Contemporary fiction titles are those which focus on the present or near past. Stories rooted in the current cultural, social, and political landscape which feature characters we can all recognise.
Contemporary Fiction Books
Little, Brown Book Group That Loving Feeling
Book SynopsisHow far would you go to keep the spark alight? The perfect feel-good rom-com from the Sunday Times bestsellerJuliet Joyce has been happily married to Rick for twenty-five years. But with two children who treat the house like a hotel, a mother who''s moved in with them and a father who''s announced a radical life change, Juliet and Rick have little time for themselves, let alone romance.And then Steven Aubrey returns. The same Steven who jilted Juliet on their wedding day twenty-six years ago. He ignites a passion in Juliet that she thought was long gone. Will Steven sweep Juliet off her feet or can Rick revive their marriage before it''s too late?If you loved That Loving Feeling, don''t miss the return of Juliet Joyce in With Love at Christmas.Your favourite authors love Carole Matthews:''A gorgeous novel that will delight''KATIE FFORDE''Fun, fantastic and brTrade ReviewA great read . . . so don't miss it * Observer *It makes you laugh one minute and cry the next * Prima *All the warmth and wit we expect from Carole . . . Perfect * Bella *Just the thing to make you feel good * Take a Break *
£7.99
Little, Brown Book Group Nights In Rodanthe
Book SynopsisTwo fragile people. One desperate second chance.Reeling and desolate, Adrienne Willis needs space to rethink her life after her husband leaves her for a younger woman. Fleeing everything, she jumps at the chance to look after her friend''s guesthouse in the coastal town of Rodanthe, North Carolina. But there is a storm heading for Adrienne, in more ways than she can imagine.Stranded and isolated as the weather closes in, Adrienne has only one guest: Paul Flanner, a man running from his own shattered past. Taking refuge, Paul and Adrienne have only each other to turn to. Against all the odds, their one weekend sets in motion feelings that will resonate through the rest of their lives.
£9.49
Little, Brown Book Group The Christmas Party
Book SynopsisThe brilliant festive rom-com from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Christmas for BeginnersLouise Young is a devoted single mother whose only priority is providing for her daughter, Mia. Louise has a good job in a huge international corporation and she''s grateful for it. The only problem is her boss who can''t keep his hands to himself, but Louise can handle him. What she really doesn''t have time for is romance - until she meets the company''s rising star, Josh Wallace. Louise usually says no to evenings out but she''s decided to let her hair down tonight. It''s the office Christmas party, she has a pretty dress to wear and she''s looking forward to some champagne and fun. She''s completely unaware that others around her are too busy playing dangerous games to enjoy the party - until she''s pulled into those games herself . . . Romance is in the air and secrets are about to be uncovered. It''s going to be a night to remember at TheTrade ReviewPRAISE FOR CAROLE MATTHEWS * - *A gorgeous novel that will delight -- KATIE FFORDEFun, fantastic and brimming with Matthews magic -- MILLY JOHNSONA life-affirming story full of joy and hope -- CATHY BRAMLEYWarm, witty and hopeful - I was charmed -- SARAH MORGANSo warm, so festive * Jenny Colgan *Fabulously enjoyable . . . full of heart and fun * Milly Johnson *Simply brilliant * Closer *Witty, funny and incredibly touching, this is perfect for lifting the spirits * Heat *
£8.54
Little, Brown Book Group Christmas Cakes and Mistletoe Nights
Book SynopsisA classic Christmas read from the Sunday Times and multi-million-copy bestseller ''Fabulously enjoyable . . . full of heart and fun'' Milly Johnson ''Gorgeous'' Katie Fforde ''I laughed and cried and marvelled'' Cathy Bramley ---------------------- Fay and Danny are madly in love and it''s all Fay''s ever dreamed of. But she left everything - including the delightful cake shop she used to run - to be with Danny on his cosy canal boat The Dreamcatcher. And as she soon finds out, making delicious cakes on the water isn''t always smooth sailing! Then Fay gets a call that sends her back to where it all began; back to where she first met Danny, back to her friends and the Cake Shop in the Garden. Even as Fay happily returns to dry land and her passion for baking, she knows it will be hard being away from Danny, especially with Christmas round the corner. But their relationTrade ReviewFabulously enjoyable . . . full of heart and fun * Milly Johnson *The perfect escape * Woman *Simply brilliant * Closer *Witty, funny and incredibly touching . . . perfect for lifting the spirits * Heat *A cosy tale that's brimful of Christmas spirit * Sunday Express *Carole Matthews is one of those magical authors who always deliver a book that can be savoured and enjoyed like a delicious meal. Christmas Cakes and Mistletoe Nights is another gorgeous example, we loved returning to The Cake Shop in the Garden, one of our favourite books written by Carole. Full of delightful characters and with a captivating storyline, Christmas Cakes and Mistletoe Nights is a beautifully written and charming read, perfect for Christmas * Hot Brands, Cool Places *
£9.49
Troubador Publishing The Barefoot Child
Book Synopsis
£9.49
Profile England is Mine
Book SynopsisLONGLISTED FOR THE 2025 GORDON BURN PRIZE 'Nicolas Padamsee's subtle, satirical debut smartly explores the reasons frightened teenage boys become dangerous men' Financial Times'A politically engaged, urgently plotted coming-of-age thriller with a wicked satirical streak' Observer 'Darkly humorous and highly topical' Spectator'A brilliant dissection of race, identity, masculinity and extremism' Monica Ali'Heart-breaking . . . captures modern times in the UK perceptively' Peter Doherty, The LibertinesDavid hates school, where he has been bullied, and has reached sixth form without any friends. Music is the only thing that keeps him going. Inspired by his hero, Karl Williams, he becomes vegan, wears eyeliner and writes song lyrics. But one night onstage Karl Williams accuses Muslims of homophobia and is cancelled. Conflicted by his feelings for his favourite artist and compelled by the conversations he has while playing Call of Duty, David becomes more and more fascinated by the far right's narratives of masculinity in conflict with liberal society.Living in the same East London borough as David, Hassan has his own problems. He is drifting apart from his childhood friends, Mo and Ibrahim, who drink, blaze skunk and mock him for hanging out at the Muslim youth centre, where he is older than everyone else. Determined to make something of himself, he volunteers for his local mosque and works hard to try to get the grades he needs to go to university.As these second-generation immigrants struggle for a sense of identity and belonging - amid a wave of online radicalisation and extremism - their fates become inextricably, catastrophically entwined.
£9.49
Simon & Schuster Ltd The Usual Desire to Kill
Book SynopsisA wry, propulsive, exquisitely observed debut about a singularly eccentric family and the sibling rivalry, generational divides, and long-buried secrets that shape them. This is an extraordinary novel from a seasoned playwright with a flare for dialogue and, in the end, immense empathy for the mysterious intimacies of marriage, family, and love.
£15.29
Little, Brown Book Group The Seafront Tea Rooms
Book SynopsisThe Seafront Tea Rooms is a peaceful hideaway, away from the bustle of the seaside, and in this quiet place a group of women find exactly what they''ve been searching for.Charismatic journalist Charlotte is on a mission to scope out Britain''s best tea rooms. She knows she''s found something special in the Seafront Tea Rooms but is it a secret she should share? Kathryn, a single mother whose only sanctuary is the ''Seafront'', convinces Charlie to keep the place out of her article by agreeing to join her on her search. Together with another regular, Seraphine, a culture-shocked French au pair with a passion for pastry-making, they travel around the country discovering quaint hideaways and hidden gems. But what none of them expect is for their journey to surprise them with discoveries of a different kind . . .Full of romance, tea and cake, The Seafront Tea Rooms is a heart-warming tale about the strength found in true friendship.Trade ReviewPerfect for reading curled up with delicious cakes and tea. Complete with recipes this is a fabulous read, we loved it! Highly recommended! * Hot Brands Cool Places *This heart-warming story of finding new friends is a lovely debut * Carole Matthews (on The Vintage Teacup Club) *A delicious brew of love and friendship * Trisha Ashley (on The Vintage Teacup Club) *A heartwarming, quintessentially British tale * Stylist (on The Vintage Teacup Club) *A stylish, upmarket bit of chick lit * The Bookseller (on The Vintage Teacup Club) *
£8.54
Little, Brown Book Group The Christmas Surprise Rosie Hopkins
Book Synopsis''Nobody does cosy, get-away-from-it-all romance like Jenny Colgan'' Sunday Express___________________________________In a tiny little sweetshop, something very special is waiting under the Christmas tree . . . With mouthwatering seasonal recipes for you to try at home Snuggle up and escape with Jenny Colgan ''An evocative, sweet treat'' Jojo Moyes ''Gorgeous, glorious, uplifting'' Marian Keyes''A cracker - the must-read this festive season'' Sun ''Irresistible'' Jill Mansell ''Just lovely'' Katie Fforde ''Naturally funny, warm-hearted'' Lisa Jewell ''A gobble-it-all-up-in-one-sitting kind of book'' Mike Gayle__________________________________Rosie Hopkins, newly engaged, is looking forward to an exciting year in the little sweetshop she owns and runs. But when fate strikes Rosie and her boyfrTrade ReviewBrilliantly original and full of fabulously believable characters - we totally adored it - Heat Magazine
£9.49
Little, Brown Book Group The Beachside Guest House
Book SynopsisWhen Rosa and Bee get together in the run-up to Bee''s wedding, they reminisce about the holiday they took together as teenagers to the beautiful Greek island of Paros. They remember the sandy coves, the guest house in the converted windmill where they stayed with their friend Iona, and the gorgeous local men. As memories of that long-forgotten holiday resurface, they are forced to confront the turns their lives have taken - and the guilt they both feel about letting Iona slip away from them.When they learn that the windmill guest house is going bust they form a plan: why not go back to the island and take it over themselves? And so begins a life-changing journey - because it turns out that opening a guest house and reliving their teenage dreams isn''t that easy . . . Full of romance and friendship, love and life, laughter and tears, The Beachside Guest House is an uplifting novel about the magic of starting over with friends by your side.Trade ReviewA lovely story about finding your bliss with the help and support of best friends * Michele Gorman on The Beachside Guest House *A beautifully written, uplifting story about love, life and the healing power of friendship. Vanessa describes the island of Paros with its sparkling seas and sapphire skies so perfectly that I'm now longing for my own Greek adventure! * Cathy Bramley on The Beachside Guest House *This heart-warming story of finding new friends is a lovely debut * Carole Matthews (on The Vintage Teacup Club) *A delicious brew of love and friendship * Trisha Ashley (on The Vintage Teacup Club) *The Beachside Guest House is such a comforting read, and so compelling and uplifting. I loved that the story wasn't predictable either - such a wonderful read! * Cressida McLaughlin, author of the Primrose Terrace series *A heartwarming, quintessentially British tale * Stylist (on The Vintage Teacup Club) *A stylish, upmarket bit of chick lit * The Bookseller (on The Vintage Teacup Club) *
£8.54
Orion Publishing Co AN EQUAL MUSIC
Book Synopsis''A masterpiece'' Daily Mail''Will still be read with pleasure and absorption decades from now'' Spectator''A wonder-work: irresistible, tense, deeply moving'' Sunday Times''An extraordinary book'' Independent on SundayA chance sighting on a bus; a letter which should never have been read; a pianist with a secret that touches the heart of her music . . . AN EQUAL MUSIC is a book about love, about the love of a woman lost and found and lost again; it is a book about music and how the love of music can run like a passionate fugue through a life. It is the story of Michael, of Julia, and of the love that binds them.''A novel that can stand being reread and reread, but the first time round is an emotional cliffhanger ... secure a copy for yourself, settle down, and prepare for the unforgettable'' Sunday TimesTrade ReviewSecure a copy for yourself, settle down and prepare for the unforgettable * SUNDAY TIMES *The finest novel about music written in English * DAILY TELEGRAPH *A hauntingly beautiful story about loss and love, and the power of music to transform human experience * MAIL ON SUNDAY *Will still be read with pleasure and absorption decades from now * SPECTATOR *A masterpiece ... as clear, lovely and civilised as a Schubert quartet * DAILY MAIL *Seth's novel is a wonder-work: irresistible, tense, deeply moving * SUNDAY TIMES *Seth offers emotional sensitivity of the rarest order and a poignancy that invites an almost painful empathy * ECONOMIST *The fullest portrait I have ever read in fiction of a musician's relationship to his music ... brilliant * DAILY TELEGRAPH *This book is music ... It's an extraordinary book that finds music in everything and everything in music * INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY *Seth succeeds in the rare and beautiful achievement of articulating musical experience * THE TIMES *A virtuoso performance, wrapping love, life and music into an absorbing read * EVENING STANDARD *
£10.44
Orion Publishing Co Beastly Tales Enchanting animal fables in verse
Book SynopsisTen witty and enchanting animal fables in verse which, like a modern Aesop's Fables, can be enjoyed by young and old alike
£8.54
Headline Publishing Group Head Over Heels
Book SynopsisJill Mansell''s Sunday Times bestseller HEAD OVER HEELS is not to be missed by readers of Veronica Henry and Marian Keyes. Jill''s novels are loved by reviewers: ''Achingly romantic'' HeatJessie has kept the identity of her son Oliver''s father a secret for years. She''s stunned when she discovers that the man in question, actor Toby Gillespie, has just moved in next door. The truth''s about to come out. One glance at Oliver, and a little mental arithmetic, and Toby has the situation sussed. Meeting the son he never knew he had is the shock of a lifetime. It''s a shock, too, for Toby''s wife, the beautiful Deborah, though she seems to take it in her stride. Would Deborah be so relaxed if she knew just how close Toby wants to get to the mother of his firstborn? As the attraction between them flares up again, Jessie just can''t see her way to a happy ending. But no one is quite what they seem, and there are more surprises to come...Trade Review'A great read' * Woman's Weekly *'Slick, sexy, funny' * Daily Telegraph *
£9.99
Headline Publishing Group Staying at Daisys The fans favourite novel
Book SynopsisSTAYING AT DAISY''S from Sunday Times bestselling author Jill Mansell is essential reading if you love the novels of Cathy Kelly and Milly Johnson.Daisy MacLean runs the country house hotel owned by her flamboyant father, Hector. When she hears who''s about to get married there, she isn''t worried at all - her friend Tara absolutely promises there won''t be any trouble between her and ex-boyfriend Dominic, whom she hasn''t seen for years. But Dominic has other ideas... Meanwhile, Hector''s getting up to all sorts with...well, that''s the village''s best kept secret. And then Barney turns up, with a little something belonging to the husband Daisy''s been doing her best to forget. That''s the thing about hotels, you never know who you''re going to meet. Or whether they''re going to stay...What readers are saying about Staying at Daisy''s: ''Once again Jill Mansell manages to capture theTrade Review'A sure-fire bestseller' * Heat *'Engaging, warm and funny' * Liverpool Echo *
£10.44
Headline Publishing Group Another Woman
Book SynopsisA dream wedding descends into nightmare in this thrilling novel by Sunday Times Number One bestselling author Penny Vincenzi.Trade Review'Seductively readable... I carried on reading late into the night' * The Times *'Every Penny Vincenzi is a guaranteed bestseller' * Grazia *'Like a glass of champagne: bubbly, moreish and you don't want it to end' * Daily Express *
£10.44
Cornerstone Bewilderment
Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERSHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2022FROM THE PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING AUTHORExtraordinary' New York TimesRemarkable' ObserverHeartfelt' GuardianTheo Byrne is a promising young scientist who has found a way to search for life on other planets dozens of light years away. He is also the widowed father of a most unusual nine-year-old. His son Robin is funny, loving and filled with plans. He thinks and feels deeply, adores animals and can spend hours painting elaborate pictures. But after a violent outburst from Robin at school, the strength of their close bond will be tested to its limits...What can a father do, when those around him refuse to understand his rare and troubled child? And how can he reveal to his boy the truth about our beautiful, bewildered world?
£9.49
Penguin Books Ltd Foe
Book SynopsisJ. M. Coetzee was born in Cape Town, South Africa in 1940. The author of some fifteen novels and winner of numerous awards, Coetzee is the first author to have been awarded the Booker Prize twice: for Life & Times of Michael K in 1983 and for Disgrace in 1999. In 2003 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. He lives in Australia.Trade ReviewA small miracle of a book...of marvellous intricacy and overwhelming power * Washington Post *A finely honed testament to its author's intelligence, imagination and skill * The New York Times *
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers The Doomsday Conspiracy
Book SynopsisOPERATION DOOMSDAY ACTIVATECommander Robert Bellamy of US Naval Intelligence is dispatched on a top secret mission. A weather balloon carrying sensitive military information has crashed in Switzerland. Bellamy must locate the ten witnesses to the incident so that they can be sworn to secrecy.But as he conducts his search Bellamy begins to suspect that he, too, is being hunted, by an unknown lethal force that what he was told about the balloon was only one part of an almost unbelievable happening..
£10.44
Baen Books 1637 The French Correction
Book SynopsisNEW RING OF FIRE SERIES ENTRY FROM THE LATE ERIC FLINT AND BEST-SELLING AUTHOR WALTER HUNT.
£22.50
Little, Brown Book Group The Russian Concubine
Book Synopsis*** THE Sunday Times TOP TEN BESTSELLING AUTHOR ***''Wonderful . . . hugely ambitious and atmospheric'' Kate MosseDiscover a brilliant story of love, danger, courage and betrayal, from the internationally bestselling author of The Betrayal. *****Junchow, China, 1928.Lydia Ivanova was among the Russian elite until the Bolsheviks revolutions forced her to flee to China with her mother. But survival is hard.Lydia has a fierce spirit. Nothing can dim it, not even the foul waters of the Peiho River. Into the river''s grime bodies are tossed - those of thieves and Communists alike. A reminder that every time Lydia steals from someone to feed herself and her mother, she takes her life into her own hands. Even though mother and daughter live in the Whites-only settlement, no walls can keep Lydia in as she escapes to meet her lover, Chang An Lo. But Chang has enemies who are hunting him down, and theiTrade ReviewWonderful ... a gripping love story ... A hugely ambitious and atmospheric epic novel Kate Mosse, author of LABYRINTH The Russian Concubine is a great story of love, loss and conflicting loyalties in a fascinatingly precarious moment of history. The wonderfully drawn and all-too-human characters struggle to survive in a world of danger and bewildering change, constantly Diana Gabaldon, author of the Outlander series A pulse-racing romance ... breathtakingly good' Marie Claire '[an] achingly beautiful epic' New Woman Whether you like romance, history, action or adventure, this highly accomplished, sweeping epic is a perfect winter read ... Escapism at its best, this novel brilliantly captures the sights, sounds and atmosphere of early twentieth-century Russia and C 'A rollicking good read, with a fast-moving plot and oodles of colourful characters and evocative locations. The best thing about it, however, is Lydia ... a heroine that one hopes to meet for more adventures in the future' Telegraph
£10.44
New Vessel Press Happy New Years
Book Synopsis
£13.29
Dover Publications Inc. American Indian Stories and Old Indian Legends
Book SynopsisThis accessible and affordable volume combines two essential collections by Sioux author Zitkala-Sa. Old Indian Legends features tales from the oral tradition, and American Indian Stories assembles short stories and autobiographical and political essays offering poignant reflections on the author''s sense of being stranded between the white and Native American worlds.
£8.35
Orion Publishing Co The Reader
Book SynopsisFilm tie-in edition of Bernhard Schlink's exceptionally powerful novel - 'A thriller, a love story and a deeply moving examination of a German conscience' [Independent on Saturday]Trade ReviewDeeply moving, sensitive enough to make me wince, a Holocaust novel, but light years away from the common run -- Ruth Rendell * Sunday Telegraph *Schlink's extraordinary novel The Reader is a compelling meditation on the connections between Germany's past and its present, dramatised with extreme emotional intelligence as the story of a relationship between the narrator and an older woman. It has won deserved praise across Europe for the tact and power with which it handles its material, both erotic and philosophical * Independent *Leaps national boundaries and speaks straight to the heart . . . a moving, suggestive and ultimately hopeful work * New York Times *The Reader by Bernhard Schlink is the German novel I have been waiting for: it objectifies the Holocaust and legitimately makes all mankind responsible -- Sir Peter Hall * Observer *For generations to come, people will be reading and marvelling over Bernhard Schlink's The Reader * Evening Standard *Haunting and unforgettable * Literary Review *Schlink's novel has a wondeful clarity of style that serves to emphasise the moral complexity of its subject matter * DAILY TELEGRAPH *[Schlink] explores the conflict between generations, wrestling with collective guilt and individual motivation. He examines the nature if understanding and tests the limits of forgiveness. He does these things with honesty, restraint and a moral precision both unsettling and rare. The result is as compelling as any thriller * The Times *The Reader cannot be ignored. It challenges core definitions of good and evil...The Reader brings us face to face with how little we know about the people around us -- Norman Lebrecht * EVENING STANDARD *A powerful book, it lingers in the mind * OXFORD TIMES *a profound and deeply moving examination of what drives perfectly ordinary people to do the most appalling things...hard to put down * YORK PRESS *A hauntingly beautiful read * SUFFOLK FREE PRESS *This mesmerising novel is a story of love and secrets, horror and compassion, unfolding against the haunted landscape of post-war Germany * WESTERN MORNING NEWS *A tender, horrifying novel that shows blazingly well how the Holocaust should be dealt with in fiction * MATURE TIMES *
£10.44
Orion Publishing Co The Girl On The Landing
Book Synopsis''The best book of the year... truly astonishing'' Sunday Express''An exciting novel - part love story, part psychological thriller'' Mail on Sunday''Surprising and suspenseful'' Observer A GHOST STORY, A PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER AND A TALE OF LOVE REDISCOVERED, FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMENElizabeth has been married to Michael for ten years. She has adjusted to a fairly monotonous routine with her wealthy, decent but boring husband. Part of this routine involves occasional visits to Beinn Caorrun, the dank and gloomy house in a Scottish glen that Michael inherited. But then Michael begins to change. It starts when he thinks he sees, in a picture, the figure of a girl on a landing. As he changes, life becomes so much more fun and Elizabeth sees glimpses of a man she can fall in love with at last. But who - or what - is changing Michael?<Trade ReviewThe finale is terrifying, harking back to old-fashioned ghost stories, but with a modern, plausible twist - it stood the hairs of my arms on end * DAILY TELEGRAPH *Torday skilfully maintains a knife-edge tension... an original and satisfying thriller * DAILY MAIL *A gently comic novel about schizophrenia sounds like the worst idea ever, but Torday pulls it off magnificently.. a clever, gripping novel * THE TIMES *Paul Torday's third and extremely accomplished novel.. is another tour de force from one of our best emerging writers * DAILY EXPRESS *Compelling and totally captivating * BELLA *His prose remains anything but safe. It is supple, skilful and literary... this is a fabulously good yarn * OBSERVER *The author of SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN impresses again with this absorbing tale of identity * PSYCHOLOGIES *A fantastically gripping and chilling novel * BEST *A compulsively readable psychological thriller... Torday's ability to keep the reader in the grip of a nightmare is exceptional * METRO *Torday is a gifted writer, I loved it * THE BOOKSELLER *Told by husband and wife, this intriguing story of the impact of ghostly visitors is an unusual exploration of mental illness * CHOICE *What starts as a tale of domestic disharmony evolves into a gripping, ghostly page-turner * FINANCIAL TIMES *
£9.49
Peninsula Press Ltd The Novices of Lerna
Book Synopsis
£9.50
Vintage Publishing The Van
Book SynopsisJimmy Rabbitte is unemployed and rapidly running out of money. His best friend Bimbo has been made redundant at the company where he has worked for many years. The two old friends are out of luck and out of options. That is, until Bimbo finds a dilapidated ''chipper van'' and the pair decide to go into business...By the bestselling author of The Commitments and The Snapper, The Van is a tender tale of male friendship, swimming in grease and stained with ketchup.Trade ReviewA wonderfully funny book, that crackles and spits like fat in the fryer. It is also very touching...fine entertainment * Daily Telegraph *The last novel of his superb trilogy about the Rabbitte family of North Dublin...often hilarious, always enthralling and - this really is the case - unputdownable * Sunday Times *Roddy Doyle is a phenomenon... The Van is not just a very funny book, it is also faultless comic writing * New Statesman *There have been no novels published this year which are as funny, as understanding about the triumphs and indignities of family life, or as brave in touching upon the raw nerves of the male psyche * Guardian *
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co Attila The Judgement
Book SynopsisThe battlefields run with blood in this gripping finale to the bestselling Attila trilogy.
£10.99
Orion Publishing Co The Death of Achilles Erast Fandorin 4 Erast
Book SynopsisErast Fandorin returns to Moscow, and he just can''t seem to keep out of trouble... The fourth novel in the bestselling crime series from the author of THE WINTER QUEEN.Erast Fandorin returns to Moscow after an absence of six years, only to find himself instantly embroiled in court politics and scandal. His old friend General Sobolev - the famous ''Russian Achilles'' - has been found dead in a hotel room, and Fandorin suspects foul play.Using his now-famous powers of detection - powers that belie his twenty-six years - Fandorin embarks on an investigation, during which the political and the personal may become dangerously blurred. With the assistance of some formidable martial arts skills, acquired whilst Fandorin was in Japan, our eccentric and ingenious hero must endeavour to discover not so much whodunit, as why...Trade ReviewWith The Death of Achilles, the hilarious and dashing Erast Fandorin, Akunin's debonair Russian Sherlock Holmes, just seems to get better and better ... unputdownable and great fun ... a stunning continuation of form from a Russian author whose thriller writing is world-class * Sunday Express *This fourth book in Akunin's series of detective novels starring dashing hero Erast Fandorin will not disappoint fans of the first three, or indeed any connoisseur of detective fiction ... a witty, rip-roaring thrill-fest * Time Out *A stunning continuation of form from a Russian author whose thriller writing is world-class * Sunday Express *A winning combination of crime fiction and adventure story as if Flashman were frisking through a tale by Dostoevsky * Independant *The Death of Achilles may be historical pastiche but its wit and invention are a source of constant wonder ... All in all, a delicious confection * Evening Standard *
£9.49
Ebury Publishing Post Office
Book SynopsisHenry Chinaski is a lowlife loser with a hand-to-mouth existence. His menial post office day job supports a life of beer, one-night stands and racetracks. Lurid, uncompromising and hilarious, Post Office is a landmark in American literature, and over 1 million copies have been sold worldwide.The new edition is augmented with an anecdotal introduction by the modern Welsh cult-literary author, Niall Griffiths - a writer who was working in a British post office when he first read Bukowski''s Post Office. Trade ReviewAn amazing, hilarious and unfalteringly entertaining account of a man trapped in a kind of Catch 23 * Sunday Times *Takes you by the shoulders and shakes you until your teeth rattle * The Times *Cunningly, relentlessly jokey and sad * Observer *One of the funniest books ever written * Uncut *Amazing, hilarious and unfalteringly entertaining * Sunday Times *
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co Out of Sight
Book SynopsisOUT OF SIGHT was made into the highly-acclaimed movie starring George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez.Trade Reviewsits firmly in the upper echelons of Leonard's work * GOOD BOOK GUIDE *
£9.49
Ebury Publishing Factotum
Book SynopsisHenry Chinaski, an outcast, a loner and a hopeless drunk, drifts around America from one dead-end job to another, from one woman to another and from one bottle to the next. Uncompromising, gritty, hilarious and confessional in turn, his downward spiral is peppered with black humour.Factotum follows Charles Bukowski''s bestselling Post Office, his highly autobiographical first novel. Bukowski''s Beat Generation writing reflects his slum upbringing, his succession of menial jobs and his experience of low life urban America. He died in 1994 and is widely acknowledged as one of the most distinctive writers of the last fifty years.Neeli Cherkovski was a close friend of Bukowski and is the author of Hank: The Life of Charles Bukowski (Random House, 1991)Trade Review1Not since George Orwell has the condition of being down-and-out been so well recorded. - New York Times2Funny and sharp, observant, clever with details and honest. - Times Literary Supplement3A side-splitting chronicle ... dirty realism from the godfather of lowlife literature - Uncut4Its genius is simple and it shines a wee candle on the life of an aspiring poet and home-relief applicant - Bizarre * - *
£10.44
Ebury Publishing Pulp
Book SynopsisDuring his lifetime Bukowski published more than forty-five books of poetry and prose including the novels Post Office (1971) and Factotum (1975). He is one of America's most distinctive writers and a voice for both the outsider and low life Americana.Trade ReviewNot since George Orwell has the condition of being down-and-out been so well recorded * New York Times *
£11.69
Orion Publishing Co Lyrics Alley
Book SynopsisA lyrical and moving novel by a three-times ORANGE-listed rising star, set in 1950s Sudan and Egypt.Trade ReviewA sophisticated and emotionally resonant tale. * SUNDAY HERALD *Leila Aboulel's delightful novel explores the relationship between the personal and the political in a time of upheaval * INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY *
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co The Neon Rain Dave Robicheaux
Book SynopsisThe outstanding first book in the ever-popular Dave Robicheaux series.Trade ReviewThe Neon Rain is a dream come true, a detective novel that bridges the gap to serious fiction with marvellous characters, an intricate plot, and lyrical prose ... this is a novel I really admire. * James Crumley, author of The Last Good Kiss *The gentle giant of US crime writers, Burke always ensures that his Louisiana detective Dave Robicheaux grapples with hot topics as much as with his own inner demons. * i newspaper *James Lee Burke is the heavyweight champ, a great American novelist whose work, taken individually or as a whole, is unsurpassed. * Michael Connelly *A gorgeous prose stylist. * Stephen King *Richly deserves to be described now as one of the finest crime writers America has ever produced. * Daily Mail *There are not many crime writers about whom one might invoke the name of Zola for comparison, but Burke is very much in that territory. His stamping ground is the Gulf coast, and one of the great strengths of his work has always been the atmospheric background of New Orleans and the bayous. His big, baggy novels are always about much more than the mechanics of the detective plot; his real subject, like the French master, is the human condition, seen in every situation of society. * Independent *The king of Southern noir. * Daily Mirror *His lyrical prose, his deep understanding of what makes people behave as they do, and his control of plot and pace are masterly. * Sunday Telegraph *One of the finest American writers. * Guardian *When it comes to literate, pungently characterised American crime writing, James Lee Burke has few peers. * Daily Express *
£9.49
Headline Publishing Group Private Lives
Book SynopsisEscape with Sunday Times bestseller Tasmina Perry into an intoxicating world where games are played to mask the truth, where there is no one you can trust, and where being too good at your job can put your life in danger... Anna Kennedy loves her career. A young associate with a top media law firm, she''s the lawyer to the stars, hiding their sins from the hungry media. When Anna fails to prevent a damaging story being printed about heart-throb movie star Sam Charles she finds herself fighting to save not only his reputation, but also her own. But Anna is about to uncover a scandal more explosive than even Sam''s infidelities. A party girl is already dead and those responsible are prepared to silence anyone who stands in their way. Not least a pretty young lawyer who knows too much...
£9.49
Headline Publishing Group Follow Me Quick Reads
Book SynopsisFOLLOW ME is a fabulously warm, witty and romantic novella from the No. 1 bestselling author Sheila O''Flanagan.Pippa Jones seems to have it all. The only thing that the high-flying career girl is missing is love. When she spots a gorgeous man who seems to be following her everywhere she goes, she wonders if fate is trying to throw them together. But with her job on the line can she afford to make time for this handsome, mysterious stranger?Trade Review'The Sheila O'Flanagan guarantee is a pretty powerful one' * Irish Independent *
£9.49
Headline Publishing Group A Band of Steel
Book SynopsisA family threatened by war but destroyed by love... When Adina and her family are forced to flee Cologne to escape the vicious menace of German invasion in 1938, leaving their luxurious lifestyle is painful. Harder still is finding herself a refugee in a foreign country. But Adina is a compassionate and determined girl and as they settle into a new life in the Midlands she finds the strength to survive.However, her brother and sister aren''t so lucky and their family ties are stretched to breaking point. And then Adina runs the risk of losing her family forever when she is drawn towards the one man she should never fall in love with...Trade Review'A touching and powerful new novel from a wonderful writer' * Bookseller *'The tearjerker of the season...a heartrending tale' * Western Mail *
£9.49
Headline Publishing Group a walk in the park by jill mansell
Book SynopsisA WALK IN THE PARK is a Sunday Times bestseller by Jill Mansell, not to be missed by fans of Lucy Diamond and Milly Johnson. Reviewers love Jill''s books: ''Glorious, heartwarming, romantic'' Woman & HomeIt''s been a while, but Lara Carson''s back in Bath and lives are set to change as a result. Because Lara left her family and boyfriend Flynn eighteen years ago without a word to anyone. Why has no one heard from her since? Her childhood best friend Evie is thrilled Lara''s back and able to share her happiness. Evie''s about to walk down the aisle with her dream man, Joel. Or so she thinks... Then there''s Flynn Erskine, even more attractive now and stunned to see Lara again. The spark between them is as strong as ever, but how''s Flynn going to react when he discovers the secret she''s been keeping from him? Oh yes, there''s a lot of catching up to be done...What readers are saying about A Walk In The Park: Trade Review'An engaging read that is as light as it is enjoyable and will keep you occupied from start to finish' * Daily Mail *'Great romantic reading' * Choice *
£9.49
Headline Publishing Group Skinners Trail Bob Skinner series Book 3
Book SynopsisSkinner is on the trail of organised crime and a cold-blooded killer in this gripping third novel in Quintin Jardine''s bestselling crime series. First the joyous birth of Skinner''s son...then the grim reality of murder in one of Edinburgh''s prosperous suburbs. A man has been found knifed in a luxury villa. The victim had run a chain of laundrettes, saunas and pubs throughout the city, but for some time the police suspected these to be the front for a drug distribution network. Moving from Scotland to northern Spain, then back to a chilling climax in Edinburgh, this complex and suspenseful thriller follows a tortuous and bloodsoaked trail...
£9.49
Headline Publishing Group Dangerous Lady A gritty thriller about the
Book Synopsis* Pre-order GUILTY, the brand new novel from Martina Cole. Coming October 2024. *In gangland London, Maura Ryan is queen... Martina Cole''s extraordinary first novel DANGEROUS LADY introduced a totally original genre of thriller, paving the way for her multiple No. 1 bestsellers, including BETRAYAL and GET EVEN. ''Right from the start [Cole] has enjoyed unqualified approval for her distinctive and powerfully written fiction'' [The Times]No one thinks a seventeen-year-old girl can take on the hard men of London''s gangland, but it''s a mistake to underestimate Maura Ryan: she''s tough, clever and beautiful - which makes her one very dangerous lady.Together, she and her brother Michael are unbeatable but notoriety has its price. The police are determined to put Maura away once and for all - and not everyone in the family think that''s such a bad idea. When it comes to the crunch, Maura has to face the pain of lTrade Review'Cole is brilliant at portraying the good among the bad, and vice versa, so until the very end we never quite know who to trust. This is the very stuff that makes her so compelling' Daily Mirror 'Right from the start [Cole] has enjoyed unqualified approval for her distinctive and powerfully written fiction' The Times Intensely readable Guardian 'Martina Cole explores the shady criminal underworld, a setting she is fast making her own' Sunday Express 'Utterly compelling' Mirror 'The story will grip you from the first pages' Best 'Gritty novel from an author who knows intimately the world she writes about' Express
£10.44
HarperCollins Publishers The Man in Room Seven
Book Synopsis
£9.49
Headline Publishing Group Goodnight Lady
Book Synopsis* Pre-order LOYALTY, the brand new novel from Martina Cole. Coming October 2023. *She has always kept quiet... until now...Dark and dangerous, GOODNIGHT LADY by the ''undisputed queen of crime writing'' (Guardian) and Sunday Times No.1 bestseller Martina Cole features the powerful, beautiful and fearless Briony Cavanagh, London''s most infamous businesswoman, and mistress of her own fate... In the sixties, Briony Cavanagh ran a string of the most notorious brothels in London. Only Briony knew what went on behind those doors, and she never opened her mouth - unless she stood to benefit. Only Briony knew the painful road she''d travelled to get there. From an impoverished childhood that ended with shocking betrayal, she was determined to be mistress of her own fate. But along with success came risk and danger. And the Goodnight Lady had her own secret place that was always shadowed by loss.If you love powerful femalTrade Review'Cole is brilliant at portraying the good among the bad, and vice versa, so until the very end we never quite know who to trust. This is the very stuff that makes her so compelling' Daily Mirror 'Right from the start [Cole] has enjoyed unqualified approval for her distinctive and powerfully written fiction' The Times Intensely readable Guardian 'Martina Cole explores the shady criminal underworld, a setting she is fast making her own' Sunday Express 'Utterly compelling' Mirror 'The story will grip you from the first pages' Best 'Gritty novel from an author who knows intimately the world she writes about' Express
£10.44
Headline Publishing Group This Is What Happy Looks Like
Book SynopsisFor fans of John Green. A winning combination of humour, heartbreak and romance make this a must read.If fate sent you an email, would you answer?It''s June - seventeen-year-old Ellie O''Neill''s least favourite time of year. Her tiny hometown is annually invaded by tourists, and this year there''s the added inconvenience of a film crew. Even the arrival of Hollywood heartthrob Graham Larkin can''t lift her mood.But there is something making Ellie very happy. Ever since an email was accidentally sent to her a few months ago, she''s been corresponding with a mysterious stranger, the two of them sharing their hopes and fears. Their developing relationship is not without its secrets though - there''s the truth about Ellie''s past... and her pen pal''s real identity. When they finally meet in person, things are destined to get much more complicated. Can two people, worlds apart but brought together by chance, make it against all the odds?SpaTrade ReviewI gulped down this book like a glass of ice-cold water on a scorching hot day. If you don't read this book in one sitting there may well be something wrong with you... An absolute treat! * Cat Clarke *The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight is a cracking read full of heart and humour. Hadley is a witty and charming protagonist and Smith's fantastic writing makes you believe that first love really can blossom in just 24 hours, even at 40,000 feet * The Bookseller *I absolutely loved The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. I read it in one sitting and when I finally put it down I was beaming and a bit tearful...A sweet, charming, romantic book, it's begging to be turned into a film * Keris Stainton *The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight is sweet, tender and uplifting - everything you could want * The Bookette *
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Headline Publishing Group Windfall
Book SynopsisPenny Vincenzi''s WINDFALL is a rich, absorbing tale of temptation, ambition and desire.''Reading her is an addictive experience'' Elizabeth BuchanCassia Fallon has always been the perfect country doctor''s wife, performing each menial task with willingness and grace, even though her desire to become a doctor herself has been thwarted by lack of money. Then her godmother leaves her a fortune. With her new-found wealth, Cassia is finally free to do as she pleases, and resumes her own medical career as Dr Cassia Tallow with a passion. But it soon becomes clear that her legacy may not be such a blessing after all, for Cassia begins to question the strength of her marriage, her future and exactly where the money has come from. A rich, absorbing tale of temptation, ambition and desire.Trade ReviewPenny Vincenzi dazzlingly combines the old-fashioned virtues of gripping storytelling with the up-to-the-minute contemporary feel for emotional depth and insight into the lives of the characters. She is a supreme stylist and clever writer. Reading her is an addictive experience'
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HarperCollins Publishers Inc Counterattacks at Thirty
Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author of Almond, The Devil Wears Prada meets The Office in this witty, humane, and ultimately transformative story of a group of young workers who rebel against the status quo. Jihye is an ordinary woman who has never been extraordinary. In her administrative job at the Academy, she silently tolerates office politics and the absurdities of Korean bureaucracy. Forever only one misplaced email away from career catastrophe, she effectively becomes a master of the silent eye-roll and the tactical coffee run. But all her efforts to endure her superiors and the semi-hostile work environment they create are upended when a new intern, Gyuok Lee, arrives. Like a pacifist version of V in V for Vendetta, Gyuok recruits a trio of office allies to carry out plans for minor revenge. Together, these four rebels commit tiny protests against those in more powerful positions through spraying graffiti, throwing eggs, and writing anonymous exposés. But as their attacks increase, the initial joy they felt at the release becomes something more and Jihye and the others will discover the beauty of friendship and the extraordinary power of unity against adversity.
£15.29
Simon & Schuster Too Soon
Book SynopsisFor readers of Pachinko and Queenie, a funny, sexy, and heart-wrenching literary debut that explores exile, ambition, and hope across three generations of Palestinian American women.Arabella gets an unexpected chance at love when she’s thrust into a conflict and history she’s tried to avoid all her life. Zoya is playing matchmaker for her last unmarried granddaughter—introducing Arabella to the very eligible grandson of an old flame and stirring up buried family history. Naya is keeping a secret from her family that will change all their lives. Thirty-five-year-old Arabella, a New York theatre director whose dating and career prospects are drying up, is offered an opportunity to direct a risqué cross-dressing interpretation of a Shakespeare classic (that might garner international attention) in the West Bank. Her grandmother, Zoya, plots to make a match between her and Aziz, a Palestinian American doctor volunt
£17.00
Canterbury Classics H. P. Lovecraft Cthulhu Mythos Tales
Book SynopsisThe complete Cthulhu Mythos by master horror writer H. P. Lovecraft in one volume.The Cthulhu Mythos is a collection of 23 loosely connected short stories by H. P. Lovecraft, one of the earliest masters of dark fantasy and horror. From “Dagon” to “The Call of Cthulhu” to “The Haunter of the Dark,” each story connects to the ancient cosmic entities known as the Great Old Ones, buried in a deep sleep beneath the earth and incomprehensible to mankind. For the few mortals who dare to glimpse this unknowable world, the result is a complete disconnection from what was once considered reality. Lovecraft’s stories are grim, fantastical, dark, horrifying—and yet endlessly fascinating. Featuring colorful sprayed edges and a heat-burnished cover with foil stamping, this is a stylish collection of stories to add to your bookshelf.
£11.69
Headline Publishing Group Outcast
Book Synopsis As history threatens to repeat itself, the actions of one young woman lead to tragic consequences... In the first instalment of the Emma Grady trilogy, Josephine Cox''s Outcast is an extraordinarily powerful saga of a passionate, yet impossible, love. Perfect for fans of Cathy Sharp and Kitty Neale.On a fateful night in 1860, Thadius Grady realises, too late, that he has made a grave mistake. In blind faith he has put himself and his daughter Emma at the mercy of his sister and her conniving husband, Caleb Crowther - for he has entrusted to them his entire fortune and the daughter he adores. With his dying breath he pleads to see his daughter one last time - but Caleb''s heart is made of stone.A feared Lancashire Justice, Caleb Crowther is a womaniser and a gambler, and now the inheritance due to Emma is as much in his hands as is the beautiful Emma Grady herself. But Caleb lives in fear of the past, for how d
£10.44
