Humorous fiction

Book SynopsisThe fifth book in the multi-million copy bestselling No. 1 Ladies'' Detective Agency seriesThe one where J. L. B. Matekoni takes a great leap . . . Once again, Mma Ramotswe is asked to look into the love lives of fellow Botswanans: a rich woman has a number of suitors and wants her to investigate their motives. But to tell the truth, it is her own love life about which Precious wants answers. She has been engaged to Mr J.L.B. Matekoni for so long that she is starting to wonder if they will ever marry. His mind, though, is elsewhere - Mma Potokwani has persuaded him to perform a parachute jump for charity, and he is not happy about it at all . . .''Hugely enjoyable'' Sunday Times''Extremely funny'' Mail on Sunday''I haven''t read anything with such unalloyed pleasure for a long time'' Sunday Telegraph''McCall Smith is a natural born storyteller'' Scotland on SundayTrade ReviewForget the library - the body is in the mud hut. An African Marple created by a Scottish law lecturer * Stephen McGinty, Sunday Times *McCall Smith's familiar tone of wry amusement permeates the narrative, as does the detective's wisdom . . . hugely enjoyable * Sunday Times *This is art that conceals art. I haven't read anything with such unalloyed pleasure for a long time * Anthony Daniels, Sunday Telegraph *Highly amusing, intelligent and heart-warming * Scotland on Sunday *McCall Smith is a natural born storyteller, filling his prose with rhythm and repetition . . . Charming, quirky and timeless * Scotland on Sunday *Refreshing, funny and life-affirming * Geographical *Addictive... our reviewer was so entertained, she bought the rest of the series! * Marie Claire *Utterly enchanting * Chicago Sun Times *Beguiling... The author's deceptively simple prose... is as supple as ever. His gift for effortless description of dusty, sun-baked Africa is undiminished * Seattle Times *Smith's big-hearted Botswana series... allows his readers to escape into a world of simple, picturesque pleasures and upstanding virtues * New York Times Book Review *Brims with the same old-fashioned charm as its lovely predecessors... An engaging read * Entertainment Weekly *A treasure of wit and wisdom * Dallas Morning News *Delightful... The warm humanity is what brings readers back... There is a simplicity and lyricism in the language that brings out the profound importance of everyday revelations * San Francisco Chronicle *Enthralling... Mma Ramotswe is someone readers can't help but love * USA Today *The greatest mystery in this witty and charming book is whether Mma Ramotswe will succeed in getting her fiance to name a date for their long-anticipated wedding. It's hard to conceive of any reader not being just as eager to find out as she is * Wall Street Journal *Soothing... New readers can start here and enjoy a plot even more inventive than the earlier ones * People *Forget the library - the body is in the mud hut. An African Marple created by a Scottish law lecturer * Stephen McGinty, Sunday Times *McCall Smith's familiar tone of wry amusement permeates the narrative, as does the detective's wisdom . . . hugely enjoyable * Sunday Times *This is art that conceals art. I haven't read anything with such unalloyed pleasure for a long time * Anthony Daniels, Sunday Telegraph *Highly amusing, intelligent and heart-warming * Scotland on Sunday *McCall Smith is a natural born storyteller, filling his prose with rhythm and repetition . . . Charming, quirky and timeless * Scotland on Sunday *McCall Smith's familiar tone of wry amusement permeates the narrative, as does the detective's wisdom ... hugely enjoyable. * SUNDAY TIMES *This is art that conceals art. I haven't read anything with such unalloyed pleasure for a long time * Anthony Daniels, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *Highly amusing, intelligent and heart-warming * SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY *McCall Smith is a natural born storyteller, filling his prose with rhythm and repetition...Charming, quirky and timeless * SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY *

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Book SynopsisA collection of insightful and uproariously funny non-fiction by the bestselling author of INFINITE JEST - one of the most acclaimed and adventurous writers of our time. A SUPPOSEDLY FUN THING... brings together Wallace''s musings on a wide range of topics, from his early days as a nationally ranked tennis player to his trip on a commercial cruiseliner. In each of these essays, Wallace''s observations are as keen as they are funny. Filled with hilarious details and invigorating analyses, these essays brilliantly expose the fault line in American culture - and once again reveal David Foster Wallace''s extraordinary talent and gargantuan intellect.Trade ReviewIt's the kind of book you can't even put down while brushing your teeth. He's damn good. I take my hat off to him. * GUARDIAN *Enviably good. * SUNDAY TIMES *Like sea air, David Foster Wallace is so bracing. * GLASGOW HERALD *Brilliant. * MAXIM *

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Book Synopsis*** CONGRATULATIONS TO THE BRITISH BOOK AWARDS AUTHOR OF THE YEAR 2022***Dive into the blissfully funny No. 1 bestseller about three women who find themselves criss-crossing the line between success and failure, happiness and sadness, sanity and madness, from the No. 1 bestselling author of Grown Ups''Totally addictive . . . a real page turner'' SUNDAY EXPRESS''Brilliantly written and fabulously well-observed'' INDEPENDENT___________''Dammit,'' she realized. ''I think I''m having a nervous breakdown.''Lisa Edwards'' career as a hot-shot magazine editor is destined for high-rise New York, when suddenly she''s blown off-course into the delights of low-rise Dublin. But what on earth can she do about it?Ashling Kennedy, Lisa''s super-organized assistant, is good at worrying. Too good. She''s even terrified of a little bit of raw fish . . .Clodagh Kelly is AshTrade ReviewMarian Keyes' Sushi for Beginners is the blissfully funny, smart tale of three women who discover that the line between success and failure, happiness and sadness, sanity and madness is finer than they ever thought . . . 'Dammit,' she realized. 'I think I'm having a nervous breakdown.' * from the publisher's description *Classic Keyes. Constantly surprising, gloriously entertaining, and has a dark underbite that makes it irresistible * The Pool *Nails the joy and pain of the working world . . . a brilliantly written and fabulously well-observed romantic comedy * Independent *Should come with a health warning. It's totally addictive . . . a real page turner * Sunday Express *Chatty and warmhearted, Keyes's talent is to tell it how it is * Independent *

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Book SynopsisRobert Poste''s child is back at Cold Comfort Farm. But all is not well. Flora finds the farm transformed into a twee haven filled with Toby jugs and peasant pottery, and rooms labelled ''Quiete Retreate'' and ''Greate laundrie''. It is, Flora winces, ''exactly like being locked in the Victoria and Albert Museum after closing time''. Worse, the farm is hosting a conference of the pretentious International Thinkers Group - a group made up of the ''sadistic owl'' Mr Peccavi, loathsome Mr Mybug and the overpowering Mrs Ernestine Thump. And worst of all, there are no Starkadders at Cold Comfort Farm. All the he-cousins have gone abroad to make their fortunes and the female cousins are having a pretty thin time of it. Once again the sensible Flora decides to take the situation in hand.Trade ReviewGibbons was an acute and witty observer, and her dissection of the British class system is spot-on. * Mail on Sunday *Stella Gibbons is the Jane Austen of the twentieth century * Lynne Truss *Most of us wish we knew a real Flora Poste who could put straight our pretzeled lives -- Julie Birchill * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisThe Growing Pains of Adrian Mole is the second book in Sue Townsend''s brilliantly funny Adrian Mole series.Sunday July 18thMy father announced at breakfast that he is going to have a vasectomy. I pushed my sausages away untouched. In this second instalment of teenager Adrian Mole''s diaries, the Mole family is in crisis and the country is beating the drum of war. While his parents have reconciled after both embarked on disastrous affairs, Adrian is shocked to learn of his mother''s pregnancy. And even though at the mercy of his rampant hormones and the fickle whims of the divine Pandora, a victim of a broken home and his own tortured (though unrecognised) genius, Adrian continues valiantly to chronicle the pains and pleasures of a misspent adolescence. ________''Funny, moving and a poke in the eye for adult morality'' Sunday Express ''Written with great verve, and showing an uncanny understTrade ReviewEvery sentence is witty and well thought out, and the whole has reverberations beyond itself * The Times *One of literature's most endearing figures. Mole is an excellent guide for all of us * Observer *Adrian Mole will be remembered some day as one of England's great diarists * Evening Standard *The funniest, most bitter-sweet book you're likely to read this year * Daily Mirror *

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Book Synopsis''Teetotal!'' Ma said. ''It''s a libel. He''ll never live it down. He''ll never be able to hold his head up again. Whatever will people think? What''s he going to say when anybody asks him to have one?''''No,'' said Dr Conner.''You''ll have to strap him down,'' Ma said. ''You''ll have to put the handcuffs on.''And so after a mild heart-attack - caused by rather too much of what you fancy - Pop Larkin finds himself off the booze, off the good food and off the good life generally, much to his own and everyone''s else''s horror and upset. And while Ma tries to find ways around ''doctor''s orders'', young Primrose is finding her own way round a rather flustered - not to say flushed - Mr Candy ...Trade ReviewThey are absolute comfort books . . . all five titles are being rereleased just in time for summer * The Lady *Pop is as sexy, genial, generous, and boozy as ever. Ma is a worthy match for him in all these qualities -- The * Times *As funny as Evelyn Waugh and as enchanting as Laurie Lee's Cider with Rosie. Don't miss it -- - * Herald *Pop Larkin, Ma and their progeny . . . are essentially English of the rich and ribald England of Chaucer and Shakespeare. A superb and timeless comedy -- - * Scotsman *A wistful daydream about innocence and happiness -- - * Spectator *The high mid-summer pomps of tree and flower are evoked with gusto -- - * The Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisInheriting unexpected millions has left reporter Jim Qwilleran looking like the cat who swallowed the canary. While his two Siamese cats, Koko and Yum Yum, adjust to being fat cats in an enormous mansion, Qwilleran samples the life-styles of the rich and famous by hiring a staff of eccentric servants. A missing housemaid and a shocking murder soon show him the unsavoury side of the upper crust. But it''s Koko''s purr-fect propensity for clues amid the caviar and champagne that gives Qwilleran pause to evaluate the most unlikely suspects...before his taste for the good life turns into his last meal.

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Book SynopsisIn the small town of Pickax an accident has claimed the life of the local paper''s eccentric publisher, but to Jim Qwilleran and his Siamese cats Koko and Yum Yum it smells like murder. They soon sniff out a shocking secret - but Koko''s snooping into an unusual edition of Shakespeare may prove catastrophic. Because somewhere in Pickax a lady loves not wisely but too well, a widow is scandalously merry, and a stranger has a lean and hungry look. The stage is set for Qwilleran, Koko, Yum Yum and the second act of murder most meow...Trade ReviewPraise for the Cat Who... series:'The fastidious plotting is designed to appeal to more than just the cat-lover' The Times;'This droll and engaging mystery...firmly grips the reader...a lively witty tale bolstered by sharply etched characters' Publishers Weekly;'An engaging tongue-in-cheek yarn with a sting in the tail that won't just appeal to the cat-lover' Belfast Telegraph; 'It's a Wonderful Life meets The Aristocats in this daft but endearing whodunnit' Liverpool Daily Post;'Mrs Braun has a breezy style; the cats are really smart' New York Times Book Review;'Great fun!' Lawrence Block'Entertaining and absorbing mysteries which, in the tradition of all good whodunnits, keep you guessing right to the end' Dumfries and Galloway Standard'Lilian Jackson Braun purveys delight from beginning to end' Los Angeles Times'Like news from Lake Woebegon, Braun's Cat Who... series...has charmed readers' Publishers Weekly'Light-hearted originals... The mix of crime and cats [is] catnip to readers who like both' Chicago Sun-Times'An offbeat series with a good deal of charm' The Baltimore Sun'Braun writes with charm and sureness' Cleveland Plain Dealer

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Book SynopsisOn the surface, things appear tranquil in Moose County. Jim Qwilleran, newspaper columnist and the county''s richest resident, has moved back in to the remodelled apple barn with his two remarkable felines, Koko and Yum Yum. And the newly built gazebo is providing an idyllic opportunity for all three to commune with nature.But then an elderly woman dies in a suspicious fire. Next, the newly opened art centre falls victim to a mysterious break-in. Throw in a scandal involving an unscrupulous local politician and an anti-computer uprising at the town library and life in Pickax is anything but peaceful ...

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Book SynopsisA modern A TALE OF TWO CITIES by the bestselling author of SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN.''Brilliantly and sympathetically drawn...this wonderfully written, clever book does not miss a single trick'' DAILY MAIL''Funny, touching and ultimately surprising'' SCOTSMAN ''A brilliant, page-turning read'' GRANTAHector Chetwode-Talbot, Eck to his friends, has left the army and is slightly at a loss as to what to do next, when he is approached by an old army pal, Bilbo Mountwilliam. Bilbo runs an investment fund company and business is booming. Bilbo persuades Eck to join the company as a ''greeter'' for moneyed clients. All Eck has to do is supply the contacts with entertainment and large G&Ts and then the fund managers will do the rest.Soon Eck is able to buy himself a luxury sports car and decadent flat. It is on a golfing trip to France that Eck first meets Charlie Summers, a fly-by-night entrepreneur whose latest scheme iTrade ReviewOne of the most outstanding authors to have emerged in recent years * DAILY EXPRESS *Brilliantly and sympathetically drawn...this wonderfully written, clever book does not miss a single trick * DAILY MAIL *Funny, touching and ultimately surprising * SCOTSMAN *Charlie is a wonderful creation, at once sad and heroic, whose search for redemption attains real pathos at the end of this affecting, skilfully crafted novel * FINANCIAL TIMES *Torday is master of blending satire with gentle humanity * PSYCHOLOGIES *Shades of both Greene and Ambler here, both in the crispness of the exposition and the marrying of humour with something close to tragedy * SPECTATOR *A beautifully told tale - we loved it! * BELLA *A brilliant, page-turning read that combines the pace of Torday's THE GIRL ON THE LANDING with his trademark humour in SALMON FISHING * GRANTA *A fine tale. Even the worst of us, according to this novel, can find redemption * DAILY EXPRESS *His quietly compassionate portrait of Charlie has powerful echoes off Dickens's Sydney Carton in A TALE OF TWO CITIES * METRO *The SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN author is now achieving 'must-read' status. You're in for an Eck of a good time * NEWS OF THE WORLD *

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Book SynopsisAn outrageously funny spoof about the ascent of a 40,000-and-a-half-foot peak, discover this laugh-out-loud cult favourite. Led by the reliably under-insightful Binder, a team of seven British men including Dr Prone (constantly ill); Jungle the route finder (constantly lost), Constant the diplomat (constantly arguing) and 3,000 Yogistani porters, set out to conquer the highest peak in the Himalayas. VINTAGE VOYAGES: A world of journeys, from the tallest mountains to the depths of the mindTrade ReviewWonderful. Rum Doodle does for mountaineering what Three Men in a Boat did for Thames-going or Catch-22 did for the Second World War. It is simply an account of the leader of an expedition up Rum Doodle, a 40,000 and a half foot peak in the Himalayas, in the same way that Scoop is simply a tale about newsgathering in Africa. The tone is nearer to Pooter than anyone else I can think of, but the flavour is all W.E. Bowman's own. * Sunday Times *I just love this book. Everything about it is nearly perfect... hugely enjoyable and brilliantly sustained. * Bill Bryson *Exceedingly funny... as if the hero of Diary of a Nobody had, in a mood of abandon, turned to mountaineering. * Dublin Magazine *it is an epic. It is Homeric. It is inspiring. It is very, very funny... Read it and be moved. * Books of the Month *Amazing...Laugh-out-loud literature -- Tim Key * Guardian *

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Book Synopsis''Sometimes I feel that I am destined always to be offstage whenever the main action occurs. That God has made me the victim of some cosmic practical joke, by assigning me little more than a walk-on part in my own life . . .''Coming of age in 1970s'' Birmingham, teenager Benjamin Trotter is about to discover the agonies and ecstasies of growing up. Whether it is first love or last rites, IRA bombs or industrial strife, prog versus punk rock, expectations of bad poetry or an unexpected life-changing experience involving lost swimming trunks, The Rotters'' Club is a heartfelt and hilarious portrait of a particular time and place featuring characters recognisable the world over . . .''Very funny, a compulsive and gripping read'' The Times ''Hugely entertaining'' The Observer ''A book to cherish, a book to reread, a book to buy for all your friends'' Independent on SundayWritten with his signature wit, Jonathan Coe''s unmissable new novel, The Proof of My Innocence is available now!Trade ReviewOne of those sweeping, ambitious yet hugely readable, moving and richly comic novels that you find all too rarely in English fiction ... a masterpiece * Daily Telegraph *Very funny ... a compulsive and gripping read. Coe has achieved that rare feat: a novel stuffed with characters you really care for * The Times *A book to cherish, a book to reread, a book to buy for all your friends * Independent on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisWhile the town of Pickax is swept up in its sesquicentennial celebrations, Koko has developed a strange new hobby: he drops himself from balconies, occasionally landing in the oddest of places. When a young man comes to visit his wealthy relatives, Koko plummets straight on to his head! Meanwhile, a hurricane is brewing, and the visitor''s family members soon fall deathly ill. Qwill has his work cut out for him because Pickax - as foreshadowed by Koko - is about to be hit by a bombshell.

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Book SynopsisThe impressively versatile Joanne Harris in her psychological thriller mode, at her darkest and most unsettling. Perfect for fans of Ann Cleeves, Susan Hill, Nicci French and Val McDermid.''A magnificently plotted and twisty journey to the heart of a 24-year-old crime...darkly humorous...constantly wrongfoots and misdirects...up to a satisfyingly eccentric conclusion.'' -- Observer''Classy writing, sensitive and moving.'' -- The Times''Harris pulls off an impeccable thriller denouement...consistently entertaining.'' -- Sunday Times''Just fabulous'' -- ***** Reader review''An absolute triumph of a book'' -- ***** Reader review''Twists, turns and droll humour - a great read!'' -- ***** Reader review''Absorbing'' -- ***** Reader review*************************************************************Trade ReviewA magnificently plotted and twisty journey to the heart of a 24-year-old crime...darkly humorous...constantly wrongfoots and misdirects...up to a satisfyingly eccentric conclusion. * Observer *Slowly, Harris reveals tiny clues, withholding full explanations until the startling denouement. Classy writing, sensitive and moving. * The Times *Harris pulls off an impeccable thriller denouement...consistently entertaining. -- John Dugdale * Sunday Times *It's Goodbye, Mr Chips meets The Bad Seed. Joanne Harris' latest has a killer elevator pitch and, what's more, it delivers on its intriguing premise...a rich, dramatic tale that builds to a surprising conclusion. * Washington Post *A masterpiece of misdirection. -- Val McDermid

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Book SynopsisA collection of stories containing a range of emotional force and dark humour. It unfolds a series of portraits of the young, the hip, the lost, the unsettled and the unhinged of America.

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Book SynopsisNow a major Hollywood film starring Daniel Radcliffe: read it first, if you dare ...Ignatius Perrish spent the night drunk and doing terrible things. He woke up the next morning with one hell of a hangover, a raging headache ... and a pair of horns growing from his temples.Once, Ig lived the life of the blessed: born into privilege, the second son of a renowned American musician, and the younger brother of a rising late-night TV star, Ig had security and wealth and a place in his community. Ig had it all, and more - he had the love of Merrin Williams, a love founded on shared daydreams, mutual daring, and unlikely midsummer magic.Then beautiful, vivacious Merrin was gone - raped and murdered, under inexplicable circumstances - with Ig the only suspect. He was never tried for the crime, but in the court of public opinion, Ig was and always would be guilty.Now Ig is possessed with a terrible new power - with just a touch he can see people''s darkTrade ReviewI've read it a few times over the years and each time I come out of the experience having a completely new interpretation. Out of everything he's written, from his numerous short stories to his novels to his comics, it's Horns I always circle back to. * Tor.com *Horns was a terrific read which helps to bolster Joe Hill's already high status in my personal pantheon of storytellers/writers. * SFF World *After you've watched the movie, I'd whole heartedly recommend checking out the novel, its well worth the read. * Pissed off Geek *An instant classic, Horns commands the reader's attention from the first page to the last and serves as an excellent starting point for Joe Hill virgins. I, for one, can't wait to see the film adaptation, despite the fact that the Ig in my head bears no resemblance to Daniel Radcliffe. This is a must-read, if you haven't already, and well worth a revisit if you have. * Reader Dad *On the whole, I really enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to anyone. It is wretched, witty, and enthralling. The writing is clever and masterful, despite the few faults I had. I think that if you are of a sensitive or conservative disposition, it might not be the book for you. It is a tragic love story, a murder mystery, and a supernatural fantasy with a dash of theological satire to sweeten the deal. * The Eloquent Page *'Simply put, Horns is fantastic - the author has managed to weave an incredible tale that combines elements of thriller, horror and fantasy and yet has become something very believable, convincing and utterly compelling.' ***** * SFBOOK *Horns is pretty damn awesome. I have read my fair share of supernatural trhillers over the years but with Horns Joe Hill introduces something not seen before, it's not a complete embodient of the devil but holds in the lines. A perfect story that will creep you out and play with your emotions. And at the heart of it all yes a love story, gone wrong. * The Book Plank *

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Book SynopsisThe phenomenal New York Times Number One bestseller about the unbreakable bond between a dog and their human. Now a major film starring Dennis Quaid.This is the remarkable story of one endearing dog's search for his purpose over the course of several lives. More than just another charming dog story, A Dog's Purpose touches on the universal quest for an answer to life's most basic question: Why are we here?Surprised to find himself reborn as a rambunctious golden-haired puppy after a tragically short life as a stray mutt, Bailey's search for his new life's meaning leads him into the loving arms of eight-year-old Ethan. During their countless adventures, Bailey joyously discovers how to be a good dog.But this life as a family pet is not the end of Bailey's journey. Reborn as a puppy yet again, Bailey wonders – will he ever find his purpose?Heartwarming, insightful, and often laugh-out-loud funny, W. Bruce Cameron's A Dog's Purpose is not only the emotional and hilarious story of a dog's many lives, but also a dog's-eye commentary on human relationships and the unbreakable bonds between man and man's best friend. This moving and beautifully crafted story teaches us that love never dies, and that every creature on earth is born with a purpose.

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Book SynopsisA hilarious Discworld City Watch novel, delving into the dangers of unbridled patriotism and its disastrous consequences''Pratchett uses his other world to hold up a distorting mirror to our own'' The TimesDISCWORLD GOES TO WAR, WITH ARMIES OF SARDINES, WARRIORS, FISHERMEN, SQUID AND AT LEAST ONE VERY CAMP FOLLOWER.As two armies march, Commander Vimes of Ankh-Morpork City Watch faces unpleasant foes who are out to get him... and that''s just the people on his side. The enemy might be even worse.JINGO, the 21st in Terry Pratchett''s phenomenally successful Discworld series, makes the World Cup look like a friendly five-a-side.Readers love Jingo:''In Jingo Terry Pratchett is actually waging a bitter and deeply sad one-man war against nationalism, racism, religious fundamentalism, territorialism . . . and he does it the way he knows best: by making you laugh out loud and think!'' G

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Book Synopsis"It's a fun, frothy quintessentially British romcom about a certified chaos demon and a stern brunch daddy with a heart of gold faking a relationship."-New York Times bestselling author Talia HibbertAMAZON BEST BOOK OF THE MONTHNamed a best book of the year by Oprah Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, Goodreads, The Washington Post, and more!WANTED:One (fake) boyfriendPractically perfect in every wayLuc O'Donnell is tangentially-and reluctantly-famous. His rock star parents split when he was young, and the father he's never met spent the next twenty years cruising in and out of rehab. Now that his dad's making a comeback, Luc's back in the public eye, and one compromising photo is enough to ruin everything.To clean up his image, Luc has to find a nice, normal relationship...and Oliver Blackwood is as nice and normal as they come. He's a barrister, an ethical vegetarian, and he's never inspired a moment of scandal in his life. In other words: perfect boyfriend material. Unfortunately, apart from being gay, single, and really, really in need of a date for a big event, Luc and Oliver have nothing in common. So they strike a deal to be publicity-friendly (fake) boyfriends until the dust has settled. Then they can go their separate ways and pretend it never happened.But the thing about fake-dating is that it can feel a lot like real-dating. And that's when you get used to someone. Start falling for them. Don't ever want to let them go.Discover the LGBT romance about exact opposites falling in perfectly imperfect love that New York Times and USA Today bestselling author CHRISTINA LAUREN calls "hilarious, witty, tender, and stunning."Trade Review"Alexis Hall's Boyfriend Material perfectly balances laugh-out-loud-while-reading-alone-in-an-empty-room with those-aren't-tears-in-my-eyes-just-allergies." - Kris Ripper, author of the Scientific Method Universe"FAKE DATING, REAL FEELINGS, BEST JOKES." - Olivia Waite, author of The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics"Boyfriend Material is the joyfully queer British romcom escape book I didn't know I needed. It's absurdly funny and swoonily romantic, with a sharp edge of wit and observation that keeps the story bounding along. An unbridled 'one-more-chapter-oh-no-it's-3am' delight." - KJ Charles"How? How was this book written? My vote is witchcraft. What a study in character development. It's a how-to without even trying. I'm going to treat this novel like I do my favorite cardigan and buy 5 copies for when one wears out. Everyone needs to read this. Brilliance on every single page. Hilarious, witty, tender, and stunning. I LOVE THIS BOOK." - Christina Lauren, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author"Alexis Hall is the undisputed master of romantic comedy." - Jenny Holiday, USA Today bestselling author of Mermaid Inn"This is a triumph." - Publishers Weekly, STARRED Review"Downright hilarious...Hall achieves a true balance between romance and comedy, delightfully succeeding at both. " - Booklist, STARRED Review"I'm in awe of Alexis Hall's talent. I don't want the book to end." - Cathy Maxwell, New York Times bestselling author"Every once in a while you read a book that you want to SCREAM FROM ROOFTOPS about. I'm screaming, people!" - Sonali Dev, award-winning author of Pride, Prejudice and Other Flavors

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Book SynopsisA beautiful book about unexpected friendships and daring to dream' Ruth HoganAbout a Boy meets Educating Rita warm and big-hearted' Sarah VaughanBehind every ordinary day, behind every ordinary story, there's an extraordinary one just waiting to happenTwo people. Simon Sparks hides in plain sight his astonishing gifts locked deep inside himself, as he dreams of lost potential and extraordinary tomorrows.Jodie Brook hides behind what you think of her a single mum who can barely make ends meet. But her dreams are filled with the education she always wanted and discovering a better life for her and her son.One life.When Simon and Jodie's lonely worlds collide, it upends everything. But as it becomes clear they have so much to learn from each other Jodie can show Simon how to rejoin the world, and Simon can help Jodie prepare for her greatest challenge yet they begin to realise that life could be so much more.One ordinary day at a timeA gorgeously quirky, charming and inspiring read' BTrade Review‘A beautiful book about unexpected friendships and daring to dream’ Ruth Hogan, author of Madame Burova ‘Gorgeously written, utterly moving, a joy!’ Miranda Dickinson, author of Our Story ‘A perfect blend of light and dark with warm characterization and a lot of heart’ Harriet Tyce, author of Blood Orange ‘About a Boy meets Educating Rita. Quirky, warm and big-hearted, its lightness underscored by a seam of darkness’ Sarah Vaughan, author of The Anatomy of a Scandal ‘A beautiful, compelling story that taught me so much – about educational privilege and how we define intelligence and success. Highly recommend’ Lauren Bravo ‘A gorgeously quirky, charming and inspiring read. The power of education to transform, but only when that power is wielded responsibly’ Beth Morrey, author of Saving Missy ‘A wonderful, heart-warming book that is ultimately about the power of stories and how they can change our lives if we tell them to the right people … a feel-good novel we all need right now’ Araminta Hall, author of Perfect Strangers ‘It's the best book I've read in ages. If you like Gail Honeyman, you'll ADORE this. I cried twice, but walked away with my heart so very full. There is nothing predictable about this story. Can't recommend enough’ Anstey Harris, author of The Truths and Triumphs of Grace Atherton ‘A compelling and uplifting tale of unlikely friendships and the importance of following your dreams. A call to kindness for us all’ Lucy Clarke, author of The Castaways ‘Uplifting’ Daily Mail ‘A quirky, fascinating read about what happens when you hide your true self even from yourself’ Fabulous ‘Endearing, funny and emotional, this is a gorgeous read’ Woman’s Own ‘Quirky, uplifting… the perfect novel we all need right now’ Robin Morgan-Bentley, author of The Wreckage

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Book SynopsisNo.1 bestselling author Gill Sims is back with her eagerly awaited fourth and finalWhy Mummynovel.I just wanted them to stop wittering at me, eat vegetables without complaining, let me go to the loo in peace and learn to make a decent gin and tonic. Mummy has been a wife and mother for so long that she's a little bit lost. And despite her best efforts, her precious moppets still don't know the location of the laundry basket, the difference between being bored and being hungry, or that saying I can't find it Mummy' is not the same as actually looking for it!Amidst the chaos of A-Levels and driving tests, she's doing her best to keep her family afloat, even if everybody is set on drifting off in different directions, and that one of those directions is to make yet another bloody snack. She's feeling overwhelmed and under appreciated, and the only thing that Mummy knows for sure is that the bigger the kids, the bigger the drink.Reader reviews for Why Mummy's SloshedUtterlybrilliant' ?????

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Book SynopsisRival physicists collide in a vortex of academic feuds and fake dating shenanigans in this delightfully STEMinist romcom from the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis and Love on the Brain.   The many lives of theoretical physicist Elsie Hannaway have finally caught up with her. By day, she’s an adjunct professor, toiling away at grading labs and teaching thermodynamics in the hopes of landing tenure. By other day, Elsie makes up for her non-existent paycheck by offering her services as a fake girlfriend, tapping into her expertly honed people-pleasing skills to embody whichever version of herself the client needs.   Honestly, it’s a pretty sweet gig—until her carefully constructed Elsie-verse comes crashing down. Because Jack Smith, the annoyingly attractive and arrogant older brother of her favorite client, turns out to be the cold-hearted experimental physicist who ruined her mentor&rs

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Book SynopsisCassie Wright, porn princess, intends to cap her legendary career by breaking the world record for serial fornication. On camera. With six hundred men. Snuff unfolds from the perspectives of Mr 72, Mr 137 and Mr 600, who await their turn on camera in a very crowded green room...Trade ReviewIt's glorious, gloriously depraved. Gloriously funny, gloriously heartbreaking and gloriously outrageous, just what you might expect from a writer continually pushing at the boundaries of literature...confirms Palahniuk once again as a compelling, daring and vital writer * Herald *Every bit as dangerous as it sounds... Snuff is a deliciously disturbing, superbly paced and graphically obnoxious read * Maxim *Snuff is a Chernobyl of taboos...Palahniuk investigates his novels for months before he begins to write, so they always have a journalistic reek of authenticity and immediacy: he is like Tom Wolfe on acid... Think of it as The Bonfire of the Inanities. Once you have come down and mopped up the vomit, you will be glad you snorted this particular Snuff * Independent *You'll bite your pillow laughing * Arena *Palahniuk is a deeply talented and original satirist...a class act of characterisation and situation comedy, wrapped up in something much more important * Daily Mirror *

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Book SynopsisLook out for the new BBC adaptation starring Anna Chancellor, Miranda Richardson and Mark Gatiss!Miss Elizabeth Mapp reigns supreme over the village of Tilling...until the advent of Mrs Emmeline Lucas, or ''Lucia'' to her friends. No one could compete, surely, with Lucia''s formidable armoury: her duchesses, her Italian, her financial speculations, her celebrated recipe for Lobster à la Riseholme. But Mapp will not relinquish her supremacy in local society so easily, and battle is joined between these two indomitable queens and their rather fickle allies.Trade ReviewNo matter how appalling, malicious and pretentious the behaviour of Lucia, the reader is always lured into a sense of affectionate complicity with this comic monster * Daily Telegraph *Bitchily observant novel of small-town life * Independent *Sparkles with wicked wit...provides some pointed digs at social one- upmanship and the genteelly disguised venality of the upper classes. But, on another level, it can be hugely enjoyed as class-war subversion * Sunday Times *The pleasure of Mapp and Lucia is summed up, surely, in Alice Roosevelt's bon mot. "If you have nothing good to say about anybody, come and sit right by me." -- Philip HensherOh the joy of seeing Lucia again! These magic books are as fresh as paint. The characters are real and therefore timeless -- Nancy Mitford * The Times *

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Book SynopsisVimes is back, in all his curmudgeonly glory, in this classic, perceptive and laugh-out-loud Discworld mystery that will keep you turning the pages.''In my opinion, this is the book where Pratchett *really* hits his stride in terms of the city watch books . . . Is this book worth your time? Yes. A thousand times yes'' Patrick Rothfuss, New York Times bestselling author of The Name of the WindTHERE''S A WEREWOLF WITH PRE-LUNAR TENSION IN ANKH-MORPORK. AND A DWARF WITH ATTITUDE AND A GOLEM WHO''S BEGUN TO THINK FOR ITSELF.But for Commander Vimes, Head of Ankh-Morpork City Watch, that''s only the start...There''s treason in the air. A crime has happened.He''s not only got to find out whodunit, but howdunit too. He''s not even sure what they dun. But soon as he knows what the questions are, he''s going to want some answers.Readers love Feet of Clay:''One of the best Pratchett bo

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Book SynopsisThe funniest, most insighftul, clever and totally bonkers parody of all things Shakespeare, filled to the brim with Pratchett''s signature style.''Pratchett uses his other world to hold up a distorting mirror to our own'' The Times''The Discworld novels have always been among the most serious of comedies, the most relevant and real of fantasies'' Independent''An enduring, endearing presence in comic literature'' GuardianWitches are not by nature gregarious, and they certainly don''t have leaders.Granny Weatherwax was the most highly regarded of the leaders they didn''t have.But even she found that meddling in royal politics was a lot more difficult than certain playwrights would have you believe...Readers love Wyrd Sisters:''Witty, well written, amusing anecdotes, Shakespeare/real life parody, DEATH, witches it has to be Terry Pratchett''<

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Book SynopsisWilliam Boyd was born in 1952 in Accra, Ghana and grew up there and in Nigeria. His first novel, A Good Man in Africa (1981), won the Whitbread First Novel Award and the Somerset Maugham Prize. His other novels include An Ice Cream War (1982, shortlisted for the 1982 Booker Prize and winner of the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize), Stars and Bars (1984), The New Confessions (1987), Brazzaville Beach (1990, winner of the McVitie Prize and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize), The Blue Afternoon (1993, winner of the 1993 Sunday Express Book of the Year Award), Armadillo (1998), Any Human Heart (2002, winner of the Prix Jean Monnet) and Restless (2006, winner of the Costa Novel of the Year Award). His latest novel is Sweet Caress (2015). Some seventeen of his screenplays have been filmed, including The Trench (1999), which he also directed, and he is also the author of four collections of short stories: On the Yankee StatioTrade ReviewWickedly funny * The Times *If a widening grin is the test of a novel's entertainment value in retrospect, A Good Man in Africa romps home * Guardian *A delight * Washington Post *Uproariously funny * Observer *

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Book SynopsisNow a Hallmark Channel movie!You've seen Mark Darcy in his reindeer jumper, now meet Marco Cavelli in this season's Christmas knit!For single mum Maggie, Christmas has always been a family occasion her daughter Ellen filling the house with her bubbly warmth and mistletoe, her dad Paddy having one too many festive tipples, and the traditional family Christmas tree looking like a drunken elf vomited a rainbow all over it.But this year, with both Ellen and Paddy away for the holidays, Maggie's facing a truly blue Christmas alone with nothing but a bottle of Baileys and an M&S turkey dinner.Until walking the snowy streets of Oxford, Marco Cavelli quite literally crashes into her life and, complete with broken leg, becomes her unexpected houseguest. All dreamy brown eyes and 6'5 of gorgeousness, the man is hotter and more delicious than a freshly baked mince pie.Though Maggie always thought it's a truth universally acknowledged that you never kiss a man in a Christmas jumper?The next FABTrade ReviewPraise for ‘Never Kiss a Man in a Christmas Jumper’: ‘Oh my days, how I love books by Debbie Johnson…like mulled wine at Christmas time it makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside’ – Lisa Talks About ‘A great romance for this time of year’ – Rachel’s Random Reads ‘Didn't disappoint in any way’ – Annie’s Book Corner ‘Cute Christmas story that had me grinning from ear to ear’ – A Blabbering Bookseller Praise for best-selling summer read, ‘Pippa’s Cornish Dream’: ‘A sheer delight’ – Sunday Express ‘Has all the best ingredients for a holiday read: the beautiful West Country, a family-run farm, and a mystery man with Poldark-style charms’ – Yours Magazine ‘A summer romance with an abundance of country charm, Pippa’s Cornish Dream by Debbie Johnson is a standout title for this season.’ – Book Chick City ‘A beautifully addictive read’ – Reviewed the Book ‘A fantastic read – romance, beautiful Cornish scenery, a gorgeous but troubled hero, teenage traumas, great characters, lots of humour and a real feel-good ending. Highly recommend this for your summer-reading shelf!’ – Portobello Book Blog ‘Truly addictive…the perfect 21st century love story’ – Jane Hunt Reviews

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Book SynopsisJ.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy story about the adventures of a bewitched toy dog, written before The Hobbit.While on holiday in 1925, four-year-old Michael Tolkien lost his beloved toy dog on the beach at Filey in Yorkshire. To console him, his father, J.R.R.Tolkien, improvised a story about Rover, a real dog who is magically transformed into a toy and is forced to seek out the wizard who wronged him in order to be returned to normal.This charming tale, peopled by a sand-sorcerer and a terrible dragon, by the king of the sea and the Man-in-the-Moon, was Tolkien's first full-length children's book, written before The Hobbit. Now, nearly 90 years later, the adventures of Rover or, for reasons that become clear in the story, Roverandom' are published in this delightful pocket hardback edition. Rich in wit and wordplay, Roverandom is edited and introduced by Tolkien experts Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond, and includes Tolkien's own delightful illustrations.Trade Review‘This is an old-fashioned story, yet it still speaks freshly today… would leap to life when read aloud to a child’Independent ‘Lord of the Rings buffs will enjoy picking out bits of Nordic mythology and will relish Tolkien’s fabulous sense of landscape’The Times

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Book SynopsisWhat happens when the one that got away comes back? Find out in this sparkling comedy from #1 bestseller Mhairi McFarlaneThink of the great duos of history. We''re just like them.'You mean like Kylie and Jason? Torvill and Dean? Sonny and Cher?'I think you've missed the point, Rachel.'Rachel and Ben. Ben and Rachel. It was them against the world. Until it all fell apart. It's been a decade since they last spoke, but when Rachel bumps into Ben one rainy day, the years melt away.They'd been partners in crime and the best of friends. But life has moved on: Ben is married. Rachel is not. Yet in that split second, Rachel feels the old friendship return. And along with it, the broken heart she's never been able to mend.Hilarious, heartbreaking and everything in between, you'll be hooked from their first hello'.Very very witty and funny. Left me in awe a total gem' Marian KeyesThe funniest, most romantic book I''ve read since One Day' Lisa JewellTrade Review‘Very very witty and funny. Left me in awe … a total gem’ Marian Keyes ‘The funniest, most romantic book I've read since One Day’ Lisa Jewell ‘I loved this book. It made me laugh and reminded me that anything's possible in love – and in everything else for that matter’ Minnie Driver ‘I loved this: an original, genuinely funny, genuinely moving, modern love story’ Katy Regan ‘Mhairi is darkly funny and quite, quite rude … You Had Me at Hello is a breath of tart, Northern air’ Sarra Manning ‘Bitingly sharp and achingly funny … guaranteed to have you bent double. I absolutely loved it!’ Claudia Carroll

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Book SynopsisShipwrecked on an unknown island, Lemuel Gulliver wakes to find himself surrounded by its six-inch-tall natives, the Lilliputians. But this is only the first in a long line of wonderful discoveries, as his adventures take him to other far-off lands such as Brobdingnag, populated by a race of giants, Luggnagg, home to the eternally ageing Struldbrugs, and the country of the Houyhnhnms, a race of benevolent talking horses. Parodying the popular travel accounts of its time, Gulliver's Travels is not only a tour de force of imaginative and comic writing, which has thrilled readers of all ages for almost three centuries, but also a masterly, merciless satire on Western society and human nature.Trade ReviewIf I had to make a list of six books which were to be preserved when all others were destroyed, I would certainly put Gulliver's Travels among them. -- George Orwell

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Book Synopsis'Extremely lively' TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT'A work of art' SCOTSMAN'Genius' SUNDAY TIMESAn old snapshot shows a group of friends lounging in the sunshine, on a weekend in the country at the invitation of bearded, satyric Claude and his wife Julia. The girl in the centre is dreamy Lily, whose latest failed love affair forms the purpose of the weekend, as Lily's friends set out to help her ensnare an unwitting father for her unborn child. Next to her is Norman, a Marxist romantic hell-bent on seducing his milk-white hostess; behind them is old, persecuted Shebah; and slightly apart, the young man on whom all hopes are pinned: quiet, pleasant Edward.Told through the fractured narratives of Claude, Lily, Shebah and Norman, in Beryl Bainbridge's first published novel a darkly comic weekend of friendship and failure unravels.Trade ReviewIt is her skewed and deadly grasp of the immediate that makes Bainbridge's work unique. Formerly an actress, she has an uncanny ear for dialogue, a perfect sense of timing and a terse, elliptical narrative style that combine to create a dramatic, or cinematic, tension * New York Times *Extremely lively and incisive entertainment * Times Literary Supplement *[Bainbridge's] genius lies in the comic evocation of the mundane life against which her characters are in revolt * Sunday Times *A riotous, macabre imagination * Daily Telegraph *Delicious . . . Very elegant and pleasing . . . A work of art * Scotsman *Extremely lively and incisive entertainment * Times Literary Supplement *Her genius lies in the comic evocation of the mundane life against which her characters are in perpetual and ineffectual revolt * Sunday Times *Delicious . . . very elegant and pleasing . . . A work of art * Scotsman *

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Book SynopsisLavinia Brandon is quite the loveliest widow in Barsetshire, blessed with beauty and grace, as well as two handsome grown-up children, Delia and Francis. So thinks their cousin Hilary Grant when he comes to stay and - like many before him - promptly falls for his fragrant hostess. Meanwhile, the Brandons' ill-tempered dowager aunt is stirring up controversy over her legacy, and Lavinia's attention is further occupied by the challenges of making a match between the vicar and gifted village helpmeet Miss Morris, and elegantly deterring her love-struck suitors. Angela Thirkell's 1930s comedy is bright, witty and winning.Trade ReviewWhat sings out is the ebullience and charm of her characters, deliciously sparkling dialogue, a romping plot, her wit and gentle satire, and the escapist satisfaction of neatly tied-up happy endings * bookoxygen.com *Angela Thirkell is perhaps the most Pym-like of any twentieth-century author, after Pym herself -- Alexander McCall SmithAngela Thirkell is perhaps the most Pym-like of any twentieth-century author, after Pym herself -- Alexander McCall Smith

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Book SynopsisAndy, Dag and Claire have been handed a society beyond their means. Twentysomethings, brought up with divorce, Watergate and Three Mile Island, and scarred by the 80s fallout of yuppies, recession, crack and Ronald Reagan, they represent the new generation - Generation X.Fiercely suspicious of being lumped together as an advertiser''s target market, they have quit dreary careers and cut themselves adrift in the California desert. Unsure of their futures, they immerse themselves in a regime of heavy drinking and working in no future McJobs in the service industry.Underemployed, overeducated and intensely private and unpredicatable, they have nowhere to direct their anger, no one to assuage their fears, and no culture to replace their anomie. So they tell stories: disturbingly funny tales that reveal their barricaded inner world. A world populated with dead TV shows, ''Elvis moments'' and semi-disposible Swedish furniture.Trade ReviewA new age J.D Sallinger on smart drugs. * TIME OUT ** *Dizzying sparkle and originality. * THE TIMES, ** *Quirky, witty, with an affection for its characters which lifts it above the level of such as Bret Easton Ellis's 'Less than Zero. * MAIL ON SUNDAY ** *A Landmark book. * DAILY TELEGRAPH ** *

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Book Synopsis#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Something big is brewing in Trenton, N.J., and it could blow at any minute.   Stephanie Plum might not be the world’s greatest bounty hunter, but she knows when she’s being played. Ken Globovic (aka Gobbles), hailed as the Supreme Exalted Zookeeper of the animal house known as Zeta fraternity, has been arrested for beating up the dean of students at Kiltman College. Gobbles has missed his court date and gone into hiding. People have seen him on campus, but no one will talk. Things just aren’t adding up, and Stephanie can’t shake the feeling that something funny is going on at the college—and it’s not just Zeta fraternity pranks.   As much as people love Gobbles, they hate Doug Linken. When Linken is gunned down in his backyard it’s good riddance, and the list of possible murder suspects is long. The only people who care about finding Linken’s killer are Trenton cop Joe Morelli, who has been assigned the case, security expert Ranger, who was hired to protect Linken, and Stephanie, who has her eye on a cash prize and hopefully has some tricks up her sleeve.

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Book Synopsis''A writer of virtuostic talents who can seemingly do anything'' New York Times''Wallace is a superb comedian of culture . . . his exuberance and intellectual impishness are a delight'' James Wood, Guardian''He induces the kind of laughter which, when read in bed with a sleeping partner, wakes said sleeping partner up . . . He''s damn good'' Nicholas Lezard, Guardian''One of the best books about addiction and recovery to appear in recent memory'' Sunday TimesSomewhere in the not-so-distant future the residents of Ennet House, a Boston halfway house for recovering addicts, and students at the nearby Enfield Tennis Academy are ensnared in the search for the master copy of Infinite Jest, a movie said to be so dangerously entertaining its viewers become entranced and expire in a state of catatonic bliss . . .Trade ReviewA writer of virtuostic talents who can seemingly do anything * NEW YORK TIMES *Wallace is a superb comedian of culture . . . his exuberance and intellectual impishness are a delight * James Woods, GUARDIAN *He induces the kind of laughter which, when read in bed with a sleeping partner, wakes said sleeping partner up . . . He's damn good * Nicholas Lezard, GUARDIAN *One of the best books about addiction and recovery to appear in recent memory. * SUNDAY TIMES *

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Book Synopsis''An achingly funny anti-hero'' Daily Mail''My comfort read. The best diaries ever written - with apologies to Samuel Pepys, Bridget Jones and me'' ADAM KAYIn the SIXTH book in Sue Townsend''s hilarious and iconic series, Adrian, Leicester''s most unlikely ex-con, faces the nit-infested reality of being a single parent . . . __________ Monday January 3, 2000 So how do I greet the New Millennium? In despair. I''m a single parent, I live with my mother . . . I have a bald spot the size of a jaffa cake on the back of my head . . . I can''t go on like this, drifting into early middle-age. I need a Life Plan . . . The ''same age as Jesus when he died'', Adrian Mole has become a martyr: a single-father bringing up two young boys in an uncaring world. With the ever-unattainable Pandora pursuing her ambition to become Labour''s first female PM; his over-achieving half-brother Brett sTrade ReviewCelebrate Adrian Mole's 50th Birthday with this new edition of the sixth book in his diaries where Adrian, Leicester's most unlikely ex-con, faces the nit-infested reality of being a single parent * from the publisher's description *Told with Townsend's trademark deadpan humour and cringe-worthy mishaps. To people of a certain age, Adrian Mole was their Harry Potter * News of the World *Very funny indeed. A satire of our times * Sunday Times *An achingly funny anti-hero * Daily Mail *Adrian Mole is one of the great comic creations of our time * Scotsman *To people of a certain age, Adrian Mole was their Harry Potter. Loveable in its celebration of mediocrity, it's told with Townsend's trademark deadpan humour * News of the World *The diaries are a satire of our times...very funny indeed * The Sunday Times *Adrian Mole is one of the great comic creations of our time * Scotsman *To people of a certain age, Adrian Mole was their Harry Potter. Loveable in its celebration of mediocrity, it's told with Townsend's trademark deadpan humour * News of the World *The diaries are a satire of our times...very funny indeed * The Sunday Times *The funniest person in the world * Caitlin Moran *

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Book Synopsis''Extremely funny . . . and wise'' Sunday TimesNOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE__________________________''Can I explain why I wanted to jump off the top of a tower block?''For disgraced TV presenter Martin Sharp the answer''s pretty simple: he has, in his own words, ''pissed his life away''. And on New Year''s Eve he''s going to end it all . . . but not, as it happens, alone. Because first single-mum Maureen, then eighteen-year-old Jess and lastly American rock-god JJ turn up and crash Martin''s private party. They''ve stolen his idea - but brought their own reasons.Yet it''s hard to jump when you''ve got an audience queuing impatiently behind you. A few heated words and some slices if cold pizza later and these four strangers are suddenly allies. But is their unlikely friendship a good enough reason to carry on living?Shortlisted for the 2005 Whitbread Award and the Commonwealth Writers Prize, A Long Way Down Trade ReviewImpossible to put down . . . enthralling * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisThe first in The Rotters'' Club series, bestselling author Jonathan Coe''s iconic tale of Benjamin Trotter is a hilarious, heartfelt celebration of the joys and agonies of growing up WINNER OF THE EVERYMAN WODEHOUSE PRIZE __________ Birmingham, England, c. 1973: industrial strikes, bad pop music, first love, corrosive class warfare, detention, IRA bombings. Four friends: a class clown who stoops very low for a laugh; a confused artist enthralled by rock; an earnest radical with socialist leanings; and a quiet dreamer obsessed with poetry, God, and the prettiest girl in school. Unforgettably funny and painfully honest, The Rotters'' Club is perfect for readers of Nick Hornby and William Boyd - or anyone who ever experience adolescence the hard way! THE STORY CONTINUES IN THE CLOSED CIRCLE AND MIDDLE ENGLAND. __________ ''One of those sweeping, ambitious yet hugely readable, mo

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Book SynopsisIt is a risky (and risque) business becoming ''Woman Triumphant'' - exercising total power over men like Rusty Godowski. Rusty just wants to be a Hollywood star like everyone else at Buck Loner''s academy, but now that Buck''s niece, Myra Breckinridge, has arrived, the curriculum is taking a wildly strange turn. Willing to risk all to be superb and unique, Myra means to prove to her old friend Dr Montag that it is possible to work out in life all one''s fantasies - and survive.''From Myra''s fist appearnce on the page she was a megastar'', explains her creator, Gore Vidal. Myra caused a second furore when she returned in Myron to battle it out with her eponymous alter ego, a drab little man fallen into marriage and a job in Chinese catering. Theirs is a contest of hormonal roulette, with glorious Myra off on time-travelling missions of mercy back to 1948 to try to change cinema history and to introduce her own radical theories of popuation control. Meanwhile Myron tries desTrade ReviewFalling somewhere between the realms of Henry Adams and all of Monty Python, Gore Vidal has for many years served as America's own Tiesias - a seer and scourge, as well as an entertainer of the highest order. * Jay McInerney *

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Book SynopsisOne of the funniest writers alive.' Dave EggersHer stories, her stories, are perfect.' Slate''Such a delight.'' Sunday Telegraph''Poetic, sharp and devastatingly funny.'' GuardianA wonderful collection from one of the most acclaimed and influential writers of her generation.Since the publication of Self-Help, her first collection of stories, Lorrie Moore has been hailed as one of the greatest and most influential voices in American fiction. Her ferociously funny, soulful stories tell of the gulf between men and women, the loneliness of the broken-hearted and the yearned-for, impossible intimacies we crave. Gathered here for the first time in a beautiful hardback edition is the complete stories along with three new and previously unpublished in book form: Paper Losses, The Juniper Tree, Debarking.

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The bestselling author of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe is at her superb best in this fun-loving, moving novel about what it means to be truly alive.WINNER OF THE SOUTHERN BOOK PRIZE  Elmwood Springs, Missouri, is a small town like any other, but something strange is happening at the cemetery. Still Meadows, as it’s called, is anything but still. Original, profound, The Whole Town’s Talking, a novel in the tradition of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town and Flagg’s own Can’t Wait to Get to Heaven, tells the story of Lordor Nordstrom, his Swedish mail-order bride, Katrina, and their neighbors and descendants as they live, love, die, and carry on in mysterious and surprising ways. Lordor Nordstrom created, in his wisdom, not only a lively town and a prosperous legacy for himself but also a beautiful final resting place for his family, friend

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Book SynopsisNew York Times bestseller!Now a major Sky/HBO TV seriesFrom the bestselling author of The Leftovers and Little Children comes a penetrating and hilarious new novel about sex, love, and identity on the frontlines of America''s culture wars.Eve Fletcher is trying to figure out what comes next. A forty-six-year-old divorcee whose beloved only child has just left for college, Eve is struggling to adjust to her empty nest when one night her phone lights up with a text message. Sent from an anonymous number, the mysterious sender tells Eve, U R my MILF! Over the months that follow, that message comes to obsess Eve. While leading her all-too-placid life-serving as Executive Director of the local senior center by day and taking a community college course on Gender and Society at night-Eve can''t curtail her own interest in a porn website called MILFateria.com, which features the erotic exploits of ordinary, middle-aged women likeTrade ReviewA provocative comedy of sexual politics, with heart and bite * Sunday Mirror *A wry, spiky examination of how the internet is reshaping sexuality * Mail on Sunday *[Perrotta is] the American Nick Hornby * Independent *[A] comical but compassionate exploration of the contemporary sexual landscape . . . As a man writing about a woman's sexuality, Perrotta has been careful to avoid lapses that might seem prurient or salacious . . . He seems motivated by a genuine curiosity about shifting social attitudes and the impact of technology on people's lives. * The Herald *

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Book SynopsisComic book illustrator Michael Yoo is having a terrible week. He's just arrived in San Diego for Comic-Con -- the annual nerd Mardi Gras that triples the beachside city's population with 150,000 fans. Michael hopes to spend the next five days working his booth in Artist's Alley, where he'll sign autographs and sell sketches for $40 a pop. Instead he's implicated in the death of his editor, the widely feared and reviled Danny Lieber. There are plenty of suspects onhand -- from rival illustrators to burlesque cos-players. But the most valuable clues might be hidden in Michael's own sketchbook. He's spent a good portion of the convention illustrating people he's met and places he's visited, and he's inadvertantly captured some very important information. The devil is in the details, and readers who pay careful attention to this book's black-and-white sketches will be on the right trail to unmask the murderer.Trade Review“More than just a hilarious mystery…[Van Lente] holds up con culture, nerd culture, and the entire comics industry for scrutiny.”—Herald Net “A madcap mystery spoof set at Comic-Con…Mike’s efforts to prove his innocence keep the pages turning all the way to the surprising ending.”—Publishers Weekly“The Con Artist is a fun book. Fred Van Lente gives the comic book industry in general and San Diego Comic-Con in particular a big wet kiss on the cheek, well aware of the warts that lie in wait.”—Book Reporter“A surreal, funny, poignant, and incredibly fun crime novel.”—Criminal Element “A lively romp loaded with geek humor.”—Foreword Reviews“Filled with lively dialogue and an inside look at the comic industry.”—Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine“Fred Van Lente knows comics. He also knows how to craft a compelling, memorable mystery. The Con Artist finds the author at full power, merging these two threads to create a fast-paced, impossible to put down novel. We all come out winning.”—Alex Segura, author of Blackout“Comic-con devotees should get a kick out of the many, many Easter eggs Van Lente hides here.”—Booklist “A delightful read. Filled with smart retorts, sharp descriptions, and the frantic, chaos-filled atmosphere inherent in all cons.”—New York Journal of Books “A good book for comic book fans to read, but casual mystery readers should also enjoy this fun and engrossing mystery.”—Flickering Myth“Aside from being chock-full of pop culture references, it’s also a commentary on the comics industrial complex—that there are those who had a hand in creating now-famous characters who have been forgotten or left behind.”—Geek Dad“The Con Artist is a colorful, fast-paced novel that manages to bring out everyone's hidden geek by telling a compelling story full of mystery and action.”—BioGamer Girl“Van Lente sucks you into the frenetic energy of the giant monster known as San Diego Comic-Con with his imagery and actual sketches.”—Geeks of Doom“A nerd noir page turner.”—Graphic Policy

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Book Synopsis''Very dark and very funny'' Jo Brand''Utterly compelling'' Jojo Moyes''Totally compulsive reading'' Jenny ColganJean Collins had two daughters. But she only loved one of them.She knew it was wrong, but she just couldn''t help herself. Jess was a little sweetheart, everyone said so. Anne was awkward and serious and not much fun, to be frank. But now the years have passed. Jess is missing - run off long ago, no one knows where or why. So when Jean is left in a coma after a road accident, it''s Anne who travels back up north to sit at her mother''s bedside. And she wonders - why did Jean dash out into the road without looking? What distracted her? And why was she carrying a box of vanilla slices, the cream cakes she only ever bought for extra special occasions? Meanwhile there are secrets waiting for Anne and Jean, back at the old family home. Secrets that were buried a long time ago . . .Trade ReviewOf course it's funny, but it's also dark, honest and totally compulsive reading * Jenny Colgan *Very dark and very funny. I had it glued to my face until I'd finished it * Jo Brand *Utterly compelling, brave, angry and melancholy all at once . . . I want to read her others now * Jojo Moyes *

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