Fiction Books

Book Synopsis''This is high quality crime writing'' A A DhandThe second dark and twisted thriller in the Avison Fluke series by M. W. Craven, the acclaimed author of The Puppet Show.Investigating how a severed hand ends up on the third green of a Cumbrian golf course is not how Detective Inspector Avison Fluke has planned to spend his Saturday. So when a secret protection unit from London swoops in quoting national security, he''s secretly pleased. But trouble is never far away. A young woman arrives at his lakeside cabin with a cryptic message: a code known to only a handful of people and it forces Fluke back into the investigation he''s only just been barred from. In a case that will change his life forever, Fluke immerses himself in a world of New Age travellers, corrupt cops and domestic extremists. Before long he''s alienated his entire team, has been arrested under the Terrorism Act - and has made a pact with the Devil himself. But a voice has Trade ReviewPraise for M. W. Craven:Dark, sharp and compelling -- Peter JamesFantastic -- Martina ColeA thrilling curtain-raiser for what looks set to be a great new series -- Mick HerronA powerful thriller from an explosive new talent. Tightly plotted, and not for the faint-hearted! -- David MarkA book that shines with tension, wit and invention -- William ShawSatisfyingly twisty and clever and the flashes of humour work well to offer the reader respite from the thrill of the read -- Michael J. MaloneMike Craven is a forceful new voice in British crime fiction -- Caro RamsayWashington Poe is a name destined to be spoken by crime fiction enthusiasts everywhere: Britain's answer to Harry Bosch. The Puppet Show is a wickedly, twisting and turning, mystery that will have readers breathlessly turning the pages until the final shocking conclusion -- Matt HiltonA brilliant start to what promises to be a fantastic series; get it now or kick yourself for missing out -- Graham SmithI cannot recall the last time I binge read a novel in 36 hours . . . truly mind-blowing -- A. A. DhandI loved this book! -- Jo JakemanFluke is a magnificent creation . . . Highly entertaining reading . . . Very pacey, hugely interesting, never a dull moment and with characters and a conclusion I could enjoy * Mystery People *Dark, thrilling and unputdownable with sharply drawn characters that stride off the page -- Victoria SelmanA fantastic read which draws you in from the first line. Its narrative is written with such skill that I challenge any reader to deny its siren call . . . Craven's plotting kept me guessing . . . With sumptuous prose, great characters and a labyrinthine plot, Body Breaker has everything you need in a police thriller * CrimeSquad *

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Book Synopsis''Bright Dead Things buoyed me in this dismal year. I''m thankful for this collection, for its wisdom and generosity, for its insistence on holding tight to beauty even as we face disintegration and destruction.'' Celeste Ng, author of Everything I Never Told You A book of bravado and introspection, of feminist swagger and harrowing loss, Bright Dead Things considers how we build our identities out of place and human contact - tracing in intimate detail the ways the speaker''s sense of self both shifts and perseveres as she moves from New York City to rural Kentucky, loses a dear parent, ages past the capriciousness of youth and falls in love. In these extraordinary poems Ada Limón''s heart becomes a ''huge beating genius machine'' striving to embrace and understand the fullness of the present moment. ''I am beautiful. I am full of love. I am dying,'' the poet writes. Building on the legacies of forebears such as Frank O''Hara, Sharon OldsTrade ReviewBelongs to [...] a new poetry that is readable, heartfelt and full of vivid imagery * the Times *I am thankful for this collection, for its wisdom and generosity, for its insistence on holding tight to beauty even as we face disintegration and destruction -- Celeste NgIn Ada Limón's Bright Dead Things, there's a fierce jazz and sass ("this life is a fist / of fast wishes caught by nothing, / but the fishhook of tomorrow's tug") and there's sadness - a grappling with death and loss that forces the imagination to a deep response. The radio in her new, rural home warns "stay safe and seek shelter" and yet the heart seeks love, risk, and strangeness - and finds it everywhere. -- Gregory OrrA masterpiece. * Shondaland *Effortlessly lyrical. * New York Times *The best compliment one can give a book of poems is that the book loves the reader. Bright Dead Things doesn't just love poetry; it loves the reader. My hunch is, Reader, you'll love it too. * Huffington Post *Bright Dead Things breeds a particular mixture of wildness. The mixture is by turns melodious and tight. Limón's poems are like fires: charring the page, but leaving a smoke that remains past the close of the book. * The Millions *

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Book SynopsisIf you delight in the suspense of Stephen King and Harlan Coben, you''ll love Chase - a classic thriller by Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author Dean Koontz. Ben Chase is a war hero with bitter memories. Vietnam left him with a hard drinking habit, a mental breakdown - and massive guilt. So who will believe him when he swears a psychopath is out to get him? When society is sick, the mad are sane - and persecution is a killer''s game...Originally published under the pseudonym K. R. DwyerTrade ReviewFast and furious...like a hospital trolley on a toboggan run - Mail on SundayScary. Koontz can really spook, and his dialogue and pacing rival the best - New York PostTumbling, hallucinogenic prose... "Serious" writers might do well to examine his technique. The story does not move so much as rocket up the gloomy highway with the reader in violent pursuit - New York TimesKoontz redefines suspense - The Times

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Book Synopsis''Poised and pitch-perfect throughout'' Mail on SundaySet in Cornwall, the bestselling novel of artistic compulsion, marriage, and the secrets left behind. ''This book is complete perfection'' Stephen FryCelebrated artist Rachel Kelly dies alone in her Penzance studio, after decades of struggling with the creative highs and devastating lows that have coloured her life. Her family gathers, each of them searching for answers. They reflect on lives shaped by the enigmatic Rachel - as artist, wife and mother - and on the ambiguous legacies she leaves them, of talent, torment and transcendent love.''An uplifting, immensely empathetic novel''GuardianWhat readers love about NOTES FROM AN EXHIBITION:'' A shifting, multi-layered, beautifully textured portrait of not-quite ordinary family life'' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐''The wordTrade ReviewThis book is complete perfection -- Stephen FryPoised and pitch-perfect throughout * Mail on Sunday *Dense, thought-provoking, sensitive, satisfying, humorous, humane - a real treat * Daily Telegraph *As rich and inventive as we would expect from this brilliant author * Independent *An uplifting, immensely empathetic novel, and Gale's prose, as ever is as clear and bright as the Cornish light * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisBehind the Moon Gate lies a mystery... The most mesmerising story of family secrets, sweeping from wartime London to Ireland to Australia. From the author of the beloved Richard and Judy Book Club pick The Midnight House.''A rich, sweeping mystery . . . beautifully written, atmospheric and intriguing'' TRACY REES''Magnificent. Cleverly woven plots, storylines and heartbreak . . . I loved it'' LORNA COOK''Divine. I relished every single word of this heartrending story, full of love and sacrifice'' JENNY ASHCROFT-----A faded photograph. An abandoned house. A wartime mystery. . .1939: On the eve of war, young English heiress Grace Grey travels from London to the wilderness of Tasmania. Coaxed out of her shell by the attentions of her Irish neighbour, Daniel - Grace finally learns to live. But when Australian forces are called to the frontline, and Trade Review'A fabulous, immersive read! Right from the start [the] beautifully written, evocative settings swept me away, and wonderful characters, seamless interweave of timelines & layers of mystery kept me enthralled' -- Zoe Miller, author of The House in the WoodsGreat storytelling . . . The Moon Gate is a richly layered atmospheric story that transports the reader from 00s London to 1970s Tasmania and beyond . . . I was drawn in from the first page -- Jacquie Bloese, author of The French HouseA rich, sweeping mystery . . . beautifully written, atmospheric and intriguing -- Tracy Rees, author of The ElopementMagnificent! Cleverly woven plots, storylines and heartbreak . . . I loved it -- Lorna Cook, bestselling author of The Forgotten VillageDivine . . . I relished every single word of this heart-rending story, full of love and sacrifice . . . I'm highly, highly recommending everyone puts it straight to the top of their summer reading list! -- Jenny AshcroftReminiscent of Lucinda Riley . . . twisty, emotional and absorbing * Daily Mail *

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Book Synopsis''I loved this warm, humorous and involving whodunnit with its host of engaging characters and atmospheric Scarborough setting'' CLARE CHASE''Just the heart-warming tonic readers need right now. Endearing characters, intriguing twists and one very cute canine'' HELEN COX Meet Helen Dexter - proprietor of the Seaview Hotel, and now, with the help of her trusty greyhound Suki, amateur detective . . . This unputdownable whodunnit is perfect for fans of Julia Chapman''s Dales Detective Agency, Richard Osman''s The Thursday Murder Club and Betty Rowlands........................................................................................ In the charming Yorkshire seaside town of Scarborough, a murder is nothing to sing about . . . After the death of her husband Tom, Helen Dexter is contemplating her future as the now-sole proprietor of the Seavi

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Book SynopsisFor the first time together in one volume, the complete Sookie Stackhouse short stories - with new introductions from Charlaine Harris New fans can fill in the gaps in their Sookie lore, while old friends can revisit some of their favourite moments and characters. From investigating the murder of a local fairy to learning that her cousin was a vampire, from remodelling Tara''s house to attending a wedding with her shapeshifting boss Sam, Sookie navigates the perils and pitfalls of the paranormal world.Gather round the bar at Bon Temps'' favourite watering hole and hear stories that will make you wish that Sookie never left, including:''Fairy Dust''''One Word Answer''''Dracula Night''''Lucky''''Gift Wrap''''Two Blondes''''If I Had a Hammer''''Small-Town Wedding''''Playing Possum''''In the Blue Hereafter''This definitive collection is the perfect binge read for people who like their stories with bite!''Charlaine Harris is a phenomenon'' SFXTrade ReviewDelightful . . . Fans will relish these stories, and even those new to Sookie's world will find much to love. * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisThe mesmerising new novel by Iceland's internationally renowned writer Sjón - 'the trickster that makes the world, and he is achingly brilliant' Junot Díaz, 'an extraordinary and original writer' A.S. Byatt.Trade ReviewSjón's prose is never histrionic or overwrought, balancing rage and hallucination . . . with a gentleness of spirit, an affection for precision and the small scale. The result is sure to delight his fans and convert many new ones. -- Hari Kunzru * Guardian *Moonstone is Sjón's slim, simmering masterpiece. Vibrant and visceral, briskly paced but meditative, unsettling yet droll and flecked with beauty, it is a pitch-perfect study of transgression, survival and love. * David Mitchell *A work of miniaturist perfection: a brief, brilliant jewel of a book in which each paragraph is precision-cut, each sentence burnished. -- Sarah Crown * Guardian *I always enjoy Sjón's books, but Moonstone: The Boy Who Never Was is an experience like no other. The author confronts his own limits, and raises the bar for the reader too. His portrayal of Reykjavik in 1918 is magical. The scene where a movie theatre falls silent, because all the musicians have succumbed to an outbreak of Spanish flu, is marvellous and very amusing. The novel has given me my best reading experience this year. -- Eka Kurniawan * Best Books of 2016, Financial Times *Tender, elegiac and occasionally surreal -- Angel Gurria-Quintana * Financial Times, Summer Books *A magical book, the work of a great illusionist. You see the historical moment unfurl, luminous with desire and imagination and the flames of an erupting volcano, dark with repression, disease and death. You see it all through the poetic, poignant images of Máni Steinn's story. And then in a final flourish you see it all vanish in a way that makes it unforgettable. * Adam Foulds *Sjòn's Moonstone is a marvel of a novel, queer in every sense of the word - an impeccable little gem * Rabih Alameddine *When the meaning of the book's subtitle is finally explained, the effect is powerful. MOONSTONE is about human decency, courage and respect for the individual. It is a small book with a large heart. -- Chris Power * New Statesman *Moonstone takes its place among the great works of literature that have documented life during the Spanish-flu epi­demic . . . Sjón is one of our era's great writers. Like Ovid, Kafka, and Bulgakov, he is fascinated by metamorphosis and, from apparently limitless resources of the imagination, can convey what it must feel like. -- Charles Baxter * The Nation *

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Book SynopsisFrom the author of When You Read This, a smart, sharply observed novel about gender and class on a college campus in the spirit of The Female Persuasion and Prep.

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Book SynopsisEVENING STANDARD''S ''BEST FICTION BOOKS TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN 2022''What do you do, when you find the perfect family......and it''s not yours?''Rare and delightful . . . A beautifully crafted novel about female relationships. I couldn''t put this book down''Marie ClaireThe only thing Abi ever wanted was a proper family. So when she falls pregnant by an Australian exchange student in London, she cannot pack up her old life in Croydon fast enough, to start all over in Sydney and make her own family.It is not until she arrives, with three-week-old Jude in tow, that Abi realises Stu is not quite ready to be a father after all. And he is the only person she knows in this hot, dazzling, confusing city, where the job of making friends is turning out to be harder than she thought.That is, until she meets Phyllida, her wealthy, charming, imperious older neighbour, and they become aTrade ReviewRare and delightful . . . A beautifully crafted novel about female relationships * Marie Claire *The kind of book you pick up . . . and never want to put down . . . You will fall in love with this book * Lauren Sams, author of Crazy Busy Guilty and She’s Having Her Baby *A domestic drama with humour, charm . . . A love letter to motherhood in all its complexity. An impressive debut novel that finds the biggest drama in the smallest of actions * Better Reading *

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Book SynopsisBraving the dusty trails of the Wild West, cowgirl Dorothy and her horse Toto are riding to see the wonderful Wiz Kid of Oz! The legendary entertainer is auditioning new acts for his Emerald Circus, and Dorothy and her friends, Tinny, Crow and Leo, hope they can impress him with their talents. But when Dorothy''s lucky silver spurs are stolen by a wicked rival, will Dorothy be able to believe in her own grit and still give her best performance? With Far Out Classic Stories, experience The Wonderful Wizard of Oz like never before in this twisted graphic novel retelling for kids.

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Book SynopsisSitting in the sun in a small Tuscan town, her boyfriend beside her and a drink in her hand, Ella Hatto’s life seems beautiful and calm. But someone is watching her. Something unimaginable is about to happen, and Ella’s life will never be the same again. Drawn suddenly into a dark and deadly world, one that has already claimed the lives of her parents and brother, Ella is forced to face the unbearable truth of her new reality. Gone are the aspirations and dreams she once had—the expectation of a normal life. The new Ella must be ruthless and unforgiving if she is ever to survive. With the help of Lucas, a retired hitman with his own painful past to escape, Ella goes in search of the enemy she never knew she had. Terrible crimes have been committed—but vengeance will be hers. Revised edition: Previously published as For the Dogs: A Novel, this edition of The Hunter's Prayer includes editorial revisions.Trade Review“Crisp, lean prose with assault-rifle impact zips the reader across international borders and delineates quirky, engaging characters. The plot is worthy of the best British spymasters, making Wignall an author to watch.” —Publishers Weekly “The action sequences are terse and commanding, the writing is often elegiac, and the dialogue intriguing.” —The Boston Globe “Kevin Wignall kicks in contemporary coolness, detachment, and humor.” —St. Petersburg Times “Wignall grips the reader with empathy for the guilty of conscience.” —The Scotsman “A superbly executed thriller.” —The Mirror “Lean and stylish prose which any literary writer would be proud of and which cranks up the tension enough for the most demanding of mystery readers. While Wignall’s beautifully drawn hit man struggles to find his own identity, those searching for gripping and grown-up mystery writing should look no further.” —Mark Billingham, author of Time of Death “Kevin Wignall has done it again. The master of the thoughtful crime thriller presents us here with yet another high-octane scenario…” —Paul Finch, bestselling author of Strangers

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Book SynopsisFilled with heartbreak, betrayal and triumph, The Right Time is an uplifting story about pursuing your passion – from the world’s favourite storyteller, Danielle Steel.Abandoned by her mother at age seven, Alexandra Winslow takes solace in the mysteries she reads with her devoted father. Soon she is writing them herself, with a talent far beyond her years. After her father’s untimely death, Alex is taken in by the nuns of a local convent, who encourage her to follow her dream.Alex writes in every spare moment and completes her first novel in college. It’s quickly snapped up by a publisher, but Alex, remembering her late father’s advice, insists on writing under a male pseudonym, with her true identity known only to a few.Success comes easily to Alex, but its toll is heavy. Her secret life as the mysterious Alexander Green exposes her to the envious, the arrogant, and the Hollywood players who have no idea who she really is.The right time to open up always seems just out of reach. But once Alex's double life is revealed, the truth could have devastating consequences . . .

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Book SynopsisMeet the cynical paranormal investigator David Ash in James Herbert's Haunted, the first chilling novel in the David Ash trilogy.Three nights of terror at the house called Edbrook.Three nights in which David Ash, there to investigate a haunting, will be victim of horrifying and maleficent games.Three nights in which he will face the blood-chilling enigma of his own past.Three nights before Edbrook's dreadful secret will be revealed, and the true nightmare will begin . . .Continue the series from the Master of Horror, with The Ghosts of Sleath and Ash.Trade ReviewDisturbing atmosphere and constant unpleasant shocks. * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisA Guardian Best Thriller Novel of the YearZoe Ball’s Radio 2 Book Club pick Mesmerising and haunting, Emma Flint's Other Women is a devastating story of obsession inspired by a murder that took place almost a hundred years ago.‘This is a book that will stay with you’ - Ann Cleeves, author of the Vera seriesLondon, 1923. Like so many single women after the Great War, Beatrice Cade, a thirty-seven-year-old typist, is holding tight to her small scrap of independence and trying to build a life for herself.When charismatic visiting salesman Tom Ryan directs his attention at her, Bea falls hard for him. But Ryan is married with a child. And his wife, Kate, has worked to create a seemingly happy domestic life. When Bea is found dead and Tom Ryan is in the frame for her murder, it looks like Kate will do anything to protect her family . . .‘Compelling, twisty a

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Book SynopsisComplete and unabridged.Teeming with ideas and imagery, and with its extraordinary intensity sustained by mischievous irony and moments of exquisite beauty, Moby-Dick is both a great American epic and a profoundly imaginative literary creation.Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition features an afterword by Nigel Cliff.On board the whaling ship Pequod a crew of wise men and fools, renegades and seeming phantoms is hurled through treacherous seas by crazed Captain Ahab, a man hell-bent on hunting down the mythic White Whale. Herman Melville transforms the little world of the whale ship into a crucible where mankind's fears, faith and frailties are pitted against a relentless fate.Trade ReviewMoby-Dick is, for me, the supreme American novel, the source and the inspiration of everything that follows in the American literary canon -- Robert McCrum, ‘The 100 best novels’ * Guardian *Melville has himself become part of the literary canon. A fixture. -- Ian McGuire * Independent *Much of the impact of Melville’s book on any fierce new convert is implicit in that sense of time travel. Sometimes I read it and I feel like I’m going backward, fast. It reads like something that was written before books were invented, yet it is utterly modern -- Philip Hoare * The New Yorker *

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Book SynopsisDorian Gray is young, arrogant, and devastatingly handsome. Confronted by his beauty in the form of a portrait, and struck by the terrible realization that he will age, Dorian wishes to retain his charms forever and finds his desire granted. He abandons himself to a life of hedonism, vice and murder, yet his face remains unmarked by his evil. But, hidden in his attic, the painting ages and corrupts, and one day Dorian must stand face to face with the man he has become.A perfect depiction of fin-de-siècle decadence, Oscar Wilde's only novel highlights the tension between the polished surface and murky depths of Victorian high society.This beautiful Macmillan Collector's Library edition of The Picture of Dorian Gray features an afterword by the playwright and actor Peter Harness.Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure.

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Book Synopsis_______________ 'In the vein of Agatha Christie herself. Startling' - Irish Times 'Magical in every way ... One of the best novels I’ve ever read’ - Fearne Cotton 'As much a coming-of-age tale as a murder mystery ... An impressive debut' - The Times _______________ AN OBSERVER, i AND NEW YORK TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR _______________ During the first year of university, a group of friends discover the cost of an extraordinary life in this captivating debut about obsession, rivalry and coming of age Jess Walker, middle child of a middle class family, has perfected the art of vanishing in plain sight. But when she arrives at a concrete university campus under flat, grey, East Anglian skies, her world flares with colour. Drawn into a tightly-knit group of rule breakers – led by their maverick teacher, Lorna Clay – Jess begins to experiment with a new version of herself. But the dynamic between the friends begins to darken as they share secrets, lovers and finally a tragedy. Soon Jess is thrown up against the question she fears most: what is the true cost of an extraordinary life? _______________ 'Hypnotic . . . An uncommonly clever whodunnit' New York Times Book Review 'Deftly plotted with vivid, compelling characters' Jojo Moyes 'One of the standout books of the summer' StylistTrade ReviewThe Truants marks Weinberg out as a natural storyteller, in the vein of Agatha Christie herself. Startling * Irish Times *A coming-of-age story and campus novel rolled into one . . . With deft characterisation, plenty of mystery and twists in the tale, it had me gripped * Daily Mail *As much a coming-of-age tale as a murder mystery . . . An impressive debut * The Times *Smart and exciting and funny and mysterious -- Dawn O’PorterLike a wickedly brilliant Donna Tartt, Agatha Christie and Liane Moriarty all mixed into one -- Scarlett CurtisWeinberg's debut is a page-turning tale of love, death and betrayal on a university campus that riffs on Donna Tartt's The Secret History while exerting a subtle pull of its own * i, Books of the Year *After surprising twists, Kate Weinberg provides a satisfying conclusion while asking the question: does a mystery lose its magic once it’s solved? * Guardian *Think The Secret History meets Agatha Christie * Red *A must read for fans of mystery novels . . . Cleverly written and relentlessly intriguing, The Truants is the perfect novel for inquisitive minds to escape into * Marie Claire *In this mesmerising debut, Kate Weinberg confidently combines literary suspense and deftly executed narrative, slowly unravelling a tangled tale about first love, obsession and the boundaries of self-identity . . . A riveting read * Scotsman *This satisfying coming-of-age novel jives to a thriller-like beat. It’s a debut, though you wouldn't necessarily know it from its assured tone. While Donna Tartt’s The Secret History is a clear influence, it’s Agatha Christie whose work is most explicitly referenced, stoking an ominous sense of impending calamity * Mail on Sunday *There are more than a few nods to Donna Tartt’s The Secret History here – the band of student misfits with dysfunctional backgrounds, the professor with oddly intimate student-teacher bonds, plus an overall sense, skilfully seeded by Weinberg, that things are about to take a wrong turn … Threaded into the story are references to Agatha Christie’s novels, with their mysteries and murders and love triangles. The Truants borrows some of these murder mystery tropes, leading us to a dark conclusion that feels satisfying to reach * Evening Standard *Set to be the book of the summer * Town & Country *The book you’ll fall in love with. With a small band of overly intimate students, a mysterious-yet-inspiring tutor, obsession and a whodunit, there’s much to place it in the same bracket as Donna Tartt but there are also nods to a much-mentioned Agatha Christie. There’s also an ending that’ll leave you thinking and thinking about this plot for weeks, if not months, later; one of the standout books of the summer * Stylist *You know those summer books which draw you in immediately and unyieldingly into their world? That bury you into the characters so nose-deep that when you’re finished, they leave you yearning for the intimate world you’ve just left. Well, The Truants, a debut novel by Kate Weinberg, is exactly one of these. We couldn't put it down -- A Little BirdThis is a remarkably assured debut, deftly plotted and with vivid, compelling characters that leap off the page. I had no idea where it was going to end up – but I knew I would be satisfied, and I was. I look forward to seeing what Kate Weinberg writes next * Jojo Moyes *In this mesmerising debut, Kate Weinberg confidently combines literary suspense and deftly executed narrative, slowly unravelling each thread that tangles first-love, obsession and the boundaries of self-identity. The Truants is as charismatic as the characters within. A riveting read * The Herald *Weinberg weaves intrigue worthy of Agatha Christie – you'll love getting lost in The Truants' web of mystery, desire and deceit * M. L. Rio, author of If We Were Villains *The Truants teases, seduces and thrills but ultimately it's about the best kind of love affair – allowing for the freedom to be yourself * Miranda Hart *Lays bare the lengths to which we will go to feel seen … At once thrilling and heartbreaking * Meghan MacLean Weir, author of The Book of Essie *Reminiscent of Muriel Spark and Donna Tartt. A stunning debut! * Carol Goodman, author of The Lake of Dead Languages and The Night Visitors *

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Book Synopsis'Reels you in and doesn’t let you go. Full of lies and secrets, The Cove is a gripping thriller and a must-read' Heidi Perks 'Brilliant escapism… Perfect for fans of The White Lotus, it had me gripped' Harriet Tyce _______________ IT'S THE PERFECT ESCAPE... UNTIL THERE IS NO ESCAPE Welcome to Turtle Cove. A luxury resort surrounded by pristine sea and the dense beauty of the jungle, it is the perfect escape from the stresses of life and work. For couples Lou and Adam, Eliza and Noah, a few days spent relaxing on the beach, while their kids are happily distracted, is exactly what they need. But appearances can be deceiving. There's a strange tension brewing at the resort, with relations between the hotel and the locals threatening to spill over into violence. This is nothing though compared to the strained atmosphere between the two families. They haven’t been friends for long and they are starting to realise they don’t really know each other at all. Except for one of them. One of them knows another very well… And they have a score to settle.Trade ReviewThe Cove may be set in paradise but it’s a hell of a great read. A red hot, five star thriller -- Janice HallettBrilliant escapism… Perfect for fans of The White Lotus, it had me gripped -- Harriet Tyce, author of Sunday Times bestseller, Blood OrangeClear your diary, as this taut, compulsive thriller demands to be read in one go * Good Housekeeping *Alice’s writing reels you in and doesn’t let you go. Full of lies and secrets, The Cove is a gripping thriller and a must-read for 2022 -- Heidi PerksTaut and tense, this might make you think twice about holidaying with new friends -- Nina Pottell * Prima *A proper page turner * Heat *Filled with sun, sea and building dread, this is a true page-turner with a terrific cast of characters and a vividly drawn setting -- B. P. Walter, author of The Dinner GuestA paradise island. A fabulous family holiday. But dark secrets and murky truths lie beneath the crystal clear waters. Alcohol and simmering resentments are an explosive mix in this tense psychological thriller that stops holiday envy in its tracks -- Tina BakerA superbly menacing psychological thriller -- Anna MazzolaFrom the first page to the last word Alice Clark-Platts has delivered the perfect thriller; tight, evocative prose, a foreboding sense of place and a tense, unrelenting plot that never takes its foot off the accelerator. As ever, she takes us to the darkest of places and shines her brilliant light on the nuances of being human. Compelling, disturbing and totally unforgettable, I loved it! -- Julietta Henderson, author of The Funny Thing about Norman ForemanReally gripping ... dripping with tension * Best *The Cove is a stylish and taut thriller with a sting in its tail. I loved it -- Dawn GoodwinAnother brilliant thriller from Alice Clark-Platts. The Cove stayed with me for days. I can really see it being made into a film -- Tony Mortimer

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Book Synopsis_____________________________* A BBC TWO BETWEEN THE COVERS BOOK CLUB PICK FOR 2023 ** WINNER OF THE WALTER SCOTT PRIZE FOR HISTORICAL FICTION 2024 *A shimmering slice of Trinidadian gothic' THE TIMESAn astonishing novel' BERNARDINE EVARISTODeeply impressive ' HILARY MANTELThe music was still playing when Dalton Changoor vanished into thin air... On a hill overlooking Bell Village sits the Changoor farm, where Dalton and Marlee Changoor live in luxury unrecognisable to those who reside in the farm's shadow. Down below is the barrack, a ramshackle building of wood and tin, divided into rooms occupied by whole families. Among these families are the Saroops Hans, Shweta, and their son, Krishna, who live hard lives of backbreaking work, grinding poverty and devotion to faith.When Dalton Changoor goes missing and Marlee's safety is compromised, farmhand Hans is lured by the

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE GOLDSBORO GLASS BELL AWARD 2024LONGLISTED FOR THE CWA HISTORICAL DAGGER 2024Power. History. Love. Hate. Vengeance.She will be Queen. Whatever it takes...Daughter of an ousted king. Descendant of powerful druids. Destined to take her place in history.As a child, Gruoch''s grandmother prophesies that she will one day be Queen of Alba and reclaim the lands of her Pictish kin. When, many years later, she is betrothed to Duncan, the heir-elect, the prophecy appears to come true. Determined to never to be as powerless as her parents, Gruoch leaves behind her home, her family and her friend MacBethad, and travels to the royal seat at Scone to seal her fate.But when a deadly turn of events forces Gruoch to flee Duncan and the capital, Gruoch finds herself at the mercy of an old enemy.Her hope of becoming Queen all but lost, Gruoch does what she must to survive, until she is given a choice

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Book Synopsis** NOW WITH BONUS MATERIAL EXCLUSIVE TO THIS EDITION **BOOK OF THE YEAR - EVENING STANDARD, THE OBSERVER and THE TIMES Fiction that''s larger than life and twice as much fun' Guardian''Rich and evocating; the kind of story you get lost in'' Independent ''Osman brings the underworld of Elizabethan London to life'' Sandra Newman, author of JuliaOn a rooftop in Elizabethan London two worlds collide. Shay is a messenger-girl and trainer of hawks who sees the future in the patterns of birds. Nonesuch is the dark star of the city''s fabled child theatre scene, as famous as royalty yet lowly as a beggar.Together they create The Ghost Theatre: a troupe staging magical plays in London''s hidden corners. As their hallucinatory performances incite rebellion among the city''s outcasts, the pair''s relationship sparks and burns against a backdrop of the plague and a London in flames. Their gr

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Book SynopsisThe debut collection from an electrifying new talent - a poet of philosophical depth, searching intellect, and lyric grace'A daring, ambitious pleasure to read' ROGER ROBINSON____________________________________Intimate and epic, dark and profound, interweaving hip hop beats with the mythology of the British Isles, Samatar Elmi's A Darker Light is an unforgettable debut collection about the gift and curse of diaspora. With a watchful eye on the minutiae of nature's cycles of life and death, and a profound connection to the land and language that make and unmake our histories, Elmi's poems shine with grace and blaze with defiance.

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Book SynopsisMulti-award-winning, globally bestselling author Neil Gaiman's riveting retellings of the classic Norse myths, now reinvented with epic, full-colour illustrations by Levi Pinfold. A gift from the gods of story.Ancient myths burst into thrilling, visceral life in Neil Gaiman's irresistible Norse Mythology, already a modern classic and a massive bestseller around the world. In this brand-new edition, Levi Pinfold brings his own spectacular illustrative imagination to the world of gods, frost giants, magic and betrayal, uniting two awesome talents in one glorious book.From the dawn of the world to the twilight of the gods, this is the most dazzling journey through the Norse myths, with Odin the all-father and his mighty son Thor, whose hammer Mjollnir makes the mountain giants tremble, and Loki, wily and handsome, impossible to trust. Containing the full text of the original book and a feast of colour art, it's perfect for readers of any age as ancient as

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Book SynopsisCollide is the first book in the Off the Ice seriesThe second novel, Spiral, is out now and the third, Revolve, will be out in October. You can pre-order Revolve now.''Equal parts spicy and sweet'' Peyton Corinne, author of UnsteadyWhen Summer Preston's professor issues her with an ultimatum, she finds herself on an unexpected collision course with hockey captain, Aiden Crawford.Summer hates everything about hockey, for good reason, but she isn't going to let that stand in the way of her becoming a sports psychologist.Aiden loves being the hockey captain, except when his team's reckless mistakes risk jeopardizing their entire season. When coach puts him forward for a research paper as punishment, he has no choice but to accept.Summer can''t stand his blasé approach to life, and Aiden doesn''t understand her uptight, scheduled one. They are off to a rocky start, and provoking each other it turns out is what they do best.But losing isn''t something either of them does well. Maybe there's a way for both of them to win?Now with a never-before-seen bonus scene from Summer and Aiden's love story as well as an extract from the next book in the Off the Ice series. Find out which of your favourite characters from Collide will be featured next!If you love...Ice hockeyCollege settingReverse grumpy meets sunshineForced proximityNo third act breakupMulti-racial charactersHe falls firstDual POV... you''re going to love CollideReaders are falling for Summer and Aiden...''The spice levels won''t disappoint'' ''Someone please point me in the direction of where I can get my own Aiden Crawford'' ''If you loved The Deal and Icebreaker, you'll love this!!! I could not put this book down!'' ''Bal Khabra is quickly becoming one of my favourite sports romance authors!''''Bal Khabra never disappoints. I will read anything she will write. PERIOD.''Spiral ranked No. 6 in the Sunday Times bestseller chart week ending 01/02/2025.

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Book SynopsisSplit Second is the first in the gripping King and Maxwell series by bestselling author David Baldacci.When something distracts Secret Agent Sean King for a split second, it costs him his career and presidential candidate, Clyde Ritter, his life. But what stole his attention? And why was Ritter shot? Eight years later Michelle Maxwell is on the fast track through the ranks of the Secret Service when her career is stopped short: presidential candidate John Bruno is abducted from a funeral home while under her protection. The similarity between the two cases drives Michelle to re-open investigations into the Ritter fiasco and join forces with attractive ex-agent King. The pair are determined to get to the bottom of what happened in those critical moments. Meanwhile, high-ranking members of the legal system and key witnesses from both cases are going missing. King is losing friends, colleagues and clients fast and his ex-lover, Joan Dillinger, is playing curious games – she wants Sean back, but she also owes him for something . . .Split Second is followed by Hour Game, Simple Genius, First Family, The Sixth Man and King and Maxwell.Trade ReviewThe action is explosive. Readers will barely have time to catch their breath * People *Pulse-pounding suspense * Booklist *Genuinely scary scenes . . . driven by tense action * New York Daily News *Great . . . a fast-paced thriller * Denver Post *

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Book SynopsisBlack Country Orphan is a moving story of the courage and strength of women, by the Sunday Times bestselling author Annie Murray.The early 1900s: Cradley Heath, a town in the Black Country near Birmingham and centre of the world’s chain-making trade. Lucy Butler, a young girl crippled by a cruel accident, lives with her two brothers and widowed mother, a chain-maker barely making ends meet. When tragedy strikes, the Butler family is separated and Lucy is taken in by Bertha Hipkiss, another impoverished chain maker, struggling to look after her own family.Lucy, while feeling the loss of her own family, relies on the company of Bertha’s two sons, charming Clem and straight-laced John. Though clever at school, Lucy knows she must leave and earn her keep, working many hours in the backyard forge. The five women toiling side by side, inevitably have their own friendships and squabbles. But they’re united in their hatred of loathsome middleman Seth Dawson, who treats the women with contempt, and keeps their pay punishingly low. But by the 1910s, there is a movement stirring, as across the country workers begin unionising for their rights. For Lucy, Bertha and the women of Cradley Heath, the promise of a better life seems almost too much to hope for – and the fight may end up costing them everything . . .Trade ReviewThis heart-warming story is a gripping read, full of drama, love and compassion (Soldier Girl) * Take a Break *This epic saga will have you gripped from start to finish (Chocolate Girls) * Birmingham Evening Mail *Just the right mix of mystery and nostalgia (Birmingham Friends) * Parents' Magazine *A tale of passion and empathy which will keep you hooked (Birmingham Blitz) * Woman's Own *

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Book SynopsisPalazzo is a riveting novel about family, love and legacy set in the cut-throat world of Italian fashion, from the billion-copy bestselling author Danielle Steel.After her parents perish in a tragic accident, Cosima Saverio assumes leadership of her family’s haute couture Italian leather brand. While navigating the challenges of running a company at twenty-three, Cosima must also maintain the elegant four-hundred-year-old family palazzo in Venice and care for her younger siblings: Allegra, who survived the tragedy that killed their parents, and Luca, who has a penchant for wild parties, pretty women and poker tables.Cosima navigates her personal and professional challenges with a wisdom beyond her years, but her success has come at a cost: her needs are always secondary. She’s married to the business, and her free time is given to those who rely on her . . . until she meets Olivier Bayard, the founder of France’s most successful ready-

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Book SynopsisPre-order the next captivating folkloric fantasy, Song of the Huntress, now!In a magical ancient Britain, bards sing a story of treachery, love and death. This is that story. For fans of Madeline Miller's Circe, Lucy Holland's Sistersong retells the folk ballad ‘The Twa Sisters'.'A captivating spell of myth and magic' – Jennifer Saint, author of AriadneKing Cador’s children inherit a land abandoned by the Romans, torn by warring tribes. Riva can cure others, but can’t heal her own scars. Keyne battles to be seen as the king’s son, although born a daughter. And Sinne dreams of love, longing for adventure.All three fear a life of confinement within the walls of the hold, their people’s last bastion of strength against the invading Saxons. However, change comes on the day ash falls from the sky – bringing Myrdhin, meddler and magician. The siblings discover the power that lies within them and the land. But fate also brings Tristan, a warrior whose secrets will tear them apart.Riva, Keyne and Sinne become entangled in a web of treachery and heartbreak, and must fight to forge their own paths. It’s a story that will shape the destiny of Britain.Sistersong is a powerfully moving story, perfect for readers who loved Naomi Novik’s Uprooted and Katherine Arden’s The Bear and the Nightingale.Trade ReviewA beautiful reimagining of an old British folklore ballad, Sistersong weaves a captivating spell of myth and magic around the reader. Lucy Holland's lyrical prose and powerful storytelling will lure you into an eerie, intriguing world in which enemies lurk unseen, the threat of betrayal hangs heavy and sisterly loyalties are tested to their limit -- Jennifer Saint, author of AriadneSistersong is a fresh and gripping retelling of an ancient tale. Set in a realistic, gritty world, the nuanced, compelling characters are the heart of this story about family, love, loyalty and identity. I loved it -- John Gwynne, author of MaliceRooted in history but shot through with surprises, this takes ancient British myth and gives it a wonderfully fresh twist. The book combines timely themes around our lost connection with nature, the fluidity of identity and the power of claiming your own story with a haunting atmosphere and a rollicking pace. Lucy Holland is a brilliantly assured storyteller -- Molly Flatt, author of The Charmed Life of Alex MooreAstonishing! -- Ellen Kushner, author of SwordspointNo cream teas in this West Country fable: feast instead on a gory, gripping and magically mythic tale of love and hatred, loyalty and betrayal -- Daily MailBrilliantly written and full of memorable characters . . . If you like poetic reimaginings of mythology, such as Madeline Miller’s Circe and The Song of Achilles, you need to make sure to pick up Sistersong -- Grimdark MagazineA masterpiece of storytelling . . . a beautiful story of the complex and loving relationship between three sisters and how their relationship and strength influenced the lives of those around them -- TheBookBagBeautifully written and with a keen eye for historical detail, Sistersong demonstrates the power of these old familiar ballads when they are opened up to new perspectives -- TheFantasyHiveSistersong is such a fantastic read . . . complicated sisters, gorgeous creepy magic and a sublime sense of time & place -- Freya MarskeSistersong truly reads like a ballad – beautiful and mournful, a melody that sticks in your head. An absolutely stunning book -- Hannah Whitten, author of For the WolfFrom its opening pages, Sistersong transports you to a time period often overlooked, and spins a tale of family, loyalty, and the triumph of becoming the person you were always meant to be. I was utterly captivated from the beginning to the tragic, bittersweet end -- Genevieve Gornichec, author of The Witch's HeartSistersong is a marvellous tale, gracefully told in language as beautiful as the song that inspired it. It's a celebration of the power of sisterhood, the strength of earth magic, and the triumph, in the end, of fidelity to both. I fell in love with all three siblings, and I think you will, too! -- Louisa Morgan, author of A Secret History of WitchesMagical, beautiful, and heartbreaking, Sistersong keeps you turning the pages until the thrilling conclusion, both tragic and triumphant. Lucy Holland is a talent to watch -- Greer Macallister, author of Scorpia

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Book SynopsisIn the seventh novel in Julia Chapman’s Dales Detective series, Date with Betrayal, betrayal is rife in the idyllic Yorkshire Dales as Samson O’Brien, owner of the Dales Detective Agency, is targeted by a hitman. Can Bruncliffe save him? A brilliantly engaging and witty mystery, perfect for fans of Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club and M. C. Beaton’s Agatha Raisin series.Death is coming to Bruncliffe: its target is Samson O’Brien.Oblivious to his impending date with fate, Samson is busy juggling a number of cases at the Dales Detective Agency. Too busy, in fact, to notice his partner behaving oddly.Because Delilah Metcalfe knows what is coming. A hitman. Sent from London with one objective: to finally silence the troublesome O’Brien before his corruption case can make it to court.With Samson’s life in peril, and betrayal around every corner, Delilah has no choice but to call in favours from all of her Bruncliffe connections in order to counteract the menace threatening to engulf the Dales town.The only trouble is the townsfolk have long memories and deep grievances when it comes to Samson O’Brien. Trust must be earned and they will take some convincing before they put themselves in danger in order to save him.And even then, it might not prove enough . . .Full of charm, wit and characters that will capture your heart, the series begins with Date With Death. Have you read them all?Praise for The Dales Detective series:'Enlivened with numerous subplots, the story moves at a cracking pace' – Daily Mail'Bags of Yorkshire charm and wit' – Northern Echo'A classic whodunnit' – Cath Staincliffe, author of Blue Murder'Full of dry wit and clever plotting' – Countryside'Chapman delivers on every level' – Lancashire Evening Post‘As village murder mysteries go, this clever, witty and realistic series is quite out of the ordinary and strongly recommended’ – Crime ReviewTrade ReviewGreat fun! -- Carol DrinkwaterA classic whodunit set in the spectacular landscape of the Yorkshire Dales, written with affection for the area and its people -- Cath Staincliffe, author of the Scott & Bailey seriesBags of Yorkshire charm and wit * Northern Echo *Enlivened by numerous subplots . . . the story moves at a cracking pace . . . But Chapman's track record suggests that the next instalment will be well worth the wait. * Daily Mail *A thrilling adventure * Daily Mail *

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Book Synopsis'Deliciously chilly' - Guardian'Humming with suppressed hysteria and madness' - The Times'Wonderfully evocative' - HeatHare House is not its real name, of course. I have, if you will forgive me, kept names to a minimum here, for reasons that will become understandable . . .In the first brisk days of autumn, a woman arrives in Scotland having left her job at an all-girls school in London in mysterious circumstances. Moving into a cottage on the remote estate of Hare House, she begins to explore her new home. But among the tiny roads, wild moorland, and scattered houses, something more sinister lurks: local tales of witchcraft, clay figures and young men sent mad.Striking up a friendship with her landlord and his younger sister, she begins to suspect that all might not be quite as it seems at Hare House. And as autumn turns to winter, and a heavy snowfall traps the inhabitants of the estate within its walls, tensions rise to fever pitch.Sally Hinchcliffe’s Hare House is a modern-day witch story, perfect for fans of Pine and The Loney.'A beautiful, slow burn of a novel, eerie and shimmering in equal measure' - Mary Paulson-EllisTrade ReviewA beautiful, slow burn of a novel, eerie and shimmering in equal measure. The bewitching prose brilliantly evokes the bleak glories of a remote Scottish landscape, while the subtle shifts of plot and perspective lure the reader towards an unsettling denouement where nothing is quite what it seems. A dark uncanny read and all the more satisfying for that -- Mary Paulson-Ellis, author of The Other Mrs Walker and Emily Noble's DisgraceEerie and subtle . . . This deliciously chilly tale dodges the expected outcome and maintains a delicate balance between psychology and witchcraft right to its disturbing end * Guardian *A tale humming with suppressed hysteria and madness * The Saturday Times *The atmosphere of sickly oddness creeps up with wonderful control. Hinchcliffe has a superb sense for the slightly off detail . . . Hinchcliffe has crafted an exquisitely, horribly unreliable narrator. But if the character is not to be trusted, the author very much is: Hare House is a marvellously nasty piece of distinctly Scottish gothic * The Times *Dark and absorbing . . . A compelling chiller redolent of Zoe Heller's Notes on a Scandal, Hare House treads the treacherous line between the real and the supernatural with dexterity. It is also a beautiful, if sinister, evocation of the Dumfries and Galloway landscape -- Fiona Rintoul * The Herald *Wonderfully evocative * Heat *A deeply unsettling modern-day tale of witchcraft * Woman's Weekly *Hinchcliffe writes atmospherically . . . Fans of the supernatural will find much to enjoy in this eerie tale * Literary Review *Slightly gothic, it is a quietly eerie novel, beautifully written, one that keeps a reader alert * Belfast Telegraph *Marvellously atmospheric . . . The atmosphere of sickly oddness creeps up with wonderful control. Hinchcliffe has a superb sense for the slightly off detail -- the strangeness of a house that seems to contain a presence even when there's no one else there -- Sarah Ditum * The Times *Splendidly sinister and shrouded in forbidding atmosphere, Sally Hinchcliffe's assured second novel Hare House is a slice of wintry folk horror featuring witchcraft, curses and madness * Yorkshire Evening Post *This thriller is the perfect novel for winter * Health & Wellbeing *

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Book SynopsisSimply Lies is an intense thriller featuring Mickey Gibson, a former New Jersey detective, from the number one bestselling author David Baldacci.'This is Baldacci at his formidable best . . . Do not miss it' – Sunday Times NO TRUTHFormer Jersey City detective and single mother of two, Mickey Gibson, now works for global investigation company, ProEye, to track down assets of the wealthy who have tried to avoid their creditors. One day she gets a call from a colleague, Arlene Robinson, asking her to visit the home of a notorious arms dealer who has cheated some of ProEye’s clients in the past. Mickey arrives at the mansion to discover the body of a man hidden in a secret room.NO LIMITSIt turns out that nothing is at it seems. The arms dealer did not exist, and nobody at ProEye knew of Arlene Robinson. Mickey had been tricked and now the cops were involved. The body was that of Harry Langhorne, who’d been in Witness Protection having had links with the mob.NO FEARNow begins a cat-and-mouse showdown between hardened ex-cop, Mickey, and a woman with sociopathic tendencies who has no name and a mysterious past. She intends to get what she wants and people who get in her way will die. For Mickey to stop her, she must first discover her true identity and what damaged her all those years ago. And the truth behind why she selected Micky to become her nemesis . . .*****KILLER TWISTS. HEROES TO BELIEVE IN. TRUST BALDACCI.‘One of the world’s thriller masters’ – Daily Mail‘Baldacci is still peerless’ – Sunday Times‘One of the all-time best thriller authors’ – Lisa Gardner, author of One Step Too Far‘Baldacci delivers, every time!’ – Lisa Scottoline, author of Every Fifteen MinutesTrade ReviewBaldacci is the master of American detective stories. He captures Los Angeles like no other -- Jeffrey Archer author of Next in Line This is Baldacci at his formidable best, teasing the reader with hints and suggestions while pushing the story forward at breakneck pace. Do not miss it. * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisDoes what you see change who you are?Kayleigh is broke. Out of options, she takes a job as a content moderator, reviewing horrors and hate online and deciding which posts needs to be removed. Kayleigh is good at her job, and in her colleagues she finds a group of friends, even a new girlfriend. For the first time in her life, the future seems bright . . . But soon the job begins to shift Kayleigh’s world in alarming ways. In the glare of the screen, how long can Kayleigh hold on to her humanity?Hanna Bervoets' stunning novel We Had To Remove This Post is translated from the Dutch by Emma Rault.‘A superbly poised, psychologically astute and subtle novel of mental unravelling’ - Ian McEwan, author of Atonement‘This novel gives us an acid glimpse into a new form of labor existing today . . . Fascinating and disturbing’ - Ling Ma, author of SeveranceTrade ReviewThe dank underside of social media, its cruelty and delusions, have become, our shared affliction. It needed an accomplished novelist to explore humanely the damage. Hanna Bervoets has richly obliged in this superbly poised, psychologically astute and subtle novel of mental unravelling. -- Ian McEwan, author of Atonement, On Chesil Beach and AmsterdamThis novel gives us an acid glimpse into a new form of labor existing today, a job that extracts an immeasurable psychic toll. Fascinating and disturbing. -- Ling Ma, author of SeveranceWe Had To Remove This Post is one of the most fascinating books I’ve read in years. -- Kristen Arnett, author of Mostly Dead Things and With TeethI thought it was incredible and has real cult potential. -- Alice Slater * TikTok *A discomfiting mystery about the disturbing parts of social media that most people never see * New York Times *Powerful, discussable, and a harbinger of a voice-in-translation to watch. * Booklist Starred Review *Scathing, darkly humorous exploration of the impact of VR, IR . . . Bervoets just gets it. This is, unironically, a novel for our time. * Kirkus Starred Review *Hanna Bervoet's slim, compelling novel We Had to Remove This Post addresses the foetid morass of social media . . . Bevoets is often acidly funny, especially when demonstraring the workers' mordant, jockish humour. * TLS *

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Book SynopsisFind out what happened when King Midas was granted his wish, how Icarus flew too close to the sun, and relive the adventures of Jason and the Argonauts in these stories of love, betrayal, infatuation and punishment.Greek Myths: Heroes and Heroines is part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, cloth-bound, pocket-sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover.Greek myths have been part of Western culture since they were first set down by the ancients and, as there is no one definitive account, the stories have been ripe for reinterpretation through the centuries. Classicist and writer Jean Menzies has brought together fifteen retellings of famous myths from the likes of Andrew and Jean Lang, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Emilie Kip Baker, each chosen for its clarity and vivacity. The result? An enlightening and lively volume of stories and a treat for all fans of Greek mythology.Discover even more mythology with Greek Myths: Gods and Goddesses edited by Jean Menzies.

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERA dark, evocative and unforgettable fantasy debut steeped in Hungarian history and Jewish mythology, perfect for fans of Naomi Novik and Katherine Arden.'Rooted in history and myth, The Wolf and the Woodsman is a stunning debut . . . It will twine like a dark forest around your heart.' Samantha Shannon, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Priory of the Orange Tree______________________________________A spirited outcast. A disgraced prince.A world where monsters roam free.In her forest-veiled pagan village, Évike is the only woman without power. So when soldiers from the Holy Order of Woodsmen arrive to claim a girl for their king's blood sacrifice, the villagers only have one person to offer up.But when they are attacked en-route to the capital, and everyone but Évike and a lone Woodsman are slaughtered, they have no choice but to rely on each other. Except he's no ordinary Woodsman - he's the disgraced prince, Gáspár Bárány, whose father needs pagan magic to consolidate his power.As they travel from the bitter northern tundra to the smog-choked capital, they form a tenuous pact that slowly turns their loathing turns to affection. But trust is easily betrayed, and as Évike discovers her own hidden magic, she and Gaspar must decide where their loyalties really lie . . .______________________________________'Entertaining, appealing, and strikingly imagined' Tor.com'An intricate, gut-wrenching fantasy that will set the bar for dark historical fantasy for years to come.' The Book Report'Gorgeously written and grimly real' Alix Harrow'A grown-up, complicated, angsty, sexy, dark book' Cultured Vulture'Richly imagined, densely textured, and endlessly delightful' Katherine Addison'A powerful feminist story about acceptance, The Wolf and the Woodsman is perfect for fans of The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden' British Fantasy SocietyTrade ReviewRooted in history and myth, The Wolf and the Woodsman is a stunning debut - a powerful and haunting tale of a young woman's will to live, of love flowering in defiance of tyranny. It will twine like a dark forest around your heart. * Samantha Shannon, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Priory of the Orange Tree *Written with a timelessness of spirit, a magical world that knows no bounds, and characters who will make your heart pound and your eyes well up, The Wolf and the Woodsman is an intricate, gut-wrenching fantasy that will set the bar for dark historical fantasy for years to come. * The Book Report *A thought-provoking, thrilling magical twist on the history of religion and politics that I couldn't put down . . . stunningly rendered * S.A. Chakraborty, bestselling author of The Empire of Gold *A striking debut . . . Entertaining, appealing, and strikingly imagined * Tor.com *Gorgeously written and grimly real, The Wolf and the Woodsman is a bloody fable about two people caught in the jaws of history. It quite literally took my breath away. * Alix E. Harrow, Hugo-award winning author of The Ten Thousand Doors of January *A seriously impressive debut novel . . . grown-up, complicated, angsty, sexy, dark book - and one that I will be recommending far and wide * Cultured Vulture *Beautiful and gut wrenching . . . It's a fundamentally Jewish tale that gripped me from beginning to end. A riveting debut that will keep you up all night, desperately chasing the heart-pounding conclusion. * Victoria Lee, author of The Fever King *A richly imagined exploration of faith and folklore . . . lushly written and thoroughly evocative * Culturess *The Wolf and the Woodsman, beautifully written and expertly told, is a darkly magical tale from beginning to end. I was equal parts terrified and delighted, somehow swept away and grounded in a world as beautiful as it is deadly. * Isabel Ibañez, author of Woven in Moonlight *Compelling, complicated, and worthwhile * Kirkus *Évike may be the only one in her village without 'powers,' but that doesn't stop her from being an in-your-face heroine who stands up for the things she believes in and never backs down. Reid has crafted a story that is not only relevant for our times, but has timelessness about it that truly makes it shine. The Wolf and the Woodsman is not a book I will soon forget. * Genevieve Gornichec, author of The Witch’s Heart *Examines religious freedom through the lens of myth and magic . . . The convincing enemies-to-lovers romance, fascinating religion-based magic system, and thoughtful examination of zealotry make this a notable debut. * Publishers Weekly *Combining religion, magic, and evocative language, Ava Reid has created a daring fantasy world full of imagination and fierce heroics. * Luanne G. Smith, bestselling author of The Vine Witch *Rich with vivid description, fantastical monsters, and magic unmatched by most other books for its pure physicality, this story may be strongly influenced by Jewish folklore, but the voice is original, perhaps as it's refreshingly female. * The Jewish Book Council *I enjoyed The Wolf and the Woodsman very much. Évike is a memorable protagonist, deeply flawed but trying, almost despite herself, to do the right thing. The writing is assured and compelling throughout, and the worldbuilding is richly imagined, densely textured, and endlessly delightful. * Katherine Addison, author of The Goblin Emperor *Ava Reid has boldly announced herself as a literary force with The Wolf and the Woodsman. The novel is impressive in its beauty, characters, and uncompromising nature and is all the more impressive for being Reid's debut novel. * SFF World *The Wolf and The Woodsman is one hell of a ride. Évike is an unlikely heroine, torn by warring duties and identities but despite it all, she discovers a power that could save a nation from itself. But only if she lives. I couldn't put it down. * Greta Kelly, author of The Frozen Crown *A powerful feminist story about acceptance, The Wolf and the Woodsman is perfect for fans of The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden and John Gwynne's The Shadow of the Gods. * British Fantasy Society *One of the best books I've read this year. From page one, I could tell that I was in expert hands . . . Juniper & Thorn is out there waiting for you to read it and be seen in a way you've been aching for. Please go and read it. * Tor.com *

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Book SynopsisSoon to be a major film directed by Coky Giedroyc and starring Ladybird's Beanie Feldstein as Johanna Morrigan and Game of Thrones's Alfie Allen as John KiteMy name’s Johanna Morrigan. I’m fourteen, and I’ve just decided to kill myself.I don’t really want to die, of course! I just need to kill Johanna, and build a new girl. Dolly Wilde will be everything I want to be, and more! But as with all the best coming-of-age stories, it doesn’t exactly go to plan…A Number One Sunday Times bestseller in hardback and paperback, from the award-winning and Sunday Times bestselling author of How to Be a Woman. Trade ReviewRude, big-hearted, wise-cracking novel -- Christina Patterson * The Sunday Times *Brilliantly observed, thrillingly rude and laugh-out-loud funny -- Helen FieldingAn entertaining read, with Moran in fine voice – hilarious, wild, imaginative and highly valuable…Moran is in danger of becoming to female masturbation what Keats was to Nightingales… -- Barbara Ellen * The Observer *A Portnoy's Complaint for girls… when I see this book described as "laugh-out-loud funny" I feel affronted; it could make you laugh out loud with one hand tied behind its back, while wanking itself off to fantasies of Satan. Laughing out loud is just the start -- Zoe Williams * The Guardian *spirited coming of age novel romps from strength to strength…I’m a Moran fan -- Lionel Shriver * The Times *

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Book Synopsis**LONGLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2023****SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2022**Discover an exhilarating novel about power and corruption set in a nation trapped in a cycle as old as time.'A masterpiece for our times. Gripping and exhilarating' Observer 'Uplifting and original' StylistThis is the story of a country on the brink of revolution.It's the story of Destiny, who returns home to witness the uprising.It's a story for all of us, and a reminder that history can be changed in the blink of an eye.'A novel with heart and energy' Daily Telegraph'Bulawayo is really out-Orwelling Orwell. This is a satire with sharper teeth, angrier, and also very, very funny' New York Times Book Review** SHORTLISTED FOR THE RATHBONES FOLIO PRIZE 2023****SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2023 VISIONARY ARTS AWARDS**Trade ReviewAllegory, satire and fairytale rolled into one mighty punch * Guardian *Brave, and moving -- Stuart Kelly * Scotsman *Vital and universal -- Hepzibah Anderson * Observer *Few writers can engineer a sentence like NoViolet Bulawayo * Irish Times *Bulawayo is really out-Orwelling Orwell. This is a satire with sharper teeth, angrier, and also very, very funny * New York Times Book Review *

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Book Synopsis** SHORTLISTED FOR THE RATHBONES FOLIO PRIZE 2023**** WINNER OF THE 2022 GOVERNOR GENERAL'S LITERARY AWARD IN FICTION**Named a Best Book of the Year by The New York Times, The New Yorker, Vulture, The Times Literary Supplement, and moreWhat if this world is just a first draft, made by some great artist in order to be destroyed?In this first draft, a woman named Mira leaves home to study. There, she meets Annie, whose tremendous power opens Mira's chest like a portal - to what, she doesn't know. When Mira is older, her beloved father dies, and she enters that strange and dizzying dimension that true loss opens up.Pure Colour tells the story of a life, from beginning to end. It is a contemporary bible, an atlas of feeling and a shape-shifting epic that is celestially bright and streaked with beauty.'Beautiful and impossible to put down. Sheila Heti is a genius.' Avni Doshi'This one-of-a-kind novel... feels nothing less than vital.' Observer'An original, a book that says something new for our difficult times.' Anne Enright, Guardian'A treat.' Stylist_______________________PRAISE FOR SHEILA HETI:'Exhilarating...it made me want to write' Sally Rooney, on How Should a Person Be?'Sheila Heti has broken new ground' Rachel Cusk, on Motherhood'Complex, artfully messy and hilarious' Miranda July, on How Should a Person Be? 'Thrilling, very funny, and almost unbearably moving' Garth Greenwell, on Motherhood'Courageous, necessary, visionary' Elif Batuman, on MotherhoodTrade ReviewAn impressive spectrum of meaning and feeling, both abstract and tangible... This one-of-a-kind novel... feels nothing less than vital. -- Anthony Cummins * Observer *Pure Colour is the apocalypse written as trance, a sleepwalker's song about the end of all things... There is also Heti's lovely prose to enjoy, her beautifully sustained tone, the way she is, as a writer, earnest, funny and sweet... Pure Colour is an original, a book that says something new for our difficult times. -- Anne Enright * Guardian *Exemplifies both originality and sharpness... the kind of book that you start reading again as soon as you finish it, to see how on earth the author pulled it off... Descriptions of grief that are so surprising and true they made me gasp. -- Hadley Freeman * Guardian *Pure Colour is not just a novel, it's a creation myth, a fairy tale, a story about making art and living on this planet. A story about death and the irresistible inner stirrings that bring us back to life. Beautiful and impossible to put down. Sheila Heti is a genius. -- Avni DoshiWonderfully entertaining... a treat to read. Expect to take in the work of a true wordsmith. -- Kiran Meeda * Stylist *What makes Heti's novels so compelling is... the questions her characters need answering at moments of flux in their lives... [Pure Colour] left me full of admiration and wonder. -- Johanna Thomas-Corr * New Statesman *An explicitly mystical book... So new...This book, so full of argument, feels weightless. -- Parul Sehgal * The New Yorker *Just like that, there's magic. Like Iris Murdoch's novels, Heti's are philosophically intense, although Heti's work is pared down where Murdoch's was Rabelaisian. Heti owns a sharp axe. In Pure Colour the wood chips that fall are as interesting as the sculpture that gets made. -- Dwight Garner * The New York Times *Buoyed by a dazzling assortment of questions, curiosities and wild propositions that betray the author's agile and untamed mind...[Pure Colour] brings into view a certain organic and ecstatic wholeness: bright splashes of feeling and folly, of grief and loss...[it] defies classification. -- Alexandra Kleeman * New York Times Book Review *Heti excels at small moments, delicately revealed. * Daily Telegraph *Heti is brilliant at nailing down universal cultural experiences. * Sunday Times *A philosophical fable about art, death, faith and the perilous state of the universe. * Daily Mail *It isn't often that a novel dares to rethink the order of the universe we live in, yet in Pure Colour, Sheila Heti aims for just that. Making new sense of our cracked world through a vulnerable meditation on love and art that feels both personal and cosmic, this is a book that takes good care of its reader, and heals. -- Livia FranchiniThe most timely, urgent book of 2022... It feels both as thrillingly inventive as [Heti's] ever been and also defiantly and satisfyingly middle-aged... Genius. -- Lynn Steger Strong * Los Angeles Times *Pure Colour is unabashedly metaphysical and completely outlandish...Yet neither grief nor theology can suppress Heti's oddball wit and affection for wildly inappropriate sexual metaphors, for which a reader should be grateful... Heti is the rare mystic with a sense of humor. -- Judith Shulevitz * The Atlantic *Sheila Heti has the innate ability to capture feelings and thinkings that can seem so mercurial, and to provoke new avenues of thought on social codes, with challenge, care, and clarity. Her writing is both a relief and an invigoration. -- Anna Cafolla * AnOther, *Books to Look Out For 2022* *Pure Colour will make you question life and choices in the same philosophical and lyrically written way. -- Alice Snape * Cosmopolitan, *Books to Look Our For 2022* *Heti has evolved the leanest, more powerful, playful, and entirely unique form for writing ideas. With one foot in the everyday and another in the floating world, Pure Colour is a pure feat. -- Joanna WalshPure Colour...[is] a honed gem, a surreal bildungsroman... With its philosophical meditations, poetic vignettes and absurdist comedy, it is...a bracing reminder that the novel is the literary form where a writer is free to do anything... Heti...[is] an original and influential voice in contemporary fiction -- Max Liu * i *Heti's... writing is beguiling, funny and wise. The novel's surreal elements invite as many interpretations as an abstract painting -- Alastair Curtis * Prospect *Heti's work is always original - that Pure Colour is also deeply moving makes it all the more remarkable * New Statesman, *The best books of 2022 so far* *Compelling -- Emily Witt * London Review of Books *A philosophical novel as timely as the fictions of Camus and Hesse were for another generation. Heti's voice, however, is entirely her own: bold, searching, hilarious, simultaneously artful and artless... her grandest...novel yet * Times Literary Supplement, *Books of the Year* *

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Book SynopsisFrom Sunday Times bestselling novelist Rose Tremain comes a gripping novel of murder and revenge set in Victorian England Nobody knows yet that she is a murderer... London, 1850. On a freezing winter's night, a baby is abandoned at the gates of a park only to be saved by a young policeman and taken to the Foundling Hospital.After suffering years of brutal hardship at the Hospital, Lily is released into the world of Victorian London. But she is hiding a dreadful secret...When Lily and the policeman meet again, Lily is convinced that he holds the key to her happiness. But might he also be the one to uncover her crime and so condemn her to death?'Enthralling... Tremain evokes Victorian London with visceral intensity in a gripping and deeply humane novel exploring themes of rejection, poverty, guilt and redemption' ObserverTrade ReviewLily, in addition to its pellucid prose, is shamelessly gripping -- Jake Kerridge * Daily Telegraph *Tremain's latest novel more than lives up to its atmospheric, riveting beginning... It's consummate storytelling, and finds room for redemption as well as revenge -- Hephzibah Anderson * Mail on Sunday *Another memorable and engrossing read from Tremain, which brings Victorian London, and especially courageous Lily, to life on the page -- Joanne Finney * Good Housekeeping *A heartbreaking story set in Victorian England from the pitch-perfect pen of Rose Tremain -- Antonia Senior * The Times, *Books of the Year* *Tremain's gift is to create characters whose experiences span every walk of life, but who are grounded in their author's understanding of the world * Harper's Bazaar *

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Book Synopsis''Brilliantly twisty'' Publisher''s Weekly''The plot twists will give you whiplash'' Washington Post''The mystery is authentic, the lead-up genuinely suspenseful'' Kirkus____________________________FIVE VICTIMS. ONE KILLER. When five teenage girls are abducted, Chicago PD Detective Billy Harney leads the investigation to find them. Harney and his partner, Carla, follow a lead to a remote house, only to find themselves caught in a deadly trap. A huge explosion rips through the building, killing Carla and allowing the kidnapper to escape. With the loss of his partner fuelling him, Harney strengthens his resolve to find her killer - and to make sure the body count ends there.____________________________Readers are loving Escape''Loads of twists''''Couldn''t put it down''''A great and gripping story''''Keeps you reading until the very end''

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Book Synopsis''I will remember the story of Einstein for the rest of my life ... This book should be read by everyone.'' VIRGINIA MCKENNA''An unusually powerful book - and a timely one too.'' MICHAEL PALIN''Revealing, perceptive and chilling in turns, the book is unlike any other I have read. Felice Fallon''s ability to write with so many voices makes Interviews with an Ape compelling and thought-provoking. It will break your heart and change your mind.'' JOANNA LUMLEY___________________A young woman, Dr Graciela Saddiq, arrives to work at a zoo in a city soon to be at war.Of all the animals, she is particularly interested in a silverback mountain gorilla named Einstein.Quickly she finds what makes this gorilla unique: he can communicate with humans using sign language.Each evening as darkness falls and the zoo empties of people, Einstein tells her his story as well as those of other animals he has know

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