Contemporary Fiction Books

Book SynopsisThe unputdownable new thriller from bestselling author Nicci French.

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Book SynopsisRichard Papen, a relatively impoverished student at a New England college, falls in with an exclusive clique of rich, worldly Greek scholars and soon learns the dreadful secret that keeps them together. Reader''s Guide included. Reprint. 50,000 first printing.

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Book SynopsisYet as she reconnects with her past and begins to feel at home in Westport, Piper starts to wonder if the cold, glamorous life she knew is what she truly wants.Trade Review“A romantic comedy delight. If you loved Schitt’s Creek, It Happened One Summer will be your absolute jam.” — Christina Lauren "I put my entire life on hold the moment I opened IT HAPPENED ONE SUMMER. I read it in one long, luxurious sitting, reading each page twice, not wanting to miss a moment, and dreading The End. I knew I was reading one of my new favorite books, and I will reread it for years to come, whenever I need a dose of small-town coziness and hard-bodied sea captains. Tessa disarms you with a laugh, heats things up past boiling, and then puts a squeeze inside your heart. 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! It Happened One Summer has everything you could want in a rom-com—heartwarming romance, laugh-out-loud humor, and scorching hot chemistry between the lovable socialite and sexy ship captain. I absolutely loved it!" — Alexis Daria, bestselling author of You Had Me at Hola "With her singular talent for writing romantic chemistry that is both sparkling sweet and explosively sexy, Tessa Bailey once again delivers—It Happened One Summer is everything I want in a modern romance, with two complicated, appealing leads, a setting that feels lived-in and also fresh, and storytelling you want to sink into even as you can’t stop turning pages. The total package from one of the genre’s very best." — Kate Clayborn, author of Love at First "Fans of 'Schitt’s Creek' will love the premise of Bailey’s latest work... [a] sexy, drama-filled love story. 'It Happened One Summer' is another great beach read. Plus, laying out in the sun is a perfect excuse for the blush-inducing scenes scattered throughout." — USA Today "Schitt's Creek fans, this is the romance read for you." — PopSugar (Best Books of July) "Her voice feels as fresh and contemporary as a Netflix rom-com... 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 "Bailey strikes rom-com gold in this outstanding tale... [She] is bound to earn new followers with love scenes hot enough to boil water and a hilariously naïve Schitt’s Creek-inspired protagonist who is clearly out of her depth." — Booklist (starred review) "Bailey delivers on her usual trifecta of sharp banter, instant chemistry, and high-heat sex scenes, but they are coupled with intense soul-searching for both Piper and Brendan... Another winning romance from an author at the top of her game." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “When you read a book by Bailey, there are two things you can always count on: sexy, rapid-fire dialogue and scorching love scenes...” — BookPage.com "This fish-out-of-water story features quirky characters in a charming working-class small town and a steamy, feel-good romance between opposites. Schitt’s Creek fans who just wanted to see Alexis get her happy ending will flock to this title." — Library Journal "Steamy, sexy and fun, you’ll want to soar through these pages." — New York Post

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Book SynopsisA stunning new edition of Elizabeth Strout's modern classic Olive Kitteridge might be described by some as a battle axe or as brilliantly pushy, by others as the kindest person they had ever met. Olive herself has always been certain that she is 100% correct about everything - although, lately, her certitude has been shaken. This indomitable character appears at the centre of these narratives that comprise Olive Kitteridge. In each of them, we watch Olive, a retired schoolteacher, as she struggles to make sense of the changes in her life and the lives of those around her - always with brutal honesty, if sometimes painfully. Olive will make you laugh, nod in recognition, as well as wince in pain or shed a tear or two. We meet her stoic husband, bound to her in a marriage both broken and strong, and her own son, tyrannised by Olive's overbearing sensitivities. The reader comes away, amazed by this author's ability to conjure this formidable heroin

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Book SynopsisThe top 10 Sunday Times bestsellerNOW A MAJOR TV SERIES on Drama and UKTV PlayI love the audacity of the Marlow gang, those ladies sure know how to live' Reader review ?????Fiendishly clever and a satisfying puzzle to try and solve' Reader review ?????A brilliant whodunnit mystery that keeps you guessing' Reader review?????* * *Who killed the Mayor? It's up to the Marlow Murder Club to find out . . .Geoffrey Lushington, Mayor of Marlow, dies suddenly during a Town Council meeting. When traces of aconite also known as the queen of poisons are found in his coffee cup, the police realise he was murdered. But who did it? And why?The police bring Judith, Suzie and Becks in to investigate as Civilian Advisors right from the start, so they have free rein to interview suspects and follow the evidence to their heart's content, which is perfect because Judith has no time for rules and standard procedure. But this case has the Marlow Murder Club stumped. Who would want to kill the affable Mayor

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Book Synopsis The first-ever graphic novel adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s Pulitzer Prize–winning postapocalyptic classic, The Road, approved and authorized by McCarthy and illustrated by acclaimed cartoonist Manu Larcenet'Superb. A suitably dark graphic treatment of McCarthy’s postapocalyptic masterpiece.' (Kirkus) The story of a nameless father and son trying to survive with their humanity intact in a postapocalyptic wasteland where Earth’s natural resources have been diminished, and some survivors are left to raise others for meat, The Road is one of Cormac McCarthy’s bleakest and most prescient novels. Dedicated to his son, John Francis McCarthy, McCarthy’s The Road is one of his most personal novels. Ranked 17th on The Guardian’s 100 Best Novels of the 21st century, it was the recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for literature, and the James Tait Black Memorial

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Book Synopsis'Powered by immense, perverse energy out of the Limerick idiom, the collection generates a singular music that is memorable, unsettling and humane' Guardian'Eerie, dark and twisted . . . Blindboy's passion for Irish nature, mythology and folklore lends a spiritual profundity' BuzzYou don't fully appreciate how large a donkey's head is until it's beside you in a Fiat Punto. The view in my mirror was furry and violent. I was driving blind.Driving with a donkey stuffed in the back seat; jackdaws pecking brains out through the roof of a confessional box; cat piss and astronauts. This is the world not as you see it, but as it is, twisted from the maverick mind of Blindboyboatclub.These are stories of the strange unsettlings in the souls of men caught in between the past and the possible; stories of heart-blinding rage and disquieting compassion.Taking its title from a twelfth-century English manuscript of the same name, which dehumanised the people and culture of Ireland to facilitate domination, Topographia Hibernica is a collection that unravels the knotted threads of humanity, nature and colonisation from a contemporary Irish perspective.Called 'one of the most gifted writers of his generation' by the Irish Times, Blindboyboatclub is the essential voice for the Irish condition in the twenty-first century. Topographia Hibernica is his unmissable new short-story collection.Trade ReviewPowered by immense, perverse energy out of the Limerick idiom, the collection generates a singular music that is memorable, unsettling and humane. Moments of beauty dazzle amid the profanity, as pathos and comedy are braided together * Guardian *Eerie, dark and twisted . . . Blindboy's passion for Irish nature, mythology and folklore lends a spiritual profundity * Buzz *One of the most gifted writers of his generation * Michael Harding - Irish Times *A bestseller in the bag * Irish Independent *A cultural phenomenon...Earnest and intellectual, but also funny and down-to-earth....Talking to him can feel like skittering around a galaxy of Wikipedia wormholes (in a good way) * New York Times *

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Book SynopsisIt began with a blinding light, a divine revelation from a mysterious intelligence that called itself VALIS. And with that, the fabric of reality was ripped open and laid bare so that anything seemed possible, but nothing seemed quite right.Part science fiction, part theological detective story in which God plays both the missing person and the perpetrator of the ultimate crime, VALIS is both disorienting and eerily funny, and a joy to read.Trade ReviewOne of the most original practitioners writing any kind of fiction, Dick made most of the European avant-garde seem like navel-gazers in a cul-de-sac * Sunday Times *My literary hero * Fay Weldon *For everyone lost in the endlessly multiplicating realities of the modern world, remember: Philip K. Dick got there first * Terry Gilliam *

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Book SynopsisA dark and powerful goddess hunts for three jewels: fallen stars that will give her endless power. To save the world, six friends have joined forces to stop her. Now, on the beautiful island of Capri, their battle continues...Mermaid Annika is proud to have been chosen for such an important quest. But now that her identity has been revealed, her time is running out. She knows that soon she must return to her people. But she also knows that she is in love with Sawyer King - the brave and loyal adventurer with secrets of his own. As Annika, Sawyer and their four friends hunt for the mysterious ''star of water'', the goddess Nerezza sends a terrifying foe to destroy them. It seems there is no place for love and desire at such a dark time. And so Sawyer tries to protect Annika by pushing her away. But true love cannot be denied. And in a battle between the dark and the light - it might be the only thing that can save them from a terrible fate.

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Book SynopsisThird in stunning reissues of Raymond Feist & Janny Wurts classic trilogy one of the most successful fantasy collaborations of all time.THE EMPIRE TRILOGY: BOOK IIIThe final play of the game. Surrounded on all sides by warring factions, assassins and spies, Mara of the Acoma must draw on her deepest resources to secure her position once and for all.Trade Review‘A gripping tale’THE TIMES

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Book SynopsisNow a major TV seriesWinner of the Man Booker PrizeThe second book in Hilary Mantel's award-winning Wolf Hall trilogy, with a stunning new cover design to celebrate the publication of the much anticipated The Mirror and the LightAn astounding literary accomplishment, Bring Up the Bodies is the story of this most terrifying moment of history, by one of our greatest living novelists.Our most brilliant English writer' GuardianBring Up the Bodies unlocks the darkly glittering court of Henry VIII, where Thomas Cromwell is now chief minister. With Henry captivated by plain Jane Seymour and rumours of Anne Boleyn''s faithlessness whispered by all, Cromwell knows what he must do to secure his position. But the bloody theatre of the queen''s final days will leave no one unscathed.A great novel of dark and dirty passions, public and private. A truly great story' Financial TimesIn another league. This ongoing story of Henry VIII's right-hand man is the finest piece of historical fiction I have ever read' Sunday TelegraphTrade Review‘This is a bloody story about the death of Anne Boleyn, but Hilary Mantel is a writer who thinks through the blood. She uses her power of prose to create moral ambiguity and the real uncertainty of political life … She has recast the most essential period of our modern English history; we have the greatest modern English prose writer reviving possibly one of the best known pieces of English history’ Sir Peter Stothard, Chair of the judges for the Man Booker Prize 2012 ‘Simply exceptional … I envy anyone who hasn’t yet read it’ Sandra Parsons, Daily Mail ‘In another league. This ongoing story of Henry VIII’s right-hand man is the finest piece of historical fiction I have ever read. A staggering achievement’ Sarah Crompton, Sunday Telegraph ‘Succeeds brilliantly in every particle … it’s an imaginative achievement to exhaust superlatives’ Spectator ‘Wolf Hall was a tour de force, but its sequel is leaner, more brilliant, more shocking than its predecessor’ Erica Wagner, The Times ‘Picks up the body parts where Wolf Hall left off … literary invention does not fail her: she's as deft and verbally adroit as ever’ Margaret Atwood, Guardian ‘Mantel in the voice of Cromwell is inspired. When she is in full flow as a novelist, creating scenes and inventing dialogue, she is more convincing than rendering a recorded scene from history’ Philippa Gregory, Sunday Express ‘Don’t think you can start this book whenever you feel like it – plan ahead, as, once started, it’s impossible to escape its grip, and until it’s finished, you won’t get any sleep’ Country Life

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Book SynopsisThe highly anticipated sequel to the SUNDAY TIMES bestselling EMPIRE OF THE VAMPIRE ''Bloody brilliant''V.E. SchwabA ripping read'Joe AbercrombieGabriel de León has saved the Holy Grail from death, but his chance to end the endless night is lost.After turning his back on his silversaint brothers once and for all, Gabriel and the Grail set out to learn the truth of how Daysdeath might finally be undone.But the last silversaint faces peril, within and without. Pursued by children of the Forever King, drawn into wars and webs centuries in the weaving, and ravaged by his own rising bloodlust, Gabriel may not survive to see the truth of the Grail revealed.A truth that may be too awful for any to imagine.

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Book SynopsisWorking as a cook on a merchant ship, a woman comes to know and love Samsa, a woman who gives her the nickname 'Boulder'. When Samsa gets a job in Reykjavik and the couple decides to move there together, Samsa decides that she wants to have a child. She is already forty and can't bear to let the opportunity pass her by. Boulder is less enthused, but doesn't know how to say no - and so finds herself dragged along on a journey that feels as thankless as it is alien. With motherhood changing Samsa into a stranger, Boulder must decide where her priorities lie, and whether her yearning for freedom can truly trump her yearning for love. Once again, Eva Baltasar demonstrates her pre-eminence as a chronicler of queer voices navigating a hostile world - and in prose as brittle and beautiful as an ancient saga.Trade Review'Boulder is a sensuous, sexy, intense book. Baltasar condenses the sensations and experiences of a dozen more ordinary novels into just over one hundred pages of exhilarating prose. An incisive story of queer love and motherhood that slices open the dilemmas of exchanging independence for intimacy.' International Booker Prize judging panel ---- 'Through such intricate writing, in Julia Sanches's voraciously readable translation, the author deftly manages to elevate the idea of a relationship to a force of nature, with the character of Boulder representing the struggle to reconcile a desire to be alone with a desire for company.' Times Literary Supplement ---- 'Amid sexual trysts and growing tensions, Boulder searches for the mysterious sweet spot between her wants: freedom and connection. Baltasar has an innate talent for stretching the complexities of queer lives and predicaments into undulating adventure and tension.' The Face ---- 'In barely 100 pages, Catalan author and acclaimed poet Eva Baltasar has crafted a gem of a novella: sharp-edged, uncompromising and utterly compelling ... Boulder is for everyone: a hard-hitting, incisive triumph.' New Internationalist ---- 'Eva Baltasar's Boulder deftly demonstrates fiction's ability to elide the passage of time. . . . a thoroughly compelling work.' Words Without Borders Watchlist ---- '[T]he language of desire never stops vibrating off the page; Baltasar pans the mundane for gold, and offers those nuggets - these morsels of intimacy - in a way that grips and sates.' New York Times Book Review ---- '[T]his slim, visceral novel power gains power from its subversive blurring of maternal intuition and its queering of parenthood.' Publisher's Weekly ---- The book is a modern love story - global, queer, existential in its moral hierarchies - but it is also a rumination on those two most ancient of words: lover and mother. A novel that lionizes the desire to be alone even as it recognises the beauty and grace found within a family.' Kirkus Starred Review ---- 'Exquisite, dark and unconventional, Eva Baltasar turns intimacy into a wild adventure.' Fernanda Melchor ---- 'Boulder's action spans more than eight years, but the reader never feels the passage of that time . . . Everything here has an air of immediacy, yet at the same time one has the feeling that there are abysses yawning between every short sentence, ellipses that expand and beg to be filled in by the reader's own imagination. Boulder is a work of incandescent, volcanic brevity and density.' Nuvol ----'Opposed to all family ties, and jealous of her partner's child, our narrator refuses to resign herself to her new role of secondary character in her own story, and lashes out by drinking and engaging in clandestine sex with other women, much as would a character in a Charles Bukowski story (an author with whom Baltasar shares more than one stylistic affinity). With Boulder, Eva Baltasar goes beyond Permafrost, to the point that, as with Gillian Flynn's antiheroines, or the anti-superheroine Jessica Jones, the new femininity evokes the old masculinity.' El Periodico ----'Eva Baltasar amazed me last year [with Permafrost], and my conversion has been now been completed.' Libros y Literatura ----'In her second novel, Baltasar continues to work on her approach to the body, seen as the very substance of storytelling. Around bodies, considered both as sexual objects and as the medium through which our feelings must be expressed, she is building anew a language by which human beings may, in our era, be able to approach one another.' Zenda libros ---'Baltasar returns with the same expressiveness and lyricism as in Permafrost, but with a new complexity in her characters, addressing such vital issues such as motherhood and our increasing inability to communicate with one another - an epidemic in our era.' Valencia Plaza ---- 'Again it manages to be incredibly powerful and pack so much punch into such a slim volume. Absolutely wonderful.' David Coates, Blackwells Manchester ---- 'If you like lyrical slice-of-life prose and a melancholic look at relationships, I cannot recommend Boulder enough!' Red Newsom, Blackwells Manchester ---- 'So, Boulder is going straight to the pile of my favourite books of 2022 ' Giulia Lenti, Foyles CXR ---- 'God, I love Eva Baltasar's writing. Boulder is another masterpiece from one of Europe's most radical queer writers. I continue to be a Julia Sanches stan.' Gary Perry, Foyles CXR ---- 'This is a tender, unflinchingly honest examination of a woman's desires as she grapples with the challenges and obligations of partnership and motherhood, juxtaposed against her longing for personal freedom. It's clear that Baltasar is first and foremost a poet - every sentence is fluid and beautifully crafted (and impressively translated by Julia Sanches), to create a gorgeously sensuous and evocative reading experience.' Nichole Gadras, Mr Bs

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis*** PRE-ORDER THE NEXT THRILLING INSTALMENT IN THE SERIES BEHIND THE HIT NETFLIX SHOW – FOR YOU AND ONLY YOU IS OUT IN PAPERBACK SPRING 2024 ***‘Crazy, sexy, cool: Caroline Kepnes gets better – and Joe Goldberg gets worse – with every book’ ERIN KELLY'Caroline Kepnes writes with such malevolent energy, such dark grace and such ink-black humour. An utterly unique character and an utterly unique writer, in a marriage made somewhere between heaven and hell’ RICHARD OSMAN 'Fiendish, fast-paced, and very funny' PAULA HAWKINS'Another dark, thrilling, and blackly hilarious adventure from everyone's favourite murderer' CLAIRE MCGOWAN  'I absolutely loved it. It’s completely addictive, razor-sharp writing from Kepnes. Internet creeping at its most darkly humorous. Joe’s back, and this time itTrade Review‘The latest in the thriller series behind Netflix stalker blockbuster You’ Guardian ‘Crazy, sexy, cool: Caroline Kepnes gets better – and Joe Goldberg gets worse – with every book’ Erin Kelly ‘Caroline Kepnes writes with such malevolent energy, such dark grace and such ink-black humour. An utterly unique character and an utterly unique writer, in a marriage made somewhere between heaven and hell’ Richard Osman ‘Fiendish, fast-paced and very funny’ Paula Hawkins ‘Another dark, thrilling and blackly hilarious adventure from everyone’s favourite murderer’ Claire McGowan ‘I absolutely loved it. It’s completely addictive, razor-sharp writing from Kepnes. Internet creeping at its most darkly humorous. Joe’s back, and this time it’s definitely real love’ Catherine Steadman ‘Caroline Kepnes must be some kind of storytelling sorcerer. How else can Joe Goldberg — stalker, creep, multiple-murderer, blamer of everyone else but himself, a “long overdue book, the one you never thought was coming” — be such an entertaining narrator? . . . brilliant’ New York Times ‘The highly anticipated new thriller from the author of the hit You series – we couldn’t put it down’ Closer ‘Of course, it’s never easy with Joe, who instantly finds a connection with librarian Mary Kay DiMarco – and we all know what that means . . . We can’t wait to see where he ends up next’ Metro ‘One of the smartest, most insightful writers out there with a true gift for crafting flawed, complicated characters that force us to reckon with our own flaws and complications. Joe’s back (and so are all the reasons you love to hate him)’ Nicola Yoon ‘Caroline Kepnes is that peerless author who makes me laugh and glance over my shoulder on the very same page. Thank the reading gods that Joe Goldberg is back and just as seductive, dangerous and witty as ever’ Jessica Knoll ‘Caroline Kepnes’s original magic trick was getting readers to root for the murderous Joe Goldberg; now, in You Love Me, her mastery deepens in making readers love him. Filled with her signature wit, incisive social commentary and pathos, this is Kepnes’s best yet’ Andrea Dunlop ‘A strange delight . . . Series fans will eat this up’ Publishers Weekly ‘Compulsively readable . . . There's never been a better time to get acquainted with Kepnes’s dangerously appealing leading man’ Booklist ‘Kepnes’s savage takedowns of pretentious blowhards continue to make Joe a more culturally aware Dexter, or perhaps a more romantic and humorous Hannibal, as he pillories the bad taste of his rivals and victims’ LitHub

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Book Synopsis 'Darkly witty' Red 'Made in Chelsea if it got seriously dark' Heat Meet Kitty Collins. FRIEND. LOVER. KILLER. Trade Review‘Smart, fast-paced, darkly funny and a great main character. Definite 5 star read, Katy Brent is a fantastic storyteller.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I think this just might be my favourite book of 2022!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Hooked from page 1! Complex characters, entertaining plot and very well written.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘The book got stuck straight into the action and did not let up. It was fast paced, exciting and complete bingeable – I didn’t want to put it down.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A really thought provoking read that had so many elements and so many layers to it. It was so gripping too I finished it within a couple of days.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘If you’re a fan of the ‘Sweet Pea’ series or ‘Killing Eve’, this book is for you. Engaging, addictive and thought-provoking, this read has it all!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Jesus Christ, this book. I absolutely loved it. It made me uncomfortable and sad and frustrated and angry, but I loved it.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Kitty is a delight. Never thought that word would describe a serial killer, but she's absolutely delightful. Witty, hilarious, and on occasion she happens to murder men.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A stonker of a read which I flew through.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I loved the humour of this book and couldn’t get enough of this story. I definitely recommend this as a must read.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I raced through this humour-laden murderous romp over the space of a couple of evenings.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Female Dexter in Gucci and heels. Witty, intriguing, full of fashion, charm and slightly raunchy at times.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Katy Brent has created a brilliant book that acts as social commentary and touches on issues that are a genuine downfall within our society. I’ll definitely be keeping my eye out for any future novels of hers.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Book SynopsisLoved by millions of readers worldwide, let the seventh story in the greatest children's book series of all time take you on an unforgettable journey. The hope and wonder of Harry Potter's world will make you want to escape to Hogwarts again and again. There's magic on every page!As he climbs into the sidecar of Hagrid's motorbike and takes to the skies, leaving Privet Drive for the last time, Harry Potter knows that Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters are not far behind. The protective charm that has kept Harry safe until now is broken, but he cannot keep hiding. The Dark Lord is breathing fear into everything Harry loves, and to stop him Harry will have to find and destroy the remaining Horcruxes. The final battle must begin Harry must stand and face his enemy.J.K. Rowling's enduringly popular Harry Potter books continue to captivate new generations of readers. Harry's seventh adventure alongside his friends, Ron and Hermione, invites you to explore even moTrade ReviewI’ve yet to meet a ten-year-old who hasn’t been entranced by its witty, complex plot and the character of the eponymous Harry * Independent *Spellbinding, enchanting, bewitching stuff * Mirror *Teachers say a chapter can silence the most rowdy of classes * Guardian *One of the greatest literary adventures of modern times * Sunday Telegraph *The Harry Potter stories will join that small group of children’s books which are read and reread into adulthood * TLS *

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Book Synopsis*A brand new companion to the Last Kingdom series, Uhtred's Feast, is available to pre-order now*The sixth novel in Bernard Cornwell's epic and bestselling series on the making of England and the fate of his great hero, Uhtred of Bebbanburg.As seen on Netflix and BBC around the world.Alfred, the great king, is said to be dying. Rivals for his succession are poised to tear the kingdom apart. The country Alfred has worked thirty years to build is about to disintegrate.Uhtred, the King's warrior, Viking born but Saxon bred, wants more than anything else to go and fight to reclaim his stolen Northumbrian inheritance. But he knows that if he deserts the King's cause, Alfred's dream and indeed the very future of the English nation will very likely vanish.Death of Kings is an outstanding novel by a master storyteller of how England was made and very nearly lost.Trade ReviewPraise for THE BURNING LAND: ‘Cornwell draws a fascinating picture of England as it might have been before anything like England existed’The Times Praise for AZINCOURT: 'This is a magnificent and gory work' Daily Mail 'The historical blockbuster of the year' Evening Standard ‘If Bernard Cornwell was born to write one book, this is it. No other historical novelist has acquired such a mastery of the minutiae of warfare in centuries past’ Daily Telegraph ‘A runaway success’ Observer Praise for Bernard Cornwell: ‘The characterisation, as ever, is excellent…And one can only admire the little touches that bring the period to life. He can also claim to be a true poet of both the horror and the glory of war’ Sunday Telegraph This is typical Cornwell, meticulously researched, massive in scope, brilliant in execution’ News of the World ‘He’s called a master story-teller. Really he’s cleverer than that’ Telegraph

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Book SynopsisThe basis of three bestselling computer games Metro 2033 and Metro Last Light, and Metro: Exodus. The Metro books have put Dmitry Glukhovsky in the vanguard of Russian speculative fiction alongside the creator of Night Watch, Sergei Lukyanenko. A year after the events of METRO 2033 the last few survivors of the apocalypse, surrounded by mutants and monsters, face a terrifying new danger as they hang on for survival in the tunnels of the Moscow Metro.Featuring blistering action, vivid and tough characters, claustrophobic tension and dark satire the Metro books have become bestsellers across Europe.Readers can''t get enough of the Metro series:''What can I say - once you pick up this book and start reading, it''s just amazingly hard to actually put it down until you finish. And after that, you just want MORE!!'' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐''This does everything right in its aTrade ReviewThe Metro universe is still one of the best realised apocalyptic settings around * NERD LIKE YOU *

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Book SynopsisNamed One of the 10 Best Books of 2023 by The Washington Post and Publishers Weekly ? One of Barack Obama''s Favorite Books of 2023 ? A National Bestseller ? A New York Times Editor''s Choice pick ? Nominated for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction?Captivating and unclassifiable, at once a historical novel and a philosophical foray . . . Labatut is awriter of thrilling originality. The MANIAC is a work of dark, eerie and singular beauty.? ?The Washington Post ?Darkly absorbing . . . A brooding, heady narrative that is addictively interesting.? ?Wall Street Journal From one of contemporary literature?s most exciting new voices, a haunting story centered on the Hungarian polymath John von Neumann, tracing the impact of his singular legacy on the dreams and nightmares of the twentieth century and the nascent age of AIBenjamínLabatut?s When We Cease to Understand the World electrified a global readership. A Booker Prize and National Book Award finalist, and one of the New York Times? Ten Best Books of the Year, it explored the life and thought of a clutch of mathematicians and physicists who took science to strange and sometimes dangerous new realms. In The MANIAC, Labatut has created a tour de force on an even grander scale.A prodigy whose gifts terrified the people around him, John von Neumann transformed every field he touched, inventing game theory and the first programable computer, and pioneering AI, digital life, and cellular automata. Through a chorus of family members, friends, colleagues, and rivals, Labatut shows us the evolution of a mind unmatched and of a body of work that has unmoored the world in its wake.The MANIAC places von Neumann at the center of a literary triptych that begins with Paul Ehrenfest, an Austrian physicist and friend of Einstein, who fell into despair when he saw science and technology become tyrannical forces; it ends a hundred years later, in the showdown between the South Korean Go Master Lee Sedol and the AI program AlphaGo, an encounter embodying the central question of von Neumann''s most ambitious unfinished project: the creation of a self-reproducing machine, an intelligence able to evolve beyond human understanding or control.A work of beauty and fabulous momentum, The MANIAC confronts us with the deepest questions we face as a species.

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Book SynopsisSecond in a series of hardback boxed sets celebrating the literary achievement of Christopher Tolkien, featuring double-sided dustjackets. Includes THE LAYS OF BELERIAND, THE SHAPING OF MIDDLE-EARTH and THE LOST ROAD, which contain the early myths and legends that led to the writings of THE SILMARILLION.The Lays of Beleriand gives us a privileged insight into the creation of the mythology of Middle-earth through the alliterative verse tales of two of the most crucial stories in Tolkien's world those of Túrin and of Beren and Lúthien. Accompanying the poems are commentaries on the evolution of the history of the Elder Days, together with the notable criticism of The Lay of Leithian by C.S. Lewis, who read the poem in 1929.InThe Shaping of Middle-earththe chronological and geographical structure of the legends of Middle-earth and Valinor is spread before us. We are introduced to the hitherto unknown Ambarkanta or Shape of the World', the only account ever given of the nature of the imag

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE BOOKER PRIZE 2022 SHORTLISTED FOR THE RSL ONDAATJE PRIZE 2023 Now with added author content - a Map of Colombo as viewed from the afterlife + Dramatis Personae A magical realism whodunnit set amid Sri Lanka's civil war Colombo, 1990. Maali Almeida, war photographer, gambler and closet gay, has woken up dead in what seems like a celestial visa office. His dismembered body is sinking in the serene Beira lake and he has no idea who killed him. At a time where scores are settled by death squads, suicide bombers and hired goons, the list of suspects is depressingly long, as the ghouls and ghosts with grudges who cluster round can attest. But even in the afterlife, time is running out for Maali. He has seven moons to try and contact the man and woman he loves most and lead them to a hidden cache of photos that will rock Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka's foremost author delivers a rip-roaring epic, full of mordant wit and disturbing truths. 'Recalls the mordant wit and surrealism of Gogol and Bulgakov.' Guardian 'Outstanding... the most significant work of Sri Lankan fiction in a decade.' New EuropeanTrade ReviewFizzes with energy, imagery and ideas against a broad, surreal vision of the Sri Lankan civil wars. * The Booker judges *Recalls the mordant wit and surrealism of Nikolai Gogol's Dead Souls or Mikhail Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita ... Karunatilaka has done artistic justice to a terrible period in his country's history * Guardian *Brilliant ... rollicking ... a pleasure to read. Karunatilaka writes with tinder-dry wit and an unfaltering ear for prose cadences. -- Kate McLoughlin * Times Literary Supplement *Outstanding ... the most significant work of Sri Lankan fiction in a decade * New European *An exuberant whodunnit ...There can't be many novels that simultaneously bring to mind Agatha Christie, Salman Rushdie and John le Carré - but this one does * The Times *This magic realist (and often funny) novel fizzes with energy and ideas... Imagine a mash-up of Stranger Things and Salman Rushdie -- Robbie Millen * The Times *Shehan Karunatilaka's epic novel is a powerful evocation of Sri Lanka's dark and brutal past -- Lucy Popescu * Financial Times *The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida is dazzling. Shehan Karunatilaka's use of Sri Lankan folk mythology is truly original ... human and non-human monsters equally terrify. And yet Karunatilaka's exuberant language and humour keeps this book buoyant and a joy to read -- Shyam Selvadurai, author of Funny BoyA brave and brilliantly inventive novel, full of energy, about a mad bad world in a dark time -- Romesh Gunesekera, author of Reef and Monkfish MoonShehan Karunatilaka's narrative is breathtakingly kaleidoscopic * Financial Times *Audacious, original and perfectly formed -- Suzanne Harrington * Writers Mosaic *

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Book Synopsis ''In the top flight of crime writing'' SUNDAY TELEGRAPHIn the dead of winter, even brothers become strangers... A CHILLING WINTER THRILLER PERFECT FOR FANS OF FARGO*FROM AN AWARD-WINNING INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER*Running from a troubled childhood, Jack Devereaux left home as soon as he could and never looked back - until the day a stranger calls, begging him to return to his hometown of Jasperville, Quebec.Jack''s brother Calvis - the little boy he left behind more than twenty years ago - has viciously attacked a man and left him for dead. Nobody knows why he did it, though Jack suspects it has something to do with the Jasperville girls who were lost all those years ago.But as he begins the long journey home through the frozen, unforgiving landscape, Jack isn''t wondering why his little brother lost his mind. He''s wondering why it took so long . . .''The master of the genre'' CLIVE CUSSLERTrade ReviewA uniquely gifted, passionate, and powerful writer * ALAN FURST *The master of the genre * CLIVE CUSSLER *A powerful talent * INDEPENDENT *

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Book SynopsisThe instant UK Sunday Times Bestseller'Beth O'Leary is that rare, one-in-a-million talent who can make you laugh, swoon, cry and ache all in the same book' Emily Henry'Read this! Absolutely loved it!' Christina LaurenAddie and her sister are on an epic road trip to a friend's wedding in rural Scotland. But, not long after setting off, a car slams into theirs. The driver is none other than Addie's ex, who she hasn't seen since their traumatic break-up two years earlier.Dylan and his best mate are heading to the wedding too, so Addie has no choice but to offer them a ride. And with four hundred miles to go, they can't avoid confronting the very messy history of their relationship . . .Will they make it to the wedding? And, more importantly, is this really the end of the road for Addie and Dylan?'Funny, relatable and tender' Red'This book is perfect' Rosie Walsh'Beth is quite rightly earning her title as "Queen of Uplit"' Prima'If Richard Curtis and Nora Ephron made a story baby' Zoella Book Club'So romantic and moving and brilliantly told' Louise O'Neill'O'Leary does it again! The Road Trip is another sure-fire hit, filled with characters you won't forget' Mike Gayle'An achingly tender love story' Richard RoperTrade ReviewA charming, heartfelt story of love found and love potentially lost - The Road Trip is steamy and sexy, properly witty, and unabashedly romantic. I couldn't get enough! I loved the glimpses into "then" and "now". Nobody does it like Beth does * Laura Jane Williams *Read this! Absolutely loved it! * Christina Lauren *This book is perfect * Rosie Walsh *The Road Trip is a humorous yet deeply moving journey toward confronting the past, forgiveness, and reconciliation, with a poignant detour to a summer of young love in Provence. I loved the vivid cast and the depth and intimacy in O'Leary's writing * Helen Hoang *I loved The Road Trip and think it's O'Leary's best yet. Moody and wise, exploring the contrast between the all-consuming recklessness of first love and what happens years on, after the break up, after the end. And all in a closed-set car journey . . . O'Leary has a knack for articulating the things we all think and feel in relationships * Gillian McAllister *O'Leary does it again! The Road Trip is another sure-fire hit, filled with characters you won't forget. You'll be fully invested in Dylan and Addie's relationship from the word go and the moment you turn that final page you'll be wondering how on earth you'll survive the wait until your next O'Leary hit! * Mike Gayle *Completely fresh and unpredictable, The Road Trip is so compelling, I couldn't put it down! * Paige Toon *So romantic and moving and brilliantly told, with characters who are relatable but beautifully flawed. The Road Trip is an absolute knockout and it's going to be a huge hit * Louise O'Neill *I enjoyed The Road Trip immensely. O'Leary is such a wonderful writer, she weaves laughter and tears seamlessly through her novels and I look forward to reading every one. Joyful and uplifting * Sheila O'Flanagan *An achingly tender love story - funny and moving in equal measure. Beth O'Leary's best book yet * Richard Roper *The Road Trip is tender, moving and beautifully crafted * Sunday Express *From the queen of beach bag reads herself, Beth O'Leary's latest novel is the bookish summer staple you can't miss * Zoella Book Club *Beth is quite rightly earning her title as 'Queen of Uplit' with her funny and mood-lifting third book * Prima *The Flatshare author returns with a total triumph of a book! -- Claire Frost * The Sun *A high-concept romcom that's funny, relatable and tender * Red *O'Leary's witty prose and quick dialogue has never let up for a second * Shemazing *This is as funny as Beth's debut The Flatshare but with a depth of emotion that clings to you after you finish the book * Belfast Telegraph *An unforgettable read. So much more than a romance, the author's sure, light touch with this story evokes warmth, wisdom and wit * My Weekly *A warm and lovely tale - this left us with a smile on our face * Closer *A warm and lovely read * Bella *Charming and heartbreaking all at the same time, with Beth's signature witty and hilarious style woven throughout. The perfect holiday read for those of us craving a little getaway adventure * Mummy Pages *A charming story that's hard not to love * Woman *equally hilarious and heartfelt * that's life! *With the long journey ahead, and plenty of secrets to unpack, you'll definitely want to be along for the ride * Happiful *

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Book SynopsisDiscover this 5-star read: Wow' ????? Heartwarming' ????? Uplifting' ????? Thought-provoking' ?????'One of those rare, special and unique heroines'????? A joy to read' ?????What if the people who have the power to change your life are the ones who have been there all alongLike stars in the night sky, freckles are scattered across Allegra Bird's arms, a legacy from her beloved father.Her legacy from her mother is more complicated until one question from a stranger inspires a change. What if it isn't about fitting in, but finding the people who make you who you are? Who would those people be?As she searches for connection, Allegra is about to find out that it is our differences that make life worth living if only someone can help you to join the dots . . .Praise for FrecklesFans will adore this heart-warming story about loneliness and connection' Daily MailFunny, thought-provoking and original'MirrorA warm and bittersweet tale about finding yourself through family and friendship'SundayTrade Review ‘Funny, thought-provoking and original’ Mirror ‘Everything a greedy reader wants: a moving story, absorbing characters, engaging writing and as much of a page-turner as you’d expect’ Irish Times ‘Ahern was born to write and her books to be read by all’ My Weekly ‘Fresh and timely… asking bolding what and who make us who we are, Freckles manages to team wit and wisdom harmoniously’ Echo ‘A beautiful, hopeful book when the world needs hope most… inspiring, life-affirming and full of insight’ Cathy Kelly ‘Freckles is a joyful read about taking a chance on yourself and those around you.’ Betterreading.com.au ‘A life-affirming story about the importance of relationships and of having real-life connections…the story of one young woman’s search to discover her true self and the type of person she wants to be’ writing.ie

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Book Synopsis''A burst of warmth and wit, twists and turns'' MARIAN KEYES''This is Cathy Kelly on top form writing about warm, believable women with real, messy lives'' RACHEL HORE''Other Women captures the stories of three modern women... A real feel-good read'' HEAT''The brilliant storyteller is back with another perfectly concocted tale'' OK!---Three women. Three secrets. Three tangled lives...Sid wears her independence like armour. So when she strikes up a rare connection with unlucky-in-love Finn, they are both determined to prove that men and women can just be friends. Can''t they?Marin has the perfect home, attentive husband, two beloved children - and a secret addiction to designer clothes. She knows she has it all, so why can''t she stop comparing herself to other women?Bea believes that we all have one love story - and she''s had hers. Now her life centres arTrade ReviewGripping from the first page, Other Women captures the stories of three modern women... A real feel-good read, you'll pick up many pearls of female wisdom along the way. -- Isabel Coleman * HEAT MAGAZINE *We know and love Cathy Kelly for the heart, humour and strong female characters she writes about. And Other Women is no exception... It's another joyous, heartfelt read from the bestselling Irish storyteller. -- Zoe West * WOMAN'S WEEKLY *The brilliant storyteller is back with another perfectly concocted tale about three women whose lives and secrets are entangled. * OK! Magazine *We love Cathy Kelly for the heart, humour and strong female characters in her novels. A joyous and heartfelt read. * WOMAN'S OWN *

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Book SynopsisThe Return of the King is the third part of J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic adventure, The Lord of the Rings.Trade Review‘The story moves on with a tremendous narrative rush to its climax… extraordinary imaginative work, part saga, part allegory, and wholly exciting.’The Times ‘A triumphant close… a grand piece of work, grand in both conception and execution. An astonishing imaginative tour de force.’Sunday Telegraph ‘His astonishing inventiveness remains to the end and is continued in a series of appendices.;The Guardian

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Book SynopsisThe definitive English language translation of the internationally bestselling Russian novel a brilliant dark fantasy combining psychological suspense, enchantment, and terror that makes us consider human existence in a fresh and provocative way.A book that has the potential to become a modern classic.' Lev Grossman, bestselling author of The MagiciansOur life is brief . . .Sasha Samokhina has just met Farit Kozhenikov and her life will never be the same again.Whilst on holiday, Sasha is asked by the mysterious Farit to undertake a strange task for him. Reluctantly, she obliges, and is rewarded with a shining golden coin. The more tasks she performs, the more coins Sasha receives until Farit instructs her against the wishes of her family to travel to a remote village and use her gold to gain entrance to the Institute of Special Technologies.Sasha quickly discovers this is no ordinary school. The books are impossible to read, the lessons obscure to the point of maddening, and the knTrade Review‘A dazzling display of Russian magical realism’Daily Mail ‘I first encountered VITA NOSTRA in 2009, and then, as now, I was stunned by what I read – not just by the story, which was a revelation to me in itself, but also by the vividness and fluency and power of Hersey's translation. VITA NOSTRA has become a powerful influence on my own writing. It's a book that has the potential to become a modern classic of its genre, and I couldn’t be more excited to see it get the global audience in English it so richly deserves’Lev Grossman, New York Times bestselling author of THE MAGICIANS

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Book SynopsisTrade Review'This slick sequel will leave you buzzing' * The Times *'Superbly entertaining' * Guardian *'Warm, funny and oh-so British' * I Paper *Thrilling, moving, laugh-out-loud funny and packed with characters you will want to see a LOT more of -- Mark BillinghamCompelling. Mystery fans are going to be enthralled -- Harlan CobenSmart, compassionate, warm, moving and so VERY funny. I smiled a million times. This book will make a lot of people very, very happy -- Marian KeyesA warm, wise and witty warning never to underestimate the elderly -- Val McDermidFunny, clever and achingly British - what else would you expect from a book by Richard Osman? -- Adam Kay

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Book Synopsis**THE NUMBER 1 BESTSELLER AND WINNER OF THE BOOKER PRIZE**In this electrifying sequel to The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood answers the question that has tantalised readers for decades: What happened to Offred?The Republic of Gilead is beginning to rot from within. At this crucial moment, two girls with radically different experiences of the regime come face to face with the legendary, ruthless Aunt Lydia. But how far will each go for what she believes?Now with additional material: book club discussion points and an interview with Margaret Atwood about the real-life events that inspired The Testaments and The Handmaid's Tale.'The Testaments is Atwood at her best . . . To read this book is to feel the world turning' Anne Enright_________________________________PRAISE FOR THE TESTAMENTS:'Everything The Handmaid's Tale fans wanted and more. Prepare to hold your breath throughout, and to cry real tears at the end' Stylist'She manages to write about the darkest and most terrifying parts of human psychology in a way that is still deeply funny and full of dark strange hope' Naomi Alderman, author of The PowerTrade ReviewThrilling and blistering * Daily Telegraph *An incredible follow-up * the Sun, *Pick of the Week* *Gripping, pacy and beautifully written -- Justine Jordan * Guardian *Finding hope in a hopeless place, this is everything The Handmaid’s Tale fans wanted and more. Prepare to hold your breath throughout, and to cry real tears at the end. My book of the year -- Kayleigh Dray * Stylist *The Testaments is Atwood at her best, in its mixture of generosity, insight and control. The prose is adroit, direct, beautifully turned. All over the reading world, the history books are being opened to the next blank page and Atwood’s name is written at the top of it. To read this book is to feel the world turning -- Anne Enright * Guardian *I gobbled it down... Atwood has an incredible intellectual nimbleness that challenges us constantly and poses the question that lies like a pearl inside the shell of this frighteningly readable novel, "Before you sit in judgement, how would you behave in Gilead?" -- Allison Pearson * Sunday Telegraph *No one needs another recommendation for The Testaments and still I have to say how thrilling it is when a book manages to exceed all expectations. How did she manage to make darkness feel so effortless? How did she think to inject humour where no humour should exist? Because she’s Margaret Atwood, and she can do anything -- Ann PatchettA cracker: urgent, moving and as tense as any thriller... there's a darkly rebellious humour, ingenious wordplay and, of course, chillingly timely warnings. Atwood is long overdue a Nobel -- Hepzibah Anderson * Mail on Sunday *At its heart, this gripping novel is a rallying call for action... In Atwood's world, resistance is never futile -- Mernie Gilmore * Daily Express *The must-read novel of the year -- a perfect gift for bookworms and fans of the TV series * Sunday Telegraph *Believe the reviews, it is remarkable -- Lindsay Woods * Irish Examiner *A plump, pacy, witty and tightly plotted page-turner that transports us straight back to the dark heart of Gilead... Atwood is on top form -- Julie Myerson * Observer *The Testaments is that elusive dream of a book -- an erudite, accessible, highly readable adventure, that brims with ideas but never lets them get in the way of the story -- Cathy Rentzenbrink * Prospect *While unflinching in depicting horror and showing how complicity enables the collapse of compassion, The Testaments is also a clarion call to hope, resistance and activism... a formidable achievement that will doubtless be read in decades to come -- Anita Sethi * i news *With surgical clarity, Atwood documents how the stripping of fundamental freedoms, the weight of systemic oppression, pushes individuals to extremes... The pacing is flawless. The prose is lean, mean, and charged -- David Canfield * Entertainment Weekly *

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Book SynopsisThe classic novel about a daring experiment in human intelligence'A masterpiece of poignant brilliance . . . heartbreaking, and utterly, completely brilliant' Guardian'A timeless tearjerker' IndependentCharlie Gordon, IQ 68, is a floor sweeper and the gentle butt of everyone's jokes - until an experiment in the enhancement of human intelligence turns him into a genius.But then Algernon, the mouse whose triumphal experimental transformation preceded his, fades and dies, and Charlie has to face the possibility that his salvation was only temporary.Readers can't stop reading Flowers For Algernon:'I am finding it hard to put into words the vast range of emotions I experienced while reading this tale of hope, perseverance, truth and humanity . . . I'm a huge fan of science fiction that doesn't seem too far away; something that I could imagine being just around the corner - and that's how I felt about Flowers for Algernon' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'You're watching Charlie, the main character, go through an experimental procedure that increases his IQ. The whole book, written in diary entries, let us see how it affects his life and how he struggles through it. I rarely cry while reading a book but I couldn't help myself here. It's a classic for a reason. Read it. You won't be able to put it down' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Heartbreaking and beautiful. Required reading, as far as I am concerned' Wil Wheaton'This book is extraordinary, one of my favorites. It is a fast read but is is very powerful and heartbreaking. I read it in the plane and I felt a little embarrassed when I started to weep at the end of the book' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'One of those stories I wish I would have read years earlier. It's simply marvellous. It's about the nature of intelligence and how intelligence can be divisive. It's a very emotional book' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐Trade ReviewThis is one of the greats: a story and a central character that have stayed with me for thirty years, from the first moment I picked it up * Conn Iggulden *A masterpiece of poignant brilliance . . . heartbreaking, and utterly, completely brilliant * Guardian *A timeless tearjerker * Independent *Excellent . . . extremely moving * The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction *Unflinchingly honest . . . it will make you reflect on your own life . . . and completely and utterly break your heart * Guardian Online *A narrative tour de force, very moving, beautiful and remorseless in its simple logic * Science Fiction, 100 Best Novels *Strikingly original * Publishers Weekly *A tale that is convincing, suspectful and touching * New York Times *

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Book SynopsisFROM THE #1 BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUBA brand new series.An iconic new detective team.And a thrilling new murder to solve . . .-----Steve Wheeler is enjoying retired life. He does the odd bit of investigation work, but he prefers his familiar habits and routines: the pub quiz, his favourite bench, his cat waiting for him when he comes home. His days of adventure are over: adrenaline is daughter-in-law Amy's business now.Amy Wheeler thinks adrenaline is good for the soul. As a private security officer, she doesn't stay still long enough for habits or routines. She's currently on a remote island keeping world-famous author Rosie D'Antonio alive. Which was meant to be an easy job . . .Then a dead body, a bag of money and a killer with their sights on Amy have her sending an SOS to the only person she trusts. A breakneck race around the world begins, but can Amy and Steve stay one step ahead of a deadly enemy?-----PRAISE FOR RICHARD OSMANBrilliantly suspenseful' JEFFERY DEAVERDeplorably good' IAN RANKINFunny, clever, compelling' HARLAN COBENI smiled a million times' MARIAN KEYESWarm, wise and witty' VAL MCDERMIDOsman just gets better' SHARI LAPENAThe rightful king of crime' iThe twistiest, turniest tale told with all of Richard Osman's trademark wit and warmth' RED''The entertainment value is sky-high'' I PAPER''Thursday Murder Club fans, you are in for a treat'' PRIMA''Much as with the earlier books, I read We Solve Murders in a few pleasured gulps'' SUNDAY TIMES''Osman's new series, which kicks off with this book, is written with just as light a touch and gently humorous tone'' THE OBSERVER''The thing that shines through in Osman's writing is that he really likes people and revels in all their foibles and eccentricities. All of which makes for a delightful read and another little slice of warmth in time for autumn'' THE OBSERVER''This is a sitcom-meets-Bond, and a fine murder mystery' DAILY EXPRESSRichard Osman, Sunday Times bestseller, August 2024

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Book SynopsisFirst published in 1967, this book consists of three short novellas on the theme of women''s vulnerability in the first, to the process of ageing, in the second to loneliness, and, in the third, to the growing indifference of a loved one.THE WOMAN DESTROYED is a collection of three stories, each an exquisite and passionate study of a woman trapped by circumstances, trying to rebuild her life.In the first story, The Age of Discretion', a successful scholar fast approaching middle age faces a double shock her son's abandonment of the career she has chosen for him and the harsh critical rejection of her latest academic work. The Monologue' is an extraordinary New Year's Eve outpouring of invective from a woman consumed with bitterness and loneliness after her son and her husband have left home. Finally, in The Woman Destroyed', Simone de Beauvoir tells the story of Monique, trying desperately to resurrect her life after her husband confesses to an affair with a younger woman.Compassionate, lucid, full of wit and knowing, Simone de Beauvoir's rare insight into the inequalities and complexities of women's lives is unsurpassable.Trade ReviewPraise for THE WOMAN DESTROYED: ‘In these immensely intelligent stories about the decay of passion, Simone de Beauvoir shares with other women novelists the ability to write about emotion in terms of direct experience. What is unique and supremely valuable in her work is the capacity to retain at the same time a coolness and critical detachment towards her material.’ Sunday Times ‘Intensely readable, with a return to warmth and identification with the characters that made THE MANDARINS outstanding’ New Statesman Praise for Simone de Beauvoir: ‘Simone de Beauvoir is a writer whose every work I pounce on eagerly – her vision is so wide, the tale she tells is so interesting, her characterisation so psychologically profound’ YORKSHIRE POST ‘Simone de Beauvoir has the true novelist's gift of selecting detail and creating individuals whilst refusing to sum up situations’ A.S. BYATT

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Book SynopsisThis postbellum Greek tragedy is the perfect introduction to Faulkner's elaborate descriptive syntax. Quentin Compson and Shreve, his Harvard roommate, are obsessed with the tragic rise and fall of Thomas Sutpen. As a poor white boy, Sutpen was turned away from a plantation owner's mansion by a black butler. From then on, he was determined to force his way into the upper echelons of Southern society. His relentless will ensures his ambitions are soon realised; land, marriage, children, his own troop to fight in the Civil War... but Sutpen returns from the conflict to find his estate in ruins and his family collapsing. Secrets from his own past threaten to ruin the lives of his children and destroy everything he has worked for.Trade ReviewThe novel in which Faulkner most profoundly and completely says what he has to say about the South and the human condition -- Walter AllenFor range of effect, philosophical weight, originality of style, variety of characterisation, humour and tragic intensity [Faulkner's Works] are without equal in our time and country -- Robert Penn WarrenFor all his concern with the South, Faulkner was actually seeking out the nature of man. Thus we must turn to him for that continuity of moral purpose which made which made for the greatness of our classics -- Ralph EllisonThe magnitude of Faulkner's characters lies in their blood and bone and sinew: the exquisite specificity of their human fallibility... Faulkner seemed incapable of separating intimate character from universal truth, and this rough refusal - both humble and defiant - was at the root of his force as a writer... No other American writer has achieved such staggering heights of form * Boston Globe *Heart-pinching * New York Times *

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Book SynopsisA vengeful goddess hunts for three jewels: fallen stars that will give her endless power. To save the world, six friends have joined forces to stop her. Now, on the wild and beautiful coast of County Clare, their battle reaches its dramatic climax. Doyle Mac Cleirich - soldier and reluctant immortal - has always vowed never to return home. But when his search for the final star leads him to Ireland, it becomes clear that fate has other plans.Solitary by inclination, Doyle is also fighting his growing attraction to archaeologist Riley. His warrior spirit is drawn to the wild - and there''s no one more familiar with the wild than Riley. As the six guardians face their final challenge, Riley and Doyle are prepared to risk their lives in battle. But without love to sustain them, the quest is doomed to failure...

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Book Synopsis“Perceptive and witty—like a Sally Rooney novel set in Southern California.” —Star Tribune (Minneapolis) “It’s this author’s best work yet. A Sapphic roller-coaster ride.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) A controversial LA author attempts to revive her career and finally find true love in this hilarious nod to 1950s lesbian pulp fiction.Having recently moved both herself and her formidable perfume bottle collection into a tiny bungalow in Los Angeles, mid-list author Astrid Dahl finds herself back in the Zoom writer’s group she cofounded, Sapphic Scribes, after an incident that leaves her and her career lightly canceled. But she temporarily forgets all that by throwing herself into a few sexy distractions—like Ivy, a grad student researching 1950s lesbian pulp who smells like metallic orchids, or her new neighbor, Penelope, who smells like

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Book SynopsisA glittering rush of sugar-sweet enchantment' Stephanie Garber, Sunday Times bestselling author of A Curse for True LoveIn the darkness of night, magic awaitsNottingham, 1906Marietta Stelle longs to be a ballerina but, as Christmas draws nearer, her dancing days are numbered she must marry and take up her place in society in the New Year. But, when a mysterious toymaker, Dr Drosselmeier, purchases a neighbouring townhouse, it heralds the arrival of magic and wonder in Marietta's life.After Drosselmeier constructs an elaborate theatrical set for her final ballet performance on Christmas Eve, Marietta discovers it carries a magic all of its own a magic darker than anyone could imagine. As the clock chimes midnight, Marietta finds herself transported from her family's ballroom to a frozen sugar palace, silent with secrets, in a forest of snow-topped fir trees. She must find a way to return home before she's trapped in Everwood's enchanting grip forever.In the darkness of night, magic awaits and you will never forget what you find hereTropes:?? Finding the magic of Christmas?? True love?? Festive fun!Your favourite authors have fallen under the magical spell of Midnight in Everwood:The perfect winter fairy tale' Sarah Morgan, The Christmas EscapeA deliciously dark retelling of The Nutcracker' Jennifer Saint, AtalantaSumptuous and spellbinding' Heidi Swain, Underneath the Christmas TreeBeautifully spun and wildly imagined' Cari Thomas, ThreadneedleEnchanting! The perfect Christmas treat' Veronica Henry, Christmas at the Beach HutReaders LOVE Midnight in Everwood:Transported me to a magical world' ??????????A great winter read' ??????????A story in which you can lose yourself' ??????????I was drawn into this book from the very first page' ??????????A must-read for the Christmas season' ??????????Enchanting and full of wonderful adventure' ??????????Will sweep you off your feet' ??????????A fairy tale for grown-ups and absolutely perfect for Christmas' ??????????Trade Review Praise for Midnight in Everwood: ‘Perfect autumnal reading in this enchanting and fantastical retelling of The Nutcracker. A show-stopping book’ Woman & Home ‘A glittering rush of sugar-sweet enchantment laced with sparkling prose and bewitching storytelling. Beware of entering this magnificent world; Everwood will dazzle and seduce you and then steal you away’ Stephanie Garber, Sunday Times bestselling author of Once Upon A Broken Heart ‘An absolute dream of a read. A magical, enchanting retelling of The Nutcracker’ LoveReading, Book of the Month ‘Magical and evocative, the perfect winter fairy tale’ Sarah Morgan, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Christmas Escape ‘This retelling of The Nutcracker will transport you to a fairy tale world where magic happens’ Good Housekeeping ‘The perfect Christmas treat, with every word a jewel. You will fall under its spell from the first page to the last. Enchanting’ Veronica Henry, Sunday Times bestselling author of Christmas at the Beach Hut ‘A sumptuous and spellbinding read’ Heidi Swain, Sunday Times bestselling author of Underneath the Christmas Tree ‘Deliciously dangerous and darkly enchanting’ Sophie Anderson, The Girl Who Speaks Bear ‘I ADORED this adult retelling of The Nutcracker. A lyrical winter fairy tale full of snow, magic and whimsy. So beautifully written – every page was a delight’ Alex Bell, The Winter Garden ‘Whisks us away in its sugar spun dance of enchantment. For fans of The Night Circus, as delicious as its sweetest confection, it’s a real delight’ Nydia Hetherington, A Girl Made of Air ‘A magical and dark story told like a beautiful fairy tale’ Fabulous ‘A quintessential Christmas read’ Culturefly

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Book SynopsisOne millennial woman's journey through our late capitalist hellscape and offers a brilliantly incisive look at the absurdities of modern life....Trade ReviewEtter expertly diverts the novel from neat or didactic tropes...Etter's exquisite prose powers the book. There are also moments when one wishes that Cassie might seek more connection with others, might reflect a bit more deeply about those around her. However, Etter doesn't grant us such easy ways out. Sometimes embracing the darkness is the only way to get through it. -- Alexandra Chang * The New York Times *An absolute must read... Unsettling, tense and funny * A Glamour 'Best New Books for August 2023 *In Sarah Rose Etter's surreal follow-up to her 2019 debut, The Book of X, Cassie's black hole becomes an apt metaphor for depression, growing to the size of a melon or becoming big enough to block out the sun depending on the state of her angst. Etter's prose is so visceral it's hard not to get caught up in Cassie's infinite sadness * TIME (The 100 Must Read Books of 2023) *Etter's work is undoubtedly surreal, but then so is American life today... Ripe hits very close to home -- Jessica Ferri * Los Angeles Times *bold and beautiful * bookshop.org *

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Book Synopsis With Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead, Man Booker International Prize-winner Olga Tokarczuk returns with a subversive, entertaining noir novel. In a remote Polish village, Janina Duszejko, an eccentric woman in her sixties, recounts the events surrounding the disappearance of her two dogs. She is reclusive, preferring the company of animals to people; she’s unconventional, believing in the stars; and she is fond of the poetry of William Blake, from whose work the title of the book is taken. When members of a local hunting club are found murdered, Duszejko becomes involved in the investigation. By no means a conventional crime story, this existential thriller by ‘one of Europe’s major humanist writers’ (Guardian) offers thought-provoking ideas on our perceptions of madness, injustice against marginalized people, animal rights, the hypocrisy of traditional religion, belief in predestination – and caused a genuine political uproar in Tokarczuk’s native Poland. Trade Review‘A magnificent writer.’ — Svetlana Alexievich, 2015 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate ‘Though the book functions perfectly as noir crime – moving towards a denouement that, for sleight of hand and shock, should draw admiration from the most seasoned Christie devotee – its chief preoccupation is with unanswerable questions of free will versus determinism, and with existential unease.... In Antonia Lloyd-Jones’s translation, the prose is by turns witty and melancholy, and never slips out of that distinctive narrative voice.... That this novel caused such a stir in Poland is no surprise. There, the political compass has swung violently to the right, and the rights of women and of animals are under attack (the novel’s 2017 film adaptation, Spoor, caused one journalist to remark that it was “a deeply anti-Christian film that promoted eco-terrorism”). It is an astonishing amalgam of thriller, comedy and political treatise, written by a woman who combines an extraordinary intellect with an anarchic sensibility.’ — Sarah Perry, Guardian‘One among a very few signal European novelists of the past quarter-century.’ — The Economist‘Aspects of dark fantasy permeate Olga Tokarczuk’s grimly comic tale of death and vengeance, set in a remote forested plateau on the border between two realms, with a cast of intelligent animals, ghostly apparitions, celestial influence and humans who resemble trolls, witches, giants and goblins.... Translated with virtuosic precision and wit by Antonia Lloyd-Jones, Tokarczuk’s prescient, provocative and furiously comic fiction seethes with a Blakean conviction of the cleansing power of rage: the vengeance of the weak when justice is denied.... [An] elegantly subversive novel.’ — Jane Shilling, New Statesman‘Drive Your Plow is exhilarating in a way that feels fierce and private, almost inarticulable; it’s one of the most existentially refreshing novels I’ve read in a long time.’ — Jia Tolentino, New Yorker‘Amusing, stimulating and intriguing ... [Drive Your Plow] might be likened to Fargo as rewritten by Thomas Mann, or a W. G. Sebald version of The Mousetrap.… Olga Tokarczuk’s previous novel, Flights ... was the winner of the Man Booker International Prize, for translated fiction, and Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead, though smaller in scale, will help confirm her position as the first Polish writer to command sustained Western attention since the end of the Cold War.’ — Leo Robson, The Telegraph‘Janina is such an unusual, engaging narrator that her nihilism is strangely cheering; this was one of the funniest books of the year.’ — Justine Jordan, Books of the Year 2018, Guardian‘Strange, mordantly funny, consoling and wise, Olga Tokarczuk’s novels fill the reader’s mind with intimations of a unique consciousness. Her latest novel to be translated into English, Drive Your Plow Over The Bones of The Dead is simultaneously unsettling and oddly companionable. Suffused with William Blake, astrological lore, and the landscapes of middle Europe, it’s both a meditation on human compassion and a murder mystery that lingers in the imagination.’ — Marcel Theroux, author of Strange Bodies‘I loved this wry, richly melancholic philosophical mystery. It’s a compelling and endlessly thought-provoking novel, luminous with the strangeness of existence.’ — Megan Hunter, author of The End We Start From

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Book SynopsisBook 3 in the Rivers of London series, from Sunday Times Number One bestselling author Ben Aaronovitch.Peter Grant is learning magic fast. And it''s just as well - he''s already had run-ins with the deadly supernatural children of the Thames and a terrifying killer in Soho. Progression in the Police Force is less easy. Especially when you work in a department of two. A department that doesn''t even officially exist. A department that if you did describe it to most people would get you laughed at. And then there''s his love life. The last person he fell for ended up seriously dead. It wasn''t his fault, but still. Now something horrible is happening in the labyrinth of tunnels that make up the tube system that honeycombs the ancient foundations of London. And delays on the Northern line is the very least of it. Time to call in the Met''s Economic and Specialist Crime Unit 9, aka ''The Folly''. Time to call in PC Peter Grant, Britain''s Last WizardTrade 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 *

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Book SynopsisA thrilling epic of betrayal and magic set during the founding of Falador and the doomed Fremennik Great Invasion. Sure to delight RuneScape fans old and new, this stunning tale shows how the gift of magic changed the course of Gielinor forever.

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