Narrative theme: interior life / psychological fiction

Book SynopsisIn Água Viva Clarice Lispector aims to ''capture the present''. Her direct, confessional and unfiltered meditations on everything from life and time to perfume and sleep are strange and hypnotic in their emotional power and have been a huge influence on many artists and writers, including one Brazilian musician who read it one hundred and eleven times. Despite its apparent spontaneity, this is a masterly work of art, which rearranges language and plays in the gaps between reality and fiction.Trade ReviewA bewitching, jewel-like book unlike anything in modern literature. Agua Viva baffles and inspires me ... Each word of the book lands with the sweet force of a blade ... crystalline -- Carlos Valladares * Gagosian Quarterly *An emblematic twentieth-century artist who belongs in the same pantheon as Kafka and Joyce * Edmund White *Lispector stands at the pinnacle of Brazil's impressive literary achievement * Washington Post Book World *One of the very great writers of the last century * Guardian *

Read more less

Book SynopsisBellow evokes all the rich colour and exotic customs of a highly imaginary Africa in this comic novel about a middle-aged American millionaire who, seeking a new, more rewarding life, descends upon an African tribe. Henderson''s awesome feats of strength and his unbridled passion for life earns him the admiration of the tribe - but it is his gift for making rain that turns him from mere hero into messiah.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE WOMEN''S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2015 WINNER OF THE GOLDSMITHS PRIZE 2014WINNER OF THE 2014 COSTA NOVEL AWARD''I take my hat off to Ali Smith. Her writing lifts the soul'' Evening Standard How to be both is a novel all about art''s versatility. Borrowing from painting''s fresco technique to make an original literary double-take, it''s a fast-moving genre-bending conversation between forms, times, truths and fictions. There''s a renaissance artist of the 1460s. There''s the child of a child of the 1960s. Two tales of love and injustice twist into a singular yarn where time gets timeless, structural gets playful, knowing gets mysterious, fictional gets real - and all life''s givens get given a second chance.*****''Brims with palpable joy'' Daily Telegraph''She''s a genius, genuinely modern in the heroic, glorious sense'' Alain de Botton''A delight. A masterpiece. Magical'' Sunday TimesWINNER OF THE SALTIRE SOCIETY LITERARY BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 2014SHORTLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE 2014Ali Smith''s new novel, Companion piece, is available now.Trade ReviewDizzyingly good and so clever that it makes you want to dance * New Statesman *A delight. A masterpiece. Magical. * Sunday Times *I take my hat off to Ali Smith. Her writing lifts the soul * Evening Standard *Exciting, full of joy and wryly funny... [Ali Smith is] one of the most inventive writers alive * Emerald Street *A remarkably easy and immensely enjoyable read... Ali Smith is a one-off. Her imagination and originality make her one of the most exciting novelists of her generation. Both George and Francesco touch the heart and linger in the mind long after the final page. * Daily Express *Smith is the brightest spark in a recent explosion of female novelists taking dizzying risks with form and voice . . . most contemporary male authors feel Jurassic by comparison. * Metro *Rich, funny and moving. Smith's writing really catches fire * Financial Times *Dazzling * Independent *This warm, funny book deserves to be read at least one-and-a-half times -- Honor Clerk * Spectator *Radical, dazzling . . . Those writers making doomy predictions about the death of the novel should read Smith's re-imagined novel/s, and take note of the life it contains * Independent *Ms. Smith's writing is inventive and delighted. She cannot help being exuberant * New York Times *Inventive, playful, compassionate. An immensely enjoyable read * Daily Express *I was utterly transported by Ali Smith's How to Be Both, a novel built from two stories that speak across six centuries. I'm about to read it for the fourth time -- Helen Macdonald * Irish Times *Smith is dazzling in her daring. Her inventive power pulls you through, gasping, to the final page * Observer *Smith can make anything happen, which is why she is one of our most exciting writers today * Daily Telegraph *She's a genius, genuinely modern in the heroic, glorious sense -- Alain de BottonSmith's fervent, vital, incantatory prose is entirely her own . . . How to be both reads as if she has summoned words from some region of the unconscious and released them in a trance -- Joanna Kavenna * Prospect *Utterly contemporary and vividly historical -- Holly Williams * The Independent *Smith has created a stunning work that is as rewarding as it is challenging * The List *One of the things she does so well, and that is particularly evident in 'How to Be Both,' is the way she can create an extremely sophisticated, complex, multileveled novel that reads beautifully -- Erica WagnerA marvellous exploration of what it means to look, then look again. Spiralling and twisting stories suggest the ways in which we can transcend walls and barriers - not only between people but between emotions, art forms and historical periods. It is a jeu d'esprit about a girl coming of age and coming to terms with her mother's death, a ghosting of a Renaissance fresco painter in a 21st-century frame and an exhortation to do the twist. -- Sarah Churchwell * New Statesman Books of the Year 2014 *A revelation. It blasts the doors open for the novel form and in a Woolf-like way makes all things possible. I imagine it will be one of those rare books that changes the way writers write novels -- Jackie Kay * Observer *Ali Smith's novels soar higher every time and How to be both doesn't disappoint -- Julie Myerson * Observer *Brilliant. No one combines experimentalism and soulfulness like Ali Smith -- Craig Taylor * Observer *One of the most intelligent, inventive, downright impressive writers working anywhere in the world today. In Ali Smith we have a writer whose dazzling sophistication will surely be celebrated, studied and argues over hundreds of years after we're gone -- Nick Barley * The Scotsman *Ali Smith is a master of language. Vigorous, vivid writing that is Ali Smith incarnate -- Alice Thompson * Herald *Ingeniously conceived, gloriously inventive * NPR *Dizzyingly ambitious . . . endlessly artful, creating work that feels infinite in its scope and intimate at the same time. [A] swirling panoramic * Atlantic *Brilliant . . . the sort of death-defying storytelling acrobatics that don't seem entirely possible * Washington Post *Having read this now twice, in both directions so to speak, I've decided - and I do not write this flippantly - that Ali Smith is a genius -- Susan McCallum * LA Review of Books *Approaches the world as only a novel can. The book moves not so much in a straight line as in a twisting helix pattern . . . delivers the heat of life and the return of beauty in the face of loss -- Kenneth Miller * Everyday Ebook *A unique conversation between past and present * Milwaukee Journal *Wildly inventive . . . lyrical, fresh * Bustle Magazine *

Read more less

Book SynopsisONE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES CRITICS' TOP BOOKS OF 2017ONE OF VULTURE'S 100 BEST BOOKS OF THE 21ST CENTURY FINALIST FOR THE L.A. TIMES BOOK PRIZE IN FICTION“A modern classic.” —The New York Times Book Review   A young man's close-knit family is nearly destitute when his uncle founds a successful spice company, changing their fortunes overnight. As they move from a cramped, ant-infested shack to a larger house on the other side of Bangalore, and try to adjust to a new way of life, the family dynamic begins to shift. Allegiances realign; marriages are arranged and begin to falter; and conflict brews ominously in the background. Things become “ghachar ghochar”—a nonsense phrase uttered by one meaning something tangled beyond repair, a knot that can't be untied. Elegantly written and punctuated by moments of unexpected warmth and humor, GTrade Review“A great Indian novel...Folded into the compressed, densely psychological portrait of this family is a whole universe.” —Parul Sehgal, The New York Times Book Review (Editors' Choice)"[Shanbhag] is a master of inference and omission...What’s most impressive about Ghachar Ghochar...is how much intricacy and turmoil gets distilled into its few pages...[A] wise and skillful book." —Sam Sacks, Wall Street Journal"A classic tale of wealth and moral ruin and a parable about capitalism and Indian society." —The New Yorker"Within the tight confines of a hundred pages or so, Shanbhag presents as densely layered a social vision of Bangalore as Edith Wharton did of New York in The House of Mirth…He's one of those special writers who can bring a fully realized world to life in a few pages...The tense fun of reading this vivid, fretful story lies in watching the main characters grab hold of what they think will be rescue ropes, but instead turn out to be slip knots.”—Maureen Corrigan, NPR“Great Indian novels…tend towards large tomes, written in English. Now, however, the arrival of a new work has shaken up the status quo: Vivek Shanbhag’s gripping Ghachar Ghochar. This slim volume…packs a powerful punch, both in terms of the precision of its portrait of one Bangalore-based family, and, by extension, what this tells us about modern India....Shanbhag is the real deal, this gem of a novel resounding with chilling truths.” –The Independent (UK)“A simple story, well told...Its gently comic tone belies a stunning satire, the full power of which is only apparent as the horror of the ending becomes clear.” —Louise Doughty, The Guardian, “Best Books of 2017” “Masterful…This stunning Bangalore-set family drama underlines the necessity of reading beyond our borders….Ghachar Ghochar is both fascinatingly different from much Indian writing in English, and provides a masterclass in crafting, particularly on the power of leaving things unsaid.”–Deborah Smith, The Guardian“The level of effortless glancing detail with which [Shanbhag] draws minor characters...is extraordinary. That it is one of the few novels translated (beautifully) from Kannada, a language spoken by millions and with its own literary tradition, to be published in the United States says a lot about our literary world’s myopia when it comes to the Indian novel.”—Vulture, “A Premature Attempt at the 21st Century Literary Canon”"Ghachar Ghochar introduces us to a master." —Lorin Stein, The Paris Review“One of the finest literary works you will ever encounter…a nuanced wonder.”–Irish Times"A feat of taut, economical storytelling...[with] moments of wonderfully dark, often unexpected, cynicism." —Financial Times "One of the best novels to have come out of India in recent decades." —Pankaj Mishra, author of Age of Anger“Vivek Shanbhag is an Indian Chekhov.” —Suketu Mehta, author of Maximum City"In this exquisitely observed, wry and moving novel, the smallest detail can conjure entire worlds of feeling. Vivek Shanbhag is a writer of rare and wonderful gifts." —Garth Greenwell, author of What Belongs to You"One of my favorite contemporary writers in English translates one of the leading figures of Kannada literature. The result is mesmerizing, distressing—and altogether brilliant." —Karan Mahajan, author of The Association of Small Bombs “Vivek Shanbhag is one of those writers whose voice takes your breath away at the first encounter.” —Yiyun Li, author of Dear Friend, from My Life I Write to You in Your Life“Ghachar Ghochar is one of the most striking novels you’ll read this decade. . . . In Shanbhag’s hands, the Indian family is revealed in layers; as one layer peels away, what lies beneath is left raw and exposed.” —Nilanjana Roy, Business Standard (India)"[Shanbhag is] an extraordinary storyteller — one astutely alive to the competing forces of self-interest and empathy."—Jonathan Lee, Electric Literature“Suketu Mehta deems Vivek Shanbhag ‘an Indian Chekhov’….Shanbhag has earned this lofty comparison.” –The Globe and Mail (Canada)"A firecracker of a novel...concise and mesmerizing." —Publishers Weekly, starred review"A Tolstoyan portrait of family conflict and shifting priorities in modern-day India....Captivating."—Shelf Awareness, starred review"A compact novel that crackles with tension." —Kirkus Reviews“A delight…You will read Ghachar Ghochar…in part of an evening, about the length of time you’d need to watch one of Chekhov’s masterpieces. You’ll experience the same pleasure.” –CounterPunch“Very rarely a book comes along that you want to thrust in the hands of everyone—readers and non-readers. Ghachar Ghochar is one such book.” —Prajwal Parajuly, The Hindustan Times (India)“Altogether a delight to read . . . Shanbhag gives us an insider’s feel for the concerns that have shaped the middle class in the last half a century.” —Girish Karnad, The Indian Express (India)“An ingenious tale of how material wealth robs a family of its moral fortitude . . . [Shanbhag] is obviously a master of the form.” —Mint (India)“Ghachar Ghochar reveals a consummate fiction writer at the height of his powers. . . . a literary sensation across India.” —Scroll.in (India)“Ghachar Ghochar is a book of distilled simplicity, its surface of seeming artlessness hiding that most complex and complicated of things—truthfully rendered human life. Beautiful, tense, surprising, utterly convincing and wise, and translated with real inspiration by Srinath Perur.” —Neel Mukherjee, author of The Lives of Others“A remarkable novel about the fragile civilities of bourgeois life. The reader becomes absorbed in the unforgiving self-knowledge and expansive humanity contained in every page.” —Amit Chaudhuri, author of Freedom Song and Odysseus Abroad

Read more less

Book Synopsis *Selected for Simon Mayo’s BBC Radio 2 Book Club* 'Quirky and charming' Guardian For readers of The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly and The Guest Cat comes this passionate, bittersweet love story that will move readers old and young Secretly steaming open envelopes and reading the letters inside, Bilodo has found an escape from his lonely and routine life as a postman. When one day he comes across a mysterious letter containing a single haiku, he finds himself avidly caught up in the relationship between a long-distance couple who write to each other using only beautiful poetry. He feasts on their words, vicariously living a life for which he longs. But it will only be a matter of time before his world comes crashing down around him.Trade Review‘Its republication could – and should – establish it as a lost and found gem.’ * The Independent, UK *'Enchanting, philosophically astute and deeply poignant.' * John Burnside *'Quirky and charming with a well-executed denouement, this novella brings to mind nothing less than a giddily-lovesick Kafka.' * Guardian *‘A captivating philosophical tale.’ * Le Devoir, Canada *‘A love story between two people who’ve never met, thanks to the magic of a deepening correspondence. In times of internet and social networking, Thériault succeeds in offering fine and spirited promotion for letters.’ * Le Figaro, France *'...an intense and very deep meaningful ending…I would recommend this book.' * 'A Bibliophile’s Book Blog' review *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrederic Henry is an American Lieutenant serving in the ambulance corps of the Italian army during the First World War. While stationed in northern Italy, he falls in love with Catherine Barkley, an English nurse. Theirs is an intense, tender and passionate love affair overshadowed by the war. Ernest Hemingway spares nothing in his denunciation of the horrors of combat, yet vividly depicts the courage shown by so many. In writing A Farewell to Arms, Hemingway was inspired by his own wartime experience as an ambulance driver for the Red Cross. First published in 1929, the novel made his name and remains one of his finest works. This stunning edition features an afterword by Ned Halley.Designed to appeal to the book lover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA #1 Wall Street Journal bestseller. Every time Gwen closed her eyes, she saw him in her nightmares. Now her eyes are open, and he’s not going away. Gwen Proctor won the battle to save her kids from her ex-husband, serial killer Melvin Royal, and his league of psychotic accomplices. But the war isn’t over. Not since Melvin broke out of prison. Not since she received a chilling text… You’re not safe anywhere now. Her refuge at Stillhouse Lake has become a trap. Gwen leaves her children in the protective custody of a fortified, well-armed neighbor. Now, with the help of Sam Cade, brother of one of Melvin’s victims, Gwen is going hunting. She’s learned how from one of the sickest killers alive. But what she’s up against is beyond anything she feared—a sophisticated and savage mind game calculated to destroy her. As trust beyond her small circle of friends begins to vanish, Gwen has only fury and vengeance to believe in as she closes in on her prey. And sure as the night, one of them will die.

Read more less

Book SynopsisStoner author John Williams's first novel is a searing look at a man's relationship with his absent father, and how early trauma manifests throughout one's lifeJohn Williams’s first novel is a brooding psychological noir. Arthur Maxley is a young man at the end of his emotional rope. Having dropped out of college, he’s holed up in a big-city hotel, living off an allowance from his family, feeling nothing but alone and doing nothing but drinking to forget it. What’s brought him to this point? Something is troubling him, something is haunting him, something he cannot bring himself either to face or to turn away from. And now his father has come to town, a hail-fellow-well-met kind of guy. They’ve been estranged for years, and yet Arthur wants to meet—and so he does, reeling away from the encounter for a night of drinking and dancing and a final reckoning with the traumatizing past that readers will not soon forget.This edition of Nothing but the Night includes an interview with Nancy Gardner Williams, the author’s widow.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis'An utterly thrilling gothic tale' KIRSTY WARK'Rich in atmosphere and suspense' BELLA ELLIS'Two unforgettable heroines' ELLY GRIFFITHSDark and brimming with suspense, an atmospheric Victorian chiller set in brooding County Durham for fans of Stacey Halls and Laura Purcell1871. An age of discovery and progress. But for the Wainwright family, residents of the gloomy Teesbank Hall in County Durham the secrets of the past continue to overshadow their lives.Harriet would not have taken the job of governess in such a remote place unless she wanted to hide from something or someone. Her charge is Eleanor, the daughter of the house, a fiercely bright eighteen-year-old, tortured by demons and feared by relations and staff alike. But it soon becomes apparent that Harriet is not there to teach Eleanor, but rather to monitor her erratic and dangerous behaviour - to spy on her.Worn down by Eleanor's unpredictable hostility, Harriet soon finds herself embroiled in Eleanor's obsession - the Wainwright's dark, tragic history. As family secrets are unearthed, Harriet's own begin to haunt her and she becomes convinced that ghosts from the past are determined to reveal her shameful story.For Harriet, like Eleanor, is plagued by deception and untruths.'Terrific characters' ELIZABETH BUCHAN'A deliciously unsettling tale' SONIA VELTON'Gothic ingredients given a modern twist' HOPE ADAMSTrade ReviewAn utterly thrilling Gothic tale of two women, secretly striving to break free from the female conventions of Victorian England -- Kirsty WarkRich in atmosphere and suspense, The Deception of Harriet Fleet is a deliciously dark and Gothic tale that transports you into the Victorian age -- Bella Ellis, author of THE BRONTË MYSTERIESThis book could have been written especially for me as it contains all my favourite things: Gothic setting, wild landscape, family secrets and not one but two unforgettable heroines. A richly enjoyable read that has a lot to say about women's lives, then and now -- Elly Griffiths, author of THE DR RUTH GALLOWAY MYSTERIESI so enjoyed this. With terrific characters and a deep feeling for the Gothic, this is quite a debut. Helen Scarlett is obviously a writer who will go far -- Elizabeth Buchan, author of THE MUSEUM OF BROKEN PROMISESI was completely transported to bleak Teesbank Hall where the corridors echo with murder and madness. The Deception of Harriet Fleet is a deliciously unsettling tale with women, and their quest for truth, independence and fulfilment, at its dark, Gothic heart -- Sonia Velton, author of BLACKBERRY AND WILD ROSERaced through this engrossing debut. It's a tale full of familiar Gothic ingredients given a modern twist. Just the ticket for a chilly January night -- Hope Adams, author of DANGEROUS WOMENA fabulously engrossing mystery - a richly woven tale of Victorian Gothic suspense that's spine-tingling, riveting and keeps you guessing to the end. The Secret Garden meets Jane Eyre -- Lulu Taylor, author of A MIDWINTER PROMISEA haunting, richly imagined novel, suffused with dread. Harriet Fleet's is the poignant story of a brave woman fighting to break free from the constraints of society and the grip of demons past and present. A captivating book -- Miranda Malins, author of THE PURITAN PRINCESS

Read more less

Book Synopsis''A singular novel from the poetic and painterly mind of Rowan Hisayo Buchanan.'' Sharlene Teo, author of Ponti''An exquisite rendering of love, sadness, and misunderstanding . . . I want to share this book with everyone I know.'' The Paris Review ''A quiet triumph - tenderly and disarmingly exploring the responsibility of love, loneliness, what it is to feel lost'' Sophie Mackintosh, author of The Water CureMina is staring over the edge of the George Washington Bridge when a patrol car drives up. She tries to convince the officers she''s not about to jump but they don''t believe her. Her husband, Oscar is called to pick her up.Oscar hopes that leaving New York for a few months will give Mina the space to heal. They travel to London, to an apartment wall-papered with indigo-eyed birds, to Oscars oldest friends, to a canal and blooming flower market. Mina, a classicistTrade ReviewA poetic, hypnotic exploration of mental health...It's a strangely mind-expanding read that's a must for anyone who's struggled with depression or loves someone who does. * Stylist *Unravelling the truth is one of the considerable pleasures of this beautifully written novel. * Spectator *The significant thing is that this is a novel that takes depression seriously . . . it is affecting and melancholy . . . Buchanan is a novelist of talent and grace. * Scotland on Sunday *An exquisite rendering of love, sadness, and misunderstanding . . . Starling Days is an exploration of depression without clear resolution, but it is all the more precious for that refusal. I want to share this book with everyone I know. * Paris Review *Tender * Daily Mail *A beautifully weird portrayal of being alone together, millennial ennui, bisexuality and hybrid identity. It captures the brilliance and isolation of big cities as well as the struggle and strength to keep on going. A singular novel from the poetic and painterly mind of Rowan Hisayo Buchanan. * Sharlene Teo, author of Ponti *Starling Days is a quiet triumph - tenderly and disarmingly exploring the responsibility of love, loneliness, what it is to feel lost, and whether another person, indeed whether any one person, is capable of making us feel found. It illuminates both the difficulties and joys of being with others, but also those of being inside our own skins. * Sophie Mackintosh, author of The Water Cure *For readers looking for a 'relatable' tale of struggle and survival, the book offers consolation. * Guardian *

Read more less

Book SynopsisJeffrey Lockhart has been summoned to The Convergence: a remote and secret compound where death is exquisitely, cryogenically controlled.He is there to say goodbye to his stepmother, Artis, who has chosen to surrender her dying body; preserving it until a future time when biomedical advances and new technologies can return her to a life of transcendent promise. And his healthy father, Ross, might join her.Hypnotic and seductive, Don DeLillo's Zero K is a visionary novel about the legacies we leave, the nobility of death, and the ultimate worth of 'the mingled astonishments of our time, here, on earth.'Trade ReviewBoth beautiful and profound, certainly DeLillo's best since Underworld, it forces us to confront the spectre of our own mortality, to ask deep questions of our motives in wishing to prolong our span on Earth. We finish the novel with a sudden recognition of the kindness of death, the balm of a bounded life * Observer *DeLillo is one of urban life's most perceptive chroniclers * Independent *DeLillo's 16th novel takes a sanguine and, as usual, perceptive look at life as it is now, beset by wars, terrorism and the catastrophic results of climate change, and balances them against the beauty and joy that can be involved in being human * Daily Mail *Humanly moving . . . sentence by sentence brilliance of phrasing and cadence * Literary Review *A kind of greatest-hits compilation of earlier motifs and gestures * London Review of Books *Haunting. . . Simultaneously terrifying yet beautifully told with a real tenderness for the everyday details of life in New York. . . certainly not to be missed * GQ *Very moving . . . his optimism is a welcome gift in this intense and deeply considered book * Prospect *A visionary novel of ideas that remembers even visionary novels are read by living, breathing humans * Independent *As he approaches 80, Don DeLillo is still producing work that channels America's tensions. . . supple and sad and oddly compassionate too; his most fully realised work in more than a decade * Guardian *DeLillo's spare eloquence and the cosmic depression underlying it makes this emptiest of novels a rich reading experience * The Times *Time has done nothing to diminish this writer's casually epigraphic style, his daring narrative choreography nor his sensitivity to the swelling fears of our age . . . truly provocative' * The Washington Post *[DeLillo's] most persuasive [novel] since his astonishing 1997 masterpiece, Underworld . . . Zero K reminds us of Mr. DeLillo's almost Day-Glo powers as a writer and his understanding of the strange, contorted shapes that eternal human concerns (with mortality and time) can take in the new millennium' -- Michiko Kakutani * New York Times *Brilliant in its imaginative scope * The Atlantic *Among DeLillo's finest work . . . DeLillo sneaks a heartbreaking story of a son attempting to reconnect with his father into his thought-provoking novel * Publishers Weekly *Sentence by sentence, DeLillo magically slips the knot of criticism and gives his readers what Nabokov maintained was all that mattered in life and art: individual genius. Sentence by sentence, DeLillo seduces . . . DeLillo has written a handful of the past half-century's finest novels. Now, as he approaches 80, he gives us one more, written distinctly for the 21st -- Joshua Ferris * New York Times *A return to full realization for DeLillo. . .Deserves to win old and new readers alike. A marvellous blend of DeLillo's enormous gifts; his bleak humour and edged insight, the alertness and vitality of his prose, the vast, poetic extrapolations are all evident. So is the visceral quickness and wit in the sentences -- Sam LipsyteAs ever, DeLillo explores the depths of an edgy, timely topic, completely resisting cliché, and emerges with something both fresh and universal * The Huffington Post *The reigning poet of unease, DeLillo has always understood the greatest disquiet — our mortality — and how our sense of it coats the surfaces of day-to-day life with a film, something DeLillo peels back at last in this bravura new novel about cryogenic life extension, family, and the losses we can’t overcome * Boston Globe *An eerie descent into a secret collective that seeks to elude death through cryonic freezing. It blends DeLillo's typical mix of introspection and creeping dread with something else — a menacing sense of the absurd, borrowed from Kafka. Combine this with a wry sense of humor and you've got a dive into the murky boundary between life and death that's as amusing as it is alarming * NPR *

Read more less

Book SynopsisTwo women. Two children. But whose is whose?''An emotionally charged and thought-provoking read that any parent will relate to'' Woman''s WeeklyWhen two strangers, Tess and Annie, undergo IVF at an American clinic, their embryos are mixed up and each woman gives birth to the wrong child.The women only discover the devastating error three years later. Tess wants to swap the children back; Annie doesn''t. As the pair wrangle, neither of them expect what unfolds.*******PRAISE FOR THE SWAP''A gripping, heartbreaking and original story which asks some important questions about motherhood and keeps you guessing until the very end, absolutely loved it.'' - Clare Empson, author of HIM''A wonderfully written, thought provoking and moving read. I raced through the pages, desperate to know the outcome. Such a clever, originalTrade ReviewPraise for The Swap * : *An emotionally charged and thought-provoking read that any parent will relate to * Woman's Weekly *A gripping read. * CLOSER *An insightful and emotionally charged read * Woman's Own *A thought-provoking and tense tale * Woman & Home *This is a real heartbreaker of a read. * HEAT *Gripping * BELLA *I read the book in one weekend and emerged wanting to hug my loved ones a little bit tighter. A compelling, thought-provoking, emotional thriller of a book -- Katie MarshA gripping, heartbreaking and original story which asks some important questions about motherhood and keeps you guessing until the very end, absolutely loved it. -- Clare Empson, author of HIMA wonderfully written, thought provoking and moving read. I raced through the pages, desperate to know the outcome. Such a clever, original idea. I loved it. * Claire Douglas *Oh how it was worth the wait! Fiona has crafted an emotive and credible read . . . Harrowing in parts, but uplifting in others, Fiona keeps the pace constant . . . deeply moving and beautifully written. -- Louise Jensen, author of THE SURROGATE and THE DATEThe hook on the cover - Two Women. Two Children. But Whose is Whose? - would grab anyone, but it's the gorgeous writing, the stunning attention to detail, and the searingly difficult themes explored that kept me. I read this in just two days. The impossible dilemma is so sensitively addressed, and yet Mitchell has still created an addictive, page-turner. An unforgettable book. -- Louise Beech, author of THE LIONJust finished the brilliant THE SWAP by Fiona Mitchell and my heart aches. It explores the gut-wrenching dilemma of two women following an IVF mix-up. A gripping tale written with great sensitivity and humour, even in its darkest moments. Book club gold. * Francesca Jakobi, author of BITTER *Praise for The Maid's Room:A modern-day The Help * Emerald Street *A brilliant and eye-opening read * Prima *A beautifully written and deeply moving novel . . . crafted with a mixture of grim detail, dark humour and poignancy, at times it's hard to believe that this book is a work of fiction. Genuinely excellent. ***** * Heat *I loved The Maid's Room with its exquisite writing, married with a shocking and powerful story line that had me gripped and moved until the uplifting conclusion. A fascinating read about survival and the strength and resilience of the human heart. * Katie Marsh, author of A LIFE WITHOUT YOU and THIS BEAUTIFUL LIFE *

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewAn irresistibly brilliant examination of modern conscience * The New York Times *Camus is the accused, his own prosecutor and advocate. The Fall might have been called 'The Last Judgement' -- Olivier Todd

Read more less

Book SynopsisOver twenty years after his son's death, nearly blind and unable to paint, David turns to writing to examine the deep shades of his loss. Despite his acute pain, or perhaps because of it, David observes beauty in the ordinary: in the resemblance of a woman to Egyptian portraits, in the horseshoe crabs that wash up on Coney Island, in the foam gathering behind a ferry propeller; in these moments, Gonzalez reveals the world through a painter's eyes. From one of Colombia's greatest contemporary novelists, Difficult Light is a formally daring meditation on grief, written in candid, arresting prose.Trade Review"Difficult Light is a story of living while waiting for inevitable loss to occur . . . Rosenberg’s translation is . . . notable for the lucid, compassionate tone it strikes in capturing the ordinary moments and conversations that permeate life, whether at its height or at its end." — National Translation Award committee"A quiet and modest novel that struck me with its lovely prose and profound insights. . . Gonzalez focuses on the glimpses of beauty, the shards of light found in the everyday. A thoughtful meditation on art, family and loss; this slim novel reads like an afternoon reverie, hazy, supple, tinged with sadness and joy." — Lithub "A very poetic reverie...This is in some ways a reflection on aging...and in others simply a picturesque and vivid remembrance of the moments that mattered in one person's life. At the bottom of it all is the narrator's unending grief over his son, Jacobo, paralyzed when a junkie driving a pickup truck struck the taxi he was riding in at the time...The book’s narrative style is both modest and subdued, no doubt aided by Rosenberg, who previously translated the author’s last work, The Storm (2018)." — Kirkus Reviews"In González’s genial, reflective tale, a recently widowed Colombian painter composes a narrative of his family’s life in the U.S. and the death of their oldest son . . . laced with moments of beauty and domestic peace . . . González achieves a brilliant triangulation of a man’s attempts at self-expression through two artistic mediums." -- Publishers Weekly"González's last two novels, Difficult Light and The Storm were both hailed as quiet masterpieces at the time of their publication in Colombia... Through all his work you find the peaceful writing that admirably traces the ugliness of the world; the confidence of the narrative voice, seemingly conventional while eschewing the straitjackets of realism... he has a mysterious ability to uplift the commonplace and turn it into unforgettable images through careful observation and sensuous detail." -- Juan Gabriel Vásquez, The Guardian "There’s hard light indeed for 78-year-old artist David, who’s recently widowed, unable to paint owing to failing eyesight, and at home in Colombia, using a magnifying glass and blackberry-sized letters to record grievous events that unfolded when he and his family lived in 1980s Manhattan...González unfolds the story in luminous, reverberant language all the more heart-wrenching for eschewing graphic detail; David’s painterly sensitivity is enough." -- Library Journal "[Tomás González] writes with authority about transient relationships with cities and people, pairing joys with inevitable losses . . . Difficult Light presents the power of creativity over isolation and mortality. It reminds the reader that when the outside world becomes inaccessible, the interior realm still holds traces of all that we’ve lost." -- Rain Taxi Review "A quiet meditation on many of life’s Big Things: grief, love, art . . . González’s narrator unwinds his time- and space-hopping narrative in a voice, carried deftly by Rosenberg, that does not waver in its gentle warmth." — Words Without Borders"Tomás González has once again given voice to a sorrowful sermon. Rending and tender, Difficult Light is a novel of familial sacrifice and agonizing acceptance, an exercise in retracing old wounds amid the gathering abundance of time. An affecting altarpiece, through and through." --Justin, Bookshop.org"Difficult Light by Tomás González is about an old painter rapidly turning blind, mediating on one of the most impactful events in his life, the death of his oldest son Jacobo...counting down the minutes to the scheduled death of this beloved son, which could be called off at any moment, if the son wished to do so, is part of the strange thrill of the book. As the implications for the looming deadline become more clear, the countdown adds a slightly perverted sense of suspense." — Franziska Lamprecht, Full Stop"Tomás González has the potential to become a classic of Latin American literature." -- Elfriede Jelinek, Winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature "González invokes both Hemingway and Faulkner in his treatment of tortured family dynamics and laces the three-way banter in the boat with a fascinating, near-toxic atmosphere of machismo." -- Publisher's Weekly on The Storm "In Andrea Rosenberg's translation, the author's stylistic traits - short and pointed phrases, poetic descriptions and poetic monologues - shine and linger in the reader's ear...​​The Storm​​ arrives as a welcome addition to the international recognition of one Colombia's most prolific and poetic writers." - Nicolás Llano, Asymptote Journal "Self-delusion, hallucinations, anger, volatility chafe against the soothing waters and the stars above, and González, one of South America's most acclaimed and pitch-perfect novelists, plunges you into the brutality of man and nature alike." - Kerri Arsenault on The Storm There is humor in the frequent revelation of self-delusions. There is also suspense as the storm - more interpersonal than weather-related - builds and breaks. Fabulist elements, lyrical prose, and a chorus of narrative voices give this slim novel depth and breadth. - Kirkus Reviews on The Storm"Tomás González has once again given voice to a sorrowful sermon. Rending and tender, Difficult Light is a novel of familial sacrifice and agonizing acceptance, an exercise in retracing old wounds amid the gathering abundance of time. An affecting altarpiece through and through." – Justin Walls, Bookshop.org

Read more less

Book SynopsisA quietly powerful presence in American fiction in during the past two decades, these collected stories show the true scale of Hempel's achievement. Her compact fictions, populated by smart neurotic somewhat damaged narrators, speak grandly to the longings and insecurities in all of us, and in a voice that is bracingly direct and sneakily profound. These are stories about people who make choices that seem inevitable, whose longings and misgivings evoke eternal human experience. With her trademark compassion and wit, Hempel takes readers into the marriages, minor disasters and moments of revelation in an uneasy America.Trade ReviewThe toughest party of reading The Dog of the Marriage is how much your jaw muscles ache from the effort it takes not to laugh and cry in front of strangers. Amy Hempel is my god among writers' Chuck Palahniuk. * Chuck Palahniuk *Her work is an exemplar of the truth that the short story can be the briefest of affairs, but it can stay in the mind forever - Glasgow Herald. * Glasgow Herald *These are astonishing stories, hilarious and surprising and insightful... if there's a funnier, smarter or richer book published this year, I will eat my shoes - Guardian. * Guardian *Reaffirms her impressive mastery of fiction … Hempel's wit, insight and crisp writing make her work consistently powerful' Observer. * Observer *Table of ContentsOn Amy Hempel. Reasons to Live: In a Tub; Tonight Is a Favor to Holly; Celia Is Back; Nashville Gone to Ashes; San Francisco; In the Cemetery Where Al Jolson Is Buried; Beg, Sl Tog, Inc, Cont, Rep; Going; Pool Night; Three Popes Walk into a Bar; The Man in Bogota; When It's Human Instead of When It's Dog; Why I'm Here; Breathing Jesus; Today Will Be a Quiet Day. At the Gates of the Animal Kingdom: Daylight Come; The Harvest; The Most Girl Part of You; Rapture of the Deep; Du Jour; Murder; The Day I Had Everything; To Those of You Who Missed Your Connecting Flights Out of O'Hare; And Lead Us Not into Penn Station; In the Animal Shelter; At the Gates of the Animal Kingdom; The Lady Will Have the Slug Louie; Under No Moon; The Center; Tom-Rock Through the Eels; The Rest of God. Tumble Home: Weekend; Church Cancels Cow; The Children's Party; Sportsman; Housewife; The Annex; The New Lodger; Tumble Home; Notes. The Dog of the Marriage: Beach Town; Jesus Is Waiting; The Uninvited; Reference #388475848-5; What Were the White Things?; The Dog of the Marriage; The Afterlife; Memoir; Offertory; Notes.

Read more less

Book SynopsisLies from the heart lead to a dangerously intimate case for Sheriff Bree Taggert in #1 Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh’s novel of revenge and fatal deceptions.When a digital marketer is found murdered in his backyard—hands bound and face smothered by plastic wrap—Sheriff Bree Taggert and criminal investigator Matt Flynn respond to the call. Their investigation focuses on the man’s dating-app profile and the word liar carved into his forehead.One day later, the killer strikes again.Both victims are players in the internet dating scene. In their wake, they leave a trail of hurt—and angry—women. But Bree and Matt aren’t convinced the motive is as simple as it appears. Everyone they interview seems to be lying or hiding something.As the list of suspects grows, the killer’s rage escalates, and he leaves a personal and deadly warning for Bree. They must act fast. Because someone Bree loves is targeted as the next to die.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen her cousin and wife fail to return from a walk, this story takes a sinister turn to a quest of survival A woman takes a holiday in the Austrian mountains, spending a few days with her cousin and his wife in their hunting lodge. When the couple fails to return from a walk, the woman sets off to look for them. But her journey reaches a sinister and inexplicable dead end. She discovers only a transparent wall behind which there seems to be no life. Trapped alone behind the mysterious wall she begins the arduous work of survival.This is at once a simple account of potatoes and beans, of hoping for a calf, of counting matches, of forgetting the taste of sugar and the use of one's name, and simultaneously a disturbing dissection of the place of human beings in the natural world.**PERFECT FOR FANS OF THE YELLOW WALLPAPER, STATION ELEVEN AND THE MARTIAN**VINTAGE EARTH is a collection of novels to transform our relationship with the natural world. Each one is a work of creative activism, a blast of fresh air, a seed from which change can grow. The books in this series reconnect us to the planet we inhabit - and must protect. Discover great writing on the most urgent story of our times.Trade ReviewIt's a novel that contrives to be, by turns, utopian and dystopian, an idyll and a nightmare... Every joint and sinew of the story is restless with a sense of threat * London Review of Books *Brilliant in its sustainment of dread, in its peeling away of old layers of reality to expose a raw way of seeing and feeling. Doris Lessing once remarked that only a woman could have written this novel, and it's true... I've read The Wall three times already and am nowhere near finished -- Nicole KraussIt makes you sick, because, if she wasn't a woman, everyone would be reading it, like Robinson Crusoe -- Sheila Heti, author of 'Motherhood' and 'Pure Colour'Totally gripping -- Daniel Swift * Spectator, *Books of the Year* *An extraordinarily interesting writer, always underappreciated -- Elfriede Jelinek

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Sestanovich’s elegant prose takes seriously the quiet unrest that can ravage a life' - Raven Leilani, author of LusterA Best Book of the Summer in The Wall Street Journal, Entertainment Weekly,Vogue, Esquire and Refinery29A university student is flying home to visit her family when she strikes up an odd, ephemeral friendship with the couple next to her on the plane. A mother prepares for her son's wedding, her own life unravelling as his comes together. A long-lost stepbrother's visit prompts a family's reckoning with its old taboos.In these eleven powerful stories, thrilling desire and melancholic yearning animate women’s lives – from the brink of adulthood, to the labyrinthine path between twenty and thirty, to middle age, when certain possibilities quietly lapse. Tender, lucid and piercingly funny, Objects of Desire is a collection pulsing with subtle drama, rich with unforgettable scenes, and alive with moments of recognition, each more startling than the last - a spellbinding debut that announces a major talent.'A debut story collection of the rarest kind . . . you wish that every single entry could be an entire novel.' — Entertainment WeeklyClare Sestanovich named one of The National Book Foundation's '5 under 35'.Trade ReviewSestanovich’s elegant prose takes seriously the quiet unrest that can ravage a life, and makes room for the pleasure and discovery that can be found in that ruin -- Raven Leilani, author of LusterSublimely polished . . . collectively probe the gap between how we’re seen and how we might long to appear. -- Hephzibah Anderson * Observer *Sestanovich's steady hand and bone-clean prose recall such foremothers as Joan Didion, Zadie Smith, and Jhumpa Lahiri -- Elinor Hitt * The Paris Review *Sestanovich is an extraordinary noticer. Carefully, sparely, she parses layers of feeling and attitude; of the tiny ways we admit or refuse love; of incremental, almost invisible, losses of self * Guardian *Bold and beguiling -- Chloe Aridjis, author of Book of CloudsThe summer's most buzzed about book * Sunday Times *As far as writing pedigrees go, it doesn’t get much more impressive than The New Yorker and The Paris Review . . . A smart, incisive look at the complexities of being a woman right now * Stylist *Smart and accomplished . . . Sestanovich’s prose is poised and understated, sensorily precise . . . her gift is to make ordinary moments shine brightly * The New York Times Book Review *Astonishing - one of the best story collections I’ve read in a long time . . . I feel like I've found a new favorite writer - Clare Sestanovich is stylish and skilled, an astute chronicler of contemporary life -- Brandon Taylor, Booker-shortlisted author of Real LifeNuanced, beautifully shaped . . . In Sestanovich’s hands, the mundane feels surprising—mesmerizing, even * Refinery29 *Clare Sestanovich’s stories compelled me like gravity, and offered sharp, surprising, singular bursts of grace -- Leslie Jamison, author of The Recovering and The Empathy ExamsExtraordinary * Esquire *Clare Sestanovich is a gifted observer and writes a sentence sharp enough to cut yourself on . . . A magnificent debut -- Nathan Englander, author of Dinner at the Center of the EarthA debut story collection of the rarest kind: One in which you wish that every single entry could be an entire novel. * Entertainment Weekly *Objects of Desire is a marvel . . . I loved this book -- Miranda Popkey, author of Topics of ConversationLuminous . . . Sestanovich writes with a kind of bracing cold-plunge clarity. Objects of Desire taps into the peculiar, primal struggle of becoming who you are, and all the stories you have to tell yourself to get there. -- Leah Greenblatt * Entertainment Weekly *A fun read [that] reminds us that we’re all human -- Kaia Gerber, quoted in The Wall Street JournalSestanovich is a skilled craftswoman, each sentence a carefully positioned tile in a mosaic * Vulture *A mesmerizing, exquisite debut -- Dana Spiotta, author of Innocents and Others[Sestanovich's] characters always seem poised at the brink of some great, terrifying, wondrous unraveling * Electric Literature *Sestanovich’s intelligent debut collection demonstrates a gift for pithy detail that encapsulates the whole of a character’s personality or era of lived experience * Publishers Weekly *Exquisitely observed, and sure to stay with you long after you’ve finished * Bustle *Wry and knowing and deeply funny -- Mira Sethi, author of Are You Enjoying?Sestanovich’s writing is clever and rich with layers, just like her characters. And the textures of her sentences are as nuanced as desire itself * Fiction Writers' Review *Sestanovich expertly places you in the mind of different women, young and old, rich and poor, single and in relationships. The stolen glimpses into the complex minds of her characters will leave you unable to resist writing the rest of their story in your head * Reaction *These stories are restrained, nearly aloof, despite the fact that the characters are constantly and messily butting up against the futility of their desires * Kirkus *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom Sarah Moss, the Sunday Times bestselling author of Summerwater and Ghost Wall, comes a story about the circumstances and the consequences of isolation.‘A tense page-turner . . . I gulped The Fell down in one sitting’ - Emma Donoghue‘Her work is as close to perfect as a novelist’s can be’ - The TimesAt dusk on a November evening in 2020 a woman slips out of her garden gate and turns up the hill. Kate is in the middle of two weeks of Covid isolation, but she just can’t take it any more – the closeness of the air in her small house, the confinement. And anyway, the moor will be deserted at this time. Nobody need ever know.But Kate’s neighbour Alice sees her leaving and Matt, Kate’s son, soon realizes she’s missing. And Kate, who planned only a quick solitary walk – a breath of open air – falls and badly injures herself. What began as a furtive walk has turned into a mountain-rescue operation . . .Unbearably suspenseful, witty and wise, The Fell asks probing questions about the place the world has become since the first Covid lockdown in March 2020, and the place it was before. This novel is a story about compassion and kindness and what we must do to survive.‘Gripping, thoughtful and revelatory’ - Paula Hawkins‘This slim, intense masterpiece is one of my best books of the year’ - Rachel Joyce‘One of our very best contemporary novelists’ - IndependentTrade ReviewA slim, tense page turner that captures the precious warmth of human connection. I gulped The Fell down in one sitting -- Emma DonoghueMoss writes so compassionately about human frailty while her own work is as close to perfect as a novelist’s can be * The Times *Gripping, thoughtful and revelatory -- Paula Hawkins, author of The Girl on the TrainA funny, savage novel * Guardian *Absorbing . . . ingeniously done . . . a humane, thoughtful reflection on the lockdown experience * Scotsman *There is wit, there is compassion . . . This slim, intense masterpiece is one of my best books of the year -- Rachel JoyceA one-sitting read . . . ambitious and immersive * Red *Moss is strong on pastoral lyricism, and her characteristic humour is as piercing here as in her previous novels * The Times *A masterfully tense, deeply empathetic novel . . . [a] tender, insightful exploration of the times we are living through -- Megan Hunter, author of The End We Start FromAlways with steely precision, Moss has mined both the circumstances and the consequences of isolation . . . one of the very best British novelists writing today about contemporary life * Daily Telegraph *She conjures the fretful confinement of the pandemic with colossal skill . . . deft and evocative . . . shrewd and moving * i *The pandemic is spawning some fine writing, and this helter-skelter novel by Moss is one of the best yet -- Mail on SundayMoss perfectly simulates the stifling psychological confinement and ennui of locked-down life . . . a neat, atmospheric novel * Literary Review *[The Fell] leaves the reader on tenterhooks as the story builds to its conclusion . . . Moss makes a strong case for social connection being as important as our physical health for survival * Daily Mirror *Moss steps into other people’s shoes with impressive ease. Her prose is clear, low-key and compelling . . . Feelingly, but without sentimentality, Moss explores what happens when you find yourself teetering on the precipice * Herald *A novel of our time . . . there may be a time when what is described here is, indeed, in the past, and a novel like The Fell will help us to remember * Church Times *It seems ever more important that fiction acknowledge the truths the pandemic has revealed to us: how connected we all are, and how much we fear one another * Guardian *[The Fell] confirms that Sarah Moss is a writer of remarkable power, control and deftness. She's funny, observant and very much of the moment * Oldie *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom the revered Booker Prize-winning author comes a playful, multilayered novel of nostalgia, life and death, and quantum theory, which opens with the return of one of his most celebrated characters as he is released from prison. ?A triumphant piece of writing…Prose of such luscious elegance…Exhilarating.? ?The New York Times Book ReviewA man with a borrowed name steps from a flashy red sports car?also borrowed?onto the estate of his youth. But all is not as it seems. There is a new family living in the drafty old house: the Godleys, descendants of the late, world-famous scientist Adam Godley, whose theory of existence threw the universe into chaos. And this mystery man, who has just completed a prison sentence, feels as if time has stopped, or was torn, or was opened in new and strange ways. He must now vie with the idiosyncratic Godley family, with their harried housekeeper who becomes his landlady, with the recently commissioned biographer of Godley Sr., and with a wealthy and beautiful woman from his past who comes bearing an unusual request.With sparkling intelligence and rapier wit, John Banville revisits some of his career?s most memorable figures, in a novel as mischievous as it is brilliantly conceived. The Singularities occupies a singular space and will surely be one of his most admired works.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe heroic story of the only female Argonaut, told by Jennifer Saint, the bestselling author of ATALANTA (UK, Sunday Times, April 2023) ELEKTRA (UK, Sunday Times, May 2022) and ARIADNE (UK, Sunday Times, April 2021).''Brilliantly evocative'' Women & Home ''A spirited retelling'' Times ''Beautiful and absorbing'' Fabulous ''A vivid reimagining of Greek mythology'' Harper''s Bazaar ''Jennifer Saint has done it again'' Red ''Jennifer Saint can do no wrong'' GlamourWhen a daughter is born to the King of Arcadia, she brings only disappointment.Left exposed on a mountainside, the defenceless infant Atalanta, is left to the mercy of a passing mother bear and raised alongside the cubs under the protective eye of the goddess Artemis.Swearing that she will prove her worth alongside the famed heroes of Greece, Atalanta leaves her forTrade ReviewA stunning retelling filled with breathtaking adventure, Atalanta brings to life a heroine who stands tall among the ancient gods and heroes of legend. -- Sue Lynn Tan, Sunday Times bestselling author of DAUGHTER OF THE MOON GODDESSJennifer Saint deftly draws the reader into the legends of Atalanta, swift huntress and favorite of Artemis, bringing the world of ancient Greece alive. The detail and description is lush: you can hear the rustle of the green leaves and taste the salty spray of the sea as the Argo rides forth on its quest. A story of adventure and love against all odds, this is an ancient tale limned with gold. -- Luna McNamara, author of PSYCHE AND EROSAbsolutely beautiful. This is a retelling that fully inhabits the magical realm of myth while losing none of its human heart. The way Jennifer Saint dealt with the ending was absolutely inspired - staying true to the mythology yet giving it an emotional twist that felt completely true to the heroine she had created. Atalanta is a lyrical, exciting and deeply poignant tale of one woman's remarkable life - and I cannot wait to read it again. -- Elodie Harper, author of THE WOLF DEN and THE HOUSE WITH THE GOLDEN DOORThrough the eyes of a strong and unbending heroine, Atalanta weaves together some of the most exciting myths: the Argonauts' quest, Hypsipyle and the women of Lemnos, Hippomenes's footrace. Beautifully written and crafted with magic, this is an unforgettable retelling. -- Costanza Casati, author of CLYTEMNESTRAAtalanta is an absolute joy of a novel. As always Saint brings Ancient Greece to life with deft story-telling and lyrical imagery, but with her third outing we are drawn into a truly empowering story - a novel of strength and resilience, love and friendship, skillfully enthused with the addictive magic of timeless myth. A beautifully written retelling. -- Susan Stokes-Chapman, author of PANDORA

Read more less

Book SynopsisA cold-blooded murder. A confession. And a mystery that’s just beginning in a shocking novel of psychological suspense by the Amazon Charts and Washington Post bestselling author of A Familiar Sight. Criminologist Dr. Gretchen White thought Detective Lauren Marconi could never cross certain lines. Then Lauren, with fresh blood on her hands, is arrested for an execution-style slaying. Even as the evidence mounts, Gretchen is convinced she’s innocent. Because Lauren would have known how to get away with murder. Forced to team up with Lachlan Gibbs, the combative by-the-book star of Internal Affairs and Lauren’s boyfriend, Gretchen starts digging for the truth. But when she begins to uncover Lauren’s closely guarded secrets, the investigation raises more questions than answers. As Lauren’s decade-long obsession with the victim comes to light, Gretchen can’t help but doubt her own instincts. She knows better than most that not everything is as it seems. And with Lauren’s future on the line, it’s more important than ever to see this mystery through to the end.Trade ReviewPraise for Brianna Labuskes What Can’t Be Seen “The book’s well-constructed plot matches its three-dimensional characters. Psychological-thriller fans will be eager for more.” —Publishers Weekly A Familiar Sight “A horrific brew for readers willing to immerse themselves in it.” —Kirkus Reviews “A strong plot and unforgettable characters make this a winner. Labuskes is on a roll.” —Publishers Weekly “A Familiar Sight has everything I crave in a thriller: a shocking, addictive female lead; unexpected twists that snapped off the page; and an ending that made me gasp out loud. I never saw it coming, but it was perfectly in sync with the razor-sharp balance between creepy and compelling that Labuskes carries throughout the novel. This is a one-sitting read.” —Jess Lourey, Amazon Charts bestselling author Her Final Words “Labuskes skillfully ratchets up the suspense. Readers will eagerly await her next.” —Publishers Weekly “Labuskes offers an intense mystery with an excellent character in Lucy, who methodically uncovers layers of deceit while trusting no one.” —Library Journal Girls of Glass “Excellent…Readers who enjoy having their expectations upset will be richly rewarded.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) It Ends with Her “Once in a while a character comes along who gets under your skin and refuses to let go. This is the case with Brianna Labuskes’s Clarke Sinclair—a cantankerous, rebellious, and somehow endearingly likable FBI agent with a troubled past. I was immediately pulled into Clarke’s broken, shadow-filled world and her quest for justice and redemption. A stunning thriller, It Ends with Her is not to be missed.” —Heather Gudenkauf, New York Times bestselling author “It Ends with Her is a gritty, riveting roller-coaster ride of a book. Brianna Labuskes has created a layered, gripping story around a cast of characters that readers will cheer for. Her crisp prose and quick plot kept me reading with my heart in my throat. Highly recommended for fans of smart thrillers with captivating heroines.” —Nicole Baart, author of Little Broken Things “An engrossing psychological thriller filled with twists and turns. I couldn’t put it down! The characters were filled with emotional depth. An impressive debut!” —Elizabeth Blackwell, author of In the Shadow of Lakecrest

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author of The Best of Friends comes a fast-paced thriller about how one woman’s murder unravels the tangled web of lies and deceit connecting a group of Hollywood elite. When Kiersten McCann, president of the West Hollywood Moms’ Club, turns up dead in her own pool, it quickly becomes clear this wasn’t an accident. And the party guests—all members of the exclusive club—are now key suspects in her murder. Accusations fly, and three mothers find themselves at the center of the investigation. Whitney, Brooke, and Jade all have heavy secrets to bear…and possible motives for their friend’s murder. But as the police look closer, more secrets, betrayals, and sinister plots are revealed than the women could ever imagine. With everything at stake, deceit threatens to shatter their illusions of the perfect life. West Hollywood will never be the same.Trade Review“Perfect reading for those who wonder: ‘If you couldn’t trust your best friend, could you really trust anyone?’” —Kirkus Reviews Praise for Lucinda Berry Off the Deep End “As usual, Berry tightens the screws smartly in the opening pages and never lets up, and as usual, her ending is more intent on deepening the nightmare than providing a plausible explanation for it. Warning: the title applies as much to the audience as to the characters.” —Kirkus Reviews “As the suspense mounts, the action drives to a harrowing conclusion. Berry delivers the goods.” —Publishers Weekly “A well-done mystery with a plausible yet surprising ending.” —Library Journal Under Her Care “The action never wavers, and the surprises are unending. Berry is writing at the top of her game.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) “[It’s] a humdinger…Perfect for suspense fans.” —Kirkus Reviews “Lucinda delivers every time. Unputdownable.” —Tarryn Fisher, New York Times bestselling author “Lucinda Berry’s latest, Under Her Care, is her best thriller yet! A dark, riveting read that will keep you up late, racing to the chilling end.” —Kaira Rouda, USA Today bestselling author of The Next Wife and Somebody’s Home “Lucinda Berry’s Under Her Care is stunning, diabolical, and gripping, with one of the best and most gasp-worthy twists I have read in a very long time. Fast paced, fabulous, and enthralling, the pages practically turn themselves. Absolutely captivating.” —Lisa Regan, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author “Creepy and chilling, Under Her Care is a tense page-turner that leaves you questioning everything you ever knew about motherhood and the family bond.” —Tara Laskowski, award-winning author of The Mother Next Door The Secrets of Us “Those looking for an emotional roller-coaster ride will be rewarded.” —Publishers Weekly “Combine Lucinda Berry’s deep understanding of the complexities of the human mind with her immense talent for storytelling and you have The Secrets of Us, an intense psychological thriller that kept my heart racing until the shocking, jaw-dropping conclusion. Bravo!” —T. R. Ragan, New York Times bestselling author “The Secrets of Us is an unputdownable page-turner with two compelling female protagonists that will keep readers on their toes. Fantastic!” —Cate Holahan, USA Today bestselling author of One Little Secret “Lucinda Berry’s The Secrets of Us is a tense psychological thriller that explores the dark corners of the mind and turns a mind can take when it harbors secret guilt. The interplay between sisters Krystal and Nichole and their hidden past is gradually revealed, and in the end, the plot twists keep coming. Right and wrong can be ambivalent, and this story explores all shades of gray, from their dysfunctional family to an old childhood friend to a husband who may or may not be too good to be true. Berry’s background as a clinical psychologist shines in this novel with a character so disturbed they spend time in seclusion lockdown at a psychiatric ward. Don’t miss this one!” —Debbie Herbert, USA Today and Amazon Charts bestselling author “The Secrets of Us is an utterly gripping, raw, and heartbreaking story of two sisters. Berry’s flawlessly placed clues and psychological expertise grab you from the first word, not letting go until the last. Compelling, intricate, and shocking, this inventive thriller cleverly weaves from past to present with stunning precision. I was absolutely enthralled.” —Samantha M. Bailey, USA Today and #1 national bestselling author of Woman on the Edge “The past and present collide with explosive consequences in this addictive, twisty thriller from an author at the top of her game. The Secrets of Us grips from the first page and doesn’t let go until the final shocking twist.” —Lisa Gray, bestselling author of Dark Highway The Best of Friends “A mother’s worst nightmare on the page. For those who dare.” —Kirkus Reviews “The Best of Friends gripped me from the stunning opening to the emotional, explosive ending. In this moving novel, Berry creates a beautifully crafted study of secrets and grief among a tight-knit group of friends and of how far a mother will go to discover the truth and protect her children.” —Heather Gudenkauf, New York Times bestselling author of The Weight of Silence and This Is How I Lied “In The Best of Friends, Berry starts with a heart-stopping bang—the dreaded middle-of-the-night phone call—and then delivers a dark and gritty tale that unfolds twist by devastating twist. Intense, terrifying, and at times utterly heartbreaking. Absolutely unputdownable.” —Kimberly Belle, international bestselling author of Dear Wife and Stranger in the Lake The Perfect Child “I am a compulsive reader of literary novels…but there was one book that kept me reading, the sort of novel I can’t put down…The Perfect Child, by Lucinda Berry. It speaks to the fear of every parent: What if your child was a psychopath? This novel takes it a step further. A couple, desperate for a child, has the chance to adopt a beautiful little girl who, they are told, has been abused. They’re told it might take a while for her to learn to behave and trust people. She can be sweet and loving, and in public she is adorable. But in private—well, I won’t give away what happens. But needless to say, it’s chilling.” —Gina Kolata, New York Times “A mesmerizing, unbearably tense thriller that will have you looking over your shoulder and sleeping with one eye open. This creepy, serpentine tale explores the darkest corners of parenthood and the profoundly unsettling lengths one will go to, to keep a family together—no matter the consequences. Electrifying and atmospheric, this dark gem of a novel is one I couldn’t put down.” —Heather Gudenkauf, New York Times bestselling author “A deep, dark, and dangerously addictive read. All-absorbing to the very end!” —Minka Kent, Washington Post bestselling author

Read more less

Book SynopsisFunny of course it's funny but also smart, insightful and sincere about heartbreak'' DAVID NICHOLLS, author of ONE DAY''This is the greatest. You''ll cry and laugh. I read it though the night. And I never, ever avoid sleep'' CLAUDIA WINKLEMANI award it 13/10 on my QWJ scale (stands for Queasy With Jealousy that I didn''t write it)' MARIAN KEYES---Every relationship has one beginning.This one has two endings.Andy loves Jen. Jen loved Andy.And he can''t work out why she stopped.Now he is. . .1. Without a home2. Waiting for his stand-up career to take off3. Wondering why everyone else around him seems to have grown up while he wasn''t lookingSet adrift on the sea of heartbreak at a time when everything he thought he knew about women, and flat-sharing, and his friendships has transformed beyond recognition, Andy clings to the idea of solving the puzzle of their broken relationship. Because if he can find the answer to that, then maybe Jen can find her way back to him.Andy still has a lot to learn, not least his ex-girlfriend''s side of the story.From the bestselling author of Ghosts and Everything I Know About Love: a sharply funny, beautifully observed and exquisitely relatable story of heartbreak and friendship, and how to survive both.''The most book-based fun I had this year ... It''s the most I''ve laughed while reading about heartbreak since Nick Hornby''s High Fidelity. A complete delight'' The Sunday Times, Critics'' favourite books of the yearSunday Times bestseller, November 2023Trade ReviewIf Dolly’s memoir Everything I Know About Love summed up being twentysomething then this, her second novel, is a tender and funny love letter to our tumultuous 30s * Red *Brilliantly observed … Beautifully written, pacy and excellent on rejection, friendship and letting go. Fabulous * Daily Mail *Laugh-out-loud dialogue on every page ... No-one has a firmer grasp on the themes she explores. Good material, indeed * Sunday Express *Funny, sad and true; a book she has clearly poured her soul into ... Cements her status as a fiction heavyweight * inews, The best new books to read in November 2023 *This is the greatest. You’ll cry and laugh. I read it through the night. And I never, ever avoid sleep * Claudia Winkleman *It's so good. I loved it * Sharon Horgan *Leaves you heartsore but happier. Irresistible * Richard E. Grant *Made me laugh while punching me in the gut. Loved this book * Aisling Bea *Sharply written and acutely observed ... A beautifully nuanced portrayal of modern love that will have you racing to the last page * Heat *Have you ever wondered what a lost love was thinking? In this ingeniously constructed and endlessly amusing novel, Dolly Alderton flips the script on everything we think we know about romantic loss, to bring us an unforgettable character on a deeply relatable downward spiral. Wise and relatable and pee-your-pants funny. I cried by page 5. Dolly Alderton is, quite simply, the bard of modern day love * Lena Dunham *WONDERFUL ... Shot through with Dolly's characteristic emotional intelligence ... Very funny ... Such a pleasure to read. I devoured it ... I award it 13/10 on my QWJ scale (stands for Queasy With Jealousy that I didn't write it) * Marian Keyes *I adored it! I ... Dolly is THE comic writer of our generation. This feels like her most ambitious book yet, and it delivers on every single page. She uses humour so brilliantly to underpin the quiet roar of romantic despair - this book is raw, smart and human. This makes me believe Dolly knows everything there is to know about love. * Daisy Buchanan *Dolly Alderton just gets better and better. Good Material is both heartbreaking and hilarious with an ending that has you holding your breath. With the wit of Nick Hornby and the emotional scalpel of Nora Ephron, Alderton is one of our greats and this is sure to be an absolute classic * Emma Gannon *A relatable, laugh-out-loud story of a thirtysomething failed comedian struggling with a break-up * Sunday Times Style *Good Material combines Alderton’s wit and eye for detail with a beautiful depth of emotion * Woman & Home *Genuinely laugh-out-loud funny – with characters straight out of a Richard Curtis film – whipsmart dialogue and relatable millennial themes (Alderton’s forte) mean there’s never a dull moment ... Thought-provoking and wise * The Independent, Best New Books to Read This Autumn *The author of Everything I Know About Love nails the zeitgeist with a witty, relatable and acutely insightful page-turner about the trails and tribulations of the lovelorn * Daily Express *Dolly Alderton is the Adele of writing * Esther Coren, The Spike *Witty, warm and well-observed * Fabulous Magazine *A funny, tender novel about human relationships. By turns, laugh-out-loud, eye-roll relatable, and 'stop you in your tracks' heart-wrench. A thoroughly modern romantic masterpiece. * Nina Stibbe, author of Love, Nina *Highly relatable for millennials navigating dating in London, and hugely insightful for those generations wanting to understand them. Packed with sharp observations and wisdom. A triumph * Sathnam Sanghera *Alderton entertains with observational quips about thirtysomething life ... There's a Hornby-esque charm to her well-meaning characters and their relatable dramas * The Observer *The bestselling author brings her warmth, emotional intelligence and wry observation to bear on her second novel ... Refreshing * The Bookseller, Editor's Choice *Alderton is perceptive about how men deal (badly) with emotional pain * The Times *Relatable, funny and refreshing * Elle *[A] book to be devoured, adored, underlined, and passed on (but only to the friends you know will give it back) ... [Alderton] proves herself once again as having both a deep understanding of the intricacies of relationships and the ability to articulate it better than the majority of us ever could ...Good Material showcases Alderton’s knack for rich characterisation and zippy dialogue like never before ... Genuinely funny – if only more books made you laugh as much as this * The i *All of Alderton's considerable gifts as a writer are on display here: her wit, her ability to capture exchanges that feel real, and her skilful characterisation ... Alderton's work truly shines when she writes about friendship * Sunday Independent *With distinct notes of Helen Fielding, Richard Curtis and Nick Hornby ... Warm and generous ... A writer very much in control of her material * Guardian *Alderton is excellent at fusing poignant tenderness with wry observations about modern life, and that talent is on full display here. Good Material is a highly enjoyable exploration of the messy, non-binary nature of many break-ups, and how two people can simply make a terrible couple ... If you're on the hunt for a readable romcom to inhale in a few sittings, this is very good material * Stylist *Funny, tender and astute on heartbreak * Mail on Sunday *This is Dolly Alderton's best book yet ... Alderton is a great social chronicler: her observations here about thirty-something friendship and the differences (or not) between millennials and Gen Z feel particularly true. But most crucially, this is a tender, bittersweet portrait of the addictive fug of longterm monogamy – and the crushing pain when it ends * The i – All I want for Christmas: Which books should you buy for your loved ones this year? *Brilliantly observed ... addictive * Daily Mail *Comical yet warming * Psychologies *A brilliantly observed portrait of a break-up, which examines how miserable it is to become obsessed with the unknown reasons a relationship has ended. Andy can’t understand why Jen no longer wants to be with him. The more he thinks about it the madder he feels but he can’t stop. Addictive * Daily Mail – Christmas Books: Best way to survive Christmas? Read a really good book! *I’ve already bought several copies of Dolly Alderton’s Good Material for the men and women in my life, and I will continue the rampage through the festive season. It’s the perfect blend of easy to read, funny and extremely astute * The Observer – Books of the year 2023 *Failing stand-up comedian Andy is devastated when his girlfriend Jen breaks up with him out of the blue. Alderton explores the trials and tribulations of finding yourself unexpectedly single in your mid-30s in a novel as witty as it is perceptive * Daily Express – Stocking fillers: What were the must read novels of 2023? *The most book-based fun I had this year ... It’s the most I’ve laughed while reading about heartbreak since Nick Hornby’s High Fidelity. A complete delight * The Sunday Times – My favourite read of the year, Charlotte Ivers *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor a bride-to-be and her fiancé, secrets and lies make this a killer celebration in this psychological suspense. Carrie and Oliver. A couple completely in love and the hosts of a wedding to remember at Colorado’s legendary Stanley Hotel. This is Carrie’s fairy tale come true. Her fiancé, Oliver, is Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome; successful; and utterly devoted to her. Now family and friends have gathered to celebrate. It’s sure to be a wild night as the drinks flow freely and the fun begins. But the morning after is murder. FBI agent Andi Castle was just supposed to be a plus-one. This should have been a calming weekend getaway from what she does best: catch killers. Instead, Andi’s on the hunt again. The hotel is on lockdown. Secrets are being unearthed. And no one is above Andi’s suspicions. But which secrets are worth killing for? Andi’s forced to find the answers fast…before someone else dies.Trade ReviewPraise for L. R. Jones The Wedding Party “A tense and twisty whodunit featuring a joint bachelor/bachelorette party, an FBI agent, a murder, and a hotel on lockdown. The Wedding Party is highly engrossing and wickedly fun! Jones delivers an entertaining thriller that readers will surely devour.” —Jeneva Rose, New York Times bestselling author “Riveting and pulse-pounding from the very first page. Impossible to put down.” —Lucinda Berry, bestselling author of Keep Your Friends Close “An instantly compelling mystery that's IMPOSSIBLE to put down!” —Shalini Boland, USA Today bestselling author “The Wedding Party by Lisa Renee Jones is a roller coaster of a read! A story about love, deception and the ways we are formed by family, this fast-paced, twisty novel is one you don’t want to miss! Jones has established a complex and layered world for the clever, daring and, at times, unconventional Agent Andrea Castle so here’s hoping there will be more books in the series.” —Danielle Girard, USA Today bestselling author “L.R. Jones masterfully ramps up the suspense in a game of secrets where everyone's a suspect.” —L.T. Ryan, Wall Street Journal and Amazon bestselling author “Suspense at its best! When a wedding reception ends in murder, FBI agent Andi Castle uses her profiling skills to sort through a web of secrets and lies in a nail-biting race to find the killer. Jones expertly ratchets up the tension with one twist after another until the shocking truth is finally revealed. Part locked-room mystery, part procedural thriller, and part domestic suspense, this story has it all.” —Isabella Maldonado, Wall Street Journal bestselling author You Look Beautiful Tonight “In this devilishly twisty standalone…Jones reveals her characters’ secrets and motives slowly, expertly ratcheting up the pace before an explosive conclusion. This white-knuckler is not to be missed.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisColin Barrett grew up in County Mayo, Ireland. His stories have been published in the Stinging Fly, Granta, Harper's and the New Yorker. His first book, the short story collection Young Skins, won the Guardian First Book Award, the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award and the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature. His second collection, Homesickness, made the New York Times 100 Notable Books of the Year and was a Book of the Year in Oprah Daily and the Irish Times.Trade ReviewSublime… Wild Houses is a thrillingly moreish novel with some of the sharpest dialogue I’ve read in any recent debut and characters who held me captive until the very last page * Sunday Times *A delicate and beautiful book about the lives of lonely people... Page after faultless page, Wild Houses is a sheer joy to read... Colin Barrett's the real deal, but then we knew that already * Irish Times *So consistently witty and inventive that one struggles to think of recent novels that could stand up to comparison * Guardian, *Book of the Day* *With a thrillerish intensity… Barrett expertly handles the combination of narrative-driving dialogue, exhilarating action scenes and quieter moments designed to build tension… I was unable to put Wild Houses down * Times Literary Supplement *After years of short stories, Barrett’s transition to the longer span of the novel is confidently done. Descriptive set pieces are linked and expanded, yet every paragraph is created with care * Financial Times *Barrett’s superb debut novel deepens the world of his two short-story collections… The novel has the tension of a gritty noir thriller and the comic menace of a Pinter play * New Statesman *Barrett can sustain a narrative across a novel without sacrificing the panache and precision that has made him one of the most stylish fiction writers at work today. His prose is a delight from the first page * i *Wild Houses realises life in full and without pity... A palpable sense of human eccentricity, and endurance, is always there, just beneath the surface * Daily Telegraph *Until now, Colin Barrett has made his name as an artist of the short story… Wild Houses is a delight, with a wider space for his talent to spread and for his acutely observed characters to linger * Spectator *This strange and beautiful novel brings to life an entire world. Wild Houses is a book not just to read but to live inside -- Sally Rooney, author of Normal PeopleSharp and affecting, expansive and playful, Barrett has written a gorgeous novel filled with gorgeous sentences. A dream to read, and no doubt destined to be one of the novels of the year -- Michael Magee, author of Close to HomeColin Barrett quietly, insistently, writes so deeply into his characters you could reach out and touch them. Wild Houses is a gift of true storytelling and Barrett’s talent burns up the page -- Anne Enright, author of The Wren, The WrenVivid, controlled, very funny, and very moving - Barrett has the kind of pure writing chops that are vanishingly rare -- Kevin Barry, author of Night Boat to TangierFunny, engrossing, and told with masterful technique * Daily Mail *Wild Houses is a wonder of a novel - crackling with tension and gifted with fine, strong language. Colin Barrett is a superb storyteller, and this is a tale for the ages -- Jon McGregor, author of Reservoir 13

Read more less

Book Synopsis*** From the bestselling author of Stone Blind and A Thousand Ships ***When you open up, who will you let in?Alex Morris has lost everything: her relationship, her career and her faith in the future. Moving to Edinburgh to escape her demons, Alex takes a job teaching at a Pupil Referral Unit. It's a place for kids whose behaviour is so extreme that they cannot be taught in a regular classroom. Alex is fragile with grief and way out of her depth. Her fourth-year students are troubled and violent. Desperate to reach them, Alex turns to the stories she knows best. Greek tragedy isn't the most obvious way to win over such damaged children, yet these tales of fate, family and vengeance speak directly to them.Enthralled by the bloodthirsty justice of the ancient world, the teenagers begin to weave the threads of their own tragedy - one that Alex watches, helpless to prevent.Trade ReviewHaynes' debut is not only a gripping thriller, but also a beautifully drawn portrait of grief and how we find our way back to life. I loved it. -- Madeline Miller, author of THE SONG OF ACHILLESA handsomely structured psychological mystery, and a moving exploration of grief -- Lionel ShriverI stayed up all night to finish The Amber Fury. It's gripping and compelling, a real page-turner, written with humanity and warmth -- S.J. Watson, author of BEFORE I GO TO SLEEPA gripping first novel...impossible to put down. -- Herman Koch, author of the international bestseller, THE DINNERCompelling, wise, compassionate, and devastating, Natalie Haynes' masterfully-wrought drama of rage, loss and redemption stirs both contemplation and tears. Her debut marks the arrival of a forceful, thrilling new talent -- Liz Jensen, bestselling author of THE UNINVITED and THE RAPTUREGripping and elegiac, funny and achingly sad, Haynes' tale pulls you along like a river to the falls. Hypnotic -- Joss Whedon, creator of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER and screenwriter of TOY STORY

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom the acclaimed author ofFish Soup, a wickedly self-aware novel of family, memory, and possibility just this side of the uncanny.A tolerable, ordinary life: an adequate, if boring, freelance job; reliably irritating video calls with your sister; half-hearted plans for the future (a writing residency, a child); and, in the middle of your half-furnished apartment, an enormous crate. Unopened, delivered days ago, and getting in the way.InThe Delivery , what’s inside is your estranged mother, and her arrival brings to a head the tentative motions you’ve made to examine the past and the subtle fissures in the life you’ve built. Semi-ordinary happenings take on an otherworldly cast when you look at them sideways, but nothing is stranger, in this place far from home, than the tenuous bonds of family that hold us together, or don’t.Trade Review"This multi-centred novel contains everything: death, life and all the stuff in between." —The Guardian"A sharp and perceptive novel." —Irish Times"The microscopic precision with which García Robayo delves into the human soul is striking." —El País"An unsettling novel about uncertainty, memories and fears, solitude, family relationships and hopes for the future." —Diario Popular"Robayo masterfully constructs a story of family ghosts and memories that put into question what it means to leave behind a country, family and friends for a new place." —Morning Star"Once again, a Colombian literary star has blended absurdism, realism and great linguistic skill to create a novel that may be neatly packaged but proves to contain multitudes." —Lunate"Completely engrossing. García Robayo’s best yet. " —Sounds & Colours"Inside the music of Robayo’s prose, one encounters an argument about the vigor of personal history, its relentless capacity to emboss the present." —The Believer"By throwing her characters off their typical paths, García Robayo continues to show readers that she is one of the brightest voices in Latin American literature." —On the Seawall"The Delivery reveals the fissures, gaps, and spaces of incomprehension that can exist between speakers of the same language." —Full Stop"This chamber piece, which chronicles the narrator’s various procrastinations, succeeds thanks to its voice, its pacing, and its glaring omissions." —Necessary Fiction"Questions about motherhood, belonging, and exile hang over this quietly unsettling work." —Southwest Review"García Robayo has written a novel that, avoiding any complacency, situates us in the interstices of identity." —El Mundo"If for this narrator having a child is like ‘resisting extinction’ (…), novels like The Delivery fulfil a similar injunction to permanence: not to pass through the world without leaving anything behind." —El País"An intimate, mature work that confirms Margarita García Robayo as one of the most promising Latin American writers today." —La Razón"The Colombian writer makes the daily routine of her protagonist seem like a disturbing sequence of events." —Expansión"A brilliant and exhaustive relationship with language that draws on a search for origins." —El Tiempo"Thoughts that achieve a sparking lucidity that contrasts with the bewilderment experienced by the main character." —La Nación"You can’t put it down until you find out what happens at the end." —Pagina/12"The Delivery is one of those novels that mark a before and an after, just as happens to its main character when she manages to open the crate sent by her sister." —Pagina/12"A book of contained intensity, full of glimpses more than certainties, which confirms the author as one of the leading voices of Latin American fiction." —El Siglo de Torreón**********Praise for Margarita García RobayoBiblioteca de Narrativa Colombiana Prize (Finalist)"García Robayo writes with caustic insight, brittle humour and a fair whack of cynicism (...) Holiday Heart is brilliant." —The Guardian"Understated, lyrical, and delivers its insights by means of acute observation. (5 stars)" —The Arts Desk"Cunningly well achieved." —Irish Times"Holiday Heart is a poignant and searing story of love ending." —Gutter Magazine"Coombe’s translation brilliantly captures the bite in García Robayo’s humour." —iNews"One of Colombia’s greatest living writers." —The Monthly Booking"Brilliantly dramatises the disjunction between an idealized picture of life like sitting on a sunny beach and the reality of that life like getting sand caught in your teeth." —Lonesome ReaderBest Fiction Books of 2017 —New York Times (Español)"Darkly funny throughout, this examination of two lives will stay with you long after you read the final words and lay the book down." —Lunate"Every sentence in the book seems to be written with a scalpel infused with acid. " —Morning Star"Acute, provocative, concise and raw." —Translating Women"An incredibly insightful portrayal of a disintegrating marriage...provides a sharp-eyed view of estrangement and personal identity." —Book Riot"Frightening, alluring, and inescapable." —Books and Bao**********Casa de las Américas Prize (Winner)Society of Authors Valle-Inclán Prize (Shortlist)"García Robayo’s prose bristles with restrained energy and a wry humour which captures the disaffection of her characters." —The Times Literary Supplement"[Fish Soup] is a gorgeous, blackly humorous look into the lives of Colombians struggling to find their place in society, both at home and abroad." —Publishers Weekly, starred review"A remarkable genre-bending effort." —The Guardian"The tackiness of the Caribbean coast and its discontents are marvellously rendered." —The Times Literary Supplement"If you’re a fan of Ottessa Moshfegh or Melissa Broder, then this is for you." —The Guardian"An evocative collection that conveys the potency of desire in even the most ordinary lives." —Kirkus"García Robayo is building one of the most solid and interesting oeuvres in Latin American literature."" —Juan Cárdenas , author of ORNAMENTAL"Her stories combine the atmosphere of Desperate Housewives, Hemingway’s iceberg theory and a memorable, bittersweet ending."" —Jorge Carrión , author of BOOKSHOPS"Margarita shows sharp insight into contemporary life. Her voice speaks with surreptitious irony and sophisticated psychological perception. She is the creator of an exceptional poetics of displacement."" —Juan Villoro , author of THE WITNESS"There are very few writers who can challenge expectations the way Margarita García Robayo does. Margarita is simply one of the best of the new generation that respects, yet no longer identifies with, the Latin American Boom."" —Mariana Enríquez , author of THINGS WE LOST IN THE FIRE"This is a text written from within the belly of the beast. (…) One of the most essential books of the year." —Asymptote"García Robayo’s prose is concise and startling, her voice versatile and capable of packing a serious punch." —LA Review of Books"One of the most potent figures of contemporary Latin American literature." —ABC Cultural"Full of everyday details that reveal the most vulnerable aspects of feminine subjectivity." —La Nación**********

Read more less

Book SynopsisIntroducing Little Clothbound Classics: irresistible, mini editions of short stories, novellas and essays from the world''s greatest writers, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith.Celebrating the range and diversity of Penguin Classics, they take us from snowy Japan to springtime Vienna, from haunted New England to a sun-drenched Mediterranean island, and from a game of chess on the ocean to a love story on the moon. Beautifully designed and printed, these collectible editions are bound in colourful, tactile cloth and stamped with foil.Like his Austrian contemporary Sigmund Freud, the doctor and writer Arthur Schnitzlerwas a bold pioneer in exploring the dark tangled roots of human consciousness. His novella Dream Story tells the tale of a young married man who, after a discussion with his wife about their fantasises, experiences an eery reverie through Vienna''s underbelly.Trade ReviewThe amoral voice of fin-de-siècle Vienna—New Yorker

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisSunday Times bestseller Tessa Hadley explores the big consequences of small events in this new collection'You've either got it or you haven't. Hadley's got it' FINANCIAL TIMESHeloise's father died in a car crash when she was a little girl; at a dinner party in her forties, she meets someone connected to that long-ago tragedy. Janey's bohemian mother plans to marry a man close to Janey's own age - everything changes when an accident interrupts the wedding party. A daughter caring for her elderly mother during the pandemic becomes obsessed with the woman next door; in the wake of his best friend's death, a man must reassess his affair with the friend's wife. Teenager Cecilia wakes one morning on vacation with her parents in Florence and sees them for the first time through disenchanted eyes.These stories illuminate the enduring conflicts between responsibility and freedom, power and desire, convention and subversion, reality, and dreams.***A GUARDIAN AND NEW STATESMAN BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023******ONE OF THE BBC’S '25 BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2023'***Trade ReviewConsistently pulls you in from the first sentence... The capacity to make readers care from the off about what happens to these imaginary people next is an unquantifiable, indefinable talent that cannot be taught. You've got it or you haven't. Hadley's got it * Financial Times *One of our finest novelists and a short story supremo... It is hard to imagine stories more skilfully paced and polished than these * Observer *After the Funeral is a brilliant collection. From the virtuosity of Hadley's technique to the clarity of her moral vision and the warmth of her humour, what she has achieved in After the Funeral is nothing short of masterful. Her stories are surprising, profound, and each feels as full as a world -- Brandon Taylor, author of The Late AmericansBeautifully done... The strongest stories resonate, offering glimpses of the hidden selves we all conceal * Sunday Times *She has such great psychological insights into human beings, which is rare... One of the best fiction writers writing today -- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, author of AmericanahShort stories tend to be literary Marmite, but the dozen tales in Hadley's classy new collection are a testament to the startling power of both their author and the form itself` * Mail on Sunday *After the Funeral draws us into situations that bear out Tolstoy’s famous line, “every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way”. Each story explores a way of coping with a peculiar challenge… Hadley elicits the answer with an acumen that puts her among the great detectives of human nature * New Statesman, *Books of the Year* *Tessa Hadley is my favourite author -- Kate Atkinson, author of Shrines of GaietyHadley has elevated middle-class domesticity, and the emotional ripples beneath it, into the realms of high art... Her depictions of buried disappointment and quiet yearning are timeless... A reminder of just how sublime an experience reading a Tessa Hadley book is * i *Few writers give me such consistent pleasure -- Zadie Smith, author of White Teeth

Read more less

Book SynopsisGuardian's Best Fiction of 2022'One of the most original and exciting writers working in English today' - Jhumpa LahiriOnce home to the country's most illustrious families, Waitsfield, Massachusetts, is now an unforgiving place awash with secrets. Forged in this frigid landscape, Ruthie learns how the town's prim facade conceals a deeper, darker history and how silence often masks a legacy of harm - from the violence that runs down the family line to the horrors endured by her high school friends.In Very Cold People Sarah Manguso reveals the suffocating constraints of growing up in a very old, and very cold, small town. Here lies a vital confrontation with an all-American whiteness where the ice of emotional restraint meets the embers of smouldering rage . . .'Chilling . . . deeply impressive' - Guardian'A masterclass in unease' - The ObserverLonglisted for the Wingate Prize 2023Trade ReviewA masterclass in unease * Observer *Manguso puts her own indelible stamp on the literary terrain of John Cheever and Susan Minot, daring to brush against the third rail of class. * Oprah Daily *Magnificent . . . I hope all my fellow reader friends can find their way to this title either through their local library or independent bookseller. It is indeed special. -- Sarah Jessica Parker via InstagramAn uncomfortable, deeply impressive account of how silence, snobbery and repression in a New England town allow the poison of abuse to trickle down the decades. -- 'Best Fiction of 2022', The GuardianSarah Manguso is one of the most original and exciting writers working in English today. Every word feels necessary, and she’s redefining genre as she goes -- Jhumpa Lahiri, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Interpreter of MaladiesWith its adult narrator trying to recover the intuitions of her younger self, Very Cold People reminded me of My Brilliant Friend, the first novel in Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan quartet. -- Katy Waldon * New Yorker *Manguso is consistent in her approach and the cumulative effect is satisfying -- Damon Galgut * TLS *Very Cold People knocked me to my knees. So precise, so austere, so elegant, this story is devastatingly familiar to those of us who know the loneliness of growing up in a place of extreme emotional restraint. Manguso is one of my favourite writers, and this book is a revelation -- Lauren Groff, author of FloridaMidwesterners, New Englanders and anyone from small town America will recognize the contours in this quietly beautiful novel about what it feels like to grow up an outsider. It's a starkly lyrical exploration of the darkness that lies underneath a lily white community with an emotional resonance that sneaks up on you and won't let go. * Good Housekeeping *I loved every sentence, thought, and gesture in this perfect novel. Sarah Manguso has painted a deeply moving portrait of the stark unreality of childhood -- Catherine Lacey, author of PewI loved it and am still trying to accommodate its cold quality - like swallowing an ice-cube by accident. Manguso’ steady gaze and clarity of expression is reminiscent of Louise Gluck. I hope it will do as brilliantly as it deserves. -- Laura Beatty, author of PollardThe book is strong enough as a compendium of the insults of a deprived childhood: a thousand cuts exquisitely observed and survived. The effect is cumulative, and this novel bordering on a novella punches above its weight -- Alexandra Jacobs * New York Times *A haunted masterpiece, written with the precision of a miniaturist and the vulnerability of true heartache. I wept more than once; I recognized myself more than once. Very Cold People proves yet again that Manguso is one of the greats -- Andrew Sean Greer, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of LessVery Cold People is an important stitch in a tapestry being urgently reworked by women writers. Manguso's is a bold stitch, a beautiful and a vital one. -- Joanna Walsh, author of Break.upA poignant and unnerving masterwork about growing up in a dominator society, told with the concision, carefulness, and sense of mystery that we’ve come to expect from Sarah Manguso -- Tao Lin, author of Leave SocietyManguso’s attention to the chilliness and reservation of certain New Englanders crackles like a room-temperature beverage poured over ice . . . Manguso portrays the fears surrounding girlhood with a blistering clarity. -- Michele Filgate * Washington Post *Chilling . . . Set in the 1980s in a small, frigid New England town, this coming-of-age story offers a stark take on what it is to feel poor, poorly nurtured, and inadequately loved in a class-conscious, lily-white town whose antique houses were built and occupied by generations of Cabots and Emersons . . . absorbs our attention and stirs empathy and reflection. * NPR *Very Cold People wields a kind of detached, anthropological power, portraying the world through the accumulation of telling details. * Wall Street Journal *Unafraid to engage with tricky topics like race and class in America, Very Cold People may not warm your heart, necessarily. But it will pick you up after it knocks you down, and leave you stronger for it. * Chicago Review of Books *Manguso is a lovely writer about unlovely things . . . here she depicts her protagonist’s quiet agony with a poet’s eye . . . A taut, blisteringly smart novel, both measured and rageful. * Kirkus, (starred review) *Manguso is an exquisitely astute writer, and there is something admirable about her refusal to bow to predictable plot tropes that might rescue Ruthie more definitively — or condemn her. * Boston Globe *Her rendering of violence, abuse and secrecy within families and communities is clear-eyed and almost uncomfortably lyrical — the beauty of her writing makes the tragedies she describes feel all the more wrenching. * Los Angeles Times *Manguso excels at capturing the perspective of a child desperate for the love of people who don’t know how to give it. * The Spectator *

Read more less

Book Synopsis**AS HEARD ON BBC RADIO 4**An interpreter has come to The Hague to escape New York and work at the International Court. A woman of many languages and identities, she is looking for a place to finally call home.She's drawn into simmering personal dramas. Her lover, Adriaan, is separated from his wife but still entangled in his marriage.Her friend Jana witnesses a seemingly random act of violence, a crime the interpreter becomes increasingly obsessed with as she befriends the victim's sister.And she's pulled into an explosive political controversy when she's asked to interpret for a former president accused of war crimes.She is soon pushed to the precipice, where betrayal and heartbreak threaten to overwhelm her, forcing her to decide what she wants from her life.One of Barack Obama's Favourite 2021 ReadsA New York Times Top 10 Book of 2021'One of my favourite novels of the past few years' Caleb Azumah Nelson'Captivating' Elif Shafak'Charged with tension and power' Avni Doshi'Simply stunning' Brandon Taylor'Gorgeous' Raven LeilaniTrade ReviewIntimacies is a novel about the ruthlessness of power, the check of virtue, and the purportedly neutral bureaucracy meant to mediate between them. Katie Kitamura is among the most brilliant and profound writers at work today; she reminds me how high the moral stakes of fiction can be. * Garth Greenwell *The thrill of Intimacies is in the taut precision of its language, which rings and hums off the page. It's forensic and inquiring, but also bright and alive. You forget to breathe while reading it, and feel with each crafted sentence, each building thought, that you're in the company of a magnificent writer. * Samantha Harvey *Katie Kitamura writes about being an outsider like no other author. Quiet moments are charged with tension and power. In short, the book is remarkable - beautifully written and intelligent. * Avni Doshi *Intimacies is a perfect novel-taut and seductive. Kitamura has made the existential thriller all her own, and she effortlessly negotiates the personal and the geopolitical with a complex moral nuance. Simply stunning. * Brandon Taylor *Katie Kitamura's Intimacies - she's an incredible writer. It's fiction and a really beautiful exploration of how we can live everyday life while complete horrors and atrocities are happening in the world - how both things coexist. -- Natalie Portman * Vogue *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Nervous System is fast, uncompromising and shimmering with intelligence' Sarah Moss, author of Summerwater'Meruane is one of the one or two greats in the new generation of Chilean writers who promise to have it all' Roberto BolañoA young woman struggles to finish her PhD on stars and galaxies. Instead, she obsessively tracks the experience of her own body, listening to its functions and rhythms, finally locating in its patterns the beginning of illness and instability. As she discovers the precarity of her self, she begins to turn her attention to the distant orbits of her family members, each moving away from the familial system and each so different in their experiences, but somehow made similar in their shared history of illness and trauma, both political and personal...Trade ReviewMeruane is a deliberate and immensely gifted writer... Nervous System burns in the mind long after one has read it. * New York Times *Lina Meruane's language ultimately works best when it surprises... It is one of Nervous System's reminders of life's staggering happenstance. * TLS *Nervous System is fast, uncompromising and shimmering with intelligence * Sarah Moss, author of Summerwater *Nervous System's dreamy lull belies the slow-motion horror of its plot... I still feel blurrily half-drowned in Meruane's eerie, swirling poetics. * Sarah Manguso, author of 300 Arguments *This is an absolutely fantastic novel. From black holes to mass graves, undiagnosable diseases and (perhaps most terrifying of all) a PhD that hasn't been written, Nervous System is frank, brave, and unsparing. The precision of Meruane's sentences will cut through you like a scalpel. * Julianne Pachico, author of The Anthill *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA brilliant psychologist faces the secrets and lies of her own dark past in a shocking novel of suspense by the Washington Post and Amazon Charts bestselling author of A Familiar Sight. “Gretchen…What have you done?” Psychologist and criminologist Dr. Gretchen White, top consultant for the Boston PD, has solved countless cases—but never her own. Since the age of eight, she has lived her life thinking she killed her aunt. After all, she was found standing over the body, clutching a bloody knife. Most people, including Detective Patrick Shaughnessy, believe the little sociopath got away with murder. Thirty years later, Detective Lauren Marconi wants to prove them wrong. When plucking at the threads of the past unravels a decades-old case tied to the White family, both Lauren and Gretchen grapple with the question, What if Gretchen really is guilty? As old secrets come to light and Gretchen’s lifelong grip on her darkest impulses threatens to erode, Shaughnessy is there watching, waiting for her to lose control one more time. Everyone thinks they know what happened that night. But the truth is beyond what anyone imagines—even Gretchen herself.Trade Review“The book’s well-constructed plot matches its three-dimensional characters. Psychological thriller fans will be eager for more.” —Publishers Weekly

Read more less