Historical Fiction Books

Book SynopsisHacienda San Isidro was meant to be Beatriz’s haven, her salvation from an oppressive life with her uncle and his vicious wife. When Don Rodolfo Solórzano proposed, Beatriz dreamed only of the security his estate in the countryside would provide, ignoring the rumors surrounding his first wife’s demise and his sinister allegiances. She will have her own home again, no matter the price. But the house has ideas of its own. Visions and voices claw at Beatriz, stealing her sleep, and the weight of invisible eyes follows her every move. Deep in her bones, Beatriz knows—something is wrong with San Isidro. Desperate for help, she turns to the young priest, Padre Andrés. Handsome and sympathetic, he seems like Beatriz’s only hope. But as their passions rise and the walls close in around Beatriz, the weight of secrets everyone is carrying may lead them all to their doom.Trade Review“A haunted history, a gory gothic, a forbidden romance. This book kept me up at night, and it was worth every second of lost sleep.”—Alix E. Harrow, New York Times bestselling author of The Once and Future Witches“A hypnotic, sinister tale that is equal parts terrifying and luxurious. Cañas’s debut is a nightmare lined with velvet.”—Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Tale of the Flower Bride“Lush, sinister, and darkly romantic. The Hacienda is a haunting and brilliant debut.”—Alexis Henderson, author of The Year of the Witching

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Book SynopsisTHE COMPELLING NOVEL FROM SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER PHILIPPA GREGORY'There is only one bond that I trust: between a woman and her sisters. We never take our eyes off each other. In love and in rivalry, we always think of each other.' When Katherine of Aragon is brought to the Tudor court as a young bride, the oldest princess, Margaret, takes her measure.  With one look, each knows the other for a rival, an ally, a pawn, destined – with Margaret’s younger sister Mary – to a sisterhood unique in all the world. The three sisters will become the queens of England, Scotland and France. United by family loyalties and affections, the three queens find themselves set against each other.  Katherine commands an army against Margaret and kills her husband James IV of Scotland. But Margaret’s boy becomes heir to the Tudor throne when Katherine loses her son. Mary steals the wTrade Review‘A master storyteller…Gregory captures the intrigue and suspense of life at the Tudor court in vivid detail. She skilfully combines painstaking historical research with a gripping fictional narrative and her characters are so lifelike and engaging that they practically leap from the page’ -- Daily Express‘A cleverly wrought political novel. In introducing Parr to a new audience, Gregory has done the first lady of English letters something of a favour’ -- Sunday Telegraph‘Gregory dramatises the story of a reluctant royal wife negotiating the anxious, dangerous years of her marriage… written with her usual authority and capacity for great drama’ -- Sunday Times‘The Taming of the Queen reads like a clever, intimate thriller’ -- The Times‘Gregory brilliantly captures the torn loyalties, treacheries and tragedies that lie beneath the historical detail, to entertaining effect’ -- Good Housekeeping‘The contemporary mistress of historical crime’ -- Kate Mosse‘Popular historical fiction at its finest, immaculately researched and superbly told’ -- The Times‘Gregory creates a world in which all but the most determined women are tools in the hands of powerful men… past-paced, convincing, vivid and engrossing’ -- Daily Express‘Philippa Gregory has another hit on her hands with this gripping page-turner. Her novel simplifies and humanises the complex politics of the period’ -- Sunday Times‘Lady Margaret Beaufort – cold, clever, calculating – will stop at nothing to put her son Henry Tudor on the throne. Gregory is very good at describing the bitchiness of the women in this tale of dynastic rivalry’ -- Daily Telegraph‘Rollicking, page-turning stuff’ -- Metro‘Popular history at its best’ -- Daily Mail‘Meticulously researched…for each novel she immerses herself in dozens of primary and secondary sources, before transforming them into vivid fiction’ -- Sunday Telegraph‘History comes gloriously alive as Elizabeth Woodville seduces and marries Yorkist King Edward IV’ -- Daily Mirror‘Philippa Gregory is truly the mistress of the historical novel. It would be hard to make history more entertaining, lively or engaging’ -- Sunday Express ‘Her novels are filled with strong, determined women who take their fate into their own hands’ -- Financial Times‘Rarely has history been so seductive’ -- Tatler‘Gregory makes history come alive ... riveting’ -- Daily Express

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Book SynopsisIntroducing the Collins Modern Classics, a series featuring some of the most significant books of recent times, books that shed light on the human experience classics which will endure for generations to come.In the spring of 1666, a bolt of infected cloth carries the plague from London to the quiet village of Eyam. The villagers elect to isolate themselves in a fateful quarantine, seen through the eyes of eighteen-year-old Anna Frith. As death and superstition creep from household to household, she must confront loss and the lure of illicit love in an extraordinary Year of Wonders.This timeless and powerful novel, based on a true story, was the astonishing debut novel from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of March.Trade Review‘Beautifully written…it has a vivid imaginative truth’ Hilary Mantel 'Year of Wonders is a staggering fictional debut that matches journalistic accumulation of detail to natural narrative flair' Guardian ‘A lyrically written and emotionally engaging novel' Independent 'Gripping…packed with historical detail' Daily Mail

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Book SynopsisThe action-packed second novel in the No. 1 bestselling Conqueror series, bringing to the epic story of Genghis Khan brilliantly to lifeThe gathering of the tribes of the Mongols has been a long time in coming but finally, triumphantly, Temujin of the Wolves, Genghis Khan, is given the full accolade of the overall leader and their oaths.Now he can begin to meld all the previously warring people into one army, one nation. But the task Genghis has set himself and them is formidable. He is determined to travel to the land of the long-time enemy, the Chin and attack them there. The distances and terrain-the wide deserts, the impenetrable mountains-make it a difficult venture even for the legendary Mongolian speed of movement, but the greatest problem is that of the complex fortifications, a way of fighting wars of a settled urban population which the nomadic Mongolians had never come across. Finding ways to tackle that and keeping his tribes together in a strange environment presents anothTrade Review‘Iggulden is in a class of his own when it comes to epic, historical fiction’ Daily Mirror ‘Iggulden…tells an absolutely cracking story…the pace is nail-biting and the set dressing magnificent’ The Times ‘Iggulden weaves an entertaining tale of this world of men, swords, bows and the call of war and the plains’ Daily Express ‘I felt as if a blockbuster movie was unfolding before me…read the book before Hollywood takes it over’ Daily Express

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Book Synopsis WINNER OF THE KERRY GROUP IRISH NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2018 SHORTLISTED FOR THE WALTER SCOTT PRIZE FOR HISTORICAL FICTION, THE WILLIAM SAROYAN INTERNATIONAL PRIZE FOR WRITING 2018 & FRANCE'S PRIX LITTÉRATURE MONDE (2019) Winter is closing in and Ireland is in the grip of famine. Early one October morning, Grace's mother snatches her from sleep, brutally cuts her hair and tells her: ‘You are the strong one now.’ Her mother fits her up in men's clothes and casts her out, as she is no longer safe at home. With her younger brother Colly in tow, she sets off on a remarkable journey against the looming shadow of her country's darkest hour.Trade Review‘The Irish writer’s third novel raises timeless questions about suffering and survival through the story of two children expelled from their impoverished home in the midst of the Great Famine. When you’re starving, Lynch seems to be asking, are you truly alive?’ Editors' Choice, The New York Times Book Review‘This book is one of the most beautiful I have read in a long time. Heart wrenching and so moving, with language that makes your soul sing.’ Caitriona Balfe, actress and star of Outlander‘A profound and unusual coming-of-age story.’ The Sunday Times‘A shudderingly well written, dead-real, hallucinatory trip across Famine Ireland.’ Emma Donoghue, author of Room‘Haunting and poetic… Lynch has given us poignant glimpses of the human body’s limits, that peculiar messiness of identity, and what happens when parts of a society fail to help, or even acknowledge, those in need.’ Irish Times‘Lynch is frighteningly skilled...searing images into the mind and forcing you to press carefully through sentences as if they are strips of long grass.’ Sunday Independent, (Dublin)‘Lynch…has a particular gift for finding the unexpected yet compelling image that conveys the anomalous nature of this otherworld…. [The] poetic prose is at deliberate odds with the stark horror it depicts, and yet the four blank, black pages at the terrible climax of Grace’s journey are as eloquent as anything else on the unspeakable tragedy of the Famine.’ TLS‘Lynch brilliantly conveys the rabid effects of the famine on his characters…and he offers us a worthy heroine to guide us through it.’ Irish Examiner‘A literary beauty… It is the saddest, heaviest, most beautiful, lyrical [novel], one of the most stunning books I’ve read in recent times. I would urge you to read it.’ Ryan Tubridy, The Tubridy Show, RTE‘An epic tale of endurance, which in Lynch's deft hands is harrowing and simultaneously starkly beautiful.’ Esquire, (Best Books of 2017 So Far)‘When you finish, you feel like saying "wow". Under your breath perhaps, but do not be hard on yourself if you shout it out, because this is a work of staggering beauty and deep insight.’ Sydney Morning Herald‘Lynch’s wonderful third novel follows a teenage girl through impoverished Ireland at the height of the Great Famine…Lynch’s powerful, inventive language intensifies the poignancy of the woe that characterizes this world of have-nothings struggling to survive.’ Publishers Weekly, (starred review)‘A beautifully written novel, with a haunting story and deep echoes of the Ancients.’ Edna O’Brien, author of The Country Girls‘Lynch makes the page sing like the old masters.’ Philipp Meyer, author of The Son ‘The power of Paul Lynch's imagination is truly startling; his ability to inhabit and deeply understand the moments, both slight and shattering, of a life and of an era translates into an instinct not just for story, but for the most hidden, most forceful currents of language and what they can do.’ Belinda McKeon, author of Tender'As a writer, Lynch is sui generis. His style is bold, grandiose, mesmeric. He strives for large effects, wrestles with big ideas... Lynch has been compared to greats such as Cormac McCarthy, Faulkner and Beckett, while others have located him in the Irish gothic tradition of Stoker and le Fanu.' The Sunday Times (Ireland)‘A work of great lyricism. Its beautiful prose is put to devastating effect in his vivid story of the Irish potato famine, which killed at least a million people... Lynch’s narrative gripped us from the start and never let us go. It haunted the judges long after the final line.’ The Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction Judges‘A mesmerizing, incandescent work of art... An exhilarating, Odyssean, heartpounding, glorious story, wrought by a novelist with the eye and the ear and the heart of an absolute master.’ Donal Ryan, Booker-nominated author of The Spinning Heart‘Lynch never shies away from the subject matter—the impossibly gruelling winters Grace faces, the people she meets and can never trust, the heartbreak of losing a family member... In Lynch’s deft hands I found myself enthralled as Grace cuts herself a path through a forbidding world.’ Johanna Zwirner, The Paris Review‘It’s not just style that makes this an unforgettable book. Its heroine, 14-year-old Grace, may not have much to say for herself, but her younger brother, Colly, is a gleefully riddling, smutty delight. Gradually [the book] becomes a darker book as hunger eats away at humanity — and the darker it gets, the more [Lynch’s] unerring gifts are confirmed.’ Daily Mail

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Book SynopsisKen Follett was born in Cardiff, Wales. Barred from watching films and television by his parents, he developed an early interest in reading thanks to a local library. After studying philosophy at University College London, he became involved in centre-left politics, entering into journalism soon after. His first thriller, the wartime spy drama Eye of the Needle, became an international bestseller and has sold over 10 million copies. He then astonished everyone with his first historical novel, The Pillars of the Earth, the story of the building of a medieval cathedral, which went on to become one of the most beloved books of the twentieth century. One of the most popular authors in the world, his many books including the Kingsbridge series and the Century trilogy - a body of work which together chronicles over a thousand years of history - and his latest novel Never - which envisages how World War III could happen - have sold more than 188 million copies. A f

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Book SynopsisA race against time Courtney series thriller from the Master of Adventure, Wilbur Smith

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Book SynopsisTHE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLERAN OPRAH BOOK CLUB PICKDeeply moving' Sarah Winman, author of Still LifeRemarkable' Afua Hirsch, author of Brit(ish)A sweeping epic Outstanding' Daily MailImmerse yourself in a celebration of Black womanhood and an epic tale of the stories that span generations.Ailey Pearl Garfield grows up between the City in the north and summers spent in her mother's small hometown of Chicasetta, Georgia. From an early age, she finds herself in a battle for belonging that's made all the more difficult by a hurt in her past, as well as the whispers of womenher mother, Belle, her sister, Lydia, and a maternal line reaching back two centuriesthat urge Ailey to succeed in their stead.To come to terms with her identity, Ailey embarks on a journey through her family's past, uncovering the shocking tales of generations of ancestorsIndigenous, Black, and whitein the deep South. In doing so Ailey must learn to embrace her full heritage, a legacy of oppression and resistance, bondTrade Review‘Prepare to be wholly engrossed… Phenomenal’ Observer ‘Utterly essential’ iNews ‘Intimate, considered, beautifully written and perceived, ambitious and ultimately satisfying. Outstanding’ Daily Mail ‘Astonishing… I lived in this novel for three weeks. It is long. It is a journey. It is something so remarkable I’m not sure we collectively ever even dreamed it.’ Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple ‘Beautifully, and traumatically, weaves a spell of a story about more than ten generations of an American family―indigenous, African and European… Remarkable’ Afua Hirsch, author of Brit(ish) ‘Breath-taking … A book I urge everyone to read. It is deeply moving and deeply informative. It is magnificent’ Sarah Winman, author of Still Life ‘Exceptional in the way it engages so deeply and emphatically with history’ Guardian ‘Epic and intimate… an extraordinary achievement’ The Spectator ‘A work of profound beauty’ Irish Times ‘Extraordinary … moving and evocative’ TLS ‘The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois is the kind of book that comes around only once a decade … Simply magnificent’ Washington Post ‘Quite simply the best book that I have read in a very, very long time’ New York Times ‘Just as brilliant as it is necessary, just as intimate as it is expansive. An outstanding portrait of an American family and in turn, an outstanding portrait of America’ Angie Thomas, author of The Hate U Give ‘Masterful and stunning … These Love Songs make for a frank, feminist, and unforgettable read’ Deesha Philyaw, author of The Secret Lives of Church Ladies

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Book SynopsisAn exquisite winter tale of courage - and its cost - set in Catholic Ireland.Trade Review'A haunting, hopeful masterpiece.' - Sinead Gleeson'A moral tale that is unsentimental and deeply affecting, because true and right.' - David Hayden

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Book Synopsis1891. Seventeen-year-old Léonie Vernier and her older brother abandon Paris for the sanctuary of their aunt''s isolated country house near Carcassonne, the Domaine de la Cade. But when Léonie stumbles across a ruined sepulchre she uncovers a timeless mystery and a unique deck of tarot cards that seem to hold power over life and death.2007. Meredith Martin arrives at the Domaine de la Cade to research a biography. But Meredith is also seeking the key to her own complex legacy and becomes immersed in the story of a tragic love, a missing girl, a quest for revenge and the haunting events of one cataclysmic night a century ago . . . ''Brilliantly absorbing . . . richly evocative and full of compelling twists and turns'' Red''A powerful storyteller with an abundant imagination'' Daily TelegraphBOOK TWO OF THE LANGUEDOC TRILOGY. Now fully revised and updatedTrade ReviewSEPULCHRE is a compulsive, fantastical, historical yarn. Mosse's skill lies in the precise nature of her storytelling * OBSERVER *Ghosts, duels, murders, ill-fated love and conspiracy ... addictively readable * DAILY MAIL *[Mosse is] a powerful storyteller with an abundant imagination * DAILY TELEGRAPH *Brilliantly absorbing ... Richly evocative and full of compelling twists and turns * RED *Mosse's gifts for historical fiction are considerable ... Mosse does what good popular historical novelists do best - make the past enticingly otherworldly, while also claiming it as our own * INDEPENDENT *The best of the Brits ... Where Mosse really wins is in the writing department. She's the real role model there * DAILY MIRROR *Her narrative lyricism, beautifully drawn female characters and deft journey from the past to the present day, are also a cut above * SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY *A sure, deft momentum . . . the secrets begin to slip out thick and fast * Daily Express *The latest from the author of bestselling Labyrinth, this adventure will keep you engrossed * Eve *

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Book SynopsisTHE COMPELLING NOVEL FROM SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER PHILIPPA GREGORY The second book in Philippa's stunning new series, The Cousins' War, brings to life the story of Margaret Beaufort, a shadowy and mysterious character in the first book of the series - The White Queen - but who now takes centre stage in the bitter struggle of The War of the Roses.The Red Queen tells the story of the child-bride of Edmund Tudor, who, although widowed in her early teens, uses her determination of character and wily plotting to infiltrate the house of York under the guise of loyal friend and servant, undermine the support for Richard III and ultimately ensure that her only son, Henry Tudor, triumphs as King of England. Through collaboration with the dowager Queen Elizabeth Woodville, Margaret agrees a betrothal between Henry and Elizabeth's daughter, thereby uniting the families and resolving the Cousins War once and for all by founding of the Tudor dynasty.Praise for Philippa Gregory: ‘Meticulously researched and deeply entertaining, this story of betrayal and divided loyalties is Gregory on top form’ Good Housekeeping ‘Gregory has popularised Tudor history perhaps more than any other living fiction writer…all of her books feature strong, complex women, doing their best to improve their lives in worlds dominated by men’ Sunday Times ‘Engrossing’ Sunday Express ‘Popular historical fiction at its finest, immaculately researched and superbly told’ The Times

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Book Synopsis#1 New York Times bestselling author Julia Quinn presents the fourth novel of the delightful Bridgerton Prequel series in a stunning new package. There were Bridgertons before the eight alphabetically named siblings, and in this novel, we go back to where it all began. . .She was given two choices...Georgiana Bridgerton isn’t against the idea of marriage. She’d just thought she’d have some say in the matter. But with her reputation hanging by a thread after she’s abducted for her dowry, Georgie is given two options: live out her life as a spinster or marry the rogue who has ruined her life.Enter Option #3As the fourth son of an earl, Nicholas Rokesby is prepared to chart his own course. He has a life in Edinburgh, where he’s close to completing his medical studies, and he has no time—or

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Book SynopsisC. J. Sansom was educated at Birmingham University, where he took a BA and then a PhD in history. After working in a variety of jobs, he retrained as a solicitor and practised in Sussex, until becoming a full-time writer. Sansom is the bestselling author of the acclaimed Shardlake series, the Spanish Civil War thriller Winter in Madrid and the number one bestseller Dominion. In 2023, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Edinburgh. He lived in Sussex until his death in 2024.

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Book SynopsisSoon to be a major television event from Pascal Pictures, starring Tom Holland. Based on the true story of a forgotten hero, the USA Today and #1 Amazon Charts bestseller Beneath a Scarlet Sky is the triumphant, epic tale of one young man’s incredible courage and resilience during one of history’s darkest hours. Pino Lella wants nothing to do with the war or the Nazis. He’s a normal Italian teenager—obsessed with music, food, and girls—but his days of innocence are numbered. When his family home in Milan is destroyed by Allied bombs, Pino joins an underground railroad helping Jews escape over the Alps, and falls for Anna, a beautiful widow six years his senior. In an attempt to protect him, Pino’s parents force him to enlist as a German soldier—a move they think will keep him out of combat. But after Pino is injured, he is recruited at the tender age of eighteen to become the personal driver for Adolf Hitler’s left hand in Italy, General Hans Leyers, one of the Third Reich’s most mysterious and powerful commanders. Now, with the opportunity to spy for the Allies inside the German High Command, Pino endures the horrors of the war and the Nazi occupation by fighting in secret, his courage bolstered by his love for Anna and for the life he dreams they will one day share. Fans of All the Light We Cannot See, The Nightingale, and Unbroken will enjoy this riveting saga of history, suspense, and love.Trade ReviewA Goodreads Choice Award Finalist, Historical Fiction A 2017 Goodreads Top 20 Most-Read Book A Goodreads Best Book of the Month “Exciting…taut thriller…Beneath a Scarlet Sky tells the true story of one young Italian’s efforts to thwart the Nazis.” —Shelf Awareness “Meticulous research highlights this World War II novel of a youth growing into manhood…a captivating read…” —RT Book Reviews “An incredible story, beautifully written, and a fine and noble book.” —James Patterson, New York Times bestselling author “Sprawling, stirring, like the richest of stories, and played out on a canvas of heroism and tragedy, Beneath a Scarlet Sky is like one of those iconic World War II black and white photos: a face of hope and tears, the story of a small life that ended up mattering in a big way.” —Andrew Gross, New York Times bestselling author of The One Man “Action, adventure, love, war, and an epic hero—all set against the backdrop of one of history's darkest moment—Mark Sullivan's Beneath a Scarlet Sky has everything one can ask for in an exceptional World War II novel.” —Tess Gerritsen, New York Times bestselling author of Playing with Fire “This is full-force Mark Sullivan—muscular, soulful prose evincing an artist’s touch and a journalist’s eye. Beneath a Scarlet Sky conjures an era with a magician’s ease, weaving the rich tapestry of a wartime epic. World War II Italy has never been more alive to me.” —Gregg Hurwitz, New York Times bestselling author of The Nowhere Man “Beneath a Scarlet Sky has everything—heroism, courage, terror, true love, revenge, compassion in the face of the worst human evils. Sullivan shows us war as it really is, with all its complexities, conflicting loyalties, and unresolved questions, but most of all, he brings us the extraordinary figure of Pino Lella, whose determination to live con smania—with passion—saved him.” —Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author of Suspicion and The Switch

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Book SynopsisA novel about the magical lure of books and summoning the courage to rewrite our stories by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of The Keeper of Happy Endings and The Last of the Moon Girls. Rare-book dealer Ashlyn Greer’s affinity for books extends beyond the intoxicating scent of old paper, ink, and leather. She can feel the echoes of the books’ previous owners—an emotional fingerprint only she can read. When Ashlyn discovers a pair of beautifully bound volumes that appear to have never been published, her gift quickly becomes an obsession. Not only is each inscribed with a startling incrimination, but the authors, Hemi and Belle, tell conflicting sides of a tragic romance. With no trace of how these mysterious books came into the world, Ashlyn is caught up in a decades-old literary mystery, beckoned by two hearts in ruins, whoever they were, wherever they are. Determined to learn the truth behind the doomed lovers’ tale, she reads on, following a trail of broken promises and seemingly unforgivable betrayals. The more Ashlyn learns about Hemi and Belle, the nearer she comes to bringing closure to their love story—and to the unfinished chapters of her own life.Trade Review“[The] dueling timelines, packed with twists and turns, should appeal to fans of Kate Atkinson’s Life After Life and Taylor Jenkins Reid’s The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.” —Booklist “The author’s ability to present two different, but related, heartbreaking stories inside her own novel and keep all the voices distinct is so impressive. The fascinating characters and the beauty of the writing pull the reader in…Highly recommended.” —Historical Novels Review “Delightful! …very satisfying. Barbara Davis endings usually are!” —Midwest Book Review “I’ve voraciously consumed all of Barbara Davis’s books, but this gem of a dual timeline, which features a protagonist who owns an antique bookshop, has woven its way into my heart. The Echo of Old Books is a shining testament to the redemptive power of love. I took my time reading this story, savoring all the beautiful sentences, because I didn’t want it to end. Highly recommend.” —Terry Lynn Thomas, USA Today bestselling author of The Silent Woman “Woven with intriguing historical elements, The Echo of Old Books celebrates an enduring romance that overcomes all obstacles and the transformative power of love to heal the pain of past secrets. A big-hearted gem of a novel sure to delight true book lovers everywhere.” —Christine Nolfi, bestselling author of A Brighter Flame “I knew from page one that I would fall in love with this ambitious jewel of a story. Two books within a book. Two love stories within a story. And a bit of the unbelievable as only Davis can weave. All of this done in a manner I’ve not seen before. This book has everything readers want: family drama, deceit, lies, and corruption set against one of the most horrifying periods in history. And love. Davis may have reached a new height in her career.” —Barbara Conrey, bestselling author of My Secret To Keep “With her latest novel, Barbara Davis has delivered a beautiful gift to readers who enjoy a true passion for books. I was entranced by The Echo of Old Books from the very first page. A story within a story, it has all the elements I love—unforgettable characters, an old mystery begging to be solved, a well-researched historical backstory that is both romantic and tragic, and a touch of magical realism that swept me into the delightful world of my imagination. I couldn’t have loved it more!” – Julianne MacLean, bestselling author of Beyond the Moonlit Sea “A new book by Barbara Davis is cause for celebration, and The Echo of Old Books is a carefully woven, brilliant, beautiful, complex story of finding family and rediscovering lost love. Davis's characters are living, breathing people that you miss when you get to the last page. I loved every single page of this historical, lyrical, magical novel." —Maddie Dawson, bestselling author of Matchmaking for Beginners and Snap Out of It

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Book SynopsisCoward, scoundrel, lover and cheat, but there is no better man to go into the jungle with. Join Flashman in his adventures as he survives fearful ordeals and outlandish perils across the four corners of the world.The British Empire needs a man to satisfy insatiable lust and indulge in ungentlemanly acts fortunately it has Harry Flashman. And with the mighty Sikh army poised to invade India, Flashman must go back into secret service and this time contend with the intrigues of the Court of Punjab.Trade Review'Flashman is a wonderful creation, by a master storyteller. We'll forever delight in his evil antics' JEFFREY ARCHER ‘Politically incorrect, lascivious and fiendishly handsome, Flashman is the greatest ’ BORIS JOHNSON ‘Flashman is one of the great characters of modern fiction; a rogue, a lover, and always an irresistible read’ BERNARD CORNWELL ‘Flashman, Sherlock Holmes, Toad of Toad Hall, Bertie Wooster. Any writer would give his eye-teeth to have created a character as good as those. GMF was one of the greats’ CONN IGGULDEN ‘The perfect fictional creation’ TONY PARSONS ‘A first-rate historical novelist’ KINGSLEY AMIS

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Book SynopsisThe eagerly anticipated follow-up to the bestselling Harlequin, this is the second instalment in Bernard Cornwell''s GRAIL QUEST series, in a bright and bold repackage.It is 1346. While King Edward III fights in France, England lies exposed to the threat of invasion. Thomas of Hookton, archer and hero of Crécy, finds himself back in the north just as the Scots invade on behalf of their French allies.Thomas is determined to pursue his personal quest: to discover whether a relic he is searching for is the Holy Grail. But once again it is the archers whose skills will be called upon, and who will become the true heroes of the battle.Trade Review‘Crackling with good deeds, fine characters and sparkling set pieces, it confirms yet again Cornwell’s reputation for masterly historical novels’ DAILY MAIL ‘It is all spectacular, rattling good stuff: war and torture; love, lust and loss’ THE TIMES ‘The battle scenes, as always, are masterful; and the vignettes of everyday living, in times of extreme hardship, have the ring of simple truth’ SUNDAY TELEGRAPH ‘A very fine writer’ ECONOMIST

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Book SynopsisThe unputdownable multi-million copy bestseller charting the rags to riches story of Emma HarteWith new Foreword from Fern Britton.A WOMAN''S AMBITIONIn the brooding moors above a humble Yorkshire village stood Fairley Hall. There, Emma Harte, its oppressed but resourceful servant girl, acquired a shrewd determination. There, she honed her skills, discovered the meaning of treachery, learned to survive, to become a woman, and vowed to make her mark on the world.A JOURNEY OF A LIFETIMEIn the wake of tragedy she rose from poverty to magnificent wealth as the iron-willed force behind a thriving international enterprise. As one of the richest women in the world Emma Harte has almost everything she fought so hard to achieve-save for the dream of love, and for the passion of the one man she could never have.A DREAM FULFILLED-AND AVENGED.Through two marriages, two devastating wars, and generations of secrets, Emma''s unparalleled success has come with a price. As greed, envy, and revenge consume those closest to her, the brilliant matriarch now finds herself poised to outwit her enemies, and to face the betrayals of the past with the same ingenious resolve that forged her empire.Trade Review‘An extravagant, absorbing novel of love, courage, ambition, war, death and passion.’New York Times ‘A mighty saga. Little has been so riveting since Gone With the Wind’ Evening News ‘A long, satisfying novel of money, power, passion and revenge, set against the sweep of 20th-century history.’Los Angeles Times ‘Few novelists are as consummate as Barbara Taylor Bradford at keeping the reader turning the page. She is one of the world’s best at spinning yarns’ Guardian

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Book SynopsisThe number one bestselling phenomenonJULY 1209, Carcassonne. Seventeen-year-old Alaïs Pelletier is given a mysterious book by her father, which he claims contains the secret of the true Grail. Although Alaïs cannot understand the strange words and symbols hidden within, she knows that her destiny lies in keeping the secret of the labyrinth safe.JULY 2005. Archaeologist Alice Tanner discovers two skeletons in a forgotten cave in the French Pyrenees. Puzzled by the labyrinth symbol carved into the rock, she realises she has disturbed something that was meant to remain buried. Soon, a link to a shocking secret - and her own past - is revealed . . . ''LABYRINTH is a reader''s Holy Grail . . . a heart-wrenching, thrilling tale'' Val McDermid''An action-packed adventure of modern conspiracy and medieval passion'' IndependentBOOK ONE OF THE LANGUEDOC TRILOGYTrade ReviewThe author has combined an ingenious adventure story with a wonderfully detailed account of the historical background of the Languedoc ... the result is entirely compelling and full of incidental pleasures -- Christina Koning * THE TIMES *Pacey and addictive -- Kate Saunders * THE TIMES *Saturated with a passionate understanding of the region's past in a way that puts more conventional historical accounts to shame. Mosse wears her learning so lightly, knitting her historical research so neatly into her narrative . . . reminiscent of those twin goddesses of popular historical fiction, Jean Plaidy and Mary Renault * GUARDIAN *A gripping holy grail quest ... the story line runs on knowledge and fun - Carcassonne never looked so good -- Anthony Sattin * SUNDAY TIMES *This is a novel clearly fuelled by an authorial obsession with a history, region and concept. The settings are evocative and... there are also some powerful dramatic scenes: the climactic moments where the good and evil women meet and battle it out are particularly compelling... [An] intriguing...passionate book * SUNDAY TIMES *A spellbinding adventure story * REAL *LABYRINTH is very much a Girl's Own story: a grail quest in which women aren't helpless creatures to be rescued, or decorative bystanders, but central to the action, with the capacity to change history * OBSERVER *An elegantly written time-slip novel set in France. There's medieval passion and modern-day conspiracy, all revolving around three hidden books * INDEPENDENT *A thumping read: Mosse creates a world so complete I began to miss it before the last page. More intriguing than Dan Brown, a conundrum with lasting depth and vigour, LABYRINTH captivates from the first page until the final twist -- Denise MinaLabyrinth is a reader's Holy Grail, mixing legend, religion, history, past and present in a heart-wrenching, thrilling tale. Eat your heart out, Dan Brown, this is the real thing -- Val McDermidThis year's gripping romp . . . intelligently written. Her love of the location around Carcassonne . . . is evident from her generous descriptions of the city and the surrounding countryside; and her research into the details of the Cathar's lives and language is evidently extensive . . . LABYRINTH will fulfil everyone's expectations, not least because of Mosse's passion for the subject matter and her narrative verve * Observer *LABYRINTH has all the ingredients of a summer blockbuster * Daily Mail *It is the freedom to luxuriate in a fully realised work that makes Mosse's novel such a pleasurable read . . . Mosse infuses each scene with such depth of atmospheric detail that full immersion is inevitable . . . Mosse wields admirable control over the vast body of her material and manoeuvres through it with subtlety and grace * Mxlexia *Prepare to be chilled by Kate Mosse's archaeological thriller * RED *There is nothing like a lovely long luscious journey through the French Pyrenees, and that is what Kate Mosse provides in her latest novel, Labyrinth . . . a spellbinding novel that slips between the present day and the thirteenth century . . . Mosse mixes a Grail adventure with passion and great writing in a book that for once features two feisty lead women * NEW BOOKS *A lovely, intelligent novel of discovery and loss, generous in its historical scope and intimate in its tender details -- Nicci GerrardSaturated with a passionate understanding of the region's past in a way that puts more conventional historical accounts to shame. Mosse wears her learning so lightly, knitting her historical research so neatly into her narrative, that we never get the slightest sense of being preached or lectured to... [conveying] the texture of various patches of the past with such rich complexity * GUARDIAN *An action packed adventure of modern conspiracy and medieval passion ... a Grail gripper [and] elegantly written timeslip novel set in France * INDEPENDENT *

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Book SynopsisCilka's Journey is the million copy bestselling sequel to the phenomenon The Tattooist of Auschwitz.Don't miss the conclusion to The Tattooist of Auschwitz Trilogy, Three Sisters. Available now.'She was the bravest person I ever met'Lale Sokolov, The Tattooist of Auschwitz In 1942 Cilka Klein is just sixteen years old when she is taken to Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp. The Commandant at Birkenau, Schwarzhuber, notices her long beautiful hair, and forces her separation from the other women prisoners. Cilka learns quickly that power, even unwillingly given, equals survival.After liberation, Cilka is charged as a collaborator by the Russians and sent to a desolate, brutal prison camp in Siberia known as Vorkuta, inside the Arctic Circle. Innocent, imprisoned once again, Cilka faces challenges both new and horribly familiar, each day a battle for survival. Cilka befriends a woman doctor, and learns to nurse the ill in the camp, struggling to care for them under unimaginable conditions. And when she tends to a man called Alexandr, Cilka finds that despite everything, there is room in her heart for love.Cilka's Journey is a powerful testament to the triumph of the human will. It will move you to tears, but it will also leave you astonished and uplifted by one woman's fierce determination to survive, against all odds.- - - - - - - - 'Her truly incredible story is one to be read by everyone.' Sun'Cilka's extraordinary courage in the face of evil and her determination to survive against the odds will stay with you long after you've finished reading this heartrending book.' Sunday Express'Her courage and determination to survive makes for a heartrending read.' Daily Mirror

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Book SynopsisSet in rural Tennessee between the world wars, The Orchard Keeper is the unique, darkly biblical debut novel from the legendary author of Blood Meridian and The Road, Cormac McCarthy.'McCarthy has the best kind of Southern style' – New York TimesJohn Wesley Rattner is a young boy when his father is murdered. Marion Sylder, an outlaw and bootlegger, strangled him to death.By chance, John and Marion will meet. They will not recognize each other; John will not know what this man has done.An experimental debut following in the footsteps of William Faulkner, this is a magnificent conjuring of an American landscape – and a devastating portrayal of innocence lost.Part of the Picador Collection, a series celebrating fifty years of Picador books and showcasing the best of modern literature.'A complicated and evocative exposition of the transience of life' –

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Book SynopsisElizabeth Jane Howard was the author of fifteen highly acclaimed novels, including the five volumes of The Cazalet Chronicles, as well as After Julius, Falling, Getting It Right, Love All, and Odd Girl Out. The Cazalet Chronicles The Light Years, Marking Time, Confusion, Casting Off and All Change have become established as modern classics and have been adapted for a major BBC television series and for BBC Radio 4. She had one child, Nicola, and married three times lastly to fellow author Sir Kingsley Amis. In 2000 she was awarded a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List, and in 2002 Macmillan published her autobiography, Slipstream. She died, aged ninety, at home in Suffolk on 2 January 2014.

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Book SynopsisDiscover Kate Morton's multi-million copy bestselling debut novel, The House at Riverton, a mesmerising story of tragedy and buried secrets, with this new edition.Winner of the Richard and Judy Book Club Best Read of the YearSummer, 1924.On the eve of a glittering society party, by the lake of a grand English country house, a young poet takes his life. The only witnesses, sisters Hannah and Emmeline Hartford, will never speak to each other again.Winter, 1999.Grace Bradley, ninety-eight, one-time housemaid at Riverton Manor, is visited by a young director making a film about the poet's suicide. Ghosts awaken, and memories, long-consigned to the dark reaches of Grace's mind, begin to sneak back through the cracks. A shocking secret threatens to emerge; something history has forgotten, but Grace never could . . .

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Book SynopsisA tale of high adventure and survival!In the early twentieth century, Russo-Japanese War veteran Saichi Sugimoto searches the wilderness of Hokkaido for a hoard of hidden gold. With only a cryptic map and a native Ainu girl to help him, Saichi must also deal with every murderous cutthroat, bandit and rogue who knows about the treasure!On the trail of a hoard of hidden gold, Saichi “Immortal” Sugimoto and the Ainu girl Asirpa have already tracked down some of the escaped prisoners whose tattoos form a map to the lost treasure. But their search has caught the attention of a group of rogue Japanese soldiers from the legendary 7th Division. Their leader, the utterly cold-blooded and driven Lieutenant Tsurumi, will stop at nothing to find the gold. And Tsurumi is not the only formidable opponent Saichi and Asirpa must deal with—a former samurai who escaped with the prisoners is carving his own path to the loot. These enemies will put Saichi’s &

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Book SynopsisIn this, the first of Patrick O’Brian’s much lauded Aubrey–Maturin novels, discover a vibrant world conjured by a master storyteller, rich with detail and character.Trade Review‘If O’Brian’s novels have become a cult, this is because they are truly addictive. . . They are, quite magnificently, adventure yarns whose superb authenticity never distracts from the sheer thrill of the action.’Caroline Moore, Sunday Telegraph ‘The Aubrey–Maturin novels, by Patrick O’Brian, are so addictive that after I finish one I have to hide the next from myself for a little while in order to do anything else but read.’Louise Erdrich ‘In Aubrey and Maturin, Patrick O’Brian has created two of the most enjoyable characters in twentieth-century fiction. Their relationship sustains an absorbing and thrilling sequence of naval stories, unrivalled in their complexity, full of impeccable detail and psychological insight. O’Brian switches from the intimate to the epic with equal assurance. One of the greatest authors to sail with.’Michael Palin ‘My hero is Patrick O’Brian. It’s basically impossible to write that well.’David Mamet ‘One of the most compelling and brilliant novelists of his time . . . Beyond his superbly elegant writing, wit and originality, Patrick O’Brian showed an understanding of the nature of a floating world at the mercy of the wind and the sea which has never been surpassed.’Max Hastings, Evening Standard ‘I devoured Patrick O’Brian’s twenty-volume masterpiece as if it had been so many tots of Jamaica grog.’Christopher Hitchens ‘Written with most engaging enthusiasm that can’t fail to give pleasure to anybody who enjoys historical adventure flavoured with more than a dash of realism.’The Sunday Times ‘One of the most brilliantly sustained pieces of historical fictional writing this century.’James Teacher, Spectator ‘Patrick O’Brian brings depth to his sea-stories with outstanding dialogue, characterisation, humour and a golden thread of romance. You don’t have to love books about naval battles to become entranced.’Katie Fforde

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER''Weir is excellent on the little details that bring a world to life'' GuardianAnne Boleyn: A King''s Obsession by bestselling historian Alison Weir, author of Katherine of Aragon: The True Queen, is the second captivating novel in the Six Tudor Queens series. An unforgettable portrait of the ambitious woman whose fate we know all too well, but whose true motivations may surprise you. Essential reading for fans of Philippa Gregory and Elizabeth Chadwick.''Offers a spellbinding solution to the mystery of Anne''s true nature . . . Enthralling'' Sarah GristwoodThe young woman who changed the course of history.Fresh from the palaces of Burgundy and France, Anne draws attention at the English court, embracing the play of courtly love.But when the King commands, nothing is ever a game.Anne has a sTrade ReviewAlison Weir's wonderfully detailed novel offers a spellbinding solution to the mystery of Anne's true nature . . . Enthralling -- Sarah Gristwood on Anne Boleyn: A King's ObsessionWeir's Boleyn is a highly intelligent idealist, who becomes the tragic victim of her own ambition. . . The novel is a triumph of fine detail and research and offers a complex depiction of an endlessly fascinating woman -- Elizabeth Fremantle on Anne Boleyn: A King's ObsessionThis is Anne Boleyn as you have never seen her before. I could not put it down -- Tracy Borman on Anne Boleyn: A King's ObsessionA marvellous book - Anne comes alive and leaps from the page, fascinating, enthralling, full blooded - you can't help but fall in love with her. A brilliant evocation of the period - and a knife edge moment in British history. Wonderful -- Kate Williams on Anne Boleyn: A King's ObsessionAlison Weir has brought English history's most famous 'other woman' compellingly to life. The story of Anne Boleyn's rise from accomplished court lady to Henry VIII's second queen is vividly told and the terror of her final days will haunt the reader. A must for all lovers of historical fiction -- Linda Porter, author of Katherine the Queen and Royal RenegadesAlison Weir makes history come alive as no one else -- Barbara ErskineAlison Weir is the doyen of Tudor fiction and non-fiction ... With Alison's light touch, [Anne Boleyn: A King's Obsession] is fiction that reads as fact, and leaves us breathless, hoping ... then of course we recognise that we are not reading pure fiction after all, but a finely woven tapestry of fictional biography that stays with us long after we close the book at the final line. It is simply a masterpiece -- Susan Ronald on Anne Boleyn: A King's ObsessionWeir's outstanding and sound historical research shines through, shedding new light on England's most controversial queen. Weir provides page after page of utterly compelling detail, keeping the reader hooked from start to finish. This book is not only a world apart from any other novel on Anne Boleyn, it is also an exquisite work of literary art -- Nicola Tallis on Anne Boleyn: A King's ObsessionDetailed, immaculately researched and convincing -- Antonia Senior * The Times on Anne Boleyn: A King's Obsession *Prominent royal biographer and historical novelist Weir is well-placed to craft this detailed fictionalportrait of Henry VIII's second wife . . . She explores Anne's influences and motivations, creating amultifaceted portrait of an ambitious woman who reluctantly accedes to Henry's courtship and later actsout of desperation to protect herself and her daughter, Elizabeth. Even readers who know Anne's storywell should gain insights from this revealing novel * Booklist on Anne Boleyn: A King's Obsession *Weir is excellent on the little details that bring a world to life * Guardian *This exquisite book charts the rise and fall of Henry VIII's first wife, Katherine... A fascinating insight into this period of our history. Weir's undeniable strength is her immaculate description, enabling the reader to be transported back to Tudor England * Sun *Weir manages to untangle the complex web of 16th-century politics, shown through Katherine's duties as ambassador, and her astute reading of the games being played. This adds greatly to the heft of the character, demonstrating what a competent woman she was becoming * Herald Scotland *Katherine of Aragon, The True Queen is a true tour de force. Finely crafted, this novel is wonderful historical fiction and an outstanding introduction to the Six Tudor Queens series * Queen Anne Boleyn Blog *Alison Weir clearly admires her heroine ... meticulously researched * The Times *Captivating... The way that Katherine comes alive on the page is credit to the author who has such a breadth of knowledge about this Tudor period that it's a real pleasure to read her fictional work * Jaffareadstoo Blog *This well-researched and engrossing read gives a new perspective on the long-suffering first wife * Good Housekeeping *Known for bestselling historical biographies, Alison Weir is in command of her detail . . . her handling of Katherine's misery and dignified response to her predicament is very touching -- Elizabeth Buchan * Daily Mail *The authentic voice of Katherine rings true throughout. It is a study of a woman who inspires admiration as well as sympathy ... a fitting tribute to a queen who was unduly wronged by history * Lady *This ambitious, engrossing novel tells Katherine's story from that moment, through her brief and controversial marriage to Prince Arthur and then to his brother, the handsome, gallant Henry VIII ... Fascinating * S Magazine (Sunday Express) *Alison ensures that we not only come away knowing more of the real Katherine, we understand more of how it felt to be her... The author really enables us to feel the claustrophobia and paranoia as Katherine tries to make decisions for her day to day life on snippets of news from her advisors - advisors she begins to realise may not be telling her the truth * The Book Bag *Alison Weir brings Henry VIII's first queen to life, revealing a strong, spirited and intelligent woman fighting for her rights and those of her daughter * Choice magazine *Weir's opening foray into the life of Katherine of Aragon presents Henry's first and most enduring marriage from a refreshingly new and utterly gripping perspective * Lancashire Evening Post *Brilliantly rich * Heat *

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Book SynopsisThe final book of the Lonesome Dove quartet, set in the American West.

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Book SynopsisEngrossing and memorable, The Sins of the Father is the second novel in international bestseller Jeffrey Archer’s celebrated the Clifton Chronicles. It takes us to New York in 1939 where our hero Harry Clifton is in desperate need of help.Only days before Britain declares war on Germany, Harry joins the Merchant Navy, unable to face long-held family secrets and the fact he will never be able to marry his true love Emma Barrington. But when his ship is sunk mid-Atlantic, Harry takes the opportunity to assume the identity of one his deceased rescuers and begin a new life.Landing in America, he quickly discovers he has made a mistake and without any way to prove his true identity, Harry is now chained to a past that could be far worse than the one he had hoped to escape . . .Brimming with intrigue, the Clifton Chronicles continues its powerful journey with family loyalties stretched to their limits and fates decided.Continue the bestselling series with Best Kept Secret and Be Careful What You Wish For.Trade ReviewI guarantee that anyone who takes this book from the shelves will not be able to put it down -- Jerry Hayes * Spectator *Probably the greatest storyteller of our age * Mail on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisThe Himalayas, 1935.Kangchenjunga. The sacred mountain. Biggest killer of them all.Five Englishmen set out to conquer it. But courage can only take them so far. And the higher they climb, the darker it gets.Trade ReviewA wonderfully atmospheric and hugely enjoyable ghost story -- Anthony HorowitzLooking for a proper ghost story? Thin Air is a creepy, compelling tale of a Himalayan climbing expedition, where strange events on the mountain stir dread and panic. * GOOD HOUSEKEEPING *This vivid ghost story reads like a classic * SUNDAY MIRROR *There are no obvious shocks here but instead a sustained creeping dread as the likelihood increases that it's not all in Pearce's mind and that they are heading for tragedy just like Lyell and company. Subtitled 'A Ghost Story', this is very much the classic approach, concentrating on mood and subtllety to create chills in the reader. -- James Evans * STARBURST *Spellbindingly creepy -- Eithne Farry * SUNDAY EXPRESS *Michelle Paver's descriptions of Himalayan mountain-climbing are terrifyingly lifelike - the lashing winds, glittering ice: you can see it all...Paver's style is lively and clear; and the tale just rips along...Just fantastic -- Wendy Holden * DAILY MAIL *Chilling in every sense -- Violet Hudson * MAIL ON SUNDAY *This haunting new novel and long-awaited sequel to the chilling Dark Matter certainly doesn't disappoint. The plot of Thin Air is undeniably gripping and a genuine page-turner. After finding herself mesmerised by the history, vastness and the terrifying solitude of the Himalayas, Paver used it as the setting for this undeniably gripping account of a 1935 expedition up Kangchenjunga. -- Kate Whiting * GLASGOW HERALD *Paver's descriptions of the isolated and intimidating landscape create an eerie, unsettling atmosphere that gets under your skin * DAILY EXPRESS *A ghost story to chill and thrill...Like Touching the Void rewritten by Jack London, Thin Air is a heart-freezing masterpiece. -- Amanda Craig * THE OBSERVER *There's just something about the bleakness, the sheer depth of the isolation and the unfamiliarity of this terrain to me that I love in this book. Put that alongside the fact that it's a mix of psychological thriller and ghost story , and you've got a winner. * REBEL ANGEL blog *The scariest part of the story for me was the bit with the rucksack. I think the hair on the back of my neck stood up. Very macabre and creepy * THE BOOK REST *A hauntingly, spine chilling epic of a book! * MRS BLOGS BOOKS *I was surprised and delighted to find this an utterly absorbing tale that I think I would have read in one sitting regardless as once I began I didn't want to put it down * BOOKPHACE *Thin Air is a wonderfully evocative and creepy story but it's more than that - it's a capturing of the awe of nature, the exhilaration of climbing and of a time during British colonialism which combined some noble endeavours but also an awful lot of ignoble behaviour. Of course, of course, of course, I recommend Thin Air to you. * THE BOOK BAG *I loved her previous ghost/terror novel, Dark Matter. This is similar, the tension tightens slowly, with the turn of every page, until you cannot put the book down. * SANDRA DANBY BLOG *It is rich in atmosphere, the environment stunningly described. Kangchenjunga is a formidable character in its own right and it is a deadly one. but it is also such a satisfying ghost story, so perfect for these darker evenings, and it is wrapped within a beautifully told and sad tale. Thin Air succeeds as an excellent ghost story and horror novel but it is also a wonderful piece of historical fiction and I thoroughly recommend it. * FOR WINTER NIGHTS blog *While comparable to Dark Matter, this is I think very much the better book - in a way which I can't explain in detail, the ecology of its horror is much more complete: while lacking none of the horror of the other book, it is all more satisfying. * BLUE BOOK BALLOON *This book was both a fantastic description of the majesty of the Himalayas and a wonderfully creepy ghost story. In equal measures it showed why some are irresistibly drawn to these mountains and why, possibly, they shouldn't be. This would be a great read for Halloween (but make sure you know exactly where you left your rucksack...) * JANE & BEX BOOK BLOG *A clever, chilling, compelling read -- Katherine Sunderland * BIBLIOMANIAC *And my enjoyment and shiver mounted with the appearance of the terrifying object, deployed so brilliantly in one of the best and most shivery 'ghosts' I have ever read - W.W. Jacobs' The Monkey's Paw. Paver has an object, and I whimpered anxiously as it brought the added accretion of my memory of Jacobs' story into the room. * LADY FANCIFULL *If you have ever wanted to climb a mountain or to have some sort of insight into the preparation both mentally and physically, of the extreme effort it takes to even attempt something like this, then this is the book for you. * THE BOOK TRAIL *The first thing that impressed me was the sustained recreation of the 1930s: male camaraderie and old pals. It is linguistically perfect, since you completely believe in the characters and hte mindsets of this group of climbers. The research is thorough and the descriptions so rich that you can imagine every step on the ice and rocks and every nuance of creating the base camps and additional camps during the ascent. * NUDGE *If you've read Michelle Paver's previous ghost story Dark Matter, you'll know how well she can build a creepy, unsettling atmosphere - and she's done it again here, in a very different environment. I for one couldn't put the story down but needed to read on to the final resolution before trying to sleep! * OUR BOOK REVIEWS ON LINE *I cannot recommend this book enough. If you enjoyed Michelle's previous ghost story, Dark Matter, you'll love this one. If you love anything supernatural, a bit scary, ghostly, then you'll enjoy it too. It's a fantastic read thats absorbing and totally paralysing. Beautifully, lyrically written. A five star read if ever there was one! * EMPIRE OF BOOKS *This is a slim book, and a simple story, but it has all the elegance of a classic ghost story -- Miriam McDonald * SFX *After finding herself mesmerised by the history, vastness and the terrifying solitude of the Himalayas, Michelle Paver uses it as the setting for this undeniably gripping account of a 1935 expedition up Kangchenjunga...Step in with excitement, yet the greatest of caution... * ABERDEEN PRESS & JOURNAL *Paver's elegantly crafted ghost story holds you in a vice-tight grip until the end...Thin Air is an edge-of-your-seat reading experience that will leave your frosty-fingered and shivering as you hurriedly leaf through its pages to reach its startling climax -- Katherine McLaughlin * SCI FI NOW *The book transports the reader into cold, inimical terrain, forcing them to question the evidence of their over-stimulated senses * METRO *Terror on a grander scale -- Andrew Michael Hurley * THE GUARDIAN *This one is a cracker * DAILY TELEGRAPH *Atmospheric * TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT *This book is guaranteed to give you chills! Don't read it just before going to bed... * MARTIN BELCHER blog *Paver constructs her narrative expertly. The human drama is engaging, while the scares are unfurled slowly but surely, to chilling effect. * CATHOLIC HERALD *Michelle Paver is one of my favourite writers at the moment...Terrify your loved ones this Christmas with some of Paver's best * STARBURST *Paver is superb at describing the Himalayan landscape...This is a finely wrought example of the classic, Jamesian ghost story...made extra special and disturbing by the bleak, wintery setting. -- Peter Tennant * BLACK STATIC *Paver's perfectly realises the quintessential priviledged gentleman-explorer characters - their casual racism and snobbery shocking to a modern reader, yet very authentic feeling * SCHOOL LIBRARIAN *Class, fortitude, morality and brotherly animosity are the major themes in this highly readable novel * ATTITUDE *

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Book SynopsisA week after Mary Jane starts, the rock star and his movie star wife move in.Over the course of the summer, Mary Jane introduces her new household to crisply ironed clothes and a family dinner schedule, and has a front-row seat to a liberal world of sex, drugs, and rock and roll (not to mention group therapy).Trade Review"Delightful...Blau is a deft hand with comic juxtaposition and domestic fantasy. She keeps it light, she keeps it moving and she’s got terrific visuals...You can watch the movie in your mind. Lady Gaga as Sheba? I’m already casting it." — New York Times Book Review "I LOVED Jessica Anya Blau’s novel. Mary Jane is about an oppressed teenager being given a jolt of life and joy by an eccentric found family of therapists, a child, a rock star and a movie star in the 1970s....If you have ever sung along to a hit on the radio, in any decade, then you will devour Mary Jane at 45rpm." — Nick Hornby "I dare you to find a more winning novel than Jessica Anya Blau’s Mary Jane. Filled with humor and sharpness and so much light, this book introduces an amazing cast of characters, all so unique and finely observed, held together by the clarity of Mary Jane’s voice. It evokes those rare moments when your world is on the precipice of change, almost a dream, and how thrilling it is to push your way toward something new." — Kevin Wilson "Blau’s intelligent, witty novel captures the essence of the ’70s with humor and immensely appealing characters. Highly recommended." — Library Journal (starred review) "Blau’s coming-of-age charmer will hit all of the nostalgia notes." — Parade "MARY JANE is that rare thing: An utterly charming, absurdly delightful novel that also makes you think deeply about the world around you. Jessica Anya Blau's clear-eyed wit reminded me of Curtis Sittenfeld and Laurie Colwin, and, of course, Jane Austen." — Joanna Rakoff, author of My Salinger Year “The experience of reading Jessica Anya Blau’s Mary Jane is a lot like eating quality candy: super enjoyable, crazy good. I am sad to have finished it.” — Marcy Dermansky "A serious book packed with funny moments and a lot of heart." — Boston Globe "A charming and poignant tale of desire, image, Americana, and chosen family." — Booklist "This novel is a week at the beach with rock stars, it’s a three-part harmony at a kitchen table, it’s finding a family where you fit in. Jessica Anya Blau is a smart, generous, sensitive storyteller, and Mary Jane is a loving, sexy, funny, and beautiful book." — Gabriel Brownstein, author of The Open Heart Club “Jessica Anya Blau is one of the funniest writers--EVER. No one captures the oddities, joys --and yes--the pain--of modern life with such frankness, humor and sly-witted style.” — ZZ Packer, author of Drinking Coffee Elsewhere "Both poignant and tremendously funny...unendingly charming and fun." — Shelf Awareness "Wonderful...A tale of clashing cultures and a slow awakening of ideas, hope and beliefs, this is one of those novels you’ll be so glad to lose yourself to. It’s also perfect for fans of Curtis Sittenfeld's books – and we can give it no higher praise…" — Stylist (UK)

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Book SynopsisIn this evocative tale from the bestselling author of The Dressmaker’s Gift, a strange new city offers a young girl hope. Can it also offer a lost soul a second chance? Morocco, 1941. With France having fallen to Nazi occupation, twelve-year-old Josie has fled with her family to Casablanca, where they await safe passage to America. Life here is as intense as the sun, every sight, smell and sound overwhelming to the senses in a city filled with extraordinary characters. It’s a world away from the trouble back home—and Josie loves it. Seventy years later, another new arrival in the intoxicating port city, Zoe, is struggling—with her marriage, her baby daughter and her new life as an expat in an unfamiliar place. But when she discovers a small wooden box and a diary from the 1940s beneath the floorboards of her daughter’s bedroom, Zoe enters the inner world of young Josie, who once looked out on the same view of the Atlantic Ocean, but who knew a very different Casablanca. It’s not long before Zoe begins to see her adopted city through Josie’s eyes. But can a new perspective help her turn tragedy into hope, and find the comfort she needs to heal her broken heart?Trade Review“A novel that will whisk you to another time and place, The Storyteller of Casablanca is a tender tale of hope, resilience, and new beginnings.” —Imogen Clark, bestselling author of Postcards From a Stranger “Fiona Valpy has an exquisite talent for creating characters so rounded and delightful that they almost feel like family, and this makes what happens to them feel very personal.” —Louise Douglas, bestselling author of The House by the Sea

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Book SynopsisC. J. Sansom was educated at Birmingham University, where he took a BA and then a PhD in history. After working in a variety of jobs, he retrained as a solicitor and practised in Sussex, until becoming a full-time writer. Sansom is the bestselling author of the acclaimed Shardlake series, the Spanish Civil War thriller Winter in Madrid and the number one bestseller Dominion. In 2023, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Edinburgh. He lived in Sussex until his death in 2024.

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Book SynopsisAn exquisite winter tale of courage - and its cost, set in Catholic Ireland.

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Book SynopsisCormac McCarthy was the author of many acclaimed novels, including Blood Meridian, Child of God and The Passenger. Among his honours are the National Book Award, the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. His works adapted to film include All the Pretty Horses, The Road and No Country for Old Men the latter film receiving four Academy Awards, including the award for Best Picture. McCarthy died in 2023 in Santa Fe, NM at the age of 89.Trade ReviewA powerful and talented writer, able to elicit compassion for his protagonist however terrible his action. * Sunday Times *A reading experience so impressive, so "new", so clearly well made that it seems almost to defy the easy aesthetic categories . . . Accomplished in rare, spare, precise yet poetic prose. * New Republic *McCarthy charts the terrible decline of Lester Ballard with passion, tenderness, eloquence, and a humour which, at its best, is attuned perfectly to the bitter wryness of the South. * Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisThe Man From St Petersburg is a dark tale of family secrets and political consequences. Ken Follett's masterful storytelling brings to life the danger of a world on the brink of war.A Secret Negotiation1914. Tensions are rising as Europe finds itself caught in a web of alliances and dangerous warmongering. To help tip the balance in their favour, Britain aims to draw Russia into an alliance with them instead of Germany. Czar Nicholas’s nephew, Prince Aleksei, is sent to London for secret naval talks with Lord Walden. A Play for PowerWalden has a personal connection to Aleksei; his wife is Aleksei’s aunt. And they are not the only ones interested in the Russian's arrival; so too are Walden’s wilful, idealistic daughter, the head of Special Branch, and a ruthless Russian anarchist. A World at WarWith the British desperately needing a signed treaty and the fate of the world hanging in the balance, the destinies of these individuals become inextricably linked, as tragedy threatens to shatter the Waldens’ complacency . . .Trade ReviewKen Follett has done it once more . . . goes down with the ease and impact of a well-prepared martini * The New York Times Book Review *Eerily plausible . . . one of Follett's finest * Time *

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Book SynopsisThe phenomenal number one bestseller and a major BBC TV series.A Richard and Judy Book Club Pick. Winner of the Specsavers National Book Award and Waterstones Book of the Year.Beautiful, intoxicating and filled with heart-pounding suspense, Jessie Burton's historical novel set in Amsterdam, The Miniaturist, is a story of love and obsession, betrayal and retribution.On an autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman knocks at the door of a grand house in the wealthiest quarter of Amsterdam. She has come from the country to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt, but instead she is met by his sharp-tongued sister, Marin. Only later does Johannes appear and present her with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. It is to be furnished by an elusive miniaturist, whose tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in unexpected ways . . .NeTrade ReviewThe kind of book that reminds you why you fell in love with reading -- S. J. Watson, author of Before I Go to SleepA fabulously gripping read that will appeal to fans of Girl With a Pearl Earring and The Goldfinch, but Burton is a genuinely new voice with her visceral take on sex, race and class . . . Burton writes great complex female characters * Observer *A terrific novel: compelling cast, gripping plot, writing to savour -- Nathan Filer, author of The Shock of the FallA remarkable debut - complex, involving and deeply atmospheric -- Deborah Moggach, author of Tulip FeverThe Miniaturist by Jessie Burton is set in 17th century Amsterdam where a trader presents his new wife Nella with a miniature replica of their home. Its tiny occupants mirror their real-life counterparts and show Nella what grave dangers lie in wait. -- Hot Books of 2014 * Daily Express *Utterly beguiling and impeccably written. I am missing the characters already -- Emylia Hall, author of The Book of SummersA delight on every page, The Miniaturist completely immerses the reader in sumptuous but strict seventeenth-century Amsterdam. Burton's novel is lovingly done, and exquisite to read -- Naomi Wood, author of Mrs. HemingwayUtterly transporting . . . My first instinct on finishing this book was to immediately read it again -- Hannah Kent, author of Burial Rites

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Book SynopsisOn her way to London, an orphaned beauty is mistaken for a lady of the night and must be rescued from attack by a dashing sea captain who discovers her true identity, and together the couple sets sail for the high seas and a life of passion.Trade Review"A legend." -- Atlanta Journal-Constitution "A phenemenon." -- New York Times "The queen of historical romance." -- Atlanta Journal-Constitution

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Book Synopsis''As hypnotic as an opium dream and pretty unputdownable'' Daily MailIn September 1838 a storm blows up on the Indian Ocean and the Ibis, a ship carrying a consignment of convicts and indentured laborers from Calcutta to Mauritius, is caught up in the whirlwind. When the seas settle, five men have disappeared - two lascars, two convicts and one of the passengers. Did the same storm upend the fortunes of those aboard the Anahita, an opium carrier heading towards Canton? And what fate befell those aboard the Redruth, a sturdy two-masted brig heading East out of Cornwall? Was it the storm that altered their course or were the destinies of these passengers at the mercy of even more powerful forces?On the grand scale of an historical epic, River of Smoke follows its storm-tossed characters to the crowded harbors of China. There, despite efforts of the emperor to stop them, ships from Europe and India exchange their cargoes of opium for boxes of tea, silk, porcelain and silver. Among them are Bahram Modi, a wealthy Parsi opium merchant out of Bombay, his estranged half-Chinese son Ah Fatt, the orphaned Paulette and a motley collection of others whose pursuit of romance, riches and a legendary rare flower have thrown together. All struggle to cope with their losses - and for some, unimaginable freedoms - in the alleys and crowded waterways of 19th century Canton. As transporting and mesmerizing as an opiate induced dream, River of Smoke will soon be heralded as a masterpiece of twenty-first century literature.Trade Review'Ghosh's novel is a tense, compelling account... The accumulation of minutiae puts the reader so firmly in the time and place that the whole thing becomes as hypnotic as an opium dream and pretty unputdownable' * Daily Mail *'For those who like to see history bought alive through the deployment of wave upon wave of plausible detail, River of Smoke should prove a marvellous read' * Literary Review *'Any good historical novel should teach the reader some history as well as sweeping him or her along with an unfolding narrative. Few do this as well as Amitav Ghosh. A book whose conclusion again left me panting for the next volume in this trilogy' * Financial Times *'The novel's strength lies in how thoroughly Ghosh fills out his research with his novelistic fantasy, seduced by each new situation that presents itself and each new character, so that the scenes read with a sensual freshness as if they were happening now' * Guardian *Best of all, Ghosh, through the depth of his research, lightly worn, has captured the many cross-currents of a fascinating historical period * Seven *Praise for Sea of Poppies * --- *'Ripping post-colonial yarn ... Ghosh spins a fine story with a quite irresistible flow, breathing exuberant life ... an absorbing vision' * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisThe classic, heartrending story of a British boy's four year ordeal in a Japanese prison camp during the Second World War. Newly reissued with an introduction by John Lanchester.Based on J. G. Ballard's own childhood, this is the extraordinary account of a boy's life in Japanese-occupied wartime Shanghai a mesmerising, hypnotically compelling novel of war, of starvation and survival, of internment camps and death marches. It blends searing honesty with an almost hallucinatory vision of a world thrown utterly out of joint.Rooted as it is in the author's own disturbing experience of war in our time, it is one of a handful of novels by which the twentieth century will be not only remembered but judged.This edition is part of a new commemorative series of Ballard's works, featuring introductions from a number of his admirers (including Zadie Smith, Rivka Galchen, Hari Kunzru and Martin Amis) and brand-new cover designs from the artist Stanley Donwood.Trade Review‘An extraordinary achievement’ Angela Carter ‘A remarkable journey into the mind of a growing boy … horror and humanity are blended into a unique and unforgettable fiction’ Sunday Times ‘Remarkable … form, content and style fuse with complete success … one of the great war novels of the 20th century’ William Boyd ‘Gripping and remarkable … I have never read a novel which gave me a stronger sense of the blind helplessness of war … unforgettable’ Observer ‘A brilliant fusion of history, autobiography and imaginative speculation. An incredible literary achievement and almost intolerably moving’ Anthony Burgess

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Book SynopsisPre-order BOLEYN TRAITOR now Philippa Gregory's landmark return to the Tudor court, coming Autumn 2025 The second novel in the bestselling Wideacre Trilogy, a compulsive drama set in the eighteenth century. By Philippa Gregory, the author of The Other Boleyn Girl and The Virgin's Lover.The Wideacre estate is bankrupt, the villagers are living in poverty and Wideacre Hall is a smoke-blackened ruin.But in the Dower House two children are being raised in protected innocence. Equal claimants to the inheritance of Wideacre, rivals for the love of the village, they are tied by a secret childhood betrothal but forbidden to marry. Only one can be the favoured child. Only one can inherit the magical understanding between the land and the Lacey family that can make the Sussex village grow green again. Only one can be Beatrice Lacey's true heir.Sweeping, passionate, unique: ''The Favoured Child'' is the second novel in Philippa Gregory''s bestselling trilogy which began with ''Wideacre'' and concluded with ''Meridon''.Trade ReviewPraise for ‘The Favoured Child’: ‘For sheer pace and percussive drama it will take a lot of beating.’Sunday Times Praise for ‘Wideacre’: ‘This is a story of violent love and unsettling passions. It will never let you rest for a page as you wait for the climax that must come for the people and the land.’Maeve Binchy ‘Amid all the social upheaval strides Beatrice Lacey, who, for singlemindedness, tempestuousness, passion, amorality, sensuality and plain old-fashioned evil, knocks Scarlet O’Hara into short cotton socks.’Evening Standard

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Book SynopsisGraham Greene was born in 1904. He worked as a journalist and critic, and in 1940 became literary editor of the Spectator. He was later employed by the Foreign Office. As well as his many novels, Graham Greene wrote several collections of short stories, four travel books, six plays, three books of autobiography, two of biography and four books for children. He also wrote hundreds of essays, and film and book reviews. Graham Greene was a member of the Order of Merit and a Companion of Honour. He died in April 1991.Trade ReviewFull of treasures for Greene enthusiasts: a complex web of betrayal and deceit and a tormented central character * Observer *From the beginning Greene was fascinated by the thriller, which has at its heart deceit, an idea or an ideal betrayed, emotion hidden behind a mask * Guardian *Greene had wit and grace and character and story, and a transcendant, universal compassion that places him for all time in the ranks of world literature -- John Le CarreHe was a writer who was intensely interested in the world more than in books or ideas. And this is why he was such a good story-teller. He was the least parochial of writers yet he was always interested in the particular -- John BergerOne of our greatest authors... For experience of a whole century he was the man within * Independent *

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Book SynopsisTRANSLATED BY MAX HAYWARD AND MANYA HARARIBanned in the Soviet Union until 1988, Doctor Zhivago is the epic story of the life and loves of a poet-physician during the turmoil of the Russian Revolution. Taking his family from Moscow to shelter in the Ural Mountains, Yuri Zhivago finds himself embroiled in a battle between the Whites and the Reds, and in love with the beautiful nurse Lara.Trade ReviewThe first work of genius to come out of Russia since the Revolution -- V.S. PritchettOne of the great events in man's literary and moral history -- Edmund WilsonBelongs to that small group of novels by which all others are ultimately judged -- Frank Kermode * Spectator *Not since Shakespeare has love been so fully, vividly, scrupulously and directly communicated -- Isaiah Berlin * Sunday Times *

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