Historical Fiction Books

Book SynopsisOne of the most iconic fictional debuts of all time turns 25 this year!What's past is prologue'First published in the year 2000, Zadie Smith's White Teeth was one of the most celebrated novels of the new millennium. Adored by critics and readers alike, it remains a perennial bestseller, which still delights with the audacity of its scope and vision, its fresh-minted style, and the wit and warmth of its voice.Funny, generous and big-hearted, it deals among many other things with friendship, love, war, three cultures and three families over three generations, one brown mouse, and the tricky way the past has of coming back and biting you on the ankle.A life affirming, riotous must-read of a book, it won the Guardian First Book Award, the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Fiction and the Whitbread First Novel Award.Curl up with it, savour every sentence, then turn around and reread' The TimesThe outstanding debut of the new millennium' ObserveTrade ReviewFunny, clever ... and a rollicking good read * Independent *Do believe the hype, buy into it, curl up with it, savour every sentence, then turn around and re-read * The Times *An impressive début, not only for its vitality and verve, but mainly for the sheer audacity of its scope and vision ... an epic tale ... swooping, funny ... it has ambition, wit and is unafraid -- Meera Syal * Express *Announces the debut of a preternaturally gifted new writer ... street-smart and learned, sassy and philosophical all at the same time * The New York Times *Relentlessly funny ... idiosyncratic, and deeply felt * Guardian *An astonishingly assured début, funny and serious ... I was delighted -- Salman RushdieShe is . . . a George Eliot of multi-culturalism * Daily Telegraph *[Zadie Smith] is one of the prominent voices of her generation * Sunday Times *Britain's finest young author * The List *[Zadie Smith] packs more intelligence, humour and sheer energy into any given scene than anyone else of her generation * Sunday Telegraph *[White Teeth] established a model for how to make sense-and art-out of the complexity, diversity and pluck that have defined the beginning of this century * Time *Funny, clever ... and a rollicking good read * Independent *Do believe the hype, buy into it, curl up with it, savour every sentence, then turn around and re-read * The Times *An impressive début, not only for its vitality and verve, but mainly for the sheer audacity of its scope and vision ... an epic tale ... swooping, funny ... it has ambition, wit and is unafraid -- Meera Syal * Express *Announces the debut of a preternaturally gifted new writer ... street-smart and learned, sassy and philosophical all at the same time * The New York Times *An astonishingly assured début, funny and serious ... I was delighted -- Salman RushdieRelentlessly funny ... idiosyncratic, and deeply felt * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisAny Human Heart is William''s Boyd''s classic, bestselling novel, now available as a Penguin Essential for the first time. Every life is both ordinary and extraordinary, but Logan Mountstuart''s - lived from the beginning to the end of the twentieth century - contains more than its fair share of both. As a writer who finds inspiration with Hemingway in Paris and Virginia Woolf in London, as a spy recruited by Ian Fleming and betrayed in the war and as an art-dealer in ''60s New York, Logan mixes with the movers and shakers of his times. But as a son, friend, lover and husband, he makes the same mistakes we all do in our search for happiness. Here, then, is the story of a life lived to the full - and a journey deep into a very human heart.Any Human Heart will be enjoyed by readers of Sebastian Faulks, Nick Hornby and Hilary Mantel, as well as lovers of the finest British and historical fiction around the world. It was recently adapted for a major Channel 4 four-part drama series scripted by William Boyd and starring Kim Cattrall, Gillian Anderson, Jim Broadbent and Tom Hollander. This edition features beautiful cover artwork from the television series.''Astonishing, touching, extremely funny. A brilliant evocation of a past era and an immensely readable story'' Sunday Telegraph''Superb, wonderful, enjoyable'' Guardian''A terrific journey through the twentieth century. Thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable'' Jeremy PaxmanTrade ReviewA terrific journey through the twentieth century. Thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable -- Jeremy PaxmanWise, profound and moving. Only the very best novels make you look at your own life and imagine your own future with fresh eyes -- William Sutcliffe * Independent on Sunday *Superb, wonderful, enjoyable * Guardian *This fabulous book all about life... is the journey of anyone with a heart... I think of Any Human Heart often - the sign of a truly great book -- Fi Glover * Spectator *Sheer, truly brilliant storytelling. He has probably written more classic books than any of his contemporaries * Daily Telegraph *Astonishing, touching, extremely funny. A brilliant evocation of a past era and an immensely readable story * Sunday Telegraph *Astounding. One of Boyd's greatest achievements * Mail on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisTHE NEW YORK TIMES #1 BESTSELLER OPRAH BOOK CLUB PICK''One of the best books I have ever read in my entire life. I haven''t felt this way since I first read Beloved . . .'' Oprah Winfrey Lose yourself in the stunning debut novel everyone is talking about - the unmissable historical story of injustice and redemption that resonates powerfully todayHiram Walker is a man with a secret, and a war to win. A war for the right to life, to family, to freedom.Born into bondage on a Virginia plantation, he is also born gifted with a mysterious power that he won''t discover until he is almost a man, when he risks everything for a chance to escape. One fateful decision will carry him away from his makeshift plantation family and into the heart of the underground war on slavery... ''A transcendent work from a crucial political and literary artist'' Diana Evans ''I''ve been wondering who might fill the intellectual void that plagued me after James Baldwin died. Clearly it is Ta-Nehisi Coates'' Toni MorrisonTrade ReviewAny writer tackling slavery needs to do something different with it, and The Water Dancer does just that. Coates' rhapsodic prose spins a soaring, scorching, supernatural tale of the imagination that sets this history alight and turns it into an original work of art. -- Bernardine EvaristoOne of the best books I have ever read in my entire life . . . I was enthralled, I was devastated. -- Oprah Winfreya remarkable story about inequality, slavery, memory, freedom and dignity. I found it important and universally relevant -- Elif Shafak * Guardian *a crowd-pleasing exercise in breakneck and often occult storytelling that tonally resembles the work of Stephen King as much as it does the work of Toni Morrison, Colson Whitehead and the touchstone African-American science-fiction writer Octavia Butler. * New York Times *a work of both staggering imagination and rich historical significance . . . timeless and instantly canon-worthy. * Rolling Stone *A tale of slavery and mysterious power in this debut novel from one of America's most exciting young writers. * The Times *An arresting story of fantastical power in the brutal world of human bondage . . . A transcendent, arresting work from a crucial political and literary artist -- Diana EvansEagerly anticipated . . . The Water Dancer merges historical and fantasy fiction in a slavery story that Oprah Winfrey says is one of the best books she has read in her life. * Observer *In prose that sings and imagination that soars, Coates further cements himself as one of this generation's most important writers, tackling one of America's oldest and darkest periods with grace and inventiveness. This is bold, dazzling, and not to be missed * Publisher's Weekly *Beautiful prose and wonderful characters . . . an important book written by one of the great thinkers of our times. It's a thriller, a historical how-to, a love story and a warning. I read it one long night and the next day pressed it into everyone's hands. Brilliant.This potent book about America's most disgraceful sin establishes [Ta-Nehisi Coates] as a first-rate novelist. * San Francisco Chronicle *Ta-Nehisi Coates has emerged as an important public intellectual and perhaps America's most incisive thinker about race. * New York Times *Slavery, forgetting and memory are at the heart of Coates's ambitious, compelling first novel... * TLS *

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Book Synopsis''Gripping ... a story of loss, ambition, misogyny, family love and what it means to belong ... evocative and atmospheric'' Irish Times1324, Kilkennie: A time of suspicion and conspiracy. A place where zealous men rage against each other - and even more against uppity womenA woman finds refuge with her daughter in the household of a childhood friend.The friend, Alice Kytler, gives her former companion a new name, Petronelle, a job as a servant, and warns her to hide their old connection.But in aligning herself with a powerful woman, Petronelle and her child are in more danger than they ever faced in the savage countryside ...Tense, moving and atmospheric Her Kind is vivid reimagining of the events leading to the Kilkenny Witch Trial.__________''Masterful ... Boyce delicately unfolds this atmospheric, magical thriller with pace and juice, while also making sure that theTrade ReviewShines a light on women who have been silenced. This tightly paced novel confirms Boyce as an important voice in Irish literature -- Louise O'NeillGripping ... a complicated story of loss, ambition, misogyny, family love and what it means to belong ... evocative and atmospheric * Irish Times *The plot is pacey and menacing, and the writing is clear, sharp and studded with glistening phrases ... a wonderful shout through time -- Nuala O'ConnorPulls us into a world both seductively alien, yet uneasily, all-too-humanly, familiar -- Mia GallagherMoving and atmospheric * Irish Country Magazine *A beautifully absorbing novel, illuminating the remarkable story of a woman whose life has since been subsumed into folklore. Highly recommended. * Hot Press *Masterful ... Boyce delicately unfolds this atmospheric, magical thriller with pace and juice, while also making sure that the sentiments (vilification of women, policing of female biology, etc) echo through time -- Hilary White * Sunday Independent *Niamh Boyce has taken a bleak and dismal period and sent a bolt of beautiful and revealing light into the darkness -- John MacKennaBeautifully written and transports us to the 14th century, though its themes loudly resonate today -- Eileen Dunne * RTÉ Culture *[Her Kind] sings of these modern times * RTÉ Guide *Enthralling * Irish Examiner *

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Book Synopsis''An astonishing portrait of an innocent on the verge of discovering the cruelties of love... there are whispers here of the future work of Elena Ferrante'' Elizabeth Strout, from the introduction''Life was a perpetual holiday in those days...''It''s the height of summer in 1930s Italy and sixteen-year-old Ginia is desperate for adventure. So begins a fateful friendship with Amelia, a stylish and sophisticated artist''s model who envelops her in a dazzling new world of bohemian artists and intoxicating freedom. Under the spell of her new friends, Ginia soon falls in love with Guido, an enigmatic young painter. It''s the start of a desperate love affair, charged with false hope and overwhelming passion - destined to last no longer than the course of a summer.The Beautiful Summer is a gorgeous coming-of-age tale of lost innocence and first love, by one of Italy''s greatest writers.''Pavese, to me, is a constant source of inspiration'' Jhumpa Lahiri''One of the few essential novelists of the mid-twentieth century'' Susan Sontag''[Pavese writes books of] extraordinary depth where one never stops finding new levels, new meaning'' Italo Calvino''For my trip to Los Angeles, I''m packing The Beautiful Summer, a slender account of love in 1930s Italy'' Jessie Burton, bestselling author of The Miniaturist and The MuseTrade ReviewAn astonishing portrait of an innocent on the verge of discovering the cruelties of love... an inimitable read... there are whispers here of the future work of Elena Ferrante -- Elizabeth Strout, from the introductionOne of the few essential novelists of the mid-twentieth century -- Susan SontagThere is never any doubt of Pavese's talent * The Times *[Pavese writes books of] extraordinary depth where one never stops finding new levels, new meanings -- Italo CalvinoThere is something about [Pavese] that is insinuating, haunting and lyrically pervasive * New York Times Book Review *Cesare Pavese's cool, contemplative voice was the most important among postwar Italian writers -- W. S. DiPieroPavese, to me, is a constant source of inspiration -- Jhumpa LahiriFor my trip to Los Angeles, I'm packing Cesare Pavese's The Beautiful Summer, with an introduction by Elizabeth Strout, a slender account of love in 1930s Italy -- Jessie Burton, bestselling author of 'The Miniaturist' * Guardian Best Summer Books 2018 *Reminds one very much of the trajectory of the relationship between two young people at the heart of André Aciman's Call Me By Your Name * RTE Recommended Summer Reads *Penguin's re-release of Cesare Pavese's The Beautiful Summer (as choice a pick as its title implies) is simply gorgeous * Marie Claire - Best Books to Read This Summer *Pavese writes with a vivid quietude that is always engaging * Guardian *[A] remarkable author * Scotsman *We must be grateful to the Penguin European Writers series, a precious venture in these dark times -- John Banville

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Book SynopsisNobel Laureate and two-time Booker prize-winning author of Disgrace, J. M. Coetzee tells the remarkable story of a nation gripped in brutal apartheid in Age of Iron. In Cape Town, South Africa, an elderly classics professor writes a letter to her distant daughter, recounting the strange and disturbing events of her dying days. She has been opposed to the lies and the brutality of apartheid all her life, but now she finds herself coming face to face with its true horrors: the hounding by the police of her servant''s son, the burning of a nearby black township, the murder by security forces of a teenage activist who seeks refuge in her house. Through it all, her only companion, the only person to whom she can confess her mounting anger and despair, is a homeless man who one day appears on her doorstep.In Age of Iron, J. M. Coetzee brings his searing insight and masterful control of language to bear on one of the darkest episodes of our times.Trade ReviewIt is, quite simply, a magnificent and unforgettable work * Daily Telegraph *A superbly realised novel whose truth cuts to the bone * The New York Times *A fierce pageant of modern South Africa ... A remarkable work by a brilliant writer * Wall Street Journal *Coetzee is one of the greatest writers of our time ... Age of Iron is taut, ironic, grieving and, finally, astonishing * Los Angeles Times *

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Book Synopsis''Think of two parallel lines. One is the life of Lee H. Oswald. One is the conspiracy to kill the President. What bridges the space between them? What makes a connection inevitable? There is a third line. It comes out of dreams, visions, intuitions, prayers, out of the deepest levels of the self.''A troubled adolescent endlessly riding New York''s subway cars, Lee Harvey Oswald enters adulthood believing himself to be an agent of history. This makes him fair game to a pair of discontented CIA operatives convinced that a failed attempt on the life of the US president will force the nation to tackle the threat of communism head on.Libra is a gripping, masterful blend of fact and fiction, laying bare the wounded American psyche and the dark events that still torment it.''An audacious blend of fiction and fact'' The Times Trade ReviewAn unparalleled trip into the heart of America * Observer *Wonderful * Guardian *Even with all the swirling contradictory data, this you feel is America, and the news starts here * Sunday Times *Monumental, DeLillo at his chilling best. Concentrates on the inner life of the people who shaped the Kennedy assassination. He constructs the very human faces behind a monstrous event, creating fiction which trespasses on reality * Time Out *An audacious blend of fiction and fact * The Times *

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Book Synopsis A stolen sister. A daughter determined to uncover the truth. ''I was gripped, moved and utterly in thrall to this deeply emotional and compelling tale'' Kate Furnivall Belle Hatton has embarked upon an exciting new life far from home: a glamorous job as a nightclub singer in 1930s Burma, with a host of sophisticated new friends and admirers. But Belle is haunted by a mystery from the past - a 25 year old newspaper clipping found in her parents'' belongings after their death, saying that the Hattons were leaving Rangoon after the disappearance of their baby daughter, Elvira. Belle is desperate to find out what happened to the sister she never knew she had - but when she starts asking questions, she is confronted with unsettling rumours, malicious gossip, and outright threats. Oliver, an attractive, easy-going American journalist, promises to help her, but an anonymous note tells her not to trust those closest to her. . . Belle surviTrade ReviewI was gripped, moved and utterly in thrall to this deeply emotional and compelling tale. Jefferies is truly a master of her craft. She writes so vividly I could feel the Rangoon grit under my finger nails and the humidity heavy on my skin. This powerful story explores the all-consuming impact of family and lifts the lid with an intimate sensitivity on how we deal with loss and betrayal in our lives. Belle and Diana are wonderful characters who leapt effortlessly into my life and whirled me through a helter-skelter of danger and suspicion that had me turning the pages late into the night. As always with a Dinah Jefferies book the research was meticulous. I loved it. * Kate Furnivall *The Missing Sister is a rich and enjoyable read on so many levels. It's an intriguing mystery, a deliciously rewarding romance, and a searing portrait of mental breakdown. 1930s Burma is vividly evoked and the plot is worked out to a conclusion that is not simply satisfying, but almost magical. This is a moving and complex story, beautifully told. -- Isabel WolffI positively raced through The Missing Sister this week and adored it! It's full of Dinah Jefferies' trademark atmosphere, with the colours and scents and wildlife of Burma described so vividly I felt I was there - and there's a terrific story too. -- Gill PaulDinah has an infallible ability to draw us into deliciously exotic worlds, and The Missing Sister is no exception. The superficial glamour of late colonial-era Burma reveals unsettling undercurrents and growing unrest, the perfect backdrop for the thrilling tale of a singer's desperate search for her lost sister. A wonderfully compelling, immersive read with characters that stay with you long afterwards. -- Liz TrenowMy ideal read - I couldn't put it down -- Santa Montefiore on 'The Tea Planter's Wife'A sweeping tale, beautifully written in a wonderful setting, heart rending yet ultimately uplifting. Gorgeous. -- Katie Fforde on 'The Sapphire Widow'The Missing Sister is a pacy, intriguing novel. Set in an exotic, little-known location, it draws you in to its secrets and dangers; the dark recesses of Burma. I stayed up all night reading. -- Carol DrinkwaterDinah Jefferies has a knack of getting under the skin of her exotic locations and this story about loss and love, set in sultry Burma during the troubled 1930s, is no exception. -- Kate RiordanA gorgeous novel. Deliciously transporting -- Eve ChaseA fabulous read -- Elizabeth BuchanPrepare to have your senses well and truly ignited in the sweeping, sun-drenched new novel from master storyteller Dinah Jefferies... A compelling and meticulously researched story * Lancashire Post *

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE WALTER SCOTT PRIZE FOR HISTORICAL FICTION''To tell the story of a country or a continent is surely a great and complex undertaking; but the story of a quiet, unnoticed place where there are few people, fewer memories and almost no reliable records - a place such as Glen Conach - may actually be harder to piece together. The hazier everything becomes, the more whatever facts there are become entangled with myth and legend. . .''Deep in the mountains of north-east Scotland lies Glen Conach, a place of secrets and memories, fable and history. In particular, it holds the stories of three different eras, separated by centuries yet linked by location, by an ancient manuscript and by echoes that travel across time.In ancient Pictland, the Christian hermit Conach contemplates God and nature, performs miracles and prepares himself for sacrifice. Long after his death, legends about him are set down by an unknown hand in the Book ofTrade ReviewA haunted, haunting, and deeply humane book -- Robert CrawfordIt's like some beautifully ornate kist or jewel-box that for most of the encounter you admire for its own sake, only to find a key, near the end, that opens onto even more treasure -- Gavin FrancisIt is another wonderful piece of storytelling from James Robertson, offering a penetrating exploration of the complexities of collective memory and the tenacity of tradition, all played out through a thousand years of life in a single glen. It has all the makings of a timeless classic in its own right. -- Professor Gary WestJames Robertson is an extremely fine novelist . . . This is a superb book. . . It is not a book anyone will forget quickly. * Scotland on Sunday *One of Robertson's skills as a novelist is to make both events real and imagined feel equally convincing. * Prospect *Subtly explores the relationship between place and identity * The Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisThey stand by side on the rock, facing out to sea. They are hidden from land here. Even spies would see nothing of them. It is spring 1917 in the Cornish coastal village of Zennor, and the young artist Clare Coyne is waking up to the world. Ignoring the whispers from her neighbours, she has struck a rare friendship with D.H. Lawrence and his German wife, who are hoping to escape the war-fever of London. In between painting and visits to her new friends she whiles away the warm days with her cousin John, who is on leave from the trenches, harbouring secrets she couldn''t begin to understand.But as the heat picks up, so too do the fear and the gossip that haunt the village. And the freedom to love will come at a steep price.______________________________________________**Winner of the McKitterick Prize**''Highly original and beautifully written'' Sunday Telegraph''Electrifying . . . Helen Dunmore mesmerTrade ReviewHighly original and beautifully written * Sunday Telegraph *Electrifying . . . Helen Dunmore mesmerizes you with her magical pen * Daily Mail *Deceit gives Helen Dunmore's novel a jagged edge. Secrets, unspoken words, lies that have the truth wrapped up in them somewhere make Dunmore's stories ripples with menace and suspense * Sunday Times *We believe in Clare's intelligence, talent and passion. A triumph * Independent on Sunday *

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Book Synopsis***ONE OF TELEGRAPH''S BEST NOVELS OF 2021******SHORTLISTED FOR THE AUTHORS'' CLUB BEST FIRST NOVEL AWARD 2022***''Supple, artful, skilful storytelling - it takes an immediate grip on the reader''s imagination and doesn''t let go'' HILARY MANTEL______________________________________________Mary is a difficult grandmother for Durga to love. She is sharp-tongued and ferocious, with more demons than there are lines on her palms. When Durga visits her in rural Malaysia, she only wants to endure Mary, and the dark memories home brings, for as long as it takes to escape.But a reckoning is coming. Stuck together in the rising heat, both women must untangle the truth from the myth of their family''s past. What happened to Durga''s mother after she gave birth? Why did so many of their family members disappear during the war? And who is to blame for the childhood tragedy that haunts her to this day?In her stunning debut novelTrade ReviewSupple, artful, skilful storytelling - it takes an immediate grip on the reader's imagination and doesn't let goA brilliant novel about homecoming and the layered, unstable past that haunts and hurts . . . I admire it enormouslyAn impressive debut, atmospheric and unsettling * Telegraph, 5 stars *A striking debut . . . A bold, interesting novel . . . I'm excited to see what Menon comes up with next * Sunday Times *A bravura debut novel . . . It's clever, satisfying, and often playful * Guardian *This is a book saturated with the sensations of southeast Asia; where, in Menon's pungent turns of phrase, you feel as though you could "grab the air in two hands and wring it out"; where guilt can be "squatting in the room . . . stringy as spit", and where tiger princes and jungle spirits lurk amid a painful colonial past * The Times, pick of the latest fiction *A rich and moving family history takes shape, filled with love and heartache, guilt and grief, and no end of secrets and lies . . . Gripping, compelling . . . Menon's story shows that, though time flows on, history's waves still ripple decades downstream * Economist *Menon is a sparky storyteller whose thickly atmospheric debut keeps us guessing as its many ghosts press in ever closer * Daily Mail *A beautiful, richly textured absorbing read. I was utterly transported * Irenosen Okojie *A propulsive debut scattered with gems of fresh and surprising imagery. Menon is at her best exploring the intricate bond between women over generations, their histories strung tight over the fraught realities of a nation coming into being * Preti Taneja *Always here for a cross-generational family story, especially one that involves moral ambivalence * Marian Keyes selection for her PageTurners top reads *An intriguing, fast-paced, imaginative novel * Bad Form *A beautifully written story of one Indian Malaysian family's history, entwined with secrets and hidden heartbreak . . . Fragile Monsters is a story of homecoming which illustrates the tension of returning to a past which remains painfully present . . . a cleverly-crafted family saga which explores themes of truth, belonging and shame across multiple generations * Asian Review of Books *Leavened with a brisk, dry humour, Fragile Monsters is as propulsive as any mystery, with a bewitching sense of place . . . an accomplished feat of multi-stranded storytelling * Evening Standard *Lyrically beautiful writing * i *Spellbinding * Tatler Malaysia *A story about love, betrayal and redemption with an electric daughter-grandmother relationship at its heart * Sheer Luxe, reading recommendation *

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Book SynopsisA brilliantly realised account of the most famous archeological dig in British history, now a major motion picture starring Ralph Fiennes, Carey Mulligan and Lily James.''Exquisitely original'' Ian MacEwan''An enthralling story of love and loss'' Robert HarrisIn the long hot summer of 1939 Britain is preparing for war. But on a riverside farm in Suffolk there is excitement of another kind: Mrs Pretty, the widowed farmer, has had her hunch proved correct that the strange mounds on her land hold buried treasure. As the dig proceeds against a background of mounting national anxiety, it becomes clear that this is no ordinary find...John Preston''s recreation of the Sutton Hoo dig - the greatest Anglo-Saxon discovery ever in Britain - brilliantly and comically dramatizes three months of intense activity when locals fought outsiders, professionals thwarted amateurs, and love and rivalry flourished in equal measure.''A tale ofTrade Review'Very fine, engrossing, exquisitely original' -- Ian McEwan'An enthralling story of love and loss, a real literary treasure. One of the most original novels of the year' -- Robert Harris'You don't need to be in archaeology - this is a tale of rivalry, loss and thwarted love. It's so absorbing that I read right through lunchtime one day, and it's not often I miss a meal' -- Nigella Lawson'A rich vein of dry humour runs throughout' -- Evening Standard'Intriguing, tender and entertaining ... easily Preston's best' -- Independent'A delicate, quietly affecting human drama' -- Daily Mail'A moving novel that coheres wonderfully as it progresses' -- Spectator'A delicate evocation of a vanished era' -- Sunday TimesWonderful, evocative. From this simple tale of dirt, Preston has produced the finest gold. He keeps an iron grip on the reader's attention -- Observer'Beautifully written...there is a true and wonderful ending to the story' -- Bill Wyman * Mail on Sunday *'Wistful and poignant. A masterpiece in Chekhovian understatement' * Times Literary Supplement *'Exciting, evocative and beautifully written. A treasure in itself' -- Griff Rhys Jones'Shimmers with longing and regret . . . Preston writes with economical grace . . . He has written a kind of universal chamber piece, small in detail, beautifully made and liable to linger on in the heart and the mind. It is something utterly unfamiliar, and quite wonderful' -- Michael Pye * The New York Times Book Review *

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE KERRY GROUP IRISH NOVEL OF THE YEAR AWARD 2024''Exceptional ... The imaginative storytelling and fine prose of Remembrance Sunday puts McKeon in the big leagues'' Irish Times''A supreme storyteller'' Sunday Times''If you enjoy Colum McCann''s work, this novel is for you'' Irish Independent''Impressive ... A poignant, delicately composed novel that doesn''t stint on the wreckage of violence'' Daily Mail''Beautifully written'' Sunday IndependentFrom the acclaimed author of All That is Solid Melts into AirChinatown, New York. After a chance encounter with an old friend, Simon Hanlon, an Irish architect, experiences a seizure, his first in almost thirty years. Soon, they come to him daily.As he awaits a brain operation, Simon turns his mind back to his childhood on a farm near the Irish border. At fifteen, he was present when an IRA bomb exploded at the Remembrance Sunday parade in Enniskillen. It was in the following weeks that his seizures first began. Now, he is compelled to seek out the bomber from the remnants of his past, and to ask himself the question: why do we harm one another?Remembrance Sunday is a moving and unforgettable novel about love, empathy and the ways in which history imprints itself upon our hearts and minds.***''Deeply felt and delicate, Remembrance Sunday is a timely evocation of the havoc the Troubles wreaked, not just on the street, but on the soul'' CLAIRE KILROY''Beautifully wrought, startlingly perceptive, stealthily gripping . . . It moves masterfully between the forensic and the lyrical, the meditative and the dramatic, the personal and the political'' KEVIN POWER''McKeon animates a story out of the North''s recent history with much skill and empathy. Complicating the commonplace, attempting to make sense of the senseless, the novel is an impressive and moving act of imagination and remembrance'' NICK LAIRD''A stunning achievement. I was completely gripped by it and awed at the sublime skill and beauty of its execution. Darragh has created a work of art of immediate relevance and enduring importance'' DONAL RYAN

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE KERRY GROUP IRISH NOVEL OF THE YEAR AWARD 2024''A quiet work of art that explores the complexity of trauma in the wake of the Enniskellen bombing. McKeon's writing is sensitive, elusive and philosophical, and pursues an elusive truth at the heart of the Troubles.' PAUL LYNCH ''Exceptional ... The imaginative storytelling and fine prose of Remembrance Sunday puts McKeon in the big leagues'' Irish Times''A supreme storyteller'' Sunday Times''If you enjoy Colum McCann''s work, this novel is for you'' Irish Independent''Impressive ... A poignant, delicately composed novel that doesn''t stint on the wreckage of violence'' Daily Mail ''Beautifully written'' Sunday IndependentChinatown, New York. After a chance encounter with an old friend, Simon Hanlon, an Irish architect, experiences a seizure, his first in almost tTrade ReviewMcKeon’s writing is sensitive, elusive and philosophical, and pursues an elusive truth at the heart of the Troubles.’ -- Paul Lynch * Sunday Independent *Deeply felt and delicate, Remembrance Sunday is a timely evocation of the havoc the Troubles wreaked, not just on the street, but on the soul -- Claire KilroyMcKeon animates a story out of the North's recent history with much skill and empathy. Complicating the commonplace, attempting to make sense of the senseless, the novel is an impressive and moving act of imagination and remembrance -- Nick LairdA stunning achievement. I was completely gripped by it and awed at the sublime skill and beauty of its execution. Darragh has created a work of art of immediate relevance and enduring importance -- Donal RyanA beautifully wrought, startlingly perceptive, stealthily gripping novel about the pain of understanding ourselves and the agony of trying to understand history. It moves masterfully between the forensic and the lyrical, the meditative and the dramatic, the personal and the political -- Kevin Power'Darragh McKeon's Remembrance Sunday is a quiet work of art that explores the complexity of trauma in the wake of the Enniskellen bombing. McKeon's writing is sensitive, elusive and philosophical, and pursues an elusive truth at the heart of the Troubles.' -- Paul Lynch * Sunday Independent *Beautifully written -- Malachi O'Doherty * Belfast Telegraph *'Thought-provoking ... strong second novel' -- Bert Wright * Business Post *'A poignant, delicately composed novel that doesn't stint on the wreckage of violence.' * Irish Daily Mail *McKeon ... is a writer to watch. He conveys how people who cause harm can sometimes be victims, in their own way, and that takes skill. If you enjoy Colum Mcann's work, this novel is for you.' -- Martina Devlin * Irish Independent *'... beautifully written, placed in those grey shadows between right and wrong and profound, terrible loss.' -- Anne Cunningham * Sunday Independent *A beautifully crafted story about the legacy of trauma -- Sarah Gilmartin * The Irish Times *A supreme storyteller -- Robert Collins * The Sunday Times Ireland *

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Book SynopsisBe seduced by the first instalment of Christine Merrill's scandalous and spicy Wicked Dukes duetA duel brings ruinTo the debutante''s door!One of the Wicked Dukes. Portia Braddock must find a wealthy husband after her late father left her with a mountain of debts. But her reputation is destroyed when she unwittingly becomes the cause of a duel between two devilish dukes. Now the only way to secure her future and silence the gossips is to wed one of them!Julian Parish, Duke of Septon, accepts her demanda marriage in name only will allow him to continue his rebellious rakehell ways. Except soon their insatiable attraction throws the convenience of their marriage into jeopardyPerfect for fans of:?? Marriage of convenience?? Love triangle??? Spicy

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"This third installment of The Red Wheel, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's narrative of the events leading to the Russian Revolution, is remarkable in its complexity. The novel presents a polyphonic kaleidoscope of people, places, and events, some real, some fictitious." —Society Journal"In The Red Wheel, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn produced a masterpiece, and proved himself a worthy companion of Dostoevsky and rival of Tolstoy." —Law and Liberty"Marian Schwartz's new translation is the first time the expansive and resonant March 1917: Node III: Book 2 has been published in English. . . . Solzhenitsyn captures the chaos of the time, when a centuries-old order fell and the factions that would fight to replace it were still forming." —Foreword Reviews"Here we see how a millennium-old nation ruled by a monarchy that had lasted a good three centuries fell apart in three days. Book 2 of March 1917 powerfully reveals how a decent if flawed political and social order collapsed 'with incredible alacrity,' as Solzhenitsyn writes elsewhere." —The New Criterion"Of all his novels so far, this one feels the most immediate, the most current. The freneticism, violence, confusion, and disorientation of Russians in Petrograd from March 15 through March 17 of 1917 can also be seen in minds and actions of Chinese in Hong Kong, right now. . . . No one surpasses Solzhenitsyn in conveying a sense of what it feels to live at and near the center of this kind of vortex." —Law and Liberty"March 1917 is haunted by 'what-ifs.' Indeed, Solzhenitsyn suggests, the revolution was less likely than other outcomes, and all retrospective attempts to describe it as inevitable are fallacious. In his view, events might just as easily followed a different course. As we contemplate what transpired, we regret the Russia that might have been." —The American Scholar"March 1917, Book 2, covers the three days of the February Revolution, which is shown as an immense national unraveling that corrupted public morality and destroyed social cohesion, often with sadistic brutality, and that inevitably led to the Bolshevik takeover eight months later. This historical catastrophe, Solzhenitsyn believed, was due to the fecklessness of the imperial elites all the way up to the terminally mediocre Czar Nicholas II; the revolutionaries’ blind lust for destruction; and the estrangement of the bulk of the people from God and country." —National Review"[B]ook 2 of the March 1917 node . . . dramatizes the tumultuous events of the March Revolution—a workers’ strike in Petrograd; abdication of Tsar Nicholas II and house arrest of the Romanov family; establishment of a provisional government to rule over Russia. Although The Red Wheel is fiction, Solzhenitsyn prided himself on the historical accuracy of his work. He spent ten years writing the March 1917 node, adding psychological depth, descriptive details, and, occasionally, his own views to bring well-known personalities and events to life." —Choice

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Book SynopsisThis New York Times bestselling novel tells an exhilarating World War II epic that chronicles an extraordinary young woman’s heroic frontline service in the Red Cross. “Urrea’s touch is sure, his exuberance carries you through . . . He is a generous writer, not just in his approach to his craft but in the broader sense of what he feels necessary to capture about life itself.” —Financial Times In 1943, Irene Woodward abandons an abusive fiancé in New York to enlist with the Red Cross and head to Europe. She makes fast friends in training with Dorothy Dunford, a towering Midwesterner with a ferocious wit. Together they are part of an elite group of women, nicknamed Donut Dollies, who command military vehicles called Clubmobiles at the front line, providing camaraderie and a taste of home that may be the only solace before troops head into battle.           

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Book Synopsis'Intricate, elegant and sharp as a blade―The Throne of the Five Winds is sweeping political fantasy at its finest.' ―Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine ThroneTwo women are forced to navigate a treacherous imperial court determined to consume them in this sweeping and richly detailed first book of an East Asian-inspired epic fantasy series.The imperial palace―full of ambitious royals, sly gossip, and unforeseen perils―is perhaps the most dangerous place in the Empire of Zhaon. Komor Yala, the lady-in-waiting to the princess of the vanquished kingdom of Khir, has only her wits and a hidden blade to protect herself and her charge, who was sacrificed in marriage to secure a tenuous peace.Soon, Komor Yala and the Khir princess find themselves pawns in the deadly schemes for the throne. And when the emperor falls ill, a far bloodier game begins...A single hidden blade could alter the course of history in this epic tale of ambition, honor, and sacrifice, perfect for fans of The Tiger's Daughter and The Grace of Kings.Praise for the Hostage of Empire series:'With a deliberate pace and fine attention to details of dress and custom, Emmett weaves a masterful tale of court intrigues.' ―Booklist (starred review)'Action and intrigue takes place within a layered and beautifully realized fantasy world that will appeal to readers of K. Arsenault Rivera's The Tiger's Daughter.'―B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy BlogHostage of EmpireThe Throne of the Five WindsThe Poison PrinceThe Blood Throne 

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Book Synopsis'Direct but not too heavy, bright with color and gentle in tone, Neus’s graphic novel is an absolute dream of an afternoon read.' —The New York TimesA swoonworthy queer romance set against a riveting story of social change in the 1880s, this historical graphic novel reimagines the life of America’s first stunt girl—a young undercover reporter—and her whirlwind summer of romance and fighting injustice.  Seventeen-year-old Helena “Nell” Cusack came to New York this summer looking for a story—a real story. She dreams of one day writing hard-hitting articles for the New York Chronicle, but so far she's only managed to land a job as a lowly society reporter. That is, until Alice Austen strolls into her life, an audacious street photographer who encourages Nell to shake up polite society…and maybe also take a chance on love.   When her best friend, Lucia, is injured while working in a garment factory, Nell is determined to crack the story wide open. Posing as a seamstress, she reports on the conditions from the inside, making a name for herself as the Chronicle’s first ever stunt girl. But as Nell’s reporting gains momentum, so do the objections of those who oppose her. Will Nell continue to seek justice—even if it hurts her in the end?   Based on real-life stunt girl Nell Nelson and photographer Alice Austen, this tenderly drawn narrative is about bringing buried stories to light and the bravery of first love.

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Book SynopsisWhen the king returns to court, it''s time for the princes to prove their mettle. But not everyone''s been exactly keeping up with Heine''s lessons... (Hint: It''s the prince who only scored a one on his assessment test...and that was for signing his name!) Can Heine really whip these boys into shape well enough to rule a country?

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Book SynopsisMargaret George is the author of several best-selling novels, including Mary Queen of Scotland and the Isles, Mary, Called Magdalene and, most recently, Elizabeth I. She travels widely to research her novels and lives with her husband in Madison, Wisconsin.

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Book SynopsisWinston Graham is the author of more than forty novels, which include Cordelia, Marnie, The Walking Stick and Stephanie as well as the highly successful Poldark series. His novels have been translated into seventeen languages. Many of Winston Graham's books have been filmed for the big screen, the most notable being Marnie directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The BBC television series of the Poldark novels was broadcast in twenty-two countries and stars Aidan Turner and Eleanor Tomlinson. Winston Graham was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and in 1983 was awarded the OBE. He died in July 2003.Trade ReviewRoss is one of literature's great heroes . . . [with] elements of Darcy, Heathcliff, Rhett Butler and Robin Hood -- Debbie HorsfieldFrom the incomparable Winston Graham . . . who has everything that anyone else has, then a whole lot more. * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisWinston Graham is the author of more than forty novels, which include Cordelia, Marnie, The Walking Stick and Stephanie as well as the highly successful Poldark series. His novels have been translated into seventeen languages. Many of Winston Graham's books have been filmed for the big screen, the most notable being Marnie directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The BBC television series of the Poldark novels was broadcast in twenty-two countries and stars Aidan Turner and Eleanor Tomlinson. Winston Graham was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and in 1983 was awarded the OBE. He died in July 2003.Trade ReviewRoss is one of literature's great heroes . . . [with] elements of Darcy, Heathcliff, Rhett Butler and Robin Hood -- Debbie HorsfieldFrom the incomparable Winston Graham . . . who has everything that anyone else has, then a whole lot more. * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisMargaret George is the author of several best-selling novels, including The Autobiography of Henry VIII, Mary Queen of Scotland and the Isles, and Mary, Called Magdalene. She travels widely to research her novels and lives with her husband in Madison, Wisconsin.

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Book SynopsisAdam Swann has grown old, and is struggling to keep up with the changing times. The Victorian age is giving way to the Edwardian and the horse is being overtaken by the motorcar, with devastating effect on his transport business.As the new century is born, the Boer war brings tragedy, but even this cannot quench the indomitable spirit of the Swann family.Trade ReviewR.F. Delderfield is a born storyteller * Sunday Mirror *His narratives belong in a tradition that goes back to John Galsworthy * Life Magazine *

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Book SynopsisFrom one of the twentieth century's bestselling authors, R.F. Delderfield, this is a book about one man's dissatisfaction with his small life, and his desire to break free.Trade ReviewMr Delderfield's manner is easy, modest, heartwarming * Evening Standard *R F Delderfield is a born storyteller * Sunday Mirror *Sheer, wonderful storytelling * Chicago Tribune *It is always a pleasure to read R F Delderfield, because he never seems to be ashamed of writing well * Books and Bookmen *'He built an imposing artistic social history that promises to join those of his great forebears in the long, noble line of the English novel. His narratives belong in a tradition that goes back to John Galsworthy and Arnold Bennett' Life Magazine * Life Magazine *

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Book SynopsisMelvyn Bragg''s highly acclaimed, bestselling historical novel, the story behind one of the 19th century''s greatest scandals.''This is the story of an impostor and bigamist, a self-styled Colonel Hope, who travels to the North, where eventually he marries The Maid of Buttermere, a young woman whose natural beauty inspired the dreams and confirmed the theories of various early nineteenth-century writers . . . It is a fine story . . . This is historical fiction with a human face''Peter Ackroyd, The Times''A skilled, ornate and convincing examination of a nineteenth-century scandal in Bragg''s own Cumbria''Thomas Keneally''A triumph . . . I am overwhelmingly impressed''Beryl Bainbridge''Bragg achieves the most difficult of feats, the telling of the changing perceptions and ideals of a radical age . . . He is also as powerful as ever in his description of nature''Sunday TimesTrade ReviewA vivid and erudite tour de force -- Penelope LivelyThis is the story of an impostor and bigamist, a self-styled Colonel Hope, who travels to the North, where eventually he marries "The Maid of Buttermere", a young woman whose natural beauty inspired the dreams and confirmed the theories of various early nineteenth-century writers . . . It is a fine story . . . This is historical fiction with a human face -- Peter Ackroyd * The Times *A skilled, ornate and convincing examination of a nineteenth-century scandal in Bragg's own Cumbria -- Thomas KeneallyA detailed, eloquent and affecting panorama of truth and lies . . . thrusts [him] into the front rank * Mail on Sunday *A triumph . . . I am overwhelmingly impressed -- Beryl BainbridgeBragg achieves the most difficult of feats, the telling of the changing perceptions and ideals of a radical age . . . He is also as powerful as ever in his description of nature * Sunday Times *A terrific tale of passion, lust, deception and moral outrage. * Daily Mail *Bragg writes with picturesque clarity; his prose accommodates the formality of the period, the splendidly sombre wateriness of the place and the robust passions of the people who lived there * Sunday Telegraph *A fine novel, both sad and tragic. His background descriptions are beautiful . . . while his evocation of the early nineteenth century, and his handling of the ever-interesting topic of English snobbery is impeccable * Irish Times *Compelling . . . Painted on a broad canvas, packed with detail, with characters, with interesting psychological issues, and sallies into the history of the years 1802-1803 * Glasgow Herald *Very much enjoyed; a fine subject treated with great energy and imagination, and a gusto that Hazlitt would have admired -- Richard HolmesAn ingenious telling of a romantic tragedy -- Gore Vidal

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Book SynopsisWith a new introduction by Thomas Keneally.''The best novel of the Civil War since The Red Badge of Courage''NewsweekAs the Civil War tears America apart, General Stonewall Jackson leads a troop of Confederate soldiers on a long trek towards the battle they believe will be a conclusive victory. Through their hopes, fears and losses, Keneally searingly conveys both the drama and mundane hardship of war, and brings to life one of the most emotive episodes in American history.Trade Review'A fine and compelling novel' * Financial Times *'It compels admiration over and over for its energy and its insight into human character' * Spectator *'Deserves comparison with the great war novels of the last hundred years' * Observer *'Such a magnificent book that I count it a privilege to read and keep' * Books and Bookmen *

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Book Synopsis'A subtle examination of innocence and guilt' (Observer).Trade ReviewA subtle examination of innocence and guilt * Observer *Reflects on indoctrination and the holy innocence of its victims, while suffusing everyday life with a spirituality of its own * Scotsman *If you are inclined to avoid anything written by winners of the Booker Prize, make an exception for Thomas Keneally * Literary Review *Reading Keneally's prose is like walking on the sort of turf that puts a spring in your step * Listener *

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Book SynopsisReissued to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Keneally's first novel.Trade ReviewThe work of a great storyteller * The Times *A joy to read . . . His skilful prose which seems effortlessly to capture the rhythms and cadences of at least six different emigrant races . . . his essential humanity which enables him to examine misery and horror without ever losing his gift for hope and his old-fashioned insistence on a rattling good plot, crammed full of drama, will ensure the reader is thoroughly entertained * Evening Standard *Keneally makes us feel, very movingly, the intelligence and imaginative openness that lie deeper than Tim's prejudices and inarticulacies . . . a novel [of] great vitality and charm * The Sunday Times *A remarkably vivid and moving portrayal of a hostile world where good struggles to shine through * Time Out *A masterpiece * Literary Review *A great read * Mail on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisIn this saga set in 19th-century Lancashire and featuring the Gibson family, Annie is now happily married to mill-owner Frederick Hallam, but a threat from the past emerges to cause her anxiety.Trade ReviewAnna Jacobs' books are deservedly popular. She is one of the best writers of Lancashire sagas around. * Historical Novels Reviews *Catherine Cookson fans will cheer! * Peterborough Evening Telegraph *Anna Jacobs' books have an impressive grasp of human emotions. * The Sunday Times *

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Book Synopsis***Pre-order Andrew Miller''s new novel THE LAND IN WINTER now - coming October 2024***''ANDREW MILLER''S WRITING IS A SOURCE OF WONDER AND DELIGHT'' Hilary Mantel ''ONE OF OUR MOST SKILFUL CHRONICLERS OF THE HUMAN HEART AND MIND'' Sunday Times ''Sparkling'' The Times ''Exquisite''Daily Telegraph ''Beautiful''Observer The second novel from the critically acclaimed author of Pure - a portrait of the legendary Casanova at a turning point in his life and loves In 1763, the famed Venetian seducer Giacomo Casanova arrives in England intent on a respite from his restless travels and liaisons, but cannot long resist the lure of company or a pretty face. This time, though, it is he who falls in love, and with an elusive quarry.Here is Casanova in unfamiliar guise: thwarted, driven by his emotions and, in middle-age, forced to reassess Trade ReviewHis writing is vivid, precise and constantly surprising. I was absolutely captivated by it . . . I wish I'd written it -- Hilary Mantel * Sunday Times *Sparkling and lavishly detailed . . . rich without being cloying; resonant of time and place while remaining fresh and modern . . . he captures brilliantly the downfall and partial redemption of this charming isolate * The Times *Full-bodied yet razor-sharp . . . Period detail, which so often reveals only that the writer has commendably and carefully studied a contemporary portrait, in Miller's hands takes us into the heart of 18th-century London so that we can almost smell and touch it . . . its fetid atmosphere almost making the reader itch * Spectator *Miller's prose is jewelled . . . What Casanova wrote with a swagger resurfaces here as an elegant, elegiac meditation on the death of purpose * Times Literary Supplement *I was thoroughly amused, stimulated, entertained and instructed by the whole book . . . I don't think I've read anything which has brought 18th-century London so powerfully to life . . . brilliantly acute -- Jonathan CoeExquisite . . . Miller's elegant prose is laced with luxurious imagery and wry humour . . . beautifully and sensitively written * Daily Telegraph *Miller is a pellucid, evocative writer: he brings alive the thick fogs over the Thames, the dreary winter countryside, the lamp-lit London streets . . . A beautiful evocation of a few months of this womaniser's life * Observer *A perfectly crafted picture of 18-century London and its visiting predator in language as delicate as the tendrils of fog that curl off the Thames, and as forceful as the fetid odours conjured up in the background * The Times *Andrew Miller's forte is painting verbal landscapes, laying the words just so. At times it's like a fine miniature, delicate with atmosphere and smoke and gleam * Time Out *Miller again shows his mastery of historical fiction in this fine, elegiac book * Sunday Telegraph *Miller's elegiac meditation on life, love and mortality is deep, poignant and funny * Glasgow Herald *Glittering . . . There are descriptive passages of extraordinary power and beauty * Independent on Sunday *Miller is knowing, ironic, and playful in his new novel . . . The prose is flawless * Australian *Immensely readable . . . a well-crafted page-turner which certainly delivers * Sydney Morning Herald *Miller is astonishingly assured in handling the novel's lush complexities of time and place, of nationality, and of the intricate workings of Casanova's troubled mind . . . His achievement here is to make of the legendary Casanova not some brightly colored historical oddity but, more subtly, a man * Newsday *Worth reading for its evocation of 18th-century London alone. Silken boudoirs, pestilent hovels and pleasure gardens are all brought to magical life * Metro *

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Book SynopsisThey say you only regret the things you don''t do . . .Lizzie Kershaw is an independent spirit; ever since her father''s death she has had to be a survivor. Home life is harsh, though, and desperate to escape it, she makes an ill-advised marriage. But she discovers all-too-quickly that she''s married a selfish and violent man. His beatings never seem to stop and she soon comes to a decision: she must run far, far away.With the help of some suffragettes she escapes to Manchester, where she finds work in a munitions factory - she is finally the independent woman she has always longed to be. But her husband, whose cruelty knows no bounds, tracks her down and drag her back home to more beatings than ever.But when his violence causes her to lose the one thing she''s always wanted, Lizzie knows she must find the strength to make the changes in her life that are so sorely needed.*******************What readers are saying about OURTrade ReviewPraise for Anna Jacobs * - *[Anna Jacobs' books have an] impressive grasp of human emotions * The Sunday Times *Anna Jacobs' books are deservedly popular. She is one of the best writers of Lancashire sagas around * Historical Novels Review *[Anna Jacobs is] especially big on resourceful, admirable women. Great stuff! * Daily Mail *Reader reviews on OUR LIZZIEGreat story, can't put it down ***** * Reader review *Fabulous book, just as I expected. ***** * Reader review *It grabs you on page one. It twists and turns and not like you imagine it would. A fantastic read. ***** * Reader review *

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Book SynopsisRachel Smedling is not like the other women in her isolated Pennine village: she is taller, stronger and weaves cloth like a man. Without her, the household would fall apart, for her mother is ailing and her vicious drunkard father seems to hate her so much, he would happily offer money to any man who would wed her. When her mother dies, Rachel is at the mercy of her increasingly violent father. Her only escape is by marrying a kindly man with whom she finds happiness, if not passion, and her life begins to seem complete. Rachel''s growing prosperity infuriates her father and his cronies, however, and they will stop at nothing to see her destroyed.Trade ReviewAfter an action-packed start, this story develops into a well told, captivating story * Dorset Evening Echo on JESSIE *

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Book SynopsisShortly before his unexpected coronation, King Richard passed a law letting all of England''s prisoners go free. Shortly afterwards a young nun is found, gruesomely murdered. Richard swiftly employs an old military colleague of his, Josse d''Acquin, to unravel this hideous mystery. Who could have wanted to kill this innocent young novice, and, more worryingly, why?Josse goes to Hawkenlye Abbey to find out the answers to these questions. He is having little success until meets the Abbess Helewise, a woman who quickly proves herself to be his equal, both as an amateur sleuth, and as a figure the community can rely on during this turbulent time for England.This duo have to find the murderer, and find him quickly, or they''ll have the King of England to answer to...Trade ReviewRich in detail and with a good sense of time and place * Hertfordshire Star *An engrossing tale * Kirkus Reviews *Proof that a writer of medieval crime fiction can deliver something fresh * Times Crime Supplement *

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Book SynopsisThere is no love like a mother''s for her child . . .Little Billy, Polly''s son, is the light of her life. It''s for his sake that she puts up with an unkind mother-in-law and life on an isolated farm. When Billy is knocked down by a car, his father is killed attempting to save his life, and Polly, cast off by her husband''s family, is left with a child who may never walk or talk again.Polly turns to her own family, the Kershaws, for support, but they are unable to outmaneuver the malicious Dr Browning-Baker, who is determined to have Billy taken away from his mother, depriving him of the exercises and stimulation that are his only hope. Forced to flee to the Fylde coast, Polly and Billy find that their future may lie with another damaged family - an ex-Army captain whose First World War marriage was a terrible mistake, and his daughter, who has never recovered from the hostility of the mother she loves.But danger threatens their fragile happiness . .Trade ReviewPraise for Anna Jacobs * - *[Anna Jacobs' books have an] impressive grasp of human emotions * The Sunday Times *Anna Jacobs' books are deservedly popular. She is one of the best writers of Lancashire sagas around * Historical Novels Review *[Anna Jacobs is] especially big on resourceful, admirable women. Great stuff! * Daily Mail *Reader reviews on OUR POLLY * - *Absolutely fantastic story. I enjoyed it from the beginning to end and can't wait to read the next book in the series. ***** * Reader review *First Class! ***** * Reader review *What a clever plot . . . beautifully written, as usual. ***** * Reader review *

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Book Synopsis''Intensely readable and exciting'' Sunday TelegraphSet in the turbulent days of the founding of Hong Kong in the 1840s, Tai-Pan is the story of Dirk Struan, the ruler - the Tai-Pan - of the most powerful trading company in the Far East. He is also a pirate, an opium smuggler, and a master manipulator of men. This is the story of his fight to establish himself and his dynasty as the undisputed masters of the Orient.''Packed with action . . . gaudy and flamboyant with blood and sin, treachery and conspiracy, sex and murder . . . grand entertainment'' New York TimesTrade ReviewPacked with action . . . gaudy and flamboyant with blood and sin, treachery and conspiracy, sex and murder . . . grand entertainment * New York Times *Intensely readable and exciting * Sunday Telegraph *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 *Intensely readable and exciting * Sunday Telegraph *Packed with action . . . gaudy and flamboyant with blood and sin, treachery and conspiracy, sex and murder . . . grand entertainment * New York Times *

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Book Synopsis''A herculean achievement . . . strong plot and strong characterisation'' The TimesIt is 1862 and Japan is a land in chaos as the power of the Shogun wanes and the rival factions plan to restore the Emperor. In Yokohama, the gai-jin, the hated foreigners, seek to profit from the chaos. At the head of the Noble House - and heir to the title of Tai-Pan - stands Malcolm Struan, who is determined to become his own man and marry the woman he loves. At the head of the Shogunate party is the Lord Yoshi, a direct descendant of Shogun Toranaga, who shares all of his ancestor''s cunning and ambition.''A passionate portrait of suffering . . . a strange and gripping tale of a nation''s deflowerment'' Mail on SundayTrade ReviewA passionate portrait of suffering ... a strange and gripping tale of a nation's deflowerment * Nicholas Trelawney, Mail on Sunday *A grand historical perspective that makes us feel we're understanding how today's Japan came into being . . . absorbing . . . full of rich characters and complicated action * New York Times *A world of intrigue, violence and betrayal, where the only certainty is that that no-one can be trusted * Daily Telegraph *GAI-JIN is a major read * Chicago Sun-Times *A herculean achievement . . . strong plot and strong characterisation * Peter Guttridge, The Times *

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Book SynopsisSet in Cumbria and covering the period from 1898 to the early twenties, this is the powerful saga of John Tallentire, first farm labourer, then coal miner, and his wife Emily. John''s struggle to break free from the humiliating status of a ''hired man'' is the theme of a novel which has been hailed as a classic of its kind - as meticulously detailed as a social document, as evocative as the writings of Hardy and Lawrence.Trade ReviewAn intensely moving, deeply worked book * Sunday Telegraph *It is an extraordinary blend of delicacy and harsh simplicity which makes Melvyn Bragg a remarkable novelist. The perception with which he traces the currents of feeling between John and Emily, the gathering and receding of emotion, have a cumulative power of enormous conviction, a steady hardening of experience which is deeply unsetting and moving * The Times *A magnificently strong and sinewy novel * Sunday Mirror *

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Book Synopsis''One of the bad girls of gritty crime'' Daily Mirror When four old school friends decide to make some easy money, they pick the wrong target.Very wrong.Robbing a small supermarket on a Manchester estate looks easy - but with one of them wounded and a dead body on their hands, things can''t get worse. But they do. The supermarket is merely the front for something bigger.The friends are small fish who have unwittingly plunged into a very big pond and they are now swimming with the great white sharks of the criminal underworld. ''A cracking read that will chill you to the bone'' Sun on Two-Faced''Mandasue has played a real blinder with this fantastic novel'' Martina Cole on Forget-Me-NotTrade Review'A remarkable debut . . well worth reading.' * Deadly Pleasures *

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Book SynopsisShe thought she could trust him . . .Eva Kershaw thought she would never marry, and is happy living a quiet life with her dear friend Alice. But Alice is ill, and her nephew, Gus, has thrust himself into their household. Alice''s dearest wish is that Eva should not make the same mistakes she did, and she alters her will so that Eva and Gus are strongly compelled to marry. Eva obliges to fulfil her dead friend''s wishes.But Gus is not all he seems to be: he is not Alice''s kind nephew, but a robber, confidence trickster, and not even Gus Blake. And Eva is in terrible danger . . .*********************What readers are saying about OUR EVA''Yet another fantastic story in the Kershaw Sisters series . . . Anna Jacobs is an amazing author'' - 5 stars''Another fantastic book you won''t want to put down'' - 5 starsA great read from great writer'' - 5 starsTrade ReviewPraise for Anna Jacobs * - *[Anna Jacobs' books have an] impressive grasp of human emotions * The Sunday Times *Anna Jacobs' books are deservedly popular. She is one of the best writers of Lancashire sagas around * Historical Novels Review *[Anna Jacobs is] especially big on resourceful, admirable women. Great stuff! * Daily Mail *Reader reviews on OUR EVAI have just finished reading this book and cannot fault it. ***** * Reader review *A tremendous read. ***** * Reader review *Another great book from Anna Jacobs. ***** * Reader review *

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Book SynopsisThe final installment in the breathtaking Kershaw Sisters series.Trade ReviewPraise for Anna Jacobs * - *[Anna Jacobs' books have an] impressive grasp of human emotions * The Sunday Times *Anna Jacobs' books are deservedly popular. She is one of the best writers of Lancashire sagas around * Historical Novels Review *[Anna Jacobs is] especially big on resourceful, admirable women. Great stuff! * Daily Mail *Reader reviews on OUR MARY ANN * - *I couldn't put this book down. ***** * Reader review *Glued from beginning to end. ***** * Reader review *Another brilliant book. ***** * Reader review *

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