Magnificent... The novel has been nominated for the Nordic Council Literature Prize 2017 and is more than worthy of the prize.’ * Dagens Nyheter (Sweden) *

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Book Synopsis Chosen as a Book of the Year by Sebastian Barry, Martina Devlin and Peter Cunningham Winner of the Prix Gens de Mer, 2022 Hector and Bolivar set sail from their South American fishing village on what they believe to be a routine expedition. But then a devastating storm casts them adrift in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. With no means of contacting the outside world and no sign of rescue, their only hope lies with one another. Both men must confront the truth about themselves, and the regrets that they have spent a lifetime trying to forget, if they are to survive. Part gripping story of resilience, part fearless existential parable, Beyond the Sea is a meditation on what it means to be human, in a world that pushes us to the brink. Trade Review'Lynch demonstrates a control over his ideas that comes from a pure lyrical telling, a speech act that, if you let it, will take you anywhere. Beyond the Sea is frightening but beautiful.' Guardian'[Lynch’s] novels are artistic creations…this absorbing book is an evocative one… His fourth novel has echoes of Melville, Dostoyevsky and William Golding…But the literary work it most invokes is Coleridge’s The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.' The Sunday Times'Such an aching sense of spaciousness feels in the spirit of its exotic setting, of Latin American sensualists such as Paulo Coelho or Pablo Neruda, or the deep eastern wisdoms of Hermann Hesse... Beyond the Sea deserves a special place in Lynch's increasingly fascinating and diverse catalogue.' Irish Independent'Lynch has mastered the art of capturing his characters' anguish, and there is an enigmatic lyricism to his storytelling… The story is fantastically written, a truly magnificent portrayal of the gritty battle between despair and hope.' RTE'A lucid, lyrical tale of two lost men… The language attains a poetic intensity that is unusual and well earned.' Irish Times'Paul Lynch won the Irish Novel of the Year 2018 for Grace, a lushly lyrical adventure story set in Famine-era Ireland. His follow-up...[is] a short but absorbing tale of the lengths to which people go to avoid admitting who they really are.' Metro'Masterly.' Sebastian Barry, author of Days Without End'I finished this exquisite, meticulous, powerful novel...this afternoon. A fisherman and a youth adrift on the Pacific in a fishing boat. Nothing & everything happens, often at the same time. And what a stylist.' David Mitchell, author of Cloud Atlas'Brutal and poetic... Alive with elegance and insight.' TLS'Blew me away...a beautifully written and tightly controlled novel about the human spirit and what happens when it is pushed to the limit.' Christine Dwyer Hickey, author of The Narrow Land'[This] stark, mesmerizing book reads like an existential argument between [life's] irreconcilable truths, a Beckett play bobbing in the open water...this fine book contains multitudes of experience.' Wall Street Journal'The writing is vivid…conveying the claustrophobic reality of confinement in a small vessel.' Irish Examiner'As good as anything I've read in recent memory.' Rob Doyle, author of Threshold'Richly imagined…[has] the timeless aura and allegorical undertones of an ancient Greek myth…This is a book that will leave you feeling thoroughly wrung out by the final page, but also happy to be alive.' The Scotsman'Combining the sensibilities of a Joseph Conrad or a Cormac McCarthy with the poetic intensity of an Emily Dickinson, this rich, raw, and powerful seascape by Paul Lynch throws the sea’s storms and the sea’s light into the darkest corners of human consciousness. An astonishing achievement.' Jane Urquhart, author of The Night Stages'Lynch manages to transform a news story into a universal tale of friendship and endurance and love... Beyond the Sea is elemental. It is a story sliced to the bone. It compels the reader to look unblinkingly at matters of life and death, at the heart of what it means to be fully human.' New York Journal of Books'A powerful, heart-breaking story of friendship forged in the most extreme conditions. With its echoes of Greek myth, it yields up those small moments of grace that are deeply transformative.' Mary Costello, author of Academy Street'A novelist with the eye and the ear and the heart of an absolute master. Paul Lynch is peerless.' Donal Ryan, author of From a Low and Quiet Sea'Thrillingly stripped-back prose composed of simple, declarative sentences...viscerally captures Bolivar's physical and spiritual transformation.' The Australian'Paul Lynch is one of our greatest writers, and Beyond the Sea is his best work yet. A sublime, elemental, fever dream of a novel that constantly tests us, tempts us, and guides us.' Paul Yoon, author of Run Me to Earth'With echoes of Camus, McCarthy, Hemingway, and Coleridge...the author of Grace (my favourite novel of 2017) presents a harrowing, yet redemptive tale of spiritual purgation delivered with poetic and deeply evocative prose.' Readings (Australia)

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Book SynopsisIn exhilarating and lucid prose, Grossman gives us a provocative new take on the story of Samson: his battle with the lion, the three hundred burning foxes, the women he bedded, the one he loved and who betrayed him and the destruction of the temple. It reveals the journey of a lonely and tortured soul, whose search for a true home echoes our own private struggles.The Myths series brings together some of the world's finest writers, each of whom has retold a myth in a contemporary and memorable way. Authors in the series include Karen Armstrong, Margaret Atwood, A.S. Byatt, David Grossman, Natsuo Kirino, Alexander McCall Smith, Philip Pullman, Ali Smith and Jeanette Winterson.Trade ReviewExtraordinary, ground-breaking, empowering * * Guardian * *A master of the emotionally accurate and significant. His characters don't so much lie on the page as rise before the reader's eyes -- Yann MartelA writer of passionate honesty, unafraid to ask terrible questions -- Nadine GordimerOne of contemporary literature's most versatile and absorbing writers * * San Francisco Chronicle * *A writer who has been one of the most original and talented not only in his own country but anywhere * * New York Times Book Review * *

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Book SynopsisTwo boys venture from their village to hunt in a nearby forest, where they shoot down bats with glee, and cook their prey over an open fire. Within a month, they are dead, bodies ravaged by an insidious disease that neither the local healer's potions nor the medical team's treatments could cure. Compounding the family's grief, experts warn against touching the sick. But this caution comes too late: the virus spreads rapidly, and the boys' father is barely able to send his eldest daughter away for a chance at survival.Trade ReviewA powerful poetic ode to life in a country of ancient customs, ravaged by death..A magnificent and essential text' Le Figaro;'A powerful poetic ode to life in a country of ancient customs, ravaged by death. A magnificent and essential text' Le Figaro; '[Tadjo] intertwines facts, well-known songs, legends, poems, fictionalized testimonials, and documentary prose in the stirring orality of this novel to give voice to the humanitarian disaster.Realistic, painterly and poetic, the impeccably structured polyvocal novel registers the urgency, despair, commitment, dedication and solidarity that Ebola provokes and leaves one shivering' World Literature Today

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Book SynopsisIn a rustic, idyllic English village, on a summer’s day, in the midst of a carefree tennis party, a fragile, needy child, left too much on her own, vanishes from her family’s front garden. Years pass and the mystery persists: an enduring torment for the teenage Christine Gray, the last person to see Vivian alive. Perhaps if she’d shown the girl a little kindness, and seen her safely home, Vivian might still be with them? Yet when someone claiming to be a grown-up Vivian returns to the land of the living, the enigma seems only to deepen, threatening to consume the wicked and innocent alike. Equal parts The Turn of the Screw, Picnic at Hanging Rock, and gothic thriller, Twice Lost was admired by such authors as Elizabeth Bowen, Rebecca West, and John Cowper Powys—yet the strange, haunting novels of Phyllis Paul are themselves a mystery with no simple solution. Virtually lost to time even before her death, her novels have been out of print for more than fifty years, and fetch fantastic prices in the rare book trade.

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Book SynopsisText in Arabic. A group of disparate individuals, two of whom are Palestinian adolescents who have lost their legs in Israeli bomb strikes, is preparing to summit Mount Kilimanjaro. They have nothing and everything in common. Hailing from Palestine, Lebanon, Egypt and America, the characters test the limits of their physical and emotional strengths to prove to themselves that they can transcend their strife-ridden histories and accomplish the unexpected. Nasrallahs work is a page-turning, nail-biting tale of adventure, as well as an ode to the resilience of the human spirit.

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Book Synopsis Sunday Times bestselling author Nora Roberts returns with a brand new standalone novel - a story about the power of love to light a way through the darkness''If you''re after the perfect pick-me-up, take-me-away-from-the-world read, then she''s your woman''The Guardian When he was nine, and his mother had her first deadly dance with cancer, Harry became a thief. Someone had to find food and pay the mortgage even if his mother was too sick to work. When his mother finally succumbs to cancer, Harry leaves Chicago but somehow he can''t quite leave all of his past behind.Harry lives a quiet, careful, rootless life - he can''t afford to attract attention or get attached - until he meets Miranda. But just when Harry thinks he has a chance at happiness his old life comes back to haunt him. Harry has had dealings with some bad people in his past but none more dangerous than Carter LaPorte and Harry is forced to ru

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Book SynopsisThe Tree of Ecstasy and Unbearable Sadness is a masterful allegorical tale for the 21st century, weaving together the worlds of literature, music and visual art in the poignant story of one boy's journey into mental illness.

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