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
Orion Publishing Co My Dark Desire
Book Synopsis''Hands down one of my favourite reads of this year. Leigh and Parker did not come to play!'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''I loved this book - it had everything it made me laugh, had angst, emotion by the bucket full and all the spice'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''Hooked from the first page, so well written with the dry, snarky, witty and sarcastic humour laced throughout'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''I laughed, I cried, I swooned and I empathised so much with this story. It was everything and more'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐The hotly anticipated second standalone romance in the Dark Prince Road series. If you loved My Dark Romeo, you need My Dark Desire. The task was simple: Sneak into Zachary Sun''s closely guarded manor. Retrieve my pendant. Slip out.Problem #1? America''s most unattainable bachelor caught me.Problem #2? He decided to keep me
£9.49
Little, Brown Book Group Other Peoples Houses
Book SynopsisThe stunning new thriller from the author who brought you the jaw-dropping twist of I Let You Go, the gasp-out-loud ending of Let Me Lie, and the loveable, unpredictable Ffion Morgan in The Last Party and A Game of Lies.''Witty and ingeniously plotted with twist after brilliant twist. I loved it!'' CLAIRE DOUGLASEven on the most desirable street, there''s a dark side . . .The Hill is the kind of place everyone wants to live: luxurious, exclusive and safe. But now someone is breaking and entering these Cheshire homes one by one, and DS Leo Brady suspects the burglar is looking for something, or someone, in particular.Over the border in Wales, DC Ffion Morgan recovers the body of an estate agent from the lake. There''s no love lost between Ffion and estate agents, but who hated this one enough to want her dead - and why?As their cases collide, Ffion and Leo discover people will pay a high price to keep their secrets behind closed doors . . .''Gripping, intense and thought-provoking'' KARIN SLAUGHTER''Skilfully plotted, sharply paced and wickedly funny, this is a must-read crime series'' LUCY CLARKE''Clever . . . [with] a stunning denouement'' THE TIMES''Funny, entertaining and unguessable with a fabulous cast of deeply authentic characters'' RUTH MANCINI''Satisfyingly twisty'' MAIL ON SUNDAY''A larger-than-life cast of characters, a plot which twists and turns at the drop of a hat and a gloriously well crafted backdrop'' ***** READER REVIEW''Has you on the edge of your seat'' I PAPER''I absolutely loved this from beginning to end. A gripping thriller loaded with humour and cleverness'' ***** READER REVIEW''Cracking'' HEAT''Another complete page-turner'' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING''A dazzling fusion of mystery, humour, and complex character dynamics. It doesn''t just entertain, it captivates'' ***** READER REVIEW''The characters come to life, the plot is gripping and the twists are jaw dropping'' ***** READER REVIEW
£15.29
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC It Comes from the River
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£9.49
Cornerstone The Catch
Book SynopsisA darkly whimsical debut about women daring to live and create with impunity. Twin sisters Clara and Dempsey have always struggled to relate, their familial bond severed after their mother vanished into the Thames. In adulthood, they are content to be all but estranged, until Clara sees a woman who looks exactly like their mother on the streets of London. The catch: this version of Serene, aged not a day, has enjoyed a childless life. Clara, a celebrity author in desperate need of validation, believes Serene is their mother, while Dempsey, isolated and content to remain so, believes she is a con woman. As they clash over this stranger, the sisters hurtle toward an altercation that threatens their very existence, forcing them to finally confront their pasts--together. In her riveting first foray into fiction, Yrsa Daley-Ward conjures a kaleidoscopic multiverse of daughterhood and mother-want, exploring the sacrifices that Black women must make for self-actualization. The result is a marvel of a debut novel that boldly asks, How can it ever, ever be a crime to choose yourself?
£15.29
Vintage Publishing The Parisian
Book Synopsis'A sublime reading experience: delicate, restrained, surpassingly intelligent, uncommonly poised and truly beautiful' Zadie Smith**WINNER OF THE BETTY TRASK AWARD 2020**Midhat Kamal - dreamer, romantic, aesthete - leaves Palestine in 1914 to study medicine in France, under the tutelage of Dr Molineu. He falls deeply in love with Jeannette, the doctor's daughter. But Midhat soon discovers that everything is fragile: love turns to loss, friends become enemies and everyone is looking for a place to belong. Through Midhat's eyes we see the tangled politics and personal tragedies of a turbulent era - the Palestinian struggle for independence, the strife of the early twentieth century, and the looming shadow of the Second World War. Lush and immersive, and devastating in its power, The Parisian is an elegant, richly-imagined debut from a dazzling new voice in fiction.*SHORTLISTED FOR THE WALTER SCOTT PRIZE FOR HISTORICAL FICTION 2020**SHORTLISTED FOR THE EDWARD STANFORD FICTION AWARD 2019*Trade ReviewIsabella Hammad’s remarkably accomplished debut novel very quickly snares the reader’s attention… Hammad is a natural storyteller... The writing is deeply humane, its wide vision combined with poised restraint… A story of cultures in simultaneous conflict and concord, The Parisian teems with riches – love, war, betrayal and madness – and marks the arrival of a bright new talent. * Guardian *Breathtaking… Isabella Hammad establishes herself here as a literary force to be reckoned with. The Parisian is, in many ways, an extraordinary achievement. * Irish Times *A stunning 576-page debut, both a lush rendering of Palestinian life a century ago under the British Mandate and a sumptuous epic about the enduring nature of love… a small, beautiful, human story blazing against the enormity of the sociopolitical one… a novel you sink into. * Vogue *One of the most ambitious first novels to have appeared in years… Written in soulful, searching prose, it’s a jam-packed epic… Hammad is a natural social novelist with an ear for lively dialogue as well as an ability to illuminate psychological interiority… Hammad is a writer of startling talent – and The Parisian has the rhythm of life. * Observer *The Parisian has an up-close immediacy and stylistic panache that are all the more impressive coming from a London-born writer still in her 20s… There are intimidating 19th-century precedents – Tolstoy, Turgenev, Stendhal… Isabella Hammad has crafted an exquisite novel that, like Midhat himself, delves back into the confusing past while remaining wholly anchored in the precarious present. * New York Times Book Review *
£9.49
Fly on the Wall Press Lying Perfectly Still
Book SynopsisFollowing the shocking death of her father, Koliwe Oxford behind and travels to AIDS-ravaged Eswatini to take a job as an aid worker. But the Southern Africa she encounters is a far cry from the stories her late artist father told. When local girl Thandi goes missing, Koliwe's search for the truth leads her deep into the mountains...
£10.44
UoS Talking Shop Press Suffolk Haunts
Book Synopsis
£9.71
Orion Publishing Co False Value
Book SynopsisBook 8 in the Rivers of London series, from Sunday Times Number One bestselling author Ben Aaronovitch.Peter Grant is facing fatherhood, and an uncertain future, with equal amounts of panic and enthusiasm. Leaving his old police life behind, he takes a job with Silicon Valley tech genius Terrence Skinner''s new London start up: the Serious Cybernetics Corporation.Drawn into the orbit of Old Street''s famous ''silicon roundabout'', Peter must learn how to blend in with people who are both civilians and geekier than he is. Compared to his last job, Peter thinks it should be a doddle. But magic is not finished with the Met''s first trainee wizard in fifty years.Because a secret is hiding somewhere in the building. A technology that stretches back to Ada Lovelace and Charles Babbage, and forward to the future of artificial intelligence. A secret that is just as magical as it technological - and twice as dangerous...Praise for thTrade ReviewHighly entertaining * Sunday Express *Funny and wildly inventive * Mail on Sunday *Masterfully crafted ... gives the late, great Terry Pratchett a run for his money * The Sun *Ben Aaronovitch has created a wonderful world full of mystery, magic and fantastic characters. I love being there even more than the real London * Nick Frost *Charming, witty, exciting * Independent *An incredibly fast-moving magical joyride for grown-ups * The Times *
£7.99
Gill Boatclub B Gospel According to Blindboy
Book SynopsisThe Gospel According to Blindboy is a surreal and genre-defying collection of short stories exploring the myths, complacencies and contradictions at the heart of modern Ireland. It is one of the most original collections of short stories to emerge in recent years.
£10.44
Hodder & Stoughton City of Thieves
Book Synopsis''AN EXCEPTIONAL STORYTELLER'' Khaled Hosseini, author of The Kite Runner''Ingenious''New York Times Book Review''Compelling''Daily Telegraph''Fast-moving''Spectator''Cinematic''Marie Claire''Gripping''New York MagazineFrom the co-creator and writer of the award-winning HBO series Game of Thrones, a captivating novel about war, courage, survival and a remarkable friendship that ripples across a lifetime.Four months into the siege of Leningrad, the city is starving. Seventeen-year-old Lev fears for his life when he is arrested for looting the body of a dead German paratrooper, while his charismatic cellmate, Kolya, a handsome young soldier arrested for desertion, seems bizarrely unafraid.Dawn brings, instead of an execution squad, an impossible challenge. Lev and Kolya can find a dozen eggs for an NKVD colonel to use for his daughter''s wedding cake, and live. Or fail, and die.In the depths of the coldest winter in history, through a city cut off from all supplies and suffering appalling deprivation, man and boy embark on an absurd hunt. Their search will take them through desolate, lawless Leningrad and the devastated countryside surrounding it, in the captivating journey of two men trying to survive against desperate odds.PRAISE FOR DAVID BENIOFF''Master of the zippy, punchy, knee-to-the-groin story''Independent on Sunday''An ace storyteller''Entertainment Weekly''A skilled creator''Daily TelegraphTrade ReviewDavid Benioff is an exceptional storyteller. With humor, heart, and at times relentless suspense, he has written a riveting war novel and an engaging coming of age story. City of Thieves is tender, illuminating, and, be warned, often shocking. It is the kind of compellingly readable book that lingers long after it is read -- Khaled Hosseini, author of THE KITE RUNNERIt's beautifully written and acutely observed and I defy you to put it down -- John Humphrys * Daily Mail *A fast-moving adventure story . . . it had me gripped * Spectator *Ingenious . . . The research never stands out because Benioff weaves it in so deftly. He shifts tone with perfect control -- no recent novel I've read travels so quickly and surely between registers, from humour to devastation * New York Times Book Review *A hard-to-put-down novel . . . Benioff blends tense adventure, a bittersweet coming-of-age and an oddly touching buddy narrative to craft a smart crowd-pleaser * Publishers Weekly *A high-spirited adventure * Booklist *Splendid . . . Benioff has produced a funny, sad, and thrilling novel * Entertainment Weekly *This spellbinding story perfectly blends tragedy and comedy * USA Today *Benioff is a skilled creator of atmospheres . . . Told with compelling power * Daily Telegraph *David Benioff's glorious second novel is a wild action-packed quest and much else besides: a coming-of-age story, an odd-couple tale and a juicy footnote to the siege of Leningrad . . . This gut-churning thriller will sweep you along * Kirkus, starred review *A gripping, at times gory, but ultimately sweet story . . . It has the phenomenal twists of, yes, a great movie * New York Magazine *A master storyteller . . . Benioff's inventiveness carries you along with no pause for breath . . . A testament of towering imagination * Jewish Chronicle *A zipping and unexpectedly amusing read . . . Gifted with the touch of a fairy-story teller himself, Benioff manages to combine a sense of dark realism with entertaining brio * Herald *A cinematic tale of a scared boy and a nonchalant man traversing the famished, snow-bound city of Leningrad in search of 12 eggs for a wedding cake . . . it's the pair's jaunty argumentative friendship that gives this novel such heart * Marie Claire *Finely honed * The New Yorker *The latest master of the zippy, punchy, knee-to-the-groin story is David Benioff * Independent on Sunday *Expert tone . . . fine sense of pace * Financial Times *Pacy, but with more depth than that suggests * City A.M. *Benioff's buddy story is hotwired with a breakneck plot that hurtles along at rabid intensity * Time Out Sydney *A rough-and-tumble tale that clenches humour, savagery, and pathos squarely together on the same page * Washington Post *Benioff peppers his swift-moving plot with pitch-dark humor and unexpected turns. It's a rousing reading experience, to cackle aloud at one paragraph then gasp at the next . . . I'm glad I waited until warm weather to start this winter's tale. But really, any other time would have been just fine. There's no bad season to read a book this good -- Ken Jaworowski * New York Times Book Review *Benioff blends humour and horror expertly * San Francisco Chronicle *A deft storyteller, Benioff writes about starvation, cannibalism, and Nazi atrocities with poise and cinematic flair. If Thieves were a movie, it would start out like Schindler's List and end up like Raiders of the Lost Ark * People *David Benioff's second novel features a snappy plot, a buoyant friendship, a quirky courtship, an assortment of menacing bad guys, an atmosphere that flickers between grainy realism and fairy-tale grotesquery and a grim but irrepressible sense of humour. Really, everything a reader could hope for in a buddy story set during the German army's siege of Leningrad during World War II * Los Angeles Times *Beautifully paced and seemingly effortless -- Maile Meloy, author of LIARS AND SAINTSA modern masterpiece, both heart-stopping and heartbreaking . . . a shatteringly beautiful and brilliant work. And on rare occasions we're handed a gift of a novel that's so filled with truth it has the power to change the way we look at the world. City of Thieves is one of them * bookreporter.com *
£10.44
HarperCollins Publishers The Greek House
Book Synopsis????? ''Highly recommend for your summer reading'' Reader Review ?????Can one house hold a lifetime of secrets?Corfu, 1930The moment Thirza Caruthers sets foot on Corfu, memories flood back: the scent of jasmine, the green shutters of her family's home and her brother Billy's tragic disappearance years before.Returning to the Greek house, high above clear blue waters, Thirza tries to escape by immersing herself in painting and a passionate affair.But as webs of love, envy, and betrayal tighten around the family, buried secrets surface.Is it finally time to uncover the truth about Billy's vanishing?''The Greek House is absolutely sumptuous. Dinah Jefferies at her best. I devoured every page of this stunning novel with enormous pleasure'' Santa MontefioreI was totally absorbed by this page-turning tale of love, loss and heartbreak in a troubled period of Corfu's history. The island is beautifully evoked, the characters gloriously alive and passionate'' Rachel Hore''A powerful story the women are strong and complex this is Dinah Jefferies'' best yet'' Gill Paul
£9.49
Faber & Faber Open City
Book SynopsisThe bestselling debut novel from a writer heralded as the twenty-first-century W. G. Sebald.A haunting novel about national identity, race, liberty, loss and surrender, Open City follows a young Nigerian doctor as he wanders aimlessly along the streets of Manhattan. For Julius the walks are a release from the tight regulations of work, from the emotional fallout of a failed relationship, from lives past and present on either side of the Atlantic.Isolated amid crowds of bustling strangers, Julius criss-crosses not just physical landscapes but social boundaries too, encountering people whose otherness sheds light on his own remarkable journey from Nigeria to New York - as well as into the most unrecognisable facets of his own soul.
£9.49
Penguin Books Ltd Memoirs of Hadrian And Reflections on the
Book SynopsisThe Emperor Hadrian writes a valedictory letter to Marcus Aurelius, his future successor. The Emperor meditates on his past, describing his accession, military triumphs, love of poetry and music, and the philosophy that informed his powerful and far-flung rule. This work recreates the life and death of one of the great rulers of the ancient world.
£9.49
Vintage Publishing Foucaults Pendulum
Book SynopsisThree book editors, jaded by reading far too many crackpot manuscripts on the mystic and the occult, are inspired by an extraordinary conspiracy story told to them by a strange colonel to have some fun. They start feeding random bits of information into a powerful computer capable of inventing connections between the entries, thinking they are creating nothing more than an amusing game, but then their game starts to take over, the deaths start mounting, and they are forced into a frantic search for the truthTrade ReviewBrilliant, funny, encompassing everything you ever wanted to know about practically everything (including numerology, James Bond's foes, and the construction of sewers), this book is both extraordinarily learned and well plotted. * Sunday Times *Endlessly diverting... Even more intricate and absorbing than his international bestseller The Name of the Rose. * Time *Brilliant... A novel that is deeper and richer than The Name of the Rose. * New York Times *An intellectual adventure story, as sensational, thrilling, and packed with arcana as Raiders of the Lost Ark or The Count of Monte Cristo. * The Washington Post *Umberto Eco is literature's great magician... He offers us many passages of brilliance, and treats us to a Shakespearean alternation of paroxysm and intimacy, madness and wisdom. There is something here for everyone. His genius affords his readers a selection of delights that will make their heads spin. * Le Monde *
£10.44
Scratch Books Failed Summer Vacation
Book Synopsis
£10.44
Oneworld Publications The Fertile Earth
Book SynopsisA thrilling story of love and resistance about two young people born across social lines, set against a tumultuous political landscape in India
£9.49
Simon & Schuster Australia Fall with Me
Book Synopsis
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers Hate Mail
Book Synopsis????? The best romantic comedy I''ve read since The Hating Game'Naomi and Luca have been pen-pals since fifth-grade. Well, more like bitter rivals caught in an epic battle of insults and verbal joustingBut what starts as a hilarious chain of hate filled letters, slowly develops into a friendship spanning coasts and years. That is until one day, years later, when the letters suddenly stop.It's been two years since Naomi last heard from Luca. Two years since the letter that changed everything.But when a new envelope turns up out of the blue at her desk at the local news station, Naomi is determined not to let Luca have the final word.Readers can''t get enough of Naomi and Luca''s love story:????? I LOVED this one so muchI devoured this book in one sitting and I highly recommend for fans of Emily Henry, Hannah Grace and Lucy Score'????? Wow! I am blown away by this book!!'????? I literally devoured this book in a few hours, it was so good. If you like romantic comedies please pick up thi
£9.49
Simon & Schuster Ltd The Lion Women of Tehran
Book Synopsis'As heart-wrenching as it is achingly beautiful' Sadeqa Johnson, author of The House of Eve'Heartbreaking and life affirming' Adrienne Brodeur, author of Little Monsters'Courage, friendship, loyalty, hardship, love – this novel has everything' Mary Beth Keane, Ask Again, YesFrom the author of The Stationery Shop of Tehran, a heartfelt, epic new novel of friendship, betrayal and redemption set against three transformative decades in Tehran, Iran. In 1950s Tehran, seven-year-old Ellie lives in grand comfort until the untimely death of her father, forcing Ellie and her mother to move to a tiny home downtown. Lonely and bearing the brunt of her mother’s endless grievances, Ellie dreams of a friend to alleviate her isolation. Luckily, on the first day of school, she meets Homa, a kind, passionate girl with a brave and irrepressible
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers The Story Collector
Book Synopsis''[A] sweet tale about the healing power of kindness'' Irish TimesIn a quiet village in Ireland, a mysterious local myth is about to change everythingOne hundred years ago, Anna, a young farm girl, volunteers to help an intriguing American visitor translate fairy stories from Irish to English. But all is not as it seems and Anna soon finds herself at the heart of a mystery that threatens her very way of life.In New York in the present day, Sarah Harper boards a plane bound for the West Coast of Ireland. But once there, she finds she has unearthed dark secrets secrets that tread the line between the everyday and the otherworldly, the seen and the unseen.With a taste for the magical in everyday life, Evie Woods''s latest novel is full of ordinary characters with extraordinary tales to tell.Praise for The Story Collector:''An engaging story about unsettled griefthe possibility that magic and the fairies are real is dangled tantalisingly before the reader, but not in a way that might make a sceptic roll their eyes'' Historical Novel Society''Woods weaves a great tale of past, present and that timeless other realm, making for a very satisfying read'' Sunday IndependentReaders have fallen in love with The Story Collector:I highly recommend this book if you enjoy historical fiction and want to learn more about Ireland and its folklore history surrounding the faeries.' ?????Romantic and magical, an adventure to be enjoyed.' ?????Painted beautifully.' ?????''A bewitching story which I will treasure.' ?????A mystical treasure that echoes with the fairy world power of Ireland. A mesmerising tale told in two timelines where the past unfolds and ripples like a wave into the future.' ?????''This is the perfect book to read on a winter afternoon in front of the fire.' ?????''A delightful tale of love and loss and magical stories.' ?????Previously published as The Story Collector by Evie Gaughan.
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Wreck the Halls UK
Book Synopsis#1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey delivers a sexy, hilarious standalone holiday rom-com about the adult children of two former rock stars who team up to convince their estranged mothers to play a Christmas Eve concert…Melody Gallard may be the daughter of music royalty, but her world is far from glamorous. She spends her days restoring old books and avoiding the limelight (one awkward tabloid photo was enough, thanks). But when a producer offers her a lot of money to reunite her mother’s band on live tv, Mel begins to wonder if it’s time to rattle the cage, shake up her quiet life… and see him again. The only other person who could wrangle the rock and roll divas.Beat Dawkins, the lead singer’s son, is Melody’s opposite—the camera loves him, he could charm the pants off anyone, and his mom is not a potential cult leader. Still, they might have been best friends if not for the legendary feud that broke up the band. When they met as teenagers, Mel felt an instant spark, but it’s nothing compared to the wild, intense attraction that builds as they embark on a madcap mission to convince their mothers to perform one last show. While dealing with rock star shenanigans, a 24-hour film crew, brawling Santas, and mobs of adoring fans, Mel starts to step out of her comfort zone. With Beat by her side, cheering her on, she’s never felt so understood. But Christmas Eve is fast approaching, and a decades-old scandal is poised to wreck everything—the Steel Birds reunion, their relationships with their mothers, and their newfound love. Trade Review“The tenderness, vulnerability and heat I am always guaranteed with a Tessa Bailey book are the reasons she is one of my all-time favorite authors.” — Sally Thorne “Tessa Bailey writes pure magic.” — Alexis Daria “One of the genre’s very best.” — Kate Clayborn “Tessa Bailey’s writing stands out in all the right sexy ways.” — Buzzfeed “Bailey writes banter and rom-com scenarios with aplomb, but for those who like their romance on the spicier side, she’s also the Michelangelo of dirty talk. She wields filth like Da Vinci does a paintbrush, and there’s a lot to be said for an author who can fill such exchanges with all the requisite heat, enthusiastic consent, and yes, even humor, of such a scenario without veering into corny territory.” — Entertainment Weekly “Tessa Bailey is the queen of rom-coms. Long may she reign!" — Julie Murphy, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Merry Little Meet Cute “Nothing makes my heart catch fire like a Tessa Bailey book. She is all things magic and dirty talk.” — Elena Armas, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Spanish Love Deception
£9.49
Faber & Faber Find Me
Book SynopsisElio believes he has left behind his first love - but as an affair with an older man intensifies, his thoughts turn to the past and to Oliver.Oliver, a college professor, husband and father, is preparing to leave New York.
£9.49
£16.14
Simon & Schuster Ltd The Anthropologists
Book Synopsis
£999.99
Headline Publishing Group American Gods
Book SynopsisThe definitive American road novel with over a million copies sold.Trade ReviewA very fine and imaginative writer * The Times *'Gaiman has a rich imagination...and an ability to tackle large themes' * Philip Pullman *
£8.99
HarperCollins Publishers Blue Sisters
Book Synopsis''IT MOVED ME DEEPLY'' LIV LITTLE''DEEPLY POIGNANT'' HARPERS BAZAAR''GORGEOUS'' RAVEN LEILANITHE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER FROM THE AUTHOR OF CLEOPATRA AND FRANKENSTEIN''It will make you laugh, cry deeply, and want to call your siblings' Cosmopolitan''Even better than Cleopatra and Frankenstein'' GraziaThe Blue sisters have always been exceptional and exceptionally different.Avery, a strait-laced lawyer living in London, is the typical eldest daughter, though she's hiding a secret that could undo her perfect life forever.Bonnie was a boxer but, following a devastating defeat, she''s been working as a bouncer in LA until a reckless act one night threatens to drive her out of the city.And Lucky, the rebellious youngest, is a model in Paris whose hard-partying ways are finally catching up with her.Then there was Nicky, the beloved fourth sister, whose unexpected death left Avery, Bonnie and Lucky reeling.When, a year later, the three of them must reunite in New York to stop the sale of their childhood home, they find that it''s only by returning to each other that they can navigate their grief, addiction and heartbreak and learn to fall in love with life again.What readers are sayingThis book was INCREDIBLE' ?????This book moved me to tears several times' ?????Captivating and utterly human' ?????A book that will live with me for a very long time'' ?????A beautiful, moving book' ?????
£15.29
HarperCollins Publishers Vera Wongs Guide to Snooping on a Dead Man
Book SynopsisHad me laughing aloud within its first five pages. Charming, hilarious and heartfelt' Emily Henry, New York Times bestselling author of Beach ReadLife is good for sixty-year-old teashop owner and amateur sleuth, Vera Wong. Her teashop is bustling, and her son, Tilly, finally has a girlfriend! Still, Vera can't help but wish for some excitement and adventure. Sometimes all an old lady wants is a murder to solveThen Vera comes across a distressed young woman in need of her kindly guidance. The woman is looking for her missing friend Xander. Online, he appeared to have it all: a parade of private jets, fabulous parties with socialites, and a burgeoning career as a social media influencer.When Xander turns up dead, it seems he isn't who he claimed to be. The police have no leads, but Vera intends to uncover the truth in the only way that this Chinese mother knows how: by spilling the tea.Praise for Vera WongI thoroughly loved it. With a Vera in your life nothing bad can ever happen!' J. M. Hall, bestselling author of A Spoonful of MurderFans of Crazy Rich Asians will love it' My WeeklyI appreciate the recent uptick in books featuring sleuths of a seasoned age, particularly ones as prickly, opinionated and delightful as Vera Wong' The New York TimesReaders love VERA WONG''Vera Wong is my favourite fictional character in the world.'' ?????''I''ll be recommending this one to all my friends.'' ?????''A mystery with heart and humour'' ?????''Vera Wong is honestly the best character I''ve read in crime fiction'' ?????''Fast paced and addictive'' ?????
£9.49
Simon & Schuster Ltd The Fiance Dilemma
Book SynopsisFrom the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Spanish Love Deception comes something new to fall in love with... Josie Moore has given the opposite sex––and love––plenty of chances. Four exactly, if you count all her failed engagements, and five if you include the absentee father who kept her existence a secret until very recently. So when her father decides to announce his retirement with a splashy magazine piece about the family, Josie realizes her romantic history is a complicated PR issue. Matthew Flanagan is the mud, literally. Not only has he been fired from his job, but also the tires of his car are stuck in the muck after taking a wrong turn as he enters Green Oak, North Carolina. So, he grabs a duffel with his essentials and goes in search of a place to crash until he gets his life back on track. But instead, he finds his best friend’s sister, Josie, greeting him as her fiancé.
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers All the Light We Cannot See. Film TieIn
Book SynopsisSOON A MAJOR NETFLIX SERIES from director Shawn Levy, starring Louis Hofmann, Lars Eidinger and Marion Bailey, with Hugh Laurie and Mark Ruffalo, and introducing Aria Mia Loberti.WINNER OF THE 2015 PULITZER PRIZE FOR FICTIONNATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALISTNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERWINNER OF THE CARNEGIE MEDAL FOR FICTIONA beautiful, stunningly ambitious novel about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II.Marie-Laure has been blind since the age of six. Her father builds a perfect miniature of their Paris neighbourhood so she can memorize it by touch and navigate her way home. But when the Nazis invade, father and daughter flee with a dangerous secret.Werner is a German orphan, destined to labour in the same mine that claimed his father's life, until he discovers a knack for engineering. His talent wins him a place at a brutal military academy, but his way out of obscurity is built on suffering.At theTrade Review'Far more than a conventional war story, it's a tightly focused epic revolving around two unusual main characters … Doerr paints with a rich palette, using prose that resonates deeply and conveys the ephemera of daily existence along with high drama, sadness and hope … A bittersweet and moving novel that lingers in the mind' Clifford Beal, Daily Mail ‘This novel will be a piece of luck for anyone with a long plane journey or beach holiday ahead. It is such a page-turner, entirely absorbing… [Doerr’s] attention to detail is magnificent’ Guardian ‘It is easy to understand why Doerr’s book is regarded by many as an epic and a masterpiece’ Observer ‘He can bring a scene to life in a single paragraph … Delicate and moving … the novel takes hold and will not easily let go’ The Times ‘Boy meets girl in Anthony Doerr’s hauntingly beautiful new book, but the circumstances are as elegantly circuitous as they can be’ New York Times ‘I’m not sure I will read a better novel this year … Enthrallingly told, beautifully written and so emotionally plangent that some passages bring tears’ Washington Post ‘This jewel of a story is put together like a vintage timepiece … Doerr’s writing and imagery are stunning. It’s been a while since a novel had me under its spell in this fashion’ Abraham Verghese, author of Cutting for Stone ‘A dazzling, epic work of fiction. Anthony Doerr writes beautifully about the mythic and the intimate, about snails on beaches and armies on the move, about fate and love and history and those breathless, unbearable moments when they all come crashing together’ Jess Walter, author of Beautiful Ruins
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers The Two Towers
Book SynopsisThe Two Towers is the second part of J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic adventure, The Lord of the Rings.Trade Review‘An extraordinary book. It deals with a stupendous theme. It leads us through a succession of strange and astonishing episodes, some of them magnificent, in a region where everything is invented, forest, moor, river, wilderness, town and the races which inhabit them.’The Observer ‘Among the greatest works of imaginative fiction of the twentieth century.’Sunday Telegraph ‘The English-speaking world is divided into those who have read The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit and those who are going to read them.’Sunday Times ‘A story magnificently told, with every kind of colour and movement and greatness.’New Statesman ‘Masterpiece? Oh yes, I’ve no doubt about that.’Evening Standard
£22.50
Simon & Schuster Ltd Maybe Not
Book SynopsisColleen Hoover, the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of It Ends with Us and It Starts with Us brilliantly brings to life the story of the hilarious and charismatic Warren in this novella. When Warren has the opportunity to live with a female roommate, he instantly agrees. It could be an exciting change. Or maybe not. Especially when that roommate is the cold and seemingly calculating Bridgette. Tensions run high and tempers flare as the two can hardly stand to be in the same room together. But Warren has a theory about Bridgette: anyone who can hate with that much passion should also have the capability to love with that much passion. And he wants to be the one to test this theory. Will Bridgette find it in herself to warm her heart to Warren and finally learn to love? Maybe.Maybe not.
£8.54
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Written in the Stars
Book SynopsisWhen Darcy’s brother—and Elle's new business partner—expresses how happy he is that they hit it off, Elle is baffled. But with a few conditions: Darcy must help Elle navigate her own overbearing family during the holidays and their arrangement expires on New Year’s Eve.Trade Review“Written in the Stars is everything I want from a romcom: fun, whimsical, sexy. This modern Pride & Prejudice glitters with romance.” — Talia Hibbert, USA Today bestselling author of Get a Life, Chloe Brown “With perfectly woven vulnerability and playfulness, Written in the Stars is a riotous and heartfelt read. I was hooked from the very first page!” — Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author of In a Holidaze "Bellefleur has a droll, distinct voice, and her one-liners zing off the page, striking both the heart and funny bone. She has a gift for comedy, possessing more style and panache than a debut writer has any right to... There's a sparkling quality here, one that mirrors the starry title. Bellefleur writes as if she's captured fairy lights in a mason jar, twinkly and lovely within something solid yet fragile." — Entertainment Weekly (Best Romances of November) "This book is a delight." — New York Times Book Review “There are many, many Pride and Prejudice retellings out there, but Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur might just be the best.” — Popsugar (Best New Romance Books in November) "Just what 2020 needs: a delightful rom com that once again gives us the beloved fake relationship trope — and the fuzzies you didn’t know you needed." — Shondaland (5 Best Books of November) "[A] distinctly modern frolic, charming and effervescent and entirely itself." — Washington Post “In this heart-thawing holiday romance, debut novelist Bellefleur remixes Austen's indelible clash of personalities into something fresh and totally queer.” — O, the Oprah Magazine (Best LGBTQ Books of 2020) "If you love the fake-dating trope, you won't want to miss Written in the Stars." — Bustle "A disastrous blind date kicks off Bellefleur’s excellent rom-com debut... Readers will be rapt by the sensuous love scenes once Darcy and Elle throw pretense aside... A moving subplot about Elle’s fight for her family’s acceptance rounds out the story, while astrology memes (“What brunch food are you based on your zodiac?”) and nods to Pride and Prejudice scattered throughout add texture. This is a delight." — Publishers Weekly (starred review) "A delightful, heart-warming romance, Bellefleur's novel shows eloquently how two characters can fall in love more deeply than either dared to dream. So whether you follow astrology or not, Written in the Stars has the reading you won't want to miss." — NPR "[A]wkward first dates lead to passionate first kisses and time spent together reveals there is more to both women than meets the eye... Fans of pop culture–inspired astrology sites will love the effortless and entertaining way the author weaves zodiac memes throughout the text. The stars align in this charming queer rom-com." — Kirkus Reviews "Bellefleur’s debut sprinkles amusing listicles throughout the text as Elle and Darcy cautiously move from uneasy allies to friends to something more. Well-developed leads, relatable conflicts, a strong supporting cast, and opposites-attract chemistry make for an engaging read. Fans of Alexis Hall's Boyfriend Material and Talia Hibbert's Take a Hint, Dani Brown will enjoy this Seattle-set love story that reads like a romantic holiday movie." — Booklist "Polar opposites come together in Bellefleur’s cheerful #ownvoices debut... A dash of Pride and Prejudice and Bridget Jones’s Diary, mixed with a fresh, millennial f/f twist of opposites attract." — Library Journal "Written in the Stars abounds with optimism and empathy for its characters, its wit always undergirded by sweetness. This is a comfort read, at a time when many of us need one badly, and a sparkling debut for Bellefleur." — Olivia Dade, author of Spoiler Alert "Alexandria Bellefleur is an author to watch. Her writing is joyful and heartfelt, and her voice sparkles with a delightful mix of wit, humor, and good-natured sarcasm. I can't wait to see how she wows us next!" — Mia Sosa, USA Today bestselling author of The Worst Best Man "WRITTEN IN THE STARS had me hooked from the first page. It's an adorable and heartfelt romance with everything I adore: a killer meet-cute, loads of cute banter, steamy love scenes, all the feels, and a happily ever after that left me in happy tears. I fell head over heels for Elle and Darcy's love story. Alexandria Bellefleur's debut will have readers seeing stars in the best way.” — Sarah Smith, author of Faker & Simmer Down "A dazzling debut! The perfect combination of humor and heart really makes this book shine.” — Rachel Lacey, author of Don’t Cry for Me “Written in the Stars is what you might get if your favorite Instagram astrologer wrote you an adorable romance novel. Delightful, funny and sweet, with just the right touch of woo-woo.” — Scarlett Peckham, USA Today bestselling author "Alexandria Bellefleur has crafted an impeccable debut romance in WRITTEN IN THE STARS: lighthearted and sexy, contemporary and timeless, perfect to enjoy during the holiday season or for celebrating queer love any time of the year.” — Shelf Awareness “WRITTEN IN THE STARS is the gay contemporary Pride and Prejudice retelling I’ve been looking to read for forever, and I so hope everyone who needs to read this book finds it. Elle’s openness and positivity and Darcy’s guardedness and skepticism and how they come together is a joy to read. Please check this one out. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.” — Culturess
£9.99
Little, Brown Book Group The Boys From Brazil: Introduction by Chelsea
Book SynopsisIn this classic thriller, Ira Levin imagines Dr Josef Mengele's nightmarish plot to restore the Third Reich. Alive and hiding in South America, thirty years after the end of the Second World War, Mengele gathers a group of former colleagues for a sinister project - the creation of the Fourth Reich. Ageing Nazi hunter Yakov Lieberman is informed of the plot but before he hears the evidence, his source is killed . . . Spanning continents and inspired by true events, what follows is one of Levin's most masterful tales, both timeless and chillingly plausible.Praise for Ira Levin:'Levin is the Swiss watchmaker of the suspense novel' Stephen KingTrade ReviewIra Levin's most inventive plot since Rosemary's Baby. Extremely clever, consisting of familiar Levin themes - biological engineering, the rebirth of the devil and human automation * New York Times *Unputdownable novel about a plan to create the Fourth Reich. A clever and chilling vision of biological engineering * Woman & Home *Levin was the master of the high-concept thriller. Here, he fuses together two of the major concerns of his era - Nazi war criminals at large in Latin America, and the emerging science of cloning - to concoct a ripping yarn * Jonathan Freedland, the Week *Ira Levin's most inventive plot since Rosemary's Baby. Extremely clever, consisting of familiar Levin themes-biological engineering, the rebirth of the devil, human automation. * New York Times. *
£9.49
Simon & Schuster Ltd The Book of Magic
Book Synopsis‘Full of Hoffman’s bewitching and lucid prose and vivid characters, The Book of Magic is ultimately about the very human magic of family and love and actions that echo through generations… it casts a spell’ —Matt HaigTHE STUNNING, UNFORGETTABLE CONCLUSION TO THE BELOVED PRACTICAL MAGIC SERIES For centuries, the Owens family has been cursed in matters of love. When beloved aunt Jet Owens hears the sound of the deathwatch beetle, she knows that it is a signal. She has finally discovered the secret to breaking the curse, but time is running out. She has only seven days to live. Unaware of the family’s witchcraft lineage and all it entails, one of the young sisters of the new Owens generation has fallen in love. As the curse strikes once again, her love’s fate hangs in the balance, spurring three generations of Owens to venture back to where it all began and use their Trade ReviewPraise for the Practical Magic series ‘Her books are a real pleasure – practical magic’ Kate Atkinson ‘[A] delicious fantasy of witchcraft and love in a world where gardens smell of lemon verbena and happy endings are possible’ Cosmopolitan ‘Dripping with pathos and otherworldly possibility’ Vogue ‘Dark comedy and a light touch carry the story along to a truly Gothic climax, complete with heaving skies and witchery on the lawn’ New York Times ‘A master of magical realism, draws us back into the spellbinding universe of the Owens family with gorgeous prose set against a backdrop of vivid imagery’ Marie Claire ‘A delightful confection – witty, imaginative, unexpectedly touching’ The Times ‘Reading an Alice Hoffman book is like falling into a deep dream where senses are heightened and love reigns supreme… I never wanted to awaken’ Jodi Picoult ‘Hoffman’s classy prose imbues this modern fairy tale with bite as well as beauty’ Mail on Sunday ‘Storytelling is in Hoffman’s bones’ New York Times Book Review ‘Vivid and enchanting… another sublime entry in an arresting series’ Esquire ‘I got so swept up in this enchanting story’ Reese Witherspoon ‘A vivid and evocative tale – prepare to be spellbound’ Woman ‘Full of Hoffman’s bewitching and lucid prose and vivid characters, The Book of Magic is ultimately about the very human magic of family and love and actions that echo through generations… it casts a spell’ Matt Haig
£9.49
John Murray Press Killing Eve: Die For Me: The basis for the
Book SynopsisThe basis for KILLING EVE, now a major BBC TV series, starring Sandra Oh and Jodie ComerOn the run together, Eve Polastri and the psychopathic Villanelle take refuge in the underworld of St Petersburg. But the Twelve are closing in, as are the Russian security services. As the chess-game intensifies, and the grip of winter tightens, the couple are drawn into a nightmare realm of conspiracy and murder.Die For Me is a fast-paced, sophisticated thriller but also a poignant tale of love and erotic obsession. As the action races towards its shattering conclusion, can Eve and Villanelle learn to fully trust each other or will their differences destroy them?Codename Villanelle and No Tomorrow, the first two installments of the Killing Eve series, are out now! Praise for Killing Eve TV series'A dazzling thriller . . . mightily entertaining' Guardian 'Entertaining, clever and darkly comic' New York TimesTrade ReviewEnthralling . . . deftly shaped towards an excellent denouement in which both women revolt against their male bosses and the organisations behind them * Sunday Times, Thriller of the Month *Enthralling . . . deftly shaped towards an excellent denouement in which both women revolt against their male bosses and the organisations behind them * Sunday Times, Thriller of the Month *Forget the overrated TV series, Luke Jennings's tales of Sapphic slapstick work better on the page and this sequel to Codename Villanelle ignores the events of Phoebe Waller-Bridge's adaptation. Like his remarkable crackpot assassin, Jennings goes his own sweet way. Once again the reader is treated to a banquet of minced spies. The echoes of Ian Fleming and John le Carré are deafening and the ensuing double-crossing and switch-hitting outspoofs them both * Evening Standard *Forget the overrated TV series, Luke Jennings's tales of Sapphic slapstick work better on the page and this sequel to Codename Villanelle ignores the events of Phoebe Waller-Bridge's adaptation. Like his remarkable crackpot assassin, Jennings goes his own sweet way. Once again the reader is treated to a banquet of minced spies. The echoes of Ian Fleming and John le Carré are deafening and the ensuing double-crossing and switch-hitting outspoofs them both * Evening Standard *
£8.09
Little, Brown Book Group Gardam J Flight Of The Maidens
Book Synopsis''A formidably intelligent, gentle, comic genius'' A.N. Wilson''Gardam is a brilliantly subtle comedian who can keep the reader enraptured until the last page'' The TimesSet during the post-war summer of 1946, The Flight of the Maidens follows the growing-up of three young women in the months between leaving school and taking up their scholarships at university. Una Vane, whose widowed mother runs a hairdressing salon in her front room (''Maison Vane Glory - Where Permanent Waves are Permanent''), goes bicycling with Ray, the boy who delivers the fish and milk. Hetty Fallowes struggles to become independent of her possessive, loving, tactless mother. And Lieselotte Klein, who had arrived in 1939 on a train from Hamburg, uncovers tragedy in the past and magic in the present.Rooted in the north of England, The Flight of the Maidens is peopled with extraordinary characters, who are evoked with all the humour, compassion and eye for detail that marked Jane Gardam as one of Britain''s most gifted and original novelists.Trade ReviewA formidably intelligent, gentle, comic genius ... In a hundred years she will be read as Mrs Gaskell is read * A. N. Wilson SPECTATOR *Gardam ... has written another jewel. This tale of the three young women is made with a concentrate of humour and compassion. Gardam is a brilliantly subtle comedian who can keep the reader enraptured until the last page * THE TIMES *Jane Gardam has captured the burgeoning renaissance of post-war Britain in her novel THE FLIGHT OF THE MAIDENS. Writing with her usual deft and sensitive touch... Gardam paints scenes like a watercolour and every stroke adds depth and subtlety. The characters are rounded and appealing and humour often bubbles beneath the surface. * Christina McLoughlin, AMAZON.CO.UK REVIEW *Gardam has a pleasant, accessible style well-suited to a reassuring tale of regeneration and optimism after adversity. * OBSERVER *As a celebration of the rites of passage it rings diamond true. It is light, witty, sharp, yet understanding and sympathetic. It is also thoroughly enjoyable * SCOTSMAN *Gardam blends memory and imagination, intellect and humour, to evoke unsentimentally a vanished England, setting it in the context of the wider world and capturing the bittersweet excitement of leaving childhood behind * DAILY TELEGRAPH *Jane Gardam, as ever, shapes her narrative with wit and aplomb ... intelligent, inspiriting and entertaining * INDEPENDENT *She does fiction as it should be done, with confidence and insight -- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie * Observer *
£9.49
John Murray Press Killing Eve No Tomorrow
Book SynopsisThe basis for KILLING EVE, now a major BBC TV series, starring Sandra Oh and Jodie ComerSUNDAY TIMES Thriller of the MonthIn a hotel room in Venice, where she''s just completed a routine assassination, Villanelle receives a late-night call. Eve Polastri has discovered that a senior MI5 officer is in the pay of the Twelve, and is about to debrief him. As Eve interrogates her subject, desperately trying to fit the pieces of the puzzle together, Villanelle moves in for the kill. The duel between the two women intensifies, as does their mutual obsession, and when the action moves from the high passes of the Tyrol to the heart of Russia, Eve finally begins to unwrap the enigma of her adversary''s true identity.Contine the adventure with Die For Me, the final installment of the Killing Eve trilogy, out now! Praise for Killing Eve TV series''A dazzling thriller . . . mightily entertaining''Trade ReviewEnthralling . . . deftly shaped towards an excellent denouement in which both women revolt against their male bosses and the organisations behind them * Sunday Times, Thriller of the Month *Forget the overrated TV series, Luke Jennings's tales of Sapphic slapstick work better on the page and this sequel to Codename Villanelle ignores the events of Phoebe Waller-Bridge's adaptation. Like his remarkable crackpot assassin, Jennings goes his own sweet way. Once again the reader is treated to a banquet of minced spies. The echoes of Ian Fleming and John le Carré are deafening and the ensuing double-crossing and switch-hitting outspoofs them both * Evening Standard *The bizarre love-hate relationship between MI5's Eve Polastri and sexy assassin Villanelle has inspired a great TV series, but it is just as much fun on the page * Daily Express *
£8.09
Vintage Publishing The Satanic Verses
Book SynopsisSalman Rushdie is the author of sixteen novels, including Midnight's Children (for which he won the Booker Prize and the Best of the Booker), The Satanic Verses, and Quichotte (which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize). A former president of PEN American Center, Rushdie was knighted in 2007 for services to literature and was made a Companion of Honour in the Queen's last Birthday Honours list in 2022.Trade Review'A staggering achievement, brilliantly enjoyable' Nadine Gordimer'A masterpiece' Sunday Times'A novel of metamorphosis, hauntings, memories, hallucinations, revelations, advertising jingles and jokes. Rushdie has the power of description, and we succumb' The Times'Damnably entertaining and fiendishly ingenious. One of the very few current writers whose works are attempts at the great Bible, "the bright book of life" ' London Review of BooksA great novelist, a master of perpetual storytelling. * V S Pritchett *
£9.89
Simon & Schuster Ltd Forever Interrupted
Book SynopsisFrom the New York Times bestselling author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo “Touching and powerful...Reid masterfully grabs hold of the heartstrings and doesn't let go. A stunning first novel.”Publishers Weekly (starred review) Trade ReviewPraise for Taylor Jenkins Reid ‘Spellbinding’ Emily Giffin ‘Full of raw human emotion’ Beth O’Leary ‘An entirely fresh and new perspective on what can happen after the "happily ever after”’ Jen Lancaster ‘The very best of Classic Hollywood intrigue, a delicious twist and incisive commentary on the wages of stardom’ Anne Helen Petersen ‘I can't remember the last time I read a book that was so fun’ Dolly Alderton ‘The characters were beautifully layered and complex... captured my heart’ Reese Witherspoon ‘Everyone should read this’ Claudia Winkleman ‘Dramatic, salacious and oh-so-romantic’ Woman & Home ‘Wildy addictive’ PopSugar ‘Glamour, ambition and shocking secrets’ People ‘Earth-shaking… you will flip for this epic love story’ Cosmopolitan ‘Heartwrenching’ Us Weekly ‘Reid masterfully grabs hold of the heartstrings and doesn't let go’ Publishers Weekly ‘No one does life and love better’ InStyle
£9.49
Verve Books Isaac
Book Synopsis
£10.44
Vintage Publishing The Quiet American
Book SynopsisGraham Greene was born in 1904. He worked as a journalist and critic, and in 1940 became literary editor of the Spectator. He was later employed by the Foreign Office. As well as his many novels, Graham Greene wrote several collections of short stories, four travel books, six plays, three books of autobiography, two of biography and four books for children. He also wrote hundreds of essays, and film and book reviews. Graham Greene was a member of the Order of Merit and a Companion of Honour. He died in April 1991.Trade ReviewThe novel that I love the most is The Quiet American -- Ian McEwanThere has been no novel of any political scope about Vietnam since Graham Greene wrote The Quiet American * Harper's *A master of storytelling * The Times *One of the finest writers of any language * Washington Post *A superb storyteller - he had a talent for depicting local colour, a keen sense of the dramatic, an eye for dialogue, and skill in pacing his prose * New York Times *
£8.99
Tuttle Publishing I Am a Cat
Book SynopsisTrade Review"A nonchalant string of anecdotes and wisecracks, told by a fellow who doesn't have a name."--The New Yorker
£15.29
Faber & Faber A Fine Balance
Book Synopsis''A towering masterpiece by a writer of genius.'' IndependentIndia, 1975. An unnamed city by the sea. The government has just declared a State of Emergency. Amidst a backdrop of wild political turmoil, the lives of four unlikely strangers collide forever. An epic panorama of modern India in all its corruption, violence, and heroism, A Fine Balance is Rohinton Mistry''s prize-winning masterpiece: a Dickensian modern classic brimming with compassion, humour, and insight - and a hymn to the human spirit in an inhuman state.''A masterpiece of illumination and grace. Like all great fiction, it transforms our understanding of life.'' Guardian''Magical.'' New York Times''Monumental.'' Time''Astonishing.'' Wall Street JournalWhat readers are saying:''One of the most layered and beautifully executed books I've ever read Trade Review"'One of India's finest living novelists.' Observer"
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers The Christmas Cottage
Book SynopsisTHE NUMBER ONE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER!As warm and comforting as hot chocolate and a cinnamon bun Sarah Morgan IS Christmas!' Veronica HenryYour ultimate Christmas comfort read' Lucy Diamond The perfect festive holiday read' Alex BrownProvides all the festive feels: a family drama that pulls at the heart, a sweet love story and a picture-perfect Cotswolds village' Good HousekeepingCurl up with the utterly gorgeous and feel-good escapist festive novel The Christmas Cottage' Love Reading????????Will this Christmas finally bring comfort and joy?A PAINFUL SECRETImogen loves her job as an events organiser, and her colleagues are in awe of her. But Imogen isn't the person she pretends to be, and she's hiding painful truths about her past. But as long as she can keep on top of her work, Imogen can put everything else to one side.AN ACT OF KINDNESSAnd then Imogen makes a catastrophic mistake at work, and finally realises it''s time to reset. When her favourite client, Dorothy, invites her to spend Christmas with her and her family, in her cottage in the Cotswolds, it sounds like the perfect way for Imogen to take stock.FINDING HAPPINESS AT CHRISTMASImogen soon settles into idyllic cottage life, especially with the prospect of a new romance on the horizon but when long-buried secrets and unwanted faces from the past resurface, Imogen's new peace is threatened. Will Imogen end up alone this Christmas, or can she find it in her heart to forgive and move on?* * *Praise for Sarah MorganSarah Morgan is a master of romance and never more so than at Christmas' Sunday Post''It is not Christmas without a seasonal offering from the ''Queen of Christmas novels'' Sarah Morgan'' Yorkshire Evening Post Can always count on Sarah Morgan to create a cosy Christmas book full of comfort and joy' Alex BrownSarah Morgan puts the magic in Christmas Now
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers The Book That Broke the World
Book SynopsisThe second volume in the ground-breaking Library Trilogy, following THE BOOK THAT WOULDN''T BURN.We fight for the people we love. We fight for the ideas we want to be true.Evar and Livira stand side by side and yet far beyond each other''s reach. Evar is forced to flee the library, driven before an implacable foe. Livira, trapped in a ghost world, has to recover her book if she''s to return to her life. While Evar''s journey leads him outside into the vastness of a world he''s never seen, Livira''s destination lies deep inside her own writing, where she must wrestle with her stories in order to reclaim the volume in which they were written.And all the while, the library quietly weaves thread to thread, bringing the scattered elements of Livira''s old life friends and foe alike back together beneath new skies.Long ago, a lie was told, and with the passing years it has grown and spread, a small push leading to a chain of desperate consequences. Now, as one edifice topples into the next with ever-growing violence, it threatens to break the world. The secret war that defines the library has chosen its champions and set them on the board. The time has come when they must fight for what they believe, or lose everything.The Library Trilogy is about many things: adventure, discovery, and romance, but it''s also a love letter to books and the places where they live. The focus is on one vast and timeless library, but the love expands to encompass smaller more personal collections, and bookshops of all shades too.
£15.29
Headline Publishing Group Rebellion Eagles of the Empire 22
Book SynopsisAn epic military adventure novel pits Roman army heroes Macro and Cato against Boudica: the terrifying Queen of the Britons. From bestselling Simon Scarrow, author of Death to the Emperor and The Honour of Rome1st-century Britannia is the setting for an epic and action-packed novel of tribal uprisings, battles to the death and unmatched courage in the Roman army ranks. The 22nd Eagles of the Empire novel. Two heroes of the Roman army - Prefect Cato and Centurion Macro, now battle-scarred veterans, tough and resilient - lead their best men into the midst of an enemy both fearless and resourceful. Far from Rome in cold, rainy, unwelcoming Britannia, the soldiers need all their training to stand strong and undaunted as constant attacks challenge morale. And a leader like no other sends fear through the ranks: Boudica.A stunning and unforgettable story of warfare, courage and sacrifice as brave men face an enemy who will fight
£9.49
Simon & Schuster Once a Runner
Book SynopsisOriginally self-published in 1978, Once a Runnerhas become one of the most beloved sports novels ever published.Trade Review“Part training manual, part religious tract, part love story, and all about running, Once a Runner is so inspiring it could be banned as a performance-enhancing drug.” —Benjamin Cheever, author of Strides“By far the most accurate fictional portrayal of the world of the serious runner…a marvelous description of the way it really is.” —Kenny Moore, Sports Illustrated“The best piece of running fiction around. Beg, borrow, or buy a copy, and you’ll never need another motivator.” —Dave Langlais, Runner’s World"The best novel ever written about running."--Runner's World
£9.49
Headline Publishing Group The Details
Book SynopsisAn intoxicating international bestseller about a woman in the throes of a fever remembering the important people in her past, the memories laid bare in vivid detail as her body temperature races - for fans of Rachel Cusk and Lucia BerlinTrade ReviewTextured insights into human nature. * The New Yorker *This beautiful, moving book unfolds in four stand-alone portraits that, together, yield a sharp, poignant picture of the portraitist. The narrative blurs the boundaries that separate memoir from fiction, past from present, and self from other, which evokes the spell of fever during which it was written. The miraculous sort of novel that fuses with our personal memories and becomes part of us -- Hernan Diaz, author of TRUSTThe Details is about relationships, about love, about parents and children...about all of it. The little observations about being young, and about growing up, and about getting lost by accident, and getting lost on purpose, searching for yourself in everyone else...damn it, I've underlined half of the book. I wish I could write like this. -- Fredrik Backman, New York Times bestselling author of A MAN CALLED OVEBrief and penetrating . . . Genberg's marvellous prose is also a kind of fever, mesmerizing and hot to the touch -- Catherine Lacey * New York Times *The nonlinear narrative renders the protagonist both vivid and obscure - the perfect conduit for this compelling, uncannily precise meditation on transience. -- Hephzibah Anderson * Observer *Emotionally nuanced and formally innovative, Ia Genberg's beautiful novel The Details manages the remarkable feat of painting a whole picture of a single life, solely via the lives of the people who have touched it. This is a novel that, through its very bones, encapsulates one of the most important ideas of our current political moment - the necessity of connection, and our vulnerability to one other. -- Susannah Dickey, author of TENNIS LESSONSIn four succinct and arresting portraits, the narrator of The Details remembers the people who have shaped her life. At once humorous and heartbreaking, this book is an ode to the different kinds of love that form us. It asks how we hold onto the people who touch us, how we remember them, and whether we should ever let them go. I won't forget this beautiful book. -- Jenna Clake, author of DISTURBANCEIt's difficult to describe the experience of reading Ia Genberg's English language debut beyond saying that it resembles a fever dream . . . Genberg's prose is a feat of characterization, a triumph of lending language and profundity to observations of daily life. At a tight 150 pages, I didn't read it so much as subconsciously absorb it. -- Eliza Smith * Literary Hub *
£10.44
