Family life fiction / Stories about family

Book Synopsis''Already hailed as a Cold War classic.'' Boyd Tonkin, Independent Books of the Year''Utterly absorbing, funny and humane. A romp through a twisted century in the heart of Europe.'' Anna Funder, author of StasilandInternational bestseller and Winner of the German Book PrizeA sweeping story of one family over four generations in East Germany: the intertwining of love, life and politics under the GDR regime.

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Book SynopsisIntroduced by Claire-Louise Bennett, experience one new mother's psychological journey in this lost 1930 foremother of Sylvia Plath''s The Bell Jar.''Astonishing and moving. A pretty amazing book.'' Tessa Hadley''Extraordinary. A fascinating and unexpected delight.'' Lucy Ellmann''Haunting and evocative, this is a timeless portrayal of madness.'' Catherine Cho''A startling, luminous and magnetic novel about the complexity of motherhood.'' Yiyun Li''With its deep musicality, Coleman''s unforgettable voice was years ahead of its time.'' Sinéad Gleeson''The most famous unknown of the century.'' Djuna Barnes, author of NightwoodThe only thing to do is to put hammers in the porridge and when there are enough hammers we shall break down the windows and all of us shall dance in the snow. Some days, Marthe Gail believes she is God; others, Jesus Christ. Her baby,

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Book Synopsis1772: Althought George III reigns over a peaceful England, his colonies in the Americas are claiming independence and a tide of revolutionary fervour is gripping France.Allen Morland and his beloved wife Jemimas work unstintingly to bring Morland Palace back to its former glory. Their seven children often bring them heartache, but they are sustained by their love of each other.The Mordland adventurer, Charles, emingrates to Maryland in persuit of the heiress Eugenie, but finds himself in the midst of the American claim for indepdence. Meanwhile, Henry, the family''s bastard offshoot, pursues pleasure relentlessly but pennilessly until he finds a niche for himself in the fashionable Parisian salons, whilst outside revolution creeps closer...

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Book SynopsisWould you risk everything for the man you loved? Even if you knew he''d done something terrible?Lara''s life looks perfect on the surface. Gorgeous doting husband Massimo, sweet little son Sandro and the perfect home. Lara knows something about Massimo. Something she can''t tell anyone else or everything he has worked so hard for will be destroyed: his job, their reputation, their son. This secret is keeping Lara a prisoner in her marriage.Maggie is married to Massimo''s brother Nico and lives with him and her troubled stepdaughter. She knows all of Nico''s darkest secrets - or so she thinks. Then one day she discovers a letter in the attic which reveals a shocking secret about Nico''s first wife. Will Maggie set the record straight or keep silent to protect those she loves?For a family held together by lies, the truth will come at a devastating price.A heart-wrenching, emotionally gripping read for fans of

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Book SynopsisSoames Forsyte has built a good life for himself with his second wife Annette. And he has a new focus and purpose; his beautiful, beloved daughter Fleur. But the sins of the father come flooding back to cast a shadow over his child''s future. When Fleur, a vibrant and impetuous young woman, catches the eye of warm-hearted and idealistic Jon Forsyte at a chance meeting, it seems fate is determined to torture them all with the hurts of the past...Trade ReviewPraise for THE FORSYTE SAGA: 'An immortal achievement...it is, at all levels, readability itself * Financial Times *Just because they were set in a world of frock-coats and ornate drawing rooms, we should not be blind to their modern dilemmas... the satire is sharp, the dialogue, elegant and witty, and the characterisation - dazzling * Scotsman *THE FORSYTE SAGA was such a cracking good story...compulsive, as well as very modern and outrageous * Sunday Times *Still a terrific read, a satisfying, long, absorbing family story...which knocks spots off its pale imitators * Susan Hill *The books I most wish I'd written * Penny Vincenzi *

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Book SynopsisWhen it''s in your blood, there''s no other way.THE LIFE by the ''undisputed queen of crime writing'' (Guardian) and Sunday Times No.1 bestseller Martina Cole is an unflinching novel that exposes a world that many would rather ignore...The Baileys are born into the Life.Brothers Daniel and Peter rule London''s East End with threats and violence. Only a fool would cross them, but there are always those in the shadows who will try.And when their enemies strike, every Bailey pays the price. But none more so than Daniel''s only daughter, Tania. The Life is in her blood, and now it''s her weapon for revenge.For more novels that will take you deep into the dark and dangerous criminal underworld, check out Martina Cole''s THE GRAFT, THE BUSINESS and REVENGETrade Review'We always get excited when a Martina Cole novel drops on our desk, and she continues to maintain her reputation as one of the best fiction authors around with this gritty and unforgettable story of a family immersed in a world of violence and revenge. Spectacular' 5 ***** Closer

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Book SynopsisFeverishly energetic and playfully creepy, an unforgettable debut that hurtles through the ghostly secrets of Vietnamese historyTrade Review'A fantastic debut... A wonderfully ambitious novel about death, snakes and female revenge...recounted with a rich, hypnotic lyricism.' The Sunday Times'Loved this epic book – beautiful, brilliant, powerful, and shivery-back-of-the-neck terrifying.' Madeline Miller, author of Circe'Violet Kupersmith’s Build Your House Around My Body weaves together Vietnamese folklore and ghosts into a visceral and brilliant read.' Stylist'Fiction as daring and accomplished as Violet Kupersmith's first novel reignites my love of the form and its kaleidoscopic possibilities.' David Mitchell, author of Cloud Atlas 'I am loving Build Your House Around My Body… it's really difficult to believe this is a debut novel.' Jen Campbell, author of The Beginning of the World in the Middle of the Night'Build Your House Around My Body is such an innovative, brilliant, haunting and compelling read.' Nguyen Phan Que Mai, author of The Mountains Sing'A book a bit like the creatures within. It has fangs and claws. It horrifies and charms. It is the sort of book you force on your friends, just so you can talk to them about it.' Rowan Hisayo Buchanan, author of Starling Days'A marvellous, confounding debut that moves from eerie Vietnamese forests to rundown zoos and crowded nightclubs… A hugely impressive debut.' Guardian'A labyrinthine, shape-shifting novel, deep in magical realism territory.’ New Internationalist'Creepy, exciting, moving, insanely funny: a sweat-soaked reading delight... An absolute triumph of storytelling.' Nick Bradley, author of The Cat and the City'Intricately plotted, flamboyantly original... By turns steamy, grisly, comic, horrific, and touching. This literally haunting tale will stay with you long after the last page is turned.' Valerie Martin, author of Property 'Dazzling... I had the sense that Violet Kupersmith’s eerie and electric debut novel was spreading beyond the bounds of the page and seeping into my life... A thrilling read, acrobatic and filled with verve.' New York Times'What a joy to return to the numinously spooky world of [Violet] Kupersmith and find the ghosts of history and family still haunting her pages... Gorgeous, completely original, and quite disturbing, usually all three at the same time.' Karen Joy Fowler, New York Times-bestselling author of Booth

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Book Synopsis**Read the addictive bestseller now a major Amazon Prime TV series starring Nicole Kidman, Melissa McCarthy, Regina Hall, Manny Jacinto, Bobby Cannavale and Luke Evans** PERFECT LIVES OR PERFECT LIES? THE UNPUTDOWNABLE SUNDAY TIMES NO. 1 BESTSELLER AND RICHARD & JUDY BOOK CLUB PICK, FROM THE AUTHOR OF HBO''S AWARD WINNING BIG LITTLE LIES''A super-suspenseful page-turner'' Mail on Sunday_____________Nine perfect strangers, each hiding an imperfect life.A luxury retreat cut off from the outside world.Ten days that promise to change your life.But some promises - like some lives - are perfect lies . . .__________''Fantastic'' Times''The twist blew my mind'' Marian Keyes''The suspense keeps building in an enjoyably zany thriller'' Guardian''Original, suspenseful, downright brilliant'' Clare Mackintosh''One oTrade ReviewAstutely observed, pacey fiction. The characters and observations are acute - and often a hoot. Nicole Kidman has already bought the film rights * Sunday Times *Original, suspenseful and laugh-out-loud funny. Nine Perfect Strangers is downright brilliant -- Clare MackintoshUtter brilliance, with a twist halfway through that blew my mind -- Marian KeyesThe suspense keeps building in an enjoyably zany thriller * Guardian, Best Summer Reads *Another page-turning belter of a book . . . with wit, charm, emotion, drama and mystery aplenty, this is an absolute must * Heat *This wonderful novel had me utterly hooked * Daily Mail *A fantastic piece of entertainment . . . Read this witty and fast-moving novel now, before the inevitable TV series * The Times *I've discovered the brilliant Liane Moriarty and couldn't be happier. Her books really are the definition of unputdownable -- Nina StibbeWhat a joy it is. I've never read Liane Moriarty before . . . I don't know what I was thinking. Brilliantly entertaining, tightly plotted. You're in for loads of fun -- Sam Baker * The Pool *From the delicious imagination of Big Little Lies' Liane Moriarty, Nine Perfect Strangers is the razor-sharp thriller of the autumn . . . Moriarty lands a very contemporary tale that bristles with her unmistakable brilliance -- WaterstonesNo one currently writes about the minutiae of women's lives with quite as much insight and pull as Moriarty and, once again, her slow-burn plotting leaves you gasping at the end of the tale. I am jealous of anyone who hasn't read this yet * Grazia *One of the best books of 2018 * Cosmopolitan *A hugely enjoyable read: a warm and wise take on fractured lives, full of sharp observations about the frailty of human nature * Sunday Express *Not so much a psychological thriller as a psychological comedy . . . wit and insight abound * Sunday Times Crime Club *Another sure-fire hit . . . Funny yet full of drama, this is a must-read * Fabulous *A super-suspenseful page-turner * Mail on Sunday *Funny, captivating and well-observed * Good Housekeeping *The pleasure here is the skill with which Moriarty inhabits her characters, as she carefully builds the suspense * Guardian *The hard-to-put-down psychological thriller will keep you guessing * Evening Standard *A really enjoyable thriller * Stylist *Moriarty has an entertainingly keen eye for the absurdities of modern life. She is also as adept at writing laugh-out-loud scenes as tugging on the reader's heartstrings. You'll plough through Nine Perfect Strangers like a warm knife through butter * Daily Express *Liane Moriarty serves up laughs, thrills and surprises * Mail Online UK *A witty and poignant novel - Moriarty's storytelling is worth every penny * People *Fantastic * Best *Tightly-plotted, impossibly twisty and wickedly funny, the latest page-turner from the creator of Big Little Lies serves up another wildly entertaining ride * Waterstones *Liane Moriarty's latest novel is a hoot * Daily Mail *I absolutely devoured this book. Moriarty's main strength lies not (just) in the absolute compelling need to know how the story will end but in the perfectly crafted characters and a mix of humour with social observation. One of the best writers around -- Jenny BlackhurstA psychological thriller that takes place at a wellness retreat. It's gripping and hilarious and perfect for the plane, mostly because you'll never put it down * Allure *A brilliant book * The Sun *Moriarty struck gold with Big Little Lies and roars back with Nine Perfect Strangers * Balance *Moriarty is as adept at comedy as tugging on heartstrings * Daily Express *This wonderful novel had me utterly hooked. Hilarious reading at first, but then the tone becomes darker and more dangerous . . . * Mail Online *Moriarty expertly crafts each of the nine guests' backstories in this tense thriller * Woman *A suspenseful novel that makes you laugh out loud. Brilliantly drawn characters make this a compelling read * Clare Mackintosh, Good Housekeeping *If you're in the market for a feverish page-turner give this thriller a whirl . . . [Moriarty] knows precisely how to weave a tantalising tissue of suspense, guaranteed to have the obsessed reader glued to every page * Vanessa Feltz, Best *The Hot List * Inside Soap *The scene is set for a great unravelling. People running from their pasts, presents and futures - what more could one ask for? * Connaught Telegraph *Skilful. Witty and fast-paced * The Week *Great fun * People *An insightful, twisty thriller set in a luxury retreat cut off from the outside world * Eastern Daily Press *Praise for Liane Moriarty * - *Wise, honest, beautifully observed. One of the few writers I'll drop anything forStaggeringly brilliant, literally unputdownableLike drinking a pink cosmo laced with arsenic . . . a fun, engaging and sometimes disturbing read * USA Today *Keeps you guessing until the very end - perfect summer readMoriarty writes vividly, wittily and wickedly * Sunday Express *Straight-from-life characters, knife-sharp insight and almost unbearable suspense will have you racing through it * Good Housekeeping *As brilliantly accomplished as it is dark, twisty and compulsive * Heat *Riveting drama packed with suspense and secrets * Woman & Home *Perfect * Hello! *A hell of a good book. Funny and scaryFascinating and compassionate * Daily Telegraph *I loved every line of itFunny and captivating * Closer *A cracking story cleverly told * Fabulous *Every single one of her books is a great read * E! Online *An ideal summer read * Live Preston & Fylde *Book Club Summer 2019 Pick * Silversurfers *

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Book Synopsis**Read the addictive bestseller now a major Amazon Prime TV series starring Nicole Kidman, Melissa McCarthy, Regina Hall, Manny Jacinto, Bobby Cannavale and Luke Evans**PERFECT LIVES OR PERFECT LIES? THE UNPUTDOWNABLE SUNDAY TIMES NO. 1 BESTSELLER AND RICHARD & JUDY BOOK CLUB PICK, FROM THE AUTHOR OF HBO''S AWARD WINNING BIG LITTLE LIES''A super-suspenseful page-turner'' Mail on Sunday_____________Nine perfect strangers, each hiding an imperfect life.A luxury retreat cut off from the outside world.Ten days that promise to change your life.But some promises - like some lives - are perfect lies . . .*APPLES NEVER FALL, the new novel from Liane Moriarty, is available for pre-order now*__________''Fantastic'' Times''The twist blew my mind'' Marian Keyes''The suspense keeps building in an enjoyably zany thriller'' GTrade ReviewAstutely observed, pacey fiction. The characters and observations are acute - and often a hoot. Nicole Kidman has already bought the film rights * Sunday Times *Original, suspenseful and laugh-out-loud funny. Nine Perfect Strangers is downright brilliantUtter brilliance, with a twist halfway through that blew my mindThe suspense keeps building in an enjoyably zany thriller * Guardian, Best Summer Reads *Another page-turning belter of a book . . . with wit, charm, emotion, drama and mystery aplenty, this is an absolute must * Heat *This wonderful novel had me utterly hooked * Daily Mail *A fantastic piece of entertainment . . . Read this witty and fast-moving novel now, before the inevitable TV series * The Times *I've discovered the brilliant Liane Moriarty and couldn't be happier. Her books really are the definition of unputdownableWhat a joy it is. I've never read Liane Moriarty before . . . I don't know what I was thinking. Brilliantly entertaining, tightly plotted. You're in for loads of fun * The Pool *From the delicious imagination of Big Little Lies' Liane Moriarty, Nine Perfect Strangers is the razor-sharp thriller of the autumn . . . Moriarty lands a very contemporary tale that bristles with her unmistakable brillianceNo one currently writes about the minutiae of women's lives with quite as much insight and pull as Moriarty and, once again, her slow-burn plotting leaves you gasping at the end of the tale. I am jealous of anyone who hasn't read this yet * Grazia *One of the best books of 2018 * Cosmopolitan *A hugely enjoyable read: a warm and wise take on fractured lives, full of sharp observations about the frailty of human nature * Sunday Express *Not so much a psychological thriller as a psychological comedy . . . wit and insight abound * Sunday Times Crime Club *Another sure-fire hit . . . Funny yet full of drama, this is a must-read * Fabulous *A super-suspenseful page-turner * Mail on Sunday *Funny, captivating and well-observed * Good Housekeeping *The pleasure here is the skill with which Moriarty inhabits her characters, as she carefully builds the suspense * Guardian *The hard-to-put-down psychological thriller will keep you guessing * Evening Standard *A really enjoyable thriller * Stylist *Moriarty has an entertainingly keen eye for the absurdities of modern life. She is also as adept at writing laugh-out-loud scenes as tugging on the reader's heartstrings. You'll plough through Nine Perfect Strangers like a warm knife through butter * Daily Express *Liane Moriarty serves up laughs, thrills and surprises * Mail Online UK *A witty and poignant novel - Moriarty's storytelling is worth every penny * People *Fantastic * Best *Tightly-plotted, impossibly twisty and wickedly funny, the latest page-turner from the creator of Big Little Lies serves up another wildly entertaining ride * Waterstones *Liane Moriarty's latest novel is a hoot * Daily Mail *I absolutely devoured this book. Moriarty's main strength lies not (just) in the absolute compelling need to know how the story will end but in the perfectly crafted characters and a mix of humour with social observation. One of the best writers aroundA psychological thriller that takes place at a wellness retreat. It's gripping and hilarious and perfect for the plane, mostly because you'll never put it down * Allure *A brilliant book * The Sun *Moriarty struck gold with Big Little Lies and roars back with Nine Perfect Strangers * Balance *Moriarty is as adept at comedy as tugging on heartstrings * Daily Express *This wonderful novel had me utterly hooked. Hilarious reading at first, but then the tone becomes darker and more dangerous . . . * Mail Online *Moriarty expertly crafts each of the nine guests' backstories in this tense thriller * Woman *A suspenseful novel that makes you laugh out loud. Brilliantly drawn characters make this a compelling read * Clare Mackintosh, Good Housekeeping *If you're in the market for a feverish page-turner give this thriller a whirl . . . [Moriarty] knows precisely how to weave a tantalising tissue of suspense, guaranteed to have the obsessed reader glued to every page * Vanessa Feltz, Best *The Hot List * Inside Soap *The scene is set for a great unravelling. People running from their pasts, presents and futures - what more could one ask for? * Connaught Telegraph *Skilful. Witty and fast-paced * The Week *Great fun * People *An insightful, twisty thriller set in a luxury retreat cut off from the outside world * Eastern Daily Press *Praise for Liane Moriarty * - *Wise, honest, beautifully observed. One of the few writers I'll drop anything forStaggeringly brilliant, literally unputdownableLike drinking a pink cosmo laced with arsenic . . . a fun, engaging and sometimes disturbing read * USA Today *Keeps you guessing until the very end - perfect summer readMoriarty writes vividly, wittily and wickedly * Sunday Express *Straight-from-life characters, knife-sharp insight and almost unbearable suspense will have you racing through it * Good Housekeeping *As brilliantly accomplished as it is dark, twisty and compulsive * Heat *Riveting drama packed with suspense and secrets * Woman & Home *Perfect * Hello! *A hell of a good book. Funny and scaryFascinating and compassionate * Daily Telegraph *I loved every line of itFunny and captivating * Closer *A cracking story cleverly told * Fabulous *Every single one of her books is a great read * E! Online *An ideal summer read * Live Preston & Fylde *Book Club Summer 2019 Pick * Silversurfers *

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Book SynopsisShe couldn''t wait to get to the party. But she never made it home . . . THE GRIPPING NEW THRILLER PERFECT FOR FANS OF CLAIRE DOUGLAS''Malin Stehn''s drama rakes red-hot embers from the ashes'' THE TIMES ''BEST NEW THRILLERS FOR DECEMBER 2022''''Pacy, atmospheric and extremely thrilling'' WILL DEAN, author of THE LAST THING TO BURN''A riveting Scandi thriller, depicting every family''s worst nightmare in exquisite detail'' AMY McCULLOCH''There are twists I would truly not predict . . . I was gripped from start to finish'' 5* Reader Review''Nordic noir via American Beauty with a dash of Big Little Lies'' APPLE BOOKS''A tense, slow-burn thriller . . . a great read'' CATHERINE COOPER, author of THE CHALET_________As midnight approaches, old friends the Wiksells and the Anderssons raise their glasses in celebration.Across town, their teenage children host their own party, finally free to let loose.But the next morning, seventeen-year-old Jennifer Wiksell is missing.The hours tick by.The police get involved.And no one knows who to trust.Because these two families have a lot to hide.And some will do anything to keep the truth from getting out . . . _________''A riveting Scandi thriller, depicting every family''s worst nightmare in exquisite detail'' AMY McCULLOCH, author of BREATHLESS''Wintry, Scandi, twisty and compelling. What''s not to love?'' JANE FALLON, author of JUST. GOT. REAL.''A lot of twists and turns which I didn''t see coming'' 5* Reader Review ''Tremendously immersive . . . pure reading bliss'' M-magasin''Impossible to part with until the final page'' 5* Reader ReviewTrade ReviewA dark, compelling missing person story set in the depths of a Swedish winter. Fans of Shari Lapena will DEVOUR this. Pacy, atmospheric and extremely thrilling. -- Will Dean, author of The Last Thing to BurnA tense, slow-burn thriller looking at families and friendships and how they change over time. Believable characters and some surprising twists, a great read -- Sunday Times bestselling author Catherine CooperA riveting Scandi thriller, depicting every family's worst nightmare in exquisite detail. The clever characterisation keeps you guessing at every turn - I can't wait to read what Malin Stehn writes next -- Amy McCulloch, author of Breathless Nordic noir via American Beauty with a dash of Big Little Lies * Apple Books *Wintry, Scandi, twisty and compelling. What's not to love? -- Jane Fallon, Sunday Times bestselling authorThere are many secrets and lies . . . Malin Stehn's drama rakes red-hot embers from the ashes * The Times, 'BEST NEW THRILLERS FOR DECEMBER 2022' *A riveting thriller. A pacy and compelling story, wonderfully plotted, with the added bite of a Scandinavian winter. Loved it. -- Emily Freud, author of What She left BehindA smart page-turner that is impossible to put down. Ordinary people like you and me find themselves in the ultimate nightmare, which could become anyone's reality. The story gets under your skin, leaving you defenceless -- Mattias Edvardsson, author of A Nearly Normal FamilyOne to Watch * Bookseller *I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Twisty and tense with characters I thought about long after reading -- N.A. Cooper, author of Ripple EffectAn enthralling story delving into every parents worst nightmare. I was utterly absorbed until the final, thrilling pages -- Carys Jones, author of She Had It ComingTremendously immersive (...) What starts off as titillating becomes ever more thrilling as Stehn skillfully reveals one family secret after another. This is pure reading bliss for fans of domestic suspense and the books of Liane Moriarty * M-magasin *A fantastic debut, a fascinating suspense novel. (...) I would be delighted to return to Malin Stehn in the future * Deckardårarna *A new suspense novel that draws me in * Smålandsposten *I was very close to taking the day off last minute - that's how hooked I was by Malin Stehn's debut novel. (...) The hours tick by. And the closer the clock ticks toward midnight, the more the sense of control begins to crack. Things that should never be said are spoken aloud. Thoughts that never should have crossed your mind, do. And, above all, actions are taken that you can never undo. [Stehn]'s craft is brilliant * Blekinge Läns Tidning *This is the real deal . . . an incredibly well-written, clever and brilliantly composed debut that leaves me wanting more * Norra Skåne *Page turner is an overused word by now, but sometimes it covers everything . . . an incredibly clever and well written suspense novel. * Allehanda *A splendid debut in the genre * Norran *If you haven't already read Happy New Year by Malin Stehn, do so immediately * Barometern *Malin Stehn skillfully depicts superficial friendships, the perfect life and marriage as portrayed on social media vs the secrets that are hidden beneath the surface. Through the points of view of three distinct characters - their thoughts, doubts and guilt - the story creeps closer to a harrowing reveal * Aftonbladet *A searing Scandi thriller * Sunday Post *

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Book SynopsisA heart-warming and emotional saga perfect for the coronation, perfect for fans of Nancy Revell, Rosie Goodwin and Vicky Beeby''This joyful saga is the perfect read to get you in the Coronation spirit!'' MY WEEKLY ''Entirely charming and utterly joyful'' TRISHA ASHLEY ____________ Spring, 1953. The sun is shining on Little Green Street, the bunting is being brought out, and Britain is getting ready to crown its new Queen. For Helen Jones, whose father died on the same day as the old king, the coronation might just represent a fresh start. Her husband Tad, organiser of the local street party, is determined to put a smile back on her face. Whereas for Emlyn Hughes, who has secretly admired beautiful single mother Nancy for years, the sudden festive spirit might just be the prompt he needs to finally confess his feelings. As the cakes are baked and the national anthem is rehearsed, the street is fTrade ReviewEntirely charming and utterly joyful - a wonderful book -- Trisha AshleyThis joyful saga is the perfect read to get you in the Coronation spirit! * My Weekly *

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Book SynopsisKEEP YOUR FAMILY SAFE.WHATEVER THE COST...Jamie and Victoria are expecting their first baby.With a few weeks to go, they head off for a final weekend break in a remote part of the North Pennines. The small and peaceful guesthouse is the ideal location to unwind together before becoming parents. Upon arrival, they are greeted by Barry and Fiona, the older couple who run the guesthouse. They cook them dinner and show them to their room before retreating to bed themselves.The next morning, Jamie and Victoria wake to find the house deserted. Barry and Fiona are nowhere to be seen. All the doors are locked. Both their mobile phones and car keys have disappeared. Even though it''s a few weeks early, Victoria knows the contractions are starting.The baby is coming, and there''s no way out.Trade ReviewDeliciously dark and creepy, The Guest House is an original and very clever thriller that completely hoodwinked me with its well crafted and twisty plot. So unpredictable and gripping. I couldn't put it down * Claire Douglas *A gripping, must-read, tightly plotted thriller with dizzying twists and turns that will keep you on your toes * John Marrs, author of KEEP IT IN THE FAMILY *A tense thriller with a killer twist! Morgan-Bentley has hit on a chilling scenario that kept me rapt and tearing through the pages. His writing is vivid and utterly engaging with shrewd character observations that really brought Victoria and Jamie's nightmare to life. The dual timelines ramped up the tension and intrigue, gradually revealing what had actually happened and setting the scene for a killer twist. Highly recommended! * KL Slater, author of THE EVIDENCE *I absolutely loved it - such a page-turner with the most excellent plot twist at the very end. * Leah Hazard, author of HARD PUSHED *Morgan-Bentley is becoming a master of the reader's comment of... "I didn't see that coming!!" A most unexpected twist at the end! I found myself thinking, I know it's late but I can't leave it here, I need to know more * Joy Ellis, author of the DI NIKKI GALENA SERIES *Creepy and compelling from the off, it's an immersive read with a terrific twist. I raced through it! * Teresa Driscoll, author of HER PERFECT FAMILY *You'll never guess where this twisty chiller of a book is going * Claire McGowan, author of I KNOW YOU *The Guest House starts with a chilling premise that only gets more intense with every turn of the page. You won't know where Morgan-Bentley is taking you, but you will want to hang on for the ride * Joshua Moehling, author of AND THERE HE KEPT HER *Ferocious and irresistible, THE GUEST HOUSE is a compelling story that explores just how much a parent is willing to sacrifice for their child. Morgan-Bentley is a master of the curveball, hitting us with thrill after thrill that this reader definitely did not see coming. The cherry on top was the blood-freezing epilogue. I'll be thinking about it for weeks! * Stephanie Wrobel, author of DARLING ROSE GOLD *I loved this twisty and terrifying thriller. The sense of unfolding horror is utterly irresistible - it had me hooked from the very first page. I gobbled it up! * Katherine Faulkner *Utterly Intriguing, page-turning and impossible to second guess * Rosamund Lupton *A bone-chilling premise about every parent's nightmare, which fully delivers with every twist and turn. Robin masterfully reels the reader in from the first chapter and doesn't let go until that haunting last line. Get ready to bite your nails to the beds as the tension racks up! * Jack Jordan, author of DO NO HARM *

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Book Synopsis''Real sagas with female characters right at the heart'' Woman''s HourIf you love Dilly Court and Rosie Goodwin, you''ll LOVE Glenda Young''s ''amazing novels!'' (ITV''s This Morning presenter Sharon Marshall)''In the world of historical saga writers, there''s a brand new voice'' My WeeklyWhat readers are saying about Glenda''s dramatically powerful saga of secrets, friendship, motherhood, love and betrayal:''What a gripping writer, pure passion for her world on every page'' 5* reader review''You are totally transplanted into the life or our heroine. Wonderful characters and evocative descriptions'' 5* reader review''Unique, captivating . . . will definitely pull at everyone''s heartstrings'' 5* reader review......................................''She''s not worth more than tuppence, that child!'' Those ar

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Book SynopsisTwo men. Twenty years of friendship. One love.''Lovely, funny, kind and truthful . . . I was expecting a simple will-they-won''t-they, but it''s wiser than that . . . challenging who we are, and why, and how we can change'' Russell T. Davies''A great eye-opening and heart-warming read'' Fabulous''A rich, funny, poignant and unflinchingly honest portrayal of friendship, love and everything in between'' Ruth Hogan---2002Danny arrives at Manchester University determined not to hide from the world any longer. This is the year his life will begin. He locks eyes with a handsome stranger across the hall at the Freshers'' Fair. It starts with a wink and soon Danny and Guy are best friends. 2022Now, both single for the first time in years, Danny and Guy return to the confetti-covered streets of the Gay Village for Manchester Pride.After years of shared adventures Trade ReviewRich, poignant, funny and unflinchingly honest . . . a glorious, heart-warming and thought-provoking read -- Ruth HoganA warm, nostalgic and intimate portrayal of the complexities of friendship, and the changing face of being gay and staying strong in a world that's learning to accept us, but still doesn't always understand us -- Justin MyersSincere, moving and authentic . . . I loved, loved, loved this book -- Julietta HendersonA triumph. Brave and honest, beautiful and funny . . . I learned so much from reading this. I loved the relationship between Danny and Guy and all its complications -- Alexandra PotterOne Love is an epic tale of love and friendship, packed with warmth, wit and wisdom . . . an absolute joy to read -- Laura PearsonWhat a wonderful book . . . a heartwarming, nostalgia-inducing tale of friendship and love that puts a huge smile on your face -- Laura PriceUnfolding over a twenty-year period and bookended by two Gay Pride events in Manchester . . . the result is touching, funny, poignant and brilliant -- Mary GabrielA beautiful, deeply human exploration of the blurred lines between love and friendship that exist in the queer community, with a tender understanding that the most important love of all can be the love and forgiveness we hold for ourselves -- Steven RowleyA fresh, heart-warming spin on the gay romcom which explores love beyond the best friend/boyfriend binary. I loved it -- Paul BurstonUtterly absorbing and affecting. Matt Cain is one of the most entertaining and illuminating writers out there -- Bryony GordonMore than its incredible characterisation, One Love is a heart-warming study of love, friendship and growing up * My Weekly *If you're looking for something uplifting to kick off your reading list in 2024, this might just be the one for you . . . absorbing, moving and poignant, this is a story of friendship and love that you won't to miss * Glamour *This gay love story pulls hard on the heart strings * Sunday Post *Compassionate, funny, insightful -- Lorraine KellyPraise for Matt Cain: A bucket of joy * Glamour *A big warm hug of a novel * Heat *Written with such a good heart, filled with joy and strength and optimism -- Russell T. DaviesI ADORED this book, it's so uplifting, original and funny * Daily Mail *Will put a smile on everyone's face -- Michael BallUtterly joyful - you will smile your way through this * Sun *Brilliant . . . [I] recommend to all! -- Matt LucasA total triumph. Romantic and heartbreaking and uplifting all at once -- Laura KayThe uplifting book we all need to read right now * Bella *

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Book SynopsisThe third in a delightful new series from bestselling author Gervase Phinn, set in a village at the top of the Yorkshire Dales, and following on from his acclaimed Dales and Little Village School series.Trade ReviewPRAISE FOR GERVASE PHINN:Good old-fashioned yarn-spinning * The Bookbag *Packed with delightful and authentic characters, juicy gossip, precarious romance and good old-fashioned village drama, this is a warm-hearted and hilarious account of a struggling school in a small community * Good Book Guide *As Yorkshire's favourite school inspector turns to fiction, you can enjoy memorable characters and turns of phrase * Choice *Written with all the humour and warmth one has come to expect from this master storyteller * Countryman *A worthy successor to James Herriot, and every bit as endearing * Alan Titchmarsh *

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Book SynopsisThe third and final novel in the delightful Top of the Dales series from bestselling author Gervase Phinn.''A worthy successor to James Herriot, and every bit as endearing.'' - Alan TitchmarshChange is afoot in the usually sleepy village of Risingdale. Gerald Gaunt, headmaster of the primary school for over thirty years, is retiring. It is the end of an era and Gerald hopes that his replacement will work with him to secure a bright, happy future for the school. But Mr Smart has his own ideas about how things should be run, and things start to become fraught very quickly. On top of this, the teachers have plenty of other dramas to contend with. Still dealing with a class of children who seem to understand agriculture better than arithmetic, Tom Dwyer is pining over Janette, his one-that-got-away. Meanwhile, his colleague Joyce Tranter''s new marital bliss is shattered by the arrival of her husband''s avaricious, scheming nephew. And elsewhere inTrade ReviewPRAISE FOR GERVASE PHINN:Good old-fashioned yarn-spinning * The Bookbag *Packed with delightful and authentic characters, juicy gossip, precarious romance and good old-fashioned village drama, this is a warm-hearted and hilarious account of a struggling school in a small community * Good Book Guide *As Yorkshire's favourite school inspector turns to fiction, you can enjoy memorable characters and turns of phrase * Choice *Written with all the humour and warmth one has come to expect from this master storyteller * Countryman *A worthy successor to James Herriot, and every bit as endearing * Alan Titchmarsh *

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Book SynopsisWith precise plotting underpinned by a wise understanding of human nature, George Eliot’s most autobiographical novel gives a wonderful evocation of rural life and the complicated relationship between siblings.Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition of The Mill on the Floss features an introduction by Professor Kathryn Hughes.Maggie Tulliver and her brother Tom enjoy a rural childhood on the banks of the river Floss. But the approach of adulthood creates tension: intelligent and fiery Maggie tests the boundaries of nineteenth-century society in her search for love, while Tom embraces convention and accepts his father’s desire for him to become a businessman. Increasingly self-righteous, Tom disapproves of his sister’s suitors and when he discovers that she took a fateful boat trip with Stephen Guest, her cousin’s fiancé, he turns his back on her. Maggie is ostracized by her beloved brother and her own community, and only through tragic events are the siblings reunited . . .Trade Review[Maggie’s] one of those great literary heroines whom bookish girls grow up wanting to be. Just like Anne of Green Gables or even Jane Eyre, Maggie captures exactly the dilemma of being the clever girl of the family * Guardian *As one comes back to [Eliot’s] books after years of absence they pour out, even against our expectations, the same store of energy and heat, so that we want more than anything to idle in the warmth -- Virginia Woolf

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Book SynopsisSet in the Yorkshire Dales during the 19th century, The Miner's Wife by Diane Allen is a sweeping historical saga novel.Nineteen-year-old Meg Oversby often dreams of a more exciting life than the dull existence she faces at her family’s farm deep in the Yorkshire Dales. Growing up, she’s always sensed her father’s disappointment at not having a son to help with the farm work. So when Meg dances all night at the local market hall with Sam Alderson, a lead miner from Swaledale, a new light enters her life. Sam and his brother Jack show Meg a side to life she didn’t know existed. But when her parents find out, she’s forbidden from ever seeing them again. Although where there is love, there is often a way. When Meg’s uncle offers her the chance of helping to run the small village shop, she leaps at the opportunity, seeing it as a way to escape the oppressive family farm and see more of her beloved Sam. But as love blossoms, a darker truth emerges and Meg realizes that Sam may not be the man she thought he was . . .Trade ReviewIf you are a lover of historical sagas and the sweep of the northern hills and their romance, then this novel is definitely for you * Historical Novel Society *An enthralling tale packed with emotion, drama and the harsh realities of life in nineteenth-century northern England * Lancashire Post *

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Book Synopsis'A chilling read’ Oyinkan Braithwaite, author of My Sister, The Serial Killer'Gripping . . . wonderfully written' Guardian'Beautifully written and frighteningly honest' Sunday ExpressA mother moves to Geneva with her husband and their two young children. In their newly rented apartment, she is surrounded by everything she could possibly need to create a perfect family home. Her husband’s job means he is almost never present, and her entire world is caring for her children – making sure they are happy and fed and comfortable.But things aren’t perfect. Rather, they are unravelling, because the loneliness, the lack of sleep and the demands of two little ones are getting to this mother. She has never been so isolated, and once the children are in bed, the apartment itself begins to feel like a threat . . .Kyra Wilder’s Little Bandaged Days is a beautifully written, painfully claustrophobic story about a woman’s descent into madness. Unpredictable, frighteningly compelling and brutally honest, it grapples with the harsh conditions of motherhood and this mother’s own identity, and as the novel continues, we begin to wonder just what exactly she might be driven to do.Trade ReviewGripping, composed, observant, wonderfully written and extravagantly cruel * Guardian *Wilder artfully cranks up the tension, so you don't quite know when you begin to hold your breath. A chilling read -- Oyinkan Braithwaite, author of My Sister, The Serial KillerBreathtaking . . . a compelling tale of a woman’s slide into madness, all while living what seems to be the perfect life. Part metaphor for modern life, part lament for the lost wildness of life, this novel demonstrates both writing chops and deeper themes. Wilder is a writer to watch -- Rene Denfeld, author of The Child FinderI found it horribly seductive and almost read it through my fingers with a level of recognition and dread. Any mother of young children will recognise the fringes of the feelings evoked by such clear pellucid prose and startling imagery. It's a fantastically visceral and vivid account of the onset of madness set against the backdrop of a polite, middle-class setting: the mundane refracted through the hallucinatory -- Lesley Glaister, author of Little EgyptBeautifully written and frighteningly honest, this feverish debut delivers a brave appraisal of a woman's spiral into madness * Sunday Express *

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Book Synopsis'I read this in a single night - superb' – Celia WaldenFrank, funny and poignant, Single Bald Female by Laura Price is a completely unforgettable story of love and friendship.'Life-affirming and uplifting' – Fabulous (The Sun)Jessica Jackson has hit all her personal milestones for turning thirty – the career, the loving boyfriend and a cosy London flat they share with their cat. But a shock diagnosis of breast cancer turns Jess’s world upside down, and her contented life implodes with it.Around her, her friends’ lives continue to follow the script, with the big white weddings and the baby scans. With her own future so uncertain, the only thing Jess is sure of is that she’s being left behind.But then she meets Annabel, an enigmatic twenty-seven year old with incurable cancer. While Annabel may not have long left, she understands much more about living than anyone Jess has ever met. And she’s determined to show Jess how to make every day count . . .Praise for Single Bald Female:'Witty yet devastating' – ES magazine'Moving and beautiful' – Emma Gannon'I laughed and wept. It’s an extraordinary novel and one everyone should read' – Alexandra Potter'Witty and charming characters, twists and turns, and quietly devastating moments' – Justin Myers, author of The Last Romeo'Life affirming' – Kris Hallenga, Sunday Times bestselling author and founder of CoppaFeel!'Whether you've experienced cancer, grief, the chaos of the contemporary dating scene or the agony of a modern hen weekend, every word of Single Bald Female rings true' – Lauren BravoTrade ReviewInspiring, candid and beautifully observed. Single Bald Female is an extraordinary, hugely moving story about the fight for survival. Life-affirming, tear-jerking and gorgeously written, I was sobbing at the end, and you will be too -- Hannah Tovey, bestselling author of The Education of Ivy EdwardsSingle Bald Female is a sparky, emotional, and heartwarming journey, with a vibrant lead character in Jess. It’s not just about cancer, but its ripple effect on romantic relationships, fickle friends, highs and lows, work dramas, and the myriad custard pies life throws your way that don't stop even for a second just because you're ill. An accomplished debut with witty and charming characters, twists and turns, and quietly devastating moments -- Justin Myers, The Guyliner A wonderful debut novel. A really touching story, comforting and warm story about friendship, support, life lessons and dealing with unexpected illness. Moving and beautiful -- Emma GannonI loved this book so much. Price is such a skilful writer – and whether you’ve experienced cancer, grief, the chaos of the contemporary dating scene or the agony of a modern hen weekend, every word of Single Bald Female rings true. Warm, funny, unflinchingly honest but ultimately life-affirming, it made me want to hug everyone I know -- Lauren BravoA triumph . . . Laura has taken what is for many our biggest nightmare, and turned it into something uplifting, funny, heartwarming and real. I laughed and wept. It’s an extraordinary novel and one everyone should read -- Alexandra Potter, author of Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k UpA warm and beautiful novel, heartbreaking yet uplifting, honest and funny with realistic characters that leap from the page. Laura has written a remarkable and moving debut. I loved it -- Jenny QuintanaTender, funny and insightful . . . at times heartbreaking but always infused with an appreciation of life that makes it so special. So good on friendship, love and the things that make our fragile lives worth living -- Rebecca Ley, author of For When I'm GoneVibrant, witty and poignant, the narrative zips along as protagonist Jess navigates the thorny parts of life, work and love, all while undergoing treatment for breast cancer. Pick it up if you like zingy women’s fiction with tenderness at its heart. I loved it -- Lizzie Pook, author of Moonlight and the Pearler’s DaughterA smart, funny, uplifting story about friendship, love and the unexpected twists life can take. Laura Price writes about difficult subjects with the lightest of touches, and managed to make me laugh and sob in the same sentence. This is a beautiful novel you’ll want to talk to all your friends about -- Freya Sampson, bestselling author of The Last LibraryI was so invested in these characters. Life-affirming -- Kris Hallenga

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Book SynopsisSimon Serrailler finds himself in devastating new territory as a sophisticated drugs' network sets its sights on Lafferton and the surrounding villagesDCS Simon Serrailler has long regarded drugs ops in the Lafferton area as a waste of time. Small-time dealers are picked up outside the local secondary school, they're given a fine or a suspended and away they go. And rinse and repeat. But when the body of a young drug addict is found in neighbouring Starly, the case pulls Simon into a whole new way of running drugs. The foot soldiers? Vulnerable local kids like Brookie and Olivia, who will give Simon a bitter taste of this new landscape.It is a harsh winter at home as well as work. Simon's GP sister Cat and her husband Kieron are struggling with medical dramas big and small. A trip to Bevham General on her rounds sets off alarm bells for Dr Cat, and a visit from her son Sam as he tries to work out if his midwifery course is right for him coincides with a threat to their beloved family dog. Simon is working hard, but he's restless, wondering what next. There's nothing new going on for him in Lafferton, but sometimes the familiar holds surprises, too . . .Trade ReviewHill's Serailler novels are as addictive as Rankin's * Scotsman (Praise for the Serrailler series) *Modern crime writing with a dark fierce edge * Daily Mail (Praise for the Serrailler series) *Nothing's quite as it seems, except for Hill's brilliantly compelling prose * Daily Mirror (Praise for the Serrailler series) *All the ingredients for the perfect English crime novel are here * Daily Mail (Praise for the Serrailler series) *There are some harrowing moments in this unsparing novel, which shows how easily vulnerable youngsters can be exploited * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisLONGLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTIONSHORTLISTED FOR THE WATERSTONES DEBUT FICTION PRIZE'A rhapsodic hymn to Black women' New York Times Book Review'Epic yet intimate' Cosmopolitan'Ferocious and compassionate' Irish TimesFAMILY CAN HOLD YOU TOGETHER. AND TEAR YOU APART.Joan was only a child the last time she visited Memphis. She doesn't remember the bustle of Beale Street or the smell of honeysuckle as she climbs the porch steps to her aunt's house. But when the front door opens, she does remember her cousin Derek. As Joan learns more about her family's past she discovers she's not the only North woman to have experienced great hurt. But she also sees their resilience and courage, how these extraordinary women fry green tomatoes and braid hair and sing all the while.Joan can't change the past, but she can change her future. It's time to find her own song to sing.**** READERS LOVE MEMPHIS ****'I couldn't put it down. You will fall in love with these women''One of the best books I've ever read''Utterly spellbinding''This book has my entire heart''It felt so real - I cried at their pain and smiled at their joy''Intricately plotted, wildly satisfying''Epic, in every sense of the word. It completely blew me away'Trade ReviewIf ever there was a novel that reflects how the past can shape us, and how we can change our own story, it is this stunning debut . . . this beautifully written, inspiring story is full of hope and memorable characters -- Books of the Year * Woman and Home *I fell in love with this book and its characters . . . I can't wait to read more from this author -- Books of the Year * Prima *Written with the grace of a poet, Memphis is as hopeful as it is heartbreaking. I fell in love with this family, from Joan's fierce heart to her grandmother Hazel's determined resilience. Tara Stringfellow will be an author to watch for years to come . . . A stellar debut * Jacqueline Woodson, bestselling author of Red at the Bone *In luminous, lyrical prose, Tara Stringfellow sings the song of the North women - and the North men - with wisdom, humor, and deep humanity. Memphis is an American epic, a tribute to life in all of its sorrow and joyful resilience * Chloe Benjamin, bestselling author of The Immortalists *An evocative, compelling tale . . . Tara M Stringfellow assembles an endearing and unforgettable cast of characters who find strength in vulnerability, safety in art, and liberation in telling the truth. This is a shining, splendid testimony in the vein of Gloria Naylor, Delores Phillips, Ayana Mathis, and Honorée Jeffers * Robert Jones, Jr., New York Times bestselling author of The Prophets *Memphis is at once a sprawling generational epic and an intimate character study . . . There is sorrow in these pages, but there is also joy and wit and warmth . . . incredibly satisfying [and] deeply affecting * Roxane Gay *A stunning debut, a deeply affecting portrait of familial bonds. Rich with indelible black women and Southern charm * Irenosen Okojie *Black American literature at its finest . . . a symphony of stories * Irish Independent *A rhapsodic hymn to Black women * The New York Times Book Review *Ferocious and compassionate . . . Stringfellow deftly weaves the voices of four vivid, formidable and funny women over three generations . . . Memphis reaches back to literary mothers and towards potential daughters, honouring the strength, creativity and resilience of Black women * Irish Times *I fell in love with this book by the end of the second paragraph. This story truly touched my soul. A talented new author who is definitely one to watch * Prima, Book of the Month *Charting the story of three generations of women from a family in Memphis, this debut delivers an epic yet intimate history of black womanhood - ideal for fans of The Vanishing Half and An American Marriage * Cosmo *If ever there was a novel that reflects how the past can shape us, and how we can change our story, it's this stunning debut . . . this beautifully told and inspiring story is full of hope * Woman and Home *An accomplished debut * Good Housekeeping *Engrossing . . . beautifully written prose, unforgettable characters, messages of sisterhood and community . . . The author shows tremendous insight into the effects of violence on Black women in America, told from a captivating Southern female perspective -- Best Books of 2022 * NPR *Richly impressionistic . . . Stringfellow demonstrates he erratic movements of history, the false starts and reversals and, yes, the moments of progress that are reflected in the haphazard march toward realizing King's vision for America * Washington Post *This vivid debut novel examines the tragedies, joys, and deep connections of one extraordinary Memphis family . . . A powerful family saga from a promising writer * Booklist *This poetic, multigenerational story is set in the ancestral Memphis home a mother and her daughters flee to to escape the father's violence. Spanning 70 years, and told through a variety of voices, this powerful debut novel encompasses race, class, and the legacy of trauma * Oprah Daily Most Anticipated *This beautifully written debut will transport, challenge and transfix you . . . The novel is an ode to the city and the Black women living there. There's a great sense of the women's enigma and enchantment, humour and fortitude * Adele Parks, Platinum Magazine *An incredible read * Bella *Stunning . . . a spectacular debut rich with Southern charm . . . a celebration of sisterhood and life * Voice Magazine *I love this book. I couldn't put it down. You will fall in love with these women who gather strength from one another's care amidst a world of heartbreak, racism, and violence. Filled with Fifties music, this book went straight to my heart -- Al Woodworth, Amazon Editor, Amazon Best Books of April 2002This book was stunning. The characters were vivid and alive, and the weaving between tales was thematic and effortless -- Avalon, Aberystwyth Waterstones booksellerA real celebration of Black women living in Memphis - deals with complex issues of race, class, love and loss in a beautiful way -- Helen, Waterstones EventsI loved these larger than life, exuberant female characters -- Clare, Farnham Waterstones booksellerThis book had me gripped from the start - incredibly moving! -- Emily, Newport Waterstones booksellerA superb book by an author who knows how to write brilliant characters -- Ben, Chichester Waterstones bookseller

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Book Synopsis'Move over Ferrante, there's a new Elena in town' IndependentA gripping novel about family, loss and secrets, from the author of TheTimes bestselling sensation Can You Hear Me?The boy is almost eighteen and has a loving family. He's polite and well-educated, quiet but always smiling.When word spreads that he has broken into and stolen from a neighbour's house, his parents and sisters can't believe it. Then the unthinkable happens: an attack that will rip through the town and his family for years to come.Just a Boy is a gripping, incisive novel about secrets, adolescence and how we can love someone - a child, a partner - without ever knowing their mind.Praise for The Times bestseller Can You Hear Me?'A novel of crime and darkness that eschews straightforward domestic noir' Guardian'Utterly gripped me from beginning to end' Victoria HislopTrade ReviewVarvello knowns how to construct a drama full of suspense, working towards revelation . . . a fascinating read -- Josephine Felton * Irish Examiner *Darkly eloquent and moving * Observer *Haunting and surreal, Elena Varvello's JUST A BOY is beautifully written, a gripping and masterful account of a troubled family's struggle in the aftermath of tragedy. Shifting effortlessly between past and present, Varvello creates an almost dreamlike atmosphere as she interweaves each character's story, drawing their connections ever tighter until it's impossible to look away. I loved this book -- Karen Dionne, author of the #1 internationally bestselling The Marsh King's DaughterA moving portrait of a grieving family painted by the utterly compelling talent of author Elena Varvello. JUST A BOY is a beauty of a novel in which the pain and alienation of a teenage boy goes unnoticed until it is too late to halt its gripping conclusion -- Kate Mayfield, author of The Parentations

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Book SynopsisNavsari, India. Penniless and trapped in a loveless marriage, Nirmala spends her days anxiously caring for her sick young son, Varun. Looming over Nirmala’s impoverished home is an imposing mansion built by her grandfather, and from its balcony her cruel aunt scorns them, refusing to help in any way. But when a mysterious letter addressed to her long-dead father arrives from Zimbabwe, it opens a door to a past Nirmala never knew existed and a future she never imagined possible. If the contents of the letter can be believed, not only does she have family in Africa, but they might also hold the answers to a family mystery that spans three generations. While travelling to Zimbabwe might lead to a brighter future for Nirmala and her son, it could also reignite the bitter family feud that condemned her family to poverty. Nirmala is ready to risk it all to uncover the truth, but how will she cope when this journey changes her life forever?Trade Review“Tailor’s debut is both evocative and intriguing.” —Booklist “The Secret of Elephants is a novel of beauty, wisdom, and discovery. Prepare to fall in love with Vasundra Tailor’s writing, I know I did…” —Amanda Prowse, international bestselling author of The Girl in the Corner

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE 2019 JCB PRIZE FOR LITERATURESHORTLISTED FOR THE 2019 DSC PRIZE FOR SOUTH ASIAN LITERATUREAn elegant, epic debut novel that follows one young woman's search for a lost figure from her childhood, a journey that takes her from Southern India to Kashmir and to the brink of a devastating political and personal reckoning.In the wake of her mother's death, Shalini, a privileged and restless young woman from Bangalore, sets out for a remote Himalayan village in the troubled northern region of Kashmir. Certain that the loss of her mother is somehow connected to the decade-old disappearance of Bashir Ahmed, a charming Kashmiri salesman who frequented her childhood home, she is determined to confront him. But upon her arrival, Shalini is brought face to face with Kashmir's politics, as well as the tangled history of the local family that takes her in. And when life in the village turns volatile and old hatreds threaten to erupt into violence, Shalini finds herself forced to make a series of choices that could hold dangerous repercussions for the very people she has come to love. With rare acumen and evocative prose, in The Far Field Madhuri Vijay masterfully examines Indian politics, class prejudice, and sexuality through the lens of an outsider, offering a profound meditation on grief, guilt and the limits of compassion.Cosmo's one of the best books by BAME writers to get excited about in 2019Longlisted for the 2019 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction Trade ReviewA courageous, insightful and and affecting debut novel - and the winner of the prestigious JCB Prize for Indian literature - which places a naive upper-class woman from southern India in the midst of far messier realities in Kashmir. Along the way, the story challenges Indian taboos ranging from sex to politics. * The Economist Books of the Year *Vijay's mastery of traditional narrative skills wouldn't be out of place in a classic 19th century novel...The Far Field is an impressive performance. It will be fascinating to see what Vijay does next. * Sunday Times *a powerful meditation on the chaos of good intentions...a masterful piece of fiction. -- Nikesh Shukla * Observer *The Far Field is an irresistible blend of moral subtlety and intellectual precision. Ingeniously conceived and elegantly written, it is a first novel of startling accomplishment. -- Pankaj MishraFor the vast majority of us, who hear of the troubles in Kashmir only as a faint strain in the general din of world tragedies, The Far Field offers something essential: a chance to glimpse the lives of distant people captured in prose gorgeous enough to make them indelible - and honest enough to make them real. * Washington Post *Shalini's quest to understand her mother's life makes for a remarkable story, and Vijay is likely to be a talent to watch. * Financial Times *Vijay probes grand themes - tribalism, despotism, betrayal, death, resurrection - in exquisite but unflowery prose, and with sincere sentiment but little sentimentality. * New Yorker *Vijay's descriptions of the mountains, the people and their everyday lives are beautiful, and that makes the hidden ugliness all the more disturbing; this is a seriously impressive debut. * The Times *Consuming... Vijay's command of storytelling is so supple that it's easy to discount the stealth with which she constructs her tale. * New York Times Book Review *Stunning....Vijay's remarkable debut novel is an engrossing narrative of individual angst played out against political turmoil. * Publishers Weekly *...deals with big questions - Indian politics, class, history and sexuality - through beautiful prose. * Huffington Post UK *Vijay intertwines her story's threads with dazzling skill. Dense, layered, impossible to pin - or put - down, her first novel is an engrossing tale of love and grief, politics and morality. Combining up-close character studies with finely plotted drama, this is a triumphant, transporting debut. * Booklist, *STARRED REVIEW* *Vivid...[THE FAR FIELD explores] complicated themes of parental fealty, identity, and religious schism...a striking debut. * Kirkus *I had to remind myself while reading The Far Field that this is the work of a debut novelist, and not a mid-career book by a master writer... Such is the power of Vijay's writing that I finished the book feeling like I'd lived it. Only the very best novels are experienced, as opposed to merely read, and this is one of those rare and brilliant novels. -- Ben FountainI am in awe of Madhuri Vijay. With poised and measured grace, The Far Field tells a story as immediate and urgent as life beyond the page. I will think of these characters - tender and complex, mysterious and flawed, remarkably real to me - for years to come, as though I have lived alongside them -- Anna NoyesThe Far Field is remarkable, a novel at once politically timely and morally timeless. Madhuri Vijay traces the fault lines of history, love, and obligation running through a fractured family and country. Few novels generate enough power to transform their characters, fewer still their readers. The Far Field does both. -- Anthony MarraAn impressive debut. -- Layla Haidrani * Cosmopolitan *

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Book SynopsisBenjamin and Dita Stern are seasoned New Yorkers whose life in the pre-war, Upper East Side building Benjamin’s grandfather built has settled into stasis—two children no longer at home, professional lives never fully realized. Then Benjamin's brash younger brother Spence, founder and CEO of the hearing aid company Belphonics, asks him to collaborate on a new product line inspired by the brothers' rock-and-roll youth at CBGB's—the club where, Spence believes, his hearing was permanently damaged. If the idea works, it might salvage Benjamin and Dita's tenuous financial position. Yet they both know that getting involved in Spence's schemes comes at a high price.A funny and deeply felt debut novel from poet and memoirist Jonathan Wells, The Sterns Are Listening explores a family on the verge of both collapse and regeneration. Brimming with affection for its troubled characters and the troubled city they call home, the novel traces a courageous path to the deeply uncomfortable heart of the matter, one that just might lead to redemption.

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Book Synopsis'Weird and wild and wonderfully unsettling... Dive in for just a moment and you'll emerge gasping and haunted' Celeste Ng, bestselling author of Little Fires Everywhere It's been sixteen years since Gretel last saw her mother, half a lifetime to forget her childhood on the canals. But a phone call will soon reunite them, and bring those wild years flooding back: the secret language that Gretel and her mother invented; the strange boy, Marcus, living on the boat that final winter; the creature said to be underwater, swimming ever closer. In the end there will be nothing for Gretel to do but to wade deeper into their past, where family secrets and aged prophesies will all come tragically alive again. 'As readable as it is dazzling, full of unsettling twists and dark revelations' Observer**SHORTLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE 2018**Trade ReviewDaisy Johnson is a new goddamn swaggering monster of fiction * Lauren Groff *Saturated in mythology and fairy tales, Everything Under is weird and wild and wonderfully unsettling. Daisy Johnson writes in a torrent of language as unrelenting and turbulent and dark as the river at the book’s heart; dive in for just a moment and you’ll emerge gasping and haunted -- Celeste NgThe kind of book that worms its way into your brain, leaving echoes of its story and world long after it is back on the shelf… beautifully creepy and affecting -- Rebecca Nicholson * Observer *A stunning debut novel. Blending a deep understanding of character and storytelling examination… the result reminds me of Iris Murdoch… Johnson’s affinity for the natural world is extraordinary -- Jeff VanderMeer * Guardian *Everything Under grabbed me from the first page and wouldn’t let me go. To read Daisy Johnson is to have that rare feeling of meeting an author you’ll read for the rest of your life. * Evie Wyld *Everything Under is a force of nature ... Like Iris Murdoch's 1954 novel Under the Net, Johnson's Man Booker Prize finalist is concerned with language, secrets and the damage wrought by what's left unsaid. -- Tobias Grey * New York Times Book Review *

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Book SynopsisFrom the prizewinning author of God's Own Country and A Natural comes a moving and intimate exploration of marriage, devotion and sacrifice, and a woman's enduring search for freedom.'One of our best novelists' Daily Mail'A superb achievement' Guardian'Moving...and beautiful' Irish TimesAnita is a talented sous-chef at a high-end London restaurant. At home, however, her husband Patrick is suffering from dementia and declining rapidly.As she is thrown between two conflicting worlds, Anita must make a decision: should she free them both by acting on his last plea for mercy, or should she remain faithful to the person Patrick used to be?It's a decision complicated by ambition and the guilt of her own past - and by her intensifying friendship with another man, Peter, and the temptation of a new life.Trade Review[A] beautifully observed heart-wringer... for me there was no better novel published in 2022. * Daily Mail, *Books of the Year* *There can be no doubt he's one of our best novelists...Dealing sensitively with love, ambition and duty - not to mention the bodily experience of womanhood, from youth to late middle age...absolutely not to be missed. -- Anthony Cummings * Daily Mail *Ross Raisin's deeply thought out and beautifully unshowy fourth novel... is a superb achievement. * Guardian, *Book of the Day* *Raisin is ambitious...and impressive in his execution. * Financial Times *Raisin's... most ambitious achievement yet... The attention to detail with which Anita is drawn means she steps outside the pages and lives enduringly in the reader's mind. -- John Self * Observer *

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Book Synopsis'Gorgeously written and devastating' Kate Riordan 'One of the best novels I've read' Gill Paul'Desperately romantic' Katie Fforde*A family secret.A lost love.A life-changing journey to the Arctic . . .*Caroline Gillan and her new husband Alasdair have moved back to Kelly Castle, his family estate in the wilds of Scotland. Stuck caring for their baby and trying to avoid her inscrutable mother-in-law, Caroline feels adrift and alone.But while sorting through old papers, Caroline stumbles across a family secret which changes everything. There is one Gillan bride who has disappeared from history. No photos or records of her exist. The only certainty is that she had a legitimate child: Alasdair's grandmother.As Caroline unearths a story of love and adventure that stretches as far as the Arctic circle, her curiosity about the missing bride turns into an obsession. And when a body is found in the grounds of the castle, Caroline begins an investigation which could alter the course of her life forever . . .From the wilds of Scotland to the glaciers of the Arctic, A Woman Made of Snow is a mesmerising tale of how one woman's past might hold the key to another's future.*Praise for Elisabeth Gifford's gorgeously atmospheric, uplifting novels: 'Compelling' Sarah Maine 'Gorgeous, melancholy' The Times'A glorious novel. You won't be able to put it down for a minute' Suellen Dainty'An undeniably haunting love story' Sunday Times'A moving story, beautifully told' Tim PearTrade ReviewThe perfect mix of gripping plot and lyrical writing * Good Housekeeping *Absorbing * Prima *Secrets come creeping back to the surface in this chilling tale * Woman’s Own *A thought-provoking, satisfying and enjoyable story to read ... [a] captivating, frequently moving story * New Books Magazine *A gorgeous, melancholy love story * The Times, praise for The Lost Lights of St Kilda *Desperately romantic, lyrically written and with a fascinating plot. * Katie Fforde, praise for The Lost Lights of St Kilda *I loved this book. Beautifully written and descriptive... The twisted threads weave an engaging plot which takes us on a trail of human courage and measures the cost of betrayal. Set in the last poignant years of life on remote St Kilda and in war-torn Europe, it paints both worlds with a vividness that is wholly convincing. * Sarah Maine, praise for The Lost Lights of St Kilda *The characters are exquisitely drawn, and the slowly emerging love story rings entirely true. This is one of the best novels I've read in a long while, a real jewel. * Gill Paul, praise for The Lost Lights of St Kilda *

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A RICHARD AND JUDY BOOK CLUB PICK AN ADDICTIVE THRILLER FROM ACCLAIMED AUTHOR L.V. MATTHEWS 'A compelling page-turner with an excellent twist' Catherine Cooper, author of The Chalet 'A fascinating tale of jealousy and betrayal' T.M. Logan, author of The Holiday ___________TWO SISTERS. AN INTENSE BOND. A BITTER RIVALRY. Margo is a live-in nanny for an upper-class family. Cora is a penniless dancer on the cusp of a big break.Total opposites, bound by the worst secret you can imagine.And when it's revealed, only one can survive.But can there be a winner when a secret is so dark? ___________PRAISE FOR THE TWINS: 'Dark, twisty and genuinely impossible to put down' Karen Hamilton, author of The Perfect Girlfriend'Dark, compulsive and fiendishly clever' Sarah Bonner, author of The Perfect Twin'I absolutely devoured this book . . . Should be on every psychological-thriller-lovers to-read list for 2022!' Sophie Flynn, author of All My Lies'Easily one of the most captivating books I've read this year' Emma Christie, author of Find Her First'Dark, heartbreaking, twisty, and beautifully written' Charlotte Duckworth, author of The Sanctuary'A gripping, clever thriller but also an intimate story of sisterhood, trauma and grief. I was enthralled!' Helen Cooper, author of The Downstairs Neighbour'A vivid and beautifully written thriller that kept me gripped to the end' Vicki Bradley, author of Before I Say I Do'The ultimate in sibling rivalry' Emma Bamford, author of Deep Water'The Twins is a must-read for all psychological thriller fans' Sarah Clarke, author of A Mother Never Lies'I found it impossible to stop reading. A real psychological thriller with heart. Fabulous!' Gytha Lodge (Dead Good Best Crime Novels of 2022)

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Book SynopsisOne rotten apple can spoil the bunchThe Keane sisters grew up together at Raven House, a luxurious riverside home that their mother inherited. On the day of a party at the house, tension fills the air as Jess, Natalie and Teresa all fear the exposure of things they’re desperate to hide. The beautiful evening is marred by tragedy, and a celebration turns into a nightmare when a young life is lost. It is a haunting reminder of a shocking event five years earlier. As guests eye their companions with suspicion, it’s the family who have the most to hide. They turn on one another, with breathtaking malice and irrevocable consequences.Years later, the sisters are barely hanging on to the scraps of their relationship. As another family celebration looms, long-held secrets come rushing to the surface. But someone is determined that the past will stay dead and buried, and will stop at nothing to prevent their mistakes being uncovered.Which sister has the most to hide? A secret that they would kill to keep…A compelling thriller about the secrets families keep that you won’t be able to put down. Perfect for fans of Shari Lapena, Gillian McAllister and B. A. Paris.Praise for The Bad Sister:‘A riveting and compelling read' Karen King, author of The Stranger in My Bed'Absorbing, compelling and intriguing, The Bad Sister kept me guessing right to the end' Emma Haughton, author of The Dark'A beautifully dark story of family secrets' Sarah Ward, author of A Patient Fury'Psychological thriller writing at its best – Corrigan produces an intriguing tale of tragic consequences to secrets kept for too long' David Evans, author of Disposal'What a read! Super twisty and atmospheric with three fascinating, flawed female leads. It kept me guessing till the end.' Laura Wilkinson, author of Skin Deep'I absolutely love this book. It’s a fast paced thriller. It will absolutely leave you on the edge of your seat.' Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'An amazing thriller that really kept me interested. I was immediately drawn in by the characters in the setting. But the story kept me mesmerized. Filled with twists and turns and shocking revelations, this is one you don't want to miss!' Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'OH MY GOSH this book was incredible - I mean truly incredible. It was well written with a compelling storyline and well developed characters that were totally believable. It was mysterious, twisty and had a level of unpredictability that kept me guessing until the end. It was tense and fast paced and I couldn't put it down - and actually didn't from start to finish. I loved it' Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'I loved this one. Very fast paced, had me turning pages as I tore through it – I had to see how it would end. The characters were well rounded and the narrative felt believable. Gave me chills. Solid five.' Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'This book is phenomenal. A really well written book, gripping, twisty turny and gripping from the very first page until the very last you will not want to put this book down. It is amazing.' Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Among the best of the psychological thrillers that I have read. The author has smashed it out of the park… A fresh plot and so gripping throughout.' Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Book SynopsisLaugh-out-loud women's fiction from the #1 bestselling author of The Old Ducks' Club!'I've loved all of Maddie Please's books but this is my favourite so far - superb characters and a warm, wonderful story. Bravo!' Judy LeighClover Harrington might be sixty-one, but she’s still bossing it in the corporate world and can still run rings around her younger colleagues. And then she is made redundant….Devastated and now suddenly the wrong side of sixty Clover doesn’t know what to do with her life or her corporate wardrobe! What does she wear if not red lippy and a power suit?! Rather than offer her any support, her partner, Jack announces he's off on a golfing weekend, leaving Clover completely adrift.Desperate to get away from it all, Clover decides to visit her cousin Zoe at her small taverna in the gorgeous Italian Lakes. There she can rest and recuperate and plan the next stage of her life.Until Clover’s eighty-year-old mother, Eleanor decides to turn up for the holiday too! Instead of gentle ambles around the lake, Eleanor seems more interested in late night poker and swigging Prosecco and Clover can’t quite believe her mum is having more fun than she is. But as the saying goes - if you can’t beat em, join em!But is Clover brave enough to live La Dolce Vita?Perfect for fans of Judy Leigh and Dee MacdonaldWhat readers are saying about Maddie Please!'Sea, sunshine, romance and fabulous characters; Maddie's light touch and sense of fun will lift your spirits!' Bestselling author Judy Leigh'Witty, warm and simply wonderful.' Bestselling author Sarah Bennett'For a book that’s as cheering and restorative as a long lunch with your very best friend, Maddie Please is the author you need to know!' Bestselling author Chris Manby'Genuine and life-affirming…a wonderful, light-hearted novel about how it is never too late to find happiness.’ Bestselling author Kitty Wilson

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Book SynopsisThe new heartbreaking wartime saga from Sunday Times bestseller Rosie Goodwin. Perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Katie Flynn.'A vibrant page-turner with entrancing characters' Margaret Dickinson'Rosie writes such heartwarming sagas' Lyn AndrewsNuneaton, 1935.Kathy has grown up at Treetops home for children, where Sunday and Tom Branning have always cared for her as one of their own. She enjoys her life at Treetops Manor, surrounded by her beloved horses, and with a future as a nurse ahead of her, she could wish for nothing more.Her foster sister Livvy is not as driven as Kathy. Sunday is keen to see both her girls married, but Livvy has no intentions of settling down and would much rather spend time with her friends. When Kathy falls for the wrong man, her ambitions are soon forgotten as she embarks on a secret affair.The Branning family is overwhelmed with grief when Tom dies suddenly in a riding accident. The running of the estate falls into chaos and life at Treetops will never be the same again. As their financial difficulties begin to mount, they are forced to leave their home.The women of Treetops think that things can't get any worse. But then it is announced that the country is at war once more . . .Trade ReviewTime to Say Goodbye is the perfect ending to what has been an enchanting reading experience, with each story featuring a cast of superbly drawn characters (some of whom have reappeared in this final curtain call), emotional, action-packed dramas, and fascinating facts about the realities of life for women over the last 150 years.The joys of friendship, and the strength that comes from close family relationships, have always taken centre stage, all acutely observed with Goodwin's warmth, wisdom and insight. * Lancashire Evening Post *A captivating read * My Weekly *

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Book Synopsis'The Last Library made me laugh, cry, cheer and want to champion all of our fabulous libraries' Clare Pooley, author of The Authenticity Project'A powerful reminder about the importance of community, kindness and friendship. A truly stunning debut' Hannah Tovey, author of The Education of Ivy Edwards'I adored every page' Jessica Ryn, author of The Extraordinary Hope of Dawn BrightsideYou can tell a lot about a person from the library books they borrowLonely library assistant June is much more comfortable with books than people. When her mum - the beloved local librarian - passed away, June stepped into her shoes.But shy June has always felt that she could never live up to her mum's legacy. Instead, she's retreated into herself, surviving on takeaways-for-one and her favourite stories.When the library is threatened with closure, June is distraught. Yet when a ragtag band of eccentric but dedicated locals establish the Friends of Chalcot Library campaign, June is forbidden from joining their cause.If June wants to save the place that means so much to her, she'll have to make some bold changes to her life: opening up her heart to friendship, opportunities and maybe even more . . .'A sheer joy. A funny, poignant story of love, loss, self-discovery and courage. A celebration of books and everything that makes us human' Katie Marsh, author of My Everything'A truly lovely and endearing read' Nina PottellTrade ReviewStunning debut * Woman & Home *An absolute gem . . . A must-read for all bookworms * The Sun *Wonderful characters, gentle humour and a sweet romance make this an endearing read * Good Housekeeping *Uplifting and beautiful * Fabulous Magazine *Booklovers or anyone who has ever sought solace in a library, this is for you * Woman's Way *A heart-warming and uplifting read * Red *I've spent the last few days asking myself what Matilda would do, and I'm totally in love with Mrs B. A wonderfully warm and uplifting story of kindness, community, love and libraries. The Last Library made me laugh, cry, cheer and want to champion all of our fabulous libraries * Clare Pooley *A powerful reminder about the importance of community, kindness and friendship. Beautifully nostalgic, with a gorgeous cast of characters you are set to fall in love with, this is a truly stunning debut * Hannah Tovey *Such an uplifting story with a cast of characters I fell head over heels in love with. A heartwarming portrayal of the vital role libraries have in our communities and I adored every page * Jessica Ryn *The Last Library is sheer joy from the first page - a story of love, loss, self-discovery and courage. Funny, poignant and a celebration of books, libraries, stories and everything that makes us human. Unmissable * Katie Marsh *June stepped into her Mum's shoes at Chalcot Library but has felt she's been living in her shadow for the last eight years. Now the library is threatened with closure will she find the confidence to fight it and realise it's ok to let go of the past. With an array of fabulous characters this is a truly lovely and endearing read * Nina Pottell, Prima *I really loved this from start to finish. The premise is a library threatened with closure and community coming together to campaign to save it, but with a lovely light touch. A brilliant first novel * Katie Fforde *A gentle, heart-warming story and a love letter to libraries everywhere. When the world is grim, The Last Library is just the book to soothe your soul * Jenny Bayliss *The Last Library is SUCH a feel-good read, brimming with warmth & lovable characters. Also, a moving reflection on community & friendship. Bliss * Tracy Rees *Sampson's winning debut adorably illustrates how a library can be much more than a place where people borrow books. Readers will have all the feels as they root for June, learn what the library means to the village's residents, and see how crucial libraries are to communities. Fans of libraries and heartfelt, humorous women's fiction with a powerful message and a hint of romance won't want to miss this one! It's so good that readers may very well devour it in one sitting * STARRED Library Journal review *Author Sampson has created a gem of a book populated by vivid personalities and a story that weaves together heroes and villains, love and loss, mourning and growth as it follows June and the Chalcot community as they seek to save their library - which offers so much more than books. A delightful exploration of personal growth, inner strength, and the importance of family, friends, and love * Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW *A sweet testament to the power of reading, community, and the library * Booklist *[A] winsome debut...Sampson convincingly brings her characters to life, as well as the importance of their collective crusade to save the library. Readers will be touched by June's transformation * Publisher’s Weekly *The Last Library is absolutely irresistible! Curl up and indulge in Freya Sampson's charming novel about a shy librarian in a small town with a great cause. You'll have such a good time and you'll love the unexpected twist at the end! * Nancy Thayer, New York Times bestselling author of Family Reunion *The Last Library is a heart-squeezing and charming story about grief, love and the power of community. An absolute delight * Colleen Oakley, USA Today Bestselling Author *Both spellbinding and tender, The Last Library is a gorgeous love letter to books, a celebration of the characters that make a community, and an inspiring call to muster our courage and fight for the things that matter. Simply put, this book is sublime * Libby Hubscher, author of Meet Me In Paradise *Freya Sampson's debut has all the markings of a hit: a book-centric premise, a quirky cast, and a librarian protagonist finally forced step out from behind the shelves and open herself up to the world. The premise is giving me big Fredrik Backman vibes, so if you like feel-good found family stories about books and people with a dash of romance, you're definitely going to want to put The Last Library on hold * BookRiot *With The Last Library, British author Freya Sampson delivers a refreshingly feel-good first novel about the sustaining power of books and how libraries unite communities and forge lasting relationships that improve lives ... The Last Library unravels with great wit and tenderness. Sampson assembles clever, funny scenes where June transforms from a wallflower into a take-charge, crafty young woman who is forced to handle difficult people and navigate situations that enlarge her ingenuity. Readers will eagerly invest in the cause to save the library and be greatly amused by plot twists that play out with pleasant surprises and heart-tugging twists * Shelf Awareness *I adored The Last Library! It's a fierce love letter to libraries and the communities they serve. I left feeling so absorbed by the characters of Chalcot that I wanted to paint a placard and join them outside the library myself! A beautiful debut full of charm, wit, sharp observations and characters that you wish you could bump into on the street * Abigail Mann *

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Book SynopsisGlasgow for Bertie is the promised land. The city of pies and Irn Bru, far from his controlling mother, Irene – his place of escape. But how will he respond to the news of the proposed merging of Edinburgh and Glasgow? A new member of Bertie’s class at school is causing ripples in his social circle. She is called Galactica MacFee and is going to be a match for Olive and her lieutenant, Pansy. And, an incredible new discovery: a Pictish stone, that is said to have the first-know written poem carved into it is the talk of the town. But, when the poem is eventually translated, it is thought it is best to keep it under wraps. In this new instalment in the perennially popular 44 Scotland series, we are back in the world of Angus and Domenico, Bruce, Matthew and Elspeth, and, of course, Bertie and his friend Ranald Braveheart Macpherson. Filled with Alexander McCall Smith’s trademark wit, warmth and humour, this new book is a must-read.Trade Review'For me these books are a tribute to kindness and empathy. Fabulously entertaining, witty, and thoughtful, The Stellar Debut of Galactica MacFee joins the 44 Scotland Street family with aplomb' -- Liz Robinson * LoveReading, Book of the Month *'As ever, there's a gentle, weaving narrative that is endlessly poetic and thought-provoking' * Scottish Field, 5 Stars *'A delightful read... This is guaranteed to cheer you up on a cold Winter's evening' -- Jenny Itzcovitz * Sixtyplussurfers *

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Book SynopsisWill she ever find a place to call home? The dramatic novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author. Previously published as Forgotten Child in 2010 ALONE…Jennifer Lavender was a lonely child. She always felt like second best and desperately craved her parents’ love. When Jenny learns she was adopted everything falls into place. But her dream of finding her real family can never be fulfilled – her mother died alone giving birth. ABANDONED… Now a grown woman and married to Marcos, she feels loved. But when the police show up, Jenny realises that her marriage is not what it seemed. Destitute, she is forced to start again. ASTOUNDED… But soon Jenny meets a young woman who will change her life forever. Together they search for the truth, but what they discover may be more than they can bear… A gripping and heartrending saga from the Sunday Times bestseller. Perfect for fans of Katie Flynn and Dilly Court. Praise for The Forgotten Child: ‘Another fantastic story with twists and turns. I cried and laughed so many times, I could read it all over again’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Enjoyed every moment of this book, it’s a page-turner all the way through!’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Loved it, COULD NOT put it down!’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘My favourite Kitty Neale book so far’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I sometimes know how a book will end before I am even half way through it, but this had me guessing!’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘As you read it you feel like you are a living part of the story’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Trade ReviewPraise for Kitty Neale: ‘This tale of survival is full of drama and heartache – a real page-turner that you won’t want to put down.’ Closer ‘A heart-breaking yet essentially uplifting and inspiring story, full of warmth, hope and the indomitable human ability to overcome adversity.’ Lancashire Evening Post ‘An emotive story of loss and hope’ Peterborough Evening Telegraph ‘This pageturner is a gritty tale of survival.’ Tesco magazine ‘A gritty tale.’ Bella Magazine 'Heartbreakingly poignant and joltingly realistic. From the first page the characters and their lives drew me in. It combines wonderfully accurate historical detail with true gritty realism in a book that fans of misery lit won't want to miss.' Annie Groves, author of Daughters of Liverpool

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Book SynopsisSunday Times bestselling author Freda Lightfoot is back with a heartwarming story of life after the war. The war may be over but their troubles are only just beginning The war is over and Evie Talbert eagerly awaits the return of her three children from their evacuated homes. But her carefree daughters and son are barely recognisable – their education has been disrupted, the siblings split up, and the effect on them has been life-changing. Her son has developed serious behavioural problems and with her daughters, there’s jealousy and a nervous disorder that cannot be explained… Evie’s husband also has problems. Having returned from being in action, he suffers nightmares and fits of rage. He’s no longer the gentle, quiet man Evie married. Peace may finally be here, but Evie’s family is in shreds. Now she must rebuild a loving home to achieve the happiness she’s always dreamed of…Trade Review‘A story full of love, tenderness, shocking deceit and the power of the family to overcome adversity.’ – Lancashire Life

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Book Synopsis'Gripping' Daily Mail'Chloe Lane’s writing continues to astound me' Clare Fuller, author of The Memory of AnimalsA searingly intimate exploration of marriage, motherhood and desire from a bold New Zealand talent. Georgie’s marriage has stagnated. But in a Florida almost claustrophobic with life, there’s no room to attend to it: forests burn, termites abound, teeth break, and there’s something in her husband’s eye. Then she finds a body in the woods. As the repercussions of her discovery and a doomed affair come to land, Georgie is forced to confront her past, examining the often heartbreaking power of the things we witness and the scars they leave behind. Trade Review'Gripping in its exploration of trauma, desire and the knotty, day-by-day business of staying together' Daily Mail'Lane is expert at taking us deep inside the body, heart and mind of Georgie, showing us her most intimate desires with exquisitely agonising clarity' Claire Fuller, author of The Memory of Animals‘Arms & Legs zig zags between comedy and despair as Georgie seeks to understand her life, her son, the wilderness outside and inside of her. This perceptive, nuanced novel charts the murky, contingent boundaries we draw around our homes and hearts’ Kirsten McDougall, author of She’s a Killer ‘An astute, fine-grained novel about the fires we light to sustain ourselves – and what happens when they get out of control’ Emily Perkins, author of Lioness‘This intense examination of a marriage with its rifts and sorrows had me spellbound. The images of fire give it an extraordinary brilliance, a moving subtle light casting brightness, shadows and a constant rising tension’ Fiona Kidman, author of This Mortal Boy 'This beautifully crafted novel lights the story on fire’ Gillian Best, author of The Last Wave ‘A gritty, sexy novel that will have you aching for its characters, for the things they can and cannot say to each other. Lane’s taut control of the narrative echoes the story’s fecund, humid Florida landscape . . . and her ability to sustain suspense lasts well beyond the final page’ Sue Orr, author of Loop Tracks ‘Gives you the feeling of having witnessed something authentic, something palpable . . . There is an emotional resonance, an emotional truth, to Lane’s words’ Academy of NZ LiteraturePraise for The Swimmers‘Tackles the subject of assisted dying with wit and pathos’ The Independent‘Lane’s unsentimental prose nails the strange enormity and mundanity of love and death with perfect piquancy’ Daily Mail‘A powerful and intense debut’ The Sun‘Exquisitely observed, harrowing yet surprisingly funny’ SAGA Magazine‘Poignant and subtle with humorous elements as this disjointed family struggles to fulfil the final wishes of their loved one’ Candis Magazine‘Darkly funny, desperately sad, brilliantly written. I absolutely loved it’ Claire Fuller, author of The Memory of Animals‘Spectacular. A perfect blend of devastating humour and sadness’ Emily Austin, author of Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead ‘A beautiful, heart rending and totally absorbing narrative, a compulsive page turner from start to end . . . A little masterpiece’ Fiona Kidman, author of This Mortal Boy‘A tender portrait of indestructible family bonds and unrepentant, rule-breaking independence’ Bookanista‘An observational tragicomedy, [The Swimmers] traces the small panics, collaborative denial, and suburban antics that a family perfects in their attempts to keep their heads above dangerous emotional waters’ Foreword Reviews‘Nuanced and beautifully drawn, complicated women in all their glory’ Alice Jones, The Debut Digest‘An intense, moving and darkly comic story about unrepentant, difficult women’ New Zealand Herald

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Book SynopsisChiltern Publishing creates the most beautiful editions of the World's finest literature. Your favourite classic titles in a way you have never seen them before; the tactile embossed layers, fine details and beautiful colours of these remarkable covers make these titles feel extra special and will look striking on any shelf.

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Book SynopsisIs love always worth saving - no matter what the cost?The car crash should have killed her. But rookie paramedic Peter Webster takes the emergency call, and helps the young woman, Sheila Arsenault, to survive. After the accident, she haunts his thoughts, despite his misgivings about getting involved with a patient. Soon he is embroiled in an intense love affair and in Sheila''s troubled life. Eighteen years later, Sheila is long gone and Peter is raising their daughter, Rowan, alone. But Rowan is veering dangerously off course and for the first time in their quiet life together Peter fears for her future. He seeks out the only person who may be able to help Rowan, although Sheila''s return is sure to unleash all the questions Peter has been carefully keeping at bay: Why would a mother leave her family? How did the marriage of two people in love unravel?

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Book SynopsisIn Blessing in Disguise, Danielle Steel’s wise, warm-hearted novel, an inspirational woman discovers the highs and lows of being a mother to three very different daughters.As a young intern at an art gallery in Paris, Isabelle McAvoy meets Putnam Armstrong, wealthy, gentle, older and secluded from the world. Her time at his Normandy château is the stuff of dreams, for when she learns she is pregnant, she knows that marriage is out of the question.Returning to New York, Isabelle enters a new relationship that she hopes will be more stable but before long she realizes she has made a terrible mistake and once again finds herself a single mother.With two young daughters Isabelle unexpectedly finds happiness and a love that gives her a third child, a baby as happy as her beloved father. And yet, life brings more change . . .Her three girls grow up to be very different women and Isabelle’s relationship with each of them is unique. When one final turn of fate brings a past secret to light. Will it bond mother and daughters closer, or could it tear them apart?

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Book SynopsisAn engaging story of opportunities lost and refound' ExpressCan love help her through the most difficult decisions?Prepare to be spirited away to rural Ireland in this stunning new saga from Anne Doughty.When Jenny McKinstry is offered a new post as the Head of English at her Belfast school she's elated! Yet she can't help but feel conflicted about the position.With all those around her mounting the pressure to start a family and her husband's career about to take off, Jenny feels bound by an overwhelming sense of duty.Will she be able to support her husband's ambitions and land her dream jobPreviously published as A Few Late Roses.Readers LOVE Anne Doughty:I love all the books from this author'beautifully written'would recommend to everyone'Fabulous story, couldn''t put it down!'Looking forward to the next one.'

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Book SynopsisSome games are dangerous.And some are deadly...Ava doesn't believe it when the email arrives to say that her twin sister is dead. It just feels too perfect to be anything other than Zelda's usual manipulative scheming. And Ava knows her twin.Now, Ava must return home to retrace her sister's last steps. But her search turns into a twisted scavenger-hunt of her twin's making.Letter by letter, Ava unearths clues to her sister's disappearance, which reveal a series of harrowing truths from their past - truths both of them had tried to forget. A is for Ava, Z is for Zelda, but deciphering the letters in-between is not so simple...Trade ReviewNewcomer Caite Dolan-Leach shows us just how close twin sisters can be - and shockingly far apart. With near-perfect plotting and an ear for the complicated lives of clever women, Dolan-Leach writes like Paula Hawkins by way of Curtis Sittenfeld. At once a moving family drama and a wickedly macabre mystery, Dead Letters is above all a satisfying puzzle that will keep readers guessing until the very last page. -- Amy Gentry, author of GOOD AS GONEExcellent! A really gripping read -- Lisa HallSo far, it's my favorite crime debut of 2017, and it will take a lot to change this. -- Sarah Weinman, The Crime Lady blogA perfectly orchestrated cat and mouse thriller that will keep you guessing until the very last chapter... Not to be missed! -- Wendy Walker, author of All is Not ForgottenA smart, dazzling mystery with a twist... Captivating. * Publishers Weekly *In her startling debut novel, Dolan-Leach nimbly entwines the clever mystery of Agatha Christie, the wit of Dorothy Parker, and the inebriated Gothic of Eugene O'Neill. * Kirkus Reviews *Dolan Leach's tautly crafted crime debut will resonate with fans of Gillian Flynn's and Paula Hawkins' domestic psychological thrillers. * Booklist *A story as compassionate and insightful as it is riveting * Library Journal *A smart and twisty thriller that will keep you guessing right up to the ending. * PopSugar *A masterful debut. Harrowing, revelatory, brilliantly alive. -- Dawn Tripp, author of GeorgiaI lovethis book on so many levels. We are so lucky that this debut novelist chose to shine her light on that most inescapable, infuriating dichotomy: Are you a good girl or abad girl? -- Caroline Kepnes, author of Hidden Bodies and YouAn exceptionally smart debut... [It] kept me guessing and compulsively turning pages to reach its surprising and very satisfying end. -- Carla Buckley, author of The Good GoodbyeA clever and compelling mystery that will keep you guessing until the end. -- Laura McHugh, author of The Weight of BloodDolan-Leach writes like Paula Hawkins by way of Curtis Sittenfeld. -- Amy Gentry, author of Good as GoneA roller-coaster read that's as enthralling as it is WTF?! * Cosmopolitan *

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Book SynopsisA best fiction book of 2021 for The TimesHilarious Fiery phrases spit and crackle. Disgust expands and bursts into belly laughs a very funny book' Sunday TimesThought-provoking, timely, and extremely funny' MetroShriver said that her favourite novels are those that pack both an intellectual and emotional punch. With Should We Stay or Should We Go, she's added triumphantly to their number' The TimesWitty and thought-provoking' Woman's WeeklyI think Shriver's novels are wonderful fun, smart and, perhaps because of their author's unconventional political views, unlike anything else you'll read' Financial TimesEntertaining and poignant' Daily MailVery moving Shriver has the magic ability to make the reader invested in the fate fates, I should say of her characters'Daily TelegraphWickedly witty' SpectatorDecidedly timely' ScotsmanThis sharp-elbowed satire is also a brusquely tender portrait of enduring love' Washington Post-Determined to die with dignity, Kay and her husband Cyril both hTrade Review‘An acerbically funny thought experiment… A contrarian on the page as well as in real life, Shriver is on fine form here, messing with her character’s lives while asking the big questions about mortality with a rigorous lack of sentimentality’ The Times books of the year ‘There’s something bracing about reading a novelist so admirably heartless, watching her pull the legs off her characters again and again… I think Shriver’s novels are wonderful… fun, smart and, perhaps because of their author’s unconventional political views, unlike anything else you’ll read’ Financial Times ‘A work of undeniable moral seriousness, yet one that’s never just a series of (admittedly juicy) discussion points. Even the most fantastical outcomes are envisaged with exhilarating thoroughness — while Cyril and Kay remain the same richly conceived characters throughout. Despite the grimness of the premise, the book also offers the stirring sight of a writer clearly enjoying herself’ The Times ‘It’s hideous — but also hilarious. Through the potent spell of Shriver’s language, horror gets alchemised into amusement. Fiery phrases spit and crackle. Disgust expands and bursts into belly laughs… a very funny book’ Sunday Times ‘After a (pun intended) deathly start, Shriver’s typically provocative novel manages to be both entertaining and poignant, with the novelist even poking fun at herself as she questions what makes a good innings. It might (almost) be a beach read’ Daily Mail ‘Shriver uses a ‘parallel universe’ structure to explore various outcomes – and somehow makes conversations about death feel far from taboo’ Sunday Telegraph ‘Some books become so popular that the lucky author can thereafter churn out any old cobblers, confident in the knowledge that it will be published and find an audience. Lionel Shriver never took that easy route’ Irish Independent

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Book SynopsisThe moving and life-affirming bestseller, perfect for anyone who loves unforgettable storiesLONGLISTED FOR THE WOMEN''S PRIZE FOR FICTION AND A RICHARD & JUDY BOOK CLUB PICK''I absolutely loved Because of You. Fantastic, passionate, compassionate, so much wisdom, a lot of humour, very real and credible'' BERNARDINE EVARISTO, Booker Prize-winning author of Girl, Woman, Other''Gorgeous . . . wise and full of love'' MARIAN KEYES__________Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock . . . midnight.As the old millennium turns into the new, two very different women give birth to two very similar daughters.Hope leaves with a beautiful baby girl.Anna leaves with empty arms.Seventeen years later, the truth of that night starts rolling, terrible and deep, toward them all.A reckoning is coming. Lives will collide.And mother-love will be tested . . .Trade ReviewI absolutely loved Because of You. Fantastic, passionate, compassionate, so much wisdom, a lot of humour, very real and credible -- BERNARDINE EVARISTO, Booker Prize-winning author of Girl, Woman, OtherGorgeous . . . wise and sad and full of love * Marian Keyes *An extraordinary book - sad, heartening, gripping and reassuringly human -- Jo BrandIncredible * Russell Brand *Dawn tackles the big ones - love, death, grief, childhood, motherhood, parenthood - head on * Guardian *Harrowing but uplifting . . . It is a book about mistakes, regret, forgiveness and unconditional love * Daily Mirror *Fans who have waited five long years for French's fourth novel won't be disappointed: Because Of You is a book with a beating heart, a story told with warmth and verve * Daily Express *Moving . . . French's best yet * Good Housekeeping *The final scenes are so perfectly executed they almost broke my heart. Because of You is a story to cherish * Sunday Express *Told with French's unfailing wit and warmth, Because Of You is the tale of family bonds and the mother-daughter relationships that ultimately make us who we are * Independent *Brilliant . . . a moving read that will stay with you long after you've finished the last page * Closer *A fantastic page-turner * Mail on Sunday *Beautifully observed * The Times *Wise and poignant, Because of You is a story about mothers and daughter, love and loss, mistakes and regrets, and family bonds * Eastern Daily Press *A must-read story told with compassion and heart * Sunday Express *French always writes so melodically about the truth of human nature . . . French manages to pick your heart up with the nib of her pen and slowly pull it apart, heart-wrenchingly, page by page . . . A true writing talent * My Weekly *An emotionally charged story - and a heartbreaking twist at the end * Hello! *A warmly told story about the bond between mothers and daughters * Evening Standard *Warm, witty and wise . . . I raced through * Daily Mail *A powerful and emotional book * Good Housekeeping *A bright, brilliant and heartbreaking tale of two mothers, two babies and the far-reaching consequences of one fateful day * Yahoo! Style *A beautifully powerful story about mothers, family and sacrifice * Sun *An uplifting story about mothers and daughters and familial relationships, in which two very different women give birth to two very similar daughters on the same night * Woman & Home *Arresting page-turner * Best *A novel her fans are sure to love * Woman's Weekly *A story of love, identity and belonging * i *Heartbreaking and humorous in equal measures * Boundless *A bouncy, comedy drama. Funny, poignant and bursting with joie de vivre * Daily Mail *A thought-provoking read . . . shows the true extent of motherly love * Publishers Association *Dawn French moves between the aftermath of that fateful night and 18 years later, when the explosive impact of Hope's actions is finally felt * Daily Express *A heartfelt story, handled so carefully and empathetically -- Aisling BeaBecause Of You is a tale told with warmth by a storyteller who never takes herself too seriously * Sunday Express *Heartbreaking but redemptive, and lightened by French's trademark humour, this is a compelling read that will keep you poised between laughter and tears * Daily Mail *A tantalising story of motherhood told with Dawn French's signature warmth * Sainsbury's Magazine *As ever, even in the darkest of times, Dawn has found humour to inject into her novel * Best *A brilliant book * Good Housekeeping *The life-affirming and unmissable new novel * Eastern Daily Press *A tale told with warmth * Daily Record *While Dawn French's latest novel contains a dash of humour, it's also heart-wrenching * The Hunsbury Handbook *A fabulous emotional tearjerker of a novel * Silversurfers *Praise for Dawn French * - *Hilarious and brilliant * Woman & Home *I adored According to YES. It's so different to anything I've read in forever, so charming, wise, brilliantly written. I loved it allWitty and wise, it'll have you burning the midnight oil. A cracker * Woman's Weekly *Very funny and packs an emotional clout. Brilliant! * Heat *An enlightening and feel-good read offering a fresh look at life and how to embrace it. Funny and enjoyable to the end * We Love This Book *There is lots of fun to be had reading this book. It's impossible not to warm to Rosie, a funny and open-hearted woman who acts as a salve and comfort blanket for this unhappy, inhibited family. There's something quite joyous about the way she unashamedly romps her way through the novel, changing the lives of those around her for the better * Express *Another hilarious novel! * Bella *French can spin a yarn . . . which sets According to YES apart. Think the vicar of Dibley, without the dog collar. YES YES YES indeed * Independent *Wise and poignant * Beyond the Joke *Heart-warming * Choice Magazine *

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Book SynopsisThe wonderful bestselling novel from Barbara Trapido, with an introduction by Joanna BriscoeTrade Review‘This is a gorgeous book about growing up ... it also manages to convey, with admirable lightness of touch, the dawning of a political consciousness ...A wonderful read' * Observer *'A beautifully written slice of both personal and political history ... by the end of the novel, you are immersed in her world and simply never want to leave it' * Guardian *'A blissfully funny sequence of portraits, family upon family, vignette upon vignette' * Daily Telegraph *'I love Barbara Trapido and I adore her books' * Carole Shields *

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