Historical Fiction Books

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Book SynopsisI?m the eldest daughter of Romeo and Juliet. Yes, that Romeo and Juliet. No, they didn?t die in the tomb. They?re alive and well and living in fair Verona with their six wildly impetuous children and me, their nineteen-year-old daughter Rosaline… Knives Out meets Bridgerton in Fair Verona, as New York Times bestselling author Christina Dodd kicks off a frothy, irreverent, witty new series with an irresistible premise?told from the delightfully engaging point of view of Romeo and Juliet?s clever, rebellious, fiercely independent daughter, Rosie Montague.?Fun, funny, charming, and absolutely delightful. If you?re looking for a novel to sweep you away and lift your spirits, look no further.? ? KRISTIN HANNAH, #1 New York Times bestselling authorOnce upon a time a young couple met and fell in love. You probably know that story, and how it ended (hint: badly). Only here?s the thing: That?s not how it ended at all.Romeo and Juliet are alive and well and the parents of seven kids. I?m the oldest, with the emphasis on ?old??a certified spinster at twenty, and happy to stay that way. It?s not easy to keep your taste for romance with parents like mine. Picture it?constant monologues, passionate declarations, fighting, making up, making out . . . it?s exhausting.Each time they?ve presented me with a betrothal, I?ve set out to find the groom-to-be a more suitable bride. After all, someone sensible needs to stay home and manage this household. But their latest match, Duke Stephano, isn?t so easy to palm off on anyone else. The debaucher has had three previous wives?all of whom met unfortunate ends. Conscience forbids me from consigning another woman to that fate. As it turns out, I don?t have to . . .At our betrothal ball?where, quite by accident, I meet a beautiful young man who makes me wonder if perhaps there is something to love at first sight?I stumble upon Duke Stephano with a dagger in his chest. But who killed him? His late wives? families, his relatives, his mistress, his servants?half of Verona had motive. And when everyone around the Duke begins dying, disappearing, or descending into madness, I know I must uncover the killer . . . before death lies on me like an untimely frost.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisJohn Irving’s fifteenth novel is “powerfully cinematic” (The Washington Post) and “eminently readable” (The Boston Globe). The Last Chairlift is part ghost story, part love story, spanning eight decades of sexual politics.In Aspen, Colorado, in 1941, Rachel Brewster is a slalom skier at the National Downhill and Slalom Championships. Little Ray, as she is called, finishes nowhere near the podium, but she manages to get pregnant. Back home, in New England, Little Ray becomes a ski instructor. Her son, Adam, grows up in a family that defies conventions and evades questions concerning the eventful past. Years later, looking for answers, he will go to Aspen. In the Hotel Jerome, where he was conceived, Adam will meet some ghosts; in The Last Chairlift, they aren’t the first or last ghosts he sees. John Irving has written some of the most acclaimed books of our time—among them,

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Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author of Daughters of the Dragon comes the story of one of the most extraordinary queens in history. As tensions rise on the Korean peninsula, US diplomat Nate Simon is sent to Seoul to gauge the political situation and advise the president. He also needs to find out why someone sent the president an ancient, intricately carved comb with an ivory inlay of a two-headed dragon. Though familiar with Korea’s language and culture, Nate knows little of its troubled history. Beautiful and mysterious embassy aide Anna Carlson believes it’s time he learns, starting with the extraordinary story of Korea’s last queen. Seoul, 1866. The beautiful orphan Ja-young is chosen to be the child bride of Gojong, Korea’s boy king. Highly intelligent but shy, Ja-young faces a choice: she can be a stone queen—silent and submissive—or she can be a dragon queen and oppose enemies and empires that try to rule Korea during the age of imperialism. Her choice leads her to forge a legend that will endure far beyond her lifetime. The more Nate discovers, the more he comes to realize that Queen Min’s story is still relevant today. Now the choice is up to him: be submissive and accepting…or change the world.

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Book SynopsisAs World War II ends, a killer’s game begins. In the final days of the Nazi regime, with the historic city of Dresden on the brink of destruction, terrifying rumors spread about the Fright Man, a demonic killer who exploited the cover of a nighttime air raid siren to mutilate and kill a young nurse. Just as seasoned detective Max Heller begins investigating, the Fright Man kills again… The investigation seems hopeless. Desperate refugees flood the streets, all of Heller’s resources are depleted, and his new boss is a ruthless SS officer. And like so many others, Heller and his wife, Karin, survive on meager rations while fearing for the lives of their sons at the front. But as tensions mount and enemy firebombs decimate the city, dangerous new clues come to light—and the determined Heller pursues a violent and twisting path to unmask a monster.

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Book SynopsisTwo hearts. Twice as vulnerable. Manhattan, 1850. Born out of wedlock to a wealthy socialite and a nameless immigrant, Cora Lee can mingle with the rich just as easily as she can slip unnoticed into the slums and graveyards of the city. As the only female resurrectionist in New York, she’s carved out a niche procuring bodies afflicted with the strangest of anomalies. Anatomists will pay exorbitant sums for such specimens—dissecting and displaying them for the eager public. Cora’s specialty is not only profitable, it’s a means to keep a finger on the pulse of those searching for her. She’s the girl born with two hearts—a legend among grave robbers and anatomists—sought after as an endangered prize. Now, as a series of murders unfolds closer and closer to Cora, she can no longer trust those she holds dear, including the young medical student she’s fallen for. Because someone has no intention of waiting for Cora to die a natural death.

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Book SynopsisA stirring and romantic historical novel about nineteenth-century Vienna and the tragedy and dynamic passion that inspired Ludwig van Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata. Vienna, 1800. Countess Julie Guicciardi’s life is about to change forever. The spirited eighteen-year-old is taking piano lessons with Ludwig van Beethoven, the most talented piano virtuoso in the musical capital of Europe. She is captivated by his volatile genius, while he is drawn to her curiosity and disarming candor. Between them, a unique romance. But Beethoven has a secret he’s yet to share, and Julie is harboring a secret of her own, one so scandalous it could destroy their perfect love story. When Beethoven discovers the truth, he sets his emotions to music, composing a mournful opus that will become the Moonlight Sonata. The haunting refrain will follow Julie for the rest of her life. Set against the rich backdrop of nineteenth-century Vienna, The Woman in the Moonlight is an exhilarating ode to eternal passion. An epic tale of love, loss, rivalry, and political intrigue. A stirring portrait of a titan who wrestled with the gods and a woman who defied convention to inspire him.Trade Review“Spanning 50 years and various dazzling European cities, Morrisroe’s fiction debut combines historical fact and speculation into this story of the woman who inspired Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata. Julie is a complex, thoughtfully written protagonist, surrounded by a large but never overwhelming cast of supporting characters, and the historical backdrop, full of court intrigue, is rich and detailed. Historical-fiction fans will find much to enjoy here.” —Booklist “[The Woman in the Moonlight] is a novel full [of] illuminating details about the countess and the composer, but also finely rendered details about society life in 1800s Vienna.” —Town & Country “Though researched to a fare-thee-well, Morrisroe’s fiction never lets atmospheric historic detail slow the swift pace of intrigue, politics, art, and sex. Can the HBO miniseries be far behind?” —Matthew Gurewitsch for BeyondCriticism.com “Based on a true story, Morrisroe turns her accomplished non-fiction research and writing skills to this little-known aspect of Beethoven’s life to deliver an intriguing story.” —Book Marks, Lee Woodruff “An intoxicating novel about love, art, and life. Just as Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata moves one from tears to hope, so does Patricia Morrisroe’s story of the woman who inspired the sonata, Countess Julie Guicciardi.” —Lara Prescott, New York Times bestselling author of The Secrets We Kept “I was utterly absorbed in this beautiful novel of the brilliant, impossible Beethoven and the lovely countess who inspired one of his greatest sonatas. The story is so moving I was sorry to come to the last pages. I read them with tears in my eyes.” —Stephanie Cowell, author of Marrying Mozart “Sensual, witty, and deeply researched, The Woman in the Moonlight vividly captures the tumultuous romance between volatile genius Ludwig van Beethoven and his ‘enchanting girl,’ Countess Julie Guicciardi. In a love story ripe with decadence and court intrigue, Patricia Morrisroe transports readers on an unforgettable romp through nineteenth-century Europe. Brava!” —Sally Koslow, internationally bestselling author of Another Side of Paradise “Captivating and emotionally compelling. Morrisroe writes with intelligence and great wit. Her spirited heroine is simply unforgettable. A must-read for music fans and anyone in search of a gripping love story. I could not put it down.” —Sheila Weller, New York Times bestselling author of Girls Like Us: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon—and the Journey of a Generation “The Woman in the Moonlight shines a light into nineteenth-century Europe’s political and cultural history, revealing lives that are just as nuanced, tortured, and decadent as any we might read about in the tabloids today. Morrisroe’s touching debut novel is a tribute to the focus, tenacity, courage, and sacrifice demanded by both art and what is commonly called true love.” —Barbara Quick, author of Vivaldi’s Virgins

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Book SynopsisIn occupied Paris, one woman risks everything to help bring down the Nazis. Paris, 1940. The Nazis have occupied the city—and the Ritz. The opulent old hotel, so loved by Parisians, is now full of swaggering officers, their minions and their mistresses. For American Olivia Olsen, working as a chambermaid at the hotel means denying her nationality and living a lie, every day bringing the danger of discovery closer. When Hitler’s right-hand man moves in and makes her his pet, she sees an opportunity to help the Resistance—and draw closer to Jack, her contact, whose brusque instructions may be a shield for something more… Within the hotel, famed designer Coco Chanel quickly learns that the new regime could work to her benefit, while Arletty, one of France’s best-loved actresses, shocks those around her—and herself—with a forbidden love. But as the war reaches its terrible end, all three women learn the true price of their proximity to the enemy. For in the shadow of war, is anyone truly safe?

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Book SynopsisFrom bestselling Spanish author Paul Pen comes a haunting and hopeful tale of discovering light in even the darkest of places. For his whole life, the boy has lived underground, in a basement with his parents, grandmother, sister, and brother. Before he was born, his family was disfigured by a fire. His sister wears a white mask to cover her burns. He spends his hours with his cactus, reading his book on insects, or touching the one ray of sunlight that filters in through a crack in the ceiling. Ever since his sister had a baby, everyone’s been acting very strangely. The boy begins to wonder why they never say who the father is, about what happened before his own birth, about why they’re shut away. A few days ago, some fireflies arrived in the basement. His grandma said, There’s no creature more amazing than one that can make its own light. That light makes the boy want to escape, to know the outside world. Problem is, all the doors are locked. And he doesn’t know how to get out…

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Book SynopsisIt is 1936 and Spain is on the brink of civil war. Across Europe, young men are enlisting in the International Brigade to free their Spanish brethren from the grip of fascism, leaving sisters and lovers at home. But not all women are content to be left behind. In Britain, Charlotte McBain and Libby Forbes, friends from opposite sides of the class divide, are determined to do what they can; in Spain, Rosita García Díaz, fiercely loyal to her family and country, cannot stand by and watch. Three brave women, inspired by patriotism, idealism, love and even revenge, dare to go into battle against tradition and oppression. Tying them all together is Jo, Libby’s granddaughter. Five decades later she travels to Spain hoping to make sense of a troubling letter hidden among her grandmother’s possessions. What she learns will change all of their lives forever. Deceit, heartbreak and a longstanding fear of reprisals must all be overcome if the deeds of the forgotten women are to be properly honoured.

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Book SynopsisA Nazi doctor. A Jewish rebel. A little girl. Each one will fight for freedom—or die trying. Imprisoned in the Lodz Ghetto, Elsi discovers her mother’s desperate attempt to end her pregnancy and comes face-to-face with the impossibility of their situation. Risking her own life, Elsi joins a resistance group to sabotage the regime. Blonde, blue-eyed Matilda is wrenched from her family in Romania and taken to Germany, where her captors attempt to mold her into the perfect Aryan child. Spirited and brave, she must inspire hope in the other stolen children to make her dreams of escape a reality. Willem, a high-ranking Nazi doctor, plans to save lives when he takes posts in both the ghetto and Auschwitz. After witnessing unimaginable cruelties, he begins to question his role and the future of those he is ordered to destroy. While Hitler ransacks Europe in pursuit of a pure German race, the lives of three broken souls—thrown together by chance—intertwine. Only love and sacrifice might make them whole again.Trade Review“Three main characters are intricately woven together in an uncertain time and in an unusual way to create a beautiful yet poignant tale about love and loss.” —Erin Woodward, InStyle Magazine (UK) “This book is incredibly well-written, emotionally moving, and has fully developed, flawed characters.” —Literary Quicksand “A riveting story, this tells a tale of love, loss, heartbreak, sacrifice, death, and cruelty among various other emotions.” —Red Pillows Book Reviews

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Book SynopsisThe bestselling author of Last Train to Istanbul returns with a tale of love defying all boundaries. Sabahat, a beautiful young Muslim woman, is known in her family for her intelligence, drive, and stubbornness. She believes there is more in store for her life than a good marriage and convinces her parents to let her pursue her education, rare for young Turkish women in the 1920s. But no one—least of all Sabahat herself—expects that in the course of her studies she will fall for a handsome Armenian student named Aram. After precious moments alone together, their love begins to blossom. Try as she might to simplify her life and move on, Sabahat has no choice but to follow her heart’s desire. But Aram is Christian, and neither family approves. With only hope to guide their way, they defy age-old traditions, cross into dangerous territory, and risk everything to find their way back to each other. One of Turkey’s most beloved authors brings us an evocative story of two star-crossed lovers inspired by her own family’s history.

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Book SynopsisWhen two Union soldiers stumble onto a plantation in northern Georgia on a warm May day in 1864, the last thing they expect is to see the Union flag flying high—or to be greeted by a group of freed slaves and their Jewish mistress. Little do they know that this place has an unusual history. Twelve years prior, Adelaide Mannheim—daughter of Mordecai, the only Jewish planter in the county—was given her own maid, a young slave named Rachel. The two became friends, and soon they discovered a secret: Mordecai was Rachel’s father, too. As the country moved toward war, Adelaide and Rachel struggled to navigate their newfound sisterhood—from love and resentment to betrayal and, ultimately, forgiveness. Now, facing these Union soldiers as General Sherman advances nearer, their bond is put to the ultimate test. Will the plantation be spared? Or will everything they’ve lived for be lost? Revised edition: Previously published as Slave and Sister, this edition of Sister of Mine: A Novel includes editorial revisions.Trade Review“An original and superbly written story, Slave and Sister establishes author Sabra Waldfogel as a skilled and talented storyteller. An engaging and solidly entertaining novel from first page to last...” -Midwest Book Review “...a complex story of survival and the emergence of true love and heroism. ...A veritable page-turner that will capture the reader from start to finish.” -Lavender Magazine “Well written...a pleasure for those who enjoy this genre of Civil War fiction.” -Civil War News “A sweeping saga that takes you back to the time of the Civil War... The author brings this time period vividly alive for the reader... A book that touches your heart.” -Peeking Between the Pages “The book is full of strong characters, some likable, some not, but you’ll be captivated from the first chapter to the last. The touch of Jewish traditions and heritage is a fascinating twist on a Civil War-era book.” -With Her Nose Stuck in a Book “A compelling plot...recommended to readers who like to see unusual perspectives in historical fiction.” -Book Babe

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Book SynopsisWhen twenty-year-old Anna Carlson travels from America to a Korean orphanage to locate her birth mother, she’s devastated to learn the woman is already dead. But just when it seems her search is over, a stranger hands her a parcel containing an antique comb—and an address. That scrap of paper leads Anna to the Seoul apartment of the poor yet elegant Hong Jae-hee. Jae-hee recounts an epic tale that begins with the Japanese occupation of Korea and China during World War II, when more than two hundred thousand Korean women were forced to serve the soldiers as “comfort women.” Jae-hee knows the story well—she was one of them. As Jae-hee’s narrative unfolds, Anna discovers that the precious tortoiseshell comb, with its two-headed ivory dragon, has survived against all odds through generations of her family’s women. And as its origins become clearer, Anna realizes that along with the comb, she inherits a legacy—of resilience and courage, love and redemption—beyond her wildest imagination. Revised edition: This edition of Daughters of the Dragon includes editorial revisions.

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Book SynopsisHoping to make a clean break from a fractured marriage, Agatha Christie boards the Orient Express in disguise. But unlike her famous detective Hercule Poirot, she can’t neatly unravel the mysteries she encounters on this fateful journey. Agatha isn’t the only passenger on board with secrets. Her cabinmate Katharine Keeling’s first marriage ended in tragedy, propelling her toward a second relationship mired in deceit. Nancy Nelson—newly married but carrying another man’s child—is desperate to conceal the pregnancy and teeters on the brink of utter despair. Each woman hides her past from the others, ferociously guarding her secrets. But as the train bound for the Middle East speeds down the track, the parallel courses of their lives shift to intersect—with lasting repercussions. Filled with evocative imagery, suspense, and emotional complexity, The Woman on the Orient Express explores the bonds of sisterhood forged by shared pain and the power of secrets.

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Book SynopsisOrphaned into an unforgiving foster home and raised as an outsider, Weird-Eye shoulders her unflattering nickname. She relies on her vivid imagination to sustain her work as a midwife bringing newborns into the world while World War II overruns her native Finland, desecrating life. She finds herself drawn to the handsome, otherworldly Johannes Angelhurst, a war photographer working for the SS. To be near him, Weird-Eye—whom Johannes lovingly calls Wild-Eye—volunteers to serve as a nurse at the prison camp where he has been assigned. From the brutality of the camps to the splendor of the aurora borealis above the Arctic Sea, The Midwife tells of a stormy romance, the desolate beauty of a protective fjord, and the deeply personal battles waged as World War II came to an end.

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Book SynopsisIn this savage saga of love, war, lust, and magic set in the tenth century, young Sigrid is destined to be the mother of the king of the Nordic lands that would become Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and England. A devout believer in the old Nordic gods, Sigrid is visited regularly in her dreams by the goddess Freya, who whispers to her of the future. Though Sigrid is beautiful, rich, arrogant, and matchlessly clever, her uncanny ability to foresee the future and manipulate the present guides her through dangerous politics as a bloody war between Vikings and Christians rages on. Sigrid’s father wants her to marry Erik, a local king, to secure the peace between the Goths and the Swedes. Thinking she is doing Freya’s will, she accepts the marriage offer, only to find that her destiny lies not with Erik but with Sweyn, a warrior who dreams of dethroning Harald Bluetooth, the legendary ruler of Denmark. Will Sigrid sacrifice her will for the greatest Viking kingdom of all time, or will she follow her heart at the risk of losing everything?

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Book SynopsisJonathan Beecher, a middle-aged widower and small-town store owner, has never asked for much. But lately, all too much is being asked of him. The bombing of Pearl Harbor plunges America into World War II and deeply fractures Jonathan’s own family. His eldest son, a civilian contractor, is trapped on a Japanese-occupied island in the Pacific. Jonathan’s feckless younger son ignores his father’s pleas to stay home and joins the army. And his bright, devoted daughter, who Jonathan hoped would go to college, elopes with a brutally abusive man instead. Jonathan has always met adversity with quiet faith, but as his emotional and financial losses accumulate, so do his doubts. In the midst of his pain, Sarah, a widow herself, emerges as a kind, compelling friend. Powerfully drawn to Sarah, Jonathan struggles to remain true to his late wife. James D. Shipman’s tender, wise novel examines the paradox of human suffering: how irrevocable loss, if we are willing to let it, begets spiritual gain.Trade Review“James Shipman has thoughtfully composed the title from Horatio Spafford’s amazing hymn, It Is Well with My Soul....An interesting read.” —Historical Novel Society

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Book Synopsis"Instantly absorbing, suspenseful, romantic, and stylish—like binge-watching a great British drama on Masterpiece Theater." —Lee Child, New York Times bestselling author Winner of the Left Coast Crime Award winner for Best Historical Mystery Novel and the Agatha Award for Best Historical Novel. World War II comes to Farleigh Place, the ancestral home of Lord Westerham and his five daughters, when a soldier with a failed parachute falls to his death on the estate. After his uniform and possessions raise suspicions, MI5 operative and family friend Ben Cresswell is covertly tasked with determining if the man is a German spy. The assignment also offers Ben the chance to be near Lord Westerham's middle daughter, Pamela, whom he furtively loves. But Pamela has her own secret: she has taken a job at Bletchley Park, the British code-breaking facility. As Ben follows a trail of spies and traitors, which may include another member of Pamela's family, he discovers that some within the realm have an appalling, history-altering agenda. Can he, with Pamela's help, stop them before England falls? Inspired by the events and people of World War II, writer Rhys Bowen crafts a sweeping and riveting saga of class, family, love, and betrayal.Trade Review"…well-crafted, thoroughly entertaining thriller…a game of spy versus spy, and with every twist and turn, the reader is unsure whom to trust." —Publishers Weekly "The skills Bowen brings to her several mystery series, including Molly Murphy and Royal Spyness, inform the plotting in this character-rich tale, which will be welcomed by her fans as well as by readers who enjoy fiction about the British home front." —Booklist "In what could easily become a PBS show of its own, Bowen's novel winningly details a World War II spy game. It features an English aristocrat's daughter who works at London's top-secret home of code breakers, Bletchley Park, and a number of others with high-stakes plots and plans." —Library Journal "Suspenseful and thrilling, with some espionage too, this novel will keep readers deeply involved until the end." —Portland Book Review "In Farleigh Field delivers the same entertainment mixed with intellectual intrigue and realistic setting for which Bowen has earned awards and loyal fans." —New York Journal of Books "Well-plotted and thoroughly entertaining…With characters who are so fully fleshed out, you can imagine meeting them on the street…" —Historical Novel Society "This story of war, love, and mystery is extremely suspenseful... both realistic and believable. Through the character's eyes, readers will be drawn into the era and begin to understand the sacrifices and hardships placed on English society." —Crimespree Magazine "A thrill a minute…highly recommend." —Night Owl Reviews, Top Pick "Riveting…" —Military Press "Instantly absorbing, suspenseful, romantic and stylish - like binge-watching a great British drama on Masterpiece Theater." —Lee Child, New York Times bestselling author "In Farleigh Field is brilliant. The plotting is razor sharp and ingenious, the setting in World War Two Britain is so tangible it's eerie. The depth and breadth of character is astonishing. They're likeable and repulsive and warm and stand-offish. And oh, so human. And so relatable. All this would be enough to propel In Farleigh Field to the top of your favourites list, but what truly distinguishes this book, indeed all her books, is the quality of writing. Rhys Bowen is one of the very best fiction writers of the day. With a deep understanding of the wounded human heart, and an uncanny ability to capture the quiet emotions and the grand scale of war, she rises above her contemporaries. This is magnificently written and a must read." —Louise Penny, New York Times bestselling author "Irresistible, charming and heartbreakingly authentic. Rhys Bowen's knowing voice transports Downton fans into a unputdownable family saga…a compelling journey through history, loss, honor and love. When war gets personal, every heart is in peril." —Hank Phillippi Ryan, author of Say No More

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Book SynopsisAn uneasy peace reigns in Wales. It’s 1109 and the truce with England hangs by the thinnest of threads. While King Gruffydd ap Cynan’s rule of law holds in the north, a spirit of rebellion is rising in the south, as tearaway princes and rebels grow to resent England’s oppression of their homeland. And when Nesta, married off in a political move by England’s King Henry, leaves the safety of her husband’s castle to attend a celebration, the rebels seize their opportunity. The truce broken, England’s rulers look to turn the ensuing chaos to their advantage, and to crush Wales under their boot once and for all. Gruffydd is left with a stark choice: enforce the peace he so desires for his land, and betray his countrymen, or risk everything he has built by going to war with the English once again. But the decision is soon taken out of his hands by those who ride for liberty from the depths of Rebellion’s Forge. Rebellion’s Forge is the third book in the Blood of Kings trilogy.

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Book SynopsisIn the chaos of World War II, Polish teenagers Helena and Luzyna Grabowski have lost everything. Without parents or a home, they are shipped to a refugee camp in Persia, where the days ahead hold only darkness. When they hear that orphans are being selected for relocation to New Zealand, Helena is filled with hope—until the officials say they have a place only for her younger sister. On the morning she is to be transported, Luzyna fails to join the chosen group, and Helena takes her place. But the horrors of war—and her guilt at abandoning her sister—follow Helena on the journey across the sea, as a man from her past preys on her fear and remorse. Though the people in New Zealand embrace her, the traumas Helena has suffered threaten her peace and blind her to the devotion of James, a charming, heroic young Allied pilot. If Helena can let go and dare to hope again, she may finally step out of the long shadow of her past to find a future made whole—a new community, a new family, a new love.

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Book SynopsisThe epic Valhalla saga continues as bloody power struggles sweep across the Nordic lands and a Viking queen’s daughter must forge her own destiny. Fearless Queen Sigrid wants her twin children to fulfill their destinies: her son, Olaf, to become heir to the kingdom of Svealand, and her gifted daughter, Estrid, to secure passage to the underworld as she is promised to Hel, the Norse goddess of death. But Olaf’s ascension to the throne depends on Sigrid’s former husband, King Erik the Victorious, who despises her and suspects the twins are not his but Sweyn Forkbeard’s, Denmark’s exiled king. As long as the Danish throne is in question, Christian kingdoms and pagan clans battle for control. As Sigrid and her people await Erik’s return from war, a cross-worshipper is taken captive, whose strange power over Estrid sways her to question her allegiance to the death goddess. When Estrid is kidnapped, Sigrid vows to rescue her—at any cost.

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Book Synopsis1081. William’s bloody conquest is over and Britain is under Norman rule. But one bastion of resistance remains: Wales. A divided land where brother fights brother and kings battle for power. The English use this to further their own ends, and while one king is tempted by an offer he cannot resist, the others wage war over long-forgotten feuds. Gruffydd ap Cynan, true heir to the kingdom of Gwynedd, is in exile across the sea. When he hears of the betrayal of the Welsh people by the imposter in his throne, Gruffydd unites with Tewdwr, a monarch deposed by the traitors, and they forge an army from the ashes of their kingdoms. But Tewdwr’s wife and daughter—the source of much of the allies’ strength—are a weakness their enemies will exploit. Betrayal, treachery and war await, but both men know they must fight to the bitter end, when the sundered lands of Wales are drenched...in the blood of kings.

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Book SynopsisGruffydd ap Cynan is missing, his army scattered. Twelve long years have passed since the king was taken prisoner and his people think him long dead. In the dirty shadows of Chester Castle, a beaten prisoner looks up from the squalor of the street. Dressed in rags, mocked and pelted with filth, he seems a broken man. Yet deep inside, the desire for freedom burns like the hottest furnace. Nesta is a princess in fetters of a different kind. After the death of her father, Tewdwr, she is taken against her will to London to attend the court of King William, son of the Conqueror. There she will find that court politics, and the attentions of princes and lords, are just as dangerous as the arrows and swords of the battlefield. The royal blood of Wales is scattered and weakened, but while it flows in the bloodline of Rhodri Mawr, hope remains—Hope that a broken kingdom can be reborn.

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Book SynopsisHearts and dreams evolve in the shadow of the once-magnificent Penn Station. Vera Keller, the daughter of German immigrants in turn-of-the-century New York City, finds her life upended when the man she loves becomes engaged to another woman. But Angelo Bellavia has also inadvertently opened up Vera’s life to unexpected possibilities. Angelo’s new wife, Pearl, the wealthy daughter of a clothing manufacturer, has defied her family’s expectations by devoting herself to the suffrage movement. In Pearl, Vera finds an unexpected dear friend…and a stirring new cause of her own. But when Pearl’s selfless work pulls her farther from Angelo and their son, the life Vera craved is suddenly within her reach—if her conscience will allow her to take it. Her choice will define not only her future but also that of her daughter, Alice. Vera and Alice—a generation and a world apart—are bound by the same passionate drive to fulfill their dreams. As first mother and then daughter come of age in a city that is changing as rapidly as its skyline, they’ll each discover that love is the only constant.

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Book SynopsisA spellbinding thriller from the bestselling author of The Einstein Prophecy. A chilling curse is transported from 1880s London to present-day California, awakening a long-dormant fiend. While on routine patrol in the tinder-dry Topanga Canyon, environmental scientist Rafael Salazar expects to find animal poachers, not a dilapidated antique steamer trunk. Inside the peculiar case, he discovers a journal, written by the renowned Robert Louis Stevenson, which divulges ominous particulars about his creation of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It also promises to reveal a terrible secret—the identity of Jack the Ripper. Unfortunately, the journal—whose macabre tale unfolds in an alternating narrative with Rafe’s—isn’t the only relic in the trunk, and Rafe isn’t the only one to purloin a souvenir. A mysterious flask containing the last drops of the grisly potion that inspired Jekyll and Hyde and spawned London’s most infamous killer has gone missing. And it has definitely fallen into the wrong hands.

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Book SynopsisFrom New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Rhys Bowen comes a haunting novel about a woman who braves her father’s hidden past to discover his secrets… “Pass the bread, the olives, and the wine. Oh, and a copy of The Tuscan Child to savor with them.” —NPR In 1944, British bomber pilot Hugo Langley parachuted from his stricken plane into the verdant fields of German-occupied Tuscany. Badly wounded, he found refuge in a ruined monastery and in the arms of Sofia Bartoli. But the love that kindled between them was shaken by an irreversible betrayal. Nearly thirty years later, Hugo’s estranged daughter, Joanna, has returned home to the English countryside to arrange her father’s funeral. Among his personal effects is an unopened letter addressed to Sofia. In it is a startling revelation. Still dealing with the emotional wounds of her own personal trauma, Joanna embarks on a healing journey to Tuscany to understand her father’s history—and maybe come to understand herself as well. Joanna soon discovers that some would prefer the past be left undisturbed, but she has come too far to let go of her father’s secrets now…Trade ReviewA Goodreads Choice Award Semifinalist, Historical Fiction A New York Post Must-Read Selection “Pass the bread, the olives, and the wine. Oh, and a copy of The Tuscan Child to savor with them.” —NPR “The next best thing to going to Italy right now.” —HelloGiggles “Readers who enjoy World War II historical fiction and rural Italian culture will appreciate this story by a master of her genre.” —Library Journal “The alternating narratives keep the story moving along, and the pastoral setting is transporting.” —Booklist “Besides being an action-packed story that is intense and haunting, Bowen also brings to life the setting where the reader can smell the cooking scents, see the brilliant olive groves, and hear the Italian chatter.” —Crimespree “This novel is well plotted with characters that are so compelling, with their attributes and flaws, that the reader can almost feel as if they had sat down and shared a glass of vin santo with them.” —Historical Novel Society “The interwoven mystery is expertly crafted and unravels at a pace that will keep readers guessing until the end. This is an overall enjoyable trip to the Tuscan countryside and readers will be reluctant to leave this charming and intriguing place.” —RT Book Reviews “That Rhys Bowen is the consummate storyteller is a given—from her insightful characterizations to her plotting wizardry, she is a wonderful writer. But now Rhys has outdone herself—The Tuscan Child is a poignant story of love in wartime, woven into a compelling search for the truth when mysteries consigned to the past begin to unravel. The Tuscan Child presented me with a conundrum—didn’t want the book to end, yet I couldn’t put it down. Best read with a glass of Chianti beside a roaring fire. Brava Rhys Bowen—brava!” —Jacqueline Winspear, New York Times bestselling author of the Maisie Dobbs historical mystery novels

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Book SynopsisThe first in a new series from Petra Durst-Benning, the bestselling author of The Glassblower series. An inspiring historical tale of one woman risking it all for her dreams set in 1890s Berlin. After the tragic death of her little brother, Josephine travels to the Black Forest to heal. There she discovers a feeling of freedom astride a brand-new invention: the bicycle. The very idea of a woman on a bicycle is beyond taboo—it is indecent and even illegal—but Josephine will not be deterred. Back home, Josephine rides under cover of night, while the world is still asleep so as not to provoke a scandal. But Berlin’s streets are dangerous and the winds of change are blowing. Can Josephine’s fighting heart help her overcome the obstacles in her path? Will the passion she feels for this new adventure lead her toward true love?

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Book SynopsisAn Amazon Charts bestseller. In the shadows of World War II, trust becomes the greatest risk of all for two strangers. December 1943. In the years before the rise of Hitler, the Gerber family’s summer cottage was filled with laughter. Now, as deep drifts of snow blanket the Black Forest, German dissenter Franka Gerber is alone and hopeless. Fervor and brutality have swept through her homeland, taking away both her father and her brother and leaving her with no reason to live. That is, until she discovers an unconscious airman lying in the snow wearing a Luftwaffe uniform, his parachute flapping in the wind. Unwilling to let him die, Franka takes him to her family’s isolated cabin despite her hatred for the regime he represents. But when it turns out that he is not who he seems, Franka begins a race against time to unravel the mystery of the airman’s true identity. Their tenuous bond becomes as inseparable as it is dangerous. Hunted by the Gestapo, can they trust each other enough to join forces on a mission that could change the face of the war and their own lives forever?Trade ReviewA Goodreads Choice Award Semifinalist, Historical Fiction “White Rose, Black Forest is partly a lyrical poem, an uncomfortable history lesson, and a page-turning thriller that will keep the reader engaged from the beginning to the end.” —Flora J. Solomon, author of A Pledge of Silence “There is much to praise in Eoin Dempsey’s White Rose, Black Forest, but for me it stands out from the glut of war fiction because of its poetic simplicity. The novel does not span a massive cast of characters, various continents, and the entire duration of the conflict. It is the tale of one young man, one young woman, and the courage to change the tide of a war. Emotional, taut, and deftly drawn, White Rose, Black Forest is a stunning tale of bravery, compassion, and love.” —Aimie K. Runyan, bestselling author of Daughters of the Night Sky “Dempsey’s World War II thriller is a haunting page-turner. The settings are detailed and the characters leap off the page. I couldn’t put this book down. An instant bestseller.” —James D. Shipman, bestselling author of It Is Well and A Bitter Rain “A gripping story of heroism and redemption, White Rose, Black Forest glows with delicate yet vivid writing. I enjoyed it tremendously.” —Olivia Hawker, author of The Ragged Edge of Night “Tense, taut, and tightly focused, White Rose, Black Forest is a haunting novel about courage and compassion that will keep you gripped from the very first page.” —Colin Falconer, bestselling author of The Unkillable Kitty O’Kane

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Book SynopsisAn epic saga of love, blood, and destiny in twentieth-century Vietnam: “This superb novel could well be the War and Peace of our age” (San Francisco Chronicle). Joseph Sherman first visits Saigon—the capital of French colonial Cochin-China—as a young man on his father’s hunting trip in 1925. But the exotic land lures him back again and again as a traveler, soldier, and reporter. He returns because of his fascination for the enchanting city—and for Lan, a mandarin’s daughter he cannot forget. Over five decades Joseph’s life becomes enmeshed with the political intrigues of two of Saigon’s most influential families, the French colonist Devrauxs, and the native Trans. In this sweeping saga of tragedy and triumph, Joseph witnesses Vietnam’s turbulent, war-torn fate. He is there when millions of coolies rise against the French, and during their bloody last stand at Dien Bien Phu. And he sees US military “advisors” fire their first shots in America’s hopeless war against the Communist revolution. A story of adventure, love, war, and political power, Saigon presents an enthralling and enlightening depiction of twentieth-century Vietnam. Trade Review“Like James Michener and James Clavell, Mr. Grey is a master storyteller. Unlike them, however, he has something pertinent to say and does so in distinguished fashion . . . Saigon is a novel of terrible importance.” —The Kansas City Star “A long overdue epic masterpiece of twentieth century Vietnam . . . The author balances the political intrigues and wartime horrors with a story of human sensitivity and love.” —Library Journal “This book makes a claim as the Vietnam equivalent to Norman Mailer’s The Naked and the Dead written about the Second World War.” —Daily Mail “This superb novel could well be the War and Peace of our age. By using a technique of historical progression, author Anthony Grey does for the Vietnam wars what Leo Tolstoy did for the Napoleonic wars.” —San Francisco Chronicle “One of the most memorable love stories of our time has been delivered with a firm literate hand by Anthony Grey who with this novel establishes himself as one of the finest storytellers plying his trade today. . . . It’s a book which no doubt will stand the test of time.” —West Coast Review of Books “A political statement, a great adventure story, and an accurate window on that war- ravaged country, Vietnam . . . Anthony Grey has produced a masterpiece.” —Leatherneck Magazine of the Marines

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Book Synopsis'Another meticulously researched and stunningly written novel by a much-loved and highly accomplished author. I adored it!' - Santa MontefiorePiracy. Romance. Revenge. Across the seas of the seventeenth century, two seafarers are forced to fight for their lives. The sequel to The City of Tears, The Ghost Ship is the third novel in the Joubert Family Chronicles from bestselling author Kate Mosse. The Barbary Coast, 1621. A mysterious vessel floats silently on the water – its hull splintered and its sails tattered and burnt. For months the Ghost Ship has hunted pirates to liberate enslaved prisoners. Now it – too – finds itself hunted.But the ship’s crew hides a secret, and the stakes could not be higher. The bravest among them are not who they seem: if arrested, they will hang for their alleged crimes. Can they survive their journey and escape their fate?A sweeping and epic love story, The Ghost Ship is a tale of adventure and buccaneering, love and revenge, stolen fortunes, piracy and hidden secrets on the high seas.Trade ReviewMosse can tell a story . . . plunge relentlessly and breathlessly in alongside Louise and Gilles in their maritime adventure * The Times *Beautifully written and engaging from the first page, keeping you guessing until the end * Independent *A gripping, thrilling page-turner, richly imagined and impeccably told * Toronto Star *Another meticulously researched and stunningly written novel by a much-loved and highly accomplished author. I adored it! -- Santa Montefiore, bestselling author of An Italian Girl in BrooklynThe Ghost Ship is utterly absorbing. I couldn’t put it down and fell in love with her two main characters, and felt bereft when it ended -- Louise Minchin, BBC journalist, host of the Her Spirit podcast and author of FearlessGripping, thrilling, a spectacular work of scholarly reimagining, The Ghost Ship is a beautiful book about two women, about love, courage, suffering, and a world in which everything was on a knife edge. A stunning novel, a whole world recreated -- Kate Williams, historian and author of Rival QueensAppositely placed in the past – this compelling tale of women on a mission to be seen and heard is a tale for today. Page turning -- Helen Lederer, comedian and author of Losing ItTransporting, intelligent, heartwarming and intriguing, this is historical fiction at its finest -- Lucy Atkins, author of Magpie LaneWonderful, rip roaringly adventurous and full of indelible characters. Mosse is a conjurer -- Irenosen Okojie, author of NudibranchA gorgeously written, utterly absorbing epic and, despite being set in the sixteenth century, has some very pertinent messages for our time about the evils of religious persecution and the transcendent power of love and family. In case it’s not clear enough yet, I absolutely LOVED it -- Lucy Foley, bestselling author of The Hunting Party and The Paris Apartment, on The City of Tears[A] dramatic, immersive tale of secrets, conspiracies, fanaticism and loss -- Daily Mail on The City of Tears

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Book SynopsisBehind every detective stands a great woman . . .When Sherlock Holmes turns down the case of persecuted Laura Shirley, Mrs Hudson - the landlady of Baker Street - and Mary Watson - the wife of Dr Watson - resolve to take on the investigation themselves. From the kitchen of 221b, the two women begin their inquiries and enlist the assistance of the Baker Street Irregulars and the infamous Irene Adler. A trail of clues leads them to the darkest corners of Whitechapel, where the fearsome Ripper supposedly still stalks. They soon discover Laura Shirley is not the only woman at risk - the lives of many others are in danger too.As Mrs Hudson and Mary Watson put together the pieces of an increasingly complex puzzle, the investigation becomes bigger than either of them could ever have imagined. Can they solve the case or are they just pawns in a much larger game?It is time for Mrs Hudson and Mary Watson to emerge from the shadows and stand in the spotlight . . .Trade Review'I loved The House at Baker Street. This is the perfect post-Sherlock book: warm, compassionate, intelligent, with plot and language crafted in the style of the Master Conan Doyle himself. Martha Hudson and Mary Watson step off the page, finally given the life they always needed. It's the kind of book any of us would be proud to have written, but to have done so as a debut is little short of exceptional. Michelle Birkby is a name to watch as she rises to literary stardom - and I can already feel the television adaptation on the way' * Manda Scott, author of the Rome and Boudica series *Cleverly incorporating much-loved elements of the original Conan Doyle novels, this is a witty feminist take on the crime classic * The Lady *

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Book Synopsis‘Fans of Jodi Picoult’s style will love how Diane Chamberlain writes’ – Candis.Big Lies in a Small Town, by the internationally bestselling author Diane Chamberlain, is a sweeping novel about two women connected by a painting that holds many dark secrets.North Carolina, 2018: Morgan Christopher’s life has been derailed. Taking the fall for a crime she did not commit, she finds herself serving a three-year stint in the North Carolina Women’s Correctional Centre. Her dream of a career in the arts is put on hold – until a mysterious visitor makes her an offer that will see her released immediately. Her assignment: restore an old post office mural in a sleepy southern town. Morgan knows nothing about art restoration but, desperate to leave prison, she accepts. What she finds under the layers of grime is a painting that tells the story of madness, violence and a conspiracy of small-town secrets.North Carolina, 1940: Anna Dale, an artist from New Jersey, wins a national contest to paint a mural for the post office in Edenton, North Carolina. Alone in the world and desperate for work, she accepts. But what she doesn’t expect is to find herself immersed in a town where prejudices run deep, where people are hiding secrets behind closed doors and where the price for being different might just end in murder.What happened to Anna Dale? Are the clues hidden in the decrepit mural? Can Morgan overcome her own demons to discover what exists beneath the layers of lies?Trade ReviewChamberlain puts so much grit, emotion and drama into her books that it’s impossible to stop thinking about the plot * Heat *Totally amazing. I love Diane’s writing -- Cathy KellyDiane Chamberlain’s gift for storytelling never fails * My Weekly *An excellent read that will be loved by her fans and anyone who enjoys reading -- Jodi Picoult

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Book SynopsisA major film from the makers of Normal People and Room, starring Florence Pugh and streaming on Netflix.An eleven-year-old girl stops eating, but remains miraculously alive and well. A nurse, sent to investigate whether she is a fraud, meets a journalist hungry for a story . . .Set in the Irish Midlands in the 1850s, Emma Donoghue's The Wonder – inspired by numerous cases of 'fasting girls' between the sixteenth century and the twentieth – is a psychological thriller about a child's murder threatening to happen in slow motion before our eyes. Pitting all the seductions of fundamentalism against sense and love, it is a searing examination of what nourishes us, body and soul.Trade ReviewEmma Donoghue's writing is superb alchemy, changing innocence into horror and horror into tenderness -- Audrey Niffenegger, author of The Time Traveler's WifeDonoghue mines material that on the face of it appears intractably bleak and surfaces with a powerful, compulsively readable work of fiction * Irish Times *Vivid, tender . . . Her contemporary thriller Room made the author an international bestseller, but this gripping tale offers a welcome reminder that her historical fiction is equally fine. * Kirkus, Starred Review *Fans of Emma Donoghue's first novel Room will not be disappointed with The Wonder . . . a tale of claustrophobic suspense and the intense relationship between a woman and a child . . . Donoghue's masterful way with words and imagery has the reader sharing Lib's scepticism and disdain for Anna and her family's naïve religious fervour. And it's Donoghue's skill in building The Wonder up into an increasingly tense thriller - is Anna a fake or a saint and will she live or die? - until a heart-thumping, palm-sweating dramatic denouement. * Red Magazine *

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Book Synopsis*Published in the US as The Hidden Thread*Inspired by real historical events and characters, Liz Trenow's The Silk Weaver is a captivating, unforgettable story of illicit romance in a time of enlightenment and social upheaval.1760, Spitalfields. Anna Butterfield’s life is about to change forever, as she moves from her idyllic Suffolk home to be introduced into London society. A chance encounter with a French silk weaver, Henri, draws her in to the volatile world of the city’s burgeoning silk trade. Henri is working on his ‘master piece’, to become a master weaver and freeman; Anna longs to become an artist while struggling against pressure from her uncle’s family to marry a wealthy young lawyer. As their lives become ever more intertwined, Henri realizes that Anna’s designs could give them both an opportunity for freedom. But his world becomes more dangerous by the day, as riots threaten to tear them apart forever . . .Trade ReviewWhat a delicious read The Silk Weaver is. I was enchanted by this novel set in eighteenth-century Spitalfields; meticulously researched, richly detailed, the brilliantly structured story shimmered as the threads of silk wound through its pages. I devoured it in two days and was gripped from start to finish. The characters shine too and Anna is an absolute triumph. A fabulous book -- Dinah JefferiesI absolutely love the details about silk weaving . . . Liz Trenow conjures up atmosphere concisely and brilliantly, with not a spare word to be found. I felt enriched when I reached the end of this gem of a novel, and can’t wait to read her next one -- Gill PaulPush back the gorgeous brocade curtains of The Silk Weaver's period detail and romance and you find a window on eighteenth century London that, with its prejudice and divisions, is surprisingly pertinent today -- Kate RiordanI absolutely loved The Silk Weaver. Liz writes beautifully, and I adored the characters of Anna and Henri - their love was so delicately and believably evoked. The background motifs of the silks and the floral designs, and the political/social context which made their relationship so difficult is also brilliantly done. I really couldn't wait to get back to it each evening -- Tracy ReesA wonderful read . . . full of such extraordinary, fascinating detail -- Kate ThompsonLiz Trenow sews together the strands of past and present as delicately as the exquisite stitching on the quilt which forms the centrepiece of the story -- Lucinda Riley on The Forgotten SeamstressAn assured debut with a page-turning conclusion -- Daily Express on The Forgotten SeamstressExtraordinary, fascinating . . . deeply rooted in history * Midweek, Radio 4, on The Forgotten Seamstress *This absorbing novel delves into the secrets of wartime silk production and makes them totally fascinating . . . tremendously atmospheric and convincing in its details, with characters that touch the heart. A book to savour * Kate Furnivall, author of The Russian Concubine, on The Forgotten Seamstress *

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Book SynopsisA Tale of Two Cities, a story of revolution, revenge and sacrifice, is one of Charles Dickens' most exciting novels. Set against the backdrop of the French Revolution, it tells the story of a family threatened by the terrible events of the past. Dr Manette, wrongly imprisoned in the Bastille for eighteen years, is finally released and reunited with his daughter Lucie who, despite her French ancestry, has been brought up in London. Lucie falls in love with Charles Darnay, who has abandoned both wealth and title in France because of his political convictions. When revolution breaks out in Paris, Darnay returns to the city to help an old family servant, but is soon arrested because of the crimes committed by his relations. Lucie, aided by young lawyer, Sydney Carton, follows him across the Channel, thus putting all their lives in danger.With an afterword by Sam Gilpin.Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure.

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Book SynopsisA Winter Love Song is a heartwarming and moving story of survival and love from bestselling author Rita Bradshaw.Bonnie Lindsay is born into a travelling fair community in the north-east in 1918, and when her mother dies just months later, Bonnie’s beloved father becomes everything to her. Then at the tender age of ten years old, disaster strikes. Heartbroken, Bonnie’s left at the mercy of her embittered grandmother and her lecherous step-grandfather.Five years later, the events of one terrible night cause Bonnie to flee to London where she starts to earn her living as a singer. She changes her name and cuts all links with the past. Time passes. Bonnie falls in love, but just when she dares to hope for a rosy future, the Second World War is declared. She does her bit for the war effort, singing for the troops and travelling to Burma to boost morale, but heartache and pain are just around the corner, and she begins to ask herself if she will ever find happiness again?Trade ReviewA moving and gripping tale of love, loss and survival from one of the nation’s favourite saga queens * Lancashire Evening Post *Raw passion and power on every page * Northern Echo *

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Book SynopsisFrom the top-ten bestselling author of Snowflakes in the Wind comes a heart-breaking saga set in WWII Britain.In Rita Bradshaw's Beneath a Frosty Moon, it’s 1940 and Britain is at war with Germany. For Cora Stubbs and her younger siblings this means being evacuated to the safety of the English countryside. But little does Cora know that Hitler’s bombs are nothing compared to the danger she will face in her new home, and she is forced to grow up fast.However, Cora is a fighter and she strives to carve out a new life for herself and her siblings. Time passes, and in the midst of grief and loss she falls in love, but what other tragedies lie around the corner? As womanhood beckons, can Cora ever escape her troubled past and the lost love who continues to haunt her dreams and cast shadows over her days?Trade ReviewPraise for A Winter Love Song: A tale charmingly told * The Lady *Raw passion and power on every page * Northern Echo *A moving and gripping tale of love, loss and survival from one of the nation’s favourite saga queens * Lancashire Evening Post *Gritty and touching * Newcastle Evening Chronicle *

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Book Synopsis'Here ends one of the finest achievements of recent crime fiction' - Sunday Telegraph'Outstanding' - The Times*Winner of the 2022 CWA Historical Dagger and Gold Dagger*Los Angeles. Christmas, 1967. A devil is loose in the City of Angels . . .A young nurse, Kerry Gaudet, travels to the City of Angels desperate to find her missing brother, fearing that something terrible has happened to him: a serial killer is terrorising the city, picking victims at random, and Kerry has precious few leads.Ida Young, recently retired Private Investigator, is dragged into helping the police when a young woman is discovered murdered in her motel room. Ida has never met the victim but her name has been found at the crime scene and the LAPD wants to know why . . .Meanwhile mob fixer Dante Sanfelippo has put his life savings into purchasing a winery in Napa Valley but first he must do one final favour for the Mob before leaving town: find a bail jumper before the bond money falls due, and time is fast running out.Ida’s friend, Louis Armstrong, flies into the city just as her investigations uncover mysterious clues to the killer’s identity. And Dante must tread a dangerous path to pay his dues, a path which will throw him headlong into a terrifying conspiracy and a secret that the conspirators will do anything to protect . . .Completing his American crime quartet, Ray Celestin's Sunset Swing is a stunning novel of conspiracy, murder and madness, an unforgettable portrait of a city on the edge.Trade ReviewCelestin’s debut The Axeman’s Jazz immediately attained cult status, and successive books also impressed. But this is his most dizzying accomplishment, a truly epic crime chronicle. Set in a pulsing 1960s Los Angeles, Celestin creates a joint picture of the histories of organised crime and jazz, full of coruscating detail. -- Barry Forshaw * Financial Times *Sunset Swing concludes Ray Celestin's outstanding City Blues quartet . . . Celestin's most perfectly wrought portrait, however is of the City of Dreams itself, soaked in corruption and empty of heart. Sunset Swing may be an ode to the classics of hard-boiled noir, but it has more than enough rhythm of its own to take its place beside them * The Times *Magnificent and moving * Sunday Times Crime Club *Over four books, beginning with The Axeman’s Jazz in 2014, Ray Celestin has constructed a riveting saga of music, the mafia and murder in four American cities from 1919 to the 1960s. Sunset Swing, unfolding in Los Angeles in 1967, brings his City Blues Quartet to a triumphant conclusion . . . Brilliantly combines the page-turning tension of the best crime fiction with a panoramic portrait of a city in the midst of profound social change -- Nick Rennison * Sunday Times *Here ends one of the finest achievements of recent crime fiction, Ray Celestin’s City Blues Quartet . . . Throughout this series, the counterpoint to Celestin's stark portrayal of a fundamentally corrupt and gangster-ridden America has been his rare ability to capture in prose something of the glory of the music made by Armstrong and his fellow jazz-men. Here he rises to the final challenge of Armstrong's last comeback . . . Few artists have combined greatness and lovability to the extent Armstrong did, and these outstanding hard-boiled thrillers double as a worthy tribute to him -- Jake Kerridge * The Sunday Telegraph *Sunset Swing brings Ray Celestin’s brilliant City Blues Quartet to an end in quite some style. This outstanding series has tracked its characters across four major American cities and over half a century . . . Each of the four books is an epic in its own right, but here, as winter wildfires rage at the end of the continent, the feel is almost apocalyptic . . .The section . . . where Amstrong is first confounded by, then finds a new way to understand and interpret, Bob Thiele’s lyrics for ‘What A Wonderful World’, is as fine and nuanced a piece of writing about music as you’ll find anywhere. It’s one of several superb and moving moments in the best book in a quite remarkable series. Start here if you want, but to get the full effect, put The Axeman’s Jazz, Dead Man's Blues, and The Mobster's Lament on your Christmas list as well. It would almost be a crime not to. * The Quietus *The series is a delight * The Times *This lively, jazz-based series can only be cause for celebration * Sunday Times *Not only a satisfying and multi-layered mystery, but also a well researched and dynamic portrait of a teeming city, rife with corruption * Guardian *A vividly written crime thriller which is a contender for book of the year -- Daily Mirror on The Mobster's LamentOne of the most ambitious and riveting works of crime fiction in years . . . -- Sunday Express on The Mobster's LamentCaptivating -- Spectator on Dead Man's BluesAn absolute must for true crime fanatics * Refinery 29 *Outstanding -- Daily Telegraph on The Axeman's Jazz

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Book SynopsisZoe Ball's BBC Radio 2 Book Club pick.Mesmerising and haunting, Emma Flint's Other Women is a devastating story of fantasy, obsession inspired by a murder that took place almost a hundred years ago.'A pitch-perfect historical mystery' – The Guardian'Bloody brilliant' – Dinah Jefferies, author of The Missing Sister'Compelling, twisty, and wonderfully suspenseful' – Claire Fuller, author of Unsettled GroundIt is 1923 and a country is in mourning. Thousands of husbands, fathers, sons and sweethearts were lost in the war, millions more returned home wounded and forever changed.Beatrice Cade is an orphan, unmarried and childless. After her brother's death, she decides to make a new life for herself. She takes a room in a Bloomsbury ladies’ club and a job in the City. But just when her new world is starting to take shape, a fleeting encounter threatens to ruin everything.Kate Ryan is an ordinary wife and mother. Since the end of the war, she has managed to build an enviable life with her husband and young daughter. From the outside, they seem like a normal, happy family. But when two policemen knock on Kate's door and jeopardize the facade Kate has created, she knows what she has to do to protect the people she loves. And suddenly, two women who never should have met are connected for ever . . .'Exquisite' - Will Dean, author of Dark Pines'This is a book that will stay with you' – Ann Cleeves, bestselling author of the Vera series'A thoroughly captivating and unsettling page-turner' – iNewsTrade ReviewThe tension grows throughout the book until it's almost unbearable. This is a book that will stay with you. -- Ann CleevesThis beautifully written, pitch-perfect historical mystery is based on a real case – here, a murder that took place in 1924 . . . a moving study of loneliness, desperation, shame and public prurience. -- Laura Wilson * The Guardian *Exquisite and my book of the year. Utterly brilliant. -- Will Dean, author of Dark PinesFlint maintains suspense in what is a thoroughly captivating and unsettling page-turner that deserves to land her on awards lists again. -- Robert Epstein * iNews *Emma Flint reworks the details of a notorious historical murder and unspools the fate of her three entirely convincing main characters. * Daily Mail *Based on a shocking real-life murder in the 1920s Other Women focuses on Beatrice, almost invisible until she falls in love with a colleague, and Kate, seen as a devoted wife and mother, until their lives converge. I expect to see it on all the awards shortlists. * Red *Other Women is compelling and twisty, and wonderfully suspenseful, and yet still full of empathy for the female characters. -- Claire Fuller, author of Unsettled GroundMoving, gripping . . . Other Women takes another tale of a true crime and reimagines it into a novel – this time, the murder of Emily Beilby Kaye by her married lover, Herbert Patrick Mahon. -- Alison Flood * The observer *Bloody brilliant -- Dinah JeffriesSet in the early 1920s, this clever mix of romance, thriller and courtroom drama proves love and heartbreak never ages, whatever the era. * Woman & Home *Utterly, utterly brilliant. Other Women is compelling, thought-provoking, harrowing and incredibly urgent. -- Caroline LeaStaggeringly brilliant, harrowing, haunting and entirely beautiful. Other Women takes a thrilling yet compassionate look at the making of a murder, at loneliness and love, at fixation and the sting of shame. A wonderful novel. -- Chris Whitaker, author of We Begin at the EndThe tension is superb and I honestly couldn't put it down. * Prima *Poignant and elegant, brutal and beautiful, Other Women, is a masterclass in modern storytelling. -- Helen Cullen, author of The Truth Must Dazzle GraduallyA glittering black diamond of a book. Beautiful and devastating literary true crime. Emma Flint takes a real murder from the 1920s and gives voice to the women involved. Bubbling anger beneath exquisite prose. -- Anna Mazolla, author of The Clockwork GirlIt is brilliant. I was swept up in a turmoil of emotion as I read. This is a book that starts as a love story and turns into something much darker indeed. -- Harriet Tyce, author of The Lies You ToldThe disturbing narrative unspools with a veneer of unsettling normalcy, which make the reveals which Flint masterfully serves up all the more gripping and profound when we reach them. -- Philippa East, author of I'll Never TellPassion, betrayal, and obsessive love combine to create the stunning tour de force that is Other Women . . . Chilling and heart-stopping, this is an instant classic. -- Eleni Kyriacou, author of She Came to StayHeartbreaking. I wanted it to go on and on, even as I raced to the end. Excellent, absorbing and totally gripping. -- Melanie Golding, author of The ReplacementsOther Women is a book about fantasy and the lengths that people will go to to protect what they love, whether that’s another adult, a child, or the dream of another kind of life. * Take a Break *. . . this haunting tale of love and obsession will stay with you. * Heat *Emma Flint has used a murder that shocked Britain almost a century ago - and paved the way for forensic science - as inspiration for her latest thriller. * The Sunday Express *

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