Contemporary fiction titles are those which focus on the present or near past. Stories rooted in the current cultural, social, and political landscape which feature characters we can all recognise.
Contemporary Fiction Books
Persephone Books Ltd Someone at a Distance
Book Synopsis
£13.00
Pan Macmillan The Lovely Bones
Book SynopsisThe internationally bestselling novel that inspired the acclaimed film directed by Peter Jackson.With an introduction by Karen Thompson Walker, author of The Age of Miracles.My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973.In heaven, Susie Salmon can have whatever she wishes for - except what she most wants, which is to be back with the people she loved on earth. In the wake of her murder, Susie watches as her happy suburban family is torn apart by grief; as her friends grow up, fall in love, and do all the things she never had the chance to do herself. But as Susie will come to realize, even in death, life is not quite out of reach . . . A luminous, astonishing novel about life and death, memory and forgetting, and finding light in the darkest places, Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones became an instant classic when it was first published. There areTrade ReviewMoving and compelling . . . It will put an imperceptible but stealthily insistent hold on you. I sat down in the morning to read the first couple of pages; five hours later, I was still there, book in hand, transfixed -- Maggie O'Farrell * Sunday Telegraph *Spare, beautiful and brutal prose . . . The Lovely Bones is compulsive enough to read in a single sitting, brilliantly intelligent, elegantly constructed and ultimately intriguing * The Times *Takes the stuff of terrible tragedy and transforms it into something hopeful and redemptive * Daily Mail *[Sebold] has created a novel that is painfully fine and accomplished, one which readers will have their own difficulties relinquishing, long after the last page is turned * Los Angeles Times *A chilling juxtaposition of innocence against evil * New Statesman *Sebold has given us a fantasy-fable of great authority, charm, and daring. She's a one-of-a-kind writer -- Jonathan Franzen
£10.44
Birlinn General The Winds from Further West
Book SynopsisAfter a throw-away comment lands him in a difficult situation, Dr Neil Anderson's principles are put to the test. He ultimately leaves his job, his partner, and Edinburgh far behind for the seclusion and remote beauty of the Isle of Mull off the west coast of Scotland. There love once again blossoms, and Neil's life is forever changed.
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers The Secrets of Harbour House
Book Synopsis
£9.49
Daunt Books Winter in Sokcho
Book Synopsis
£9.49
Pan Macmillan All I Want for Christmas
Book SynopsisKaren Swan is the Sunday Times top three bestselling author and her novels sell all over the world. She writes two books each year one for the summer period and one for the Christmas season. Previous summer titles include The Spanish Promise, The Hidden Beach and The Secret Path and for winter, Christmas at Tiffany's, The Christmas Secret and Together by Christmas.Her books are known for their evocative locations and Karen sees travel as vital research for each story. She loves to set deep, complicated love stories within twisting plots.Her historical series called The Wild Isle, is based upon the dramatic evacuation of the Scottish island St Kilda in the summer of 1930.
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers The Castaways The gripping Sunday Times
Book Synopsis*A major TV series starring Sheridan Smith with Paramount+*A SECRET BEACH.A HOLIDAY OF A LIFETIME.WISH YOU WERE HERE?THINK AGAIN_______________________________________________Totally addictive, clever and atmospheric' Erin KellyTense, unnerving and emotional' C. L. TaylorYou wake on a beautiful, remote island.Sparkling blue seas, golden sunsets, barely a footprint in the sand.Yet this is no ordinary escape.Next to the wreck of a plane, a stranger paces. Another sharpens a knife, scoring a list of the dead onto a palm tree. Others watch from the shadows of a campfire all with untold stories, and closely-guarded secretsThis is no ordinary holiday.This is no ordinary island.This is no ordinary beach read.Gripping, twisty and full of sun-soaked atmosphere, THE CASTAWAYS will whisk you far away to the island and never let you go.Readers love getting swept away with Lucy Clarke''s destination thrillers:Wow Beautifully paced, tense and twisty' B A ParisA twisty, wonderful heartfelt story abTrade Review‘Beautifully written, we’re tipping it as one of 2021’s best reads’ MARIE CLAIRE ‘Totally addictive, clever and atmospheric. It’s a rare thriller that melts your heart as well as it keeps you turning the pages’ ERIN KELLY ‘The Castaways is a genuine page-turner – a taut, utterly compelling tale’ T M LOGAN ‘This is pure, indulgent summer escapism – an exotic, suspense-filled adventure packed with island peril, high drama, colourful characters and a tropical atmosphere steeped in menace’ EMMA STONEX ‘Packed full of intrigue and beautifully imagined characters, it has to be on everyone’s reading list this summer’ HEIDI PERKS ‘A tense, unnerving and emotional psychological thriller’ C. L. TAYLOR ‘Wow, what a great story! Beautifully paced, tense and twisty, I enjoyed it so much’ B. A. PARIS ‘This deft thriller is as emotionally intelligent on the complex dynamic between sisters as it is compulsive. I stayed up way too late to finish it’ KATE RIORDAN ‘A breathtaking thriller that makes for a compulsive read, while offering an unflinching look at who we are when no one is watching’ LISA BALLANTYNE ‘A compulsive fast-paced thriller with atmosphere and heart that takes you away into a different world’ KATE HAMER 'I absolutely LOVED The Castaways! The setting, the simmering tension, the intrigue and mystery, it was all so vivid and brilliantly written’ KAREN HAMILTON ‘It has everything you want from a compelling thriller – it's smart, tense and addictive, keeping you turning the pages to the unpredictable conclusion. . . the setting was stunning’ DEBBIE HOWELLS ‘Such a pacy, absorbing read, I gobbled it up’ MEL MCGRATH ‘Gripping and twisty . . . lovely writing and great tension!’ ANSTEY HARRIS ‘Deeply emotional and tense . . . It is, simply, pitch-perfect’ JULIE CLARK
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers Anna O
Book SynopsisInnocent sleepwalker. Or a sleeping killer? You decide. *** *THE SMASH HIT NO.1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER *A GUARDIAN THRILLER OF THE MONTH *A SUNDAY TIMES THRILLER OF THE MONTH *TV IN DEVELOPMENT WITH NETFLIX The twist is one of the best I've read' David Baldacci 'Anna O reads like a dream but unsettles like a nightmare' A J Finn ____ IT'S THE CRIME OF THE CENTURY Everyone knows the Anna O case. Everyone knows it was her fingerprints on the knife. But no-one knows the secrets of her sleepwalking. No-one knows whether she really meant to kill that night. As a trial nears, the mystery reawaken
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers Hitwoman
Book SynopsisAn action-packed, hilarious enemies-to-lovers thriller for fans of Katy Brent, Jesse Sutanto and Ally Carter. 'Hitwoman is funny, sexy, and strangely relatable. I cheered for the protagonist even as she committed multiple murders and loved the rom-com style romance.' Tasha Coryell
£9.49
Harper Collins Publ. USA Song of Ancient Lovers
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£17.00
Vintage Publishing A Death in the Family
Book SynopsisAn international phenomenon, which has been declared a masterpiece everywhere it has been published. A searingly honest, addictive and controversial read. In this utterly remarkable novel Karl Ove Knausgaard writes with painful honesty about his childhood and teenage years, his infatuation with rock music, his relationship with his loving yet almost invisible mother and his distant and unpredictable father, and his bewilderment and grief on his father's death. When Karl Ove becomes a father himself, he must balance the demands of caring for a young family with his determination to write great literature. In A Death in the Family Knausgaard has created a universal story of the struggles, great and small, that we all face in our lives. A profoundly serious, gripping and hugely readable work written as if the author's very life were at stake.Trade Review[A Death in the Family] should be read for its blazing account of a feared father set on self-destruction, the boredom and bewilderment of adolescence, and its flashes of sheet brilliance -- Catherine Taylor * i *A masterpiece... Meticulously detailed, harrowing, oddly beautiful, its depiction of a family’s disintegration is one of the most powerful pieces of writing I’ve read in years * Observer, Books of the Year *The best book I read this year...full of artistic, moral and technical daring * Guardian, Books of the Year *Intense and vital...ceaselessly compelling...superb * New Yorker *This suburban epic, electrifying in candour and eloquence, feels streets ahead of the comparable Jonathan Franzen * Independent, Books of the Year *Incredibly moving * Irish Times, Books of the Year *
£9.49
Penguin Books Ltd In Search of Lost Time Volume 2
Book SynopsisSince the original, prewar translation there has been no completely new rendering of the French original into English. This translation brings to the fore a more sharply engaged, comic and lucid Proust. IN SEARCH OF LOST TIME is one of the greatest, most entertaining reading experiences in any language. As the great story unfolds from its magical opening scenes to its devastating end, it is the Penguin Proust that makes Proust accessible to a new generation.Each book is translated by a different, superb translator working under the general editorship of Professor Christopher Prendergast, University of Cambridge.
£9.99
Penguin Books Ltd Zami
Book SynopsisOne of the BBC''s ''100 Novels That Shaped Our World''If I didn''t define myself for myself, I would be crunched into other people''s fantasies for me and eaten aliveA little black girl opens her eyes in 1930s Harlem, weak and half-blind. On she stumbles - through teenage pain and loneliness, but then to happiness in friendship, work and sex, from Washington Heights to Mexico, always changing, always strong. This is Audre Lorde''s story. A rapturous, life-affirming autobiographical novel by the ''Black, lesbian, mother, warrior poet'', it changed the literary landscape.''Her work shows us new ways to imagine the world ... so many themes of Audre''s work have endured'' Renni Eddo Lodge, author of Why I''m No Longer Talking to White People About Race''I came across Audre Lorde''s Zami, and I cried to think how lucky I was to have found her. She was an inspiration'' Jackie KayTrade ReviewI came across Audre Lorde's Zami, and I cried to think how lucky I was to have found her. She was an inspiration. At last I felt I fitted in. -- Jackie KayExcellent and evocative... personal honesty and lack of pretentiousness shine through the writing. Her experiences are painted with exquisite imagery * The New York Times *Zami is important because of its descriptions of growing up a black lesbian feminist in the 1950s, with open, unapologetic, vivid descriptions of women's relationships * Guardian *Her work is so quotable. It has the zeitgeist factor. Now, just as much as ever, we need the voice of Audre Lorde * New Statesman *I have an Audre Lorde google alert on my phone. It helps confirm how relevant my favorite black, lesbian, mother, warrior poet remains today * Huffington Post *Audre Lorde says it best * Refinery29 *Lorde's examination of her multiple outsiderness pried my sheltered mind wide open -- Alison Bechdel, author of Fun Home (in ‘My Ten Favorite Books,’ New York Times Magazine)Zami is just the best * Vice *Zami made me realise that I was not alone ... that I, too, could be as courageous and as loud with my truths * Elle Magazine *Zami feels larger than life - almost legendary - while remaining grounded, intimate and moving * Cosmopolitan *The truth of her writing is as necessary today as it's ever been * Guardian *
£9.49
Penguin Books Ltd High Fidelity
Book SynopsisNick Hornby''s internationally bestselling first novel, available as a Penguin Essential for the first time.Do you know your desert-island, all-time, top five most memorable split-ups?Rob does. He keeps a list, in fact. But Laura isn''t on it - even though she''s just become his latest ex. He''s got his life back, you see. He can just do what he wants when he wants: like listen to whatever music he likes, look up the girls that are on his list, and generally behave as if Laura never mattered. But Rob finds he can''t move on. He''s stuck in a really deep groove - and it''s called Laura. Soon, he''s asking himself some big questions: about love, about life - and about why we choose to share ours with the people we do.A million-copy bestseller, and adapted into a 2000 film starring John Cusack, High Fidelity explores the world of break-ups, make-ups and what it is to be in love. This astutely observed and wickedly funny book will be enjoyed by readers of David Nicholls and William Boyd, and by generations of readers to come.''It will give enormous pleasure at the same time as expanding in a small but worthwhile way, the range of English literature'' Independent on Sunday''Leaves you believing not only in the redemptive power of music but above all the redemptive power of love. Funny and wise, sweet and true'' Independent''A triumphant first novel. True to life, very funny and moving'' Financial TimesTrade ReviewLeaves you believing not only in the redemptive power of music but above all the redemptive power of love * Indepedent *A triumphant first novel. True to life and moving * Financial Times *Extremely cleverly observed * Mail on Sunday *An instant classic * Guardian *Fast, fun, and remarkably deft: a sharp-edged portrait that manages at once to be vicious, generous, and utterly good-natured * Kirkus Reviews *
£8.54
Little, Brown Book Group How to Commit a Postcolonial Murder
£15.29
Oldcastle Books A Person is a Prayer
Book Synopsis
£10.44
Oneworld Publications Dogs of the Deadlands
Book SynopsisChernobyl 1986. Those left behind must fight to survive.Trade Review‘Insightful and entertaining, this is animal storytelling at its best.’ New Zealand Listener'This wonderful novel deserves to receive the literary equivalent of the starlight barking to ensure it’s read by all.' Times'This book! It broke my heart and then splintered it back together again. Imagine Watership Down meets The Animals of Farthing Wood but fiercer.' Hannah Gold, author of The Last Bear‘This visceral story of heartbreak and survival, complemented by Robinson’s sharp images, has the memorable feel of a classic such as White Fang or Watership Down.’ Guardian, Best children’s and YA books of 2022‘A dog’s eye perspective that’s so vivid you can almost taste the earthworms.’ FT, YA Book of the YearA multilayered tale of loss and renewal with elements both topical and universal.’ Kirkus Reviews'A fabulous and unsentimental tale… This tells of courage, of loss, of survival against the odds, and ultimately of a hope that brings some meaning to life… The narrative is pacy, beautifully written, and with very well considered description to bring the story to life. This is a great read and an inspiring story.’ School Librarian Editor’s Pick‘A heart-rending odyssey about love between dog and girl.' New Statesman, Book of the Year'A powerful and beautifully illustrated book about the bond between Natasha and her puppy Zoyu.’ Irish Examiner, Book of the Year‘Beautifully written and emotionally devastating.’ Bookseller, Most Anticipated Children’s & YA titles 2022‘Steeped in Richard Adams’ Plague Dogs and Watership Down, yet wearing all the hallmarks of Barry Hines at his finest, Dogs of the Deadlands is a wonderful thing. It moved me and stayed with me for an awfully long time.’ Phil Earle, author of When the Sky Falls‘A truly unforgettable tale of hope in the wilderness. This story feels classic, timeless. It will be read and read and read and loved by so many readers for a long time to come.’ Keith Gray, author of Ostrich Boys‘I was completely blown away by this brilliant, beautiful story. I was propelled back to reading Watership Down as an eight year old – this gave me that same feeling of having been indelibly changed by a story. It's a rare and special thing for a book to do.’ Catherine Bruton, author of No Ballet Shoes in Syria‘Raw, unflinching, and blisteringly well written, Dogs of the Deadlands is already certain to be one of my books of the year! Just WOW.’ A. M. Howell, author of The Garden of Lost Secrets‘Extraordinary – exciting, brutal, heartbreaking, it carries you along with every howl, every bite and every moment of joy. Wonderful!’ Alastair Chisholm, author of Orion Lost‘This is a powerful novel about how people’s lives can change in an instant, and how the animals affected by human disaster learn to survive… a tense, thought-provoking drama whose descriptions of animal life are reminiscent of Watership Down. Rock the Boat is publishing a sumptuous hardback edition.’ Charlotte Eyre, Bookseller, One to Watch‘Loved Dogs of the Deadlands – swept along by the story – powerful telling of dogs’ survival in the wilds against the backdrop of Chernobyl and the spaces humans left behind.’ Gill Lewis, author of A Street Dog Named Pup‘The dogs’ behaviour is convincingly authentic… A phenomenal story of survival despite, and because of, the desolation of a modern nuclear fallout.’ Simon Barrett, Armadillo Magazine‘A story about hope… a story that never lets up in excitement and overall engagement from start to finish.’ Books for Keeps, 5* review‘The devastation the explosion caused is hauntingly described… There is, though, a lot of hope here too.’ Literary Review‘Underscores the dangers of nuclear power plants and their catastrophic effects on pets and wildlife when problems arise like the Chernobyl meltdown. A story that will linger in the mind and memory of its young readers...' Midwest Book Review‘This gripping and unusual tale… A remarkable and intimate story of loyalty and love, resilience, survival and hope.’ BookTrustPraise for Anthony McGowan: ‘The Carnegie medal winner McGowan is superb at stories about children who do not have all the advantages.’ Sunday Times ‘McGowan's prose is beautiful in its brevity and devastating in its emotional impact.’ Bookseller
£7.59
Headline Publishing Group The Devils Advocate
Book Synopsis
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co Those Who Sow in the Snow
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£17.00
Headline Publishing Group Six Tudor Queens Katheryn Howard The Tainted
Book Synopsis''This six-book series looks likely to become a landmark in historical fiction'' THE TIMES''With characteristic verve and stunning period detail, this novel will captivate you and break your heart. Utterly sublime'' TRACY BORMANAlison Weir, historian and author of the Sunday Times-bestselling Six Tudor Queens series, relates one of the most tragic stories in English history: Katheryn Howard, Henry VIII''s fifth queen.''Conveys the heart-rending pathos of a young woman executed, whose only real crime was her naïveté and her desire to be loved... It is a profoundly moving story that lingers long after the last page is turned'' ELIZABETH FREMANTLE''Alison''s sensitively drawn novel will change everyone''s preconceptions'' SUSAN RONALD...A NAIVE YOUNG WOMAN AT THE MERCY OF HER AMBITIOUS FAMILY.At just nineteen, Katheryn Howard Trade ReviewKatheryn emerges from the pages of this beautifully realised portrayal as beguiling, vivacious and, in the end, tragically naive . . .This novel will captivate you and break your heart. Utterly sublimeWeir demonstrates her deep knowledge of the period offering fascinating detail on all aspects of Tudor life. . .It is a profoundly moving story that lingers long after the last page is turnedAlison's sensitively drawn novel will change everyone's preconceptionsThis is my favourite of the seriesAlison Weir is an expert at weaving together historical detail, political powerplay and the feelings of a naive woman. * Woman & Home *
£10.44
Amazon Publishing These Dark Places
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£8.54
Heloise Press CAESARIA
Book SynopsisA Gothic winter tale about a girl kept as a trophy in a remote Swedish mansion.
£10.40
Eye Books Ocean
Book SynopsisCaught in a terrorist explosion on the London Underground,Helen is too devastated to go back to her own life. In a bid to preserve theirshaky marriage her husband Frank proposes they sell and sail the Atlantic. But the boat that brought them together becomes a crucible of passion and conflict, shattering the few certainties they have left.
£13.49
Pushkin Press Edith Holler
Book Synopsis
£10.44
Little, Brown Book Group The Happy Ever After Playlist
Book Synopsis''No one does funny, emotional, life-affirming love stories quite like Abby Jimenez. She just keeps outdoing herself'' EMILY HENRY''Funny and poignant, relatable and aspirational, heart-tugging and satisfying. It is, in a word, perfect'' CHRISTINA LAUREN''Abby Jimenez''s words . . . sprinkle humour and warmth all over my life'' ALI HAZELWOOD''The sort of emotionally resonant love story I adore - I was captivated from the very first page'' PAIGE TOON.........................Life is never like the love songs . . .Two years after losing her fiancé, Sloan Monroe still can''t seem to get her life back on track. But one trouble-making pup with a ''take me home'' look in his eyes is about to change everything. With her new pet by her side, Sloan finally starts to feel more like herself. Then, after weeks of unanswered texts, Tucker''s owner reaches out. He''s a musician on tour in Australia. And bottom line: he wants Tucker back.Well, Sloan''s not about to give up her dog without a fight. But what if this Jason guy really loves Tucker? As their flirty texts turn into long calls, Sloan can''t deny a connection. Jason is hot and nice and funny. There''s no telling what could happen when they meet in person. The question is: with his music career on the rise, how long will Jason really stick around? And is it possible for Sloan to survive another heartbreak?..........................?? DISCOVER WHY READERS LOVE ABBY JIMENEZ . . . ??''Sweet and achingly romantic - a truly wonderful love story'' BETH O''LEARY''Full of fierce humour and fiercer heart'' CASEY MCQUISTON''A deliciously hot, sweet debut. This book is an absolute treat'' L. J. SHEN''This book deserves all the stars in the universe'' READER REVIEW''Things I loved about this book . . . I mean it''s literally everything. Not a single flaw'' READER REVIEW''Wow. wow. WOW. Every book I''ve read of Abby''s just gets better and better'' READER REVIEWTrade ReviewSweet and achingly romantic - a truly wonderful love storyThe Happy Ever After Playlist tackles love after loss with fierce humour and fiercer heartFollowing her exceptional debut (The Friend Zone, 2019), author Jimenez has written Sloan's story with elegant, compassionate success, showcasing a romance that navigates deep grief and healing while exploring the unexpected stressors placed on a celebrity relationship . . . a perfect blend of smart, heart-wrenching, and fun * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *Jimenez combines sentimentality, sexiness, and humour in this remarkable rom-com about finding the courage to take a second chance on love * Publishers Weekly (starred review) *Readers will enjoy this enchanting and unabashed romantic fantasy, complete with the perfect playlist * BookPage *A powerfully life-affirming love story that walks the line between romantic heartbreak and hope with great finesse, while also delivering exceptional character development . . . and a dangerously addictive sense of humour * Booklist (starred review) *Delightfully adorable * Library Journal *The Happy Ever After Playlist shines * Entertainment Weekly *For anyone who believes in the magic of true love - and the magic of dogs * Cosmopolitan *
£8.49
HarperCollins Publishers The Rise of the Dragon
Book SynopsisThis lavish visual historyfeaturing over 150 new, full-colour illustrationsis a stunning introduction to House Targaryen, the iconic family at the heart of HBO's Game of Thrones prequel series, House of the Dragon.For hundreds of years, the Targaryens sat the Iron Throne of Westeros while their dragons ruled the skies. The story of the only family of dragonlords to survive Valyria's Doom is a tale of twisty politics, alliances and betrayals, and acts both noble and craven. The Rise of the Dragon chronicles the creation and rise of Targaryen power in Westeros, covering the history first told in George R. R. Martin's epic Fire & Blood, from Aegon Targaryen's conquest of Westeros through to the infamous Dance of the Dragonsthe bloody civil war that nearly undid Targaryen rule for good.Packed with all-new artwork, the Targaryensand their dragonscome vividly to life in this deluxe reference book. Perfect for fans steeped in the lore of Westeros, as well as those who first meet the TargaryenTrade Review‘Truly glorious…A book that any collector of fantasy and fantasy artwork should have on their shelves’FORBES ‘a must-have collectible for GAME OF THRONES enthusiasts who have been swept up in the rich Targaryen lore of House of the Dragon’COLLIDER ‘Gorgeous’IGN PRAISE FOR FIRE AND BLOOD: ‘A masterpiece’SUNDAY TIMES ‘An epic take, viewed from soaring heights’DAILY MAIL ‘A feast of pure imagination’SFX ‘The sheer detail of the richly layered world [Martin] has created is astonishing, with narrative twists and turns aplenty’SUNDAY EXPRESS PRAISE FOR A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE: ‘Of those who work in the grand epic fantasy tradition, Martin is by far the best’TIME MAGAZINE ‘Colossal, staggering…Martin captures all the intoxicating complexity of the Wars of the Roses or Imperial Rome’SFX ‘Martin’s style is so vivid that you will be hooked within a few pages’THE TIMES ‘I always expect the best from George R.R. Martin and he always delivers’ROBERT JORDAN
£32.00
HarperCollins Publishers The Secret Christmas Bookshop
Book SynopsisA surprise present, a mystery sender and a sprinkling of secrets. Escape with bestselling author Cressida McLaughlin!A warm and comforting read' Woman & HomeWonderful' Woman's Own___________________________________Can their Christmas love story last a lifetime?In a village by the sea, where wintry skies bring a dusting of sparkling snow, somebody is opening an unexpected giftWhen Sophie receives a surprise package, she's intrigued to find a beautifully bound book inside.Sophie is desperate to discover the mystery sender, and her hunt draws her to the enigmatic Harry. The subject of much gossip since his return from London, Harry keeps to himself in his crumbling manor house.But they are both about to learn that the best stories can take on a life of their own.___________________________________*Readers LOVE The Secret Christmas Bookshop*''The perfect Christmas cosy readI happily lost myself in it in one whole sitting'' ?????''A beautiful wintery tale'' ?????''A heartwarming and festive romantic escape'' ?????''Filled with warmth, hope and just the right touch of Christmas magic'' ?????''Impossible not to feel a glow when reading it'' ?????''Everything you could want in a festive book'' ?????''A lovely festive read full of wintery wonder and community'' ?????''Laughter and tears, Christmas and books who could want anything more'' ?????''Heartwarming and festive with a little mystery. Absolutely fantastic'' ?????''Cressida never fails to deliverbeautifully written!'' ?????
£8.54
Faber & Faber The Alexandria Quartet Justine Balthazar
Book SynopsisRediscover one of the twentieth century''s greatest romances in Lawrence Durrell''s seductive tale of four tangled lovers in wartime Egypt that is ''stunning'' (André Aciman) and ''wonderful'' (Elif Shafak)''A masterpiece.'' Guardian''A formidable, glittering achievement.'' TLS''One of the great works of English fiction.'' Times ''Dazzlingly exuberant ... Superb.'' Observer''Brave and brazen ... Lush and grandiose.'' Independent ''Legendary ... Casts a spell ... Reader, watch out!'' Guardian''Lushly beautiful ... One of the most important works of our time.'' NYTBR Alexandria, Egypt. Trams, palm trees and watermelon stalls lie honey-bathed in sunlight; in darkened bedrooms, sweaty lovers unfurl. But in a world trembling on the brink of the Second World War, passion and death are inextricable. When Darley, a penn
£15.29
Epoque Press The Language of Remembering
Book SynopsisThe Language of Remembering, by Cork based author Patrick Holloway, follows a mother, with early onset Alzheimer's, and her son on an emotional and lyrical journey of reconnection. It explores how we can move on from the past and find new meaning in the present.
£10.44
Transworld Piglet
Book SynopsisLottie Hazell is a writer, contemporary literature scholar, and board game designer living in Warwickshire. She holds a PhD in Creative Writing from Loughborough University and her research considers food writing in twenty-first century fiction. Piglet is her first novel.
£9.49
Granta Books Earthlings
Book SynopsisA darkly wild novel from the multi-million-copy bestselling author of Convenience Store Woman How far would you go just to be yourself? As a child, Natsuki believed she was an alien, a different species to her earthling family and classmates. She hoped a spaceship would come down and take her home. Now, she lives quietly in an asexual marriage, pretending to be normal. But the buried horrors of Natsuki's past are pursuing her. As she flees the suburbs for the Nagano mountains and a reunion with her beloved cousin Yuu, she wonders, what will it take to escape the earthlings? 'Intimate, deadpan, and unflinchingly unhinged' WiredTrade ReviewI loved this book! It easily converted me to being an alien. A radical, hilarious, heartbreaking look at the crap we have all internalized in order to fit in and survive -- Elif BatumanA firecracker of a book...the story skates along the top of all this darkness, and shimmers with a deadpan wit. I loved it * Five Books *
£9.49
Quercus Publishing In Five Years
Book Synopsis'SMART, EMOTIONAL, INTRIGUING AND COMPELLING - I LOVED IT!' JILL MANSELLDannie Kohan has held true to her meticulously crafted 5-year plan since she understood the concept. On the day that she nails the most important interview of her career and gets engaged to the perfect man, she's well on her way to fulfilling her life goals. But that night Dannie falls asleep and dreams of a night five years in the future where she's engaged to another man. It was just a dream, she tells herself when she wakes, but it felt so real.Determined to ignore the odd experience, she files it away in the back of her mind. That is, until five years later, when Dannie turns down a street and there, standing on the corner, is the man from her dream... Perfect for fans of Me Before You and One Day, this heart-breaking story of love, loss and life will have you questioning everything you thought you knew about destiny.-------------------------------------'What a clever, beautiful, special book. The writing is stunning, the concept is so original - it just has everything going for it. I loved every page!' Beth O'Leary, author The Flatshare and The Switch'Such a touching, soulful experience' Goodreads reader'In Five Years is a stunningly beautiful, brilliant and insightful love story' Goodreads reader'Heartbreaking and poignant' Glamour'I loved In Five Years. A beautiful, intelligent story about friendships and love' Clare Mackintosh, author of After the End'Full of twists and turns, this is a heart-breaking yet uplifting story about love and friendship' Heat magazine *****IF YOU LOVED IN FIVE YEARS, REBECCA'S NEXT HEARTBREAKER EXPIRATION DATES IS AVAILABLE TO PREORDER NOW!*New York Times bestseller, March 2020Trade ReviewWhat a clever, beautiful, special book. The writing is stunning, the concept is so original - it just has everything going for it. I loved every page! * Beth O'Leary, author of SUNDAY TIMES bestseller THE FLATSHARE *Smart, emotional, intriguing and compelling - I loved it! * JILL MANSELL, author of IT STARTED WITH A SECRET *I adored In Five Years, it's so poignant and tender. It broke my heart * JOSIE SILVER, author of ONE DAY IN DECEMBER *I loved In Five Years. A beautiful, intelligent story about friendships and love * CLARE MACKINTOSH, author of AFTER THE END *Full of twists and turns, this is a heart-breaking yet uplifting story about love and friendship, and is one of this year's must-reads * Heat magazine ***** *This surprising, sob-inducing novel is the ultimate makes-you-sit-up-and-think read... We inhaled this pitch-perfect story in one delicious go * FABULOUS magazine *IN FIVE YEARS is as clever as it is moving, the rare read-in-one-sitting novel you won't forget * Chloe Benjamin, author of THE IMMORTALISTS *Clever, compelling and always surprising. A wonderfully unique read * Heidi Swain, SUNDAY TIMES bestselling author of THE CHRISTMAS WISH LIST *Touching, poignant and I wept buckets through the first half, so I would advise you not to read it in public * Prima *A rare kind of love story... we read it in one sitting! * Closer magazine *I read it in one late night. Very, very clever. And lovely. The end is EXACTLY what it should be * Anstey Harris, author of Richard & Judy Book Club pick THE TRUTHS AND TRIUMPHS OF GRACE ATHERTON *A rare love story with an unexpected ending * Bella magazine *Smart, clever and achingly beautiful. Not many love stories surprise me, but this one did. I really loved it * Dani Atkins, bestselling author of FRACTURED *An original and gorgeously written tale of love and friendship that will both tug at your heart strings and keep you guessing. If you want a story that thinks 'out of the box' and still delivers a hefty emotional punch, this one's for you * FIONA HARPER, author of THE MEMORY COLLECTOR *Deeply moving and emotional - I absolutely adored it * SUSAN ELLIOT WRIGHT, author of THE FLIGHT OF CORNELIA BLACKWOOD *What a wonderful book. So moving and such an amazing, satisfying ending. Excellently done * TRACY REES, author of THE HOUSE AT SILVERMOOR *This cleverly plotted tale will certainly put you through the emotional wringer * Sunday Mirror *Expect the unexpected and be prepared to shed more than a few tears at this heart-warming read * Woman & Home *Not many books give away the ending in the first chapter . . . heart-breaking and poignant * Glamour magazine *So touching and poignant that it made me sob. I recommend having tissues to hand! -- Nina Pottell * Prima *
£9.49
Faber & Faber The Country of Others
Book SynopsisThe first volume of a new trilogy telling the saga of one French family between 1946 and 2016.
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers Butcher
Book SynopsisSimply the most consistently inventive, brilliant, curious and creative writer going' GILLIAN FLYNN 'Delightfully disturbing' iNEWS 'A blood-soaked, gothic nightmare' FINANCIAL TIMES
£11.12
HarperCollins Publishers A Copenhagen Snowmance
£9.49
Vintage Publishing Flagg F Cant Wait to Get to Heaven
Book SynopsisLife is the strangest thing. One minute, Mrs Elner Shimfissle is up a tree, picking figs to make jam, and the next thing she knows, she is off on a strange adventure, running into people, in the unlikeliest of places. Meanwhile, a dark secret emerges from the past - and the entire town is left wondering, 'What's life all about anyway?'Trade ReviewGood, old-fashioned sentimentality... Dialogue and witty asides... [And] aphorisms galore, many so good they make you snort out loud * Observer *A born storyteller * New York Times *Funny and utterly charming * Chicago Tribune *A warm and funny tribute to small-town America ...quirky Floridian dialogue comes thick and fast * Eve magazine *[A] distinct blend of insight and humour * Denver Post *
£9.49
Vintage Publishing Faceless Killers
Book Synopsis''Wallander is among the very best fictional crimebusters'' Daily TelegraphOne frozen January morning at 5am, Inspector Wallander responds to what he believes is a routine call out. When he reaches the isolated farmhouse, he discovers a bloodbath.An old man has been tortured and beaten to death, his wife lies barely alive beside his shattered body, both victims of a violence beyond reason. The woman supplies Wallander with his only clue: the perpetrators may have been foreign. When this is leaked to the press, it unleashes a tide of racism.Wallander''s life is a shambles. His wife has left him, his daughter refuses to speak to him, and even his ageing father barely tolerates him. He works tirelessly, eats badly, and drinks his nights away. But now Wallander must forget his troubles and throw himself into a battle against time and against mounting racial hatred.Discover the first novel in the addictive Wallander series.<Trade ReviewAn exquisite novel of mesmerizing depth and suspense -- Margo Kaufman * Los Angeles Times *Mankell is one of the most ingenious crime writers around. Highly recommended * Observer *Mankell is in the first division of crime writing * The Times *An excellent thriller * Independent *By far the best writer of police mysteries today -- Michael Ondaatje
£9.49
Penguin Books Ltd Pnin
Book SynopsisProfessor Timofey Pnin, late of Tsarist Russia, is now precariously perched at the heart of an American campus. Battling with American life and language, Pnin must face great hazards in this new world: the ruination of his beautiful lumber-room-as-office; the removal of his teeth and the fitting of new ones; the search for a suitable boarding house; and the trials of taking the wrong train to deliver a lecture in a language he has yet to master.Wry, intelligent and moving, Pnin reveals the absurd and affecting story of one man in exile.
£9.49
Penguin Books Ltd The Wall Jumper
Book SynopsisBerlin before the fall of the Wall is a city divided, yet its ordinary residents find ways to live and survive on both sides. There is Robert, teller of barroom anecdotes over beer and vodka, adjusting to a new life in the west; Pommerer, trying to outwit the system in the east; the unnamed narrator, who ''escapes'' back-and-forth to collect stories; his beguiling, exiled lover Lena; the three boys who defect to watch Hollywood films; and the man who leaps across the Wall again and again - simply because he cannot help himself. All are, in their different ways, wall jumpers, trying to lose themselves but still trapped wherever they go. Ultimately, the walls inside their heads prove to be more powerful than any man-made barrier ...
£8.54
Penguin Books Ltd New York City in 1979 Kathy Acker Penguin Modern
Book Synopsis''INTENSE SEXUAL DESIRE IS THE GREATEST THING IN THE WORLD''A tale of art, sex, blood, junkies and whores in New York''s underground, from cult literary icon Kathy AckerPenguin 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.
£5.63
Penguin Books Ltd The Waves
Book Synopsis''Clear, bright, burnished ... the moods that it expresses are a true kind of poetry'' The New York TimesTracing the lives of a group of friends, The Waves follows their development from childhood to middle age. While social events, individual achievements and disappointments form its narrative, the novel is most remarkable for the rich poetic language that expresses the inner life of its characters: their aspirations, their triumphs and regrets, their awareness of unity and isolation, and their questioning of the meaning of life itself. Perhaps more than any of Woolf''s novels, The Waves conveys the endless complexities of human experience.Edited with an Introduction and Notes by Kate Flint
£7.99
Penguin Books Ltd Oh William
Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2022THE TOP 10 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERThe Pulitzer Prize-winning, Booker-longlisted, bestselling author returns to her beloved heroine Lucy Barton in a luminous novel about love, loss, and the family secrets that can erupt and bewilder us at any point in lifeLucy Barton is a successful writer living in New York, navigating the second half of her life as a recent widow and parent to two adult daughters. A surprise encounter leads her to reconnect with William, her first husband - and longtime, on-again-off-again friend and confidante. Recalling their college years, the birth of their daughters, the painful dissolution of their marriage, and the lives they built with other people, Strout weaves a portrait, stunning in its subtlety, of a tender, complex, decades-long partnership.Oh William! captures the joy and sorrow of watching children grow up and start families of their own; of discovering family secrets, late in life, that alter everything we think we know about those closest to us; and the way people live and love, against all odds. At the heart of this story is the unforgettable, indomitable voice of Lucy Barton, who once again offers a profound, lasting reflection on the mystery of existence. ''This is the way of life,'' Lucy says. ''The many things we do not know until it is too late.''''A superbly gifted storyteller and a craftswoman in a league of her own'' Hilary Mantel''A terrific writer'' Zadie Smith''She gets better with each book'' Maggie O''Farrell''One of America''s finest writers'' Sunday Times''This is meticulously observed writing, full of probing psychological insight. Lucy Barton is one of literature''s immortal characters-brittle, damaged, unravelling, vulnerable and, most of all, ordinary-like us all'' Booker Prize JudgesElizabeth Strout''s new novel Tell Me Everything is available now!Trade ReviewOne proof of Elizabeth Strout's greatness is the sleight of hand with which she injects sneaky subterranean power into seemingly transparent prose. Strout works in the realm of everyday speech, conjuring repetitions, gaps and awkwardness with plain language and forthright diction, yet at the same time unleashing a tidal urgency that seems to come out of nowhere even as it operates in plain sight -- Jennifer Egan * New York Times *Strout is not only mercilessly funny on the page, she's also unerringly precise about the long-term effects of loneliness, parental neglect and betrayal . . . The final scene between William and Lucy has been carouselling in my mind for days now . . . devastating and vital, bleak and tender * Sunday Times *What sets Strout's work apart is her characterisation . . . Long on empathy while steering clear of sentimentality, her prose bears the minerality of a crisp white wine, with a seeming simplicity that belies its profound power * FT *
£9.49
Little, Brown Book Group The Dud Avocado
£10.44
Headline Publishing Group This Thing Of Darkness
Book SynopsisThe 15th anniversary edition of a brilliant, action-packed and gripping novel of Charles Darwin''s voyage on the Beagle - longlisted for the Man Booker Prize. New introduction from Daisy Goodwin.''A master storyteller'' Sunday TimesIn 1831 Charles Darwin set off in HMS Beagle under the command of Captain Robert Fitzroy on a voyage that would change the world. This is the story of a deep friendship between two men, and the twin obsessions that tear them apart, leading one to triumph, and the other to disaster.''An outstandingly good first novel. A page-turning action-adventure combined with subtle intellectual arguments. The meticulous research enriches this fascinating tale'' Sunday Telegraph
£12.34
Quercus Publishing Grey Bees
Book SynopsisUkraine''s most famous novelist dramatises the conflict raging in his country through the adventures of a mild-mannered beekeeper. A warm and surprisingly funny book from Ukraine''s greatest living novelist Charlie Connelly, New European Books of the YearLittle Starhorodivka, a village of three streets, lies in Ukraine''s Grey Zone, the no-man''s-land between loyalist and separatist forces. Thanks to the war, only two residents remain: retired safety inspector turned beekeeper Sergey Sergeyich and Pashka, his frenemy from his schooldays.With little food and no electricity, under ever-present threat of bombardment, Sergeyich''s one remaining pleasure is his bees. As spring approaches, he knows he must take them far from the Grey Zone so they can collect their pollen in peace. This simple mission on their behalf introduces him to combatants and civilians on both sides of the battle lines: loyalists, separatists, Russian occupiers and Crimean Tatars. Wherever he goes, Sergeyich''s childlike simplicity and strong moral compass disarm everyone he meets.But could these qualities be manipulated to serve an unworthy cause, spelling disaster for him, his bees and his country?Translated from the Russian by Boris DralyukTrade ReviewA latter-day Bulgakov . . . A Ukrainian Murakami. -- Phoebe Taplin * Guardian. *A post-Soviet Kafka. -- Colin Freeman * Daily Telegraph. *Kurkov draws us with deceptive ease into a dense complex world full of wonderful characters. -- Michael Palin.A kind of Ukrainian Kurt Vonnegut -- Ian Sansom * Spectator. *This time, the Ukrainian author of Death and the Penguin, known for his brilliantly dark humour, has written a modern-day odyssey, with a return that is ambiguously hopeful. -- India Lewis * Arts Desk *Strange and mesmerising . . . In spare prose, Ukraine's most famous novelist unsparingly examines the inhuman confusions of our modern times and the longing of the warm-hearted everyman that is Sergeyich for the rationality of the natural world. -- John Thornhill * Financial Times *A warm and surprisingly funny book from Ukraine's greatest living novelist. -- Charlie Connelly * New European Books of the Year *Carries top notes of Beckett and Pinter, along with a slug of Kafka. * Strong Words. *Sergey is at once a war-weary adventurer and a fairy-tale innocent . . . His naive gaze allows Kurkov to get to the heart of a country bewildered by crisis and war, but where kindness can still be found . . . Translated by Boris Dralyuk with sensitivity and ingenuity. -- Uilleam Blacker * Times Literary Supplement *
£10.44
Transworld Turning for Home
Book SynopsisThe brilliant new novel from the author of the award-winning FIVE RIVERS MET ON A WOODED PLAIN. 'Courageous...memorable...moving' - Guardian'One of our most exciting young writers' - The Times'Life-affirming, beautiful and achingly poignant' - Donal Ryan'Isn't the life of any person made up out of the telling of two tales, after all? People live in the space between the realities of their lives and the hopes they have for them. The whole world makes more sense if you remember that everyone has two lives, their real lives and their dreams, both stories only a tape's breadth apart from each other, impossibly divided, indivisibly close.'Every year, Robert's family come together at a rambling old house to celebrate his birthday. Aunts, uncles, distant cousins - it has been a milestone in their lives for decades. But this year Robert doesn't want to be reminded of what has happened since they last met - and neither, for quite different reasons, does his granddaughter Kate. Neither of them
£13.49
Headline Publishing Group The Starter Ex
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£10.44
Orion Publishing Co A Dance with the Fae Prince
Book SynopsisCinderella meets THE CRUEL PRINCE in this standalone fantasy romance about a human girl and her marriage to the prince of the fae.She knew her hand in marriage would be sold. She had no idea a fae prince was the buyer.Katria swore she''d never fall in love. She''s seen what ''love'' means through the cruelty of her family. So when she''s married off to the mysterious Lord Fenwood for a handsome price, all Katria wants is a better life than the one she''s leaving. Feelings are off the table.But her new husband makes not falling in love difficult.As their attraction begins to grow, so too do the oddities within her new life: strange rules, screams in the night, and attacks by fae that Katria never thought were real. When she witnesses a ritual not meant for human eyes, Katria finds herself spirited away to the land of Midscape.Surviving the fae wilds as a human is hard enough. Katria must survive as a human who accidently pilfered the mag
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