Family saga / generational saga fiction
Pan Macmillan Winter Garden: A moving and absorbing historical
Book SynopsisFrom the Number One bestselling author of The Four Winds and The Nightingale. Kristin Hannah's Winter Garden is a haunting and compelling novel illuminating the intricacy of mother-daughter bonds and the enduring links between past and present.‘A tearjerker . . . a journey as lovely and haunting as a snow filled winter’s night’ – PeopleMeredith and Nina Whitson are as different as sisters can be. One stayed at home to raise her family and manage the family apple orchard; the other followed a dream and travelled the world to become a famous photojournalist. But these two estranged women come together at their father’s deathbed standing alongside their cold, disapproving mother, Anya, to hear the one last promise he extracts from the women in his life.It begins with a story like no other. A captivating, mysterious love story that spans sixty-five years and moves from war torn Leningrad in the 1940s to modern-day Alaska. The three women are brought together by a story so unexpected and extraordinary that when Meredith and Nina finally learn the secret of their mother’s past and uncover a truth so terrible, it will shake the very foundation of the family and who they think they are.Trade ReviewIt’s a tear-jerker, but the journey is as lovely – and haunting – as a snow filled winter’s night * People *A gripping read * Booklist *Readers will find it hard not to laugh a little and cry a little more as mother and daughters reach out to each other just in the nick of time * Publishers Weekly *This tear-jerker weaves a convincing historical novel and contemporary family drama * Library Journal *Winter Garden is Kristin Hannah’s best written and most deeply affecting novel yet * The Huffington Post *A master storyteller -- Delia Owens, Author of Where the Crawdads SingCompelling. Moving. -- Karen Swan, Author of The Last Summer
£9.49
Pan Macmillan Be Careful What You Wish For The Clifton
Book SynopsisJeffrey Archer, whose novels and short stories include the Clifton Chronicles, Kane and Abel and Cat O' Nine Tales, is one of the world's favourite storytellers and has topped the bestseller lists around the world in a career spanning four decades. His work has been sold in ninety-seven countries and in more than thirty-seven languages. He is the only author ever to have been a number one bestseller in fiction, short stories and non-fiction (The Prison Diaries).Jeffrey is also an art collector, sports lover, and amateur auctioneer, conducting numerous charity auctions every year. A member of the House of Lords for over a quarter of a century, the author is married to Dame Mary Archer, and they have two sons, two grandsons and a granddaughter.
£7.99
Pan Macmillan Firefly Lane
Book SynopsisNow a major Netflix series, Firefly Lane is an unforgettable coming of age story about friendship and betrayal, by the bestselling author of The Four Winds and The Nightingale.It is 1974 and the summer of love is drawing to a close. Kate Mularkey has accepted her place at the bottom of the secondary school social food chain. Then, to her amazement, Tully Hart – the girl all the boys want to know – moves in across the street and wants to be her best friend. Tully and Kate became inseparable and by summer’s end they vow that their friendship will last forever.For thirty years Tully and Kate buoy each other through life, weathering the storms of friendship, jealousy, anger, hurt and resentment. Tully follows her ambition to find fame and success. Kate knows that all she wants is to fall in love and have a family. What she doesn’t know is how being a wife and a mother will change her.They think they’ve surTrade Review(An)upbeat message of the power of friendship and family. * Publishers Weekly *A tearjerker that is sure to please the author’s many fans. * Library Journal *A moving and realistic portrait of a complex and enduring friendship. * Booklist *
£9.49
Simon & Schuster The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane
Book SynopsisFrom #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa See, “one of those special writers capable of delivering both poetry and plot” (The New York Times Book Review), a moving novel about tradition, tea farming, and the bonds between mothers and daughters.In their remote mountain village, Li-yan and her family align their lives around the seasons and the farming of tea. For the Akha people, ensconced in ritual and routine, life goes on as it has for generations—until a stranger appears at the village gate in a jeep, the first automobile any of the villagers has ever seen. The stranger’s arrival marks the first entrance of the modern world in the lives of the Akha people. Slowly, Li-yan, one of the few educated girls on her mountain, begins to reject the customs that shaped her early life. When she has a baby out of wedlock—conceived with a man her parents consider a poor choice—she rejects the tradition that would compeTrade Review“The story begins small, plunging us into the immersive detail of a single grueling day picking tea with the young girl, Li-yan, her mother, A-ma, and the rest of their ethnic minority Akha family…What makes life bearable for the Akha is their belief system, which infuses every aspect of their daily lives. The full sweep of their practices is flawlessly embedded in See’s prose…The hardships that confront Li-yan in her life are as compelling as the fog-shrouded secret groves where she and her mother cultivate a special healing tea. I could have hung out here in remote China forever, but See has wider ground to cover, including Chinese adoption, the international fine tea market and modern Chinese migration to the United States… A lush tale infused with clear-eyed compassion, this novel will inspire reflection, discussion and an overwhelming desire to drink rare Chinese tea.” –Helen Simonson, The Washington Post“One of the fascinating elements of See’s epic novel is the contrast between the isolated lives of the Akha and the globalized world of China’s larger cities — a contrast bridged by tea…Fans of the best-selling Snow Flower and the Secret Fan will find much to admire in The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, as both books closely illuminate stories of women’s struggles and solidarity in minority-ethnic and rural Chinese cultures…In rendering the complex pain and joy of the mother-daughter bond, Lisa See makes this novel — dedicated to her own mother, author Carolyn See, who died last year — a deeply emotional and satisfying read.” —Emily Gray Tedrowe, USA Today“Lisa See transports readers to the remote mountains of China…come for the heartwarming bonding between mother and daughter; stay for the insight into Akha culture and the fascinating (really) history of the tea trade." —Real Simple"With strong female characters, See deftly confronts the changing role of minority women, majority-minority relations, East-West adoption, and the economy of tea in modern China. Fans of See’s Snow Flower and the Secret Fan will appreciate this novel.” —Library Journal"With vivid and precise details about tea and life in rural China, Li-Yan’s gripping journey to find her daughter comes alive." —Publishers Weekly"A riveting exercise in fictional anthropology." —Kirkus Reviews
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers The Mirror and the Light
Book SynopsisSoon to be a major TV seriesThe Sunday Times bestsellerShortlisted for the Women's Prize for FictionLonglisted for the Booker PrizeIt is a book not read, but lived' TelegraphHer Cromwell novels are, for my money, the greatest English novels of this century' ObserverThe bestselling sequel to Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies, the stunning conclusion to Hilary Mantel's Man Booker Prize-winning Wolf Hall trilogy.If you cannot speak truth at a beheading, when can you speak it?'England, May 1536. Anne Boleyn is dead, decapitated in the space of a heartbeat by a hired French executioner. As her remains are bundled into oblivion, Thomas Cromwell breakfasts with the victors. The blacksmith's son from Putney emerges from the spring's bloodbath to continue his climb to power and wealth, while his formidable master, Henry VIII, settles to short-lived happiness with his third queen, Jane Seymour.Cromwell is a man with only his wits to rely on; he has no great family to back him, no private army. Despite rebellion at home, traitors plotting abroad and the threat of invasion testing Henry's regime to breaking point, Cromwell's robust imagination sees a new country in the mirror of the future. But can a nation, or a person, shed the past like a skin? Do the dead continually unbury themselves? What will you do, the Spanish ambassador asks Cromwell, when the king turns on you, as sooner or later he turns on everyone close to him?With The Mirror and the Light, Hilary Mantel brings to a triumphant close the trilogy she began with Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies. She traces the final years of Thomas Cromwell, the boy from nowhere who climbs to the heights of power, offering a defining portrait of predator and prey, of a ferocious contest between present and past, between royal will and a common man's vision: of a modern nation making itself through conflict, passion and courage.A Guardian Book of the Year A Times Book of the Year A Daily Telegraph Book of the Year A Sunday Times Book of the Year A New Statesman Book of the Year A Spectator Book of the Year Sunday Times Bestseller (08/03/2020)Trade Review‘Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall novels make 99 per cent of contemporary literary fiction feel utterly pale and bloodless by comparison’ The Times ‘Hilary Mantel has written an epic of English history that does what the Aeneid did for the Romans and War and Peace for the Russians. We are lucky to have it.’ Sunday Telegraph ‘Very few writers manage not just to excavate the sedimented remains of the past, but bring them up again into the light and air so that they shine brightly once more before us. Hilary Mantel has done just that.’ Simon Schama, Financial Times ‘A masterpiece that will keep yielding its riches, changing as its readers change, going forward with us into the future’ Guardian ‘The most masterful story telling imaginable’ Graham Norton ‘The final book in the trilogy charts [Cromwell’s] inexorable downfall with the dark brilliance and profound humanity that makes it, like its forerunners, a masterpiece’ Daily Mail ‘Ambitious, compassionate, clear-eyed yet emotional, passionate and pragmatic, The Mirror & the Light lays down a marker for historical fiction that will set the standard for generations to come’ Independent ‘It’s the crowning glory of a towering achievement’ Mail on Sunday ‘This is a must-read’ Good Housekeeping ‘On closing the book I wept as I’ve not wept over a novel since I was a child . . . Mantel struck her spear against the flint of Thomas Cromwell, and lit such a candle in England as will never go out’Telegraph ‘A masterpiece . . . Mantel has redefined what the historical novel is capable of . . . Taken together, her Cromwell novels are, for my money, the greatest English novels of this century’ Observer
£10.44
HarperCollins Publishers Beren and Lúthien
Book SynopsisPainstakingly restored from Tolkien's manuscripts and presented for the first time as a continuous and standalone story, the epic tale of Beren and Luthien will reunite fans of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings with Elves and Men, Dwarves and Orcs and the rich landscape and creatures unique to Tolkien's Middle-earth.Trade ReviewPraise for The Children of Húrin:‘I hope that its universality and power will grant it a place in English mythology’Independent on Sunday ‘The darkest of all Tolkien’s tales. Alan Lee’s illustrations complement the writing splendidly’Times Literary Supplement
£23.75
Pan Macmillan Mightier than the Sword Clifton Chronicles 5
Book SynopsisJeffrey Archer, whose novels and short stories include the Clifton Chronicles, Kane and Abel and Cat O' Nine Tales, is one of the world's favourite storytellers and has topped the bestseller lists around the world in a career spanning four decades. His work has been sold in ninety-seven countries and in more than thirty-seven languages. He is the only author ever to have been a number one bestseller in fiction, short stories and non-fiction (The Prison Diaries).Jeffrey is also an art collector, sports lover, and amateur auctioneer, conducting numerous charity auctions every year. A member of the House of Lords for over a quarter of a century, the author is married to Dame Mary Archer, and they have two sons, two grandsons and a granddaughter.
£7.64
Pan Macmillan This Was a Man
Book SynopsisSuspenseful and mesmerizing, This Was a Man is the seventh and final novel in international bestseller Jeffrey Archer’s the Clifton Chronicles – an epic and poignant conclusion. Harry Clifton is set to write his magnum opus, and as he reflects on his days, the lives of his family continue to unfold, unravel and intertwine in ways no one could have imagined.Harry’s wife Emma completes her ten years as Chairman of the Bristol Royal Infirmary when she receives a surprise call from Margaret Thatcher.In Whitehall, Giles Barrington discovers the truth about his wife, but is she a pawn in a larger game? Sebastian Clifton finds himself in a new role after an unexpected resignation and his talented daughter, Jessica, goes to art school but gets into trouble. Can her aunt help?Lady Virginia is about to flee the country to avoid her creditors when the death of a duchess gives her another opportunity to clear her debts and finally trump the two families.The epic saga that has charted the lives, loves and adventures of the Clifton and Barrington families reaches its stunning conclusion in this, the final heart-stopping volume from the master storyteller, Jeffrey Archer.Trade ReviewArcher puts his entire formidable bag of storytelling tricks into this last in the series * Daily Mail *
£7.99
Pan Macmillan Cometh the Hour
Book SynopsisThrilling and absorbing, Cometh the Hour is the sixth novel in international bestseller Jeffrey Archer’s the Clifton Chronicles and sees the Clifton and Barrington families navigate the 1970s in an epic tale of tragedy and hope.There are devastating consequences for Harry and Emma Clifton, her brother Giles Barrington and their arch enemy Lady Virginia when a suicide note is read out in court.Having fallen in love, Giles must decide if he should withdraw from politics to try and rescue the woman he loves from behind the Iron Curtain.Lady Virginia faces bankruptcy, and can see no way out of her financial problems, until she is introduced to a rich, hapless American.Harry and Emma’s son Sebastian Clifton, now the Chief Executive of Farthings Bank, falls in love with the wrong girl even as his rivals plot to overthrow him. Meanwhile, his father remains determined to free a fellow author from a gulag in Siberia, following the international success of the book they wrote together, the acclaimed Uncle Joe.But then something astonishing happens that none of them could have anticipated . . .The penultimate book in the Clifton Chronicles once again showcases Jeffrey Archer’s extraordinary storytelling abilities and confirms his reputation for breathtaking twists.Continue the bestselling series with This Was a Man.Trade ReviewArcher continues his storytelling magic to create characters of spellbinding substance, and readers can count on his surprising twists and shocking conclusion. Here, just when the end seems too tidy, Archer provides a killer cliffhanger * Publishers Weekly *
£8.99
HarperCollins Publishers A Woman is No Man
Book SynopsisPRE-ORDER ETAF RUM’S NEW NOVEL, EVIL EYE, NOW – COMING SEPTEMBER 2023. A New York Times bestseller • A Washington Post 10 Books to Read in March • One of Cosmopolitan’s Best Books by POC for 2019 • A Refinery 29 Best Book of the Month Trade Review Praise for A Woman is No Man ‘A celebration of “the strength and power of our women”’ Booklist ‘Sometimes heroism is loud and dramatic. Other times, it is daring to listen to that quiet voice within and having the courage to follow it . . . Etaf Rum has done a great service by sharing these voices with us’ Shilpi Somaya Gowda, New York Times bestselling author ‘A work of literary bravery’ Nadia Hashimi ‘A spectacular debut’ Hala Alyan ‘A gripping portrait of three generations of Palestinian women whose narratives are heartfelt and unsettling. Rum gives these women what they most desire and deserve: a voice’ Frances de Pontes Peebles ‘A tale as rich and varied as America itself’’ Washington Post ‘Garnering justified comparisons to Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns… Etaf Rum's debut novel is a must-read about women mustering up the bravery to follow their inner voice’ Refinery 29 ‘A richly detailed and emotionally charged debut’ Kirkus
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers The Keeper of Stories
Book Synopsis*Discover The Secrets of Flowers, the brand new novel from Sally Page available to pre-order now*I absolutely loved it! So different, clever, funny and charming' Sunday Times bestseller Katie FfordeFunny, wise, moving and full of lovely momentsThe characters are endearing and unforgettable' Hazel Prior, author of the Richard & Judy Book Club Pick Away with the PenguinsJanice is a wonderful woman whose authenticity pulls you alongthe breadth and originality of supporting characters makes this debut an immersive delight' Dorset MagazineAbsolutely spellbindinga warm-hearted, thoughtful, funny and yet deeply poignant' Celia Anderson, author of 59 Memory LaneA treasure of a book. Beautiful, emotional and heartfelt with a cornucopia of characters you'll love spending time with' Phaedra Patrick, author of The Library of Lost and FoundShe can't recall what started her collection. Maybe it was in a fragment of conversation overheard as she cleaned a sink? Before long (as she dusted a sitting room or defrosted a fridge) she noticed people were telling her their stories. Perhaps they always had done, but now it is different, now the stories are reaching out to her and she gathers them to herWhen Janice starts cleaning for Mrs B a shrewd and tricksy woman in her nineties she meets someone who wants to hear her story. But Janice is clear: she is the keeper of stories, she doesn't have a story to tell. At least, not one she can share.Mrs B is no fool and knows there is more to Janice than meets the eye. What is she hiding? After all, doesn't everyone have a story to tell?Readers are loving Sally Page:Oh my giddy aunt what an amazing bookabsolutely adored it from start to finish' JeannieNot what I was expecting at allloved the way it ended' JulieAn absolutely wonderful, unputdownable book full of delightful characters' SueWhat a wonderful idea for a bookA joy to read' AngelaBeautiful storyI loved every minute of reading it!' RubieTrade Review‘Wow, what a fantastic book that kept me rooting for the main character, Janice…The book has so many interesting characters, each with their own story and I loved it’ ‘An interesting, enjoyable and quite engaging story…anyone who is fascinated in people's lives will love this book and be completely engrossed from start to finish’ ‘A lovely, delightful book filled with rich, wonderful characters, and an intriguing plot’
£8.54
Pan Macmillan Best Kept Secret
Book SynopsisCaptivating and suspenseful, Best Kept Secret is the third novel in international bestseller Jeffrey Archer’s outstanding Clifton Chronicles. It sees our hero Harry Clifton and Giles Barrington, brother of Harry’s beloved wife Emma, become entwined in the fate of the Barrington family fortune.It is 1945 and the House of Lords’ vote on who should inherit the Barrington estate ends in a tie, casting a long shadow on the lives of those involved.Author Harry begins to promote his novel, whilst Emma, after her father’s mysterious death, searches for the girl found abandoned in his office on the night he died.Politician Giles defends his seat in the House of Commons and finds not only his future but his family’s fortune at stake. Ultimately his fate is dictated by Harry’s son Sebastian, even as Sebastian himself becomes embroiled in an international art fraud.As they move out of the shadows of war, a new generation of Cliftons and Barringtons comes to the fore, and a thrilling new episode of Jeffrey Archer’s captivating family saga begins.Continue the bestselling series with Be Careful What You Wish For and Mightier than the Sword.Trade ReviewProbably the greatest storyteller of our age * Mail on Sunday *If there was a Nobel Prize for storytelling, Archer would win * Daily Telegraph *
£7.99
Random House USA Inc A Little Life
Book SynopsisNATIONAL BESTSELLER • A stunning “portrait of the enduring grace of friendship” (NPR) about the families we are born into, and those that we make for ourselves. A masterful depiction of love in the twenty-first century.NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST • MAN BOOKER PRIZE FINALIST • WINNER OF THE KIRKUS PRIZEA Little Life follows four college classmates—broke, adrift, and buoyed only by their friendship and ambition—as they move to New York in search of fame and fortune. While their relationships, which are tinged by addiction, success, and pride, deepen over the decades, the men are held together by their devotion to the brilliant, enigmatic Jude, a man scarred by an unspeakable childhood trauma. A hymn to brotherly bonds and a masterful depiction of love in the twenty-first century, Hanya Yanagihara’s stunning novel is about the families we are born into, and those that we make for ourselves.Look for Hanya Yanagihara’s latest bestselling novel, To Paradise.
£11.05
HarperCollins Publishers Cloud Cuckoo Land
Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER AND NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALISTA dazzling epic of love, war and the joy of books' GuardianThere is magic in this place You just have to sit and breathe and wait and it will find you'Fifteenth-century Constantinople. Present day Idaho. The future, and humanity's last hope.Across time and space, five young dreamers are bound by a single ancient text. Together, they tell a story of a world in peril; of the power of words, of resilience, and of hope against all odds.The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of All the Light We Cannot See returns with a heart-breaking, magnificent epic of human connection and a love letter to storytelling itself.Wonderment and despair, love and destruction and hope all find their place in its sumptuously plotted pages' ObserverIngenious, hopeful and totally absorbing' Financial TimesThis engagingly written, big-hearted book is a must-read' Daily MirrorTrade Review Praise for Cloud Cuckoo Land: ‘Sets him comfortably alongside Tolkien, Rowling and David Mitchell, and he is a much more elegant writer than two of those … Cloud Cuckoo Land is an impressive achievement and a joy to read. Serious novels are rarely this fun.’ The Times ‘There is a kind of book a seasoned writer produces after a big success: large-hearted, wide in scope and joyous. Following his Pulitzer winner All the Light We Cannot See, Anthony Doerr’s Cloud Cuckoo Land is a deep lungful of fresh air – and a gift of a novel’ Guardian ‘A paean to stories as a source of sustenance and solace, and to the sweetness of our shared terrestrial home, Doerr’s narrative is buoyant with humanity and it’s author’s palpable pleasure in invention’ Daily Mail ‘A humane and uplifting book for adults that’s infused with the magic of childhood reading experiences. Cloud Cuckoo Land is ultimately a celebration of books, the power and possibilities of reading’ New York Times ‘Cloud Cuckoo Land is a fascinatingly ambitious tale that’s worth the seven year wait’ Stylist ‘Pulitzer Prize-winner Anthony Doerr’s new novel traverses time and space, unifying his characters through a text written by Diogenes in the first century AD. Cloud Cuckoo Land begins there and sweeps through the millennia in a huge, imaginative arc that celebrates the outsiders, the writers and the keepers of books. An ultimately hopeful and life-affirming novel about the essence of love, literature and art’ Irish Independent ‘This is a dazzling epic of love, war and the joy of books – one for David Mitchell fans’ Guardian ‘Wonderment and despair, love and destruction and hope – all find their place in its sumptuously plotted pages’ Observer
£10.44
Pan Macmillan Marking Time
Book SynopsisAs featured on BBC Radio 4 Open BookBeautifully and poignantly told, Marking Time is the second novel in Elizabeth Jane Howard's bestselling family saga The Cazalet Chronicles.'She helps us to do the necessary thing – open our eyes and our hearts' – Hilary Mantel, author of Wolf HallHome Place, Sussex, 1939. As the shadows of the Second World War roll in, banishing the sunlit days of childish games and trips to the coast, a new generation of Cazalets take up the family's story.Louise, who dreams of becoming a great actress, finds herself facing the harsh reality that her parents have their own lives with secrets, passions and yearnings. Clary, an aspiring writer, learns that her beloved father is now missing somewhere on the shores of France. And sensitive, imaginative Polly feels stuck – stuck without a vocation, stuck without information about her mother's illness, stuck without anything except her nightmares about the war.'Charming, poignant and quite irresistible . . . to be cherished and shared' – The TimesWith cover artwork exclusively designed by artist Luke Edward Hall, this is the second volume of the extraordinary Cazalet Chronicles and a perfect addition to your collection. Marking Time is followed by Confusion, the third book in the series.Trade ReviewIf I were sent to a desert island with one book this would be my choice -- HRH The Duchess of CornwallCharming, poignant and quite irresistible . . . to be cherished and shared' * The Times *She is one of those novelists who shows, through her work, what the novel is for . . . She helps us to do the necessary thing – open our eyes and our hearts -- Hilary Mantel, author of Wolf HallThe Cazalets have earned an honoured place among the great saga families . . . rendered thrillingly three-dimensional by a master craftsman * Sunday Telegraph *Superb . . . hypnotic . . . very funny * Spectator *Evocative and gracefully written * Cosmopolitan *A family saga of the best kind . . . a must * Tatler *A dazzling historical reconstruction -- Penelope Fitzgerald, Booker Prize-winning author of OffshoreThis chronicle will be read, like Trollope, as a classic about life in England in our century -- Sybille Bedford, author of A Legacy and JigsawGloriously addictive . . . Family loyalty, betrayals, triumphs, tragedy, births and deaths are all blissfully here, and you become emotionally absorbed in the fate of each character * Daily Mail *
£7.99
HarperCollins Publishers The Book of Beginnings
Book Synopsis**Sally Page''s remarkable new novel The Secrets of Flowers is available now**From the author of the phenomenal bestseller The Keeper of Stories, comes an utterly beautiful and charming novel full of mystery and secrets waiting to be uncoveredFilled with compassion and insight a true ode to friendship' HAZEL PRIORMasterful storytelling' CELIA ANDERSONA powerful ode to friendship'FabulousHer new chapter starts nowJo Sorsby is hiding from her past when she agrees to run her uncle's beloved stationery shop. Glimpsing the lives of her customers between the warm wooden shelves, as they scribble little notes and browse colourful notebooks, distracts her from her bruised heart.When she meets Ruth, a vicar running from a secret, and Malcolm, a septuagenarian still finding himself, she suddenly realizes she isn't alone.They each have a story that can transform Jo's life if only she can let them in.The perfect gift for book lovers, The Keeper of Stories meets The Lost Bookshop in this gorgeous novel about secrets, second chances and finding friendship in the most unlikely places.Netgalley reviewers LOVE The Book of Beginnings!''Another extraordinary read by the author of The Keeper of Stories'' ?????''What a gem of a book!''?????''Everything about the story moved me''?????''I am in awe of Sally Page's writing'' ?????''So refreshingly original'' ?????''You just have to read it'' ?????''A read cover-to-cover-in-one-sitting book that gives all the feels'' ?????''Wonderful, just wonderful''?????Trade Review Praise for The Keeper of Stories ‘I absolutely loved it! So different, clever, funny and charming’ Sunday Times bestseller Katie Fforde ‘Funny, wise, moving and full of lovely moments…The characters are endearing and unforgettable’ Hazel Prior, author of the Richard & Judy Book Club Pick Away with the Penguins ‘Janice is a wonderful woman whose authenticity pulls you along…the breadth and originality of supporting characters makes this debut an immersive delight’ Dorset Magazine ‘Absolutely spellbinding…a warm-hearted, thoughtful, funny and yet deeply poignant’ Celia Anderson, author of 59 Memory Lane ‘A treasure of a book. Beautiful, emotional and heartfelt with a cornucopia of characters you’ll love spending time with’ Phaedra Patrick, author of The Library of Lost and Found
£9.49
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Pachinko: The New York Times Bestseller
Book Synopsis* The million-copy bestseller* * National Book Award finalist * * An instant New York Times Bestseller and one of their 10 Best Books of 2017 * * Selected for Emma Watson's Our Shared Shelf book club * 'This is a captivating book... Min Jin Lee's novel takes us through four generations and each character's search for identity and success. It's a powerful story about resilience and compassion' BARACK OBAMA. Yeongdo, Korea 1911. In a small fishing village on the banks of the East Sea, a club-footed, cleft-lipped man marries a fifteen-year-old girl. The couple have one child, their beloved daughter Sunja. When Sunja falls pregnant by a married yakuza, the family face ruin. But then Isak, a Christian minister, offers her a chance of salvation: a new life in Japan as his wife. Following a man she barely knows to a hostile country in which she has no friends, no home, and whose language she cannot speak, Sunja's salvation is just the beginning of her story. Through eight decades and four generations, Pachinko is an epic tale of family, identity, love, death and survival.Trade ReviewLuminous... a powerful meditation on what immigrants sacrifice to achieve a home in the world' -- Junot DiazGripping... a stunning achievement, full of heart, full of grace, full of truth' -- Erica WagnerA deep, broad, addictive history of a Korean family in Japan enduring and prospering through the 20th century -- David Mitchell, GuardianA rich, moving novel about exile, identity and the determination to endure * Sunday Times *Vivid and immersive, Pachinko is a rich tribute to a people that history seems intent on erasing * Guardian *The work of a writer in complete control of her characters and her story and with an intense awareness of the importance of her heritage... Told with such flair and linguistic dexterity that I found myself unable to put it down. Every year, there are a few standout novels that survive long past the hype has died down and the hyperbolic compliments from friends scattered across the dust jacket have been forgotten. Pachinko, a masterpiece of empathy, integrity and familial loyalty, will be one of those novels' -- John Boyne, Irish TimesWe never feel history being spoon-fed to us: it is wholly absorbed into character and story, which is no mean feat for a novel covering almost a century of history * Financial Times *An epic, multi-generational saga * Mail on Sunday, Best of 2017 *A great book, a passionate story, a novel of magisterial sweep. It's also fiendishly readable – the real deal. An instant classic, a quick page-turner, and probably the best book of the year -- Darin Strauss, New York Times-bestselling author of Chang and Eng.A long, complex book, it wears its research lightly, and is a page-turner. You can sense the author's love and understanding for all the characters, the good and the flawed * Irish Examiner. *Remarkable... A striking introduction to lives, to a world, [the reader] may never have seen, or even thought to look at. In our increasingly fractured and divisive times, there can be no higher purpose for literature: all in the pages of a book that, once you've started, you'll simply be unable to put down' * Harper's Bazaar *Elegant and soulful, both intimate and sweeping. This story of several generations of one Korean family in Japan is the story of every family whose parents sacrificed for their children, every family whose children were unable to recognize the cost, but it's also the story of a specific cultural struggle in a riveting time and place. Min Jin Lee has written a big, beautiful book filled with characters I rooted for and cared about and remembered after I'd read the final page -- Kate Christensen, award-winning author of The Great Man and Blue Plate SpecialBoth for those who love Korea, as well as for those who know no more than Hyundai, Samsung and kimchi, this extraordinary book will prove a revelation of joy and heartbreak. I could not stop turning the pages, and wished this most poignant of sagas would never end. Min Jin Lee displays a tenderness and wisdom ideally matched to an unforgettable tale that she relates just perfectly -- Simon Winchester, author of Korea: A Walk Through the Land of MiraclesA compassionate, clear gaze at the chaotic landscape of life itself. In this haunting epic tale, no one story seems too minor to be briefly illuminated. Lee suggests that behind the facades of wildly different people lie countless private desires, hopes and miseries, if we have the patience and compassion to look and listen * New York Times Book Review *Love, luck, and talent combine with cruelty and random misfortune in a deeply compelling story, with the troubles of ethnic Koreans living in Japan never far from view. An old-fashioned epic whose simple, captivating storytelling delivers both wisdom and truth * Kirkus *[A] beautifully crafted story of love, loss determination, luck, and perseverance... Lee's skilful development of her characters and story lines will draw readers into the work. Those who enjoy historical fiction with strong characterisations will not be disappointed as they ride along on the emotional journeys offered in the author's latest page-turner' * Library Journal *An exquisite, haunting epic... Lee's profound novel of losses and gains explored through the social and cultural implications of pachinko-parlor owners and users is shaped by impeccable research, meticulous plotting, and empathic perception' * Booklist Starred Review *A sweeping, engrossing family saga... a poignantly told tale. Gracefully written and dotted with memorable images, evocative of the pace and time, it's a page-turning panorama of one family's path through suffering to prosperity in 20th-century Japan' * Literary Review *Stunning... Pachinko is about outsiders, minorities and the politically disenfranchised. But it is so much more besides. Each time the novel seems to find its locus – Japan's colonization of Korea, World War II as experienced in East Asia, Christianity, family, love, the changing role of women – it becomes something else. It becomes even more than it was' * New York Times *
£8.54
Pan Macmillan Kane and Abel
Book SynopsisJeffrey Archer's thrilling historical fiction novel, Kane and Abel, is a global phenomenon that has captivated readers worldwide, spawning two sequels and dominating bestseller charts the world over.Two strangers born worlds apart with one destiny that will define them both.William Lowell Kane, the son of a Boston millionaire, and Abel Rosnovski, the son of a penniless Polish immigrant, are born on the same day on opposite sides of the world and brought together by fate and the quest of a dream.Locked in a relentless struggle spanning sixty years and three generations, the two men battle for supremacy in pursuit of an empire, fuelled only by their hatred for the other and the knowledge it will end in triumph for one, and destruction of the other . . .‘If there were a Nobel Prize for storytelling, Archer would win’ - The Daily TelegraphTrade ReviewThe ultimate novel of rivalry -- Dan Brown on Kane and AbelIf there were a Nobel prize for storytelling, Archer would win * Daily Telegraph *Probably the greatest storyteller of our age * Mail on Sunday *
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers Crossroads The latest novel from the
Book SynopsisHis best novel yet A Middlemarch-like triumph' TelegraphA pleasure bomb of a novel' VogueA true modern master' IndependentIt's 23 December 1971, and the Hildebrandts are at a crossroads. Fifteen-year-old Perry has resolved to be a better person and quit dealing drugs to seventh graders. His sister Becky, the once straight-laced high school social queen, has veered into counterculture, while at college, Clem is wrestling with a decision that might tear his family apart. As their parents Russ, a suburban pastor, and Marion, his restless wife tug against the bonds of a joyless marriage, Crossroads finds a family, and a nation, struggling to do the right thing.Funny, moving, crackling with life, it has what all great fiction should have' Financial TimesIntoxicating a luxuriant domestic drama' GuardianTHE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A GUARDIAN BEST FICTION BOOK OF 2021 AN INDEPENDENT BOOK OF THE YEAR A WHITE REVIEW BOOK OF THE YEAR A LIT HUB BOOK OF THE YEARTrade Review‘[Franzen’s] talents as a comic storyteller are such that his capacious tales are a treat to get lost in. This one is no exception … This is a novel whose momentum often derives from the altered states of its characters — obsession; intoxication; lust; religious fervour; mania — and the humour is usually of the painful variety as their lives uniformly crumble and they agonise over how — or indeed whether — to be good’ Daily Mail ‘[A] pleasure bomb of a novel … Few [writers] can take human contradiction and make it half as entertaining and intimate as Franzen does … A magnificent portrait of an American family on the brink’ Vogue ‘In Crossroads, Jonathan Franzen goes back to family-anatomising basics – and it's his best novel yet … The result is a Middlemarch-like triumph’ Telegraph ‘Franzen has laid the ground beautifully, and his first act is intoxicating – a luxuriant domestic drama that opens out into politics, running against the grain of the counterculture with its focus on the friction between conservatism and radicalism, Christianity and social activism’ Guardian ‘Crossroads is classic Franzen fodder: a slice of suburban life ripe not for satire but for the far deadlier scrutiny that comes from taking it seriously’ New Yorker ‘A mellow, marzipan-hued ’70s-era heartbreaker. Crossroads is warmer than anything [Franzen has] yet written, wider in its human sympathies, weightier of image and intellect’ New York Times Book Review ‘The compelling dialogue, the authenticity of place, time and character, the assured insights and the exquisite minutiae of description, all confirm that the reader is in the hands of a true modern master … a simply stunning novel’ iNews ‘A firecracker’ Irish Times ‘A mesmerising tale … he writes sentences that are as addictive as opioids’ Herald
£9.49
Pan Macmillan All Change
Book SynopsisAs featured on BBC Radio 4 Open BookAs the old world begins to fade from view and a new dawn emerges, All Change marks the fifth and final volume in Elizabeth Jane Howard's bestselling The Cazalet Chronicles. 'She helps us to do the necessary thing – open our eyes and our hearts' – Hilary Mantel, author of Wolf HallIt is the 1950s and as the Duchy, the Cazalets’ beloved matriarch, dies, she takes with her the last remnants of a disappearing world – houses with servants, class, and tradition – in which the Cazalets have thrived.Louise, now divorced, becomes entangled in a painful affair, while Polly and Clary must balance marriage and motherhood with their own ideas and ambitions. Hugh and Edward, now in their sixties, are feeling ill-equipped for this modern world, while Villy, long abandoned by her husband, must at last learn to live independently. But it is Rachel, who has always lived for others, who will face her greatest challenges yet.As the Cazalets descend on Home Place for Christmas, only one thing is certain: nothing will ever be the same again.'Charming, poignant and quite irresistible . . . to be cherished and shared' – The TimesWith cover artwork exclusively designed by artist Luke Edward Hall, this is the heartbreaking and heartwarming final instalment of Elizabeth Jane Howard's bestselling series.Trade ReviewIf I were sent to a desert island with one book this would be my choice -- Her Majesty Queen CamillaCharming, poignant and quite irresistible . . . to be cherished and shared * The Times *Elizabeth Jane Howard is one of those novelists who shows, through her work, what the novel is for . . . She helps us to do the necessary thing – open our eyes and our hearts -- Hilary Mantel, author of Wolf HallThe Cazalets have earned an honoured place among the great saga families . . . rendered thrillingly three-dimensional by a master craftsman * Sunday Telegraph *Heartwarming and wise * Observer *A family saga of the best kind . . . a must * Tatler *Beautifully written and utterly engrossing * Woman & Home *Superb . . . hypnotic . . . very funny * Spectator *Evocative and gracefully written * Cosmopolitan *A dazzling historical reconstruction -- Penelope Fitzgerald, Booker Prize-winning author of OffshoreThis chronicle will be read, like Trollope, as a classic about life in England in our century -- Sybille Bedford, author of A Legacy and JigsawGloriously addictive . . . Family loyalty, betrayals, triumphs, tragedy, births and deaths are all blissfully here, and you become emotionally absorbed in the fate of each character * Daily Mail *
£7.99
Random House USA Inc A Little Life
Book Synopsis
£24.50
Pan Macmillan Confusion
Book SynopsisAs featured on BBC Radio 4 Open BookSet in the height of the Second World War, The Cazalet Chronicles continues with the third in the series, Confusion, where chaos has become a way of life for the Cazalet family.'She helps us to do the necessary thing – open our eyes and our hearts' – Hilary Mantel, author of Wolf HallIt's 1942 and the dark days of war seem never-ending. Scattered across the still-peaceful Sussex countryside and air-raid-threatened London, the divided Cazalets begin to find the battle for survival echoing the confusion in their own lives.Headstrong, independent Louise surprises the whole family when she abandons her dreams of being an actress and instead makes a society marriage. Polly and Clary, now in their late teens, finally fulfil their ambition of living together in London. But the reality of the city is not quite what they imagined, and Polly is struggling to come to terms with the death of her mother and manage her grieving father. Clary, meanwhile, is painfully aware that what she lacks in beauty she makes up for in intelligence, and is the only member of the family who believes that her father might not be dead.'Charming, poignant and quite irresistible . . . to be cherished and shared' – The TimesWith cover artwork exclusively designed by artist Luke Edward Hall, this is the heartbreaking and heartwarming third instalment of Elizabeth Jane Howard's bestselling series. It is followed by the fourth book, Casting Off.Trade ReviewIf I were sent to a desert island with one book this would be my choice -- Her Majesty Queen CamillaCharming, poignant and quite irresistible . . . to be cherished and shared * The Times *She is one of those novelists who shows, through her work, what the novel is for . . . She helps us to do the necessary thing – open our eyes and our hearts -- Hilary Mantel, author of Wolf HallThe Cazalets have earned an honoured place among the great saga families . . . rendered thrillingly three-dimensional by a master craftsman * Sunday Telegraph *Superb . . . hypnotic . . . very funny * Spectator *Evocative and gracefully written * Cosmopolitan *A family saga of the best kind . . . a must * Tatler *A dazzling historical reconstruction -- Penelope Fitzgerald, Booker Prize-winning author of OffshoreThis chronicle will be read, like Trollope, as a classic about life in England in our century -- Sybille Bedford, author of A Legacy and JigsawGloriously addictive . . . Family loyalty, betrayals, triumphs, tragedy, births and deaths are all blissfully here, and you become emotionally absorbed in the fate of each character * Daily Mail *
£7.99
Pan Macmillan The Light Years
Book SynopsisAs featured on BBC Radio 4 Open BookA modern classic, The Light Years is a story of twentieth-century English life in the countryside and the first in Elizabeth Jane Howard's extraordinary, bestselling family saga The Cazalet Chronicles.'She helps us to do the necessary thing – open our eyes and our hearts' – Hilary Mantel, author of Wolf HallEvery summer, the Cazalet brothers – Hugh, Edward and Rupert – return to the family home in the heart of the Sussex countryside with their wives and children. There, they are joined by their parents and unmarried sister Rachel to enjoy two blissful months of picnics, games, and excursions to the coast. But despite the idyllic setting, nothing can be done to soothe the siblings’ heartache: Hugh is haunted by the ravages of the Great War, Edward is torn between his wife and his latest infidelity, and Rupert is in turmoil over his inability to please his demanding wife. Meanwhile, Rachel risks losing her only chance at happiness because of her unflinching loyalty to the family.'Charming, poignant and quite irresistible . . . to be cherished and shared' – The TimesWith cover artwork exclusively designed by artist Luke Edward Hall, this is an edition to treasure. Continue the dazzling historical series with Marking Time and Confusion.Trade ReviewIf I were sent to a desert island with one book this would be my choice -- Her Majesty Queen CamillaCharming, poignant and quite irresistible . . . to be cherished and shared * The Times *She is one of those novelists who shows, through her work, what the novel is for . . . She helps us to do the necessary thing – open our eyes and our hearts -- Hilary Mantel, author of Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies The Cazalets have earned an honoured place among the great saga families . . . rendered thrillingly three-dimensional by a master craftsman * Sunday Telegraph *Superb . . . hypnotic . . . very funny * Spectator *Evocative and gracefully written * Cosmopolitan *A family saga of the best kind . . . a must * Tatler *A dazzling historical reconstruction -- Penelope Fitzgerald, Booker Prize-winning author of OffshoreThe Blue FlowerThis chronicle will be read, like Trollope, as a classic about life in England in our century -- Sybille Bedford, author of A Legacy and JigsawGloriously addictive . . . Family loyalty, betrayals, triumphs, tragedy, births and deaths are all blissfully here, and you become emotionally absorbed in the fate of each character * Daily Mail *
£7.99
Pan Macmillan Casting Off
Book SynopsisAs featured on BBC Radio 4 Open BookThe Second World War has finally ended and so begins a new era of freedom and opportunity for the Cazalet family. Elizabeth Jane Howard's magnificent Cazalet Chronicles continues with Casting Off, the fourth novel in the saga.'She helps us to do the necessary thing – open our eyes and our hearts' – Hilary Mantel, author of Wolf HallThe Cazalet cousins are now in their twenties, trying to piece together their lives in the aftermath of the war. Louise is faced with her father's new mistress and her mother's grief at his betrayal, while suffering in a loveless marriage of her own. Clary is struggling to understand why her beloved father chose to stay in France long after it was safe to return to Britain, and both she and Polly are madly in love with much older men.Polly, Clary and Louise must face the truth about the adult world, while their fathers – Rupert, Hugh and Edward – must make choices that will decide their own, and the family's, future . . .'Charming, poignant and quite irresistible . . . to be cherished and shared' – The TimesWith cover artwork exclusively designed by artist Luke Edward Hall, this is the heartbreaking and heartwarming fourth instalment of Elizabeth Jane Howard's bestselling series. It is followed by All Change, the fifth and final book in the series.Trade ReviewIf I were sent to a desert island with one book this would be my choice -- Her Majesty Queen CamillaCharming, poignant and quite irresistible . . . To be cherished and shared * The Times *She is one of those novelists who shows, through her work, what the novel is for . . . She helps us to do the necessary thing – open our eyes and our hearts -- Hilary Mantel, author of Wolf HallThe Cazalets have earned an honoured place among the great saga families . . . rendered thrillingly three-dimensional by a master craftsman * Sunday Telegraph *Superb . . . hypnotic . . . very funny * Spectator *Evocative and gracefully written * Cosmopolitan *A family saga of the best kind . . . a must * Tatler *A dazzling historical reconstruction -- Penelope Fitzgerald, Booker Prize-winning author of OffshoreThis chronicle will be read, like Trollope, as a classic about life in England in our century -- Sybille Bedford, author of A Legacy and JigsawGloriously addictive . . . Family loyalty, betrayals, triumphs, tragedy, births and deaths are all blissfully here, and you become emotionally absorbed in the fate of each character * Daily Mail *
£10.99
HarperCollins Publishers Beren and Lúthien
Book SynopsisPainstakingly restored from Tolkien's manuscripts and presented for the first time as a continuous and standalone story, the epic tale of Beren and Luthien will reunite fans of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings with Elves and Men, Dwarves and Orcs and the rich landscape and creatures unique to Tolkien's Middle-earth.Trade ReviewPraise for The Children of Húrin:‘I hope that its universality and power will grant it a place in English mythology’Independent on Sunday ‘The darkest of all Tolkien’s tales. Alan Lee’s illustrations complement the writing splendidly’Times Literary Supplement
£56.25
Random House USA Inc Oh William
Book Synopsis
£9.27
Zaffre Crossfire
Book SynopsisA race against time Courtney series thriller from the Master of Adventure, Wilbur Smith
£17.60
HarperCollins Publishers The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois The
Book SynopsisTHE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLERAN OPRAH BOOK CLUB PICKDeeply moving' Sarah Winman, author of Still LifeRemarkable' Afua Hirsch, author of Brit(ish)A sweeping epic Outstanding' Daily MailImmerse yourself in a celebration of Black womanhood and an epic tale of the stories that span generations.Ailey Pearl Garfield grows up between the City in the north and summers spent in her mother's small hometown of Chicasetta, Georgia. From an early age, she finds herself in a battle for belonging that's made all the more difficult by a hurt in her past, as well as the whispers of womenher mother, Belle, her sister, Lydia, and a maternal line reaching back two centuriesthat urge Ailey to succeed in their stead.To come to terms with her identity, Ailey embarks on a journey through her family's past, uncovering the shocking tales of generations of ancestorsIndigenous, Black, and whitein the deep South. In doing so Ailey must learn to embrace her full heritage, a legacy of oppression and resistance, bondTrade Review‘Prepare to be wholly engrossed… Phenomenal’ Observer ‘Utterly essential’ iNews ‘Intimate, considered, beautifully written and perceived, ambitious and ultimately satisfying. Outstanding’ Daily Mail ‘Astonishing… I lived in this novel for three weeks. It is long. It is a journey. It is something so remarkable I’m not sure we collectively ever even dreamed it.’ Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple ‘Beautifully, and traumatically, weaves a spell of a story about more than ten generations of an American family―indigenous, African and European… Remarkable’ Afua Hirsch, author of Brit(ish) ‘Breath-taking … A book I urge everyone to read. It is deeply moving and deeply informative. It is magnificent’ Sarah Winman, author of Still Life ‘Exceptional in the way it engages so deeply and emphatically with history’ Guardian ‘Epic and intimate… an extraordinary achievement’ The Spectator ‘A work of profound beauty’ Irish Times ‘Extraordinary … moving and evocative’ TLS ‘The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois is the kind of book that comes around only once a decade … Simply magnificent’ Washington Post ‘Quite simply the best book that I have read in a very, very long time’ New York Times ‘Just as brilliant as it is necessary, just as intimate as it is expansive. An outstanding portrait of an American family and in turn, an outstanding portrait of America’ Angie Thomas, author of The Hate U Give ‘Masterful and stunning … These Love Songs make for a frank, feminist, and unforgettable read’ Deesha Philyaw, author of The Secret Lives of Church Ladies
£10.44
Amazon Publishing Beneath a Scarlet Sky: A Novel
Book SynopsisSoon to be a major television event from Pascal Pictures, starring Tom Holland. Based on the true story of a forgotten hero, the USA Today and #1 Amazon Charts bestseller Beneath a Scarlet Sky is the triumphant, epic tale of one young man’s incredible courage and resilience during one of history’s darkest hours. Pino Lella wants nothing to do with the war or the Nazis. He’s a normal Italian teenager—obsessed with music, food, and girls—but his days of innocence are numbered. When his family home in Milan is destroyed by Allied bombs, Pino joins an underground railroad helping Jews escape over the Alps, and falls for Anna, a beautiful widow six years his senior. In an attempt to protect him, Pino’s parents force him to enlist as a German soldier—a move they think will keep him out of combat. But after Pino is injured, he is recruited at the tender age of eighteen to become the personal driver for Adolf Hitler’s left hand in Italy, General Hans Leyers, one of the Third Reich’s most mysterious and powerful commanders. Now, with the opportunity to spy for the Allies inside the German High Command, Pino endures the horrors of the war and the Nazi occupation by fighting in secret, his courage bolstered by his love for Anna and for the life he dreams they will one day share. Fans of All the Light We Cannot See, The Nightingale, and Unbroken will enjoy this riveting saga of history, suspense, and love.Trade ReviewA Goodreads Choice Award Finalist, Historical Fiction A 2017 Goodreads Top 20 Most-Read Book A Goodreads Best Book of the Month “Exciting…taut thriller…Beneath a Scarlet Sky tells the true story of one young Italian’s efforts to thwart the Nazis.” —Shelf Awareness “Meticulous research highlights this World War II novel of a youth growing into manhood…a captivating read…” —RT Book Reviews “An incredible story, beautifully written, and a fine and noble book.” —James Patterson, New York Times bestselling author “Sprawling, stirring, like the richest of stories, and played out on a canvas of heroism and tragedy, Beneath a Scarlet Sky is like one of those iconic World War II black and white photos: a face of hope and tears, the story of a small life that ended up mattering in a big way.” —Andrew Gross, New York Times bestselling author of The One Man “Action, adventure, love, war, and an epic hero—all set against the backdrop of one of history's darkest moment—Mark Sullivan's Beneath a Scarlet Sky has everything one can ask for in an exceptional World War II novel.” —Tess Gerritsen, New York Times bestselling author of Playing with Fire “This is full-force Mark Sullivan—muscular, soulful prose evincing an artist’s touch and a journalist’s eye. Beneath a Scarlet Sky conjures an era with a magician’s ease, weaving the rich tapestry of a wartime epic. World War II Italy has never been more alive to me.” —Gregg Hurwitz, New York Times bestselling author of The Nowhere Man “Beneath a Scarlet Sky has everything—heroism, courage, terror, true love, revenge, compassion in the face of the worst human evils. Sullivan shows us war as it really is, with all its complexities, conflicting loyalties, and unresolved questions, but most of all, he brings us the extraordinary figure of Pino Lella, whose determination to live con smania—with passion—saved him.” —Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author of Suspicion and The Switch
£12.10
Random House USA Inc Atmosphere
£15.00
HarperCollins Publishers A Woman of Substance
Book SynopsisThe unputdownable multi-million copy bestseller charting the rags to riches story of Emma HarteWith new Foreword from Fern Britton.A WOMAN''S AMBITIONIn the brooding moors above a humble Yorkshire village stood Fairley Hall. There, Emma Harte, its oppressed but resourceful servant girl, acquired a shrewd determination. There, she honed her skills, discovered the meaning of treachery, learned to survive, to become a woman, and vowed to make her mark on the world.A JOURNEY OF A LIFETIMEIn the wake of tragedy she rose from poverty to magnificent wealth as the iron-willed force behind a thriving international enterprise. As one of the richest women in the world Emma Harte has almost everything she fought so hard to achieve-save for the dream of love, and for the passion of the one man she could never have.A DREAM FULFILLED-AND AVENGED.Through two marriages, two devastating wars, and generations of secrets, Emma''s unparalleled success has come with a price. As greed, envy, and revenge consume those closest to her, the brilliant matriarch now finds herself poised to outwit her enemies, and to face the betrayals of the past with the same ingenious resolve that forged her empire.Trade Review‘An extravagant, absorbing novel of love, courage, ambition, war, death and passion.’New York Times ‘A mighty saga. Little has been so riveting since Gone With the Wind’ Evening News ‘A long, satisfying novel of money, power, passion and revenge, set against the sweep of 20th-century history.’Los Angeles Times ‘Few novelists are as consummate as Barbara Taylor Bradford at keeping the reader turning the page. She is one of the world’s best at spinning yarns’ Guardian
£9.49
Allison & Busby Hawthorn Close
Book Synopsis
£9.49
Pan Macmillan The Sins of the Father
Book SynopsisEngrossing and memorable, The Sins of the Father is the second novel in international bestseller Jeffrey Archer’s celebrated the Clifton Chronicles. It takes us to New York in 1939 where our hero Harry Clifton is in desperate need of help.Only days before Britain declares war on Germany, Harry joins the Merchant Navy, unable to face long-held family secrets and the fact he will never be able to marry his true love Emma Barrington. But when his ship is sunk mid-Atlantic, Harry takes the opportunity to assume the identity of one his deceased rescuers and begin a new life.Landing in America, he quickly discovers he has made a mistake and without any way to prove his true identity, Harry is now chained to a past that could be far worse than the one he had hoped to escape . . .Brimming with intrigue, the Clifton Chronicles continues its powerful journey with family loyalties stretched to their limits and fates decided.Continue the bestselling series with Best Kept Secret and Be Careful What You Wish For.Trade ReviewI guarantee that anyone who takes this book from the shelves will not be able to put it down -- Jerry Hayes * Spectator *Probably the greatest storyteller of our age * Mail on Sunday *
£8.54
Penguin Putnam Inc The Godfather
Book Synopsis50th ANNIVERSARY EDITION—WITH A NEW INTRODUCTION BY FRANCIS FORD COPPOLAMario Puzo’s classic saga of an American crime family that became a global phenomenon—nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read.With its brilliant and brutal portrayal of the Corleone family, The Godfather burned its way into our national consciousness. This unforgettable saga of crime and corruption, passion and loyalty continues to stand the test of time, as the definitive novel of the Mafia underworld.A #1 New York Times bestseller in 1969, Mario Puzo’s epic was turned into the incomparable film of the same name, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture. It is the original classic that has been often imitated, but never matched. A tale of family and society, law and order, obedience and rebellion, it reveals the dark passions of human nature played out against a backdrop of the American dream.With a Note from Anthony Puzo and an Afterword by Robert J. Thompson
£15.30
Hodder & Stoughton China
Book SynopsisTHE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER''Bravo; this is a big, complex and utterly involving portrait of 19th-century China'' THE TIMESThe internationally bestselling author portrays the great clash of East and West in his new epic: China China in the nineteenth century: a proud and ancient empire forbidden to foreigners. The West desires Chinese tea above all other things but lacks the silver to buy it. Instead, western adventurers resort to smuggling opium in exchange.The Qing Emperor will not allow his people to sink into addiction. Viceroy Lin is sent to the epicentre of the opium trade, Canton, to stop it. The Opium Wars begin - heralding a period of bloody military defeats, reparations, and one-sided treaties which will become known as the Century of Humiliation. From Hong Kong to Beijing to the Great Wall, from the exotic wonders of the Summer Palace and the Forbidden City, to squalid villaTrade Reviewtakes an entertaining, educational journey through China's rich and complex history, geography, art, and diverse cultures during a tumultuous epoch * Booklist *The unparallelled master of the historical saga returns, this time, with an eye on China. Beginning with the First Opium War in 1839 and continuing through the present day, Rutherfurd tells a sweeping tale that brings to life a nation's history, traditions and the people who lived through it as if by magic * Newsweek *A spectacularly glorious epic! . . . This barnstormer of a book can take its rightful place as a true historical epic * On-Magazine *Bravo; this is a big, complex and utterly involving portrait of 19th-century China * The Times *It's a bravura performance, fizzing with incident, excitement and energy * Daily Mail *Rich in detail, it'll give all readers pause for thought * Belfast Telegraph *
£8.24
Hodder & Stoughton Silver Wishes: Book 1 in the brand new Jubilee
Book SynopsisThe first novel in the heartwarming and gripping new Jubilee Lake series, from million-copy bestseller Anna JacobsLancashire, 1895. When her controlling stepfather suddenly dies, it seems that Elinor Pendleton finally has a chance of freedom. But her hopes are soon dashed when she learns that the thuggish Jason Stafford has inherited every penny, and is determined to have Elinor too.Forced to flee with her beloved maid, Maude, Elinor finds shelter with Maude's distant cousin in the remote village of Ollerthwaite, on the shore of Jubilee Lake.But Walter Crossley has troubles of his own. Having lost his closest family in a tragic accident, he needs one of his grandsons to return from America to inherit his farm - and when practical, kindhearted Cameron arrives, he appears to be the perfect heir.But is this young man everything he seems? And will Elinor's secret wish to have a family of her own ever come true...?Readers love Anna Jacobs' novels!'Amazing' - 5 STARS'Thank you, Anna, for the pleasure you give in all your books' - 5 STARS'Another brilliant, hard-to-put-down book' - 5 STARS'Can't wait for the next instalment' - 5 STARS'A real page turner, I can't wait to read the next one' - 5 STARS'Another triumph for Anna Jacobs' - 5 STARS'BRILLIANT READ' - 5 STARSTrade ReviewIn Silver Wishes Anna cleverly introduces the main characters then brings them all together as the story builds leaving you to speculate how it is going to play out. It draws you in from the start, but be prepared for twists along the way. An absolutely brilliant read * Female First *
£7.19
Hodder & Stoughton Diamond Promises
Book SynopsisThe third book in the gripping and heartwarming new Jubilee Lake series, from multi-million-copy bestselling author Anna JacobsLancashire, 1895. Lancashire, 1895. Abigail Dawson has lived in fear of her father for thirty years. But when, after uprooting them to a grand new home in Ollerthwaite, he''s found murdered in the street, her life is turned upside down.Alone and caught in a web of her father''s secrets, Abigail needs someone to rely on - so when hardworking handyman Rufus promises her a new life, she''s thrilled at the chance to have a family of her own. But as they grow closer, could it be more than a marriage of convenience? Meanwhile, the rebuilding of the Ollerton estate is bringing new life to the valley - but old grudges, and new threats, are disturbing the peace. With plans for the Diamond Jubilee approaching, can the whole village band together to protect their home?*Available to pre-order now!*Readers l
£7.59
Little, Brown Book Group Born In Fire
Book SynopsisBorn in Fire is the first book in a compelling trilogy of novels about the Concannon sisters of western Ireland.Trade Review'Refreshingly realistic and compelling' Publishers Weekly ** 'Nora Roberts' gift ... is her ability to pull the reader into the lives of her characters - we live, love, anguish and triumph with them' Rendevous
£9.49
Pan Macmillan Ross Poldark
Book SynopsisWinston Graham was the author of more than forty novels, including The Walking Stick, Angell, Pearl and Little God, Stephanie and Tremor. His novels have been widely translated and his famous Poldark series has been developed into two television series shown in twenty-four countries. Many of Winston Graham's books have been filmed for the big screen, the most notable being Marnie, directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Winston Graham was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and in 1983 was awarded the OBE. He died in July 2003.Trade ReviewRoss is one of literature's great heroes . . . [with] elements of Darcy, Heathcliff, Rhett Butler and Robin Hood -- Debbie Horsfield
£9.49
Zaffre A Woman's War: The perfect wartime saga
Book SynopsisThe heartwarming follow on to Keep the Home Fires Burning, from the creator of ITV smash-hit Home Fires - perfect for fans of Rosie Clarke and Annie Groves.In the depths of war, the women of Great Paxford will need all their strength . . .As enemy planes continue to bombard the North West of England, the members of Great Paxford's WI fight harder than ever to persevere.Teresa Lucas has reshaped her life to become the perfect wife - but will the arrival of a new guest throw her world off kilter?Laura Campbell is grieving for her father, but in the midst of tragedy, a new future beckons.Pat Simms plans to escape her difficult life at the end of the war, but when things change at home, she finds herself questioning everything she thought she knew.And for Steph Farrow, it's not the threat of what's to come she fears, but whether she can live with what she has done . . .Trade ReviewI very quickly became embroiled . . . a really enjoyable book. Greatly looking forward to the next one * Rosie Goodwin, on Keep the Home Fires Burning *
£8.54
HarperCollins Publishers Two Sisters
Book SynopsisDon't miss the new book from Sunday Times bestselling author, Josephine Cox!The pretty Arnold sisters have grown up on their father's farm and yearn for something more out of life than drudgery and toil.Ellen, loyal and honest, is her father's favourite, but Georgina is impulsive and unreliable, and can't please a father who has never shown her love.The big house, Grindle Hall, offers them both a chance of betterment, but while Ellen follows the steady path, Georgina takes a darker road and soon, her actions will have fateful consequences for them all. Only Ellen can help them, but will a sister's love be enough?Trade ReviewPraise for Blood Brothers: 'Thanks to her near faultless writing, sympathies will lurch from one character to another, and as events reach their dramatic conclusion readers will find it impossible to tear themselves away.' News of the World 'Another hit for Josephine Cox' Sunday Express Praise for Josephine Cox’s previous novels: ‘Cox's talent as storyteller never lets you escape the spell' Daily Mail 'Another masterpiece' Best ‘Another beautifully spun family epic' Scottish Daily Echo 'A born storyteller' Bedfordshire Times ‘A surefire winner' Woman's Weekly
£7.59
HarperCollins Publishers The Namesake Jhumpa Lahiri
Book SynopsisThe incredible bestselling first novel from Pulitzer Prize- winning author, Jhumpa Lahiri.The kind of writer who makes you want to grab the next person and say Read this!'' Amy Tan''When her grandmother learned of Ashima''s pregnancy, she was particularly thrilled at the prospect of naming the family''s first sahib. And so Ashima and Ashoke have agreed to put off the decision of what to name the baby until a letter comes''For now, the label on his hospital cot reads simply BABY BOY GANGULI. But as time passes and still no letter arrives from India, American bureaucracy takes over and demands that ''baby boy Ganguli'' be given a name. In a panic, his father decides to nickname him ''Gogol'' after his favourite writer.Brought up as an Indian in suburban America, Gogol Ganguli soon finds himself itching to cast off his awkward name, just as he longs to leave behind the inherited values of his Bengali parents. And so he sets off on his own path through life, a path strewn with conflictingTrade Review'Quietly dazzling… The Namesake is that rare thing: an intimate, closely observed family portrait that effortlessly and discreetly unfolds to disclose a capacious social vision… Jhumpa Lahiri has taken the haunting chamber music of her first collection of stories and reorchestrated its themes of exile and identity to create a symphonic work, a debut novel that is as assured and eloquent as the work of a longtime master of the craft.' Michiko Kakutani, New York Times ‘Extraordinary…a book that spins gold out of the straw of ordinary lives. The calm, pellucid grace of her prose, the sustained stretch of crystal clear writing, its elegant pianissimo tone, pulls the reader from beginning to end in one neat arc. Every detail, every observation, every sentence rings with the clarity of truth. The Namesake is a novel that makes its reader feel privileged to be allowed access to its immensely empathetic world.' The Times ‘The kind of writer who makes you want to grab the next person and say "Read this!"' Amy Tan 'Impeccably written' Daily Mail 'Gracious….in refined, empathetic prose…each of Lahiri's characters patches together their own identity, making this resonant fable neither uniquely Asian nor uniquely American, but tenderly, wryly human.' Hephzibah Anderson, Observer ‘A story for our times.’ Rachel Cusk, Evening Standard ‘A joy to read.’ Sunday Telegraph
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers Master of His Fate
Book SynopsisFrom Victorian London to the vibrant port cities of England and France, from gracious stately homes in Gloucestershire to the decadence of Paris, Master of his Fate launches an unforgettable new historical series.London 1884: Queen Victoria is Empress of India and Britain is at its peak of worldwide power.James Falconer works as a barrow boy in a flourishing London market owned by Henry Malvern. But James hungers for more. Turning away from family tradition, he dreams of building an empire of stores like Fortnum and Mason's and believes that Henry, along with his daughter and heir Alexis, could offer him a way to climb beyond his beginnings.But tragedy and betrayal threaten the dreams of both James and Alexis and jeopardise everything they hold dearTrade Review‘This splendid new historical family saga takes you from the stately homes of England to the decadence of Paris as barrowboy James Falconer pursues his dream of building an empire of department stores’ My Weekly ‘The first in a new series set in Victorian London, braiding the fates of a self-made charmer with a serious-minded heiress.’ Daily Mail ‘A tale of fortunes lost, betrayal, revenge and, of course, love’ Sun ‘A stately home, a dangerous secret and two families whose fates have been intertwined for generations…a gripping period piece set on the brink of the Great War. Exquisite escapism of the highest order.’ The Lady ‘A classic saga of loyalty, secrets, passion and intrigue…if you’ve been suffering withdrawal symptoms from Downton, this is for you’ Daily MailA classic saga of loyalty, secrets, passion and intrigue…if you’ve been suffering withdrawal symptoms from Downton, this is for you’ Daily Mail
£8.99
Hodder & Stoughton Golden Dreams: Book 2 in the gripping new Jubilee
Book SynopsisThe second book in the gripping and heartwarming new Jubilee Lake series, from multi-million-copy bestselling author Anna JacobsLancashire, 1895. Lillian Hesketh has taken a new name, and a brave step towards a happier life. Suddenly widowed after an unhappy marriage, and pursued by her unscrupulous in-laws, Lillian finds a fresh start in the beautiful Ollindale valley. Thanks to the kindness of her new neighbours, Walter Crossley and his family, she finally has a home to call her own - but the threat of discovery by her husband's family still casts a shadow over her new life.Meanwhile, Edward Ollerton has returned to the valley to rebuild his ancestral home. Hoping to one day to marry and start a family, Edward finds himself drawn to the shy, attractive widow - but not everyone is happy to see him reclaim his estate . . .Will their dreams fade to dust, or can a golden future blossom on the shores of Jubilee Lake?Readers love Anna Jacobs! 'Amazing' - 5 STARS'Thank you, Anna, for the pleasure you give in all your books' - 5 STARS'Another brilliant, hard-to-put-down book' - 5 STARS'Can't wait for the next instalment' - 5 STARS'A real page turner, I can't wait to read the next one' - 5 STARS'Another triumph for Anna Jacobs' - 5 STARS'BRILLIANT READ' - 5 STARSBook 1 in the Jubilee Lake Saga, SILVER WISHES, is out now in hardback, eBook and audio
£7.19
Pan Macmillan Warleggan
Book SynopsisWinston Graham was the author of more than forty novels, including The Walking Stick, Angell, Pearl and Little God, Stephanie and Tremor. His novels have been widely translated and his famous Poldark series has been developed into two television series shown in twenty-four countries. Many of Winston Graham's books have been filmed for the big screen, the most notable being Marnie, directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Winston Graham was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and in 1983 was awarded the OBE. He died in July 2003.Trade ReviewRoss is one of literature's great heroes . . . [with] elements of Darcy, Heathcliff, Rhett Butler and Robin Hood -- Debbie HorsfieldFrom the incomparable Winston Graham . . . who has everything that everyone else has, then a whole lot more. * Guardian *
£9.49
Pan Macmillan The Angry Tide
Book SynopsisWinston Graham is the author of more than forty novels, which include Cordelia, Marnie, The Walking Stick and Stephanie as well as the highly successful Poldark series. His novels have been translated into seventeen languages. Many of Winston Graham's books have been filmed for the big screen, the most notable being Marnie directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The BBC television series of the Poldark novels was broadcast in twenty-two countries and starred Aidan Turner and Eleanor Tomlinson. Winston Graham was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and in 1983 was awarded the OBE. He died in July 2003
£9.49
Pan Macmillan The Long View
Book SynopsisWith an introduction by Hilary Mantel, author of Wolf Hall.Originally published in 1956, The Long View is Elizabeth Jane Howard's uncannily authentic portrait of one marriage and one woman. Written with exhilarating wit, it is a gut-wrenching account of the birth and death of a relationship.In 1950s London, Antonia Fleming faces the prospect of a life lived alone. Her children are now adults; her husband Conrad, a domineering and emotionally complex man, is now a stranger. As Antonia looks towards her future, the novel steadily moves backwards in time. Tracing Antonia's relationship with Conrad, she comes to its beginning in the 1920s – through years of mistake and motherhood, dreams and war.One of his secret pleasures was the loading of social dice against himself. He did not seem for one moment to consider the efforts made by kind or sensitive people to even things up: or if such notions ever occurred to him, heTrade ReviewBeautifully written and richly perceptive * Daily Telegraph *When I read The Long View . . . I realized I would never write anything of such subtlety and penetration: there was no point in even hoping to write a novel if this was the standard of excellence -- Andrew Brown * Guardian *What a beautiful, subtle, endlessly insightful writer. What compassion, what mesmerising detail, what godlike lightness of touch -- Chris Cleave * Guardian *Her talent seemed so effervescent, so unstoppable, that there was no predicting where it might take her -- Hilary Mantel, author of Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies
£10.44
Daphne Press The Art of Prophecy
Book Synopsis'In this superb fantasy saga of tough, old martial-arts masters and inexperienced young heroes, Wesley Chu has given us a richly inventive page-turner that delights on every page.' — Helene Wecker, author of The Golem and the JinniAn epic fantasy ode to martial arts and magic about what happens when a prophesied hero is not the chosen one after all, from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lives of Tao.So many stories begin the same way: With a prophecy. A Chosen One. And the inevitable quest to slay a villain, save the kingdom, and fulfil a grand destiny. But this is not that kind of story.It does begin with a prophecy: A child will rise to defeat the Eternal Khan, a cruel immortal god-king, and save the kingdom. And that prophecy did anoint a hero, Jian, raised since birth in luxury and splendour, and celebrated before he has won a single battle.But that's when the story hits its first twist: The prophecy was wrong.What follows is a story more wondrous than any prophecy can foresee, and with many unexpected heroes: Taishi, an older woman who is the greatest grandmaster of magical martial arts in the kingdom but who thought her adventuring days were all behind her; Sali, a straitlaced warrior who learns the rules may no longer apply when the leader she pledged her life to is gone; and Qisami, a chaotic assassin who takes a little too much pleasure in the kill.And Jian himself, who has to find a way to become what he no longer believes he can be — a hero after all.
£8.54