Contemporary Fiction Books

Book SynopsisFrom the critically acclaimed author of Bunny comes a horror-tinted, gothic fairy tale about a lonely dress shop clerk whose mother’s unexpected death sends her down a treacherous path in pursuit of youth and beauty. Can she escape her mother’s fate and find a connection that is more than skin deep?A Most Anticipated Book of 2023 in The Guardian, i newspaper, The New York Times, Time, Globe and Mail, Bustle, The Millions, LitHub, TOR, Good Housekeeping, Our Culture Mag, and more! 'You think, “She’s not going to go there…yes, she is.' Margaret Atwood  'The trancelike, rhapsodic language and deepening atmosphere of unreality make for a narrative that oozes with unease.' The Guardian &lsq

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Book Synopsis_______________SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN''S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2018WINNER OF THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD 2017ONE OF BARACK OBAMA''S BEST BOOKS OF 2017SELECTED AS A BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORK TIMES, THE NEW STATESMAN, THE FINANCIAL TIMES, THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW, TIME AND THE BBC_______________''A must'' - Margaret Atwood''A searing, urgent read'' - Celeste Ng''Staggering'' - Marlon James''Disarmingly beautiful'' - Spectator''Blazing with power, grief and tenderness'' - Financial Times_______________An intimate portrait of a family and an epic tale of hope and struggle, Sing, Unburied, Sing examines the ugly truths at the heart of the American story and the power and limitations of family bonds. Jojo is thirteen years old and trying to understand what it means to be a man. His mother, Leonie, is in constant conflict with herself anTrade ReviewThis wrenching new novel by Jesmyn Ward digs deep into the not-buried heart of the American nightmare. A must -- Margaret Atwood * Twitter *A novel as blazingly hymn-like as the title suggests -- Jon McGregor * New Statesman 'Books of the Year' *Beautiful in every sense ... Her characters feel wholly true ... Long after the end, we continue to worry after them, love them in spite of their faults, and feel their pain * Spectator *Hauntingly lyrical * Mail on Sunday *A powerfully alive novel haunted by ghosts; a road trip where people can go but they can never leave; a visceral and intimate drama that plays out like a grand epic, Sing, Unburied, Sing is staggering -- Marlon James, Winner of the Man Booker Prize 2015The connection between the injustices of the past and the desperation of present are clearly drawn in Sing, Unburied, Sing, a book that charts the lines between the living and the dead, the loving and the broken. I am a huge fan of Jesmyn Ward’s work, and this book proves that she is one of the most important writers in America today -- Ann PatchettWard is a lyrical, visceral storyteller, one who is as adept at conveying the tenderness of sibling love as the terror and brutality of racist violence * Daily Mail *Blazing with power, grief and tenderness, Jesmyn Ward’s third novel breathes danger into the classic American road trip … What might, in less sure hands, have remained a local tale, makes a searing story of universal power … Ward takes the territory made so familiar by writers such as William Faulkner or Eudora Welty, and reclaims it * Financial Times *Ghosts, the voices of the dying, painful journeys across an unforgiving country. This is Faulkner territory. Ward’s updated version is gruesomely fascinating, especially as she rounds out her story with characters of real-world complexity … Her cool handling of the mythical tropes of journeying and listening to ancestral voices makes this a harrowing, essential novel for our times * The Times *Maybe that’s the miracle here: that ordinary people whose lives have become so easy to classify into categories like rural poor, drug-dependent, products of the criminal justice system, possess the weight and the value of the mythic … Such feats of empathy are difficult, all too often impossible to muster in real life. But they feel genuinely inevitable when offered by a writer of such lyric imagination as Ward * New York Times Book Review *Ward's prose is characterised by its lyrical beauty: woven throughout are precise, elegant registrations of sensory impression, miniature epiphanies that momentarily lift us from the immediate situation ... undeniably well-executed * Sunday Times *It is rich, sometimes unbearably so ... The signal characteristic of Ward’s prose is its lyricism ... the effect is hypnotic ... This, and her ease with vernacular language, puts Ward in fellowship with such forebears as Zora Neale Hurston and William Faulkner ... The tone and atmosphere in “Sing, Unburied, Sing” call out, too, to Toni Morrison—particularly “Beloved,” whose most sorrowful revelations are echoed in the climax of “Sing” * New Yorker *Combines aspects of the American road novel and the ghost story with an exploration of the long aftershocks of a hurricane -- Notable Books of the Year * New York Times Book Review *Most effective as a poetic critique of US history ... A brooding, pained meditation on the proposition, spelled out by Colson Whitehead in The Underground Railroad, that “America is a ghost in the darkness”’ * Guardian *The heir to Faulkner * Time *However eternal its concerns, “Sing, Unburied, Sing" is perfectly poised for the moment * New York Times *One of the most powerfully poetic writers in the country ... Readers may be reminded of the trapped spirits in George Saunders’s recent novel, “Lincoln in the Bardo,” but Toni Morrison’s “Beloved” is a more direct antecedent * Washington Post *Speaks to maintaining hope in the face of one’s plight, and the true strength (and fragility) of familial bonds * Buzzfeed *An unforgettable novel about race, love and history * Elle *Sing, Unburied, Sing is a road novel turned on its head, and a family story with its feet to the fire. Lyric and devastating, Ward's unforgettable characters straddle past and present in this spellbinding return to the rural Mississippi of her first book. You'll never read anything like it -- Ayana Mathis, author of 'The Twelve Tribes of Hattie'A searing, urgent read for anyone who thinks the shadows of slavery and Jim Crow have passed, and anyone who assumes the ghosts of the past are easy to placate. It’s hard to imagine a more necessary book for this political era -- Celeste Ng, author of 'Little Fires Everywhere' and 'Everything I Never Told You'In prose that is simultaneously luminous and achingly honest, Ward captures moments of beauty, tenderness, and resilience against a bleak landscape of crushing poverty, racism, addiction, and incarceration * MacArthur Foundation *If Sing, Unburied, Sing is proof of anything, it’s that when it comes to spinning poetic tales of love and family, and the social metastasis that often takes place but goes unspoken of in marginalized communities—let alone the black American South—Jesmyn Ward is, by far, the best doing it today. Another masterpiece -- Jason Reynolds, author of 'Ghost'Staggering ... A furious brew with hints of Toni Morrison and Homer’s 'The Odyssey' * Boston Globe *The terrible beauty of life along the nation’s lower margins is summoned in this bold, bright, and sharp-eyed road novel … As with the best and most meaningful American fiction these days, old truths are recast here in new realities rife with both peril and promise * Kirkus *Her lyrical prose takes on, alternately, the tones of a road novel and a ghost story ... [Sing, Unburied, Sing] establishes Ward as one of the most poetic writers in the conversation about America’s unfinished business in the black South * Atlantic *[A] tour de force ... Ward is an attentive and precise writer who dazzles with natural and supernatural observations and lyrical details ... she continues telling stories we need to hear with rare clarity and power * O, the Oprah Magazine *Electric ... a harrowing panorama of the rural South * L.A. Review of Books *A tale that shimmers * Mother Jones *Ward’s tale is an emotional, political and spiritual powerhouse that unblinkingly underlines America’s heinous treatment of black people – from slavery to the present day … while it’s a book filled with savagery, there is also tenderness, love and hope. You can feel the energy buzzing between its covers * Emerald Street *If you only read a single novel this month, make it Jesmyn Ward's utterly brilliant Sing, Unburied, Sing * Vogue *The book’s Southern gothic aura recalls the dense, head-spinning prose of William Faulkner or Flannery O’Connor. But the voice is entirely Ward's own, a voluptuous magical realism that takes root in the darkest corners of human behavior ... Ward, whose Salvage the Bones won a National Book Award, has emerged as one of the most searing and singularly gifted writers working today * Entertainment Weekly *Gorgeous ... Always clear-eyed, Ward knows history is a nightmare. But she insists all the same that we might yet awaken and sing * Chicago Tribune *In this lush and lonely novel, Ward lets the dead sing. It's a kind of burial * NPR *Very beautiful * Vox *Poetic and powerful * Pride Magazine *An American road novel transplanted to 21st century rural America, looking at race, belonging and how the past can never be left behind. Utterly captivating, this is a special book that will make your heart and soul ache * Stylist *It should come as no surprise that the novel has garnered comparisons to Toni Morrison’s Beloved. Echoes of Faulkner nestle amongst Ward’s pages too. … Ward’s prose drips with poetry, even at the novel’s darkest moments * The White Review *This is the most grittily realistic book I’ve read in a while - it just happens to be a ghost story. Somehow, despite its fantastical content, Sing, Unburied, Sing feels distinctly believable … But it’s the love that shines incandescently from the pages here, blasting through all the oppressive threat and tension and lighting the novel up from within * Shiny New Books *Recommended by the likes of Margaret Atwood and Marlon James, Jesmyn Ward’s latest novel is one of Autumn’s must-reads ... Part road novel, part ghost story, this is a powerful exploration of race and the way the past * Anothermag *The civil liberty struggles faced by Americans today, and the country’s history are reflected in Ward’s affecting prose * The i *Themes of drug addiction and child abuse feature in this powerful tale, with ghostly figures from the past returning to admonish Leonie for the choices she has made in her life … impressive * Bristol Post *The cult read: Sing, Unburied, Sing won the National Book Award this year. It feels particularly timely, centring on a family road trip through a fractured Mississippi * Sunday Times Style *Ward’s third book set in the fictional town of Bois Sauvage, based on her hometown of DeLisle, Miss., conjures the same raw emotion of her previous works, like the Hurricane Katrina novel Salvage the Bones. But this time, a sense of magical realism deepens the ghostly sense of the past reaching out to touch – or even strangle – the present. Ward’s novel is a true triple threat, expert in prose, human observation and social commentary * Time Magazine *Full of haunted, lyrical beauty -- Summer Reading Guide * Guardian Australia *Sing, Unburied, Sing grapples with the long shadow cast by slavery in the American South – not just the cycles of inherited trauma and alienation, but the mass incarceration of black men today … In this novel Ward shows again that she can place harsh truths about America’s racial problems within a gorgeous, lyrical tale * Prospect *Jesmyn Ward is an important new voice of the American South – one developing, perhaps, into the twenty-first-century’s answer to William Faulkner. Fiercely partisan yet unillusioned, she displays an impressive understand of politics and idiom. But perhaps most striking is her sustained and clear-eyed attention to people who, when noticed at all, are more usually consigned to a novel’s periphery. Here they take centre stage and are depicted with the kind of piercing clarity born of love -- Kate Webb * Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisFROM THE BOOKER PRIZE SHORTLISTED AUTHOR OF THIS MOURNABLE BODY and NERVOUS CONDITIONSONE OF THE BBC''S 100 WOMEN FOR 2020As Zimbabwe emerges into independence, Tambudzai Sigauke embarks on her second year at the Young Ladies'' College of the Sacred Heart. Determined to excel, Tambu exhausts herself with her efforts to climb to the top of the school''s honour rolls. The further she pushes herself, however, the farther she feels from any reward; and the roots of colonialism threaten to trip her at every step. The sequel to Nervous Conditions is as moving, darkly witty, and riveting as its predecessor.Trade Review'The whole novel is an examination of Tambu's increasingly warped perspective,achieved through a focused, almost claustrophobic first-person point of view and a masterly deployment of flashbacks. We inhabit Tambu's mind so totally that we often have to pull back to remind ourselves that this is not reality, but the world as Tambu sees it.'- Helon Habila, Guardian'From these novels we not only learnt of but lived through [Tambu's] formative years: being sidelined in favour of her brother; her reaction to his death; and the violence she experienced at school.' - John Self, The Times

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Book SynopsisShortlisted for the Goldsmiths Prize & the Orwell Prize for FictionA Sunday Times Fiction Book of the Year ''a serious accomplishment'' Sunday Times''vivid and expansive'' Sophie Mackintosh''a lyrical celebration'' TLS''a glorious, poetic feat'' Bolu BabalolaThis is a novel about two women - Melissa and Catarina.Catarina is born to a well-known political family in Brazil. Melissa, a South London native, is brought up by her mum and a crew of rebellious grandmothers. In 2016, they meet for the first time.Their story takes us across continents and generations. In it we see sisterhood and queerness, and, perhaps, glimpse a better way to live.Trade Review'there are more things is a vivid and expansive novel of sisterhood, love and connection. Reading it is a true experience of joy, and of hope' -- Sophie Mackintosh, author of THE WATER CURE'A serious accomplishment from a talented writer with a gloriously untethered style' * Sunday Times *there are more things builds on the formal innovation of Yara Rodrigues Fowler's first novel in a blistering collage of revolution, sisterhood and joy. Set between contemporary Britain and Brazil's military dictatorship, this book explores the forces outside of ourselves that bind us together and wrench us apart. Her work is honest about political and personal losses, yet strung with light and hope. She reminds us of the power we hold in our individual bodies and the potency of collective strength. there are more things illuminates the societal structures that ensnare us and captures the exuberance and heartache in longing for a better world -- Jessica Andrews, author of SALTWATERA lyrical celebration, and mourning, of women driven to and empowered by activism and community engagement . . . Yara Rodrigues Fowler depicts agitation and revolution as a combination of personal and shared moments, filled with hope, loss, loneliness and love * TLS *Gripping. Yara writes about London like no other and she made me fall in love with the city all over again. A lyrical, relatable and fiercely intelligent tale of first loves, friendships, family and politics told with generosity, skill and compassion.' -- Zeba Talkhani, author of MY PAST IS A FOREIGN COUNTRYtypically magnificent from a unique writer -- Musa OkwongaAn empowering, lyrical and radical book about friendship, protest movements, community and the power of standing up for what you believe in. Yara once again rips up what we consider to be a novel and pushes the form forward in an exciting and readable way -- Nikesh Shuklathere are more things is it's own thing. Situated closely and confidently in the idioms of people navigating a politics that feel true and nuanced, with it's own theory of translating experience, intergenerational histories, place and language.There is a wit too to this book that feels like a wink of familiarity in a pub, discussing the next best thing over a sticking counter. In a crisp and astute poetics, Yara makes music of the warm breath between people -- Tice Cin, author of KEEPING THE HOUSEthere are more things is a book about freedom and solidarity and joy. It will make you yearn for freedom and believe in more and deeper possibilities than you ever thought possible. Yara Rodrigues Fowler brilliantly brings to life lives lived freely and fully. I couldn't put it down -- Amelia Horgan, author of LOST IN WORKA novel as a stack of polaroids, whose every day moments are saturated with the love, pain and grief women carry across generations and political movements, there are more things is a beautiful, unusual and vital novel, seeking and forging powerful connections across time -- Preti TanejaAn ambitious and important novel from one of the UK's most talented young writers. The book gathers so much into its complex strands, from the nature of exile and uprootedness to friendship it takes us to Brazil and circles us back to the precarity of London living experienced by so many today. It gives us a window into lives so often dismissed and ignored. Fowler's female characters are so sensitively drawn... This is a talented writer who has written something both moving and complex -- Mona ArshiWritten with a painful tenderness, Yara's book pours generously like honey and sticks uncomfortably around questions of home, family, and love. A beautiful and heart aching testament of sisterhood and collectivity, Yara's second novel is a gift to spend time with, a book to tread delicately through -- Liv WynterYara Rodrigues Fowler is an urgently important and captivating voice. there are more things kept me enchanted from the first page -- Vincent Bevinsa phenomenal story of two women, revolution, and finding a place in the world. A book of epic scope & intricate detail. Stunning -- Katie Hale, author of MY NAME IS MONSTERfull of the emancipatory and radical potential of joy -- Keiran Goddardthere are more things is an exquisite story of love and revolution, friendship and heartbreak, language and history, beautifully told and so powerfully felt. This is a transportative and captivating novel - I truly felt as though I lived and breathed among its pages and will be thinking about it for a very long time. Yara Rodrigues Fowler is an outstanding writer and this is a truly brilliant literary and political achievement -- Lucia Osbourne-CrowleyA stirring portrait of the legacy of violence . . . experimental and evocative . . . While the themes that this novel tackles are harrowing, they are handled with the most delicate and deft touch. Issues like queerness, casual racism, the anxiety of being in a foreign land and the pressure of being grateful for being allowed the same opportunities as a white person are sensitively depicted in Fowler's vivid prose * Irish Times *A large-hearted novel of sisterhood and resistance -- Tom Gatti * New Statesman *Reignited my mind and my passion. It is a glorious, poetic, expansive feat that traverses sisterhood, and love, and revolution and home, and the bravery it takes to question what oppresses -- Bolu BabalolaThis is a vibrant, sensual, olfactory modern novel that celebrates kinship, food, music, mixed heritage, the rhythms of the city, political and sexual awakenings. Formally experimental, but never forbiddingly so, it is a seductive, propulsive read * The Times *A political novel rooted in power and cemented in hope * The Skinny, Books of the Year 2022 *

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Book SynopsisThe incredible thriller you won't be able to put down from the Top 10 Sunday Times bestselling authorA happy familyAlice and Tom Sark seem to have it all a wonderful marriage, a gorgeous baby, a beautiful home. And now Alice, a journalist, starts investigating a story which could make her career a serial killer in their town.A murderer lurking in the shadowsVery quickly though, the murder case takes its toll. Alice and Tom begin fighting all the time. Their baby daughter just won't stop crying. And sometimes it feels almost as if they're being followedNot everyone will live to tell the taleThe killer has found a new family to target. And the clock is ticking for Alice and Tom to stop their worlds being destroyed forever.What readers are saying about Ready or NotCaptured me from the beginning and refused to let go'Completely addictive!'Could not put this down!'This book took many turns that I did not expect'This book had suspense, intrigue, action, and a great who done it'A well-writtTrade Review‘Lake’s skill at injecting menace into the mundane details of everyday life accounts for much of the book’s constant tension’ Daily Mail ‘A tense read’ Bella Praise for Alex Lake: ‘Relentlessly fast paced, a compelling plot and anxiety inducing finale. A cracking read’ John Marrs, bestselling author of The One ‘Opens with a nightmare scenario and races to a gripping, horribly tense ending – I think I actually stopped breathing several times. Loved it! Jackie Kabler, author of The Perfect Couple 'With an unrelenting sense of urgency, this brilliant book will get under your skin. Great hook, fast-paced, fully engrossing. Don't miss out – read it now!' Sam Carrington, author of The Missing Wife ‘This is creepy storytelling of the highest order: spine-chilling and difficult to put down’ Daily Mail ‘A superb read for suspense fans, this taut thriller will have you racing for the finish’ Heat ‘A gripping page turner’ Closer ‘An expert at crafting chilling scenes that will instantly capture a reader’s imagination’ Woman & Home ‘Dark psychological thriller’ The i ‘Evocative writing and emotional rawness’ Woman’s Weekly ‘A lip-smackingly twisted tale’ Heat ‘A tense and twisty domestic noir that oozes with intrigue. Perfect for devouring in one sitting’ Woman & Home ‘A thoroughly entertaining, gripping read’ Cass Green, bestselling author of In a Cottage In a Wood ‘You’ll find it hard to fall asleep when the lights go out’ Evening Standard ‘A fast-paced and highly suspenseful read that will leave readers looking over their shoulders’ RT Book Reviews ‘A nail-biting psychological thriller … maintains high suspense to the very end’ Publishers Weekly ‘Superbly crafted…will keep you up all night’ Liz Loves Books

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Book Synopsis______________THE NO.1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER BY AWARD WINNER KATE ATKINSON''An unapologetic novel of ideas which is also wise, funny and paced like a thriller'' ObserverIn 1940, eighteen-year old Juliet Armstrong is reluctantly recruited into the world of espionage. Sent to an obscure department of MI5 tasked with monitoring the comings and goings of British Fascist sympathizers, she discovers the work to be by turns both tedious and terrifying. But after the war has ended, she presumes the events of those years have been relegated to the past for ever. Ten years later, now a producer at the BBC, Juliet is unexpectedly confronted by figures from her past. A different war is being fought now, on a different battleground, but Juliet finds herself once more under threat. A bill of reckoning is due, and she finally begins to realize that there is no action without consequence.Transcription is a work of rare depTrade ReviewNo other contemporary novelist has such supreme mastery of that sweet spot between high and low, literary and compulsively readable as Kate Atkinson. I look forward to a new Atkinson book like I look forward to Christmas…what lends the novel enchantment is that patented Atkinson double whammy: gravity and levity. Tragedy and comedy as so skilfully entwined that you find yourself snorting with mirth…brimming with dark wit that reminds you how deeply satisfying good fiction can be. -- Allison Pearson * Sunday Telegraph *Transcription stands alongside its immediate predecessors as a fine example of Kate Atkinson's mature work, an unapologetic novel of ideas which is also wise, funny and paced like a thriller. -- Stephanie Merritt * Observer *Kate Atkinson is a wonderful writer. I want to write like her when I grow up. Transcription shows she's at the peak of her powers. Full of beautiful, delicate, sharp sentences and characterisations. A spy novel that dismantles the whole genre. A class act, as ever. -- Matt HaigSuperb...Transcription is the sort of book that reminds you how profound and satisfying and moving and exhilarating good fiction can be. It’s the best novel I’ve read all year. I can’t praise it enough. * Irish Times *Never loses its sense of absurdity of human beings even in their most tragic or noble moments...How vehemently most novelists will wish to produce a masterpiece as good. -- Jake Kerridge * Daily Telegraph *On a graph plotting the literary qualities versus saleability of contemporary British novelists, Kate Atkinson would surely occupy the highest point where the two meet...There are plenty of twists and turns in this terrific page-turner, some shocking moments, and a narrator whom the author encourages us to love. -- Claire Harman * Evening Standard *Atkinson handles her mazy, Le Carre-style plot with complete authority. But there’s a lot more to the novel than its page-turning thrills. The increasingly sceptical Juliet makes for a very appealing heroine and the darker material is interspersed with some neat comedy. Above all, Atkinson recreates the atmosphere of both wartime and post-war London with utter conviction. -- James Walton * Reader's Digest *[A] superb story of wartime espionage...Hilary Mantel once said of Atkinson's ground-breaking first novel that she had a "game-plan more sophisticated than Dickens", and that skill is more than evident in this latest offering...remarkable...Transcription is a fine course in the art of deception. The sheer bravura of Atkinson's storytelling is such that you will find it impossible not to want to revisit those clues so cleverly placed, as you shake your head in disbelief at how effortlessly you have been taken in. -- Gerri Kimber * Times Literary Supplement *A new Kate Atkinson novel is always a reason to rejoice and Transcription was everything I was hoping for and more…The truly surprising denouement makes for one of the best conclusions of a novel I’ve ever read.I immediately wanted to read it all over again. * Red *Kate Atkinson’s fluid identity as a novelist has long marked her out as one of Britain’s most interesting – and often underrated – writers…the playful always stands shoulder to shoulder with the painful, the grandiose with the grubby…Atkinson’s depiction of espionage and counter-espionage on the Home Front is nimble and convincing…But there is an immensely serious book here too, waiting in the wings to reveal itself on the very last pages; a book that asks us to question the entertainment we’ve just gobbled up, and to reckon with what lies beneath it. -- Alex Clark * New Statesman *A treat - cerebral and suspenseful, playful and empathetic. * Mail on Sunday *This is a novel about identity in which no one and nothing is exactly as they seem - a spy novel, in short... Terms such as "postmodern" and "metafiction" seem far too heavy for novels as enjoyable as Atkinson's, but from Behind the Scenes onwards she has been chipping away at the fourth wall, and mischievously drawing attention to her craft. What elevates her fiction above mere playfulness is the emotional integrity of her characters... Atkinson always puts on a damn good show. -- Lisa Allardice * Guardian *A triumph...inventive, atmospheric and witty. * Good Housekeeping *Full of intrigue...sublimely suspenseful - droll,devious and deadly, beautifully serious. * Sunday Express *In Transcription, Kate Atkinson recasts the bildungsroman within the fertile genre of the spy thriller… …As the plot of this accomplished novel hurtles towards its astonishing denouement, even the canniest reader may feel wrong-footed. -- Pamela Norris * Literary Review *I loved Kate Atkinson's Transcription - you don't know if it's farce about spies, or a spy story about farce. -- Hanya YanagiharaThis intricate and captivating novel is a treat. Our advice? Cancel your plans and get lost in its pages. * Heat *Intricate, compelling, unpredictable…a gripping spy story …filled with the mystery, humour, and Britishness we have come to expect. * Stylist *Murky, mysterious and with double bluffs,divided loyalties and untrustworthy narratives aplenty, Atkinson explores the nature of truth in this vibrant piece of historical fiction. * Psychologies *Atkinson’s poker-faced narration perfectly serves a twisty tale of innocence lost amid a fog of geopolitical double-dealing, framed with a deadly tragedy. * Metro *Glorious... beautiful and smart and everything you have ever loved about Kate Atkinson. -- Joanna CannonTotally gripping and extremely funny, with an excellent joke on practically every page...There won't be a better or more enjoyable book published this year. -- Cressida Connolly * The Oldie *

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Book Synopsis'Her gallery of personages is huge, her scene painting superb, her pathos controlled, her humour quiet and civilised' Anthony Burgess'So glittering is the overall parade - and so entertaining the surface - that the trilogy remains excitingly vivid; it amuses, it diverts and it informs, and to do these things so elegantly is no small achievement' Sunday Times'A fantastically tart and readable account of life in eastern Europe at the start of the war' Sarah WatersThe Balkan Trilogy is the story of a marriage and of a war, a vast, teeming, and complex masterpiece in which Olivia Manning brings the uncertainty and adventure of civilian existence under political and military siege to vibrant life.At the heart of the trilogy are newly-weds Guy and Harriet Pringle, who arrive in Bucharest - the so-called Paris of the East - in the autumn of 1939, just weeks after the German invasion of Poland. Guy's lecturing job awaits, alongside friends and the ever-ardent Sophie - but for Harriet, alone and naive, it's a strange new life. Other surprises follow: Romania joins the Axis, and before long German soldiers overrun the capital. The Pringles flee south to Greece, part of a group of refugees made up of White Russians, journalists, con artists, and dignitaries. In Athens, however, the couple will face a new challenge of their own...Trade ReviewMagnificent ... full of wit, sharp insight and vivid description. * The Times *A fantastically tart and readable account of life in eastern Europe at the start of war -- Sarah WatersSo glittering is the overall parade- and so entertaining the surface that the trilogy remains excitingly vivid; it amuses, it diverts and it informs, and to do these things so elegantly is no small achievement. * Sunday Times *Wonderfully entertaining * Observer *One must salute the brilliance ... the exactness of sights and sounds, the precise touches of light and scent, the gestures and entrances * Guardian *

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Book Synopsis''A TAUT, CLEVER THRILLER THAT LEFT ME UTTERLY BEREFT WHEN I''D FINISHED. IT''S A MASTERPIECE'' Louise Jensen, bestselling author of The SisterFrom the author of the million-copy bestseller The Girl With All the Gifts comes a heart-stopping psychological thriller with a twist you won''t see coming and a heroine you can''t trust . . . THERE ARE TWO SIDES TO EVERY STORY. Liz Kendall wouldn''t hurt a fly. Even when times get tough, she''s devoted to bringing up her kids in a loving home.But there''s another side to Liz, one that''s dark and malicious. She will do anything to get her way - no matter how extreme.And when her alter-ego takes control, the consequences are devastating.Someone Like Me is the intoxicating new thriller from the phenomenal M. R. Carey. A modern take on the Jekyll and Hyde tale, think Gone Girl meets Stephen King - but you won''t have read anything quite like thisTrade ReviewA taut, clever thriller that left me utterly bereft when I'd finished. It's a masterpiece * Louise Jensen, bestselling author of THE SISTER *Carey['s] boundless imagination is in fine form . . . A thrilling, genre-defying treat * KIRKUS *A taut and haunting psychological thriller which you won't want to put down * SUNDAY POST *This quirky story from the author of The Girl With All the Gifts is off the scale in terms of imagination and really rather brilliant * SUNDAY MIRROR *A first-rate, superbly paced paranormal thriller * NEW YORK TIMES *An intense read perfect for Gillian Flynn fans * BOOKLIST *An outstanding piece of popular fiction * SUNDAY EXPRESS *Bold and unpredictable . . . The first half of the book continually finds ways to wrongfoot the reader. Just when you think you know what kind of story Carey is telling, he shifts gears and forces you to start your deductions from scratch. It's scary and incredibly tense * SCIFINOW *A dark, supernatural thriller that blurs the edges of the world we know * LIBRARY JOURNAL *An accomplished page-turner * STARBURST *A suspenseful, disturbing, and emotionally honest read * BARNES AND NOBLE SCIFI & FANTASY BLOG *A mind-blowing psychological thriller . . . Highly recommended for all horror and psychological thriller collections * SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL *An intense, haunting thriller with heart. You will not want to put this down * Laini Taylor, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author on FELLSIDE *A fantastic, twist-upon-twist, shape-shifting novel. Gripping, deeply affecting and arrestingly beautiful, it is a haunting tale of raw horror and extraordinary redemption. I adored every page * Miranda Dickinson, SUNDAY TIMES bestselling author on FELLSIDE *A dark, intriguing read * Martina Cole on FELLSIDE *[A] grand piece of storytelling * SUNDAY EXPRESS on FELLSIDE *Incredibly creepy * HEAT on FELLSIDE *A twisty crime thriller as well as an exotic ghost story, Carey's second novel is as hard to categorize as it is to put down * BARNES AND NOBLE on FELLSIDE *Combines a fast-paced plot with a supernatural storyline that's very believable. Gripping stuff * GOOD HOUSEKEEPING on FELLSIDE *As brilliant as it is dark and devious * Jonathan Maberry, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author on FELLSIDE *This eerie tale is sure to hook crime fiction and horror lovers * LIBRARY JOURNAL on FELLSIDE *FELLSIDE builds to a climax that's both satisfyingly worked out and shockingly emotionally intense * RT BOOK REVIEWS on FELLSIDE *Bold and hauntingly evocative * BIBLIOSANCTUM on FELLSIDE *The next fantastic novel from M.R. Carey * I09.COM on FELLSIDE *Dark [and] suspenseful * BOOKLIST on FELLSIDE *I read [FELLSIDE] in a couple of days... I was absolutely nuts about it * BOOK RIOT on FELLSIDE *As fresh as it is terrifying . . . A jewel * Joss Whedon on THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS *Original, thrilling and powerful * GUARDIAN on THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS *Takes hold of you and doesn't let go * John Ajvide Lindqvist, author of LET THE RIGHT ONE IN on THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS *

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Book SynopsisA beautiful story of love and second chances, with a remarkable family at its heart, from the Sunday Times bestselling author.So much can change in half a lifetime…   Then   At fifteen, George is the foster brother Leah never asked for. As the angry, troubled boy struggles to come to terms with his circumstances, Leah finds herself getting drawn closer to him.   Theo’s wealthy family have mysteriously pulled him out of boarding school and he’s now enrolled at the local state school with Leah and George. When their worlds collide that summer, the three teenagers form a bond they believe will be unbreakable. But life doesn’t always go to plan...  Now   Shocking news brings Leah back to Yorkshire, baby daughter in tow. But Emilie’s father Theo isn’t with them, and George has unexpectedly returned. After half a lifetimTrade ReviewPraise for Paige Toon 'You'll love it, cry buckets and be uplifted' MARIAN KEYES 'Tender, heartbreaking and magical' GIOVANNA FLETCHER 'Heart-warming, wistful and full of joy' LINDSEY KELK ‘Poignant and lovely, warm and wise’ MILLY JOHNSON 'Family secrets, new horizons and a gorgeous continent-crossing romance... prepare to be swept away!' LUCY DIAMOND ‘Warm, inspiring, like a holiday mood in book form’ MHAIRI MCFARLANE 'For smart, romantic fiction, look no further than the new book from bestselling Paige Toon' RED 'Achingly romantic and brilliantly written... Five Stars!' HEAT 'Simply gorgeous' SUN 'You won't be able to put down this emotional read' CLOSER 'Paige Toon is the queen of will-they/won't-they romance, setting up an ending that will leave you in bits' SUNDAY EXPRESS 'Full of living-in-the-moment and what-might-have-been contrasts, this tender read pulls at the heart strings' FABULOUS

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Book SynopsisFrom the Sunday Times bestseller comes a heartwarming and uplifting story of how three women find themselves empowered by unexpected pregnancies'Every time you discover a new Milly book, it’s like finding a pot of gold' heat Three South Yorkshire friends, all on the cusp of 40, fall pregnant at the same time following a visit to an ancient fertility symbol. For Helen, it's a dream come true, although her husband is not as thrilled about it as she had hoped. Not only wrestling with painful ghosts of the past, Helen has to deal with the fact that her outwardly perfect marriage is crumbling before her eyes. For Janey, it is an unmitigated disaster as she has just been offered the career break of a life-time. And she has no idea either how it could possibly have happened, seeing as she and her ecstatic husband George were always so careful over contraception. For El

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Book SynopsisMeet Louis Ives: well-groomed, romantic, and as captivating as an F. Scott Fitzgerald hero. Only this hero has a penchant for ladies' clothes, and he's just lost his teaching job after an unfortunate incident involving a colleague's brassiere. Meet Henry Harrison: former actor, brilliant but failed playwright, and a well-seasoned escort for New York City's women of means. What can this ageless Don Quixote of the Upper East Side have to offer a young gentleman such as Louis? What, indeed... The Extra Man is a story of friendship and frustration, of cocktails and cross-dressing, a hilarious tale for our times from America's most versatile wit.

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Book SynopsisThe Village Green Bookshop is a heartwarming story of good books and good friends, by the bestselling author of The Telephone Box Library, Rachael Lucas.'The perfect escapist read set in a beautiful Cotswolds village' – Tasmina Perry, author of Seven Nights in Paris'It is a warm gorgeous hug of a book with all the feels' – Liz Fenwick, author of The Cornish HouseFrustrated that she spends all her time as either a mum to a football-obsessed teenager or a wife to a workaholic husband, Hannah wants something for herself. When the chance comes to take over the Post Office in Little Maudley, a charming Cotswold village, Hannah grabs it with both hands.But village life is not so picture-perfect after all: Hannah finds herself an outsider in this tight-knit community where the height of your hedge is a gossip-worthy subject. Even her idea to introduce a small bookshop to the Post Office causes a stir. At least Ben seems to have found his place as he joins the local football team, coached by ex-professional Jake Lovatt. But a shocking secret from their past threatens to uproot the new life they’ve made for themselves, and has drastic consequences . . .Set in the same village as The Telephone Box Library and featuring some of the same much-loved characters, this is a charming, big-hearted novel from bestselling author Rachael Lucas.'Gorgeously romantic and full of joy' - Cathy Bramley, author of Merrily Ever After'A mum finding her joy, a swoony footballer and a village green shop, Lucas' gorgeous story is the perfect escape to the romantic Cotswolds' - Pernille Hughes, author of Punch-Drunk LoveTrade ReviewGorgeously romantic and full of joy -- Cathy Bramley, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Sunrise SisterhoodA gorgeous, big-hearted romantic read, full of characters you'll be rooting for. The perfect escapist read set in a beautiful Cotswolds village -- Tasmina Perry, author of the Lara Stone seriesI absolutely loved it! It was like being wrapped up in a lovely hug - I want to move to Little Maudley right now! -- Emily Kerr, author of Duvet DayIt is a warm gorgeous hug of a book with all the feels. I loved it. -- Liz Fenwick, bestselling author of The River Between UsHeartwarming -- Woman's Weekly on Finding Hope at Hillside FarmWonderfully warm, brave and wise, it’s a gentle story that steals your heart and reaffirms your hope in life -- Miranda Dickinson on Finding Hope at Hillside FarmA gorgeous grown-up romance where loss collides with love . . . Full of warmth, heart and humanity -- Laura Kemp on Finding Hope at Hillside FarmThis is such a tender and warm-hearted story. A delightful slice of escapism tied up with a gorgeous romantic ribbon -- Cathy Bramley on The Telephone Box LibraryA mum finding her joy, a swoony footballer and a village green shop, Lucas' gorgeous story is the perfect escape to the romantic Cotswolds -- Pernille Hughes, author of Punch-Drunk Love

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Book SynopsisLONGLISTED FOR THE WOMEN''S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2019''Of all the books that I read this summer I think this was my absolute favourite. It really blew me away'' DOLLY ALDERTON''Frank, provocative and brilliant'' INDEPENDENT''Utterly mesmerising'' TATLER''Hilarious, poignant, sexy. A brilliant story about why we crave connection and how to find ourselves'' ELLE''Laugh-out-loud funny'' iCHOSEN AS A SUMMER READ BY TATLER, THE TIMES, ELLE AND YOU MAGAZINELucy has been writing her dissertation for nine years when she and her boyfriend have a dramatic break up. After she hits rock bottom, her sister in Los Angeles insists that Lucy dog-sit for the summer.Staying in a gorgeous house on Venice Beach, Lucy can find little relief from her anxiety not in the Greek chorus of women in her love addiction therapy group, not in her frequent Tinder excursions, not even in Dominic the dogTrade ReviewOf all the books that I read this summer I think this was my absolute favourite. It really blew me away. Phenomenally written. [Broder's] writing is so creative and can be so abstract and so unexpected while also being so universal and earthy and funny. It was raw and powerful and it made me cry -- Dolly Alderton, The High LowBizarrely brilliant. What should you be reading this summer? A tragi-comic interspecies love story with undertones of ancient Greek philosophy and sex-positive feminism. Obviously * The Times *A novel that has such depth, and so many layers. If it doesn’t make its way onto your list of books to read, then you’re probably doing summer wrong * Erotic Review *One of the must-reads of the season -- Elle, Ultimate Summer Books Round-UpWitty, sharp and painfully insightful. Looking for a smart summer read? This is it * The Pool *A frank, provocative, and brilliant debut that blends fantasy with realism as Broder examines just how unusual a shape love can take -- The debut novelists to know this year * Independent *Strangely, almost uncomfortably, addictive. This book appeals to the Bridget Jones in all of us, searching for true love and unhealthily influenced by fairytales. It’s a fusion of the fantastical and the real with a sprinkling of the erotic, and is both beautifully written and darkly comic * Stylist *Literary erotica merges with magical realism and black humour in this extraordinary debut novel about a dejected young woman’s night-time liaisons with a merman. Strong stuff, but it’s spreading quickly through word of mouth, making it summer’s cool read to be spotted with * You Magazine *In Broder’s charmingly kooky debut novel, a depressed Ph.D. student chances upon her dream date – and he’s half fish. Broder approaches the great existential subjects as if they were a collection of bad habits. That’s what makes her writing so funny, and so sad -- Editors' Choice Picks, New York Times Book ReviewIn this dark, physical tale, an academic writing her dissertation on Sappho moves to Venice Beach, where, on the verge of a nervous breakdown, she falls in love with a merman. Broder's novel is a feverish - and often quite graphic - exploration of fantasy and desire, and the extremes to which they can take us. (And how, ultimately, nothing can match a dog's love.) It's simultaneously hilarious, sinister and utterly mesmerising * Tatler *Blazes with vibrancy … The book’s power lies in its ability to be many things at once: a howl of anguish and existential despair, a psychological drama, a fairytale, fish porn … Resembles the new wave of female authors taking a much needed swing at the societal myths surrounding conformity and normativity, from Chris Kraus to Leila Slimani * Financial Times *An incisive look at modern love. Just brilliant. We absolutely loved it! -- Pandora Sykes, The High LowThis is love in the age of consumer capitalism, and Broder is pin-sharp on its disillusionments … In a culture like this, who could resist the siren call of a non-human creature who is fulfilled and complete in himself? ... It's a knife-tip dissection of 21st-century anomie, and its clear-sighted depiction of muddy-headed people makes for bracing reading – like a dip in the freezing, salty sea * Guardian *What makes The Pisces an experimental, exciting work is that Ms. Broder manages to knead together the genres of magical realism – Theo, the merman, is always presumed to be real; no apparitions here – and literary erotica, all with a bemused, wry detachment … In recounting one woman’s star-crossed relationship with a folkloric beau, Ms. Broder has crafted a modern-day mythology for women on the verge – if everything on the surface stops making sense, all you need to do is dive deeper * New York Times *The Pisces convincingly romances the void * NewYorker.com *Broder deftly catches the victims of victimhood in her satirical glance, but she also recognises frailty when she sees it … The book has great momentum, like waves hitting the rocks … Part satire, part fairy tale and, sometimes jarringly, part meditation on addiction * New York Times Book Review *Bizarre, erotic and mordantly funny, this is the story of a heartbroken student’s romantic obsession with a merman. This explosive fantasy is one of the most original debuts to come out this year * Book Riot *Broder may be master of the awkward sexual encounter but it turns out she's a dab hand at proper erotica, too ... The Pisces is so much more than fantasy; it's an unflinching exploration of one woman's fragile mental health * Refinery 29 *Broder is just as hilarious as she is wrenchingly honest * Elle Book Club *A peerless combination of heartbreak and horniness, this novel's journey through the surreal throes of desire is a trip you'll want to take again and again -- Alissa Nutting, author of 'Made for Love'No one writes about love like Melissa Broder ... This is a book for every smart person who has made very bad decisions -- Melissa Febos, author of 'Abandon Me'The characters in The Pisces are so finely drawn and palpably real. These are some of the most real, relatable merman sex scenes I have ever read in any book -- Megan Amram, comedian and writer of Parks & Recreation, Silicon Valley and The Good PlaceThis book has my number so hard, I’m waiting for its midnight texts -- Amelia Gray, author of 'Isadora'Broder wraps timeless questions of existence – those that gods and stars have been beseeched to answer for millennia – in the weirdest, sexiest, and most appealing of modern packaging. Brilliant and delightful -- Starred Review * Booklist *Melissa Broder has officially written the modern myth -- Molly Prentiss, author of 'Tuesday Nights in 1980'Honestly, read this book and you’ll be totally swept up in its brilliant writing and bizarre premise. You’ll never look at the beach in quite the same way -- Unmissable Books to Read This Spring * Stylist *Sappho and Tinder, mermaid porn and nervous breakdowns, the banal and the bananas gloriously litter this uncanny marvel that is pretty impossible to put down -- Porochista Khakpour, author of 'Sick: A Memoir'Fearless writing, merrily mixing Sappho and bikini waxes, Greek myths and self-help, and with the most brutally honest sex scenes I've read in a long time -- Kerry Andrew, composer and author of 'Swansong'This book is for anyone that’s wondered where their longing will take them next -- Chelsea Hodson, author of 'Tonight I’m Someone Else'Bold, virtuosic, addictive, erotic – there is nothing like The Pisces. Between a broken-up Sappho academic and a Venice-beach merman, Melissa Broder miraculously captures everything absurd and pure about falling in love. I have no idea how Broder does it, but I loved every dark and sublime page of it -- Stephanie Danler, author of BittersweetFunny and dark, vicious and tender, The Pisces is a sexy and moving portrait of a woman longing for connection and pleasure in our strange and alienating world. I can’t stop thinking about it -- Edan Lepucki, author of Woman No. 17The Pisces has everything - devastating honesty about love, intimacy and loneliness, tonally perfect writing, propulsive plotting, laugh out loud hilarity, and genuinely hot sex with a merman -- Emily Gould, author of ‘Friendship’Fearless and perverted, full of desolation and of hope, The Pisces is a novel that delves head on into the many dark, absurd facets of human connection and coping in search of meaning and comes back bearing fantastic flashes of a twisted rom-com surreality only Melissa Broder's gemstone-studded brain could conjure up -- Blake Butler, author of 'There Is No Year'It's hot, it's fantastical, and it's snort-inducingly funny. I can't get enough of this book * Whimn *Melissa Broder lays herself bare but she does so with strength, savvy, and style. Above all, these essays are sad and uncomfortable and their own kind of gorgeous. They reveal so much about what it is to live in this world, right now -- Praise for 'So Sad Today', Roxane GayIf Melissa Broder weren’t so fucking funny I would have wept through this entire book. Love, sex, addiction, mental illness and childhood trauma all join hands and dance in a circle, to the tune of Melissa’s unmatched wit and dementedly perfect take on this terrifying orb we call home -- Praise for 'So Sad Today', Lena DunhamA triumph of unsettlingly relatable prose -- Praise for 'So Sad Today' * Vanity Fair *Her writing is deeply personal, sophisticated in its wit, and at the same time, devastating ... A portrait of modern day existence told with provocative, irreverent honesty -- Praise for 'So Sad Today' * Nylon *What separates Broder from her confessional cohort, as “filthy” (her word) as her pieces are, is that she doesn’t seem to be out to shock, but to survive -- Praise for 'So Sad Today' * Elle *Witty and observant ... [Broder] is unflinchingly honest about the privileges and problems facing adults today * Jewish Chronicle *If you haven’t yet read something by Melissa Broder, you are truly missing out * Shondaland *

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Book SynopsisWhen Sonja’s son is kidnapped by her ruthless ex-husband, she’s thrust back into the world of cocaine smuggling, but this time she’s got a plan of her own… High-stakes jeopardy presides in book two of the dark and original, nail-bitingly fast-paced Reykjavik Noir trilogy… ‘Tense, edgy and delivering more than a few unexpected twists and turns’ Sunday Times ‘Tough, uncompromising and unsettling’ Val McDermid ‘Tense and pacey, this intriguing mix of white-collar and white-powder crime could certainly be enjoyed as a standalone, but I would suggest reading its excellent predecessor, Snare, first’ Guardian –––––––––––––––––––––––– Happily settled in Florida, Sonja believes she’s finally escaped the trap set by unscrupulous drug lords. But when her son Tomas is taken, she’s back to square one … and Iceland. Her lover, Agla, is awaiting sentencing for financial misconduct after the banking crash, and Sonja refuses to see her. And that’s not all … Agla owes money to some extremely powerful men, and they’ll stop at nothing to get it back. With her former nemesis, customs officer Bragi, on her side, Sonja puts her own plan into motion, to bring down the drug barons and her scheming ex-husband, and get Tomas back safely. But things aren’t as straightforward as they seem, and Sonja finds herself caught in the centre of a trap that will put all of their lives at risk… Set in Reykjavik – still covered in the dust of the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption and the aftermath of the banking crisis – Trap is an award-winning, deliciously dark and outstandingly original slice of Nordic Noir, from one of Iceland’s finest crime writers. –––––––––––––––––––––––– Praise for the Reykjavik Noir Trilogy ‘A tense thriller with a highly unusual plot and interesting characters’ Marcel Berlins, The Times ‘With characters you can’t help sympathising with against your better judgement, Sigurdardottir takes the reader on a breathtaking ride … Stylish, taut and compelling’ Jon Coates, Daily Express ‘Pacey and tense, Trap is full of delicious carnage that could translate well to the screen’ New Zealand Listener ‘This is a searing portrait of the less salubrious parts of the Icelandic psyche as well as a riveting thriller’ Sunday Express 'Sharp shocks of chapters hit with increasing energy ... a towering powerhouse of read and I gobbled it up in one intense sitting’ LoveReading ‘The intricate plot is breathtakingly original, with many twists and turns you never see coming. Thriller of the year’ New York Journal of Books ‘Sigurdardottir provides a skilful combination of Nordic noir, hardboiled financial thriller and high-octane narco drama, filled with sympathetic characters that you can’t help identifying with even as they break the law’ Crime Fiction Lover ‘The action is fast, helped by the short chapters switching us from one set of characters to another, the villains ruthless, and the undercover world of Iceland vividly evoked. A treat for fans’ Promoting Crime ‘Smart, ambitious and hugely satisfying’ Eva Dolan ‘Zips along with tension building and building’ James Oswald 'An emotional suspense rollercoaster on a par with The Firm’ Alexandra Sokoloff ‘Compelling … this is prime binge-reading’ Booklist ‘The suspenseful Trap takes full advantage of its fresh setting and is a worthy addition to the icy-cold crime genre popularized by Scandinavian noir novels’ Foreword ReviewsTrade Review"fans of Nordic noir will find plenty to like." --Publishers Weekly "Trap is brutally real, the terse writing keeps the pace lively. . . . Lilja Sigurdardottir is the real deal, one of the reasons Icelandic crime fiction punches well above its weight. There is also a pronunciation guide at the front of the novel should you feel brave enough to give it a go. Superbly translated by Quentin Bates, who knows the language, people and crime writing intimately." --Nudge Books "Icelandic author Lilja Sigurdardottir weaves another complex web of tension. . . . A skillful combination of Nordic noir, hardboiled financial thriller and high-octane narco drama." --Crime Fiction Lover "Pacy and tense, Trap is full of delicious carnage that could translate well to the screen." --New Zealand Listener "The intricate plot is breathtakingly original, with many twists and turns you never see coming. Thriller of the year." --New York Journal of Books on Snare "With its clever plot and brisk, tight pace, this hard-to-put-down Nordic thriller will be a treat for crime fiction fans." --Library Journal Online on Snare "A taut, gritty, thoroughly absorbing journey into Reykjavik's underworld." --Booklist on Snare "Tense and pacey, this intriguing mix of white-collar and white-powder crime could certainly be enjoyed as a standalone, but I would suggest reading its excellent predecessor, Snare, first." --Guardian

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Book SynopsisCecelia Ahern at her quirky, magical best' Daily MailNow an Apple Original series from Apple TV+A story for every woman.A story for every moment.Whether you want to laughTo be movedTo loveTo feel less guiltTo cryTo be comfortedTo ROARThere is a story for you.From Sunday Times bestselling author Cecelia Ahern comes a collection of witty, original and moving stories for women everywhere.Funny, wise and weighty, in a very good wayread one or two of Ahern's fables at a time [to] truly appreciate their wit, pathos and imagination.' IndependentWitty, playful, entertaining but also thought-provoking, salutary and empowering' Daily MailA Radio 2 Bookclub Choice.Trade Review‘A wonderful, inspiring collection…the kind of book everyone should have on their shelf’ Libby Page, bestselling author of The Lido ‘These provocative and witty stories prove it’s time to recognise Cecelia Ahern as one of our finest writers’ John Boyne, bestselling author of The Heart’s Invisible Furies ‘These stories sing from the page … sharp, clever, witty: a joy to read’ Donal Ryan, bestselling author of The Spinning Heart ‘An impressive, timely and entertaining collection’ Observer ‘Confidential, sympathetic and witty’ The Times ‘Funny, magical, her most powerful, most feminist work yet’ Irish Sunday Independent ‘Smart and provocative…told with wit and verve.’ Mirror ‘Intriguing, substantial and impactful…The quiet call to arms that women never knew they needed’ Irish Independent ‘Witty, smart, perpetually readable, this is the perfect collection’ Heat ‘Inventive and ingenious, with a doffing of the cap to Angela Carter and Margaret Atwood’ Stylist ‘Witty and relatable’ Woman and Home ‘Stories worth waiting for’ Image ‘Rich, challenging and comic’ Daily Express ‘Thought-provoking, clever and humorous… startlingly original and very enjoyable’ Women’s Weekly

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Book SynopsisThis summer everything is about to change on Hope Island. The sand is warm, the sea is sparkling and a second chance for romance is in the air . . .For two years Freya Greene has hidden the fact that she''s totally and utterly in love with her best friend Rome Lancaster. It''s not been easy - they work together in his glasswork business, she lives above his workshop and, he''s completely gorgeous. But Rome has never shown any sign of returning those feelings. Until now...Lately they''ve shared affectionate moments and words heavy with meaning. Yet Freya knows Rome has a damaged heart. After losing his fiancée in a tragic accident, he''s not allowed himself to fall in love. Freya has already had her heart broken by a man who couldn''t let go of a past love. Can she risk it happening again? Rome and Freya have a friendship that could blossom into something more. Are they both brave enough to take that chance?Fall in love on Hope

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Book SynopsisThe official tie-in edition to William Makepeace Thackeray's classic novel, soon to be a major new ITV series from the producers of Poldark, Victoria and And Then There Were None.

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Book SynopsisNOW A MAJOR FILM STARRING ASHLEY JUDDFrom W. Bruce Cameron, the author of A Dog’s Purpose, the number one New York Times bestseller and major film comes a completely unforgettable adventure as one devoted dog makes her way home.When Lucas Ray rescued his puppy Bella he knew his life would change forever.Smuggling her into his building isn't easy, particularly with his prying neighbours, and Lucas decides to risk taking her to work. The joy on the faces of the veterans in his hospital as Bella distributes her unique brand of comfort makes it all worth it.But then Bella is picked up by animal control and Lucas makes the heartbreaking decision to send her away. Lucas hasn't understood Bella's feelings, though. There might be hundreds of miles separating them but Bella wants her master and she is coming to find him . . .A Dog's Way Home is a heartwarming story perfect for fans of Marley & Me, A Street Cat Named Bob and The Art of Racing in the Rain.

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Book SynopsisPRE-ORDER THE BRAND NEW NOVEL FROM MARTIN CRUZ SMITH, COMING 2025! ‘Martin Cruz Smith does more on a page than most writers manage in a chapter. He is unique and irreplaceable’ MICK HERRON, author of Slow Horses ARKADY RENKO IS BACK . . .   Confined to a desk job by his superiors to keep him out of the way, Arkady Renko is more disillusioned with the general state of Russia than ever. But, despite everything, he has hope. People want change, and politician Leonid Lebedev could be the man to do it.   Tasked by a father with finding his missing daughter, a staunch Lebedev supporter and member of the Forum, Renko is thrown into the heart of a dangerous conspiracy when another member of the Forum is found murdered – Alex, a close friend of his own son.   The night before his murder, Alex sent Arkady a cryptic message, simply containing three pictures of Russian writers.

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Book Synopsis'Without doubt, a future classic' DAISY BUCHANAN  'Funny and charming' HOLLY GRAMAZIO  Bryony doesn't actually mind being single. So she doesn't understand why she keeps seeing (ok, sleeping with) Ed, who is perfectly fine, but also only okay. After developing the ick on their fifth date, she resolves to end things – only to receive a call the next day telling her Ed has died.  Worse yet, he seems to have represented her to his family and friends as his great love. Obviously, it would be cruel to correct them. Then she's invited to the funeral. It would be equally rude to refuse . . . right?    Before she knows it, Bryony has been drawn in by the charisma and chaos of Ed's eccentric family and tangled in a web of her own lies. She's been guilted into signing up to his sister's pyramid scheme, she's in far too deep with several of his nearest and

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Book SynopsisPRE-ORDER THE BRAND NEW NOVEL FROM MARTIN CRUZ SMITH, COMING 2025!‘The later Renko novels are stark, spare and beautiful, like trees in winter. Martin Cruz Smith does more on a page than most writers manage in a chapter. He is unique and irreplaceable’ MICK HERRON ARKADY RENKO IS BACK . . .   Renko has been confined to a desk job by his superiors to keep him out of the way. Although he’s more disillusioned with policing and the general state of Russia than ever, he feels an odd sense of hope. A rebellion is bubbling in the country, with new values butting heads against old-school regimes. People want change and politician Leonid Lebedev could be the man to do it.   When Karina, a staunch supporter of Lebedev and member of the Forum, goes missing, Renko is asked by her father to find her. Soon after his investigation begins, Alex, a close friend of Arkady’s son, is found dead. He was aTrade ReviewPRAISE FOR MARTIN CRUZ SMITH: ‘Martin Cruz Smith writes with an immediacy, depth and lightness of touch that is rare in its combination, and impossible to resist. With characters you know instantly and care deeply about – never more than now – he creates a world that is both brilliantly contemporary in its understanding of world politics, and timeless in its grasp of people and human nature. Independence Square is no exception, and further crystallises Cruz Smith as one of the finest writers of our age. I loved it’ Charlotte Philby ‘Arkady Renko, one of the most iconic detective creations of the last half century is back in another nail biting, hotly topical adventure, that once more cements Cruz Smith’s place as the undisputed master of the political crime thriller’ Abir Mukherjee ‘Renko, never far from trouble, is enmeshed in the cesspit of Russian politics and corruption and Putin’s bellicose intentions toward Ukraine. Lured by his compulsion for the truth behind a disappearance and an assassination, Renko steps directly into the firing line. This is Renko’s most zeitgeisty investigation and definitely Cruz Smith’s most powerful and engaging novel since Gorky Park’ Paul Burke, CrimeTime FM ‘Martin Cruz Smith makes tension rise through the page like a shark's fin’ Independent ‘Smith not only constructs grittily realistic plots, he also has a gift for characterisation of which most thriller writers can only dream’ Mail on Sunday ‘Brilliantly worked, marvellously written . . . an imaginative triumph’ Sunday Times ‘Drips with atmosphere and authenticity – a literary triumph’ David Young ‘Forty years ago, Gorky Park established a new high-water mark for the thriller. It has yet to be surpassed’ Mick Herron ‘When first published Gorky Park was an instant classic; and its reputation has only grown since 1981’ Adrian McKinty

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Henkes and Dronzek once again perfectly capture the quiet wonder of the natural world, as they did in Birds and Oh! …Dronzek’s vivacious acrylic illustrations, their bright colors emphasized by the thick black outlines, complement Henkes’s spare but lyrical prose. A must-have, joyful seasonal title for the youngest listeners.” — School Library Journal (starred review) “Lyrical and elegant in its simplicity, this is an enchanting celebration of the season to pair with Oh!, the paean to winter created by this same husband-and-wife team.” — Booklist (starred review) “In a gently rhythmic text and lush, vibrant paintings, this husband-and-wife author-illustrator team ushers in spring, capturing the season’s sights, sounds, and surprises. …This joyful reflection is as welcome as spotting the first brave crocus.” — Horn Book (starred review) “Dronzek’s cozy paintings combine the simplified shapes of plants, creatures, and children…Henkes is honest about spring’s more trying moments, weaving themes of waiting and patience throughout…Readers, especially those who live in regions that experience the full range of changing seasons, will warm to this catalog of familiar joys.” — Publishers Weekly “A read-aloud dream, the meticulous text catalogs Spring’s awakenings and its characteristic weather. …Dronzek’s thick-lined, bright acrylics are as simultaneously wry and joyous as the text…Henkes and Dronzek make waiting almost as much fun—if not more so—than the payoff.” — Kirkus Reviews “No harm comes to the bunnies, birds and kittens in Laura Dronzek’s deliciously colorful paintings for ‘When Spring Comes,’ a gentle picture book written by Kevin Henkes. …From brown to green, from eggs to birds, from seeds to flowers, seasonal changes transpire sweetly in these pages.” — Wall Street Journal “Henkes creates a childlike and child-friendly cadence with the rhythms of his writing, and the robust, thickly outlined art carries plenty of kid appeal as well. …Expect this to see heavy use in classrooms and library story hours.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

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Book SynopsisTHE MOST IMPORTANT NOVEL YOU'LL READ THIS YEARHarrowing and heartening in equal measure, this book is a breathtaking tale of racial fissures, fury and friendship' David Lammy, MP and author of TribesA powerful story about friendship, race, love, forgiveness, and justice and the stunning ways they intersectEmpathetic, riveting, and authentic' Laura Dave, bestselling author of The Last Thing He Told MeA painfully amazing read teaching us that sometimes, when it comes to race, the real enemy is ignorance' Rhys Stephenson, actor and TV presenter Provides a starting point for conversations which are crucial, at times uncomfortable, but long overdue' Ruth Hogan, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Keeper of Lost Things* * *Not every story is black and white.Riley and Jen have been best friends since they were children, and they thought their bond was unbreakable. It never mattered to them that Riley is black and Jen is white. And then Jen''s husband, a Philadelphia police officer, is invTrade Review‘A tough but necessary read as it seeks to find meaning for all affected by the tragedy it depicts…a powerful debut’ Andi Osho, actress and author of Asking for a Friend ‘We Are Not Like Them is the best kind of book, one that manages to educate readers as it entertains them. Riveting, timely and honest, this powerful page-turner explores the complexity of friendship and race – and will stay with you long after its stunning conclusion’ Greer Hendricks, Sunday Times bestselling co-author of The Wife Between Us ‘A timely, evocative read about what tests us as friends, as partners, and ultimately, as humans, and will have you rethinking your own perspectives and experiences. A perfect read for 2021’ Allison Winn Scotch, bestselling author of Cleo McDougal Regrets Nothing ‘Books have the power to make changes, start conversations – this is one of those books. Powerful, authentic and relevant, this brilliantly written story will stay with me, always’Louise Jensen, bestselling author of The Family ‘Pacy and immersive, We Are Not Like Them skillfully merges the personal and political in this truly illuminating read’ Kia Abdullah, author of Take It Back ‘This is one of those books that is guaranteed to get people talking’ Joanne Finney, Good Housekeeping ‘A powerful story race, compassion, friendship and justice[…] a challenging and important read’ Daily Mail ‘I rarely say this, but I think everyone should read this’ Platinum ‘Don’t miss this powerful read’ Fabulous, Sun on Sunday ‘A powerful book’ Bella ‘Powerful, accessible and wholly relatable’ Stylist​ ‘A powerful and thought-provoking emotional rollercoaster of a novel’ My Weekly 'An absolute must-read'​ The Upcoming ‘[A] propulsive, deeply felt tale of race and friendship’People magazine

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Book SynopsisThis classic of twentieth-century literature chronicles the spiritual evolution of a man living in India at the time of the Buddha—a tale that has inspired generations of readers. We are invited along on Siddhartha’s journey, experiencing his highs, lows, loves, and disappointments along with the beauty and intricacies of the mind, the natural world, and everything he encounters on the path to enlightenment. Sherab Chödzin Kohn’s flowing, poetic translation conveys the philosophical and spiritual nuances of Hesse’s text, paying special attention to the meditative experience. The introduction to this edition explores Hesse’s own spiritual journey as evidenced in his journals and personal letters and the wide-ranging impact Siddhartha has had, and continues to have, on American culture.This book is part of the Shambhala Pocket Library series.  The Shambhala Pocket Library is a collection of short, portable teachings from notable figures across religious traditions and classic texts. The covers in this series are rendered by Colorado artist Robert Spellman. The books in this collection distill the wisdom and heart of the work Shambhala Publications has published over 50 years into a compact format that is collectible, reader-friendly, and applicable to everyday life.

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Book Synopsis#1 New York Times bestselling master of suspense Dean Koontz takes a surprising and exhilarating road trip with a man in pursuit of his strange past—mile by frightening mile. Quinn Quicksilver was born a mystery—abandoned at three days old on a desert highway in Arizona. Raised in an orphanage, never knowing his parents, Quinn had a happy if unexceptional life. Until the day of “strange magnetism.” It compelled him to drive out to the middle of nowhere. It helped him find a coin worth a lot of money. And it practically saved his life when two government agents showed up in the diner in pursuit of him. Now Quinn is on the run from those agents and who knows what else, fleeing for his life. During a shoot-out at a forlorn dude ranch, he finally meets his destined companions: Bridget Rainking, a beauty as gifted in foresight as she is with firearms, and her grandpa Sparky, a romance novelist with an unusual past. Bridget knows what it’s like to be Quinn. She’s hunted, too. The only way to stay alive is to keep moving. Barreling through the Sonoran Desert, the formidable trio is impelled by that same inexplicable magnetism toward the inevitable. With every deeply disturbing mile, something sinister is in the rearview—an enemy that is more than a match for Quinn. Even as he discovers within himself resources that are every bit as scary.Trade Review“Sit back and enjoy what turns out to be quite a ride.” —Kirkus Reviews “Positively twitching with suspense. Another sure-fire hit from a thriller master.” —Booklist (starred review) “Quicksilver is Dean Koontz stepping back in time and having a lot of fun doing it.” —Bookreporter

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Book Synopsis''A terrific novel'' Angela CarterKoko won''t do what is expected of her. Defying her family''s wishes, she has brought up her eleven-year-old daughter alone in her apartment. And now, after a casual affair, she is unexpectedly pregnant again. What will this mean for her already troubled relationship with her daughter? As she faces the future, memories of her own childhood loss flood into her consciousness, threatening to overwhelm her.Combining the beauty and unease of a dream, this haunting novel is an unflinching portrayal of a woman''s innermost fears and desires.''As relevant today as when it was published ... at once powerfully uplifting and achingly sad'' Japan Times

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Book SynopsisA Richard and Judy Book Club bestseller, The Wife Between Us is a shocking romantic thriller with twists you won't see coming. From Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekannen, the duo behind The Golden Couple.'A fiendishly clever thriller . . . This one will keep you guessing' – Anita Shreve, bestselling author of The Stars are FireMarrying a man with a past was always going to come with problems – but you never expect to become the focus of another woman’s obsession.Nellie just wanted to live the life she’d always dreamed about with Richard. But who is his ex-wife, Vanessa? Nellie thinks she knows everything about his previous marriage. That it was a disaster, plain and simple. But, as secrets are unearthed, she starts to think that maybe there is more to the wife before her . . .Only one thing is certain. She is not who you think she is.'Gobsmacking' – Daily Mail'Buckle up, because you won't be able to put this one down' – GlamourTrade ReviewIt's easy to see why Steven Spielberg has snapped up the film rights to this book, which is an original take on a winning formula . . . The small twists and turns of the plot are riveting but the pivotal surprise is gobsmacking. * Daily Mail *A clever thriller with masterful twists -- Karin Slaughter, author of Pretty GirlsA twisty, mind-bending novel about marriage and betrayal. A gripping plot and fascinating characters; this book will keep you turning the pages and guessing until the very end. A must-read! -- Lauren Weisberger, New York Times bestselling author of The Devil Wears PradaFans of Gone Girl and The Girl On The Train will adore this classy domestic noir set in New York . . . it has a humdinger of a twist which I didn't see coming . . . the result is a fast-paced and hugely enjoyable thriller * Sunday Express *Buckle up, because you won't be able to put this one down * Glamour *The Wife Between Us delivers a whipsmart, twisty plot in a taut, pacy narrative. It's terrific and troubling. This is one scary love triangle where you won't know who to trust. I loved it -- Gilly Macmillan, New York Times bestselling author of What She KnewA fiendishly clever thriller in the vein of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train. This one will keep you guessing. -- Anita Shreve, author of The Stars are FireIn this twisty fast-paced thriller nothing is quite as it seems. Brilliant * Sunday Mirror *With shocking twists, this intricate thriller proves all is not what it seems for the discarded first wife and the woman about to marry her ex. Addictive * Woman & Home *A scorned woman obsesses over her younger replacement . . . you may think you've heard this one before, there are surprises in store . . . fabulously twisty * Good Housekeeping *

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Book SynopsisThe sequel to Jonas Jonasson's international bestseller The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and DisappearedIt all begins with a hot air balloon trip and three bottles of champagne. Allan and Julius are ready for some spectacular views, but they're not expecting to land in the sea and be rescued by a North Korean ship, and they could never have imagined that the captain of the ship would be harbouring a suitcase full of contraband uranium, on a nuclear weapons mission for Kim Jong-un Soon Allan and Julius are at the centre of a complex diplomatic crisis involving world figures from the Swedish foreign minister to Angela Merkel and President Trump. Things are about to get very complicated Praise for The Hundred-Year-Old Man:A mordantly funny and loopily freewheeling debut novel about ageing disgracefully' Sunday TimesImaginative, laugh-out-loud . . . a brilliant satire on the foibles of mankind' Daily TelegraphFast-moving and relentlessly sunny' GuardianTrade ReviewPraise for The Hundred-Year-Old Man: ‘A mordantly funny and loopily freewheeling debut novel about ageing disgracefully’ Sunday Times ‘Imaginative, laugh-out-loud . . . a brilliant satire on the foibles of mankind’ Daily Telegraph ‘Fast-moving and relentlessly sunny’ Guardian

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Book SynopsisIncludes a brilliant new introduction to this scintillating novel from Jade Beer! 'Get ready to meet a thrilling new generation of Hollywood wives - much like their creator and the novel itself, they are pretty balls out from the beginning' JADE BEER'Jackie Collins’s daring, unapologetic stroke of the pen, combined with her glorious wit, has single-handedly given creative license to new generations of authors and storytellers.' COLLEEN HOOVER Power! Sex! Money! Fame! – the new Hollywood wives are back with a vengeance. Ambitious, young, smart and lethal. Whatever they don't have, they want – and whatever these women want, they get. There have been many imitators, but only ever one Jackie Collins.  With millions of her books sold around the world, and thirty-one New York Times bestsellers, she is one of the world’s top-selling novelis

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Book SynopsisThe epic new novel from the internationally acclaimed and best-selling author of 1Q84 In Killing Commendatore, a thirty-something portrait painter in Tokyo is abandoned by his wife and finds himself holed up in the mountain home of a famous artist, Tomohiko Amada. When he discovers a previously unseen painting in the attic, he unintentionally opens a circle of mysterious circumstances. To close it, he must complete a journey that involves a mysterious ringing bell, a two-foot-high physical manifestation of an Idea, a dapper businessman who lives across the valley, a precocious thirteen-year-old girl, a Nazi assassination attempt during World War II in Vienna, a pit in the woods behind the artist’s home, and an underworld haunted by Double Metaphors. A tour de force of love and loneliness, war and art—as well as a loving homage to The Great Gatsby—Killing Commendatore is a stunning work of imagination from one of our greatest writers

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Book SynopsisA NATIONAL BESTSELLERfor fans of All the Light We Cannot See and The Tattooist of Auschwitz!Readers will be on the edge of their seats. A brilliant tale of resistance, courage and ultimately hope. Kelly Rimmer, New York Times bestselling author of The Warsaw OrphanFrom the New York Times bestselling author of The Last Bookshop in London comes a moving new novel inspired by the true history of America's library spies of World War II. Ava thought her job as a librarian at the Library of Congress would mean a quiet, routine existence. But an unexpected offer from the US military has brought her to Lisbon with a new mission: posing as a librarian while working undercover as a spy gathering intelligence. Meanwhile, in occupied France, Elaine has begun an apprenticeship at a printing press run by members of the Resistance. It's a job usually reserved for men, but in the war, those rules have been forgotten. Yet she knows that the Nazis are searching for the press and its printer in orderTrade Review“This story blew me away. Readers will be on the edge of their seats as they are transported to 1940s Portugal and France with Madeline Martin's vivid and inspiring characters. The Librarian Spy is a brilliant tale of resistance, courage and ultimately hope.”—Kelly Rimmer, New York Times bestselling author of The Warsaw Orphan “Madeline Martin immerses us in the expertly rendered and fascinating worlds of Lisbon and Lyon during the war as we follow the stories of two brave women who are willing to risk everything for the cause of freedom. Uplifting, inspiring and suspenseful, this is one to savor!” –Natasha Lester, New York Times bestselling author of The Riviera House “Madeline Martin is a fantastic author, and this beautiful, heartbreaking tale of two young women who risk everything as they use the power of words to fight back against the Nazis will have you glued to your chair. The Librarian Spy is a stunning tour de force of historical fiction.”—Karen Robards, author of The Black Swan of Paris “In Madeline Martin’s stirring new novel, readers will be whisked into her brilliantly depicted portrayal of 1940’s Lisbon, Portugal, and Lyon, France. Martin captures the essence of the French resistance in war-riddled France as we race with hearts in our throats through Elaine’s harrowing tale, juxtaposed with Ava’s thrilling and engrossing passages illustrated with sensory delights. Both heroines push the boundaries of their worlds, risking much in their shared missions for survival and hope. Not to be missed, The Librarian Spy is an inspiring novel that highlights the women who dared to resist in the face of adversity." —Eliza Knight, USA To bestselling author of The Mayfair Bookshop "Martin shows great reverence for the power of the written word in her pacey new novel, The Librarian Spy, set during the tumultuous backdrop of WWII in Lisbon and Lyon, when Nazis attempted to silence the press of the Resistance. This engaging, lively read featured a cast of characters I loved to root for and I couldn’t put it down!"—Heather Webb, USA TODAY bestselling author of The Next Ship Home The danger of Resistance Lyon and the uncertainty of refugee life in wartime Lisbon leap off the page in Madeline Martin's The Librarian Spy. She artfully weaves an incredible, tense tale that will set your heart pounding as her characters navigate life and death decisions in this incredible novel of sacrifice, struggle, and hope. This is historical fiction at its absolute best! —Julia Kelly, international bestselling author of The Last Dance of the Debutante “From Lyon to Lisbon, the settings in The Librarian Spy are every bit as vivid and appealing as the women working in Resistance. Madeline Martin takes readers into the belly of the beast, but with characters of such determination, heart, and strength, hope never fails. In increasingly dark times, The Librarian Spy is the book we need.” —Erika Robuck, National Bestselling Author of Sisters of Night and Fog “The wartime ambience in both Lisbon and Paris and the thoroughly fascinating story of the IDC will please all lovers of WWII espionage.” –Booklist“The description and events in this novel prove to be deftly researched. The different locations and the vernacular used highly add to the tale's credibility, offering depth and insight into the happenings of this era. With suspense and tension throughout, this reads like a stealthy shadow lurking around a dark corner, producing hair-raising situations sure to raise one's hackles while making the reader ponder why this horror was allowed.”—New York Journal of Books"Resistance and activism... vividly reimagined."—The Washington Post“Another powerful, moving historical novel by Martin that will stay with you long after the final page is turned. Beautifully written and meticulously researched, it’s a story I’ll be recommending to all my readers.”—Soraya M. Lane, Kindle #1 bestselling author of The Last Correspondent“The Librarian Spy is a truly captivating read.”—BookPage (starred)"Powerful and unforgettable reading. ... I highly recommend this book."—Historical Novels Review"The Librarian Spy is a beautifully written, well-researched work of historical fiction."—The Plain-Spoken Pen "The Librarian Spy is another gorgeous read by Madeline Martin. The writing is fluid and beautiful, and the story touching. ... Full of courage, resistance, and sacrifice, this story was a lovely read."—The 52 Book Club "Full of twists, turns, and international intrigue, The Librarian Spy is about two women facing overwhelming odds with courage, daring, and heart."—The Register Herald“The Librarian Spy by Madeline Martin is a taut story of courage, endurance, and hope at a time when the world was anything but normal.”—Herald-Whig

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE WINSTON GRAHAM HISTORICAL PRIZE 2018The beautiful, questing second novel in Tim Pears'' acclaimed West Country trilogy. Two teenagers, bound by love yet divided by fate, forge separate paths in pre-First World War Devon and Cornwall Lonely and grieving for her exiled best friend, thirteen-year-old Lottie feels a prisoner. Her only solace is her study of the natural world around her father's estate: the strange profusion of its plants, the beauty and brutality of its predators, its mysterious dances of life, death and survival.Grazing on berries and sleeping in copses, Leo travels alone through the wild, strange tapestry of the West Country towards Penzance. But a wanderer is never alone for long and when the gypsy waggons rattle into view, Leo is drawn into a colourful and dangerous world far beyond his imagination.Trade ReviewGoodness, Tim Pears writes beautifully … The descriptions of rural life, executed with painterly exactness, are a constant delight. The prose really sings * Mail on Sunday *Pears is an exemplary historical novelist with a Romantic eye for nature, and this heady walk through the forgotten lanes of England thrums with life ... Pears takes his place alongside Flora Thompson and Ronald Blythe – even Hardy – as one who teaches us the real nature of country as it used to be -- Melissa Katsoulis * The Times *A novel loud with brilliantly captured voices and vividly drawn characters ... With hypnotic lyricism, Pears describes this bucolic Devon world and the people who inhabit it * Daily Mail *A gorgeously hypnotic paean to rural England ... Pears seems to owe a debt to Cormac McCarthy. The Wanderers is peppered with moments of awestruck wonder at the natural world … In both this book and its forerunner, the care that has been taken with historical research is obvious; but it is this deeper, subtler layer of reconstruction that sets these moving novels apart -- Melissa Harrison * Guardian *His lyrical but unsentimental portrait of a long-lost rural world, and the characters who are shaped by it, is affecting -- Nick Rennison * Sunday Times *Pears’s sumptuous but scrupulous descriptions of the countryside are as evocative as Robert Macfarlane’s nature writing and as delicious to savour. The final part of this moving, absorbing odyssey cannot arrive quickly enough * Metro *A classic, knotty and nuanced … Leo and Lottie step out into the world, and twentieth century rushes up to greet them * Times Literary Supplement *Hypnotic … Rural living is conjured up exquisitely, the reader sinking into the rhythms of the land. Pears describes a way of life that’s infused with an unspoken nostalgia -- Lucy Scholes * BBC Countryfile *Pears’s painterly style should keep the reader engrossed. He creates clear-eyed portraits of a lost way of life, and of a people whose traditions were disregarded throughout most of the 20th century. Pears’s book is a triumph: a novel for those who – in the words of that old folk song – ain’t got no home in this world any more * Sunday Herald *

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Book SynopsisMoving between Ghana and London, Hold is an intimate coming-of-age novel. It's a story of friendship and family, shame and forgiveness; of learning what we should cling to, and when we need to let go.An unpredictable and generous-hearted novel' Sarah WinmanA powerful and important work of fiction' Courttia NewlandMichael Donkor is the freshest new voice in Black British literature, and Hold crosses borders and brings Ghanaian culture to life in Britain' Derek Owusu, author of SafeTwo girls, two different worlds, one unexpected friendship.Belinda is everything a good Ghanaian housegirl should be. Diligent and uncomplaining, she knows exactly how to follow the rules.Amma has never been a great one for rule-keeping. And when her parents meet Belinda on a visit from England they suspect she might be just the shining example their wayward teenager daughter needs.So Belinda must leave behind her old life and travel to London to befriend a girl who shows no desire for her company. But in thisTrade ReviewAt times, there are flashes of Jane Eyre in Belinda’s role as a “governess” of sorts, but there is no Mr Rochester to save her from her life, nor a sugary ending. The focus is on the love that flows between women and the need for Belinda to find a place that feels like home … Their lives are hard, yet a profound sense of hope resonates from within Donkor’s warm and accomplished novel. Arifa Akbar, Observer ‘Donkor’s principal achievement is the dignity and generosity of spirit with which he imbues a central character from a largely invisible seam of African society’ Guardian ‘Donkor’s debut novel concerns itself with those who don’t traditionally get much of a look-in when it comes to fiction: two Ghanaian house girls… A warm and intelligent story, offering full-bodied characters and a fortifying examination of courage’ Mail on Sunday ‘Hold is refreshing in its tender focus: the interior life of Belinda, and the relationship she forges with Amma … Donkor’s empathetic rendering of Belinda’s interiority is perhaps the greatest strength of a novel that is impressive both in form and in scope. Though fictional, Hold affords domestic workers, especially immigrant women, a far more nuanced emotional landscape than a significant number of nonfiction narratives’ Atlantic ‘Michael Donkor is a real talent, and Hold is a brave, unpredictable and generous-hearted novel’ Sarah Winman, author of Tin Man ‘There’s much to love in Michael Donkor’s debut novel. But it’s the emotional truths he unearths from the inner lives of three disparate women that make the novel stand up and sing. Hold is a powerful and important work of fiction’ Courttia Newland, author of The Gospel According to Cane ‘A beautiful novel. A deeply engrossing, elegant tapestry of family and friendship from a stirring new voice’ Irenosen Okojie, author of Butterfly Fish

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Book SynopsisThe phenomenal international bestseller and the first volume in the enthralling All SOULS series, preceding SHADOW OF NIGHT and THE BOOK OF LIFE. NOW A MAJOR SKY TV SERIES.Trade ReviewIntelligent and off-the-wall, it will be irresistible to Twilight fans * The Sunday Times *A bubbling cauldron of illicit desire...all the ingredients for an assured saga that blends romance with fantasy * Daily Mail *An inventive addition to the supernatural craze... Historian Harkness's racy paranormal romance has exciting amounts of spells, kisses and battles, and is recounted with enchanting, page-turning panache * Marie Claire *A romp through magical academia * Guardian *...a grand romance smartly dressed up in the fashion for the occult...Sauced up with magic as well as being intelligent, the novel will be irresistible to Twilight fans * The Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisFrom the Sunday Times bestselling author‘The feeling you get when you read a Milly Johnson book should be bottled and made available on the NHS’ Debbie JohnsonIt's the day they've always dreamed about. But will it turn out to be a nightmare?Bel is in the midst of planning her perfect wedding when disaster strikes and everything she thought she knew is turned on its head. Can she hold it all together and, with the help of her friends, and a mysterious man she meets unexpectedly, turn disaster into triumph? Bel's friend, ice-cream parlour owner Violet, is engaged to Glyn, who is besotted by her although Violet fell out of love with him long ago. But however trapped she feels in the relationship, she can't quite say the words, 'I don't want to marry you anymore.' Then, just when she's about to give up and resign herself to married life, she finds Trade Review‘Another gem from Milly Johnson’ * The Sun on Sunshine Over Wildflower Cottage *

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Book SynopsisA magical novel of love, exploration and home, spanning the East African coast, China, Turkey and the seas in between, from one of Kenya's leading writers. The Dragonfly Sea follows the unforgettable Ayaana's journey to adulthood after her small-island childhood is interrupted. Targeted first by religious fundamentalists and second by Chinese emissaries, Ayaana is sent on a container ship to study in China, where she is forced to grow up fast. With its epic scope and lush lyricism, Owuor evokes a fascinating kind of beauty in this dangerous, chaotic world and its ever-shifting oceans and trade. A transcendent story of love and adventure, and of the inexorable need for shelter in a dangerous world. 'The Dragonfly Sea transported me at a time I really wanted to be transported. Lyrical, compassionate, and deeply original, it has stayed with me, and is the novel I have most enjoyed this year.' Sathnam Sanghera, author of Empireland 'This novel from one of Africa's most exciting voices in fiction delivers on expectations ... a continent-hopping novel of epic proportions.' Refinery29 'A daring and compelling novel, evocative and lavishly detailed.' Abdulrazak Gurnah, Nobel prize-winning author of Afterlives 'Moving, epic and transcendent, The Dragonfly Sea is a glorious tale that spans two continents, multiple cultures and the lives of endearing characters.' Bad Form Review 'Owuor writes in heart-stopping bursts of imagery and retooled language ... gloriously unique.' Vanity FairTrade Review'The Dragonfly Sea transported me at a time I really wanted to be transported. Lyrical, compassionate, and deeply original, it has stayed with me, and is the novel I have most enjoyed this year.' - Sathnam Sanghera, author of Empireland 'Moving, epic and transcendent, The Dragonfly Sea is a glorious tale that spans two continents, multiple cultures and the lives of endearing characters.' - Bad Form Review 'One of the most unforgettable books I have read in the last few years ... What a writer! What a thinker! What a woman!' - Fiammetta Rocco 'Owuor's rich prose makes a pointed commentary in this novel about interconnectedness, however unlikely it may seem.' - C.A. Davids, Guardian 'One of Africa's most exciting voices . . . The Dragonfly Sea is a continent-hopping novel of epic proportions.' - Refinery29

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Book SynopsisTerry Pratchett was the acclaimed creator of the global bestselling Discworld series, the first of which, The Colour of Magic, was published in 1983. In all, he was the author of over fifty bestselling books which have sold over 100 million copies worldwide. His novels have been widely adapted for stage and screen, and he was the winner of multiple prizes, including the Carnegie Medal. He was awarded a knighthood for services to literature in 2009, although he always wryly maintained that his greatest service to literature was to avoid writing any.www.terrypratchettbooks.comTrade ReviewA gloriously old-fashioned and funny story...Pratchett includes plenty of jokes. His prose is suberb which, combinted with Peter Dennis's engaging illustrations, makes this a brilliant choice for reading aloud. * Evening Standard *

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Book SynopsisWhat could connect the noble Reacher to this psychopathic killer?_________Although the Jack Reacher can be read in any order, One Shot is the 9th in the series.And be sure not to miss Reacher's newest adventure, no.26, Better off Dead!Trade ReviewJack Reacher is irresistible * Observer *Hot, indomitable... knockout * New York Times *The thing about Lee Child's books is that you can't put the damn things down * Independent on Sunday *Child's strengths are fast-moving dialogue and gripping action sequences ... The excitement lasts from the first to the final page * Evening Standard *The Jack Reacher series of thrillers...are all hugely exciting, and knowledgeable about weapons and technology. They exude a powerful sense of right and wrong ... We've seen him as a right of wrongs and always as God's gift to women * Literary Review *

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