Fiction: literary and general non-genre

Book SynopsisRelive the magic of Disney’s 1989 animated classic The Little Mermaid with this collectible tiny book featuring story art from the beloved film.  When Ariel the mermaid falls in love with a handsome human prince and trades her voice and tail for legs, she begins an adventure that will test her courage in ways she never imagined. With its unforgettable soundtrack, beautiful animation, and endearing characters, Disney’s The Little Mermaid has been one of the most celebrated animated films for generations.  Now with this tiny storybook retelling, fans can cherish this classic fairytale and keep it right in their pockets! Part of a continuing series of tiny Disney storybooks, this is a unique collectors item that adult Disney fans can treasure for years to come. 

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Book SynopsisGirl meets boy. It's a story as old as time. But what happens when an old story meets a brand new set of circumstances? Ali Smith's remix of Ovid's most joyful metamorphosis is a story about the kind of fluidity that can't be bottled and sold. It is about girls and boys, girls and girls, love and transformation, a story of puns and doubles, reversals and revelations. Funny and fresh, poetic and political, here is a tale of change for the modern world.The Myths series brings together some of the world's finest writers, each of whom has retold a myth in a contemporary and memorable way. Authors in the series include Karen Armstrong, Margaret Atwood, A.S. Byatt, David Grossman, Natsuo Kirino, Alexander McCall Smith, Philip Pullman, Ali Smith and Jeanette Winterson.Trade ReviewExuberant . . . Slender, sweet natured and lyrical * * Guardian * *Joyful -- JEANETTE WINTERSON * * The Times * *Girl Meets Boy pulls you in and doesn't let you go . . . bold and brilliant -- JACKIE KAYA glorious wide-awake dream of a book . . . My heart was beating and tears stood in my eyes, even as I had the biggest smile written all over my face -- KIRSTY GUNN * * Observer * *Poetic . . . Smith remembers what the ancients knew: that musical words drum a beat through to understanding * * The Times * *Clever, complex and thrilling * * TLS * *A joyful and playful remix . . . The result is an ecstatic, exhilarating helter-skelter ride of a story which shows just how relevant Ovid's myth of the transformative power of love is to modern readers * * Financial Times * *Those familiar with Smith's playfully inventive fiction will not be disappointed by this light-as-air retelling of Ovid's tale . . . this jolly jeu d'esprit wears its heart defiantly on its sleeve * * The Times * *[A] whimsical spin on the myth of Iphis and Ianthe . . . mischief, enchantment and impish wit . . . [Smith's] dancing prose and nimble storytelling are palpable hits * * Sunday Times * *In this modern-day reinterpretation, Ali Smith, with humour and typical linguistic versatility, explores issues of homophobia, corporate and social responsibility and the sheer vertiginous feeling of falling in love * * Independent on Sunday * *

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Book SynopsisWhat if one half of a pair of twins no longer wants to live? What if the other can’t live without them? This question lies at the heart of Jente Posthuma’s deceptively simple What I’d Rather Not Think About. The narrator is a twin whose brother has recently taken his own life. She looks back on their childhood, and tells of their adult lives: how her brother tried to find happiness, but lost himself in various men and the Bhagwan movement, though never completely. In brief, precise vignettes, full of gentle melancholy and surprising humour, Posthuma tells the story of a depressive brother, viewed from the perspective of the sister who both loves and resents her twin, struggles to understand him, and misses him terribly.Trade Review‘A unique story of a twin brother and sister, wryly funny and heartbreakingly sad. Her characters desperately try to make sense of our ever more complex world. This is a rare book. And Jente Posthuma is a treasure and a hell of a writer.’ -- Herman Koch, international bestselling author of The Dinner‘The strength here is truly in the minimalist prose — razor-sharp sentences that often slot together perfectly in a seemingly nonchalant way. The result is a powerful story about death, life, and survival.’ * Nederlands Dagblad *‘It is impossible to name everything that is beautiful about this novel. Posthuma needs few words to evoke a feeling or an atmosphere. She writes striking sentences that conjure up poignant images … this book deserves a large readership.’ * Literary Netherlands *‘What makes What I'd Rather Not Think About rise above the average mourning novel is its utter authenticity. Posthuma associates, philosophises, links memories to everyday actions, draws on films and television series and tries to interpret in a laconic, light-footed, and pointed way. “Less is more” with Jente Posthuma. And again, she seems to be saying: nothing is “whole” here, in the subhuman. Everything rumbles, frays, and creaks.’ * De Telegraaf *‘From the opening pages of this novel I had no idea where it was going, but I trusted Posthuma completely. Tender, offbeat, and deftly drawn — I loved it.’ -- Allee Richards, author of The Small Joys of Real Life‘In some ways it is tricky to recommend this book widely because of its difficult subject matter: it revolves around the grief of a twin who is trying to work out how to move forward in her own life after her brother, a long-term sufferer of depression, takes his own. To paraphrase the title, familial suicide and depression are certainly two of the key things many people would rather not think (or indeed read) about, but I want to tell you that this book is gorgeous. It is expertly crafted, moving, and at times startlingly funny, as the narrator tries to navigate the enormity of her loss … This short book contains a beautiful and compelling portrait of the grieving mind, as both storyteller and reader wander through the terrains of disbelief, regret, loneliness, and unending love.’ -- Alison Huber * Readings *‘Despite its melancholic theme, What I’d Rather Not Think About is infused with a similarly subtle, almost self-effacing humour that in this case expresses the narrator’s bewildered, tremulous path through life … This slim novel is packed with allusions to popular and high culture, history, science and current affairs, yet manages to feel simultaneously rich and uncluttered.’ -- Linda Jaivin * The Saturday Paper *‘[An] exquisitely vulnerable novel.’ -- Cameron Woodhead * The Sydney Morning Herald *‘[A] beautifully observed narration.’ -- Marcus Hobson * NZ Booklovers *‘Dutch novelist Posthuma returns with a sharp meditation on grief … The patchworked story of the twins’ bond and the brother’s fruitless search for meaning is woven with reflections … inventive and worthy.’ * Publishers Weekly *‘What I’d Rather Not Think About is a forthright novel in which mental health, sexual orientation, and suicide are subjects of frank, empathetic consideration.’ * Foreword Reviews *‘A beautiful and strangely life-affirming evocation of grief.’ * The New European *‘Tough to read but wonderfully rewarding.’ -- Willow Heath‘Through a delicately woven tale of memory, shared selfhood, and grief, the author takes us into the mind that struggles to understand a world shattered by loss, when one sibling dies and another is left to reconstitute the fragments. Poetic and surprising, Posthuma shows how even in the most intimate of connections, in another person lies the great unknown … Posthuma develops an affecting novel about grief by embracing its full complexity’ -- Daljinder Johal * Asymptote Journal *

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Book SynopsisHala Alyan was born in 1986. After living invarious parts of the Middle East, she completed a doctorate in clinical psychology at NYU and is now in private practice. She has been published in Guernica and other literary journals, and is the award-winning author of three poetry collections.Trade ReviewSalt Houses is a piercingly elegant novel that registers Palestine with deep resonance for what it is: a once beloved home, known, lost, and re-imagined into life. A place where families decide between security and happiness, religion and heritage, where war is constant, yet peace is found. In the exquisite prose of a poet, Hala Alyan shows how we carry our origins in our hearts wherever we may roam, and how that history is calibrated by the places we choose to put down roots. This is a book with the power to both break and mend your heart. -- Ru Freeman, author of On Sal Mal LaneA fiercely-told story of a family fleeing and rebuilding their lives. * Good Housekeeping *Heartbreaking. * Stylist *Hala Alyan's Salt Houses flies like a searchlight between history and fiction, unearthing the life of a single displaced Palestinian family among the rubble and illuminating it so deeply, so brilliantly, we cannot help but connect the story's richly imagined past to our very real present. -- Mira Jacob, author of THE SLEEPWALKER'S GUIDE TO DANCING Upon finishing I was quite overwhelmed by the impact of what was a masterfully written exploration into the mystery of identity rooted in place, family and memory, and the opportunity for redemption and healing through new generations… A moving and skilfully executed novel, Alyan’s debut is well worth discovering. * CultureFly *

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Book SynopsisChristopher Martin, the sole survivor of a torpedoed destroyer, is stranded upon a rock in the middle of the Atlantic. Pitted against him are the sea, the sun, the night cold and the terror of his isolation. Through the long hours with only himself to talk to, Martin must try to assemble the truth of his fate, piece by terrible piece.

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Book Synopsis'Her worlds have a magic sheen . . . She moulds them into dimensions we can only just sense. She is unique. She is legend' THE TIMES'Le Guin is a writer of phenomenal power' OBSERVERGeorge Orr is a mild and unremarkable man who finds the world a less than pleasant place to live: seven billion people jostle for living space and food. But George dreams dreams which do in fact change reality - and he has no means of controlling this extraordinary power.Psychiatrist Dr William Haber offers to help. At first sceptical of George's powers, he comes to astonished belief. When he allows ambition to get the better of ethics, George finds himself caught up in a situation of alarming peril.Trade ReviewLe Guin is a writer of phenomenal power * OBSERVER *Ursula Le Guin was able to reimagine many concepts we take to be natural, shared, and unalterable - gender, utopia, creation, war, family, the city, the country - and reveal the all-too-human constructions at their center ... Literature will miss her. There's no one like her -- Zadie SmithShe is unparalleled in creating fantasy peopled by finely drawn and complex characters * GUARDIAN *Le Guin is one of the singular speculative voices of our future, thanks to her knack for anticipating issues of seminal importance to society * TLS *Her worlds have a magic sheen . . . She moulds them into dimensions we can only just sense. She is unique. She is legend * THE TIMES *I'd love to sit at my desk one day and discover that I could think and write like Ursula Le Guin -- Roddy DoyleA rare and powerful synthesis of poetry and science, reason and emotion * NEW YORK TIMES *[Le Guin had] the heart of a poet who knew all too well the difference between miracle and eureka, revelation and revolution * PUBLISHERS WEEKLY *Le Guin's storytelling is sharp, magisterial, funny, thought-provoking and exciting, exhibiting all that science fiction can be * EMPIRE *Ursula Le Guin is a chemist of the heart -- David Mitchell, author of CLOUD ATLASWhen I read The Lathe of Heaven as a young man, my mind was boggled; now when I read it, more than twenty-five years later, it breaks my heart. Only a great work of literature can bridge - so thrillingly - that impossible span -- Michael ChabonLe Guin writes tellingly of different kinds of society . . . and of the individual's response to them * DAILY TELEGRAPH *

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Book SynopsisShe writes with such panache, such extraordinary perception and wit.' Elizabeth DayA forensically brave writer, with a semantic virtuosity rarely equalled.' TelegraphUnmissable.' Marie ClaireHilarious and distressing, entertaining and wise.'' Roddy DoyleA brilliantly funny and sharply observant novel from one of the most acclaimed American writers of her generation.This novel follows the lives of two 11-year-olds intent on escaping childhood. As the strength of their friendship is tested repeatedly, they begin to take their first, exhilarating steps towards adulthood.

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Book Synopsis''A herculean achievement . . . strong plot and strong characterisation'' The TimesIt is 1862 and Japan is a land in chaos as the power of the Shogun wanes and the rival factions plan to restore the Emperor. In Yokohama, the gai-jin, the hated foreigners, seek to profit from the chaos. At the head of the Noble House - and heir to the title of Tai-Pan - stands Malcolm Struan, who is determined to become his own man and marry the woman he loves. At the head of the Shogunate party is the Lord Yoshi, a direct descendant of Shogun Toranaga, who shares all of his ancestor''s cunning and ambition.''A passionate portrait of suffering . . . a strange and gripping tale of a nation''s deflowerment'' Mail on SundayTrade ReviewA passionate portrait of suffering ... a strange and gripping tale of a nation's deflowerment * Nicholas Trelawney, Mail on Sunday *A grand historical perspective that makes us feel we're understanding how today's Japan came into being . . . absorbing . . . full of rich characters and complicated action * New York Times *A world of intrigue, violence and betrayal, where the only certainty is that that no-one can be trusted * Daily Telegraph *GAI-JIN is a major read * Chicago Sun-Times *A herculean achievement . . . strong plot and strong characterisation * Peter Guttridge, The Times *

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Book SynopsisAn inspirational, moving new novel from the 40 million copy bestselling author of Tuesdays with Morrie and The Five People You Meet in HeavenTrade ReviewMaster storyteller Mitch Albom is back with his latest novel - a genre-defying page turner that catapults the reader into a tale that is brutal, raw and yet incredibly moving ... a beautifully written, life affirming story of love and loss * Dundee Courier *Praise for Mitch Albom * - *Mitch Albom sees the magical in the ordinary -- Cecelia AhernAlbom has touched the lives of a lot of people he never even knew * Time *A book with genuine power to stir and comfort its readers * New York Times *Albom has the ability to make you cry in spite of yourself * Boston Globe *Beautiful, heart-breaking, heart-warming * My Weekly *A writer with soul * Los Angeles Times *A moving tribute to embracing life * Glasgow Herald *Painfully sad and beautiful, this is an absolute tearjerker * Publishers Weekly *A true story that shines and leaves you forever warmed by its afterglow -- Amy Tan

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Book SynopsisA Marble Column is a sequel to one of the most famous novels in literature. Set against a rich background in which the patterns of imperial rule in India are not yet fully hardened, this lively and far-reaching work is a further voyage of inner discovery which puts great loves to the test. Charlotte Brontë gives the last words of Jane Eyre to the uncertain destiny of St. John Rivers, the ardent missionary Jane rejected for Mr. Rochester. So what happened to St. John in India? A Marble Column develops the characters and themes of Brontë''s original novel. An epidemic threatens to drive Jane and Rochester apart. Desperate to flee from her grief, Jane determines to uncover the fate of St John Rivers, the ardent missionary she rejected. Impatient for her recovery, Rochester reluctantly agrees to accompany his wife to India. As they make their journey, St John''s story unfolds. At odds with his Church and bewildered by India, he has retreated to the southern hills and established a modest school and farm. There he might be contented, if he were not tormented by love for Jaya, one of his few converts. Following clues in Charlotte Bronte''s original novel, A Marble Column is set in the years before imperial attitudes fully hardened. Preoccupied with their own desires and benevolent intentions, the English characters are so steeped in the habits of their kind that they can no more see the consequences of their actions than the near-blind Rochester.

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Book SynopsisThis second posthumous collection from Charles Bukowski takes readers deep into the raw, wild vein of writing that extends from the early 70s to the 1990s.

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Book Synopsis'Zweig's fictional masterpiece' GUARDIAN 'An intoxicating, morally shaking read... A real reminder of what fiction can do best' ALI SMITH 'It's just a masterpiece. When I read it I thought, how is it that I don't already know about this?' WES ANDERSON _______________ The only novel written by one of the most popular writers of the twentieth century In 1913, young second lieutenant Hofmiller discovers the terrible danger of pity. He had no idea the girl was lame when he asked her to dance-so begins a series of visits, motivated by pity, which relieve his guilt but give her a dangerous glimmer of hope. Stefan Zweig's unforgettable novel is a devastating depiction of the betrayal of both honour and love, amid the disintegration of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.Trade Review'It's just a masterpiece. When I read it I thought, how is it that I don't already know about this?' - Wes Anderson'Zweig's fictional masterpiece' - The Guardian'It really touched me. I'm not an easy crier, not at all. But this book was one of the few moments that I found myself sobbing. It was a knife to my heart' - Shira Haas, star of the Netflix hit series 'Unorthodox''The novel I'll really remember reading this year is Stefan Zweig's frighteningly gripping Beware of Pity, first published in 1939 ... and part of the ongoing, valiant reprinting by Pushkin Press of Zweig's collected oeuvre; an intoxicating, morally shaking read about human responsibilities and a real reminder of what fiction can do best' - Ali Smith'An unremittingly tense parable about emotional blackmail, this is a book which turns every reader into a fanatic' - Julie Kavanagh, Intelligent Life (The Economist)

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Book SynopsisThe narrator of Cold Nights of Childhood grows up in a rapidly changing Turkey, where the atmosphere is nationalist, patriarchal, technocratic. As a misfit in search of freedom, love and happiness, she escapes to Berlin, is overcome by depression on her return, and trapped in a psychiatry clinic for five years. After electroshock therapy and inhumane treatment, she is released into the care of friends and family, making tentative steps in a halting journey towards recovery. In her unique, unstructured style, Tezer Özlü explores the extremity of her inner life and the painful pleasures of memory. Translated into English for the first time by Maureen Freely, this novel is a classic akin to The Bell Jar and Good Morning, Midnight.Trade ReviewA remarkable account of mental breakdown and the long, dark road to recovery ... Maureen Freely as translator is particularly deft in capturing the beauties of Özlü's own writing * Irish Times *Packs a powerful punch ... there is a dreamlike quality to Özlü's lyrical prose -- Lucy Popescu, the TabletVirtuosic and elliptical ... this voice neither exalts itself nor judges itself. It's uncanny how clearly Özlü speaks of a different time yet, simultaneously, of this moment. -- Jonathan MacAloon * Financial Times *An incredible discovery for the English-speaking world, especially for women struggling to find their own place in an society that doesn't want to make them welcome... As a record of feelings, it's as pointed as an icicle, and as soothing as a cactus. It's a fantastic read. -- Sarah Manvel * BookMunch *A fragmentary, freewheeling novel about one woman's madness and resilience ... fierce and frightening but witty and deeply affecting too -- Lisa McInerney, author of The Rules of Revelation

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Book SynopsisAs the Korean independence movement gathers pace, two children meet on the streets of Seoul. Fate will bind them through decades of love and war. They just don’t know it yet.Trade Review'Beasts of a Little Land is a stunning achievement. Juhea Kim wrestles with the chaos of a half-century of love, idealism, war and violence, and does so with courage and wisdom.' TLS'Full of Korean myth and historical detail, it’s an immersive read for a long weekend.' Stylist'This is historical fiction at its very best! I am astonished by Juhea's talent.' Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai, internationally bestselling author of The Mountains Sing'Stunning... Profound... This novel will devastate you and then still you with its wise meditations on love and loss. I couldn’t put it down.' Alexis Schaitkin, author of Saint X'Beasts of a Little Land is a heartbreaking story rendered mythic by Kim’s gorgeous prose.' Jing-Jing Lee, author of How We Disappeared'A magnificent, mesmerizing story of love and war… Cinematic in its scope, this is the type of novel that the reader finishes both with pleasure (for its satisfying denouement and pleasing circularity) and with sadness (at having to leave the story behind).' New Internationalist'Some people say that all stories are about either love or war. Set against the backdrop of early 20th-century Korea, Kim’s epic debut novel is about both.' Harper's Bazaar US, 'Best Books of 2021''Gorgeous prose and unforgettable characters combine to make a literary masterpiece.' Kirkus, (starred review)'Kim's dreamy, intense debut is both a sure-footed historical account of the Korean struggle for independence from Japan and the emotionally fraught story of several people whose lives are inextricably tied together... The prose is ravishing.' Publishers Weekly'An immersive historical novel set in occupied Korea with a sweeping cast of characters whose lives intersect over half a century.' Lit Hub, 'Most Anticipated Books of 2021''This epic historical novel offers an entrancing glimpse into a colourful world of love and conflict.' Daily Mail, 'Must Reads'

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Book SynopsisRaymond Carver said it was possible ''to write about commonplace things and objects using commonplace but precise language and endow these things - a chair, a window curtain, a fork, a stone, a woman''s earring - with immense, even startling power''. Nowhere is this alchemy more striking than in the title story of Cathedral in which a blind man guides the hand of a sighted man as together they draw the cathedral the blind man can never see. Many view this story, and indeed this collection, as a watershed in the maturing of Carver''s work to a more confidently poetic style.Trade ReviewThe twelve stories collected in his book Cathedral are remarkable for the originality of vision which he manages to convey in scrupulously simple prose. Carver's is a considerable and an enterprising talent * Guardian *Cathedral ought to establish his reputation as one of the most original new voices in fiction to appear from the United States for many years -- Bill Buford * Times Literary Supplement *Carver is a writer of astonishing compassion and honesty, utterly free of pretence and affection, his eye set only on describing and revealing the world as he sees it. His eye is so clear, it almost breaks your heart * Washington Post *An important book in a unique career * New York Review of Books *

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Book SynopsisA retelling of Disney Sleeping Beauty, accompanied by art from the original Disney Studio artists.Collect the whole Animated Classics series!This beautiful hardback features premium cloth binding, a ribbon marker to match the cover, gold foil stamping and illustrated endpapers, making this the perfect gift for all those who have been enchanted by the magic of Sleeping Beauty and a book to be treasured by all.A family favourite for nearly sixty years, Disney Sleeping Beauty is one of the best-loved films of all time. Relive its magic through this retelling of the classic animated film, accompanied by paintings, sketches and concept art from the original Disney Studio artists. Also featured is a foreword by Mike Gabriel, an animator, story artist, visual development artist, production designer and director at the Walt Disney Animation Studios. Turn to the back of the book to learn more about the artists who worked on this iconic animated film.Trade ReviewMost Disney fans would be able to tell you the stories of 'The Little Mermaid,' 'Sleeping Beauty,' and 'Snow White' according to the Walt Disney Animation Studios - they've become so ingrained in the public consciousness. These beautiful new hardback editions offer new insights into these animated classics.As well as retelling these beloved stories, the books contain a wealth of paintings, sketches and concept art from the original Disney Studio artists.It was fascinating to see how characters developed from the first sketches to finished articles and to learn about the artists who created them in a special section at the end of the book.I am sure that fans of the Disney films would be absolutely thrilled to have one of these special hardback editions for their book collections, and they would make a great gift for younger fans to keep and enjoy as they grow up. * Library Girl and Book Boy *

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Book SynopsisNever before available in hardback, this is a lavish edition of one of the greatest love stories of our time. The perfect gift for anyone captivated by Elio and Oliver.A sudden and powerful romance blossoms between Elio, an adolescent boy, and Oliver, his parents' guest, over the course of one summer. Each is unprepared for the consequences of their attraction, when, during the hot restless weeks, unrelenting currents of obsession, fascination, and desire intensify their passion and test the charged ground between them. Recklessly, the two verge toward the one thing both fear they may never truly find again: total intimacy.Trade ReviewA beautiful and wise book... A miracle. -- Colm TóibínA love letter, an invocation, and something of an epitaph. An exceptionally beautiful book. * New York Times Book Review *Brave, acute, elated, naked, brutal, tender, humane and beautiful. -- Nicole KraussExtraordinary... Evocative, poetic and deeply beautiful. * Tatler *

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Book Synopsis'Set at a time of lengthening shadows, this is a novel about the sparks that illuminate the dark: of wisdom, compassion, defiance and courage. It is wry, piercing and also, fittingly, radiant.' Daily MailFrom Robert Seethaler, the author of the Man Booker International shortlisted A Whole Life, comes a deeply moving story of ordinary lives profoundly affected by the Third Reich, in the tradition of novels such as Fred Uhlman's classic Reunion, Bernhard Schlink's The Reader and Rachel Seiffert's The Dark Room.When seventeen-year-old Franz exchanges his home in the idyllic beauty of the Austrian lake district for the bustle of Vienna, his homesickness quickly dissolves amidst the thrum of the city. In his role as apprentice to the elderly tobacconist Otto Trsnyek, he will soon be supplying the great and good of Vienna with their newspapers and cigarettes. Among the regulars is a Professor Freud, whose predilection for cigars and occasional willingness to dispense romantic advice will forge a bond between him and young Franz.It is 1937. In a matter of months Germany will annex Austria and the storm that has been threatening to engulf the little tobacconist will descend, leaving the lives of Franz, Otto and Professor Freud irredeemably changed.Trade ReviewSet at a time of lengthening shadows, this is a novel about the sparks that illuminate the dark: of wisdom, compassion, defiance and courage. It is wry, piercing and also, fittingly, radiant. * Daily Mail *Seethaler blends tragedy and whimsy to create a bittersweet picture of youthful ideals getting clobbered by external forces. The result is a little like Great Expectations, only with dachshunds and strudel. * Observer *Essential reading for the early years of the 21st century. * Scotland on Sunday *[The Tobacconist’s] portrayal of pre-war Vienna is tender and elegiac. There are echoes of Arthur Schnitzler in Fran’z feverish obsession with Anezka, Ödön von Horváth in minor characters such as the neighbouring butcher who denounces the tobacconist to the Gestapo, and Robert Musil in the texture of the city. The moment when the frail, ill Dr Freud boards the train for London is an elegy for the cultural and intellectual glory of early twentieth-century Vienna . . . The Tobacconist remains unwavering in its quiet, understated style and it is all the more devastating for it. * Times Literary Supplement *Told with a dry wit that enhances, rather than disguises, the sadness of its story, The Tobacconist is a touching miniature of an ordinary life irrevocably altered by the larger forces of history. * Sunday Times *Robert Seethaler's The Tobacconist is a poignant, tragic look at the creeping rise of fascism in Vienna before the outbreak of the Second World War. Told with humor and pity, the novel expertly depicts how easy it is to find, and lose, one's place in the world . . . [The Tobacconist] brilliantly demonstrates how even small actions can give a person meaning in the face of dire threats. * Shelf Awareness *I enjoyed Robert Seethaler’s The Tobacconist. The novel sets up a tiny tobacconist’s shop in 1930s Vienna as a window on to a street, a city and a continent, all drifting into conflict. -- Ed Smith * New Statesman *

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Book Synopsis'A wonderful collection, brilliant and often moving ... Both mind-expanding and cosmic while utterly rooted in our urban reality' NEIL GAIMAN 'One of the great fiction minds of his generation' ROLLING STONE In his first-ever short story collection, which spans forty years of work and features many never-before-published pieces, international bestselling author and legendary creator of From Hell, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and other modern classics, Alan Moore, presents nine stories full of wonder and strangeness, each taking us deeper into the fantastical underside of reality. In A Hypothetical Lizard, two concubines in a brothel for fantastical specialists fall in love, with tragic ramifications. In Not Even Legend, a paranormal study group is infiltrated by one of the otherworldly beings they seek to investigate. In Illuminations, a nostalgic older man decides to visit a seaside resort from his youth and finds the past all too close at hand. And in the monumental novella What We Can Know About Thunderman, which charts the surreal and Kafkaesque history of the comics industry over the last seventy-five years through several sometimes-naive and sometimes-maniacal people rising and falling on its career ladders, Moore reveals the dark, beating heart of the superhero business. From ghosts and otherworldly creatures to theoretical Boltzmann brains fashioning the universe at the big bang, Illuminations is exactly that - a series of bright, startling tales from a contemporary legend that reveal the full power of imagination and magic. 'One of the most significant fiction writers in English ... Moore’s influence can be felt everywhere—in our literature, on our screens, in our politics' GUARDIAN Illuminations became a Sunday Times Top 5 Bestseller on 15th October 2022Trade Review'Illuminations is a wonderful collection, brilliant and often moving. A few are stories I've loved for years (in one case, for decades), some were new to me, often managing to be both mind-expanding and cosmic while utterly rooted in our urban reality, written in language that coruscates, concatenates and glitters. But the short stories in this book also turn out to be a sort of camouflage, or a frame, for 'What We Can Know About Thunderman,' a short novel that's a scabrous, monstrous, often hilarious, unmasking and reinvention of the people who made the comics, and the lives destroyed by the four colour funnies. It's Alan Moore's Guernica, a time-hopping ontological Imaginary Story that refuses to leave your head after you've read it' * Neil Gaiman *Burn[s] with Moore’s soaring intelligence and riotous humanity ... An assemblage of eerie sublimities with more pyrotechnics than Guy Fawkes Day — and just as many shadows — the book showcases all of Moore’s strengths as a fantasist ... Moore has never encountered a genre he cannot subvert, often fiendishly … and yet what lingers is not his creative irreverence but his ability to inhabit his human and inhuman characters alike ... A dynamite story collection and a dynamite monster manual ... Remarkable * Junot Diaz, New York Times Book Review *Breathless and bewildered I read, re read and re re read ILLUMINATIONS … Slipping into its tale of perilous nostalgia * Toby Jones *[Alan Moore] is the Shakespeare of the comic book ... His prose fiction thrums with the zest of somebody who feels newly untrammelled ... conveying the exhilarating sense of words rushing to catch up with the author’s never-ending stream of ingenious ideas * Daily Telegraph *The original cantankerous high priest of comics ... Moore’s writing is as brilliant as ever—from dizzying wordplay in scene-setting detail to cuttingly succinct summaries. Loyal fans of Moore in all his incarnations will love this collection * Wall Street Journal *One of the great fiction minds of his generation * Rolling Stone *The king of comics * Guardian *Moore makes the parochial universal, the mundane sublime and the temporal neverending * Financial Times *His bighearted passion for his people ... and the whole monstrous endeavour of the human condition is infectious. I’m not sure there’s a God, but I thank Her for Alan Moore * Entertainment Weekly *One of the most significant fiction writers in English ... Moore’s influence can be felt everywhere—in our literature, on our screens, in our politics * Guardians *A master of imagination ... [Moore's] trademark qualities - vividly detailed renderings of alien landscapes, investigations into complex human psyches, plot-driven arcs, regular mini-cliffhangers - are all present and happily correct. Better still, the huge heart and romantic streak that long set him apart from most comics writers has remained intact. The zealots will savour every delightful word. * Big Issue *Legendary graphic novelist Moore burnishes his reputation in his first prose collection ... This brilliant volume dazzles at every turn * Publishers Weekly *Here is an author who possesses a mastery of language teamed with a seemingly limitless imagination, all underpinned by a sanguine, occasionally waspish sense of humour ... His prose-only work is so permeated by buoyant, brilliant imagery that it can soar aloft by itself * Financial Times *

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Book SynopsisLady Augusta Gregory’s collection and translation of Irish folk legends brings, as Yeats observed, ‘Ireland’s gift of imagination to the world’. Following on from the bestselling Irish Myths and Legends: Gods and Fighting Men, this second volume, originally titled Cuchulain of Muirthemne, tells of the brave exploits of Ireland’s answer to Achilles, the fearless Cuchulain and the Red Branch of Ulster, as well as the overpowering love of his wife Emer. Forming part of the bedrock of Gaelic legend, and translated faithfully from the idiom of Irish oral storytellers, this new volume is essential reading for anyone with an interest in Gaelic culture.

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Book SynopsisEerie, unsettling and hauntingly beautiful - a new collaboration from the bestselling creators of Holloway, Robert Macfarlane and Stanley Donwood ''Ness goes beyond what we expect books to do. Beyond poetry, beyond the word, beyond the bomb -- it is an aftertime song'' Max Porter, Booker-longlisted author of Grief is the Thing with Feathers Somewhere on a salt-and-shingle island, inside a ruined concrete structure known as The Green Chapel, a figure called The Armourer is leading a ritual with terrible intent. But something is coming to stop him. Five more-than-human forms are traversing land, sea and time towards The Green Chapel, moving to the point where they will converge and become Ness. Ness has lichen skin and willow-bones. Ness is made of tidal drift, green moss and deep time. Ness has hagstones for eyes and speaks only in birds. And Ness has come to take this island back. What happens when land comes to life? What would it take for land to need to come to life?Using word and image, the pair have together made a minor modern myth. Part-novella, part-prose-poem, part-mystery play, in Ness their skills combine to dazzling, troubling effect. Robert Macfarlane is the author of The Lost Words with Jackie Morris, The Old Ways and Underland. Stanley Donwood is an artist and the author of Slowly Downward, Household Worms and Bad Island.Trade ReviewNess goes beyond what we expect books to do. Beyond poetry, beyond the word, beyond the bomb - it is an aftertime song. It is dark, ever so dark, nimble and lethal. It is a triumphant libretto of mythic modernism for our poisoned age. Ness is something else, and feels like it always has been. * Max Porter *

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Book SynopsisYou are cordially invited to your Happy Ever After...Emma Love is a matchmaker who believes in old fashioned courtship, over swiping left or right. She's inspired by Jane Austen, Bridgerton and a thousand and one perfect romance stories, where matches were made at elegant soirees and not by sliding into your intended's DMs.This year, Emma is inviting you to a very special social season, where a hopeful singleton might find their own Mr Darcy waiting under the mistletoe. At a series of glamorous, festive, and, most importantly, romantic events, Emma is making it her mission to find love for everyone this Christmas Season.How will she fare trying to find perfect matches for the Price twins, both too busy trying to outdo the other to ever look for love? Can she encourage the sexy Season rake, Theo, to change his ways? And what of Hope Lucas, who Emma has failed to match before, but who still has faith that Mr Right is out there?And with Emma so focused on finding everybody else’s happy ever after, is she at risk of letting her own perfect match slip away?Welcome to the Christmas Season.An uplifting, original and romantic read that fans of Lex Croucher and Lindsey Kelk will love.Readers are loving The Christmas Season:'A heartwarming, magical romance guaranteed to give you the warm and fuzzies.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review'Perfect for the upcoming holiday season. The cover is absolutely gorgeous...but the storyline is equally adorable.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review'With an element of Bridgerton...this is a cute little romantic book about finding love but also finding yourself. Prefect winter read by the fire.' Reader review'The concept is fantastic. I love the idea of a modern Regency season where people are encouraged to let go of the instant gratification of online dating and seek meaningful connections.' Reader Review'A quick and cute read...I adore the concept of an old-fashioned season in modern times.' Reader Review'This was a super lightweight, very quick read...gave me Love Actually vibes.' Reader ReviewPraise for Ally Sinclair:'I loved it! Clever, romantic, funny and completely different!’ Katie Fforde'I adored this witty, joyous romp of a tale.' Liz Fenwick‘Such a good book. I liked the characters, I loved reading their stories as they unfurled.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review'What a fun read!…Three very modern romances occur against a backdrop of Regency recreation.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review‘Devoured this book…A modern-day must for lovers of Jane Austen. Cannot wait for the next book in the series. Highly recommend.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review‘I loved this book, the characters and the atmosphere. It was perfection.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review'This was such a cute read! It takes readers back in time…Emma and Mr Knight were an irresistible combo.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review‘I loved the way Ally Sinclair brought elements of Jane Austen and flair of Bridgerton into a funny romance. I loved it.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

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Book SynopsisIt’s the most anticipated event of the decade: Big Lou and Fat Bob’s wedding and everyone is invited! After a wonderful day, Big Lou crashes back down to earth and finds that she is a victim of her own success. The lure of those famous bacon rolls is preventing her from leaving hungry customers without their daily dose of deliciousness – even to go for a long-awaited honeymoon. Will Big Lou find the happiness she so richly deserves? Everyone in Scotland Street hopes so, but, as Burns warned, the best laid plans ... The relative peace and tranquillity of 44 Scotland Street is about to be disrupted. Irene is to return for a two-month stay, consigning Bertie to a summer camp. Not satisfied with that, she somehow manages to come between the enigmatic nun, Sister Maria-Fiore dei Fiori di Montagna, and her friend, the hagiographer, Antonia Collie. Can a person really change, even after being struck by lightning? Bruce’s metamorphosis and new-found outlook on life is put to the test as he prepares to leave his creature comforts for the monastic simplicity of Pluscarden Abbey. His house sitter, meanwhile, gets a little too comfortable in his new life and discovers that the talented Bruce Anderson’s shoes are all too easy to slip into. With great taste comes great responsibility. Come and discover The Enigma of Garlic and join the delightful denizens of Edinburgh’s most famous address. This latest instalment of the much-loved 44 Scotland Street series is wise, witty, and full of warmth.Trade Review'Shines with wisdom and humour about the human heart' -- Kate Green * Country Life *'Many plots are artfully woven into this instalment of the 44 Scotland Street series, proving to be as reflective and reliable as ever. Devour this on a winter's eve' -- Megan Amato * Scottish Field *'In this delightful new book, Alexander explores all these topics and many more in his inimitable and insightful way. And most importantly there are ladlefuls of gentle humour' -- Jenny Itzcovitz * Sixtyplussurfers *'Alexander McCall Smith’s impressive literary output shows no sign of slowing as he publishes the latest volume in the Scotland Street series and celebrates 25 years of The No1 Ladies’ Detective Agency' * Dundee Courier *

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Book SynopsisSet in Iran at the end of the 19th Century --in the Persian royal court of the Qajars--, In The Palace of Flowers is an atmospheric historical novel about Jamila, an Abyssinian slave who stands at the funeral of a Persian nobleman, watching the rites with empty eyes. In that very moment, she realises that her life will never be acknowledged or mourned with the same significance. The fear of being forgotten, of being irrelevant, sets her and Abimelech, a fellow Abyssinian slave and a eunuch, on a path to find meaning, navigating the dangerous and deadly politics of the royal court, both in the government and the harem, before leading her to the radicals that lie beyond its walls. Love, friendship and the bitter politics within the harem, the court and the Shah's sons and advisors will set the fate of these two slaves. Highly accomplished, richly textured and elegantly written, In The Palace of Flowers is a magnificent novel about the fear of being forgotten.

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Book Synopsis'My name is Oscar and I'm ten years old . . . They call me Egghead and I look about seven. I live in hospital because of my cancer and I've never written to you because I don't even know if you exist,' writes Oscar in a letter to God.Oscar is ill and no one, especially not his parents, will tell him what he already knows: that he is dying. Granny Rose, the oldest of the 'ladies in pink' who visit Oscar and his fellow patients, makes friends with him. She suggests that he play a game: to pretend that each of the following twelve days is a decade of his imagined future. One day equals ten years, and every night Oscar writes a letter to God telling him about his life.The ten letters that follow are sensitive, funny, heartbreaking and, ultimately, uplifting. Oscar and the Lady in Pink is a small fable with a big heart; it will change the way you feel about death, and life.Trade Review"* 'Oscar and the Lady in Pink combines story-telling skill with the elegant questioning that Schmitt learnt from his studies of 18th-century French philosophers... When children write to him, they say that, even if they have not been ill themselves, the book has helped them speak about their parents and about solitude, hope and mystery.' Daily Telegraph * 'What's brilliant about Oscar is that we all know we should live each day as our last and we don't. Then you read this book and feel you must try.' Janet McTeer"

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Book Synopsis'Knut Hamsun founded the modernist and postmodernist novel at once' writes James Wood in his introduction to this seminal work by a Nobel Prize-winning writer who has been recognised as one of the greatest literary figures of the twentieth century. A young man called John Nagel arrives to spend a summer in a small Norwegian coastal town, a stranger in a loud yellow suit who begins to behave very curiously. He shocks, bewilders and beguiles with his open defiance and erratic self-revelations. Nagel's presence acts as a catalyst for the hidden impulses, concealed thoughts and darker instincts of the townsfolk. Cursed with the ability to understand the human soul, especially his own, Nagel can foresee, but cannot prevent, his own destruction.Trade ReviewKnut Hamsun's writing is magical, his sentences are glowing, he could write about anything and make it alive. -- Karl Ove Knausgaardthe inventor of a certain kind of modern fictionality. Hamsun's development of the stream of consciousness becomes particularly beautiful, and extremely comic .... Mysteries is as great as Hunger. -- James WoodHamsun is one of the great writers of this century - his nearest British equivalent being I suspect Thomas Hardy. Hamsun's novels have a unique beauty of expression. * Sunday Times *Hamsun has the qualities that belong to the very great, the completest omniscience about human nature. -- Rebecca WestA rare understanding of human nature comes through, expressed in a measured, elegiac and lyrical prose. * Sunday Telegraph *With Mysteries, Hamsun rewrote the novel's rules * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisA hugely entertaining novel of sex, lies and Americans in Paris, dripping with the sarcasm those Americans are not supposed to have. Published as part of a beautifully designed series to mark the fortieth anniversary of the Virago Modern Classics.Trade ReviewReaders turn to it again and again for its jokes, which are very funny and remain so after a dozen readings -- Rachel Cooke * Guardian *A champagne cocktail . . . Rich, invigorating, and deceptively simple to the taste . . . One falls for Sally Jay Gorce from a great height from the first sentence * Observer *As delightful and delicate an examination of how it is to be twenty and in love and in Paris as I've ever read * Sunday Times *I had to tell someone how much I enjoyed The Dud Avocado. It made me laugh, scream, and guffaw (which, incidentally, is a great name for a law firm)For a highly likeable and amusing narrator, who throws herself into Parisian life. A cult classic to reconnect me with France and feed my love of sharp observational humour . . . a hedonistic whirlwind in Paris and the South of France, pulled along by its whip-smart American heroine, Sally Jay Gore (out of the way, Emily In Paris). This is someone I am desperate to drink Pernod with. Where life has felt so constrained, this was such a liberating read -- Emma Reed * Daily Telegraph *Scandalous and entertaining . . . Both funny and true * Evening Standard ***'A champagne cocktail ... Rich, invigorating, and deceptively simple to the taste ... One falls for Sally Jay Gorce from a great height... * OBSERVER *** 'As delightful and delicate an examination of how it is to be twenty and in love and in Paris as I've ever read’ *SUNDAY TIMES ** 'Both funny and true * EVENING STANDARD *

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Book SynopsisBY THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHORWITH A NEW INTRODUCTION BY CLARE CHAMBERS'I'm a huge fan of Barbara Pym' RICHARD OSMAN 'My favourite writer . . . I pick up her books with joy, as though I were meeting an old, dear friend' JILLY COOPER'The subtlest of her books . . . the sparkle on first acquaintance has been succeeded by the deeper brilliance of established art' PHILIP LARKINWilmet Forsyth is well dressed, well looked after, suitably husbanded, good-looking and fairly young - but very bored. Her staid husband Rodney, a civil servant, is slightly balder and fatter than he once was. Wilmet would like to think she has changed rather less. Her conventional life takes a turn when she meets the handsome brother of a close friend. Attractive, cultured and attentive, Piers Longridge is a delectable mystery Wilmet is determined to solve.Trade ReviewBarbara Pym is the rarest of treasures -- Anne TylerI'd sooner read a new Barbara Pym than a new Jane Austen . . . The subtlest of her books - the sparkle on first acquaintance has been succeeded by the deeper brilliance of established art -- Philip LarkinI'm a huge fan of Barbara Pym -- Richard Osman[Pym] makes me smile, laugh out loud, consider my own foibles and fantasies, and above all, suffer real regret when I reach the final page. Of how many authors can you honestly say that? -- Mavis CheekThere is a thrill of humanity through all her work -- Shirley HazzardMy favourite writer . . . I pick up her books with joy, as though I were meeting an old, dear friend who comforts me, extends my vision and makes me roar with laughter -- Jilly CooperA modern Jane Austen -- Alexander McCall SmithAnother instalment in America's exposure to the Pyro revival, which began in England in 1976 and happily arrived here in 1978 . . . Essential reading for Pym's growing readership on this side of the Atlantic * Kirkus Reviews *

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewIf you want an unputdownable thriller, you’re in luck – best-seller Shari Lapena is back with a new whodunnit…Crafted like a vintage Christie and just as tense, this will be a smash hit * Heat *Tense. Unpredictable. Unputdownable. Shari Lapena's novels are domestic noir at its finest. * Simon Kernick *The psychological thrillers of Lapena are masterclasses in tightly plotted, economical narrative…This third novel has a premise straight out of a Agatha Christie classic * Metro *[An Unwanted Guest] once again shows her gift for smart characterisation combined with a subtle appreciation for the darkness of the human heart . . . A perfectly choreographed danse macabre. * Mail on Sunday *An intriguing cast, an isolated location, a raging storm and the threat of death in every dark corner: An Unwanted Guest reads like Agatha Christie with a shot of adrenalin. Clear your desk before you start it because you won't want to put it down. * Gilly Macmillan, author of BURNT PAPER SKY *

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Book SynopsisThis charming mini box set includes 3 of our Deluxe classic mini books for this special slipcase edition.These compact books contain comprehensive summaries of the complete plays of William Shakespeare, the complete novels of Jane Austen, and the complete novels of the Bronte sisters. The books also include character profiles and illustrations, sure to entertain literary lovers everywhere. The set includes:William Shakespeare: The Complete Plays in One Sitting, an oversized mini book packed with witty summaries of all 36 plays by William Shakespeare, efficiently organized into comedies, tragedies, and historiesJane Austen: The Complete Novels in One Sitting, includes summaries of all six of her classic novels: Sense and Sensibility; Pride and Prejudice; Mansfield Park; Emma; Northanger Abbey; and PersuasionThe Brontes: The Complete Novels in One Sitting, features summaries of the novels by Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Bronte: Jane Eyre; Shirley; Villette; The Professor; Wuthering Heights; Agnes Grey; and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

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Book SynopsisStep into a land of wonder and intrigue unlike any other. ‘Allura and the Hopeless World’ is an enticing story about overcoming your past, forging friendships and finding your way home when all seems lost. Tossed from foster family to foster family, distrustful twelve-year-old Allura Saint-May’s life is changed forever on the day she disappears from the face of the Earth. Plucked from the streets of London by a mysterious light, she finds herself transported to the fantastical world of Orterra, a place where magic and monsters are far more than a thing of fiction. There, Allura is thrust into the centre of a grand mystery that just might determine the fate of both worlds.

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Book SynopsisHaving grown up in London and rural southern England, Margaret Hale moves with her father to the northern industrial city of Milton. She is shocked by the poverty she encounters and dismayed by the unsympathetic attitude of the textile-mill owner John Thornton, whose factory workers are engaged in an acrimonious strike. Against this backdrop of social unrest, the relationship between the two is tumultuous, and it takes further upheaval and tragedy for them to see each other in a different light. First serialized in Dickens's magazine Household Words in the same period as Hard Times, North and South shares its famous counterpart's concern with the inequality and hardship generated by the Industrial Revolution in northern England, while at the same time creating one of the nineteenth century's most memorable and engaging female protagonists in Margaret Hale.Trade ReviewA great story-teller... it seems as though the art of writing came to her as easily as an instinct. -- Virginia Woolf

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Book SynopsisIt’s time to take back Jeju Island! After multiple failures to recover the island from theS-rank ant-type magic beasts that swarmed the island, the South Korean and JapaneseHunter’s Associations have forged an alliance to reclaim the land from thebeasts. But even for such an elite group of hunters, this will prove to be the toughestchallenge yet!

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Book Synopsis''PROOF THAT THE SPY GENRE IS FLOURISHING IN THE 21ST CENTURY'' Guardian''I know for certain that there is a mole somewhere within the intelligence services . . . His codename is Nobody . . .'' Solomon Vine is a spy on a fast track to the top. But when a prisoner is shot in unexplained circumstances on his watch, only suspension and exile beckon. Three months later, MI6''s Head of Station in Istanbul is violently abducted from his home. With the Service in lockdown, uncertain of who can be trusted, thoughts turn to the missing man''s oldest friend: Solomon Vine. On the run and determined to clear his name, Vine tries to uncover the truth. But his investigation soon reveals that there''s much more at stake than the life of a single spy...''Compelling, intense and sharply authentic'' James Swallow, bestselling author of Nomad ''A supremely confident debut'' Daily MailTrade ReviewNow comes Matthew Richardson, hailed as the next Charles Cumming. My Name is Nobody actually falls somewhere between Robert Ludlum and Le Carre * Sunday Mail *A splendid tale of espionage starring an old-fashioned MI6 hero . . . exciting spy literature * The Times *All debut spy novelists are dubbed the new John le Carre but Richardson has made a good fist of living up to the accolade at his first attempt . . . [a] knowledgeable thriller * SPORT Magazine *Proof that the genre is flourishing anew in the 21st century . . . [he] distinguishes the more ambitious offerings in the spy genre, but his plotting has an old-school, Swiss-clock precision that keeps the reader pleasurably engaged. * The Guardian *I dare you to find a first novel as self-assured, impeccably researched and beautifully rendered . . . Richardson paints a portrait of espionage that calls to mind early le Carré -- Gregg Hurwitz * No. 1 bestselling author of Orphan X *Compelling, intense and sharply authentic -- James Swallow * bestselling author of Nomad *A pleasingly convoluted spy saga . . . which combines immaculate Cold War tradecraft with modern tech savvy as our maverick hero comes up against a Le Carre-esque establishment while trying to find a mole and head off a terrorist atrocity * Sunday Times Crime Club *Truly authentic and frighteningly so . . . a remarkable thriller * Shot Magazine *Authentic, mysterious, fraught with deception, betrayal, and uncertain allegiances, it captures perfectly the foggy world of spies, populated by conspiracy and turncoats, both friends and enemies, an evocative descent into the Wilderness of Mirrors -- Jason Matthews * author of Red Sparrow *Matthew Richardson's debut is a bang-up-to-date thriller told with old-school panache. A great read -- Mick Herron * CWA Gold Dagger-winning author of Dead Lions *Elegant and assured, My Name is Nobody weaves a complex web of moles, double agents and tradecraft, brought right up to date by a fresh young voice . . . compelling spy fiction -- Michael Ridpath * bestselling author of Amnesia *A supremely confident debut . . . This story is told with panache and a taste for spy craft that mark it as outstanding * Daily Mail *Told with panache and a taste for the intricacies of craft that mark it as outstanding ... Solomon Vine reminds me not so much of le Carre's Smiley, but rather Len Deighton's spy in his marvellous debut The Ipcress File. If he keeps going, Vine could be that good ... a supremely confident debut * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE WATERSTONES DEBUT FICTION PRIZE 2022 FINALIST FOR THE BARNES & NOBLE DISCOVER PRIZE 2022 FINALIST FOR THE URSULA LE GUIN PRIZE FOR FICTION 2022 WATERSTONES AND ESQUIRE BEST BOOKS OF 2022 ‘Haunting and luminous … An astonishing debut’ – Alan Moore, creator of Watchmen and V for Vendetta 'A powerfully moving and thought provoking read. At times sublime, strange and deeply human' Adrian Tchaikovsky, bestselling author of the Children of Time series Siberia, 2031. After a virus, unearthed from melting permafrost, unleashes a deadly plague upon humanity, those left alive are forced to adapt to a new world, and do so in myriad moving and inventive ways. Among those adjusting to this new normal are an aspiring comedian, employed by a theme park designed for terminally ill children, who falls in love with a mother trying desperately to keep her son alive; a scientist who, having failed to save his own son from the plague, gets a second chance at fatherhood when one of his test subjects — a pig — develops human speech; and a widowed painter and her teenage granddaughter who must set off on cosmic quest to locate a new home planet. A story of unshakeable hope that seamlessly crosses literary lines, How High We Go in the Dark follows a cast of intricately linked characters spanning hundreds of years as humankind endeavours to restore the delicate balance of the world. Wonderful and disquieting, dreamlike and all too possible. [How High We Go in the Dark] reaches far beyond our stars while its heart remains rooted to Earth, and reminds us that our wellbeing depends on the wellbeing of our world - Samantha Shannon, author of The Priory of the Orange Tree Trade ReviewHaunting and luminous, How High We Go in the Dark orchestrates its multitude of memorable voices into beautiful and lucid Science Fiction that resembles a fitful future memory of our present. An astonishing debut * Alan Moore, creator of Watchmen and V for Vendetta *Imaginative and fascinating … On a sentence level, the writing in this book is simply beautiful ... An immersive, hypnotic read * Roxane Gay *A powerfully moving and thought provoking read. At times sublime, strange and deeply human * Adrian Tchaikovsky, bestselling and award-winning author of the Children of Time series *As ambitious as it is intimate, How High We Go in the Dark is both a prescient warning and a promise of human resilience in the face of any odds. Sequoia Nagamatsu masterfully connects each slice of life into one epic and unforgettable tale, spanning centuries and generations. His debut envisions a future that is at once wonderful and disquieting, dreamlike and all too possible. It reaches far beyond our stars while its heart remains rooted to Earth, and reminds us that our wellbeing depends on the wellbeing of our world. -- Samantha ShannonLike a Polaroid photograph, How High We Go in the Dark takes time to show its true colours. When they finally appear, the effect is all the more dazzling ... His novel, with its emphasis on family, mutual acceptance and the often unorthodox ways in which we are all connected, will be admired as much by fans of Becky Chambers’s hugely popular Wayfarers series as by readers of Richard Powers’s Booker-shortlisted Bewilderment. It is a truly genre-transcending work in which sense of wonder and literary acumen are given boundless opportunity to shine * Guardian *Moving and thought-provoking… A welcome addition to a growing trend of what we might call the ‘speculative epic’: genre-bending novels that use a wide aperture to tackle large issues like climate change while jumping between characters, timelines and even narrative modes… Nagamatsu squarely hits both the ‘literary’ and ‘science fiction’ targets, offering psychological insights in lyrical prose while seriously exploring speculative conceits… How High We Go in the Dark is a book of sorrow for the destruction we’re bringing on ourselves. Yet the novel reminds us there’s still hope in human connections, despite our sadness * New York Times *A refractive glass exploring themes of loss, mourning and recovery through an impressive variety of characters, moods and situations …The elegiac opening story is about a man mourning his grown-up daughter as he studies a 30,000-year-old corpse … Nagamatsu’s footwork is impressive as he skips from trope to trope, and epoch to futuristic epoch * The Times *A novel that is both grimly timely while also moving past our usual notions of time to reveal a wider view— Sequoia Nagamatsu allows his story to unspool with such a great sense of scope, freedom, and clarity, creating a stunning mosaic of experience and humanness * Aimee Bender, author of The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake *Sequoia Nagamatsu's How High We Go in the Dark is a sprawling, epic debut that ventures from the Arctic to interstellar space, from life to what may come after it. With precision and harrowing prescience, Nagamatsu envisions the effects - both cultural and planetary - of a mysterious, devastating pandemic; but he explores, too, the astonishing commitment, resilience, and capacity for resilience that enables life - human and otherwise - to reach for survival. Sequoia Nagamatsu is a writer whose imagination is matched only by his compassion, the kind we need to light our way through the dark * Chloe Benjamin, New York Times bestselling author of The Immortalists *How High We Go in the Dark is wondrous not just in the feats of imagination, which are so numerous that it makes me dizzy to recall them, but also in the humanity and tenderness with which Sequoia Nagamatsu helps us navigate this landscape, to find a way to survive while holding onto the things that make us human. This is a truly amazing book, one to keep close as we imagine the uncertain future * Kevin Wilson, New York Times bestselling author of Nothing to See Here *One of the best novels I've read recently ... Reimagines this world and the next to come * Alexander Chee *Wildly imaginative, pandemic prescient … Nagamatsu depicts his homeland’s reaction to a deadly virus with a droll eye … a terrifyingly original novel * Independent.co.uk, Books of the Month *A prescient warning of an all-too-plausible future and a spellbinding mosaic of characters who stand as a testament to human inventiveness in the face of catastrophe, Nagamatsu’s ambitious, haunting debut announces the arrival of an astonishing new voice in science fiction * Waterstones, Books to Read in 2022 *With How High We Go in the Dark, Sequoia Nagamatsu has done the impossible: written a book expansive enough to tackle the enormity of our climate crisis—and then gone further, to capture our even larger capacity for creation. It is clear from this book that Nagamatsu possesses one of literature’s most vibrant and generous imaginations. You will fall in love with these characters and, in so doing, remember your love for the world. How High We Go in the Dark rejects the idea of the novel as the story of an individual and bravely takes on the collective nature both of global warming and of how we can face it. * Matthew Salesses, author of The Hundred Year Flood *Gorgeous, terrifying, compassionate. With funerary skyscrapers, a generation ship painted with history, and a pyramid of souls reaching for light, How High We Go in the Dark is both powerful and original. Nagamastu elegantly dissects disaster with an eye toward empathy and curiosity. At this book’s center is a great big beautiful heart. An exceptional accomplishment that left me equal parts hope and wonder * Erika Swyler, author of Light From Other Stars and The Book of Speculation *A book of incredible scope and ambition, a polyphonic elegy for the possible, for all that might be won and lost in the many worlds we make together: the world of our families, our civilization and our planet, the planets beyond. Sequoia Nagamatsu’s debut generates fresh wonder at all we are, plus hope for all we might become, in these unforgettable futures yet to be * Matt Bell, author of Appleseed *Like an ice core carved from the frozen depths of an ancient sea, this is a novel that captures the drama across eons, containing the glittering secrets of some future history. An astonishing vision of the end of the Anthropocene * Matthew Baker, author of Why Visit America *You can try to compare Sequoia Nagamatsu to George Saunders or Charlie Kaufman or David Mitchell, but his is a singular voice and this is a book so original and wondrous and reality-shredding that it defies easy summary or categorization, like a dream that feels more vivid than life. It’s brave and prescient, completely bananas and yet absolutely moving, packed with humor and heart. I loved it * Benjamin Percy, author of Ninth Metal, Red Moon, and Thrill Me, and writer of X-Force and Wolverine for Marvel Comics *How High We Go in the Dark is not a plague novel; it is an after plague novel. Sequoia Nagamatsu nimbly bounds through time, space, and species while tackling the question, Where do we go from here? My favorite kind of speculative fiction—philosophical and hopeful; endlessly inventive, with a beating heart * Gabrielle Zevin, New York Times bestselling author of The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry *Both epic and deeply intimate, Nagamatsu’s debut novel is science fiction at its finest, rendered in gorgeous, evocative prose and offering hope in the face of tragedy through human connection. * Booklist, starred review *Exactly the white-hot missive of hope, humanity, and compassion you need … Each story is a marvel of imagination… Rich in scope and vision, with each nested story masterfully rippling across others, this is a visionary novel about grief, resilience, and how the human spirit endures * Esquire *Wildly imaginative, pandemic prescient … A terrifyingly original novel * Independent.co.uk *Spanning countries and centuries, an ambitious speculative debut * Highlights of the Year, Guardian *A brave, thoughtful and sometimes moving novel * SFX *An intergenerational mosaic of loss and love … Here is imagery unforgettable and awe-inspiring … Nagamatsu has crafted a dazzling work of ambition, compassion, and imagination that grapples with all these complexities. It offers a whisper of what might matter most, and how high we might go – together – in dark * Lunate *A product of more than 10 years’ labor, this novel will ring out sharply in today’s pandemic world .… Nagamatsu blends literary and visionary verve in a narrative winning comparison to Cloud Atlas and Station Eleven * Library Journal *A book that is innately, essentially human in a way few writers manage to * Lightspeed *Expansive and breathtaking * Debutiful *Deeply hopeful and cathartic, How High We Go in the Dark challenges preconceptions about speculative and science fiction * Bad Form Review *Nagamatsu conjures a world that is at once unrecognisable and frighteningly close to our own. It’s an ambitious and timely piece of speculative fiction that is both harrowing and hopeful * Monocle *Resonant of inventive hybrid novels such as Bewilderment by Richard Powers, Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel and XX by Rian Hughes … This story ultimately demonstrates how we can each form our own destinies * Lonesomereader.com *Sequoia Nagamatsu is being hailed as one of the most exciting new writers of 2022 * Popshot Quarterly *I loved [How High We Go in the Dark] ... It exists at the intersection of bleak and beautiful, where hope lies. * Hayley Campbell *How High We Go in the Dark is an awe-inspiring, devastating, genre-busting rollercoaster of empathy, tragedy, joy and compassion. This book will break your heart - and mend it, too. I loved it * Kesia Lupo, author of We Are Bound By Stars *Desolate and sad, but also ambitious and lightly insane. Talking pigs, roller coaster euthanasia machines for children, generational trauma. I suspect this will be a book that gets a lot of attention and it should * Jenny Lawson, author of Broken *

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Book SynopsisWinner of the 1967 John Llewellyn Rhys Prize, Angela Carter's brilliant imagination and starting intensity of style explore and extend the nature and boundaries of love.Trade ReviewThe boldest of English women writersHer writing is pyrotechnic - fuelled with ideas, packed with images and spangling the night sky with her starry language * Observer *She can glide from ancient to modern, from darkness to luminosity, from depravity to comedy without any hint of strain and without losing the elusive power of the original tales * The Times *Beneath its contemporary surface, this novel shimmers with blurred echoes-from Lewis Carroll, from 'Giselle' and 'Coppelia,' Harlequin and Punch . . . It leaves behind it a flavor, pungent and unsettling * New York Times *

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE 2021 CENTER FOR FICTION FIRST NOVEL PRIZE An Amazon Best Book of April 2021 Named one of the Most Anticipated Books of 2021 by Oprah Magazine, The Week, The Millions, and Electric Lit. July 2021 Book of the Month for Roxane Gay's Book Club Longlisted for the PEN/ Hemingway Award It's Holy Week in the town of Las Penas, New Mexico, and thirty-three-year-old unemployed Amadeo Padilla is to play Jesus in the Good Friday procession. He is preparing feverishly for this role when his fifteen-year-old daughter Angel shows up pregnant on his doorstep. Vivid, darkly funny, and beautifully rendered, The Five Wounds spans the baby's first year as five generations of the Padilla family converge: Amadeo's mother, Yolanda, reeling from a recent discovery; Angel's mother, whom Angel isn't speaking to; and Tío Tíve, keeper of the family's history. In the absorbing, realist tradition of Elizabeth Strout and Jonathan Franzen, Kirstin Valdez Quade brings to life the struggles of her characters to parent children they may not be equipped to save.Trade ReviewAn unputdownable novel, The Five Wounds takes my breath away with its intimate, humorous and heart-aching portrayal of a New Mexican family. Kirstin Valdez Quade can make a reader laugh and break a reader's heart in the same breath, and she leaves us, by the end of the novel, in awe of the dazzling power of her storytelling. -- Yiyun Li, author of Must I GoThe acclaimed author of Nights at the Fiestas returns with a gorgeously written, Franzen-caliber tale of one Latinx family's via dolorosa. * Oprah Magazine's Best Books of 2021 *In this cruel and divisive era, Kirstin Valdez Quade has brought healing and regeneration with The Five Wounds. It is bracing and wise, and it breaks us in the best ways. Then builds back up again. It should find many grateful readers. -- Luis Alberto Urrea, author of House of Broken AngelsThe characters in this engrossing novel are created in luminous and memorable detail. Just as the pacing is perfect, so too are the tact and care with which each scene is made. Kirstin Valdez Quade, by concentrating on the truth of small moments, has brought a whole world into focus. -- Colm Tóibín, author of House of NamesKirstin Valdez Quade writes with exquisite precision about the fragility and resilience of the Amadeo family. Valdez Quade is attentive to both the trembling shadows and epic crescendos of her characters' shared and private lives. I loved The Five Wounds, which reminded me that growing pains are not confined to adolescence, and that people can be newborn at any age. Even its most excruciating moments are charged with a luminous, pitiless compassion. -- Karen Russell, author of Swamplandia!The Five Wounds is brilliant! The story is bountiful and so incredibly well crafted-a beautiful braid of the life-cycle within a family. It captures both the strength and fragility of relationships and existence and the resilience and great power of love and belief. It is a novel about faith in the largest sense of the word. Each page is packed with detail and the most beautiful language-and images and characters that will remain part of our lives. -- A. M. Homes, author of May We Be ForgivenI don't remember ever reading a novel as vibrant and warm as The Five Wounds by Kirstin Valdez Quade. Just a few pages in, I felt like I intimately knew the characters, and cared about them as if they family members. It's both heartbreaking and a joy to read! -- Lara Vapnyar, author of Divide Me by ZeroWith deep empathy, fierce intelligence, and subtle wit, Kirstin Valdez Quade has crafted an indelible portrait of a family living in precarity. The characters in The Five Wounds are so vivid, their struggles, failures, and grasping efforts towards love and redemption so finely wrought, and each page full of such immaculate prose, that I read this novel with ever-increasing breathless urgency. -- Phil Klay, author of Redeployment

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Book Synopsis'You don't have to go back. You will stay here at home, with me. This is where you belong.' One afternoon, in a little farmhouse in rural Virginia, the ailing Marie Shaw dies in ambiguous circumstances and nothing is ever the same again for the seven young children she left behind. Spanning from the Great Depression to the burgeoning of US counterculture in 1959, Chorus sensitively traces the divergent paths taken by the grieving Shaw siblings as they grow together and apart over the decades. Henry, Jack, Maeve, Lane, Sam, Wendy and Bette get married and divorced, go to war and give birth to children of their own, break down and pick themselves up again. Chorus is a hopeful story of family, of loss and recovery, of complicated relationships forged between brothers and sisters as they move through life together, and of the unlikely forces that first drive them away and then ultimately back home.Trade ReviewA story about love and its resilience, how much we really know about our own family and what binds them together even against seemingly insurmountable odds. * Good Housekeeping March 2022 Book Club pick *The author writes beautifully about family and relationships. One for fans of Elizabeth Strout and Shotgun Lovesongs by Nickolas Butler. I recommend curling up in a chair and absorbing it in one go -- PrimaSometimes I open a book and fall in love within the first page - this is one of those times ... the author writes beautifully about family and relationships. One for fans of Elizabeth Strout and one of my favourite books, Shotgun Lovesongs by Nickolas Butler. I recommend curling up in a chair and absorbing it in one go. * Prima Books of the Month *As vast, clear, and iconic as only timeless stories are, Kauffman's Chorus is a key: meet the Shaw family and discover, in its infinite and invisible complexity, the universal core of your own. -- Rebecca Dinerstein Knight, author of HexA profoundly beautiful and wise novel. ... A pure and true portrait of the lifespan of a family, I'm in awe of Kauffman's skill as a writer and her elegance in the use of it. -- Kathleen MacMahon, author of Nothing But Blue SkyA novel of great subtlety and wisdom, skilfully illuminating the lives of a family in 20th Century America. Chorus wields a quiet, cumulative power to transcendent effect. Each chapter gradually unfolds as a story of goodness, hope and longing emerges, drawing the reader in. -- James Clarke, author of Hollow in the LandChorus reveals the layers of self and its varied constructions, ultimately creating an honest, multi-layered portrait of a family... speaks to the hopefulness that can reside within families, the unique ability we have as siblings and sons and daughters to at least attempt a return to simpler times of loving and forgiveness * Chicago Review of Books *Elegantly charts the nuanced connections and fractures between family members ... always illuminating the sweetness and sorrow that exists in even the smallest detail. -- David Connerley Nahm, author of Ancient Oceans of Central KentuckyRebecca Kauffman's compact and ingeniously-arranged Chorus depicts the Shaw family and its long-held secrets with admirable clarity ... makes us freshly aware of how the people most dear to us, like the organs of the body, are hidden simply by virtue of being so vital and so close. -- Martin Seay, author of The Mirror ThiefChorus is an intimate, affecting, and exquisite portrait of an American family that feels as real as any I've ever known ... I loved it. -- Eleanor Henderson, author of Ten Thousand SaintsA beautiful portrait of a family and the stories that echoed through their lives. Spanning over 30 years, Rebecca Kauffman brings drama, pain, and joy to life in every moment. An account of the scars that bind an unforgettable family. -- Luisa Smith, Book Passage, Corte Madera, CA * Bookweb March 2022 Indie Next List *Each story-like chapter is so poignant - many with the feel of an Alice Munro story - it's easy to fall under Kauffman's spell ... Chorus is indeed a near-perfect novel, reminding us that even as our losses magnify our flaws, recovery is possible when we have people who love us. * Southern Review of Books *Kauffman's luminous latest showcases her knack for delving into the hearts of her characters . . . Adds up to a superbly executed saga.. * Publisher’s Weekly, starred review *Lovely . . Kauffman's writing style renders complex dynamics in simple, impactful language and scenes. * Booklist *Kauffman has written a deceptively light tale about the heart of a family healing around a defining loss and siblings sustaining each other through adulthood, with lovely phrases and prose throughout ... a satisfying story of complicated relationships * Kirkus *Wonderful ... A novel that is a delight to read, the writing pitch-perfect and the story more than satisfying * Metroland Media *The history of the Shaw family over several decades is told in a series of beautifully written connected stories. Each chapter is from the perspective of one of the seven siblings and builds a kaleidoscope picture of a family tied together through secrets and loss. * Good Housekeeping UK *

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Book SynopsisThey climbed up from the streets of Glasgow to the top of the world. Now these Hollywood icons are heading for a fall. Twenty-five years ago, three friends from Glasgow shocked the world when they became Oscar-winning legends. But now, they are all fighting for survival.A-list actor Zander Leith has finally found happiness with his adored wife, Hollie. But a stalker with a familiar face is determined to take away the only peace he’s ever known. Mirren McLean is one of the most powerful women in the industry. Successful. Respected. Untouchable. Until one mistake threatens to destroy her marriage and her career. And Davie Johnston was once the king of late-night television. Now, his only chance to reclaim his crown is to gamble everything on himself.Three stars, three tales of struggle and success. Now they’re discovering that in Hollywood, happy endings don’t last for ever. Sometimes they’re just the calm before the storm…

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Book SynopsisAnnabel Christopher is every inch the star: a glamorous actress with a devoted, handsome husband. To keep the paparazzi and her adoring public under her spell, her perfect image must be carefully cultivated, whatever the cost. Beneath the facade, though, her husband cannot bear her or their vapid existence. Envious of her success, he plots his revenge and stages a scandal even Annabel will find a challenge to recover from.

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Book SynopsisAS HEARD ON BBC RADIO 4 'Unsettling and strange, Sea Change cements Nathan's reputation as one of our most interesting historical novelists.' The Times 'A strange, touching tale of hope and redemption' Sunday Times Best Historical Fiction 'That rare kind of historical fiction that both captures the period well and creates an absorbing narrative.' Charles Palliser 'I'll be back soon, my love. Tonight, I hope.' The last Eve saw of her mother was a wave from the basket of a rising balloon. A wilful, lonely orphan in the house of her erratic artist guardian, Eve struggles to retain the image of her missing mother and the father she never knew. In a London beset by pageantry, incipient riot and the fear of Napoleonic invasion, Eve must grow into a young woman with no one to guide her through its perils. Far away, in a Norfolk fishing village, the Rev Snead preaches hellfire and damnation to his impoverished parishioners and oppressed wife. Snead illustrates his sermons with the example of a mute woman pulled from the sea, over whom he keeps a very close watch indeed.Trade ReviewPraise for Alix Nathan: 'She is an original, with a virtuoso touch.' -- Hilary MantelPraise for Sea Change: 'A compelling story about loss of identity, the impact of trauma, and the way back from it ... that rare kind of historical fiction that both captures the period well and creates an absorbing narrative.' -- Charles Palliser, author of RusticationA strange, touching tale of hope and redemption -- Nick Rennison * Sunday Times Best Historical Fiction *A vivid portrait of loss and love, teeming with detail at the same time as it moves the reader profoundly. -- Rachel Halliburton, author of The Optickal IllusionA powerful and unsettling novel -- Andrew TaylorA gripping drama, fueled by the attraction of repulsion ... unique and chilling * The New York Times *Praise for The Warlow Experiment: 'An extraordinary, quite brilliant book' -- C. J. SansomUnusual, gripping and emotionally complex - I loved this book. -- Sally Magnusson, author of The Sealwoman's GiftOriginal and beautifully written, this is a meaty, gripping novel of obsession gone sour. -- Daily MailA darkly compelling read * The Herald *Can't recommend it highly enough. A magnificent read ... the complexity of character and the interweaving of the political upheaval in England at the time worked so well for me. -- Philip ArdaghVivid and original * Daily Mail *Fascinating... What grips you and keeps you turning the pages are the stories of the three women, Sarah, Hester and Eve, at the heart of this fine historical novel. -- Anna Selby * The Arbuturian *Unsettling and strange, Sea Change cements Nathan's reputation as one of our most interesting historical novelists. * The Times *

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Book SynopsisBrimming from start to finish with sly humour and gothic mischief' SARAH WATERS Beguilingly clever, very sexy and seriously frightening' GUARDIANAtmospheric, sexy, creepytotally addictive' KATE DAVIES, author of In At The Deep EndA gloriously over-the-top queer romp' I PAPER_________________________________________________________________It's a terrible story and one way to tell it is this: two girls in love and a fog of wasps cursed the place forever after'BROOKHANTS SCHOOL FOR GIRLS: Infamous site of a series of tragic deaths over a hundred years ago. Soon to be the subject of a controversial horror movie about the rumoured Brookhants curse':In the early 1900's, Brookhants students Flo and Clara fell madly in love, brought together by their obsession for a scandalous memoir.A few months later they were found dead in the woods, after a horrific wasp attack, the book lying next to their intertwined bodies.Three more grisly deaths followed before the school was forced to close.Now, the Trade Review‘Brimming from start to finish with sly humour and gothic mischief, Plain Bad Heroines is a brilliant piece of exuberant storytelling by a terrifically talented author’ SARAH WATERS ‘Full of Victorian sapphic romance, metafictional horror, biting misandrist humor, Hollywood intrigue, and multiple timeliness—all replete with evocative illustrations that are icing on a deviously delicious cake’ O, THE OPRAH MAGAZINE ‘A gloriously over-the-top queer romp’ I PAPER, top picks for 2021 ‘Big and messy – and immensely enjoyable’ I PAPER ‘Spooky, sexy and immensely entertaining’ CLAIRE HENNESSY,THE IRISH TIMES ‘I can tell you that it is a ride very much worth taking. One full of the Gothic and the glamour, brimming with historically bad heroines and women with warped predilections, but there is one thing I have failed to mention so far: the yellowjackets. Their buzzing echoes eerily throughout the pages of Plain Bad Heroines, the consequences of their repeated stings are devastating and reverberate across the centuries’ DIVA MAGAZINE ‘Plain Bad Heroines is immersive, addictive, frustrating and highly entertaining featuring a brilliant cast of extremely eccentric, yet very intriguing, characters. A tale made for the big screen I would think!’ SWIRL AND THREAD ‘Immensely enjoyable’ SCOTSMAN ‘A labyrinthine tale in every way, slowly unfolding horror after horror with a sense of creeping dread and inevitability invading every page’ Palatinate

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Book Synopsis''It is elegant and flexible, most fluently expressing every shade of human emotion'' SUSAN HILL ''A novel to rival George Eliot or Jane Austen'' THE TIMES ''The most exquisitely written, delicate, passionately felt and haunting book'' ELIZABETH BUCHAN Dedmayne Rectory is quietly decaying, its striped chintz and darkened rooms are a bastion of outmoded Victorian values. Here Mary has spent thirty-five years, devoting herself to her sister, now dead, and to her father, Canon Jocelyn. Although she is pitied by her neighbours for this muted existence, Mary is content. But when she meets Robert Herbert, Mary''s ease is destroyed and years of suppressed emotion surface through her desire for him. First published in 1924, this novel is an impressive exploration of Mary''s relationship with her father, of her need for Robert and the way in which, through each, she comes to a clearer understanding of love.Trade ReviewA novel to rival George Eliot or Jane Austen . . . This beautifully sad and understated story deserves classic status -- DJ Taylor * The Times *It is elegant and flexible, most fluently expressing every shade of human emotion -- Susan HillThe most exquisitely written, delicate, passionately felt and haunting book I have ever read -- Elizabeth Buchanit is elegant and flexible, most fluently expressing every shade of human emotion * Susan Hill *The most exquisitely written, delicate, passionately felt and haunting book I have ever read * Elizabeth Buchan *

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Book SynopsisDarcy Coates brings you a brand-new horror novel that'll take your breath away... Gallows Hill is: Perfect for fans of Jennifer McMahon and Simone St. James For lovers of ghost stories and anyone mesmerized by the twisted secrets of the pastThe Hull family has owned the Gallows Hill Winery for generations, living and working on the beautiful grounds where they grow their famous grapes. Until the night Mr. and Mrs. Hull settle down for the evening...and are dead by morning.When their daughter, Margot, inherits the family business, she wants nothing to do with it. The winery is valued for its unparalleled produce, but it's built on a field where hundreds of convicts were once hanged, and the locals whisper morbid rumors. They say the ground is cursed.It's been more than a decade since Margot last saw her childhood home. But now that she's alone in the sprawling, dilapidated building, she begins to believe the curse is more than real-and that she may be the next victim of the house that never rests...Also By Darcy Coates:The Haunting of Leigh HarkerFrom BelowThe Whispering DeadThe Haunting of Ashburn HouseThe Haunting of Blackwood HouseCraven ManorThe House Next DoorVoices in the Snow

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