Narrative theme: coming of age

Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN’S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2023SHORTLISTED FOR THE WATERSTONES DEBUT FICTION PRIZE 2023AN OBSERVER BEST DEBUT NOVEL OF THE YEARIt’s time to dance, to love, to be free…‘Mesmerising’ BERNARDINE EVARISTO, author of Girl, Woman, Other‘Fabulous’ MAGGIE O'FARRELL, author of Hamnet‘Beautiful’ CALEB AZUMAH NELSON, author of Open WaterYamaye lives for the weekend, when she can go raving with her friends at The Crypt, an underground club on the outskirts of London. Then everything changes. Yamaye meets Moose, who she falls deeply in love with, and who offers her the chance of freedom and escape.After their relationship is brutally cut short, Yamaye goes on a dramatic journey of transformation that leads her to Jamaica, where past and present collide with explosive consequences.***A SUNDAY TIMES BEST NOVEL AND GUARDIAN BEST FICTION BOOK OF 2023***‘A wonderfully literary, musical and original novel about a culture and era that rarely makes the pages of fiction’ TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT‘Scorching… We follow Yamaye through love, loss and peril, as she chases her dreams and connects with her heritage’ GUARDIAN‘Ambitious, atmospheric… A novel of passion and anger’ SUNDAY TIMES‘A rich and rhythmic story about love and music’ ITrade ReviewRemarkable... In terms of sheer lyrical force it stands head and shoulders above most debuts * Daily Telegraph *I was blown away by Fire Rush - an exceptional and stunningly original novel by a major new writer... Her mesmerising, imaginative and incantatory writing leaves us swaying to the bass of the visceral rhythms she so powerfully describes. By the end of the novel, I felt charged and changed and already longed to reread it -- Bernardine Evaristo, Booker Prize-winning author of GIRL, WOMAN, OTHERFew have channelled so well the skittering beats and transcendent air of dub music as Crooks does in her semi-autobiographical debut... Startlingly vivid reading * Daily Telegraph, *Summer Reads of 2023* *A heady swirl of a novel that pulls the reader in from the first page... A fabulous, absorbing read -- Maggie O'Farrell, author of THE MARRIAGE PORTRAITA window into the dub scene at the time, with rhythmic, lyrical writing and a story about raving, love and the impact of police violence... Both a page turner and a literary novel... Truly remarkable * Vogue *A hypnotic journey into the dub reggae scene * Guardian, *Books of the Year* *This beautiful, sprawling narrative is wrought with an incredible precision and a musicality which carries every sentence. Crooks' novel haunts but make space for hope as well -- Caleb Azumah Nelson, author of OPEN WATERA colourful, immersive debut... Throughout, a passion and anger resound as we gain a glimpse into a rarely observed British subculture * Sunday Times, *Summer Reads of 2023* *A brilliant, exuberant novel. Full of beauty, musicality and feminist power -- Irenosen Okojie, author of NUDIBRANCHA scorching, lyrical debut, soaked in dub reggae * Guardian, *Summer Reads of 2023* *

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN’S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2023SHORTLISTED FOR THE WATERSTONES DEBUT FICTION PRIZE 2023AN OBSERVER BEST DEBUT NOVEL OF THE YEARIt’s time to dance, to love, to be free…‘Mesmerising’ BERNARDINE EVARISTO, author of Girl, Woman, Other‘Fabulous’ MAGGIE O'FARRELL, author of Hamnet‘Beautiful’ CALEB AZUMAH NELSON, author of Open WaterYamaye lives for the weekend, when she can go raving with her friends at The Crypt, an underground club on the outskirts of London. Then everything changes. Yamaye meets Moose, who she falls deeply in love with, and who offers her the chance of freedom and escape.After their relationship is brutally cut short, Yamaye goes on a dramatic journey of transformation that leads her to Jamaica, where past and present collide with explosive consequences.***A SUNDAY TIMES BEST NOVEL AND GUARDIAN BEST FICTION BOOK OF 2023***‘A wonderfully literary, musical and original novel about a culture and era that rarely makes the pages of fiction’ TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT‘Scorching… We follow Yamaye through love, loss and peril, as she chases her dreams and connects with her heritage’ GUARDIAN‘Ambitious, atmospheric… A novel of passion and anger’ SUNDAY TIMES‘A rich and rhythmic story about love and music’ ITrade ReviewRemarkable... In terms of sheer lyrical force it stands head and shoulders above most debuts * Daily Telegraph *I was blown away by Fire Rush - an exceptional and stunningly original novel by a major new writer... Her mesmerising, imaginative and incantatory writing leaves us swaying to the bass of the visceral rhythms she so powerfully describes. By the end of the novel, I felt charged and changed and already longed to reread it -- Bernardine Evaristo, Booker Prize-winning author of GIRL, WOMAN, OTHERFew have channelled so well the skittering beats and transcendent air of dub music as Crooks does in her semi-autobiographical debut... Startlingly vivid reading * Daily Telegraph, *Summer Reads of 2023* *A heady swirl of a novel that pulls the reader in from the first page... A fabulous, absorbing read -- Maggie O'Farrell, author of THE MARRIAGE PORTRAITA window into the dub scene at the time, with rhythmic, lyrical writing and a story about raving, love and the impact of police violence... Both a page turner and a literary novel... Truly remarkable * Vogue *A hypnotic journey into the dub reggae scene * Guardian, *Books of the Year* *This beautiful, sprawling narrative is wrought with an incredible precision and a musicality which carries every sentence. Crooks' novel haunts but make space for hope as well -- Caleb Azumah Nelson, author of OPEN WATERA colourful, immersive debut... Throughout, a passion and anger resound as we gain a glimpse into a rarely observed British subculture * Sunday Times, *Summer Reads of 2023* *A brilliant, exuberant novel. Full of beauty, musicality and feminist power -- Irenosen Okojie, author of NUDIBRANCHA scorching, lyrical debut, soaked in dub reggae * Guardian, *Summer Reads of 2023* *

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Book SynopsisIrreverent, witty and wise, But the Girl is a coming-of-age story about not wanting to leave your family behind'Impressive... Yu remakes the art of writing itself'GUARDIAN'A wonderful new novel for a metamodern world'BRANDON TAYLOR, author of The Late AmericansGirl was born on the very day her parents and grandmother immigrated from Malaysia to Australia. The story goes that her mother held on tight to her pelvic muscles in an effort to gift her the privilege of an Australian passport. But it's hard to be the embodiment of all your family's hopes and dreams, especially in a country that's hostile to your very existence.When Girl receives a scholarship to travel to the UK, she is finally free for the first time. In London and then Scotland she is meant to be working on a PhD on Sylvia Plath and writing a postcolonial novel. But Girl can't stop thinking about her upbringing and the stories of the people who raised her. How can she reconcile their expectations with her reality? Did Sylvia Plath have this problem? What even is a 'postcolonial novel'? And what if the story of becoming yourself is not about carving out a new identity, but learning to understand the people who made you who you are?Trade ReviewImpressive… Yu is the writer Girl wishes to be – remaking, in her own image, the young female protagonist, the Künstlerroman, the postcolonial novel, and the art of writing itself * Guardian *But the Girl is a vivid novel of consciousness with a delightful sense of play. Jessica Zhan Mei Yu writes with striking originality that combines the irreverent and the philosophical about the ambiguities and ambivalences of contemporary life. A wonderful new novel for a metamodern world -- Brandon Taylor, author of The Late AmericansA unique and meaningful novel: refreshingly unsentimental, written with a directness that is both self-effacing and wry. The voice sometimes recalls Lucia Berlin, JD Salinger or Lorrie Moore but it's entirely her own -- Sharlene Teo, author of PontiAmbitious… Embarks on an intellectual journey into the contradiction of seeing and unseeing yourself as a person of colour in a much-loved canonical book * Daily Mail *Sharp, flecked with glints of bone-dry humour... It's compellingly poignant. But the Girl is a debut that heralds a skilled and singular new talent * List *A delicate investigation into intergenerational immigrant subjectivities... Written in a flowing, internal narration that occasionally moves into moments of not-quite-real, observations of the minutiae of everyday microaggressions build up to depict the internal landscapes that minorities must uncomfortably navigate * Skinny *

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Book SynopsisCarmel had been alone all her life. The baby knew this. They looked at each other, and all of time was there. The baby knew how vast her mother's loneliness had been.'A magnificent novel' SALLY ROONEY, author of Normal PeopleNell - funny, brave and so much loved - is a young woman with adventure on her mind. As she sets out into the world, she finds her family history hard to escape. For her mother, Carmel, Nell's leaving home opens a space in her heart, where the turmoil of a lifetime begins to churn. And across the generations falls the long shadow of Carmel's famous father, an Irish poet of beautiful words and brutal actions.This is a meditation on love: spiritual, romantic, darkly sexual or genetic. A multigenerational novel that traces the inheritance not just of trauma but also of wonder, it is a testament to the glorious resilience of women in the face of promises false and true. Above all, it is an exploration of the love between mother and daughter - sometimes fierce, often painful, but always transcendent.***A THE TIMES, SUNDAY TIMES, GUARDIAN, NEW STATESMAN AND TLS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023******ONE OF THE BBC’S ’25 BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2023’***'One of our greatest living novelists' THE TIMES'Might just be her best yet' LOUISE KENNEDY, author of Trespasses'Gem-packed language... A must-read' MARGARET ATWOOD (via Twitter)Trade ReviewThe Wren, The Wren is a magnificent novel. Anne Enright's stylistic brilliance seems to put the reader directly in touch with her characters and the rich territory of their lives -- Sally Rooney, author of NORMAL PEOPLEThe Wren, The Wren may be her best book yet * Guardian, *Books of the Year* *Wonderful… This deceptively modest novel is the kind of book that will work on you long after you have put it down * Sunday Times, *Books of the Year* *These pages practically crackle with intelligence, compassion and wit. Phil McDaragh is so real I almost googled him. The Wren, The Wren might just be Anne Enright's best yet -- Louise Kennedy, author of TrespassesAnne Enright’s The Wren, The Wren is so good they named it twice, so good I read it twice – and read two different novels, because moral positions are incorrigibly plural in Enrightville * Observer, *Books of the Year* *Gritty, sad, sly, riotous... Gem-packed language that fizzes like a sidewalk firecracker. A must-read -- Margaret Atwood, author of THE HANDMAID'S TALE (via Twitter)The Wren, The Wren is Anne Enright at her lyrical, storytelling best -- Nicola Sturgeon * New Statesman, *Books of the Year* *This is the golden age of Irish prose fiction. Of our many prodigiously talented novelist, few have the all-encompassing deftness of touch of Anne Enright * Times Literary Supplement, *Books of the Year* *One of my books of any year. It’s about womanhood, youth and that slow, painful, but joyous estrangement that emerges between mother and daughter as life runs its tumultuous course -- Michael Magee * Observer, *Books of the Year* *A work of astounding ventriloquism and hard-won hope about women’s lives * Times Literary Supplement, *Books of the Year* *

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Book Synopsis'This wove a spell on me' – Marian Keyes 'F***ing brilliant' – Daisy May Cooper ___________Meet Gosia.She's a sensitive soul with a filthy mind and problems with intimacy.Between shifts in a well-lit budget supermarket and nights in a badly lit Zone 3 flatshare, she spends hours inside her own head. That is, until a chance encounter snaps her out of her reverie.Propelled into a series of mediocre jobs, lousy dates and even worse sex, the prickly yet warm-hearted Gosia begins her excavation of the 'perfect' life so many dream of.After all, could there be more to it than she imagined?Raw, funny, mean and moving, Odd Hours is a razor-sharp social comedy about human connection, unexpected happiness, and the many forms of love. ___________'A hymn to normality and an absolute joy to read' – Sarah May 'Compelling, surprising, funny' – Kate Sawyer 'Bas writes so well about that state of being young and trying so hard to make connections' – Marianne Levy 'Dark, sharply funny and utterly rewarding ... Reminded me of the brilliant books by Kirsty Capes ... Highly recommended' – Liz HyderTrade Review'Dark, sharply funny and utterly rewarding ... Reminded me of the brilliant books by Kirsty Capes ... Highly recommended' -- Liz Hyder'This enigmatic and idiosyncratic gem is eccentric, quirky and utterly original' -- Kevin O'Sullivan (Irish Examiner Book of 2022)'Bas writes so well about that state of being young and trying so hard to make connections' -- Marianne Levy'Odd Hours is a brilliant satire on the struggles of life in the zero-hours sector ... An auspicious debut' -- Paul Mendez

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Book Synopsis"Maylis de Kerangal conjures the same painterly realism her characters hope to achieve in paint" London Magazine"Evocative and exhilerating" Booklist"Maylis de Kerangal is mining a rich and individual seam" TImes Literary SupplementBehind the ornate doors of the Institut de Peinture in Brussels, Kate, Jonas and Paula begin their apprenticeship in decorative painting, the art of visual deception. An intense year of study will cement a friendship that lasts long after their formal education ends. Paula's initiation into trompe l'oeil will take her back through time and place as she strives for perfection. From her work on the film sets of Cinecittà to the prehistoric caves of Lascaux, her experiences will transcend artistic endeavour and gradually reveal something of her own inner world and the secret, unreachable desires of her heart.This is a coming-of-age novel like no other: an atmospheric and highly aesthetic portrayal of love, art and craftsmanship from the prize-winning author of Birth of a Bridge and Mend the Living.Translated from the French by Jessica MooreTrade ReviewAs she has so often done, de Kerangal shows there is poetry to be found in our jargon, and stories embedded in our tools . . . This is writing that defies haste, that slows the eye. It is also a mighty feat of translation . . . Cements [de Kerangal's] reputation as one of contemporary fiction's most gifted sentence builders -- Beejay Silcox * Guardian *The book is a joyful testament to the rigours of research, and to the translator's art too . . . Maylis de Kerangal is mining a rich and individual seam -- Jonathan Gibbs * TLS *Intensely alive, encompassing both the technical and the poetic, emotion and cerebrality -- Raphaëlle Leyris * Le Monde *Always brilliant, executed in flowing, lyrical prose that had already reached the firmament in [Mend the Living] . . . De Kerangal finds fiction in reality; precise, technical vocabulary is imbued with rich imagination and meaning. And mastering trompe-l'œil - isn't that the ideal metaphor for the work of a novelist? -- Frédérique Roussel * Libération *The art of painting in perfect harmony with de Kerangal's writing; visual, flamboyant, assured . . . in perfect alignment with her subject -- Marine Landrot * Télérama *Kerangal's elegant, sexy, subtly Proustian, and fluidly dimensional drama of discipline and passion, imitation andimagination is resplendently evocative and exhilarating. -- Donna Seaman * Booklist *Long looping sentences, beautifully translated from the French by Jessica Moore, are balanced by taut scene changes . . . De Kerangal conjures the same painterly realism that her characters hope to achieve in paint * London Magazine *

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Book Synopsis* A WATERSTONES SCOTTISH BOOK OF THE MONTH * * SHORTLISTED FOR THE CWA HISTORICAL DAGGER AWARD * 'As moving as it is gripping... I loved it' CHRIS BROOKMYRE 'Utterly compelling' MARION TODD 'Extraordinary' JAMES OSWALD 'Excellent' HERALD SCOTLAND There were good people in The Homes. But there were also some very, very bad ones... A thousand unwanted children live in The Homes, a village of orphans in the Scottish Lowlands on the outskirts of Glasgow. Lesley was six before she learned that most children live with their parents. Now Lesley is twelve, and she and her best friend Jonesy live in Cottage 5, Jonesy the irrepressible spirit to Lesley's quiet thoughtfulness. Life is often cruel at The Homes, and suddenly it becomes much crueller. A child is found murdered. Then another. With the police unable to catch the killer, Lesley and Jonesy decide to take the matter into their own hands. But unwanted children are easy victims, and they are both in terrible danger... Inspired by a true story, and introducing readers to the unforgettable voice of young orphan Lesley, The Homes is a moving and lyrical thriller, perfect for readers of Val McDermid, Chris Whitaker, Jane Casey and Denise Mina.Trade ReviewA serial-killer mystery and a whodunit, but so much more. Tragic, gritty and haunting, yet brims with bitter-sweet humour and a main character who will steal your heart away -- Janice Hallett, author of THE APPEALAn evocative, compelling and ultimately moving mystery with a captivating central character -- Brian McGillowayTense yet tender, as moving as it is gripping... set to be one of the Scottish crime books of the year. I loved it -- Chris BrookmyreAn extraordinary story quite brilliantly told. Lesley is a wonderful character, and J.B. Mylet catches her voice perfectly. I found myself staying up long after lights out reading "just another chapter". And then another, and another -- James OswaldHeart-warming, heart-breaking and utterly compelling. I could not put this beautiful book down and it stayed with me long after I finished it -- Marion Todd, author of the Detective Clare Mackay seriesAmazing. I was hooked from the first page... A brilliant, must read story, all the more powerful because it's told through the bewildered logic of a child. I read it with an ache in my chest for all the Lesleys and Jonesys out there -- Anna Smith, author of the Kerry Casey seriesIn an unguarded voice that conveys her intelligence and courage while still passing convincingly as that of a smart 12-year-old girl, Mylet balances the whodunnit aspects with the painful lessons Lesley is learning about life... It's a testament to the strength of Mylet's characterisation, and his ability to make us care about her, that by the end of this excellent debut the real question is not so much "Who committed the murders?" but "Where does Lesley go from here?" * Herald Scotland *

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Book Synopsis** A WATERSTONES SCOTTISH BOOK OF THE MONTH ** ** SHORTLISTED FOR THE CWA HISTORICAL DAGGER AWARD ** 'One of the Scottish crime books of the year. I loved it' CHRIS BROOKMYRE 'Heart-warming, heart-breaking and utterly compelling' MARION TODD 'Excellent' HERALD THE GREATEST DANGERS LIE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS... Twelve-year-old Lesley has lived in the Homes since she was three weeks old, just one of a thousand unwanted children who occupy the village-like estate in the lowlands of Scotland in the 1960s. Life for her and her best friend Jonesy has been hard, and often cruel, but never dangerous. Until now. A girl is found dead at the Homes, soon followed by another. With the police unable to catch the killer, Lesley and Jonesy decide to take matters into their own hands. But unwanted children are easy victims, and the closer they get to the truth, the more they will put themselves in terrible danger... Inspired by a true story, and introducing readers to the unforgettable voice of young orphan Lesley, The Homes is a moving and lyrical thriller, perfect for readers of Val McDermid, Chris Whitaker, Jane Casey and Denise Mina.Trade ReviewA serial-killer mystery and a whodunit, but so much more. Tragic, gritty and haunting, yet brims with bitter-sweet humour and a main character who will steal your heart away -- Janice Hallett, author of THE APPEALAn extraordinary story quite brilliantly told. Lesley is a wonderful character, and J.B. Mylet catches her voice perfectly. I found myself staying up long after lights out reading "just another chapter" -- James OswaldTense yet tender, as moving as it is gripping... set to be one of the Scottish crime books of the year. I loved it -- Chris BrookmyreHeart-warming, heart-breaking and utterly compelling. I could not put this beautiful book down and it stayed with me long after I finished it -- Marion ToddAn evocative, compelling and ultimately moving mystery with a captivating central character -- Brian McGillowayAmazing. I was hooked from the first page... A brilliant, must read story, all the more powerful because it's told through the bewildered logic of a child. I read it with an ache in my chest for all the Lesleys and Jonesys out there -- Anna SmithIn an unguarded voice that conveys her intelligence and courage while still passing convincingly as that of a smart 12-year-old girl, Mylet balances the whodunnit aspects with the painful lessons Lesley is learning about life... It's a testament to the strength of Mylet's characterisation, and his ability to make us care about her, that by the end of this excellent debut the real question is not so much "Who committed the murders?" but "Where does Lesley go from here?" * Herald Scotland *

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Book SynopsisAn ebullient Mr Finchley is about to propose marriage to a lady he had rescued from mishap, when he is sent to Paris by his firm. There he manages to upset a boat, adopt a stray orphan and get himself kidnapped. The fine tangle he gets into takes some unravelling! Only when eventually back in London does he complete the proposal of marriage that was interrupted at the start. This gentle comedy trilogy was a runaway bestseller on first publication in the 1930s and retains a timeless appeal today. It has been dramatized twice for BBC Radio, with the 1990 series regularly repeated.Trade ReviewPRAISE FOR THE CLASSIC CANNING SERIES ‘Quite delightful, with an atmosphere of quiet contentment and humour that cannot fail to charm… The longer we travel with Mr Finchley, the better we come to love him. He makes us share his bread and cheese, and beer and pipe. His delight at the beauties of the countryside and his mild astonishment at the strange ways of men are infectious’ Daily Telegraph‘His gift of story-telling is obviously innate. Rarely does one come on so satisfying an amalgam of plot, characterisation and good writing’ Punch‘A paean to the beauties of the English countryside and the lovable oddities of the English character… [Mr Finchley] runs into one astonishing situation after another, sticking gamely to his resolve that he must take things as they come and accept them’ New York Times‘What counts for most in the story, as it did for Mr Finchley, is his mounting pleasure in vagabondage and the English scene’ The Times‘There is such a gentle humour in the book … Mr Finchley is the ideal Englishman’ Daily Sketch

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Book SynopsisFour boys. One band. No Chance. Chris and George are best friends, and they want to be rockstars. Unfortunately, a childhood spent playing in the school orchestra and listening to Jimmy Nail has left them a little fluffy around the edges, and at the age of 23, their acoustic duo Satellite doesn’t resemble Bon Jovi nearly as much as they’d planned. So how do two ordinary boys from a sleepy village go about taking on the cut-throat world of rock ’n’ roll? They'll have to fake it until they make it. True to life, funny and uplifting, Mockstars is a coming-of-age story about friendship and chasing the rock ’n’ roll dream. Inspired by the real-life tour diaries of the author’s band The Lightyears, Mockstars is a refreshingly different musical odyssey.

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Book SynopsisCould you share your child with someone else?Zoe wanted a baby more than anything. But her dreams will come at a price…After years of struggling to conceive, Zoe and her husband face the prospect of never having a family. When Zoe’s stepsister, Nadia, offers to be a surrogate it presents the perfect solution. A healthy girl, Louise, is born.But no one imagined just how hard it would be to know someone else was also mother to your child. As the pressure on Zoe and Nadia mounts, they make choices that there is no going back from.Years later, Louise is in desperate need of her family’s help. Can they put their painful history aside to save the child they love so much?Don’t miss this explosive and moving drama. Perfect for fans of Amanda Prowse, Kelly Rimmer and Kerry Fisher. Readers have been raving about Let Her Go:'A moving and emotional read with brilliant characters… 5*. Highly recommended.' Goodreads reviewer 'This book was amazing! I was unable to put it down!' NetGalley reviewer'Fab story with parts that brought me to tears.' NetGalley reviewer'A really heart-wrenching story... of love, loss, heartbreak... I loved this book.' Goodreads reviewer'Excellent and emotional book, great read couldn't put it down.' NetGalley reviewer 'A riveting piece of fiction that will keep the reader engrossed from the first page!' NetGalley reviewer‘I was thoroughly entertained. If you are even considering this book, read it. I’m really glad I did’ 4* Reader review

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Book SynopsisWhen three women set off on a hike through the wilderness they are anticipating the adventure of a lifetime. Over the next five days, as they face up to the challenging terrain, it soon becomes clear they are not alone.Lisa, Samantha and Nicole have known each other since school. Lisa is a fighter, Samantha a peacekeeper and Nicole a rule follower. United they bring out the best in one another.Only once it is too late for them to turn back do they appreciate the danger they are in. Their friendship is tested, and each of them must make a choice that will change their lives forever.Women's Weekly Book Club Great Read''The atmosphere is so charged, I often found myself clenching my jaw and getting goosebumps as I read. The descriptions of the Australian bush are so vibrant and evocative The bush feels alive in this book vast, daunting and full of lurking dangers Heartbreakingly honest and fiercely emotional a remarkable book that is bound to appeal to fans of Jane Harper and Liane Moriarty'' Honey''Piper gloriously demonstrates how to hook your readers and make them desperate to know the ending Piper's novel is an exploration of how the past can come to define ourselves, and a testament to the bonds of complicated friendship and to the relentless, isolating and utterly terrifying nature of the Australian bush'' Books + Publishing Review''There's a little bit of Big Little Lies about this deft and powerful study of female friendships under pressure this lyrical Queensland-based author has a style and tone all of her own which sucks you in and holds you in its seductive embrace, almost unable to breathe a page-turner a book dripping in the raw beauty of the Australian landscape'' Women's Weekly Australia''Piper has achieved that glorious, decisive moment in any great novel where the reader becomes desperate to know the ending. If you loved Jane Harper's Force of Nature, prepare yourself for another page-turning adventure'' Readings Monthly''An ambitious novel'' Weekend Australian

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Book SynopsisPreston, 1981. Maud, who is twelve and lives with her dysfunctional parents and her elder brother, spends a lot of her time in her bedroom writing letters to her favourite popstar, Tom Harding, the lead singer of a punk band called Horsefly.No one really understands her or tries to – and she thinks Tom just might have some answers to her many, many questions... Trade Review'Maud is the funniest teenager since Adrian Mole ... A beautiful book about hope and perseverance' Robin Ince'Brilliantly transports readers back to the innocence of an Eighties adolescence ... Though Maud wouldn't realise it in a million years, it's a total joy to spend time with her' Alex Lowe 'The laughs just keep coming – peppered with gut-punches, it's an Adrian Mole for the twenty-first century. A beautiful novel' Lizzie Roper 'A hilarious and heartbreaking fan letter to the confused teenagers we once were, and the confused adults we become' Geoff Lloyd

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Book SynopsisShe points the lens of the camera. The artist turns his head slightly. The light catches his brow and his silver-white hair. She snaps. He is lit like a Vermeer.Ireland. County Wexford, 1951. A father and son go swimming in the sea. The waves crash. The wind rises. Only one comes backColin, aged six. His mother, Eileen, runs to seek help, but this is a tragedy that will haunt them forever. Colin won't speak a word. He is mute and struggling to cope. But Eileen can see he has a talent for painting. She shows him his father's artwork and gives him a print of a Paul Henry landscape, and slowly, with her encouragement, he begins to follow his dream.Years later on Inishbofin island off the west coast of Ireland, out walking with his dog on the sand, Colin meets Laura, a young woman on holiday, and a tentative friendship starts to develop. Gradually his past comes to life in a story filled with love and frustration, loss and betrayal, but above all with the passion he has held through his life for the light in the sea and the sky and his search for that distant shore where the sky sweeps down to the water.One man. The sea. One painting.

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