Fiction: literary and general non-genre

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 SynopsisAndrea Levy, author of the Man Booker shortlisted novel THE LONG SONG and the prize-winning, million-copy bestseller SMALL ISLAND, draws together a remarkable collection of short stories from across her writing career, which began twenty years ago with the publication of her first novel, the semi-autobiographical EVERY LIGHT IN THE HOUSE BURNIN''.''None of my books is just about race,'' Levy has said.''They''re about people and history.'' Her novels have triumphantly given voice to the people and stories that might have slipped through the cracks in history. From Jamaican slave society in the nineteenth century, through post-war immigration into Britain, to the children of migrants growing up in ''60s London, her books are acclaimed for skilful storytelling and vivid characters. And her unique voice, unflinching but filled with humour, compassion and wisdom, has made her one of the most significant and exciting contemporary authors.This collection opens with Trade ReviewEvery scene is rich in implication, entrancing and disturbing at the same time; the literary equivalent of a switch-back ride - The Sunday TimesSMALL ISLAND is a great read, delivering the sort of pleasure which has been the stock-in-trade of a long line of English novelists. It's honest, skilful, thoughtful and important - GuardianIt's a magnificent achievement - and - the best compliment one novelist can give another, made me jealousWhat makes Levy's writing so appealing is her even-handedness. All her characters can be weak, hopeless, brave, good, bad - whatever their colour. The writing is rigorous and the bittersweet ending, with its unexpected twist, touching... People can retain great dignity, however small their island - Independent on SundayTHE LONG SONG is is told with irresistible cunning; it is captivating, mischievious and optimistic, generating new stories and plot lines throughout the tale - Daily Telegraph

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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 SynopsisLong-buried secrets are being unearthed. And they''re very close to home...Forensic psychologist Paula Maguire returns yet again to her hometown to investigate a spine-chilling case in THE KILLING HOUSE, the sixth novel in Claire McGowan''s series. The Paula Maguire series is the perfect read for fans of Michael Connelly and Peter May.''A delicious spookiness is added to McGowan''s customary mix of complex characterisation and sweat-inducing excitement, offering a new level of chilling thrills'' - Sunday Mirror When a puzzling missing persons'' case opens up in her hometown, forensic psychologist Paula Maguire can''t help but return once more.Renovations at an abandoned farm have uncovered two bodies: a man known to be an IRA member missing since the nineties, and a young girl whose identity remains a mystery.As Paula attempts to discover who the girl is and why no one is looking for her, an anonymous tip-off claims that hTrade ReviewA delicious spookiness is added to McGowan's customary mix of complex characterisation and sweat-inducing excitement, offering a new level of chilling thrills * Sunday Express *A brilliantly executed thriller with a haunting and atmospheric setting. Spine tingling * Sunday Mirror *A spine-tingling, brilliantly haunting and atmospheric thriller * People magazine *A complex, disturbing, resonant novel that remains light on its feet and immensely entertaining * Irish Times *Page-turning * Guardian *The best of the Paula series yet; weird, intriguing, gripping and original -- Stav SherezA reminder why McGowan has been described as Ireland's answer to Ruth Rendell * Independent *This is a powerful and disturbing novel * Book Oxygen *I read The Silent Dead with my heart in my mouth . . . brilliant -- Erin KellyAn intelligent and thought-provoking read and I can't WAIT to see where Paula goes from here! * My Chestnut Reading Tree blog *Another great story in an increasingly impressive series * Louise Reviews blog *The perfect mix of drama, intrigue and mystery along with a dash of Northern Irish and Irish history * Ginger Book Geek blog *Nail-biting! The creepy and harsh setting . . . made the events on this island and its inhabitants even more chilling * Chillers, Killers and Thrillers blog *McGowan has created a world evocative enough to get lost in * Real Crime magazine *

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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 Synopsis''Of a piece with Stephen King''s The Stand'' INDEPENDENT''Sharp... and gripping'' SCIFINOW''Compelling, suspenseful and altogether extraordinary'' LEE CHILDThe heart-stopping conclusion to the highly acclaimed Voices series, where there is no place left to hide and nowhere else to run.Seven years ago, the voices came. Some people could hear and others despised them for it. As death and destruction spread, a ghostly figure was waiting in the shadows. Now the Flitting Man is ready to show his face - and no one is safe. Pilgrim was made for this broken world. He''s chosen his path and will stop at nothing to see it through.Lacey grew up in this changing world. She''s lost almost everything to the Flitting Man, but her fight isn''t over yet. Albus sees this world as others cannot. And the friends that he''s kept safe are facing terrible danger. Addison belongs to a very different worlTrade ReviewGripping and beautifully written -- Adam Hamdy

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Book Synopsis''Of a piece with Stephen King''s The Stand'' INDEPENDENT''Sharp... and gripping'' SCIFINOW''Compelling, suspenseful and altogether extraordinary'' LEE CHILDThe heart-stopping conclusion to the highly acclaimed Voices series, where there is no place left to hide and nowhere else to run.Seven years ago, the voices came. Some people could hear and others despised them for it. As death and destruction spread, a ghostly figure was waiting in the shadows. Now the Flitting Man is ready to show his face - and no one is safe. Pilgrim was made for this broken world. He''s chosen his path and will stop at nothing to see it through.Lacey grew up in this changing world. She''s lost almost everything to the Flitting Man, but her fight isn''t over yet. Albus sees this world as others cannot. And the friends that he''s kept safe are facing terrible danger. Addison belongs to a very different worl

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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 Synopsis ''A gorgeous epic . . . Wholly absorbing. I adored it'' MARIAN KEYESTwo young girls. One hot, long, sultry summer. And a rambling old English manor house where nothing is as it seems . . . ''This sweeping, absorbing story is a treat'' ADELE PARKS''A compelling story of female friendship, dark secrets and family bonds that pulls you in and won''t let go'' ROSANNA LEY''If you love atmospheric stories about old houses, families and secrets, this is for you'' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING''A gorgeous story to get immersed in'' Prima__________A successful London barrister, Catherine Christophe, goes missing the day before her wedding anniversary. The clue to her disappearance, it seems, lies buried thirty years in the past.Somerset, 1989. Janey Lestrange arrives to stay for the summer at the grand old house of the Hunter family. But something is wrong behind the bTrade ReviewPRAISE FOR THE BELOVED GIRLS:'Wow, was this book stunning or what? It stole my heart and never gave it back. ' * Reader review *'I'm still reeling from reading this book . . . Wow!' * Reader review *'Wow! This book pulled me in from the beginning . . . A five star read' * Reader review *'A compelling story of female friendship, dark secrets and family bonds that pulls you in and won't let go' * Rosanna Ley *'This is the most gripping, atmospheric book, heavy with mystery and intriguing right till the end. I loved it' * Sophie Kinsella *'A gorgeous epic . . . Wholly absorbing. I adored it!' * Marian Keyes *'A rich and sweeping tale as dark and delicious as the hive's special honey' * Wendy Holden, Daily Mail *'Bewitching, beguiling and utterly beautiful, The Beloved Girls will pull you into their mysterious and enchanted world and never let you go. With a cast of compelling characters and a labyrinthine plot, it's a page-turner of the most luxurious kind - a real escape' * Veronica Henry *'This sweeping, absorbing story is a treat' * Adele Parks *'A gorgeous, Gothic and gripping big-house mystery' * Red *'Taut as a drumskin and thrumming with tension . . . You'll stay up well past your bedtime to finish this atmospheric read' * HEAT *'A thumping good read . . . Completely absorbing' * Sam Baker, Noon *'A compelling family drama' * Woman & Home *'This immersive read is a real treat' * Bella *'A compelling and atmospheric read' * The Sun *'A gorgeous story to get immersed in' * Prima *'Full of evocative description of time and place, the sense of "something about to happen" keeps you turning the pages' * Choice *'An absorbing, sweeping drama to get lost in' * Sunday Express, S Mag *'A compelling read . . . With a strong sense of place' * My Weekly *PRAISE FOR HARRIET EVANS:'Comfort reading of the highest order' * India Knight *'A sweeping novel you won't put down' * Katie Fforde *'Richly layered . . . Unforgettable . . . This is a story to get truly lost in' * Isabelle Broom *'She reels you in and then you're hooked, right to the last page' * Patricia Scanlan *'Atmospheric and altogether wonderful' * Lesley Pearse *'I love it on so many levels, the immense feeling of place, the slow, irresistible sense of being drawn deep into the family and its story, and the strange hovering of menace somewhere in the idyll. Wonderful' * Penny Vincenzi *'Spellbinding' * Independent *'Gripping' * Irish Times *'Gorgeous' * Stylist *'A poignant story of love and loss' * Daily Mail ‘Must Reads’ *'I can't remember the last time I was so enthralled' * Red *'Epic, absorbing ... Full of intrigue and emotion' * Fabulous *'By turns painfully sad and heart-lifting, with characters that stay with you' * Good Housekeeping *'Authentic and satisfying. An immersive mystery' * Woman & Home *'A poignant tale' * Woman *

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Book SynopsisPatrick Gale''s KANSAS IN AUGUST is a witty, warm novel of childhood and abandonment ''Modern, excellent and sympathetic'' Stephen FryMusical-obsessed Hilary Metcalfe, abandoned by his lover Rufus on his birthday, gets drunk, discovers a baby and brings it home to his flat above a corner shop to provide comfort and company. Rufus, meanwhile, allows himself to be seduced by a frivolous young woman, who is actually Hilary''s professional, high-powered sister, romancing under a pseudonym to escape the reality of her own loneliness. In this witty, bawdy slice of sex and lies, the trio will find themselves drawn together ever more tightly by the lures of hedonism, self-delusion and the inescapable desire to be needed.Trade ReviewModern, excellent and sympathetic -- Stephen FryGale's blend of artifice and realism is not quite like anybody else's * Observer *Patrick Gale's novels grip tightly, like swaddling clothes, stunning the reader into a state of lolling, contented absorption. How does he do it? * TLS *

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Book SynopsisA quirky, warm novel of eccentric adventure from the bestselling author of A PLACE CALLED WINTER - ''A huge treat'' Daily Mail''Patrick Gale is among the great, unsung English novelists. Think Austen, Hardy, Murdoch. Remarkable'' IndependentDomina Tey is a playwright, celebrated by friends, her husband, and the public alike, yet she fears losing her vital edge. Her solution: to leave her beautiful home in Bristol and seek adventure in a squalid West London bedsit, where she will live under an assumed name with only her typewriter for companionship. Once installed, however, she can''t resist meddling in the business of others, forgetting that blurring fact with fiction can be a dangerous game.Trade ReviewPatrick Gale is among the great, unsung English novelists. Think Austen, Hardy, Murdoch. Remarkable * Independent *Gale is a master at getting under the skins of his characters and revealing the undercurrents that drive apparently ordinary lives * Mail on Sunday *Captivating. A novel that pleads to be read at a single sitting * Publishers Weekly *A quick-thinking book by an author who has something to say * Guardian *A huge treat * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisAn entertaining, warm and quirky novel of families, secrets and the truth of love - ''A powerful and moving novel'' Independent on SundayJudith shares her life with her partner Joanna on the lonely wilds of Bodmin Moor, far from the memories and trauma of her childhood. But when Judith''s sister, Deborah, is tragically widowed, the women agree to meet. And what is intended to be a harmonious reunion turns into an entanglement of resentment, jealousy and desire, as aspects of the past force themselves into an uneasy present, with some surprising results.''Engrossing . . . Gale is a charmingly idiosyncratic writer who could not write a cliché if he tried'' Daily TelegraphTrade ReviewEngrossing . . . Gale is a charmingly idiosyncratic writer who could not write a cliché if he tried * Daily Telegraph *[Gale] writes about difficult emotions with delicacy, perception and a rare ferocious charm * Guardian *Marvellously entertaining . . . there is a compelling sense of biting deep into the core of a bitter truth * Cosmopolitan *A powerful and moving novel * Independent on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisPatrick Gale''s LITTLE BITS OF BABY is a charming, witty novel of love, possibility and life in crisis - ''Richly comic, affectionate and perceptive'' Mail on SundayEight years ago, Robin fled from his family, friends, and entire life, to suffer a complete breakdown in an island monastery. Now he''s reconnecting with those he left behind: his mother and father, with their own small secrets, and Jake and Candida, both of whom were impossibly close to Robin when he disappeared. But while the people he abandoned have missed him, Robin finds that everything has changed. He alone can decide what he will do in this new world of resentment, possibility and triumphant love.Trade ReviewRichly comic, affectionate and perceptive * Mail on Sunday *[Gale] shows the diversity of passionate behavior, sometimes hilarious, sometimes threatening, but always skillfully contained within a comedy of contemporary manners * The Times *Comic, touching, astringent and immensely accomplished. A real treat * Gay Times *

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Book SynopsisTHE SIX LOVES OF BILLY BINNS is a deeply moving and honest debut set in London against the backdrop of the changing 20th century. it is reading group fiction perfect for those who loved the quirky pathos of Gail Honeyman''s ELEANOR OLIPHANT IS COMPLETELY FINE and the humour of Rachel Joyce''s THE UNLIKELY PILGRIMAGE OF HAROLD FRY''A book I would like to have beside me as I grow old to remind me of what''s important in life and what is not'' Jenny Quintana, author of The Missing Girl I remember my dreams but not where they start. Further back, I recall some of yesterday and the day before that. Then everything goes into a haze. Fragments of memories come looming back like red London buses in a pea-souper.Time plays funny tricks these days. I wait for the next memory. I wait and I wait.At 117 years old, Billy Binns is the oldest man in EurTrade ReviewRichard Lumsden's first novel is full of surprises and sentiment * Sun *A novel with enough warmth for the chilliest of Januarys . . . lovely * Grazia *The Six Loves of Billy Binns is extraordinary. Funny, heartbreaking, wise and so very uplifting, it's a beautiful story of life, love and redemption. Richard Lumsden is a natural, magical storyteller, weaving joy and pain through the life of a protagonist you can't fail to love. It's a book you read with your heart in your mouth and your breath held. It will stay with me for a long time. I loved it! * Miranda Dickinson *Magical -- Sir Tom CourtenayA book I would like to have beside me as I grow old to remind me of what's important in life and what is not -- Jenny Quintana, author of 'The Missing Girl'This uplifting and powerful debut is beautifully written, full of emotion and will tug at your heartstrings * Sarah J Harris, author of 'The Colour of Bee Larkham's Murder' *Moving * Bella *A big, assured, accomplished work * Sunday Independent *Lumsden's powers of invention and his sympathy for the human condition mean the novel never runs out of steam . . . quietly riveting * Irish Examiner *An emotional journey * Daily Express *Embraces the epic sweep of a century * RTE Guide *

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Book SynopsisA novel of love, homelessness, and learning to be fearlessIn the garden, there were three flamingos. Not real flamingos, but real emblems, real gateways to a time when life was impossibly good. They were mascots, symbols of hope. Something for a boy to confide in. First, there were the flamingos. And then there were two families. Sherry and Leslie and their daughters, Rae and Pauline - and Eve and her son Daniel. Sherry loves her husband, Leslie. She also loves Eve. It couldn''t have been a happier summer. But then Eve left and everything went grey. Now Daniel is all grown-up and broken. And when he turns up at Sherry''s door, it''s almost as if they''ve all come home again. But there''s still one missing. Where is Eve? And what, exactly, is her story? FLAMINGO is a novel about the power of love, welcome and acceptance. It''s a celebration of kindness, of tenderness. Set in 2018 and the 80s, it''s a song for the broTrade Review'Flamingo is the most wonderful, life-affirming, readable book about two families who quite by chance end up living next to each other' * Mary Ann Sieghart *Beautifully written, witty, clever, and a proper page-turner * Felicity Hayes-McCoy *I LOVED this . . . I read it in a day . . . It is vibrant and glorious, full of life and colour and pain and love * Julie Cohen *'I love Rachel Elliott's books. I love the way her stories are populated by characters who don't quite seem to neatly fit into the mainstream . . . You come away from reading a story such as this not feeling quite so bad about yourself . . . Utterly exquisite, heart-wrenching and heart-warming' * NB Magazine *It's a wonderful exploration of family and friendships and how covering up the truth can lead to unnecessary pain. Beautifully written, it kept me gripped as the truth began to unravel * Jules Swain *'Flamingo is as gorgeous inside as it is on the outside' * Sarah Turner *'Heartbreaking and funny at the same time. The observations of internal worlds - how we all think and feel, our fears and insecurities - are so accurate and nuanced, and also incredibly kind. Tender and beautiful, this novel is full of profound intimacy. Just wonderful' * Nigel Wellings, psychotherapist and author of Nothing to Lose, Why Can’t I Meditate? and Present With Suffering *'A brilliant and well-written book that I can't recommend enough!' * Owen Hollifield *'A very special book. Flamingo is one of those novels that's hard to describe, because there's so much in it. It's only when you have read and thought about it that you can really start to appreciate what an incredible author Rachel Elliott is, and how layered and nuanced her novel is. I loved it' * Clare, Two Fond of Books *'Flamingo is a beautiful story of love. You get close to Daniel, Rae, Leslie and the others . . . You want to keep them in your heart, listen to them, sit down at that table and be a family together. The writing style is magnificent: stimulating, intriguing, musical, like a song. A brilliant book - this is a five-star for me' * Naza The Bookworm *'It's really different, fresh, endearing. It's about managing to be in a family and being seen for who you are - all the struggles of that. An easy read yet there's so much emotion. Bravo!' * Philippa Hall, The Quick Book Reviews Podcast *There is heartbreak and laughter within these pages, and everything in between. Rachel captures the human experience so perfectly and the raw emotions leap off the page. It's brilliant and I thoroughly recommend!' * Joanna Wright, Books and Lovely Things *I loved it for many reasons, but her ability to have you laughing out loud on one page, and genuinely moved on the next is a rare and wonderful talent * Years of Reading Selfishly *Every now and then a book stands out as not just amazing but absolutely exceptional and Flamingo is that book. * Intensive Gassing About Books *'Poetic, lyrical, it pulled me in. You really start to feel a part of it - this story, this family . . . I would highly recommend' * The Bert’s Books Podcast *'I don't know if I can find the right words to express how much I loved this book . . . I was enchanted by this story and it will keep a special place in my heart' * The Lotus Readers *'This is a moving story, beautifully written - a story that shows in times of despair that there is always hope, love and kindness around' * Zoe Bees Books *'An enchanting and charming read . . . Even after I had finished it I was still thinking about the characters. It's a story that people may find comfort in, a tender story that in time will heal us' * Echoes in an Empty Room *'I loved the rich and well-developed characters . . . A book I've been unwilling to put down. I'll definitely be recommending this gem' * Little Miss Book Lover 87 *

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Book SynopsisPru is on her own. But then, so are plenty of other people. And while the loneliness can be overwhelming, surely she''ll find a party somewhere?''Moggach is at the height of her powers'' Sunday TimesPru''s husband has walked out, leaving her alone to contemplate her future. She''s missing not so much him, but the life they once had - picnicking on the beach with small children, laughing together, nestling up like spoons in the cutlery drawer as they sleep. Now there''s just a dip on one side of the bed and no-one to fill it. In a daze, Pru goes off to a friend''s funeral. Usual old hymns, words of praise and a eulogy but...it doesn''t sound like the friend Pru knew. And it isn''t. She''s gone to the wrong service. Everyone was very welcoming, it was - oddly - a laugh, and more excitement than she''s had for ages. So she buys a little black dress in a charity shop and thinks, now I''m all set, why not go to another? I mean, people don''t wTrade ReviewI barked out loud. Not since Freud has sex been more in bed with death. She gets sharper and more mordant with age and about age. Thank goodness. This page-turner is like the best wakes, it will make you feel hungry and alive. * The Times *As ever with Moggach, the joy is in her witty observations of middle-class life and bracingly tart portrayal of family relationships * Daily Mail *A darkly funny novel about betrayal, loneliness and the surprising pleasure of being single again * Good Housekeeping *With dry wit and observation, Moggach tackles the perils of ageing with brutal honesty * Daily Express *Perceptive and devastating * Daily Mirror *A delightful black comedy full of later-life misadventures * Best *She really is the Nora Ephron of North London. Such a deceptively light touch, and so funny about the indignities of getting old and all our little vanities * Clare Chambers *Moggach is always funny, perceptive and very contemporary * Philippa Perry *I love clever books that make me laugh. Deborah Moggach, queen of social comedy, is on top form in The Black Dress. Superb * Cathy Rentzenbrink *Princess of the deliciously dark * Mel Giedroyc *'Moggach tackles the perils of ageing with honesty and wit' * Sunday Express *'Both a delicious piece of mischief and a serious exploration of the 'howling loneliness' of the deserted older woman . . . [Moggach is] the most frank, unpretentious writer, always on the side of fun' * Saga *

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Book SynopsisSHE GAVE YOU HER BABY... AND THEN SHE JUMPED.** TV rights optioned by Wilding Pictures **-------------A moment on the platform changes two lives for ever...In a split second, Morgan''s life changes for ever. A stranger hands her a baby, then jumps in front of a train.Morgan has never seen the woman before and she can''t understand what would cause a person to give away her child and take her own life.When the police question Morgan, she discovers none of the witnesses can corroborate her version of events. And when they learn Morgan longs for a baby of her own, she becomes a suspect.To prove her innocence, Morgan frantically tries to retrace the last days of the woman''s life. She begins to understand that Nicole Markham believed she and her baby were in danger. Now Morgan might be in danger, too.Was Nicole a new mother struggling with paranoia? Or is someth

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Book Synopsis ''Stories that start like delicate webs and finish like unbreakable wire traps'' Neil Gaiman Naomi Ishiguro''s fresh, magical and delightfully speculative short story collection merges the inventiveness of David Mitchell and the fairy-tale allure of Angela Carter to form its own powerful magic.Witness what happens when a space-obsessed child conjures up a vortex in his mother''s airing cupboard in Shearing Season. Watch unexpected possibilities open up in The Flat Roof when a musician makes friends with a flock of birds. Get lost in the world of The Rat Catcher where, finding himself potentially out of his depth when he is summoned to a decaying royal palace, a rat catcher is plunged into a battle for the throne of a ruined kingdom. In this stunning debut collection, the characters yearn for freedom and flight, and find their worlds transformed beyond their wildest imaginings.''NaoTrade ReviewAn imaginative collection full of wide eyed wonder and millennial wit * Sharlene Teo *Escape Routes sees Ishiguro find inventive and unexpected new ways to explore her themes of freedom, flight and individuality * Netgalley Reader Review, Shelf Indulgent Reader website *Ishiguro, daughter of the 2017 Nobel Laureate, is already being touted as a writer of rare talent herself * RTÉ Guide *A wide-ranging speculative short story collection from a striking new voice in fiction * Rabeea Saleem, ‘Fabulous February Books Out In The UK’, BookRiot website *All the emotional power comes from how these tired, stressed, anxious characters could be people that you pass on the street. They could be us * Chloe Walker, Culturefly website *It's whimsical, often melancholy tales are populated by people you feel you've met * Kimberley Ballard, SFX Magazine *

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Book Synopsis''A gorgeous epic . . . Wholly absorbing. I adored it'' MARIAN KEYES''This sweeping, absorbing story is a treat'' ADELE PARKS''A compelling story of female friendship, dark secrets and family bonds that pulls you in and won''t let go'' ROSANNA LEY''If you love atmospheric stories about old houses, families and secrets, this is for you'' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING''A gorgeous story to get immersed in'' PrimaBY SUMMER''S END, THERE WILL BE ONLY ONE . . . ''It''s a funny old house. They have this ceremony every summer . . . There''s an old chapel, in the grounds of the house. Half-derelict. The Hunters keep bees in there. Every year, on the same day, the family processes to the chapel. They open the combs, taste the honey. Take it back to the house. Half for them -'' my father winced, as though he had bitten down on a sore tooth. ''And half for us.''Catherine, a succTrade ReviewPRAISE FOR THE BELOVED GIRLS:'Wow, was this book stunning or what? It stole my heart and never gave it back. ' * Reader review *'I'm still reeling from reading this book . . . Wow!' * Reader review *'Wow! This book pulled me in from the beginning . . . A five star read' * Reader review *'A compelling story of female friendship, dark secrets and family bonds that pulls you in and won't let go' * Rosanna Ley *'This is the most gripping, atmospheric book, heavy with mystery and intriguing right till the end. I loved it' * Sophie Kinsella *'A gorgeous epic . . . Wholly absorbing. I adored it!' * Marian Keyes *'A rich and sweeping tale as dark and delicious as the hive's special honey' * Wendy Holden, Daily Mail *'Bewitching, beguiling and utterly beautiful, The Beloved Girls will pull you into their mysterious and enchanted world and never let you go. With a cast of compelling characters and a labyrinthine plot, it's a page-turner of the most luxurious kind - a real escape' * Veronica Henry *'This sweeping, absorbing story is a treat' * Adele Parks *'A gorgeous, Gothic and gripping big-house mystery' * Red *'Taut as a drumskin and thrumming with tension . . . You'll stay up well past your bedtime to finish this atmospheric read' * HEAT *'A thumping good read . . . Completely absorbing' * Sam Baker, Noon *'A compelling family drama' * Woman & Home *'This immersive read is a real treat' * Bella *'A compelling and atmospheric read' * The Sun *'A gorgeous story to get immersed in' * Prima *'Full of evocative description of time and place, the sense of "something about to happen" keeps you turning the pages' * Choice *'An absorbing, sweeping drama to get lost in' * Sunday Express, S Mag *'A compelling read . . . With a strong sense of place' * My Weekly *PRAISE FOR HARRIET EVANS:'Comfort reading of the highest order' * India Knight *'A sweeping novel you won't put down' * Katie Fforde *'Richly layered . . . Unforgettable . . . This is a story to get truly lost in' * Isabelle Broom *'She reels you in and then you're hooked, right to the last page' * Patricia Scanlan *'Atmospheric and altogether wonderful' * Lesley Pearse *'I love it on so many levels, the immense feeling of place, the slow, irresistible sense of being drawn deep into the family and its story, and the strange hovering of menace somewhere in the idyll. Wonderful' * Penny Vincenzi *'Spellbinding' * Independent *'Gripping' * Irish Times *'Gorgeous' * Stylist *'A poignant story of love and loss' * Daily Mail ‘Must Reads’ *'I can't remember the last time I was so enthralled' * Red *'Epic, absorbing ... Full of intrigue and emotion' * Fabulous *'By turns painfully sad and heart-lifting, with characters that stay with you' * Good Housekeeping *'Authentic and satisfying. An immersive mystery' * Woman & Home *'A poignant tale' * Woman *If you love atmospheric stories about old houses, families and secrets, this is for you * Good Housekeeping *

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Book Synopsis''A gripping, intelligent, utterly-of-the-moment thriller'' EMMA STONEX''A captivating story of women''s power, love and secrets'' LARA PRESCOTT''Compelling, atmospheric. It''s BRILLIANT'' MARIAN KEYESONE WOMAN KNOWS THE TRUTH. CAN YOU TRUST HER TO TELL IT?Laura flies to her parents'' homeland for the defence case of her life. Facing trial is Marija Popa, ''the Black Widow''; a constant at her husband''s side until the day his people rose up and executed him. Beautiful and beguiling, Marija insists she knew nothing of her husband''s dark affairs. For Laura, the case has a personal meaning. Her mother has never spoken of the horrors she witnessed under the old regime, and remains a shadow of the woman she used to be. As Laura prepares for the trial, she realises that to find the truth, she must enter the web of the dictator''s wife. But what secrets lie within?A BBC 2 BETWEEN THE COVERS BOOK CLUB PICK.THE NEW EUROPEAN''S BEST FICTION PICK OF THE YEAR 2022. ----------''Richly imagined'' THE TIMES''Demands to be devoured in one sitting'' GLAMOUR''Magnificent'' CHARLOTTE PHILBY''A gripping and moving debut'' HARLAN COBEN''Fascinating, atmospheric, utterly gripping'' LIZ HYDER''Spellbinding'' JANE SHEMILT''Darkly compelling''STYLIST''Thrilling and remarkably assured'' NEW EUROPEAN''The ending left me breathless'' LARA PRESCOTT''Atmospheric, claustrophobic and so elegantly written'' ELLERY LLOYD''Engrossing, evocative, chillingly claustrophobic'' KAREN HAMILTON''A darkly atmospheric, rich, compulsive and page-turning read'' KATE HAMER''A remarkable new talent'' ANTHONY HOROWITZ''Sumptuously written. One of the most compelling literary debuts of the year'' GLAMOUR''Excellent, immersive'' HARRIET TYCE** Coming soon from Freya Berry: THE BIRDCAGE LIBRARY **Trade ReviewA gripping, intelligent, utterly-of-the-moment thriller -- EMMA STONEX, bestselling author of The LamplightersA remarkable new talent -- ANTHONY HOROWITZ, bestselling author of A Line to KillThis book is magnificent -- CHARLOTTE PHILBY, bestselling author of A Double LifeA captivating story of women's power, love and secrets. As timely and profound as it is unforgettable. The ending left me breathless -- LARA PRESCOTT, New York Times bestselling author of The Secrets We KeptA gripping and moving debut from a talent to watch -- HARLAN COBENA fascinating exploration of absolute power, female agency and the complexities of complicity. Atmospheric, claustrophobic and so elegantly written -- ELLERY LLOYDA darkly atmospheric, rich, compulsive and page-turning read -- KATE HAMEROne of the most original debuts I have read -- DAISY GOODWINExcellent. Horrifying and immersive with strong characterisation and atmosphere -- HARRIET TYCEA thrilling novel -- OLIVIA VINALL

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Book Synopsis''A book that shifted my life... Epic, game-changing, moving and brilliant'' VIOLA DAVIS''Will rewire the mind of whoever reads it... you don''t emerge from the journey unaffected'' NNEDI OKORAFOR A PATTERNIST NOVEL: BOOK ONEIt begins when two immortals meet in an African forest.Doro is an ancient spirit who, for thousands of years, has cultivated a small village of people in search of perfection. He steals from their bodies to sustain his own life. Doro fears no one - until he meets Anyanwu.Anyanwu is like Doro and yet different. She uses her wisdom to help others, healing injuries, birthing tribes and shifting the shapes of her own body. Anyanwu feels no threat - until she meets Doro.In an epic story of love and hate, Doro and Anyanwu chase each other across continents and centuries - a power struggle that echoes through generations. Together they will change the world.Trade ReviewOne of the most significant literary artists of the twentieth century. One cannot exaggerate the impact she has had -- Junot DiazButler's prose, always pared back to the bone, delineates the painful paradoxes of metamorphosis with compelling precision * Guardian *A dark, compelling and still horribly resonant time travel story * Independent *[Her] evocative, often troubling, novels explore far-reaching issues of race, sex, power and, ultimately, what it means to be human * New York Times *No novel I've read this year has felt as relevant, as gut-wrenching or as essential... If you've ever tweeted "All Lives Matter", someone needs to shove Kindred into your hand, and quickly * The Pool *Kindred is that rare magical artifact . . . the novel one returns to, again and again * Harlan Ellison *One cannot finish Kindred without feeling changed. It is a shattering work of art * Los Angeles Herald-Examiner *[A] must-read novel * BBC *Everyone should read at least one novel by the grand dame of science fiction, and Kindred is a perfect (and harrowing and disturbing and brilliant) place to start * Refinery 29 *The immediate effect of reading Octavia Butler's Kindred is to make every other time travel book in the world look as if it's wimping out... This is a brilliant book, utterly absorbing, very well written, and deeply distressing. It's very hard to read, not because it's not good but because it's so good * Tor *A searing, caustic examination of bizarre and alien practices on the third planet from the sun * Kirkus *One of the most original, thought-provoking works examining race and identity * Los Angeles Times *Impossible to turn away from once you've devoured the first few pages * Starburst *If you haven't read Butler, you don't yet understand how rich the possibilities of science fiction can be * Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction *Butler's books are exceptional * Village Voice *Few writers in our field are so good at blending page-turners with philosophical questions so seamlessly -- Cory Doctorow

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Book SynopsisThe fifth book in Marsali Taylor''s thrilling Shetland Sailing Mysteries series. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Val McDermid, Faith Martin, J.R. Ellis, LJ Ross and Ann Cleeves!''This series is a must-read for anyone who loves the sea, or islands, or joyous, intricate story-telling.'' ANN CLEEVES It''s the opening night of a touring opera in Shetland, and while the show is a success, it soon becomes clear that tensions are even higher backstage than they have been on it. When the company''s star performer dies suddenly under suspicious circumstances, sailing skipper and amateur sleuth, Cass Lynch is determined to get to the bottom of the tragedy. But the wind rises and the power cuts out. Can Cass brave a raging gale to uncover the scheme of another ruthless killer . . . before the killer finds her? Previously published as Ghosts of the Vikings.

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Book Synopsis''Razor-sharp . . . Biting and compulsive'' GRAZIAI clean the offices and bathrooms and lobby five nights a week, but my actual job is to take care of everyone. They need so much help.At night, in a corporate office block in an unnamed metropolitan city, a cleaner begins her shift. As she cleans Sad Intern''s desk, she throws away some of her more alarming health supplements, and leaves her healthy snacks instead. Mr Buff''s desk is immaculate, but he seems to have a secret smoking habit - not conducive to his fitness journey - which she''s going to help him kick. She confiscates the knitted coaster that attractive, sensitive Yarn Guy has given to Cola Woman - someone who clips her nails in the office doesn''t deserve his gifts. But tonight, while scrolling through your emails, she''ll discover the secret you''ve been hiding - the one that will threaten her job, and the jobs of everyone she takes care of. And you''re about Trade ReviewA darkly funny tale. * RED Magazine *Razor-sharp ... biting and compulsive. * Grazia *[A] compulsively readable workplace satire. * The iPaper *A darkly funny, off-beat read. * Heat Magazine *You'll never leave your desk drawer unlocked overnight again. * Financial Times *A sharp and toothy portrait of a life devoted to the convenience of others . . . Cleaner skilfully satirizes the work-place novel, offering cutting insights on the hypocrisy and empty ambitions of grind culture. -- Isle McElroy, author of PEOPLE COLLIDE and THE ATMOSPHERIANSBrandi Wells's Cleaner is a fantastic office novel, a keen evocation of our deep desire for dignity in the workplace and for recognition of a job well done. It's also a smart thriller about what the essential workers you choose not to see might right now be thinking about you-and a sharp reminder that you ignore the people upon whom your good life depends at your own peril. -- Matt Bell, author of APPLESEEDWhat a total delight it is to roam this (almost) empty building with Brandi Wells' cleaner who is always peering (and neatening) the surfaces of people's lives and finding so much depth in there to mess with - Here's a new and key addition to office fiction and a thrilling debut novel by a propulsive voice. -- Aimee Bender, author of THE BUTTERFLY LAMPSHADEThe most richly crafted delusion of a novel since Ottessa Moshfegh's Eileen. I couldn't put it down - an exquisite novel! -- Sarah Rose Etter, author of RIPEBrandi Wells has created a biting, witty, pitch-perfect novel about one woman's desire to connect with her office co-workers - the only problem is, she cleans the office during the night and they work during the day. Cleaner is funny, slyly moving, and totally weirdly wonderful, and Brandi Wells is a gloriously bold writer. I adored it. -- Annie Hartnett, author of RABBIT CAKE and UNLIKELY ANIMALSSuspenseful, obsessive, and scalpel-sharp, Cleaner is an ultra-vivid and profound parable of contemporary work life imbued with the soft blue glow of a middle manager's computer screen at night. In other words, Wells brilliantly documents all the ways we make each other feel small and unseen at the workplace (and the tactics we may use to dismantle these hierarchies) in this electrifying, singular debut. -- Patrick Cottrell, author of SORRY TO DISRUPT THE PEACEWelcome to the office building at night, an eerie and yet totally mundane ship helmed by one woman desperate for connection and valiantly, perhaps delusionally, striving for meaning in her work. Brandi Wells' Cleaner is laugh out loud funny, but its project of validating unseen labor is totally serious. This is a book that celebrates humanity, even while tearing down the corporate culture that denies it in the drollest and wittiest of ways. -- Julia Fine, author of MADDALENA AND THE DARKThere are people who pass unnoticed, but who nevertheless quietly shape the worlds that others occupy. Cleaner is about one such person, about someone who, secretly, without being detected, subtly tugs on the strings that remain unseen to so many others, changing lives that even after the fact often don't know who or what has changed them. Cleaner is a clever portrait that scrapes away the slick veneer of the everyday to reveal the rough grain of the wood beneath. -- Brian Evenson, author of LAST DAYSIs it just office trash or the ephemera of a life? Bursting from the cleaning closet of meditative workplace novels like Nicholson Baker's Mezzanine, Wells masterfully invites the reader into the beating heart of a workplace, uncovering secrets, fantasies, and sorrows with every cleaned cubicle and vacuumed hallway. An unflinchingly honest and often fanciful mediation on people through the lens of an invisible worker who clocks in after five. -- Sequoia Nagamatsu, author of HOW HIGH WE DO IN THE DARKA sharply observed offbeat gem of a novel. A book that has you questioning what the mess you leave behind says about you . . . -- Asia Mackay, author of KILLING IT'Unsettling, with a smart, satisfying ending.' * Daily Mail *I absolutely loved this offbeat, bold and witty novel that skewers corporate culture and shines a light on the overlooked and under-appreciated hands that keep the world turning. -- Holly Seddon, author of THE SHORT STRAW

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Book SynopsisThe second book of Earthsea in a beautiful hardback edition. Complete the collection with A Wizard of Earthsea, The Furthest Shore and TehanuWith illustrations from Charles Vess''[This] trilogy made me look at the world in a new way, imbued everything with a magic that was so much deeper than the magic I''d encountered before then. This was a magic of words, a magic of true speaking'' Neil Gaiman''Drink this magic up. Drown in it. Dream it'' David MitchellIn this second novel in the Earthsea series, Tenar is chosen as high priestess to the ancient and nameless Powers of the Earth, and everything is taken from her - home, family, possessions, even her name. She is now known only as Arha, the Eaten One, and guards the shadowy, labyrinthine Tombs of Atuan.Then a wizard, Ged Sparrowhawk, comes to steal the Tombs'' greatest hidden treasure, the Ring of Erreth-Akbe. Tenar''s duty is to pTrade ReviewThe magic of Earthsea is primal; the lessons of Earthsea remain as potent, as wise, and as necessary as anyone could dream -- Neil GaimanDrink this magic up. Drown in it. Dream it -- David Mitchell, author of CLOUD ATLASThe Earthsea trilogy . . . is a memorable exploration of the relationship between life and death. . . Ged, its hero, must face his shadow self before it devours him. Only then will he become whole. In the process, he must contend with the wisdom of dragons: ambiguous and not our wisdom, but wisdom nonetheless -- Margaret Atwood

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Book Synopsis''A Wizard of Earthsea reads like the retelling of a tale first told centuries ago, and whose twists and turns have been handed down through generations of storytellers. It is timeless. . . . Le Guin''s words are magical. Drink this magic up. Drown in it. Dream it'' David Mitchell, author of CLOUD ATLAS''[This] trilogy made me look at the world in a new way, imbued everything with a magic that was so much deeper than the magic I''d encountered before then. This was a magic of words, a magic of true speaking'' Neil GaimanThe third book of Earthsea in a beautiful hardback edition. Complete the collection with A Wizard of Earthsea, The Tombs of Atuan and Tehanu.With illustrations from Charles VessDarkness threatens to overtake Earthsea: the world and its wizards are losing their magic. Despite being wearied with age, Ged Sparrowhawk - Archmage, wizard, and dragonlord - embarks on a daring, treacherous journeyTrade ReviewThe Earthsea trilogy . . . is a memorable exploration of the relationship between life and death. . . Ged, its hero, must face his shadow self before it devours him. Only then will he become whole. In the process, he must contend with the wisdom of dragons: ambiguous and not our wisdom, but wisdom nonetheless -- Margaret Atwood[This] trilogy made me look at the world in a new way, imbued everything with a magic that was so much deeper than the magic I'd encountered before then. This was a magic of words, a magic of true speaking -- Neil GaimanA Wizard of Earthsea reads like the retelling of a tale first told centuries ago, and whose twists and turns have been handed down through generations of storytellers. It is timeless. . . . Le Guin's words are magical. Drink this magic up. Drown in it. Dream it -- David Mitchell, author of CLOUD ATLAS

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Book SynopsisThe fourth book of Earthsea in a beautiful hardback edition. Complete the collection with A Wizard of Earthsea, The Tombs of Atuan and The Furthest Shore.With illustrations from Charles VessIn this fourth novel in the Earthsea series, we rejoin the young priestess the Tenar and powerful wizard Ged. Years before, they had helped each other at a time of darkness and danger. Together, they shared an adventure like no other. Tenar has since embraced the simple pleasures of an ordinary life, while Ged mourns the powers lost to him through no choice of his own. Now the two must join forces again and help another in need-the physically, emotionally scarred child whose own destiny has yet to be revealed.... ''[This] trilogy made me look at the world in a new way, imbued everything with a magic that was so much deeper than the magic I''d encountered before then. This was a magic of words, a magic of true speaking'' NeilTrade Review[This] trilogy made me look at the world in a new way, imbued everything with a magic that was so much deeper than the magic I'd encountered before then. This was a magic of words, a magic of true speaking - Neil GaimanThe Earthsea trilogy . . . is a memorable exploration of the relationship between life and death. . . Ged, its hero, must face his shadow self before it devours him. Only then will he become whole. In the process, he must contend with the wisdom of dragons: ambiguous and not our wisdom, but wisdom nonetheless - Margaret AtwoodA Wizard of Earthsea reads like the retelling of a tale first told centuries ago, and whose twists and turns have been handed down through generations of storytellers. It is timeless. . . . Le Guin's words are magical. Drink this magic up. Drown in it. Dream it - David Mitchell, author of Cloud Atlas

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Book SynopsisIn this gripping novel, Melvyn Bragg brings an extraordinary episode in English history to fresh, urgent life.At the end of May 1381, the fourteen-year-old King of England had reason to be fearful: the plague had returned, the royal coffers were empty and a draconian poll tax was being widely evaded. Yet Richard, bolstered by his powerful, admired mother, felt secure in his God-given right to reign. But within two weeks, the unthinkable happened: a vast force of common people invaded London, led by a former soldier, Walter Tyler, and the radical preacher John Ball, demanding freedom, equality and the complete uprooting of the Church and state. And for three intense, violent days, it looked as if they would sweep all before them.Now is the Time depicts the events of the Peasants'' Revolt on both a grand and intimate scale, vividly portraying its central figures and telling an archetypal tale of an epic struggle between the powerful and the apparently powerless.Trade ReviewA gripping historical novel . . . his moving portraits of Tyler and Ball, their utopian hopes for England betrayed and destroyed just as they themselves are doomed to be, give Now Is the Time its real backbone and intensity. -- Nick Rennison * The Sunday Times *Bragg lifts the bare facts of England's largest uprising and transforms them into a high-speed adventure, told from the alternating perspectives of the key players. Readable and pacy * Zoë Apostolides, Financial Times *A beautifully written novel, combining modern insight with historical authenticity, and it is spellbinding. * Kate Atherton, Sunday Express *Bragg excels at conjuring the wealth and squalor of late 14th-century London . . . it's impossible not to be caught up. * Daily Mail *Bragg brings his historical characters vividly to life and conveys a real sense of the appalling disparity in living conditions. The novel gathers unstoppable pace as the original poll tax uprising hurtles towards its brutal and unedifying conclusion. * Simon Humphreys, Mail on Sunday *A vivid and surprisingly tender tribute to one of the wildest moments in Plantagenet history. * Dan Jones, The Times *Fast and entertaining - the excitement of a city about to blow up like a barrel of gunpowder is more than palpable - and the period brought to life with visceral minutiae. * Lucy Scholes, Observer *

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Book SynopsisTHE TIMES BOOK OF THE MONTH SHORTLISTED FOR THE COSTA FIRST NOVEL AWARD THE AUTHORS'' CLUB BEST FIRST NOVEL AWARDThe Words in My Hand is the reimagined true story of Helena Jans, a Dutch maid in 17th century Amsterdam working for an English bookseller. One day a mysterious and reclusive lodger arrives - the Monsieur - who turns out to be René Descartes. At first encounter the maid and the philosopher seem to have little in common, yet Helena yearns for knowledge and literacy - wanting to write so badly that she uses beetroot for ink and her body as paper. And the philosopher, for all his learning, finds that it is Helena who reveals the surprise in the everyday world that surrounds him, as gradually their relationship deepens in a surprising story of love and learning.''Excellent . . . an entirely unsentimental love story with a memorable and engaging heroine. Clever and touching'' The TTrade ReviewExcellent... The novel is based on enigmatic references to Helena and her illegitimate child in biographies of Descartes - she is the unseen woman behind the great man. Glasfurd has created an entirely unsentimental love story, with a memorable and engaging heroine. She takes the narrowness of Helena's life and her kicks against its confines, and spins them into an original tale. * The Times (Book of the Month) *An accomplished first novel... A quietly passionate story of a young woman who burns to be allowed to write, to acquire knowledge, and to love her elusive Monsieur. In casting Helena as proto-feminist, artistic, courageous, Glasfurd gives her narrative a rather modern sensibility but it is this quality that makes it such a satisfying read. She brilliantly dissects the complex frustrations of a woman in love with a man consumed by intellectual obsessions. There is much to move us here. * Guardian *a striking debut... her portrait of love across barriers of class, and of Helena's yearning for education, is a touching one * The Sunday Times *An absorbing and moving read * Woman's Weekly *Amsterdam in the 17th Century springs to life in The Words in My Hand...This first novel from Guinevere Glasfurd is wonderfully atmospheric * Good Housekeeping (Ones To Watch) *Beautifully written * Choice magazine *This is a fascinating book fleshing out the life of a real woman and her story; it brings to vivid life the frustrations of women who were denied access to education and art. In an age when reputation meant everything and to be different often meant to be beaten down, Helena stands as an icon facing challenges as desperate as those faced by Descartes. Despite this, Glasfurd is honest about the reality of their unequal relationship as Helena must regularly take second place. Fans of The Girl with the Pearl Earring and The Miniaturist will love this tale * Historical Novel Society *I loved this book and it's definitely a highlight to kick off the new year with. Cracking * Falcata Times *Fresh and deftly written, The Words in my Hand is a subtle and quiet character-driven novel that beautifully evokes time and place, as well as character. I enjoyed getting to know Helena, empathising with her struggles and identifying with her dreams. * Blurb Magazine (Australia) *A gloriously readable and emotional fictional tale based on the relationship between Dutch maid Helena Jans van der Strom and philosopher, mathematician and scientist Rene Descartes, in 17th century Amsterdam. Helena tells her own story, and we have intimate access to her thoughts and feelings as she learns the magic of words, writing and thinking beyond the obvious. It feels as though Guinevere Glasfurd has seen into the heart and soul of Helena, as though this really could be her story. The author also has the gift of shaping the outside world, of painting a vivid picture of life in these times. Sending thoughts skittering down unexpected paths and opening up the world of Descartes, The Words In My Hand is a truly lovely and captivating debut. * LoveReading (January Debut of the Month) *17th-century Amsterdam sparkles into life in this delightful, playful and beautifully written debut. I loved it! * Rachel Hore, bestselling author of A WEEK IN PARIS *Guinevere Glasfurd's writing is fresh and elegant. I loved the subject and the way she brings Amsterdam in the 1600s into vivid, believable life. A lovely book. * Dinah Jefferies, bestselling author of THE TEA PLANTER'S WIFE *A quietly powerful novel of love, ambition and betrayal. Glasfurd's depiction of the eternal tension between domestic realities and intellectual ambition is precisely nuanced, and suffused with all the cool charm of its Dutch Golden Age setting. * Kate Worsley, author of SHE RISES *It may be a love story but Guinevere has perfected a balance between all the elements, making this book a rare thing: romance with cross-gender appeal. There are moments of beautiful lyricism and yet it's not mushy or poetic to the detriment of the totally absorbing storyline. The added bonus is that we get an idea of some of Descartes' projects and experiments as they're spliced skilfully into the narrative...Indeed, when an author can make us feel sorry for someone who makes life harder for our heroine, it's definitely difficult to think of this work as a debut. That says it all really: a book to own by a name to watch * Bookbag *The story beautifully illustrates how, but for social convention, women could have been positively contributing to shaping our view of the world, just as philosophers like Descartes did. Descartes and Helena's love story is beautifully drawn, particularly the early stages. It's real and tender and when he is gone she notes that "the space still holds the shape of him".The Words in My Hand is a great debut novel which, as well as painting a wonderful picture of 17th-century Amsterdam, finally gives Helena her place in history. * For Books' Sake *The Words In My Hand tells a moving story with quiet confidence and masterful restraint. Glasfurd's evocation of 17th century Holland through the voice of young Helena - servant girl and mistress of Descartes - is vivid, plausible, and hugely engrossing. An astonishingly accomplished and mature first novel. * Shelley Weiner *The Words in My Hand, Guinevere Glasfurd's captivating debut novel of a Dutch maid's affair with Descartes, is compelling, lush, impressive * Kate Mayfield, author of THE UNDERTAKER'S DAUGHTER *Meticulous research and fabulous writing... This really is history brought to vivid life... The Words in My Hand is not a book to be rushed, but to be appreciated almost syllable by syllable. It is very special indeed and I adored it * Linda’s Bookbag blog *

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Book SynopsisBOOK OF THE YEAR IN THE TIMES, SUNDAY TIMES, FT, METRO AND MAIL ON SUNDAY''The new master of menace'' Sunday TimesAfter the blizzard of a century ago, it was weeks before anyone got in or out. By that time, what had happened there, what the Devil had done, was already fable.Devil''s Day is a day for children now, of course. A tradition it''s easy to mock, from the outside. But it''s important to remember why we do what we do. It''s important to know what our grandfathers have passed down to us.Because it''s hard to understand, if you''re not from the valley, how this place is in your blood.That''s why I came back, with Kat; it wasn''t just because the Gaffer was dead.Though that year we may have let the Devil in after all . . .Trade ReviewHurley is a superb storyteller. He leads you up on to the moors, into the eye of a snowstorm, dropping little clues, sinister hints at devilment and demonic possession. Then he changes course, scuffs over the prints in the snow, springs new villainies on you, abandons you overnight in the hills * The Times *The nebulous presence of the Devil is evoked so palpably in this novel that at times I hardly dared look up when reading for fear of seeing him grinning at me from the chair next to mine * Literary Review *The new master of menace. This chilling follow-up to The Loney confirms its author as a writer to watch * Sunday Times *Chilling and captivating; read at your peril * Stylist *Beautifully captures a bleak landscape and the feeling of something evil and unknowable in the moors, the hills and the byways * Sunday Express *Hurley is a fine writer, with concerns that place him a little to the left of the literary mainstream, a remove that makes him extremely interesting -- John Boyne * Irish Times *This impeccably written novel tightens like a clammy hand around your throat * Daily Mail *This is a story with pull. Its lively, building sense of evil is thoroughly entangled with the assumptions of the way of life depicted, that apparently timeless relationship of the smallholder and the moor * Guardian *Makes for impressively uncomfortable reading * TLS *A gorgeously written novel that leaves the reader wondering and perturbed * Metro *Devil's Day is evocative and unsettling, exploring the potency of tradition, place and allegiance in a brutal rural environment * Daily Express *The follow up to The Loney deploys myth, landscape and the tropes of horror to chilling effect * FT *Andrew Michael Hurley's The Loney was one of the surprise stand-outs of last year, and a worthy winner of the Costa First Novel Award. His new novel, Devil's Day is equally good . . . it is a work of goose-flesh eeriness . . . Hurley's work is like a reincarnation of novels such as John Buchan's Witch Wood or the stories of M.R. James. His prose is precise and his eye gimlet * The Spectator *A master of flesh-creeping menace. Around macabre happenings in a remote farming community on the bleak moors of the Lancashire-Yorkshire border, he weaves a terror tale of human vulnerability. Hidden horrors surface. Eerie malevolence flickers. Nature's routine cruelties are caught with a fierce accuracy that Ted Hughes would have admired * Sunday Times, Books of the Year *Andrew Michael Hurley is adept at making his readers' spines tingle * The Times, Books of the Year *Hurley's first novel was The Loney, a prize-winning gothic triumph produced by a Yorkshire press, later picked up by John Murray. Devil's Day shares the same dark sense of foreboding . . . laced with menace * Financial Times, Books of the Year *Expect pastoral lyricism - snowstorms sweeping in across an ancient landscape - spliced with gothic shivers * Mail on Sunday, Books of the Year *The devil is everywhere in this deliciously creepy second novel from the author of The Loney . . . Andrew Michael Hurley combines the eerie power of folk memory with a much more modern manifestation of horror and the final pages are among the most unsettling you'll read this year * Metro, Books of the Year *

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Book Synopsis''A work of dazzling imagination and linguistic inventiveness'' ObserverNewgate Gaol, 1726. An anonymous writer sets down the words of Edgworth Bess as she confides the adventures and misfortunes that led her all too soon to the judgement of London:Cruelly deceived, Bess is cast out onto the streets of the wicked city - and by nightfall her ruin is already certain. What matters now is her survival of it.In that dangerous underworld known in thieves'' cant as Romeville, she will learn new tricks and trades. And all begins with her fateful meeting, that very first night, with the corrupt thief-taker general Jonathan Wild.But it is the infamous gaol-breaker, Jack Sheppard, who will lay Romeville at her feet . . . Drawing on the true story that mesmerised eighteenth-century society, the acclaimed author of The Long Firm delivers a tour de force: a riveting, artful tale of crime and rough justice, love and betrayal. Rich in theTrade ReviewA work of dazzling imagination and linguistic inventiveness -- Alex Preston * Observer *A rambunctious narrative of venery, theft, death and a devil-may-care braggadocio, its doomed love story undercuts and counterpoints the swagger with a touching melancholy. -- Elizabeth Buchan * Daily Mail *Jake Arnott, who is probably best known for excellent novels such as The Long Firm about London gangsters in the 1960s, has done much more than update the work of his 18th-century predecessors. Unlike them, he shows the citizens of Romeville as people, not as folk heroes or bogeymen . . . Arnott explores what poor Bess calls 'the felony of love', a crime that is not on the statute book. The result is powerful, poignant and readable. -- Andrew Taylor * Spectator *Jack's awkward courtship of Bess is a highlight of the book - Arnott's best so far - and genuinely moving . . . an astonishingly vivid act of ventriloquy that breathes life into infamous corpses -- Mark Sanderson * Evening Standard *The narrative is woven through with vividly portrayed characters, from Bess and Jack themselves to the superbly realised, wonderfully named Punk Alice and Poll Maggot, the transvestite Princess Seraphina; and the mixed-race heavy, Blueskin. Arnott delights too in the secret language of thieves -- Wyl Menmuir * Observer *Bawdy and rich with vivid evocations of the past . . . The Fatal Tree is Arnott on beguiling form, with the libidinous Bess a wonderfully multifaceted character. Who would have thought that a cult crime writer would become the Daniel Defoe of our day? -- Barry Forshaw * i News *A seductive, cunning tale of crime, punishment and love among the thieves, prostitutes and charlatans of 1720's London. Laced with vibrant detail and deliciously evocative period language, Arnott's atmospheric novel is a Hogarth print come to life . . . With a cast of delightfully convincing characters and lines that are reminiscent of Dickens or Wilde, Arnott has triumphantly breathed life into history - and the result is glorious. * Attitude *A dazzling mix of fact and fiction . . . the Hogarthian tale of a Harlot's Progress -- Jackie McGlone * Sunday Herald *[Arnott's] flair for noir - corruption, menace and the psychosexuality of gangsters - transposes well into "Romeville" . . . He gifts his prig-nappers and pot-valiant bawds the kind of one-liners Moll Flanders would have rejoiced in. -- Hermione Eyre * Guardian *

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Book Synopsis''We have no need to protect ourselves from the bad sort because WE are the bad sort . . .'' ''Beguiling'' StylistThe year is 1831. Down murky alleyways, acts of unspeakable wickedness are taking place and London''s vulnerable poor are disappearing from the streets. Out of these shadows comes Hester White, a bright young woman who is desperate to escape these slums by any means possible. When a chance encounter thrusts Hester into the beguiling world of the aristocratic Brock family, she leaps at the chance to improve her station in life. But whispers from her past slowly begin to poison her new existence, and lure her into the most sinister of investigations. As she finds herself dragged into the blackest heart of the city, little does she know that something more depraved than she could ever imagine is lurking. . .''Carlin can tell a good story'' Observer''Contains lovely,Trade ReviewThis deliciously dark confection of a novel has as many twists and turns as the London backstreets of its setting and I devoured it in two sittings! -- Ruth Hogan, author of THE KEEPER OF LOST THINGSContains lovely lyrical writing . . . and a heady romance at its heart * Sunday Express *Carlin's great at conjuring up an image of darkest 1800s London, while her female characters are both of their time, while also being witty and modern * Stylist *Satisfying * The Times *Splendidly diverting . . . Spirited and highly readable * Irish Times *The darkest corners of Georgian London are gleefully drawn in this brilliant story * Emerald Street *A delightful romp. I can't wait to see what Carlin writes next -- Lauren James, author of THE NEXT TOGETHERLaura Carlin earns every single comparison to Sarah Waters she's going to get. It's a sterling, historical, dark, twisty novel -- Kaite Welsh * Radio 4 Open Book *A captivating debut that brings the squalid and sinister Georgian London to life . . . will appeal to fans of vintage gothic à la Wilkie Collins and Sarah Waters * BookRiot *Charming and a delight to read. An added bonus is that the cover of this book is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. * Yorkshire Post *Historical fiction with a lesbian slant usually begs comparison with Sarah Waters, but Carlin is more than up to the task as she carefully weaves an eerie, evocative tale where no one can be trusted and everyone - even Hester herself - has secrets * DIVA Magazine *Richly detailed with well-drawn characters and evocative language, THE WICKED COMETH is an entertaining piece of Victoriana-style literature that's sure to label Carlin as one to watch * Culture Fly *You can almost taste the gin and the soot . . . but we reckon you'll be enjoying it too much to care * Metro *

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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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