Fiction: literary and general non-genre

Book Synopsis1871. Pete Ferguson is a wanted man. An army deserter, hunted for murder in Oregon, not to mention theft and arson in Nebraska.Taking the name of Billy Webb, he is hired by bison hunters, but leaves after a bloody dispute. He then takes the Comancheros Road, which he follows to Mexico, and then to Guatemala . . . Whatever he does, wherever he goes, Pete is a magnet for trouble and seems incapable of making the right choices. The violence that follows him keeps him away from those he loves: his brother Oliver, still on the Fitzpatrick ranch with Aileen, Alexandra and Arthur Bowman.It is a woman who will change his destiny, an Indigenous woman driven out of her lands. To save her, Ferguson will sabotage an attempted coup d''état and together, they will go to the Equator that has become Ferguson''s grail, and where the malevolent forces governing this world must finally be defeated.

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Book SynopsisDavid Rain is an Australian writer who lives in London. He has taught literature and writing at Queen's University of Belfast, University of Brighton, and Middlesex University, London.Trade ReviewThe more I read The Heat of the Sun, the more I admired it: for its imaginative reach, its emotional power, and the lit-up beauty and exactitude of its writing. I thought it breathtakingly good. * Sue Gee, author of The Mysteries of Glass *

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Book SynopsisChristopher Hope was born in Johannesburg in 1944. He is the author of nine novels and one collection of short stories, including Kruger's Alp, which won the Whitbread Prize for Fiction, Serenity House, which was shortlisted for the 1992 Booker Prize, My Mother's Lovers and Shooting Angels, published by Atlantic Books in 2012 to great acclaim. He is also a poet and playwright and author of the celebrated memoir White Boy Running(1988).

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Book SynopsisTim Leach is a graduate of the MA writing course at Warwick University, where he has also taught creative writing on the under-graduate programme. His first novel, The Last King of Lydia, was shortlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize 2013. He lives in Sheffield.Trade ReviewA sophisticated, moving study of corrupted power... Compelling -- Nick Rennison * Sunday Times *A gripping tale of the perils of kingship and the relationships of the mighty with those who fear them most. * Good Book Guide *Beautiful, epic, dramatic * Bookbag *

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Book SynopsisNATIONAL BESTSELLER • A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: NPR, USA Today • A collection of “first-rate” short stories (The New York Times) that explore—with great affection, humor, and insight—the human condition in all its foibles.A small-town newspaper columnist with old-fashioned views of the modern world. A World War II veteran grappling with his emotional and physical scars. A second-rate actor plunged into sudden stardom and a whirlwind press junket. Four friends traveling to the moon in a rocketship built in the backyard. These are just some of the stories that Tom Hanks captures in his first work of fiction.The stories are linked by one thing: in each of them, a typewriter plays a part, sometimes minor, sometimes central. To many, typewriters represent a level of craftsmanship, beauty, and individuality that is harder and harder to find in the modern world. In these stories, Hanks gra

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Book SynopsisTHE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERLieutenant Eve Dallas must hunt down the deadly snipers terrorizing Manhattan in this fast-paced In Death thriller from J. D. Robb.  The shots came quickly, silently, and with deadly accuracy. Within seconds, three people were dead at Central Park’s ice-skating rink. The victims: a talented young skater, a doctor, and a teacher. As random as random can be.Eve Dallas has seen a lot of killers during her time with the NYPSD but never one like this. A review of the security videos reveals that the victims were killed with a tactical laser rifle fired by a sniper, who could have been miles away when the trigger was pulled. And though the list of locations where the shooter could have set up seems endless, the number of people with that particular skill set is finite: police, military, professional killer.Eve’s husband, Roarke, has unlimited resources—and genius—at his disposal.

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Book SynopsisNOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERA thrilling tale of betrayal and revenge set against the nineteenth-century American frontier, Michael Punke''s The Revenant is the astonishing story of real-life trapper and frontiersman Hugh Glass.The year is 1823, and the trappers of the Rocky Mountain Fur Company live a brutal frontier life. Hugh Glass is among the company's finest men, an experienced frontiersman and an expert tracker. But when a scouting mission puts him face-to-face with a grizzly bear, he is viciously mauled and not expected to survive. Two company men are dispatched to stay behind and tend to Glass before he dies. When the men abandon him instead, Glass is driven to survive by one desire: revenge. With shocking grit and determination, Glass sets out, crawling at first, across hundreds of miles of uncharted American frontier. Based on a true story, The Revenant is a remarkable tale of

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Book SynopsisA landmark collection that brings together Truman Capote’s life’s work in the form he called his “great love,” The Complete Stories confirms Capote’s status as a master of the short story.“To best experience Capote the stylist, one must go back to his short fiction. . . . One experiences as strongly as ever his gift for concrete abstraction and his spectacular observancy.” —The New YorkerRanging from the gothic South to the chic East Coast, from rural children to aging urban sophisticates, all the unforgettable places and people of Capote’s oeuvre are here, in stories as elegant as they are heartfelt, as haunting as they are compassionate. Reading them reminds us of the miraculous gifts of a beloved American original.

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Book SynopsisThe first thing I remember being said of me with any consistency was that I was intelligent - and I recognized even then that it was a comment leveled at me with as much disapproval as admiration. Still, I never tried to hide or suppress my mind as some girls do, and thank god, because that would have been the beginning of the end.From childhood, Katherine knows she is different, and that her parents are not who they seem to be. But in becoming a mathematician, she faces the most human of problems - who is she? What is the cost of love, and what is the cost of ambition? On her quest to conquer the Riemann Hypothesis, the greatest unsolved mathematical problem of her time, she turns to a theorem with a mysterious history that holds both the lock and key to her identity, and to secrets long buried during World War II. Forced to confront some of the biggest events of the twentieth century and rethink everything she knows of herself, Katherine strives to tTrade ReviewKatherine, the narrator of this unusual novel, is an eminent American-Chinese academic fixated on the Holy Grail of mathematics...Chung is smart enough to keep the mathematics to a minimum and concentrate on the human elements in her story: a young woman's battle for acceptance in a male-dominated world; her misadventures in love; and her torturous journey to track down her real parents in Germany * Mail on Sunday, Best New Fiction *An elegantly constructed puzzle of a novel...what had seemed to be a Hidden Figures-style female-genius-in-a-male-world narrative turns into a thrilling back-to-my-roots mystery * DailyTelegraph *The 10th muse, in Chung's world, is the one who got away to pursue her own interests and develop her own mind...In young Katherine's love of science and maths, and her yearning for more connection with her mother, there are strong overtones of Jenny Offill's wonderful debut Last Things...A most memorable heroine, a sympathetic, mesmerising voice who tells a deceptively simple story centred on identity and a never-ending quest for knowledge and truth * Irish Times *A truly spellbinding read * Woman & Home, December Book of the Month *Ambitious, insightful and distinctive, Chung's latest novel is a beautiful exploration of the human condition . . . a spellbinding read * Woman's Own *A complex family history, elegant equations, romance and a heroine who refuses to be sidelined in the male-dominated world of mathematics makes this deft novel an engrossing, emotional read...There are betrayals closer to home, too, jeopardising Katherine's career, as love, ambition and intellectual endeavour come into conflict in this smart, satisfying book * Sunday Express *Katherine looks back at her life in mathematics, a career shaped by her particular time and circumstances in post-war America and Europe. A position that nevertheless speaks all too clearly to our own place and time today. Catherine Chung is brilliant at showing us the forces which either block or encourage Katherine's career * Glasgow Herald *Not only is the writing dazzling, this intelligent novel about a woman ahead of her time is also a proper page-turner * Good Housekeeping *Enthralling * Psychologies *Cleanly feminist-flavoured novel that contains stories within stories in ways that seem to push at the workings of the universe itself * Metro *A unique and refreshing read * Candis *[An] affecting tale . . . pleasingly well-crafted * Daily Mail *The reader's blood boils along with Katherine's. As she fights for recognition, she also embarks on an investigation into her own confused origins...Page-turner, philosophical investigation and statement of intent, The Tenth Muse is an entertaining and provocative contribution to the era of #MeToo * Big Issue *Katherine is determined to be taken seriously. Here, the novel is most trenchant: in railing against the sexism for so long ingrained in academia...There is no dearth of short-changed women in history - in science or in general. The Tenth Muse is keenly aware of how easily the past can be rewritten, achievements and lives subtracted...A panegyric to women who blaze their own paths, and tell their own stories * New Scientist *A RECOMMENDED BOOK FROM:Los Angeles Times * USA Today * O, the Oprah Magazine * Buzzfeed * The Rumpus * Entertainment Weekly * Elle * BBC * Christian Science Monitor * Electric Literature * The Millions * LitHub * Publishers Weekly * Kirkus * Refinery29 * Thrillist * BookBub * Nylon * Bustle * GoodreadsThe cliché that boys are better at math collapses before the diamond-hard mind of a grad student whose relentless attempt to prove a legendary hypothesis exposes a deeper algorithm about herself....Chung spins her captivating novel from stories of actual women who, in her words, "posed as schoolboys, married tutors, and moved across continents, all to study and excel at mathematics * O, the Oprah Magazine *A page-turning intellectual thriller, a family romance, an alternative history of twentieth-century math - I couldn't put it down * Elif Batuman *The Tenth Muse is as ambitious and intriguing as the complex math problems Katherine, the protagonist of this remarkable novel, aims to solve. In this novel -the scope of which is staggering - Chung has crafted a story that is moving, elegant and richly written. Her prose, as it unfolds, becomes an elusive equation readers will yearn to solve * Roxane Gay *Ambitious, mesmerizing, and immersive, The Tenth Muse gives us a character we'd follow anywhere, and journeys well worth following her on. This novel dazzles * Rebecca Makkai, author of The Great Believers *Catherine Chung has written a deft, spellbinding emotional puzzle-box of a book, rich and intricately layered. The Tenth Muse slowly, carefully builds to turn your every expectation on its head, and reading it feels like a glimpse of what mathematics might be in the eyes of its ablest practitioners--both secret and sublime * Téa Obreht *The Tenth Muse is a must-read. This beautiful, captivating novel has it all: A riveting family secret; a heroine ahead of her time; and a brilliant historical narrative that sheds light on the way we live now * J. Courtney Sullivan, author of Saints for All Occasions *A sweeping tale of betrayal, legacy, brilliant women and WWII * USA Today *Two great enigmas form the center of this elegant novel, in which a brilliant mathematician attempts to solve the impenetrable Riemann hypothesis and learn the truth of her family history. Katherine is the daughter of an American G.I. and a Chinese immigrant who disappears when Katherine is a girl. During her childhood, in the nineteen-fifties, in Michigan, her intelligence and mixed heritage alienate many people, and lead her to wonder 'in each situation whether this time it was my femaleness or my Asianness or the combination of both that branded me different'...In the novel's portrait of her perseverance, it pays moving homage to all the 'unhailed, unnamed' women in history whose talents were dismissed * New Yorker *The Tenth Muse centers on Katherine, an aspiring mathematician whose studies take her deep into her family history, and a legacy of genius and empowerment which probes compelling questions about her identity * Entertainment Weekly *Need a metaphor for the unassailable tangle of the self? The Riemann Hypothesis, one of the great unsolved mathematical problems, does nicely in this novel. About 50 years ago, mathematician Katherine was attempting to unpick its knot, and at the same time deal with revelations about her own family heritage * Elle *Can a mathematician also be an accomplished storyteller? The answer is an emphatic yes.... Elegant and absorbing fiction....Her work radiates a love of the subject....Her real subject, beyond the magic of storytelling, is the problem of identity, as shaped by gender, ethnicity, history and choice * Chicago Tribune *Reading The Tenth Muse is like setting out on a boat for a short trip and finding the way back barred by waves that grow taller and taller. And then the boat itself turns out to be a riddle; a paper boat, each leaf bound to the other with equations of fearsome beauty. Arresting in scope and its treatment of time, its prose at turns crystalline and richly balletic, this story pulls puzzle from puzzle--human, historical, and all too contemporary * Helen Oyeyemi, author of Gingerbread *Catherine Chung's first book, Forgotten Country, cut my heart open; I want to read The Tenth Muse right now * R.O. Kwon *Chung masterfully subverts our expectations... Endlessly thrilling. An exquisite story of legacy, selfhood, survival, and integrity... The Tenth Muse is an inspiring tour de force of STEAM proportions: a riveting intersection of mathematics and art * The Rumpus *Chung's impressive, poignant second novel explores the intersections between of intellectual and familial legacies...Chung persuasively interweaves myths and legends with the real-world stories of lesser-known women mathematicians and of WWII on both the European and Asian fronts. The legacy that Katherine inherits may defy the kinds of elegant proofs to which mathematicians aspire, but Chung's novel boldly illustrates that truth and beauty can reside even amid the messiest solutions * Publishers Weekly, starred review *A powerful and virtuosically researched story about the mysteries of the head and the heart * Kirkus, starred review *Chung uses the history and language of mathematics in The Tenth Muse to explore how the past is inextricably tied to the present. Her writing has a beautiful clarity, and the novel has an epic feel, sweeping between decades and continents without ever losing sight of the human lives at stake. This is a timely story about a woman searching for her identity in an inhospitable environment and emerging scarred but triumphant * BookPage (starred review) *In this powerful historical novel, a female mathematician recounts the personal and professional challenges of finding her way in a male-dominated field * Shelf Awareness (starred review) *Katherine looks back at her life in mathematics, a career shaped by her particular time and circumstances in post-warAmerica and Europe. A position that nevertheless speaks all too clearly to our own place and time today. Catherine Chung is brilliant at showing us the forces which either block or encourage Katherine's career * Herald *If you like puzzles, then this mesmerising novel has them all: human, historical and gloriously mathematical. It charts the life of a woman who seeks to conquer the Riemann hypothesis, a quest that could reveal the truth about her own identity and hidden deeds from the Second World War * The Herald *On discovering that the woman who raised her isn't really her mother, young mathematician Katherine begins lookingfor other things that don't quite add up, from unsolved formulas to sexism at her university, MIT. Written in sparse yetlyrical prose, this is an elegantly constructed puzzle of a novel * Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisThe final novel in Jane Smiley's masterpiece - the Last Hundred Years trilogyTrade ReviewJane Smiley is a master of expansive, effortlessly readable sagas, and this is no exception. * Daily Mail *The phrase Great American Novel gets bandied about a little too liberally, but rarely is the Great American Novelist in question a woman. It is an accolade that Smiley (who won a Pulitzer for A Thousand Acres) richly deserves -- Sam Baker * The Pool *With the Last One Hundred Years trilogy, [Smiley] surely confirms her place alongside Roth, Updike and Bellow as one of the truly great chroniclers of 20th-century American life. . . The historical and political canvas of Golden Age is breathtaking in its expansiveness, and there is an epic quality to the trilogy as a whole. But Smiley is equally compelling on the domestic and familial . . . Reading the Last One Hundred Years trilogy [is] such a powerful, moving and rewarding experience; a rare chance to witness, from the sidelines, five generations of a family unfold. -- Hannah Beckerman * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisFor readers of The Nightingale and Brooklyn, an exquisitely moving novel about friendship, love, and redemption in a circle of immigrants who flee Europe for 1930s-era New York City.On the eve of World War II Egon Schneider--a gallant and successful Jewish doctor, son of two world-famous naturalists--escapes Germany to an uncertain future across the sea. Settling into the unfamiliar rhythms of upper Manhattan, he finds solace among a tight-knit group of fellow immigrants, tenacious men and women drawn together as much by their differences as by their memories of the world they left behind.They each suffer degradations and triumphs large and small: Egon''s terminally acerbic lifelong friend, bestselling author Meyer Leavitt, now wears a sandwich board on a New York street corner; Catrina Harty, the headstrong daughter of a dirt-poor Irish trolley driver, survives heartbreak and loss to forge an unlikely alliance; and Egon himself is

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Book SynopsisMeet the Girls on Tour - Poppy, Lily, Maggie and Rachel. Four ordinary girls who have the most fun in faraway places. You''ll laugh, you''ll cry, you''ll lose your heart. Perfect for fans of Jill Mansell, Debbie Johnson and Fiona Collins. ''I really enjoyed this book, it felt like pure escapism and made me feel sunny and happy'' Kate, Me, My Books and I on The Out of Office GirlFour girls. One year. Five fabulous destinations...Poppy is bound for Paris, the City of Love. Could this be her chance to end her epic dry spell?Lily is en route to her cousin''s wedding in LA, where she''s willing to break a few rules to land her dream role.Maggie can''t wait for her romantic ski holiday in Meribel - until it goes seriously off-piste.Rachel packs for a glamorous Roman holiday, but a blast from the past is about to sabotage la dolce vita.The girls get together and fly to ManhattanTrade ReviewFabulously enjoyable * Bookseller *Hugely enjoyable... a very funny story * Daily Mail *A great beach read * Star *Escapism at its very best * Books Ireland *

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Book SynopsisThe irresistible, heartwarming new saga from Pam Evans, the bestselling author of IN THE DARK STREETS SHINING.It is 1938 and the threat of war looms on the streets of London. But, when the lights go down in the cinema aisles, usherette Daisy Blake is transported to a world of glamour and romance. Among the staff there is much merriment and Daisy soon falls in love with the handsome organist, Al Dawson. Then war is declared and, just after Al leaves for the frontline, Daisy discovers she''s pregnant. Her mother is distraught; she doesn''t think Al is right for her daughter and when Daisy''s letters to him go unanswered, her mother encourages her to marry John, the cinema''s projectionist, to spare her further heartache.As the blitz rages over London and disaster strikes, Daisy''s morale is boosted by her work and her young son, Sam, brings her comfort and joy in the troubled times ahead...Trade ReviewA touching novel - Daily ExpressVery readable - BellaA special kind of warmth with all the right ingredients - Lancashire Evening PostHistory and Romance. A touching saga - My Weekly

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Book SynopsisOn the same day that a retired French police inspector receives a letter from a woman claiming to be his daughter, he returns to his apartment to find a stranger waiting for him on his doorstep. That stranger is a Japanese man called Tadashi Omura, and the men end up telling each other their life stories, transporting us back to Japan and Algeria. As we try and work out the connection between the two men, one thing that''s clear is that they''ve both led lives that have been extraordinary, dangerous and built on layers upon layers of lies.Trade ReviewA novel of exquisite beauty, which evades categorisation * The Times *A striking piece of work, with all the intricate, precise beauty of an origami bird * Lady *Gripping... each chapter builds on the one before, unfolding through levels of story to unpack deeper and deeper truths * Guardian *Wonderful...a novel of detection, a thriller of the intellect * Sydney Morning Herald *Stunning and hypnotic... You won't read another novel like THE SNOW KIMONO this year, or perhaps for many to come * Asian Review of Books *This book casts a spell from the start....A highly original book full of small sensations with the bonus of being a joy to read * Shots Magazine *Strongly atmospheric, the vivid scenery of Japan resonates through Henshaw's carefully placed words as he creates a psychological thriller * Scottish Woman *The novel questions authorship and the slipperiness of memory...[Its] narrative twists are challengingly clever * Australian Book Review *The writing is beautiful: pellucid and wonderfully visual, painting memorable landscape cameos. The reader is compliant, willingly engaged with a story that starts in medias res and branches in unexpected and seemingly unconnected yet complementary directions * Advertiser *Masterful...a tale almost as seamless, and of such a rich fabric, as one of Sachiko's mother's famous kimonos * Sydney Review of Books *Henshaw creates a world of psychological complexity and emotional subtlety in a story that moves from Paris to Japan and back again...Henshaw's prose shimmers as his narrative becomes ever more nuanced, complex, and misleading * Kirkus Reviews *Henshaw's prose [is] luminous and crisp, like the snowy countryside of Japan or the barren lanes of Algiers...When I finished The Snow Kimono, I raised my head, vaguely surprised that I was at home, in familiar surrounds, and it was still daylight outside. I turned straight back to page one and began again * Saturday Paper *

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Book SynopsisA luscious, enthralling and colourful novel of India, sure to appeal to readers of Dinah Jefferies'' THE TEA PLANTER''S WIFE. ''Beautifully written, you can smell the spices, feel the heat, and your heart will break, you will laugh at some of the things Mam says, and cry at others, you will want a sequel'' LovereadingShortlisted for the HWA Goldsboro Debut CrownEden Gardens, Calcutta, the 1940s. In a ramshackle house, streets away from the grand colonial mansions of the British, live Maisy, her Mam and their ayah, Pushpa. Whiskey-fuelled and poverty-stricken, Mam entertains officers in the night - a disgrace to British India. All hopes are on beautiful Maisy to restore their good fortune.But Maisy''s more at home in the city''s forbidden alleyways, eating bazaar food and speaking Bengali with Pushpa, than dancing in glittering ballrooms with potential husbands.Then one day Maisy''s tutor falls ill. His son stands in. Poetic, handTrade ReviewFaithfully researched, colourfully rendered... a vivid and compelling read * Sunday Irish Independent *I was transported to the heat of India -- Janet Gilliard * Lovereading *

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A dark, compelling Marnie Rome novel, rich with psychological insight, from the winner of the Theakston's Crime Novel of the Year. For readers of Clare Mackintosh and Alex Marwood.'Intelligently and fluently written with a clever plot and an energetic pace, dealing with harrowing topics and shot through with humanity' Cath Staincliffe The fragile young girl who causes the fatal car crash disappears from the scene. A runaway who doesn't want to be found, she only wants to return to the man who understands her and offers her warmth, comfort, a home. He gives her shelter. Just as he gives shelter to the other lost girls who live in his house.D.I. Marnie Rome thinks that she knows families, their secrets and their fault lines. But as she begins investigating the girl's disappearance nothing can prepare her for what she's about to face.

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Book SynopsisLOOK AT ME is a superb coming-of-age novel and an unsettling yet entertaining exploration of grief. ''A sharp-eyed novel about grief, family and understanding''Woman & Home MagazineLizzy''s mother died two years ago, leaving a family bereft by her absence and a house still filled with her things. Then, one day, Lizzy finds a letter from a stranger to her father, and discovers he has another child. Lizzy invites her into their world in an act of outraged defiance. Almost immediately, she realises her mistake.''A clever exploration of family and grief, which will appeal to fans of Harriet Lane''RED MAGAZINE ''A creepy, claustrophobic family drama...a welcome breath of fresh air in the era of huge doorstep novels ''GLAMOUR MagazineTrade ReviewWith characters that are sharply observed with a beady eye for detail, this is a haunting study of family, grief, and loss * Daily Mail *A hugely enjoyable novel - astutely observed, witty and original. Just my sort of book! -- Sarah Rayner, bestselling author of ONE MOMENT, ONE MORNINGThis slender novel puts a fragile family under the spotlight with great effect -- Cathy Rentzenbrink * Bookseller, Editor's Choice *A book to fall in love with... captivating, creepy and beguiling all at once -- Colette McBeth, author of THE LIFE I LEFT BEHINDA creepy, claustrophobic family drama * Glamour *A sharp-eyed novel about grief, family and understanding * Woman & Home *This debut is about to go massive - and it has us hooked from the get-go * Look Magazine *Suspenseful, tautly written and unnervingly psychologically astute -- Alison MercerA beautifully written story of a normal, dysfunctional family, trying to cope with grief -- Nina Pottell, notesfromthechairIt reminded me of Hausfrau in tone, somehow. Startling and sad -- Sarah FranklinSarah Duguid's debut is light on its toes, a delicate, elegant examination of a complicated family situation where emotions are unpredictable and connections are tenuous * Daily Express S Magazine *Exquisitely written, with a beautiful balance between darkness and humour -- Joanna Cannon, author of THE TROUBLE WITH GOATS AND SHEEPEnchanting and creepy, Look At Me filled me with a delightful sense of unease -- Sarah Chapman, BibliomouseA clever exploration of family and grief, which will appeal to fans of Harriet Lane * Red Magazine *Full of wonderfully acerbic humour, a fantastic debut * Sunday Mirror *A tense, gripping and beautifully descriptive tale of grief, revenge and family secrets * Heat *Duguid brings to life the nuances of family life with ease * Grazia *Its astute observations about family means it packs a punch * Good Housekeeping *A witty and touching take on grief and how families pull together to cope in its wake (5*) * OK Magazine *The simmering tension and painful misunderstanding of Duguid's debut lingers on my mind... seductive and chilling * Stylist *Unnerving, absorbing and wincingly well-observed, this is an accomplished debut * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisMallory Book 12: Blind Sight is the twelfth NYPD detective Kathy Mallory novel from New York Times bestseller Carol O''Connell, master of knife-edge suspense and intricate plotting. Fans of Karin Slaughter and Stieg Larsson will be thrilled by New York''s darkest cop. ''Carol O''Connell is a consummate storyteller - a unique talent who deserves to be a household name'' - Val McDermid Detective Kathy Mallory. New York''s darkest. You only underestimate her once.The nun is dead. Her body lies on the mayor''s lawn with three others, all killed at different times, in different places, and dumped there. There should be five - but the boy is missing.One second he was there...Jonah Quill, blind since birth, sits in a car driven by a killer and wonders where they are going. Though blind, Jonah sees more than most people do. He''s counting on this secret to save his life.Then gone.DetectivTrade ReviewCarol O'Connell's latest novel featuring Special Crimes Unit Detective Kathy Mallory has an almost Dickensian feel. In her own way, O'Connell is as quirky and elusive as Mallory. [F]or those readers looking to escape the usual police procedurals, she's the ticket * Chicago Tribune *Both slickly cool and hot to the touch, Carol O'Connell's Blind Sight is a master class in suspense. As her detective hero, the inscrutable and fascinating Mallory, plunges into darker and darker terrain, we feel lucky - thrilled - to be along for the ride -- Megan AbbottAs in previous novels, Mallory's quirky personality shows "just a hint of crazy," and sometimes, to unnerve people, she drops "every pretense of being human." She's an entertaining, slightly over-the-top protagonist with brains and attitude. Colorful and appealing (or appalling) characters make this one a winner for crime-fic fans * Kirkus (starred review) *

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE BETTY TRASK AWARDSHORTLISTED FOR THE HWA DEBUT CROWNLONGLISTED FOR THE POLARI FIRST NOVEL PRIZESarah Day''s MUSSOLINI''S ISLAND is a novel of sexuality and desire, of hidden passions and the secrets we keep locked within us. Based on the true story of the rounding up of a group of Sicilian gay men in 1939, this book is sure to appeal to readers of the Elena Ferrante novels, Anthony Doerr''s ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE or Virginia Baily''s EARLY ONE MORNING.''A fascinating debut...the setting and characters are strong and the story is written with verve. Day is a talent to watch'' - The Times Francesco has a memory of his father from early childhood, a night when life for his family changed. From that night, he has vowed to protect his mother and to follow the words of his father: Non mollare. Never give up.As Francesco is herded into a camp on the island of San Domino, he reaTrade ReviewA fascinating debut...the setting and characters are strong and the story is written with verve. Day is a talent to watch * The Times *Startling. A compassionate and clear-eyed debut which illuminates a grim chamber of 20th century history -- Patrick Gale, author of A PLACE CALLED WINTER[An] impressive debut... Day handles her neatly structured plot with great dexterity as she nudges her readers, one revelation at a time, towards the truth about what has happened and about Francesco's hidden history * Sunday Times *Sarah Day's debut novel is striking: a fascinating evocation of a cruel time in Italian history -- Amanda CraigA beautiful and sadly relevant story of desire, oppression and defiance. I loved this book -- Anna Mazzola, author of THE UNSEEINGStunning... a wonderful haunting evocation of this forgotten and neglected story of war -- Mary ChamberlainA thoroughly absorbing and moving novel, one that convincingly illuminates a strange and largely forgotten aspect of life in Fascist Italy -- Andrew GreigBased on a true story, this is a haunting fictional account of oppression, survival and resilience and a powerful portrayal of sexuality and war * Attitude Magazine *Day's style reminds me of Somerset Maugham - the book is sexy, scary, enraging and beautiful - with a murder mystery at the centre that will keep you guessing * The Pool *A genuine standout amongst literary debuts. This complex, brave and powerful novel, both tender and hard-hitting, features fine writing and a transporting sense of place -- Isabel Costello * The Literary Sofa *A complex, tender psychological love story, combined with a murder mystery that will keep you guessing * The Reith Lectures, Radio 4 *

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Book SynopsisThe heartwarmingly festive conclusion to the Winter Street series sees the Quinns finally under one roof for a family Christmas. But it wouldn't be a Quinn family gathering if things went smoothly...Trade ReviewElin Hilderbrand has written many, many enjoyable books but none have the magical allure that the Winter Street series possesses . . . I have thoroughly enjoyed some of her other titles, but this series is where she excels. Each word is straight from her heart and each one finds a special resting place in her story. If you have any trace of a sentimental bone in your body then you must read these books. They are all far above average with WINTER SOLSTICE being the whipped cream and cherry on top * Huffington Post *A beautifully written Christmas novel that will certainly get you in the holiday * Always With a Book *Elin Hilderbrand closes out her Winter Street series beautifully, with one more heart-warming look into the lives of the Quinn family. Once again, these characters pull at the heartstrings, and the reader is transported to the Winter Street Inn, feeling like another member of the family. Hilderbrand's writing is warm, like a nice cup of hot chocolate by the fire, and the novel is filled with moments that both bring joy and heartache. Though the reader may both laugh and cry, they won't be disappointed with the overall story * RT Book Reviews *

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Book Synopsis''A very cool and intelligent writer'' TLSDescribed by the New York Times upon her death as ''one of Britain''s best-known novelists'', plunge yourself into the wry world of Pamela Hansford Johnson in this story of seduction and marriage, perfect for fans of Elizabeth Jane Howard and Barbara Pym.******************Christine Hall, a mother in her late thirties, is on holiday on the south coast of England when she bumps into an old friend: Celia Baird, staying with her parents at the Moray hotel. Celia - eccentric, impulsive - is one of tangled group of friends who have Christine at their core. There''s architect Eric Aveling (who happens to be having an affair with Celia); his wife, terminally ill Lois; and Junius Evans, Eric''s business partner. When death affects a shift in the dynamics of the group, none of them expect the final outcome. Duty, guilt, secrecy, loneliness: the hidden side oTrade ReviewAs her work reappears, another missing jigsaw piece is replaced * Independent *Witty, satirical and deftly malicious -- Anthony BurgessSharply observed, artfully constructed and always enlivened by the freshness of an imagery that derives from her poetic beginnings * TLS *A remarkable craftswoman -- A.S. Byatt, author of POSSESSIONMiss Johnson is one of the most accomplished of the English women writers * Kirkus *Hansford Johnson at her wittiest is Waugh mingled with Malcolm Bradbury -- Ruth RendellA writer whose memory fully deserves to be kept alive -- Jonathan Coe, author of THE HOUSE OF SLEEP

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Book SynopsisWithin D.C.'s ruthless halls of power, the conspiracies are killer - and the endgame is anything but fake news...

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Book Synopsis“Riveting, heart-wrenching, and full of Old Hollywood glamour, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is one of the most captivating reads of 2017.” —BuzzFeed “The epic adventures Evelyn creates over the course of a lifetime will leave every reader mesmerized. This wildly addictive journey of a reclusive Hollywood starlet and her tumultuous Tinseltown journey comes with unexpected twists and the most satisfying of drama.” —PopSugar In this entrancing novel “that speaks to the Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor in us all” (Kirkus Reviews), a legendary film actress reflects on her relentless rise to the top and the risks she took, the loves she lost, and the long-held secrets the public could never imagine.Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine

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Book Synopsis'Astonishing - jagged, fresh and startlingly alive' Daily MailJeannie is nineteen when the world changes, Kip only fourteen. The sudden accident that robs them of their mother leaves them adrift, with only their father to guide them. Jeannie seeks escape in work and later marriage to a man whose social connections propel her into an unfamiliar world of wealth and politics. Ill-equipped and unprepared, Jeannie finds comfort where she can. Meanwhile Kip's descent into a life of petty crime is halted only when he volunteers for the Marines.By 1968, the conflict in Vietnam is at its height, and with the anti-war movement raging at home, Jeannie and Kip are swept along by events larger than themselves, driven by disillusionment to commit unforgiveable acts of betrayal that will leave permanent scars.The Outside Lands is the story of people caught in the slipstream of history, how we struggle in the face of loss to build our world, and how easily and with sudden violence it can be swept away. With extraordinary skill and accuracy, Hannah Kohler takes us from 1960s California to Vietnam, capturing what it means to live through historic times. This powerful debut novel announces Kohler as a remarkable new literary talent.Trade ReviewHannah Kohler isn't the first author to explore the cost of war, but she does so with remarkable emotional intelligence in this compelling account . . . This is a gripping book about war. * Sunday Times *Dark, beautifully written and insightful, this is an impressive debut. * Sunday Express *Kohler is particularly good at capturing both her protagonists' individual voices as they change and grow over time and the impact of historical events on small-town lives. She also has a quite wonderful understanding of the way Vietnam radically overturned America's assured sense of itself, while her prose is astonishing - jagged, fresh and startlingly alive. * Daily Mail *Kohler’s debut – confident and flawlessly researched – comes to represent the detrimental effect of the war on an entire generation. * Guardian *'There's an arbitrariness to choosing any "best" book, but I'd nominate Hannah Kohler's debut novel The Outside Lands (Picador) as the "most surprising" 2016 release that I've encountered so far. In this Vietnam-era story, a California family is imploded first by private tragedy, then by the war itself. Yet the author is a Brit writing about a time before she was born. You'd never know it. Her ear for American dialogue is flawless, her historical details spot on. The quality of the writing, too, is astonishing. I wasn't exactly in the mood to re-enter the 1960s of my youth, but Kohler won me over. Should you feel a similar resistance to this oft-visited subject matter, get over it. -- Lionel Shriver * Financial Times *[An] astonishing debut novel . . . Written with an assured and authentic voice . . . [Kohler] has succeeded in creating a gem-like portal to a point in time where we truly believe we are living all the characters’ lives with them. * Irish Times *The Outside Lands, a masterly retelling of those dozen capricious, war torn, love soaked and chaotic years between the Beatles first LP and the fall of Saigon, is gloriously well-written and deeply imagined - and all the more remarkable for being Hannah Kohler's fiction debut. -- Jim CraceThe Outside Lands by Hannah Kohler is a considerable achievement of exhumed history, of both the intimate family variety and that of our broader national fates. Lurking behind the private drama is the nagging question of the cost of sacrifice for a misbegotten war, an inquiry that remains as dismayingly urgent now as it was fifty years ago. But the emotional heart here is the story of one sister's extraordinary devotion, and of how modest lives can be derailed by a grievous error. The Outside Lands is a fine and moving portrait of family ties in wartime. -- Joshua FerrisA book that is both sensitive and powerful, a marvel of historical accuracy and a riveting read. -- Donna LeonI just finished The Outside Lands and it's been quite a ride. This book is full of visceral human truths and reminded me of an important one I've had to learn over and over again: often the choice is not between light and dark, but between different kinds of darkness. The Outside Lands is going to win prizes. -- Alice AdamsUtterly enthralling and brilliantly drawn, The Outside Lands took me from the jungles of Vietnam to the domesticity of 1960s America. Hannah Kohler is a remarkable talent. -- Emma Chapman[Hannah Kohler] has created an intelligent, compelling story, and is definitely one to watch out for. * Media Eye *

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Book SynopsisWhat if you could rewrite the past . . . ?Marc Laurent is being held captive. Every night, a woman he knows only as Josephine comes to visit him. And every night, she and Marc tell each other stories about the daughter he lost. As they unfold - on a journey across America, into the past, and into a future that may never come - father and daughter start to find their way towards understanding each other again. Lyrical, seductive and utterly compelling, Daniel Lowe's All That's Left to Tell is a novel about second chances and the stories we tell to make sense of ourselves.'An utterly engrossing novel about the universal need to tell stories in order to survive, to remember, and to be remembered' Laila LalamiTrade Review'An utterly engrossing novel about the universal need to tell stories in order to survive, to remember, and to be remembered' -- Laila LalamiLike Tim O'Brien's After Cacciato, All That's Left To Tell celebrates not just the power of storytelling but the deeply human need for it in even the most dire situations. Alternately gripping and dreamy, Daniel Lowe's debut imagines what the stories we tell reveal about ourselves, and how they may save us -- Stewart O'Nan, author of West of SunsetAll That’s Left To Tell took me completely by surprise. This moving, imaginative, intricate novel is written in a voice so sure and so deft that it’s hard to believe that it’s Daniel Lowe’s first. If you value the power of story, the cathartic effect of seeing another’s life in intimate detail, then please join me in celebrating this momentous debut -- Mitchell Kaplan * Books & Books *Through carefully crafted storytelling and an expert’s ear for dialogue, Daniel Lowe delivers an outstanding debut. The plot of All That’s Left to Tell is satisfyingly ripped from recent headlines and takes the reader on a dizzying, dream-state of a ride as Lowe unspools the storyline to stunning effect -- Christopher Scotton, author of The Secret Wisdom of the EarthDaniel Lowe's debut novel opens with a fierce, immediate narrative grip that continues to tighten until the book reaches a climax that resonates long after one has closed the cover of this haunted and haunting book -- Stuart Dybek, author of Paper LanternThis may be a first novel by US author Daniel Lowe but he is an experienced writer and it shows in this engrossing tale . . . The power of the book lies in Lowe’s ability to reveal profound events in a calm narrative . . . a seductive tale that stays with you, leading us to examine how we make sense of ourselves through our relationships with those most important to us and how we may reckon with them when a life ends * Press Association *Intertwines stories within stories so cleverly that, in the end, both the characters and the reader start to wonder which of the narratives are real and which are imagined * Financial Times *Engrossing . . . A seductive tale that examines how we make sense of ourselves * Independent *A real tale for our times…Lowe’s sense of purpose and moral compass may remind readers of Ward Just and Marilynne Robinson * LitHub *An American is taken hostage in Pakistan in this captivating page-turner, and as you spiral through an endless, fascinating trail of stories shared between the prisoner and his captor it becomes clear that the relationship between them is far more complex than one could possibly imagine -- Newsweek, The Best New Book ReleasesA refreshing debut novel that should not go unnoticed...Mr. Lowe demonstrates exceptional talent as a wordsmith, and for plotting an intriguing story whose premise invites readers to practice empathy for another by imagining their story. There is much to look forward to in Mr. Lowe’s rising talent * Pittsburgh Post-Gazette *A literary Russian nesting doll, with stories embedded within stories * Pittsburgh Tribune *Intense and compelling, Daniel Lowe’s debut novel, All That’s Left to Tell, is filled with both profound emotional disconnect and insatiable longing * Bustle *In Daniel Lowe’s fiction debut, All That’s Left to Tell, stories create life, hope, pain, and they bend the mind, as story itself is investigated by the book’s telescoping structure of a story within a story, within a story…Lowe’s real talents become apparent very quickly * Wales Arts Review *Luscious…Compelling. Lowe’s elaborate tapestry showcases humankind’s reliance on the power of stories to comfort, correct, and clarify both our hidden feelings and exposed fears. With its shifting points of view and emotional authenticity, Lowe’s masterfully crafted first novel will be a surefire hit with book discussion groups * Booklist (starred) *Notable…While the subject matter is taken from the news, this is a largely nonpolitical title. Lowe’s concern is with the intricacies and intimacies of family life and the power of stories to sustain, even under the most extreme circumstances. A remarkably accomplished debut -- Library Journal (starred)Captivating…Lowe’s prose is evocative, the plot gripping, and the attachment that reaches across the alienation between these characters reaches out to the reader as well. A story about storytelling, stirring and effective * Kirkus *Not since Kevin Brockmeier’s The Truth About Celia has a novel made a more dramatic case for the importance of stories as a way to deal with life’s tragic events…The characters here remain real and memorable, a credit to Lowe’s storytelling skill * Publisher’s Weekly *

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Book SynopsisJen B's been surviving at the nightmarishly brutal MLK High School just like everybody else: by following the rules. She avoids the Principal. She doesn't complain. She's loyal to her MLK 'family'. And, like 99.5% of the student body, she knows one form or another of martial arts. When Jen's world-famous Kung-Fu champion of a cousin Jimmy Chang turns up, everyone wants a piece of him - including Ridley, resident drug lord and leader of the school's most violent gang. They all want to see the legendary martial-arts master defend himself during the school's merciless initiation ritual. Except that Jimmy's made a promise never to fight again - a promise that soon leads to the murder of Jen's brother and a bloody final battle that engulfs the entire school.Fast-paced, gritty and addictive, Kung Fu by Ryan Gattis is an extreme journey into high-school violence and the American Dream that feeds it.Trade ReviewIt's so tense that at times you have absolutely no idea what has just happened in the real world because you're in The Fu, entirely. You feel every blow, every break. And what a climax . . . I want to tell you all about it so that I can discuss with you how wonderful, tragic and ultimately cathartic it was . . . but I won't. You'll just have to keep a strong stomach and see for yourself * Independent on Sunday *Ryan Gattis's homage to the world of martial arts is a way-cool, direct and stylish romp of fiction that feels very real . . . A modern, violent epic of teenage kicks in the school of hard knocks. Kung Fu is a bloodied white-knuckle ride that never forgets the consequences of its actions * The List *

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Book SynopsisHe walks into the living room and June is dead.He centres her, checking the light. Focusing, he clicks the shutter.He'll ask himself later, if he knew. It's easy to say that he had acted without thinking, out of instinct.Rook Henderson is an award-winning photographer, still carrying the hidden scars of war. Now, suddenly, he is also a widower. Leaving his son Ralph to pick up the pieces, Rook flies to Vietnam for the first time in fifty years, escaping to the landscape of a place he once knew so well. But when Ralph follows him out there, seeking answers from the father he barely knows, Rook is forced to unwind his past: his childhood in Yorkshire, his life in London in the 1960s and his marriage to the unforgettable June - and to ask himself what price he has paid for a life behind the lens . . .Gripping, evocative and unforgettable, The Last Photograph is a story of a life shaped by trauma and love - and the secrets that make us who we are.Trade ReviewEvocative, harrowing. . .Emma Chapman tackles the big subjects of love and war with aplomb * Tatler *

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Book SynopsisOn the morning after he has celebrated his 60th birthday party at a celebrity-filled party, Ned Marriott is in bed with his partner, Emma, when there's a knock on the door. Detectives from the London police force's 'Operation Millpond' have come to arrest him over an allegation of sexual assault. Ned is one of the country's best-known historians - teaching at a leading university, advising governments and making top-rating TV documentaries - but this 'historic' claim from someone the cops insist on calling 'the victim' threatens him with personal and professional ruin and potential imprisonment. Professor Marriott would normally turn for support to Tom Pimm, his closest friend at the university, but Tom has just been informed that a secret investigation has raised anonymous complaints, which may end Dr Pimm's career. Swinging between fear, bewilderment and anger, Ned and Tom must try to defend themselves against the allegations, and hope that no others are made. The two men's families and friends are forced to question what they know and think. Can the complainants, detectives, HR teams, journalists and Tweeters who are driving the stories all be seeing smoke that has no fire behind it? By turns shocking and comic, reportorial and thoughtful, The Allegations startlingly and heart-breakingly captures a contemporary culture in which allegations are easily made and reputations casually destroyed. Asking readers to decide who they believe, it explores a modern nightmare that could happen, in some way, to anyone whose view of personal history may differ from someone else's.Trade ReviewBrilliantly observed and extremely funny . . . Lawson's glitteringly angry and sometimes sad novel reminds us that the biggest casualty, in a victim culture, is often the complexity of the truth * Sunday Times *Meaty and painfully contemporary . . . Lawson pushes back against the tyranny of the aggrieved. * Guardian *Fiction does not get more contemporary than this . . . terrific writing and crackling lines * Daily Mail *Well written, thought-provoking . . . funny * Literary Review *For those who savour indignation (one of my favourite emotions), Mark Lawson's The Allegations is great fun, and it provides at least the illusion of an inside track on the non-fiction backstory -- Lionel Shriver * Guardian *A witty, plausible tale of witch-hunt culture and political correctness gone mad * Mail on Sunday *Lawson's skewing of media etiquette is as exact and enjoyable as one would expect . . . When serving the narrative, it is his analyses that distinguish his prose * Times *Bears comparison with Malcolm Bradbury's classic 1975 campus novel The History Man . . . It is clear from Lawson's eloquently written and extraordinarily apposite novel that if careless talk doesn't cost lives, it can certainly cost livelihoods. The Allegations is the work of a man who understands the personal damage this causes. If it's any consolation, at least his stature as a novelist has risen another notch -- Alfred Hickling * Guardian *Darkly funny and perceptive comic novel . . . a very good example of a personal disaster being channelled into something bigger . . . Reading it, I thought what a brilliant TV drama The Allegations would make * Times (T2) *A sharp and contemporary addition to Lawson's canon * Evening Standard *An engagement by the prodigiously talented Lawson with unjust allegations destroying a career - a very personal subject for him * Independent *A subtle and thoughtful novel * Herald (Scotland) *A terrifyingly well observed satire * Weekend Sport *

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