Contemporary Fiction

'Alice Walker in this, the most beautiful, the most compassionate, the most sensuous of novels, has created a masterpiece. It is one of the most life-enhancing novels you could hope to read. Flawless' Mary Louden, THE TIMES'All your life you have the necessary illusion that you know all there is to know about heartbreak. I hate to the one to tell you about the heartbreak you will experience after you die . . .'A family goes to the remote sierras of Mexico - the writer-to--be Susannah; her sister Magdalena; their father and mother. There, amid indigenous people called the Mundo, they begin an encounter that will change them more than they ever could have dreamed. This is a deeply sensual novel that explores the richness of female sexuality as a celebration of life, affirming the belief 'that it is the triumphant heart, not the conquered heart, that forgives. And that love is both timeless and beyond'.

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Cindy Decker's decision to follow in the footsteps of her police lieutenant father was never an easy one. For Pete Decker is, to say the least, overprotective of his only daughter. So when Cindy begins to wonder if she is being followed - maybe even stalked - her father is the last person she can confide in. Frantically trying to contend with her own raw, gnawing fear whilst balancing her work and a clandestine relationship with one of Decker's colleagues, she allows her father access to the horrific facts only when their cases seem to be on a collision course. Together they find themselves in uncharted criminal territory, where snap-second decisions can make the difference between the life and death of those you love...

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'It was a tough, wiry wig with plenty of personality. It rode around on his head like an animal. It was a vigorous brown. I was very fond of it as a child. I thought that it liked me back.' Anne Enright's extraordinary first novel is narrated by Grace, a TV producer, whose life is transfigured when she answers the door to a fully-fledged angel. Stephen was a bridge-builder in Canada before he killed himself, but now that he has come to stay with Grace he spends the night hanging by the neck in her shower, to help himself think. Needless, to say, she falls in love, moving steadily from the spiritual to the anatomical. Meanwhile as her TV day job on the 'Love Quiz' begins to spiral out of control, on the other side of her life is her father, benign, bewigged and stricken by a stroke -apparently mad but probably the sanest person in her life. As the three worlds meet and merge in a forest of contradictions, we watch Grace take the pacific path from cynicism to innocence, as all around her the novel thinders to a conclusion.

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Miss Read's future as headmistress hangs in the balance as the village school is threatened with closure.'People in Fairacre simply won't stand for their children being uprooted, and carted away in buses like so many - er, so many--''Animals?' prompted Mr Roberts helpfully.'No, no, not animals,' said Mrs Mawne testily. 'Animals don't go in buses! What I mean is, we won't have it. We'll never let Fairacre school close.'She looked round the table. Her face was red, her eyes bright.'Agreed?'The village of Fairacre is buzzing with rumours of the imminent closure of its two-class school. As fears grow amid mounting conjecture, headmistress Miss Read's future hangs in the balance. And trouble is never far away as village life is further disrupted by tangled matrimonial affairs and a police investigation. The community must rally together to face this new threat...

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The hotly anticipated wedding of Iris Devonshire, ravishing teenage daughter of celebrity couple Mia and Leo, is to be held in the gardens of their grand Palladian pile alongside the Thames. But Mia and Leo worry that she's rushing into the marriage. Just ask their best friends since college, Simon and Laney de Montmorency, whose relationship is on the rocks again - and they've already married each other twice.On the big day, Iris's hellraiser fiancé Dougie Everett is not the only one flying high. As Iris rides up the aisle on a white stallion, a hot air balloon appears over the woods, heading straight for the ceremony. Its arrival is about to transform the lives and loves of some of the wedding guests for ever.The Summer Wedding is a sizzling summer comedy set against the beautiful backdrops of the Chilterns, Spain, Africa and LA.

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When the call comes in, Detective Peter Decker can hardly believe it. A rape at the yeshiva up in the canyon and hill country behind Los Angeles? True, there had been some recent anti-Semitic vandalism but never any violence. Not only that, but this was a strict Orthodox Jewish community, self-enclosed and suspicious of outsiders. Not much chance they'd co-operate with the police. And he is right - as Rina Lazarus, the frustratingly fascinating young widow who found the victim proves when she talks about her world. Outsider he may be, but Decker has a feeling in his policeman's bones that the cost of privacy to this determined community could be murderously high...

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'A long-time confidante of the rain and snow, I am ninety years old. The rain and snow have weathered me, and I too have weathered them'At the end of the twentieth century an old woman sits among the birch trees and reflects on the joys and tragedies that have befallen her people. A member of the Evenki tribe who wander the forests of north-eastern China, hers was a life lived in close sympathy with nature at its most beautiful and cruel.Then, in the 1930s, the intimate, secluded world of the tribe is shattered when the Japanese army invades China. The Evenki cannot avoid being pulled into the brutal conflict that marks the beginning of the end of life as they know it.'An atmospheric modern folk-tale, the saga of the Evenki clan of Inner Mongolia - nomadic reindeer herders whose traditional life alongside the Argun river endured unchanged for centuries... This is a fitting tribute to the Evenki by a writer of rare talent' Financial TimesVINTAGE EARTH is a collection of novels to transform our relationship with the natural world. Each one is a work of creative activism, a blast of fresh air, a seed from which change can grow. The books in this series reconnect us to the planet we inhabit - and must protect. Discover great writing on the most urgent story of our times.

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“How good it is to hear a Darug voice speaking of Darug history.”—Kate Grenville, author of The Secret River, winner of the Commonwealth PrizeBlending the mythical power of Téa Obreht and the epic scope of Min Jin Lee, a searing historical novel that tells a story of colonization, survival, and resistance in a way never done before—a beautiful, brilliant, and brutal reimagining of the first contact between Indigenous people and white British settlers and the far-reaching consequences for one Aboriginal girl coming of age in an unsteady and dangerous world.For all known time, Muraging’s people, the Darug, have lived on this land between the river and the sea. But change comes swiftly in the early years of the nineteenth century when White settlers begin to arrive, laying claim to the continent, long inhabited by Aboriginal tribes like Muraging’s, for the British empire. At ten years old, Muraging is given over to the Parramatta Native School by her father, where the missionaries call her Mary James, force her to abandon her culture and language, and teach her subjects they believe will save her soul: English, Christianity, and housework. Six years later, seeking a brighter future, Muraging flees the school, embarking on a journey of discovery and a search for a safe place in an unfamiliar and unsteady new world—an odyssey far more winding and treacherous than she ever dreamed. Spanning two decades, from 1816-1835, and set around the Hawkesbury River area, the home of the Darug people in Parramatta and Sydney, Benevolence sheds light on the heartbreaking violence and erasure of colonization, as well as remarkable survival and resistance—a vivid and compelling portrait of the Aboriginal Australians whose way of life is forever altered. Award-winning Australian writer Julie Janson’s draws on historical events to recreate this pivotal time—things that may have happened to her own ancestors—giving voice to an Aboriginal experience of early-settlement in Australia.

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Sheridan Gray has discovered a secret. Sharing it would get her career back on track. But it would also hurt those she loves...An unputdownable novel from the bestselling author of THE MISSING WIFE and WHAT EDEN DID NEXT. Perfect for fans of Marian Keyes and Cathy Kelly. When Sheridan loses her job as a journalist at Dublin's biggest newspaper, she's determined to come back fighting. Forced to take a position in a small country town, this seems impossible... until she discovers that the closer she gets to a certain handsome man in the town, the tougher it is to expose their secrets. When it comes to love or success, will Sheridan go with her heart or her head?What readers are saying about Better Together: 'Her best book ever! An involving, intriguing and hugely enjoyable read' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars'A beautiful entwining story of love set in Ireland. This book is unputdownable as the story is thoroughly engrossing' Amazon reviewer, 5 stars'You feel like you are part of the story and not just someone reading the book. Another great story from Sheila O'Flanagan' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars'A beautifully told story, well worth reading' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

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The SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER from the author of STILL LIFE'Thronging with incident and wonder' Guardian'Beautifully true . . . superb' The Times'Captivating' Observer'Beguiling . . . You can't get the voice out of your head' Daily MailThis is a book about a brother and sister.It's a book about childhood and growing up, friendships and families, triumph and tragedy and everything in between.More than anything, it's a book about love in all its forms.

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A Stephanie Plum between-the-numbers novel... When bounty hunter Stephanie Plum meets the mysterious Diesel, sparks will fly. Plum Spooky by No. 1 bestselling author Janet Evanovich must not be missed by fans of Sue Grafton and Lee Child.Raves for Evanovich's bestselling novels: 'Hot and sassy' (The Boston Herald); 'Pithy, witty and fast-paced' (The Sunday Times); 'Plum is not just a smart private eye but a heroine with a sense of humour' (Daily Mail). Evanovich fans, rejoice! Stephanie Plum is in town, along with her sidekick Lula, her Grandma Mazur, and an ever-widening cast of freaks, criminals, deranged felons, and lunatics looking for love.And just when Stephanie thinks her life can't get any more complicated, in walks the mysterious Diesel. A man who seems to show up at the most inconvenient moments. This time, he's the instigator for Stephanie's new adventure, which involves camping in the Pine Barrens with Lula, and perhaps even a sighting of the Jersey Devil...So hang on for a Stephanie Plum novel that is sure to send chills up your spine - it gives new meaning to the words hilarious, and 'spooky.'What readers are saying about Plum Spooky:'This book had me laughing so much I was gasping for air''I'm gripped from beginning to end with plenty of laughs in between - a must read''Stephanie doing what she does best... getting herself into trouble and being amazed when it all blows up!'

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Reasons to read Janet Evanovich's bestselling novels: 'Hilarious' (Mail on Sunday); 'The funniest, sassiest crime writer going' (Good Book Guide); 'A laugh-out-loud page turner' (Heat)Chaos. Curses. And a possible apocalypse. Lizzy Tucker leads a quiet life in Salem, Massachusetts, whipping up the sell-out treats of Dazzle's Bakery. Until the day two handsome, charming men, Wulf and Diesel, appear on her doorstep, both after one thing: her. Lizzy is the key to finding the Seven Stones of Power, representing the Seven Deadly Sins. Wulf wants them to open the door to Hell. Diesel wants to stop him.The Seven Deadly Sins cover pretty much anything that's wicked. Diesel thinks they also pretty much cover everything that's fun. And Lizzy thinks Diesel and the Seven Deadly Sins cover everything her mother warned her about.

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Lyn Andrews' captivating saga A DAUGHTER'S JOURNEY brings the Liverpool of the 1950s and 1960s vividly to life - not to be missed by readers of Maureen Lee and Katie Flynn.Angela O'Rourke is six when her parents hand her over to an aunt and uncle in a distant village. It's a common practice for large, hard-up families in 1950s Ireland, but for Angela it means that her mother and father don't love her any more. Angela is well cared for until she's sixteen, but then her uncle takes to drink, and it's not safe for her stay in his house. Moving to Liverpool in the early 1960s, she begins to make her mark in the world of fashion design. But the pain of a disastrous love affair sends her home to Ireland just after the death of her aunt: and there, among old papers, Angela makes an astonishing discovery. As she learns the truth about the past, a brighter new future beckons.

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DECEPTION is at the heart of this shockingly intriguing novel, showing that privilege can be a front for evil. New York Times No. 1 bestseller Jonathan Kellerman's books are a must-read for fans of Harlan Coben and Michael Connelly. DECEPTION is 'all you could ask for in an LA thriller' (Daily Mail).On a DVD found near her lifeless body, Elise Freeman chronicles a year-and-a-half-long ordeal of monstrous abuse at the hands of three sadistic tormentors. But even more shocking than the lurid details is the revelation that the offenders, like their victim, are teachers at a prestigious LA prep school. If ever homicide detective Milo Sturgis could use Dr Alex Delaware's psychological prowess, it's now. From the start, this case promises to be an uphill climb for truth and a down-and-dirty fight for justice. Alex and Milo must penetrate the citadel of wealth and scholarship to expose the dirty secrets and deadly sins festering amongst LA's elite. But power and position are not easily surrendered, and Alex and Milo may well be walking into a highly polished death trap . . .

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'This is a story of courage, brutality and fear, of loyalty and betrayal, of love and hatred, of despair and unquenchable hope. As always, Victoria Hislop brings vividly to life a horrendous episode in the history of the beautiful island of Cyprus. Excellent, in every way' Real Reader Review, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐In the golden city of Famagusta, Greek and Turkish Cypriots alike enjoy a life of good fortune. Invasion comes without warning, bringing chaos and terror. As forty thousand people flee their homes in panic, Famagusta becomes a ghost town. But not everyone will find it so easy to leave . . .Discover for yourself why 10 million readers and critics worldwide love Victoria Hislop's books . . .'Intelligent and immersive . . . Hislop's incisive narrative weaves a vast array of fact through a poignant, compelling family saga' The Sunday Times'Adroitly plotted and deftly characterised, Hislop's gripping novel tells the stories of ordinary Greek and Turkish families trying to preserve their humanity in a maelstrom of deception, betrayal and ethnic hatred' Mail on Sunday'Fascinating and moving . . . Hislop writes unforgettably about Cyprus and its people' The Times'An imaginative tour de force, and a great read' Daily Mail 'Victoria Hislop writes so vividly about the Med, you can almost feel the scorching heat. An absorbing tale about family, friendship, loyalty and betrayal, set during a violent period in the history of Cyprus' Good Housekeeping'Victoria Hislop has never let me down. Characters, storyline and location are all woven together into an intricate tapestry that educates as much as it entertains' Real Reader Review, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'As usual, Victoria casts a spell over her readers, telling a wonderful story that is spellbinding and awful . . . Fascinating' Real Reader Review, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Excellent . . . I highly recommend The Sunrise and defy anyone reading it to remain unmoved and dry eyed' Real Reader Review, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'A wonderfully evocative tale of life before, during and after the Spanish Civil War . . . Fantastic' Real Reader Review, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Victoria Hislop's well researched book with its convincing characters from both Greek and Turkish communities brings the history of this wonderful island to life and gives a remarkable picture of traumatic events . . . a superb read' Real Reader Review, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

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She thought it would be just one lie . . .A twisty, gripping novel of friendship and lies, from the No. 1 Sunday Times bestselling author of Both of You!'GRIPPING . . . FULL OF SUSPENSE' CLOSER'GUARANTEED TO KEEP YOU HOOKED' SHEHow far would YOU go to save your best friend? ..................................'I need you to say that I was with you.' For thirty years, best friends Steph and Pip have been through thick and thin. There's nothing they would not do for one another. Until these simple words change everything. Steph, eternally solid and dependable, is begging her friend to lie to the police as she's desperately trying to conceal not one but two devastating secrets to protect her family. Pip, self-consigned to the role of scatty hot-head, is overwhelmed; she's normally the one asking for help in a crisis. It's a big ask. So what would you do? ..................................What readers are saying about About Last Night:'It touches on situations between close friends and relationships in a way that I've never read before. The pace of the story is spot on, the words flow beautifully''A true test of friendship - I found myself questioning my own relationships. The plot had me gripped from beginning until the end. I would recommend this to all of my friends'

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When Anita Blake meets with prospective client Tony Bennington, who is desperate to have her reanimate his recently deceased wife, she is full of sympathy for his loss. Anita knows something about love, and she knows everything there is to know about loss.But what she also knows, though Tony Bennington seems unwilling to be convinced, is that the thing she can do as a necromancer isn't the miracle he thinks he needs. The creature that Anita could coerce to step out of the late Mrs. Bennington's grave would not be the lovely Mrs. Bennington. Not really. And not for long.

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Gruesome secrets from the past turn into a dark and complex current case for psychologist Alex Delaware. GUILT is a compelling and high-octane thriller from bestselling author Jonathan Kellerman, author of KILLER and BREAKDOWN, and is recommended for fans of Harlan Coben and Michael Connelly. 'Ingenious and horrifying' (The Sunday Times). When a young couple takes possession of their dream home, they can't wait to remodel the neglected mansion. That is until they make a gruesome discovery of a rusted metal strongbox containing two rotting leather doctor's bags. And inside each bag, swaddled in sheets of sixty-year-old newspaper, lies a tiny human skeleton. The case hits the media, and theories abound. The most likely culprit is a mysterious woman, employed as private nurse to wealthy L.A. families during World War Two. Lieutenant Milo Sturgis consults psychologist Alex Delaware for insight into the perpetrator's motives but the horror is just beginning . . . Two more bags are discovered, but this time the infants inside have been dead less than a month. Is a copycat at work? Or is there a link between the two finds which goes back decades? By the time both cases close, Alex and Milo will have confronted unprecedented narcissism, cruelty, deceit and a cold but fiendish objectification of the human spirit that shakes both men to the core . . .

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The brilliant new Wilde/Chase novel from bestseller Andy McDermott - in their eleventh adventure Nina and Eddie must go on a desperate search to find the truth behind the Book of Revelation, as they try to deal with the most momentous change to their lives to date - Nina's pregnancy... For fans of Cussler, Mariani and Rollins, the Daily Express says McDermott's novels 'explode off the page'.2002 - Southern Iraq A CIA covert operation in the desert uncovers ancient ruins concealing a humanoid statue, with six wings and the face of a lion. Team member Ezekiel Cross is convinced that it represents one of four angels prophesied in the Book of Revelation, and when the agents are attacked by Iraqi forces, leaving Cross the only survivor, he steals it to begin his own mission from God ... Present Day - New York Depressed following the death of a friend, Nina Wilde has been focusing her energies on her pregnancy, rather than the archaeological discoveries for which she is renowned. But adventure still finds her - when she's kidnapped by religious cultists intending to force her to locate the remaining angels! Held prisoner in a strange village, Nina engages in a battle of wits against her captors, knowing her only hope of rescue is for her husband Eddie Chase to find the other statues first. But with a ruthless maniac determined to fulfil Revelation's prophecy, time is running out. Only by keeping the angels out of the cultists' hands can Nina and Eddie prevent the coming apocalypse ... but what price will they have to pay?

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'Curious and unflinching ... deftly executed and cringingly funny' Guardian 'Truly excellent' Brandon Taylor, author of Real Life, shortlisted for the 2020 Booker Prize Whether working in food service or in high-end retail, lit by a laptop in a sex chat or by the camera of an acclaimed film director, or sharing a flat in the city or a holiday rental in Mallorca, the protagonists of the ten stories comprising Paul Dalla Rosa's debut collection navigate the spaces between aspiration and delusion, ambition and aimlessness, the curated profile and the unreliable body. By turns unsparing and tender, Dalla Rosa explores our lives in late-stage Capitalism, where globalisation and its false promises of connectivity leave us further alienated and disenfranchised. Like the legendary Lucia Berlin and his contemporary Ottessa Moshfegh, Dalla Rosa is a masterful observer-and hilarious eviscerator-of our ugly, beautiful attempts at finding meaning in an ugly, beautiful world. 'Voyeuristically addictive, funny, and deceptively simple' Halle Butler, author of The New Me

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Families can be pressure cookers of secrets and tensions, as psychologist Alex Delaware knows all too well. When the lid blows, violence is the result in BLOOD TEST, a taut thriller from New York Times No. 1 bestseller Jonathan Kellerman, author of KILLER, MOTIVE and BREAKDOWN. 'A tour de force' (New York Times) perfect for fans of David Baldacci and Harlan Coben.Doctors believe that they can successfully treat five-year-old cancer patient, Woody Swope. But Woody's parents, members of a cult called 'The Touchers', are not only refusing the treatment, they're also threatening to remove him from the hospital. Psychologist Alex Delaware, is called in to talk the parents round. But before he can, the Swopes are gone and so is Woody. All that remains is a savagely ransacked and bloodied motel room, their teenage daughter, Nona, and an increasingly sinister case to solve.

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Ideal for fans of Michael Connelly and Karin Slaughter, DEVIL'S WALTZ is a harrowing case for psychologist Alex Delaware and he must summon up every bit of his knowledge and skill to solve it. A riveting read from Jonathan Kellerman, bestselling author of KILLER AND BREAKDOWN, exhibiting 'strong insights into the quirks of human and criminal behaviour' (Guardian).It's a living hell . . .Twenty-one-month-old Cassie Jones has spent most of her short life in and out of Paediatrics Hospital. Cassie is persistently, seriously ill and when no amount of testing can identify the cause, her doctor is lead to a disturbing diagnosis - Cassie's mother could be making her daughter deliberately sick.Child psychologist Alex Delaware is brought in to make an independent assessment of the Jones family. But Alex's attempts to find the answers and save a young girl's life will reveal a terrifying circle of corruption, abuse and murderous hatred.

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The next great page-turner from the master of the noir spy novel.By 1939, thousands of Italian intellectuals, teachers and lawyers, journalists and scientists, had fled Mussolini's fascist government and found refuge in Paris. There, amidst the poverty and difficulty of émigré life, they joined the Italian resistance, founding an underground press that smuggled news and encouragement back to their lost homeland. In Paris, in the winter of 1939, a murder/suicide at a lovers' hotel hits the tabloid press. But this is not a romantic tragedy, it is the work of OVRA, Mussolini's fascist secret police, and meant to eliminate the editor of Liberazione, a clandestine newspaper published by Italian émigrés. Carlo Weisz, who has fled from Trieste and found work as a foreign correspondent for the Reuters bureau, becomes the new editor.Weisz is, at that moment, in Spain, reporting on the tragic end of the Spanish civil war, but, as soon as he returns to Paris, he is pursued by the French Surete, by agents of OVRA, and by officers of the British Secret Intelligence Service. In the desperate politics of Europe on the edge of war, a foreign correspondent is a pawn, worth surveillance, or blackmail, or murder.The Foreign Correspondent is the story of Carlo Weisz and a handful of anti-fascists -- the army officer known as Colonel Ferrara, who fights for a lost cause in Spain, Arturo Salamone, the shrewd leader of a resistance group in Paris, and the woman who becomes the love of his Weisz's life, herself involved in a doomed resistance underground in Berlin, at the heart of Hitler's Nazi empire.

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A captivating novel about family ties, romance and leaving the past behind - THE PERFECT MAN by No. 1 bestselling author Sheila O'Flangan. A perfect read for fans of Fern Britton and Veronica Henry. Brit doesn't believe in love. One painful mistake was all it took. So she's as surprised as anyone when her novel THE PERFECT MAN becomes a huge bestseller - how did she manage to write so convincingly about love if she really thinks it's a myth?Heartbreak has never stopped her sister Mia from being a hopeless romantic. She can't be with the love of her life, but she's never stopped hoping. They both need to let go of the past to stand a chance of being happy in the future. Could a Caribbean cruise be just what they need to open their hearts?What readers are saying about The Perfect Man: 'A soul-bearing story. Beautifully written as always. Two very different sisters at similar points in their lives' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars'A great read. The characters really came to life and I enjoyed it from start to finish. Excellent!' Amazon reviewer, 5 stars'I absolutely loved it - the cover, the writing, the characters - it was all fabulous. It reads like a dream and you could imagine all of the beautiful locations described. I wholly recommend it!' Amazon reviewer, 5 stars

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From the bestselling author of the Richard & Judy selected SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN.'Exceptionally accomplished ... a near masterpiece' DAILY EXPRESS'Heart-wrenching ... a mesmerising page-turner' MAIL ON SUNDAY'Delightfully written...Paul Torday is a remarkably original novelist' EVENING STANDARDLate one summer evening, Wilberforce - rich, young, and work-obsessed - makes a detour on his way home to the vast undercroft of Caerlyon Hall, and the domain of Francis Black, a place where wine, hospitality and affection flow freely.Through Francis, Wilberforce is initiated into a life rich in the promise of friendship and adventure, where, through his new set of friends, the possibility of finding acceptance, and even falling in love, seems finally to be within his reach.Wilberforce becomes a willing pupil to Francis, and in the cellars of Caerlyon he nurtures a new-found passion for wine. But even the finest wine can leave a bitter aftertaste, and Wilberforce will learn the undercroft's unpalatable secrets, and that passion comes at a price ...

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From the master of the historical spy thriller, a story set in the heart of the Polish resistanceSeptember, 1939. The invading Germans blaze a trail of destruction across Poland. France and Britain declare war, but do nothing to help. And a Polish resistance movement takes shape under the shadow of occupation, enlisting those willing to risk death in the struggle for their nation's survival. Among them is Captain Alexander de Milja, an officer in the Polish military intelligence service, a cartographer who now must learn a dangerous new role: spymaster in the anti-Nazi underground. Beginning with a daring operation to smuggle the Polish National Gold Reserve to the government in exile, he slips into the shadowy and treacherous front lines of espionage; he moves through Europe, changing identities and staying one step ahead of capture. In Warsaw, he engineers a subversive campaign to strengthen the people's will to resist. In Paris, he poses as a Russian poet, then as a Slovakian coal merchant, drinking champagne in black-market bistros with Nazis while uncovering information about German battle plans. And a love affair with a woman of the French Resistance leads him to make the greatest decision of his life.

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The chilling psycho-mystery from the highly-acclaimed and award-winning author Barbara Nadel.Convicted murderer and drug baron Yusuf Kaya has escaped from Istanbul prison. He appears to have had inside help. Ikmen is called to investigate Kaya's contacts in the city, while Inspector Suleyman heads to Kaya's home town of Mardin, a dangerous city in the south east of Turkey. As Ikmen delves deeper into Kaya's past, the body count continues to rise. It's not long before the two Inspectors are caught up in a terrifying web of arms and drug running, terrorism, blackmail and murder...

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IF YOU DON'T KNOW SIMON SCARROW, YOU DON'T KNOW ROME!THE GLADIATOR is the action-packed and compelling ninth novel in Simon Scarrow's bestselling Eagles of the Empire series. A must read for fans of Bernard Cornwell. Praise for Simon Scarrow's historical novels: 'Gripping...ferocious and compelling' Daily ExpressAD 48. The friendship between Roman Centurions Cato and Macro is rock solid. Returning to Rome from a harrowing campaign, they are shipwrecked when an earthquake strikes the island of Crete. Struggling ashore they discover panic, devastation and a slave revolt. Led by a gladiator called Ajax, the slaves are driven by a bloodthirsty desire for revenge that renders them almost invincible.Taking control of the shaken men of the local garrison, Cato and Macro must save the province, before the rebellion can threaten the Empire itself...

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Sometimes fame can be fatal...Personal vendettas. Hidden treasure. A monkey named Carl. Stephanie Plum is as fearless as ever in the fourteenth hilarious novel in Janet Evanovich's bestselling Stephanie Plum series. Fearless Fourteen is not to be missed by fans of Harlan Coben and JD Robb. Raves for Evanovich's bestselling series: 'A laugh a minute against a background of dastardly crime with a ditzy heroine and two - yes TWO - of the hottest heroes ever created' (Woman's Weekly); 'A laugh-out-loud page-turner' (Heat). Stephanie's desperate enough for a bit of extra cash that she's agreed to help run security for Brenda, the most successful - and most unpleasant - country star of her day. But that means working with Ranger, her too-hot mentor, AKA trouble in a Navy Seals cap.She's also meant to be babysitting a teenage boy, and dealing with the fact that her boyfriend Morelli's house may or may not be built on top of millions of stolen dollars. At times like this, all the money in the world isn't enough...What readers are saying about Fearless Fourteen:'Another fast, fun and beautifully crafted book by Janet Evanovich''Stephanie Plum at her usual best and all the usual suspects join Stephanie for loads of thrills and spills''Excellent read with very descriptive, hilarious actions and plots'

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The third book in the deliciously scandalous GOSSIP GIRL THE CARLYLES series Owen, Avery and Baby Carlyle are really finding their feet on the Upper East Side. Owen's secret is out and he and Kelsey can live happily ever after. Can't they? Avery is set to take her place as Queen Bee now she has an internship at Metropolitan magazine. If she could just sort out her love life... And Baby has finally realised that J.P. is just too, well, 'perfect' for her - she wants someone a bit more interesting and surprising. Maybe she needs to look a little further a field... Gossip Girl will keep you informed of all the juicy details - even the ones they don't want you to know!

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The sensational debut novel about love, friendship and finding happiness in the most unexpected places. PAPERBACK EDITION CONTAINS EXCLUSIVE BONUS CHAPTER, 'MUDDY DOES THE FULL MONTY'.  'It's as fun as it is thoughtful: a tender and generous novel about finding your people, getting vulnerable, and celebrating every joy - big or small.' Buzzfeed 'Elvin James Mensah's Small Joys is breathtaking and heartrending, by turns hilarious and devastating and surprising and wild. Mensah's prose makes the intangible deft and tremendous — from the balm of friendship, to the beauty of queerness, and the all-encompassing elixir of community. Tender, thrilling, and honest; Small Joys is a beam of light.' Bryan Washington, author of Memorial 'A beautiful, moving story of love, male intimacy, chosen fami

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LIVERPOOL LOU by Lyn Andrews is a warm-hearted, dramatic and nostalgic saga not to be missed by readers of Kate Thompson and Donna Douglas.Babsey has always worked hard to provide for her family; she runs a greengrocers publicly and a money-lending business in private. Babsey makes sure that her family doesn't mix with the rougher people in the neighbourhood - she considers herself a cut above the local community. When her niece Louisa needs a home - her mother is dead, and her father at sea - Babsey does her duty and brings the girl into the household.But Louisa doesn't quite fit in with Babsey's plans. Although life under Aunt Babsey's roof is comfortable, Louisa is acutely aware of the desperate poverty around her. And, as she grows up into a thoughtful young woman, the harsh realities of love and betrayal, war and death, make her determined to find her own way. Louisa will eventually be made famous throughout her city - known for ever as Liverpool Lou. And she might just find love along the way...

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A compelling, brutal and heart-breaking story about identity, infamy and revenge, from debut author Tanya Byrne. Shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger 2012They say I'm evil. The police. The newspapers. The girls from school who sigh on the six o'clock news and say they always knew there was something not quite right about me. And everyone believes it. Including you. But you don't know. You don't know who I used to be. Who I could have been.Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever shake off my mistakes or if I'll just carry them around with me forever like a bunch of red balloonsAwaiting trial at Archway Young Offenders Institution, Emily Koll is going to tell her side of the story for the first time.Heart-Shaped Bruise is a compulsive and moving novel about infamy, identity and how far a person might go to seek revenge.

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Beth Lowe has been sent a parcel. Inside is a letter informing her that her long-estranged mother has died, and a scrapbook Beth has never seen before. Entitled The Book of Summers, it's stuffed with photographs and mementos complied by her mother to record the seven glorious childhood summers Beth spent in rural Hungary. It was a time when she trod the tightrope between separated parents and two very different countries; her bewitching but imperfect Hungarian mother and her gentle, reticent English father; the dazzling house of a Hungarian artist and an empty-feeling cottage in deepest Devon. And it was a time that came to the most brutal of ends the year Beth turned sixteen.Since then, Beth hasn't allowed herself to think about those years of her childhood. But the arrival of The Book of Summers brings the past tumbling back into the present; as vivid, painful and vital as ever.

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Separated from his wife Irene for some years now, Soames Forsyte has resigned himself to the fact she's never coming back. But as he grows older and richer, he yearns for an heir. When he confronts Irene, the raw wounds of his past passion are exposed and he will do anything to claim back what is his. Then his cousin Jolyon Forsyte moves in to protect and champion Irene and the old rift in the family splinters into new jealousy, hatred and fear. But this time it runs too deeply for forgiveness...

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Two's company, but three's a calamity... TWO'S COMPANY is a funny, romantic novel from bestselling Jill Mansell, author of THE ONE YOU REALLY WANT and THREE AMAZING THINGS ABOUT YOU. Jack and Cass Mandeville are a dream couple, ridiculously happy together and successful to boot - Jack as a journalist and Cass with her own hugely popular radio show. Indeed, almost every member of the Mandeville family is famous in their own right: from stunning Cleo, a supermodel with attitude, to Sean, the rising star of the comedy circuit. Incredibly good-looking and likeable, the family have captured the hearts of the nation - and the nation's press. But on the day that Jack hits the big 40 - the same day that a redhead called Imogen turns up to interview Jack and Cass for Hi! magazine - their proverbial bubble is about to burst...What readers are saying about Two's Company: 'Fun, moving and full of laugh out loud antics, this book is a must read' Amazon reviewer, 5 stars'An amazing read - swift and easy. The way she blends comedy with the romance of Jack and Cass is commendable. A book you should definitely read' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars'Jill Mansell does it again, absolutely brilliant book. The best yet - has love, hate, betrayal, regret and a nearly perfect ending' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

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Scandal, affairs and betrayal abound in ALMOST A CRIME by Penny Vincenzi - perfect for any fan of Kate Morton's The Lake House, or Harriet Evans' The Butterfly Summer.'Deliciously readable' Mail on SundayTom and Octavia Fleming have the perfect power marriage: he is a spin-doctor and she runs a consultancy to the charity industry. They are attractive, rich and successful. Then Octavia discovers Tom is having an affair, and both the discovery and the affair itself have consequences that are potentially fatal. For this is no ordinary affair, but one that leads to terror and danger, and threatens to damage people's lives for ever.

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All families have secrets. In Sunday Times bestseller Penny Vincenzi's WICKED PLEASURES lies a family secret that will tear it apart. 'Penny Vincenzi is the doyenne of the modern blockbuster' Glamour. Sexy, glamorous and fun, WICKED PLEASURES is the story of a brother and two sisters who find out that they all have different fathers: none of them Alexander, Earl of Catherham, who was married to their mother for almost twenty years. It is the story of the power and the greed of the mega-rich, as the great family banking business upon which fortunes are won and lost comes to the brink of ruin, and family ties are tested to the utmost.

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SHEER MISCHIEF by bestselling author Jill Mansell is an unmissable romantic comedy about sisterly love and rivalry... Not to be missed by readers of Sophie Kinsella and Marian Keyes.It's not that Janey Sinclair isn't pleased to see her sister. It's just that being woken at seven by Maxine, complete with police escort, isn't quite how she'd planned to spend her Sunday. Even so Janey, who's just rebuilding her life after her husband disappeared, is delighted that her sister's back in the Cornish town where they grew up. When Maxine sets her sights on Guy Cassidy, an impossibly glamorous fashion photographer, Janey knows there's no limit to the mischief her sister will get up to in order to dispatch her rivals. But little do they know that the competition is a lot closer to home than they think...What readers are saying about Sheer Mischief: 'Escapism at its best. Settle in and enjoy!' Amazon reviewer, 5 stars'Lots of laughter. Typical of Jill Mansell. Can't help but thoroughly enjoy her books' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars'Couldn't put this down. Jill excelled herself in wit and maintaining suspense' Amazon reviewer, 5 stars'Funny, heart-warming and keeps you gripped until the very end' Amazon reviewer, 5 stars

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Jill Mansell's irresistibly warm and romantic novel KISS is not to be missed by fans of Lucy Diamond and Jane Green. Reviewers love Jill's novels: 'Funny and heartwarming' BellaWhen Izzy is knocked off her motor bike she doesn't just lose her dignity - she loses as a result not one but two long-term boyfriends, her job and, to boot, her extremely bijou flat. Gina, who caused the accident, has more important things to worry about - her husband's mistress is pregnant and she's suddenly on her own. Why should she care about Izzy? Yet somehow the well-heeled Gina finds herself opening her home to Izzy and her spirited teenage daughter. And it's there that Izzy meets heart-stoppingly handsome Sam, whose lingering kiss is all it takes for her to find the true love that has always eluded her - though there are just a few obstacles between that first kiss and the 'happy ever after'...What readers are saying about Kiss: 'Everything you want in a romantic novel; it has unexpected twists and turns, as well as a mother-daughter relationship that anyone can fall in love with. More than that, it keeps you guessing' Amazon reviewer, 5 stars'A hilariously funny and touching tale of the ups and downs of the optimistic Izzy, her long suffering daughter Kat, their friends and their love lives. The best Jill Mansell book I have read so far' Amazon reviewer, 5 stars'Jill Mansell has yet again surpassed herself and written a brilliant, addictive until the end read. Cleverly introduced characters and lots of twists and turns' Amazon reviewer, 5 stars

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Someone wants to put Stephanie six foot under...Leaving her career as a bounty hunter behind won't be so easy for Stephanie Plum, as disaster follows wherever she goes. Eleven On Top is the hilarious and fast-paced adventure in the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich, perfect for fans of Sue Grafton and JD Robb.Praise for the Stephanie Plum series: 'Stephanie Plum in ass-kicking form... utterly delightful' (Cosmopolitan); 'Plum is not just a smart private eye but a heroine with a sense of humour' (Daily Mail); 'Chutzpah and sheer comic inventiveness' (Washington Post). She's had enough. Stephanie Plum has finally quit bounty hunting and is in the market for a new job. Preferably one which doesn't involve being shot at, blown up or kidnapped.The trouble is, she can't stop wondering about the missing men who all disappeared, without a trace, on the same day. And her super-hot mentor Ranger is making her an offer she can't refuse. Oh, and she's still got someone determined to kill her. It's starting to seem like it's not the job that's the disaster attractor...What readers are saying about Eleven On Top:'Janet Evanovich has created a memorable scene and laugh every page and a half. That's tough to do - but she's done it!''The best of crime, romance, mystery and humour''Excellent work by Janet Evanovich who gives her readers nothing less than perfection'

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Jill Mansell's bestseller DON'T WANT TO MISS A THING is 'bursting with humour, brimming with intrigue and full of characters you'll adore' Heat. Not to be missed by readers of Jojo Moyes and Veronica Henry. Dexter Yates loves his fun, care-free London life; he has money, looks and girlfriends galore. But everything changes overnight when his sister dies, leaving him in charge of her eight-month-old daughter Delphi. How is he ever going to cope? Comic-strip artist Molly Hayes lives in the beautiful Cotswold village of Briarwood. When it comes to relationships, she has a history of choosing all the wrong men. Leaving the city behind, Dex moves to Briarwood - a much better place to work on his parenting skills - and he and Molly become neighbours. There's an undeniable connection between them. But if Dexter's going to adapt, he first has a lot to learn about Molly, about other people's secrets...and about himself.What readers are saying about Don't Want To Miss A Thing: 'A really perfect read with plot twists and turns, misunderstandings, humour and sadness, with the most delectable baby at its centre and punctuating every scene' Amazon reviewer, 5 stars'An engrossing and entertaining book full of romance, laughter, and moving moments too. Jill Mansell has again written a beautiful novel that loyal fans will love and new readers will delight in discovering!' Amazon reviewer, 5 stars'Mansell is a master at hitting all the right notes that hook a reader and tug at the heartstrings' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

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Would you choose a different life if you had the chance?'Spellbinding from start to finish' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'If you read nothing else this year - read this' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'A beautiful, heart-warming and heart-breaking read' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Cosy up with the unforgettable new novel from the author of The Songs of Us. If you love Cecilia Ahern and Holly Miller, you'll adore this heart-warming novel.'Absolutely magical! So romantic and heartfelt' JOSIE SILVEROn the last night in October 1999 the clocks went back, and Ella and Will's love began.A teenage Ella sat around a bonfire drinking with her future husband and her oldest friend Cole.As Ella wandered away from the group, she found herself leaning against a derelict archway before passing out.The next day, Ella remembered fractured images of a conversation with a woman in a green coat and red scarf but dismissed it as a drunken dream.Twenty-three years later, with her marriage to Will in trouble, and Cole spiralling out of control, Ella opens a gift which turns her life upside down: a green coat and red scarf.When she looks in the mirror, the woman from the archway is reflected back at her.As the last Sunday in October arrives, Ella is faced with a choice. Would she choose a different life, if she could do it again?'A beautiful, moving and heart-wrenching book' EMILY STONE'Romantic, heart-breaking and a real page-turner' OLIVIA BEIRNE⭐ Readers love Emma Cooper ⭐'Recommended for fans of Jojo Moyes, Marian Keyes and Katie Fforde''Powerful and immersive, heart-wrenching and hopeful''Buy this book. You will not be disappointed for a second!''I laughed and cried throughout this book''I was hooked from the beginning''A wonderful, life-affirming novel''I absolutely adored it from start to finish''A wonderful read that will stay with me for a long time''I really can't recommend this book enough!''So powerful and poignant... a beautifully written book''This book is funny, heart-warming and life-affirming. Basically ALL THE FEELS'

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It takes a man of understanding to rebuild a shattered soul, a man with a deep and learned grasp of philosophy and poetry, a man who can nurture and inspire an enquiring mind, a man with the wit and humour to bring the world alive. That enigmatic man is Horatio Hennessy. His grandson Blue is that shattered soul. Following the death of twelve-year-old Blue's parents, his new home is a Finca in the mountains of Mallorca, with the grandfather he has never met before. But is Horatio up to the challenge, or is he merely trying, through Blue, to make good his past? Gradually a bond evolves between them through a shared love of poetry. But when secrets are uncovered, will understanding turn to misunderstanding? Will two souls be shattered this time? Absorbing, moving, witty and profound, A Man of Understanding is a beautifully-told story of the search for a higher understanding of the self and others, interlaced with poetry, philosophy and love.

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Twenty-two-year-old James Gould arrives in Occupied Naples in 1943, where his duties include dissuading Allied soldiers from marrying their beautiful Italian girlfriends, and his diet includes little more than spam fritters and warmed-up rations. The girls of Naples, however, soon arrange for a beautiful young country girl to join his staff as a cook. Under the twin influences of Italian food and Italian passion, James has only just realised that his heart is more important than his orders, when an eruption of Vesuvius sets in motion a series of epic events that will change their lives for ever.

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