Contemporary Fiction Books

Book Synopsis''This book is the perfect dose of sweet, hilarious joy. It''s masterful comedy plus tenderness, unique voice plus rich characters. Nicholas! Swoon! We are in love'' bestselling author Christina Lauren _____________Meet Naomi and Nicholas: the Perfect Couple. Their glorious, lavish wedding is coming up in three short months . . . and they are utterly, miserably sick of each other.Unfortunately, whoever backs out first will end up bearing the brunt of the wedding bill. When Naomi finds out that Nicholas has been feigning contentment too, the two of them go head-to-head in a battle of sabotage, pranks, and all-out emotional warfare to see who can annoy the other into surrendering first. Now that they have nothing to lose, they''re finally being themselves. In fact, they''re having so much fun getting on each other''s nerves that it starts to feel like something else entirelTrade ReviewThis book is the perfect dose of sweet, hilarious joy. It's masterful comedy plus tenderness, unique voice plus rich characters. Nicholas! Swoon! We are in love -- New York Times bestselling author Christina LaurenLaugh-out-loud funny and heartfelt, You Deserve Each Other is one of my favourite books of the yearYou Deserve Each Other is an achingly sweet and laugh-out-loud funny story about how the road to happily ever after is rarely a straight, smooth ride. Anyone who has ever been in a relationship will recognize a part of themselves in this book. Packed with emotion, humor, and sexy tension, this book is a welcome punch straight in the feels -- Lyssa Kay Adams, author of The Bromance Book ClubA sharp and witty look at how relationships take work to succeed, and how being true to yourself and each other is at the very core of a romantic connection. Earthy, authentic, and laugh-out-loud funny. I read this in one sitting. A refreshing and unputdownable debut! -- Samantha Young, New York Times bestselling author of Fight or FlightA snarky heroine, wickedly funny banter and a cast of quirky characters make this a laugh-out-loud read -- Maisey Yates, New York Times bestselling author of Secrets from a Happy MarriageI could not get enough of this fresh, insightful, and totally hilarious book! Sarah Hogle is a master of comedic dialogue and sexual tension; she had me rooting for Naomi and Nicholas from the very first page -- Kristin Rockaway, author of How to Hack a HeartbreakLaugh-out-loud funny and a love story with incredible heart. I absolutely loved You Deserve Each Other -- Katie McGarry, critically acclaimed author of Pushing the LimitsDeliciously wicked [and] truly hysterical. Naomi especially is laugh-out-loud funny * NPR *[A] hilarious debut romance . . . rewards readers with laugh-out-loud moments and a satisfyingly sweet and redeeming ending * Booklist *

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Book SynopsisCommander Sam Vimes of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch had it all.But now he's back in his own rough, tough past without even the clothes he was standing up in when the lightning struck...Living in the past is hard.Trade Review“He is a satirist of enormous talent . . . His jokes slide under your skin as swiftly as a hypodermic syringe, leaving you giggling helplessly.”—The Times

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Book SynopsisOne book. Two readers. A world of mystery, menace and desireA young woman picks up a book left behind by a stranger. Inside it are his margin notes, which reveal a reader entranced by the story and by its mysterious author. She responds with notes of her own, leaving the book for the stranger, and so begins an unlikely conversation that plunges them both into the unknown. THE BOOK: Ship of Theseus, the final novel by a prolific but enigmatic writer named V. M. Straka, in which a man with no past is shanghaied onto a strange ship with a monstrous crew and launched on a disorienting and perilous journey.THE WRITER: Straka, the incendiary and secretive subject of one of the world''s greatest mysteries, a revolutionary about whom the world knows nothing apart from the words he wrote and the rumours that swirl around him. THE READERS: Jennifer and Eric, a college senior and a disgraced grad student, both facing crucial deTrade ReviewFilled with secrets and stories that are endlessly beguiling and inviting * * Wired * *S. is at the heart of Abrams' aesthetic vision ... Not only do we get a novel, Ship of Theseus, purportedly by a "VM Straka" - about a man shanghaied onto a mysterious boat with a demonic crew - the copy in the reader's hand is heavily annotated by two other readers, Jennifer and Eric, who are attempting to make sense of the text and themselves, as well as the enigmatic figure of Straka himself. Interleaved into it are countless pieces of ephemera: postcards, telegrams, a map scribbled on a napkin from the Pronghorn Java coffee shop ... S., in its elegant slipcase, is the mystery box that can be opened without dispelling its mystery. It is as much of a love letter to the form as Super 8 was a homage to the films of Spielberg -- Stuart Kelly * * Guardian * *It genuinely feels as if you, as the reader, have stumbled on a literary relic, the sole copy of a twisted conspiracy . . . that sense of wonder that has driven Abrams' entire career is found on every page of S. * * Scotland on Sunday * *Genuinely awe-inspiring * * Independent * *S. is not a normal book * * New York Times * *What we have is a new kind of book which is, in essence, a very old kind of book. As they say in Abrams' Hollywood, it's so crazy it just might work * * Financial Times * *A book you long to share with others * * Metro * *Astonishing -- Mark Lawson, BBC Front RowMultilayered wonder * * Evening Standard * *

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Book Synopsis*Join Harry Potter on the magical journey of a lifetime in the seventh and final book in J.K. Rowling's multi-award-winning series.As he climbs into the sidecar of Hagrid's motorbike and takes to the skies, leaving Privet Drive for the last time, Harry Potter knows that Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters are not far behind. The protective charm that has kept Harry safe until now is broken, but he cannot keep hiding. The Dark Lord is breathing fear into everything Harry loves, and to stop him Harry will have to find and destroy the remaining Horcruxes. The final battle must begin Harry must stand and face his enemy.J.K. Rowling's internationally bestselling Harry Potter books continue to captivate new generations of readers. Harry's seventh adventure alongside his friends, Ron and Hermione, invites you to explore even more of the wizarding world; from the tombstones of Godric's Hollow to the sweeping grandeur of Malfoy Manor. This gorgeous hardback edition feTrade ReviewI’ve yet to meet a ten-year-old who hasn’t been entranced by its witty, complex plot and the character of the eponymous Harry * Independent *Spellbinding, enchanting, bewitching stuff * Mirror *Teachers say a chapter can silence the most rowdy of classes * Guardian *One of the greatest literary adventures of modern times * Sunday Telegraph *The Harry Potter stories will join that small group of children’s books which are read and reread into adulthood * TLS *

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Book SynopsisFourteen-year-old March Wong knows everything there is to know about trees. They are his passion and his obsession, even after his recent falls—and despite the state’s threat to take him away from his mother if she can’t keep him from getting hurt. But the young autistic boy cannot resist the captivating pull of the Pacific Northwest’s lush forests just outside his back door. One day, March is devastated to learn that the Eagle Tree—a monolithic Ponderosa Pine near his home in Olympia—is slated to be cut down by developers. Now, he will do anything in his power to save this beloved tree, including enlisting unlikely support from relatives, classmates, and even his bitter neighbor. In taking a stand, March will come face-to-face with some frightening possibilities: Even if he manages to save the Eagle Tree, is he risking himself and his mother to do it? Intertwining themes of humanity and ecology, The Eagle Tree eloquently explores what it means to be part of a family, a society, and the natural world that surrounds and connects us. Revised edition: This edition of The Eagle Tree includes editorial revisions.Trade Review“Every human experience is unique, but The Eagle Tree provides insight into one distinctive and uniquely important perspective. The descriptions in climbing the Eagle Tree gets deep into the mathematical pattern—based sensory world of a person with autism. The experience of navigating a tree climb is described in detail with mathematical and sensory detail that seems very authentic to me.” —Temple Grandin, Ph.D., author of Thinking in Pictures and Emergence: Labeled Autistic “The Eagle Tree is a gorgeously written novel that features one of the most accurate, finely drawn, and memorable autistic protagonists in literature. The hero of the book is like a fourteen-year-old Walt Whitman with autism, seeking communion with the ancient magnificent beings that tower over the landscape around Olympia, Washington. Ned Hayes plays with the conventions of the unreliable narrator so that you end up feeling like March is a very reliable narrator of glorious and terrifying aspects of the world that neurotypicals can’t see. Credible, authentic, powerful. A must-read.” —Steve Silberman, author of NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity and winner of the Samuel Johnson Prize for non-fiction. “A wonderful read! To say that the narrator’s mind is unusual would not be correct. His mind is simply and marvelously unique like yours and mine. Or rather, like yours and mine could be if we lifted the eyes of our hope to the crowns of trees and listened to the voice of our neglected spirit. The Eagle Tree will remind of the beauty and truth you may have forgotten.” —Francisco X. Stork, award-winning author of Marcelo in the Real World “The Eagle Tree portrays a teenager that is believable and lovable. March, the main character, is a living, breathing person with significant challenges who is so realistic I feel I know him. I have not enjoyed an autistic novel as much since The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time. The Eagle Tree’s beautifully written narrator is a real joy—March Wong is an unexpected leader, who remains true to himself and prevails. The Eagle Tree will leave an indelible mark on your heart.” —Susan Senator, New York Times featured author of Making Peace with Autism and Autism Adulthood

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Book SynopsisThe latest instalment of the GLOBAL PHENOMENON and TikTok sensation, from multi-million and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas Maas has established herself as a fantasy fiction titan - Time Think Game of Thrones meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer with a drizzle of E.L. James – Telegraph Spiced with slick plotting and atmospheric world-building ... a page-turning delight – Guardian Sarah J. Maas does not disappoint … To be devoured with relish – Mail ****** Sarah J. Maas’s sexy, richly imagined A Court of Thorns and Roses series continues with the journey of Feyre’s fiery sister, Nesta... Nesta Archeron has always been prickly – proud, swift to anger and slow to forgive. And since the war – since being made High Fae against her will – she’s struggled to forget the horrors she endured and find a place for herself within the strange and deadly Night Court. The person who ignites her temper more than any other is Cassian, the battle-scarred, winged warrior who is there at Nesta’s every turn. But her temper isn’t the only thing Cassian ignites. And when they are forced to train in battle together, sparks become flame. As the threat of war casts its shadow over them once again, Nesta and Cassian must fight monsters from within and without if they are to stand a chance of halting the enemies of their court. But the ultimate risk will be searching for acceptance – and healing – in each other’s arms. ___________________________ Sarah J. Maas's books have sold millions of copies and been translated into 38 languages. Discover the sweeping romantic fantasy that everyone's talking about for yourself.Trade ReviewWith bits of Buffy, Game Of Thrones and Outlander, this is a glorious series of total joy * Stylist *A Court of Silver Flames earns its adult label with a shimmering erotic romance that probes vulnerability and grief. It's a viciously vibrant epic, determined to remind us why forgiveness is the bravest act of all. * Entertainment Weekly *A deliciously badass rivals-to-lovers romance that nearly singed my fingers. Intensely emotional, wildly sexy, and absolutely unputdownable * Sarah MacLean, New York Times bestselling author of Daring and the Duke *Like Stephen King, Nora Roberts, Rick Riordan, and other masters, Maas transcends her genre, becoming foundational to every bookshelf. No longer do people ask whether someone has read her; they ask which book started it all for them. * Christina Lauren, bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners *Thrilling * Hello on A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES *Passionate, violent, sexy and daring ... A true page-turner * USA Today on A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES *Suspense, romance, intrigue and action. This is not a book to be missed! * HuffPost on A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES *Fiercely romantic, irresistibly sexy and hypnotically magical. A veritable feast for the senses * USA Today on A COURT OF MIST AND FURY *Sexual tension and deadly action * Kirkus Reviews on A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES *Vicious and intoxicating ... A dazzling world, complex characters, and sizzling romance * RT Book Reviews on A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES *Darkly sexy and thrilling * Bustle on A COURT OF MIST AND FURY *Fast-paced and explosively action-packed * Booklist on A COURT OF WINGS AND RUIN *The plot manages to seduce you with its alluring characters, irresistible world and never-ending action, leaving you craving more * RT Book Reviews on A COURT OF WINGS AND RUIN *

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Book SynopsisSecrets of Lostmor is the captivating story of a crumbling estate in the wilds of Cornwall and an enduring mystery that encompasses love, murder and revenge.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisJohn O'Farrell's first book Things Can Only Get Better about his years spent helping the Labour Party lose elections at every level was a number one best-seller. Two decades later he published the sequel Things Can Only Get Worse. In between his two comic memoirs, he published five novels, including The Best A Man Can Get, May Contain Nuts and The Man Who Forgot His Wife; two funny history books (An Utterly Impartial History of Britain and its sequel) plus three collections of his satirical columns from The Guardian.His books have been translated into over thirty languages and adapted for TV and radio. Formerly a comedy scriptwriter for shows such as Spitting Image and Have I Got News For You, he more recently co-wrote the movie Chicken Run 2, the Broadway musicals Something Rotten! and Mrs Doubtfire and the forthcoming Just For One Day - The Story of Live Aid, which opens at the Old Vic in 2024.

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Book SynopsisAn absolutely addictive psychological thriller with a jaw-dropping twistLove they neighbour. Fear they neighbour. I thought moving to this quiet cul-de-sac was the fresh start my husband and I needed, escaping the noise of our cramped flat in Hounslow. I left India and all that was familiar for a new life with him in England. But my husband works all hours, leaving me alone in a house that doesn't feel like a home. Our neighbours notice the bruises on my arms. They draw the obvious conclusions. Theyseem kind, but they're hiding something. I just can't shake the feeling that someone is always watching me . . . waiting. My husband's working late. Again. That's when I see it. A face pressed to the glass...a

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Book SynopsisFrom the author of the New York Times bestseller The Mothers, a powerful new novel about the parallel lives of estranged twin sisters who choose to live in two very different worlds - one black and one white.Trade ReviewBennett's gorgeously written second novel, an ambitious meditation on race and identity, considers the divergent fates of twin sisters, born in the Jim Crow South, after one decides to pass for white. Bennett balances the literary demands of dynamic characterization with the historical and social realities of her subject matter * New York Times *Bennett balances the literary demands of dynamic characterization with the historical and social realities of her subject matter. . . there is such depth, possibility and dramatic propulsion . . a brave foray into vast and difficult terrain. . . .The novel raises thorny questions about the cost of blackness. The answers are complicated * New York Times Book Review *Stunning . . . Bennett pulls it off brilliantly . . . Few novels manage to remain interesting from start to finish, even - maybe especially - the brilliant ones. But . . . Bennett locks readers in and never lets them go * Los Angeles Times *Deeply compelling . . . brilliantly creates a network of characters - singular and vivid . . . There are moments . . . that stun with quiet power . . . The Vanishing Half more than succeeds as a beautifully imagined story about an American family * USA Today *

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Book SynopsisHermann Hesse was born in Calw, Württemburg in 1877. In 1919, as a protest against German militarism in the First World War, Hesse moved to Switzerland where he lived in self-imposed exile until his death at the age of eighty-five in 1962. His major works include Steppenwolf, Siddharta and Narcissus and Goldmund. Hesse worked on his magnum opus, The Glass Bead Game, for twelve years. This novel was specifically cited when he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1946. Hesse died in 1962.Trade ReviewOne of the truly important books of the century, in any language * The Times *Sublime -- Thomas MannA massive novel set out to explore the positive side of human nature, the fullness of man's capacity as a thinker and as a prober into scared mysteries...Touching and impressive * Observer *

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Book Synopsis 'Jennifer Makumbi is a genius storyteller.' Reni Eddo-Lodge An intoxicating mix of Ugandan folklore and modern feminism, from a multi-award-winning author As Kirabo enters her teens, questions begin to gnaw at her – questions which the adults in her life will do anything to ignore. Where is the mother she has never known? And why would she choose to leave her daughter behind? Inquisitive, headstrong, and unwilling to take no for an answer, Kirabo sets out to find the truth for herself. Her search will take her away from the safety of her prosperous Ugandan family, plunging her into a very different world of magic, tradition, and the haunting legend of 'The First Woman'. 'In Jennifer Makumbi, we have a giant of literature living among us.' Peter Kalu, Jhalak Prize Judge A SUNDAY TIMES, OBSERVER, DAILY MAIL, BBC CULTURE & IRISH INDEPENDENT BOOK OF THE YEAR Trade Review'The First Woman by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi is the feminist coming-of-age story we've been waiting for. With the timeless quality of a story shared from lips to ears, this novel is a page-turner and a mind-blower.' Tayari Jones, author or An American Marriage‘Ugandan literature can boast of an international superstar in Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi.’ Economist'The genius of this novel is in its subtlety: home truths about the treatment of women throughout history are hidden like gems within the utterly engaging tale of a single girl... So, I’m calling it now: The First Woman will soon be considered a coming-of-age classic. And rightly so.' Stylist'Makumbi balances heartbreak with humour… The novel is also a discourse on power (whether political, social or sexual), but executed with a beautifully light touch.' Daily Telegraph'A beautiful coming-of-age story...steeped in folklore and feminism, rebellion and longing.' Evening Standard'Fantastic... Packed with passion and drama — and in possession of sharp political elbows — The First Woman finally becomes a moving and resonant celebration of sisterhood.' Daily Mail'A novel bursting with resilience and warmth... Mixing the mythic and the modern, happily ignoring formal neatness to encompass Uganda's miscellaneousness, it's an enthralling achievement.' The Sunday Times'At turns rapturous and devastating... Makumbi's writing uplifts and inspires, evoking the grand tradition of folklore and stories passed down, one woman to the next.' Refinery29'Superb. An intoxicating tale that combines mythic and modern elements to make the headiest of feminist brews.' Irenosen Okojie, author of Nudibranch 'A powerful coming-of-age tale… Kirabo is a fantastic character – headstrong and curious – and the way Ugandan myths are woven through the story is mesmerising.' Good Housekeeping'Kirabo's odyssey makes for a riveting, exuberant novel, a coming-of-age like no other.' O, The Oprah Magazine, 'Best Books of 2020''Joyful and intimate... Makumbi revels in the female perspective of this unusual, richly detailed coming-of-age story.' Times Literary Supplement'Captivating, wise, humorous and tender: Makumbi has come back stronger than ever... A riveting read.' Maaza Mengiste, author of The Shadow King'A lively, engaging read... Its energy derives from its considerable wit and the charm of its central character.' Guardian'The First Woman is a wonder... Clear, vivid, moving, powerful, and captivatingly unpredictable... With wry wisdom, great humour, and deep complexity, Makumbi has created a feminist coming-of-age classic for the ages.' Namwali Serpell, author of The Old Drift'Bursting with resilient humour, the novel is as engaging as it is informative.' The Times, 'Best Books of 2020''Makumbi's prose is irresistible and poignant, with remarkable wit, heart and charm... The First Woman rewards the reader with one of the most outstanding heroines.' New York Times

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Book Synopsis**Order the paperback of Bella Mackie''s latest hilarious novel, WHAT A WAY TO GO, now**THE #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERI loved this book' RICHARD OSMANFunny, sharp, dark and twisted' JOJO MOYESChilling, but also laugh-out-loud funny. Another corker' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH?They say you can't choose your family. But you can kill themMeet Grace Bernard.Daughter, sister, serial killer.Grace has lost everything.And she will stop at nothing to get revenge.-Chilling, but also laugh-out-loud funny. Another corker' SUNDAY TELEGRAPHI've struggled to recover my reading mojo since lockdown. This turned out to be the thing that sparked it back to life Funny, sharp, dark and twisted, Grace is a character I found myself rooting for even as she committed the most vile misdeeds' JOJO MOYESDeliciously addictivebrilliantly executed' i PAPERAddictive Grace Bernard is one of the most intriguing and bewitching protagonists I''ve read in years' EMMA GANNONA funny, compulsive read about family dysfunction and the media's obsession with murder' SUNDAY TIMES STYLEHilarious and dark' ELLEIronic twists and caustic commentary on everything from liberal guilt to the consumerist con that is selfcare sharpen this debut novel' OBSERVERBrilliantly tongue-in-cheek stuff from the Vogue columnist' IRISH INDEPENDENTWitty, waspish satire of a murderer with no regrets' GRAZIAOriginal, funny, unique and such a refreshing read' PRIMAA deliciously dark debut novel' REDOne very entertaining read' WOMAN'S WAY

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Book SynopsisFather Sebastian Urrutia Lacroix is dying.A priest, a member of Opus Dei, a literary critic and a poet, in his feverish delirium the crucial events of his past swell around him.From glimpses of the great poet Pablo Neruda, the German writer Ernst Junger and his one-time student, General Pinochet, to nightmarish flashes of falcons and falconers, the Chilean landscape and faces of those now dead, reality and imagination crowd and clamber in pursuit of the wizened youth' who still haunts Father Lacroix all these years later.TRANSLATED BY CHRIS ANDREWSThe wit, the horror, the ambition, the strangeness; Roberto Bolaño's work is a sprawling labyrinth of surprise, bold invention, and images that will live with you forever' Chris PowerFew are the writers who have mastered the alchemy of turning the trivial into the sublime, the everyday into adventure. Bolaño is among the best at this diabolical skill' Georgi Gospodinov, author of

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Book SynopsisA TIMES, INDEPENDENT, FINANCIAL TIMES, AND IRISH TIMES BOOK OF THE YEARSHORTLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR''A magnificent book.'' MIKE ATHERTON''Tender, atmospheric - and hopeful.'' iNEWS''A masterpiece.'' IRISH TIMES''Electrifying.'' GUARDIANFrom the author of The Damned Utd and Red or Dead, an extraordinary novel about Britain, sport and our collective past.February 6, 1958, British European Airways Flight 609 crashed on take-off at Munich Airport. On board were the young Manchester United team, the Busby Babes', and the journalists who followed them. Twenty-one of the passengers died instantly, four were left fighting for their lives while six more were critically injured.Munichs is the story of the crash and its aftermath, of those who survived and those who did not, of how Britain and football changed, and how it did not; a novel of tragedy, but also of hope.''Profound . . . A brilliant, brilliant book.'' DAVID WHITEHOUSELuminous and illuminating . . . completely gripping.'' ASHLEY HICKSON-LOVENCE''Powerful.'' TARIQ GODDARDReaders loved Munichs:A brilliant read that provokes so many emotions. Superbly captured the grief of a city and indeed a nation.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐A phenomenal read. It''s for everyone regardless of football allegiances - totally brilliant!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐A gripping and intense from beginning to end, evoking a profound sense of heartbreak. Powerful and moving.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Astonishing. The grief, the sadness, the guilt and the turmoil. It's all here. A brilliant read.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Book SynopsisTwo men. Twenty years of friendship. One love.''Lovely, funny, kind and truthful . . . I was expecting a simple will-they-won''t-they, but it''s wiser than that . . . challenging who we are, and why, and how we can change'' Russell T. Davies''A great eye-opening and heart-warming read'' Fabulous''A rich, funny, poignant and unflinchingly honest portrayal of friendship, love and everything in between'' Ruth Hogan---2002Danny arrives at Manchester University determined not to hide from the world any longer. This is the year his life will begin.He locks eyes with a handsome stranger across the hall at the Freshers'' Fair. It starts with a wink and soon Danny and Guy are best friends.2022Now, both single for the first time in years, Danny and Guy return to the confetti-covered streets of the Gay Village for Manchester Pride.After years of shared adventures an

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Book SynopsisWinner of the inaugural Booker Prize in 1969.It is 1956 and Townrow is in Port Said - of these two facts he's reasonably certain. In this disorientating world Townrow must assess the rules by which he has been living his life - to wonder whether he, too, may have something to answer for . .

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Book Synopsis*THE HEARTWARMING KOREAN BESTSELLER**A new book from Shanna Tan, translator of Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop*Situated at the heart of a rapidly gentrifying district of Seoul, the Yeonnam-dong Smiley Laundromat is a place where the extraordinary stories of ordinary residents unfold. It is already a haven of tranquility and reflection for locals, but when someone leaves a notebook behind, the laundromat becomes a place that brings people together. One by one, customers start jotting down candid diary entries, opening their hearts and inviting acts of kindness from neighbours who were once just faces in the crowd. But there is more to the diary than first appears, and before long the laundromat''s regulars are teaming up to solve a mystery and help the notebook''s former owner find peace. A heartwarming, healing debut that instantly captured the hearts of Korean readers, this is a novel about the preciousness of human relationships and the power of solidarity in a world that is increasingly cold, fast-paced and virtual.Readers love this cosy, slice-of-life K-drama:"Talk to someone. Help someone. Do a good deed. If this book doesn''t inspire you, nothing will. A true testament to the power of books.""This is a wonderfully comforting read, and one that makes you truly believe in the goodness of others""Very similar to Before The Coffee Gets Cold or The Kamogawa Food Detectives. So if that''s your vibe, you''ll enjoy this one too!"Translated from the Korean by Shanna Tan

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Book SynopsisPatrick Süskind''s Perfume is a classic novel of death and sensuality in Paris, published as a Penguin Essential for the first time. ''In eighteenth-century France there lived a man who was one of the most gifted and abominable personages in an era that knew no lack of gifted and abominable personages. His name was Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, and if his name has been forgotten today, it is certainly not because Grenouille fell short of those more famous blackguards when it came to arrogance, misanthropy, immorality, or, more succinctly, wickedness, but because his gifts and his sole ambition were restricted to a domain that leaves no traces in history: to the fleeting realm of scent . . .''''An astonishing tour de force both in concept and execution'' Guardian''A fantastic tale of murder and twisted eroticism controlled by a disgusted loathing of humanity ... Clever, stylish, absorbing and well worth reading'' Literary Review''A meditation on the nature of death, desire and decay ... a remarkable début'' Peter Ackroyd, The New York Times Book Review''Unlike anything else one has read. A phenomenon ... Everyone seems to want to get a whiff of this strange perfume, which will remain unique in contemporary literature'' Figaro''An ingenious and totally absorbing fantasy'' Daily Telegraph''Witty, stylish and ferociously absorbing'' Observer

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Book Synopsis''The morning became a long, drawn-out afternoon that became depthless night dawning innocently through the house''Tales of desire and madness from this giant of Brazilian literature.Penguin Modern: fifty new books celebrating the pioneering spirit of the iconic Penguin Modern Classics series, with each one offering a concentrated hit of its contemporary, international flavour. Here are authors ranging from Kathy Acker to James Baldwin, Truman Capote to Stanislaw Lem and George Orwell to Shirley Jackson; essays radical and inspiring; poems moving and disturbing; stories surreal and fabulous; taking us from the deep South to modern Japan, New York''s underground scene to the farthest reaches of outer space.

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Book SynopsisFearless, frank and very funny, Honeybee is the must-read book of the summer

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Book SynopsisDo you fondly remember messaging your crush on MSN after school?Miss those shoes that never recovered from the sticky floors of your hometown nightclub?And can''t stand your spare-room housemate after lockdown?!Then escape with this year''s most feel-good read!_______''THE YEAR''S MOST ORIGINAL ROMCOM'' ELLE''David Nicholls for millennials'' i''Made me smile, laugh, cringe and inwardly cheer'' 5***** READER REVIEW''Found myself wincing and laughing with familiarity'' EMMA GANNON''Hilarious'' Evening Standard, ''Best New Books in 2021''''Funny and compelling from page one!'' LUCY VINE_______ Ellen and Alexa have survived hangovers, dodgy landlords and most of their twenties together.But can they survive this?While nursing The Hangover from Hell, a flooded kitchen leads best friends Ell

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Book SynopsisFrom the critically acclaimed author of CECILY comes an intimate and gripping novel perfect for fans of Hilary Mantel, Madeline Miller and Maggie O'Farrell.''A triumph'' The Times''Electrifying'' Daily Mail''History at its most powerful'' Jennifer Saint1461. Through blood and battle Edward has gained England's throne king by right and conquest eighteen years old and unstoppable. Cecily has piloted his rise to power and stands at his shoulder now, first to claim the title King's Mother.But to win a throne is not to keep it and war is come again. As brother betrays brother, and trusted cousins turn treacherous, other mothers rise up to fight for other sons. Cecily must focus her will to defeat every challenge. Wherever they come from. Whatever the cost.For there can be only one King, and only one King's Mother.From the Wars of the Roses to the dawn of the Tudor age, this

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Book SynopsisPAULA HAWKINS worked as a journalist for fifteen years before turning her hand to fiction. Born and brought up in Zimbabwe, Paula moved to London in 1989 and has lived there ever since. Her first thriller, The Girl on the Train, has been a global phenomenon, selling 23 million copies worldwide. Published in over forty languages, it has been a No.1 bestseller around the world and was a No.1 box office hit film starring Emily Blunt.Into the Water, her second stand-alone thriller, has also been a global No.1 bestseller, spending twenty weeks in the Sunday Times hardback fiction Top 10 bestseller list, and six weeks at No.1.Trade ReviewReally great suspense novel. Kept me up most of the night. The alcoholic narrator is dead perfect. * STEPHEN KING *The thriller scene will have to up its game if it's to match Hawkins this year * Observer *A complex and increasingly chilling tale courtesy of a number of first-person narratives that will wrong-foot even the most experienced of crime fiction readers * Irish Times *achieves a sinister poetry . . . Hawkins keeps the nastiest twist for last * Financial Times *Hawkins' masterful deployment of unwittingly unreliable narration to evoke the aftershocks of abuse and trauma is a powerful way of exploring women's marginalization * Huffington Post *

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Book SynopsisA terrifyingly plausible vision.Trade Review'Breathtaking ... It is so flawlessly written that every one of its events seems chillingly, ominously possible' Anne Tyler, New York Times Book Review 'If one were never to read any other literature about South Africa, Gordimer's work would be enough ... As a literary keeper of records, she has no peer' Sunday Times 'Nadine Gordimer is the real thing: by which I mean a true writer of graphic power, palpitating sensibility, and high and persistent emotional voltage' Observer

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Book SynopsisA beautiful hardback edition of the classic Discworld novelThey say that diplomacy is a gentle art. A few days ago Sam Vimes was a copper – an important copper, true – chief of police – but still, at his core, a policeman. But today he is an ambassador - to the mysterious, fat-rich country of Uberwald.Trade ReviewPrecisely balanced...excellent set pieces...a cracking comic thriller—The Times

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Book SynopsisTwenty-five-year-old Anthony Patch appears to have it all: a Harvard education, an apartment in New York City, memberships at all of the best clubs, and a generous trust fund to draw from.

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Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author of The Vanishing Tide comes a haunting novel about the secrets we keep to protect ourselvesand those we love. Twenty years ago, during a family holiday on the savage and remote island of Little Auger, eleven-year-old Hazel left her bed and was never seen again. The unanswered questions surrounding Hazel's disappearance tore three families apart and the girls left behind all experience their own terrible guilt. Roz, because she broke a promise; Catrin, because it was her idea; and Nina, who slept through it all. Their friendship never recovers and all three women go on to lead vastly different lives. Twenty years later, they each receive a phone call from Stella Cox, a true-crime podcaster, who has unearthed new evidence about Hazel's disappearance. There is no doubt Stella has found something important but the question is, how can the womenonce best friends, now strangerstrust her, or each other?Will their return to the island finally reveal the truth, and if it does, is it something any of them are prepared to learn?

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Book Synopsis'Probably the greatest novel of the century' Observer'Remarkable' William BoydLanark, a modern vision of hell, is set in the disintegrating cities of Unthank and Glasgow, and tells the interwoven stories of Lanark and Duncan Thaw. A work of extraordinary imagination and wide range, its playful narrative techniques convey a profound message, both personal and political, about humankind's inability to love, and yet our compulsion to go on trying.First published in 1981, Lanark immediately established Gray as one of Britain's leading writers.Trade ReviewI was absolutely knocked out by Lanark. I think it's the best in Scottish literature this century -- Iain BanksProbably the greatest novel of the century . . . it marked the beginning of a new era -- James Campbell * * Observer * *It was time Scotland produced a shattering work of fiction in the modern idiom. This is it . . . [Gray is] the best Scottish novelist since Sir Walter Scott -- Anthony BurgessWhen dawn comes up and retires in dismay, we find ourselves in the presence of an overpowering surreal imagination. A saga of a city where reality is about as reliable as a Salvador Dali watch -- Brian AldissA quite extraordinary achievement, the most remarkable thing in Scottish fiction for a very long time. It has changed the landscape -- Allan Massie * * The Scotsman * *Undoubtedly the best work of fiction written by a Scottish author for decades * * Time Out * *Remarkable. . . Lanark is a work of loving and vivid imagination, yielding copious riches -- William Boyd * * Times Literary Supplement * *From a lesser writer, stygian darkness and baroque structure might see off a mass audience and reduce a book to cult status. In Gray's hands, the simple, direct prose found him a wide readership. * * The Times * *Lanark, the first novel and arguably the masterpiece of [Gray] gouges a dwelling place in your imagination and leaves it forever altered . . . Knocks the socks off almost everything written on this little island in the past fifty years . . . It increases the scope of fiction's possibilities * * Independent * *A phantasmagorical mixture of realism and fantasy * * The List * *In some ways it's even more relevant today. It's such an elaborate work of both fantasy and political satire, a sort of Gulliver's Travels for 20th Century Scotland * * Scotland on Sunday * *

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE RATHBONES FOLIO PRIZE 'This short novel will live on in your imagination long after you read the last page' Claire Messud When Cy Bellman, American settler and widowed father of ten-year-old Bess, reads in the newspaper that huge ancient bones have been discovered in a Kentucky swamp, he leaves his small Pennsylvania farm and daughter to find out if the rumours are true: that the giant monsters are still alive, and roam the uncharted wilderness beyond the Mississippi River. West is the extraordinary story of a quest for a myth, of Bellman's journey into the unknown and of Bess, waiting at home for her father to return, facing monsters of her own. It is an eerie and timeless epic-in-miniature. 'One of the best books I've read this year... It's a book you can read in a day and that will resonate all year long in your head' Sunday Times 'Carys Davies is a deft, audacious visionary... Twisting the heart as few others can...' Téa Obreht, author of The Tiger's WifeTrade ReviewOne of the most haunting and beautifully crafted novels I have read in a long time... Davies has produced something quite wonderful * Sunday Times *One of the best books I've read this year...West [...] is so crisply and concisely written, and so warm and human in its economy, that it shames the behemoths sitting beside it on the nation's bookshop shelves. It's a book you can read in a day and that will resonate all year long in your head -- Andrew Holgate * Sunday Times *Slender, stark and utterly mesmerising... The language, lyrical yet pared down, conveys complicated feelings of grief, guilt, sadness and a strange kind of wonder -- Eithne Farry * Mail On Sunday *Davies's lapidary prose is a marvel - she creates worlds in a few deft pen strokes... beautifully sad -- Siobhan Murphy * The Times *Carys Davies's brilliant gem of a novel glints with sadness and a sombre kind of wonder -- Eithne Farry * Sunday Express *Short, incredible, violent, uplifting and empowering - how Davies manages to create such an enduring story in 150 pages is a mystery, but she nails it. Do your reading list a big favour and transport yourself to the American frontier to meet 12-and-half-year-old Bess and her father * Stylist *West is both beautifully crafted and entrances to its cleverly conceived end * Sunday Times *A real page-turner. A magnificent achievement -- Roger Cox * Scotsman *West has all the stark power and immediacy of a folk-tale or a legend. It is also structured with great artistry, a beguiling sense of form and pace, and a depth in the way the characters are created, making clear that Carys Davies is a writer of immense talent -- Colm TóibínMenace and mordant wit are the blood that runs through these veins, but there's a pulse of wonder in Carys Davies' West. She sees the world and its inhabitants both as we hope they are and as we fear that they might be. An audacious and enigmatic debut of thrilling dimensions, and a halting reminder of fiction's possibilities -- Akhil SharmaA story of determination, betrayal, folly, and reckless hope written in the grand tradition of the pioneers. You enter the familiar American frontier and shortly are convinced, with Davies' hero, that the mammoths of the Pleistocene still shyly roam the Plains. The seams between imagination and history in this extraordinary story are invisible. I believed every word -- Salvatore ScibonaIn a way, West reads like some extended fairy tale. But then, I've never stopped wanting to run off and find dinosaurs. Its strength lies in belief, and wonder, and the simple pure clarity of that in an incomprehensible world -- Cynan JonesWest is a journey and a wonder. A story concerned with value and language, love and absence, life and death. A debut of real distinction -- Bernard MacLavertyTo read Carys Davies' West is to encounter a myth, or a potent dream - a narrative at once new and timeless. Exquisite, continent, utterly vivid, this short novel will live on in your imagination long after you read the last page -- Claire Messud, author * The Burning Girl and the Woman Upstairs *West proves what-in-the-know lovers of her short stories have already been trumpeting: Carys Davies is a deft, audacious visionary, a master of the form. In West, she breaks open our fascination with fated journeys and the irrepressible draw of the unknown, imbuing the American landscape with her own rare magic, twisting the heart as few others can, brilliantly navigating the tension between narrative minimalism and imaginative opulence -- Tea Obrecht, author * The Tiger's Wife *Wonderful -- Sarah Jessica Parker * Girlboss *A beautifully written fable on the conflict between the quixotic and the mundane * Wales Arts Review *A novel of extraordinary beauty... an accomplished tale of genuine panache...West will remain with you for some time -- Paul Burke * Nudge Books *I highly, highly, highly recommend this... This is a book I was hoping would be one of my books of the year and most certainly will be -- Simon Savidge * Savidge Reads *Brief and brilliant - perfect to slip into the suitcase...I hope to see it on the Man Booker shortlist this autumn -- Summer Books round up * Tablet *Davies [...] has the astonishing ability to capture a life - however idiosyncratic - in the briefest of brushstrokes -- Summer Reading * Evening Standard *A haunting, beautifully crafted novel * Sunday Times *A compact, elegantly written story -- 100 Modern Novels to Love * Sunday Times *In Davies's slim first novel...not a word is wasted; the canvas is as wide as her brush is fine...There are many worlds to explore within this short book * Guardian *Davies spins a convincing story... The author has an acute sense of period, and a fine ear for dialogue * RTÉ *Perfectly formed . . . Beautifully crafted and immensely moving * Sunday Times *A tiny jewel of a novel, but sweeping in its power and scope, is Carys Davies's West...[an] epic tale of settlers and monsters -- Julie Myerson * Observer *Highly-readable . . . This well-crafted novel, short though it is, will hold your attention to the very end * Yorkshire Gazette and Herald *

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Book Synopsis‘In the weeks that followed, Jane did her best not to think about anything very much. Usually, it worked. But every so often she would freeze, and tremble at the terrifying realisation that she wanted to leave her husband.’While many regard her marriage with admiration and a touch of envy, Jane Lytton quietly reaches the shocking conclusion that her relationship with Michael, a successful banker with little time for her – or the nitty-gritty of family life – is failing.Even daring to contemplate leaving Michael is daunting. With no obvious outward signs of any marital problems, family and friends greet news of the predicament with a mixture of anger and uncomprehending sympathy.Forced to accept that she is alone, Jane takes drastic steps that veer her life off course. When at last her vision clears to reveal the best chance of happiness, it looks as if she may have left it too late. Being with the wrong man does not make finding the ‘right’ one any easier.Amanda Brookfield’s loving but unflinching dissection of marriage and relationships is timeless and irresistible. The Wrong Man demonstrates brilliantly why she got her well-deserved reputation for writing about women’s lives with humour and honesty.*Please note this title was originally published as *Walls of Glass. **Praise for Amanda Brookfield:'An engaging, emotionally-charged and intriguing story' Michelle GormanNo one gets to the heart of human relationships quite so perceptively as Brookfield.' The Mirror'Unputdownable. Perceptive. Poignant. I loved it.' bestselling author Patricia Scanlan on Before I Knew You'If Joanna Trollope is the queen of the Aga Saga, then Amanda Brookfield must be a strong contender for princess.' Oxford TimesWhat readers are saying about Amanda Brookfield:‘I’ve loved all Amanda Brookfield’s books and this latest one was excellent too. She writes so well, with insight and natural dialogue.’‘I could read it again, I read it so fast, I couldn't put it down. Very well written. I will definitely read more from this author in the future.’‘Brilliant book - just when I thought I knew what was going to happen, another twist popped up -had me picking it up whenever I had the chance.’‘A great story, great characters, vivid, immediate, so 'real', and such compassion. Every bit a page turner as Brookfield so gets you into her people. Only my second (Good Girls was a lucky dip first), but am hooked. If you like reading really well written real-life novels about your relationships, try this.’‘I enjoyed Amanda Brookfield’s writing style. She really taps into her characters and writes them warts and all, with some raw and honest emotions.’‘All of Amanda's books are well written. She certainly knows how to grab the reader's attention and draw them into what proves to be an enjoyable read.’

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Book SynopsisIn a gripping, atmospheric new novel by acclaimed Mexican writer Daniel Saldaña París, three friends forever bound by erotic flames of the past reunite in a city engulfed by wildfires and an ecstatic dancing plague. After years apart, three high school friends return to Cuernavaca, Mexico, where an intense love triangle once left an indelible mark on their adolescence. The city, surrounded by a ring of claustrophobic wildfires, brings out the past and confronts them with their present: they must once again face the entanglement of friendship and desire, the seemingly distant discovery of sexuality, complex parental relationships, and the daunting task of artistic fulfilment. In the background, two forces of chaos and destruction are a constant presence. As fires ravage the physical landscape, one of the friends begins choreographing an ecstatic dance inspired by the German expressionist Mary Wigman and medieval Danse Macabre. What starts as a coping mechanism for the anxieties of youth and climate catastrophe becomes an overpowering, all-consuming hysteria. Mysterious powers are awakened, the boundary between reality and myth begins to blur, and the friends find themselves immersed in an increasingly turbulent and uncertain universe.

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Book Synopsis24 SolveitYourself Christmas Crimes. An Abominable Snowman at Piccadilly Circus? Of course Mr. Holmes takes up the chase immediately. Once again, Advent proves to be anything but peaceful for the world-famous sleuth. Has a forger been cheating the welfare system? Who poisoned the plum pudding? And what about the suspicious-looking Santa who climbed down a chimney with an empty sack and back up again with a full oneMr Holmes Advent Calendar Vol. 3 is simply brimming with 24 brand-new solve-it-yourself Christmas crimes for all the family. A story a day throughout the Advent season. Flip the page to see the solution and the

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Book Synopsis''Enthralling'' Guardian Culture Preview''A quicksilver astonishment of a book. Just read it'' Kiran Millwood Hargrave''A vital novel of newness and nowness'' Raymond Antrobus''A rollercoaster coming of age picaresque'' ObserverA New Statesman, Vogue, Guardian and Big Issue 2023 Fiction PickIdiot, poet, jihadist, son. Who is Yahya Bas? An exuberantly imaginative novel of Britishness and unbelonging from the prizewinning author of In Our Mad and Furious City.When Yahya Bas finds himself in a UK detention centre after fleeing the conflict in Syria, he has many questions to face. What was he doing in the desert? Why does he hate this country? Why did he write the incendiary verses which turned him into an online sensation and a media pariah?Mister, his interrogator, wants to keep him locked up. So he decides to tell his life story. On his own terms. Following a child that East Ham made Trade ReviewA quicksilver astonishment of a book, deft and devastating and completely original. Just read it -- Kiran Millwood HargraveGunaratne offers us the study of a young man navigating many identities while searching for security and selfhood. Mister, Mister is a modern testimony of the "British / other" subject as well as an invitation for us, readers, lovers of stories to be defined on our own terms. This is a vital novel of newness and nowness that testifies to the power of fiction that seeks truth-- -- Raymond AntrobusA rollercoaster coming of age picaresque... glories in the infinite bounty of storytelling * Observer *Guy Gunaratne's writing comes with big energy and empathy. Illuminated with evocative language and vivid storytelling, Mister Mister salutes belonging in the unbelonging: an essential read for these times -- Salena GoddenI wish I could declare a national reading day in Britain where adults read the same book together, beginning with Mister, Mister. Gunaratne fits a whole nation inside one complex character and in doing so shows us our bones and our souls. Brimming with compassion and Dickensian in its breadth, this incredibly important book eviscerates othering and insists that Britain claim a new identity -- Leone RossIt's the effervescence and emotional depth of their writing that make Mister, Mister a knockout * Big Issue *This book tears through you. A searing, shocking odyssey through faith, fury, and the boiling despair at the heart of our age -- Musa OkwongaGunaratne is a writer with a rare ability to inhabit savants, outsiders, rebels and others who exist at the so-called margins of mainstream society, and who they write slapbang into the centre. Moving between women's houses and detention centres, global and UK politics, tenderness and devastation, Mister, Mister is where it's at -- Isabel WaidnerSuch a sharp and clever book that absolutely refuses easy interpretation. It's about language and faith and extremism and ideas of home and identity and freedom. But also about the opposite of all that - an undoing of identity. One of those really refreshing books that truly doesn't feel like anything I've read before, and one I'm still thinking about -- Anna JamesThis devastating new novel from Guy Gunaratne confirms them as a writer at the top of their game. They balance an experimental structure with an indelible voice, exploring global, social politics and resolve with ease. Their use of language, precision, thoughtfulness and humanity, make this is the book you will all be reading in 2023 -- Nikesh ShuklaIncisive... an engrossing romp through recent UK history, underpinned by the question: what does it mean to be British? * Esquire *Thrillingly unstable, as verbally roiling as a pirate radio broadcast, animated by a charismatic antihero prone to "rampant wilding bents". At the same time, what makes it so important is how, like Preti Taneja's Aftermath or the poetry of Bhanu Kapil, it's also drawn to silence and hermeticism: to brown opacity * Guardian *Brilliantly evocative of the effects of recent horrors many people are all-too keen to forget, Gunaratne's latest affirms that they are a writer with a unique voice and a magnificent ear for dialogue * Booklist *Vivid. Gunaratne is a skilful storyteller who imaginatively confronts the complexity of identity and unbelonging in Britain * New Statesman *A provocative powder-keg of a novel. The first-person narrator is so compelling * The Times *Most contemporary British novels limit themselves to moving the furniture round a bit, or even just describing the furniture. Mister, Mister tears down the whole house and, from the wreckage, builds a hall of mirrors. Furious, incredibly bold, beautiful, ugly, heart-breaking and most of all alive, this is a book which lays waste to your assumptions - whatever they are -- Will Ashon

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Book Synopsis*THE THEAKSTON'S OLD PECULIER CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2021**WINNER OF THE CWA GOLD DAGGER FOR BEST CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR**WINNER OF THE NED KELLY INTERNATIONAL AWARD*A GUARDIAN BEST THRILLER OF THE YEARAn EXPRESS BEST THRILLER OF THE YEARAn i BEST THRILLER OF THE YEARA MIRROR BEST BOOKS OF THE YEARA WATERSTONES THRILLER OF THE MONTHREAD THE BOOK EVERYONE IS CALLING A MASTERPIECE! 'A beautifully written mystery, packed with unforgettable characters' JANE HARPER'Contender for thriller of the year' SUNDAY EXPRESS'An accomplished and moving story of crime, punishment, love and redemption' GUARDIANFor fans of Jane Harper's The Dry comes a powerful novel about the lengths we will go to keep our family safe. This is a story about good and evil and how life is lived somewhere in between.Thirty years ago, Vincent King became a killer. Now, he's been released from prison and is back in his hometown of Cape Haven, California. Not everyone is pleased to see him. Like Star Radley, his ex-girlfriend, and sister of the girl he killed.Duchess Radley, Star's thirteen-year-old daughter, is part-carer, part-protector to her younger brother, Robin - and to her deeply troubled mother. But in trying to protect Star, Duchess inadvertently sets off a chain of events that will have tragic consequences not only for her family, but also the whole town. Murder, revenge, retribution.How far can we run from the past, when the past seems doomed to repeat itself? WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT WE BEGIN AT THE END: 'Magnificent . . . an instant classic, a West Coast Where the Crawdads Sing . . . a special, vital novel. I'm grateful to have read it' A J FINN'Surely destined to conquer the world' RUTH JONES'A magnificent crime novel. It deserves to win a hatful of awards. A BIG hat. Consider me a major fan' MARK BILLINGHAM'So beautifully written' LYNDA LA PLANTE'Incredible writing, characters so brilliantly drawn they jump off the page. Outstanding' BA PARIS'I LOVED this book . . . This is a book to be read and re-read and an author to be celebrated' LOUISE PENNY'A stunning and heartbreaking book - will keep you gripped until the last moving page' CLAIRE MCGOWAN 'An exceptionally beautiful and accomplished crime novel' ALI LAND'One of the best books I've ever read' FIONA CUMMINS'An absolute masterclass in crime writing and story-telling' JO SPAIN'One of the year's best crime reads' VASEEM KHAN'One of my favourite books of all time' M. W. CRAVEN, winner of the CWA's Gold Dagger Award'Breathtakingly beautiful. Another stunning story from the genius of Chris Whitaker' COMPULSIVE READERS 'A spellbinding masterclass in storytelling . . . one of the best books I have ever had the joy to read' ALEX J BOOKS BLOG'A masterpiece . . . a contender for my top book of 2020' FOR WINTER NIGHTS BLOG'I was totally seduced by this absolute masterpiece . . . took my breath away' SUIDI'S BOOK REVIEWS'This book is bound to become a classic . . . Reader, Chris Whitaker's book made me cry . . . such is the power of this writing' LIVE AND DEADLY BLOG'Utterly brilliant . . . This isn't just crime fiction, this is a masterclass' MELANIE READS BLOG'A masterpiece of storytelling with clever twists and an ending to knock you sideways' CANDIS MAGAZINE 'This heart-rending story . . . is among the most powerful and moving I have read in years' DAILY MAIL 'Cements Whitaker's status as one of the most talented authors writing today' HEAT MAGAZINE'Masterly novel' SUNDAY EXPRESS'A dark yet painfully human tale that is impossible to forget' CRIME MONTHLY'Beautifully written and deeply moving' SUNDAY TIMES CRIME CLUB'A gorgeous, crystalline novel' JEANINE CUMMINS, author of AMERICAN DIRT'Heartbreaking and profound, this is my thriller of the year' MIRRORTrade ReviewA beautifully written mystery, packed with unforgettable characters. An intricately woven portrait of small town intrigue where old and new sins collide * Jane Harper *I LOVED it. I mean, jeez, what a story. And so intricately, delicately written, with such care and affection for all the characters. I adored all the relationships and ALL the characters without exception - I mean Duchess!! I could seriously rave about every single character that people the world of this book . . . his descriptions are so vivid, so visual, so beautifully drawn.We Begin at the End is surely destined to conquer the world. This intensely captivating story and its uniquely intriguing characters holds you in its jaws till the very last word. Astonishingly good * Ruth Jones *A magnificent crime novel. It deserves to win a hatful of awards. A BIG hat. Consider me a major fan * Mark Billingham *The character of Duchess Day Radley is so beautifully written, she will remain with you for a long time * Lynda La Plante *I love Duchess Day Radley so much I want to adopt her. She is every thirteen-year-old girl at risk, an outlaw both pure of heart and ill of intent, a fierce and melancholy girl, so memorable she will make camp in your brain and never leave. In We Begin at the End, Chris Whitaker has written a gorgeous, crystalline novel, a cautionary tale about the long shadows cast by our past selves, and one defiant girl with the bravery to hope for something better. I love this beautiful book * Jeanine Cummins, author of American Dirt *An accomplished and moving story of crime, punishment, love and redemption * Guardian, Books of the Month *Chris Whitaker's third novel, We Begin at the End, is the kind of breakout book that publishers dream about. Rich with character and story, conflict and tension, humor, tragedy and raw, unadulterated guts, this one has it all. Throw in the most compelling young protagonist I've read in at least a decade, and you have a deep and meaningful story that is an absolute delight from first page to last. Nicely done, Mr. Whitaker! * John Hart *Let's begin at the end. After you've turned the final page of Chris Whitaker's magnificent new novel, you'll struggle - I struggled, certainly - to describe the experience . . . it's an instant classic, a West Coast Where the Crawdads Sing; its prose shimmers like a mirage; in intensity and lyricism, it recalls the very best of Tana French and Dennis Lehane; for pace and whiplash plot twists, it rivals C. J. Box and Peter May . . . This is a murder mystery, yes, and an extraordinarily gripping one - but like the murder mysteries of Louise Penny, Jane Harper, and Kate Atkinson, it's humanity that most enriches Whitaker's novel (and Whitaker's readers) . . . think of We Begin at the End as a novel at the same time distinctly American and profoundly universal: a book that explores both this particular community, these particular lives, even as it maps emotional territory rarely charted in contemporary fiction. What a special, vital novel. I'm grateful to have read it * A. J. Finn *I LOVED this book. From the riveting plot, to the beautiful writing. But mostly what kept me longing to get back to it each day were the characters, especially young Duchess. Fierce, brave, vulnerable she leaps off the page fully formed. As does Walk. How aptly named. A chief of police on his own inexorable journey. This is a book to be read and re-read and an author to be celebrated * Louise Penny *Beautifully written, We Begin at the End really reminds me of To Kill a Mockingbird. And the spirit of Scout is very much alive in Duchess. A crime novel, or maybe a novel about a crime, and yet so much more * Sarah Pinborough *Stunning, intoxicating, heart-breaking - without a doubt one of my favourite books of the year. A compelling story, beautifully-drawn characters and writing that leaps off the page: We Begin at the Endis in a class of its own * T M Logan *An intense, evocative, and quite brilliant crime novel that stays with you long after you've finished the last page * Simon Kernick *An exceptionally beautiful and accomplished crime novel. I fell head over heels into its big black heart and will carry the characters with me for a long time to come yet. Duchess and Thomas Noble forever * Ali Land *A stunning and heartbreaking book - will keep you gripped until the last moving page * Claire McGowan, #1 bestselling author of What You Did *Chris Whitaker takes crime writing to new levels in this evocative and lyrical novel, which is not only beautifully written but cleverly plotted, with a climax you'll never guess * Mark Edwards *If ever there is a book that deserves all the prizes, this is it. So layered and nuanced, and brimming with characters so full of depth they breathe on the page. So heartbreakingly evocative of small town life and the secrets buried under the weight of old friendships and tangled loyalties. Stunning writing, both poetic and compelling. A damn near perfect crime novel. Do yourself a favour and put this on your most wanted list * Fiona Cummins *Chris Whitaker is leading the pack of hungry young crime writers by a long mile. He writes like a dark angel, conjuring characters and places so memorable you'll ache when it's over. A very real, very rare talent * SARAH HILARY *We Begin at the End is the most beautifully written book I have read this year . . . with characters that will tug at your heartstrings, an incredible sense of place and a cleverly plotted mystery, Chris Whitaker is proving himself to be one of the most talented writers around * Lisa Hall *What a novel! Such a remarkable achievement. So wonderful in so many ways, with writing that is Booker Prize good. I kept having to stop and go back and re-read bits because I wanted to experience them again.I enjoyed it so much and the characters now have a place in my heart, I'm sad not to be able to spend any more time with them (Duchess especially). Wow. There is no f**king justice if this book is not a smash hit * Deborah O'Connor *We Begin At The End is as perfect a novel as you'll read all year. Devastating and hopeful in equal measure, with pitch-perfect characters you'll root for at each jaw-dropping turn - Duchess, in particular, deserves a fast-track pass to the literary hall of fame. A sophisticated, utterly absorbing read * Caz Frear *A triumph. I couldn't read it fast enough, while still appreciating the absolute beauty and depth to it. I don't know where to begin - the total satisfaction of the plot, the absorbing story, the cast of unbelievably incredible characters, the sheer taste of America on the page. So, I'll begin at the end, and the fact I cried straight through those last few chapters. Duchess, Robin, they killed me. It's an absolute masterclass in crime writing and story-telling * Jo Spain *Wow . . . One of the most spellbinding crime novels I've read in a long time - and, best of all, it felt like nothing I'd read before. Masterful * Catherine Ryan Howard *Chris Whitaker excels in muscular small town American Noir. In We Begin at the End, we see that fascination with the gnarly American heartland reach new heights. Whitaker displays his mastery over style; his unique flair and eye for telling detail is comparable to a form of literary method acting. The story unwinds to a peak of tension and ends with a series of revelations that hit like a flurry of punches to the gut. It is a fabulous read. A sparse, muscular novel with a unique sense of style. A cross between crime and literary fiction in the Cormac McCarthy tradition. A sense of tragedy infuses the story and this, more than anything, makes it one of the year's best crime reads * Vaseem Khan *Breathtaking, heart-wrenching, heart-warming and laugh-out-loud funny, We Begin At The End is simply astonishing. Easily the best book I've read this year * M.W. Craven, CWA Gold Dagger winner *A sensational book. Addictive, beautifully-written and immersive. So many layers. So many fascinating characters. Chris Whitaker is an immensely talented writer * Will Dean *An absolute belter of a book. Superb, heart-breaking, astounding and gripping. Chris Whitaker has totally nailed it * Gytha Lodge *Sometimes a book finds its way to you when you need it most, and teaches you a lesson you didn't even know needed teaching. We Begin at the End is one of those books, and it truly is a masterpiece * Isabelle Broom *Astoundingly beautiful. No other writer can pull you in quite so well as Chris Whitaker. The writing is pure and sharp, the characters perfectly drawn, the story unforgettable * Rebecca Tinnelly *We Begin At The End is stunning - thrilling, moving, beautifully written * Paul Burston *Hands down, one of the best books I've ever read. In my life. There's a bit at the end which is so overwhelmingly sad I can barely breathe just thinking about it. An absolutely astonishing novel and the writing is breathtaking * Rebecca Thornton *A heart-rending, gut-punching, nail-biting masterpiece. I'm sure I could hear echoes of Harper Lee coming through in the skilfully crafted prose. It's surely rare that a British author should pen an American classic, but I think Chris has * Marnie Riches *Chris Whitaker has written a rare gem of a novel - by turns thrilling, moving and heartbreaking, it takes the reader on a gut-wrenching journey from hope to despair and back again. Chris's previous novels demonstrated his gift for creating complex, fragile and all-too-believable characters, but somehow he has topped himself here, introducing us to a cast of heroes and villains so intimately-drawn, they could be your family and friends. The kind of book that makes you fall in love with reading again * Rod Reynolds *Crime may feature at the heart of We Begin at the End but it is the heart itself that dominates this stunning crime novel. Beautiful, evocative & heartbreaking from beginning to end * Off-the-Shelf blog *Beautiful writing, characters that live on in your memory long after you've turned the last page. Excellent * Mason Cross *A sublimely beautiful book that lingers long in the memory, from a writer with a rare gift * Kevin Wignall *This is an epic drama and a profound masterpiece. I'll be amazed if I read a better novel this year * Mirror *So beautifully written you'll want to savour every word; a book that stays with you long after the final page * Victoria Selman *Two damaged children - one timid and sweet, the other foul-mouthed and furious - will break readers' hearts in this well-plotted and perfectly-paced novel. If, like me, you love stories that kidnap your intended schedule because you can't not keep turning the pages, then I wholeheartedly recommend Chris Whitaker's We Begin at the End * Wally Lamb, author of I Know This Much is True *I've just finished We Begin at the End and I have all the feelings for this beautiful book . . . A brilliantly plotted crime novel with such tender characterisation * N. J. Mackay *I loved We Begin at the End. Complicated, loveable characters, gripping plot, sparse, beautiful writing, and such great senses of place. I also cried. A lot * Abigail Dean, author of Girl A *

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Book Synopsis*WINNER OF THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD 2020* *THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER* A deeply personal novel about race, pop culture, immigration, assimilation, and escaping the roles we are forced to play. Willis Wu doesn't perceive himself as the protagonist in his own life: he's merely Generic Asian Man. Sometimes he gets to be Background Oriental Making or even Disgraced Son, but always he is relegated to a prop. Yet every day, he leaves his tiny room in Chinatown and enters the Golden Palace restaurant where Black and White, a procedural cop show, is in perpetual production. He's a bit player here, too, but he dreams of being Kung Fu Guy—the most respected role that anyone who looks like him can attain. Or is it? After stumbling into the spotlight, Willis finds himself launched into a wider world than he's ever known, discovering not only the secret history of Chinatown, but also the buried legacy of his own family. Infinitely inventive and deeply personal, Interior Chinatown is Charles Yu's most moving, daring, and masterful novel yet. Goodreads 10 Books that 'Disrupted' the Literary Status Quo WHAT READERS ARE SAYING “What a clever, clever book this is!”–Regina on Goodreads “Truly unique.”–Kevin on Amazon “*inhales sharply* *screams* This book makes me feel seen.”–Sofia on Goodreads “Thoughtful, moving, and just hilarious.”–Charles on Netgalley “Absolutely loved this book.”–Andres on Amazon “An emotional roller coaster.”–Ellen on AmazonTrade Review“From Paul Beatty’s The Sellout to Brandon Taylor’s Real Life, some of the most talked-about novels from the U.S. in recent years have been male coming-of-age narratives shaped by experiences of racism. Styled as a typewritten television script, [Interior Chinatown is a] zany spin on the genre.” * Daily Mail *"Highly inventive and hilarious." (How To Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe) * The Times *"Brimming with alternative universes, futuristic landscapes and gleeful metaphysics..... Yu's spirit of invention is infectious." (How To Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe) * The Sunday Times *

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