Historical Fiction Books

Book Synopsis'A beautifully written magical novel about life, love and family' Cathy Kelly From the million-copy Sunday Times bestseller comes a compelling and engrossing story of hidden lives and secret pastsLondon, present day: Emily Gordon has found her dream job, as an editor at a small publishing house. When the biography of a late great English novelist crosses her desk, she discovers, buried beneath the history, a story that simply has to be told…London, 1948: Isabel Barber has barely arrived in the city when a chance meeting leads to a job offer, and a fascinating career beckons. But as she develops a close working relationship with a charismatic young debut novelist the professional soon becomes personal, and she finds herself fighting for her very survival… Secrets from the past, unravelling in the present… Uncovering secrets that span generations, Rachel delivers intriguing, involving and emotive narrative reading group fiction like few other writers can.Praise for Rachel Hore's novels: 'Compelling, engrossing and moving' SANTA MONTEFIORE 'Simply stunning . . . I savoured every moment’ DINAH JEFFERIES 'A story that stirs the deepest emotions' WOMAN & HOME ‘An emotive and thought-provoking read’ ROSANNA LEY ‘Hore tackles difficult subjects with a clever, light touch and a sunny positivity. Her women are brave and good and you desperately want them to win’ DAILY MAIL ‘A novel thatstirs the deepest emotions’ WOMAN ‘An elegiac tale of wartime love and secrets’ TELEGRAPH ‘A tender and thoughtful tale' SUNDAY MIRRORTrade Review‘Compelling, engrossing and moving; a perfect holiday indulgence’ -- Santa Montefiore on The Silent Tide‘A tour de force. Rachel’s Paris is rich, romantic, exotic and mysterious’ -- Judy Finnigan on A Week in Paris‘Engrossing and romantic, it’s a wonderful story of family secrets and the choices women make’ -- Jane Thynne on The Silent Tide‘With a serious eye for exquisite detail, Hore’s latest, brilliantly crafted novel aptly follows a photographer, Lucy. She takes a journey to capture past, life-changing family secrets, embracing three generations along the way, across Cornwall, London East Anglia and Occupied France’ * Mirror on A Gathering Storm *‘A fascinating, hugely readable book . . . Rachel Hore’s research and her mastery of the subject is deeply impressive’ -- Judy Finnigan on A Place of Secrets‘Another of this year’s top offerings’ * Daily Mail on The Glass Painter's Daughter *‘Pitched perfectly for a holiday read’ * Guardian on The Memory Garden *

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen Marie moves from her family's waxwork museum into the palace of Versailles, her whole life is set to change...When Marie Tussaud learns the exciting news the royal family will be visiting her famed wax museum, the Salon de Cire, she never dreams that the king's sister will request her presence at Versailles: as a royal tutor in wax sculpting. As Marie familiarizes herself with Princess Elisabeth and begins to know Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI, she witnesses the glamorous life of court, a very different world from her home on the Boulevard du Temple of Paris where bread can only be had on the black market and men sell their teeth to put food on the their tables. The year is 1788 and men like Desmoulins, Marat, and Robespierre are meeting in the salons of Paris speaking against the monarchy; there's whispered talk of revolution. Spanning five years from budding revolution to the Reign of Terror, Madame Tussaud brings us into the world of an incredible heroine whose talent for wax moulding saved her life and preserved the faces of a vanished kingdom.Trade Review'A first-class novel, brilliantly written' Alison Weir. * Alison Weir *'Hugely enjoyable' Daily Express. * Daily Express *'A rich and colourful saga set against a stormy background of political turmoil, war and exile' Good Book Guide. * Good Book Guide *

Read more less

Book SynopsisLoch Ewe, 1940. When gamekeeper’s daughter Flora’s remote highland village finds itself the base for the Royal Navy’s Arctic convoys, life in her close-knit community changes forever. In defiance of his disapproving father, the laird’s son falls in love with Flora, and as tensions build in their disrupted home, any chance of their happiness seems doomed. Decades later, Flora’s daughter, singer Lexie Gordon, is forced to return to the village and to the tiny cottage where she grew up. Having long ago escaped to the bright lights of the West End, London still never truly felt like home. Now back, with a daughter of her own, Lexie learns that her mother—and the hostile-seeming village itself—have long been hiding secrets that make her question everything she thought she knew. As she pieces together the fragments of her parents’ story, Lexie discovers the courageous, devastating sacrifices made in her name. It’s too late to rekindle her relationship with her mother, but can Lexie find it in her heart to forgive the past, to grieve for all that’s lost, and finally find her place in the world?Trade Review“A wonderfully immersive novel about mothers and daughters, lovers and friends, set against a vivid and beautifully described Scottish setting. I loved it!” —Victoria Connelly, bestselling author of The Rose Girls “Love, love, loved it. I love Scotland and history so it ticked lots of boxes. Brilliant story, I was completely immersed in it, so moving and touching too. The research needed must have been hard to do but it brought the war and the arctic convoys to life. I felt cold just reading about it.” —Lesley Pearse, author of You’ll Never See Me Again “A moreish story of love, war, loss, and finding love again, set against an atmospheric Highlands backdrop.” —Gill Paul, author of The Second Marriage

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn HOLY WAR, the final book of the Saladin Trilogy, telling the story of the legendary war leader who united Arabia, Saladin recaptures Jerusalem from the Crusaders, and prepares for his ultimate battle against Richard the Lionheart. A full-blooded historical adventure novel for all fans of Conn Iggulden, Bernard Cornwell, Anthony Riches, Ben Kane, Robyn Young and Simon Scarrow. While Saladin ruthlessly sets about uniting the whole of Arabia under his rule, the Kingdom of Jerusalem is torn apart by treachery and intrigue, and when the murderous knight Reynald of Chatillon raids a caravan heading from Damascus to Mecca and rapes Saladin's sister, the scene is set for war.In June 1187, Saladin marches into the Kingdom with an army of over 24,000 and imposes a crushing defeat on the Crusader forces at the Horns of Hattin. It is only a matter of time before he marches on a panicked and demoralized Jerusalem.But what about Saladin's longtime ally, the Saxon knight John of Tatewic? In the face of annihilation, is he friend or foe? It will take all John's knowledge of the man he calls his brother to negotiate a peaceful fate for Jerusalem - but this is not the end of the story. For in England the soon-to-be crowned King Richard has pledged revenge and a new Crusade . . .Trade ReviewPraise for Jack Hight:'An ambitious book written on an ambitious scale . . . a fascinating picture of momentous events' * Daily Mail *

Read more less

Book Synopsis A Times Book of the Year, 2019 THE SECOND WORLD WAR IS OVER. BUT THE WORLD IS FAR FROM SAFE. As victorious Russian troops sweep across East Prussia, a group of desperate children face a new battle. Confronted by critical food shortages and the onset of a bitterly cold winter, these 'wolf children' secretly cross the border into Lithuania in search of work or food to take back to their starving families. In a world still reeling from the devastation of war, the children must risk everything to survive. In the Shadow of Wolves is a story of resilience, devastation and, ultimately, hope. Based on meticulous research, Alvydas Šlepikas's stunningly powerful debut novel has won over readers and critics across the world. Trade Review‘This novel’s unflinching portrait of a forgotten tragedy is haunting.’ * The Times, Best New Historical Fiction: July 2019 *‘Has the simple narrative structure and heightened quality of a fable... Šlepikas has a vivid vision and lyricism which lifts the prose and ensures it is anything but derivative.’ * Big Issue *‘This is stunning. Cinematic, powerful... [In the Shadow of Wolves] has an irresistible, emotional pull that is as fascinating as it is brilliant, with a sense of heartbreak rather than trauma.’ * Victoria's Book Reviews *‘A heartbreaking blend of historical facts and literary prose.’ * Foreword Reviews *‘A raw and tender true tale... It’s no wonder that this elegant and intricate debut has garnered its Lithuanian author many awards.’ * LoveReading *‘Vivid, highly dramatic and compelling... Alvydas Šlepikas has broken the dam of silence.’ * Dresdner Neueste Nachrichten *‘In the Shadow of Wolves...reminded me in some ways of reading the work of Cormac McCarthy... Šlepikas imbues barren East Germany and the forests of post-war Lithuania with the dark undertones of a fairytale.’ * Splice *‘This novel finds the perfect balance between documentary and literary narrative.’ * Kieler Nachrichten *‘A significant work of memorialisation... Šlepikas – who is also a scriptwriter and director – injects his writing with a dramatic urgency that seeks to capture the scale of extraordinary suffering.’ * The Calvert Journal *‘In the Shadow of Wolves is a gem of Lithuanian literature. It touches a nerve as it tells the story of those who survived an awful fate, who have experienced the most terrible things.’ * Alfa.lt *'The novel portrays the unending suffering of children, themselves innocent of the actions of their fathers, subject to indiscriminate cultural and political prejudice... Examples of kindness only throw into sharp relief the cruelty of social and cultural dislocation.' * Otago Daily Times *‘Alvydas Šlepikas uses direct yet poetic language to write about a period of history that has remained almost entirely buried until now. His concise prose conveys the tragedy of the situation and contains rich details about that time and place.’ * Šiaurės Atėnai *‘This novel is intriguing, important and innovative – Alvydas Šlepikas confronts present with past, and cruelty and agony go hand in hand with love and self-sacrifice. His aim was to help young readers understand some of the horrors of war, and he achieves this.’ * Election Year Books *‘This novel differs from other works of its kind; in its narration, and its sensitive, poetic style. Alvydas Šlepikas paints a beautiful picture of the world through a child’s eyes – with the help of fairy tales and dreams, creating a complete contrast to the bitter reality.’ * bernardinai.lt *‘In the Shadow of Wolves paints a very realistic, bleak picture of life after the Second World War. The novel is unique in its story, which focuses on the life of Germans and Lithuanians after the war, and because it will not only warm readers’ hearts, but will also inspire them to live.’ * 15min.lt *‘Alvydas Šlepikas has written a sensitive novel that takes us back to a time filled with death, violence, hunger and bitter cold. This novel broke the taboo of silence in Lithuania.’ * Eckard Scheld, Leipzig Book Fair *‘Alvydas Šlepikas uses concise language and fast-paced scenes to portray the children's will to survive, the unimaginable cruelty as well as the help that some of the children received. Highly recommended.’ * ekz service for libraries *‘In poetic language that is by turns concise and compact, Alvydas Šlepikas brings justice for his young heroes and victims. Readers can almost smell the cold sweat of the women and girls as they encounter drunken soldiers, feel the deep, penetrating hunger, the biting winter cold, the beatings suffered and handed out by children as they fight for a single morsel of food, and share in their despair and their sheer will to survive.’ * hansen & munk *'In the Shadow of Wolves is fast-paced, with the children sharing one experience after another. And the reader is always there too, hiding with the children in old railway trains, praying and hoping with them.' * BR24 (Germany) *‘This story is complex… [and] dramatises the real lives of the “wolf children” of East Prussia.’ * Spectrum magazine, Sydney Morning Heral *‘There are many reasons to read this book...an incredible sense that [it] is going to rip your heart out.’ * The Bookshelf (ABC Radio, Australia) *

Read more less

Book SynopsisMust a child's past define their future?'Stark and beautiful . . . I haven’t read anything this good in a long time' – Rachel Joyce, author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold FrySet on the rugged plains of South Dakota, The Distance Home is the story of René and Leon, two children who grow up side by side but end up on very different paths. René is clever, athletic, aggressive, a go-getter, the apple of her father's eye; while Leon is shy, tender-hearted, a stutterer, constantly struggling for acknowledgement. They both possess a talent for dance, but it is a gift their father adores in his daughter and loathes in his son.A heartbreaking saga of familiar turmoil, a child's desire for acceptance, and the ways in which our parents shape the adults we become, Paula Saunders' The Distance Home is a breathtaking new examination of the American dream and the eternal question of how any of us can finally be free.'A heartfelt tale of brutal parental love' The TimesTrade ReviewDeeply involving . . . rich, shimmering, sensuous -- Jennifer Egan, author of A Visit From the Goon SquadStark and beautiful . . . luminous . . . Heartbreaking, full of compassion . . . I haven’t read anything this good in a long time -- Rachel Joyce, author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold FryA heartfelt tale of brutal parental love . . . one of the most convincing portraits of a mother-daughter bond that I have read . . . generous, humane * The Times *Sensitively imagined and perceptively told . . . affecting and rewarding * Daily Mail *Moving and startling . . . a true, and rare, accomplishment -- Michael Cunningham, author of The HoursRiveting . . . it kept me turning pages in the wee hours. One of the best books I’ve read in years – destined to become a classic. -- Mary Karr, author of The Liars' ClubSaunders skillfully illuminates how time heals certain wounds while deepening others, and her depiction of aging is viscerally affecting . . . The Distance Home becomes a mediation of the violence of American ambition – and a powerful call for self-examination * New York Times *Smart and empathetic, highlighting how prejudice can make us forget about love * Elle Magazine *Evocative, moving and deeply immersive . . . There is an undeniable beauty to this epic portrayal of the complex and intimate nature of human relationships - well worth a read * Woman & Home *Superb * Irish Times *Slow-burning and contemplative . . . the emotional stakes are nevertheless high . . . exquisitely rendered by Saunders in long, perfect sentences * Daily Telegraph *Incredibly assured * Observer *Bracing and beautiful . . . it will break your heart and open it up -- Maile Meloy, author of Do Not Become AlarmedBeautiful, tender . . . fans of Elizabeth Strout will love it * Prima Magazine *An exquisite, searing portrait of family . . . The Distance Home will leave readers eager for more from this extraordinarily talented writer * Booklist (starred review) *Penetrating and insightful * Publishers Weekly *The author’s compassion for her characters shines through in this honest story * Library Journal *Honest, and true . . . this soul-searching first novel offers everywhere that most mysterious and essential of artistic achievements: heart. -- Douglas Unger, author of Leaving the Land and Voices from SilenceExtraordinary . . . beautiful, evocative . . . The Distance Home is heart-breaking and full of compassion -- Dana Spiotta, author of Innocents and OthersA tender book * Independent i *Beautifully written, atmospheric and emotionally powerful * Northern Echo *

Read more less

Book Synopsis Three women. One family curse. The summer of a lifetime. Trade Review‘Such a lovely book.’ NetGalley Reviewer ‘What a perfect antidote to the times. I heartily recommend this gorgeous book!’ NetGalley Reviewer ‘This was a fabulous read with stunning descriptions of Italy as the three main characters go in search of Poppy's great love.’ NetGalley Reviewer ‘With twists and turns along the way, this is the perfect summer read.’ NetGalley Reviewer ‘This is a beautifully written story, full of emotive and evocative prose. You are taken on a journey with the three women and get to share their experiences, adventures and secrets. I enjoyed every page of this book.’ NetGalley Reviewer

Read more less

Book Synopsis**Winner of the Arthur C. Clarke Award 2020** 'The great African novel of the twenty-first century' Tade Thompson, author of Rosewater On the banks of the Zambezi River, a few miles from the majestic Victoria Falls, there was once a colonial settlement called The Old Drift. In 1904, in a smoky room at the hotel across the river, an Old Drifter named Percy M. Clark, foggy with fever, makes a mistake that entangles his fate with those of an Italian hotelier and an African busboy. So begins a cycle of unwitting retribution between three Zambian families as they collide and converge over the course of the century, into the present and beyond. 'Extraordinary, ambitious, evocative, dazzling' Salman Rushdie 'Brilliant . . . heartbreaking' Sunday Times 'Charming, heartbreaking and breathtaking' Carmen Maria Machado, author of In the Dream HouseTrade ReviewExtraordinary, ambitious, evocative… The Old Drift is an impressive book, ranging skillfully between historical and science fiction, shifting gears between political argument, psychological realism and rich fabulism…a dazzling debut, establishing Namwali Serpell as a writer on the world stage -- Salman Rushdie * New York Times Book Review *Brilliant...there are moments of such heart-wrenching poignancy that I had to put the book down several times and recompose myself. Serpell writes with the emotional maturity and sardonic smile of one who has lived several times already -- Leaf Arbuthnot * Sunday Times *An intimate, brainy, gleaming epic... The reader who picks up The Old Drift is likely to be more than simply impressed. This is a dazzling book, as ambitious as any first novel published this decade. It made the skin on the back of my neck prickle...she’s such a generous writer. The people and the ideas in The Old Drift, like dervishes, are set whirling -- Dwight Garner * New York Times *From the poetry and subtle humor constantly alive in its language, to the cast of fulsome characters that defy simple categorization, The Old Drift is a novel that satisfies on all levels. Namwali Serpell excels in creating portraits of resilience—each unique and often heartbreaking. In The Old Drift the individual struggle is cast against a world of shifting principles and politics, and Serpell captures the quicksand nature of a nation’s roiling change with exacting precision. My only regret is that once begun, I reached the end all too soon -- Alice SeboldAn impressive first novel… The Old Drift is electric with the sense that Serpell is laying down pieces in a puzzle kept teasingly out of sight... A growing sense that The Old Drift could go on for ever is tribute to its inventiveness -- Anthony Cummins * Observer *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA BOOK OF THE YEAR IN DAILY EXPRESS, I AND IRISH INDEPENDENT'Thrilling, mysterious, twisted' Graham Norton'Utterly mesmerising . . . A triumph' New York Times Book Review'Delivers chills galore' GuardianThe case of the extraordinary child . . .London, 1863. A strange puzzle has reached Bridie Devine, the finest female detective of her age. To recover a stolen child, Bridie must enter the dark world of medical curiosities. The public love a spectacle and this child may well prove the most remarkable spectacle London has ever seen.Things in Jars is a Victorian novel unlike any other, one that explores what it is to be human in inhumane times.Trade ReviewI loved Himself and The Hoarder but this book takes things to another level - thrilling, mysterious, twisted but more than anything, beautifully written and filled to bursting point with heart -- GRAHAM NORTONUtterly mesmerising . . . A triumph. Kidd's imagination - her ability to imagine a world more magical, darker, richer than our own - is a thing of wonder. She rummages through the layers of Victorian society as if through an old steamer trunk, pulling up all variety of treasures, like pythons and heads in hatboxes * * New York Times Book Review * *This unusual Victorian detective tale is hugely satisfying and beautifully written . . . Kidd gives the world what is instantly one of fiction's great spectral double acts * * The Times * *Jess Kidd's stories are so magical, she should be a genre all to herself . . . Things in Jars is exquisite. Perfect storytelling -- JOANNA CANNON, author of THE TROUBLE WITH GOATS AND SHEEPThis pacy piece of Victorian crime fiction delivers chills galore . . . done with panache . . . Her imagination runs wild, in tightly controlled prose. Her concision makes the book feel like a high-pressure jar * * Guardian * *A twisting, precis-defying plot . . . Arresting, funny and well-written * * Sunday Times * *An extraordinary tale full of dark magic, wicked humour and hugely entertaining characters. An absolute treat! -- RUTH HOGAN, author of THE KEEPER OF LOST THINGSKidd writes prose that is full to the brim with life, and overflowing. Victorian London is rendered lavishly in all its stench and glory . . . Features the most endearing of heroines . . . Kidd excels at atmospheric description . . . Kidd's sentences contain so much delight in the language, whether conveying brutality or rescue and repair, that there are frequent jolts of pleasure for the reader . . . Revel in the rich, wild text * * Financial Times * *A masterclass in storytelling. One of those books that truly does make you laugh out loud, that shakes and remakes what you think a story can be. It's rare to find a book so satisfying -- KIRAN MILLWOOD HARGRAVEIf there was an Oscar ceremony for books, then Kidd's Victorian mystery Things in Jars would surely sweep the board . . . Timeless . . . Knife-sharp * * Irish Times * *

Read more less

Book Synopsis Can she keep her son safe? Previously published as A Father’s Revenge. When Pearl’s ex-husband Kevin was sent to prison, she left her old life in Battersea behind, determined to protect her son from the truth about his father. But when her dear friend Bessie dies, she is forced to return to the one place she’d rather forget. While Pearl makes plans to take over Bessie’s shop, Kevin is released from jail and begins to swindle his parents for money. Once he gets what he wants, he’ll soon be after his child. Pearl will do whatever it takes to keep her boy out of his father’s reach – but will it be enough? A gripping and emotional family drama from the Sunday Times bestselling author, perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Katie Flynn. Readers love A Mother’s Struggle: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Brilliant book, couldn't put it down as usual, the characters seem so real. Looking forward to reading the next one.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I am a bedtime reader and Kitty Neale certainly kept me up until the wee small hours; just keep reading one more chapter.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Kept me gripped from the first page to the last one. I could not put it down. Brilliant.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘There were loads of twists to this one and I couldn't put it down. Absolutely fantastic read.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘What an amazing book, I can't put in down. The story is brilliant, I'm obsessed with Neale’s Books.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Fantastic… I read it in a few days, could not put it down. Kept me on the edge if my seat all the way through.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Kitty Neale never ever lets you down, from the first page to the last. You feel you are right there in the story with them. Great.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Wonderful… Loved every moment of this, hard to put down! A very heartfelt tale and lovely story.’ 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

Read more less

Book SynopsisPraise for Gill Paul: ‘A cleverly crafted novel and an enthralling story… A triumph.’ DINAH JEFFERIES ‘Gripping, romantic and evocative of its time.’ LULU TAYLOR It is 1912. Against all odds, the Titanic is sinking.As desperate hands emerge from the icy water, a few lucky row boats float in the darkness. On the boats are four survivors. Reg, a handsome young steward working in the first-class dining room; Annie, an Irishwoman travelling to America with her children; Juliet, a titled English lady who is pregnant and unmarried, and George, a troubled American millionaire. In the wake of the tragedy, each of these people must try to rebuild their lives.But how can life ever be the same again when you’ve heard over a thousand people dying in the water around you? Haunting, emotional and beautifully written, Women and Children First breathes fresh life into the most famous disaster of the 20th century. A gripping read from the bestselling author of The Secret Wife.Trade Review‘A warm-hearted and engaging novel that breathes fresh life into the well-known tragedy of the Titanic’ Amanda Brookfield. PRAISE FOR GILL PAUL’S OTHER NOVELS ‘Meticulously researched and evocatively written, this sweeping story will keep a tight hold on your heartstrings until the final page’ Iona Grey ‘A cleverly crafted novel and an enthralling story: the heartbreak genuine, the research brilliant. I love the way the present narrative throws light on the past story so that the transitions are smooth. A triumph.’ Dinah Jefferies ‘A marvellous story: gripping, romantic and evocative of a turbulent and fascinating time’ Lulu Taylor ‘This was just magical. At the last line, tears rolled down my cheeks. Highly recommended.’ Louise Beech 'A heart-warming affirmation of the tenacity of human love' Liz Trenow 'Gill Paul has crafted a beautiful book. The passages set in Russia in 1914 are so richly described and researched that I felt as if I was living in the pages myself. I adored it.' Amanda Jennings ‘This is an intriguing and involving book that explores a really fascinating period in time in a clever and highly enjoyable way. I was hooked into both timelines from the start.’Joanna Courtney, author of The Chosen Queen and The Constant Queen ‘A beautiful and moving story, beautifully and movingly told. I read it in just two sittings . . . I enjoyed every page’ John Julius Norwich ‘Gill Paul has clearly done her research in this absorbing story that cleverly blends imagination with historical fact. Tragic, touching and authentic-feeling.’ Kate Riordan ‘A marvellous moving adventure, full of vivid colour and atmospheric detail. If you loved POLDARK you’ll love this!’ Lulu Taylor ‘A terrific adventure story, full of romance and atmospheric detail – a great escapist read’ Liz Trenow

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn love and war, who can you trust? 1944, Hampshire. Her face still bearing the scars from the explosion at the factory, Rita Brown is nonetheless back on her feet. She's caught the eye of local wide boy Blackie Bristow, who's sweeping her around the country in a life of shady glamour. But there's a war on, and life is not all fun and games. Some of the local men are taking advantage of the topsy-turvy world to break more than just hearts, and standing up to them comes with its own costs. Rita keeps calm and carries on with a little help from her friends at the factory. But then she discovers someone there has been leaking secrets to the Germans. With D-Day on the horizon, Rita must work out who she can rely on - and fast.Trade ReviewA gripping story packed with darkness and light, love and friendship, greed and betrayal * Lancashire Evening Post *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis***THE UNFORGETTABLE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER*** ‘Secrets, lies, treachery, and passion… I read this novel in a headlong rush’ Christina Barker Kline, number one bestselling author of Orphan Train ‘Jenoff’s prose is evocative and compelling’ The Globe and Mail Sixteen-year-old Noa has been cast out in disgrace after becoming pregnant by a Nazi soldier and being forced to give up her baby. She lives above a small rail station, which she cleans in order to earn her keep… When Noa discovers a boxcar containing dozens of Jewish infants bound for a concentration camp, she is reminded of the child that was taken from her. In a moment that will change the course of her life, Noa snatches a baby and flees into the snowy night. And so begins this remarkable, harrowing story of friendship, sacrifice and survival in World War II from the international bestselling author, Pam Jenoff. Praise for The Orphan’s Tale: ‘Secrets, lies, treachery, and passion… I read this novel in a headlong rush’ Christina Barker Kline, number one bestselling author of Orphan Train ‘Jenoff’s prose is evocative and compelling’ The Globe and Mail ‘Wonderfully compelling… The story grips from the very first page, and the atmosphere of the circus is entrancing – you feel all the terror and thrill of the flying trapeze’ Margaret Leroy, author of The Soldier’s Wife ‘A thrilling, yet heartbreaking story of life and love, heroism and sacrifice in wartime Europe’ My Weekly ‘This is a book not to be missed’ Melanie Benjamin, bestselling author of The Swans of Fifth Avenue and The Aviator’s Wife ‘Jenoff has written a tribute to the human spirit that soars in the midst of epic despair…’ NPR ‘An emotional tale of survival and courage during a difficult time in Europe’ Suzy Approved Book Reviews ‘Jenoff keeps readers on their toes with the numerous twists and turns… as well as the emotional peaks and valleys that had me reaching for tissues more than once’Romance DishTrade Review Praise for The Orphan’s Tale: ‘Secrets, lies, treachery, and passion… I read this novel in a headlong rush’ Christina Barker Kline, number one bestselling author of Orphan Train ‘Jenoff’s prose is evocative and compelling’ The Globe and Mail ‘Wonderfully compelling… The story grips from the very first page, and the atmosphere of the circus is entrancing – you feel all the terror and thrill of the flying trapeze’ Margaret Leroy, author of The Soldier’s Wife ‘A thrilling, yet heartbreaking story of life and love, heroism and sacrifice in wartime Europe’ My Weekly ‘This is a book not to be missed’ Melanie Benjamin, bestselling author of The Swans of Fifth Avenue and The Aviator’s Wife ‘Jenoff has written a tribute to the human spirit that soars in the midst of epic despair…’ NPR ‘An emotional tale of survival and courage during a difficult time in Europe’ Suzy Approved Book Reviews ‘Jenoff keeps readers on their toes with the numerous twists and turns… as well as the emotional peaks and valleys that had me reaching for tissues more than once’Romance Dish ‘The Ophan’s Tale takes us on a heartbreaking, hopeful, touching and emotional journey; one that is not to be missed’ Jennifer Blankfein

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author of The Lioness of Morocco and The Elephant Keeper’s Daughter, the story of an ambitious young woman discovering friendship, love, and her own identity on the eve of World War I. Christmas 1889. A baby is born in the early hours at Vienna General Hospital, only to be abandoned by her unwed mother and entrusted to a foundling home and its loving caretaker. Fanny Schindler grows from a precocious girl into a strong-willed young woman. Undeterred by the rules of her station, she’s determined to rise above her humble origins and pursue her dreams at all costs, becoming an apprentice to one of the most glamorous fashion houses in Austria-Hungary. All the while, as Fanny searches for a sense of belonging, her path crosses with those of three people who will change her future. To one, she is a cherished friend. To another, a confidant. And to a handsome career soldier, something more. When hostilities in Europe burst into flame as a brutal world war, the future of the dual monarchy is at stake, friendships are strained, loyalties are tested, and everything is at risk. And when long-buried secrets about Fanny’s past come to light, she must decide what truly matters—and what is worth fighting for in a new world of infinite possibilities.

Read more less

Book Synopsis________________________The dramatic climax to Ben Kane's Forgotten Legion TrilogyHaving survived the perils of a journey across half the world, Romulus and Tarquinius are press-ganged into the legions, which are under imminent threat of annihilation by the Egyptians.Meanwhile in Rome, Romulus's twin sister Fabiola lives in fear for her life, loved by Brutus, but wooed by Marcus Antonius, his deadly enemy.Soon after, Romulus fights at Zela, the vicious battle where Caesar famously said, 'Veni, vidi, vici'. Tarquinius, separated from Romulus in the chaos of war, hides in Alexandria, searching for guidance. But mortal danger awaits them both.From the battlefields of Asia Minor and North Africa, to the lawless streets of Rome and the gladiator arena, they face death daily, until on the Ides of March, the twins are reunited and must decide either to back or to betray Caesar on his day of destiny.Trade ReviewA gripping, manly adventure * Catholic Herald *

Read more less

Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE WINGATE PRIZE 2021SUNDAY TIMES MUST READS PICKECONOMIST BEST BOOKS OF 2020 PICKKIRKUS REVIEWS 10 BOOKS TO LOOK FOR IN 2021 PICKBoundless imagination and a vibrant style . . . a heroine of unforgettable grit DAVID GROSSMANA story of great beauty and surprise GARY SHTEYNGARTThe townsfolk of Motal, an isolated, godforsaken town in the Pale of Settlement, are shocked when Fanny Keismann - devoted wife, mother of five, and celebrated cheese-maker - leaves her home at two hours past midnight and vanishes into the night.True, the husbands of Motal have been vanishing for years, but a wife and mother? Whoever heard of such a thing. What on earth possessed her?Could it have anything to do with Fanny''s missing brother-in-law, who left her sister almost a year ago and ran away to Minsk, abandoning their family to destitution and despair?Or cTrade ReviewWith boundless imagination and a vibrant style, Yaniv Iczkovits creates a colorful family drama that spins nineteenth century Russia out of control, and he delivers a heroine of unforgettable grit. Iczkovits wields his pen with wit and panache. A remarkable and evocative read -- David GrossmanA story of great beauty and surprise. A necessary antidote for our times -- Gary ShteyngartThe Slaughterman's Daughter is a miraculous patchwork-quilt of individual stories within stories told by different voices through which Fanny, the Belorussian Jewish slaughterman's daughter, cuts with her butcher's knife in search of justice. That quest for justice is the master story: a feminist picaresque set in a landscape of visionary and intimate historical and physical detail -- George SzirtesTotally compulsive reading -- Rosemary SullivanWith the sweeping grandeur of a Russian epic and the sly, sometimes bawdy humour of the Yiddish greats, The Slaughterman's Daughter is a magnificent triumph -- Bram Presser, author of The Book of Dirt"An extraordinarily vivid portrayal of life in the Pale of Settlement, an area of the pre-revolutionary Russian Empire where Jews were allowed, begrudgingly, to live" -- Antonia Senior * The Times *A narrative full of invention and surprises . . . Iczkovits mixes real history, fable and the products of his imagination into an intoxicating, thoroughly enjoyable brew -- Nick Rennison * Sunday Times *Yaniv Iczkovits' brilliant, sweeping novel is set in czarist Russia during the late nineteenth century, but feels highly relevant and resonant today . . . filled with exquisitely drawn characters . . . bold and provocative -- Elaine Margolin * TLS *A born storyteller . . . Iczkovits is clearly a talent to watch and The Slaughterman's Daughter is the place to start -- David Herman * Jewish Chronicle *Echoes of Russian and Yiddish literature resound in this delightful picaresque, but you need not hear them to enjoy it . . . Technicolour characters, pathos and humour are all wonderfully captured in a nimble translation from the Hebrew * Economist (Books of the Year, 2020) *It's a genuine pleasure to see all of the different strands of the story come together in the final act. If the Coen brothers ever ventured beyond the United States for their films, they would find ample material in this novel . . . An ultimately hopeful search for small comforts and a modicum of justice in an absurd and immoral world -- New York Times * Shay K. Azoulay *Approaches history in a fabulist style reminiscent of Sholem Aleichem and his disciples . . . The folktale tradition evoked in the storytelling has an estimable history, but perhaps even more old-fashioned is this novel's length and leisurely tempo. Mr. Iczkovits slowly elaborates his scenes, indulging in every tangent and scrap of context, as though there weren't countless forms of instant entertainment vying for the reader's attention. I appreciated the pace . . . Today it would be a quick drive to Minsk; once upon a time the trip was the stuff of epics -- Sam Sacks * Wall Street Journal *Occasionally a book comes along so fresh, strange, and original that it seems peerless, utterly unprecedented. This is one of those books. Iczkovits is a superb talent, and this novel is a resounding success * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *What begins as a small family drama explodes in every possible direction in its virtuosity * Haaretz *An adventure story with few like it in modern Hebrew literature . . . a simply outstanding novel * Walla *A major novel that zigzags between characters and plots, between history and psychology, rooted in a brilliant narrative * Haaretz Gallery *We should keep an eye on Iczkovits. He is an amazing talent who will be talked about for a long time to come * Time Out, on ADAM AND SOPHIE *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA moving saga of family relationships and ambition in one Liverpool pub. Perfect for fans of Katie Flynn, Ellie Dean and Dilly Court.When an unexpected event turns life upside down, Eve must summon all her strength to protect her daughters . . . 1933. Eve and Eddie Dobson have been running the George pub in Liverpool for over twenty years. Now, though, the Depression is taking hold and, with money in short supply, it''s galling for Eve that the barmaid they can barely afford spends the day making eyes at Eddie rather than pulling her weight behind the bar. At least her three daughters seem happy. Lily''s dreams of going on the stage haven''t led her into trouble, so far. Sarah is content as a waitress, while Maggie''s gently directing her devoted boyfriend to the altar. But when Eddie''s flirtation with the hired help takes an unexpected turn, everything changes, leaving none of Eve''s family untouched . . . and calling on all the strenTrade ReviewA MOTHER'S LOVE is another strongly-written saga that captures and holds the reader's attention from start to finish...an enjoyable, well-rounded novel' - Historical Novels ReviewHer mix of Irish and Liverpool backdrops have won this strong saga writer an assured place in the Sunday Times top 10...she's great! - BooksellerA compelling read - Woman's OwnThe Catherine Cookson of Liverpool - Northern EchoAn outstanding storyteller - Woman's WeeklyGutsy... A vivid picture of a hard-up, hard-working community...will keep the pages turning - Daily ExpressA vivid portrayal of life - BestShe has a realism that is almost palpable - Liverpool Echo

Read more less

Book SynopsisPreviously published as The Watercress GirlsA warm-hearted and nostalgic family saga from the bestselling author of THE WINTER BABY and THE NURSEMAID'S SECRET. Suffolk, 1914Twelve-year-old Mattie and her little sister Evie lead an idyllic life in the countryside, exploring the meadows and picking watercress in the streams. But little do they know that this perfect childhood won't last. With the onset of World War I, the country is thrown into turmoil . . . As the years pass, the girls go on to live very different lives. Mattie travels to Canada and America, whilst Evie remains in England. More than fifty years later, through marriages, deaths, births, war, heartbreak and distance, will these sisters finally be reunited to have their time in the meadows again? 'This charming, drama-filled novel certainly packs in all the warmth, wisdom and heartfelt emotions that were the trademarks of Sheila's writing.' My Weekly'This gently uplifting story is a saga to savour . . . this charming, drama-filled novel certainly packs in all the warmth, wisdom and heartfelt emotions that were the trademarks of her writing . . . a delicious and wonderfully poignant read for long summer evenings.' Lancashire Evening Post- - - Praise for Sheila Newberry:'So gloriously nostalgic . . . a perfect example of her talent.' Maureen Lee, bestselling author of The Seven Streets of Liverpool'Like having dinner with your mother in her warm and cosy kitchen.' Diane Allen, bestselling author of For the Sake of Her FamilyTrade ReviewThe Meadow Girls is a beautiful, thoughtful tale exploring life's unexpected twists and turns, and the sacrifices, separations, loves and friendships that we encounter along the way. Full of rich period detail and nostalgia, and written with Newberry's natural empathy and insight into what it meant to live through times of upheaval and war, this gently uplifting story is a saga to savour....this charming, drama-filled novel certainly packs in all the warmth, wisdom and heartfelt emotions that were the trademarks of her writing....Newberry's enchanting and heartwarming story is a delicious and wonderfully poignant read for long summer evenings. * Lancashire Evening Post *This charming, drama-filled novel certainly packs in all the warmth, wisdom and heartfelt emotions that were the trademarks of Sheila's writing. * My Weekly *

Read more less

Book SynopsisInspired by the Indian Mutiny of 1857, The Siege of Krishnapur is set in the fictional town of that name where a British garrison withstands a four-month siege by mutineers. Eventually rescued after undergoing terrible privations, the leading characters all find their ideals tested and their smug assumptions of military and moral superiority severely shaken.In Troubles Major Brendan Archer travels to Ireland in the aftermath of World War I in order to meet his fiancée Angela in a remote seaside hotel owned by her father. Angela dies unexpectedly, but Archer remains in Kilnalough, captivated by the Majestic and its inhabitants, and seemingly unaware of the approaching political storm as Ireland dissolves into revolt and civil war.Both novels combine high comedy with vivid realism and reveal Farrell as 'one of the finest post-colonial novelists' - John Sutherland.Trade ReviewFor a novel to be witty is one thing, to tell a good story is another, to be serious is yet another, but to be all three is surely enough to make it a masterpiece * New Statesman *

Read more less

Book SynopsisJersey fishing captain, Jean Cotterell is rescued by a French frigate - The Hortense - off the Grand Banks of Nova Scotia in May 1794. His fishing vessel has foundered and he is the sole survivor. The Hortense is part of Republican Admiral Jan Van Stabel's great fleet of over 100 ships bringing corn to France. Lord Howe's Channel Fleet is off Brest, hoping to intercept them. Life on The Hortense is like France under the Terror; chaotic, ungovernable, obsessed with savage, radical political theories. Separated from the French fleet in the Western Approaches she is intercepted by two British frigates and battle is joined... The Antigallican is the first in a series of novels set at the end of the 18th century at sea, in Britain, in the Channel Islands and in Revolutionary France. In Jean Cotterell we find a character that bears comparison with Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe, in a narrative that will delight fans of Patrick O'Brian.Trade ReviewWith its captivating, pungent, and sharply drawn characters, this first instalment in a series of sea stories is a welcome addition to the Napoleonic sea story genre -- Margaret Barr * Historical Novels Review *I believe [Tom Bowling] has a great future, and will become one of the leading authors in the historical naval fiction genre -- Robert Squarebriggs

Read more less

Book SynopsisSet in the early nineteenth century The Counting House follows the lives of Rohini and Vidia, a young married couple struggling for survival in a small, caste-ridden Indian village who are seduced by the recruiter's talk of easy work and plentiful land if they sign up as indentured labourers to go to British Guiana. There, however, they discover a harsh fate as 'bound coolies' in a country barely emerging from the savage brutalities of slavery. Having abandoned their families and a country that seems increasingly like a paradise, they must come to terms with their problematic encounters with an Afro-Guyanese population hostile to immigrant labour, with rebels such as Kampta who has made an early abandonment of Indian village culture, and confront the truths of their uprooted condition."Excellent... Presented with poetic precision, this novel succeeds as both a compelling story and a beautifully sustained piece of writing." Sean Coughlan, The Times."Beautifully written... Dabydeen's grace, as a poet turned novelist, is to give his characters' imaginations and inner lives voices in prose... This is a marvelous novel" Michele Roberts, Independent on Sunday.David Dabydeen was born in Guyana. He has published six acclaimed novels and three collections of poetry. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and Professor of Literary Studies at the University of Warwick.Trade Review'Beautifully written...Dabydeen's grace is to give his characters imaginations and inner living voices...This is a marvellous novel.' Michelle Roberts.

Read more less

Book SynopsisRecent focus on ancient Sanskrit works in English has been on religious and dramatic texts, with little attention to humor. "Anthology of Humorous Sanskrit Verses" by A.N.D. Haksar presents witty, satirical translations from over 500 years ago, shedding light on this lesser-known aspect of Sanskrit literature.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA bloody murder. An open and shut case? In Oliver Cromwell's London, nothing is as it seems - Captain Damian Seeker must battle to find justice, when an innocent man's life hangs in the balance.'Challenges CJ Sansom for dominion of historical crime' Sunday Times'The best historical crime novel of the year' Sunday ExpressLondon, 1654. Oliver Cromwell is at the height of his power and has declared himself Lord Protector. Captain Damian Seeker is his most trusted agent. No one knows where Seeker comes from, who his family is, or even his real name. All that is known for certain is that he is utterly loyal to Cromwell and that he has eyes everywhere.In the city, coffee houses are springing up, places where men may meet to plot and gossip. Now they are ringing with news of a murder. John Winter, hero of Cromwell's all-powerful army, is dead, and the lawyer, Elias Ellingworth, found standing over the bleeding body, clutching a knife.Yet despite the damning evidence, Seeker is not convinced of Ellingworth's guilt. He will stop at nothing to bring the killer to justice: and Seeker knows better than any man where to search.******************************************What Readers Are Saying About The Seeker'Tremendous thrilling mystery' 5* Reader Review'Well developed characters' 5* Reader Review'Fantastic!' 5* Reader Review'A wonderful discovery of 17th century London' 5* Reader ReviewTrade ReviewThe contradictions and compromises of Cromwell's Proctectorate are rather brilliantly woven into the thrilling plot . . . If her next outing is as riveting as this one, she could challenge CJ Sansoms' Shardlake for dominion of the crowded historical crime niche. * The Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics.A good essay must have this permanent quality about it; it must draw its curtain round us, but it must be a curtain that shuts us in not out'In the first volume of her critical essays, Virginia Woolf discusses the greatest authors of the literary canon Jane Austen, George Eliot and Geoffrey Chaucer among others with the everyday, common reader' in mind. With wit and insight, Woolf also revisits classic novels and examines scholarly subjects, from the Greek language to the Modern Essay, to the Brontë's Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights.First published in 1925, The Common Reader is a stunning work from one of the most perceptive minds of the twentieth century, a collection which continues to nurture the joys of literature and reading to this day.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAs the storm clouds of war gather, Cordelia seeks refuge in the grounds of her family estate. Handsome landscaper Isaac has recently arrived to tend to the gardens, and the connection between him and Cordelia is as immediate as it is forbidden. Isaac begins to secretly teach her how to cultivate the gardens, so when he and all the young men are called away to war, Cordelia takes over. From the battlefields of Europe, Isaac sends her letters, that give her hope for their future in peacetime. But when these messages abruptly cease, Cordelia must face up to the worst and take her future - and the fate of the garden they both loved - into her own hands...--Trade Review‘A beautiful emotional story of love and strength’ Liz Fenwick, author of The River Between Us ‘With shades of Vera Brittain's Testament of Youth, and her trademark combination of unputdownable plot and beautiful writing, Lorna Cook has had me utterly captivated with her latest. The Hidden Letters has it all – heartbreak and redemption, intense love and desperate loss. It's the type of book that first made me fall in love with reading, I adored every sumptuous, atmospheric page, and can't recommend it highly enough.’ Jenny Ashcroft, author of Under the Golden Sun ‘This book perfectly evokes that spirit of a lost age. What a gorgeous writer Lorna Cook is. A book to lose yourself in. I loved it.’ Mollie Walton, author of The Ironbridge Saga and The Raven Hall Saga. ‘A beautiful, evocative story of love and coping with loss that kept me turning the pages late into the night. A triumph!’ Rachel Burton, author of The Secrets of Summer House ‘Magnificent. Broke my heart and put it back together again’ Amanda Geard, author of The Midnight House ‘Kept me guessing right up to the last poignant page, I found it difficult to put down and impossible to stop thinking about when I did’ Iona Grey, author of The Glittering Hour ‘Lorna Cook’s lyrical novel transports us back to the last golden summer of innocence. Against the backdrop of a garden so beautifully depicted that I could smell the roses, she leads us through loss, heartbreak and heroism – and shows us that love can triumph over even the greatest adversity.’ Judy Summers, author of The Forgotten Sister

Read more less

Book SynopsisAged 105, Rose has endured more than her fair share of hardships: the Armenian genocide, the Nazi regime, and the delirium of Maoism. Yet somehow, despite all the suffering, Rose never loses her joie de vivre. As she looks back over her long life - one of survival and, sometimes, one of retribution - she recalls those unique experiences that added such spice to her life, whether it was being a confidante to Hitler, a friend to Simone de Beauvoir or cooking for Heinrich Himmler.Trade ReviewA novel as excessive as it is joyful * L'Express *It reads like savouring a good meal... A joyful tale * La Croix *A stampeding cookery story that is truly rich in flavour * L’Humanité *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'One of the must-reads of the year.' Manda Scott I am Somerled. The summer warrior. What am I, if not a warrior?In twelfth-century Scotland, far removed from the courtly manners of the Lowland, the Winter Isles are riven by vicious warfare, plots and battles. Into this hard, seafaring life is born a boy called Somerled. The son of an ageing chieftain, Somerled must prove his own worth as a warrior. He will rise to lead his men into battle and claim the title of Lord of the Isles - but what must he sacrifice to secure the glory of his name? The Winter Isles is an astonishingly vivid recreation of the savage dynastic battles of medieval Scotland: an authentic, emotional, powerful read.Trade ReviewIn Somerled... Antonia Senior has created a perfect hero for our times... This is passionate, wonderful, windswept writing, full of the wonder of hill and heath and sea... One of the must-reads of the year. -- Manda ScottSenior's prose is beautiful and powerful, poetic and yet immediate... She has taken a Norse-Gaelic legend and made it ring true, which is no small feat... Fearlessly and deftly done. I loved this book deeply. -- Giles KristianAntonia writes so beautifully, so convincingly... Her prose is exquisite - lyrical, sensitive, constantly and delightfully surprising. Her characters are utterly believable, rounded, engaging and absolutely of their time... Antonia has proved herself once again to be in the very first rank of British historical novelists. -- Angus DonaldThis book by @Tonisenior is magnificent! One of the best books I've read in the last five years. Magical. -- Ben Kane

Read more less

Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A TODAY SHOW #ReadWithJenna BOOK CLUB PICK • The unforgettable story of a daredevil female aviator determined to chart her own course in life, at any cost: an “epic trip—through Prohibition and World War II, from Montana to London to present-day Hollywood—and you’ll relish every minute” (People).After being rescued as infants from a sinking ocean liner in 1914, Marian and Jamie Graves are raised by their dissolute uncle in Missoula, Montana. There--after encountering a pair of barnstorming pilots passing through town in beat-up biplanes--Marian commences her lifelong love affair with flight. At fourteen she drops out of school and finds an unexpected and dangerous patron in a wealthy bootlegger who provides a plane and subsidizes her lessons, an arrangement that will haunt her for the rest of her life, even as it allows her to fulfill her destiny: circumnavigating the globe by flying over the North and South Poles.A century later, Hadley Baxter is cast to play Marian in a film that centers on Marian's disappearance in Antarctica. Vibrant, canny, disgusted with the claustrophobia of Hollywood, Hadley is eager to redefine herself after a romantic film franchise has imprisoned her in the grip of cult celebrity. Her immersion into the character of Marian unfolds, thrillingly, alongside Marian's own story, as the two women's fates--and their hunger for self-determination in vastly different geographies and times--collide. Epic and emotional, meticulously researched and gloriously told, Great Circle is a monumental work of art, and a tremendous leap forward for the prodigiously gifted Maggie Shipstead.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA startling, hard-edged dissection of slavery and a tour de force of both voice and storytelling By the Man Booker-winning author Marlon James, this is the powerful story of Lilith, born into slavery on a Jamaican sugar plantation at the end of the eighteenth century. Even at her birth, the Night Women – a clandestine council of fierce slaves plotting an island-wide revolt – recognize a dark force in her that they treat with both reverence and fear. But as Lilith comes of age and begins to understand her own feelings and identity, she dares to push at the edges of what is imaginable for the life of a slave woman. And as rebellions simmer and unspoken jealousies intensify, Lilith’s powers and sense of purpose threaten not just her own destiny, but the destinies of all the slave women in Jamaica.Trade Review'One of the most expanding, lyrical, relevant novels I will ever read.' * Jessie Burton, author of The Miniaturist *'Both beautifully written and devastating.' -- New York Times‘It reads like Faulkner in another skin. It is a brave book. And like the best, and most dangerous of stories, it seems as if it was just waiting to be told.’ -- Colum McCann, author of Zoli and Dancer‘An exquisite, haunting and beautiful novel... like the best of literature [it] deserves to be passed down hand to hand, generation to generation.’ -- Dinaw Mengestu, author of The Beautiful Things‘An epic novel of late-18thcentury West Indian slavery, complete with all its carnage and brutishness, but one that, like a Toni Morrison novel, whispers rather than shouts its horrors.’ -- Time Out

Read more less

Book SynopsisI sat before my tambour hoop but I did not sew. I thought of split lips, flying teeth and red blood on white linen.Born in a Bristol brothel at the end of the eighteenth century, Ruth Webber, her toe upon the scratch, is ready to face all comers.Lady Charlotte Sinclair, scarred with small pox and bullied by her boorish brother, is on the verge of smashing the bonds of convention that have held her for so long.George Bowden, without inheritance or title, is prepared to do whatever it takes to make his way in the world.Let the fight begin . . .Trade ReviewThe Fair Fight is a hugely exciting and entertaining novel, written with warmth, charm, authority and, above all, terrific flair. I loved it. * SARAH WATERS *(A) cracking debut... It is a lively, rambunctious read which captures Bristol street life brilliantly and niftily sets the scene for a memorable collection of characters who are prepared to gamble everything to gain hope and some form of happiness. -- Eithne Farry * SUNDAY EXPRESS *Anna Freeman's familiarity with this rough and raunchy period of history and her wonderfully imagined cast of characters, often down but never out, makes this a brilliant debut novel. -- Rose Wild * THE TIMES *This storming debut is fiction at its most absorbing. It'll be first in line for Freeman's next offering. -- Kat Poole * STYLIST *For lovers of the evocative historical romps of Sarah Waters and Michel Faber this is a visceral and funny debut. * EMERALD STREET *(Anna's) enthusiasm for the subject matter and her skill at creating powerful narrative voices are in strong evidence in this gritty, vividly evoked historical novel. Fans of Sarah Waters and Emma Donoghue, take note. * DIVA MAGAZINE *An accomplished first novel that reminded me somewhat of Peter Carey's Jack Maggs. -- NED DENNY * DAILY MAIL *lively and original * THE SUNDAY TIMES *Passion and pugilism ...(an) original, memorable debut novel. -- Nick Rennison * BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE *Freeman's first novel is shocking but a cracker. The writing is good and the characters totally believable. I loved it. -- LESLEY PEARSE * SAINBURYS MAGAZINE *This truly bears comparison with Michel Faber's THE CRIMSON PETAL AND THE WHITE as first-time author Freeman (a performance poet who has appeared at Latitude and Glastonbury) brings the 18th century to throbbing life, in an immersive novel rich with extraordinary characters and a cracking plot. * THE BOOKSELLER *this highly enjoyable read that packs a punch. * HISTORY REVEALED *A brilliant, bold and unforgettable debut. Freeman transports us to a history we'd never have imagined and makes it viscerally real. * NATHAN FILER *The Fair Fight is, I think, just about the most well-written novel I have read in five years. The depiction of the situation and characters is very clearly done with great economy of effort. Even the title is clever. ..this is an excellent read, and one that will stay with you for a long time. -- Alan Fisk * HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY *'[The] novel, though written in a fashion long past, feels quite natural and free. She [Anna Freeman] has taken the late 18th century, language and all, and pummelled life into it. THE FAIR FIGHT breathes, shouts and swears, confident in its form and bold as brass in its execution. If Anna Freeman ever puts up her fives and takes to milling, I'll not volunteer as an opponent.' * New York Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisDiane Allen's The Yorkshire Farm Girl is a heartfelt novel of a family dreaming of a better life when WW2 looms on the horizon.September 1939.Friends Maggie Shaunessy and Lizzie Taylor are heartbroken to be evacuated from their Liverpool homes to rural Yorkshire.Lizzie is sent to live with a vicar in the village of Gargrave, while Maggie finds herself delivered by chauffeur to Hawith Hall and Lady and Lord Bradley.Both girls at the hall and the vicarage are far different to what they are used to – and both are very homesick. Though Maggie finds friendship too in the form of Alice, a young servant at the hall who takes Maggie under her wing.But change is coming to the Dales too, leaving the girls feeling harboring desperate plans of run away, back to Liverpool . . .

Read more less

Book SynopsisScarborough, 1880Jeannie spends her days in the town's teeming fishing port, waiting for Ethan Wharton to return on his father's trawler. She had always expected to marry the loyal and dependable Ethan, but when she meets Harry, a handsome stranger from Hull, Jeannie can't help but fall for his charm. When Jeannie falls pregnant and Harry breaks his promise to come back for her, she is alone. Resolving to make a better life for her and her child, Jeannie moves to the city in a bid to keep them from poverty. Starting over brings heartache and tragedy, and Jeannie finds herself longing for her lost love. But will Ethan find the strength to forgive her?If you enjoy books by Katie Flynn and Dilly Court, you'll love Val's heartwarming stories of triumph over adversity.Trade ReviewHull's answer to Catherine Cookson * BBC Radio 4's Front Row *A heart-warming story filled with compelling action * Rosie Goodwin *Wonderfully fully-fleshed characters are the mainstay of [Val Wood's] stories * Peterborough Telegraph *A gripping saga * The People's Friend *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA gripping story of forbidden love, perfect for fans of Rosie Goodwin, Dilly Court and Katie Flynn--------------- Life on the Fifteen Streets is tough - a continual struggle for survival. Born into an ever-expanding family, John O'Brien grew up with nothing to call his own. Now, he works on the city's docks while trying to keep his loved ones safe from the drunken wrath of his father and brother.But everything changes when John meets Mary Llewellyn, a beautiful young woman who belongs to a world of wealth and privilege. What starts off as casual friendship soon blossoms into a rare love, but when John is embroiled in scandal Mary's parents forbid them from seeing each other.It seems the Fifteen Streets has succeeded in keeping them apart, but can their love conquer all? --------------- Praise for Catherine Cookson: 'Catherine Cookson soars above her rivals' Mail on Sunday'Her characters have the grit of real life' Sunday Times 'Queen of raw family romances' TelelgraphTrade ReviewHer character have the grit of real life * Sunday Times *Catherine Cookson soars above her rivals * Mail on Sunday *Queen of raw family romances * Telegraph *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA mother and son on the run. A new beginning. A past they cannot escape.An unforgettable saga of love, escapism and intrigue from the bestselling author of No One''s Girl, Mothering Sunday and The Little Angel, The Bad Apple is sure to leave you hungry for more. Perfect for fans of Shelia Newberry and Dilly Court.''Rosie Goodwin is a born storyteller - she''ll make you cry, she''ll make you laugh, but most of all you''ll care for her characters and lose yourself in her story. An author destined for the top'' - Jeannie JohnsonLouise Hart has endured a great deal of pain from her callous husband Paul, but one cold December night in 1959 she can take no more. She and her son Davey escape their Coventry high-rise flat and flee to Tanglewood, the dilapidated ivy-clad mansion where her mother Dolly runs an animal sanctuary. Miserable and frightened, Louise longs to turn her back on the past, and create a happy new Trade ReviewAn absorbing story in the grand tradition of the best saga authors -- Margaret DickinsonA wonderful heroine, plucky, determined and warm-hearted. A believable and compelling read -- Jennie FeltonRosie writes such heart-warming sagas -- Lyn AndrewsA heart-throbber of a story that puts so many other so-called emotional blockbusters in the shade * Northern Echo *Not only is Goodwin's characterisation and dialogue compelling, her descriptive writing is a joy * Nottingham Evening Post *The new Catherine Cookson * Coventry Evening Telegraph *A touching and powerful new novel from a wonderful writer * Bookseller *Goodwin has the enviable knack of putting the past into focus with wonderfully warm and credible characters, lively dialogue and fascinating period detail of everyday life. A Rose Among Thorns is another moving and inspirational story from a writer who knows how to tug at the heart strings * Lancashire Evening Post *An absorbing story in the grand tradition of the best saga authors -- Margaret DickinsonA wonderful heroine, plucky, determined and warm-hearted. A believable and compelling read -- Jennie FeltonRosie writes such heart-warming sagas -- Lyn AndrewsA heart-throbber of a story that puts so many other so-called emotional blockbusters in the shade * Northern Echo *Not only is Goodwin's characterisation and dialogue compelling, her descriptive writing is a joy * Nottingham Evening Post *The new Catherine Cookson * Coventry Evening Telegraph *A touching and powerful new novel from a wonderful writer * Bookseller *Goodwin has the enviable knack of putting the past into focus with wonderfully warm and credible characters, lively dialogue and fascinating period detail of everyday life. A Rose Among Thorns is another moving and inspirational story from a writer who knows how to tug at the heart strings * Lancashire Evening Post *

Read more less

Book SynopsisHighgate, London, 1824. Samuel Taylor Coleridge is a washed-up opium addict, estranged from his friends and from his neglected wife. His grip on reality is starting to slip; his past and present mingle in laudanum-induced dreams. In a Cambridge college library, Scrivener, a bullied undergraduate, finds a strange annotation in a book of Coleridge's poems. Intrigued by this mystery marginalia and captivated by Romantic poetry, he resolves to become a poet himself, with Coleridge as his guiding light. Across the sea, Samuele, a young Sicilian, discovers that his mother once had a liaison with Coleridge. He sets out for England to learn all he can about the man who may be his father. It isn't long before Samuele and Scrivener cross paths - but will their journeys take them to the real Samuel Taylor Coleridge?Trade Review'In clear, lyrical prose, Dennis Hamley takes the reader on an imaginative journey through Samuel Taylor Coleridge's life, bringing the characters to life with gentleness and insight' —Kathleen Jones, author of 'A Passionate Sisterhood'; 'With no discernible sleight of hand this master storyteller, with effortless assurance and prodigious skill, weaves his mighty spell and conjures before our very eyes all we will ever need to know about the most famous lines of poetry that English ever produced' —Robert Lipscombe, author of 'The Salamander Tree' and 'The English Project'; 'This novel is an interesting take on the life of Coleridge, an unacknowledged son he may have left in Sicily, and a hard-up scholar in 1820s Cambridge. It is fascinating to read about what might have happened as these three people intersect' —Merryn Williams, poet and founding editor of 'The Interpreter's House'; 'A wonderful read that combines literary mystery with a quest for the ideal and leaves us with a richly satisfying resolution' —Jane Spiro

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisShe''s finally claimed her independence . . . how far will she go to keep it?A brilliant engineer, Jilly Stiles has been educated since childhood to help run her father''s lumber dynasty. With the company safe from her stepfather after the marriages of her two sisters, Jilly can now focus on her dream of building a mountaintop railroad--and never marry.Nick Ryder came into Jilly''s life when he saved her mother from her no-good stepfather, and he''s prepared to protect Jilly from anything that threatens to harm her--as long as he keeps his heart from getting involved.But when a cruel and powerful man goes to dangerous lengths to make Jilly his own, she must make a decision between her safety and her hard-won independence.

Read more less

Book SynopsisBOOK 1 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 MirrorIN THE HEART OF EGYPTUNDER THE WATCHFUL EYE OF THE GODSA NEW POWER IS RISINGIn the city of Lahun, Hui lives an enchanted life. The favoured son of a doting father, and ruler-in-waiting of the great city, his fate is set. But behind the beautiful façades a sinister evil is plotting. Craving power and embittered by jealousy, Hui's stepmother, the great sorceress Isetnofret, and Hui's own brother Qen, orchestrate the downfall of Hui's father, condemning Hui and seizing power in the city.Cast out and alone, Hui finds himself a captive of a skilled and powerful army of outlaws, the Hyksos. Determined to seek vengeance for the death of his father and rescue his sister, Ipwet, Hui swears his allegiance to these enemies of Egypt. Through them he learns the art of war, learning how to fight and becoming an envied charioteer.But soon Hui finds himself in an even greater battle - one for the very heart of Egypt itself. As the pieces fall into place and the Gods themselves join the fray, Hui finds himself fighting alongside the Egyptian General Tanus and renowned mage, Taita. Now Hui must choose his path - will he be a hero in the old world, or a master in a new kingdom?Book 1 in The New Kingdom Sequence and book 7 in the Ancient Egyptian series from the master historical adventure writer, Wilbur Smith. Don't miss the rest of the epic Ancient Egyptian Series, available now.'The New Kingdom' was a Sunday Times bestseller w/e 05-09-2021.

Read more less

Book SynopsisBelieving in Tomorrow is the epic family saga and moving historical fiction, from the top ten bestselling author of The Storm Child, Rita Bradshaw.Molly McKenzie is only eleven years old when her abusive father beats her to within an inch of her life. Escaping from the hovel she calls home, Molly is found by kind fisherfolk, sick and near death. With them she experiences the love of a family for the first time and, even though life is hard, she is content.Time passes and Molly’s looking ahead to a future with the boy she loves, but then a terrible tragedy rips her life apart. Once again she’s cast adrift in an uncaring world, but Molly is made of stern stuff and is determined to survive.In the male-dominated society of the early 1900s, Molly has to fight prejudice and hatred, and rejection comes from all sides. Can she hold fast and become the woman she is destined to be?

Read more less

Book Synopsis#1 bestseller in Sweden with over 1.5 million copies sold'Niklas Natt och Dag takes the contemporary Scandinavian crime story and gives it a startlingly gruesome historical twist' GuardianThe year is 1794. A young nobleman, Eric Three Roses, languishes in hospital. Some think he would be just at home in the madhouse across the road. Ridden with guilt, he spends his nights writing down memories of his lost love who died on their wedding night. Her mother also mourns her and when no one listens to her suspicions, she begs the aid of the only person who will listen: Jean Mickel Cardell, the one-armed watchman.Cecil Winge is six months in the ground but when his younger brother Emil seeks out the watchman to retrieve his brother's missing pocket watch, Cardell enlists his help to discover what really happened at Three Roses' estate that night. But, unlike his dead brother, the younger Winge is an enigma, and Cardell soon realises that he may be more hindrance than help. And when they discover that a mysterious slave trader has been running Three Roses' affairs, it is a race against time to discover the truth before it's too late.In 1794, the second installment of Niklas Natt och Dag's historical noir trilogy, we are reunited with Mickel Cardell, Anna Stina Knapp, and the bustling world of late eighteenth century Stockholm from The Wolf and the Watchman. The city is about to see its darkest days yet as veneers crack and the splendour of old gives way to what is hiding in the city's nooks and crannies.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn the chaos of that terrible night, her secret went down with the Titanic. But secrets have a way of floating to the surface…  Trapped in an unhappy aristocratic marriage, Elinor Coombes sees only lonely days ahead of her. So a present from her father - tickets for the maiden voyage of a huge, luxurious new ship called the Titanic – offers a welcome escape from the cold, controlling atmosphere of her husband’s ancestral home, and some precious time with her little son, Teddy.  When the ship goes down, Elinor realises the disaster has given her a chance to take Teddy and start a new life – but only if they can disappear completely, listed as among the dead. Penniless and using another woman’s name, she has to learn to survive in a world that couldn’t be more different from her own, and keep their secret safe.   An uplifting story about grabbing your chances with both hands, and being brave enough to find out who you really are.  ‘A thoroughly enjoyable novel about being brave enough to grab hold of a second chance and make the most of it’ Louise Hare ‘An acutely observed account of one woman’s struggle to escape the shackles of an aristocratic marriage, and the desperate decisions she has to make after the sinking of the Titanic. You’ll be rooting for Elinor Coombes all the way in this compelling, heart-warming novel’ Gill Paul ‘A brilliant, big-hearted book with a brave and complex heroine struggling to make a new life for herself and her son after the wreckage of the Titanic. A powerful and inspiring story about finding strength in the face of insurmountable odds’ Anna Mazzola   ‘Excoriates the British aristocracy who put dynastic ambitions above love and happiness. A beautifully written page-turner of the highest order. We are with Elinor on her riches to rags adventure every step of the way’ Lila Cain ‘I was swept away by this story of bravery and resilience in a life of changing fortunes. Utterly compelling’ Essie Fox ‘Through her wonderfully imagined character of Elinor Coombes, Frances Quinn shapes a powerful, immersive and intriguing narrative of the Titanic tragedy. I walked every step of that journey with Elinor and Teddy, and still think about them long after turning the final page. Brilliant historical drama’ Hazel Gaynor   ‘A vivid, compelling and immaculately researched story with a protagonist in Elinor you can’t help but root for’ Lucy Barker   ‘I absolutely loved The Lost Passenger. I adored the writing style, the characterization and the gripping storyline to the extent that I couldn’t wait to get to the end whilst really not wanting it to end. Bliss!’ Jill Mansell          

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less