Fiction Books

Book Synopsis''Vivian is one of the most fascinating characters I''ve read in contemporary fiction: self-aware and lost, cutting and wounded, resilient and vulnerable - all those misfit bits that add up to the whole of a real human being. Reading Post-Traumatic feels like an illicit thrill.'' Dawnie Walton, author of The Final Revival of Opal & NevCan Vivian find happiness after what has been done to her?To the outside observer, Vivian is a success story - a dedicated lawyer who advocates for mentally ill patients at a psychiatric hospital. Privately, Vivian contends with the memories and after-effects of her bad childhood, compounded by the everyday stresses of being a Black, Latinx woman living in a white society. She lives in a constant state of hypervigilant awareness that makes even a simple train ride a heart-pounding drama.For years, Vivian has self-medicated with a mix of dating, dieting, dark humour and smoking weed with her besTrade ReviewDeeply original, socially important, psychologically revelatory, propulsively and idiosyncratically readable. Post-Traumatic is a gem -- Elif Batuman, author of The IdiotStunning and riotous, Post-Traumatic took me right under and then revived me, like only the best fiction can do. Johnson's delicious, meticulous prose delivers such intimacy and hilarity on the page, I laughed and cried all the way through. This is a raw, brilliant, and unforgettable debut. I love everything about it! -- Deesha Philyaw, author of National Book Award Finalist The Secret Lives of Church LadiesChantal V. Johnson has blessed us with a cool, stylish, and violently funny novel about survival. It made me smile, laugh, cringe, shiver, and think. Like life, Post-Traumatic is richly triggering and highly recommended -- Myriam Gurba, author of MEANWhether she's fighting for her clients or falling apart at a wedding, POST-TRAUMATIC's Vivian is one of the most fascinating characters I've read in contemporary fiction: self-aware and lost, cutting and wounded, resilient and vulnerable - all those misfit bits that add up to the whole of a real human being. And Chantal V. Johnson writes her with a startling intimacy that makes reading feel like an illicit thrill -- Dawnie Walton, author of The Final Revival of Opal and NevWith searing intelligence, wicked humor, and an utterly captivating heroine, this brilliant debut shows us what it means to live with, and beyond, trauma. I felt such kinship with Vivian that I sometimes felt like Johnson was reading my mind -- Jessamine Chan, author of THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD MOTHERSPost-Traumatic is swift, caustic, charismatic, beautiful, terrifying, and so incredibly funny. It learns and unlearns itself continually, propelled by a restless main character whose gaze withers the world, the reader, and more achingly, herself. Johnson composes such precise, pathologically consumable prose that I couldn't stop reading, even if it was the way I'd watch a scary movie: through my fingers -- Tommy Pico, author of IRL and JUNKPost-Traumatic is astonishingly funny, intimately neurotic, and so honest and necessary that I can't stop thinking about it. From the first sentence, we are thrust into the hyper-awareness of a character whose boundless vigilance makes us feel like both observer and observed. Johnson's attention to detail is so salient that it's simultaneously shocking and familiar. This book is a mirror I couldn't put down -- Jill Louise Busby, author of UNFOLLOW MEChantal V. Johnson is a brilliant documentarian of the unstable. She writes with a forensic and unsentimental sense of justice, in sentences that spark with life -- Vanessa Veselka, author of THE GREAT OFFSHORE GROUNDSBeautifully written story . . . Holding up to the light what it means to be a woman * Stylist *

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Book SynopsisInformed by traditional African storytelling, discover Ngugi wa Thiong'o's masterpiece. To honour the Ruler's birthday, the Free Republic of Aburiria set out to build a tower; a modern wonder of the world that will reach the gates of Heaven. But behind this pillar of unity a battle for control of the Aburirian people rages. Among the contenders: the eponymous Wizard, an avatar of folklore and wisdom; the corrupt Christian Ministry; and the nefarious Global Bank.'Mythological but also cheerfully disenchanted; political and playful; cartoonish but also epical... the African novel may well have delivered its greatest masterpiece' Sunday HeraldTrade ReviewUnreservedly a masterpiece * Scotland on Sunday *A huge, comic novel... A shimmering, shifting discourse... mythological but also cheerfully disenchanted; political and playful; cartoonish but also epical... the African novel may well have delivered its greatest masterpiece * Sunday Herald *Epic....daring satire * Sunday Times *FantasticTruly exciting... the author is a master of farce * Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisFrom breakout TikTok sensation Jeneane O'Riley comes the highly anticipated third book in the Infatuated Fae series, full of forbidden fantasy romance, twisty betrayals, and fairy tale magic. ***Maybe I want to be everything to youyour hero and your villain.Trapped in the In-Between, Caly, Mendax, and Aurelius are fighting for their lives they just don't know whose. Caly's bond to Mendax from their bonding ceremony and her mortality being tied to Aurelius's from when he saved her life mean the three of them have tangled their life forces together. And now that they know maintaining both connections is against the natural order of things, one of them must be sacrificed for the other two. Caly can't let another one of her loved ones die, but she also needs to answer the summons so she can finally meet her father. Then, perhaps, she can be sent to the Elysian Fields to be with her mother and sister. But her father has information that could change everything and even if she's read

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Book Synopsis''Absolutely one of his best - a wonderful, wonderful read'' Stephen Fry''Funny and heartfelt'' SpectatorFrom the bestselling author of A PLACE CALLED WINTER comes a compassionate, compelling new novel of boyhood, coming of age, and the confusions of desire and reality. ''An incredibly beautiful story told with compassion. Nothing is wasted. Each sentence is beautifully crafted'' Joanna Cannon1970s Weston-Super-Mare and ten-year-old oddball Eustace, an only child, has life transformed by his mother''s quixotic decision to sign him up for cello lessons. Music-making brings release for a boy who is discovering he is an emotional volcano. He laps up lessons from his young teacher, not noticing how her brand of glamour is casting a damaging spell over his frustrated and controlling mother.When he is enrolled in holiday courses in the Scottish borders, lessons in love, rejTrade ReviewAbsolutely one of his complete best. So many funny and tender and terrific scenes. He hovers between social comedy and apocalyptic tragedy without the move appearing artificial or contrived. Just a wonderful, wonderful read -- Stephen FrySafe in the arms of Patrick Gale's BEAUTIFUL writing again - I could weep with joy. -- Joanna CannonA wonderful, intelligent and enriching novel. Gale draws his protagonist with compassion and empathy, and the book is populated by some terrific supporting characters, such as former star cellist Naomi, who had to give up performing because of stage fright and becomes a surrogate sibling in Eustace's life. Ultimately, it is a forceful reminder of the emotional power of music. As Eustace is told by his teacher at summer school: "Music knits. It heals. It is balm to the soul." The same could be said for this book * i Newspaper *Sexy, joyous, funny and tender. I relished it -- Sarah WinmanJoyous and full of light. I only meant to read a chapter and I greedily gobbled down the whole lot in one go. He is a beautiful and empathetic writer. -- Cathy RentzenbrinkA compelling story of how a passion for music can be the gateway to self-discovery, and lead a young teenager to find his tribe. The storytelling is so vivid, you can actually hear the music, and the intense fusion of artistic and erotic exploration will stir up memories for quite a few readers. -- Jonathan Dove, composerA fascinating story, gripping, moving and exquisitely written, this is a wonderful gift of a book from one of the best writers working today. -- SJ WatsonVery well done indeed - brilliantly sustained -- Rachel JohnsonA tender and touching coming of age story from the always eminently readable Patrick Gale * Red Magazine *Patrick Gale has created such a wonderful character, I was bereft to leave him * Good Housekeeping *A compassionate and funny coming-of-age and coming-out novel. If you haven't read Gale before, start now * Woman & Home *A beautiful novel about longing, growth, music and family * Queen & Country Magazine *Gale is an enticing and quietly subversive storyteller . . . its depictions of strangeness and toxicity of under-the-surface conventions of middle-class life take it into darker and more surprising territory. In elegant, restrained prose, Gale writes with an eye on impermanence, showing how loss can be tinged with hope, and new beginnings with the threat of mortality. . . he taps into a range of experiences and emotions that are both specific and beautifully universal * Irish Independent *Gale is excellent on the hot, messy nature of self-discovery and sexual awakening * Daily Mail *Beguiling, vivid, wise and moving * Attitude Magazine (Book of the Month) *Beautifully told with understated glee and humanity, this novel raises smiles and shocked tears * Belfast Telegraph *This coming-of-age story is gorgeously written, full of warmth and humour * Sunday Mirror *As elegiac and contemplative as one might expect . . .suffused with the joy and wisdom of Gale's mid-life reconnection with music * Guardian *This is what imbues his work with such heart and authenticity, and what makes Take Nothing With You, so readable, so believable, so . . . lovable. You'll be carried along by the music of Gale's prose, his charm, wit and warmth, and his empathy for us, for what it means to be human and other * Irish Times *This is an emotionally charged and humane tale beautifully conveying a child's partial view of the world * Daily Express *There is a natural warmth to Gale's writing * The Times *A lovely and lyrical coming-of-age tale * Sunday Express *Patrick Gale's moving novel is a trag-comic tale of love, loss and acceptance * Sun *This warm and humane novel is not only about love but also the value of art * Sunday Times *Gale's novel is generously optimistic. It shows how our past shapes us, but suggests that we can make something from the emotional burdens that we bear * Telegraph *Funny and heartfelt * Spectator *

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Book SynopsisWhen a celebrated government official is found dead after his surprise birthday party, a young police officer uncovers a terrifying world of financial crime, sinister cults and disturbing secret lives. Icelandic politician Katrín Júlíusdóttir's award-winning debut – first in a breathtaking series…  **Winner of the Blackbird Award for Best Icelandic Crime Debut**   ‘A sophisticated, multi-layered thriller … a series with great potential’ Financial Times  A murder is just the beginning…   When Óttar Karlsson, a wealthy and respected government official and businessman, is found murdered, after failing to turn up at his own surprise birthday party, the police are at a loss. It isn’t until young police officer Sigurdís finds a well-hidden safe in his impersonal luxury apartment that clues start emer

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Book SynopsisYou are invited to The Search PartyJoin six old friends for one wild weekend at Cornwall’s newest glamping spot.    The guests: * The anxious hosts with everything at stake* The boho hippies concealing a private darkness* The TV celebrity with his hot new wife and an even hotter temper* The exhausted new parents with a secret to hide* The one that won’t make it home alive . . .  The tents are up. The bonfire is lit. Get ready for one hell of a party. Gripping, cleverly structured and brimming with secrets and lies, this is a masterclass in narrative tension and a chilling exploration of the ways in which aspiration and anxiety collide. It will keep you guessing until the last page.  ‘Full of twists and turns’ Heat ‘Beautifully crafted’

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE ORANGE PRIZE FOR FICTION''Not since Zadie Smith has a young writer arrived with such power and grace'' Time''A marvel of beauty and imagination'' Ann PatchettA tiger escapes from the local zoo, padding through the ruined streets and onwards, to a ridge above the Balkan village of Galina. His nocturnal visits hold the villagers in a terrified thrall - but for one boy, the tiger is a thing of magic.Natalia is the granddaughter of that boy. Now a doctor, she is visiting orphanages in the war-torn Balkans when she receives word of her beloved grandfather''s death, far from their home, in circumstances shrouded in mystery.Compelled to unravel the truth, Natalia stumbles upon a clue that will lead her to a tattered copy of The Jungle Book, and then to the most extraordinary story her grandfather never told her - the legend of the tiger''s wife.One of the mostBRILLIANT <Trade ReviewObreht's novel is that rarity: a debut that arrives fully formed, super smart but wearing its learning lightly. Above all The Tiger's Wife bristles with confidence -- Adrian Turpin * Financial Times *The brilliant black comedy and matryoshka-style narrative are among the novel's great joys...Obreht has prodigious talent for storytelling and imagery * Guardian *Beautifully executed, haunting and lyrical, The Tiger's Wife is an ambitious novel that succeeds on all counts. It's a book you will want to read again and again * Indpendent *Obreht's landscape hovers half in and half out of fable - where villagers who daily risk being hoisted by landmines also fear malign spirits, tigers' brides and men who transform into bears... It's a part of the world that Obreht has made her imagination's own: raucous and strange and gorgeous and rather haunting. This is a pretty formidable first novel. Here be tigers -- Sam Leith * Financial Times *She is a natural born storyteller and this is a startlingly suggestive novel about the dying out of myths and superstitions and rituals that bind people to place: the retreat of the spirits * Daily Telegraph *This is a distinguished work by almost any standard, and a genuinely exciting debut... Obreht has a vibrant, rangy, full-bodied prose style, which moves expertly between realistic and mythic modes of storytelling, conjuring brilliant images on every page... a delightful work, as enchanting as it is surprising, and Obreht is a compelling new voice * Sunday Times *The Tiger's Wife has been touted as one of 2011's outstanding debuts and it deserves its reputation...Weaving together fantastical tales and folklore with realism about coming to terms with loss and grief, it is also a book about the secrets people keep. This layering of stories creates a book rich in textures. Combining a mystery narrative, a family narrative and a book about the worlds of the imagination, Téa Obreht's novel is one that allows the reader to get lost in them * Metro *The Tiger's Wife, is assured, eloquent and not easily forgotten...war is just a backdrop, religions barely identified. It is the tiger, the deathless man, and the inquisitive doctor who lead the story through its layers of modern-day reality, magical realism, and folklore...her pacing in the book is delicious - Obreht has the storyteller's gift for suspense, and holds back details until the reader can wait no more...she has lived up to the early hype * Independent on Sunday *Natalia, a young doctor, is on her way to deliver aid to a remote orphanage when she discovers her beloved grandfather is dead. As she tries to reconstruct her grandfather's last journey, she recalls his stories, which combine folklore and mystery with his exquisite humanity. Set in a Balkan country adjusting to life after the war, the book resonates with the aftershocks of conflict, old enmities, fatalism and superstition. Haunting, thoughtful and beautifully atmospheric * Psychologies *Varied, poignant and beguilingly fantastical...The Tiger's Wife is an exciting, fast-paced and mystical novel that'll have you rushing to the end * Time Out *Spellbinding... Téa Obreht's debut has the fantastical allure of a folk fable * Marie Claire *This astounding debut novel about the former Yugoslavia in wartime is so rich with themes of love, legends and mortality that every novel that comes after it this year is in peril of falling short in comparison with its uncanny beauty...Not since Zadie Smith has a young writer arrived with such power and grace * Time *Téa Obreht's stunning debut novel, The Tiger's Wife, is a hugely ambitious, audaciously written work that provides an indelible picture of life in an unnamed Balkan country still reeling from the fallout of civil war... Ms. Obreht, who was born in the former Yugoslavia and is, astonishingly, only 25, writes with remarkable authority and eloquence... Ms. Obreht has not only made a precocious debut, but she has also written a richly textured and searing novel * New York Times *Téa Obreht is an extraordinarily talented writer...brings to mind the novels of Mikhail Bulgakov...[a] truly marvellous and memorable first novel * New York Review of Books *Téa Obreht's The Tiger's Wife comes freighted with more critical anticipation than any debut novel in recent memory...That sort of unearned, pre-emptive prestige spurs both impossible expectations and skeptical readings - a burden that would doom most first novels. Yet The Tiger's Wife, in its solemn beauty and unerring execution, fully justifies the accolades that Ms. Obreht's short fiction inspired. She has a talent for subtle plotting that eludes most writers twice her age, and her descriptive powers suggest a kind of channeled genius. No novel this year has seemed more likely to disappoint; no novel has been more satisfying * Wall Street Journal *Tea Obreht's swirling first novel, The Tiger's Wife, draws us beneath the clotted tragedies in the Balkans to deliver the kind of truth that histories can't touch. Born in Belgrade in 1985 - no, that's not a typo - she captures the thirst for consecration that a century of war has left in that bloody part of the world. It's a novel of enormous ambitions that manages in its modest length to contain the conflicts between Christians and Muslims, Turks and Ottomans, science and superstition... Well-deserved praise has been accumulating ever since Obreht published a chapter in the New Yorker almost two years ago, and now that we have the whole, its graceful commingling of contemporary realism and village legend seems even more absorbing * Washington Post *Astonishingly assured...full of vivid, dreamlike sequence...Obreht's mesmerizing writing is key to the novel, which succeeds through a kind of harmonic resonance...Obreht's striking ability to explain the world through stories is matched by her patience with the parts of life - and death - that endlessly confound us * Boston Globe *Deftly walks the line between the realistic and the fantastical . . . In Obreht's expert hands, the novel's mythology, while rooted in a foreign world, comes to seem somehow familiar, like the dark fairy tales of our own youth, the kind that spooked us into reading them again and again . . . [Reveals] oddly comforting truths about death, belief in the impossible, and the art of letting go * O: The Oprah Magazine *A wonderful, really remarkable novel...fascinating, unusual, original -- Erica Wagner * on WOMAN'S HOUR, RADIO 4 *A magical, distinctive tale. -- Emma Lee-Potter * DAILY EXPRESS *As enchanting as it is surprising ... Obreht's prose style is full-bodied and vibrant, and she conjures brilliant images on every page. -- Edmund Gordon * SUNDAY TIMES *War and its legacy ricochets through Obreht's kaleidoscopic dance of myth, folk memory and interrelated stories ... dizzying and ambitious * LONDON METRO *a stunning tale with the mythic quality of a fairy story * TIMES *Mysterious and funny * SUNDAY HERALD *A distinctive, magical tale * DAILY EXPRESS *

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Book SynopsisGorgeous Collector's Edition of H.G. Wells' classic tale of invasion. Cylinders land on earth and invaders from Mars begin to destroy houses, then whole cities, creating panic and mass evacuation before a foul black smoke is released by the aliens. Includes a new introduction, the short story 'A Dream of Armageddon' and The First Men in the Moon.

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Book SynopsisThe divine live among us...in a flat in western Tokyo! After centuries of hard work, Jesus and Buddha take a break from their heavenly duties to relax among the people of Japan, and their adventures in this lighthearted buddy comedy are sure to bring mirth and merriment to all! Buddha the Enlightened One and Jesus, Son of God have successfully brought the 20th century to a close, and after a few millennia of guiding humanity to salvation, these two sacred ones are in need of some rest and relaxation. They decide to share an apartment on Earth in Tokyo, but living among mortals in the 21st century is no cakewalk for the saintly duo... They may find it difficult to navigate modern Japanese living, but Jesus' carefree attitude along with Buddha's domestic qualities and maybe a few divine interventions will surely allow them to enjoy their new lives with peace and love.

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Book SynopsisThe young gem Phosphorite can't seem to do anything right. Phos has nothing but a big mouth and guts. Cinnabar, a classmate, is a loner, shunned by the other gems because of the toxins emitted from their body. But when they get together, they will learn that they both have an essential role to play in the fight against the Moonfolk, who are intent on coming to Earth to abduct the gem folk and destroy their world. A beautifully-drawn new action manga from Haruko Ichikawa, winner of the Osamu Tezuka Cultural Prize.

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Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both; and I believe they both get paid in the end; but the fools first.'Orphaned as a young teenager, Lowlander David Balfour's only relative is his guardian and uncle, Ebenezer. Ill-thought of and disliked by many, it's not long before Ebenezer betrays his nephew and David finds himself trapped aboard a ship.He soon strikes up a friendship with fugitive stranger and Scottish Highlander Alan Breck and becomes embroiled in the fierce Jacobite struggle against English rule. A tale of high-seas adventure, loyalty and fighting, the complex relationship between Alan and David stops Stevenson's novel from becoming just' a boys adventure novel.

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Book SynopsisAn iconic novel of the American West a deeply moving narrative of one family and the traditions of the pastLyman Ward is a retired professor of history and author of books about the Western frontier, who returns to his ancestral home of Grass Valley, California, in the Sierra Nevada. Living with a debilitating bone disease, he embarks on a search of monumental proportions, as he strives to rediscover the life of his grandmother now long dead who made her own journey to Grass Valley nearly a hundred years earlier. But as he explores his grandmother''s history, Lyman''s great quest also leads him deep into the dark shadows of his own life.Winner of the 1972 Pulitzer Prize for fiction, Angle of Repose is Wallace Stegner's masterpiece and a fascinating glimpse into frontier-era America.With an Introduction by JACKSON J. BENSON

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Book SynopsisWe’re all stories in the end…In this exciting collection you’ll find all-new stories spinning off from some of your favourite Doctor Who moments across the history of the series. Learn what happened next, what went on before, and what occurred off-screen in an inventive selection of sequels, side-trips, foreshadowings and first-hand accounts – and look forward too, with a brand new adventure for the Thirteenth Doctor.Each story expands in thrilling ways upon aspects of Doctor Who’s enduring legend. With contributions from show luminaries past and present – including Colin Baker, Matthew Waterhouse, Vinay Patel, Joy Wilkinson and Terrance Dicks – The Target Storybook is a once-in-a-lifetime tour around the wonders of the Whoniverse.

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Book SynopsisOn a cold night shortly before Christmas, an immigrant street vendor is killed in Venice's Campo Santo Stefano.Trade ReviewThe thoughtful and charming [Brunetti] is on top form . . . His nicely balanced world . . . is cumulatively engrossing. In this domestic detail, Leon roots the power of the ordinary, moral individual * Sunday Times *Leon writes with great literary panache and evocative power about the world's most beautiful and mysterious city * Spectator *Donna Leon has a wonderful feel for the hidden evils that lie below the façade of the magical city, and Brunetti, sturdy family man and cynic, is an endearing guide into the machinations of Italian society * The Times *It would be simply perverse not to acknowledge [Leon's] skill . . . The reader comes to look forward to Paola's elegant Venetian lunches as much as Brunetti does . . . The plot of Blood from a Stone both stands up to and complements the cast . . . Comfort reading of the highest order * TLS *The fabulous Donna Leon -- Antonia Fraser * Spectator *

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Book SynopsisAn escaped convict threatens more than the summer tourist trade in the gripping fifth thriller featuring Detectives Fry and Cooper.''Today was the day Detective Constable Ben Cooper was supposed to have died. For practical purposes, he was already dead.''Fourteen years ago Mansell Quinn was jailed for murdering his mistress. Now he has escaped and is on the run, hiding amongst the Peak District''s many summer tourists. When Quinn''s ex-wife is found dead, DC Cooper and his tough boss DS Fry suspect it is only a matter of time before another victim is found. And Cooper as the son of Quinn''s arresting officer is high on the list.As they desperately search the case files for clues and the death toll rises, darker possibilities emerge. Are the killings the work of a deranged killer who cannot be found or a desperate man, wrongly convicted?Trade ReviewPraise for ‘One Last Breath’: ‘One Last Breath underlines Stephen Booth’s status as one of our best story-tellers… his skilful plotting makes story-telling look deceptively easy’ Sunday Telegraph ‘Stephen Booth endows the crime novel with a literary strength that lifts it above the general ruck…he is a crime writer who gives a satisfying read rather than a quick fix’ Independent ‘The complex relationship between [Cooper and Fry] is excellently drawn, and is combined with an intriguing plot and a real sense of place: Stephen Booth is an author to keep an eye on’ Evening Standard Praise for Stephen Booth: ‘In this atmospheric debut, Stephen Booth makes high summer in Derbyshire as dark and terrifying as midwinter’ Val McDermid ‘Sinks its teeth into you and doesn’t let go … A dark star may be born!’ Reginald Hill 'A leading light of British crime writing' Maxim Jakubowski, Guardian

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Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics.''The quality of mercy is not strain''d,It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven'Bassiano, a noble Venetian, hopes to woo the beautiful heiress Portia. However, he requires financial assistance from his friend Antonio. Antonio agrees, but he, in turn, must borrow from the Jewish moneylender Shylock. As recourse for past ills, Shylock stipulates that the forfeit on the loan must be a pound of Antonio's flesh. In the most renowned onstage law scene of all time, Portia proves herself one of Shakespeare's most cunning heroines, disguising herself as a lawyer and vanquishing Shylock's claims; meanwhile, Shylock triumphs on a humanitarian level with his plea for tolerance: Hath not a Jew eyes?'Viewed paradoxically as anti-Semitic, while at the same time powerfully liberal for its time, The Merchant of Venice is at its core a bittersweet drama, exploring the noble themes of prejudice, justice and honour

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Book SynopsisIn The Memory Librarian music, fashion, film and futurist icon Janelle Monáe returns to the Afrofuturistic world of her critically acclaimed album, Dirty Computer, to explore how different threads of liberation queerness, race, gender plurality, love become tangled in a totalitarian landscape and to discover costs of unravelling them.Whoever controls our memories controls the future.Janelle Monáe and an incredible array of talented collaborating creators have written a collection of tales comprising the bold vision and powerful themes that have made Monáe such a compelling and celebrated storyteller.Dirty Computer introduced a world in which thoughts as a means of self-conception could be controlled or erased by a select few. And whether human, A.I., or other, your life and sentience was dictated by those who'd convinced themselves they had the right to decide your fate.That was until Jane 57821 decided to remember and break free.Expanding from that mythos, these stories fully explTrade Review‘Each story in this collection is a searing but ultimately hopeful glimpse into how marginalized groups can hope and create in a world set against them’BUZZFEED ‘A reminder for those who’ve ever been told they don’t fit in that there’s a world beyond this harsh one’WASHINGTON POST “A poignant commentary on the power of technology, the preservation of queer identity, and the commodification of time’USA TODAY ‘THE MEMORY LIBRARIAN might not be the answer to the social and political upsets of our time, but it is an answer, and a fiercely inspiring one: a deepening of Afrofuturism’s potential to weaponize our dreams for a freer, more joyous world.”WIRED ‘Blistering, hopeful, and richly written. . . All readers will finish the book craving more’BOOKLIST (starred review) ‘A moving, triumphant collection…This is a knockout’PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (starred review) ‘Highly recommended for readers of conspiracy and thought-control sf or of Afrofuturist works by the likes of Octavia Butler, Nalo Hopkinson, N.K. Jemisin, and Nnedi Okorafor’LIBRARY JOURNAL (starred review) ‘A celebration of queer and Afrofuturist science fiction saluting creativity in difference’KIRKUS ‘This one is sure to leave an impression’BUST MAGAZINE ‘A glorious representation and celebration of a spectrum of sexuality and gender, each written with pure empathy’TOR.COM ‘A vivid, visceral text with as much of a hook as the album the stories were inspired by’LOCUS ‘It confirms Monáe’s incredible power of imagination and creativity whatever medium she’s working in, and the ability and talent of her co-writers in bringing her vision alive on the page’FANTASY HIVE

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Book SynopsisAll he wants is a quiet wife. But she wants something more . . .

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Book SynopsisAnother perfect page-turner' The TimesA triumph from the master thriller writer' The SunIn this twisty thriller from the Sunday Times bestselling author, a man desperately tries to track down his father in witness protection before his enemies can get to him.Your dad's not a good person. Your dad killed people, son.These are some of the last words Jack Givins's father spoke to him before he was whisked away by witness protection, leaving Jack and his mother to pick up the shattered pieces of their lives.Years later, Jack is a struggling author, recruited by the U.S. Marshals to create false histories for people in witness protection. Jack realises this may be a chance to find his dad but then he discovers he's gone missing, and he could be in serious danger.Jack knows he has to track him down. But how will he find a man he's never truly known? And how will he evade his father's deadly enemies enemies who wouldn't think twice about using his own son against him?PRAISE FOR THE LIE MAKETrade Review PRAISE FOR LINWOOD BARCLAY: ‘A superior thriller’ SUNDAY TIMES ‘The twists keep coming’ THE TIMES ‘Find You First starts with a bang and ends with an even bigger one. Barclay is a terrific writer, but he’s outdone himself with this. It’s the best book of his career. I couldn’t put it down, and you won’t be able to either. If you enjoy thrillers, this is the real deal. It never lets up’ STEPHEN KING ‘A full-throttle powerhouse of a thriller – Linwood Barclay is in a class of his own’ T.M. LOGAN ‘Genius … but terrifying’ THE SUN ‘This novel moves as fast as a falling elevator and hits with just as much force. Linwood Barclay is a stone-cold pro and Elevator Pitch is a shameless good time’ JOE HILL ‘A great cast of characters,tension, humour and a thrilling ending; this book takes Linwood to new heights!’ MARK EDWARDS ‘A fast-moving, high-concept thriller from the talented Barclay … a rip-roaring rollercoaster of a ride’ DAILY MAIL ‘Linwood Barclay’s thrillers move at breakneck speed … pacy, exciting’ WOMAN & HOME ‘Linwood Barclay presses all the right buttons’ MICHAEL ROBOTHAM ‘One of the finest thriller writers in the world at the very top of his game’ MARK BILLINGHAM 'A relentlessly tense thriller … there's plenty of the sardonic humour that came to the fore in Mr Barclay's previous novel Elevator Pitch … the comedy enhances the edgy atmosphere’ THE TIMES CRIME CLUB 'Another gripping thriller from bestselling master of tension Linwood Barclay' HELLO!

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Book SynopsisIn this game of hearts, the stakes have never been higherMolly Harris is used to being left. Parents, boyfriends she's the queen of rejection. Her latest boyfriend, gym-fanatic Duncan, dumps her to go on reality dating show The One which sets up hot singletons to date for four weeks before meeting at the altar to say, I do'.But Duncan was the one who picked Molly up and put her back together the last time her heart got broken, so, determined not to let The One' get away, she follows Duncan onto the show. If she can prove that they're meant to be, she might just get the happily ever after of her dreamsBut on the first day of filming, another reminder of her painful history walks into Happily Ever After Towers: Ben Knight, her it's-not-you-it's-me heartbreaker. The one she loved before Duncan.In four weeks' time, who will she meet at the altar? Duncan, the first person who ever made her feel loved, or Ben, the first person who made her feel?Readers LOVE Kathryn Freeman:OBSESSED with thi

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Book SynopsisWelcome to Merrywell. Population: small. Secrets: aplenty.Murder in Merrywell is an entertaining and engaging cozy mystery set against a beautiful backdrop.' Clare ChaseEx-journalist Violet Brewster is keen to make a good first impression in her new community, having just moved to the small village of Merrywell. When Violet hears about the mystery of Helen Slingsby, who disappeared from the village forty years earlier, she decides to help uncover what happened. But despite Violet's best efforts, she can find no trace of the missing woman.As Violet talks to the other residents, it becomes apparent that something sinister is lurking beneath the village's idyllic exterior.When a villager is found dead in their home, Violet becomes convinced that the murder is connected to Helen. Did Helen ever really leave Merrywell? Who in the village is hiding something? And can Violet finally solve this forty-year-old mystery before someone else gets hurt?An utterly gripping and page-turning English c

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Book SynopsisA girl matches wits with a war god in this kaleidoscopic, epic tale of oppression and the cost of peace, where stories hide within other stories, and narrative has the power to heal or to burn everything in its path.In the winding underground tunnels of the Library, the great celestial peacekeeper of the three systems, a terrible secret lies buried.As the daughter of a Library god, Freida has spent her whole life exploring the Library''s ever-changing tunnels and communing with the gods. Her unparalleled access makes her unique and dangerous.When Freida meets Joshua, a mortal boy desperate to save his people, and Nergüi, a Disciple from a persecuted religious minority, Freida is compelled to break ranks with the gods and help them. But in order to do so, she will have to venture deeper into the Library than she has ever known. There she will discover the atrocities of the past, the truth of her origins, and the impossibility of her futureWith the world at the brink of war, Freida emba

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Book SynopsisSometimes a holiday can change your lifeWelcome to the Lake Island Hotel, on a small island in the centre of beautiful Derwentwater, offering an escape from it all like no other destination. With a 360-degree view of the hills, and the water lapping at your feet on the private shore, you can't help but be enchanted.Anna bought the hotel with her husband five years ago, and has lovingly transformed it from a near-ruin to a must-visit luxury destination, with its seven stylish rooms and a sister restaurant to the renowned Hesta.The guests who come here to unwind see only the stunning views and the five-star service but behind the scenes are the team who work hard to make relaxing seem easy. On an island this small, it's inevitable that tempers will fray, hearts will break, romances will bloom and above all, if you think you've got a secret, it won't stay that way for long

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Book SynopsisThe fourth and final volume of the full-color graphic novel adaptation of the second book in George R. R. Martin's landmark Song of Ice and Fire series, the inspiration for HBO's Game of Thrones.In the final volume of this gorgeous, full-color adaptation, simmering tensions finally reach their explosive conclusion. Dany leaves Qarth with her dragons while Theon finds himself the uneasy lord of Winterfell, though his treatment of Bran and Rickon causes their grief-stricken mother to take precipitous action which could change the course of the war.Beyond the Wall, Qhorin Halfhand's band of scoutsJon Snow includedprepares to face Mance Rayder's army, while in King's Landing one of the most iconic battles ever is about to unfold, pitting Tyrion's wit against Stannis's determination. For when kings clash, all the land pays the price.Trade ReviewIn the grand epic fantasy tradition, Martin is by far the best … tense, surging, insomnia-inflicting' Time Magazine ‘The sheer mind-boggling scope of this epic has sent other fantasy writers away shaking their heads …Its ambition: to construct the Twelve Caesars of fantasy fiction, with characters so venomous they could eat the Borgias’ Guardian ‘Colossal, staggering … Martin captures all the intoxicating complexity of the Wars of the Roses or Imperial Rome in his imaginary world … The writing is always powerful …' SFX

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Book SynopsisA gripping tragedy of crime and class, widely regarded as one of multi-million copy and SUNDAY TIMES bestselling author Ruth Rendell''s seminal masterworks and a crime fiction classic. Fans of PD James, Ann Cleeves and Donna Leon will not be disappointed. ''One of her masterpieces'' -- Telegraph''A classic'' - The Times''Quite possibly the best crime book I have ever read'' -- ***** Reader review''One hell of a book'' -- ***** Reader review''An altogether engrossing book'' -- ***** Reader review''A compelling and addictive read'' -- ***** Reader review''An absolute classic - can only be described in superlatives'' -- ***** Reader review**********************************************************************************************''Eunice Parchman killed the Coverdale family because she could not read oTrade ReviewOne of her masterpieces. -- Jake Kerridge * Telegraph *Rendell's psychological insights are so absorbing, it's easy to forget what a superb plotter she is * The Times *Ruth Rendell is not only the finest crime novelist there is, but one of the finest novelists writing in the English language * Scotsman *The most brilliant mystery novelist of our time - mesmerizing -- Patricia CornwellRuth Rendell has quite simply transformed the genre of crime writing. She displays her peerless skill in blending the mundane, commonplace aspects of life with the potent murky impulses of desire and greed, obsession and fear * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisColleen McCullough was born in Australia. A neurophysiologist, she established the department of neurophysiology at the Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney, then worked as a researcher and teacher at Yale Medical School for ten years. Her writing career began with the publication of Tim, followed by The Thorn Birds, a record-breaking international bestseller. The author of over ten other novels, including the acclaimed 'Masters of Rome' series, Dr McCullough also wrote lyrics for musical theatre. Until her death in 2015 she lived on Norfolk Island in the Pacific with her husband.Trade Review"'Fast-moving and immensely readable... a page turner from start to finish' Maeve Binchy"

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Book SynopsisWITH AN INTRODUCTION BY STEPHEN MEDCALFWhen Marian Taylor takes the post of governess at Gaze castle, remote house on a beautiful but desolate coast, she finds herself confronted with many strange mysteries. What kind of crime or catastrophe in the past still keeps the house under a brooding spell? And is her employer Hannah an innocent victim, a guilty woman, a lunatic, or a witch?Trade ReviewThe Unicorn explores Murdoch's theme that life is - or should be - a spiritual quest or pilgrimage * Guardian *A writer of wonderful, and sometimes rather alarming idiosyncrasy; from her first novels, she explored a parish which was uniquely and unmistakably hers. But, somehow, by pursuing her desire only to be herself, she made it possible for generations of novelists after her to be more themselves. * Independent *Every novel is imprinted with the same distinctive, magical and wonderfully inventive imagination... A humour and humanity marked her fictional writing and made it a rich, wonderful and varied discourse. She filled it with strong emotions, powerful passions, very human experiences, humour * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisPatrick White was born in England in 1912. His Australian parents took him home when he was six months old but educated him in England, at Cheltenham College and King's College, Cambridge. He settled in London, where his first novel, Happy Valley, was published to some acclaim in 1939. After serving in the RAF during the Second World War he returned to Australia with his partner, Manoly Lascaris. The novels, short stories and plays that followed The Tree of Man in 1956 made White a considerable figure in world literature. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1973. The Hanging Garden was begun and put aside in 1981 when White was lured away to write once again for the theatre. The unfinished novel was found among his papers after his death in September 1990 and published in 2012.Trade Review[This is] one of those magnificent novels given to us when a great writer is in perfect harmony with the mythic soul of humanity -- Carmen Callil * Guardian *He is, in the finest sense, a world novelist * Guardian *His greatest novel, The Tree of Man is a tragic pastoral about the penitential struggle with nature in a grim Australian Eden -- Peter Conrad * Observer *The novel has unforgettable scenes, marvellous characters, wide ranges of mood, strikingly fresh imagery - all those ingredients which make a novel...become a permanent part of our memory * Washington Post *A timeless work of art from which no essential element of life has been omitted * New York Times Book Review *

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Book SynopsisIrène Némirovsky was born in Kiev in 1903, the daughter of a successful Jewish banker. In 1918 her family fled the Russian Revolution for France where she became a bestselling novelist, author of David Golder, Le Bal and other works published in her lifetime or soon after, as well as the posthumous Suite Française and Fire in the Blood. In July 1942 she was arrested by the French police and interned in Pithiviers concentration camp, and from there immediately deported to Auschwitz where she died in August 1942.Trade ReviewA masterpiece * Sunday Times *Quite outstanding, full of beauty, pain and truth -- Anne Chisholm * Sunday Telegraph *An irresistible work. Suite Francaise clutches the heart -- Carmen Callil * The Times *The work of a genuine artist -- Julian Barnes * Guardian *Magnificent * The Times *

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Book SynopsisEngland, 1536. Home to the greatest, most glittering court in English history. But beneath the dazzling façade lies treachery . . . Elizabeth Tudor is daughter to Henry VIII, the most powerful king England has ever known. She is destined to ascend the throne, and deferred to as the King''s heiress, but that all changes when her mother Anne Boleyn - Henry`s great passion and folly - is executed for treason. Elizabeth ''s life alters in a heartbeat. A pawn in the savage game of Tudor power politics, she is disinherited, declared a bastard, and left with only her quick wits to rely on for her very existence. But Elizabeth is determined to survive, to foil those who want to destroy her, or who are determined to use her as a puppet for their own lethal ambition, and to reclaim her birthright . . .Trade ReviewThis novel takes us into a very plausible and frightening 16th-century world... Can Elizabeth survive? Well, you know the answer but this Tudor thriller is so exciting that you find yourself amazed that she did. * Daily Express *This enjoyable novel by a popular historian tells the story of Elizabeth I before she became Queen... She emerges as a thoughtful, wise, precocious and likeable survivor. The novel is meticulously researched and convincingly captures the intimate details of the future Monarch's daily life. * Mail on Sunday *Weir employs contemporary gossip to intriguing effect. With a style that casts even Philippa Gregory's stately gavottes in a dashing new light, Weir convinces with her scholarly grasp * Independent *Weir's Elizabeth is nuanced and enchanting, and the author lends a refreshing perspective to well-known characters and events... [An] entertaining look into the rarely explored life of one of England's most fascinating characters * Publishers Weekly *[A] compelling, even irresistible read... Weir offers an exceptionally perceptive as well as imaginative interpretation of the most significant monarch in English history * Booklist (starred review) *

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Book SynopsisIan McEwan is the critically acclaimed author of seventeen books. His first published work, a collection of short stories, First Love, Last Rites, won the Somerset Maugham Award. His novels include The Child in Time, which won the 1987 Whitbread Novel of the Year Award; The Cement Garden; Enduring Love; Amsterdam, which won the 1998 Booker Prize; Atonement; Saturday; On Chesil Beach; Solar; Sweet Tooth; The Children Act; and Nutshell, which was a Number One bestseller. Atonement and Enduring Love have both been turned into award-winning films, The Children Act and On Chesil Beach are in production and set for release this year, and filming is currently underway for a BBC TV adaptation of The Child in Time.Trade ReviewHe is this country's unrivalled literary giant...a fascinatingly strange, unique and gripping novel * Independent on Sunday *Ian McEwan’s highly-charged story of sin and forgiveness is masterfully told. Tense, shocking and heart-breaking in equal turn. * Grazia *Atonement is a masterpiece...it is also an elegy to a time which, however volatile, still had certainties * The Times *A beautiful and majestic fictional panoramaA deft and brilliant exploration of guilt, family and the rippling repercussions of a single moment in life * Red *

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Book SynopsisAs relevant today as when it was first published, We is the first modern dystopian novel which inspired both Nineteen Eighty-Four and Brave New World. The citizens of the One State live in a condition of ''mathematically infallible happiness''. D-503 decides to keep a diary of his days working for the collective good in this clean, blue city state where nature, privacy and individual liberty have been eradicated. But over the course of his journal D-503 suddenly finds himself caught up in unthinkable and illegal activities - love and rebellion.Banned on its publication in Russia in 1921, We is the first modern dystopian novel and a satire on state control that has once again become chillingly relevant.Trade ReviewThis is a book to look out for -- George OrwellZamyatin reminds us, Adam did not wish to be happy, he wished to be "free" -- Anthony BurgessPrecursor to much more famous works by Huxley and Orwell, this antidote to totalitarianism, written by someone who genuinely knew what that sort of existence was like, is the anti-Stalinist dystopia to beat them all - even Brave New World, 1984, and Koestler's Darkness at Noon -- Toby GreenTwo of the most iconic novels in the English language - Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and 1984 by George Orwell - owe an enormous debt to Zamyatin. We is the ur-text of science-fiction dystopias...the product of a powerful imagination * Wall Street Journal *One of the greatest novels of the twentieth century -- Irving Howe

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Book Synopsis''Is there a better P. G. Wodehouse character than Psmith? No there is not. Thank you for agreeing'' John Self''An incomparable and timeless genius'' Kate Mosse _____________________________________''It seems to me that you and I were made for each other. I am your best friend''s best friend and we both have a taste for stealing other people''s jewellery.''Lady Constance Keeble has both an imperious manner and a valuable diamond necklace. The precarious peace of Blandings is shattered when her necklace becomes the object of desire for some well-connected jewel thieves - among them the Honourable Freddie Threepwood, who wants the reward money for a bookmaking business, and Psmith, the elegant socialist. On patrol with the impossible task of bringing order to Blandings is the Efficient Baxter, whose strivings lead to a memorable encounter with the castle flowerpots.Trade ReviewGlorious -- GuardianIs there a better P. G. Wodehouse character than Psmith? No there is not. Thank you for agreeing -- John SelfAn incomparable and timeless genius -- Kate MosseTo dive into a Wodehouse novel is to swim in some of the most elegantly turned phrases in the English language -- Ben Schott

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Book Synopsis''The first, the longest, and the best of modern English detective novels'' T S EliotWhen Rachel Verinder receives a gift of an astonishing yellow diamond from her bitter old uncle for her eighteenth birthday, she has no idea that the stone brings great danger with it. When the diamond goes missing during the night the ensuing investigations gradually bring to light the sinister history of the jewel and the passions and plots of those close to Rachel.''Probably the very finest detective story ever written'' Dorothy L. Sayers**AS DISCUSSED ON BBC2''S BETWEEN THE COVERS**Trade ReviewPerfect for long, cold, winter evenings * The Times *A whodunit about a lost jewel with several different narrators 'the first English detective story' is so ingenious, so melodramatically rational, so druggy and glittery and cleverly elusive, that it triumphs over all its impersonators * Observer *A great, bold, theatrical mystery story which never falters, written with huge confidence and style -- Joanna TrollopeWilkie Collins, along with Arthur Conan Doyle and Charles Dickens is generally acknowledged to be the great-great-grandfather of the modern mystery, but it's hard to think of many modern mysteries as skillfully shaped and psychologically keen as this one. The story flirts with the conventions of Victorian melodrama, but the characters that people it are truly vivid -- Elizabeth KostovaNo wonder 21st-century novelists are influenced by the great Victorian serial writers with their rip-roaring plots. A twisting detective thriller -- Joanna Briscoe * Independent *

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Book SynopsisHoward Phillips Lovecraft was born in Providence, Rhode Island on August 20, 1890. His father, a traveling salesman, suffered a nervous breakdown three years later and was hospitalised until his death in 1898, from a form of syphilis. Lovecraft's family experienced financial difficulties after the death of his grandfather in 1904, and the shame of this deeply affected the young writer. His relationship with his mother was severely troubled, and she was also hospitalised after a nervous breakdown in 1919. After a brief marriage and a period living in Brooklyn where he first began publishing his stories in the magazine Weird Tales, Lovecraft returned to Providence where he continued to write stories, and supported himself through ghost-writing. He continued to be plagued by money problems, and died in relative poverty on March 15, 1937. His numerous stories, novellas and poem were never collected and properly published during his lifetime.Trade ReviewThe twentieth century horror story's dark and baroque prince -- Stephen KingDark, weird tales about tentacled beasts, ancient artifacts that ooze unidentifiable slime and baby-eating cultists eager to bring about the end of the world * New York Times *Lovecraft found a voice that was profoundly his own -- and brought horror into the 20th century. His best stories sent the gothic into collision with science fiction and offered a bleak vision of a world whose thin veneer of civilization was being stripped away by an implacable zeal for knowledge * Washington Post *The founding father of what has become known as "weird fiction''...Lovecraft has nothing in common with Anita Brookner * Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisToni Morrison was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993. She was the author of many novels, including The Bluest Eye, Sula, Beloved, Paradise and Love. She received the National Book Critics Circle Award and a Pulitzer Prize for her fiction and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian honour, in 2012 by Barack Obama. Toni Morrison died on 5 August 2019 at the age of eighty-eight.Trade ReviewToni Morrison makes me believe in God. She makes me believe in a divine being, because luck and genetics don’t seem to come close to explaining her * Guardian *A triumph * Sunday Times *A heartbreaking account of lost innocence and fractured dreams... Haunting * New York Times *I read Toni Morrison's Home in one sitting and was moved to tears. It's a novella only in length: the deceptively straightforward narrative contains worlds * Scotsman *Morrison’s writing is so deft that even barely sketched characters leap off the page * Sunday Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisWhen Ana Steele first encountered the driven, damaged entrepreneur Christian Grey, it sparked a sensual affair that changed both their lives irrevocably. Ana always knew that loving her Fifty Shades would not be easy, and being together poses challenges neither of them had anticipated.

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Book SynopsisAuthor of over fifty books, Georgette Heyer is the best-known and best-loved of all historical novelists, who made the Regency period her own. Her first novel, The Black Moth, published in 1921, was written at the age of seventeen to amuse her convalescent brother; her last was My Lord John. Although most famous for her historical novels, she also wrote eleven detective stories. Georgette Heyer died in 1974 at the age of seventy-one.Trade ReviewGeorgette Heyer’s Regency romances brim with elegance, wit and historical accuracy […] and this is one of her finest and most entertaining […] This charming book is escapism of the highest order * DAILY MAIL *

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