Historical Fiction Books

Book SynopsisErnest Miller Hemingway was born in Chicago in 1899 as the son of a doctor and the second of six children. After a stint as an ambulance driver at the Italian front, Hemingway came home to America in 1919, only to return to the battlefield this time as a reporter on the Greco-Turkish war in 1922. Resigning from journalism to focus on his writing instead, he moved to Paris where he renewed his earlier friendship with fellow American expatriates such as Ezra Pound and Gertrude Stein. Through the years, Hemingway travelled widely and wrote avidly, becoming an internationally recognized literary master of his crat. He received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954, following the publication of The Old Man and the Sea. He died in 1961Trade ReviewHis passionately committed, flawed masterpiece * Observer *A sparse, masculine, world-weary meditation on death, ideology and the savagery of war in general, and the Spanish civil war in particular * Sunday Telegraph *For Whom the Bell Tolls allowed us to actually see the experience of an irregular struggle, from the political and military point of view...That book became a familiar part of my life. And we always went back to it, consulted it, to find inspiration * Observer *I read as a kid, of course, but it didn't get me like that till I read For Whom the Bell Tolls. I was very taken with that book. I still reread sections, though I'm now reading it not for the thrill of the story but for the technique and craft of it. * Daily Mail *The best book Hemingway has written * New York Times *

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Book SynopsisNow a major TV seriesWinner of the Man Booker Prize 2012Winner of the 2012 Costa Book of the YearShortlisted for the 2013 Women's Prize for FictionSimply exceptionalI envy anyone who hasn't yet read it' Daily MailA gripping story of tumbling fury and terror' Independent on SundayWith this historic win for Bring Up the Bodies, Hilary Mantel becomes the first British author and the first woman to be awarded two Man Booker Prizes.By 1535 Thomas Cromwell is Chief Minister to Henry VIII, his fortunes having risen with those of Anne Boleyn, the king's new wife. But Anne has failed to give the king an heir, and Cromwell watches as Henry falls for plain Jane Seymour. Cromwell must find a solution that will satisfy Henry, safeguard the nation and secure his own career. But neither minister nor king will emerge unscathed from the bloody theatre of Anne's final days.An astounding literary accomplishment, Bring Up the Bodies is the story of this most terrifying moment of history, by one of our greTrade Review‘This is a bloody story about the death of Anne Boleyn, but Hilary Mantel is a writer who thinks through the blood. She uses her power of prose to create moral ambiguity and the real uncertainty of political life … She has recast the most essential period of our modern English history; we have the greatest modern English prose writer reviving possibly one of the best known pieces of English history’ Sir Peter Stothard, Chair of the judges for the Man Booker Prize 2012 ‘Simply exceptional … I envy anyone who hasn’t yet read it’ Sandra Parsons, Daily Mail ‘In another league. This ongoing story of Henry VIII’s right-hand man is the finest piece of historical fiction I have ever read. A staggering achievement’ Sarah Crompton, Sunday Telegraph ‘Succeeds brilliantly in every particle … it’s an imaginative achievement to exhaust superlatives’ Spectator ‘Wolf Hall was a tour de force, but its sequel is leaner, more brilliant, more shocking than its predecessor’ Erica Wagner, The Times ‘Picks up the body parts where Wolf Hall left off … literary invention does not fail her: she's as deft and verbally adroit as ever’ Margaret Atwood, Guardian ‘Mantel in the voice of Cromwell is inspired. When she is in full flow as a novelist, creating scenes and inventing dialogue, she is more convincing than rendering a recorded scene from history’ Philippa Gregory, Sunday Express ‘Don’t think you can start this book whenever you feel like it – plan ahead, as, once started, it’s impossible to escape its grip, and until it’s finished, you won’t get any sleep’ Country Life

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Book SynopsisThe official sequel to Bram Stoker''s classic novel Dracula, written by his direct descendent and endorsed by the Stoker family.The story begins in 1912, twenty-five years after the events described in the original novel. Dr. Jack Seward, now a disgraced morphine addict, hunts vampires across Europe with the help of a mysterious benefactor. Meanwhile, Quincey Harker, the grown son of Jonathan and Mina, leaves law school to pursue a career in stage at London''s famous Lyceum Theatre.The production of Dracula at the Lyceum, directed and produced by Bram Stoker, has recently lost its star. Luckily, Quincey knows how to contact the famed Hungarian actor Basarab, who agrees to take the lead role.Quincey soon discovers that the play features his parents and their former friends as characters, and seems to reveal much about the terrible secrets he''s always suspected them of harbouring. But, before he can confront them, Jonathan Harker is found murdered.The writers were able to access Bram St

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Book SynopsisThe fourth volume of Bernard Cornwell's bestselling series on the American Civil War and featuring rebel Nathaniel Starbuck a yankee fighting for the Southern cause.It is late summer 1862 and the Confederacy is invading the United States of America.Nate Starbuck, a northern preacher's son fighting for the rebel South, is given command of a punishment battalion a despised unit of shirkers and cowards. His enemies expect it to be his downfall, as Starbuck must lead this ramshackle unit into a battle that will prove to be the bloodiest of the Civil War.Trade ReviewPraise for THE BLOODY GROUND: ‘The best so far in Cornwell’s American Civil War series . . . The cacophony of the cornfield slaughter is stunningly conveyed’ Daily Mail ‘A very fine novel indeed; Bernard Cornwell at his disticntive best . . . builds to a gripping climax . . . stirring stuff’ Sunday Telegraph ‘Cornwell is as masterly as ever at conjuring up the grisly nature of nineteenth-century campaigning and the terrifying adrenaline surge experienced on a battlefield reeking of black powder and blood’ The Times Praise for Bernard Cornwell: ‘The best battle scenes of any writer I’ve ever read, past or present. Cornwell really makes history come alive.’ George R.R. Martin

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Book SynopsisBorn in Fire is the first book in a compelling trilogy of novels about the Concannon sisters of western Ireland.Trade Review'Refreshingly realistic and compelling' Publishers Weekly ** 'Nora Roberts' gift ... is her ability to pull the reader into the lives of her characters - we live, love, anguish and triumph with them' Rendevous

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Book SynopsisWinston Graham was the author of more than forty novels, including The Walking Stick, Angell, Pearl and Little God, Stephanie and Tremor. His novels have been widely translated and his famous Poldark series has been developed into two television series shown in twenty-four countries. Many of Winston Graham's books have been filmed for the big screen, the most notable being Marnie, directed by Alfred Hitchcock. 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 Horsfield

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Book SynopsisAt once a vivid, haunting reimagining of 1950s Britain, a gripping, humane spy thriller and a poignant love story, with Dominion C. J. Sansom once again asserts himself as the master of the historical novel.1952. Twelve years have passed since Churchill lost to the appeasers and Britain surrendered to Nazi Germany after Dunkirk. As the long German war against Russia rages on in the east, the British people find themselves under dark authoritarian rule: the press, radio and television are controlled; the streets patrolled by violent auxiliary police and British Jews face ever greater constraints. There are terrible rumours too about what is happening in the basement of the German Embassy at Senate House.Defiance, though, is growing. In Britain, Winston Churchill's Resistance organization is increasingly a thorn in the government's side. And in a Birmingham mental hospital an incarcerated scientist, Frank Muncaster, may hold a secret that could chTrade ReviewC. J. Sansom takes a break from his Shardlake series to offer Dominion, an absorbing, thoughtful, spy-politico thriller set in the fog-ridden London of 1952 . . . Part adventure, part espionage, all encompassed by terrific atmosphere and a well-argued “it might have been”. -- Marcel Berlins * The Times *An intriguing thriller set in an alternative Britain under the Nazis cunningly reanimates the post-war years as they might have been . . . The tale he sets within his parallel universe is at once exciting, sophisticated and moving. There will be few better historical novels published this year. * Sunday Times *‘This is a big novel with traces of a thriller, in which the good are good and the bad are very bad indeed . . . For readers who enjoy a grown-up adventure story Dominion is evocative, alarming and richly satisfying’ Daily ExpressMasterly . . . sketched with hallucinatory clarity . . . Sansom, whose Tudor mysteries showed his feeling for the plight of good people in a brutal, treacherous society, builds his nightmare Britain from the sooty bricks of truth . . . Dominion shows us what a truly broken Britain would look, and feel, like. -- Boyd Tonkin * Independent *‘A thriller which is also, and perhaps primarily, a work of alternative or counter-factual history, set in 1952 . . . in the manner of Robert Harris’s Fatherland. There are fine things a-plenty here, and the plot unfolds compellingly and gallops along briskly. C. J. Sansom has brought off a nice double, writing a good thriller which invites you to ponder the different course history might have taken’ Allan Massie, ScotsmanC. J. Sansom is fascinated by the abuse of power, so it's not surprising that, hot on the heels of his splendid Shardlake series, comes a novel set in a post-war Britain dominated by Nazi ideology . . . Dominion is absorbing, mordant and written with a passionate persuasiveness . . . Bravo! * Independent on Sunday *One of the thrills of Dominion is to see a writer whose previous talent has been for the captivating dramatisation of real history creating an invented mid-20th century Britain that has the intricate detail and delineation of JRR Tolkien's Middle Earth . . . A tremendous novel that shakes historical preconceptions while also sending shivers down the spine. -- Mark Lawson * Guardian *The chase is exciting and the action thrilling, but the really absorbing part of this excellent book is the detailed creation of a society that could so easily have existed. * Literary Review *Fans of Robert Harris will love this. * Mail on Sunday *Dominion is terrific. And no, this isn't one of those publisher-sponsored blurbs. I just fell in love with it. Nice and long, too. -- Stephen King

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Book SynopsisTHE BRILLIANT NEW NOVEL FROM THE ORANGE PRIZE-WINNING AUTHOR OF WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN.Distinctly chilling' IndependentUnsettling as it is entertaining' Financial TimesIt''s scaring the hell out of me' Tracy ChevalierIn this eerily prophetic novel from the Orange Prize-winning author ofWe Need to Talk About Kevin, a once-wealthy family faces the prospect of ruin. This apocalypse is financial the dollar is in meltdown, America's national debt far beyond repayment.It is 2029.The Mandibles have been counting on a sizable fortune filtering down when their 97-year-old patriarch dies, but now their inheritance is turned to ash. Each family member must contend with disappointment, but also as the effects of the downturn start to hit the challenge of sheer survival.Recently affluent Avery is petulant that she can't buy olive oil, while her sister Florence is forced to absorb strays into her increasingly cramped household. As their father Carter fumes at having to care for his demented stepmother now that a nursing home is too expensive, his sister Nollie, an expat author, returns from abroad at 73 to a country that's unrecognizable.Perhaps only Florence's oddball teenage son Willing, an economics autodidact, can save this formerly august American family from the streetsTrade ReviewPraise for THE MANDIBLES: A Family, 2029–2047 ‘As ever, Shriver cuts close to the bone! . . . Distinctly chilling’ Independent ‘A tale that fizzes with ideas and jokes . . . the comedy is pitch black’ The Times ‘All too chillingly plausible…profoundly frightening’ Observer ‘Shriver is fast becoming the go-to novelist for some of the big issues . . . breezy, mordantly comic . . . if the test of a futuristic novel is its eerie proximity to the present, this passes with flying colours’ Daily Mail ‘A gleeful nightmare, it made me snort with laughter even as I was shuddering’ SARAH WATERS, Best Books of the Summer, Guardian ‘Brilliant satire… frankly terrifying’ SARAH CHURCHWELL, Best Books of the Summer, Guardian ‘Searing… establishes her firmly as the Cassandra of American letters… I don’t remember the last time a novel held me so enduringly in its grip’ The New York Times ‘A powerful work investigating the fragility of the financial world. Prescient, imaginative and funny, it also asks deep questions’ The Economist ‘Impressively sweeping… Shriver’s intelligence, mordant humour and vicious leaps of imagination all combine to make this a novel that is as unsettling as it is entertaining’ Financial Times ‘A sharp social eye and a blistering comic streak … great, disconcerting fun’ The New Yorker ‘Hilarious and brilliant … scary in the best possible way’ Elle ‘A provocative and very funny page-turner’ Wall Street Journal ‘Shriver really makes you think about the nature of money . . . By the end, The Mandibles had got under my skin’ Evening Standard ‘It's scaring the hell out of me’ TRACY CHEVALIER ‘A scary, depressing and convincing horror story’ Spectator ‘Insightful and darkly funny’ Good Housekeeping

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Book Synopsis 'Ugandan literature can boast of an international superstar in Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi' Economist An award-winning debut that vividly reimagines Uganda’s troubled history through the cursed bloodline of the Kintu clan In this epic tale of fate, fortune and legacy, Jennifer Makumbi vibrantly brings to life this corner of Africa and this colourful family as she reimagines the history of Uganda through the cursed bloodline of the Kintu clan. The year is 1750. Kintu Kidda sets out for the capital to pledge allegiance to the new leader of the Buganda kingdom. Along the way he unleashes a curse that will plague his family for generations. Blending oral tradition, myth, folktale and history, Makumbi weaves together the stories of Kintu’s descendants as they seek to break free from the burden of their past to produce a majestic tale of clan and country – a modern classic.Trade Review'It seethes with energy and teems with memorable characters.' * Sunday Times, Best Books of the Year *‘Kintu is an important book. It is also a very good one...inventive in scope, masterful in execution, [Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi] does for Ugandan literature what Chinua Achebe did for Nigerian writing.’ * Guardian *‘Ugandan literature can boast of an international superstar in Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi, whose debut novel Kintu is a multi-generational saga that ties oral myth to a recognisable present.’ * Economist *‘A highly ambitious, dense and tightly written narrative… Makumbi succeeds in making us feel the emotional importance of uncovering family history. Often faced with agonisingly difficult legacies and situations, her characters don’t just want but need explanations.’ * Times Literary Supplement *‘Immediately engaging…as gruelling vignettes of gender injustice jostle with hallucinatory dream sequences.’ * Observer *‘Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi's Kintu has been called a Ugandan One Hundred Years of Solitude.’ * Salman Rushdie, New York Times *‘Kintu is a triumph of east African literature and one that delights in the pliant nature of storytelling itself, the ways in which family lore is passed down and the impact of variations on it... This rich drama examines the power of such legacies, and the potential for even the most far-flung, estranged families to unite in the face of ages-old evil.’ * Financial Times *‘Epic both in intention and execution, Kintu contains a vast number of characters, avenging ghosts and portentous visions...the final coming together of the entire Kintu clan, arrived at with precision and intricacy, makes for a satisfying and thoughtful denouement.’ * Spectator *'A Ugandan masterpiece that traces a family curse across the generations.' * TLS, 'Looking back: 2010-2019' *‘A soaring and sublime epic. One of those great stories that was just waiting to be told.’ * Marlon James, Man Booker Prize-winning author of A Brief History of Seven Killings *‘Kintu is an entertaining, engrossing, and, crucially, intimate read... an extraordinary novel that is unafraid and beautifully unashamed to examine Uganda’s rich culture. It is a novel that is proudly Ugandan; it is a novel that deserves to be widely read.’ * Irish Times *‘A family saga that reaches back into that country’s history with an assurance and readability that makes its historical depth feel light as water.’ * LA Review of Books *‘A multi-character epic that emphatically lives up to its ambition.’ * Sunday Times *'[Makumbi writes] with the assurance and wry omniscience of an easygoing deity...' * New York Times *‘The most important book to come out of Uganda for half a century.’ * Giles Foden, author of The Last King of Scotland *‘Magisterial…epic... The great Africanstein novel.’ * New York Review of Books *‘A great, big, roaring Ugandan epic.’ * Jackie Kay, Observer *‘I recommend Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi’s Kintu, a sprawling, striking epic...It reminded me of some of my favorite long novels from the past few years, including Marlon James’s A Brief History of Seven Killings, Eka Kurniawan’s Beauty Is a Wound, and Annie Proulx’s Barkskins.’ * Gabe Habash, author of Stephen Florida *‘With crisp details and precise prose, Makumbi draws us into the dynamic and vast world of Uganda – its rich history, its people’s intricate beliefs, and the collective weight of their steadfast customs.’ * World Literature Today *'Two books that immediately come to mind, in trying to make sense of Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi's ambitious new novel Kintu, are Christos Tsiolkas's The Slap and Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart... That said, the overwhelming scale and sweep of Makumbi's effort stands in dramatic contrast with these novels.' -- Randy Boyagoda * New Statesman *‘Kintu is a masterpiece, an absolute gem, the great Ugandan novel you didn't know you were waiting for.’ * The New Inquiry *‘Epic in every sense of the word.’ * Emerald Street *‘A lush and epic story.’ * Los Angeles Times *‘A masterpiece of cultural memory, Kintu is elegantly poised on the crossroads of tradition and modernity.’ * Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) *‘Impressive... Reminiscent of Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart, this work will appeal to lovers of African literature.’ * Library Journal (Starred Review) *‘Kintu got me through many a quiet evening... It’s an epic read, best taken at a steady pace, which begins in 1750 and culminates in the present day, simultaneously exploring the role of family bonds, ancestral legacies, and the state of modern Uganda. It deserves hefty British sales when it comes out here in January.’ * Michela Wrong, journalist and author *‘In this captivating multigenerational family saga, Makumbi has gifted us with an exquisite and powerful debut. Written in delightful prose, bold and ambitious, Kintu is easily one of the best novels I have read this year.’ * Chika Unigwe, author of On Black Sisters' Street *‘A bold, sweeping epic, ambitious and very well crafted. The kind of book you hope everyone will read.’ * Tendai Huchu, author of The Hairdresser of Harare *‘A work of bold imagination and clear talent.’ * Ellah Wakatama Allfrey, editor of Africa39 *‘This is an extraordinary novel about a family bound together by love, betrayal, and an age-old curse, told in gripping language that continually surprises. A literary triumph.’ * Maaza Mengiste, author of Beneath the Lion's Gaze *‘Makumbi takes a sniper’s aim at the themes of virility and power across time. Over the course of six rich sections, she fires not a single gratuitous shot.’ * Public Books *‘Powerful, vibrant and deeply engrossing, this is a thoroughly rewarding read – and we’re sure, a worthy new entry to the African literature canon.’ * Pride *‘Passionate, original, and sharply observed... This critically acclaimed modern classic is expansive in its scope and range. A bold and multilayered novel which is at once Uganda’s national narrative as well as a compelling tale of family and blood ties.’ * Book Riot *‘History in the form of an unrelenting curse pervades the present in this epic novel that questions if we can ever fully recover from the wounds of the past.’ * Bookbag *‘Makumbi’s characters are compelling as individuals, but it is their shared past and journey toward a shared future that elevate the novel to an epic and enigmatic masterpiece.’ * The Riveter *‘Some authors set the bar high with their debut work. Then there are authors like Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi whose first novel succeeds on such a stratospheric level it’s nearly impossible to imagine – or wait for – what she’ll write next.’ * Iowa Gazette *‘Kintu is by far my favorite book of the year (perhaps of the past several)…absolutely unforgettable.’ * BookBrowse *‘Makumbi is clearly a creative genius.’ * Tope Salaudeen-Adegoke, Wawa Book Review *‘An ambitious modern epic that takes in family saga and the history of Uganda, fusing the urgency of the present with the timelessness of myth.’ * Jamal Mahjoub, author of The Drift Latitudes *‘Kintu is not just the story of a family, but a story of Uganda, a country whose history begins before colonization and encompasses far more than just that chapter.’ * Mary Pappalardo, New Delta Review *‘Our histories and our names have stories that we cannot afford to keep quiet about.’ * Nyana Kakoma, Africa In Words *‘Postcolonial literature is often thought of as a conversation between a native culture and a Western power that sought to dominate it... Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi’s marvellous Ugandan epic, Kintu, explodes such chauvinism.’ * Guernica *‘Jennifer Makumbi’s Kintu is a charming fable, a wide-ranging historical fiction, and a critical historiography...fresh, intelligent, critical, and ambitious.’ * Bookwitty *

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Book SynopsisThe heartwarming follow on to Keep the Home Fires Burning, from the creator of ITV smash-hit Home Fires - perfect for fans of Rosie Clarke and Annie Groves.In the depths of war, the women of Great Paxford will need all their strength . . .As enemy planes continue to bombard the North West of England, the members of Great Paxford's WI fight harder than ever to persevere.Teresa Lucas has reshaped her life to become the perfect wife - but will the arrival of a new guest throw her world off kilter?Laura Campbell is grieving for her father, but in the midst of tragedy, a new future beckons.Pat Simms plans to escape her difficult life at the end of the war, but when things change at home, she finds herself questioning everything she thought she knew.And for Steph Farrow, it's not the threat of what's to come she fears, but whether she can live with what she has done . . .Trade ReviewI very quickly became embroiled . . . a really enjoyable book. Greatly looking forward to the next one * Rosie Goodwin, on Keep the Home Fires Burning *

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Book Synopsis______________________________'One of the great triumphs of contemporary historical literature.' The Times______________________________WITH A NEW INTRODUCTION BY THE AUTHOR'Laws are silent in times of war.' CiceroOne of the great epics of political and historical fiction, The Cicero Trilogy charts the career of the Roman statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero from his mid-twenties as an ambitious young lawyer to his dramatic death more than thirty years later, pursued by an assassination squad on a cliff-top path.The extraordinary life that unfolds between these two episodes is recounted by Cicero's private secretary, Tiro: the law cases and the speeches that made his master's name; the elections and conspiracies he fought; the rivals who contended for power around him - Pompey, Crassus, Cato, Clodius, Catalina, and, most menacingly, Caesar; and, at the heart of it all, the complex personality of Cicero himself - brilliant, cunning, duplicitous, anxious, brave, and always intensely humane.More than ten years in the writing, and now published in a single volume for the first time, The Cicero Trilogy brings the world of the Roman republic vividly to life. Here is its grandeur, ambition and corruption; and here is its tumultuous collapse into dictatorship and anarchy - a story of the fragility of democratic institutions that holds a warning for our own time.

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Book SynopsisDon't miss the new book from Sunday Times bestselling author, Josephine Cox!The pretty Arnold sisters have grown up on their father's farm and yearn for something more out of life than drudgery and toil.Ellen, loyal and honest, is her father's favourite, but Georgina is impulsive and unreliable, and can't please a father who has never shown her love.The big house, Grindle Hall, offers them both a chance of betterment, but while Ellen follows the steady path, Georgina takes a darker road and soon, her actions will have fateful consequences for them all. Only Ellen can help them, but will a sister's love be enough?Trade ReviewPraise for Blood Brothers: 'Thanks to her near faultless writing, sympathies will lurch from one character to another, and as events reach their dramatic conclusion readers will find it impossible to tear themselves away.' News of the World 'Another hit for Josephine Cox' Sunday Express Praise for Josephine Cox’s previous novels: ‘Cox's talent as storyteller never lets you escape the spell' Daily Mail 'Another masterpiece' Best ‘Another beautifully spun family epic' Scottish Daily Echo 'A born storyteller' Bedfordshire Times ‘A surefire winner' Woman's Weekly

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Book SynopsisFROM THE GLOBALLY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRINGBittersweet dazzling' GuardianDeeply pleasurable the ending made me cry' The TimesTold with a wealth of detail and narrative intensity' Penelope LivelyViolet is 38.The First World War took everything from her. Her brother, her fiancé and her future. She is now considered a surplus woman'.But Violet is also fiercely independent and determined. Escaping her suffocating mother, she moves to Winchester to start a new life a change that will require courage, resilience and acts of quiet rebellion. And when whispers of another world war surface, she must live with a secret that could change everythingTrade Review‘Bittersweet … dazzling’ Guardian ‘Tracy Chevalier shows once again her ability to illuminate ordinary lives and to pay attention to those most often ignored … movingly examines hidden depths beneath quiet exteriors’ Sunday Times ‘Writing with quiet but devastating empathy, Tracy Chevalier pinpoints Violet’s predicament as a single woman, her unexpected emotional crisis and her struggle to give her life depth and meaning. I loved it’ Daily Mail ‘A well-woven story of love … Chevalier has such a sure eye for details, whether she is describing the loveliness of the cathedral or the dismal interior of a 1930s boarding house. Reading this is deeply pleasurable’ The Times ‘I enjoyed A Single Thread enormously. Tracy Chevalier wonderfully evokes the social climate of the nineteen thirties – this is the intriguing story of a young woman facing the conventions and prejudices of the day, told with a wealth of detail and narrative intensity’ Penelope Lively ’Tracy Chevalier’s quietly moving story of a woman finding freedom in the 1930s is a gem’ Stylist ‘Evocative and beautifully written’ Sunday Express Magazine ‘I loved it. So compelling and warm and subtle, and very moving’ Bridget Collins, author of The Binding ‘Evocative, beautifully written’ Daily Mirror ‘Beautifully written … utterly immersive’ Red ‘Atmospheric … wonderful’ Good Housekeeping ‘I loved it! Enchanting and full of hope. Absolutely needed in this political climate’ Laura Purcell, author of The Silent Companions ‘A fierce and moving book about the great courage of a small life’ Sadie Jones ‘It’s a chance encounter that sets Violet on an unexpectedly rewarding path in this pleasant, leisurely paced novel’ i Paper ‘Absorbing, empathetic, poignant’ Daily Mail

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Book SynopsisThe incredible bestselling first novel from Pulitzer Prize- winning author, Jhumpa Lahiri.The kind of writer who makes you want to grab the next person and say Read this!'' Amy Tan''When her grandmother learned of Ashima''s pregnancy, she was particularly thrilled at the prospect of naming the family''s first sahib. And so Ashima and Ashoke have agreed to put off the decision of what to name the baby until a letter comes''For now, the label on his hospital cot reads simply BABY BOY GANGULI. But as time passes and still no letter arrives from India, American bureaucracy takes over and demands that ''baby boy Ganguli'' be given a name. In a panic, his father decides to nickname him ''Gogol'' after his favourite writer.Brought up as an Indian in suburban America, Gogol Ganguli soon finds himself itching to cast off his awkward name, just as he longs to leave behind the inherited values of his Bengali parents. And so he sets off on his own path through life, a path strewn with conflictingTrade Review'Quietly dazzling… The Namesake is that rare thing: an intimate, closely observed family portrait that effortlessly and discreetly unfolds to disclose a capacious social vision… Jhumpa Lahiri has taken the haunting chamber music of her first collection of stories and reorchestrated its themes of exile and identity to create a symphonic work, a debut novel that is as assured and eloquent as the work of a longtime master of the craft.' Michiko Kakutani, New York Times ‘Extraordinary…a book that spins gold out of the straw of ordinary lives. The calm, pellucid grace of her prose, the sustained stretch of crystal clear writing, its elegant pianissimo tone, pulls the reader from beginning to end in one neat arc. Every detail, every observation, every sentence rings with the clarity of truth. The Namesake is a novel that makes its reader feel privileged to be allowed access to its immensely empathetic world.' The Times ‘The kind of writer who makes you want to grab the next person and say "Read this!"' Amy Tan 'Impeccably written' Daily Mail 'Gracious….in refined, empathetic prose…each of Lahiri's characters patches together their own identity, making this resonant fable neither uniquely Asian nor uniquely American, but tenderly, wryly human.' Hephzibah Anderson, Observer ‘A story for our times.’ Rachel Cusk, Evening Standard ‘A joy to read.’ Sunday Telegraph

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Book SynopsisAs the Nazis bring Denmark to its knees, a resistance forms – and make a discovery that could turn the tide of war. From the master storyteller Ken Follett, Hornet Flight is a startling thriller set amidst the Danish Resistance of the Second World War.Europe in Darkness1941. The Nazis have Denmark in their vice-like grip, their malign presence corroding everything its inhabitants hold dear. Even the police betray their countrymen and work with the Gestapo to hunt down spies. A Glimmer of HopeIn this hostile climate the Danish resistance discover a secret that could change the course of the war – proof of an advanced German radar installation that is causing catastrophic losses to Allied planes bringing the fight to Germany. A Dangerous MissionThe resistance must get the information to the British and will have only one chance, using a near-derelict Hornet Moth bi-plane mouldering away in a church. If they succeed the balance of the war will be tipped in the Allies’ favour but failure will see them killed . . .Trade ReviewOne of the great bestselling novelists * Sunday Telegraph *Master storyteller * The Times *

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Book SynopsisThere was a painting my family set on fire. It burned to ashes, and then it came back.' Grace grows up on the peripheries of a once-great household, an unwanted guest in her uncle Inderwick's Oxfordshire home. She has unusual skills and unusual predilections: for painting, though faces often elude her; for lurking in the shadows; for other girls. Quietly, Grace waits for something to change. Then a letter arrives, postmarked Saint Helena, causing a sensation. After years missing at sea, Grace's cousin Charles is ready to come home. When Charles returns, unrecognisable and uncanny, a rift emerges between those in the family who claim he is an imposter and Grace's aunt, who insists he is her son. And Grace, whose intimate knowledge of forgeries is her own closely-guarded secret, must finally decide who and what to believe in. Deftly-plotted and shimmering with intelligence, style and wit, The Original is a novel about the value of authenticity in art and in love, and what it mean

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Book SynopsisLarry McMurtry was the author of more than thirty novels, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning Lonesome Dove. He has also written memoirs and essays, and received an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for his work on Brokeback Mountain.

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Book Synopsis*The international bestseller from the author of the Booker-shortlisted novel, 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World* * One of the BBC's '100 Novels that Shaped the World'* "Every true love and friendship is a story of unexpected transformation. If we are the same person before and after we loved, that means we haven't loved enough..." Ella Rubinstein has a husband, three teenage children, and a pleasant home. Everything that should make her confident and fulfilled. Yet there is an emptiness at the heart of Ella's life - an emptiness once filled by love. So when Ella reads a manuscript about the thirteenth-century Sufi poet Rumi and Shams of Tabriz, and his forty rules of life and love, her world is turned upside down. She embarks on a journey to meet the mysterious author of this work. It is a quest infused with Sufi mysticism and verse, taking Ella and us into an exotic world where faith and love are heTrade ReviewA gorgeous, jeweled, luxurious book * The Times *With its timely, thought-provoking message . . . The Forty Rules of Love deserves to be a global publishing phenomenon * Independent *Enlightening, enthralling. An affecting paean to faith and love * Metro *Colourfully woven and beguilingly intelligent * Daily Telegraph *The past and present fit together beautifully in a passionate defence of passion itself * The Times *A gorgeous, jeweled, luxurious book * The Times *Shafak will challenge Paulo Coelho's dominance. With its timely, thought-provoking message . . . The Forty Rules of Love deserves to be a global publishing phenomenon * Independent *Enlightening, enthralling. An affecting paean to faith and love * Metro *Colourfully woven and beguilingly intelligent * Daily Telegraph *The past and present fit together beautifully in a passionate defence of passion itself * The Times *

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Book SynopsisHow far will a man go in the name of revenge, honour, love or simple survival?Far from familiar seas, Captain Jack Aubrey and his crew must test themselves to the very limits of human endurance.Following a daring rescue, Jack Aubrey accepts a new command and a new commission to a far-flung destination. Ahead of him and his crew are the new sights and smells of the Indian subcontinent, and the terrifying hazards of an archipelago of islands in the East Indies, where their French enemies have near overwhelming superiority.Combines adventure and the art of the novel with an astonishing finesse.'FRANCIS SPUFFORDFew, very few, books have made my heart thump with excitement. HMS Surprise managed it.'HELEN LUCY BURKE, Irish TimesTrade Review‘If O’Brian’s novels have become a cult, this is because they are truly addictive. . . They are, quite magnificently, adventure yarns whose superb authenticity never distracts from the sheer thrill of the action.’Caroline Moore, Sunday Telegraph ‘The Aubrey–Maturin novels, by Patrick O’Brian, are so addictive that after I finish one I have to hide the next from myself for a little while in order to do anything else but read.’Louise Erdrich ‘In Aubrey and Maturin, Patrick O’Brian has created two of the most enjoyable characters in twentieth-century fiction. Their relationship sustains an absorbing and thrilling sequence of naval stories, unrivalled in their complexity, full of impeccable detail and psychological insight. O’Brian switches from the intimate to the epic with equal assurance. One of the greatest authors to sail with.’Michael Palin ‘My hero is Patrick O’Brian. It’s basically impossible to write that well.’David Mamet ‘One of the most compelling and brilliant novelists of his time . . . Beyond his superbly elegant writing, wit and originality, Patrick O’Brian showed an understanding of the nature of a floating world at the mercy of the wind and the sea which has never been surpassed.’Max Hastings, Evening Standard ‘I devoured Patrick O’Brian’s twenty-volume masterpiece as if it had been so many tots of Jamaica grog.’Christopher Hitchens ‘Written with most engaging enthusiasm that can’t fail to give pleasure to anybody who enjoys historical adventure flavoured with more than a dash of realism.’The Sunday Times ‘One of the most brilliantly sustained pieces of historical fictional writing this century.’James Teacher, Spectator ‘Patrick O’Brian brings depth to his sea-stories with outstanding dialogue, characterisation, humour and a golden thread of romance. You don’t have to love books about naval battles to become entranced.’Katie Fforde

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Book SynopsisNumber one bestselling author Conn Iggulden takes on the story of the mighty Kublai Khan. An epic tale of a great and heroic mind; his action-packed rule; and how in conquering one-fifth of the world's inhabited land, he changed the course of history forever.A scholar who conquered an empire larger than those of Alexander or Caesar.A warrior who would rule a fifth of the world with strength and wisdom.A man who betrayed a brother to protect a nation.From a young scholar to one of history's most powerful warriors, Conqueror tells the story of Kublai Khan an extraordinary man who should be remembered alongside Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great and Napoleon Bonaparte as one of the greatest conquerors the world has ever known.Kublai dreams of an empire stretching from sea to sea. But to see it built, this scholar must first learn the art of war. He must take his nation's warriors to the ends of the known world. And when he is weary, when he is wounded, he must face his own brothers in a Trade ReviewThe CONQUEROR series: ‘Iggulden is in a class of his own when it comes to epic, historical fiction’ Daily Mirror ‘Iggulden…tells an absolutely cracking story…the pace is nail-biting and the set dressing magnificent’ The Times ‘Iggulden weaves an entertaining tale of this world of men, swords, bows and the call of war and the plains’ Daily Express ‘I felt as if a blockbuster movie was unfolding before me…read the book before Hollywood takes it over’ Daily Express

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Book SynopsisThe ultimate Rome storyFrom the spectacle of gladiatorial combat to the intrigue of the Senate, from the foreign wars that secure the power of the empire to the betrayals that threaten to tear it apart, this is the remarkable story of the man who would become the greatest Roman of them all: Julius Caesar.In the city of Rome, a titanic power struggle is about to shake the Republic to its core. Citizen will fight citizen in a bloody conflict and Julius Caesar, cutting his teeth in battle, will be in the thick of the action.The first instalment in the bestselling Emperor series.Trade Review‘Iggulden is in a class of his own when it comes to epic, historical fiction’ Daily Mirror ‘A brilliant story – I wish I’d written it. A novel of vivid characters, stunning action and unrelenting pace. It really is a terrific read.’BERNARD CORNWELL ‘The descriptions of combat in the circus, slaves in revolt, skirmishes in Greece, amputations and street fighting are all convincing.’TLS ‘A rich and compelling novel that draws the reader into an extraordinary time and the life of an extraordinary man.’DAVID GEMMELL

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Book SynopsisFrom Victorian London to the vibrant port cities of England and France, from gracious stately homes in Gloucestershire to the decadence of Paris, Master of his Fate launches an unforgettable new historical series.London 1884: Queen Victoria is Empress of India and Britain is at its peak of worldwide power.James Falconer works as a barrow boy in a flourishing London market owned by Henry Malvern. But James hungers for more. Turning away from family tradition, he dreams of building an empire of stores like Fortnum and Mason's and believes that Henry, along with his daughter and heir Alexis, could offer him a way to climb beyond his beginnings.But tragedy and betrayal threaten the dreams of both James and Alexis and jeopardise everything they hold dearTrade Review‘This splendid new historical family saga takes you from the stately homes of England to the decadence of Paris as barrowboy James Falconer pursues his dream of building an empire of department stores’ My Weekly ‘The first in a new series set in Victorian London, braiding the fates of a self-made charmer with a serious-minded heiress.’ Daily Mail ‘A tale of fortunes lost, betrayal, revenge and, of course, love’ Sun ‘A stately home, a dangerous secret and two families whose fates have been intertwined for generations…a gripping period piece set on the brink of the Great War. Exquisite escapism of the highest order.’ The Lady ‘A classic saga of loyalty, secrets, passion and intrigue…if you’ve been suffering withdrawal symptoms from Downton, this is for you’ Daily MailA classic saga of loyalty, secrets, passion and intrigue…if you’ve been suffering withdrawal symptoms from Downton, this is for you’ Daily Mail

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Book Synopsis'Engrossing . . . the reader falls under the spell that the author is weaving, surrendering to the story's exotic magic.' - The TimesWhite. Like a clean piece of paper, like uncarved ivory, all is white when the story begins.One misty London afternoon in 1886, piano tuner Edgar Drake receives an unusual request from the War Office: he must leave his quiet life and travel to the jungles of Burma to repair a rare grand piano owned by an enigmatic army surgeon. So begins an extraordinary journey across Europe, the Red Sea, India and onwards, accompanied by an enchanting yet elusive woman. Edgar is at first captivated, then unnerved, as he begins to question the true motive behind his summons and whether he will return home unchanged to the wife who awaits him. . .An instant bestseller, Daniel Mason's The Piano Tuner has been published in twenty-seven countries. Exquisitely told, this classic is a richly sensuous

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Book SynopsisTHE TRIUMPHANT SEVENTH NOVEL IN THE MULTI-MILLION BESTSELLING OUTLANDER SERIES.The year is 1777. The place, North Carolina. And as the American rebellion grows in intensity, Highlander Jamie Fraser and his wife Claire need to decide which side their family is going to be on.The choice should be an easy one, given that Claire was born in the twentieth century and has already seen the future - in history books. But things are never simple where the Frasers are concerned, as father and son unwittingly come face to face on the battlefield, and an old adversary reaches forward in time to threaten the next generation.Up to now, Claire and Jamie''s love has survived every danger history has put in their path, but in the chaos of war, with families bitterly divided against each other, is the future finally going to catch up with them?Trade ReviewA grand adventure written on a canvas that probes the heart, weighs the soul and measures the human spirit across ten generations * CNN *The writing is superb - lush, evocative, sensual, with a wealth of historical detail * LIBRARY JOURNAL *History comes deliciously alive on the page * NEW YORK DAILY NEWS *Riveting. Gabaldon has a true storyteller's voice * GLOBE AND MAIL *A blockbuster hit * WALL STREET JOURNAL *A rich and pacey novel * WOMAN'S OWN *an enjoyable read that will teach you a great deal about 18th century history * CATHOLIC HERALD *

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Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics.That these man-like creatures were in truth only bestial monsters, mere grotesque travesties of men, filled me with a vague uncertainty of their possibilities far worse than any definite fear.Edward Prendick, the sole survivor of a shipwreck in the South Pacific, is set ashore on an island where he meets the mysterious Doctor Moreau. Horrified by the discovery that Moreau is performing vivisection on animals to form monstrous human hybrids, Prendick flees into the jungle. But he soon realises that the island is populated with Moreau's terrible creations, and not all are divested of their savage habits . . .H. G. Wells pioneered ideas of society, science and progress in his works, which are now considered modern classics. Written in 1896, The Island of Doctor Moreau is an imaginative exploration of the nature of cruelty and what it means to be human.Trade Review‘The Island of Doctor Moreau takes us into an abyss of human nature. This book is a superb piece of storytelling’ V. S. Pritchett ‘[Wells’ work is] astonishingly rich in human and historical interest … he foresaw the invention of, among other things, television, tanks, aerial warfare and the atom bomb’ David Lodge ‘I personally consider the greatest of English living writers [to be] H. G. Wells’ Upton Sinclair ‘The father of science fiction’ Guardian

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Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER! Also known as 2ha, the wildly popular danmei/Boys' Love novel series from China that inspired a multimedia franchise! A historical fantasy epic about a tyrant's second chance at life and the powerful cultivation teacher he can't get out of his mind. Massacring his way to the top to become emperor of the cultivation world, Mo Ran's cruel reign left him with little satisfaction. Now, upon suffering his greatest loss, he takes his own life... To his surprise, Mo Ran awakens in his own body at age sixteen, years before he ever began his bloody conquests. Now, as a novice disciple at the cultivation sect known as Sisheng Peak, Mo Ran has a second chance at life. This time, he vows that he will attain the gratification that eluded him in his last life: the overly righteous shall fall, and none will dare treat him like a dog ever again! His furious passion burns most fiercely for his shizun, Chu Wanning, the beautiful yet cold cultivation teacher who maintains a cat-like aloofness in his presence. Yet despite Mo Ran's shameless pursuit of his own goals, he begins to question his previously held beliefs, and wonders if there could be more to his teacher-and his own feelings-than he ever realized. This Chinese fantasy (xianxia) epic built around the desire between two men (danmei) has been translated into multiple languages and inspired a multimedia franchise in China. The Seven Seas English-language edition will include exclusive, all-new covers and interior illustrations from artist St with a translation by Rynn & Jun.

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Book SynopsisThe second book in the gripping and heartwarming new Jubilee Lake series, from multi-million-copy bestselling author Anna JacobsLancashire, 1895. Lillian Hesketh has taken a new name, and a brave step towards a happier life. Suddenly widowed after an unhappy marriage, and pursued by her unscrupulous in-laws, Lillian finds a fresh start in the beautiful Ollindale valley. Thanks to the kindness of her new neighbours, Walter Crossley and his family, she finally has a home to call her own - but the threat of discovery by her husband's family still casts a shadow over her new life.Meanwhile, Edward Ollerton has returned to the valley to rebuild his ancestral home. Hoping to one day to marry and start a family, Edward finds himself drawn to the shy, attractive widow - but not everyone is happy to see him reclaim his estate . . .Will their dreams fade to dust, or can a golden future blossom on the shores of Jubilee Lake?Readers love Anna Jacobs! 'Amazing' - 5 STARS'Thank you, Anna, for the pleasure you give in all your books' - 5 STARS'Another brilliant, hard-to-put-down book' - 5 STARS'Can't wait for the next instalment' - 5 STARS'A real page turner, I can't wait to read the next one' - 5 STARS'Another triumph for Anna Jacobs' - 5 STARS'BRILLIANT READ' - 5 STARSBook 1 in the Jubilee Lake Saga, SILVER WISHES, is out now in hardback, eBook and audio

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Book SynopsisTHE COMPELLING NOVEL FROM SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER PHILIPPA GREGORYWhy would a woman marry a serial killer? Because she cannot refuse... Kateryn Parr, a thirty-year-old widow in a secret affair with a new lover, has no choice when a man old enough to be her father who has buried four wives - King Henry VIII - commands her to marry him. Kateryn has no doubt about the danger she faces: the previous queen lasted sixteen months, the one before barely half a year. But Henry adores his new bride and Kateryn's trust in him grows as she unites the royal family, creates a radical study circle at the heart of the court, and rules the kingdom as Regent. But is this enough to keep her safe? A leader of religious reform and the first woman to publish in English, Kateryn stands out as an independent woman with a mind of her own. But she cannot save the Protestants, under threat for their faith, and HenryTrade Review‘A master storyteller…Gregory captures the intrigue and suspense of life at the Tudor court in vivid detail. She skilfully combines painstaking historical research with a gripping fictional narrative and her characters are so lifelike and engaging that they practically leap from the page’ -- Daily Express‘A cleverly wrought political novel. In introducing Parr to a new audience, Gregory has done the first lady of English letters something of a favour’ -- Sunday Telegraph‘Gregory dramatises the story of a reluctant royal wife negotiating the anxious, dangerous years of her marriage… written with her usual authority and capacity for great drama’ -- Sunday Times‘The Taming of the Queen reads like a clever, intimate thriller’ -- The Times‘Gregory brilliantly captures the torn loyalties, treacheries and tragedies that lie beneath the historical detail, to entertaining effect’ -- Good Housekeeping‘The contemporary mistress of historical crime’ -- Kate Mosse‘Popular historical fiction at its finest, immaculately researched and superbly told’ -- The Times‘Gregory creates a world in which all but the most determined women are tools in the hands of powerful men… past-paced, convincing, vivid and engrossing’ -- Daily Express‘Philippa Gregory has another hit on her hands with this gripping page-turner. Her novel simplifies and humanises the complex politics of the period’ -- Sunday Times‘Lady Margaret Beaufort – cold, clever, calculating – will stop at nothing to put her son Henry Tudor on the throne. Gregory is very good at describing the bitchiness of the women in this tale of dynastic rivalry’ -- Daily Telegraph‘Rollicking, page-turning stuff’ -- Metro‘Popular history at its best’ -- Daily Mail‘Meticulously researched…for each novel she immerses herself in dozens of primary and secondary sources, before transforming them into vivid fiction’ -- Sunday Telegraph‘History comes gloriously alive as Elizabeth Woodville seduces and marries Yorkist King Edward IV’ -- Daily Mirror‘Philippa Gregory is truly the mistress of the historical novel. It would be hard to make history more entertaining, lively or engaging’ -- Sunday Express ‘Her novels are filled with strong, determined women who take their fate into their own hands’ -- Financial Times‘Rarely has history been so seductive’ -- Tatler‘Gregory makes history come alive ... riveting’ -- Daily Express

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Book SynopsisThe epic tale of wrongful imprisonment, adventure and revenge, in its definitive translationThrown in prison for a crime he has not committed, Edmond Dantès is confined to the grim fortress of If. There he learns of a great hoard of treasure hidden on the Isle of Monte Cristo and he becomes determined not only to escape, but also to use the treasure to plot the destruction of the three men responsible for his incarceration. Dumas'' epic tale of suffering and retribution, inspired by a real-life case of wrongful imprisonment, was a huge popular success when it was first serialized in the 1840s.Translated with an Introduction by ROBIN BUSS

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Book Synopsis1820s Britain: after the wars with France, when unemployment was high and soldiers could be paid off, when the government was desperately afraid of social unrest, any crime was drastically punished and thousands were hung. But one could petition the King and an investigation might ensueThe man in the dark cell in Newgate Prison was due to hang in a week. He had been found guilty of murdering the aristocrat whose portrait he was painting. He claimed to be innocent but then the hangman had never hung a guilty man, he said. But even in 1820, the Home Secretary could occasionally use his powers to grant mercy if his investigator found cause and Rider Sandman, once of the First Foot Guards, is given the job.Rider Sandman, a hero of Waterloo, has family debts to repay but when his first steps in the investigations produce a sizeable bribe to look the other way, this only arouses his smouldering anger over the condition of England, a country which he and others in Wellington''s army had fougTrade Review‘Bernard Cornwell is a literary miracle. Year after year, hail, rain, snow, war and political upheavals fail to prevent him from producing the most entertaining and readable historical novels of his generation…Cornwell at his best is utterly compelling. And this is Cornwell at his best.’ Daily Mail ‘Page for page, sentence for sentence, scene for heart-stopping scene GALLOWS THIEF is the strongest historical novel I have read this year…he tells a cracking yarn and fills it with vivid characters and writes crisp dialogue and gets the period detail right..it is hard to stop reading…it is masterly.’ Sunday Telegraph

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Book SynopsisThe first book in the bestselling Conqueror series featuring Genghis Khan and his descendants.''I am the land and the bones of the hills. I am the winter.''Temujin, the second son of the khan of the Wolves tribe, was only eleven when his father died in an ambush.His family were thrown out of the tribe and left alone, without food or shelter, to starve to death on the harsh Mongolian plains.It was a rough introduction to his life, to a sudden adult world, but Temujin survived, learning to combat natural and human threats. A man, a small family, without a tribe was always at risk but he gathered other outsiders to him, creating a new tribal identity. It was during some of his worst times that the image of uniting the warring tribes and bringing the silver people together came to him. He will become the khan of the sea of grass, Genghis.Trade Review‘Iggulden is in a class of his own when it comes to epic, historical fiction’ Daily Mirror ‘Iggulden…tells an absolutely cracking story…the pace is nail-biting and the set dressing magnificent’ The Times ‘Iggulden weaves an entertaining tale of this world of men, swords, bows and the call of war and the plains’ Daily Express ‘I felt as if a blockbuster movie was unfolding before me…read the book before Hollywood takes it over’ Daily Express

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Book SynopsisWinston Graham was the author of more than forty novels, including The Walking Stick, Angell, Pearl and Little God, Stephanie and Tremor. His novels have been widely translated and his famous Poldark series has been developed into two television series shown in twenty-four countries. Many of Winston Graham's books have been filmed for the big screen, the most notable being Marnie, directed by Alfred Hitchcock. 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 everyone else has, then a whole lot more. * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisAs the clouds of war gather over Cavendon Hall, the next generation must step forwardThe great house of Cavendon Hall has stood on the Yorkshire moors for centuries. Two families, the aristocratic Inghams and the Swanns who serve them, have been bound by loyalty since the first stone was laid.But when war looms, sons, husbands and brothers are called up to fight; trials and tragedies strike the great house itself. The women of every generation and background must rise to meet the terrible threat posed by Hitler.The Cavendon Luck has held for a long time. Can it hold in the face of this greatest threat of all and can it protect the next generation?Trade Review‘The four young women centre stage are a feistier lot than their Downton counterparts…These are likeable, well-drawn characters whose fortunes you follow with keen interest…neatly captures the brittleness of the decade that danced and stumbled towards the Great Depression.’ Daily Mail ‘Sweeping, fascinating and dramatic… there’s even a nod to Emma Harte. The power and emotion come through on every page’ Romantic Times Book Reviews Acclaim for Cavendon Hall:‘A classic saga of loyalty, secrets, passion and intrigue…if you’ve been suffering withdrawal symptoms from Downton, this is for you’ Daily Mail ‘A stately home, a dangerous secret and two families whose fates have been intertwined for generations…a gripping period piece set on the brink of the Great War. Exquisite escapism of the highest order.’ The Lady ‘A glorious family saga for Downton Abbey fans…This is Barbara Taylor Bradford in her element, full of drama, passion, romance and danger.’ Sarah Broadhurst, lovereading.co.uk

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Book SynopsisDavid Baldacci is one of the world's bestselling and favourite thriller writers. A former trial lawyer with a keen interest in world politics, he has specialist knowledge in the US political system and intelligence services. His first book, Absolute Power, became an instant international bestseller, with the movie starring Clint Eastwood a major box office hit. He has since written more than fifty bestsellers featuring, most recently, Travis Devine, Amos Decker, Aloysius Archer and Mickey Gibson. David is also the co-founder, along with his wife, of the Wish You Well Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting literacy efforts across the US.Killer twists. Heroes to believe in. Trust Baldacci.

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Book SynopsisWhether on land or at sea, can Jack Aubrey stay one step ahead of his enemies?With the Treaty of Amiens, England is at peace. At least for now. . .Accompanied by his friend, ship's surgeon and spy Stephen Maturin, Captain Jack Aubrey has returned home to England and the life of a country gentleman. But their comfortable experience is cut short when Jack is made a pauper overnight. He flees to the continent, narrowly escaping debtor's prison, only to find himself a hunted fugitive from Napoleon's regime as, yet again, war looms.Outstanding dialogue, characterisation, humour and a golden thread of romance.'KATIE FFORDEThe AubreyMaturin novels, by Patrick O'Brian, are so addictive that after I finish one I have to hide the next from myself for a little while in order to do anything else but read.'LOUISE ERDRICHTrade Review‘If O’Brian’s novels have become a cult, this is because they are truly addictive. . . They are, quite magnificently, adventure yarns whose superb authenticity never distracts from the sheer thrill of the action.’Caroline Moore, Sunday Telegraph ‘The Aubrey–Maturin novels, by Patrick O’Brian, are so addictive that after I finish one I have to hide the next from myself for a little while in order to do anything else but read.’Louise Erdrich ‘In Aubrey and Maturin, Patrick O’Brian has created two of the most enjoyable characters in twentieth-century fiction. Their relationship sustains an absorbing and thrilling sequence of naval stories, unrivalled in their complexity, full of impeccable detail and psychological insight. O’Brian switches from the intimate to the epic with equal assurance. One of the greatest authors to sail with.’Michael Palin ‘My hero is Patrick O’Brian. It’s basically impossible to write that well.’David Mamet ‘One of the most compelling and brilliant novelists of his time . . . Beyond his superbly elegant writing, wit and originality, Patrick O’Brian showed an understanding of the nature of a floating world at the mercy of the wind and the sea which has never been surpassed.’Max Hastings, Evening Standard ‘I devoured Patrick O’Brian’s twenty-volume masterpiece as if it had been so many tots of Jamaica grog.’Christopher Hitchens ‘Written with most engaging enthusiasm that can’t fail to give pleasure to anybody who enjoys historical adventure flavoured with more than a dash of realism.’The Sunday Times ‘One of the most brilliantly sustained pieces of historical fictional writing this century.’James Teacher, Spectator ‘Patrick O’Brian brings depth to his sea-stories with outstanding dialogue, characterisation, humour and a golden thread of romance. You don’t have to love books about naval battles to become entranced.’Katie Fforde

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Book SynopsisA sweeping and heart-breaking WW2 novel that takes the reader from Munich to POW camps in 1940s Florida. A revised and updated edition from a New York Times bestselling author.

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Book Synopsis''A compelling, atmospheric page-turner'' Steve Cavanagh''Gripping and compelling . . . balances immersive historical scene-setting with masterful plotting'' Dan Jones''A seriously gripping story - an outsider hero in jeopardy, a world of brooding danger, and an entirely, terrifyingly believable denouement'' Owen MatthewsBERLIN, JANUARY 1940Germany has conquered Poland. The world is praying for peace. At home, the Nazi Party''s hold on power is absolute. One freezing night, an SS doctor and his wife return home from an evening out. By sunrise, the doctor will be lifeless in a pool of blood. There is pressure to record the incident as a suicide, but the first evidence uncovered by Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke points to a chillingly staged murder. The investigation is swiftly blocked by Schenke''s superiors, but he can''t let it go. When he uncovers links to the mysterious death of a child, a terriTrade ReviewA compelling, atmospheric page-turner * Steve Cavanagh *Gripping and compelling . . . balances immersive historical scene-setting with masterful plotting * Dan Jones *A superb thriller with all the elements that make for a seriously gripping story - an outsider hero in jeopardy, a world of brooding danger, and an entirely, terrifyingly believable denouement * Owen Matthews *A chilling and accomplished historical thriller * Vaseem Khan *An absolute stone-cold page-turner * S. G. MacLean *'Scarrow's second World War Two thriller is a tense and fast-paced tale rich in period atmosphere' -- Bill Todd * The Sun *The moral ambiguity gives it a very especial edge. It is a tense, fast-moving story with plenty of action, culminating in a vividly described shoot-out -- Edward James * Historical Novel Review *Scarrow has alighted on an aspect of Nazi policy that certainly deserves to be better known -- James Owen * The Times *

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Book SynopsisFrom the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of ‘March’ and ‘People of the Book’. A young woman’s struggle to save her family and her soul during the extraordinary year of 1666, when plague suddenly struck a small Derbyshire village. In 1666, plague swept through London, driving the King and his court to Oxford, and Samuel Pepys to Greenwich, in an attempt to escape contagion. The north of England remained untouched until, in a small community of leadminers and hill farmers, a bolt of cloth arrived from the capital. The tailor who cut the cloth had no way of knowing that the damp fabric carried with it bubonic infection. So begins the Year of Wonders, in which a Pennine village of 350 souls confronts a scourge beyond remedy or understanding. Desperate, the villagers turn to sorcery, herb lore, and murderous witch-hunting. Then, led by a young and charismatic preacher, they elect to isolate themselves in a fatal quarantine. The story is told through the eyes of Anna Frith who, at only 18, must contend with the death of her family, the disintegration of her society, and the lure of a dangerous and illicit attraction. Geraldine Brooks’s novel explores love and learning, fear and fanaticism, and the struggle of 17th century science and religion to deal with a seemingly diabolical pestilence. ‘Year of Wonders’ is also an eloquent memorial to the real-life Derbyshire villagers who chose to suffer alone during England’s last great plague.Trade Review‘One of the best novels I’ve ever clapped eyes on’ Jenni Murray, Woman’s Hour ‘Geraldine Brooks’s impressive novel goes well beyond chronicling the devastation of a plague-ridden village. It leaves us with the memory of vivid characters struggling in timeless human ways with the hardships confronting them – and the memory, too, of an elegant and engaging story.’ Arthur Golden, author of ‘Memoirs of a Geisha’ ‘Geraldine Brooks's ‘Year of Wonders’ is a wonder indeed. The novel gives the reader a remarkable glimpse into a 17th century horror, but does so with both compassion and exuberance. Read it for the inventiveness of the language alone – a genuine treat.’ Anita Shreve, author of ‘The Pilot’s Wife’ and ‘The Last TIme They Met’ 'More than a mountain of corpses, more than a sensual evocation of the Sapphic bond between two women, more than a pulse-quickening tale, ‘Year of Wonders’ is a staggering fictional debut.' Guardian ‘’Year of Wonders’ carries absolute conviction as an evocation of place and mood. It has a vivid imaginative truth, and is beautifully written.’ Hilary Mantel

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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 starred 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

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Book SynopsisA deadly plague is spreading across the land...__________________As the year 1349 approaches, the Black Death continues its devastating course across England. In Dorseteshire, the quarantined people of Develish question whether they are the only survivors. Guided by their beloved young mistress, Lady Anne, they wait, knowing that when their dwindling stores are finally gone they will have no choice but to leave. But where will they find safety in the desolate wasteland outside? One man has the courage to find out. Thaddeus Thurkell, a free-thinking, educated serf, strikes out in search of supplies and news. A compelling leader, he and his companions quickly throw off the shackles of serfdom and set their minds to ensuring Develish's future - and freedom for its people.But what use is freedom that cannot be gained lawfully? When Lady Anne and Thaddeus conceive an audacious plan to secure her people's independence, neither foresees the life-threatening struggle over power, money and religion that follows...'Wonderful and sweeping, with a fabulous sense of place and history.' Kate Mosse on The Last HoursTrade ReviewWonderful and sweeping, with a fabulous sense of place and history * Kate Mosse on The Last Hours *An enthralling account of a calamitous time, and above all a wonderful testimony to the strength of the human spirit. I was caught from the first page. * Julian Fellowes on The Last Hours *Atmosphere, imagination and narrative power of which few other writers are capable * The Times *A vividly-wrought and powerful story. With The Last Hours, Minette Walters has brought her impressive skill as a writer of psychological crime to create a dark and gripping depiction of Medieval England in the jaws of the Black Death. * Elizabeth Fremantle on The Last Hours *Walters's skill and subtlety in portraying the suffering and disarray of a feudal society in which disease rampages and God has seemingly gone mad is masterly. And, as with her bestselling suspense novels, the psychological drama is gripping. * Elizabeth Buchan, Daily Mail, praise for The Last Hours *Stunning * Daily Express *A must-read... eloquent, absorbing, absolutely fascinating and thoroughly enjoyable. * LoveReading *a mammoth tale * BBC History Magazine *

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Book Synopsis

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