Narrative theme: death, grief, loss

Book SynopsisFantasy as it ought to be written' George R.R. MartinThe gripping finale to Robin Hobb's classic Farseer Trilogy.With the king no longer living and the heir, Verity, missing and declared dead, Prince Regal has treacherously seized the throne.Regal's torture has left Fitz more dead than alive, and more closely than ever bonded with his wolf. All who once loved him believe him dead: even Molly, now pregnant with his child. But he cannot go to her without placing her in terrible danger.With nothing to lose, Fitz sets out for Tradeford, where Regal has withdrawn, having heartlessly abandoned the north of the kingdom to the Red-Ship Raiders. His quest: to assassinate the man who has destroyed his world.Trade Review'What makes her novels addictive is not just their imaginative brilliance but the way her characters are compromised and manipulated by politics'The Times ‘Hobb is superb’ Conn Iggulden ‘Hobb is a remarkable storyteller’ Guardian

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Book SynopsisThe Japanese bestseller: a tale of love, new beginnings, and the comfort that can be found between the pages of a good book.When twenty-five-year-old Takako's boyfriend reveals he's marrying someone else, she reluctantly accepts her eccentric uncle Satoru's offer to live rent-free in the tiny room above his shop.Hidden in Jimbocho, Tokyo, the Morisaki Bookshop is a booklover's paradise. On a quiet corner in an old wooden building, the shop is filled with hundreds of second-hand books. It is Satoru's pride and joy, and he has devoted his life to the bookshop since his wife left him five years earlier.Hoping to nurse her broken heart in peace, Takako is surprised to encounter new worlds within the stacks of books lining the shop.And as summer fades to autumn, Satoru and Takako discover they have more in common than they first thought. The Morisaki bookshop has something to teach them both about life, love, and the healing power of books.Quirky, beautifully written, and movingly profound, Days at the Morisaki Bookshop will appeal to readers of Before The Coffee Gets Cold, The Cat Who Saved Books, and anyone who has had to recover from a broken heart.Readers love the Morisaki Bookshop!'A perfect blanket to warm every book lover's heart''I love Japanese literature, and this is one of the best''A love letter to book lovers and readers everywhere'

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Book SynopsisIntroducing the Collins Modern Classics, a series featuring some of the most significant books of recent times, books that shed light on the human experience classics which will endure for generations to come.That girl didn't want to die. She just wanted out of that house. She wanted out of that decorating scheme.The five Lisbon sisters beautiful, eccentric and, now, gone had always been a point of obsession for the entire neighbourhood.Although the boys that once loved them from afar have grown up, they remain determined to understand a tragedy that has defied explanation. The question persists why did all five of the Lisbon girls take their own lives?This lyrical and timeless tale of sex and suicide that transforms and mythologizes suburban middle-American life announced the arrival of one of the greatest American novelists of the last thirty years.A flare from my own secret world, all the inchoate longings and obsessions of being a teenager somehow rendered into book form' Emma Cline, author of The GirlsTrade Review'A Catcher in the Rye for our time' Observer 'Entire and unstoppable … a sparkling work' The Times 'Wonderfully original' Independent ‘Eugenides is blessed with the storyteller's most magical gift, the ability to transform the mundane into the extraordinary’ New York Times

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Book SynopsisA classic in the Bukowski poetry canon, Love Is a Dog from Hell is a raw, lyrical, exploration of the exigencies, heartbreaks, and limits of love.A book that captures the Dirty Old Man of American letters at his fiercest and most vulnerable, on a subject that hits home with all of us.

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Book SynopsisKristin Hannah is a New York Times bestselling author. She is a former lawyer turned writer and is the mother of one son. She and her husband live in the Pacific Northwest near Seattle, and Hawaii. Her first novel published in the UK, Night Road, was one of eight books selected for the UK's 2011 TV Book Club Summer Read, and her novel The Nightingale was a New York Times number one bestseller, selling almost three million copies worldwide.Trade ReviewBy reversing traditional expectations, Hannah calls attention to the modern female soldier and offers a compassionate, poignant look at the impact of war on family * Publishers Weekly *A wrenching depiction of war’s aftermath * Kirkus Reviews *An unusual premise, with mum going to war as an army reserve whilst dad has to stay home and keep things together. Interesting characters and the very real depiction of ‘life must go on’ as tragedy strikes and everyone comes to terms with what’s going on. Brilliant dialogue makes this a compulsive read * Books Monthly *

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Book SynopsisA QUEEN'S READING ROOM PICK 2023The multi-million-copy bestseller. A New York Times bestseller for over two years. Long-listed for the Orange Prize.Trade ReviewMoving, original, and accomplished ... wonderfully written, powerful, poignant, and humorous, and takes a line which is - refreshingly - strongly female without being cliche-feminist. It is also deliciously eccentric, which lifts it out of the usual category of a rite-of-passage novel into the realms of real distinction. Do read it * Joanna Trollope *Charming, funny, moving and unmistakeably from the American South... a story that whips together heat, violence, eccentricity, madness and the Gothic * The Times *This is a wonderful book, by turns funny, sad, full of incident and shot through with grown-up magic reminiscent of Joanne Harris. * The Daily Telegraph *Eccentric, inventive, and ultimately forgiving... a truly original Southern voice * Anita Shreve *Monk Kidd has created a narrative as skilful and sweet as a honeycomb. Uplifting and warm-hearted, this is a moving novel and Lily is a fascinating, funny and clever narrator * Literary Review *Sue Monk Kidd... Illuminates what is beautiful... THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES is a gift, filled with hope * Luanne Rice *This is the story of a young girl's journey toward healing, and of finding, at its end, not only wholeness, but the intrinsic sacredness of living in the world. I think it is simply wonderful * Anne Rivers Siddons *A wonderfully written debut novel * Kirkus Reviews *With imagination as lush and colorful as the American South, a clutch of deliciously eccentric characters, and vivid prose, Sue Monk Kidd creates a rich, maternal haven in a harsh world * Christina Schwarz *As original as its title and rivetingly so... It is one of the most inventive books I have read in a long time, and utterly compelling... This book demands to be read again and again, for it is not so much the solving of the mystery that is compulsive, but the gentle, sensitive, humorous and intensely colourful creation of a world far from our own * Oxford Times *Sue Monk Kidd has written a wonderful novel about mothers and daughters and the transcendent power of love * Connie May Fowler *Lily is a wonderfully petulant and self-absorbed adolescent, and Kidd deftly portrays her sense of injustice as it expands to accomodate broader social evils...August and her sisters, June and May, are no mere vehicles for Lily's salvation; they are individuals as fully imagined as the sweltering, kudzu-carpeted landscape that surrounds them * New York Times Book Review *What a splendid novel! It's wonderfully thoughtful and sensitive and compulsively readable * Susan Isaacs *An incredibly original and imaginative book with great charm and atmosphere * Glasgow Evening Times *A wonderful modern fairy tale...a touching story with a memorable cast of characters * The Big Issue *A hive's worth of appealing female characters, an off-beat plot and a lovely style... Deeply satisfying * Publishers Weekly *A honey-sweet novel * Elle *Superb * Woman & Home *Maybe it is true that there are no perfect books, but I closed this one believing that I had found perfection. The language is never anything short of crystalline and inspired. The plotting is subtle and careful and exquisitely executed...The characters are lovable and deep-hearted, fully dimensional, never pat. The story endures long after the book is slipped back onto the shelf * Book magazine *I am amazed that this moving, original, and accomplished book is a first novel. It is wonderfully written, powerful, poignant, and humorous, and takes a line which is - refreshingly - strongly female without being cliche-feminist. It is also deliciously eccentric, which lifts it out of the usual category of a rite-of-passage novel into the realms of real distinction. Do read it * Joanna Trollope *Charming, funny, moving and unmistakeably from the American South... a story that whips together heat, violence, eccentricity, madness and the Gothic * The Times *Lily is a wonderfully petulant and self-absorbed adolescent, and Kidd deftly portrays her sense of injustice as it expands to accomodate broader social evils...August and her sisters, June and May, are no mere vehicles for Lily's salvation; they are individuals as fully imagined as the sweltering, kudzu-carpeted landscape that surrounds them * New York Times Book Review *This is a wonderful book, by turns funny, sad, full of incident and shot through with grown-up magic reminiscent of Joanne Harris. * The Daily Telegraph *Eccentric, inventive, and ultimately forgiving... a truly original Southern voice * Anita Shreve *Sue Monk Kidd... Illuminates what is beautiful... THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES is a gift, filled with hope * Luanne Rice *This is the story of a young girl's journey toward healing, and of finding, at its end, not only wholeness, but the intrinsic sacredness of living in the world. I think it is simply wonderful * Anne Rivers Siddons *A wonderfully written debut novel * Kirkus Reviews *With imagination as lush and colorful as the American South, a clutch of deliciously eccentric characters, and vivid prose, Sue Monk Kidd creates a rich, maternal haven in a harsh world * Christina Schwarz *As original as its title and rivetingly so... It is one of the most inventive books I have read in a long time, and utterly compelling... This book demands to be read again and again, for it is not so much the solving of the mystery that is compulsive, but the gentle, sensitive, humorous and intensely colourful creation of a world far from our own * Oxford Times *Sue Monk Kidd has written a wonderful novel about mothers and daughters and the transcendent power of love * Connie May Fowler *What a splendid novel! It's wonderfully thoughtful and sensitive and compulsively readable * Susan Isaacs *Monk Kidd has created a narrative as skilful and sweet as a honeycomb. Uplifting and warm-hearted, this is a moving novel and Lily is a fascinating, funny and clever narrator * Literary Review *An incredibly original and imaginative book with great charm and atmosphere * Glasgow Evening Times *A wonderful modern fairy tale...a touching story with a memorable cast of characters * The Big Issue *A hive's worth of appealing female characters, an off-beat plot and a lovely style... Deeply satisfying * Publishers Weekly *A honey-sweet novel * Elle *Superb * Woman & Home *Maybe it is true that there are no perfect books, but I closed this one believing that I had found perfection. The language is never anything short of crystalline and inspired. The plotting is subtle and careful and exquisitely executed...The characters are lovable and deep-hearted, fully dimensional, never pat. The story endures long after the book is slipped back onto the shelf * Book magazine *'Kidd's first novel is well placed, gentle and deeply moving' The Times * The Times *'A personal favourite, one of those infectiously written books you can't get out of your mind...a lovely tale' Bookseller * Bookseller *'A tale that's beautifully and movingly written' Buzz * Buzz *

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Book Synopsis*Molly the maid returns in THE MAID''S SECRET available to pre-order now*_________________________________________________________________Get swept away by the million-copy bestseller *THE NO.1 NEW YORK TIMES & SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER*WINNER OF THE GOODREADS CHOICE AWARD FOR BEST MYSTERY/THRILLER*WINNER OF THE NED KELLY AWARD FOR BEST INTERNATIONAL CRIME FICTION*A BBC RADIO 4 BOOK AT BEDTIME PICKAn escapist pleasure' SUNDAY TIMESAn instantly gripping whodunnit'STYLISTSmart, riveting, and deliciously refreshing ' LISA JEWELL_________________________________________________________________It begins like any other day for Molly Gray, silently dusting her way through the luxury rooms at the Regency Grand Hotel.But when she enters suite 401 and discovers an infamous guest dead in his bed, a very messy mystery begins to unfold. And Molly's at the heart of it because if anyone can uncover the secrets beneath the surface, the fingerprints amongst the filth it's the maid . . ._______________________________________________________Everyone's getting swept away by The Maid:Excellent and totally entertaining . . . the most interesting (and endearing) main character in a long time' STEPHEN KINGThis is phenomenal thriller. Maid or murderer or victim? Find out in the book' READER REVIEW ?????Gripping, deftly written, and led by a truly unforgettable protagonist in Molly. I''m recommending it to everyone I know'' EMMA STONEXI loved everything about this book' READER REVIEW ?????I didn't think I could love a character any more than I loved Eleanor Oliphant but along comes Molly the Maid. God, I love her' READER REVIEW ?????Fresh, fiendish and darkly beguiling. The Maid is so thrillingly original, and clever, and joyous. I just adored every page' CHRIS WHITAKERFelt like a modern day homage to Agatha Christie' READER REVIEW ?????Lots of twists and turns and highly gripping' READER REVIEW ?????A Sunday Times No.4 bestseller for w/c 24/01/2022A New York Times No.1 bestseller for w/c 31/01/2022Trade Review‘Excellent and totally entertaining… the most interesting (and endearing) main character in a long time’ Stephen King ‘A smart, riveting, and deliciously refreshing debut. Prose knows how to pen a murder mystery with tremendous heart’ Lisa Jewell ‘The book’s endearing central character and atmospheric hotel setting make it an escapist pleasure — a mini-break between the pages’ Sunday Times ‘Nita Prose has created a true 21st Century heroine in a brilliantly-written, transformative story’ Janice Hallett ‘Finally booksellers have a concrete answer to the question 'I loved Eleanor Oliphant – what should I read next?'’ Bookbrunch ‘A gripping and heart-warming whodunnit narrated by an intriguing and original heroine. Skilfully layered and masterfully told. I loved it’ Santa Montefiore ‘An endearing debut . . . Prose threads a steady needle with the intricate plotting’ New York Times ‘The Maid is elegant, warm-hearted and wry, and Molly the most winningly off-beat narrator since Eleanor Oliphant. An absolute joy’ Louise Candlish ‘An instantly gripping and delightful whodunnit’ Stylist ‘I enjoyed every minute of this twisty yet tender thriller. The Maid is gripping, deftly written, and led by a truly unforgettable protagonist in Molly. I'm recommending it to everyone I know' Emma Stonex ‘Molly the Maid has captured my heart! I loved this charming and utterly original whodunit . . . Put this on your to-read pile immediately’ Sarah Pearse ‘Unlike anything else I’ve read, this kept me up way past lights out’ Katie Fforde ‘This is going to be HUGE! A heroine as loveable and quirky as Eleanor Oliphant, caught up in a crime worthy of Agatha Christie. Loved it!’ Clare Pooley ‘A contemporary murder mystery with a unique heroine who will appeal to Eleanor Oliphant fans’ Daily Mail

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Book SynopsisCharles Bukowski examines cats and his childhood in You Get So Alone at Times, a book of poetry that reveals his tender side. The iconic tortured artist/everyman delves into his youth to analyze its repercussions.“The Walt Whitman of Los Angeles.”—Joyce Carol Oates“He brought everybody down to earth, even the angels.”—Leonard Cohen, songwriter

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Book SynopsisPoems deal with writing, death and immortality, literature, city life, illness, war, and the past.

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Book Synopsis Thomas Piketty’s powerful and bestselling Capital and Ideology is now available in this accessible and richly illustrated full-color graphic novel format. Praised by Piketty himself as a “magnificent adaptation” of his original book, this graphic novel adaptation is perfect for anyone looking to understand the wealth gap and why society is the way it is today. Claire Alet and Benjamin Adam make the original work’s ideas more accessible through the addition of a family saga. Jules, the main character, is born at the end of the 19th century. He is a person of private means, a privileged figure representative of a profoundly unequal society obsessed with property. He, his family circle, and his descendants will experience the evolution of wealth and society. Eight generations of his family serve as a connecting thread running through the book, all the way up to Léa, a young woman today, who discovers the

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Book SynopsisIt's impossible to come away from this magical story unchanged' Sally PiperRichly immersive. A mysterious and magical journey through loss and grief' Fiona ValpyThe last time Esther Wilding's beloved older sister Aura was seen, she was walking along the shore towards the sea. In the wake of Aura's disappearance, Esther's family struggles to live with their loss.To seek the truth about her sister's death, Esther reluctantly travels from Tasmania to Copenhagen, and then to the Faroe Islands. On her journey, Esther is guided by the stories Aura left behind in her treasured journal; seven fairy tales about selkies, swans and women, alongside cryptic verses Aura wrote and had secretly tattooed on her body.The Seven Skins of Esther Wilding is about the far-reaches of sisterly love, the power of wearing your heart on your skin and the way life can transform when we find the courage to feel the fullness of both grief and joy.I was swept away by this triumphant and luminous story' Myfanwy JonesAstonishing in its scope, detail and sensitivity... tender, magical, epic, funny and devastating' Kate LeaverHolly Ringland creates expansive, magical worlds in her novels and packs them full of love' Victoria HannanRingland is a virtuoso of fairytale storytelling for adults' Sydney Morning HeraldVivid and soaring... a haunting story of trauma and redemption' Books+PublishingA beautiful story with shimmering layers of age-old stories and rituals from indigenous Australia and Scandinavia' The Yorkshire Times

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Book Synopsis*Discover The Secrets of Flowers, the brand new novel from Sally Page available to pre-order now*I absolutely loved it! So different, clever, funny and charming' Sunday Times bestseller Katie FfordeFunny, wise, moving and full of lovely momentsThe characters are endearing and unforgettable' Hazel Prior, author of the Richard & Judy Book Club Pick Away with the PenguinsJanice is a wonderful woman whose authenticity pulls you alongthe breadth and originality of supporting characters makes this debut an immersive delight' Dorset MagazineAbsolutely spellbindinga warm-hearted, thoughtful, funny and yet deeply poignant' Celia Anderson, author of 59 Memory LaneA treasure of a book. Beautiful, emotional and heartfelt with a cornucopia of characters you'll love spending time with' Phaedra Patrick, author of The Library of Lost and FoundShe can't recall what started her collection. Maybe it was in a fragment of conversation overheard as she cleaned a sink? Before long (as she dusted a sitting room or defrosted a fridge) she noticed people were telling her their stories. Perhaps they always had done, but now it is different, now the stories are reaching out to her and she gathers them to herWhen Janice starts cleaning for Mrs B a shrewd and tricksy woman in her nineties she meets someone who wants to hear her story. But Janice is clear: she is the keeper of stories, she doesn't have a story to tell. At least, not one she can share.Mrs B is no fool and knows there is more to Janice than meets the eye. What is she hiding? After all, doesn't everyone have a story to tell?Readers are loving Sally Page:Oh my giddy aunt what an amazing bookabsolutely adored it from start to finish' JeannieNot what I was expecting at allloved the way it ended' JulieAn absolutely wonderful, unputdownable book full of delightful characters' SueWhat a wonderful idea for a bookA joy to read' AngelaBeautiful storyI loved every minute of reading it!' RubieTrade Review‘Wow, what a fantastic book that kept me rooting for the main character, Janice…The book has so many interesting characters, each with their own story and I loved it’ ‘An interesting, enjoyable and quite engaging story…anyone who is fascinated in people's lives will love this book and be completely engrossed from start to finish’ ‘A lovely, delightful book filled with rich, wonderful characters, and an intriguing plot’

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Book SynopsisTHE LIFE-AFFIRMING FOLLOW UP TO THE GLOBAL PHENOMENON THE FIVE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN HEAVEN, FROM THE MASTER STORYTELLER WHOSE BOOKS HAVE TOUCHED THE HEARTS OF OVER 40 MILLION READERS''Mitch Albom sees the magical in the ordinary'' Cecilia Ahern__________No act done for someone else is ever wasted.The accident that killed Eddie left an indelible mark on Annie. Only a girl at the time, injured, scarred, and unable to remember why, Annie''s life is forever changed by the incident.Bullied by her peers and haunted by something she cannot recall, Annie struggles to find acceptance as she grows. When, as a young woman, she reconnects with Paulo, her childhood love, she believes she has finally found happiness.But when her wedding day ends in an unimaginable accident, Annie finds herself on her own heavenly journey. It will lead her to her very own five people, whose responsibility it falls on to teach her about the meaning of her life, and to her inevitable reunion with Eddie.__________WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE NEXT PERSON YOU MEET IN HEAVEN''The story has your heart in a million pieces whilst you smile and simply can''t wait to read what happens next''''A master storyteller!''''A perfect end to an already perfect story. It is truly a gift for any reader''''Anyone who read the first book would expect this second book to be a work of art. It is just that''''Mitch Albom knows how to tug on the heartstrings!''Trade ReviewMitch Albom sees the magical in the ordinary -- Cecilia AhernPowerful . . . Albom has touched the lives of a lot of people he never even knew * Time *Compelling and uplifting * Independent *A writer with soul * Los Angeles Times *Albom breaks hearts with his stories * Mirror *Albom has done it again... FIVE PEOPLE is a powerful book, powerful enough to make one's inner snob feel a little uncomfortable...Albom has touched the lives of a lot of people he never even knew. If there is a heaven, he can expect to have around 5.7 million people waiting for him there * TIME *[Eddie] learns not only about his life but also about what his time on earth meant. It is simple, unaffected and written with great feeling * PUBLISHING NEWS *Simply told, sentimental and profoundly true, this is a contemporary American fable that will be cherished by a vast readership . . . this slim tale, like Charles Dickens's A CHRISTMAS CAROL, reminds us of what really matters here of earth, of what our lives are given to us for * PUBLISHERS WEEKLY *Mitch Albom lifts us to a new level ... You'll find here echoes of the classics - The Odyssey for one - and that puts Albom's book in the best of company * Frank McCourt, author of ANGELA'S ASHES *

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Book Synopsis“The Walt Whitman of Los Angeles.”—Joyce Carol Oates, bestselling author“He brought everybody down to earth, even the angels.”—Leonard Cohen, songwriterBurning in Water, Drowning in Flame is poetry full of gambling, drinking and women. Charles Bukowski writes realistically about the seedy underbelly of life.

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Book Synopsis**Sally Page''s remarkable new novel The Secrets of Flowers is available now**From the author of the phenomenal bestseller The Keeper of Stories, comes an utterly beautiful and charming novel full of mystery and secrets waiting to be uncoveredFilled with compassion and insight a true ode to friendship' HAZEL PRIORMasterful storytelling' CELIA ANDERSONA powerful ode to friendship'FabulousHer new chapter starts nowJo Sorsby is hiding from her past when she agrees to run her uncle's beloved stationery shop. Glimpsing the lives of her customers between the warm wooden shelves, as they scribble little notes and browse colourful notebooks, distracts her from her bruised heart.When she meets Ruth, a vicar running from a secret, and Malcolm, a septuagenarian still finding himself, she suddenly realizes she isn't alone.They each have a story that can transform Jo's life if only she can let them in.The perfect gift for book lovers, The Keeper of Stories meets The Lost Bookshop in this gorgeous novel about secrets, second chances and finding friendship in the most unlikely places.Netgalley reviewers LOVE The Book of Beginnings!''Another extraordinary read by the author of The Keeper of Stories'' ?????''What a gem of a book!''?????''Everything about the story moved me''?????''I am in awe of Sally Page's writing'' ?????''So refreshingly original'' ?????''You just have to read it'' ?????''A read cover-to-cover-in-one-sitting book that gives all the feels'' ?????''Wonderful, just wonderful''?????Trade Review Praise for The Keeper of Stories ‘I absolutely loved it! So different, clever, funny and charming’ Sunday Times bestseller Katie Fforde ‘Funny, wise, moving and full of lovely moments…The characters are endearing and unforgettable’ Hazel Prior, author of the Richard & Judy Book Club Pick Away with the Penguins ‘Janice is a wonderful woman whose authenticity pulls you along…the breadth and originality of supporting characters makes this debut an immersive delight’ Dorset Magazine ‘Absolutely spellbinding…a warm-hearted, thoughtful, funny and yet deeply poignant’ Celia Anderson, author of 59 Memory Lane ‘A treasure of a book. Beautiful, emotional and heartfelt with a cornucopia of characters you’ll love spending time with’ Phaedra Patrick, author of The Library of Lost and Found

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Book SynopsisThe winner of multiple Eisner Awards, author Taiyo Matsumoto explores the relationships between a manga editor, manga creators, art, and the rhythm of life these days.After 30 years as a manga editor, Kazuo Shiozawa suddenly quits. Although he feels early retirement is the only way to atone for his failures as an editor, the manga world isn’t done with him. Believing in the future of manga while never forgetting its past, Shiozawa accompanies manga creators once again through their agony to create an ultimate manga project. Is there ever joy in creation?

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Book SynopsisBook 1 in the hugely popular 44 Scotland Street series by worldwide bestselling author Alexander McCall SmithAlexander McCall Smith''s delightful Scotland Street occupies a busy, bohemian corner of Edinburgh''s New Town, where the old bourgeoisie rubs shoulders with students, poets and eccentrics. When Pat is accepted as a new tenant at number 44 Scotland Street, she isn''t sure how long she''ll last. Her flatmate Bruce, a rugby-playing chartered surveyor, is impossibly narcissistic, carelessly philandering and infuriatingly handsome. Downstairs lives pretentious Irene Pollock, whose five-year-old son is in therapy after setting fire to his father''s copy of the Guardian. And watching over them all is shrewd, intellectual Domenica Macdonald, anthropologist and sharp-eyed observer of the household''s activities...PRAISE FOR THE 44 SCOTLAND STREET SERIES:''Perfect escapist fiction'' The Times''SimplTrade ReviewAs charming as the bohemian street in which it's set. * SCOTTISH DAILY RECORD *It is hard to think of a contemporary writer more genuinely engaging...[his] novels are also extremely funny: I find it impossible to think about them without smiling * Craig Brown, MAIL ON SUNDAY *A treasure of a writer whose books deserve immediate devouring * Marcel Berlins, GUARDIAN *a hilarious yet sharply insightful tale of middle-class Edinburgh ... a joyous, charming portrait of city life and human foibles * SUNDAY EXPRESS *

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Book Synopsis*The thrilling new novel from Lucy Clarke, THE SURF HOUSE, is available to buy now*_________*The Sunday Times bestseller**A CHILLING WINTER THRILLER FROM THE MILLION-COPY BESTSELLING AUTHOR*_______________________________________________________________THE PERFECT DAY FOR A HIKESeeking the escape of a lifetime, four friends hike out into the beautiful Norwegian wild nothing between them and the mountain peak but forest, sea and sharp blue sky.THE PERFECT PLACE TO DISAPPEARBut there's a darker side to the wilderness. A woman went missing here one year ago. Now the friends are hiking into the heart of the mystery. And waiting on the trail is someone who'd do anything to keep their secrets buried and to stop the group walking away alive _________________________________________________________________Readers love getting swept away with Lucy Clarke's destination thrillers:Had me on the edge of my seat' ?????Brilliant kept me guessing the whole way through' ?????Twists & turns galore, couldn't put it down. Highly recommend!' ?????''Very clever and I was gripped throughout. Will be reading more from Lucy Clarke for sure!' ?????Very evocative and you get really involved with the beautiful setting and characters' ?????What a stonkingly fabulous read!' ?????The Hike was a Sunday Times bestseller for w/e 7/05/2023Trade Review‘A tear-those-pages thriller which is also a great meditation on female friendship . . . I’d travel anywhere in the world with Lucy Clarke’ ABIGAIL DEAN ‘Atmospheric, haunting, and beautifully written. This is Lucy Clarke at her best’ GILLIAN MCALLISTER ‘Lucy Clarke brilliantly transports readers. The chilling environment and the tense, unpredictable plot both sent shivers down my spine’ ADELE PARKS ‘A page-turning, twisty and beautifully written thriller . . . Lucy Clarke really is the queen of the destination thriller’ CLAIRE DOUGLAS ‘So tense, so atmospheric, so good!’ SUN ‘A surprising, twisty thriller with compelling characters who are fierce but out of their depth, that keeps you guessing until the end. Lucy Clarke has done it again!’ SARAH PINBOROUGH ‘I drop everything for a new Lucy Clarke book’ ERIN KELLY ‘Secrets galore . . . the landscape, the girls’ fight for survival against the harsh terrain and an unknown danger make the perfect ingredients for a Witherspoon film like Wild’ DAILY MAIL ‘An eerie “alpine atmospheric” suspense novel about four friends on a wilderness trip that goes terribly wrong. Prepare for the cliff-hangers and nail-biting’ NITA PROSE ‘A breathtaking thriller of friendship pushed to the absolute limit – and beyond – amid the dangerous beauty of the Norwegian wilderness’ T M LOGAN ‘Fragile female friendships, a beautiful yet hostile environment and dark local intrigue lead, step by step, to tragedy. The Hike simmers with tension throughout. A gripping read!’ GILLY MACMILLAN ‘The Hike is a triumph, an immersive sense of place with a thread of tension taut enough to snap. I loved it’ JANE SHEMILT ‘Lucy Clarke's great skill is to add real emotional heft to her twisty, atmospheric thrillers . . . A brilliant escapist read’ SUSAN FLETCHER

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Book Synopsis*The brand new thriller from Lucy Foley THE MIDNIGHT FEAST is available to buy now**The No.1 New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller*Discover the electric thriller from the No.1, million-copy bestseller, Lucy FoleyThere was a murder here last night.Who holds the key to the mystery of apartment three?Dazzling' The TimesUp-all-night reading' Erin KellyGloriously twisty' Ruth WareCombines edge-of-your-seat tension with out-and-out Parisian chic' Adele Parks_________________________________________________________________In a beautiful old apartment block, deep in the backstreets of Paris, secrets are stirring behind every resident's door.The lonely wifeThe party animalThe curtain-twitcherThe secret loverThe watchful caretakerThe unwanted guestOne resident is missing. Only the killer holds the key to the mystery_________________________________________________________________What readers are saying about The Paris Apartment:One to devour entirely in one delicious sitting. Stupendous' ?????Twisty and mysterious and surprising' ?????Had me gripped right from the beginning' ?????''Has book of the year written all over it' ?????A page-turner with an amazing setting' ?????A fabulously tense and mysterious read!' ?????The Paris Apartment was a New York Times No.1 bestseller for w/e 06/03/2022The Guest List was a Sunday Times No.1 bestseller for w/c 14/09/2022The Guest List was the Goodreads Choice Awards winner for Crime & Mystery 2020Trade Review‘A dazzling combination of suspense, misdirection and unexpected twists’ The Times, Crime Book of the Month ‘Extremely evocative, with a richly-drawn atmosphere you can cut with a knife . . . Lucy Foley just keeps getting better and better’ Alex Michaelides ‘Lucy Foley leads the reader down the dark Paris side streets . . . Compelling, claustrophobic, up-all-night reading’ Erin Kelly ‘What happened behind the door of apartment number three? The creepy, twisty The Paris Apartment will keep you guessing all the way to the end’ Daily Mail ‘The streets of Paris have never looked darker, more opulent, or more sinister than in Lucy Foley's gloriously twisty new novel’ Ruth Ware ‘The Paris Apartment has the atmospheric feel and slow-burning suspense of a Hitchcock movie’ Daily Mirror ‘Cunningly constructed, elegantly atmospheric, and with a vipers’ nest of fascinating, flawed characters, The Paris Apartment just might be my favourite Lucy Foley to date’ Louise Candlish ‘Creepy and compelling, I was immediately drawn into this dark depiction of Parisian life’ Sarah Pearse ‘An intricate, atmospheric mystery set among the luxury and lies of the Parisian elite – fans of The Guest List are going to love it’ T M Logan ‘A sinister, seductive, twisting masterclass. Lucy Foley is a born storyteller, and The Paris Apartment is her best yet’ Chris Whitaker ‘Atmospheric, tense, and suspenseful . . . Lucy Foley has proven herself to be the modern day Agatha Christie’ Louise O’Neill ‘A slick, dark, and utterly compelling murder mystery. The richly atmospheric Parisian setting, coupled with a cast of intriguing characters, sets the perfect scene for murder!’ Lucy Clarke ‘A fast paced, twisty thriller . . . The Paris Apartment is multi stranded and crackles with menace’ Jane Shemilt ‘Foley proves once more that she is a thriller writer par excellence’ Cara Hunter

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Book SynopsisDeftly entertaining satisfyingly pushes all the requisite Agatha Christie-style buttons'Barry Forshaw, The IndependentDEATH IN PARADISE is one of BBC One's most popular series which averages 9 million viewers.DI Richard Poole is hot, bothered and fed up. He's stuck on the tropical island of Saint-Marie, forced to live in a rickety old shack on a beach, and there isn't a decent cup of tea to be found anywhere.When a boat explodes in the harbour, Richard and his team soon realise there's a new murderer on the loose. But who is it? And why did the killer leave behind a ruby at the scene of the crime?As the police dig deeper, they uncover secrets that go back decades, and a crime from the past that can never be forgiven.Worse still, they soon realise this is only the beginning. They've got to catch the killer before there''s another death in paradiseAn original story from the creator and writer of the hit BBC One TV series, Death in Paradise, featuring on-screen favourite detective, DI RiTrade Review‘Very funny and dark with great pace. I love Robert Thorogood’s writing’Peter James ‘This second DEATH IN PARADISE NOVEL is a gem’DAILY EXPRESS ‘Deftly entertaining … satisfyingly pushes all the requisite Agatha Christie-style buttons’Barry Forshaw, THE INDEPENDENT ‘For fans of Agatha Christie’MAIL ON SUNDAY ‘A treat.’RADIO TIMES ‘This brilliantly crafted, hugely enjoyable and suitably goosebump-inducing novel is an utter delight from start to finish’HEAT ‘Plenty of red herrings and twists to keep readers guessing’ DAILY EXPRESS 'Fans will enjoy returning to DI Richard Poole… just switch off and relax'LOVE READING

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Book SynopsisIntroducing the Collins Modern Classics, a series featuring some of the most significant books of recent times, books that shed light on the human experience classics which will endure for generations to come.In the spring of 1666, a bolt of infected cloth carries the plague from London to the quiet village of Eyam. The villagers elect to isolate themselves in a fateful quarantine, seen through the eyes of eighteen-year-old Anna Frith. As death and superstition creep from household to household, she must confront loss and the lure of illicit love in an extraordinary Year of Wonders.This timeless and powerful novel, based on a true story, was the astonishing debut novel from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of March.Trade Review‘Beautifully written…it has a vivid imaginative truth’ Hilary Mantel 'Year of Wonders is a staggering fictional debut that matches journalistic accumulation of detail to natural narrative flair' Guardian ‘A lyrically written and emotionally engaging novel' Independent 'Gripping…packed with historical detail' Daily Mail

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Book SynopsisOn a locked ward in the world''s highest-security prison hospital, a scream shatters the night. The next morning, a nurse''s body is found and her daughter has been taken. A ransom must be paid, and the clock is ticking. Forensic profiler Dr Connie Woolwine is renowned for her ability to get inside the mind of a murderer. Now, she must go deep undercover among the most deranged and dangerous men on earth and use her unique skills to find the girl - before it''s too late. But as the walls close in around her, can Connie get the killer before The Institution gets her?--Trade Review PRAISE FOR THE INSTITUTION: ‘Deliciously dark and utterly compelling – I couldn’t put it down.’ – Clare Mackintosh ‘Brilliant! The Institution is a harrowing, nonstop story that will grab you from the first page and not let go. You’ll consume it in one sitting.’ – Jeffery Deaver ‘Quite simply, wow! One of the best high concept thrillers I've read in forever. I raced through this riveting thriller in a single, breathless session of oh-my-God-what-is-going-to-happen-next.’ – New York Times bestseller Lisa Gardner ‘Absolutely AMAZING. Tense, engrossing and gripping with a truly unique main character.’ Angela Marsons ‘An intense, fast paced, locked room thriller. A brilliant concept which kept me guessing right until the end. Fields is at the top of her game.’ John Marrs ‘Dark and atmospheric with some brilliantly horrific characters. Compelling and unputdownable.’ – Catherine Cooper ‘A terrifying, shocking, pulse racing thriller. One of the best crime novels I've read in a long time.' – Jacqui Rose ‘Criminally compulsive, claustrophobic and captivating, The Institution is Helen Fields at her just-one-more-chapter best.’ – Neil Broadfoot 'Scary, tense and totally absorbing, I just couldn't put it down. Wonderful.' – Simon McCleave ‘A wonderful, compulsively gripping rollercoaster of a read.’ – Liz Nugent ‘A white-knuckle ride that is completely addictive. Chillingly effective.’ – B P Walter

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Book SynopsisDon't miss the new, devastatingly good thriller from Helen Fields, The Institution. Coming March 2023 available to pre-order now!Relentless pace, devilish cleverness and a laser-sharp focus on plot.' Chris BrookmyreWithout doubt, this is one of the best detective series I have read.' Woman's Way MagazineThere's no easy way to dieUnknown to DI Luc Callanach and the newly promoted DCI Ava Turner, a serial killer has Edinburgh firmly in his grip. The killer is taking his victims in the coldest, most calculating way possible engineering slow and painful deaths by poison, with his victims entirely unaware of the drugs flooding their bloodstream until it's too late.But how do you catch a killer who hides in the shadows? A killer whose pleasure comes from watching pain from afar? Faced with their most difficult case yet, Callanach and Turner soon realise they face a seemingly impossible taskA very sinister premise and an intriguing killer's voice. Highly recommended.' James OswaldTrade Review‘Must read! With nail-biting twists at every turn, [Perfect Remains] will have readers gripped from start to finish.’ Closer ‘Read it in two sittings. I literally had no choice. A fast and enthralling thriller, pitting a new, very human hero against one of the scariest psychos I've yet encountered in crime fiction.’ Sunday Times bestseller, Paul Finch ‘Without doubt, this is one of the best first detective series I have read.’ Woman’s Way Magazine ‘Genuinely chilling.’ Saga Magazine ‘Watch out Rebus, McRae and Perez there’s a new detective in the running to become Scotland’s fictional top cop…a real cracker of a page-turner that is truly difficult to put down.’ Scotland Correspondent

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Book Synopsis''I''m not exaggerating when I say this novel challenged everything I thought I knew about love and friendship. It''s one of those books that stays with you forever'' Dua LipaThe million-copy bestseller, Hanya Yanagihara''s A Little Life, by the author of To Paradise, is an immensely powerful and heartbreaking novel of brotherly love and the limits of human endurance.Winner of Fiction of the Year at the British Book AwardsShortlisted for the Booker PrizeShortlisted for the Women''s PrizeFinalist for the US National Book Award for FictionWhen four graduates from a small Massachusetts college move to New York to make their way, they''re broke, adrift, and buoyed only by their friendship and ambition. There is kind, handsome Willem, an aspiring actor; JB, a quick-witted, sometimes cruel Brooklyn-born painter seeking entry to the art world; Malcolm, a frustrated architect at a prominent firm; and withdrawn, brilliant, enigmatic Jude, who serves as their centre of gravity.Over the decades, their relationships deepen and darken, tinged by addiction, success, and pride. Yet their greatest challenge, each comes to realize, is Jude himself, by midlife a terrifyingly talented litigator yet an increasingly broken man, his mind and body scarred by an unspeakable childhood, and haunted by what he fears is a degree of trauma that he''ll not only be unable to overcome but that will define his life forever.''Yanagihara takes you so deeply into the lives and minds of these characters that you struggle to leave them behind'' The TimesTrade ReviewA singularly profound and moving work . . . It's not often that you read a book of this length and find yourself thinking "I wish it was longer" but Yanagihara takes you so deeply into the lives and minds of these characters that you struggle to leave them behind. * The Times *A Little Life makes for near-hypnotically compelling reading, a vivid, hyperreal portrait of human existence that demands intense emotional investment . . . An astonishing achievement: a novel of grand drama and sentiment, but it's a canvas Yanagihara has painted with delicate, subtle brushstrokes. * Independent *Here is an epic study of trauma and friendship written with such intelligence and depth of perception that it will be one of the benchmarks against which all other novels that broach those subjects (and they are legion) will be measured. * Wall Street Journal *It's not hyperbole to call this novel a masterwork - if anything that word is simply just too little for it * San Francisco Chronicle *A Little Life feels elemental, irreducible-and, dark and disturbing though it is, there is beauty in it * New Yorker *Utterly compelling . . . quite an extraordinary novel. It is impossible to put down . . . And it is almost impossible to forget. * Daily Express *A darkly beautiful tale of love and friendship... I've read a lot of emotionally taxing books in my time, but A Little Life . . . is the only one I've read as an adult that's left me sobbing. * Los Angeles Times *Capacious and consuming . . . Boasts a scale and immersive power to rival the recent epics of Donna Tartt and Elizabeth Gilbert. * Boston Globe *Astonishing . . . tender, torturous and achingly alive to the undeniable pain that can scar a life. * Psychologies *It's Entourage directed by Bergman; it's the great 90s novel a quarter of a century too late; it's a devastating read that will leave your heart, like the Grinch's, a few sizes larger. -- Alex Preston * Observer *

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Book SynopsisWith a carefree outlook on life, Hiroto knows better than anyone that slowing down is sometimes the best way to move forward.At 29 years old, carefree Hiroto Ikuta doesn’t have a girlfriend, a full-time job, or a plan for the future—and he couldn’t be happier. Hiroto’s breezy attitude isn’t easy for everyone to understand, though. In a world filled with anxiety, confusion, and grief, Hiroto and the people who surround him are all just doing their best to figure out this thing called life.The summer weather isn’t the only thing heating up around Hiroto’s little family home. Hiroto’s best friend, Hideki, starts growing increasingly worried about becoming a father; Yomogi, Hiroto’s new friend, begins to crack under the stress of her busy real estate job; and Natsumi’s friend Akari struggles with her self-confidence. For people under so much pressure, Hiroto’s laid-back demeanor can

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Book SynopsisLynda Barry's bestselling treatise on creativity, What It Is, is now available in paperbackHow do objects summon memories? What do real images feel like? What is an image? What is the past? For decades, these questions have permeated the pages of Lynda Barry's compositions, with words attracting pictures and conjuring places through a pen that first and foremost keeps on moving. Barry's What It Is demonstrates a tried-and-true creative method that is playful, powerful, and accessible to anyone with an inquisitive mind who wishes to write or to remember.In this exploratory workbook, confessional, and memoir each page is a full-color collage that is a gentle guide to the creative process packed full ofswirling collaged images with pen and ink drawings on Barry's signature legal paper. Barry's award winning book is an invigorating example of exactly what it is: The ordinary is extraordinary.

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Book SynopsisThe SF classic that inspired the blockbuster vampire movie starring Will Smith.

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Book Synopsis** SOON TO BE A MAJOR HBO SERIES STARRING JODIE COMER **A YOU MAGAZINE BOOK OF THE YEAR''A startlingly funny sex comedy with dark undertones that's high on quirk and scabrous wit.'' Sunday Times, ''Books of the Year''By turns funny, eccentric and raunchy.' Grazia''Made me laugh and think too much (the right amount?) about sex and death and honesty.'' MONICA HEISEY Offbeat, unhinged and brilliant.' Stylist''Utterly addictive. . . I laughed so hard it ached.' GILLIAN ANDERSON''Juicy, salacious and compelling. Trauma shouldn''t be this fun.'' SARA PASCOEGreta liked knowing people''s secrets. That wasn''t a problem. Until she met Big Swiss.Big Swiss. That's Greta's nickname for her she is tall, and she is from Switzerland. Well that's how Greta imagines her; they haven't actually met in person. Nor has Greta actually ever been to Switzerland.What Greta doesn't know is that she's about to bump into Big Swiss in the local dog park. A new and not entirely honest relationship is going to be born.A relationship that will transform both of their lives . . .Readers are obsessed with Big Swiss:''Thing thing is a riot.'' ''Slightly deranged, endlessly entertaining, and weirdly touching.'' ''Kooky, funny, and very gripping.'' ''Beagin really understands the human condition.'' ''From the dark, dry comedy to the conversations surrounding sexuality, trauma and the complexities of our relationships to one another, this book had it ALL.'' ''I absolutely adored this!'' ''Bonkers but brilliant. I was hooked from the get go.''''Darkly funny, wildly eccentric and impossibly great.'' ''I loved this book all the way through, couldn't put it down.'' ''I devoured this book.'' ''Wonderful, witty, thought-provoking.'' ''Got me out of a reading slump and heartbroken it's over.''

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Book SynopsisUnsparing and tender' Colm Tóibín, author of BrooklynA brilliant novel from our most brilliant of writers' Colum McCann, author of ApeirogonA quietly stunning achievement' Ocean Vuong, author of On Earth We're Briefly GorgeousAs the world changes around them, a family weathers the storms of growing up, growing older, falling in and out of love, losing the things that are most precious and learning to go on.April 5th, 2019: In a cozy brownstone in Brooklyn, the veneer of domestic bliss is beginning to crack. Dan and Isabel, troubled husband and wife, are both a little bit in love with Isabel's younger brother, Robbie. Robbie, wayward soul of the family, who still lives in the attic loft; Robbie, who, trying to get over his most recent boyfriend, has created a glamorous avatar online; Robbie, who now has to move out of the house and whose departure threatens to break the family apart. And then there is Nathan, age ten, taking his first uncertain steps toward independence, while Violet, five, does her best not to notice the growing rift between her parents.April 5th, 2020: As the world goes into lockdown the brownstone is feeling more like a prison. Violet is terrified of leaving the windows open, obsessed with keeping her family safe. Isabel and Dan circle each other warily, communicating mostly in veiled jabs and frustrated sighs. And beloved Robbie is stranded in Iceland, alone in a mountain cabin with nothing but his thoughts and his secret Instagram life for company.April 5th, 2021: Emerging from the worst of the crisis, the family comes together to reckon with a new, very different reality with what they've learned, what they've lost, and how they might go on.From the brilliant mind of Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Cunningham, Day is a searing, exquisitely crafted meditation on love and loss, and the struggles and limitations of family life how to live together and apart, and maybe even escape the marriage plot entirely.Cunningham is one of our great American writers, and here is another masterpiece Read it and be changed' Andrew Sean Greer, author of LessTrade Review‘Michael Cunningham displays his great gift for creating memorable characters, for noticing the world in all its oddness and beauty, for writing about love and loss in tones that are both unsparing and tender. In this book, he also sharply and brilliantly captures contemporary New York’ Colm Tóibín, author of Brooklyn ‘Day is a novel about the collisions of love within our days. Michael Cunningham crafts a glorious sentence and at the same time he tells an achingly compelling story that speaks precisely to the times we live in. And it all flows so damn gorgeously that at times you just want to suspend the sacred day itself and hold it close, never let it, or the characters, go. A brilliant novel from our most brilliant of writers’ Colum McCann, author of Apeirogon ‘Cunningham, the perennial master of rendering the quotidian with a profound and deeply considered eye for human frailty, returns with a book that exemplifies the hallmarks of his style: lush, erudite, voracious in its seeking, and, like a true poet, remakes the world in his descriptions, freshened with care, compassion, and tinged with radiant heat of grief. What a quietly stunning achievement’ Ocean Vuong, author of On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous ‘Cunningham is one of our great American writers, and here is another masterpiece. Day shows all his extraordinary gifts of epic sweep and intricate detail, lyrical language and plain hard words, memory and imagination, love and hope and loss. It does what only great books can do. Read it and be changed’ Andrew Sean Greer, author of Less ‘Few writers capture the crazy contradictions of modern life with as much clarity and wisdom as Michael Cunningham.Dayglows with beauty and energy; its characters slip off the page and into your life’ Tash Aw, author of We, the Survivors

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Book SynopsisWith a carefree outlook on life, Hiroto knows better than anyone that slowing down is sometimes the best way to move forward.At 29 years old, carefree Hiroto Ikuta doesn’t have a girlfriend, a full-time job, or a plan for the future—and he couldn’t be happier. Hiroto’s breezy attitude isn’t easy for everyone to understand, though. In a world filled with anxiety, confusion, and grief, Hiroto and the people who surround him are all just doing their best to figure out this thing called life.Change is in the air as the clear autumn skies sweep over Tokyo. Hiroto’s best friend, Hideki, adjusts to being a new father while Yomogi, the bustling real estate agent, helps a lonely writer look for a new apartment. And with the university arts festival right around the corner, an unexpected declaration of love may just bring the biggest change of all!

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Book SynopsisThe Number One bestselling crime series featuring Dr Tony Hill, hero of TV's Wire in the Blood. The award-winning Val McDermid is at the height of her powers in this tense masterclass in psychological suspense.The race is on to uncover the identity of a murderer with nothing to lose and everything to kill for.When Robbie Bishop, star midfielder for the Bradfield Vics, is poisoned by a rare and deadly toxin, profiler Dr Tony Hill and trusted colleague DCI Carol Jordan have their work cut out for them. Robbie was adored, so the public want answers but the answers aren''t coming, and trails are running cold.Then a bomb explodes in the football stadium, causing massive casualties and another man dies from poisoning. Is there a link between the cases? And what are the motives for these crimes? The clock is ticking for Tony and Carol and the death toll keeps risingTrade Review‘McDermid is at the peak of her murderous craft’ Mirror 'The Queen of serial killers in this country keeps her end up…. few can scoop Val on throat-clutching narrative… Marvellous' Daily Mail ‘All the craft, panache and pace that we have come to expect from this outstanding writer… Vintage stuff: unplug the phone, lock the door and prepare to read in a sitting’ Guardian ‘Peerless … One of the world’s finest crime writers, McDermid is currently at the top of her game’ Glasgow Herald ‘McDermid’s writing gets better and better’ Spectator

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“…alarmingly prescient and relevant…This accessible adaptation is poised to introduce Butler’s dystopian tale to a new generation of readers.” * Publishers Weekly *“…the graphic novel is faithful to Butler, yet still fresh in its world building.” * USA Today *“…Jennings’ work in the book is beyond stunning…” * The Beat *“The Parable of the Sower graphic novel… is as faithful an adaptation as you can get. Not only does it hit all the plot points, it perfectly portrays Butler’s balancing act in regard to how far society has fallen apart.” * Kirkus *“Duffy and Jennings have done justice to Butler’s work, losing none of the story’s richness and adding an exciting visual element that makes the reading experience even more visceral and engrossing.” * Foreword Reviews, STARRED review *“John Jennings’s work succeeds as sequential storytelling and approaches the level of iconography regularly.” * The Believer *“Jennings and Duffy are some of the most skilled and hardest working comics creators doing the work to radically transform and diversify the comics scene.” * Comicosity *“Jennings has captured [Butler’s] words with visual imagery in such an afrofuturistic, horror-esque way that the images jump off the page with every turn.” * Flickering Myth *

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Book SynopsisThe first in Deborah Levy's essential three-part 'Living Autobiography' on writing and womanhood. 'Unmissable. Like chancing upon an oasis, you want to drink it slowly . . . Subtle, unpredictable, surprising' Guardian _________________________________ Taking George Orwell's famous essay, 'Why I Write', as a jumping-off point, Deborah Levy offers her own indispensable reflections of the writing life. With wit, clarity and calm brilliance, she considers how the writer must stake claim to that contested territory as a young woman and shape it to her need. Things I Don't Want to Know is a work of dazzling insight and deep psychological succour, from one of our most vital contemporary writers. The final two instalments in Deborah Levy's 'Living Autobiography', The Cost of Living and Real Estate, are available now. _________________________________ 'Superb sTrade ReviewAn up-to-date version of 'A Room of One's Own' . . . I suspect it will be quoted for many years to come * Irish Examiner *Superb sharpness and originality of imagination. It is feminist and political while being an inspiring work of writing . . . She writes on the high wire, unfalteringly -- Marina WarnerLevy's strength is her originality of thought and expression -- Jeanette WintersonAn exciting writer, sharp and shocking as the knives her characters wield * Sunday Times *One of the few contemporary British writers comfortable on a world stage * New Statesman *A writer whose anger and confusion in the face of the world transform into poetic flights of fancy . . . which always feel marvellously right * Independent *

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Book SynopsisBertie''s respite from his overbearing mother, Irene, is over. She has returned from the middle-east, only to discover that her son has been exposed to the worst evils of cartoons, movies and Irn Bru, and her wrath falls upon her unfortunate husband, Stuart. Meanwhile, Bruce has fallen in love with someone other than himself; Big Lou wants to adopt her beloved Finlay; Matthew and Elspeth host the Duke of Johannesburg for supper and Bertie decides he wants to move out of Scotland Street altogether and live with his grandmother, Nicola.Can Irene and Stuart''s marriage survive? Will Bruce''s newfound love last? And will Bertie really leave Scotland Street? Find out in the next instalment of this charming, beloved series.

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Book SynopsisShortlisted for the Folio Prize'Unforgettable' - Anne Tyler'Stunningly original' - GuardianOne long last summer for Dad Lewis in his beloved town, Holt, Colorado. As old friends pass in and out to voice their farewells and good wishes, Dad's wife and daughter work to make his final days as comfortable as possible, knowing all is tainted by the heart-break of an absent son. Next door, a little girl with a troubled past moves in with her grandmother, and down town another new arrival, the Reverend Rob Lyle, attempts to mend strained relationships of his own.Utterly beautiful, and devastating yet affirming, Kent Haruf's Benediction explores the pain, the compassion and the humanity of ordinary people.Trade Review"The precious ordinary," is the central concern of this remarkable book. Benediction is quiet and nearly uneventful, but it is also unforgettable . . . In the very best sense, it is an old-fashioned novel-virtuous and kind-hearted, dealing with issues that are timeless -- Anne TylerIn Benediction, a fine contender for the inaugural Folio Prize, Kent Haruf's beautifully spare prose charts the events of that summer with unpretentious aplomb . . . Sensual descriptions of landscape and weather create an impression of timelessness * Daily Telegraph ***** *Haruf handles human relationships with fierce, reticent delicacy, exploring rage, fidelity, pity, honour, timidity, the sense of obligation . . . his courage and achievement in exploring ordinary forms of love - the enduring frustration, the long cost of loyalty, the comfort of daily affection - are unsurpassed by anything I know in contemporary fiction . . . A stunningly original writer in a great many ways . . . He's careful to get the story right. And it is right, it's just right; it rings true * Guardian *I wrote to Kent Haruf to tell him how much I liked his novels, for the precision of his vocabulary, for the grace that runs through his books, and for the realism . . . I thought, I wrote, of Laura Ingalls Wilder overlaid with Cormac McCarthy. American Wild implies loss, as well as exhilaration, and danger. All of that is there in Haruf, along with a measure of grace and peace of mind -- Sigrid Rausing * Independent *A brilliant end to his brilliant Plainsong trilogy. -- Lucy Mangan * Stylist *Kent Haruf describes Dad Lewis's last summer with beautiful simplicity . . . Haruf's existing fans have been waiting patiently for Benediction for years. They won't be surprised by how fine this book is, but newcomers to his writing will be reaching for his previous novels to catch up. * Sunday Express *In spare, Cormac McCarthy-like prose, Kent Haruf writes about facing death in modern America. * Independent on Sunday *Haruf is the master of what one of his characters calls "the precious ordinary". . . . With understated language and startling emotional insight, he makes you feel awe at even the most basic of human gestures. -- Ben Goldstein * Esquire *Benediction is as richly laced with metaphysics as its title suggests . . . The most affecting moments of this supremely graceful novel are conjured by farewells to the quotidian. * Times Literary Supplement *Benediction suggests there’s no end to the stories Haruf can tell about Holt or to the tough, gorgeous language he can summon in the process. * New York Times *Truly showcases the novel as an art form. * Psychologies *We’ve waited a long time for an invitation back to Holt, home to Kent Haruf’s novels. . . He may be the most muted master in American fiction [and] Benediction seems designed to catch the sound of those fleeting good moments [with] scenes Hemingway might have written had he survived. -- Ron Charles * Washington Post *His finest-tuned tale yet. . . . There is a deep, satisfying music to this book, as Haruf weaves between such a large cast of characters in so small a space. . . . Strangely, wonderfully, the moment of a man's passing can be a blessing in the way it brings people together. Benediction recreates this powerful moment so gracefully it is easy to forget that, like [the town of] Holt, it is a world created by one man. -- John Freeman * The Boston Globe *Reverberant… From the terroir and populace of his native American West, the author of Plainsong and Eventide again draws a story elegant in its simple telling and remarkable in its authentic capture of universal human emotions. -- Brad Hooper * Booklist *Haruf is maguslike in his gifts. . . to illuminate the inevitable ways in which tributary lives meander toward confluence. . . . Perhaps not since Hemingway has an American author triggered such reader empathy with so little reliance on the subjectivity of his characters. . . . [This] is a modestly wrought wonder from one of our finest living writers. -- Bruce Machart * The Houston Chronicle *Grace and restraint are abiding virtues in Haruf's fiction, and they resume their place of privilege in his new work. . . . For readers looking for the rewards of an intimate, meditative story, it is indeed a blessing.' -- Karen R. Long * The Cleveland Plain Dealer *As Haruf's precise details accrue, a reader gains perspective: This is the story of a man's life, and the town where he spent it, and the people who try to ease its end. . . . His sentences have the elegance of Hemingway's early work [and his] determined realism, which admits that not all of our past actions or the reasons behind them are knowable, even to ourselves, is one of the book's satisfactions.' -- John Reimringer * The Minneapolis Star-Tribune *There's something of the tone of Joyce's Dubliners in Haruf's simply-told tale of elderly Dad Lewis, diagnosed with cancer and living out his last summer. An elegiac tone, of someone who has already gone, gives Haruf's prose its extraordinary dignity and humanity. * Sunday Herald *

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Book SynopsisDetective Superintendent Roy Grace has to solve a disturbing murder whilst protecting an innocent eye witness in Looking Good Dead, by award winning crime author Peter James.When a young woman’s body is found butchered in Brighton, Roy Grace cannot help but think of his own missing wife and her unsolved fate.Elsewhere in the city, when Tom Bryce finds a disc left on a train, he simply tries to do the right thing – return it to its owner. But this attempted act of kindness makes him the sole witness to that same vicious murder.Learning that Tom has made a statement to Grace’s team, the killers have to act. But when they plan the murder of the Bryce family, it’s not just revenge – it’s entertainment.Although the Roy Grace novels can be read in any order, Looking Good Dead is the second gripping title in the bestselling series. Enjoy more of the Brighton detective’s investigations with Not Dead Enough and Dead Man's Footsteps.Now a major ITV series, Grace, starring John Simm.Trade ReviewI couldn't put it down -- Mark Timlin * Independent *Sharply plotted, suitably sordid * Daily Express *James dreams up a horrific intersection of extreme perversion and Internet technology in his frightening, expertly constructed second Det. Supt. Roy Grace novel . . . the rapid-fire suspense builds to a terrifying, graphic conclusion that leaves tantalizing room for future installments in the series * Publishers Weekly *A sick website which features videos of people being murdered is at the dark heart of this razor-sharp crime thriller. Gripping - but not for the faint-hearted * News of the World *

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Book Synopsis''Terrific - terrifying, amazing'' STEPHEN KING ''Completely, indescribably magnificent'' MARIAN KEYES ----- A DISAPPEARANCE. A SMALL TOWN. A QUESTION THAT NEEDS ANSWERING... Cal Hooper thought a fixer-upper in a remote Irish village would be the perfect escape. After twenty-five years in the Chicago police force, and a bruising divorce, he just wants to build a new life in a pretty spot with a good pub where nothing much happens. But then a local kid comes looking for his help. His brother has gone missing, and no one, least of all the police, seems to care. Cal wants nothing to do with any kind of investigation, but somehow he can''t make himself walk away. Soon Cal will discover that even in the most idyllic small town, secrets lie hidden, people aren''t always what they seem, and trouble can come calling at his door. A gripping tale of breath-taking beauty and suspense that asks how we decide what''s right and wrong in a world where neither is simple, and what we risk if we fail. WINTER RICHARD AND JUDY BOOKCLUB PICK THE SUNDAY TIMES PAPERBACK OF THE YEAR 2021 THE TIMES PAPERBACK OF THE YEAR 2021 FT BEST BOOK OF 2020 THE GUARDIAN BEST CRIME AND THRILLER BOOK OF 2020 THE TIMES THRILLER OF THE YEAR 2020 ----- ''I''m a big fan of Tana French'' IAN RANKIN ''I didn''t want it to end'' HARRIET TYCE ''To say Tana French is one of the great thriller writers is really too limiting. Rather she''s simply this: a truly great writer'' GILLIAN FLYNN ''Immersive and atmospheric ... Cal and Trey could very well be the new sort of heroes we need in this strange world'' ARAMINTA HALL ''This is a tour de force of suspense and storytelling. Comes closer to perfection than anything I''ve read in the last decade'' SARAH HILARY ''The Searcher is its own kind of masterpiece'' WASHINGTON POST ''One of the most compulsive psychological mysteries since Donna Tartt''s The Secret History'' THE TIMES ''French offers a masterclass in unreliability'' SUNDAY TIMES ''[Crime fiction''s] biggest contemporary star'' GUARDIAN ''One of the finest writers of contemporary crime fiction'' THE DAILY MAIL ''An audacious departure for this immensely talented author . . . not to be missed'' THE NEW YORK TIMES ''Nuanced and compelling'' THE NEW YORKERTrade ReviewThis is a tour de force of suspense and storytelling. Comes closer to perfection than anything I've read in the last decade -- SARAH HILARYFrench offers a masterclass in unreliability * SUNDAY TIMES *A story of redemption and friendship, love and betrayal, it is a work of great strength and beauty * DAILY MAIL *This is a tour de force of suspense and storytelling. Comes closer to perfection than anything I've read in the last decade -- SARAH HILARYThis is a tour de force of suspense and storytelling. Comes closer to perfection than anything I've read in the last decade -- SARAH HILARYFrench offers a masterclass in unreliability * SUNDAY TIMES *This is completely, indescribably magnificent. Tana French is a pure genius -- MARIAN KEYESA story of redemption and friendship, love and betrayal, it is a work of great strength and beauty * DAILY MAIL *

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Book SynopsisA haunting and poetic vision of one boy’s imagination.Third grader Yuki Tachibana lives in two worlds. In one, he is a loner ridiculed by his classmates and reprimanded by his teachers for telling stories of supernatural beings that only he can see. In the other, those supernatural beings vie for power with malevolent spirits who bring chaos into the school, the students’ lives, and nature itself.

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Book SynopsisFrom award-winning novelist Paul Auster comes the graphic adaptation of his deeply beloved series, The New York Trilogy, a postmodern take on detective and noir fiction.In 1994, Paul Auster''s City of Glass was adapted into a graphic novel and became an immediate cult classic, published in over 30 editions worldwide, excerpted in The Norton Anthology of Postmodern Fiction. But City of Glass was only the first novel in a series of books, Auster''s acclaimed New York Trilogy, and graphic novel readers have been waiting for years for the other two tales to be translated into comics.Now the wait is over.The New York Trilogy is post-modern literature disguised as Noir fiction where language is the prime suspect. An interpration of detective and mystery fiction, each book explores various philosophical themes. In City of Glass, an author of detective fiction investigates a murder and descends into madness. Ghosts features a private eye named Blue, trailing a man named Black, for a client called White. This too ends with the protagonist?s downfall. And in The Locked Room, another author is experiencing writer?s block, and hopes to brake it by solving the disappearance of his childhood friend. The second two parts of this trilogy will be appearing in this volume for the very first time as a graphic novel.Paul Karasik, the mastermind behind the three adaptations, art directed all three books. City of Glass is illustrated by the award-winning cartoonist David Mazzucchielli, the second volume, Ghosts, is illustrated by New Yorker cover artist, Lorenzo Mattotti, and The Locked Room is adapted and drawn by Karasik himself. These adaptations take Auster?s sophisticated wordplay and translate it into comicsplay: both highbrow and lowbrow and immensely fun reading.

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Book Synopsis''He is screamingly funny. He is wise. He has style'' Daily Telegraph''His spectacular inventiveness makes the Discworld series one of the perennial joys of modern fiction'' Mail on SundayIt is known as the Discworld. It is a flat planet, supported on the backs of four elephants, who in turn stand on the back of the great turtle A''Tuin as it swims majestically through space. And it is quite possibly the funniest place in all of creation...Death comes to us all. When he came to Mort, he offered him a job.After being assured that being dead was not compulsory, Mort accepted. However, he soon found that romantic longings did not mix easily with the responsibilities of being Death''s apprentice.Terry Pratchett''s hilarious fourth Discworld novel established once and for all that Death really is a laughing matter...Readers can''t get enough of Mort:''This book was so good that if I kTrade ReviewHe is screamingly funny. He is wise. He has style * Daily Telegraph *A sequence of unalloyed delight * Guardian *His spectacular inventiveness makes the Discworld series one of the perennial joys of modern fiction * Mail on Sunday *Pratchett has a subject and a style that is very much his own * Sunday Times *To say that Terry Pratchett is popular is a bit like saying the Arctic Circle is a bit nippy * Sunday Express *Cracking dialogue, compelling illogic and unchained whimsy * Sunday Times *Mort is the book in thich this now great author moved from being simply just a witty writer to one of the premier fantasy authors of our age...now is the time to find out what all the fuss it about while enjoying this spiffy new cover * Starburst *

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Book SynopsisFrom the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of ‘March’ and ‘People of the Book’. A young woman’s struggle to save her family and her soul during the extraordinary year of 1666, when plague suddenly struck a small Derbyshire village. In 1666, plague swept through London, driving the King and his court to Oxford, and Samuel Pepys to Greenwich, in an attempt to escape contagion. The north of England remained untouched until, in a small community of leadminers and hill farmers, a bolt of cloth arrived from the capital. The tailor who cut the cloth had no way of knowing that the damp fabric carried with it bubonic infection. So begins the Year of Wonders, in which a Pennine village of 350 souls confronts a scourge beyond remedy or understanding. Desperate, the villagers turn to sorcery, herb lore, and murderous witch-hunting. Then, led by a young and charismatic preacher, they elect to isolate themselves in a fatal quarantine. The story is told through the eyes of Anna Frith who, at only 18, must contend with the death of her family, the disintegration of her society, and the lure of a dangerous and illicit attraction. Geraldine Brooks’s novel explores love and learning, fear and fanaticism, and the struggle of 17th century science and religion to deal with a seemingly diabolical pestilence. ‘Year of Wonders’ is also an eloquent memorial to the real-life Derbyshire villagers who chose to suffer alone during England’s last great plague.Trade Review‘One of the best novels I’ve ever clapped eyes on’ Jenni Murray, Woman’s Hour ‘Geraldine Brooks’s impressive novel goes well beyond chronicling the devastation of a plague-ridden village. It leaves us with the memory of vivid characters struggling in timeless human ways with the hardships confronting them – and the memory, too, of an elegant and engaging story.’ Arthur Golden, author of ‘Memoirs of a Geisha’ ‘Geraldine Brooks's ‘Year of Wonders’ is a wonder indeed. The novel gives the reader a remarkable glimpse into a 17th century horror, but does so with both compassion and exuberance. Read it for the inventiveness of the language alone – a genuine treat.’ Anita Shreve, author of ‘The Pilot’s Wife’ and ‘The Last TIme They Met’ 'More than a mountain of corpses, more than a sensual evocation of the Sapphic bond between two women, more than a pulse-quickening tale, ‘Year of Wonders’ is a staggering fictional debut.' Guardian ‘’Year of Wonders’ carries absolute conviction as an evocation of place and mood. It has a vivid imaginative truth, and is beautifully written.’ Hilary Mantel

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Book Synopsis*The thrilling new novel from Lucy Clarke, THE SURF HOUSE, is available to buy now*Brimming with tension' CLARE MACKINTOSHTalk about twists and turns' EMMA STONEXUtterly addictive . . . her best yet' ERIN KELLYThe perfect holiday read' CLAIRE DOUGLASWE WERE DYING FOR A HOLIDAYThe six of us arrived on that beautiful Greek island dreaming of sun-drenched beaches and blood orange sunsets, ready to lose ourselves in the wild freedom of a weekend away with friends.On the first night we swam under a blanket of stars.On the second night the games began on our clifftop terrace.On the third night the idyll cracked, secrets and lies whispering on the breeze.And by the final night there was a body on the rocks below . . .WHO WOULD KILL FOR IT?_________________________________________________________________What readers are saying about One of the Girls:If you are looking for a sun-soaked, fast-paced, keep-you-up-till-the-early-hours thriller for summer 2022 then my god this is it!' ?????I loved this, a thrilling murder mystery read about friendship, love, deception, lies and secrets'?????Absolutely gripping, a perfect summer read' ?????This was an absolutely delicious read that grabbed me from the get-go' ?????''The ending, and the revelations leading up to it, blew me away' ?????WHAT A READ! . . . I was whizzing through the pages just to find out anything out' ?????Unputdownable! The ideal holiday read'?????Trade Review‘Lucy Clarke goes from strength to strength; this utterly addictive, trouble-in-paradise novel is her best yet. The plot shifts like sand beneath the reader’s feet’ ERIN KELLY ‘Brimming with tension, with such perfectly drawn characters I keep wondering what they’re doing now. Lucy Clarke gets better and better’ CLARE MACKINTOSH ‘I’m breathless. Talk about twists and turns . . . This is going to blow everyone’s socks off!’ EMMA STONEX ‘I loved One Of The Girls: beautiful writing, suffused with menace, complicated female heroines, and an ending I couldn’t predict’ GILLIAN MCALLISTER ‘A masterclass in simmering tension and shocking revelations ’ ROSIE WALSH ‘A propulsive plot full of hidden undercurrents, a brilliant cast of characters and a setting so vividly described you’ll feel you’re right there on holiday with them’ T M LOGAN 'Deliciously escapist and addictive, Lucy Clarke expertly juggles the secret desires and deceptions of six fascinating women. I really couldn't stop reading’ KATE RIORDAN ‘Compelling and clever, One of the Girls is expertly plotted and atmospheric with deft characterisation’ JANE SHEMILT ‘From the first page I was transported to the intoxicating Greek island . . . This is everything the perfect escapist summer read should be: dark, delicious, and completely addictive’ CHARLOTTE PHILBY ‘An addictive sun-soaked thriller with a killer twist. Unmissable’ MARIE CLAIRE ‘Packed with secrets . . . One of the Girls is the perfect beach read!’ ALLIE REYNOLDS ‘I loved the vivid setting of the Greek island. I felt like I was there – hearing, smelling and tasting everything as the sense of unease and mystery expertly unfolded. An immersive, clever and compelling read’ KAREN HAMILTON ‘This was a delicious escape from the world, not to mention as close as I’ll get to a Greek Island for a while. I loved it!’ SALLY HEPWORTH

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Book SynopsisShakespeare''s Twelfth Night like you''ve never seen it - or read it - before! Classics in Graphics: Twelfth Night has been adapted into a graphic novel by expert authors, Steve Skidmore and Steve Barlow, with illustrations by Wendy Tan Shiau Wei. Experience the famous (and famously confusing) love triangle, presented with all the flair of your favourite rom-com.Classics in Graphics is a series of graphic novels for readers aged 10 plus that has inclusion at its heart, flinging wide the doors of literature for all to enter and understand. Including dyslexia-friendly design and encouraging readers to relate to iconic roles - casting spells, falling in love and winning duels. Each graphic novel includes pitch-perfect illustrations for depicting tragedy, romance, comedy or magic PLUS: - snappy simplified text presenting Shakespeare''s themes clearly - introductory materials to help set the scene and cont

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