Humorous fiction

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 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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Book Synopsis'An unremitting powerhouse of a novel that marks the arrival of a major new talent. Trainspotting is a loosely knotted string of jagged, dislocated tales that lay bare the hearts of darkness of the junkies, wide-boys and psychos who ride in the down escalator of opportunity in the nation's capital.Trade ReviewAbhorrently dark and raw to the core, Trainspotting is an insight into one of life’s many ugly personalities — addiction and the accompanying domino effect of grim inevitabilities… Irvine Welsh’s novel will always be a cult classic. -- Tori Chalmers * Culture Trip *Welsh’s skill as a storyteller is undeniable, bringing both wit and compassion to a grim subject matter. If you liked Danny Boyle’s film adaptation, you’ll love the original. -- Maddy Searle * i *

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Book SynopsisFirst published in 1921, this volume collects some of the most comical stories Kipling published throughout his writing career. These tales derive their humour from absurd situations – a drunken Irish soldier waking up to find himself worshipped as a god in the Indian holy city of Benares, a monkey let loose in an English village – and from lampooning the attitudes and discourses of the time. While presenting many aspects which will be familiar to Kipling readers – rollicking adventures, exotic locales and an interest in the animal world – these Humorous Tales explore the more light-hearted and amusing side to the great master’s work.Trade Review[Kipling] is still an author who can inspire passionate disagreement … as the age of the European empires recedes, he is recognised as an incomparable, if controversial, interpreter of how empire was experienced. That, and an increasing recognition of his extraordinary narrative gifts, make him a force to be reckoned with. -- Douglas KerrTable of ContentsContains: The Legend of Mirth, The Taking of Lungtungpen, Moti Guj Mutineer, The Rout of the White Hussars, The First Sailor, Judson and the Empire, Namgay Doola, My Sunday at Home, Pig, Alnaschar and the Oxen, The Bull That Thought, A Flight of Fact, Private Learoyd's Story, The Finances of the Gods, Prologue to the Master Cook's Tale, His Gift, The Press, The Village That Voted the Earth Was Flat, The Puzzler (Poem), The Puzzler (Tale), The Incarnation of Krishna Mulvaney, Gallio's Song, Little Foxes, My Lord the Elephant, Brugglesmith, The Sending of Dana Da, The Fabulists, The Vortex, The Song of Seven Cities, The Necessitarian.

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Book Synopsis''[Gervase Phinn is] a worthy successor to James Herriott, and every bit as endearing.'' - bestselling author Alan Titchmarsh''It''s a small village is Barton-in-the-Dale, Mrs Stirling,'' said the shopkeeper. ''You ought to know that by now. Nothing can be kept secret for too long. News travels fast.''In the little village of Barton-in-the-Dale, long-hidden secrets are bubbling to the surface. Ashley Underwood and Emmet O''Malley are set to tie the knot, when a revelation from the handsome Irishman''s past returns to haunt him. The town''s resident nosey-parker discovers some juicy gossip about the primary school''s dishy new staff-member, and head teacher Elisabeth Stirling has a very special secret of her own.As the wedding day draws closer, brewing secrets threaten to boil over. But along with the skeletons tumbling out of the closet comes plenty of laughter, drama, friendship and love. One thing''s for sure: for some, life in Barton-in-theTrade ReviewPRAISE FOR GERVASE PHINN:Packed with delightful and authentic characters, juicy gossip, precarious romance and good old-fashioned village drama, this is a warm-hearted and hilarious account of a struggling school in a small community. * Good Book Guide *A worthy successor to James Herriot, and every bit as endearing. * Alan Titchmarsh *Written with all the humour and warmth one has come to expect from this master storyteller. * Countryman *As Yorkshire's favourite school inspector turns to fiction you can enjoy memorable characters and turns of phrase. * Choice *When Gervase Phinn receives his peerage for services to good-heartedness, this will be the motto on his coat of arms: "Ex silvis sed non supra montem." . . . This entertaining and moving homework earns a good few merit marks. Gervase Phinn is not going downhill yet, by a long chalk on a blackboard. * Independent *

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Book Synopsis ‘A witty, heart-warming tale about woman’s best friend. You’ll love it!’ Nick Spalding ‘A love story that honestly will just make you cheer… I loved it.’ Miranda Dickinson Trade Review Praise for Pug Actually: "A love story that honestly will just make you cheer… I loved it." Miranda Dickinson, Sunday Times bestselling author ‘A witty, heart-warming tale about woman’s best friend. You’ll love it!’ Nick Spalding, bestselling author ‘A wonderful novel with delicious humour… I'm in love with Doug the pug!’ Jill Mansell, Sunday Times bestselling author ‘Charming, brilliant and an absolute hoot… This book makes the world feel a happier place to be.’ Milly Johnson, Sunday Times bestselling author "A fantastic (dog) treat of a book which will charm and delight you, Pug Actually is just the thing to get your tail wagging! (That’s what my rescue greyhound felt and I loved it too!)" Mike Gayle, Richard and Judy bestselling author “[A] delightful, quirky novel about a dog and his girl… A word of caution: Reading this in public may cause uncontrollable laughter and create a scene.” Library Journal, starred review “[Readers] will fall in love with Dunn's charming canine narrator… amusing and heartwarming, and Doug is a fantastic star of the show.” Booklist “Alternately poignant and laugh-out-loud funny…Doug’s hilarious antics, astute observations, and dogged determination pull at the heartstrings on the way to a thoroughly satisfying happily ever after.” Publishers Weekly Praise for Matt Dunn: ‘Funny, warm, honest…’ Jenny Colgan, Sunday Times bestselling author ‘Matt Dunn’s writing makes you laugh out loud.’ Sophie Kinsella, Sunday Times bestselling author ‘This is Matt Dunn at the top of his game. Funny, poignant, and big-hearted…’ Mike Gayle, Richard and Judy bestselling author ‘Matt Dunn is officially funny.’ Jojo Moyes, Sunday Times bestselling author ‘Sharp and witty…I loved it.’ Milly Johnson, Sunday Times bestselling author

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Book SynopsisSaki’s Cats rounds up the tales about cats, big and small, by the undisputed master of the short story. ‘Tobermory’, one of Saki’s most famous pieces, demonstrates the danger that would ensue from granting cats the power of speech – animals have long lurked unseen, eavesdropping, in the background. The tom in ‘The Philanthropist and the Happy Cat’ is the only one to enjoy his meal, as is the leopard in ‘The Guests’. In ‘The Penance’ and ‘Mrs Packletide’s Tiger’, hunters who put cats in their sights are humiliated and blackmailed. ‘The Achievement of the Cat’ considers how cats have come to be served by the human race. In addition to the short stories about cats, Saki’s Cats also collects Saki’s juvenile letters to his sister Ethel about the tiger cub he adopted while living in Burma. The feisty felines of these tales are the only clear winners, and, with a characteristic smirk and dash of his pen, it is Edwardian Society that Saki sends slinking off, tail between its legs.Trade Review'His stories and novels appear as delightful and [...] sophisticated as they did when he first published them.' (Noel Coward)Table of Contents'Saki's Tiger', 'Tobermory', 'The Philanthropist and the Happy Cat', 'The Penance', 'The Guests', 'Mrs Packletide's Tiger', 'The Achievement of the Cat', Note on the Text, Notes, A Brief Biographical Note on Saki

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Book Synopsis'A new Simon Brett is an event for mystery fans' P. D. James 'Murder most enjoyable' Colin Dexter The latest hair-raising adventure featuring the aristocratic brother and sister sleuthing duo! Praise for Simon Brett 'One of British crime's most assured craftsmen . . . Crime writing just like in the good old days, and perfect entertainment' Guardian 'Few crime writers are so enchantingly gifted' Sunday Times 'Simon Brett writes stunning detective stories. I would recommend them to anyone' Jilly Cooper

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Book SynopsisFleabag meets I Am Legend in this extraordinary novel of one woman's survival in the face of the end of the world . . . December 2023. The human race has fought a deadly virus and lost. The only things left from the world before are burning cities and rotting corpses.But in London, one woman is still alive.Although she may be completely unprepared for her new existence, as someone who has spent her life trying to fit in, being alone is surprisingly liberating.Determined to discover if she really is the last survivor on earth, she sets off on an extraordinary adventure, with only an abandoned golden retriever named Lucky for company.Maybe she'll find a better life or maybe she'll die along the way. But whatever happens, the end of everything will be her new beginning.***'A riotous, black-humoured tonic' Independent'A masterpiece of modern fiction' Sophie Cousens'Fresh, frank, funny' Elizabeth Kay'Brilliant. Creepy, witty, laugh-out-loud and shudder-inducing' Harriet Walker'Harrowing, unflinching and uplifting' Jennifer Saint'Original, brutal, funny and hugely addictive!' Emma Cooper***A 5 star read!'I LOVED this book. I scurried through it in one sitting, couldn't stop reading it for the life of me. Then at the end I cried because it was over' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'It reads like a dream . . . with every single word perfectly plotted to create a story like no other. Sometimes I laughed, sometimes I cried, but I always related and I never wanted it to end' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'From the very first page of this book I knew it was going to be a winner . . . This is a story of strength, determination and self discovery' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'If I could have made a list of all the things that I'd want an apocalypse novel to include, this book would check off every single box' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Terrifying, appalling, gory, explicit, laugh out loud funny and practically every other known emotion. This book has it all' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Trade ReviewI adored this book . . . It's about who you are with nobody to witness you, what it means to be human, and how to live (the answer is getting plastered in Harrod's, something we can all relate to) * Gillian McAllister *Brilliant. Creepy, witty, laugh-out-loud and shudder-inducing -- Harriet Walker, author of The New GirlA fresh, frank, funny and surprisingly uplifting book about the end of the world * Elizabeth Kay, author of Seven Lies *Finished this last night and haven't stopped thinking about it since! Possibly my fave read of 2020 - sharp, funny, emotional and a refreshingly different take on a post-apocalyptic world * Lisa Hall *Really fun . . . like a dystopian Bridget Jones' Diary with echoes of Shaun of the Dead * Kate Sawyer *Scary, emotional - and truly a novel for our times! * The Sun *I haven't been so consumed by a book for a long time. This is a masterpiece of modern fiction, which I have raced through it in a few days. It has consumed my thoughts and will stay with me for a long time * Sophie Cousens *This post-apocalyptic rollercoaster ride is full of belly-aching humour and the touching tale of a woman faced with the end of the world * Magic FM Book Club *This dystopian novel is very funny, super-gory but a testament to the human spirit, which is also oddly life-affirming * Red Magazine *I inhaled it in two sittings * Stylist *Fast-paced, tragic, wholesome and laugh-out-loud funny, Clift's debut has left me grateful for the little things, excited for what else she has to offer - and making plans for my apocalypse bunker * On Magazine *Thoroughly enjoyable and warmly recommended. Think of it as a literary version of 28 Days Later: terrifying, convincingly constructed, heart-pounding at times, often blackly funny * Irish Independent Review *Amazing. Unsettling and dark and SO clever. One of the most unnerving books I've ever read * Cressida McLaughlin *If you want something super original and mad and at times, both moving and VERY FUNNY, this is it * Cesca Major *Last One At The Party is brilliant and creepy, yet surprisingly funny and feminist * Press Association *A compelling, engaging, enthralling novel that keeps the reader turning the pages * Lancashire Times *Funny but harrowing, unflinching and uplifting and so cinematic. I really loved it * Jennifer Saint *You need to read this one. Darkly witty, but also deeply moving, this is a brilliant debut * Best Magazine *A phenomenal book!!!! I've just finished it and am blown away . . . original, brutal, funny and hugely addictive! I just know I'm not going to be able to stop thinking about it for a long time * Emma Cooper *Bethany Clift's Last One at the Party stands out as a bold and humorous take on the [pandemic-based fiction] genre. -- Bea Carvalho * Belfast Telegraph *Tense * Grazia *Funny and profanity-laden, you could call this "Bridget Jones Does the Apocalypse" * Financial Times *A true pandemic page-turner, with a satisfactorily chilling end . . . * The Irish Times *Plenty of style, originality and verve * Irish Sunday Independent *Clift's novel is a riotous, black-humoured tonic to get you through this latest national lockdown * Independent *There are no holds barred in this cracking, remorselessly funny debut * Daily Mail *Clift has written a story that feels uniquely personal to its female protagonist. For all her lows, there are genuine highs, and for all her fears, there are wonders to counterbalance the desolation of her situation. * Culture Fly *Very relatable - an incredibly up-to-date feel * SFX Magazine *I obsessively read Last One at the Party - a novel about a horrifying pandemic which ends up being about female resourcefulness and the power of love * Julie Cohen *Reading it will either help your mental health or provide extra nightmare fuel. Maybe both. * The New Zealand Listener *The novel expertly walks the line between profane and thoughtful, and is as much about the why of surviving as it is about the how * FT.com *A true pandemic page-turner, with a satisfactorily chilling end * TheGloss.ie *A joyful, gutwrenching car crash of remorse, pluck, gross indulgence and shopping * Daily Mail *So dark. So funny. So mad . . . A truly epic, apoca-f*cking-lyptic read * Beth Morrey *Unforgettable and original and so many other things. Touching and poignant, crude and strangely voyeuristic, timely and deeply relatable. It had the power to make me reflect about so many things. Loved it. Five stars for sheer originality * Allie Reynolds *Intense and fun and gruelling, I just couldn't put this novel down * Jenny Colgan *Clift's gripping dystopia is terrifying but edged with anarchic humour * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"It takes a certain amount of guts and wild abandon to recast a Shakespeare comedy as a hard-boiled detective story, but if anyone can pull it off, it’s master satirist Moore, whose gift for funny business apparently knows no bounds. . . . A welcome return of a fan-favorite character in a romp of a tale that will delight not only mystery buffs but also fantasy fanatics, and, of course, Bard lovers." — Booklist (starred review) "Moore’s trademark humor is on full display with his cast of strangely lovable characters. This is Shakespeare with an edge and will not only appeal to Moore’s fans but garner new ones." — Library Journal (starred review) "Nobody writes mystery novels quite like Christopher Moore . . . . As hilarious as A Midsummer Night’s Dream is to begin with, Moore adds a contemporary dose of sly humor that I think would impress the Bard." — Bookpage (starred review) “Buckle in for Shakespeare for Squirrels, an uproarious take on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream—transformed into a murder mystery. . . A funny, fast-paced, and wild read.” — Huffington Post "Christopher Moore has written a wonderful diversion for hard times. Even Shakespeare would have appreciated the jokes." — Wall Street Journal "A hilariously noir tale of love, magic and murder." — USA Today “Manic parodist Moore…returns with a rare gift for Shakespeare fans who think A Midsummer Night’s Dream would be perfect if only it were a little more madcap. . . . A kicky, kinky, wildly inventive 21st century mashup with franker language and a higher body count than Hamlet.” — Kirkus Reviews “This cheeky homage will please lovers of Shakespeare and camp.” — Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisIt's a new year, and the anime for All About My Little Sister is steadily proceeding. But when the news is leaked early, how will GF Bunko recover-and who will take the fall...?!

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Book Synopsis ''Is This It? is a future classic'' DAISY BUCHANAN ''I wolfed it down in two days because I was totally hooked'' HELLY ACTON ''The thirty-something heroine we all need'' FREYA SAMPSON________________________-Employed (you have frequent nightmares about your job)-Single and fabulous (swiping Tinder in your pyjamas while your best friend shops for engagement rings)-Thriving (surviving)Ivy and Mia have been best friends since the fun, messy, hungover years of their twenties.Ten years later, Mia has it all - the man, the house, the career. Ivy is skint, single, and scared that she isn''t a ''hot mess'' any more - she''s a walking disaster.But one night, Ivy switches her phone off, peels last night''s drunken pizza off the sofa, and makes a list. A list that changes everything . . .The new Ivy has a proper job. She goes on fancy dateTrade ReviewI ABSOLUTELY BLOODY LOVED IS THIS IT? Ivy is pretty much my favourite character to spend time with and I adored following her as she stepped into her own. Hannah writes with heart cut with a sharp, dark humour that had me snorting with laughter. Hannah crafts characters with such life that at times I forgot I was reading at all. Needless to say, I'd share a bottle of wine with Ivy in a heartbeat. -- Abigail Mann, author of The Lonely FajitaHannah is a truly gifted comic writer with a great talent for guiding readers through the dark and finding the light. Uncompromising, funny and genuinely moving - it really captures what it's like to be a young woman now, but I'm confident that this is a future classic. -- DAISY BUCHANAN, author of InsatiableIvy [is] my personal hero and new fictional BFF. Sharp, funny, steamy and fast - it has everything I could ever want in a rom com -- HELLY ACTON, author of The ShelfIncredibly relatable, so horribly funny and clever, and just so good in all kinds of ways. I'm telling everyone I know to preorder! -- LUCY VINE, author of What Fresh Hell Is This?I absolutely devoured this book! Ivy is such a relatable character. It's funny, it's sharp, and it's an absolute must read for this summer! -- HOLLY MCCULLOCH, author of The Mix-UpFabulously funny with well-drawn characters and a protagonist who has you rooting for her throughout -- Gillian Harvey, author of Everything is Fine and this year's Perfect on PaperFunny, flawed and achingly relatable, Ivy Edwards is the thirty-something heroine we all need. Tovey's writing is exquisite and I laughed till I cried -- FREYA SAMPSON, author of The Last LibraryA true breath of fresh air: uplifting, relatable, inspiring, and laugh-out-loud funny -- JACK JORDAN, author of Anything For Her

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Book Synopsis From an 'astonishing' writer (Toni Morrison), the savagely funny story of a couple who unexpectedly come into some money in a wealth-obsessed America deranged by Mammon. A bag of money drops out of the sky, literally, into the path of a cash-starved citizen named Graveyard. He carries it home to his wife, Ambience, and they embark on the adventure of their lives, finally able to have everything they've always thought they deserved: cars, guns, games, jewels, clothes—and of course sex, travel, and time with friends and family. There is no limit except their imagination and the hours in the day, and even those seem to be subject to their control. Of course, the owner of the bag is searching for it, and will do whatever is necessary to get it back. And, of course, these new riches change everything—and nothing at all. Darkly hilarious, Processed Cheese is both satire and serious as death. It's a road novel, a

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Book SynopsisWinner, IPPY Award for Best First Book - Fiction and Margaret and John Savage First Book Award for FictionRunner-up, Leacock Medal for HumourShortlisted, Jim Connors Dartmouth Book Award and Kobo Emerging Writer Prize for Literary FictionLong-Shortlisted, 2020 Relit Award (Novel Category)When Stacey Fortune is diagnosed with three highly unpredictable — and inoperable — brain tumours, she abandons the crumbling glamour of her life in Toronto for her mother Effie's scruffy trailer in rural Cape Breton. Back home, she's known as Crow, and everybody suspects that her family is cursed.With her future all but sealed, Crow decides to go down in a blaze of unforgettable glory by writing a memoir that will raise eyebrows and drop jaws. She'll dig up "the dirt" on her family tree, including the supposed curse, and uncover the truth about her mysterious father, who disappeared a month before she was born.But first, Crow must contend with an eclectic assortment of characters, including her gossipy Aunt Peggy, hedonistic party-pal Char, homebound best friend Allie, and high-school flame Willy. She'll also have to figure out how to live with her mother and how to muddle through the unsettling visual disturbances that are becoming more and more vivid each day.Witty, energetic, and crackling with sharp Cape Breton humour, Crow is a story of big twists, big personalities, big drama, and even bigger heart.Trade Review"Crow delighted me and amazed me the further I read, with its freshness, its daring, its refusal to conform (and the projectile vomiting)." * Pickle Me This *"Tender, raw, and compassionate, Crow tackles the life-changing events thrown at her and muscles them down to her control, leaving readers breathless in the face of her honesty and hard-earned truths." -- Donna Morrissey"Amy Spurway comes out swinging with this raw, unflinching, and emotionally urgent debut novel. Be forewarned, Crow is as empowering and comic as it is unsettling and disarming. I love it." -- Joel Thomas Hynes"I think Crow is great. It depicts a side of Cape Breton populated by characters that are flawed and achingly real. It's poignant and funny." -- Lesley Crewe"Engaging, relentlessly entertaining and written with enormous passion and great wit. Crow is a notable debut, and Amy Spurway is a writer worth watching." -- Ian Colford * The Fiddlehead *

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Book SynopsisFamily begins with a capital eff.I'm wondering how many more f*cking phases' I have to endure before my children become civilised and functioning members of society? It seems like people have been telling me it's just a phase!' for the last fifteen bloody years. Not sleeping through the night is just a phase.' Potty training and the associated accidents is just a phase'. The tantrums of the terrible twos are just a phase'. The picky eating, the back chat, the obsessions. The toddler refusals to nap, the teenage inability to leave their beds before 1pm without a rocket being put up their arse. The endless singing of Frozen songs, the dabbing, the weeks where apparently making them wear pants was akin to child torture. All just phases!' When do the phases' end though? WHEN?Mummy dreams of a quirky rural cottage with roses around the door and chatty chickens in the garden. Life, as ever, is not going quite as she planned. Paxo, Oxo and Bisto turn out to be highly rambunctious, rather thanTrade Review“God, she’s funny” – Jilly Cooper “Honest and very funny – it’s a tale that mums will identify with” – The Sun “Sims’s latest offering is a hilarious follow-up to her bestselling debut… you’d be forgiven for thinking the blogger behind Peter and Jane couldn’t pull it off twice – but she has” – The Sunday Post “Witty, relevant and bitingly sarcastic… Gill Sims nails the aspects of modern family life that drive us crazy – but which also make us who we are” – Sunday Express Magazine “Many mums will identify with Ellen” – Love It! Magazine

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Book SynopsisStephanie Plum faces the toughest puzzle of her career in the twenty-fifth entry in Janet Evanovich''s #1 New York Times-bestselling series, now in paperback for the first time. There''s nothing like a good deli, and the Red River Deli in Trenton is one of the best. World-famous for its pastrami, cole slaw, and for its disappearing managers. Over the last month, three have vanished from the face of the earth, and the only clue in each case is one shoe that''s been left behind. The police are baffled. Lula is convinced that it''s a case of alien abduction. Whatever it is, they''d better figure out what''s going on before they lose their new manager, Ms. Stephanie Plum.

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Book SynopsisThe hilarious second novel, and Sunday Times No 1 Bestseller, from author of the smash hit Why Mummy Drinks.Monday, 25 JulyThe first day of the holidays. I suppose it could've been worse. I brightly announced that perhaps it might be a lovely idea to go to a stately home and learn about some history. As soon as we got there I remembered why I don't use the flipping National Trust membership because National Trust properties are full of very precious and breakable items, and very precious and breakable items don't really mix with children, especially not small boys. Where I had envisaged childish faces glowing with wonder as they took in the treasures of our nation's illustrious past, we instead had me shouting Don't touch, DON'T TOUCH, FFS DON'T TOUCH! while stoutly shod pensioners tutted disapprovingly and drafted angry letters to the Daily Mail in their heads.How many more days of the holiday are there?Welcome to Mummy's worldThe Boy Child Peter is connected to his iPad by an umbiliTrade Review“God, she’s funny” – Jilly Cooper “Full of laugh-out-loud moments, it’s a must-read” – Hello Magazine “Honest and very funny – it’s a tale that mums will identify with” – The Sun “Reading Why Mummy Swears will be to some mummies just like having that 5pm snifter – it makes you feel that little bit better.” – Private Eye “Sim’s latest offering is a hilarious follow-up to her bestselling debut… you’d be forgiven for thinking the blogger behind Peter and Jane couldn’t pull it off twice – but she has” – The Sunday Post

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Trade Review“Great entertainment.” —Publishers Weekly

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