Narrative theme: coming of age

Book Synopsis‘Think about a tune … the unsayable, the invisible, the longing in music. Here is a book of tunes without musical notes … It wrings the heart’ John Berger'The voice that O'Grady has crafted succeeds so well...running in parallel, Pyke's stark arresting images are laced between the paragraphs and chapters. The interplay between the two mediums is delicately powerful' Hilary White‘A masterpiece’ Robert Macfarlane‘O’Grady does not just respond to Pyke’s stark, beautiful photographs: he gives voice to thousands’ Louise Kennedy‘The experience of Irish emigration uniquely and powerfully illuminated’ Mark Knopfler‘If the words tell the story of the voiceless, the bleak lovely photographs show their faces. Fiction rarely gets as close to the messy, glorious truth as do memories and photographs. This rare novel dares to use both’ Charlotte Mendelson, TLSAn old man lies alone and sleepless in London. Before dawn he is taken by an image from his childhood in the West of Ireland, and begins to remember a migrant’s life. Haunted by the faces and the land he left behind, he calls forth the bars and boxing booths of England, the potato fields and building sites, the music he played and the woman he loved.Timothy O’Grady’s tender, vivid prose and Steve Pyke’s starkly beautiful photographs combine to make a unique work of fiction, an act of remembering suffused with loss, defiance and an unforgettable loveliness. An Irish life with echoes of the lives of unregarded migrant workers everywhere. Since it was first published in 1997, I Could Read the Sky has achieved the status of a classic.Trade Review 'A masterpiece' Robert Macfarlane 'Twenty-odd years on it is somehow even more luminous and richly satisfying than the first time out ... I hope thousands of new readers find themselves keeping a copy under the pillow, unable to let it out of their sight even for the hours of darkness' Annie Proulx ‘I Could Read the Sky (Unbound) has just been reissued. I urge you to behold the alchemy between Timothy O’Grady’s story and Steve Pyke’s photographs; no book on the Irish emigrant experience has moved me more. O'Grady does not just respond to Pyke's stark, beautiful photographs: he gives voice to thousands' Louise Kennedy 'The experience of Irish emigration uniquely and powerfully illuminated' Mark Knopfler 'It reminds us of a great and unforgivable truth – our cities are built on the loneliness of migrant workers, and their great sadness persists down the generations' Kevin Barry 'What Pyke and O'Grady have done is read out imagination' Dermot Healy 'If the words tell the story of the voiceless, the bleak lovely photographs show their faces. Fiction rarely gets as close to the messy, glorious truth as do memories and photographs. This rare novel dares to use both' Charlotte Mendelson, TLS 'A lament for the cruelty of diaspora strained throush such pure, understated language you're surprised the words themselves are not weeping on the page' Bloomsbury Review 'A fine, evocative, engaging act of storytelling that captures the essence of a displaced life for Irish exiles ... a work of literary genius' Gerry Adams 'Supple, unshowy, beautiful writing ... What is really marvellous is O’Grady’s ability to return to the well of familiar images of Irish emigration while being so utterly devoid of cliche ... People have been trying to read the sky for a long time. Rare masterpieces like this help us do it' Irish Times 'Timothy O'Grady captures the collegiality, the acceptance of a common fate, that sustained communities, especially all male communities' Irish Examiner ‘I Could Read the Sky pays tribute to the voiceless and overlooked, and so addresses the exile in all of us' TLS 'Animated by small epiphanies' TLS 'The relics of (these) lives resurface in the murk of memory and find their clearest depiction in Pyke's evocative black-and-white photographs.' TLS

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom the author of Untraceable, a novel about history both personal and political, and the mysteries of the past. The Goose Fritz tells the story of a young Russian named Kirill, the sole survivor of a once numerous clan of German origin, who delves relentlessly into the unresolved past. His ancestor, Balthasar Schwerdt, migrated to the Russian Empire in the early 1800s, bringing with him the practice of alternative medicine and becoming captive to an erratic nobleman who had supplied dwarves, hunchbacks from Africa, and magicians to entertain Catherine the Great. Kirill's investigation takes us through centuries of turmoil during which none of the German's nine children or their descendants can escape their adoptive country's cruel fate. Intent on uncovering buried mysteries, Kirill searches archives and cemeteries across Europe, while pressing witnesses for keys to understanding. The Goose Fritz illuminates both personal and political history in a passion-filled family saga about an often confounding country that has long fascinated the world.Trade ReviewOutstanding... Lebedev muses in Tolstoyan fashion about 'the energy flow of history', by which the actions of distant ancestors can fix the destinies of people hundreds of years later. Antonina W. Bouis has once again delivered a translation of determined, adamantine beauty' * Wall Street Journal *Lebedev's latest is his most ambitious, tackling a huge swath of Russian history – from the beginning of the 19th century up to the present day – while never letting its pacy, compelling narrative flag... Brave and unflinching' * Financial Times *Lebedev's prose is lyrical as a rule: cast in assonant patterns, attentive to rhythmic weight, responsive to the habits and desires of language. Antonina W. Bouis's translation is both faithful and inspired, spinning the story out in a tirelessly beautiful English * LA Review of Books *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'A legendary writer entirely on his own account' Observer 'Stunningly good' Guardian Gloria Goltz's intellectual ambitions are derailed when she meets Leonard at college. Self-taught, blue-collar, possessor of an aggressive intelligence, Leonard claims to hold the key to unlocking her potential. After making her pregnant, he disappears. Her son Corey grows up without a father, looking for a male role model ­- and restless, dreaming of a great adventure. Instead, when Corey is fifteen, Gloria is diagnosed with motor neuron disease, and his estranged father - this man of domineering charisma and dubious moral character - returns. Determined to be his mother's hero at any cost, Corey begins shouldering responsibility for her expensive medical care, pushing himself to his physical and emotional limits as her disease progresses. And as Leonard's influence over son and mother grows, Corey must dismantle the myth of his father's genius and confront the evil that lurks beneath it. Atticus Lish won a Pen/Faulkner award for his debut Preparation for the Next Life, a novel 'described as the finest and most unsentimental love story of the new decade' in The New York Times. His second novel confirms Lish as a beguiling storyteller and a prose stylist of extraordinary emotional reach and beauty.Trade ReviewLike an American cousin of Shuggie Bain ... Heavyweight prose and highminded commitment * Daily Mail *Stunningly good * Guardian *Visceral and Ingenious * Financial Times *Lish keeps you nothing but rapt by his last-gasp gear change... in years to come he'll be spoken of as a legendary writer entirely on his own account. * Observer *Praise for Preparation for the Next Life -- :A stunning, brilliant novel ... Every word, every encounter, rings true -- 'Pick of the Week' * Observer *Extraordinary ... "Make it new" was Ezra Pound's exhortation ... Lish does exactly that ... astonishing ... nothing less than a triumph, worthy of every heroic adjective a critic could throw. It is a reminder, plain and simple, of what fiction is for * FT *Impressive ... Charged with breathless momentum ... substantial and beguiling * Guardian *A complex exploration of masculinity, veering from the fierce, destructive aggression of Corey's encounters with his father to the tender, attentive dedication he displays toward his mother. Lish writes with unhurried precision, avoiding sentimentality yet generating enormous emotional resonance -- New YorkerThis behemoth of a novel packs an emotional punch that will send you reeling...a disturbing and compelling picture of lives in the margins * Mail on Sunday *Into the field of post-9/11 literature wades America's latest literary darling, Atticus Lish...Lish was awarded the PEN/Faulkner award for this book. Those who have read it will agree with the decision * The Times *Extraordinarily powerful ... Lish's remarkable debut fuses raw realism with narrative poetry to memorable effect * Sunday Times *Devastatingly good. My heart was a different size by the time I finished: swollen from the terrible beating it took, but also, I think, permanently augmented -- Ned Beauman, author of The Teleportation AccidentMagnificent ... one of the best recent novels I have read about work as it exists for millions of people ... attests to a more profound and intimate knowledge of how life functions on the margins * New Statesman *Punches its way, bare-knuckled, through every millennial New York novel centring around middle-class intellectual characters ... kicking typical tales of artsy, east-coast intelligentsia romance into a dumpster. But its real target, sought out with a heat-seeking precision, is far weightier, and that is America itself * Observer *Here is a raw first novel with a low center of gravity. Set in Queens, it dilates upon blinkered lives, scummy apartments, dismal food and bad options. At its heart is a love story between a Chinese immigrant and a veteran of the Iraq war. Mr. Lish's narrative is intense, moving and somehow necessary -- Dwight Garner, '2014 Books of the Year' * The New York Times *Astonishing, gorgeous ... It is hard to imagine a more daunting task for a novelist than to say something new about 9/11. Preparation for the Next Life is dizzying in its ambition and exhilarating in its triumph -- Clancy Martin * New York Review of Books *A stunning debut novel ... Lish's prose is at once raw and disciplined, and every word feels necessary * Publishers Weekly *A tour de force of urban naturalism ... a love story that's as bold and urgent as any you'll read this year -- Sam Sacks * Wall Street Journal *A significant contribution ... striking ... [Lish] isn't catching a mood but building a world ... we look to long novels for richness, not perfection, for power, not precision, so we should savour Lish's audacity and open heart, his refusal to coddle or console * Daily Telegraph *Lish's prose is superlucid, propulsive but always beautifully controlled, authoritative yet selfless, wrought with an exactitude that is the toughest but deepest kind of compassion a book can have -- Colin BarrettA remarkable portrait of a sensitive boy forced into a life of hardness and violence . . . a superbly original talent -- Wall Street JournalWhat a strange genius, this author, of a novel full of such tenderness and violence. The portrait is heartbreaking -- Christian Lorentzen * Harper's *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'A legendary writer entirely on his own account' Observer 'Stunningly good' Guardian Gloria Goltz's intellectual ambitions are derailed when she meets Leonard at college. Self-taught, blue-collar, possessor of an aggressive intelligence, Leonard claims to hold the key to unlocking her potential. After making her pregnant, he disappears. Her son Corey grows up without a father, looking for a male role model ­- and restless, dreaming of a great adventure. Instead, when Corey is fifteen, Gloria is diagnosed with motor neuron disease, and his estranged father - this man of domineering charisma and dubious moral character - returns. Determined to be his mother's hero at any cost, Corey begins shouldering responsibility for her expensive medical care, pushing himself to his physical and emotional limits as her disease progresses. And as Leonard's influence over son and mother grows, Corey must dismantle the myth of his father's genius and confront the evil that lurks beneath it. Atticus Lish won a Pen/Faulkner award for his debut Preparation for the Next Life, a novel 'described as the finest and most unsentimental love story of the new decade' in The New York Times. His second novel confirms Lish as a beguiling storyteller and a prose stylist of extraordinary emotional reach and beauty.Trade ReviewPraise for Preparation for the Next Life -- :A stunning, brilliant novel ... Every word, every encounter, rings true -- 'Pick of the Week' * Observer *Extraordinary ... "Make it new" was Ezra Pound's exhortation ... Lish does exactly that ... astonishing ... nothing less than a triumph, worthy of every heroic adjective a critic could throw. It is a reminder, plain and simple, of what fiction is for * FT *Impressive ... Charged with breathless momentum ... substantial and beguiling * Guardian *A complex exploration of masculinity, veering from the fierce, destructive aggression of Corey's encounters with his father to the tender, attentive dedication he displays toward his mother. Lish writes with unhurried precision, avoiding sentimentality yet generating enormous emotional resonance -- New YorkerThis behemoth of a novel packs an emotional punch that will send you reeling...a disturbing and compelling picture of lives in the margins * Mail on Sunday *Into the field of post-9/11 literature wades America's latest literary darling, Atticus Lish...Lish was awarded the PEN/Faulkner award for this book. Those who have read it will agree with the decision * The Times *Extraordinarily powerful ... Lish's remarkable debut fuses raw realism with narrative poetry to memorable effect * Sunday Times *Devastatingly good. My heart was a different size by the time I finished: swollen from the terrible beating it took, but also, I think, permanently augmented -- Ned Beauman, author of The Teleportation AccidentLish keeps you nothing but rapt by his last-gasp gear change... in years to come he'll be spoken of as a legendary writer entirely on his own account. * Observer *Magnificent ... one of the best recent novels I have read about work as it exists for millions of people ... attests to a more profound and intimate knowledge of how life functions on the margins * New Statesman *Here is a raw first novel with a low center of gravity. Set in Queens, it dilates upon blinkered lives, scummy apartments, dismal food and bad options. At its heart is a love story between a Chinese immigrant and a veteran of the Iraq war. Mr. Lish's narrative is intense, moving and somehow necessary -- Dwight Garner, '2014 Books of the Year' * The New York Times *Astonishing, gorgeous ... It is hard to imagine a more daunting task for a novelist than to say something new about 9/11. Preparation for the Next Life is dizzying in its ambition and exhilarating in its triumph -- Clancy Martin * New York Review of Books *A stunning debut novel ... Lish's prose is at once raw and disciplined, and every word feels necessary * Publishers Weekly *A tour de force of urban naturalism ... a love story that's as bold and urgent as any you'll read this year -- Sam Sacks * Wall Street Journal *A significant contribution ... striking ... [Lish] isn't catching a mood but building a world ... we look to long novels for richness, not perfection, for power, not precision, so we should savour Lish's audacity and open heart, his refusal to coddle or console * Daily Telegraph *Punches its way, bare-knuckled, through every millennial New York novel centring around middle-class intellectual characters ... kicking typical tales of artsy, east-coast intelligentsia romance into a dumpster. But its real target, sought out with a heat-seeking precision, is far weightier, and that is America itself * Observer *Lish's prose is superlucid, propulsive but always beautifully controlled, authoritative yet selfless, wrought with an exactitude that is the toughest but deepest kind of compassion a book can have -- Colin BarrettA remarkable portrait of a sensitive boy forced into a life of hardness and violence . . . a superbly original talent -- Wall Street JournalWhat a strange genius, this author, of a novel full of such tenderness and violence. The portrait is heartbreaking -- Christian Lorentzen * Harper's *like an American cousin of Shuggie Bain ... Heavyweight prose and highminded commitment * Daily Mail *Stunningly good * Guardian *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe brand NEW instalment in the bestselling Harpers Emporium series by Rosie Clarke. Can the Harpers Girls look forward to some happy times as a new dawn rises over London?Sally Harper is busy juggling running London’s Oxford Street Store Harpers and looking after her beautiful new-born daughter, whilst husband Ben is overseas on another dangerous mission, this time to rescue a friend in need.Young Becky Stockbridge finds herself in a difficult situation which could bring shame to her and her family. Will Becky, with the help of her friends find her happy ever after and keep her secret? Marion Jackson is blessed with a son as she eagerly awaits the return of her husband Reggie. But all is not right when Reggie returns. Is Marion strong enough to save her family from yet another crisis?As the war clouds retreat and the victory bells ring, tears and joy mingle with those of sadness as the world counts the true toll of war and celebrates peace.

Read more less

Book Synopsis'A delightful dose of nostalgia' HEAT'Get ready to fall in love with Eadie Browne, the eponymous and eccentric heroine of this tender-hearted, steeped-in-nostalgia story about chosen family' RED'A gorgeous, heartfelt, atmospheric novel by a wonderful storyteller' LUCY ATKINS'A beautifully moving portrait of youth, friendship and love . . . I loved it' MIKE GAYLE'Beautifully written, funny and wise . . . heart-breaking and heart-warming' ALEXANDRA POTTERWhen your present meets your past, what do you take with you - and what do you leave behind?Eadie Browne is an odd child with unusual parents, living in a strange house neighbouring the local cemetery. Bullied at school - but protected by her two best friends, Celeste and Josh, and her many imaginary friends lying six feet under next door - Eadie muddles her way through.Arriving in Manchester as a student in the late 1980s, Eadie confronts a busy, gritty Victorian metropolis a far cry from the small Garden City she's left behind. Soon enough she experiences a novel freedom she never imagined and it's seductive. She can be who she wants to be, do as she pleases, and no one back home needs to know. As Manchester embraces the dizzying, colourful euphoria of Rave counterculture, Eadie is swept along, blithely ignoring danger and reality. Until, one night, her past comes hurtling at her with ramifications which will continue into her adult life.Now, as the new millennium beckons, Eadie is turning thirty with a marriage in tatters. She must travel back to where she once lived for a funeral she can't quite comprehend. As she journeys from the North to the South, from the present to the past, Eadie contemplates all that was then - and all that is now - in this moving love letter to youth.PRAISE FOR FREYA NORTH:'A terrific family drama of secrets . . . and so cleverly plotted' Graham Norton'A completely compelling story of family secrets, courage and resilience' Fearne Cotton'Immensely enjoyable . . . infused with empathy and a great sense of place' Erica James'What a treat. This filled my heart with joy and occasionally my eyes with tears; it is beautiful' Prima

Read more less

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

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Although I believe I will die here in this castle, my spirit will never be silent.’Ravenscraig Castle, Scotland. 1307When the castle she works in is sacked by the army of Prince Edward of England, kitchen maid Agnes Fitzgerald manages to escape north of Inverness to throw herself at the mercy of the Lord and Lady at Ravenscraig Castle. Although safe for now, the people of Scotland are fighting hard for their independence, and the threat of the English hangs heavy over the land. But when Agnes spies Cam Buchanan swimming in the loch, her mind turns away from war and towards love. Agnes even dares to dream of a happy future, until she learns that Cam must go and fight alongside Robert de Brus.Present dayTwins Leah and Zoe need a change, so caretaking at Ravenscraig Castle is the perfect opportunity to get away from it all. Surrounded by rugged Highland countryside, and bordered by a loch, the picturesque setting is everything they dreamed of. But the locals are reluctant to visit Ravenscraig, and there are whispers of ghosts and lost souls. The sisters quickly dismiss such superstition, but soon the overwhelming sadness they feel coming from the tower grows too hard to ignore.Can the sisters finally right the wrongs of seven hundred years of heartbreak, seven hundred years of betrayal…USA Today bestselling author Judy Leigh writing as Elena Collins, brings you this heart-breaking and unforgettable timeslip novel,perfect for fans of Barbara Erskine, Diana Gabaldon and Louise DouglasPraise for Elena Collins:'Very highly recommended.’ Louise Douglas'The Lady of The Loch held me spellbound from the first page to the last. With two storylines beautifully woven together to create a seamless tale of love, loss, betrayal and, above all, hope, it’s a must-read. Collins’s detailed knowledge of the period trickles through the tale wrapping the reader in a vivid shifting world as it moves between the 14th century and present day. Cleverly researched and exquisitely written, The Lady of The Loch is a timeless story of hope, family and love. I loved it.' Alexandra WalshWhat readers are saying about Elena Collins:‘I couldn't put it down and I cried at the end. A terrific read.’‘A rollercoaster of emotions reading this book...from the life of a young woman let down in her relationship (we've all been there)! running parallel to the complete un-justified vitriol against a young woman in the late 1600's. It was amazing, a very powerful novel. Brilliant.’‘A book that that left me tearful at the end, but a very good story that had me hooked from the first page. Well thought out and the characters very believable.’‘Loved this book so much, the story grips you from start to finish, leaving you wishing for more of the story to magically appear so that it never ends.’‘Absolutely delightful read! One found oneself utterly captivated by the characters - of flesh & spirit alike - the Author has the ability to conjure a physical reaction in the reader - of a scent or a chill - a rare gift.’‘Stunning. Loved this book. Interesting, really fabulous read that bought lots of emotion, gladness, spookiness, history and sadness with lovely clever story-telling. I loved it.’

Read more less

Book Synopsis‘Go on, Freddie, tell the whole story. Remember that last night when you were together. You knew then that your love had made you both immortal: here’s your chance to tell it.’ Suddenly confronted by memories of his first great love, Freddie McNaughton recounts how, together, they surmounted all obstacles until fate intervened. It’s the 1960s and the world is changing, identities being redefined and loyalties challenged. At his single-sex Catholic public school the volatile sixteen year-old Freddie is discovering things about himself which he doesn’t know how to handle. But falling in love with the beautiful Paul changes all that: they bond, and dream of a life together. They adopt Walt Whitman’s famous poem ‘We Two Boys Together Clinging’ which becomes their ‘national anthem’. Their intensity spills over in their response to art, music and poetry. Telling his story through a series of letters written fifty years after the event and discovered after his death, Freddie remembers the struggles that they had to overcome: not least those of faith, identity and loyalty. Yet, even as heartbreak lies in wait, this absorbing tale does not have a tragic end: the two firmly believe that their love for each other has made them immortal.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Marabi Dance is the striking coming-of-age novel following aspiring singer, Martha, as she falls in love with the underground Marabi culture in 1930s South Africa. Growing up in the slums of Johannesburg, Martha is fascinated by the lively sounds of Marabi music. While her friends understand her passion for singing and dancing, her parents can only see a dangerous underworld full of gangs and violence. To make matters worse, her crush on a handsome and talented Marabi musician is developing into something more – despite her father's plans to marry her off to her cousin. Stuck between the values of the past and a rapidly changing world, Martha struggles to see a future that won't betray either herself or her parents. Originally banned from publication, Dikobe's novel beautifully captures the social climate of South Africa in the years before apartheid. 'Novels as emotionally true as this about South Africa are rare.' Ros de LanerolleTrade ReviewNovels as emotionally true as this about South Africa are rare. -- Ros de Lanerolle

Read more less

Book SynopsisFull of sparkling festive magic, Little Woodville is all set for Christmas…Belle Nightingale hasn’t celebrated Christmas properly since she lost touch with her Gran and left the tiny village in the Cotswolds behind two decades ago.Back in Little Woodville to sell the cottage she inherited, Belle finds herself wondering whether her own dreams have been pushed aside in her quest to please everyone else.The cosy cottage, nostalgia and her tenant Sebastian’s ties to her own family, bring a lot of emotions to the surface. When the snow blankets the tiny village, will Belle decide it’s time to confront the past in a last attempt to bring her family back together?Grab a hot chocolate and escape to the quaint Cotswolds village of Little Woodville.Praise for Helen Rolfe‘I really loved this book. I fully intended to save it for the long bank holiday weekend, to be enjoyed leisurely over a few days, but I ended up devouring it all in just two sittings…’ Jo Bartlett‘One to curl up with after a long hard day, and know you are just going to be treated to a cosy atmosphere, realistic characters that you will come to care for’ Rachel's Random Reads'Such a perfect gift of a book!' Reader Review‘Helen Rolfe is an absolute specialist at building cosy communities and making me want to live there. I want the characters as my friends!’ Sue Moorcroft*Please note this is a re-release of Christmas at Snowdrop Cottage, previously published by Helen J Rolfe

Read more less

Book SynopsisReaders LOVE One Puzzling Afternoon:'I loved it. I loved it. I loved it''Wow . . . one of my books of the year''A beautiful and touching novel that will completely grab you''Edie Green is one special character & I think I'll remember her for a long time yet''What a beautiful, emotional, intriguing, touching novel''I loved this and finished it in one sitting. It truly is glorious'A captivating mystery perfect for fans of Joanna Cannon and Elizabeth is Missing. On a suburban street filled with secrets, 84 year old Edie Green must look back into the past to discover what happened to her friend Lucy, who went missing years before . . .Selected as an Indie Book of the Month..It is 1951, and at number six Sycamore Street fifteen-year-old Edie Green is lonely. Living alone with her eccentric mother - who conducts seances for the local Ludthorpe community - she is desperate for something to shake her from her dull, isolated life.When the popular, pretty Lucy Theddle befriends Edie, she thinks all her troubles are over. But Lucy has a secret, one Edie is not certain she should keep . . .Then Lucy goes missing.2018. Edie is eighty-two and still living in Ludthorpe. When one day she glimpses Lucy Theddle, still looking the same as she did at fifteen, her family write it off as one of her many mix ups. There's a lot Edie gets confused about these days. A lot she finds difficult to remember. But what she does know is this: she must find out what happened to Lucy, all those years ago . . .'A captivating and poignant book, I was completely hooked. You can't help but fall for Edie' Marianne Cronin, author of 100 Years of Lenni and Margot'This is such a delicate web of a book, a mystery deftly woven with tension and compassion. Edie is a heartbreaking figure, struggling to catch her last memories before they're blown away forever - her quest/plight is absorbing and extremely poignant' Beth Morrey, author of Saving Missy'Completely captivating. A real page-turner' Louise Hare'Marvellous . . . a special gem of a book, a perfectly executed double timeline mystery with a twist you don't see coming' Inga Vesper, author of The Long, Long Afternoon'Beautifully written . . . the perfect book for lovers of Elizabeth Is Missing, but has its own distinct voice and charm' Jo Leevers, author of Tell Me How This Ends'An uplifting, bittersweet story with a page-turning mystery at its heart . . . I was drawn in to Edie's world from the very first page. Beautifully atmospheric and endearing'' Freya Sampson'An intriguing, unsettling mystery told over a dual timeframe by one of the most endearing lead characters you'll come across this year. Utterly compelling, darkly unnerving and a joyful masterclass in storytelling, Emily Critchley's debut adult novel hits the mark on so many levels' LoveReading Debut of the Month'This truly unique story blends past and present in a way that feels real. Great atmosphere and even better characters' Lucy Gilmore, author of The Lonely Hearts Book ClubTrade ReviewBeguiling . . . Beautifully written, this dual-timeline mystery draws you in and keeps a tight hold. * Heat Magazine *Gripping . . . heartbreaking. * Fabulous magazine, The Sun *Full of depth and humanity, One Puzzling Afternoon is a beautifully written novel that really tugs at the heartstrings. * Culture Fly *A captivating and poignant book, I was completely hooked. You can't help but fall for Edie. * Marianne Cronin, author of 100 Years of Lenni and Margot *Completely captivating. A real page turner. Eighty-two year old Edie is a wonderful protagonist, desperate to solve the mystery of her friend's disappearance sixty years earlier. * Louise Hare *This is such a delicate web of a book, a mystery deftly woven with tension and compassion. Edie is a heartbreaking figure, struggling to catch her last memories before they're blown away forever - her quest/plight is absorbing and extremely poignant. * Beth Morrey, bestselling author of Saving Missy *Marvellous . . . a special gem of a book, a perfectly executed double timeline mystery with a twist you don't see coming. One Puzzling Afternoon has one of the most unusual and endearing protagonists in recent crime fiction. In this dual time-line novel, Emily Critchley wonderfully weaves together a modern crime narrative with the sunny, idyllic childhood memories of her protagonist. Post-war nostalgia is perfectly evoked - until the darkness at the edges of Edie's and Lucy's story draws is quickly like a summer storm. As Edie slowly unveils the lies and secrets surrounding Lucy's disappearance, she must confront difficult memories of her own childhood, and the terrors it held. One Puzzling Afternoon is a dark and delightful lock box of riddles, secrets and memories. A spellbinding novel that enchants and unnerves in equal measure. * Inga Vesper, author of The Long, Long Afternoon *An uplifting, bittersweet story with a page-turning mystery at its heart. Emily Critchley writes about ageing and memory with huge warmth and compassion, and I was drawn in to Edie's world from the very first page. A beautifully atmospheric and endearing book. * Freya Sampson *A beautifully written book about trying to hold on to all that is important, including memories of a much-missed best friend . . . The style reminded me a little of of Clare Chambers, with its poise and time-specific feel. It's the perfect book for lovers of Elizabeth Is Missing, but has its own distinct voice and charm. A lovely combination of a cracking story and a host of characters you want to reach out and hug. * Jo Leevers, author of Tell Me How This Ends *I absolutely loved it . . . A charmingly addictive dual timeline mystery, filled with quirky characters, and rich in 1950s nostalgia, this book had me hooked from the first chapter and wouldn't let me go until I had pieced together the puzzle of Edie's past. * Neil Alexander, author of The Vanishing of Margaret Small *An intriguing, unsettling mystery told over a dual timeframe by one of the most endearing lead characters you'll come across this year. Utterly compelling, darkly unnerving and a joyful masterclass in storytelling, Emily Critchley's debut adult novel hits the mark on so many levels. A gripping mystery, with heart-warming characters, One Puzzling Afternoon manages to keep the full range of emotions in play - you'll cry, you'll chuckle and there are times you won't dare turn the page. * Lovereading Debut of the Month *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe luminous debut novel from one of Ireland's finest storytellers'The Polite Act of Drowning is a beautiful and captivating novel, lyrical and sensuous, a precise and faithful evocation of the tumult and trauma of family life, and of emergence into adulthood, and the confrontation of truths about ourselves and the people we love' - Donal RyanMichigan, 1985.The drowning of a teenage girl causes ripples in the small town of Kettle Lake, though for most the waters settle quickly. For sixteen year old Joanne Kennedy, however, the tragedy dredges up untold secrets and causes her mother to drift farther from reality and her family.When troubled newcomer Lucinda arrives in town, she offers Joanne a chance of real friendship, and together the teenagers push against the boundaries of family, self-image, and their sexuality during the tension of a long, stifling summer. But the undercurrents of past harms continuously threaten to drag Joanne and those around her under...Perfect for fans of Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owen.Trade Review'The Polite Act of Drowning is a beautiful and captivating novel, lyrical and sensuous, a precise and faithful evocation of the tumult and trauma of family life, and of emergence into adulthood, and the confrontation of truths about ourselves and the people we love' -- Donal Ryan'...loved every word of it. Such a beautifully written, evocative book ... Heartbreaking at times, this is ultimately a story of hope. The best book I've read this year so far. If you liked The Paper Palace, you'll love this' -- Michelle McDonagh * author of There's Something I have to Tell You *'Charleen Hurtubise is a gifted storyteller. The vivid world of Kettle Lake, its natural beauties, its characters and its secrets, comes alive in this lyrical, evocative novel. Hurtubise's writing is skilful, compelling, mesmeric' -- Lia Mills * Lia Mills *'A luminous and gripping portrait of a teenage girl coming of age in a small lakeshore community. Filled with colourful, complicated characters and brimming with heartbreak, love, and redemption, it is an exquisite debut from a powerful storyteller' -- Michelle Gallen * Michelle Gallen *'Hauntingly atmospheric' -- Sue Leonard * Irish Examiner *'The Polite Act of Drowning is an accomplished debut franked with credible characters and imbued with the conviction that we determine our own destiny' -- Brendan Daly * Irish Examiner *'The humid haze of small-town America in high summer is brilliantly wrought here' * Irish Independent *'Part coming of age drama, part exploration of inherited trauma, Hurtubise expertly places us in the middle of the action ... this is a tale that lingers' -- Sophie Grenham * The Sunday Times *'an impressive debut, establishing its author as someone with a keen eye for emotional detail and luscious scene-setting. Hurtubise's coming of age tale balances the tension of the trouble brewing in this community with the vulnerability, joy and pain of growing up' -- Emma Flynn * The Irish Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe BRAND NEW gritty gangland thriller from Heather Atkinson!To survive, they’ll need to stick together…After the defeat of the rival Gordon and Thompson families, the Blood Brothers' reputations as feared lieutenants of the McVay clan are firmly established. The Gallowburn has become an untouchable stronghold in their capable hands. However, danger rears its head in another form - Jamie’s deadliest foe, Cameron Abernethy. Still fighting to be released from prison, Cameron decides to use the Lawson family, the Blood Brothers’ biggest rivals, to discover his daughter's whereabouts. With his enemies getting closer, and the police on his tail too, Jamie has some impossible choices to make. This is his last chance to live the life he's dreamed of with the woman he loves, but first he’s got to make sure he's not caught or killed… If you love Kimberley Chambers, and Jessie Keane, you’ll love Blood Pact. Discover the bestselling gangland author Heather Atkinson and you'll never look back... What readers are saying about Heather Atkinson:'Another brilliant book from Heather...she really is one the best in the business. ''I have read ALL Heather Atkinson's books. They are all fantastic.''All Heather's books are action packed and have you on edge.''I stumbled upon Heather's books and I'm so glad I did, characters excellent and storylines are great , I find myself searching the book stores for more of them to read the minute I finish one.'

Read more less

Book SynopsisRico, Mark, Paul and Daniel were 13 when the Berlin Wall fell in autumn 1989. Growing up in Leipzig at the time of reunification, they dream of a better life somewhere beyond the brewery quarter. Every night they roam the streets, partying, rioting, running away from their fears, their parents and the future, fighting to exist, killing time. They drink, steal cars, feel wrecked, play it cool, longing for real love and true freedom. Startlingly raw and deeply moving, While We Were Dreaming is the extraordinary debut novel by one of Germany’s most ambitious writers, full of passion, hope and despair.Trade Review‘The cumulative power of [the] well-constructed, pitiless and unflinching dispatches from the underbelly of society is remarkable…. Historical events often pass unnoticed by those living through them, unaware even of how much their lives have been changed. It is Meyer’s achievement to capture the profound effects those events had on the lives of those at the bottom of German society.’ — David Mills, Sunday Times ‘The narrative nips back and forth between the group on the cusp of adolescence, and when they are in and out of prison and rehab, or worse. What some of them were like as children is cleverly saved for much later, once we know who they become…While We Were Dreaming which was longlisted for the International Booker Prize, has the strengths of a good first novel: a vivid sense of place and detail; a focus on voice, rendered wonderfully in Katy Derbyshire’s translation.’ — Jonathan McAloon, Financial Times‘Katy Derbyshire’s virtuoso performance does justice to every nuance and colloquialism of Meyer’s precipitous and stylish vortex of a novel.’ — Maren Meinhardt, Times Literary Statement‘A book like a fist... German literature has not seen such a debut for a long time, a book full of rage, sadness, pathos and superstition.’ — Felicitas von Lovenberg, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung‘‘[Meyer’s] stripped-back prose is suffused with meaning.’ — The Arts Desk‘[Meyer] is one of the strongest German writers.’ — Heinrich Oemsen, Hamburger Abendblatt‘Clemens Meyer’s great art of describing people takes the form of the Russian doll principle: a story within a story within a story. ... So much is so artfully interwoven that his work breaks the mould of the closed narrative.’ — Katharina Teutsch, Die Zeit‘The novel’s treatment of class, masculinity and violence is memorable; yet it is the slangy, adrenal language – brilliantly rendered into English by Katy Derbyshire – that impresses most.’ — Alexander Wells, ExBerliner‘Meyer’s…coming-of-age novel offers a fully empathetic, yet painful, portrait of rebellious youth during the fall of the Berlin Wall….Flashes from history extend towards and across to us in our 21st-century Anglophone setting, including universal moments of unbridled joy alongside the painful nostalgia of teenage bravura. Most powerful is Meyer’s ability to force readers to reflect on the momentous in their own banal surroundings, the last bastions of hope and naivety palpable amidst the devastation.’ — Gwendoline Choi, Oxonian Review‘This is, in the end, a nuanced and supersensitive translation of a soul-pummeling novel.’ — Jonah Howell, The Rumpus‘Meyer’s multifaceted prose, studded with allusions to both high and popular culture, and superbly translated by Katy Derbyshire, is musical and often lyrical, elevating lowbrow punning and porn-speak into literary devices ... [Bricks and Mortar] is admirably ambitious and in many places brilliant – a book that not only adapts an arsenal of modernist techniques for the twenty-first century but, more importantly, reveals their enduring poetic potential.’ —Anna Katharina Schaffner, Times Literary Supplement (Praise for Bricks and Mortar)‘[Bricks and Mortar is a] stylistic tour de force about the sex trade in Germany from just before the demise of the old GDR to the present, as told through a chorus of voices and lucidly mangled musings. The result is a gripping narrative best described as organic.’ —Eileen Battersby, Irish Times (Praise for Bricks and Mortar)

Read more less

Book SynopsisLONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR FICTION 2023'Incendiary . . . A uniquely trans story' Dazed'Gutting and glittery' Nylon'Eliot Duncan's melancholic transboy swagger sparkles . . . An astonishing first novel' ANDREA LAWLORIn the first of three acts, Ponyboy's titular narrator - a pill-popping, speed-snorting, trans-masculine lightning bolt - unravels in his Paris apartment. Ponyboy is caught in a messy love triangle between Baby, a lesbian painter who can't see herself being with someone trans, and Toni, a childhood friend who can actually see Ponyboy for who he is.Strung out, Ponyboy follows Baby to Berlin where he sinks deeper into drugs and falls for Gabriel, all the while pursued by a megalomaniacal photographer hungry for the next hot thing. As his relationships crumble, Ponyboy unexpectedly wakes up alone in Iowa, his childhood home. Now Ponyboy must finally choose a name.An evocative novel of art and addiction, self-destruction and re-construction, Ponyboy thrums with the joys, aches and pains of becoming who you are meant to be.Trade ReviewEliot Duncan's melancholic transboy swagger sparkles in this classic story of a dissolute bookish Midwesterner who crashes through Europe, falling in and out of love and stargazing from the gutter. An astonishing first novel -- Andrea Lawlor * author of PAUL TAKES THE FORM OF A MORTAL GIRL *[Ponyboy] moves breathlessly through space and time...Through a deft command of language, Duncan is able to create a uniquely trans story that fights for the right to be seen * Dazed *[A] gutting and glittery three-act coming of age story...The final act takes Ponyboy to rehab, where he unravels his identity, addiction, and recovery - leading his splintered parts to become all that much more himself * Nylon *Ponyboy is a novel about self-immolation and rising from your own ashes with a spent match between your teeth. It's also one of the best books I've read about expat dirtbaggery, and it ferociously portrays the velvety allure of oblivion and the terror, eroticism, and bright urgency of coming home to yourself -- Rebecca Rukeyser * author of THE SEAPLANE ON FINAL DESCENT *Ponyboy reads like one of those unforgettable nights in your twenties. Duncan captures the optimism that accompanies the allure of Paris, the high of substances, and the sense that anything can happen when the sun falls. Read this book to remember that, no matter how bad the hangover will be, the best is yet to come -- Elias Rodriques * author of ALL THE WATER I'VE EVER SEEN IS RUNNING *A vivid portrayal of the lure of self-abandonment. Eliot Duncan shows us what is found in pursuit of it - and what is left in its wake -- Hil Malatino * author of SIDE AFFECTS: ON BEING TRANS AND FEELING BAD *

Read more less

Book SynopsisBRAND NEW FROM SALLY RIGBY AND AMANDA ASHBYShe’ll do anything to protect her family…From the moment I met Nathan, a widower with two small children, I knew I would do anything for him. Sam and Sienna were both desperate for a mother and I knew I was perfect for them. I would raise them as my own. love them like my own.I would die for them.So when a missing teenager is found lying on the side of the road, my first through is for my precious kids. Are they home? Are they safe?And then I discover something much worse. That the children I’ve raised could somehow be involved…But I made a promise that I would protect my family at all costs.Even if the consequences are deadly….Praise for Sally Rigby and Amanda Ashby:'Dark, gripping and with a smart twist, The Ex-Wife kept me turning the pages. I thought I'd managed to guess the ending, but for once was thrilled to be wrong' Bestselling author M A Hunter'So many twists and turns, no way could I have predicted the ending. I can't recommend it enough, well worthy of 5-stars' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader Review'This is a real page turner of a book and you never know where the next page is going to take you!' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader Review'Loved this book. Twists and turns all the way and then an explosive ending!' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader Review

Read more less

Book SynopsisRead the spicy romance that became a TikTok and Netflix sensationRaquel Álvarez has one goal - to become a psychologist. Well, that and to get Ares Hildago to notice her.For as long as Raquel can remember, she has been obsessed with Ares - her rich, hot, mysterious neighbour. Even though he lives next door, Raquel has never spoken to him - until a chance encounter reveals her crush is anything but unrequited, and their steamy attraction grows into something much more.Raquel is all in with Ares. But Ares can't, or won't, commit, as his struggle with personal and family responsibilities leaves little room for falling in love.What burns bright burns fast, but for Ares and Raquel, can it last?

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe uplifting Japanese bestsellerTHE PERFECT GIFT FOR CAT LOVERS'Compassionate and touching' DAILY MAIL'Totally beguiling' OBSERVERPerfect fans of The Travelling Cat Chronicles and Convenience Store Woman____________On the outskirts of Tokyo, local cats weave their way through the lives and homes of their owners as they navigate difficult times.- A cat named Chobi sends silent messages of courage to a young woman, willing her to end a faltering relationship- A gifted artist fatally misunderstands her boss's enthusiasm for her paintings- A manga fan shuts herself away after the death of her friend, while her cat Cookie hatches a plan to persuade her outside- A woman who has dedicated her life to a distant husband learns a lesson in independence from her catAgainst the urban backdrop of humming trains and private woes, SHE AND HER CAT explores the gentle magic of the everyday.Populated by both the friendly and the feral, it reveals - with heartstopping clarity and warmth - how even in our darkest moments, community and connection may lead us to a happier place.***Includes four fabulous illustrations***____________'A beautiful, uplifting novel. As mesmerizing as it is strange' SAINSBURY'S MAGAZINE'Goes to show how cats will save us all' Nick Bradley, author of The Cat and the City'A gem, written with deep insight and finely attuned to the ways of cats and their humans. An absolute delight' HAZEL PRIOR author of Call of the PenguinsTrade ReviewA beautiful, uplifting novel. As mesmerising as it is strange * SAINSBURYS MAGAZINE *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA brilliant psychological thriller by bestselling author J.A. Baker...After spending her childhood in care, Eva is desperate to find her birth parents and to get some closure on her difficult past. And so she finishes her relationship with boyfriend Gareth, leaves her home in London, and heads to Whitby in search of the family she has never known.But Eva’s close friend, Celia is worried. Eva has stopped answering her calls and when Celia travels to London to speak to her she realises Eva has moved without telling anyone. Both women have been badly damaged by their childhoods, and Celia makes the decision to follow Eva to Whitby, concerned that Eva is unravelling....Gareth, furious that Eva ended things the way she did also decides to go in search of his missing girlfriend. But it is the start of a lethal situation.But who exactly is Eva and why is Celia so concerned about her friend?Some relationships are toxic. Others are deadly.**Perfect for fans of Sue Watson, Valerie Keogh and K.L. Slater.What people are saying about J.A. Baker...**'Superbly written with a cast of crazy characters who will make you look differently at your co-workers from now on.’ Bestselling author Valerie Keogh'Fast-paced, riveting thriller. Gripped until the last page!' Bestselling author Diana Wilkinson'I read this story in a single day. Once you begin, it's difficult to put it down. 5 stars from me!' Bestselling author L.H. Stacey'A twisty, creepy story, expertly told. Perfect for reading on dark winter evenings…with the doors double-locked and bolted. Highly recommended!' Bestselling author Amanda JamesPlease note this book was previously published as Finding Eva

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe start of a gripping WWII series by bestselling author Fenella J. MillerAs war rages, Barbara Sinclair is desperate to escape her unhappy home life. And with the threat of German bombs ever present, Barbara reluctantly agrees to marry John, her childhood friend, who is leaving to join the RAF.But an encounter with Alex Everton, a dashing Spitfire pilot, complicates matters for Barbara. With emotions running high, she begins to question whether she has made a terrible mistake.With the constant threat of death all around her, Barbara must try to find a way to deal with the complexities of her difficult home life and her emotional relationships, too.Has Barbara made the right choice and will she find her own place in a time of great upheaval?Praise for Fenella J. Miller:'Engaging characters and setting which whisks you back to the home front of wartime Britain. A great start to what promises to be a fabulous series.' Jean FullertonPlease note: This book was previously published as Barbara's War

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe BRAND NEW novel from Number 1 bestseller Louise Douglas.As wild fires creep a devastating path towards the idyllic town of Morranez, a vulnerable girl goes missing. But was she taken - or was she escaping...The summer is the hottest yet in the Brittany coastal town of Morranez, but when a new case lands on the desk of the Toussaints detective agency, there can be no time to relax. As wild fires bear down on the town, the alert goes out for a missing girl.Nineteen-year-old Briony Moorcroft has seemingly been taken from her sleepy Welsh village and brought to France. Her parents are baffled and scared – Briony needs her life-saving medicine or this case will become even more sinister, and with the police dragging their heels, the Moorcrofts are relying on Mila Shephard and Carter Jackson’s sleuthing skills.Meanwhile there are mysteries troubling Mila’s life too. Two years after the accident that swept her sister Sophie and brother-in-law Charlie away and left their daughter Ani in Mila’s care, new evidence resurfaces that makes Mila doubt everything.Can Carter and Mila find Briony before it’s too late? And is the truth about Sophie and Charlie finally about to be revealed…Number One bestselling author Louise Douglas is back with a brooding, twisty tale of secrets and lies, love and loyalty.Praise for Louise Douglas:'I loved The Lost Notebook so much! From the opening lines, I was drawn in to a gripping story, beautifully written and so cleverly orchestrated. I rooted for the main character, I held my breath at the denouement and as for the climax of the book - just wow. Highly recommended.' Judy Leigh'Louise Douglas achieves the impossible and gets better with every book.' Milly Johnson'A brilliantly written, gripping, clever, compelling story, that I struggled to put down. The vivid descriptions, the evocative plot and the intrigue that Louise created, which had me constantly asking questions, made it a highly enjoyable, absolute treasure of a read.' Kim Nash on The Scarlet Dress'Another stunning read from the exceptionally talented Louise Douglas! I love the way in which Louise creates such an atmospheric mystery, building the intrigue and suspense brick by brick. Her writing is always beautiful and multi-layered, her characters warm and relatable and the intriguing nature of the mystery makes this unputdownable.’ Nicola Cornick on The Scarlet Dress'A tender, heart-breaking, page-turning read' Rachel Hore on The House by the Sea'The perfect combination of page-turning thriller and deeply emotional family story. Superb’ Nicola Cornick on The House by the Sea

Read more less

Book SynopsisShe must face the terror of war alone to survive…1939 - India When headstrong Nadine Burton learns that the woman, she thought was her Indian Ayah was in fact her mother, she rebels against her father in a flamboyant display of disrespect and dares to dance with her two local best friends at a public party. Her father, local official, Roland Frederick Burton is furious. He arranges for her to be exiled from India and married off to Australian Martin McPherson, owner of a rubber plantation north of Singapore. Within a year Singapore falls to the Japanese. Martin is killed and Nadine becomes a prisoner of war, imprisoned in Sumatra, where her dancing skills don’t go unnoticed by her captors. Amidst the horror she finds a friend in a Japanese American major caught up in the war whilst visiting his grandparents in Japan. Much like her, he straddles two cultures and worlds. As their love deepens, boundaries are crossed and together they must unite to survive. Don't miss this emotional and powerful saga about a woman's determination to beat the odds, perfect for fans of Dinah Jefferies and Fiona Valpy. Previously published as 'East of India' by Erica Brown

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen Deshawn hears news of his uncle's death, his riotous big-city life in San Francisco is abruptly put on hold while he travels back to his Alabama hometown for the funeral. While there, he's hit by flashbacks of growing up queer and black in the '80s South, of a youth filled with strong women, bewildered boys, and messed up queers. Wading through prickly reminders of his childhood, of sweltering Sundays, church, family, and the men he once knew, Deshawn reconnects with his old self and the ghosts of his past. A raw, dirty, hilarious, and heart-breaking novel about the experiences that shape us, Since I Laid My Burden Down asks the intimate question: who deserves love?Trade Review"This is the book you fall asleep reading and wake up excited to get back to. A Cult Masterpiece with so many memorable characters and phrases you'll want to grab strangers and read paragraphs to them." - Kathleen Hanna "Brontez Purnell is foul-mouthed and evil. Be warned: this book will make you cackle out loud like you've got the Devil inside you then it will break your heart. Be careful where you read it. BUT DO READ IT." - Justin Vivian Bond "Since I Laid My Burden Down has a fearless (sometimes reckless) humor as Brontez Purnell interrogates what it means to be black, male, queer; a son, an uncle, a lover; Southern, punk, and human. An emotional tightrope walk of a book and an important American story rarely, if ever, told." - Michelle Tea, author of Black Wave "More layered insight than the page count should allow." --MTV News "A complex... look at one man's experience of being black, queer, smart, soft, tough, artistic, and constantly in motion between rural and urban cultures." - Kirkus Reviews "Performance artist Purnell beautifully captures a personality through introspection and memory in this slim novel. . . . a compelling portrait of a particular disaffected kind of gay youth caught between religion, culture, and desire." - Publishers Weekly

Read more less

Book SynopsisIt is 1966 and 12-year-old Mary Foster’s narrow, prescribed world is abruptly disturbed by a sudden move from suburban London to a neglected Victorian house on the south coast of England. A new friendship provides Mary with some comfort in an unfamiliar world of seagull squawks, endless horizons and strange new lodgers. But an unexpected discovery of deceit and deception profoundly affects her life and Mary is left to carry on, bitter and resentful, but silent on the matter. 40 years later, Mary wants to know more. Another age, another era, another century; such secrecy and lies seem cowardly and irrelevant. Mary is anxious for the truth. Or at least she thinks she is – until the chance to uncover certain realities tests her resolve.

Read more less

Book Synopsis'A gleeful, page-flipping read . . . One you'll be glad to take a ringside seat for' Observer'A rollicking historical novel' Daily MailAnnie Perry is born beside the coal-muddied canals of the Black Country at the height of the industrial revolution. When her father dies, her Romi family can no longer afford to keep her, and at nine years old she is sold for six guineas to the famous and feared bare-knuckle boxer Bill Perry, the Tipton Slasher.Bill is starting to lose his strength but insists he has one last fight in him. In fear for his life, Annie steps into the ring, fists raised in his defence. From that moment on, she will fight - for Bill and for her future.A whole new world opens up for Annie, one of love, fortune, family and education, but also of danger. One wrong move, one misstep, and the course of her life will be changed for ever.Trade ReviewA punchy historical yarn . . . [Kitson] has a fine time with Annie and the Slasher - warm, memorable creations who come punching off the page . . . Featherweight transports the reader to the tough, rapidly industrialising world of the 19th-century Black Country, with its old canals and new railways, the soot of the forges and strikes at the nail factories, via lushly detailed, rhythmical descriptions . . . A gleeful, page-flipping read . . . A rollicking tale, one you'll be glad to take a ringside seat for * * Observer * *Annie is a lively, appealing character and there is plenty more to enjoy in Kitson's narrative * * Sunday Times, Best New Historical Fiction * *A no-holds-barred portrait of an English town despoiled by the Industrial Revolution * * New York Times * *A rollicking historical novel set in the Black Country during the Industrial Revolution . . . Offers plenty to enjoy * * Daily Mail * *Kitson creates a Dickensian flavour through Black Country dialogue, a strong sense of place (a smut-blackenedindustrial town), and colourful characterisation. Detailed descriptions of what goes on in the ring add suspense . . . Readers will love rooting for this great little fighter who easily punches above her weight . . . Compelling * * Booklist * *A wonderful novel . . . The themes of Kitson's plot also revolve around themes of rejection, lost hope, vulnerability. But in Annie it also shows us a strong woman, way ahead of her time who decides she can also turn her hand (or fists) to pugilism * * NB Magazine * *Praise for Sal: Kitson writes clearly and concisely . . . Sal is an ambitious and skilled novel. Literature needs more stories like this -- JENNI FAGAN * * Guardian * *Daring and original . . . Manages to feel both contemporary and timeless, both heart-rending and uplifting * * Observer * *Just wonderful. A breath of fresh air in a book. Sal is a story with incredible heart, told so beautifully and with such clarity and grace I can hardly believe it's a debut! I loved it -- JOANNA CANNON, author of THE TROUBLE WITH GOATS AND SHEEPSal is an inspiring novel that feels honest and fastidious. It introduces the theme of redemption and fresh beginnings without shying from the awful truth * * Financial Times * *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'A gleeful, page-flipping read' Observer'The ultimate summer escape' New York TimesOne wrong move, one misstep, and the course of a life can be changed for ever.Annie Perry is born beside the coal-muddied canals of the Black Country at the height of the industrial revolution. At nine years old she is sold for six guineas to the famous and feared bare-knuckle boxer Bill Perry, the Tipton Slasher. From that moment on, Annie will fight - for Bill and for her future.A whole new world opens up to Annie, one of love, fortune and family, but also of great danger.Trade ReviewA punchy historical yarn . . . [Kitson] has a fine time with Annie and the Slasher - warm, memorable creations who come punching off the page . . . Featherweight transports the reader to the tough, rapidly industrialising world of the 19th-century Black Country, with its old canals and new railways, the soot of the forges and strikes at the nail factories, via lushly detailed, rhythmical descriptions . . . A gleeful, page-flipping read . . . A rollicking tale, one you'll be glad to take a ringside seat for * * Observer * *Annie is a lively, appealing character and there is plenty more to enjoy in Kitson's narrative * * Sunday Times, Best New Historical Fiction * *The ultimate summer escape . . . Sweeping . . . Will transport you to 19th-century England * * New York Times * *A rollicking historical novel set in the Black Country during the Industrial Revolution . . . Offers plenty to enjoy * * Daily Mail * *Kitson creates a Dickensian flavour through Black Country dialogue, a strong sense of place (a smut-blackenedindustrial town), and colourful characterisation. Detailed descriptions of what goes on in the ring add suspense . . . Readers will love rooting for this great little fighter who easily punches above her weight . . . Compelling * * Booklist * *A wonderful novel . . . The themes of Kitson's plot also revolve around themes of rejection, lost hope, vulnerability. But in Annie it also shows us a strong woman, way ahead of her time who decides she can also turn her hand (or fists) to pugilism * * NB Magazine * *Praise for Sal: Kitson writes clearly and concisely . . . Sal is an ambitious and skilled novel. Literature needs more stories like this -- JENNI FAGAN * * Guardian * *Daring and original . . . Manages to feel both contemporary and timeless, both heart-rending and uplifting * * Observer * *Just wonderful. A breath of fresh air in a book. Sal is a story with incredible heart, told so beautifully and with such clarity and grace I can hardly believe it's a debut! I loved it -- JOANNA CANNON, author of THE TROUBLE WITH GOATS AND SHEEPSal is an inspiring novel that feels honest and fastidious. It introduces the theme of redemption and fresh beginnings without shying from the awful truth * * Financial Times * *

Read more less

Book SynopsisAS READ ON BBC RADIO 4A SPECTATOR BEST OF THE YEAR - AS CHOSEN BY REVIEWERSThe year is 1742. Goody Brown, saved from drowning and adopted when just a babe, has grown up happily in the smuggling town of Winchelsea. But when she turns sixteen, her father is murdered by men he thought were friends. In a town where lawlessness prevails, Goody and her brother Francis must enter the cut-throat world of her father's killers in order to find justice. Facing high seas and desperate villains, she discovers what life can be like without constraints or expectations, developing a taste for danger that makes her blood run fast. Goody was never born to be a gentlewoman. But what will she become instead?Trade ReviewImagine Daphne du Maurier crossed with Quentin Tarantino, and you will have some idea of just what a thrilling, bloody and heady ride this novel is -- TOM HOLLANDI was riveted. Winchelsea is a great read - terrific narrative drive, credible characters, and such an elegant creation of the backdrop in terms of both time and place -- PENELOPE LIVELYBoisterous . . . evocative . . . What holds the novel together as much as its driving plot are its incantatory atmosphere and spellbinding language * * Guardian * *Preston is a gifted prose cartographer, conjuring up the Sussex coastline in a crisp, clear fashion . . . He has written a bawdy, thunderous romp that echoes with cannon fire, sea shanties and the occasional plaintive cry of a nightjar * * Financial Times * *Glorious * * Spectator * *Winchelsea is a remarkable act of literary time travel: dark and gripping and soaked in blood and salt water -- EVIE WYLD[A] spellbinding read, both gory and gorgeous * * Daily Mail * *Truly epic . . . The richness and enthusiasm of the prose speaks of a novelist who loves the process of spinning an unpredictable, fabulist yarn * * i * *A rip-roaring yarn about smugglers and seafarers in Romney Marsh and its coastal hinterland in the 18th century. The energy, word play and attention to contemporary detail could not be bettered -- The Books of the Year 2022 * * Spectator * *There's a wild piratical darkness to Winchelsea which is charged by the evocative and strange wilderness of its setting on the Romney Marshes. At its heart is a gripping tale: a life-and-death struggle, set in the eighteenth century yet vibrantly heightened by a sureness of visceral detail and a vivid depth of characterisation. This is historical drama on a deft and uproarious scale, and it makes for a breathlessly exciting and engaging read -- PHILIP HOARE

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Extraordinary' Naoise Dolan'Seriously good' Louise NealonPICKED AS 'ONE TO WATCH' FOR 2022 BY IRISH TIMES, STYLIST AND IRISH INDEPENDENTDublin student life is ending for Sophie and her friends. They've got everything figured out, and Sophie feels left behind as they all start to go their separate ways. She's overshadowed by her best friend Grace. She's been in love with Finn for as long as she's known him. And she's about to meet Rory, who's suddenly available to her online.At a party, what was already unstable completely falls apart and Sophie finds herself obsessively scrolling social media, waiting for something (anything) to happen.None of This Is Serious is about the uncertainty and absurdity of being alive today. It's about balancing the real world with the online, and the vulnerabilities in yourself, your relationships, your body. At its heart, this is a novel about the friendships strong enough to withstand anything.Trade ReviewAn extraordinary novel. None of This Is Serious brilliantly explores the impossibility to "come of age" in end times, where screens are so contiguous to experience that no-one is ever truly online or offline. She writes truthfully and with affectless nuance about the labyrinthine workings of friend groups and the defences women scramble for in a world that still hates us -- NAOISE DOLAN, author of EXCITING TIMESI inhaled None of This Is Serious. I've been waiting for a fictional story that reflects the all-consuming influence that the Internet has on my life. None of This Is Serious is that story. A compulsively readable, fresh and painfully accurate description of the way we live now. Don't let the title fool you. It is serious. Seriously good -- LOUISE NEALON, author of SNOWFLAKEEdgy . . . [Prasifka] has a painfully raw and acute gift for catching the way things are * * Sunday Times * *I absolutely LOVED this novel. Beautifully crafted -- EMMA GANNON, author of OLIVEFortunately, [Prasifka] doesn't need any sprinkling of Rooney's fairy dust; she makes her own magic. In the seriously good None of This is Serious, the 26-year-old author conveys what it's like to be a young woman today navigating life in Dublin and online . . . She is an astute observer of the social dynamics of her generation * * Irish Times * *A beautifully written original take on how we're all guilty of taking refuge online as the world around us becomes increasingly confusing * * Stylist, Fiction Books You Can't Miss in 2022 * *[A] funny, endearingly heartfelt debut * * Daily Mail * *As we adapt to our increasingly online lives, Catherine Prasifka's debut is the antidote we never knew we needed. We meet Sophie, Prasifka's ultra-relatable protagonist, at a precarious time in her life: leaving university. What happens next is a worthy reminder that Instagram /= reality * * Glamour, Best Books of 2022 * *None of This Is Serious is brilliant - so devastatingly precise about being a young woman living in Ireland and online today, moving deftly between sharp, hilarious observations and heartbreaking, enraging moments -- CLAIRE HENNESSY, author of LIKE OTHER GIRLSNone of This Is Serious is such a compelling novel, and Sophie is such a relatable character - reading her story felt like one of those meaningful and immersive conversations you can only have with a stranger at 3am in the toilets of a dingy club, all hearts laid bare. At times agonisingly close to the bone, Catherine Prasifka's debut novel is an exquisitely unnerving portrayal of who we are and how we live -- KATIE HALE, author of MY NAME IS MONSTER

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Extraordinary' Naoise Dolan'Seriously good' Louise NealonDublin student life is ending for Sophie and her friends. They've got everything figured out, and Sophie feels left behind as they all start to go their separate ways. Then, at a party, what was already unstable completely falls apart and Sophie finds herself obsessively scrolling social media, waiting for something (anything) to happen. None of This Is Serious is about the uncertainty and absurdity of being alive today. It's about balancing the real world with the online, and the vulnerabilities in yourself, your relationships, your body. At its heart, this is a novel about the friendships strong enough to withstand anything.Trade ReviewAn extraordinary novel. None of This Is Serious brilliantly explores the impossibility to "come of age" in end times, where screens are so contiguous to experience that no-one is ever truly online or offline. She writes truthfully and with affectless nuance about the labyrinthine workings of friend groups and the defences women scramble for in a world that still hates us -- NAOISE DOLAN, author of EXCITING TIMESI inhaled None of This Is Serious. I've been waiting for a fictional story that reflects the all-consuming influence that the Internet has on my life. None of This Is Serious is that story. A compulsively readable, fresh and painfully accurate description of the way we live now. Don't let the title fool you. It is serious. Seriously good -- LOUISE NEALON, author of SNOWFLAKEEdgy . . . [Prasifka] has a painfully raw and acute gift for catching the way things are * * Sunday Times * *I absolutely LOVED this novel. Beautifully crafted -- EMMA GANNON, author of OLIVEFortunately, [Prasifka] doesn't need any sprinkling of Rooney's fairy dust; she makes her own magic. In the seriously good None of This is Serious, the 26-year-old author conveys what it's like to be a young woman today navigating life in Dublin and online . . . She is an astute observer of the social dynamics of her generation * * Irish Times * *A beautifully written original take on how we're all guilty of taking refuge online as the world around us becomes increasingly confusing * * Stylist, Fiction Books You Can't Miss in 2022 * *[A] funny, endearingly heartfelt debut * * Daily Mail * *As we adapt to our increasingly online lives, Catherine Prasifka's debut is the antidote we never knew we needed. We meet Sophie, Prasifka's ultra-relatable protagonist, at a precarious time in her life: leaving university. What happens next is a worthy reminder that Instagram /= reality * * Glamour, Best Books of 2022 * *None of This Is Serious is brilliant - so devastatingly precise about being a young woman living in Ireland and online today, moving deftly between sharp, hilarious observations and heartbreaking, enraging moments -- CLAIRE HENNESSY, author of LIKE OTHER GIRLSNone of This Is Serious is such a compelling novel, and Sophie is such a relatable character - reading her story felt like one of those meaningful and immersive conversations you can only have with a stranger at 3am in the toilets of a dingy club, all hearts laid bare. At times agonisingly close to the bone, Catherine Prasifka's debut novel is an exquisitely unnerving portrayal of who we are and how we live -- KATIE HALE, author of MY NAME IS MONSTER

Read more less

Book SynopsisTHE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLERWINNER OF THE 2020 AKUTAGAWA PRIZE'My oshi was on fire. Word was he'd punched a fan'High-school student Akari has only one passion in her life: her oshi, her idol. His name is Masaki Ueno, best known as one-fifth of Japanese pop group Maza Maza. Akari's dedication to her oshi consumes her days completely. She keeps a blog entirely devoted to him, religiously chronicling and analysing all his events. He is the spine of her life; she cannot survive without him. When Masaki is rumoured to have assaulted a female fan, facing waves of social media backlash, Akari's world falls apart.Offering a vivid insight into otaku culture and adolescence, Idol, Burning is a brilliantly gripping story of obsession, coming of age and the addictive, relentless nature of fandom culture.Trade ReviewUsami so successfully depicts the consequences of pure obsession * * Guardian * *[Idol, Burning] cracked a door open into an intense world of obsession . . . essential reading for anyone who wants to understand what it is like to be a teenage girl, where priorities are skewed, emotions are high, and everything feels like it's life or death -- CATHERINE PRASIFKAA vivid depiction of the joys and despairs of teenage fan culture, Idol, Burning is urgent and all-consuming . . . In this passionate and compassionate novel, the voice of teenage desperation sings out -- KATIE HALEA short but mighty novel that sheds a light on the world of superfans, obsession and the dangers of building your identity around a phenomenon that can disappear in a second . . . Usami's novel lifts the lid on the unique world of fandom and 'stan' culture in Japan * * The Skinny * *Compelling and unsettling in equal measure, Idol, Burning is a pitch-perfect insight into how confusing and exhausting modern life can feel to young women today. * * Buzz Magazine * *Idol, Burning is a window into the world of teenage obsession and the dark places it can venture to . . . This is like nothing else I've read * * Red * *Praise for Rin Usami: Pure brilliance -- TOSHIYUKI HORIE, author of THE BEAR AND THE PAVING STONEPoignant -- YOKO OGAWA, author of THE MEMORY POLICE[Usami's] writing is extremely fresh and she has high literary ability -- Akutagawa Prize Judges

Read more less

Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE AKUTAGAWA PRIZE'Usami so successfully depicts the consequences of pure obsession' Guardian'Essential reading for anyone who wants to understand what it is like to be a teenage girl' Catherine PrasifkaHigh-school student Akari has only one passion in her life: her oshi, her idol. His name is Masaki Ueno, best known as one-fifth of Japanese pop group Maza Maza. Akari's dedication to her oshi consumes her days completely - until he disgraces himself and Akari's world goes into a tailspin.Trade ReviewUsami so successfully depicts the consequences of pure obsession * * Guardian * *[Idol, Burning] cracked a door open into an intense world of obsession . . . essential reading for anyone who wants to understand what it is like to be a teenage girl, where priorities are skewed, emotions are high, and everything feels like it's life or death -- CATHERINE PRASIFKAA vivid depiction of the joys and despairs of teenage fan culture, Idol, Burning is urgent and all-consuming . . . In this passionate and compassionate novel, the voice of teenage desperation sings out -- KATIE HALEA short but mighty novel that sheds a light on the world of superfans, obsession and the dangers of building your identity around a phenomenon that can disappear in a second . . . Usami's novel lifts the lid on the unique world of fandom and 'stan' culture in Japan * * The Skinny * *Compelling and unsettling in equal measure, Idol, Burning is a pitch-perfect insight into how confusing and exhausting modern life can feel to young women today. * * Buzz Magazine * *Idol, Burning is a window into the world of teenage obsession and the dark places it can venture to . . . This is like nothing else I've read * * Red * *Praise for Rin Usami: Pure brilliance -- TOSHIYUKI HORIE, author of THE BEAR AND THE PAVING STONEPoignant -- YOKO OGAWA, author of THE MEMORY POLICE[Usami's] writing is extremely fresh and she has high literary ability -- Akutagawa Prize Judges

Read more less

Book SynopsisA SUNDAY TIMES BEST HISTORICAL FICTION BOOK OF THE YEARA BBC TWO BETWEEN THE COVERS BOOK CLUB PICK 1628. Embarking on a journey in search of her father, a young girl called Mayken boards the Batavia, the most impressive sea vessel of the age. During the long voyage, this curious and resourceful child must find her place in the ship's busy world, and she soon uncovers shadowy secrets above and below deck. As tensions spiral, the fate of the ship and all on board becomes increasingly uncertain.1989. Gil, a boy mourning the death of his mother, is placed in the care of his irritable and reclusive grandfather. Their home is a shack on a tiny fishing island off the Australian coast, notable only for its reefs and wrecked boats. This is no place for a child struggling with a dark past and Gil's actions soon get him noticed by the wrong people.The Night Ship is an enthralling tale of human brutality, providence and friendship, and of two children, hundreds of years apart, whose fates are inextricably bound together.Trade ReviewLyrical, haunting, a beautiful and elegant fictional interpretation of history, I loved it -- KATE MOSSEMajestic . . . Kidd packs the story with superb characters, high emotion and drama . . . this gripping story ebbs and bobs with surprises from Kidd's sparkling imagination * * Independent * *The ambition and execution of [Jess Kidd's] new book The Night Ship is breathtaking! Sweet and grim, epic and domestic - I loved it . . . readers are in for a treat -- GRAHAM NORTON[A] consistently gripping and impressively constructed novel . . . Kidd builds an immersive visual and olfactory world of the 17th century ship . . . since her first novel Himself [Kidd] has displayed a voracious talent for storytelling . . . [a] marvellous, spirited novel * * Financial Times * *Jess Kidd's extraordinary evocation of a place gruesome with ghosts and the stranglehold of the past is nothing short of brilliant. I loved it -- HANNAH KENTGripping . . . The Night Ship is immersive, vivid and immediate, teeming with sensory detail that could only have come from extensive and diligent research and told in beautifully assured prose * * Irish Times * *Fabulous . . . Beautifully pitched, and told in the present tense, there's a wonderful immediacy to the children's stories as they cope with the harsh reality of their worlds but yearn for the magical and mystical, in this briny, beguiling book * * Daily Mail * *Kidd's writing is beautiful, a seemingly effortless layering of small details to create a vivid sense of place and geography . . . wonderful . . . memorable * * Sunday Independent * *I absolutely loved it . . . Fantastic -- STEPHEN MANGANCompelling . . . [Possesses] great energy and originality * * Sunday Times, Historical Fiction Book of the Month * *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA SUNDAY TIMES BEST HISTORICAL FICTION BOOK OF THE YEARA BBC TWO BETWEEN THE COVERS BOOK CLUB PICK1628. Embarking on a journey in search of her father, a young girl called Mayken boards the Batavia, the most impressive sea vessel of the age. During the long voyage, this curious and resourceful child must find her place in the ship's busy world, and she soon uncovers shadowy secrets above and below deck. As tensions spiral, the fate of the ship and all on board becomes increasingly uncertain.1989. Gil, a boy mourning the death of his mother, is placed in the care of his irritable and reclusive grandfather. Their home is a shack on a tiny fishing island off the Australian coast, notable only for its reefs and wrecked boats. This is no place for a child struggling with a dark past and Gil's actions soon get him noticed by the wrong people.The Night Ship is an enthralling tale of human brutality, providence and friendship, and of two children, hundreds of years apart, whose fates are inextricably bound together.Trade ReviewLyrical, haunting, a beautiful and elegant fictional interpretation of history, I loved it -- KATE MOSSEMajestic . . . Kidd packs the story with superb characters, high emotion and drama . . . this gripping story ebbs and bobs with surprises from Kidd's sparkling imagination * * Independent * *The ambition and execution of [Jess Kidd's] new book The Night Ship is breathtaking! Sweet and grim, epic and domestic - I loved it . . . readers are in for a treat -- GRAHAM NORTON[A] consistently gripping and impressively constructed novel . . . Kidd builds an immersive visual and olfactory world of the 17th century ship . . . since her first novel Himself [Kidd] has displayed a voracious talent for storytelling . . . [a] marvellous, spirited novel * * Financial Times * *Jess Kidd's extraordinary evocation of a place gruesome with ghosts and the stranglehold of the past is nothing short of brilliant. I loved it -- HANNAH KENTGripping . . . The Night Ship is immersive, vivid and immediate, teeming with sensory detail that could only have come from extensive and diligent research and told in beautifully assured prose * * Irish Times * *Fabulous . . . Beautifully pitched, and told in the present tense, there's a wonderful immediacy to the children's stories as they cope with the harsh reality of their worlds but yearn for the magical and mystical, in this briny, beguiling book * * Daily Mail * *Kidd's writing is beautiful, a seemingly effortless layering of small details to create a vivid sense of place and geography . . . wonderful . . . memorable * * Sunday Independent * *I absolutely loved it . . . Fantastic -- STEPHEN MANGANCompelling . . . [Possesses] great energy and originality * * Sunday Times, Historical Fiction Book of the Month * *

Read more less

Book SynopsisCombining psychological suspense with elements of the ghost story, Shadow Girls is a literary exploration of girlhood by the Booker Prize-shortlisted author of Jamrach's Menagerie. Manchester, 1960s. Sally, a cynical fifteen-year-old schoolgirl, is much too clever for her own good. When partnered with her best friend, Pamela – a mouthy girl who no-one else much likes – Sally is unable to resist the temptation of rebellion. The pair play truant, explore forbidden areas of the old school and – their favourite – torment posh Sylvia Rose, with her pristine uniform and her beautiful voice that wins every singing prize. One day, Sally ventures (unauthorised, of course) up to the greenhouse on the roof alone. Or at least she thinks she's alone, until she sees Sylvia on the roof too. Sally hurries downstairs, afraid of Sylvia snitching, but Sylvia appears to be there as well. Amidst the resurgence of ghost stories and superstition among the girls, a tragedy is about to occur, one that will send Sally further and further down an uncanny rabbit hole... Praise for Shadow Girls: 'A terrific evocation of a bygone Manchester girlhood, poignant and creepy by turns, by one of the most under-rated writers in England' D.J. Taylor 'Compulsively readable, Shadow Girls is an atmospheric, shape-shifting novel, part coming-of-age, part supernatural thriller. Birch renders the atmosphere of the sixties impeccably, and conveys most brilliantly the taut, complicated relationships between teenage girls with all their neediness, bravado and gullibility' Lesley GlaisterTrade ReviewA terrific evocation of a bygone Manchester girlhood, poignant and creepy by turns, by one of the most under-rated writers in England -- D.J. TaylorCompulsively readable, Shadow Girls is an atmospheric, shape-shifting novel, part coming-of-age, part supernatural thriller -- Lesley GlaisterSlowly and superbly paints everyday life at an all-female school... Utterly gripping * Heat *Probing the effects of buried trauma and the Freudian return of the repressed, Birch's achievement here is to give an authentic, arresting voice to a character who has little insight into the depths of her psyche * Daily Mail *That unhappy girl is what really haunts the delusional and guilt-ridden Sally, through all the "almosts" of this novel. And those bruises are its real "heavy subject", subtly embedded in these clever, unnerving pages * TLS *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR'This feels like a vision for the 21st-century novel... It made me happy' Ocean Vuong, author of On Earth We're Briefly GorgeousBenson and Mike are two young guys who have been together for a few years - good years - but now they're not sure why they're still a couple. There's the sex, sure, and the meals Mike cooks for Benson, and, well, they love each other. But when Mike finds out his estranged father is dying in Osaka just as his acerbic Japanese mother, Mitsuko, arrives for a visit, Mike picks up and flies across the world to say goodbye. In Japan he undergoes an extraordinary transformation, discovering the truth about his family and his past, while back home, Mitsuko and Benson are stuck living together as unconventional roommates, an absurd domestic situation that ends up meaning more to each of them than they ever could have predicted...Funny and profound, Memorial is about family in all its strange forms, becoming who you're supposed to be and the outer limits of love.NAMED A BOOK TO WATCH IN 2021 BY:SUNDAY TIMES THE TIMES DAILY MAIL THE TELEGRAPH RADIO 4 IRISH TIMESTrade ReviewA tender, wistful, often profound story about a deteriorating romance between two twentysomething men... Lo-fi and intimate * Sunday Times *Funny and moving... Memorial confirms Washington as a writer not just to watch, but to read now * The Times *A masterclass in empathy... Washington transforms revelations into cliff-hangers, like Elena Ferrante. He writes layered sex scenes, like Garth Greenwell * Guardian *A tender and moving story about the ties that bind us to those we love, sometimes against our better judgment or our strongest will * The Telegraph *Washington is a technically dazzling writer * Alan Hollinghurst, New York Review of Books *A triumph * Paul Bailey, Literary Review *Dazzling... With crackling dialogue and gimlet-eyed humour, Washington paints a vivid, poignant portrait of how love, romantic and familial, is weathered and ultimately deepened by time * Esquire *A fresh, vibrant love story that interweaves race, queerness, nationality, family, and intimacy with narrative ease * Vogue *Brilliantly details the smallest moments that mean the absolute most, the heartbreakingly human limitations of how we love one another * Kiley Reid, author of Such a Fun Age *Memorial casts a fresh take on the American family that becomes truer because of its disparate origins, the queerness of its genesis, and the buoyed wonder it finds in surviving grief and loss towards the rare and forgiving ground of difficult, hard-won love. * Ocean Vuong, author of On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous *A tour de force, truly unlike anything I've read before. Bryan Washington's take on love, family, and responsibility is as complicated and true as life itself. I can't stop thinking about it. * Ann Patchett, author of Bel Canto *Stunning. Everything happening in Memorial is so intimate, sensual, and wise. I love this book. * Tommy Orange, author of There There *A true page-turner. I was entranced. * Jacqueline Woodson, author of Another Brooklyn *Made me think about the nature of love, and family, and anger, and grief, and love again. * Jasmine Guillory, author of The Proposal *Bryan Washington is an expert in illuminating the way we love. It is a beautiful heartbreak. * Mira Jacob, author of Good Talk *It is about everything that matters in life. * Katie Kitamura, author of A Separation *Wryly funny, gently devastating * Entertainment Weekly *A beautiful, unusual examination of the difference between love and care, and what happens when they merge * Washington Post *This book is so poignant and beautiful, asking questions about what it means to live a life and what it means to love * LitHub *Implicit in a book about changing relationships and titled Memorial is the question of what is being preserved. The book preserves Houston and Osaka. It preserves the feeling of being young and lost. It preserves the food that gives us comfort and nourishment and purpose. * The New York Times *Wonderfully irreverent and heart-meltingly tender * Oprah Magazine *A very different kind of love story... Washington's deeply touching (and deeply funny) look at love, sex, family, grief, and the ways in which we take care of each other is a revelation, a reminder of how powerful a novel can be * Refinery29 *Bryan Washington writes some of contemporary fiction's most tender stories... Queer love, family dynamics, Houston settings, and cooking... the young writer has brilliantly united them all in his new novel * New York Observer *Big-hearted and moving * Harper's Bazaar *Bryan Washington writes quiet. His characters methodically chop cabbage, or slide silently from room to room. Then, bam. A quick, elliptical conversation will smack you sideways with its heft and resonance. * Vulture *This sensitive novel illustrates the deeply individual ways we search for a sense of home. * RealSimple *This intimate story is about the families we are born into and the families we choose for ourselves... a quiet, sensual exploration of how we decide who we stick around for. * Mashable *Not only an exploration of a kaleidoscopically diverse America... but a moving portrait of two young men who are figuring out exactly who they are in this world. Anyone who enjoyed Washington's dreamlike yet textured meditations on life in Houston in Lot will be enchanted with Memorial. * The Millions *At once a love story, a tale of self-actualization, and an ode to family in every sense of the word. * Popsugar *Washington creates two men so real it feels like even though the book ended, they will keep on living and figuring it out and making mistakes and falling down and getting back up again. * Alma *With wit and humor, Washington tackles race, class, identity and queerness... In a story about first loves and family, both men will change as they discover their own truths. * Parade *At once fresh and new and daring, while also feeling wholly familiar * The Advocate *A love story so multifaceted and emotionally nuanced as to feel transformative * Seattle Times *Bryan Washington writes some of contemporary fiction's most tender stories. . . . Queer love, family dynamics, Houston settings, and cooking . . . . the young writer has brilliantly united them all in his new novel. * New York Observer *[Washington's] ability with writing the sensual pleasures of making and eating food is a good way of understanding his ability as a novelist to write about the human mind. It's such a beautiful book . . . a pure pleasure. * Rumaan Alam, The Maris Review *Extraordinary. . . . Washington writes with ease, like a juggler who is adding in new objects all the time, except the book ends with everything aloft instead of in hand. . . . It can be difficult to share your life with someone; Washington somehow explains this anew. Memorial, on the other hand, is easy to share. * The Paris Review *I really loved this book. It's tender and touching * David Nicholls *Brilliant * Evie Wyld *Set between Houston, Texas, and the Japanese city of Osaka, this is a tender, wistful, often profound story about a deteriorating romance between two twentysomething men. It deepens themes from Washington's short stories: the meaning of community, the power of food to bring people together and the impact of absent fathers. * Sunday Times *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'We are despised, yet we grow. We are tortured and crucified and yet we flourish. We are hated and still we multiply. Why is that? You must wonder, how is it we survive?' In a far corner of the Roman Empire, a radical sect is growing. Alone, unloved and battling his sexuality, Saul scrapes together a living exposing these nascent Christians, but on the road to Damascus, everything changes.Saul - now Paul - becomes drawn into this new religion and its mysterious leader, whose crucifixion leaves followers waiting in limbo for his promised return. As factions splinter and competition to create the definitive version of Christ's life grows violent, he begins to question his new faith and the man at its heart.Damascus is an unflinching dissection of doubt, faith, tyranny, revolution, cruelty and sacrifice. A vivid and visceral novel with perennial concerns, it is a masterpiece of imagination and transformation.Trade ReviewThe novel Tsiolkas was born to write * Financial Times *A visceral portrait of the life of St Paul -- Rob Doyle * Guardian *A powerful testament to spiritual yearning and the human desire to transcend the physical world. * Sunday Times *A narrative of shock and awe, fear and trembling, so large in ambition it will probably be the book for which he will be best remembered... Tsiolkas has made a career of taking sanctioned narratives and flipping them to reveal a dark human underbelly... At its best, which is miraculously often, the novel is conjugated not in the simple present but in what is knows as the "prophetic perfect". * The Weekend Australian *There are too many highlights to count in this daring, shocking, speculative work of biblical fiction by one of Australia's highest-profile authors. Captivating... * The Herald Sun *One of the most significant contemporary storytellers at work today * Colm Tóibín *A vivid novel... an insightful and sympathetic portrait of a man assailed by doubts, envy and pride, and tormented by his own homosexuality. Both insider and outsider, Tsiolkas writes with enormous respect and admiration for Christianity's message of love and equality, while recognizing all the flaws that Christianity, like any religion, is subject to - intolerance, populism and fundamentalism, and grubby worldliness. * Selina O'Grady *An enormously ambitious novel... Tsiolkas' message is ultimately one of hope and humanity... This is a brave, unflinching book. * The Listener *Hyper real. I could taste the salt of Saul's sweat as I gasped and cried my way through the book... This latest release confirms his ability to identify and describe both the best and the worst of us humans, whether we wear sandals or sneakers. * The Age *Startling... Moving and powerful... * ABC *There aren't any cinematic sandal-and-toga moments here; these people are hyper real. I could taste the salt of Saul's sweat as I gasped and cried my way through the book. * Sunday Star Time *A deeply researched, crafted fictional world created by one of Australia's greatest literary talents. * Sydney Morning Herald *Tsiolkas takes on nothing less than the birth of Christianity - and does so with rigour and grit. This is as-it-happens history, deeply immersive, yet alive to hindsight irony. It's a brave book, and sincerely spiritual. * Sydney Morning Herald *One of Australia's best writers... rough, gutsy and sometimes shocking book, but always a gripping read. * About Regional *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Absorbing, intelligent and atmospheric... Genius' Elizabeth Haynes_________________________Fortune favours the fraud...When she was thirteen years old, Ada Howell lost not just her father, but the life she felt she was destined to lead. Now, at eighteen, Ada is given a second chance when her wealthy godmother gifts her with an extravagant art history trip to Italy.In the palazzos of Venice, the cathedrals of Florence and the villas of Rome, she finally finds herself among the kind of people she aspires to be: sophisticated, cultured, privileged. Ada does everything in her power to prove she is one of them. And when a member of the group dies in suspicious circumstances, she seizes the opportunity to permanently bind herself to this gilded set.But everything hidden must eventually surface, and when it does, Ada discovers she's been keeping a far darker secret than she could ever have imagined...'Intelligent, elegant and immersive' Claire Kendal'A compulsive story, written with steely intelligence and wicked prose' Elizabeth BuchanTrade ReviewA treat ... excellent insights ... elegant prose * Daily Mail *With a frisson of uneasiness throughout, this intensely captivating thriller will cast its spell, leaving you on edge with unexpected twists. * Heat Magazine *Intelligent, elegant and immersive. I found myself absorbed by the voice and story, and fascinated by a complex narrator who made me feel both empathy and horror. -- Claire Kendal, bestselling author of 'The Book of You'Absorbing, intelligent and atmospheric, full of cool, incisive observations on class, loyalty and friendship - and oh my goodness, a razor-sharp twist. Genius. -- Elizabeth HaynesAmbition, lust, family secrets and lashings of Italian art - what could go wrong? A compulsive story, written with steely intelligence and wicked prose, that should propel the author into the bestseller lists. -- Elizabeth BuchanA heady tapestry of desires, secrets and entitled cruelties, suffused with the heat and shimmer of Italy... beautifully written, intoxicating... Fab! -- Philippa EastGlamour and art with a very dark underbelly of deceit and jealousy, that kept me guessing (and gasping) to the very end. -- Cressida McLauglinThe Favour is a refreshing, fun and compelling read about deception and consequences that had me hooked from the start. Ada is a wonderful creation who will stay with me for some time. * Lisa Ballantyne *Intense and intelligent, with a deliciously dark and dangerous atmosphere, and a story suffused with secrets and lies. Not to mention the intrigue of Italy, a fascinating central character and a killer twist. I loved it! * Jenny Quintana, author of The Missing Girl *Devious and manipulative, she pulls the reader through this tale of gilded youth misbehaving and paying the price. The tension comes not so much from whether the truth about the crime will emerge as from whether or not Ada will ultimately get what she wants or the punishment she so richly deserves. * Literary Review *Riveting ... an enormously engrossing, satisfying book - darkly funny, sharply ironic, keenly observed and elegantly written * Western Mail *A gripping plot, fascinating characters and a glorious backdrop ... a hugely ambitious debut that delivers handsomely on its promise * Irish Times *

Read more less