Whether your passion is The Ancient Greeks, The Wars of The Roses or The Russian Revolution, you'll find stories of life during these eras and every other, often using factual accounts to build a fictional narrative.
Historical Fiction Books
Little, Brown Book Group At Mrs Lippincote's
Book SynopsisThe debut novel from Elizabeth Taylor - shortlisted for the Booker Prize*Mrs Lippincote's house, with its mahogany furniture and yellowing photographs, stands as a reminder of all the certainties that have vanished with the advent of war. Temporarily, this is home for Julia, who has joined her husband Roddy at the behest of the RAF. Although she can accept the pomposities of service life, Julia's honesty and sense of humour prevent her from taking her role as seriously as her husband, that leader of men, might wish; for Roddy, merely love cannot suffice - he needs homage as well as admiration. And Julia, while she may be a most unsatisfactory officer's wife, is certainly no hypocrite.*'Her stories remain with one, indelibly, as though they had been some turning-point in one's own experience' Elizabeth Bowen 'No writer has described the English middle classes with more gently devastating accuracy' Rebecca Abrams, Spectator 'A Game of Hide and Seek showcases much of what makes Taylor a great novelist: piercing insight, a keen wit and a genuine sense of feeling for her characters' Elizabeth Day, GuardianTrade ReviewSubtle, stylised, and rather special social comedy * Kirkus *Witty, hilarious, astringent, devastating - her impeccable style can do anything and with such seemingly effortless ease -- Neel MukherjeeElizabeth Taylor is finally being recognised as an important British author: an author of great subtlety, great compassion and great depth -- Sarah WatersAlways intelligent, often subversive and never dull, Elizabeth Taylor is the thinking person's dangerous housewife. Her sophisticated prose combines elegance, icy wit and freshness in a stimulating cocktail - the perfect toast to the quiet horror of domestic life -- Valerie MartinTaylor is one of the hidden treasures of the English novel -- Philip Hensher * Daily Telegraph *Her best novels - At Mrs. Lippincote's (1945), A View of the Harbour (1947), A Game of Hide and Seek (1951) - are, in spite of their prim titles, funny, savage and full of loneliness and suppressed emotion. For her characters, as for their author, propriety is a survival mechanism, a way of keeping the show on the road -- Rachel Cooke * Guardian *
£9.49
Little, Brown Book Group Hungry Hill
Book SynopsisFROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF REBECCA'Daphne du Maurier has no rival' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH 'du Maurier is a magician, a virtuouso' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING 'A storyteller of cunning and genius' SALLY BEAUMAN 'I tell you your mine will be in ruins and your home destroyed and your children forgotten . . . but this hill will be standing still to confound you.' So curses Morty Donovan when 'Cooper John' Brodrick builds his mine at Hungry Hill. The Brodricks of Clonmere gain great wealth by harnessing the power of Hungry Hill and extracting the treasure it holds. The Donovans, the original owners of Clonmere Castle, resent the Brodricks' success and consider the great house and its surrounding land theirs by rights. For generations the feud between the families has simmered, always threatening to break into violence . . .Trade ReviewDaphne du Maurier has no rival * Sunday Telegraph *du Maurier is a magician, a virtuouso. She can conjure up tragedy, horror, tension, suspense the ridiculous, the vain, the romantic * Good Housekeeping *A storyteller of cunning and geniusAs poignant and powerful as du Maurier's better-known romantic fiction * Daily Mail *
£9.49
Little, Brown Book Group The Return Of The Soldier
Book SynopsisThe soldier returns from the front to the three women who love him. His wife, Kitty, with her cold, moonlight beauty, and his devoted cousin Jenny wait in their exquisite home on the crest of the Harrow-weald. Margaret Allington, his first and long-forgotten love, is nearby in the dreary suburb of Wealdstone. But the soldier is shell-shocked and can only remember the Margaret he loved fifteen years before, when he was a young man and she an inn-keeper's daughter. His cousin he remembers only as a childhood playmate; his wife he remembers not at all. The women have a choice - to leave him where he wishes to be, or to 'cure' him. It is Margaret who reveals a love so great that she can make the final sacrifice.Trade ReviewWhen Chris Baldry returns from the trenches so badly traumatized that the last fifteen years of his life have been expunged from his memory, the three women who love him most are forced into a radical re-examination of their own past lives. Courageous and compassionate, The Return of the Soldier delineates the long-term consequences of war in ways that are as relevant today as they were in 1918 when the book first appeared. Ultimately - and without ever lapsing into easy sentiment - Rebecca West paints a portrait of the redeeming power of love -- Pat BarkerRebecca West - highly intelligent, highly gifted, vital, original, combative, formidable and kind - was a great woman -- Victoria GlendinningSpellbinding . . . Probably her best fiction * Sunday Times *The Return of the Soldier is a profound, resonant book. It tells its moving story with emotional integrity, at the same time meditating upon the nature of love, the punishing but necessary cruelty of reality and our responsibility towards one another -- Sadie Jones
£9.99
Little, Brown Book Group Blood & Beauty
Book SynopsisBy the end of the fifteenth century, the beauty and creativity of Italy is matched only by its brutality and corruption. When Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia buys his way into the papacy, he is defined not just by his wealth, charisma and power, but by his blood: a Spanish Pope in a city run by Italians. If he is to succeed, he must use his Machiavellian son and innocent daughter. Stripping away the myths around the Borgias, Blood & Beauty breathes life into the astonishing family of Alexander VI and celebrates the raw power of history itself: compelling, complex, and relentless.Trade ReviewA wonderful novel - taking you deep into the world of Renaissance passion and the Renaissance papacy. Part of me was happily lost in the time travel, part of me repeatedly struck by how vividly ancient Rome met modern Rome, and how the city of history came to life. -- Mary Beard Blood & Beauty is a fascinating read full of vivid detail and human pathos. Dunant opens a window into the extraordinary machinations and skullduggery of the Borgias and provides us with a richness of description that beautifully locates them within their own time. -- Amanda Foreman What a marvellous feast of vices and desires Sarah Dunant gives us in Blood & Beauty - lust and ambition, passion and power, destiny born and bought. The Borgias are arguably the most intriguing and ruthless family in all of history, and Dunant brings them ravishingly, bristlingly to life. Absolutely convincing on every page. I was enthralled. -- Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife An ambitious, thrilling read from a novelist at the height of her powers. The Borgias leap from the page ... the book offers total immersion in an alien Rome The Times
£9.49
Little, Brown Book Group The Enchanted April
Book SynopsisA discreet advertisement in 'The Times', addressed to 'Those who Apppreciate Wisteria and Sunshine...' is the impetus for a revelatory month for four very different women. High above the bay on the Italian Riviera stands San Salvatore, a mediaeval castle. Beckoned to this haven are Mrs. Wilkins, Mrs Arbuthnot, Mrs Fisher and Lady Caroline Dester, each quietly craving a respite. Lulled by the Mediterranean spirit, they gradually shed their skins and discover a harmony each of them has longed for but never known.First published in 1922 and reminscient of 'Elizabeth and her German Garden', this delightful novel is imbued with the descriptive power and light-hearted irreverence for which Elizabeth von Arnin is renowned.Trade ReviewAn enchanting novel, witty, touching and very perceptively written, which will sweep you into wisteria and sunshine -- Santa MontefioreFilled with hazy hills and fragrant flora, the novel is a dreamily sensuous description of the glories of Italian spring -- Adam Nicolson * Mail on Sunday *Elizabeth von Armin's most charming novel in every sense: it casts a spell...a sun-washed fairytale * Observer *At one level an escapist fantasy, at another a parable about the liberation of the spirit, this delicious confection will work its magic on all. * 'The Daily Telegraph' *
£14.24
Little, Brown Book Group The Purple Shroud
Book SynopsisOnce, Theodora was little more than a slave, the daughter of a bear-keeper, running barefoot through the streets of Constantinople. Now she is Theoudoron, 'the Gift of God', Empress of Byzantine Rome and the most powerful woman in the world. 'Hard-nosed, cruel, imaginative, kind, frustrated, generous, ruthless: Theodora is, in Duffy's hands, a richly paradoxical character from whom the light of life shines brightly' GUARDIANIn Stella Duffy's compelling new novel, the beguiling and extraordinary Empress Theodora emerges from the shadow of history into brilliant light. Clever, courageous and ruthless when betrayed, Theodora rules alongside her husband, the Emperor Justinian - a true love match in a world of political marriages. But while wars rage on the borders of the Empire, Theodora discovers that the greatest danger to her reign - and her life - lies much closer to home. 'Highly enjoyable' SUNDAY TIMES'A writer who never lets you down' ALI SMITH
£9.99
Little, Brown Book Group Up The Junction: A Virago Modern Classic
Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE JOHN LLEWELLYN RHYS MEMORIAL PRIZE 'Her art is ignited by voice, as you hear it, is unquestionable' ALI SMITH, GUARDIAN 'Distinctive, pared-down style' DAVID EVANS, INDEPENDENT 'Unflinching look at the lives of working-class women' DAILY MAIL Nell Dunn's scenes of London life, as it was lived in the early Sixties in the industrial slums of Battersea, have few parallels in contemporary writing. The exuberant, uninhibited, disparate world she found in the tired old streets and under the railway arches is recaptured in these closely linked sketches; and the result is pure alchemy. In this novel, we witness clip-joint hustles, petty thieving, candid sexual encounters, casual birth and casual death. She has a superb gift for capturing colloquial speech and the characters observed in these pages convey that caustic, ironic, and compassionate feeling for life, in which a turn of phrase frequently contains startling flashes of poetry. Battersea, that teeming wasteland of brick south of the Thames, has found its poet in Nell Dunn and Up the Junction is her touchingly truthful and timeless testimonial to it.Trade ReviewHer art is ignited by voice, especially by voice more usually given no societal, literary or aesthetic power or space but whose authority, as you hear it, is unquestionable -- Ali Smith * Guardian *What's striking at this distance is not so much Dunn's frank depiction of female promiscuity - which caused quite a stir at the time - but her distinctive, pared-down style -- David Evans * Independent *Unflinching look at the lives of working-class women, presented without any moralising or judgment, and caused a sensation -- Constance Craig Smith * Daily Mail *The random violence, the short-lived pleasures, the restlessness, the hopelessness, it's all caught here in a series of casual impressions which could not be more insistent * Kirkus Reviews *
£9.99
Bonnier Books Ltd The Steamie
Book SynopsisA novel based on the award-winning playMagrit, Dolly, Doreen and Mrs Culfeathers are the lifeblood of their Glasgow community and the steamie is at the centre of their world. Now, in Tony Roper's bestselling novel, you can follow their story once more, meet new characters from their lives and get to know more about their husbands, their families and the friends they rely on in troubled times. These are the men and women from the shops, shipyards, bookies and street corners, and this is their story."The gossip at the steamie is as endless s the piles of dirty washing."THE SUNDAY POST"The Steamie, a word-of-mouth hit that transcended its Glasgow origins to become a success from America to Latvia."SUNDAY HERALD"Like the stage show, the book is filled with unbeatable Glasgow humour, but it is peppered with beautiful observations of life and tinged with some deeply moving moments."DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY STANDARD
£11.69
Peepal Tree Press Ltd Huracan
Book SynopsisLeigh McCaulay left Jamaica for New York at fifteen following her parents’ divorce. In the wake of her mother’s death fifteen years later, she returns to the island to find her estranged father and the family secrets he holds. Her story is told against the background of two other McCaulays who arrived in Jamaica in the 18th and 19th centuries. As a white Jamaican, Leigh has to think about her own belonging.Back In Jamaica after years away, Leigh McCaulay encounters the familiarity of home along with the strangeness of being white in a black country, and struggles with guilt and confusion over her part in an oppressive history of white slave owners and black slaves.As Leigh begins to make an adult life on the island, she learns of her ancestors – Zachary Macaulay, a Scot sent as a young man to be a bookkeeper on a sugar plantation in 18th century Jamaica who, after witnessing and participating in the brutality of slavery, becomes an abolitionist; and John Macaulay, a missionary who comes to Jamaica in the 19th century to save souls and ends up questioning the foundations of his beliefs.Part historical and part contemporary literary fiction, loosely based on the author’s own family history, Huracan explores how we navigate the inequalities and privileges we are born to and the possibilities for connectedness and social transformation in everyday contemporary life. But it is also the story of an island’s independence; of the people who came (those who prospered and those who were murdered); of crimes and acts of mercy; and the search for place, love and redemption.Diana McCaulay is a Jamaican writer, newspaper columnist and environmental activist. She has written four earlier novels, including Dog-Heart (2010) and Huracan (2012), published by Peepal Tree Press. Both books met with critical acclaim and have broken local publishing records. Her latest novel, Daylight Come, will be published in September 2020.
£10.44
Peepal Tree Press Ltd The Mystic Masseur's Wife
Book SynopsisAt the end of V.S. Naipaul’s satire on Hindu life in Trinidad, The Mystic Masseur, the protagonist, Ganesh Ramsumair, caps his rise to fame as a colonial politician, by transforming himself into an English gentleman, G. Ramsay Muir, and heading off to England. In Naipaul’s novel, Ganesh’s wife, Leela, plays a very secondary, indeed recessive role, though there are occasional clues that she has a clearer grasp of reality than her husband. In the hidden spaces of Naipaul’s novel, J. Vijay Maharaj creates a quite different kind of story for Leela, who decides that when her husband abandons Trinidad for England, she is too much attached to her life on the island to follow him. All this is relayed to the author by Leela in her later years, in a series of tape-recordings, which form the basis for the novel. This is much more than a necessary rewriting of the male-centredness of VS Naipaul’s perspective, though Maharaj creates an inventive and often richly humorous counter-narrative within that novel’s plotlines, as well as a dynamic afterlife for Leela after Naipaul’s novel ends. Maharaj creates for Leela an utterly convincing and compelling voice -- earthy, shrewd and in love with life -- of a woman who not only has a clear vision of her place in the world, but is a vigorous advocate for the inner vitality of Indo-Trinidadian life in the 1940s and 1950s, a world that V.S. Naipaul seems only to have known at its fringes and rejected as absurd. J. Vijay Maharaj’s triumph is to have created something quite remarkable, a novel that has all the dynamic and voice we expect from fiction, and a depth of insight into the texture of Indo-Trinidadian culture that has few parallels.
£9.49
Peepal Tree Press Ltd Ocean Stirrings: A Work of Fiction in Tribute to
Book SynopsisThe mother of the revolutionary firebrand Malcolm X was a Grenadian woman born at the turn of the 20th century in a small rural community in a deeply colonial society where access to education had only just begun for the children of working people. She emigrated to Canada and then the USA, where she became involved in the struggle for Black dignity and human rights then led by Marcus Garvey and the Universal Negro Improvement Association. Malcolm X and others of his siblings have testified to their mother's powerful influence on their lives. Within the sparse facts of Louise Langdon Norton Little's biography, Merle Collins, the distinguished Grenadian novelist, has created a moving and deeply feminist work of fiction that gives vivid inwardness to both the heroism and tragedy of a life that involved fighting the Ku Klux Klan, discovering that male comrades in the struggle could be abusers at home, recognition of her skills as an organiser, but also a period of mental collapse that saw her incarcerated in a mental hospital until her family fought for her release. What Merle Collins dramatizes is the meeting of a collective struggle for equal rights with an individual life profoundly shaped by growing up with her forceful matriarchal grandmother and by her schooling. In the classroom she meets teachers who show Oseyan, Louise's family name, how to turn the imperialist ideology of her schoolbooks on its head. These are the contexts of Oseyan's life, but what Merle Collins most profoundly gives us is its breathing texture, through a mix of fictive narrative, letters and poetry, with episodes of great warmth, exuberant humour and drama, as well as the pathos of separation from community.
£14.39
Little, Brown Book Group A Mist of Prophecies
Book SynopsisOne afternoon as Gordianus the Finder is crossing the marketplace, a beautiful young seeress staggers towards him and dies in his arms. Possibly insane, and with no memory of her past Cassandra - like her Trojan namesake - had been reputed to possess the true gift of prophecy. For such a gift there are many in Rome who would pay handsomely...or resort to murder. Cassandra had been the confidante of the rich and powerful, until she fell victim to vicious killer. Obsessed with Cassandra and her mystery, Gordianus begins to investigate. As the citizens of Rome nervously await news of the war and the political situation verges on chaos, Gordianus gradually peels away the veils of secrecy that surround Cassandra's life and death. What he uncovers has deadly implications, involving some if the most powerful women in Rome - Gordianus's pursuit of the truth not only endangers his own life, but could well affect the future of Rome herself.Trade ReviewHow wonderful to have a scholar write about ancient Rome; how comforting to feel instant confidence in the historical accuracy of the novel. * Sunday Times *Readers will find his work wonderfully (and gracefully) researched....this is entertainment of the first order. * Washington Post *Saylor has acquired the information of a historian but he enjoys the gifts of a born novelist. * Boston Globe *
£9.49
Little, Brown Book Group The House of the Vestals
Book SynopsisWonderfully entertaining mystery stories set in the world of the acclaimed ROMA SUB ROSA series. It is the Rome of the Late Republic, and Gordianus the Finder has a knack for finding trouble - and dead bodies. Known to many as the one man in the ancient world who can both keep a secret and uncover one, Gordianus lays bare some of his most intriguing adventures in this new volume in Steven Saylor's highly acclaimed mystery series. In 'Little Caesar and the Pirates', Gordianus must act as a go-between for kidnappers, but he begins to wonder who is really being held hostage; in 'The Alexandrian Cat', a mischievous girl and a tell-tale sneeze reveal an ingenious plot of murder and thievery; and in 'The House of the Vestals', blackmail goes horribly wrong and there is no one to take the blame. The result is an engrossing collection of finely wrought mystery tales with all the suspense and craft that are the trademark of Saylor's work.Trade ReviewSaylor's scholarship is breathtaking, his writing enthrals.Engrossing... Simmering with eroticism... An absorbing brew of Rome's decay. (The Venus Throw) * Publishers Weekly *How wonderful, to have a scholar write about ancient Rome; how comforting, to feel instant confidence in the historical accuracy of a novel. (The Appian Way) * Sunday Times *
£9.49
Telos Publishing Ltd Marianne: The Stranger from Tuscany
Book Synopsis
£14.24
Penguin Books Ltd Les Miserables
Book SynopsisVictor Hugo's tale of injustice, heroism and love follows the fortunes of Jean Valjean, an escaped convict determined to put his criminal past behind him. But his attempts to become a respected member of the community are constantly put under threat: by his own conscience, when, owing to a case of mistaken identity, another man is arrested in his place; and by the relentless investigations of the dogged Inspector Javert. It is not simply for himself that Valjean must stay free, however, for he has sworn to protect the baby daughter of Fantine, driven to prostitution by poverty. Norman Denny's lively English translation is accompanied by an introduction discussing Hugo's political and artistic aims in writing Les Misérables. Victor Hugo (1802-85) wrote volumes of criticism, dramas, satirical verse and political journalism but is best remembered for his novels, especially Notre-Dame de Paris (also known as The Hunchback of Notre-Dame) and Les Misérables, which was adapted into one of the most successful musicals of all time. 'All human life is here'Cameron Mackintosh, producer of the musical Les Misérables'One of the half-dozen greatest novels of the world'Upton Sinclair'A great writer - inventive, witty, sly, innovatory' A. S. Byatt, author of PossessionTrade Review"Hugo's genius was for the creation of simple and recognizable myth. The huge success of Les Misérables as a didactic work on behalf of the poor and oppressed is due to his poetic and myth-enlarged view of human nature." —V. S. Pritchett "It was Tolstoy who vindicated [Hugo's] early ambition by judging Les Misérables one of the world's great novels, if not the greatest… [His] ability to present the extremes of experience 'as they are' is, in the end, Hugo's great gift." —From the Introduction by Peter Washington
£19.80
Vintage Publishing Flight
Book SynopsisFlight follows this troubled foster teenager - a boy who is not a 'legal' Indian because he was never claimed by his father - as he learns that violence is not the answer.The journey for Flight's young hero begins as he's about to commit a massive act of violence. At the moment of the decision, he finds himself shot back through time to resurface in the body of an FBI agent during the civil rights era, where he sees why 'Hell is Red River, Idaho, in the 1970s'. Red River is only the first stop in an eye-opening trip through moments in American history. He will continue travelling back to inhabit the body of an Indian child during the battle at Little Bighorn and then ride with an Indian tracker in the nineteenth century before materialising as an airline pilot jetting through the skies today. During these travels through time, his refrain grows: 'Who's to judge?'This novel seeks nothing less than an understanding of why human beings hate. Flight is irrepressible and fearless - Sherman Alexie at his most brilliant.Trade ReviewMr. Alexie manages to move effortlessly in and out of centuries like a person moving between waking and sleep... Right up to the novel's final sentence, Mr. Alexie succeeds yet again with his ability to pierce to the heart of matters, leaving this reader with tears in her eyes * New York Times *A funny, irreverent, sardonic but sentimental, rebellious voice set beside his elder...contemporaries...Alexie is the bad boy among them, mocking, self-mocking, unpredictable, unassimilable, reminding us of the young Philip Roth -- Joyce Carol Oates * New York Review of Books *
£12.59
Alma Books Ltd The Very Thought of You
England, 31st August 1939: the world is on the brink of war. As Hitler prepares to invade Poland, thousands of children are evacuated from London to escape the impending Blitz. Torn from her mother, eight-year-old Anna Sands is relocated with other children to a large Yorkshire estate which has been opened up to evacuees by Thomas and Elizabeth Ashton, an enigmatic childless couple. Soon Anna gets drawn into their unravelling relationship, seeing things that are not meant for her eyes – and finding herself part-witness and part-accomplice to a love affair, with unforeseen consequences. A story of love, loss and complicated loyalties, combining a sweeping narrative with subtle psychological observation, The Very Thought of You is a haunting and memorable debut.
£999.99
Birlinn General Magnus
Book SynopsisFirst published in 1973 by the Hogarth Press, Magnus is George Mackay Brown’s tour de force – his most poetic and innovative book. He links the twelfth-century story of the saintly Earl Magnus of Orkney’s brutal murder at the hands of his cousin Hakon Paulson, to that of the philosopher Dietrich Bonhoeffer, murdered by the Nazis during World War II. This is a unique exploration of the eternal questions of guilt, goodness and personal sacrifice.Trade Review'Magnus is, I believe, the most beautiful contemporary book I have ever read' * The Times *'A distinctive and distinguished novel, of unusual power and purity ... Brown uses language with beautiful precision, resource and power' * The Sunday Times *'[Mackay Brown] weaves the twentieth-century strand into the Nordic tapestry more deftly than might have been thought possible' * The Herald *
£9.49
Birlinn General Vinland
Book SynopsisVinland follows the turbulent life of Ranald Sigmundson, a young boy born into the Dark Ages when Orkney was torn between its Viking past and its Christian future. Struggling to understand the conflicts of his home, Ranald seeks adventure and knowledge across the seas, his journeys taking him as far as Norway, Iceland and Ireland. Through Ranald’s story, many elements of early mediaeval life – of seamanship, marriage customs, beliefs and traditions – are brought vibrantly to life, and the traditional poetry interwoven through the prose adds a richness and poignancy to the tales he tells. In Vinland, Mackay Brown’s fourth novel, lore and legend, the elementary pull of the sea and the land, the sweetness of the early religion and the darker, more ancient rites, create an exquisite celebration of Orcadian history.
£8.54
Birlinn General Rizzio: Darkland Tales
Book Synopsis'a tour de force work of art' – The Wall Street Journal, Best Books of the Year Longlisted for the 2022 CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award It's Saturday evening, 9 March 1566, and Mary, Queen of Scots, is six months pregnant. She's hosting a supper party, secure in her private chambers. She doesn't know that her Palace is surrounded – that, right now, an army of men is creeping upstairs to her chamber. They're coming to murder David Rizzio, her friend and secretary, the handsome Italian man who is smiling across the table at her. Mary's husband, Lord Darnley, wants it done in front of her and he wants her to watch it done ... Denise Mina brilliantly portrays the sexual dynamics and politics of power – between men and women, monarch and subjects, master and servants. The period is masterfully researched yet lightly drawn, the characterisation quick, subtle and utterly convincing. This breathtakingly tense work is a tale of sex, secrets and lies, one that explores the lengths that men – and women – will go to in the search for love and power.Trade Review'Guaranteed to keep you invested by incorporating fact, myth and legend' * The Radio Times *'This series has already produced two works of note and distinction. It raises the question – if a country cannot re-tell its history, will it be stuck forever in aspic and condemned to be nothing more than a shortbread tin illustration? Hex and Rizzio are showing the way towards a reckoning, and about time too' -- Stuart Kelly * Scotland on Sunday *'Denise Mina is a name to be taken very seriously when it comes to crime fiction. …. Mary is a heroine tailor-made for [her] expert literary investigation' * New York Times, Best Historical Novels of 2021 *'May be Britain's finest living crime novelist' * Daily Telegraph *'contains more suspense and action than many a doorstopper of a historical thriller ... Written in a style allowing access to multiple characters’ thoughts, rich with cinema-sharp imagery, "Rizzio" is a tour de force work of art' * The Wall Street Journal, Best Books of the Year 2021 *'[Rizzio] is retold in Mina’s characteristically compelling style which brings the intrigue and machinations of a key moment in Scottish history vibrantly to life' * Waterstones Best Books of 2021: Crime and Thriller *'a writer of huge skill and inventiveness who blends tense, well-crafted crime fiction with social conscience and historical weight' * The Bookseller *'Bestseller Mina vividly recreates a gruesome episode from the Tudor era in this searing novella set mostly over the course of a single day, Mar. 9, 1566. Mina interjects well-wrought characterizations; this superior historical thriller reads like a real-life episode of Game of Thrones' * Publishers Weekly (starred) *'This is an edgy, provocative and thrilling classic in the making' * Scottish Books International *'it's apt that Mina should embrace the short form novella, encapsulating the darkness and drama yet somehow managing to keep it light and at times funny' -- Janet Christie * The Scotsman Magazine *'it is refreshing to be presented with a very readable, if embellished, account of Rizzio's murder and some of its implications for Scotland' -- Graham Drew * Press and Journal, Book of the Week *'Denise Mina applies a true crime lens to revisit 24 hours that transformed the monarchy and it’s absolutely riveting' -- Sam Baker * Noon.org.uk *'Riveting ... darkly clever' * Popsugar *'Stabby and pithy ... an intriguing sketch in blood' * Guardian, Book of the Day *'an electric and utterly absorbing battle of wills' -- Roger Cox * The Scotsman *'An omniscient narrative voice, which delivers historical exposition in quick ironic bursts...Mina’s vivid style and the swift-moving plot are a pleasure. More historical fiction, please Ms Mina' -- Antonia Senior * The Times, Best New Historical Fiction *'This riveting novella retells the intrigue behind [Rizzio's] death' * i Paper *'I gobbled up Denise Mina’s short and immersive Rizzio – a fictionalised account of the murder of Mary Queen of Scots’s private secretary in 16th-century Holyrood – as an audiobook on a single long car journey' -- Cal Flyn * The Times *'In Rizzio she has created a plus-sized novella with the passion of an opera, a tour de force of imaginative reconstruction' * Wall Street Journal Europe *'The tragic episode is retold in Mina’s characteristically compelling style, which brings the intrigue and machinations of a key moment in Scottish history to life' * Daily Record *'I had an absolute thrill-ride reading your book ... … what you manage to do with this is quite dazzling… you manage to present a feminist, female perspective on her [Mary Queen of Scot’s] dilmena and her intelligence and a couple of the other women there too…absolutely incredible… your prose is beautiful, the dialogue drawn from historical record. Another brilliant book. Congratulations' -- Janice Forsyth * BBC Radio Scotland *'Mina, a contemporary crime novelist, retells this famous tale with great panache and gives it both a touch of noir and a blackly comic edge... gripping' * Sunday Times *'Mina's real genius is to draw out the private feelings of [her] protagonists with such economy, in a short, pacey but incredibly tender account…Making her tale all the more vivid is Edinburgh itself…[the tale] seems fresh in her retelling' -- Mike Wade * Times Online *'The writing is spellbinding and simply draws one in ... Outstanding' * Journal of the Law Society of Scotland *'Set in one day it really is a fabulously, engaging and moving read. Anybody with an interest in history, crime – anything Scottish – would love it' -- Susie Troup, Director of Hexham Festival * Broadcasting House BBC Radio 4 *'Mina does an excellent job of grabbing the reader’s attention and transporting them to that horrible night ... If you love reading about Mary, Queen of Scots, and Stuart Scotland during the 16th century, you will find “Rizzio” by Denise Mina thrilling' * Adventures of a Tudor Nerd blog (US) *'Denise Mina brilliantly manages to be funny, heart-wrenching, gut-punching and addictive all at once' -- Nicci French'a novella designed to be devoured in one sitting' -- Nora McElhone * Press and Journal *'Written in tight, present-tense prose, Rizzio peers over the shoulders and into the minds of conspirators, loyalists, pawns, and victims as the titular assassination of Rizzio and the attempted overthrow of the queen unfolds… a gut-punch of a novella' * Rose Amber blog *'This is a book to rival many an acknowledged masterpiece.' -- Frank Parker'Denise Mina is at the helm of a pithier, pocket-sized revolution: the historical novella' -- Rosie Morton * Scottish Field *'Mina explores this bloody incident with forensic and gripping detail ... written in a taut detective-story style, with flashes of modern wit' -- Kate Pettigrew * Historical Novel Society *'I love the idea — drinking in historical fiction as a series of shots' -- Katherine Faulkner, author of Greenwich Park'Rizzio is a fiery account of an ancient tale, a snapshot of the 16th century brought vividly to a 21st century audience' -- Louise Fairbairn
£9.50
Birlinn General Nothing Left to Fear from Hell: Darkland Tales
Book SynopsisShortlisted for The Winston Graham Historical Prize A battle lost. A daring escape. A long walk into obscurity. The ultimate failure… In the aftermath of the disastrous Battle of Culloden, a lonely figure takes flight with a small band of companions through the islands and mountains of the Hebrides. His name is Charles Edward Stuart: better known today as Bonnie Prince Charlie. He had come to the country to take the throne. Now he is leaving in exile and abject defeat. In prose that is by turns poetic, comic, macabre, haunting and humane, multi- award-winning author Alan Warner traces the frantic last journey through Scotland of a man who history will come to define for his failure. 'Written in carefully crafted prose . . . this reimagining of Charles Edward Stuart’s escape from Culloden is a triumph' – Stuart Kelly, The ScotsmanTrade Review'By turns funny and furious, raucous and rueful, Warner unravels this story of abject failure with winning aplomb' * Daily Mail *'Written in carefully crafted prose shot through with cleverly-deployed alliteration and assonance, this reimagining of Charles Edward Stuart’s escape from Culloden is a triumph' -- Stuart Kelly * The Scotsman *'Warner masticates on language joyously,' 'a brilliantly chewy recreation,' 'It’s easy to imagine Robert Louis Stevenson and Walter Scott grinning in admiration at these lines' -- John Quin * The National *'Polygon Books' Darkland Tales series of novellas have been among Scottish literature's most exciting books of recent times' * Snack Magazine,10 Best Scottish Books for 2023 *'There's something about the author's style and use of language that draws you into the moment in a very visual way' -- Ken Lussey * Undiscovered Scotland *'a thrilling historical novel' * Scots Magazine *'Bringing a fascinating historical figure to vivid life, the author of Morvern Callar and Kitchenly 434 reimagines the last, dramatic flight of Bonnie Prince Charlie in the aftermath of the Battle of Culloden' * Waterstones Says * 'Every bit as gloriously immersive and vibrantly surreal as you’d hope' -- James Scudamore, author of English Monsters'One of the most interesting developments in Scottish publishing' * The Scotsman on the Darkland Tales series *'A tour-de-force of the author's fertile imagination... Warner has painted a warts-and-all canvas of a volatile, violent period' * Press and Journal *'I have not read anything quite like it. Warner's style is captivating' * Dundee Courier, 9/10 Book of the Week *'So, so beautifully evocative... a resounding success of a novella and comes as highly recommended by our team' * LoveReading, Book of the Month *'A story that is lyrical and humane but peppered with dark humour' * Sunday Post *'visceral, vulgar, vivid, by turns comic and grotesque, yet with a powerful undertow of elegy and sorrow' -- Rosemary Goring * Herald *'With lashings of dark, earthy wit... [Warner] writes beautifully and injects life into a wide cast of historical characters' * Scottish Field *'The poetry of the descriptions and the believability of the dialogue amply grip the reader’s attention... a great pleasure' -- Ben Bergonzi * Historical Novel Society *'Warner’s work is iconoclastic at the best of times; here, commissioned to write about this time-period as part of a series on Scottish history, he’s been gifted an ideal subject' * Bookmunch *'a fresh look through fiction at the often sneered-at prince... Warner seems to relish reassessing his royal 'brigand'' * Northern Times, Starred Read *'stupendously earthy, laugh out loud funny in places, visceral writing' -- Sally Magnusson'A terrifying journey through the most inhospitable terrain, with all its gory and violent staging posts, plagued by midges and Hanoverian soldiers, but where the most insignificant tuft of grass, or heather covered hillock, or the fragility of the light, is immortalised for its beauty' -- Cathy MacDonald * Stornoway Gazette *'Warner’s searing vision of Hebridean hell reconfirms his role as bard of the Gàidhealtachd’s seamier side, in prose that draws on lyrical traditions far older, and more resilient, than the House of Stuart’s claim to lord it over them' * Gutter Magazine *
£9.50
Birlinn General The Pavilion in the Clouds: A new stand-alone
Book SynopsisIt is 1938 and the final days of the British Empire. In a bungalow high up in the green hills above the plains of Ceylon, under a vast blue sky, live the Ferguson family: Bella, a precocious eight-year-old; her father Henry – owner of Pitlochry, a tea plantation – and her mother Virginia. The story centres around the Pavilion in the Clouds, set in the idyllic grounds carved out of the wilderness. But all is not as serene as it seems. Bella is suspicious of her governess, Miss White’s intentions. Her suspicion sparks off her mother’s imagination and after an unfortunate series of events, a confrontation is had with Miss White and a gunshot rings off around the hills. Years later, Bella, now living back in Scotland at university in St Andrews, is faced, once again with her past. Will she at last find out what happened between her Father and Miss White? And will the guilt she has lived with all these years be reconciled by a long over-due apology?Trade Review'The ever fecund Alexander McCall Smith continues to surprise as well as please... This is one of the most enjoyable of his many enjoyable novels' -- Allan Massie * The Scotsman *'Most of the historical novels I review are so unrelentingly dark or dramatic that it makes a nice change to read one with so many touches of gentle humour ... The characters are so well observed that I had to remind myself that the book is written by a man from a mostly female perspective, because he captures the nuances of female interactions so well' * Historical Novel Society *'this utterly engaging standalone novel shimmers with atmosphere and family tension ... a stirring, evocative psychological mystery set in 1938 as the British Empire limps through its final days' * Lovereading.co.uk *'Strong characters and beautiful settings, from the mountainous tea plantation in Ceylon to the rolling hills of the Scottish countryside' * Asian Review of Books *'Paints a vivid and atmospheric story of life in a tea plantation towards the end of the British Empire... Cleverly layered with intrigue, suspense, romance, and warmly drawn characters' * Sixtyplusurfers *'Offering a child’s perspective, the novel chimes with Harper Lee’s 1960 classic To Kill A Mockingbird' * Sunday Post *'Esteemed writer McCall Smith brings us a new and exciting enigma' * Scottish Field *'A window to an era when the British knew the time had come for them to leave' * MintLounge *'Insightful, sometimes poignant and often humorous, whether his setting is in present day London, Edinburgh, Botswana or pre-war Ceylon, McCall Smith's grasp of people and relationships is superb' * GoodReads, 5 stars *
£8.54
Birlinn General The Edinburgh Skating Club
Book SynopsisWhen you look at a painting, what do you really see? When eighteenth-century poet Alison Cockburn accepts a light-hearted challenge from her friend Katherine Hume to live as a man, in order to infiltrate Edinburgh’s all-male skating club, little do they both realise how her new identity will shape their future. And in the present, art historian Claire Sharp receives a mysterious request: to settle once and for all the true provenance of the iconic painting The Skating Minister. The Edinburgh Skating Club is the tale of one woman's mission to infiltrate a male-dominated society. Imaginative, romantic and ultimately moving, this time-shift adventure celebrates the women overlooked by history – and, above all, love, in all its unexpected forms.Trade Review'The Edinburgh Skating Club is an engaging read, in which discussions about art, politics, love and gender are woven deftly into the plot' -- Kirsty McLuckie * The Scotsman *'History, humour, and plenty of heart, in a slice of Edinburgh heritage served up with more than one unexpected twist. Perfect for fans of Alexander McCall Smith, art lovers and anyone who loves the capital' -- Barbara Henderson * Highland News and Media *'A pacy tale traversing both 18th century and modern-day Edinburgh' -- Jennifer McLaren * Dundee Courier *'In this playful and poignant offering of historical fiction, Sloan celebrates love and the unsung contributions of women to Scottish culture... both heart-breaking and enchanting in equal measure' -- Kai Durkin * Press and Journal *'The Edinburgh Skating Club is warm and funny with more than a few surprises. It’s a very entertaining read with an unexpectedly emotional ending' * Portobello Book Blog *'As fascinating and pleasurable as I could have hoped... Embedded in sound historical research, this is a feel-good read which tackles issues of sexism through the ages without ever taking itself too seriously' -- Ali Bacon'Most impressive and a delight to read' * University of Edinburgh Journal *'Sloan incrementally builds up a plot of some complexity and provides an enjoyable symmetry between period and modern scenes' -- Ben Bergonzi * Historical Novel Society *
£9.49
Birlinn General The Devil's Blaze: Sherlock Holmes: 1943
Book SynopsisLondon, 1943. Across the city prominent figures in science and the military are bursting into flame and being incinerated. Convinced that the Germans have deployed a new terror weapon, a desperate government turns to the one man who can track down the source of this dreadful menace - Sherlock Holmes. The quest for a solution drives Holmes into an uneasy alliance with the country’s most brilliant scientific genius, Professor James Moriarty. Only Holmes knows that, behind his façade of respectability, Moriarty is the mastermind behind a vast criminal empire. As they pursue the trail of incendiary murders, Holmes is quite sure that the professor is playing a double game and that there lies ahead a duel to the death which they cannot both survive. A tribute to the classic Universal Pictures Sherlock Holmes film series starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce.Trade Review'There are a lot of Sherlock Holmes series out there, but Robert J. Harris’ has the best twist on the format' * BookPage US, Fall 2022 preview: Most anticipated mysteries & thrillers *'[B]oth easy to read and hard to put down. It's a romp that manges to replicate the lightness of touch and feel of the orginal Sherlock Holmes stories ... Robert J. Harris has captured the entertainment value of the films beautifully' * Undiscovered Scotland *'A strong sequel to 2020’s A Study in Crimson: Sherlock Holmes 1942... Fans of the Basil Rathbone Holmes movies will be eager for more' * Publishers Weekly *'The Devil’s Blaze is taut and absorbing, particularly as the hero and anti-hero attempt to devise strategies to defeat each other' -- Joanne F. Vickers * Historical Novel Society *
£15.81
Birlinn General Of Stone and Sky
Book Synopsis'An enthralling mystery, family saga and Sunset Song-esque ode to the land' - The Herald, 25 Summer Reads Winner of the Bookmark Book Festival Book of the Year Longlisted for the Highland Book Prize After Highland shepherd Colvin Munro disappears, a mysterious trail of his possessions is found in the Cairngorm mountains. Writing the eulogy for his memorial years later, his foundling-sister Mo seeks to discover why he vanished. Younger brother Sorley is also haunted by his absence and driven to reveal the forces that led to Colvin’s disappearance. Is their brother alive or dead? Set on a farming estate in the upper reaches of the River Spey, Of Stone and Sky follows several generations of a shepherding family in a paean to the bonds between people, their land and way of life. It is a profound mystery, a passionate poem, a political manifesto, shot through with wisdom and humour.Trade Review'Of Stone and Sky unfolds impressively and with a sweeping scope, dispelling romantic notions of the Highlands to acknowledge its material realities, and doing it through diverse, well-developed characters, before capping it with a satisfying ending’ * The Herald *'A paean to the bonds between people, their land and way of life' * Scots Magazine *'A rich stew of a novel, one with a Victorian complexity of plot, a family saga which is also a socio-economic survey of Highland history ... a considerable achievement' -- Allan Massie * The Scotsman *'With the most wonderful blend of stark and sharp plot lines mixed with richly descriptive detailing, this is a beautifully readable novel ... Merryn Glover has an evocative pen, the descriptions sing, the sense of place flowed into my awareness and I found I couldn't stop reading. An unexpected novel, echoing the past and asking questions of the future, it really is a truly lovely read' -- Liz Robinson * LoveReading *'Glover writes with a poet's clarity and economy ... each of the pieces of the jigsaw is compelling in its own right and interlink to create a picture of considerable beauty and power ... exceptionally touching' * Scottish Mountaineer *'This complex, exquisitely written and meticulously-structured work covers almost a century. It deals with love, community, family, the legacies of the past; but also with alcoholism, tragedy, betrayal and loss. It’s immensely readable – and overflowing with grace' * Inverness Courier *'The lyrical, descriptive writing style pairs perfectly with the sweeping landscape ... Of Stone and Sky is brimming with life, love and just enough Scottish stuff: dialect, tradition, song and prayer' -- Nicole Gemine * Dundee Courier, Scottish Book of the Week *'An enthralling mystery, family saga and Sunset Song-esque ode to the land' * The Herald, 25 Summer Reads *'A stunning story, beautifully written…[Merryn Glover] paints a richly detailed portrait of her setting. A book which deserves widespread recognition…outstanding Scottish literary fiction' -- Joanne Baird * Portobello Book Blog *'A novel full of connection and mystery… with the backdrop of the beautiful Scottish Highlands, this is a story of love, wisdom, and wit' * Scottish Field *'The plot embraces a community and landscape which shapes it in the paean to connectivity' * Strathspey and Badenoch Herald *'a perfect winter read... draw the curtains, light the fire and prepare to be transported to the Cairngorm mountains' -- Liz Treacher * Kyle Chronicle *'Crafted beautifully and effects its own quiet, soulful rhythm in the main characters’ lives ... In the midst of tragedy, loss and life-changing physical and emotional pain, Of Stone And Sky shepherds us to feel our part in the existence of something greater' * North Words Now *'Evokes a sense of land and belonging… a journey of introspection and self discovery. A read to be savoured slowly' * The Wee Review *'This book is sublime. It was an absolute joy to read, like drifting along a gentle stream with waves of poetic beauty constantly lapping around me' * Goodreads, 5 star review *'This is a beautiful read ... the heart of the novel is the quality of writing' * Dorset Magazine *
£9.49
Birlinn General Rizzio: Darkland Tales
Book Synopsis'a tour de force work of art' – The Wall Street Journal, Best Books of the Year Longlisted for the 2022 CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award It's Saturday evening, 9 March 1566, and Mary, Queen of Scots, is six months pregnant. She's hosting a supper party, secure in her private chambers. She doesn't know that her Palace is surrounded – that, right now, an army of men is creeping upstairs to her chamber. They're coming to murder David Rizzio, her friend and secretary, the handsome Italian man who is smiling across the table at her. Mary's husband, Lord Darnley, wants it done in front of her and he wants her to watch it done ... Denise Mina brilliantly portrays the sexual dynamics and politics of power – between men and women, monarch and subjects, master and servants. The period is masterfully researched yet lightly drawn, the characterisation quick, subtle and utterly convincing. This breathtakingly tense work is a tale of sex, secrets and lies, one that explores the lengths that men – and women – will go to in the search for love and power.Trade Review'Guaranteed to keep you invested by incorporating fact, myth and legend' * The Radio Times *'This series has already produced two works of note and distinction. It raises the question – if a country cannot re-tell its history, will it be stuck forever in aspic and condemned to be nothing more than a shortbread tin illustration? Hex and Rizzio are showing the way towards a reckoning, and about time too' -- Stuart Kelly * Scotland on Sunday *'Denise Mina is a name to be taken very seriously when it comes to crime fiction. …. Mary is a heroine tailor-made for [her] expert literary investigation' * New York Times, Best Historical Novels of 2021 *'May be Britain's finest living crime novelist' * Daily Telegraph *'contains more suspense and action than many a doorstopper of a historical thriller ... Written in a style allowing access to multiple characters’ thoughts, rich with cinema-sharp imagery, "Rizzio" is a tour de force work of art' * The Wall Street Journal, Best Books of the Year 2021 *'[Rizzio] is retold in Mina’s characteristically compelling style which brings the intrigue and machinations of a key moment in Scottish history vibrantly to life' * Waterstones Best Books of 2021: Crime and Thriller *'a writer of huge skill and inventiveness who blends tense, well-crafted crime fiction with social conscience and historical weight' * The Bookseller *'Bestseller Mina vividly recreates a gruesome episode from the Tudor era in this searing novella set mostly over the course of a single day, Mar. 9, 1566. Mina interjects well-wrought characterizations; this superior historical thriller reads like a real-life episode of Game of Thrones' * Publishers Weekly (starred) *'This is an edgy, provocative and thrilling classic in the making' * Scottish Books International *'it's apt that Mina should embrace the short form novella, encapsulating the darkness and drama yet somehow managing to keep it light and at times funny' -- Janet Christie * The Scotsman Magazine *'it is refreshing to be presented with a very readable, if embellished, account of Rizzio's murder and some of its implications for Scotland' -- Graham Drew * Press and Journal, Book of the Week *'Denise Mina applies a true crime lens to revisit 24 hours that transformed the monarchy and it’s absolutely riveting' -- Sam Baker * Noon.org.uk *'Riveting ... darkly clever' * Popsugar *'Stabby and pithy ... an intriguing sketch in blood' * Guardian, Book of the Day *'an electric and utterly absorbing battle of wills' -- Roger Cox * The Scotsman *'An omniscient narrative voice, which delivers historical exposition in quick ironic bursts...Mina’s vivid style and the swift-moving plot are a pleasure. More historical fiction, please Ms Mina' -- Antonia Senior * The Times, Best New Historical Fiction *'This riveting novella retells the intrigue behind [Rizzio's] death' * i Paper *'I gobbled up Denise Mina’s short and immersive Rizzio – a fictionalised account of the murder of Mary Queen of Scots’s private secretary in 16th-century Holyrood – as an audiobook on a single long car journey' -- Cal Flyn * The Times *'In Rizzio she has created a plus-sized novella with the passion of an opera, a tour de force of imaginative reconstruction' * Wall Street Journal Europe *'The tragic episode is retold in Mina’s characteristically compelling style, which brings the intrigue and machinations of a key moment in Scottish history to life' * Daily Record *'I had an absolute thrill-ride reading your book ... … what you manage to do with this is quite dazzling… you manage to present a feminist, female perspective on her [Mary Queen of Scot’s] dilmena and her intelligence and a couple of the other women there too…absolutely incredible… your prose is beautiful, the dialogue drawn from historical record. Another brilliant book. Congratulations' -- Janice Forsyth * BBC Radio Scotland *'Mina, a contemporary crime novelist, retells this famous tale with great panache and gives it both a touch of noir and a blackly comic edge... gripping' * Sunday Times *'Mina's real genius is to draw out the private feelings of [her] protagonists with such economy, in a short, pacey but incredibly tender account…Making her tale all the more vivid is Edinburgh itself…[the tale] seems fresh in her retelling' -- Mike Wade * Times Online *'The writing is spellbinding and simply draws one in ... Outstanding' * Journal of the Law Society of Scotland *'Set in one day it really is a fabulously, engaging and moving read. Anybody with an interest in history, crime – anything Scottish – would love it' -- Susie Troup, Director of Hexham Festival * Broadcasting House BBC Radio 4 *'Mina does an excellent job of grabbing the reader’s attention and transporting them to that horrible night ... If you love reading about Mary, Queen of Scots, and Stuart Scotland during the 16th century, you will find “Rizzio” by Denise Mina thrilling' * Adventures of a Tudor Nerd blog (US) *'Denise Mina brilliantly manages to be funny, heart-wrenching, gut-punching and addictive all at once' -- Nicci French'a novella designed to be devoured in one sitting' -- Nora McElhone * Press and Journal *'Written in tight, present-tense prose, Rizzio peers over the shoulders and into the minds of conspirators, loyalists, pawns, and victims as the titular assassination of Rizzio and the attempted overthrow of the queen unfolds… a gut-punch of a novella' * Rose Amber blog *'This is a book to rival many an acknowledged masterpiece.' -- Frank Parker'Denise Mina is at the helm of a pithier, pocket-sized revolution: the historical novella' -- Rosie Morton * Scottish Field *'Mina explores this bloody incident with forensic and gripping detail ... written in a taut detective-story style, with flashes of modern wit' -- Kate Pettigrew * Historical Novel Society *'I love the idea — drinking in historical fiction as a series of shots' -- Katherine Faulkner, author of Greenwich Park'Rizzio is a fiery account of an ancient tale, a snapshot of the 16th century brought vividly to a 21st century audience' -- Louise Fairbairn
£7.99
Birlinn General Dark Hunter
Book Synopsis'An immersive and entertaining read' – Alistair Mabbot, The Herald The year is 1317, and young squire Benedict Russell has joined the English-held garrison of Berwick-upon-Tweed after the spectacular Scottish victory at Bannockburn three years earlier. Serious and self-doubting, he can’t wait for his time there to come to an end. Living on the disputed territory between Scotland and England is a precarious existence, and as the Scots draw ever closer and the English king does nothing to stop them, Benedict finds himself in a race against time to solve the brutal murder of a young girl and find the traitor who lurks within Berwick’s walls.Trade Review'Dark Hunter offers a fascinating glimpse of how the Scottish Wars of Independence may have been perceived from the other side' -- Allan Massie * The Scotsman *'A lifetime of extensive research has resulted in the firm grasp of period detail that makes Dark Hunter an immersive and entertaining read' -- Alastair Mabbott * The Herald *'Watson, a medieval historian, brings to vivid life the sights, sounds and smells of this 14th-century world, especially the claustrophobic, volatile atmosphere of Berwick, with encroaching danger outside the walls and treachery nestling in the nooks and crannies of the streets' * Daily Mail *'As a portrayal of a mediaeval town under siege, the novel is excellent' * LoveReading *'Choc full of joys' -- Kenny Farquharson'A masterful debut novel' * Bookliterati *'The story is well told and captures beautifully the time and essence of the 14th century… For lovers of historical fiction, this is a book to be enjoyed by the fire on a cold evening’ * Historical Novel Society *'An excellent medieval mystery novel that is pacey and full of tension, but which is also historically fascinating and informative' * Scottish Field *'The historical background in this novel is impeccable... definitely worth a read' -- Graham Drew * Scots Magazine, Book of the Month *'brings the tension of a dangerously claustrophobic 14th century Berwick-upon-Tweed to life' * Dundee Courier *
£8.54
Birlinn General Burnt Offerings
Book SynopsisHow far would you go to save yourself when the truth can’t set you free? Scotland, 1589. Besse Craw is a young mother whose husband has mysteriously vanished. And in a time when women were powerless, she is accused of witchcraft, abused by her employer, and destined to lose her daughter, her freedom and her life. Set during the infamous North Berwick Witch Trials, that saw many persecuted, tortured and killed, Besse uncovers long-held secrets as she fights for justice and truth in a world of suspicion and lies.Trade Review'Turns back time to the turbulent and terrifying tale of a young woman caught up in the 16th century North Berwick witch trials... powerful' -- Nora McElhone * Dundee Courier *'A love-letter to independent, strong women who live life on their own terms, the novel explores the power dynamic of a patriarchal society that seeks to blame those who dare to challenge it' -- Sally McDonald * Sunday Post *'This book is a really cracking good read, an absolutely excellent description of a time and of a historic situation in North Berwick. You’ve really achieved a wonderful atmosphere… Absolutely essential reading' -- Breege Smyth * Oban FM *'Gripping and emotional... Bound to be a word-of-mouth hit' -- Daniel Aubrey, author of Dark Island
£9.49
Birlinn General The Berlin Gambit
Book SynopsisThe Reich will protect its secrets. 1942, Berlin. After Police Chief Investigator Rolf Schneider is summoned to a meeting with Himmler and tasked with investigating the assassination of Heydrich, he exposes a web of corruption and secrecy involving the highest-ranking figures in the Reich. Schneider is faced with an agonising dilemma, for the secret he discovers is both the only thing that can save his life and what will mark him down for certain death. His choice propels him into a desperate race against the clock, one in which he must travel to the very heart of darkness. Based around real World War II events. For fans of Philip Kerr, Robert Harris and Volker Kutscher.Trade Review'A very strong debut, weaving Schneider’s transformation from apolitical cop to anti-Nazi desperado through a gripping, paranoid narrative that embraces conspiracy at the highest levels of Nazi command, a secret deal with a foreign power and a nail-biting climax' -- Alastair Mabbott * Herald *'[a] pacy debut set in 1941 Berlin and based on real Second World War events ... Riveting' * Sunday Post *'The author has clearly done his research and captures Nazi Germany well ... the narrative satisfyingly unfolds. The story develops drawing in other contemporary events and the horror Schneider faces. We await with interest what Mr O’Donnell has to offer next' * Journal of the Law Society of Scotland *'This atmospheric novel, based on real events, captures well the troubled times under the Nazi regime... promising and assured debut' -- Jasmina Svenne * Historical Novel Society *
£9.49
Birlinn General Of Judgement Fallen: An Anthony Blanke Tudor
Book SynopsisSpring, 1523. Henry VIII readies England for war with France. The King’s chief minister, Cardinal Wolsey, prepares to open Parliament at Blackfriars. The eyes of the country turn towards London. But all is not well in Wolsey’s household. A visiting critic of the Cardinal is found brutally slain whilst awaiting an audience at Richmond Palace. He will not be the last to die. Anthony Blanke, trumpeter and groom, is once again called upon to unmask a murderer. Joining forces with Sir Thomas More, he is forced to confront the unpopularity of his master’s rule. As the bodies of the Cardinal’s enemies mount up around him, Anthony finds himself under suspicion. Journeying through the opulence of More’s home, the magnificence of Wolsey’s York Place, and the dank dungeons of London’s gaols, he must discover whether the murderer of the Cardinal’s critics is friend or foe. With time running out before Parliament sits, Anthony must clear his name and catch the killer before the King’s justice falls blindly upon him.Trade Review'A convincing portrait of the deadly realities of life in Henry VIII's court' -- David Robinson * The Scotsman *'Skilfully drawn and powerfully evocative, the second novel in the Anthony Blanke series leaves little to the imagination... Steven Veerapen draws upon his extensive knowledge of the period to create a narrative that always rings true' * LoveReading *'A cracking good read because it gives you an insight into life in those times' -- Breege Smyth * Oban Times *'Steven Veerapen does an excellent job of bringing the Tudor era to life... Highly recommended' -- Tony Riches'If you enjoy an historical mystery that demonstrates a deep understanding of its period, then this is for you.' -- Michael Lynes * Historical Novel Society *'[Veerapen's] depiction of the world of the English court in the 1520s is rich, detailed and satisfying and everything feels just right...an engaging and enthralling story that keep you guessing right to the end' -- Ken Lussey * Undiscovered Scotland *
£9.49
Birlinn General Three Fires
Book SynopsisIn Three Fires, award-winning author Denise Mina re-imagines the 'Bonfire of the Vanities', a series of fires lit throughout Florence at the end of the fifteenth century - inspired by the fanatical Girolamo Savonarola. Girolamo Savonarola was a Dominican friar living in Florence at the tail end of the fifteenth century. An anti-corruption campaigner his hellfire preaching increasingly spilled over into tirades against all luxuries that tempted people towards sin. These sermons led to the infamous ‘Bonfire of the Vanities’ - a series of fires lit throughout Florence for the incineration of everything from books, extravagant clothing, playing cards, musical instruments, make-up and mirrors, to paintings, tapestries and sculptures. Railing against the vice and avarice of the ruling Medici family, he was instrumental in their removal from power, and for a time became the puritanical leader of the city. After turning his attention to corruption in the entire Catholic Church, he was first excommunicated and then executed by a combination of hanging and being burnt at the stake. Denise Mina brings a modern take to this fascinating historical story - drawing parallels between the febrile atmosphere of medieval Florence and the culture wars of the present day. In dramatising the life and last days of Savonarola she explores the downfall of the original architect of cancel culture and in the process explores the neverending tensions between wealth, inequality, and freedom of speech that so dominate our modern world.Trade Review'Three Fires is a brisk, pointed and eminently readable account that examines the virtues and failings of a remarkable individual, and helps us see our own world in relation to the late Middle Ages in a way that feels bracingly relevant and alive' * The Herald *'a slight but powerful morality tale about souring utopias and the dangers of absolute certainty' -- Antonia Senior * Times, Best New Historical Fiction *'Perfectly succinct and powerfully stirring, it’s a tour de force of historic fiction, delivered with sparkling style, astute social commentary and the kind of page-turning pace you’d hope for from a rip-roaring thriller' * LoveReading, Star Book *'Mina gives us literary gold with this reimagining of the Bonfire of the Vanities... exquisite prose' * Sunday Post *'This little book is beautifully done... remarkable, moving and thought-provoking... a rare achievement' -- Allan Massie * The Scotsman *'A fascinating book that works beautifully at several different levels' -- Ken Lussey * Undiscovered Scotland *'Denise's use of language brings real humanity to her characters... she also breathes humour into her tale' -- Nora McElhone * Dundee Courier *'Short, vibrant ... There is no mincing of words here. Mina sees clear parallels between yesterday’s horrors and today’s challenges. Nor does she find comfort in Savonarola’s execution. He was a man who wrote extensively—he is often credited as a source of inspiration to Martin Luther, for example—and for good and for bad, Savonarola's influence is with us now. Powerful stuff' * Historical Novel Society *'[Mina] writes about the political and religious conflicts of the day with well-informed precision, but she does so with a cheekily contemporary flair... Quite the gut punch for a novel of its slim stature, and one that will have readers pondering the frighteningly short distance between Savonarola’s times and our own' -- Book Reporter
£9.50
Birlinn General Rabbits
Book SynopsisHugo Rifkind is a columnist, critic and leader writer for The Times and a presenter on Times Radio, having formerly been a columnist for the Spectator, GQ and the Herald. He is a regular panellist on BBC Radio 4's comedy show The News Quiz, and an occasional guest on television shows that aren't supposed to be funny at all. He was born and raised in Edinburgh, studied in Cambridge, and now lives in North London in a house where everybody else speaks German, including the dog.
£13.49
Granta Books The Sisters Brothers
Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE, a darkly funny, offbeat western about a reluctant assassin and his murderous brother. 'The Sisters Brothers confirms deWitt as one of the most talented young writers around' Sunday Times Hermann Kermit Warm is going to die. Across 1000 miles of Oregon desert his assassins, the notorious Eli and Charlies Sisters, ride - fighting, shooting, and drinking their way to Sacramento. But their prey isn't an easy mark, the road is long and bloody, and somewhere along the path Eli begins to question what he does for a living - and who he does it for. Filled with a remarkable cast of losers, cheaters, and ne'er-do-wells from all stripes of life - and told by a complex and compelling narrator, it is a violent, lustful odyssey through the underworld of the 1850s frontier. It beautifully captures the humour, melancholy, and grit of the Old West, through a tale of two brothers bound by blood, violence, and love. 'Superb... deWitt has ensured another unforgettable pair their place in fictive lore' Sunday Telegraph NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING JAKE GYLLENHAAL, JOHN C. REILLY AND JOAQUIN PHOENIXTrade ReviewBlackly hilarious * The Times *Confirms deWitt as one of the most talented young writers around * Sunday Times *A witty noir version of Don Quixote... a blackly comic fable about the usual wild west themes: emptiness, loneliness and the hollow lure of gold * Financial Times *Unsettling, compelling and deeply strange... this book explores a world in which civilisation, as we know it, has not yet emerged. It has much to say about the business of being human * Independent on Sunday *So good, so funny and so sad * Irish Times *If Cormac McCarthy had a sense of humor, he might have concocted a story like Patrick DeWitt's bloody, darkly funny western The Sisters Brothers... [DeWitt has] a skillfully polished voice and a penchant for gleefully looking under bloody bandages. [It's] smooth and seamless, shot through with dark humor, pared and antique without being Baroque. * Los Angeles Times *A boldly eloquent adventure and a novel about a man trying to live a better life * Metro *A masterclass on the twists of the mind and heart * Scotsman *A rip-roaring romp around the Wild West... deWitt is a proper American novelist who is well on the way to greatness * Dazed & Confused *The sharpest novel published this year was The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt. Like Flannery O'Connor shot through with the Coen brothers, it was a tonic dash of the cowboy surreal and I loved it. -- Andrew O’HaganFew narrators this year have been funnier than Eli, one half of Patrick deWitt's eponymous duo The Sisters Brothers. His drawling, dark, laconic and heartbreaking voice turns a wry Western into a work of great strangeness and verve * Daily Telegraph *Bold and beautifully simple ... it is intermittently moving, consistently very funny, and above all, original -- AD Miller * New Statesman *A western that reads like Cormac McCarthy with a better sense of humour * Sunday Express *A stylistically impressive, darkly comic reworking of the traditional western in Patrick deWitt's Booker-shortlisted story of money revenge and morality * Metro *The adventure is narrated in deadpan style by Eli, who is frequently driven to despair by the activities of his elder brother ... Eli emerges as a complex figure; a good man driven to do bad things. And you know you're absorbed in a true western when you find yourself shedding a tear at the death of his horse' -- Alfred Hickling * Guardian *This tale of mercenary brothers is often touching, as the gentler of the two men, Eli Sisters, is really searching for love. DeWitt slow his narrative down stylistically but gives his dubious protagonists an engaging enough picaresque journey -- Lesley McDowell * Sunday Herald *This Booker-shortlisted novel is a playful often surreal take on the classic western, following two homicidal brothers as they hunt for a man named Hermann during the 1850s gold rush * Week *One of the finest novels I've read in ages and paints the colours of the Wild West as beautifully as a Sergio Leone film * Bury Free Press & Haverhill Echo *It's fantastic, you must read it ... it's one of those books that just grabs you, its so beautiful and funny and spare -- Meera Syal * ITV 1’s Loose Women *I read this after being shortlisted along with Patrick for the Man Booker prize, and for my money it would have been a worthy winner ... this story of a pair of sibling killers chasing down their fate crackles with dry wit, its brutal violence studded with moments of heartbreaking humanity. In Eli Sisters, DeWitt creates a narrator who lives and breathes; a monster with whom the reader sympathises, a lost soul searching for virtue in the compassionless world of gold rushes and gunfights. A wise, funny, startling book about dreams both noble and ragged, and of the lengths we'll go to fulfil them -- Stephen Kelman * Untitled Books *We all loved this book...one of the best books ever on the bookclub. * TV Book Club *An enjoyable read, and its overall strangeness seems to tease the reader into seeking deeper meanings -- Angus Clarke * The Times *deWitt's inspired, many-layered yarn about loneliness, friendship and love is as entertaining and as stylistically accomplished as it is deeply moving -- Eileen Battersby * Irish Times *Patrick deWitt's superb second novel was deservedly shortlisted for last year's Man Booker prize. It's highly original and darkly comic, and has the offbeat quality of a Coen brothers film -- Simon Shaw * Mail on Sunday *One of the most extraordinary books I've ever read -- Amanda Ross * Stylist *Gripping and darkly humorous, the deadpan writing style is a joy and the is sharp * Crack *A grippingly propulsive yarn set in the gold-rush era of the American West and flecked through with dark humour * Sunday Business Post *deWitt's playful, almost surreal take on the classic western follows two violent brothers as they wreak havoc during the 1850s goldrush * Sunday Times *A rip-roaring, gun-slinging gallop through 19th Century America ... Warm, darkly comic and thrillingly adventurous, you won't be able to put this down -- Sara Montgomery, head of Guardian BooksThe language is extraordinarily good, very funny and eloquent -- Caroline Quentin * Daily Express *This novel is about two killer hitmen who you actually find yourself falling in love with * No. 1 Magazine *An unexpected pleasure... It has the stripped power of a fable, yet derives its persuasiveness from the voice of the narrator -- Books of the Year * Spectator *I loved it so much, I read it twice! It's funny as well as poignant. It's so beautiful and fascinating. I adored it -- Caroline Quentin * Yours *[It] has a lovely fragility and an emotional core that rises above its clever premise and style -- Daniel Handler * New York Times *A superb Western mixed with profound life lessons -- Doc Brown interview * Waitrose Weekend *
£8.99
Alma Books Ltd Leonardo da Vinci: The Resurrection of the Gods
Book SynopsisThis evocative account of the life of the Renaissance’s greatest figure traces Leonardo’s early development as an artist and court figure to his final years in exile, portraying his loves and sufferings, as well as his intellectual curiosity and tireless loyalty to his ideals. But it is the background to his famous painting La Gioconda and his relationship with the mysterious Florentine woman who modelled for it that are at the heart of the novel – here presented for the first time in an unabridged translation. The result is an engrossing and unforgettable read. An unjustly forgotten masterpiece of Russian literature that inspired one of Freud’s most important essays, Leonardo da Vinci also offers an illuminating snapshot of the society of the period – beset with intrigue and religious and social tension – and a host of memorable historical figures such as Michelangelo, Raphael, Machiavelli, Savonarola and the infamous Borgias.Trade ReviewWe are given a rare insight into what is probably the nearest anyone has come to Leonardo's character. * Yorkshire Gazette *
£8.54
Alma Books Ltd The Gods Want Blood
Book SynopsisSet in Paris during the years of the Reign of Terror, 'The Gods Want Blood' centres on the rise to power of Jacobin sympathizer Evariste Gamelin, a young painter who becomes a juror on a local Revolutionary tribunal. Caught up in the bloodthirsty madness surrounding him, he helps to dispense cruel justice in the name of his ideals, while at the same time succumbing to his own petty instincts of revenge when he jealously pursues a rival for the affections of his lover Elodie.Trade ReviewOne of the best novels written about the French Revolution and its aftermath. * TLS * A splendid evocation of the clubs, courts and murderous tumbrils of revolutionary Paris. * TLS *
£7.99
Alma Books Ltd Orlando: Annotated Edition with the original 1928
Book SynopsisOrlando, a young nobleman and one of Queen Elizabeth I’s court favourites, is the object of many ladies’ attentions, but after suffering heartbreak he prefers literary pursuits to entertaining any thoughts of marriage. Having obtained an ambassadorial post in Constantinople, Orlando falls into a long sleep and wakes up suddenly transformed into a woman. Also blessed with the gift of never ageing, she embarks on adventurous travels throughout Europe and the following centuries, observing what it is like to be female. A “fantastical biography” inspired by the life of the flamboyant writer Vita Sackville-West, Orlando is an amusing and eccentric jeu d’esprit, as well as a groundbreaking exploration of gender issues.Trade ReviewShe was doing with language something like what Jimi Hendrix does with a guitar. -- Michael Cunningham
£7.59
Alma Books Ltd The Scarlet Letter
Book SynopsisHaving been found guilty of adultery, Hester Prynne is forced to wear an embroidered scarlet letter A as a punishment for her sin. While her vengeful husband embarks on a quest to discover the identity of her lover, she is left to face the consequences of her infidelity and find a place for herself and her illegitimate child in the hostile environment of seventeenth-century Puritan Boston. Nathaniel Hawthorne's tense narrative astonished readers with its unparalleled psychological depth when it first appeared, and the novel now stands as one of America's literary landmarks.Trade ReviewOne of the greatest allegories in all literature. -- D.H. Lawrence The books of Hawthorne... should be sold by the hundred thousand, and read by the million; and admired by everyone who is capable of admiration. -- Herman Melville We look upon him as one of the few men of indisputable genius to whom our country has as yet given birth. -- Edgar Allan Poe The finest piece of imaginative writing yet put forth in the country. -- Henry James
£7.44
Alma Books Ltd A Tale of Two Cities
Book SynopsisAgainst the backdrop of growing discontent in Paris, Doctor Manette is released from the Bastille after eighteen years of unjust imprisonment and begins a new life in England with his devoted daughter Lucie. There, the gifted but dissolute lawyer Sydney Carton and the exiled French nobleman Charles Darnay find their lives increasingly intertwined with those of the Manettes. Yet soon both men are drawn ineluctably from the peaceful English capital to the horror and bloodshed of the Paris Terror and the looming threat of the guillotine. Representing a departure from the social satire of most of his other novels and deemed by Dickens himself to be "the best story I have written", A Tale of Two Cities is a powerful historical novel about the repercussions of epochal events on the personal lives of people on both sides of the Channel.Trade ReviewThe power of [Dickens] is so amazing that the reader at once becomes his captive. -- William Makepeace Thackeray
£6.99
Canongate Books Heartbreak and Happiness
Book SynopsisTwo friends discover that life doesn?t always turn out as one would expect in this absorbing family saga.It?s not always easy living in a close-knit community where everyone knows everyone else?s business. Growing up in a quiet West Country village, butcher?s daughter Rebecca Peterson and her best friend Cindy Mason are keen to expand their horizons and see more of the world. On leaving school, Rebecca heads off to university in Cardiff, while Cindy gets a job at the new local supermarket ? but dreams of becoming a model or actress. The two friends promise to keep in touch.But when tragedy strikes, rumours and suspicion engulf the village, and the longstanding friendship between the Peterson and Mason families looks set to be torn apart. Will Rebecca and Cindy?s friendship survive? Will Rebecca ever see Cindy again?
£10.49
Canongate Books Highland Sisters
Book Synopsis1910. When eighteen-year-old Lorne Malcolm runs off on her wedding day with the landowner''s son, Daniel MacNeil, the jilted groom, turns to Lorne''s older sister, Rosa, for comfort. Rosa''s feelings for Daniel grow and the pair soon marry. But are tragedy and heartbreak just around the corner?
£13.29
Canongate Books The Queen's Promise
Book SynopsisFebruary, 1642. With the King and Parliament at loggerheads, England is rushing headlong into a brutal and bloody war. Caught up in the turbulence are two formidable women who face difficult and dangerous times ahead. Forced to abandon her children and leave for foreign shores, the extravagant and unpopular Queen Henrietta Maria discovers that she cannot rely on the loyalty of her former friends and relatives in the royal courts of Europe. Meanwhile, her friend and former lady-in-waiting, the beautiful Countess of Carlisle, determines to remain loyal to the King, despite his craven betrayal of her lover and protector.Separated from their menfolk, these two very different women determine to do what they can to survive in a world where brother is at war with brother, a world where no one can be trusted. But the war will change both their lives in ways they could never have imagined.
£12.34
HarperCollins Publishers Wedding Tiers
Book SynopsisFrom the No.1 bestselling author of The Christmas Invitation comes a warm, witty romantic comedy perfect for fans of Katie Fforde The path of true love never runs smooth. But for some, it's one seriously bumpy ride… Josie Gray and her childhood sweetheart Ben Richards always dreamt of living a life of rural bliss. And when Josie inherits her beloved Grandmother's cottage in Neatslake, Lancashire, it seems they might have got just that. Josie throws herself into her wedding cake business, whilst Ben gains increasing acclaim as an artist. The tranquil village turns into a hive of activity when Josie's childhood friend Libby Martin returns to the village, planning a lavish wedding to rival any celeb bash. But amidst all this romance, Josie's fairytale relationship with Ben turns into a nightmare, and she quickly becomes Love's number one cynic – until charming wedding photographer Noah Sephton arrives in Neatslake with a very different outlook on love… Praise for Trisha Ashley: ‘Trisha Ashley writes with remarkable wit and originality – one of the best writers around!’ Katie Fforde ‘Full of down-to-earth humour’ Sophie Kinsella ‘Full of comedy and wit’ CloserTrade ReviewPraise for Trisha Ashley: ‘Trisha Ashley writes with remarkable wit and originality – one of the best writers around!’ Katie Fforde ‘Full of down-to-earth humour.’ Sophie Kinsella ‘Full of comedy and wit.’ Closer
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers A Broken Family
Book Synopsis Happiness comes at a price… Though besotted with one another, Amy Miller and Thomas Frost have never had it easy. From very different sides of the tracks, their romance was doomed from the moment Thomas’s overbearing mother Celia vowed to separate them. Celia writes to her eldest son, asking him to come home and help to split the pair up. But when Jeremy returns to Battersea it’s clear he wants everything that belongs to Thomas – especially his wife. As Jeremy’s dangerous obsession grows, Amy must fight for her marriage and her baby. Will she and Thomas ever find the happiness they long for? A gripping, heartbreaking and gritty family drama from the Sunday Times bestseller, perfect for fans of Katie Flynn and Dilly Court. Readers love A Broken Family: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Fantastic story… Once I started this I could not stop reading, I felt like I was part of the story and imagined all the characters. Fantastic author and fantastic book.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Really could not put it down. Twists and turns but everyone knows families like this. Well done Kitty. Cannot wait for the next.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Another exceptional book and one that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. I had to have a tissue handy … EXCELLENT.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘What a brilliant book, just did not want it to end.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Didn't want this book to finish, really gripping loved it.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Really excellent read. Good story with real characters that you actually cared about.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Loved this book, a really great read. The characters just come to life.’ Reader reviewTrade ReviewPraise for Kitty Neale: 'Heartbreakingly poignant and joltingly realistic.’ Annie Groves ‘A moving tale of love, hope and family…full of drama and heartache.’ Closer
£9.25
HarperCollins Publishers The Abandoned Child
Book Synopsis All she wanted was a mother’s love… Curl up with this heartrending new novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author of A Mother’s Struggle and A Daughter’s Ruin. DESPISEDPenny’s childhood was spent in the shadows of her mother’s business schemes, feeling alone and unimportant. It fell to Lorna, her mother’s acquaintance, to take care of the lonely little girl, but the rejection always cut deep. DETERMINEDWhen Penny turns sixteen and tragedy strikes, Lorna’s cousin Maureen, a feisty ex-stripper from London, strides into her life. Penny determines to make her own way in the world and, with Maureen, throws herself into a thrilling new life on the grimy streets of Soho. She makes new friends, but can’t avoid crossing the paths of some very dangerous men. DANGERIn this seedy world of dancing girls and gangsters Penny must grow up quickly, she must be brave, and she’s forced to face the truth about some very dark secrets from her past. A heartbreaking historical novel about betrayal, hardship and ultimately hope. Perfect for fans of Nadine Dorries, Diney Costeloe and Dilly Court. Trade ReviewPraise for Kitty Neale: 'Heartbreakingly poignant and joltingly realistic.’ Annie Groves ‘A moving tale of love, hope and family…full of drama and heartache.’ Closer
£8.54
HarperCollins Publishers A Family Scandal
Book Synopsis**A gritty and emotional family drama, from the Sunday Times bestseller. Perfect for fans of Nadine Dorries and Katie Flynn.** You can never leave a bad man behind… Mavis Pugh has had a hard life. Despised and abused throughout her teenage years, she turned to the first man who showed her kindness. But her new husband, Alec, quickly revealed himself to be a violent bully. When Mavis escapes from Alec, she thinks the worst is behind her. Moving to a large family house with her two children is more than she ever dreamed of, and when handsome sign-writer Tommy takes an interest in her, she can't believe her luck. But Alec is far from a distant memory and, unbeknown to Mavis, he’s watching her and her happy family closely. Just waiting for the right time to make his next – and final – move…Trade ReviewPraise for Kitty Neale: 'Heartbreakingly poignant and joltingly realistic.’ Annie Groves ‘A moving tale of love, hope and family…full of drama and heartache.’ Closer
£10.46
HarperCollins Publishers The Drowning Pool
Book Synopsis A chilling, haunting ghost story set in the modern day which delves into the real-life legend of a 19th century sea witch… Relocated to a coastal town, widowed teacher Sarah Grey is slowly rebuilding her life, along with her young son Alfie. But after an inadvertent séance one drunken night, her world is shaken when she starts to experience frightening visions. She tries to explain them away. But Alfie sees them too and Sarah believes that they have become the targets of a haunting attack. Convinced that the ghost is that of a 19th Century local witch, Sarah delves into local folklore and learns that the witch was thought to have been evil incarnate. And when a series of old letters surface, Sarah discovers that nothing is as it seems, not even the ghost who haunts her very home… Perfect for fans of The Midnight House, The Familiars and The Lighthouse Witches. Trade Review‘A stunning reinvention of the ghost story and an exploration of a 19th-century Essex witch hunt.’ The Guardian ‘A goose-pimply old-fashioned ghost story.’ Christopher Fowler, author of the Bryant and May series ‘A must-read for historical fiction fans. Its vivid descriptions will leave even the toughest of souls with goose pimples.’ Closer
£10.39
HarperCollins Publishers Chocolate Shoes and Wedding Blues
Book SynopsisA hilarious, heart-warming read from the No.1 bestselling author of The Christmas Invitation… When Tansy Poole inherits a run-down shoe shop tucked away in the village of Sticklepond, ‘Cinderella’s Slippers’ is born – providing the footwear to make any fairytale wedding come true… Carrying everything a bride would want to walk down the aisle in, Tansy’s shop soon expands to carry shoe-themed wedding favours, bridesmaid gifts and even delicious chocolate shoes. It’s the dream destination for any shoe-lover! If only everything in her personal life could be as heavenly – but with a fiancé trying to make her fit into a size 8 wedding dress, not to mention the recent discovery of disturbing family revelations, Tansy takes refuge in the shop’s success. But one man isn’t thrilled by the stream of customers hot-footing it to Cinderella’s Slippers… Actor Ivo Hawksley, resident of the cottage next to the shop, is troubled by a dark secret in his past and has come to Sticklepond to nurse his own broken heart. However, Ivo realises that he and Tansy have a link in their past and soon, they both find out how secrets shared can make a very strong bond indeed… ‘Full of down-to-earth humour’ Sophie Kinsella ‘Trisha Ashley writes with remarkable wit and originality – one of the best writers around!’ Katie Fforde ‘Packed with romance, chocolate and fun, this indulgent read is simply too delicious to put down’ Closer Trade ReviewPraise for Trisha Ashley: ‘Trisha Ashley writes with remarkable wit and originality – one of the best writers around!’ Katie Fforde ‘Full of down-to-earth humour.’ Sophie Kinsella ‘Fresh and funny.’ Woman’s Own ‘Packed with romance, chocolate and fun, this indulgent read is simply too delicious to put down.’ Closer
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers Good Husband Material
Book SynopsisDon’t miss this gloriously feel-good and funny read from the No.1 bestselling author of The Christmas Invitation. Perfect for fans of Cathy Bramley and Katie Fforde Tying the knot can leave you in a tangle… James is everything Tish has ever wanted in a husband – he’s handsome, dependable, and will make an excellent father. Unlike Tish’s first love, the disreputable Fergal, who abandoned her for a music career and now lives a lavish celebrity lifestyle. Fergal broke her heart and James helped to mend it. Tish and James have just bought a cottage in the country. The next step? Kids and a lifetime of domestic bliss. Well, that’s the plan. And even if James has a slight tendency to view the village pub as a second home, their relationship is still in pretty good shape after seven years of marriage … So why is marriage to Mr Right making her long for Mr Wrong? Escape with this warm and witty read – the perfect pick-me-up! ‘One of the best writers around!’ Katie Fforde Trade ReviewPraise for Trisha Ashley: ‘Full of down-to-earth humour’ Sophie Kinsella ‘One of the best writers around!’ Katie Fforde ‘Fast-paced and seriously witty’ The Lady
£9.25
