Historical Fiction Books

Book SynopsisFrom New York Times bestselling author Julia Quinn comes the second dazzling instalment of the Smythe-Smith Quartet that will appeal to fans of historical and women's fiction alike. If you loved Bridgerton, you'll adore the Smythe-Smiths!

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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 ReviewNo Country for Old Men is a compelling, harrowing, disturbing, sad, endlessly surprising and resonant novel. -- Robert Edric * Spectator *No Country for Old Men is a severed head and shoulders over anything else written in America this year. * Independent on Sunday *A fast, powerful read, steeped with a deep sorrow about the moral degradation of the legendary American West. * Financial Times *A Western thriller with a racy plot and punchy dialogue, perfect for a lazy Sunday. * The Times *[An] utterly absorbing, chilling tale . . . One of the most sinister characters in modern American fiction. * Herald *It's hard to think of a contemporary writer more worth reading. * Independent *

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Book Synopsis'Cleverly constructed [. . .] psychologically astute and written with flair.' - The Sunday Times'A compelling, almost hypnotic read' - Lisa Jewell, bestselling author of None of This is True'Bright Young Women is Jessica Knoll at her best: an unflinching and evocative novel' - Laura Dave, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Thing He Told MeJanuary 1978. Tallahassee. When sorority president Pamela Schumacher is startled awake at 3 a.m. by a strange sound, she’s shocked to encounter a scene of implausible violence – two of her friends dead and two others, maimed. Thrust into a terrifying mystery, Pamela becomes entangled in a crime that captivates public interest for more than four decades . . .On the other side of the country, Tina Cannon has found peace in Seattle after years of hardship. When Ruth, her best friend, goes missing from Lake Sammamish State Park in broad daylight, surrounded by thousands of beachgoers on a beautiful summer day, Tina devotes herself to finding out what happened to her.When Tina hears about the tragedy in Tallahassee, she suspects the same man the papers refer to is responsible. Determined to make him answer for what he did to Ruth, she travels to Florida on a collision course with Pamela – and one last impending tragedy.From the author of the New York Times bestseller and #1 Netflix movie Luckiest Girl Alive comes Jessica Knoll's extraordinary novel inspired by the real-life sorority targeted by America's first celebrity serial killer in his final murderous spree.Praise for Bright Young Women:'This book is extraordinary' - Catherine Ryan-Howard, author of Run Time'Writing with pulse-pounding tension and urgency, Knoll expertly conjures an atmosphere of dread and anxiety . . . An utterly absorbing, disturbing, and absolutely essential read.' - Booklist, Starred ReviewTrade ReviewJessica Knoll is a careful writer, and this, her third novel, is a perfect match for her cold dissection of social mores and her fierce rage at misogyny. Knoll takes on the story of Ted Bundy, told from the perspective of a student who survives a horrific attack on a sorority house . . . Some may claim that the crime genre is rift with misogyny; those people have not read Jessica Knoll. She tears apart the restrictive world of women’s roles and lays bare the purpose of such hobbles: to keep women from making a scene, to keep them from seeking justice, and most of all, to keep them from seeking their own lives * CrimeReads/LitHub, Most Anticipated Books of 2023 *Bright Young Women is a fearless and intoxicating ride into the aftershocks of a series of brutal murders. Knoll explores in vivid, pointillist prose the effects on the ‘bright young women’ of the title, both the victims snuffed out in their glorious prime, and those left behind in their wake. It’s a compelling, almost hypnotic read and I loved it with a passion -- Lisa Jewell, bestselling author of None of This Is TrueA captivating read * Woman *Knoll sets about dismantling every last Bundy myth with a controlled but palpable rage. I already loved how she writes, but this book is extraordinary. Genuinely can’t remember the last time a novel moved me so much. Don't miss it -- Catherine Ryan Howard, author of Run TimeBright Young Women is Jessica Knoll at her best: an unflinching and evocative novel about the tabloid fascination with evil and the dynamic and brilliant women who have the real story to tell -- Laura Dave, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Thing He Told MeBlistering and powerful, Bright Young Women is an almost unbearably vivid story of sisterhood and survival. With razor-sharp skill, Jessica Knoll deconstructs the myth of a criminal mastermind, revealing the women he seeks to destroy as the truly brilliant ones -- Flynn Berry, New York Times bestselling author of Northern Spy and Under the Harrow[A] huge summer read . . . one of those great stories that you can't put down! -- Reese Witherspoon, InStyle on Luckiest Girl AliveKnife-sharp and enthralling -- Megan Abbott, author of The Turnout on The Favourite SisterWriting with pulse-pounding tension and urgency, Knoll expertly conjures an atmosphere of dread and anxiety while paying tribute to all the bright young women whose lives are cut short or for ever changed by craven actions of sociopaths. An utterly absorbing, disturbing and absolutely essential read * Booklist, starred review *An unsettling and thrilling page-turner . . . Knoll’s haunting, must-read account will captivate [readers] until the end * Library Journal (Starred) *A stunning, engaging subversion of the Bundy myth – and the true-crime genre * Kirkus Reviews (Starred) *Brilliant . . . writing with pulse-pounding tension and urgency, Knoll expertly conjures an atmosphere of dread and anxiety while paying tribute to all the bright young women whose lives are cut short or forever changed by the craven actions of sociopaths. An utterly absorbing, disturbing and absolutely essential read * Booklist (Starred) *Stunning . . . by focusing on the women affected by her Ted Bundy stand-in instead of the nuances of his criminal psychology, Knoll movingly reframes an American obsession without stripping it of its intrigue. The results are masterful * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisBook One in the sparkling Lyndon Sisters duet, by the globally bestselling author of the Bridgerton series

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Book SynopsisBrutally violent, Blood Meridian is the story of one teenage runaway in the nineteenth-century American South, as a sadistic gang unleashes its massacre across the desert land. It is the work that sealed Cormac McCarthy's reputation as one of the twentieth century's greatest writers – his magnum opus.‘[A] brilliant, uncompromising work of fiction – imagine if the authors of the King James Bible, their hands guided by Satan, wrote a western’ – The TimesThrough the hostile landscape of the Texas–Mexico border wanders the Kid, a fourteen year-old Tennessean who is quickly swept up in the relentless tide of blood.A group known as the Glanton gang hunt Indigenous Americans, collecting scalps as their bloody trophies. At the centre of this violence stands Judge Holden: a massive, hairless man, mysterious if not supernatural, erudite and cold-blooded. He is singularly extreme in his sadistic violence.But the apparent chaos is not without order – the Glanton gang, too, are stalked as prey.Read as both a brilliant subversion of the Western novel and a blazing example of that form, it is a powerful, mesmerizing and savagely beautiful novel – and one of the most important works in American fiction of the last century.‘In Blood Meridian, McCarthy reaches the peak of his style: spare and ornate at once, repetitious but endlessly readable’ – GuardianPraise for Cormac McCarthy:'His prose takes on an almost biblical quality, hallucinatory in its effect and evangelical in its power' – Stephen King, author of The Shining and the Dark Tower series‘McCarthy worked close to some religious impulse, his books were terrifying and absolute’ – Anne Enright, author of The Green Road and The Wren, The Wren'[I]n presenting the darker human impulses in his rich prose, [McCarthy] showed readers the necessity of facing up to existence' – Annie Proulx, author of Brokeback MountainPart of the Picador Collection, a series showcasing the best of modern literature.Trade ReviewBlood Meridian is his masterpiece . . . An astonishing sanguinary epic dealing with the Indian wars of the 1840s in West Texas and Mexico . . . Unlike anything I have ever read in recent years, an extraordinary, breathtaking achievement -- John Banville, author of The SeaA bloody and starkly beautiful tale -- Stephen Amidon * Sunday Times *Possibly the greatest American novel of the past 25 years -- Aleksandar Hemon, author of The World and All That It Holds and The Lazarus ProjectI have rarely encountered anything as powerful, as unsettling, or as memorable as Blood Meridian . . . A nightmare odyssey * Evening Standard *The Judge is the book, and the Judge is, short of Moby Dick, the most monstrous apparition in all of American literature -- Harlold Bloom, on the character of Judge Holden in Blood MeridianMcCarthy distances us not only from the historical past, not only from our cowboy-and-Indian images of it, but also revisionist theories that make white men the villains and Indians the victims. All men are unremittingly bloodthirsty here, poised at a peak of violence, the "meridian" from which their civilization will quickly fall * New York Times Book Review *In Blood Meridian, McCarthy reaches the peak of his style: spare and ornate at once, repetitious but endlessly readable * Guardian *Blood Meridian, published in 1985, is a brilliant, uncompromising work of fiction – imagine if the authors of the King James Bible, their hands guided Satan, wrote a western * The Times *

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Book Synopsis*A brand new companion to the Last Kingdom series, Uhtred's Feast, is available to pre-order now*The tenth book in the epic and bestselling series that has gripped millions.A hero will be forged from this broken land.As seen on Netflix and BBC around the world.From the day it was stolen from me I had dreamed of recapturing Bebbanburg. The great fort was built on a rock that was almost an island, it was massive, it could only be approached on land by a single narrow track and it was mine.Britain is in a state of uneasy peace. Northumbria's Viking ruler, Sigtryggr, and Mercia's Saxon Queen Aethelflaed have agreed a truce. And so England's greatest warrior, Uhtred of Bebbanburg, at last has the chance to take back the home his traitorous uncle stole from him so many years ago and which his scheming cousin still occupies.But fate is inexorable and the enemies Uhtred has made and the oaths he has sworn combine to distract him from his dream of recapturing Bebbanburg. New enemies enter intTrade ReviewPraise for THE FLAME BEARER: ‘This is the best series Cornwall has written in an impressive career, and The Flame Bearer, which is as clever as it is bloody, holds its own.’ Praise for Bernard Cornwell: ‘Like Game of Thrones, but real’ OBSERVER 'Blood, divided loyalties and thundering battles' THE TIMES 'Strong narrative, vigourous action and striking characterisation, Cornwell remains king of the territory he has staked out as his own' SUNDAY TIMES 'A violent, absorbing historical saga, deeply researched and thoroughly imagined' WASHINGTON POST ‘The best battle scenes of any writer I’ve ever read, past or present. Cornwell really makes history come alive’ George R.R. Martin ‘Cornwell draws a fascinating picture of England as it might have been before anything like England existed’ THE TIMES ‘He’s called a master storyteller. Really he’s cleverer than that’ TELEGRAPH ‘A reminder of just how good a writer he is’ SUNDAY TIMES ‘Nobody in the world does this better than Cornwell’ Lee Child

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Book SynopsisA RACE AGAINST TIMEAfter the long journey to the Western Khaganate, Cui Buqu and Feng Xiao find their diplomatic efforts stymied when they are accused of murdering a Göktürk prince. Thinking on his feet, Cui Buqu requests a single day to crack the case and clear their names. Yet to everyone’s surprise, the crafty chief of the Zuoyue Bureau offers himself as hostage, leaving the investigation—and his life—in Feng Xiao’s peerlessly beautiful hands.Now Feng Xiao faces a difficult choice: watch his rival perish in the desert or risk his own life in pursuit of the true killer. Time is running out, and unsettling forces are at work within the Western Khaganate. Yet Feng Xiao can’t shake the feeling that Cui Buqu may have one final card to play—one that could reveal the truth before it’s too late.

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Book SynopsisFrom the vineyards of New Zealand to the majestic landscape of Ireland, The Missing Sister is the penultimate instalment in the multimillion-selling epic Seven Sisters from Lucinda Riley. A breathtaking story of love and loss, inspired by the mythology of the famous star constellation.They’ll search the world to find her . . .The six D’Aplièse sisters have each been on their own incredible journey to discover their heritage, but they still have one question left unanswered: who and where is the seventh sister?They only have one clue – an image of a star-shaped emerald ring. The search to find the missing sister will take them across the globe; from New Zealand to Canada, England, France and Ireland, uniting them all in their mission to at last complete their family.In doing so, they will slowly unearth a story of love, strength and sacrifice that began almost one hundred years ago, as other brave young women risked everything to change the world around them . . .The Seven Sisters series is drawn to its epic, unforgettable conclusion in Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt. Praise for the Seven Sisters:'A masterclass in beautiful writing' – The Sun'Heart-wrenching, uplifting and utterly enthralling' – Lucy Foley, author of The Hunting Party'A breathtaking adventure' – Lancashire Evening PostFive-Star Reader Reviews:'Absolutely incredible''Totally addictive''Ideal for when you need to escape'Trade ReviewA masterclass in beautiful writing -- Sun on The Sun SisterDelicious reading -- Daily Mail on The Pearl SisterA breathtaking adventure brimming with cruelty, tragedy, passion [and] obsession -- Lancashire Evening Post on The Moon SisterAnother epic tale of love, loss and discovery -- My Weekly on The Pearl SisterHeart-wrenching, uplifting and utterly enthralling. The Seven Sisters series is Lucinda Riley at the top of her game: a magical storyteller who creates characters we fall in love with and who stay with us long after we finish reading. Dazzlingly good -- Lucy Foley, bestselling author of The Hunting Party, on The Sun Sister

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Book Synopsis*A brand new companion to the Last Kingdom series, Uhtred's Feast, is available to pre-order now*The fourth book in the epic and bestselling series that has gripped millions.A hero will be forged from this broken land.As seen on Netflix and BBC around the world.To serve a king or become one? Uhtred warrior, pagan, scourge of the Vikings faces a hard choice.Despite being offered a crown of his own, Uhtred is a man of his word. And he gave it to King Alfred of Wessex, who dreams of an England free from Vikings. So when the king orders him to take London from the Danes and hand it to his foolish son-in-law Aethelred, Uhtred agrees despite his concerns.For Aethelred's wife is the king's spirited daughter Aethelflaed and her fate is entwined with Uhtred's. And fate will not be denied Uhtred of Bebbanburg's mind is as sharp as his sword. A thorn in the side of the priests and nobles who shape his fate, this Saxon raised by Vikings is torn between the life he loves and those he has sworn toTrade ReviewPraise for ‘The Lords of the North’: ‘Beautifully crafted story-telling, complete with splendid set-piece battles and relentless derring-do, so gripping that it rarely stops to catch a breath. It demonstrates once again Cornwell’s enormous skill as a historical narrator. He would have graced Alfred’s court entertaining the guests with his stories’Daily Mail ‘Cornwell takes the spectres of ninth century history and puts flesh back on their bones. Here is Alfred's world restored – impeccably researched and illuminated with the colour and passion of a master storyteller’Justin Pollard, author of ‘Alfred the Great’ Praise for Bernard Cornwell: 'Bernard Cornwell is a literary miracle. Year after year, hail, rain, snow, war and political upheavals fail to prevent him from producing the most entertaining and readable historical novels of his generation.'Daily Mail 'Cornwell's narration is quite masterly and supremely well-researched'Observer

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN''S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2024A DAILY MAIL NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2023LONGLISTED FOR BEST FICTION IN THE INDIE BOOK AWARDS AUSTRALIA 2024Born into the sweat and drudgery of a New South Wales sheep farm at the end of the 19th century, Dolly Maunder is different to her siblings. She will not endure the small, servile existence of a wife. Dolly, bright, ambitious and stubborn, dreams of a different fate, of building something that she truly owns.She will do whatever it takes to be the woman she deserves to be. Even with a husband and children, Dolly pushes the boundaries of what is ''proper'' and what a wife and mother ought to do, as war spreads across Europe and the rules are forever changed. But every life has its limits. What happens when Dolly''s wanderlust finally risks taking her too far?

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Book SynopsisPRE-ORDER ETAF RUM’S NEW NOVEL, EVIL EYE, NOW – COMING SEPTEMBER 2023. A New York Times bestseller • A Washington Post 10 Books to Read in March • One of Cosmopolitan’s Best Books by POC for 2019 • A Refinery 29 Best Book of the Month Trade Review Praise for A Woman is No Man ‘A celebration of “the strength and power of our women”’ Booklist ‘Sometimes heroism is loud and dramatic. Other times, it is daring to listen to that quiet voice within and having the courage to follow it . . . Etaf Rum has done a great service by sharing these voices with us’ Shilpi Somaya Gowda, New York Times bestselling author ‘A work of literary bravery’ Nadia Hashimi ‘A spectacular debut’ Hala Alyan ‘A gripping portrait of three generations of Palestinian women whose narratives are heartfelt and unsettling. Rum gives these women what they most desire and deserve: a voice’ Frances de Pontes Peebles ‘A tale as rich and varied as America itself’’ Washington Post ‘Garnering justified comparisons to Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns… Etaf Rum's debut novel is a must-read about women mustering up the bravery to follow their inner voice’ Refinery 29 ‘A richly detailed and emotionally charged debut’ Kirkus

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Book SynopsisThe first book in the epic and bestselling series that has gripped millions. A hero will be forged from this broken land. As seen on Netflix and BBC around the world.Trade Review'Cornwell is a virtuoso of historical fiction.' Sunday Telegraph 'Bernard Cornwell is a literary miracle. Year after year, hail, rain, snow, war and political upheavals fail to prevent him from producing the most entertaining and readable historical novels of his generation.' Daily Mail 'Cornwell's narration is quite masterly and supremely well-researched.' Observer

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Book Synopsis*SHARPE'S COMMAND, the brand new novel in the global bestselling series, is available to pre-order now*Richard Sharpe, abandoned in enemy territory, has to trust in assistance from a hostile American privateer.The invasion of France is under way and the British Navy has called upon the services of Major Richard Sharpe. He and a small force of riflemen are to capture a fortress and secure a landing on the French coast one of the most dangerous missions of his career.Through the reckless incompetence of a naval commander, Sharpe finds himself abandoned in the heart of enemy territory, facing overwhelming forces and the very real prospect of defeat. He has no choice but to trust his fortunes to an American privateer a man who has no love for the British invaders.Soldier, hero, rogue Sharpe is the man you always want on your side. Born in poverty, he joined the army to escape jail and climbed the ranks by sheer brutal courage. He knows no other family than the regiment of the 95th RifleTrade Review‘Sharpe and his creator are national treasures.' Sunday Telegraph 'Bernard Cornwell is a literary miracle. Year after year, hail, rain, snow, war and political upheavals fail to prevent him from producing the most entertaining and readable historical novels of his generation.' Daily Mail 'Cornwell's narration is quite masterly and supremely well-researched.' Observer ‘The best battle scenes of any writer I’ve ever read, past or present. Cornwell really makes history come alive.’ George R.R. Martin

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Book Synopsis*Discover The Secrets of Flowers, the brand new novel from Sally Page available to pre-order now*I absolutely loved it! So different, clever, funny and charming' Sunday Times bestseller Katie FfordeFunny, wise, moving and full of lovely momentsThe characters are endearing and unforgettable' Hazel Prior, author of the Richard & Judy Book Club Pick Away with the PenguinsJanice is a wonderful woman whose authenticity pulls you alongthe breadth and originality of supporting characters makes this debut an immersive delight' Dorset MagazineAbsolutely spellbindinga warm-hearted, thoughtful, funny and yet deeply poignant' Celia Anderson, author of 59 Memory LaneA treasure of a book. Beautiful, emotional and heartfelt with a cornucopia of characters you'll love spending time with' Phaedra Patrick, author of The Library of Lost and FoundShe can't recall what started her collection. Maybe it was in a fragment of conversation overheard as she cleaned a sink? Before long (as she dusted a sitting room or defrosted a fridge) she noticed people were telling her their stories. Perhaps they always had done, but now it is different, now the stories are reaching out to her and she gathers them to herWhen Janice starts cleaning for Mrs B a shrewd and tricksy woman in her nineties she meets someone who wants to hear her story. But Janice is clear: she is the keeper of stories, she doesn't have a story to tell. At least, not one she can share.Mrs B is no fool and knows there is more to Janice than meets the eye. What is she hiding? After all, doesn't everyone have a story to tell?Readers are loving Sally Page:Oh my giddy aunt what an amazing bookabsolutely adored it from start to finish' JeannieNot what I was expecting at allloved the way it ended' JulieAn absolutely wonderful, unputdownable book full of delightful characters' SueWhat a wonderful idea for a bookA joy to read' AngelaBeautiful storyI loved every minute of reading it!' RubieTrade Review‘Wow, what a fantastic book that kept me rooting for the main character, Janice…The book has so many interesting characters, each with their own story and I loved it’ ‘An interesting, enjoyable and quite engaging story…anyone who is fascinated in people's lives will love this book and be completely engrossed from start to finish’ ‘A lovely, delightful book filled with rich, wonderful characters, and an intriguing plot’

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Book SynopsisCaptivating and suspenseful, Best Kept Secret is the third novel in international bestseller Jeffrey Archer’s outstanding Clifton Chronicles. It sees our hero Harry Clifton and Giles Barrington, brother of Harry’s beloved wife Emma, become entwined in the fate of the Barrington family fortune.It is 1945 and the House of Lords’ vote on who should inherit the Barrington estate ends in a tie, casting a long shadow on the lives of those involved.Author Harry begins to promote his novel, whilst Emma, after her father’s mysterious death, searches for the girl found abandoned in his office on the night he died.Politician Giles defends his seat in the House of Commons and finds not only his future but his family’s fortune at stake. Ultimately his fate is dictated by Harry’s son Sebastian, even as Sebastian himself becomes embroiled in an international art fraud.As they move out of the shadows of war, a new generation of Cliftons and Barringtons comes to the fore, and a thrilling new episode of Jeffrey Archer’s captivating family saga begins.Continue the bestselling series with Be Careful What You Wish For and Mightier than the Sword.Trade ReviewProbably the greatest storyteller of our age * Mail on Sunday *If there was a Nobel Prize for storytelling, Archer would win * Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.Lock up your libraries if you like; but there is no gate, no lock, no bolt that you can set upon the freedom of my mind'Based on a lecture given at Cambridge and first published in 1929, A Room of One's Own' interweaves Woolf's personal experience as a female writer with themes ranging from Austen and Brontë to Shakespeare's gifted (and imaginary) sister. Three Guineas', Woolf's most impassioned polemic, came almost a decade later and broke new ground by challenging the very notions of war and masculinity.This volume combines two inspirational, witty and urbane essays from one of literature's pre-eminent voices; collectively they constitute a brilliant and lucid attack on sexual inequality.Trade Review‘Brilliant interweaving of personal experience, imaginative musing and political clarity’Kate Mosse ‘Achingly relevant’Natasha Walter, Guardian

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Book SynopsisNATIONAL BESTSELLER • A stunning “portrait of the enduring grace of friendship” (NPR) about the families we are born into, and those that we make for ourselves. A masterful depiction of love in the twenty-first century.NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST • MAN BOOKER PRIZE FINALIST • WINNER OF THE KIRKUS PRIZEA Little Life follows four college classmates—broke, adrift, and buoyed only by their friendship and ambition—as they move to New York in search of fame and fortune. While their relationships, which are tinged by addiction, success, and pride, deepen over the decades, the men are held together by their devotion to the brilliant, enigmatic Jude, a man scarred by an unspeakable childhood trauma. A hymn to brotherly bonds and a masterful depiction of love in the twenty-first century, Hanya Yanagihara’s stunning novel is about the families we are born into, and those that we make for ourselves.Look for Hanya Yanagihara’s latest bestselling novel, To Paradise.

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Book SynopsisKristin Hannah is an award-winning international number one bestseller with over 25 million copies of her books sold worldwide. The Women, along with her recent novels The Four Winds, The Great Alone and The Nightingale, is already the winner of numerous best fiction awards, and is soon to become a major movie. Her earlier novel Firefly Lane was a number one blockbuster series on Netflix. Kristin's writing has taken readers across multiple eras and to many places, but the thing that connects all of her work is the focus on what it's like being a woman in challenging times. Kristin is a lawyerturned-writer and is the mother of one son. She and her husband live in the Pacific Northwest near Seattle.

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER AND NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALISTA dazzling epic of love, war and the joy of books' GuardianThere is magic in this place You just have to sit and breathe and wait and it will find you'Fifteenth-century Constantinople. Present day Idaho. The future, and humanity's last hope.Across time and space, five young dreamers are bound by a single ancient text. Together, they tell a story of a world in peril; of the power of words, of resilience, and of hope against all odds.The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of All the Light We Cannot See returns with a heart-breaking, magnificent epic of human connection and a love letter to storytelling itself.Wonderment and despair, love and destruction and hope all find their place in its sumptuously plotted pages' ObserverIngenious, hopeful and totally absorbing' Financial TimesThis engagingly written, big-hearted book is a must-read' Daily MirrorTrade Review Praise for Cloud Cuckoo Land: ‘Sets him comfortably alongside Tolkien, Rowling and David Mitchell, and he is a much more elegant writer than two of those … Cloud Cuckoo Land is an impressive achievement and a joy to read. Serious novels are rarely this fun.’ The Times ‘There is a kind of book a seasoned writer produces after a big success: large-hearted, wide in scope and joyous. Following his Pulitzer winner All the Light We Cannot See, Anthony Doerr’s Cloud Cuckoo Land is a deep lungful of fresh air – and a gift of a novel’ Guardian ‘A paean to stories as a source of sustenance and solace, and to the sweetness of our shared terrestrial home, Doerr’s narrative is buoyant with humanity and it’s author’s palpable pleasure in invention’ Daily Mail ‘A humane and uplifting book for adults that’s infused with the magic of childhood reading experiences. Cloud Cuckoo Land is ultimately a celebration of books, the power and possibilities of reading’ New York Times ‘Cloud Cuckoo Land is a fascinatingly ambitious tale that’s worth the seven year wait’ Stylist ‘Pulitzer Prize-winner Anthony Doerr’s new novel traverses time and space, unifying his characters through a text written by Diogenes in the first century AD. Cloud Cuckoo Land begins there and sweeps through the millennia in a huge, imaginative arc that celebrates the outsiders, the writers and the keepers of books. An ultimately hopeful and life-affirming novel about the essence of love, literature and art’ Irish Independent ‘This is a dazzling epic of love, war and the joy of books – one for David Mitchell fans’ Guardian ‘Wonderment and despair, love and destruction and hope – all find their place in its sumptuously plotted pages’ Observer

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Book SynopsisKurt Vonnegut was born in Indianapolis in 1922 and studied biochemistry at Cornell University. An army intelligence scout during the Second World War, he was captured by the Germans and witnessed the destruction of Dresden by Allied bombers, an experience which inspired his classic novel Slaughterhouse-Five. After the war he worked as a police reporter, an advertising copywriter and a public relations man for General Electric. His first novel Player Piano (1952) achieved underground success. Cat's Cradle (1963) was hailed by Graham Greene as 'one of the best novels of the year by one of the ablest living authors'. His eighth book, Slaughterhouse-Five was published in 1969 and was a literary and commercial success, and was made into a film in 1972. Vonnegut is the author of thirteen other novels, three collections of stories and five non-fiction books. Kurt Vonnegut died in 2007.Trade ReviewVonnegut's chilling early masterpiece * Observer *Mother Night is not one of his most famous books, but it's one of the best * Washington Post *A brilliant wacky ideas-monger * Observer *Everyone should read Vonnegut -- Tim MinchinA cool writer, at once throwaway and passionate and very funny * Financial Times *

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Book SynopsisAn extraordinary work of historical imagination from the double Booker Prize-winning author of the Wolf Hall trilogy, now a major TV series, this is Hilary Mantel's epic novel of the French Revolution.Georges-Jacques Danton: zealous, energetic and debt-ridden. Maximilien Robespierre: small, diligent and terrified of violence. And Camille Desmoulins: a genius of rhetoric, charming and handsome, yet also erratic and untrustworthy. As these young men, key figures of the French Revolution, taste the addictive delights of power, the darker side of the period's political ideals is unleashed and all must face the horror that follows.Trade Review‘You could read this a dozen times and not come to the end of its originality, its moral intelligence, its gargantuan flair’ Katherine Rundell, author of Super-Infinite: The Transformations of John Donne ‘Superbly readable…an assured and strange masterpiece’ Sunday Telegraph 'One of the best English novels of the 20th century' Diana Athill, The Oldie ‘Hilary Mantel has soaked herself in the history of the period…and a striking picture emerges of the exhilaration, dynamic energy and stark horror of those fearful days’ Daily Telegraph ‘I cannot think of a historical novel as good as this until one goes back to Marguerite Yourcenar’s “Memoirs of Hadrian”, published forty years ago.’ Evening Standard ‘Marvellous…It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. Hilary Mantel captures it all’ Time Out ‘Intriguing…She has grasped what made these young revolutionaries – and with them the French Revolution – tick’ Independent ‘Crafty tensions, twists and high drama…a bravura display of her endlessly inventive, eerily observant style’ Times Literary Supplement ‘An extraordinary and overwhelming novel…immensely detailed and yet fast-moving…she has set herself to capture the excitement and intellectual fervour of the period. She does it admirably…a tour de force’ Scotsman 'Riveting…the book overflows with a natural storyteller's energy' New Yorker ‘Much, much more than a historical novel, this is an addictive study of power, and the price that must be paid for it…a triumph’ Cosmopolitan 'This is a high-class historical blockbuster' Red Magazine ‘Hilary Mantel has pulled off the apparently impossible…an ambitious, gripping epic’ Vogue

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Book Synopsis*SHARPE'S COMMAND, the brand new novel in the global bestselling series, is available to pre-order now*Spain, May 1811As the British struggle to keep their last strongholds in Spain, Captain Richard Sharpe is handed a grenade of a command ordered to train the Spanish palace guards for battle.But when the crumbling frontier fort where they are based becomes the target for the elite French attack, Sharpe is confronted by an old enemy.After a desperate fight, the British are badly beaten and bruised and so is Sharpe's fragile reputation. The only hope of redemption is glory in one of the fiercest battles of the whole war. And so leading his men through the blood-stained, narrow streets of Fuentes de Oñoro is Sharpe . . .A master storyteller' DAILY TELEGRAPHTrade Review‘Sharpe and his creator are national treasures.' Sunday Telegraph 'Bernard Cornwell is a literary miracle. Year after year, hail, rain, snow, war and political upheavals fail to prevent him from producing the most entertaining and readable historical novels of his generation.' Daily Mail 'Cornwell's narration is quite masterly and supremely well-researched.' Observer ‘The best battle scenes of any writer I’ve ever read, past or present. Cornwell really makes history come alive.’ George R.R. Martin

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Book SynopsisAs featured on BBC Radio 4 Open BookBeautifully and poignantly told, Marking Time is the second novel in Elizabeth Jane Howard's bestselling family saga The Cazalet Chronicles.'She helps us to do the necessary thing – open our eyes and our hearts' – Hilary Mantel, author of Wolf HallHome Place, Sussex, 1939. As the shadows of the Second World War roll in, banishing the sunlit days of childish games and trips to the coast, a new generation of Cazalets take up the family's story.Louise, who dreams of becoming a great actress, finds herself facing the harsh reality that her parents have their own lives with secrets, passions and yearnings. Clary, an aspiring writer, learns that her beloved father is now missing somewhere on the shores of France. And sensitive, imaginative Polly feels stuck – stuck without a vocation, stuck without information about her mother's illness, stuck without anything except her nightmares about the war.'Charming, poignant and quite irresistible . . . to be cherished and shared' – The TimesWith cover artwork exclusively designed by artist Luke Edward Hall, this is the second volume of the extraordinary Cazalet Chronicles and a perfect addition to your collection. Marking Time is followed by Confusion, the third book in the series.Trade ReviewIf I were sent to a desert island with one book this would be my choice -- HRH The Duchess of CornwallCharming, poignant and quite irresistible . . . to be cherished and shared' * The Times *She is one of those novelists who shows, through her work, what the novel is for . . . She helps us to do the necessary thing – open our eyes and our hearts -- Hilary Mantel, author of Wolf HallThe Cazalets have earned an honoured place among the great saga families . . . rendered thrillingly three-dimensional by a master craftsman * Sunday Telegraph *Superb . . . hypnotic . . . very funny * Spectator *Evocative and gracefully written * Cosmopolitan *A family saga of the best kind . . . a must * Tatler *A dazzling historical reconstruction -- Penelope Fitzgerald, Booker Prize-winning author of OffshoreThis chronicle will be read, like Trollope, as a classic about life in England in our century -- Sybille Bedford, author of A Legacy and JigsawGloriously addictive . . . Family loyalty, betrayals, triumphs, tragedy, births and deaths are all blissfully here, and you become emotionally absorbed in the fate of each character * Daily Mail *

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Book Synopsis*SHARPE'S COMMAND, the brand new novel in the global bestselling series, is available to pre-order now*Richard Sharpe triumphs in the last battle of the war, only to find himself in worse peril when charged to recover Napoleon's treasure.It is 1814. There are rumours that Napoleon is dead, or has run away, but Sharpe has one last battle to fight before he can lay down his sword. It is the battle for Toulouse. Little does he know it will be one of the bloodiest conflicts of the war.But Sharpe's war is not only the battle. Accused of stealing Napoleon's treasure, Sharpe must discover the unknown enemy who has tried to frame him and his revenge is ingenious and devastating.Soldier, hero, rogue Sharpe is the man you always want on your side. Born in poverty, he joined the army to escape jail and climbed the ranks by sheer brutal courage. He knows no other family than the regiment of the 95th Rifles whose green jacket he proudly wears.Trade Review‘Sharpe and his creator are national treasures.' Sunday Telegraph 'Bernard Cornwell is a literary miracle. Year after year, hail, rain, snow, war and political upheavals fail to prevent him from producing the most entertaining and readable historical novels of his generation.' Daily Mail 'Cornwell's narration is quite masterly and supremely well-researched.' Observer ‘The best battle scenes of any writer I’ve ever read, past or present. Cornwell really makes history come alive.’ George R.R. Martin

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Book SynopsisWinter of the World is the second novel in Ken Follett's uniquely ambitious Century trilogy. On its own or read in sequence with Fall of Giants and Edge of Eternity, this is a spellbinding epic of global conflict and personal drama during World War II.A Battle of IdealsIt is 1933 and, at Cambridge, Lloyd Williams is drawn to irresistible socialite Daisy Peshkov, who represents everything that his left-wing family despise. But Daisy is more interested in aristocratic Boy Fitzherbert, a leader in the British Union of Fascists.An Evil UprisingBerlin is in turmoil. Eleven-year-old Carla von Ulrich struggles to understand the tensions disrupting her family as Hitler strengthens his grip on Germany. Many are resolved to oppose Hitler’s brutal regime – but are they willing to betray their country?A Global Conflict on a Scale Never Seen BeforeShaken by the tyranny and the prospect of war, the lives of five families become ever more enmeshed. As an international clash of military power and personal beliefs sweeps the world, what will this new war mean for those who must live through it?Continue the captivating Century Trilogy with Edge of Eternity.Trade ReviewGripping . . . powerful * New York Times *A consistently compelling portrait of a world in crisis * The Washington Post *This book is truly epic . . . The reader will probably wish there was a thousand more pages. * The Huffington Post *

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Book SynopsisThree of the brightest stars of Regency romance invite you to a ball. Or is it a party? Or a kidnapping? If you loved Bridgerton, you'll adore this witty, sparkling Regency romance. . .Trade ReviewQuinn, James and Brockway are all Regency legends, and they are at their best in this sexy, touching, powerful romance . . . a great read for anyone who loves a good romance, a must-read for historical-romance fans * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *

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Book Synopsis**Sally Page''s remarkable new novel The Secrets of Flowers is available now**From the author of the phenomenal bestseller The Keeper of Stories, comes an utterly beautiful and charming novel full of mystery and secrets waiting to be uncoveredFilled with compassion and insight a true ode to friendship' HAZEL PRIORMasterful storytelling' CELIA ANDERSONA powerful ode to friendship'FabulousHer new chapter starts nowJo Sorsby is hiding from her past when she agrees to run her uncle's beloved stationery shop. Glimpsing the lives of her customers between the warm wooden shelves, as they scribble little notes and browse colourful notebooks, distracts her from her bruised heart.When she meets Ruth, a vicar running from a secret, and Malcolm, a septuagenarian still finding himself, she suddenly realizes she isn't alone.They each have a story that can transform Jo's life if only she can let them in.The perfect gift for book lovers, The Keeper of Stories meets The Lost Bookshop in this gorgeous novel about secrets, second chances and finding friendship in the most unlikely places.Netgalley reviewers LOVE The Book of Beginnings!''Another extraordinary read by the author of The Keeper of Stories'' ?????''What a gem of a book!''?????''Everything about the story moved me''?????''I am in awe of Sally Page's writing'' ?????''So refreshingly original'' ?????''You just have to read it'' ?????''A read cover-to-cover-in-one-sitting book that gives all the feels'' ?????''Wonderful, just wonderful''?????Trade Review Praise for The Keeper of Stories ‘I absolutely loved it! So different, clever, funny and charming’ Sunday Times bestseller Katie Fforde ‘Funny, wise, moving and full of lovely moments…The characters are endearing and unforgettable’ Hazel Prior, author of the Richard & Judy Book Club Pick Away with the Penguins ‘Janice is a wonderful woman whose authenticity pulls you along…the breadth and originality of supporting characters makes this debut an immersive delight’ Dorset Magazine ‘Absolutely spellbinding…a warm-hearted, thoughtful, funny and yet deeply poignant’ Celia Anderson, author of 59 Memory Lane ‘A treasure of a book. Beautiful, emotional and heartfelt with a cornucopia of characters you’ll love spending time with’ Phaedra Patrick, author of The Library of Lost and Found

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Book Synopsis* The million-copy bestseller* * National Book Award finalist * * An instant New York Times Bestseller and one of their 10 Best Books of 2017 * * Selected for Emma Watson's Our Shared Shelf book club * 'This is a captivating book... Min Jin Lee's novel takes us through four generations and each character's search for identity and success. It's a powerful story about resilience and compassion' BARACK OBAMA. Yeongdo, Korea 1911. In a small fishing village on the banks of the East Sea, a club-footed, cleft-lipped man marries a fifteen-year-old girl. The couple have one child, their beloved daughter Sunja. When Sunja falls pregnant by a married yakuza, the family face ruin. But then Isak, a Christian minister, offers her a chance of salvation: a new life in Japan as his wife. Following a man she barely knows to a hostile country in which she has no friends, no home, and whose language she cannot speak, Sunja's salvation is just the beginning of her story. Through eight decades and four generations, Pachinko is an epic tale of family, identity, love, death and survival.Trade ReviewLuminous... a powerful meditation on what immigrants sacrifice to achieve a home in the world' -- Junot DiazGripping... a stunning achievement, full of heart, full of grace, full of truth' -- Erica WagnerA deep, broad, addictive history of a Korean family in Japan enduring and prospering through the 20th century -- David Mitchell, GuardianA rich, moving novel about exile, identity and the determination to endure * Sunday Times *Vivid and immersive, Pachinko is a rich tribute to a people that history seems intent on erasing * Guardian *The work of a writer in complete control of her characters and her story and with an intense awareness of the importance of her heritage... Told with such flair and linguistic dexterity that I found myself unable to put it down. Every year, there are a few standout novels that survive long past the hype has died down and the hyperbolic compliments from friends scattered across the dust jacket have been forgotten. Pachinko, a masterpiece of empathy, integrity and familial loyalty, will be one of those novels' -- John Boyne, Irish TimesWe never feel history being spoon-fed to us: it is wholly absorbed into character and story, which is no mean feat for a novel covering almost a century of history * Financial Times *An epic, multi-generational saga * Mail on Sunday, Best of 2017 *A great book, a passionate story, a novel of magisterial sweep. It's also fiendishly readable – the real deal. An instant classic, a quick page-turner, and probably the best book of the year -- Darin Strauss, New York Times-bestselling author of Chang and Eng.A long, complex book, it wears its research lightly, and is a page-turner. You can sense the author's love and understanding for all the characters, the good and the flawed * Irish Examiner. *Remarkable... A striking introduction to lives, to a world, [the reader] may never have seen, or even thought to look at. In our increasingly fractured and divisive times, there can be no higher purpose for literature: all in the pages of a book that, once you've started, you'll simply be unable to put down' * Harper's Bazaar *Elegant and soulful, both intimate and sweeping. This story of several generations of one Korean family in Japan is the story of every family whose parents sacrificed for their children, every family whose children were unable to recognize the cost, but it's also the story of a specific cultural struggle in a riveting time and place. Min Jin Lee has written a big, beautiful book filled with characters I rooted for and cared about and remembered after I'd read the final page -- Kate Christensen, award-winning author of The Great Man and Blue Plate SpecialBoth for those who love Korea, as well as for those who know no more than Hyundai, Samsung and kimchi, this extraordinary book will prove a revelation of joy and heartbreak. I could not stop turning the pages, and wished this most poignant of sagas would never end. Min Jin Lee displays a tenderness and wisdom ideally matched to an unforgettable tale that she relates just perfectly -- Simon Winchester, author of Korea: A Walk Through the Land of MiraclesA compassionate, clear gaze at the chaotic landscape of life itself. In this haunting epic tale, no one story seems too minor to be briefly illuminated. Lee suggests that behind the facades of wildly different people lie countless private desires, hopes and miseries, if we have the patience and compassion to look and listen * New York Times Book Review *Love, luck, and talent combine with cruelty and random misfortune in a deeply compelling story, with the troubles of ethnic Koreans living in Japan never far from view. An old-fashioned epic whose simple, captivating storytelling delivers both wisdom and truth * Kirkus *[A] beautifully crafted story of love, loss determination, luck, and perseverance... Lee's skilful development of her characters and story lines will draw readers into the work. Those who enjoy historical fiction with strong characterisations will not be disappointed as they ride along on the emotional journeys offered in the author's latest page-turner' * Library Journal *An exquisite, haunting epic... Lee's profound novel of losses and gains explored through the social and cultural implications of pachinko-parlor owners and users is shaped by impeccable research, meticulous plotting, and empathic perception' * Booklist Starred Review *A sweeping, engrossing family saga... a poignantly told tale. Gracefully written and dotted with memorable images, evocative of the pace and time, it's a page-turning panorama of one family's path through suffering to prosperity in 20th-century Japan' * Literary Review *Stunning... Pachinko is about outsiders, minorities and the politically disenfranchised. But it is so much more besides. Each time the novel seems to find its locus – Japan's colonization of Korea, World War II as experienced in East Asia, Christianity, family, love, the changing role of women – it becomes something else. It becomes even more than it was' * New York Times *

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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.Open your eyes, and see what you can with them before they close foreverFor Marie-Laure, blind since the age of six, the world is full of mazes: the miniature model of her Paris neighbourhood she traces with her fingers; the microscopic layers within the diamond in the Museum of Natural History; the unmapped future which brings her ever closer to Werner, a German orphan, whose talents draw the attention of the Hitler Youth.A deeply moving novel about the ways people try to be good to one another, All the Light We Cannot See has touched the hearts of millions of readers across the world, and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.Far more than a conventional war story, it's a tightly focused epic A bittersweet and moving novel that lingers in the mind' Daily MailTrade Review'Far more than a conventional war story, It's a tightly focused epic revolving around two unusual main characters … Doerr paints with a rich palette, using prose that resonates deeply and conveys the ephemera of daily existence along with high drama, sadness and hope … A bittersweet and moving novel that lingers in the mind' Clifford Beal, Daily Mail ‘TIt is easy to understand why Doerr’s book is regarded by many as an epic and a masterpiece’ Justin Cartwright, Observer ‘This novel will be a piece of luck for anyone with a long plane journey or beach holiday ahead. It is such a page-turner, entirely absorbing … [Doerr’s] attention to detail is magnificent’ Carmen Callil, Guardian ‘Doerr’s novel seems poised somewhere between the sublime and the twee. It very much lands on the right side of things, thanks to the author’s eye for detail and the suspenseful rhythm of his chapters — often only a page or two — which expertly cut back and forth in time. He can bring a scene to life in a single paragraph … Delicate and moving … the novel takes hold and will not easily let go’ Lidija Haas, The Times ‘Boy meets girl in Anthony Doerr’s hauntingly beautiful new book, but the circumstances are as elegantly circuitous as they can be’ Janet Maslin, The New York Times ‘I’m not sure I will read a better novel this year … Enthrallingly told, beautifully written and so emotionally plangent that some passages bring tears’ Amanda Vaill, Washington Post ‘This jewel of a story is put together like a vintage timepiece … Doerr’s writing and imagery are stunning. It’s been a while since a novel had me under its spell in this fashion’ Abraham Verghese

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Book SynopsisNumber One bestseller Philippa Gregory continues her stunning series with a gripping story of a girl who lost a prince of England but married a king

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Book SynopsisThe completely uncut edition of James Clavell's classic KING RAT, in fresh new packaging for a new generation of readersTrade ReviewA splendidly exciting and original story * Sunday Telegraph *Terrifyingly exciting suspense * Ian Fleming *KING RAT is the best novel in English to have come out of Japanese prisoner of war camps . . . James Clavell is a teller of stories. They are complicated and exciting, and you are desperate to know what will happen to his characters because they are like the people you know from your own life and experience, set in strange and sometimes terrible circumstances * John Simpson *

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Book SynopsisFranciscans in a wealthy Italian abbey are suspected of heresy, and Brother William of Baskerville arrives to investigate. But his delicate mission is overshadowed by seven bizarre deaths. He collects evidence, deciphers secret symbols and digs into the eerie labyrinth of the abbey where extraordinary things are happening under the cover of night.Trade ReviewThe late medieval world, teetering on the edge of discoveries and ideas that will hurl it into one more recognisably like ours...evoked with a force and wit that are breathtaking * Financial Times *A novel of sunning intelligence, linguistic richness, thematic complexity * Il Giorno *This novel belongs with Voltaire' philosophical tales-in the entertaining guise of an erudite fiction story, it is also a vibrant plea for freedom, moderation and wisdom * L'Express *A brilliant deconstruction of the traditional crime novel -- Iain Rankin * Mail on Sunday *Whether you’re into Sherlock Holmes, Montaillou, Borges, the nouvelle critique, the Rule of St. Benedict, metaphysics, library design, or The Thing from the Crypt, you’ll love it. Who can that miss out? * Sunday Times *

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Book Synopsis*SHARPE'S COMMAND, the brand new novel in the global bestselling series, is available now*Lieutenant-Colonel Sharpe, sidelined on the Royal staff, magnificently siezes command at the final moment of the great victory.It is 1815. Sharpe is serving on the personal staff of the Prince of Orange, who refuses to listen to Sharpe's reports of an enormous army, led by Napoleon, marching towards them.The Battle of Waterloo commences and it seems as if Sharpe must stand by and watch the grandest scale of military folly. But at the height of battle, as victory seems impossible, Sharpe takes command and the most hard-fought and bloody battle of his career becomes his most magnificent triumph.Soldier, hero, rogue Sharpe is the man you always want on your side. Born in poverty, he joined the army to escape jail and climbed the ranks by sheer brutal courage. He knows no other family than the regiment of the 95th Rifles whose green jacket he proudly wears.Trade Review‘Sharpe and his creator are national treasures.' Sunday Telegraph 'Bernard Cornwell is a literary miracle. Year after year, hail, rain, snow, war and political upheavals fail to prevent him from producing the most entertaining and readable historical novels of his generation.' Daily Mail 'Cornwell's narration is quite masterly and supremely well-researched.' Observer ‘The best battle scenes of any writer I’ve ever read, past or present. Cornwell really makes history come alive.’ George R.R. Martin

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Book Synopsis*A brand new companion to the Last Kingdom series, Uhtred's Feast, is available to pre-order now*The third book in the epic and bestselling series that has gripped millions.A hero will be forged from this broken land.As seen on Netflix and BBC around the world.Uhtred wants revenge. He wants the land and castle that is his. He wants his treacherous uncle to pay for taking them.Heading north with his lover, former nun Hild, he finds chaos as the Vikings battle among themselves to consolidate their hold on the region. At the heart of it are men from Uhtred's past Sven the One-Eyed and Kjartan the Cruel, men of vicious reputation. Still, he has matched such men before.Then Uhtred suffers a betrayal to rival the treachery that deprived him of his birthright. It will leave him trapped with no hope of escape Uhtred of Bebbanburg's mind is as sharp as his sword. A thorn in the side of the priests and nobles who shape his fate, this Saxon raised by Vikings is torn between the life he loves andTrade ReviewPraise for ‘The Lords of the North’: ‘Beautifully crafted story-telling, complete with splendid set-piece battles and relentless derring-do, so gripping that it rarely stops to catch a breath. It demonstrates once again Cornwell’s enormous skill as a historical narrator. He would have graced Alfred’s court entertaining the guests with his stories.’Daily Mail ‘Cornwell takes the spectres of ninth century history and puts flesh back on their bones. Here is Alfred's world restored – impeccably researched and illuminated with the colour and passion of a master storyteller.’Justin Pollard, author of ‘Alfred the Great’ Praise for Bernard Cornwell: 'Bernard Cornwell is a literary miracle. Year after year, hail, rain, snow, war and political upheavals fail to prevent him from producing the most entertaining and readable historical novels of his generation.' Daily Mail 'Cornwell's narration is quite masterly and supremely well-researched.' Observer

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Book SynopsisJeffrey Archer's thrilling historical fiction novel, Kane and Abel, is a global phenomenon that has captivated readers worldwide, spawning two sequels and dominating bestseller charts the world over.Two strangers born worlds apart with one destiny that will define them both.William Lowell Kane, the son of a Boston millionaire, and Abel Rosnovski, the son of a penniless Polish immigrant, are born on the same day on opposite sides of the world and brought together by fate and the quest of a dream.Locked in a relentless struggle spanning sixty years and three generations, the two men battle for supremacy in pursuit of an empire, fuelled only by their hatred for the other and the knowledge it will end in triumph for one, and destruction of the other . . .‘If there were a Nobel Prize for storytelling, Archer would win’ - The Daily TelegraphTrade ReviewThe ultimate novel of rivalry -- Dan Brown on Kane and AbelIf there were a Nobel prize for storytelling, Archer would win * Daily Telegraph *Probably the greatest storyteller of our age * Mail on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisTHE RIOTOUSLY FUNNY AND JOYOUSLY ROMANTIC SECOND INSTALLMENT IN THE DANGEROUS DAMSELS SERIES THAT TIKTOK CAN''T GET ENOUGH OF!The Princess Bride meets Jane Austen in this swoony second novel in The Dangerous Damsels series - an enemies-to-lovers historical romance with a magical twist . . .''OBSESSED. If you love playful dialogue and language, fun characters, and interesting worlds, I recommend'' 5**** Reader Review!--- Charlotte Pettifer belongs to a secret society skilled in witchcraft. When rumours of the Amulet of Black Beryl start to circulate, Charlotte is determined to find the jewel before it falls into the wrong hands. Which is what happens when the evil Lady Armitage reaches it first. Demanding the help of rakish pirate, Alex O''Riley, Charlotte sets off to find the jewel. There''s just one problem: pirates and witches are sworn enemies. But little do theTrade ReviewThe whimsical worldbuilding forms a perfect backdrop to the angsty couple, and Holton's winking narration, which puts her in cahoots with the reader, makes her exaggerated characters work. Overflowing with heart, humour, and hyperbole, this clever romance enchants * Publishers Weekly *Holton provides plenty of chuckles...a fun-filled romp in a topsy-turvy world of corset-wearing, knife-wielding, magic-casting women and gun-wielding, light-fingered, charming pirates * Kirkus Reviews *Clever word play, delightful double entendres, and adventurous high jinks will delight fans of smart, witchy romances * Booklist *Sexy, funny, and utterly charming . . . Buckle up, readers, because this is a ride you won't want to miss * Lynn Painter, author of Mr. Wrong Number *The League of Gentlewomen Witches has punch and verve, and makes for one heck of ride. It's romantic, sensual and a lot of fun, too * All About Romance *A brilliant mix of adventure, romance, and Oscar Wildesque absurdity - one of the wittiest, most original rom coms I have read all year * Evie Dunmore, USA Today bestselling author of Bringing Down the Duke *Filled with wit and an intriguing enemy-to-lovers romance. For fans of Jane Austen and Evie Dunmore * LibraryReads *Holton takes readers on a wild ride through a fun, limitless world, where frivolity and whimsy reign supreme and skilled swordwork and grand displays of magic abound * Bookpage *India Holton's joyous, swoony, genre-exploding novel is a marvel, bristling with wit (and weaponry!) and brimming with love. The League of Gentlewomen Witches will steal your heart, fly it to the moon, and return it to your chest, sparking with magic and just in time for tea * Joanna Lowell, author of The Runaway Duchess *Another wickedly funny romp through this glorious world created by India Holton * Harper St. George, author of The Devil and the Heiress *Fantastical, romantic fun! Sparkling with witty allusions to Shakespeare and Austen, whimsical adventure, and tenderhearted romance. A book lover's dream come true * Chloe Liese, author of the Bergman Brothers series *A wild, rollicking, delicious carnival ride of a story . . . You've never read Victorian romance like this before and it'll ruin you for everything else * Lana Harper, New York Times bestselling author of Payback's a Witch *

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Book SynopsisA NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERONE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES TOP TEN BOOKS OF 2022 ONE OF THE WASHINGTON POST TOP TEN BOOKS OF 2022ONE OF BARACK OBAMA''S FAVORITE BOOKS OF 2022LONGLISTED FOR THE 2022 BOOKER PRIZEWINNER OF THE 2022 KIRKUS PRIZEAnd named one of the BEST BOOKS OF 2022 by The New Yorker, Vogue, Time, NPR, Oprah Daily, Esquire, BookPage, and more?Buzzy and enthralling …A glorious novel about empires and erasures, husbands and wives, staggering fortunes and unspeakable misery…Fun as hell to read.? ?Oprah DailyA genre-bending, time-skipping story about New York City?s elite in the roaring ?20s and Great Depression.?Vanity Fair?A riveting story of class, capitalism, and greed.??EsquireCaptivating.?NPRExhilarating.? ?New York TimesAn unparalleled novel about money, power, intimacy, and perceptionEven through the roar and effervescence of the 1920s, everyone in New York has heard of Benjamin and Helen Rask. He is a legendary Wall Street tycoon; she is the daughter of eccentric aristocrats. Together, they have risen to the very top of a world of seemingly endless wealth?all as a decade of excess and speculation draws to an end. But at what cost have they acquired their immense fortune? This is the mystery at the center of Bonds, a successful 1937 novel that all of New York seems to have read. Yet there are other versions of this tale of privilege and deceit.Hernan Diaz?s TRUST elegantly puts these competing narratives into conversation with one another?and in tension with the perspective of one woman bent on disentangling fact from fiction. The result is a novel that spans over a century and becomes more exhilarating with each new revelation. At once an immersive story and a brilliant literary puzzle, TRUST engages the reader in a quest for the truth while confronting the deceptions that often live at the heart of personal relationships, the reality-warping force of capital, and the ease with which power can manipulate facts.

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Book SynopsisIF YOU DON''T KNOW SIMON SCARROW, YOU DON''T KNOW ROME!A Sunday Times bestseller. Shortlisted for the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize.Simon Scarrow''s veteran Roman soldier heroes face a cunning and relentless enemy in BRITANNIA, the unforgettable fourteenth novel in the bestselling Eagles of the Empire series. Roman Britain, AD 52. The western tribes prepare to make a stand. But can they match the discipline and courage of the legionaries?Wounded Centurion Macro remains behind in charge of the fort as Prefect Cato leads an invasion deep into the hills. Cato''s mission: to cement Rome''s triumph over the natives by crushing the Druid stronghold. But with winter drawing in, the terrain is barely passable through icy rain and snowstorms.When Macro''s patrols report that the natives in the vicinity of the garrison are thinning out, a terrible suspicion takes shape in the battle-scarred soldier''s mind. Has Trade ReviewA new book in Simon Scarrow's long-running series about the Roman army is always a joy... It is heartening for fans of Cato and Macro that their adventures remain as lively as ever -- Antonia Senior * The Times *Fourteen books in and he manages to make the series fresh again, a new depth to Macro and Cato, a new edge to the Roman world and conflicts in Britannia, all achieved with style and a simply splendid plot line. Highly recommended * Parmenion Books *Britannia ... among the very best and quite possibly my favourite. From the opening chapter, Scarrow plunges us deep into a place that is as dangerous as it is atmospheric, the winter creeping in, beset by the hostility of the people who live in these hills... The action and drama never let up from first to last pages... There is one scene in particular involving Cato and boats during a great storm that is absolutely fantastic, brilliantly written and imagined * Winternights Blog *Praise for Simon's earlier novels 'A good, uncomplicated, rip-roaring read * Mail on Sunday *I don't need this kind of competition -- Bernard CornwellSimon Scarrow's stories of Roman military action in Britain have gathered quite a fan club and it's not hard to see why... Scarrow is highly skilled at describing violent action... for those who like their historical fiction to include plenty of bloody thrills and spills * Living History *An engrossing storyline, full of teeth-clenching battles, political machinations, treachery, honour, love and death...More please! -- Elizabeth ChadwickTremendous * Daily Express *Scarrow's rank with the best * Independent *Scarrow's engaging pair of heroes... top stuff * Daily Telegraph *What an amazing roller-coaster of a ride... this book is fantastic... So startlingly good, so utterly readable - and so very, very courageous -- Manda ScottGripping and moving story about the war and the protagonists' fractured friendships... [Scarrow's] sense of plot and pace is strong * The Times *

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Book SynopsisThe Key to Rebecca is a gripping thriller set during the Second World War, from master storyteller and author of The Pillars of the Earth, Ken Follett.A Ruthless Spy1942. Alex Wolff’s goal is Cairo. Following a relentless trek across the scorching Sahara, he arrives in the city with a copy of Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca, a lethal blade and a trail of bodies in his wake. Known to his handlers as the ‘Sphinx’, Wolff is a Nazi spy with a brutal desire to succeed.A Failing CampaignThe British campaign in North Africa hangs in the balance. Led by Rommel, the Germans are closing in and the Sphinx’s reports on British troop movements and strategic plans are giving them the edge. Intelligence officer Major William Vandam is tasked with hunting down the Sphinx before the British are defeated.A Deadly ChaseVandam enlists the help of courtesan Elene Fontana, who agrees to try and ensnare the spy in exchange for a better life in Palestine. Can they catch the master spy before he uncovers Cairo’s secrets and the campaign fails?Trade ReviewMaster storyteller * The Times *

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Book SynopsisHis best novel yet A Middlemarch-like triumph' TelegraphA pleasure bomb of a novel' VogueA true modern master' IndependentIt's 23 December 1971, and the Hildebrandts are at a crossroads. Fifteen-year-old Perry has resolved to be a better person and quit dealing drugs to seventh graders. His sister Becky, the once straight-laced high school social queen, has veered into counterculture, while at college, Clem is wrestling with a decision that might tear his family apart. As their parents Russ, a suburban pastor, and Marion, his restless wife tug against the bonds of a joyless marriage, Crossroads finds a family, and a nation, struggling to do the right thing.Funny, moving, crackling with life, it has what all great fiction should have' Financial TimesIntoxicating a luxuriant domestic drama' GuardianTHE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A GUARDIAN BEST FICTION BOOK OF 2021 AN INDEPENDENT BOOK OF THE YEAR A WHITE REVIEW BOOK OF THE YEAR A LIT HUB BOOK OF THE YEARTrade Review‘[Franzen’s] talents as a comic storyteller are such that his capacious tales are a treat to get lost in. This one is no exception … This is a novel whose momentum often derives from the altered states of its characters — obsession; intoxication; lust; religious fervour; mania — and the humour is usually of the painful variety as their lives uniformly crumble and they agonise over how — or indeed whether — to be good’ Daily Mail ‘[A] pleasure bomb of a novel … Few [writers] can take human contradiction and make it half as entertaining and intimate as Franzen does … A magnificent portrait of an American family on the brink’ Vogue ‘In Crossroads, Jonathan Franzen goes back to family-anatomising basics – and it's his best novel yet … The result is a Middlemarch-like triumph’ Telegraph ‘Franzen has laid the ground beautifully, and his first act is intoxicating – a luxuriant domestic drama that opens out into politics, running against the grain of the counterculture with its focus on the friction between conservatism and radicalism, Christianity and social activism’ Guardian ‘Crossroads is classic Franzen fodder: a slice of suburban life ripe not for satire but for the far deadlier scrutiny that comes from taking it seriously’ New Yorker ‘A mellow, marzipan-hued ’70s-era heartbreaker. Crossroads is warmer than anything [Franzen has] yet written, wider in its human sympathies, weightier of image and intellect’ New York Times Book Review ‘The compelling dialogue, the authenticity of place, time and character, the assured insights and the exquisite minutiae of description, all confirm that the reader is in the hands of a true modern master … a simply stunning novel’ iNews ‘A firecracker’ Irish Times ‘A mesmerising tale … he writes sentences that are as addictive as opioids’ Herald

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Book SynopsisBOOK 2 IN A THRILLING NEW ANCIENT EGYPTIAN SERIES, FROM INTERNATIONAL SENSATION WILBUR SMITH'Best historical novelist' - Stephen King'A master storyteller' - Sunday Times'Wilbur Smith is one of those benchmarks against whom others are compared' - The Times'No one does adventure quite like Smith' - Daily MirrorA RUTHLESS ENEMY. A CIVILIZATION IN RUINS. A QUEST FOR SALVATION.For over fifty years Egypt has known nothing but war and devastation at the hands of the Hyksos, a bloodthirsty barbarian people from the distant east who continue to advance, crushing armies in their wake. Times are desperate, but throughout the conflict, a brave resistance fights on under the great Taita, a slave who has risen far beyond his ranks.Piay, entrusted into Taita's care by his parents at the age of just five, has been trained to become a great spy, unmatched by any other. Determined to prove his worth, he embarks on a dangerous mission to the north - to Mycenae and through the heart of Hyksos land and across the great sea - to find allies to help defend Egypt. As the situation becomes increasingly precarious, and the fate of the kingdom is hanging in the balance, can Piay succeed in his quest or will this mean the end of the glory that is Egypt once and for all?Book 2 in the New Kingdom sequence and Book 8 in the Ancient Egyptian series from international sensation Wilbur Smith. Don't miss the next in the series, Testament, coming soon.'Titans of War' was a Sunday Times bestseller for w/e 04/09/2022.Trade ReviewBest historical novelist - I say Wilbur Smith * Stephen King *A master storyteller * Sunday Times *Wilbur Smith is one of those benchmarks against whom others are compared * The Times *No one does adventure quite like Smith * Daily Mirror *

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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.

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Book SynopsisAs featured on BBC Radio 4 Open BookSet in the height of the Second World War, The Cazalet Chronicles continues with the third in the series, Confusion, where chaos has become a way of life for the Cazalet family.'She helps us to do the necessary thing – open our eyes and our hearts' – Hilary Mantel, author of Wolf HallIt's 1942 and the dark days of war seem never-ending. Scattered across the still-peaceful Sussex countryside and air-raid-threatened London, the divided Cazalets begin to find the battle for survival echoing the confusion in their own lives.Headstrong, independent Louise surprises the whole family when she abandons her dreams of being an actress and instead makes a society marriage. Polly and Clary, now in their late teens, finally fulfil their ambition of living together in London. But the reality of the city is not quite what they imagined, and Polly is struggling to come to terms with the death of her mother and manage her grieving father. Clary, meanwhile, is painfully aware that what she lacks in beauty she makes up for in intelligence, and is the only member of the family who believes that her father might not be dead.'Charming, poignant and quite irresistible . . . to be cherished and shared' – The TimesWith cover artwork exclusively designed by artist Luke Edward Hall, this is the heartbreaking and heartwarming third instalment of Elizabeth Jane Howard's bestselling series. It is followed by the fourth book, Casting Off.Trade ReviewIf I were sent to a desert island with one book this would be my choice -- Her Majesty Queen CamillaCharming, poignant and quite irresistible . . . to be cherished and shared * The Times *She is one of those novelists who shows, through her work, what the novel is for . . . She helps us to do the necessary thing – open our eyes and our hearts -- Hilary Mantel, author of Wolf HallThe Cazalets have earned an honoured place among the great saga families . . . rendered thrillingly three-dimensional by a master craftsman * Sunday Telegraph *Superb . . . hypnotic . . . very funny * Spectator *Evocative and gracefully written * Cosmopolitan *A family saga of the best kind . . . a must * Tatler *A dazzling historical reconstruction -- Penelope Fitzgerald, Booker Prize-winning author of OffshoreThis chronicle will be read, like Trollope, as a classic about life in England in our century -- Sybille Bedford, author of A Legacy and JigsawGloriously addictive . . . Family loyalty, betrayals, triumphs, tragedy, births and deaths are all blissfully here, and you become emotionally absorbed in the fate of each character * Daily Mail *

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